Tong An'an waited another night but those people never came to settle the score.
She didn't know what was happening outside. Too tired, she curled up on the sofa and slept. When she woke, she continued to gaze into the distance.
It wasn't until the next morning that the door was pushed open again.
Following the person with three stripes was a Chinese face dressed in a suit.
Their eyes met, and the man walked quickly towards her, extending his hand.
"Tong An'an, right? I'm sorry, I'm from the embassy. I'm late, and I apologize for your suffering."
After a period of heated negotiation and pressure, Tong An'an and Manager Li were released and then transferred to a safe location.
Her phone regained its network and communication. The first call she received was from Jiang Jingyu.
Hearing the voice of the person they loved again, both were moved to tears.
After calming down for a while, Tong An'an said, "Don't worry, I'm fine now. The embassy is arranging a plane to send us back, and we'll see each other soon. We're returning to China several months earlier than expected, you should be happy."
Jiang Jingyu was amused by her again. After a few seconds, he said,
"Miss Tong An'an. I didn't expect you to be so capable now. Not only are you not flustered when encountering trouble, but you also show such patriotism. I feel I'm not worthy of you."
Tong An'an didn't know where this statement came from.
"How do you know I'm not flustered and am patriotic? Perhaps I was terrified but just didn't tell you."
Jiang Jingyu replied, "Didn't they tell you? The video you recorded was posted on the official website as a model response to the international situation."
"Not only has it been frantically reposted by major media outlets worldwide, but it has also been clicked, played, and commented on by netizens across the globe. You've become a global sensation now."
What?
Tong An'an was confused. "What video? What model? What are you talking about?"
"I know your phone had no signal, and you only just reconnected. After our call, I'll send you the news."
They hung up, and Jiang Jingyu quickly sent the news to her WeChat.
It was the farewell video recorded in the small cabin.
It was spoken in a moment of panic, not particularly good or emotional, so why was it put on the official website?
Perhaps it was because the language was simple, sincere, and it truly represented the voice of ordinary people, which resonated with others.
Below the news, netizens from around the world expressed their aversion to war, their hope for peace, their blessings for the people there, and their admiration for Tong An'an.
As Jiang Jingyu said, she seemed to have become famous.
But then, her mother's call came.
Tong An'an had been lying to her mother, saying she was going to a developed country with excellent conditions.
After this incident, her mother finally knew where she was and what she had encountered.
When the phone was answered, her mother scolded her tearfully.
"Tong An'an, Tong An'an, you really thought your mother was old and easy to fool! You lied to me for so long!"
"You went to such a godforsaken place and told me how good the conditions were. Jiang Jingyu is too much of a scoundrel!"
"Knowing that place is so dangerous, he let a young girl like you go alone? Does he treat you like his wife? Luckily, nothing happened. If something had happened, how could I go on living!"
"Come back to me immediately! I warn you, you are not allowed to run so far away or go to such dangerous places in the future!"
"A girl should honestly get married and have children. Your father and I only have you as our daughter, and you've always been my darling. You know that. If something had happened to you, wouldn't I regret letting you marry Jiang Jingyu?"
"Wuwuwu, it's too unreliable. When you get back, I'll deal with him."
Tong An'an knew her mother was just worried and afraid for her safety, which was why she blamed Jiang Jingyu.
She comforted her at length. Jiang Nan Fang and Zhan Bei Jue then simultaneously made video calls to her.
They asked about her health, expressed their support, and said they were proud of her.
In short, the harrowing experience had solidified Tong An'an's position within Zhan Shi Group and the entire Zhan family.
That evening, they boarded the plane back home. After two days of transit, they landed in Nancheng at noon.
Her parents, brother, and the entire Zhan family came to welcome her. Everyone was overjoyed, and they had lunch together.
During the meal, they discussed recent events and then suggested that Tong An'an not go abroad again in the future.
She had achieved her goal of gaining experience. It was best to recuperate peacefully in the country for a while and then seek further challenges when a more suitable opportunity arose.
Tong An'an had been feeling unwell these past few days, perhaps from the fright or catching a slight cold during the long journey. She didn't have much appetite for dinner that night.
Facing a table full of her favorite dishes, she felt a constant urge to vomit.
She didn't want to drink plain water, coffee, or various kinds of flower tea or green tea. She just felt a lack of taste in her mouth and wanted to drink sour plum soup.
Jiang Jingyu had someone specially brew a pot for her.
As they ate and chatted, she quietly drank the soup on the side.
In the blink of an eye, she had drunk more than half of it herself.
Jiang Jingyu was startled and told her to stop drinking.
"Such sour stuff, how can you drink so much at once? Your stomach can't handle it."
But she just wanted to drink it.
"Otherwise, I feel uncomfortable. I always feel sour water rising in my mouth, and it's unpleasant."
"You must have caught a chill, and it's affected your stomach. I'll take you to the hospital later."
"No need, it's nothing serious, I don't have a headache or a fever."
"Nonsense. Who says you need a headache or fever to go to the hospital? You'll get checked."
Tong An'an knew he was worried about her and didn't argue. They held hands under the table, finished their meal, endured her mother's scolding, and drove to the hospital.
The hospital was crowded in the afternoon. Jiang Jingyu wanted to use his privilege to let her skip the queue, but Tong An'an didn't want to.
"Are you in a hurry to get back to the company? If not, stay with me for a while? I just want to lean on your shoulder. Even just waiting dryly would feel interesting."
Indeed, being with the person you like, even if it's just waiting drably, doesn't feel tedious.
They sat there, waiting for their turn, were asked a series of questions by the doctor, had a gastroscopy, found no problems, and were then asked to go to the obstetrics and gynecology department.
"Obstetrics and Gynecology?"
The doctor urged, "Yes. Married women of childbearing age need to be screened for pregnancy. Only after excluding the possibility of pregnancy can other examinations be conducted. Hurry up, or the department will close."
They went to the obstetrics and gynecology department, looking bewildered. The doctor asked her to submit urine and blood samples.
Half an hour later, the good news arrived: Tong An'an was pregnant.
Both were very shocked.
They had undergone examinations at the same hospital before, and the doctor had clearly said her chances of natural conception were very slim, almost to the point of arranging IVF.
The doctor explained, "Human bodily functions can change with the influence of various factors. Perhaps her condition was not good during a certain period, and it adjusted back after some time. There's no absolute certainty."