Chapter 66 ☆ An Accident (Part 1)

Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the courtyard. The gate was slammed loudly, accompanied by a violent storm, creating a frightening atmosphere.

Cheng Yaoyao looked at the gate and said, “It sounds like the voice of the villagers. I’ll go check it out!”

Xie Fei, frightened, hid beside Grandma Xie: “Grandma! What should I do? Are they going to search our house?”

Grandma Xie hugged Xie Fei and said, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. Nothing will happen. Yaoyao, you are not allowed to open the door. Go back to your room.”

Grandma Xie tried to sound calm, but her worry was evident.

“But they keep knocking on the door. I don’t know what’s going on.” Cheng Yaoyao stared at the gate.

The kerosene lamp flickered in the wind. Grandma Xie’s face was solemn: “No matter what happens, wait until Brother Zhao comes back. You and Xiao Fei go back to the house!…“Brother Zhao, Brother Zhao…” 

Grandma Xie’s expression suddenly changed: “Could something have happened to Brother Zhao?!”

Cheng Yaoyao’s mind went blank. When she snapped back to reality, she had already rushed into the yard. The heavy rain pelted her, making her feel as though she was being stung. In moments, she was drenched. Cheng Yaoyao leaned against the crack of the door and shouted, “Who is it?”

Lin Jiajun’s voice came from outside: “It’s me! Something happened to Xie San!”

Cheng Yaoyao struggled with the bolt, and when she managed to open the door, she nearly fell due to the wind. Lin Jiajun, soaked and wearing a raincoat, was stunned to see Cheng Yaoyao: “Why are you the one who opened the door? Where is Grandma Xie Zhao?”

“Tell me what happened!” Cheng Yaoyao grabbed Lin Jiajun’s collar, “What happened to Xie Zhao?! Tell me now!”

Lin Jiajun took a breath and said, “The mountain road back to the village collapsed, and Xie San went to rescue people and was crushed under the rocks!”

A flash of lightning illuminated the sky, making Cheng Yaoyao’s face turn pale.

Grandma Xie’s trembling voice came from behind: “You… what did you say?”

Lin Jiajun addressed Grandma Xie: “Don’t worry, the villagers have already gone to search for him. My father was afraid that you would worry, so he asked me to come and inform you…”

Grandma Xie leaned back and fainted.

Cheng Yaoyao finally reacted: “Grandma!”

Lin Jiajun hurried forward to help, and together with Cheng Yaoyao, they helped Grandma Xie into the house. The heavy rain soaked them both, and they were exhausted by the time they got Grandma Xie onto the bed.

Grandma Xie lay with her eyes tightly closed, barely breathing, and Xie Fei lay beside her bed crying. Lin Jiajun realized he had made things worse.

Cheng Yaoyao pulled him into the hall: “Come out with me!”

Lin Jiajun was surprised by Cheng Yaoyao’s strength despite her delicate appearance. In the dark hall, Cheng Yaoyao relit the kerosene lamp. Her beautiful face looked extremely pale in the dim light.

She looked at Lin Jiajun and asked, “What happened? Where is Xie Zhaoren? Wasn’t he transporting watermelons into the city? How could he be crushed by rocks?”

Cheng Yaoyao asked a flurry of questions, so Lin Jiajun had to calm down and answer seriously: “I don’t know either. I heard that on the way back, they encountered several women and children trapped by a mountain torrent. Xie San and Lin Daguan went to rescue them. When Xie San was saving the last child, the rocks above collapsed, and Xie San… I don’t know if he was buried or washed away by the water.”

Lin Jiajun glanced nervously into the house and whispered to Cheng Yaoyao, “We’ve been searching all afternoon. Please comfort Grandma Xie San. I’m afraid there’s no hope.”

“Impossible!” Cheng Yaoyao shouted decisively, “Nothing can happen to him! You’re lying!”

“Really,” Lin Jiajun said, shocked by Cheng Yaoyao’s reaction, “People from our village are searching for him! Bashang Village’s people have come to help. We will definitely find him! But he is in great danger…”

“Nonsense, nonsense!” Cheng Yaoyao stamped her feet and denied desperately, “Impossible! He will be fine!”

Cheng Yaoyao grabbed a straw sandal and threw it at Lin Jiajun: “You are talking nonsense!”

“Okay, okay, I’m talking nonsense, I’m talking nonsense!” Lin Jiajun quickly dodged and said, “I won’t argue with you anymore, I need to go find him too!”

Cheng Yaoyao immediately said, “I’ll go too!”

“You? You’d just cause more trouble if you go,” Lin Jiajun replied, “There are several collapsed mountain roads outside, what are you going to do?”

Cheng Yaoyao insisted, “I’ll go find him!”

Lin Jiajun said, “Stop causing trouble. Everyone else is helping; what good will it do if you go?!”

“I don’t believe them,” Cheng Yaoyao said firmly. “I’m going to find him myself!”

Cheng Yaoyao’s straightforward words left Lin Jiajun scratching his head. Although he knew how the villagers had treated him over the years, he found it odd that Cheng Yaoyao was so determined to help.

