Chapter 15

No one else noticed what happened to the child. Zhao Xiaohua, Zhou Dazhu, and the others hadn’t seen a thing. Only Tian Jiao, with her keen sight, saw everything.

As they started to get closer, Sun Hong suddenly stepped out from behind the willow tree and glared at them. “What are you all doing here?” he barked.

Zhao Xiaohua and the others froze, suddenly filled with fear.

But Tian Jiao didn’t back down. She shouted, “I saw it! He pushed that kid into the river! Go get help…!”

At once, Zhao Xiaohua and the others exchanged serious looks and bolted back. “Jiaojiao, hang on! We’ll get the adults!”

Sun Hong’s face twisted in anger as he charged at the children, growling, “I didn’t push anyone! Xiao He fell in by accident, and I was just trying to save him!”

But he couldn’t let them spread rumors. He took two steps after them, but the kids were already too far ahead, running as fast as they could.

Ignoring him, Tian Jiao darted around him toward the child struggling in the water. Though he couldn’t speak, Xiao He still had some strength and had only fallen a moment ago, so he was still able to fight against the current.

With a loud splash, Tian Jiao jumped into the river. Sun Hong paused, looking at the two children in the water, a flash of anger crossing his face.

She’s just a little girl, he thought. No one would believe her, so as long as he denied it, he’d be fine.

But a moment later, he seemed to make up his mind, a harsh look flickering in his eyes, and he also jumped in after her. “Stupid girl! I told you I’m trying to save him! Little kids like you shouldn’t get involved!”

The water was icy in early autumn. The moment Tian Jiao hit the river, a shiver went through her whole body. But seeing Sun Hong dive in as well, she focused harder, trying to reach Xiao He by stretching out her arms and kicking with all her strength.

Soon, she reached Xiao He.

…

The threat of drowning loomed over them. Desperate, Xiao He clung tightly to Tian Jiao. Thankfully, she had her limbs stretched out and wasn’t pulled under, allowing her to keep moving. The water’s buoyancy helped her, as did a mysterious, familiar force that made it easier to swim.

Meanwhile, Sun Hong had entered the water and was closing in on the two of them. He was confident he could handle two young kids in the water.

Suddenly, a swarm of crabs appeared, followed by fish and loaches, all moving toward Sun Hong. The crabs leading the pack had large claws, unlike any usually found in rivers.

As they reached Sun Hong, they began snapping their claws at him.

In no time, he was shrieking in pain. He felt an intense sting as something clamped onto every part of his body below his neck. His skin burned, each bite digging deeper. The river itself seemed to hold him back.

“Aahh—! What is this?” Sun Hong shouted, horrified and hurting. He looked down and nearly fainted. River creatures were swarming him, crawling all over him. There were so many that he couldn’t even see the water beneath them. His skin crawled, and terror gripped him as if he might be devoured.

The crabs’ claws pinched his chest, thighs, and more, cutting into him as if they’d slice him open.

Eyes wide with fear, he thrashed and scrambled toward the shore, screaming, “Help! Help! Ghosts! Monsters!”

“Huff…” Tian Jiao had already managed to pull Xiao He to safety and took a deep breath. Xiao He, who had just been saved, was looking up at her in awe, his big red eyes blinking as water trickled down his face. His hair dripped, and he stared at Tian Jiao with sparkling eyes.

Tian Jiao patted his head gently, whispering, “Don’t be scared, it’s okay now.”

As she comforted him, she sent a small pulse of energy his way, hoping it would help him recover.

Xiao He finally reacted, closing his eyes as if savoring the moment, and then his little hand reached out to hold hers.

The touch soothed him, bringing a calmness to his once-scattered mind.

Tian Jiao smiled, glancing at the badly bleeding Sun Hong, then at the crabs and creatures clinging to him. Without a second thought, she pulled Xiao He to his feet. “Let’s go. Let’s run back.”

She was still steady on her feet, but Xiao He stumbled a few steps and fell back down. He was exhausted.

