Chapter 76 Big Head Fell Into the Water

The shout was loud, startling everyone in the Wen family. Madam Luo’s legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed to the ground. Wen Yao and her siblings rushed out of the house, grabbing the messenger and demanding, “What did you say? What happened to Datou?”

The man, panting heavily from running, pointed toward the riverbank. “Datou—Datou fell into the river!”

In the next instant, Wen Yao sprinted away. Li and Cai helped Madam Luo up but had no time for anything else; they hurried after her.

As Wen Yao ran, cold sweat broke out across her skin. Panic overtook her, and her mind was filled with nothing but the words “Datou fell into the river.” She didn’t even notice when one of her shoes slipped off.

“Datou! Datou!” Wen Yao called out as she reached the pebbled riverbank, the smooth stones stabbing painfully into her bare foot.

By now, a crowd had gathered at the riverside. Jin Xiuyi and Wen Ying knelt on the ground, clutching Datou and sobbing uncontrollably. Beside them stood several other children, stunned into silence, along with their parents.

Wen Yao’s face was deathly pale. Seeing Datou lying motionless in Wen Ying’s arms, she hesitated, almost unable to bring herself closer.

“Datou.” Her voice trembled as she called his name.

Wen Ying and Jin Xiuyi looked up at her and burst into fresh tears. “Yao Yao, big sister / second sister!”

Wen Yao stood frozen in disbelief until Madam Luo pulled her back to herself with an urgent tug.

“Yao Yao!” Madam Luo’s cry snapped Wen Yao out of her daze. Ignoring the pain in her foot, she rushed forward, crouched before Datou, and reached out with shaking hands, afraid to touch him.

Then Datou let out a faint whimper and slowly opened his eyes to look at her. Wen Yao blinked in astonishment, and in the next heartbeat, Datou was in her arms.

“You scared me to death. You scared me to death!” Wen Yao wept, her composure shattered. Just moments before, she had thought she was too late.

The whole Wen family had arrived by now, and only then did the crowd start chattering about what had happened.

Madam Luo scanned the crowd, searching for Wen Fa.

“Where’s Wen Fa? Wen Fa!” Her voice was sharp with fury, and even Li, usually fiercely protective of her children, wore a stormy expression.

“Wen Fa’s here, Auntie Wen—he’s here!” someone called out. Li and Madam Luo turned in unison to see Wen Fa, covered in mud and soaked from head to toe, pinning someone to the ground. If not for the people holding him back, Wen Fa’s fists would have kept raining down.

The men restraining Wen Fa called out, “Auntie Wen, hurry and pull Wen Fa off—he’s going to beat Li Erhu to death!”

Erhu’s mother and Li San came running with Li Dahu, only to find their beloved son pinned by Wen Fa on the riverbank, his face bruised and battered, howling in pain.

Without hesitation, Erhu’s mother threw herself at them, shrieking, “Murder! The Wen family is killing my boy!”

Wen Fa clutched Li Erhu’s hair in a death grip, holding him immobile against the ground. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at her. “If anything happens to Datou, I’ll drag Li Erhu into the grave with him!”

By now, Datou was shivering violently from head to toe, soaked through in Wen Yao’s embrace. Hearing Wen Fa’s words, Wen Yao looked over, her gaze murderous as she stared at the Li family.

Li San and Li Dahu couldn’t bear to see Li Erhu held down like that and tried to pull Wen Fa off.

But Wen Xiuzhu and Wen Xiuqing would never let them succeed.

The riverbank descended into chaos.

Datou’s lips were already turning blue and purple from the cold. Wen Yao knew she had to get him home and into dry clothes immediately, or he would surely fall ill.

She picked Datou up in her arms, giving the Li family a cold, hard look.

“Wen Fa, get up.” Her voice was icy.

Wen Fa glanced at her, clenched his jaw, and stood, finally releasing Li Erhu.

Erhu’s mother wailed and rushed to cradle her son, but Wen Yao’s frosty voice cut through the commotion: “Li Erhu is absolutely involved in what happened today. I’ll say this plainly: if anything happens to Datou, your entire Li family will join him in the grave.”

Then she turned to the rest of the Wen family. “Grandpa, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, you stay and get to the bottom of this—don’t let anyone leave. Grandma, we need to take Datou back to change his clothes and get the doctor. Wen Fa, you too.”

Wen Fa was dripping wet, his earlier ferocity gone, eyes rimmed with red as he stood beside Wen Yao. “Yao Yao, I’m sorry. I didn’t keep Datou safe.”

Wen Yao’s expression softened a little. “Let’s go home first.”

She carried Datou away. Madam Luo, noticing her awkward gait, glanced down and blanched—everywhere Wen Yao walked, the ground was stained bright red.

“Yao Yao, your foot!” Madam Luo’s cry drew every eye.

She hurried forward, scooping Datou into her own arms as Li crouched before Wen Yao. “Yao Yao, let Second Aunt carry you.”

Wen Yao’s eyes brimmed with tears. With Madam Luo already hurrying away with Datou, Wen Yao sniffled and climbed onto Li’s back.

Li, strong from years of farmwork, carried her swiftly after Madam Luo.

Jin Xiuyi, worried for Datou, followed as well. Wen Ying stayed behind, wiping away tears and snot, and began telling Old Wen what had happened.

Back at home, Madam Luo stripped off Datou’s wet clothes and ordered Cai to stoke the fire and warm the bed. They tucked Datou beneath the covers, but even so, his face remained deathly pale.

Wen Yao sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes fixed anxiously on Datou. Jin Xiuyi sobbed with fear and guilt. “Grandma Wen, Sister Yao Yao, I’m sorry—it’s all my fault. Datou fell in trying to save me. I’m sorry, I’m sorry—” Her words dissolved into wailing.

Madam Luo’s heart ached for Datou, but seeing how terrified the other child was, she pulled Jin Xiuyi into her arms as well, soothing her as she asked what had happened.

Between Jin Xiuyi’s choked sobs and Wen Fa’s explanations, Wen Yao and Madam Luo finally pieced together the story.

The children had gone with the village kids to the riverbank to collect stones. Before they left, Madam Luo had given each of the three children two eggs, and they shared them with their playmates.

Li Erhu and his gang had somehow shown up at the riverbank. Seeing them eating eggs, they demanded any leftovers.

Though younger and smaller, Wen Yao’s siblings refused to give up their food, and a quarrel broke out. Li Erhu and the older boys tried to snatch the eggs by force.

Wen Fa tried to protect them, but was outnumbered and pinned down by the older boys, while Li Erhu chased Jin Xiuyi and Datou, who still had eggs in hand.

As they neared the river, Li Erhu shoved Jin Xiuyi in his bid to steal the eggs. Seeing her about to fall into the water, Datou pushed her to safety, but slipped and fell in himself.

Though the river wasn’t deep at this time of year, Datou was so small that he was quickly swept away by the current. Panic erupted among the children, and Wen Fa, without a second thought, plunged into the river to save his little brother.