Datou cried uncontrollably, pointing toward the pond.
From the nearby stream, faint cries of other children could also be heard. The women’s hearts sank they dropped their hoes and ran in that direction.
Hearing the commotion, Qiao Yuwei struggled out from the tall weeds, her hair disheveled and covered in bits of grass, her clothes just as messy.
“My son! Don’t scare your mother! Open your eyes and look at me!”
Hearing Sister-in-law Zhang’s heart-wrenching scream, Qiao Yuwei immediately realized something was wrong. She threw down her sickle and rushed toward the crowd.
When she arrived, she saw four or five children huddled together, crying in fear. Huzi lay stiff on a rock, lips purple, eyes tightly shut. Auntie Zhang had collapsed to the ground in terror, her face pale as she clutched the child tightly in her arms.
Huzi and Datou were about the same age six and seven growing up together. Usually, when the women came to the fields to water and fertilize crops, the kids would follow along, just to splash around in the nearby stream.
The women thought the stream wasn’t deep or far, so they let them go. Who would have thought…
“Huzi! Don’t scare Mommy! Wake up!”
Auntie Zhang’s face was streaked with tears and sweat, her body trembling as her dirt-covered hands patted the child’s face.
The other women panicked as well, frozen in place, muttering helplessly, “What do we do now?”
Sister-in-law Li looked at Datou, the oldest among the kids, and stomped her foot anxiously:
“You little brat, stop crying! What happened?!”
Datou sobbed, choking on his words:
“Just now… we were swimming… then a snake came… Huzi… his leg cramped from the scare… his face went into the water… he drowned… he’s too heavy… we couldn’t pull him… waaa ”
Before he could finish, he broke into even louder sobs.
Qiao Yuwei pushed through the crowd, her expression serious, her voice steady as she began giving instructions:
“Sister-in-law Li, you’re young and fast go down the mountain and get help!”
Li froze for a moment, initially wanting to snap back, but realizing she was right, she immediately ran downhill.
“Sister-in-law Zhao, Sister-in-law Wu you two stay calm. Check if any of the other children were bitten by the snake. Get them dressed and take them down the mountain.”
“Ah?” The two of them hesitated.
“Quickly!”
“Oh… okay!”
Though they usually didn’t get along with Qiao Yuwei and even wished she’d be kicked out of the compound, in this moment of panic, her words acted like a stabilizer firm, organized, impossible to refuse.
Qiao Yuwei crouched down and placed her fingers on Huzi’s carotid artery. She could feel a faint, intermittent pulse.
“What are you doing?! Let go of my son! Get away from him!”
Auntie Zhang, eyes bloodshot, shoved her aside like a protective hen guarding her chick.
Qiao Yuwei fell onto the rocky ground, scraping her elbow.
“Are you crazy? He can still be saved! If we delay any longer, he really won’t make it!”
“Qiao Yuwei, you lazy woman, stop talking nonsense! My son is fine! Sister-in-law Li has already gone to get help you get away from him!”
She held Huzi tightly, glaring at her, refusing to let go.
Qiao Yuwei knew how terrible the original owner’s reputation was. And it was true the original owner didn’t know first aid.
But she did.
In her previous life, born into a medical family, she had been forced to study medicine for years and even worked for a time before switching to plant sciences. In this era, her medical knowledge was more than sufficient.
Suddenly
Huzi’s small hand dropped limply to the ground. His purple skin turned deathly pale, growing cold.
“Damn…”
Without hesitation, Qiao Yuwei snatched Huzi from her arms, laid him flat on the ground, and unbuttoned his soaked shirt. She placed her hands over his chest and began pressing.
Seeing this, Auntie Zhang lunged forward again:
“You cursed woman! If you touch my son again, I’ll fight you!”
Qiao Yuwei freed one hand and slapped her hard across the face, glaring fiercely.
“If you don’t want Huzi to die, shut up! It’ll take at least ten minutes for help to come down the mountain and back by then he’ll be cold! If you want your son to live, you listen to me!”
The sudden slap stunned Auntie Zhang into silence.
“And you ” Qiao Yuwei turned to the children and shouted angrily,
“All of you, stop crying! It’s too noisy!”
One crying child was already overwhelming this many sounded like a hundred ducks quacking in her ears.
The chaos quieted instantly. The children sniffled, staring at her in shock. The women also shrank back slightly and hurried their tasks.
Qiao Yuwei pressed down again and again, her rhythm fast and steady. She adjusted Huzi’s head and began rescue breathing.
The sun grew harsher. Sweat beaded on her forehead, dripping down onto Huzi’s chest.
She hadn’t eaten since last night. The exertion and heat caused her blood sugar to drop; her arms trembled with weakness.
“Please… just let me hold on a little longer…”
Suddenly
Huzi’s body jerked. A faint whimper escaped his throat, followed by a cough as he spat out water. His chest began to rise and fall he was breathing!
Cough, cough
Qiao Yuwei let out a breath and collapsed to the ground, exhausted, her vision going dark.
Auntie Zhang crawled over, pulling Huzi into her arms.
“Huzi, you scared Mommy to death… sob…”
At that moment, hurried footsteps approached. A man in a white coat carrying a medical kit ran ahead, followed by Song Zhinian, his face dark.
He had just returned from the training ground. When he heard a child was in trouble and that his “wife” was there his heart sank to the bottom.
Her vows from last night about changing what a joke. She wouldn’t even spare a child. Her heart must be completely rotten.
Qiao Yuwei, still weak on the ground, saw Song Zhinian. Her eyes lit up. Gathering her strength, she got up and grabbed his arm.
“Hubby, you’re here? I just saved ”
Before she could finish, Song Zhinian coldly shook her off.
“Qiao Yuwei, you even laid hands on a child. You’re beyond saving.”
“What do you mean laid hands on a child? I didn’t ”
“Enough.”
He turned back and gave her a deep look, the disappointment in his eyes impossible to hide.
Without listening to her explanation, he followed the medical staff, escorting Huzi to the hospital.
Qiao Yuwei’s hands remained suspended in midair, still in the motion of grabbing him. She watched as everyone’s backs gradually disappeared, her eyes dimming, her nose stinging.
She opened her mouth and murmured softly:
“Song Zhinian… why won’t you listen to my explanation? I didn’t…”