ALL NOVEL
Chapter 29
Everyone quickly pulled Chu Yang up to prevent the lake surface from splitting further. Everyone quickly returned to the shore. Fortunately, the young man was not as tall or big as Chu Luo, otherwise Chu Yang would definitely not have been able to save him.
The young man had already been taken to the village hospital. His lips were completely purple, he had choked on water, but he was still conscious and did not seem to be seriously injured.
Chu Yang also felt the cold. "Take me back quickly."
Chu Luo immediately squatted down and then carried Chu Yang back home. Chu Yang was so cold that her body was shaking. Her shoes were gone and her bare feet were exposed to the air.
People followed them back.
Back at home, Chu Yang first changed her clothes, then got into the bathroom to take a hot bath. After all the commotion, she was exhausted. She lay in bed, covered with a thick quilt, and fell asleep. On the other side, Chu Yang’s parents rushed back.
As soon as Chu’s Mom got home, she slapped Chu Luo's back twice. "I told you not to go to dangerous places to play!" "Slap, slap," two loud sounds.
Chu Luo's eyes turned red, but he also knew he was wrong. He lowered his head, "I'm sorry."
Chu's Dad quickly said, "Alright, alright, the child is fine, that's the main thing. Go make some ginger soup to take to Yangyang. She's weak, I'm afraid she'll get a fever tonight."
"Okay." Chu’s Mom immediately sprang into action.
Chu Yang was lying in bed when she heard a knock at the door. Chu Yang called out, "Come in."
Then Chu’s Dad walked in, with Chu Luo following behind, his head lowered.
"Are you alright?" Chu’s Dad tucked the quilt corners for her.
"I'm fine. I'm just a little tired." Chu Luo was not used to this kind of situation. She lost her loved ones early, and had never experienced such caring concern from family.
"I'm sorry," Chu Luo said softly.
Chu Yang stretched out her hand and waved it. "It's okay. Thanks to you for finding someone. And it wasn't just you who went to play. I'm fine, don't worry about me."
Soon, Chu’s Mom came over carrying a bowl. "I made ginger soup, drink some."
Chu Yang did not stand on ceremony. She sat up and took a couple sips. Her whole body warmed up. She lay down again, "It's nothing. I just need to rest and I'll be fine. I'm just weak right now."
Chu’s Mom wiped her face. "Should we still go to the hospital? Your health is weak to begin with. Falling into ice water in the winter, I'm afraid you'll get a fever tonight."
Chu Yang did not think there was anything wrong with her, and her health was not actually weak either. She had been pretending before. "I'm much better now. I'm fine. Let's not make a fuss."
Unable to persuade her, everyone left to let her rest properly.
In the living room, Chu Yang’s parents were asking Chu Luo about the specific situation at the time. Chu Luo told them everything. "Xiao Hai came to play with me and said the lake had frozen over and Da Xiong and the others were skating there too. He asked me to go with him. I thought it was no big deal so I went. Then my sister ran over and told me to come back. I went to the shore and asked her how she got there.
Then I don't know what Xiao Hai did, but the ice under his feet cracked and he fell straight into the lake. My sister told me to go find people, and when I brought people back, I saw my sister push Xiao Hai up. Xiao Hai was already taken to the hospital. I carried my sister back." It was all our fault, we were too playful...”
As he spoke, Chu Luo's eyes turned red again.
Chu’s Mom slapped his back twice more. "I told you not to be so playful! I told you not to be so playful!"
Chu Luo did not resist. He also knew he was wrong.
Chu’s Dad sighed, "Alright, alright. Be more careful from now on. How is Xiao Hai?"
Chu Luo shook his head. "I don't know. He was taken to the hospital."
...
Chu Yang thought she would be fine, but she developed a fever in the early morning hours. There was a loud "slap, slap" sound. Fortunately, Chu’s Mom came to check on her in the middle of the night, and the whole family hurriedly took her to the hospital.
After an IV and medication, she finally recovered.
Then she lay in bed for another two days before she regained some energy.
While Chu Yang was lying in bed, Xiao Hai’s parents even came to express their gratitude. They almost knelt on the ground and kowtowed.
"Oh my! No, no, no. Xiao Hai’s mom, don't kneel whatever you do. My Chu Yang can’t take that. It’ll shorten her life." Chu’s Mom pulled the woman up.
When Xiao Hai’s mom heard this, she quickly got up, "Thank you, thank you. I really can't thank you enough. I've already punished my Xiao Hai. As soon as he gets better I’ll have him come over personally to thank you."
Because Chu Yang was resting, Xiao Hai's parents thanked Chu Yang’s family face to face in the living room. They also left a box of milk, a bag of fruit, and a box of egg custard tarts. They wanted to give money at first too, but Chu Yang’s parents refused.
Because she was sick, she didn't post on Weibo for several days in a row. Her fans even asked if something had happened to her. Not only her fans, but her roommate and Chi Yan had also messaged her.
Chu Yang didn't mention that she was sick. She just said there was something going on at home, and that the New Year atmosphere was getting stronger. After she recovered, she started helping Chu’s Mom prepare New Year's goods for the house.
The whole family went out to buy New Year's goods, but there was only one moped at home. So Chu’s Dad first took Chu’s Mom and Chu Yang to town, then went back home to pick up his son.
They split up into two groups. Chu’s Mom and Chu Yang went to buy daily necessities, while Chu’s Dad and Chu Luo went to buy food.
The town was very lively, with people coming and going to buy New Year's goods. It was exceptionally noisy, and the smell of food kept wafting by. Chu Yang swallowed.
Chu’s Mom neatly bought a baked pancake and handed it to Chu Yang, "Eat this first, then we'll go shopping after you finish eating."
Chu Yang broke off half and handed it to Chu’s Mom, "You eat too."
Chu’s Mom refused at first, but Chu Yang said she couldn't eat that much. Chu’s Mom then took it with a smile and ate the pancake, feeling like her daughter had grown up.
After eating, Chu Yang followed closely behind Chu’s Mom, watching her chat with vendors, haggle prices, and decisively buy things. Chu Yang helped carry some bags, but Chu’s Mom carried more.
When they met up with Chu’s Dad, everyone had big and small bags in hand. Obviously Chu’s Dad couldn’t take everything back on the moped. So they finally decided that Chu’s Dad would take some things back first, while the other three took a three-wheeled car back.
They got home late. Chu Yang’s parents hurried to make dinner while Chu Yang and Chu Luo sorted things out. They put things they didn’t know where to put aside for Chu’s Mom to take care of later.
They did a big cleanup the next day. All kinds of stuff had to be dug out and washed, airing it all out in the sun. On the 27th day of the lunar calendar, it snowed in Jiazhou. Early in the morning when Chu Yang got up, she saw everything outside covered in white. It must have started snowing last night.
Chu Luo and Chu’s Dad were sweeping snow in the yard while Chu’s Mom was making breakfast in the kitchen. Seeing her come out, she immediately told her to go back so she wouldn't catch a cold since her health was poor.
Chu Yang had no choice but to go back to the living room to sit by the fire. She watched TV while thinking that Chi Yan had sent her a photo of the snow before too. She should send him one back.
Chu Yang stood by the window facing outside and took a photo of the scenery. Snow weighed down the branches, everything was white as far as the eye could see, with sparse houses dotted here and there amidst the snow: it was a typical village snow scene.