I really like your sand sculpture group friends

He soon heard some faint, seemingly strange metallic scraping sounds.

Almost instinctively, he acted before he could think; the instant he heard the sound, he began to move.

Without thinking, he suddenly reached out with his left hand, grabbed Su Mengli's shoulder, and pulled her towards him. At the same time, he quickly turned half a step to the side, using his shoulder and back to lean against the wall as a cushion, so that most of her weight was on him.

Startled by his sudden action, Su Mengli lost her balance and involuntarily bumped into his arms, letting out a short gasp: "Xiang Wen, you..."

Before the words were finished—

"Bang!"

The elevator suddenly stopped, accompanied by a tooth-grinding metallic scraping sound, and the entire car noticeably sank downwards!

Immediately afterwards, the emergency braking system was activated, and the elevator was pulled back abruptly, coming to a sudden stop. The enormous inertia caused the three people inside the elevator to sway violently!

Although the drop was probably only a few tens of centimeters, he still felt the impact of the huge inertia.

"Snapped!"

The lights went out completely, plunging the elevator into darkness, with only the faint glow of the emergency call button and the sound of the elevator slowly descending.

In the darkness, Su Mengli, who was usually calm and composed, instinctively clung tightly to Mo Xiangwen's clothes after a brief moment of shock and weightlessness, shrinking her entire body into his arms.

Her breathing was a little rapid, and her warm breath brushed against his neck.

Mo Xiangwen himself had actually slid down into a half-sit position with his back against the side of the compartment due to the impact, barely supporting most of his weight with his right leg.

At this moment, Su Mengli was almost entirely nestled against his chest. In the darkness, he could clearly feel the softness of her body and her slight trembling, and the faint fragrance emanating from her hair and body lingered around his nose.

She and Mengyao used the same shampoo and perfume. Mengyao often came to see him, and he was very familiar with the scent.

But in this dark environment, the familiar scent brings a completely different and subtle feeling.

"It's alright, Mengli, it's alright." Mo Xiangwen calmed himself down and quickly patted her back to comfort her softly, "There are many safety measures in elevators nowadays. It should just be a slide, so it's not a big problem."

He had heard of this kind of malfunction before due to his work, but this was the first time he had actually encountered it.

However, with the overload mode enabled, he clearly felt that the elevator situation seemed to have stabilized, and he no longer heard that strange noise that had alarmed him.

Chapter 232

An elevator slide is a manifestation of elevator malfunction. It feels similar to falling down an elevator, but because modern elevators have relatively comprehensive safety measures, with far more than one layer of protection, it is only relatively dangerous.

There shouldn't be any major safety issues.

The reason he said "should" is because he wasn't sure either.

He only knew about this kind of malfunction from his colleagues because of his previous job, and he only remembered it now that he had calmed down.

But he himself had never experienced it before, so he couldn't say he was very calm.

Uh... if that's the case, I wonder if Miss Mengli will forgive him. His reaction just now seemed a bit too intense.

Mo Xiangwen looked at Su Mengli cautiously.

Even though Su Mengli was in his arms in the darkness, so close that he could feel her breath, he still couldn't see her expression.

The only thing that could be clearly seen was her unusually bright eyes, like obsidian immersed in clear water, clearly reflecting the panic and lingering fear in her heart.

"Don't worry." Mo Xiangwen tried his best to make his voice sound calm and reliable, dispelling the oppressive feeling of the confined space. "The safety devices should have been triggered. As long as we stay calm and don't move around, everything will be fine..."

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt the elevator slowly start moving again, but this time there was no sudden drop, it was more like a slow, steady descent than during normal operation.

Su Mengli, nestled in his arms, nodded gently, unusually remaining silent and still without uttering a word.

"It moved again! Is it going to fall again?!" The female manager's voice was trembling with tears. The fear that had just subsided was reignited, and she frantically tried to move.

"Don't panic!" Mo Xiangwen, worried that her movements might affect the elevator, immediately whispered to stop her: "This should be the safety system kicking in, taking us back to the nearest floor at a safe speed. It's moving very slowly right now, it's perfectly safe! Press the emergency call button right away, then find a corner and stay still!"

Infected by his calm tone, the female manager forcibly suppressed her panic and, as instructed, fumbled for and pressed the emergency button that was flashing red. Then, following their example, she retreated to another corner, leaned against the wall, and dared not move again.

The atmosphere inside the elevator remained heavy, with only the faint creaking of the slow movement and the suppressed breathing of the three people.

Time seemed to stretch out in the darkness, each second feeling exceptionally long.

The elevator continued its unsettlingly slow descent, its destination unknown.

He didn't know how much time had passed; perhaps only a minute or two, but it felt like tens of minutes.

With a slight tremor, the elevator finally came to a complete stop.

Immediately afterwards, the elevator doors in front of us made a sound and slowly opened to both sides.

The space outside was not the expected lobby, but a dimly lit area filled with the original color of cement and pipe structures.

"This is... the underground parking lot!" The female manager recognized the place, her tone filled with the joy of surviving a disaster.