Meanwhile, Sun Hong, still flailing, shook off a few crabs and bolted away, wailing, “Help! There’s a ghost! It’s so scary…” Without even glancing back, he ran off in terror.

Tian Jiao blinked, speechless.

She hadn’t expected him to be so frightened. How did he even have the courage to push Xiao He into the river?

In truth, Tian Jiao hadn’t actually seen Sun Hong push Xiao He, but everything she observed gave her a strong instinct that he was behind it.

She worried that Sun Hong might come back to finish what he’d started, so she had planned to leave quickly. But now, watching him run away in pure terror, she stopped mid-step, surprised and slightly amused.

How did he end up being the one who escaped?

At this unexpected turn of events, Tian Jiao felt relieved. She sat down, gasping for breath. “I’m so tired. Are you still feeling sick?”

As usual, Xiao He waited a few seconds before replying. He shook his head and looked at her with his big, clear eyes, still wet from the water, as if his gaze showed his heart. In his eyes, there was only her reflection.

This time he responded a little faster than before, and Tian Jiao grinned. Just then, there was movement from the village—a group of people were running toward them, holding different farming tools. Leading the way were Zhao Xiaohua and the others.

People were coming.

_

Xiao He was rescued again and taken to the village chief’s house. But soon after, he developed a high fever and was in and out of consciousness.

The captain came to ask about the situation. Even though Sun Hong had been frightened by the crabs and fish, he still refused to admit he’d pushed anyone, insisting he was only trying to save them.

In these times, there was no security camera, no lie detector, and no magic that could force someone to tell the truth.

Tian Jiao was held in Zhang Rui’s arms. She watched Sun Hong grit his teeth and deny it, making her so mad she began to shake and cry. “Liar! Liar! I saw it with my own eyes. He was the one who pushed me!”

Sun Hong stammered, “No, I didn’t. You’re the only one who saw it! How come no one else saw?”

Tian Jiao shouted, “My eyes are sharp! I’m not lying!”

The captain looked at Sun Hong, frowning, and finally asked, “So you still won’t admit it?”

No matter what, Sun Hong kept saying, “I didn’t push anyone!”

With Xiao He still too ill to testify and no witnesses like Zhao Xiaohua who had actually seen the incident, Tian Jiao’s statement wasn’t enough to accuse Sun Hong.

When the meeting ended, Zhang Rui held Tian Jiao close and said, “Don’t be upset. He’s a bad guy. When Xiao He wakes up, we can have the police arrest him!”

Tian Jiao nodded firmly. “Yes!”

She was sure that Xiao He would feel better by tomorrow, and then that bad person wouldn’t escape.

But she felt Sun Hong deserved a scare now. She wouldn’t be satisfied until he got what he deserved.

That night, everyone in the Sun family was startled awake by screams. Poisonous snakes had somehow slipped into the Sun house. They didn’t bite anyone, but just seeing them was terrifying enough.

It was especially frightening for Sun Hong, who had already been scared that afternoon.

The noise woke Tian Jiao. She rubbed her eyes, listened to the news that Tian Dao’s father brought her, grinned, and drifted back to sleep, satisfied. 

It had been worth it to beg and sweet-talk Tian Dao’s father before bedtime.

…

Since Sun Hong was suspected of attempted murder, even though he kept denying it, the police came the next day.

By then, Xiao He’s fever had gone down, and he had woken up.

When Xiao He slowly answered Tian Jiao’s questions and confirmed Sun Hong’s actions, he turned and saw the police’s serious expressions.

“This child needs a check-up. If he has mental issues, his statement won’t be valid,” said one officer.

The crowd murmured in surprise. A woman spoke up, “I get it now. Are they saying he’s crazy?”

“No wonder he’s so quiet, and his reactions are so slow. He must be crazy!”

“Poor thing. With a life like that and an illness too.”

People kept talking until one officer silenced them with a serious look. “No more gossip!”

The crowd fell quiet.

