India - China - USA | Passport with 3 weeks validity | China Southern refusing boarding, please help

I have booked my tickets on China Southern airline for 1st May for travel from India to USA with a 16 hour stopover in China and my return is on 6th May via China with the same airline.

My passport is expiring on 17th May. As per this link India is exempt from the 6-month rule: https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2016-Nov/Six-Month%20Club%20Update%20_112116.pdf

I also checked this link and it says the same: https://www.skyteam.com/en/flights-and-destinations/visa-and-health/

But just to be sure, I called up the China Southern office in India and the lady there said that even if the US Government rules allow this, the airline has its own rules for having 6 month passport validity for all travelers and that I may not be allowed to board my flight.

Now I am losing my sleep over this because the cancellation charges are more than my monthly salary (the only reason I was able to book the flight was because of promised reimbursement). And if I cancel after refusal to board, the cancellation charges would shoot up to much more.

1. Can somebody who may have access to Timatic help me out with information on what Timatic says about my case?

2. Do the China Southern executives at airports usually check Timatic?

3. Is it possible that the China Southern lady that I talked to was just a front-office person who doesn't know the exact rules/procedure and that I may still be allowed to board the flight?

Thanks so-so-so-so much in advance!!!!!