When they arrived safely, Lu Xiangsi could have set off with her child and the second batch of women and children to meet them.
But Jiang Ming’an’s wife, Lu Xiangsi, chose to stay right until the very end. Chu Xun had planned to get onto the vehicle but decided at the last minute to stay behind. She didn’t want to give up covering all the news materials available; it would be such a waste.
Lu Xiangsi had filmed many precious images of the employees of Jiang Group evacuating.
They were the very last group to evacuate, but the terrorists launched a surprise attack just as they were about to leave, gunning down a few young men. Holding guns, the terrorists forced everyone to get down from the vehicle.
This was the very first time Chu Xun was so close to death. As she watched the innocent fall one by one, her heart was about to lunge out of her throat. Her legs were trembling so much that she needed someone to help her out of the vehicle. Her face was ashen and drained of blood; she was the total opposite of her confident and strong career woman self that she usually portrayed.
They were then surrounded by the terrorists—murderers who had taken many innocent lives—and held hostage at gunpoint.
Chu Xun didn’t even have the courage to scream.
Her legs were weak, and she crumbled to her knees at the front, her pupils quivering with fear, afraid that her life was about to come to an end.
Once upon a time, Chu Xun had thought about how she might sacrifice her life in the name of journalism.
But as she was on the brink of death, Chu Xun regretted ever thinking that.
She regretted ever coming to Iraq, and she regretted not staying at home to lead a cushy life as the second daughter of the Chu family.
She was afraid that she might die and there would no longer be a Chu Xun existing in the world.
The terrorists didn’t shoot at them as Chu Xun had expected. The man next to the leader of the group spoke in broken English. He demanded to know who Jiang Ming’an’s wife and child were.
Chu Xun’s heart thumped with fear.
Nobody in the group came out to identify Lu Xiangsi.
The leader of the terrorists said something in Arabic and fired a few shots into the sky. Chu Xun felt her entire body tensed up, gripped with fear. She screamed and tumbled onto the ground, covering her head with both hands.
The leader turned to look at Chu Xun and walked towards her. He grabbed her by the collar and pointed his gun at her forehead.
Chu Xun cried out in despair. The man who spoke English said coldly, “Tell us who Lu Xiangsi is, and we will spare your life.”
Chu Xun intuitively glanced in Lu Xiangsi’s direction.
The moment their eyes met, Lu Xiangsi gazed back with her crystal clear pupils and stood up from the crowd.
The guns turned towards Lu Xiangsi as she raised her hands, unyielding. There was a slight smile on her lips. She stood under the glistening sun, as dazzling as a goddess in Greek mythology.
She said in fluent Arabic, “I am Jiang Ming’an’s wife, Lu Xiangsi.”
With that, she slowly approached the leader of the terrorist group and said, “Release the innocent people…”
The leader flung Chu Xun to the ground and turned to point his gun at Lu Xiangsi’s forehead. His gaze was cold and unfeeling. “Jiang Ming’an’s woman, kneel down! You’ll have to pay for your husband’s sins. You can seek my brother’s forgiveness when you meet your maker!”
Lu Xiangsi stared at the leader without flinching. She stood not far from him, unwavering in the face of death and said firmly and calmly in Arabic, “Jiang Ming’an’s woman won’t kneel to anyone…”
Chu Xun shut her eyes tight, not daring to watch the scene any further. She heard the gunshot and was overwhelmed with guilt.
She battled insomnia all these years and had recurring nightmares of the scene. She was ashamed of what had happened.
When they arrived safely, Lu Xiangsi could have set off with her child and the second batch of women and children to meet them.
But Jiang Ming’an’s wife, Lu Xiangsi, chose to stay right until the very end. Chu Xun had planned to get onto the vehicle but decided at the last minute to stay behind. She didn’t want to give up covering all the news materials available; it would be such a waste.
Lu Xiangsi had filmed many precious images of the employees of Jiang Group evacuating.
They were the very last group to evacuate, but the terrorists launched a surprise attack just as they were about to leave, gunning down a few young men. Holding guns, the terrorists forced everyone to get down from the vehicle.
This was the very first time Chu Xun was so close to death. As she watched the innocent fall one by one, her heart was about to lunge out of her throat. Her legs were trembling so much that she needed someone to help her out of the vehicle. Her face was ashen and drained of blood; she was the total opposite of her confident and strong career woman self that she usually portrayed.
They were then surrounded by the terrorists—murderers who had taken many innocent lives—and held hostage at gunpoint.
Chu Xun didn’t even have the courage to scream.
Her legs were weak, and she crumbled to her knees at the front, her pupils quivering with fear, afraid that her life was about to come to an end.
Once upon a time, Chu Xun had thought about how she might sacrifice her life in the name of journalism.
But as she was on the brink of death, Chu Xun regretted ever thinking that.
She regretted ever coming to Iraq, and she regretted not staying at home to lead a cushy life as the second daughter of the Chu family.
She was afraid that she might die and there would no longer be a Chu Xun existing in the world.
The terrorists didn’t shoot at them as Chu Xun had expected. The man next to the leader of the group spoke in broken English. He demanded to know who Jiang Ming’an’s wife and child were.
Chu Xun’s heart thumped with fear.
Nobody in the group came out to identify Lu Xiangsi.
The leader of the terrorists said something in Arabic and fired a few shots into the sky. Chu Xun felt her entire body tensed up, gripped with fear. She screamed and tumbled onto the ground, covering her head with both hands.
The leader turned to look at Chu Xun and walked towards her. He grabbed her by the collar and pointed his gun at her forehead.
Chu Xun cried out in despair. The man who spoke English said coldly, “Tell us who Lu Xiangsi is, and we will spare your life.”
Chu Xun intuitively glanced in Lu Xiangsi’s direction.
The moment their eyes met, Lu Xiangsi gazed back with her crystal clear pupils and stood up from the crowd.
The guns turned towards Lu Xiangsi as she raised her hands, unyielding. There was a slight smile on her lips. She stood under the glistening sun, as dazzling as a goddess in Greek mythology.
She said in fluent Arabic, “I am Jiang Ming’an’s wife, Lu Xiangsi.”
With that, she slowly approached the leader of the terrorist group and said, “Release the innocent people…”
The leader flung Chu Xun to the ground and turned to point his gun at Lu Xiangsi’s forehead. His gaze was cold and unfeeling. “Jiang Ming’an’s woman, kneel down! You’ll have to pay for your husband’s sins. You can seek my brother’s forgiveness when you meet your maker!”
Lu Xiangsi stared at the leader without flinching. She stood not far from him, unwavering in the face of death and said firmly and calmly in Arabic, “Jiang Ming’an’s woman won’t kneel to anyone…”
Chu Xun shut her eyes tight, not daring to watch the scene any further. She heard the gunshot and was overwhelmed with guilt.
She battled insomnia all these years and had recurring nightmares of the scene. She was ashamed of what had happened.
