Digging 

Lin Miaoyin found her parents, and her father quickly teamed up with Secretary Li’s son to gather the team members. Armed with hoes and carrying water bottles, they rushed up the mountain. 

When they arrived at the coal mine, the scene was a complete disaster. Nearly half of the mountain had collapsed, with rocks, branches, and mud blocking the path. The entrance to the mine was nowhere in sight—it was completely buried. 

Without wasting any time, everyone started digging at full speed. 

They first used wooden poles to pry open the rocks blocking the road, barely managing to clear a path. It took them nearly two hours of digging and advancing before they made it inside. 

However, the original structures had all been crushed and buried. The people in charge of the mine had long disappeared, and there was no sign of where the entrance was. 

Lin Miaoyin tried hard to recall its location. Looking up, she spotted the mountain where they had previously cut bamboo. She pictured the view from there and pointed to a spot. “The entrance is here!” 

The crowd hesitated and turned to the secretary. He shouted, “What are you standing around for? Start digging where Lin girl said!” 

At his command, everyone rushed forward. With over a hundred people working together, they dug with all their strength. The recent heavy rain had made the soil thick and heavy, so they used baskets to carry it away to a distance. 

Lin Miaoyin didn’t have time to go home to get a hoe. The Lin family’s hoe was being used by Father Lin, so she had no choice but to dig with her hands. 

She dug out the branches to make it easier to remove the mud. 

Meng Yuanzheng, Meng Yuanzheng, you have to hold on. If you make it out safely, you won’t have to wash dishes or do laundry anymore. 

Her heart felt heavy and bitter. Unconsciously, she thought of the worst outcome. 

She kept digging until her fingernails broke, and dirt filled the spaces beneath them. She didn’t dare stop. Sweat poured down her face, mixing with the dirt and tears, turning it all into a muddy mess. 

As they dug, the crowd kept calling out, hoping that someone inside would respond. 

But the mine was deep, and no one knew the extent of the collapse inside. 

After another hour, the son of Secretary Li ran over, saying that vehicles from the county had already arrived at the foot of the mountain, waiting to take the rescued people to the county hospital. 

“Everyone, put in more effort! We’re almost through!” Secretary Li shouted encouragingly. But in reality, no one knew for sure what they would find. What if they only dug out bodies? 

Some of the women whose husbands were trapped inside cried so bitterly, it was as if their men were already dead. 

Annoyed, Secretary Li snapped, “What are you wailing about? Are you mourning the dead already? The living are still here, and you’re crying like they’re gone! If you keep this up, you might just bring the whole mountain down again!” 

The women fell silent, not daring to cry anymore. Finally, the area fell quiet. 

Lin Miaoyin kept digging, pressing forward when suddenly, she thought she heard something from inside. She pressed her ear to the ground—and she really did hear something faint. 

“There’s someone shouting inside! They’re still alive!” she said excitedly. 

Everyone listened carefully, their eyes lighting up. They redoubled their efforts, digging even harder. 

The mine entrance gradually became visible. Though half of it had collapsed, some parts still provided support, making the situation much better than they had feared. 

From afternoon until nightfall, the digging continued. The neighboring village had arrived to help, and whenever the people from Houtouwan Brigade grew too exhausted, they were rotated out. Large lanterns were hung high, casting a dim glow over the site. Despite the exhaustion, everyone held on.  

They could already hear voices from inside. 

“Comrades inside! How is your situation?” A young man with a loud voice called out. 

“We’re doing fine! No casualties! We’re also digging our way out from the inside!” The response came through layers of dirt and rock, instantly easing everyone’s hearts. No casualties—that was the best possible news. 

Hearing those words, Lin Miaoyin felt all the tension drain from her body. She collapsed to the ground, and Mother Lin helped her over to an open space to rest. 

Several other young women were also resting there. Zhu Wanqin was among them. She had only helped carry a basket for a short while before twisting her ankle. Being a city girl, she wasn’t suited for hard labor, so the women’s director had told her to stop working. 

“Miaoyin, rest for a while. You’re completely drained,” Zhu Wanqin said with concern. 

Lin Miaoyin smiled. “I’m fine, not tired at all.” 

As long as they were safe, that was all that mattered. 

She blamed herself—for not remembering the landslide sooner, for wasting time arguing with the person in charge, for not insisting that Meng Yuanzheng leave immediately. If anything had happened to him, she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself. 

About half an hour later, the moment they had been waiting for finally arrived. 

The people digging inside met the ones digging from outside, and the last barrier was broken through. 

The miners emerged, covered in coal dust from head to toe, looking as black as the coal itself. Only their grinning teeth shone white in the dim light. 

The rescuers, coated in mud, embraced them with tears of joy and cheers of relief. 

The miners’ families rushed forward, finding their loved ones and bombarding them with concerned questions. 

Lin Miaoyin pushed her way through the crowd, searching frantically, but she couldn’t see Meng Yuanzheng anywhere. 

“Where’s Meng Yuanzheng? Has anyone seen Meng Yuanzheng?” she shouted, but the noise drowned out her voice. 

Finally, Secretary Li stepped in to restore order. The injured were taken to the county hospital, those with minor injuries were sent to the clinic, and those unhurt were told to go home and rest. Work would be suspended tomorrow, and any further discussions would be held at the next meeting. 

“Secretary Li, Secretary Li, Meng Yuanzheng hasn’t come out yet,” Lin Miaoyin pushed her way to Secretary Li, nearly crying from anxiety. 

“Hey, has anyone seen Meng Yuanzheng?” Secretary Li shouted loudly. 

Someone answered, “His leg’s broken. He’s in the very back — look, he’s coming out now!” 

Lin Miaoyin’s heart sank with a heavy blow. She turned and saw a man carrying another man out of the mine. 

She rushed forward and saw that it was Jin Chengren carrying Meng Yuanzheng on his back. 

Both men were covered in coal dust and mud, and Meng Yuanzheng’s leg hung limply, resting on Jin Chengren’s back. 

“Comrade, wake up, we’ve made it out,” Jin Chengren said, shaking him gently. 

“Meng Yuanzheng! Meng Yuanzheng, wake up!” Lin Miaoyin called out, not daring to touch him, unsure how badly he was injured. She only reached out to clear the dirt from his face with her fingers. 

“He’s fine, just his leg was crushed and he fainted from the pain. Don’t worry, I’ll take him to the hospital right now,” Jin Chengren reassured her. 

“Here, you few, first stabilize his leg with some wood, and then carry him down the mountain,” the doctor from the county hospital, who had been waiting nearby, said. Seeing how few casualties there were, they were all surprised—Meng Yuanzheng’s broken leg was the worst injury. 

Meng Yuanzheng groggily opened his eyes and turned his head. He saw Lin Miaoyin’s dirty face right in front of him. When he realized he was awake, she broke into a smile, her tears turning to joy. 

“Miaoyin?” His mind was still hazy, and he called out instinctively. 

“Hey, hey, I’m here. Everyone’s out now. We’re heading to the hospital. We need to stabilize your leg first,” Lin Miaoyin said, feeling a bit more relieved now that he was okay. Her mind cleared up as well. 

Soon, the doctors were ready. They placed Meng Yuanzheng on a stretcher, with two people holding him down while another straightened his leg and strapped it to a splint. 

Lin Miaoyin watched as he silently endured the pain, gritting his teeth and trembling slightly, which made her heart tighten. She squatted down and tightly held his hand. 

“Hold my hand tightly. Hang in there.” 

Author’s Note: 

That’s right, my Zhengzheng perfectly stole the male lead’s scene and ended up with a broken leg. 😆🤦‍♀️