"No matter where we are, let's get out of here first." Mo Xiangwen remained calm as he gently straightened Su Mengli in his arms.

Su Mengli seemed to have just woken up from a long daze. She moved slightly and broke free from his embrace, but her hand instinctively grabbed his arm, and the two of them quickly walked out of the elevator together.

Only when his feet touched solid ground did Mo Xiangwen vaguely feel a slight soreness in his right ankle, probably due to not paying attention to his posture earlier.

He gently lifted his foot and twisted it, and found that although he felt a little uncomfortable, there was nothing wrong with him overall, so he didn't take it to heart and thought he would go back and apply some more liniment.

He turned his attention away from his feet and looked at Su Mengli, only to find that her cheeks were slightly flushed in the dim light of the parking lot, and her eyes seemed a little lost in thought.

Without giving it much thought, assuming Mengli was still reeling from the accident, he suggested, "Let's take the stairs back down to the first floor first, Manager, do you know the way?"

"Yes, yes, I know you! This way please!" The female manager nodded quickly and led the way.

They had just reached the stairwell when they bumped into General Manager Chen, Su Yuntao, and several property maintenance workers who were rushing over. Seeing that the three of them were unharmed, the two elders visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Mengli! Xiangwen! Are you alright?" Su Yuntao strode forward, his gaze immediately falling on his daughter, filled with concern.

Su Mengli seemed to be brought back to her senses by her father's voice. She looked up and replied softly, "I'm fine, Dad."

But after saying that, she quickly fell into her own thoughts and became somewhat silent.

"I'm fine, thank you Uncle Su." Seeing this, Mo Xiangwen lost interest in continuing to look around and took the initiative to speak up: "Uncle Su, Mr. Chen, it seems that today is not convenient. How about we talk about viewing the house another time?"

"I was wearing high heels, and I think I twisted my ankle just now." The female manager looked at Mr. Chen with some anticipation and said, "Mr. Chen, what do you think...?"

Upon hearing this, General Manager Chen waved his hand magnanimously: "You've worked hard today, go back and rest now, it's paid leave!"

When Su Mengli heard the words "twisted ankle," she seemed to be touched by something and subconsciously glanced at Mo Xiangwen's foot, but she could not see anything unusual on the surface.

She suddenly looked up at him, staring straight at him, and asked, "Xiang Wen, what about you? Are you alright?"

Mo Xiangwen smiled nonchalantly and stretched his limbs: "What could possibly be wrong with me? I'm perfectly fine."

Mr. Chen apologized to them again: "I'm so sorry to have caused you this accident."

Mo Xiangwen waved his hand and said casually, "Mr. Chen, you flatter me. No one can predict this kind of equipment failure. Moreover, the fact that the safety system was able to activate normally at a critical moment and ensure the safety of personnel proves that our building has put a lot of effort into safety and is trustworthy."

This kid's got it. He speaks so well, Mr. Chen thought to himself. His smile became even more genuine as he patted the young man on the shoulder: "Good! Next time, next time you come, I'll definitely help you find a house you're happy with. The price will be negotiable then!"

After exchanging pleasantries, everyone decided to leave.

As she walked out, Su Mengli deliberately slowed down, landing a step behind Mo Xiangwen.

She only glanced at the place before Mo Xiangwen realized she was lagging behind.

"Mengli?" Mo Xiangwen turned to look at her with some confusion. "What's wrong?"

Su Mengli paused for a moment, then gently shook her head: "No, it's nothing, let's go."

Chapter 233 Okay, hospitalization.

As they were getting ready to get in the car, Su Mengli gently tugged at Mo Xiangwen's sleeve, gesturing for him to sit in the back seat with her.

Although Mo Xiangwen was a little confused, he obediently followed her and sat down.

Su Yuntao, in the driver's seat, glanced at them through the rearview mirror, frowned, and asked calmly, "Shall I take you back directly? By the way, Xiao Li, when does your school officially start its summer break?"

Su Mengli seemed to be thinking about something else. When her father suddenly asked her, she was taken aback for a moment before she realized what he meant and gently shook her head: "There are still a week or two left. Dad, let's not go to school yet. Please take us to the hospital."

"The hospital?" Su Yuntao was taken aback, his tone filled with concern. "What's wrong? Xiaoli, are you feeling unwell?"

“It wasn’t me,” Su Mengli explained. “A friend of mine is in the hospital, and Mengyao should have already gone there.”

She paused, her gaze sweeping almost imperceptibly over Mo Xiangwen beside her, and added calmly, "And, while we're at it, let's take that guy who likes to play the hero to see his foot."

Mo Xiangwen's expression stiffened, and he looked at Su Mengli with some hesitation.

Su Mengli was also gazing at him intently, her clear eyes filled with unwavering determination.

Mo Xiangwen looked away somewhat awkwardly, stubbornly saying, "I really don't think anything's wrong. I was walking fine just now..."

“I don’t care what you think,” Su Mengli blinked, interrupting him. “I care what I think.”