Many conflicting thoughts crossed Lin Jiajun’s mind, but Cheng Yaoyao’s resolve remained unwavering. She repeated stubbornly, “You won’t take me with you? I’ll go by myself!”

Cheng Yaoyao’s eyes were filled with fiery determination, her pale face showing her resolve. Lin Jiajun felt that if he didn’t agree, she would truly venture out alone in the storm.

Grimacing, Lin Jiajun took off his raincoat and handed it to Cheng Yaoyao: “Then don’t tell my brother that I brought you here!”

Cheng Yaoyao nodded enthusiastically.

Xie Fei ran out, crying: “Sister Yaoyao, where are you going?”

“I’m going to find your brother,” Cheng Yaoyao said as she picked up the teapot from the table, secretly adding some spiritual spring water to it before handing it to Xie Fei. “Give this to Grandma and tell her not to worry. Your brother will be fine.”

Xie Fei, tears streaming down her face, clung to Cheng Yaoyao’s hand: “No, it’s too dangerous outside. Sister Yaoyao, you can’t go!”

“Be good and don’t tell Grandma I’m out,” Cheng Yaoyao promised. “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely find Xie Zhao!”

Xie Fei cried and shook her head vigorously, her small world falling apart with her brother’s uncertain fate and her grandmother’s illness.

Lin Jiajun urged, “Are you leaving or not? If you don’t, I will!”

“I’m leaving!” Cheng Yaoyao declared, pulling her hand free, donning the raincoat, and rushing into the storm with Lin Jiajun.

The wind and rain hit her face, making it almost impossible for her to open her eyes. The muddy water on the ground was up to her ankles, carrying debris and stones. Cheng Yaoyao stumbled and slipped with every step, the raincoat providing little protection as she followed Lin Jiajun.

Lin Jiajun finally shouted, “It’s right in front! Everyone from our village is there, look!”

Cheng Yaoyao wiped the rain from her face and saw flashlights ahead, with many familiar and unfamiliar villagers digging through the rain.

The road leading to Tianshui Village and the city was blocked by mud and rocks. Cheng Yaoyao gripped her clothes tightly, feeling suffocated. Was Xie Zhao really buried beneath?

A woman on the hillside was crying hysterically, her distress palpable even through the storm.

Lin Jiajun explained, “Xie San got into trouble trying to save their child, and now the child is also buried underneath!”

The woman’s cries pierced through the rain, scraping at everyone’s nerves. Cheng Yaoyao fought to hold back her own tears and avoid looking directly at the scene.

Lin Jiajun pulled Cheng Yaoyao towards Lin Jiaqi, who was commanding the villagers. Cheng Yaoyao, with her hat pulled low, was hard to identify at first glance.

Lin Jiaqi, directing the villagers in the rain, finally noticed Lin Jiajun and said, “What are you doing here?!”

“I’m here to help!” Lin Jiajun said. “Brother, what’s the situation?”

Lin Jiaqi shook his head: “It’s more dangerous than helpful. The rain is getting heavier. If we can’t find anyone soon, we’ll have to pull everyone back and try again after the rain stops.”

Cheng Yaoyao said anxiously, “No!”

Lin Jiajun waved at Cheng Yaoyao. Lin Jiaqi looked sharply at Cheng Yaoyao, then at Lin Jiajun, and kicked him: “Why did you bring her here?”

“Don’t hit him; I came here on my own!” Cheng Yaoyao rushed forward to block Lin Jiajun and face Lin Jiaqi. 

The wind blew back Cheng Yaoyao’s raincoat hood, revealing her pale, determined face. She glared at Lin Jiaqi: “What do you mean,? Xie Zhao hasn’t been found yet. How can we go back?”

Lin Jiaqi pushed Cheng Yaoyao’s hat back and shouted, “It’s dangerous here. Why are you, a girl, causing trouble? If someone sees you, won’t it ruin your reputation?”

Lin Jiaqi grabbed Cheng Yaoyao’s arm with one hand and Lin Jiajun’s with the other: “Take her back immediately, and you go back too!”

Cheng Yaoyao struggled and kicked Lin Jiaqi’s knee: “Let me go! Let me go!”

The wind and rain intensified, and suddenly a loud rumbling sounded from the hillside. Lin Jiaqi’s face turned pale: “Oh no!”

A large tree fell, bringing down more rocks and soil. The area that the villagers had just cleared was buried again.

Cheng Yaoyao murmured, “Xie Zhao…”

The shifting rocks and soil meant that even if he was alive, it was unlikely he’d survive now.

The leaders of Bashang Village and Tianshui Village called for the villagers to return: “Go back tonight! We’ll come back to dig after the rain stops.”

“No!” The woman cried out, “No! My Feifei is still alive. How can you leave? No!”

Lin Daguan, who was rescuing people with Xie Zhao, shouted as well: “No! My brother is still trapped. We can’t leave!”

The villagers looked at each other. Some suggested, “Let’s dig a little longer. Maybe we can save them!”

The leader of Bashang Village insisted, “The rain is getting heavier. There could be another landslide!”

The villagers hesitated. While they wanted to save lives, their own safety was a priority.