Since the beginning of August, it has not stopped raining in the city. It rains for a while and then it clears for a while. I heard that the water in the reservoir upstream is almost full, and my family has repeatedly warned their children not to get close to the Fuchuan River. Xie Chong and Xie
Ying is very obedient and never goes where there is water.
Xie Ying's birthday is one day different from the baby's. Grandma said that it would be fine to celebrate it together, but her grandfather firmly opposed it. Grandpa said that the birthday is only one day, and it should be celebrated on that day. If it is on any other day, then it should be celebrated on that day.
If so, then it’s not a birthday.
Thanks to her grandfather, Xie Ying can have her own birthday, choose a birthday cake, and hear a happy birthday song sung specifically for her by her family.
On her birthday, her mother called Grandpa Song's house. This time she had not seen her daughter for more than a year and a half, which was a record-breaking interval. Xie Ying waited until she became numb and could no longer resent her mother.
"Xiaoying, mom is indeed very busy, busy performing and going to the hospital."
"Mom, are you sick? Is it serious?"
"...It's a mental illness that has been going on for a long time. It won't be cured all at once. Mom didn't have the courage to treat the illness before, but now she has to get well quickly for Xiaoying's sake."
Xie Ying couldn't fully understand and could only ask: "So, are you okay now?"
"It's not that fast. I'm working hard. When I'm cured, I'll go see you."
"Well, I'm waiting for you, Mom."
"I sent you so much money to ask your grandfather to install a phone, but it seems that there is still no phone at home!"
Grandpa lent all the money to his second uncle's family. But he couldn't tell his mother this. She liked grandpa and she wanted to maintain his image in front of her mother.
"Xiaoying, the weather forecast says that there will be heavy rains in both Gangcheng and Haicheng today. Laicheng is sandwiched between them, and it should also rain. Don't run around, stay at home, and close the doors and windows when you sleep.
Got it?"
"I know, it's been raining every day these days, and the quilt is dripping."
Xie Ying didn't take the weather forecast to heart and hung up the phone. She made an appointment with Song Jinquan to send him a cream cake later. Song Jinquan stuffed her a red envelope and said with a smile: "Xiao Ying is here today."
It’s your birthday, don’t refuse this red envelope, if you don’t want it, then it’s too little.”
"I'll just accept it! Thank you, Grandpa Song."
"You're welcome. If Xiaoying is happy, I'm happy."
"Grandpa Song, you can come to my house for dinner! Today my aunt ordered another dish from Bixiangju, including your favorite roast chicken."
"No need. I'm fine at home. I won't go to your house to cause trouble."
After running to the door, Xie Ying turned around and felt that Grandpa Song had aged more than ten years.
"Grandpa Song, my mother said there might be a heavy rain today, so you should collect the things in the yard!"
"Okay! Xiaoying is still thoughtful!"
The food was ready, but the second aunt hadn't come back yet. She had agreed a long time ago that she would buy Xie Ying's birthday cake. Xie Qingyun forced her to pay twenty yuan, saying that they would buy it together.
The second aunt works as a waiter at the Dahua Hotel. There is a large cake shop next to the hotel. She ordered it when she went to work and took it home when she got off work. It was almost half past five, and the second aunt should be back soon.
Originally, there were no signs of getting dark until seven o'clock, but that day, dark clouds rolled over the city, and it became dark in an instant, making people panic. Xie Chong remembered that when his mother went out in the morning, she did not bring an umbrella. Wait a minute.
If it rains heavily, you will definitely get wet.
Xie Chong jumped off the kang, grabbed an umbrella, and was about to go out to find his mother. Xie Hongxuan stopped him: "Your mother is an adult. If it rains hard, she will definitely hide."
"No." Xie Chong said stubbornly: "My mother is impatient. She would rather get caught in the rain than go home. That's my mother, and I'm most worried about her."
As soon as Xie Chong ran out of the house, raindrops hit the ground. The rain came quickly, and the temperature did not cool down completely. A hot and humid air was lingering with the smell of earth. The wind was so strong that it overturned Xie Chong's umbrella and even
Without seeing my mother, the umbrella was scrapped.
When the umbrella was blown apart, an ominous premonition flashed through Xie Chong's heart.
It takes twenty minutes to run from home to where my mother works. But the heavy rain covered the sky and the earth in an instant, and the huge rain curtain formed layers of mist. Xie Chong couldn't see the road at all. He wanted to go there
He was hiding from the rain under a tree, but a loud thunder exploded in the sky and seemed to hit his feet directly. He didn't dare to go under the tree. It would be a bad thing if he was struck to death by lightning.
Unfortunately, there were no buildings around, and one had to cross Fuchuan Bridge to reach the small restaurant owned by Li Chengde's family. At that time, Xie Chong truly understood what "heavy rain" meant. God seemed to want to pour down all the rain that had accumulated for several years.
Coming down, Xie Chong had never encountered such heavy rain.
In the heavy rain, a soft cry came over.
Xie Chong turned his head and looked to the side. It was Hu Baozhu standing under the tree, crying at a loss. "Go away!"
Xie Chong couldn't help but hold her hand and force her to leave under the willow tree. As soon as the two left, a loud thunder exploded above their heads. Hu Baozhu covered his ears and cried loudly.
"Do you want to go home?" Even though the two were face to face, Xie Chong still had to shout at the top of his lungs to ensure that the other party could hear him.
Hu Baozhu seemed to be stunned by the rain. She couldn't say a word. Xie Chong held her hand tightly and said, "Come with me."
Hu Baozhu had no idea and could only follow Xie Chong away.
The Fuchuan River has lost its former tranquility and is roaring like an angry river. The water is turbulent and soon, the river is overflowing the bridge. If you don't run over, you will not be able to cross.
"Hu Baozhu, you must hold my hand and run quickly."
Hu Baozhu nodded, but without any strength at his feet, he fell to the ground with a splash, splashing a layer of rain.
Xie Chong pulled her up and said, "You go home! I'll go by myself!"
Hu Baozhu cried again and shook his head, indicating that he did not dare to leave by himself.
The Bucheon River has turned into a vast sea. The raging waves make people dizzy, and they instantly develop a phobia of the deep sea. Those rolling waves hide countless terrifying whirlpools, which can swallow people as soon as they get close.
Hu Baozhu had never seen this scene before. She thought the end of the world was coming. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth wide, just crying.
Xie Chong bent down and carried Hu Baozhu on his back. He could not delay any longer. He had to find his mother in such a heavy rain.
The river water has already reached his ankles, and if he is not careful, he will be washed away by the overflowing river water. Xie Chong is fully confident that he is strong and fast enough to cross the river quickly.
They were about to reach the other side of the river, but Hu Baozhu screamed in surprise, which made Xie Chong stagger and almost fall on the bridge.
"There……"
Hu Baozhu pointed to the river tremblingly, and several people were heaving together on the river, drifting with the current, and soon disappeared.
Xie Chong witnessed the power of the flood for the first time. He was only an eleven-year-old child after all. His legs and feet went weak and he fell to his knees.
Fortunately, he had already crossed the river and was no longer in danger of being swept away.
Hu Baozhu forgot to cry, turned pale, and asked: "Are those people dead just now?"
Xie Chong didn't have the courage to answer, nor did he have the courage to think about it again. Such a horrific scene was enough for him to never forget.