Su Yuntao, who was driving, was also stunned for a moment, but quickly realized that it was because of the elevator accident earlier.

"Xiao Mo, you got hurt just now? You can't tough it out. You have to go to the hospital to get checked out before you feel at ease."

"Is it really nothing serious...?" Mo Xiangwen was still struggling with the question. "It's probably just a slight twist. I can just put some medicine on it when I get back."

Su Yuntao shook his head disapprovingly: "It can't hurt to get it checked out, it's not like we're short a bit of time and money."

It wasn't about the money; Mo Xiangwen just felt it wasn't serious enough to warrant making a big fuss.

Seeing his unwilling look, Su Mengli suddenly said, "Last time when I accidentally twisted my ankle, didn't you also force me to go to the hospital for a check-up?"

Mo Xiangwen was taken aback. He recalled that he had at most offered suggestions and accompanied her, but he hadn't forced her to do something so exaggerated... However, seeing that Su Mengli had even brought up such old grievances and was so determined, he knew that refusing again would make him seem ungrateful.

“Alright, alright,” he reluctantly conceded, “then let’s go take a look.”

Upon arriving at the hospital, I registered and consulted a doctor.

After a preliminary examination, the doctor arranged for Mo Xiangwen to have an X-ray examination as a precaution.

The results came back, and the diagnosis was a moderate ankle sprain.

Looking at the X-ray, the doctor said, "The situation isn't particularly serious, but it shouldn't be ignored. I can prescribe some medication to promote blood circulation, reduce swelling, and relieve pain. Also, I suggest you buy an inflatable ankle brace to immobilize it. It's best to use crutches for the next few days and try to avoid putting weight on the injured foot. Go home and rest, and come back for a follow-up appointment after about three days. Of course, if you find that your foot is more swollen or the pain worsens during this period, you should come back immediately."

Mo Xiangwen was about to agree when Su Mengli spoke first, asking the doctor earnestly, "Doctor, can we admit him directly and let him stay here for two or three days until the follow-up appointment is over and he's discharged if everything is fine?"

The doctor looked up at her with some surprise, then at Mo Xiangwen: "There are still empty beds. It's possible, but to be honest, it's not necessary. It's just a sprain, you can rest at home without any problem. Being hospitalized is just lying down and a waste of money. Just come for follow-up appointments on time."

"You should still go to the hospital. Thank you for your help." Su Mengli's attitude was very firm.

Mo Xiangwen couldn't help but want to speak, but Su Mengli silenced him with a deep, enigmatic look.

The doctor, watching the silent exchange between the young couple, found it somewhat amusing and asked, "Our hospital, in principle, still respects the patient's own wishes."

Su Mengli paused for a moment, but her expression remained unchanged, and she answered with unusual calmness, "I am his friend."

The doctor was also taken aback. Looking at the two young-looking people, he chuckled and said, "Friends won't do either, unless you're family members. But you two look so young, you don't seem like family."

He turned his gaze to Mo Xiangwen, "So, what is the patient's actual opinion? Are they sure they want to be hospitalized?"

"Never mind, doctor, there's really no need to go to so much trouble..." Mo Xiangwen still felt it was making a mountain out of a molehill.

Su Mengli quietly tugged at his sleeve, stopping him again with her eyes. Then she leaned closer to her father and whispered, "Dad, could you... use your connections to help arrange a bed for me?"

Su Yuntao looked at his daughter with a sense of helplessness.

When did his most well-behaved and sensible daughter also develop a willful side?

It's rare to hear Xiao Li make a request, but it's for a boy.

Su Yuntao also glanced at Mo Xiangwen, a look that sent chills down Mo Xiangwen's spine.

It seems I don't like this kid as much anymore.

It seems like Yao Yao and Li Li have an unusually good relationship with him.

Mo Xiangwen felt uneasy and chuckled awkwardly, "Well, I think we don't need to worry about Mengli. It would be a waste of time to make her go to the hospital."

Su Yuntao ignored him and nodded to his daughter instead: "Okay, I'll ask."

He took out his phone, walked to the side, and made a brief call.

A moment later, he walked back to Su Mengli and said, "Okay, it's all arranged. It might be a bit troublesome when there are fewer beds available, but now there are plenty of empty beds, so changing beds is as simple as just letting them know."

Su Mengli breathed a sigh of relief, then leaned close to Mo Xiangwen's ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, like a devil's whisper: "Since you're staying here, isn't it perfect that you can keep an eye on Shishi? She's about to have surgery, and you're probably worried sick about her, aren't you?"

Mo Xiangwen's heart skipped a beat, and he was completely speechless.

Oh no... It's one thing that Noah could so easily control him.

Even Mengli, who is usually gentle and considerate, is now using this tactic.

Seeing his hesitation, Su Mengli pressed her advantage and continued, "Look, I'll feel more at ease if you stay in the hospital for two days for observation. You can also keep an eye on Shishi, and when everyone comes to visit Shishi, they can all come in together without being restricted to just two people. What's wrong with that?"