But when the police took Xiao He away, the village resumed their whispers, with many now convinced Xiao He was “crazy.”

Even Zhao Xiaohua came to warn Tian Jiao.

“You can’t play with him anymore. He’s crazy. Be careful, he might hurt you. My parents say crazy people can be dangerous.”

Tian Jiao pouted angrily. “He’s not crazy!”

Zhao Xiaohua argued, “He is crazy!”

Tian Jiao snapped back, “He’s not!”

The two friends began arguing and ended up parting angrily. Zhou Dazhu and Tian Zhuangzhuang, who didn’t understand, stayed off to the side, playing with ants to pass the time.

After the argument, Tian Jiao was so mad she cried, but she couldn’t change people’s minds. Three days later, the test results finally came back. It showed Xiao He was autistic, not mentally ill. But people who didn’t understand the difference between autism and “madness” thought they were the same thing.

Even though the police explained and accepted Xiao He’s testimony, the rumor that he was crazy didn’t go away.

On the day Sun Hong was arrested, his mother came out crying. She turned on Xu, hitting and scolding her in anger. “You cursed my son! If it weren’t for you, he wouldn’t be in trouble. Curse you, I’ll beat you to death!”

An onlooker said, “Auntie, stop. If you keep hitting her, she might kill him!”

“Then you’d be in jail too!”

“Enough already.”

The neighbors pulled Sun’s mother away as she yelled, “I’ll never forgive you. Because of you, my son was taken! You’re a jinx, a curse. Why don’t you just die?”

Xu didn’t resist the hits; she only cried, looking sorrowfully at her husband as he was led into the police car.

Sun Hong tried to yell back, but stopped once the police gave him a stern look.

This was a big event in the village. Sun Hong was taken away for attempted murder. Everyone in the village, and even people from nearby brigades, were talking about it. Most people didn’t go to work that day; they gathered at Lanshan Village to watch.

Zhang Rui held Tian Jiao in his arms as they stood in the crowd, watching Sun Hong being taken away. An older woman in the crowd looked on, shook her head, and commented to her friends, “Now that little lunatic is really homeless. The Sun family won’t take them in.”

“That’s right,” nodded another villager. “Times are tough enough. Who has enough food to feed two more mouths?”

“No kidding,” said another woman. “I’m telling my grandson not to play with that little lunatic. Who knows? One day he might hurt someone.”

“I heard stories about lunatics. My in-laws knew one who killed his whole family in his sleep,” said another.

From her high-up position in Zhang Rui’s arms, Tian Jiao could just make out the women gossiping nearby. Although her face looked calm, inside she felt both worried and upset. Xiao He hadn’t done anything wrong, and the doctor had said he was autistic, not crazy.

Although she didn’t fully understand what autism meant, Tian Jiao knew Xiao He wasn’t a lunatic. He could talk to people and understand what they said.

Thinking of this, she spoke up loudly, “Xiao He isn’t crazy! Don’t talk like that!”

Children often see things simply. When they think something’s right, they speak up without holding back.

The villagers all liked Tian Jiao. When they saw her face puff up in anger, the women turned to her and smiled kindly.

“Okay, he’s not crazy~”

“Jiaojiao, I heard you started school recently. Is it fun?”

Embarrassed by their friendly reaction, Tian Jiao looked down and fidgeted with her hands. “School is fun.”

Zhang Rui patted her back comfortingly but didn’t say anything. Everyone was nice to her, but in this situation, she was still just a child. There wasn’t much she could do. He could only let the facts prove the truth in time.

_

Sun Hong was executed.

In these times, especially with social order being re-established, the punishment for certain crimes was strict. His attempted murder, even though unsuccessful, was serious enough for the harshest penalty.

Sun’s mother went to see him for the last time that day and never returned home.

Mrs. Xu, his wife, lost her mind. She didn’t witness the execution, but people said she was thrown out of the Sun house and now lived in a cowshed.

