Chapter 1: One Rainy Night

Li Xiu Ying is dead tired already after completing a 20-hour shift. Ever since the pandemic started they have been rendering more than 8-hour shifts daily to cope with the onslaught of incoming and their current patients. She's been working as a nurse for 5 years in Jin Medical City, one of the biggest hospitals in Jin City.

"Hey are you not going home yet?" said Wang Jing, her best friend, when she saw her seated at the locker room " You've been here since yesterday afternoon and you looked like you can use a bed already" she adds chuckling.

"Hmmm...I'm about to but I can't seem to stand up" she jokingly wobbles while she stands up.

"Enough! Go Home and Sleep! I'm off to my first patient" she laughingly said while she walks out of the locker room

She stands up once Wang Jin went out of the locker room to change her clothes. She badly needed a rest and can't wait to lie down on her bed.

Her apartment, which she shares with Wang Jin is a 15 min walk from the hospital. Aside from the proximity to the hospital, there is also a park nearby which they frequent during their rest days to walk, jog, bike, and even have picnics during summer.

It was raining the previous day and she thought the rain has stopped already. However, as she stepped out of the hospital drizzle of rain started pouring again.

Great, she thought while she brings out her umbrella and started walking home.

10 minutes into her walk, she enters the park situated in between the hospital and their apartment. As she passed by one of the flowerbeds in the park, she heard someone groan and moan in pain.

She abruptly stopped and looked around nervously and thought "Am I really hearing things?", she's about to start walking again, however, after her first step, she heard another groan on the flowerbed near her.

Out of curiosity, she peeks at the flowerbed to check if there is someone in there. "Yahhh" she shouted when suddenly someone grabs her wrist and said in a very low voice "Help me.."

After her initial shock passed, she pulled the arm of the man who holds onto her and said "Mister, can you tell me what's wrong?", while she tried to pull him out of the flowerbed.

However, the man is heavy and she could not pull him up entirely.

Pant...Pant...Pant...she heaves heavily as she tries and tries again to pull him out. Luckily, on her fifth attempt, the man he's pulling was able to hurl himself and they both landed outside the flowerbed with a thud.

Ouch, she thought that hurts. She wanted to lie down some more to catch her breath since she's so exhausted. However, she remembered that he was hurt, so she kneeled immediately and ask "Mister, can you tell me, where are you hurt?" while looking at the man's body for any hint of his injury.

The man slowly pointed to his stomach "Here", cough cough cough. Li Xiu Ying raise his shirt and looked at the man's stomach; a wound with blood gushing can be seen from his lower abdomen. She then rummages her bag and looks for her scarf which she'll use to press on his wound

The wound looks serious and requires immediate medical attention "Mister we need to call the ambulance and get you to the hospital as soon as possible" she said urgently "Your wound needs to be treated and the bleeding needs to be stopped" she added panting while her other hand tried to look for the antiseptic on her bag which is part of the first aid kit she carries on her bag.

She got hold of the antiseptic and was ready to pour some on the man's wound when she heard him say "No...hospital" he said with difficulty while shaking his head "My...phone" he said again while pointing to his pocket.

She took out his phone and hands it to the man and she sees him pressing one number and said: "Pick...me...up...Jinro Park...I'm...injured" he slowly said while panting each word. She did not hear the response from the other line, however, she can surmise that they'll be here in a few minutes.