Chapter 28.1 Shu Qingyao, Go Down and Keep Xie Hezhang Company

It was completely dark outside, and the rain had stopped. The militiamen, holding flashlights, were leading the assembled villagers towards the east mountain. There were occasional cries in the air. Shu Qingyao looked over and saw the families of those who were in the same team as Xie Hezhang gathered together, supporting each other and lamenting.

They were all villagers of Helian Village and knew the dangers of mudslides. Shu Qingyao forced herself not to think about the news about mudslides she had seen before.

She pulled her gaze away from the crying families.

The villagers who hadn’t participated in the rescue were gathered at their doorsteps, whispering to each other, their expressions solemn.

They split into two groups.

The militiamen took the male educated youths and joined the rescue team, while Jiang Xun took the female educated youths to the logistics supply station.

The supply station was a simple shed built 500 meters away from the mudslide site, a place for rescuers to rest.

When Shu Qingyao arrived, there was already a group of militiamen sitting there, covered in dirt, drinking sweet potato porridge to replenish their energy.

Nurses from the town had also arrived in time and were bandaging the wounds of injured rescuers.

Although it looked chaotic, everything was orderly. It seemed that Helian Village had a lot of experience dealing with such emergencies.

Xie Hezhang’s uncle-in-law, Wang Xingde, was also in the shed, smoking a cigarette and talking to Xie Helan. When he saw Jiang Xun coming over, he walked out and greeted him. His gaze fell on Shu Qingyao’s face, as if he remembered some unpleasant memories. His mouth twitched, and he barely managed to say, “Why did you bring so many female educated youths here?”

Ruan Wenhui wanted to show off in front of Jiang Xun’s relatives. She quickly answered, “We female educated youths are also members of Helian Village! When villagers are in trouble, we naturally have to contribute to the village!”

Wang Xingde’s mouth twitched again.

He didn’t ask her? Why was she talking so much?

Jiang Xun said gently, “They want to participate in logistics. There are many female comrades in logistics. It’s good to have more helpers.”

“Jiang nephew, you’re here!” Xie Helan heard Jiang Xun’s voice and walked over with a smile. When he saw Shu Qingyao standing behind Jiang Xun, his smile immediately disappeared, and he muttered a curse, “Bad luck.”

Shu Qingyao ignored the Wang family. She walked to the edge of the shed and looked at the distance. Flashlights flickered in the darkness, and shouts could be heard from time to time.

“Female comrade, help me boil some water. I need to pee.”

A female logistics worker who was boiling water by a simple earthen stove called out to Shu Qingyao.

Shu Qingyao responded with a “yes” and squatted down to add firewood to the stove.

The four female educated youths who had come with her were quickly assigned tasks. Some delivered water, some took care of the injured, and some carried things.

Shu Qingyao added a piece of firewood to the stove, and then she heard footsteps coming from behind her. They stopped beside her.

She glanced at her.

It was Xie Helan, standing there with her arms crossed, looking at her smugly.

“Shu Qingyao, some people are just not destined to enjoy a good life, don’t you think?”

“She hasn’t enjoyed a good life for two days, and she’s already buried in the dirt.”

“A bad luck charm and a short-lived ghost, they’re truly a perfect match!”

…

Shu Qingyao remained expressionless. She took the poker and stirred the stove. A piece of burning red charcoal was knocked out by her and fell onto Xie Helan’s instep with a “pop.”

Xie Helan was startled and took a few steps back. She widened her eyes and looked at Shu Qingyao, who was holding the burning poker, with a cold gaze.

Her eyes were as sinister as a ghost’s. If she dared to say another word, she would pounce on her and die together.

A blister had formed on her instep. Xie Helan didn’t know if she was scared or in pain, but she couldn’t help but shiver. She didn’t dare to continue speaking.

Before leaving, she sneered at Shu Qingyao with a false bravado, “Shu Qingyao, we’ll see!”

Shu Qingyao sat back down without any emotion and continued to add firewood to the stove.

Tang Maning, who was taking care of the injured, walked over to comfort Shu Qingyao after Xie Helan left.

“Yao Yao, don’t listen to her. Xie Hezhang will be fine.”

Shu Qingyao nodded and said softly, “I’m fine.”

Tang Maning said indignantly, “Those Wang family members are really not good people. Xie Helan is Xie Hezhang’s aunt, and she’s still cursing her own relative!”

Shu Qingyao said wearily, “They’ve never been good to Xie Hezhang…”

With a village secretary as a relative, Xie Hezhang shouldn’t have suffered so much. Even if his background was bad, he wouldn’t have been bullied by the team leader, at least for Wang Xingde’s sake.

But the reason he was bullied was because, as everyone in the village knew, Wang Xingde didn’t care about him at all.

If the Wang family had even a little bit of concern for him, he wouldn’t have had this accident today.

She wouldn’t have come here and tried to separate the Wang and Xie families.

As the two were talking, a commotion suddenly came from outside.

Shu Qingyao quickly stood up and looked out with Tang Maning. They saw the villagers carrying a man covered in mud. Someone was shouting, “Nurse, nurse, where are you? Come quickly!”

The nurse who was bandaging the injured quickly responded, “Coming, coming!”

A group of people, holding flashlights, watched as the nurses performed CPR on the motionless man.

Shu Qingyao was squeezed outside and couldn’t see what was happening inside, but she could hear the whispers of those around her.

“…Is that the boy from the Chen family?”

“He’s only eighteen years old…”

“What a tragedy. He’s an only child. His mother will be heartbroken…”

“I heard he wasn’t breathing when they dug him out.”

“There are still over a dozen people buried under there. I’m afraid they’re all gone…”

…

The whiter Shu Qingyao’s face became, the more she listened. She squatted down and took a deep breath, forcing herself to suppress the immense grief and fear that welled up in her chest.

She thought of the group of friends Xie Helan had brought over a few days ago. Were they also buried in the mountains with Xie Hezhang?

Were they okay? Were they still alive?

Or were they already dead, like this unknown young man?

The Chen family rushed over from the village. The shed was immediately filled with cries.

The elderly mother threw herself on her deceased son’s body, wailing and crying until her tears dried up before she took her son’s body back home.

As the rescue efforts continued, more people were dug out. Some were injured and were quickly sent to the town hospital for emergency treatment. Some were dead when they were dug out. The villagers recognized their faces and called their families to carry them back.

The worst hit were the few families at the foot of the mountain. They were almost completely wiped out.

The sky soon began to lighten.

The clouds had dispersed, and the sun rose from a distance.

It was probably going to be a good day.

After working all night, the female educated youths were exhausted.