The village didn’t have enough housing for everyone, not even for several educated youth who had recently moved in. So, Xu began working in the village to support herself and her son, using food the village chief had loaned them to survive the first days.

But when Sun Hong’s execution was announced and carried out, Xu went mad. Her mental health had been fragile from years of abuse and hard labor. With her son also struggling and her husband gone, the shock broke her.

Now, Xu would mutter all day, “I didn’t mean it! I’m sorry!”

“Don’t hit me, please. I didn’t go outside, don’t hit me…”

“Where’s my son? Where is he?”

But when someone put Xiao He in front of her, she would push him away, saying, “No, that’s not my son. My son was cute and smart. He called me ‘Mom’ when he was little!”

Gradually, everyone in the village started calling both Xu and Xiao He “little lunatics.” Occasionally, someone would give them a potato or sweet potato out of pity, but that was all. People didn’t have much themselves and didn’t want to give away what little they had.

If they weren’t so afraid of looking heartless, they might have forced the “madwoman” out of the village entirely.

After Tian Jiao had spoken up in public that day, Zhang Rui had a long talk with her. He explained that people have their own ideas and can’t be forced to change. The best way to change people’s minds is to work on yourself. After that, Tian Jiao never argued with people again; instead, she found ways to quietly help Xiao He however she could.

At home, in the Zhang family, Tian Jiao didn’t have to do much beyond occasionally praying to her father, Tian Dao, and giving back in other ways when she received help.

But now, to help Xiao He, she knew she needed to do more.

…

The village paths were made of dirt, worn smooth by years of footsteps.

When it rained, the paths became muddy. In dry weather, the air filled with dust.

Lately, though, the weather had been perfect. Sometimes it would rain at night, leaving a refreshing coolness in the air by morning. Autumn had fully arrived.

Tian Jiao wore a simple blue shirt, and the gentle sunlight shone on her, making her fair skin glow. Her plain blue clothes somehow made her stand out.

She walked slowly, carrying nothing in her hands.

It was the weekend, and school was on break, so she could visit Xiao He early.

The cowshed where Xiao He and his mother lived was near Lanshan, close to the fields where the village’s two cows grazed. There were three cowsheds in total, each separate. So even though they called Xiao He’s home a cowshed, it wasn’t too bad. After cleaning, it didn’t smell.

The village houses were all made of mud bricks and wooden boards anyway.

“Xiao He! I’m here!” Tian Jiao called, waving cheerfully as she saw a small figure sitting on a pile of hay.

Xiao He’s head was bald, shiny, with a few visible scars. He looked like a little monk, with a big head on a tiny body. Tian Jiao always wondered if his little body could hold up such a large head without tipping over.

Xiao He sat there with his arms around his knees, lost in his own quiet world. But when he heard Tian Jiao’s familiar, cheerful voice, his half-closed eyes popped open, sparkling with recognition. Though he didn’t say a word or show much expression, he watched her approach, his mouth pressing into a small, hopeful line.

Tian Jiao came closer and tilted her head, examining him carefully. “Hey, you’ve gained weight!” she teased.

Xiao He blinked his big eyes twice, his face filling out with a bit more softness than before, thanks to her care. He looked almost bashful, trying to smile but unable to quite pull it off.

With a chuckle, Tian Jiao brought her hands out from behind her back, revealing a fluffy steamed bun and a juicy, glistening chicken leg. She held them out proudly. “Look! I brought you something special today!”

Xiao He’s eyes lit up as he accepted the food. In their village, such treats were rare treasures, too expensive for anyone to buy. The sight and smell of the fine white bun and seasoned chicken leg would make anyone’s mouth water, and for a moment, Tian Jiao almost drooled herself. But she stayed content to watch him eat, fascinated by his joy.

Xiao He, in turn, noticed her reaction. Without a word, he gently extended the chicken leg toward her, silently offering to share. 

Tian Jiao swallowed hard, licking her lips but shaking her head. “I don’t want it; you eat it,” she said, though her eyes stayed glued to the chicken leg.