At 12:18 a.m., a Mercedes GLS pulled up to the side of the road at the scene of Xu Jiantao's car accident.
Stepping out of the vehicle, Xu Li caught sight of the license plate on the tail of the Jianghuai T6 pickup truck and let out a shocked cry.
"That's my brother's car!!!"
"Quick, save him!"
Without another word, Jiang Tao and Xu Li rushed down the road.
*Click, click, click!*
Jiang Tao yanked the door handle several times, only to find the door locked from the inside, impossible to open.
At that moment, he was immensely grateful that he had called both 120 for emergency medical services and 119 for fire rescue when he dialed for help earlier.
Although it was already the first day of the Lunar New Year, and government departments were on holiday, many emergency services had arranged for on-duty personnel to stay on call for potential accidents—a fact worthy of praise.
After waiting for about ten minutes, the fire rescue team arrived before the ambulance.
Professionals do professional work.
What Jiang Tao and Xu Li couldn't handle, the firefighters resolved in no time, breaking open the car door with ease.
The fire rescue team dealt with emergencies daily and had been to countless traffic accident scenes. Naturally, they were far more experienced than Jiang Tao and Xu Li.
Without needing any reminders from Jiang Tao, the firefighters refrained from moving Xu Jiantao and calmly waited for the paramedics.
About five minutes later, the ambulance arrived, its red and blue lights flashing belatedly.
Thankfully, there were enough people at the scene to help, as the few paramedics alone wouldn't have been able to lift Xu Jiantao.
The ambulance sped toward the forensic hospital. By the time they arrived, Xu Li's uncle and his family, along with her parents-in-law, had already gathered after receiving her call.
Xu Li's aunt, seeing her son unconscious and covered in blood, broke into heart-wrenching sobs.
Her piercing cries echoed far into the quiet night sky.
But in a place like a hospital, such scenes were not uncommon.
That night alone, Xu Jiantao wasn't the only one rushed to the emergency room due to alcohol-related incidents, car accidents, or sudden illnesses.
During the Lunar New Year, gatherings with friends and family over drinks were supposed to be joyous occasions.
But if one lost control, joy could quickly turn to tragedy.
Some things feel distant until you experience them yourself.
Only then do you realize the value of life and maintain a sense of reverence for it.
At the window at the end of the emergency room corridor, Xu Li clung to Jiang Tao's arm, resting her head on his shoulder, her eyes red from crying.
"Honey, I'm so full of regret…"
Her sudden, seemingly out-of-nowhere comment left Jiang Tao puzzled.
"Regret about what?"
Jiang Tao looked down into Xu Li's tear-reddened eyes.
"I regret the six years we spent living apart."
"Life is so short—who knows whether tomorrow or an accident will come first?"
"I was so foolish. Even if it meant following you to Beijing to beg for a living, I should've stayed with you."
"Life is so brief, with so many uncertainties. How many six-year spans do we even have together? I was so foolish…"
As Xu Li spoke, tears streamed uncontrollably down her face, and she gripped Jiang Tao's arm even tighter.
Women are emotional beings, and witnessing her cousin's ordeal that night stirred deep feelings in Xu Li.
"Silly girl, what's past is past. There's no point dwelling on it now."
"From now on, the three of us—our little family—will be together every day, never apart again. That's the life we should live."
Jiang Tao pulled Xu Li's body closer to his.
At that moment, it was as if their souls forged an even deeper, stronger bond.
At 2:30 a.m., after over two hours of emergency treatment, Xu Jiantao was finally out of life-threatening danger, though he remained in a coma.
As for when he might wake up, only fate could decide.
"Jiang Tao, thank you. You saved your cousin's life."
"The doctor said if he'd been brought in half an hour later, the golden window for saving him would've passed."
Xu Li's uncle, Xu Wenchao, managed to hold back his grief and expressed his gratitude to Jiang Tao.
Thinking back, Xu Wenchao felt a chill of fear.
What angered and disheartened him even more was that, even now, after the surgery was complete, they still hadn't been able to contact his daughter-in-law, Yan Ping!
Xu Wenchao and his wife, Gao Yunting, had called Yan Ping dozens of times to no avail.
Her WeChat was unreachable, and the hundreds of messages they sent went unanswered.
She was probably off chasing trends with the kids, celebrating New Year's somewhere!
How could you rely on a daughter-in-law like that to notice her husband had been in a car accident in the middle of the night?
If Jiang Tao and Xu Li hadn't discovered Xu Jiantao's accident in time, he'd likely be a corpse by now.
There'd be no need for treatment—just a trip straight to the morgue.
"No need to be so formal, Uncle. We're family—saying thanks feels too distant."
Jiang Tao had no intention of seeking credit or reward.
Even if there were no benefits or rewards, he wouldn't have stood by and done nothing.
"No need for grand words of gratitude, Jiang Tao, Li Li. If you ever need anything from me, just say the word."
"Your cousin owes you his life, and our family will repay this debt."
Xu Wenchao patted Jiang Tao's arm, his eyes filled with both gratitude and guilt.
This was the first time he truly began to accept Jiang Tao as his niece's husband.
Back when Xu Li was unmarried, her aunt, Gao Yunting, Xu Wenchao's wife, had introduced her to all sorts of high-quality suitors.
The wealthiest had assets worth seventy or eighty million, and the most powerful held director-level positions.
Compared to those rich or influential suitors, Jiang Tao, aside from being handsome and honest, had little else to offer.
But this incident completely changed Xu Wenchao's view of Jiang Tao.
"Uncle, don't talk about debts. We're family. The most important thing now is to take care of my brother."
Seeing her uncle treat her husband with such respect, Xu Li felt so moved she almost cried.
After more than six years, her family was finally starting to accept her husband.
This change filled her with immense comfort.
"Sigh, it's the Lunar New Year, and we've troubled you so much."
"Once your cousin's condition stabilizes, after the New Year, I'll treat you both properly to thank you."
Xu Wenchao wasn't just being polite with Jiang Tao and Xu Li—his words were filled with sincerity.
"Yan Ping!!! Where are you?! Jiantao's at the forensic hospital! Get over here now!!"
As Jiang Tao and the others were talking, a woman's furious roar suddenly echoed down the corridor.
Everyone turned toward the sound and saw Xu Li's aunt, Gao Yunting, holding her phone to her ear, clearly on a call.
It seemed she had finally gotten through to Yan Ping.
Her son had just returned from the brink of death and was still unconscious.
Meanwhile, her daughter-in-law had been out chasing New Year's celebrations, unreachable despite hundreds of calls.
Even with Gao Yunting's usual composure, she couldn't suppress her anger.
Jiang Tao and Xu Li exchanged a glance. It wasn't their place to comment on such matters.
But Yan Ping's actions were, frankly, too much.
Even if the New Year's celebration was crowded, how could she miss so many calls?