Early summer, the breeze carried a hint of coolness and a bit of heat.
From an old, earthen house came the sorrowful cries of a girl, floating in the quiet small village, evoking sympathy and pity.
"Sister, sister, don't scare Yuanyuan, please wake up, wake up!"
"As long as you wake up, I'll do anything for Yuanyuan, just please don't ignore me!"
In front of a low, worn-out wooden bed sat a little girl of about eight or nine with dry hair and sallow complexion. Thin and frail, her face was tear-stained, her waxy yellow hands continuously shook the unconscious person on the bed, her eyes filled with fear and confusion, while tears drenched her clothes.
Suddenly, she seemed to think of something, turning away from the shabby house, she ran stumblingly towards the yard, heavily knelt in front of a white-bearded old man, grabbing his sleeve, she cried out: "Grandpa Huang, Grandpa Huang, you must save my sister! I'm begging you! I'll kowtow to you, please save her, she is my only sister, how can she not be saved? Please, you must save her!"
Nearby stood a dark-skinned man in his forties, eyes red, looking at his daughter kneeling and repeatedly kowtowing on the cold ground, so vulnerable and helpless, his heart ached as if stabbed.
If there was a way to save Daya, he too would kowtow, to anyone, but there simply wasn't...he was truly useless, he muttered and kept hitting his head on the ground.
Huang Zhongyi sighed, "Ah! Erya, get up now! It's not that Grandpa Huang won't save your sister, I'm merely a barefoot doctor, I can handle sprains and bruises, but your sister, she's already, already....."
The words... she's gone! were ultimately left unsaid, but everyone in the yard knew, the Cheng family's eldest daughter was done for, and showed expressions of regret.
Sigh! Granny Zhang, looking at the grief-stricken Cheng the Second, said: "Cheng the Second, take care! The dead cannot come back to life, you still have Brother Jia to teach, don't grieve too much."
Everyone nodded, expressing condolences, saying in these times, who doesn't lose a child, especially a daughter.
Cheng the Eldest: patted his younger brother on the back, offering silent consolation, they were all mourning, but gone is gone, Heaven has given no recourse!
At that moment, a voice rushed out from the doorway: "Uncles, aunties, grandmas, why are you all gathered in my courtyard? I can't even get in, please make way!" Then people moved aside, in walked a boy wearing old clothes, a small fabric pouch slung across his body.
The boy's eyes were bright and lively, he called out to the man in the middle of the yard: "Father!"
Then, seeing his sister sobbing breathlessly on the ground, he quickly ran forward, "Second Sister! Second Sister, what's wrong? The ground is cold, get up quickly!" He had an ominous feeling, surely something had happened at home.
He asked: "Second Sister, what happened? What happened at home, tell me!" Wondering why he didn't see his eldest sister.
The sobbing Erya on the ground became even more distressed, unable to speak, then looked at their father, who opened his mouth but couldn't say a word.
He glanced around, seeing all sympathetic eyes dodging his gaze, none willing to tell him the harsh truth.
Then, the village chief stepped forward, about fifty years old, with a goatee, he slowly spoke: "Brother Jia, don't be so agitated, your sister Daya, around three quarters past noon today, while fishing by the river, accidentally fell in and drowned.
Though retrieved, Doctor Huang has confirmed she's gone, it's best to go see your sister one last time!"
The village chief's words resounded like a thunderstorm in his mind, unable to recover for a long time.
His little hands tightly clenched, forcing himself to calm down, his eyes sharp, surveying the people around, he slowly spoke: "My sister couldn't swim, how could she go fishing alone in the river, someone must have instigated."
He then looked at those who usually didn't get along with his sister.
Indeed, seeing their guilty faces, there was something fishy.
Before Cheng Jia could question them, Cheng Xiaocui immediately jumped forward, loudly shrieking: "What instigation? She wanted to eat fish, went down herself, what's it to do with us, a child shouldn't jump to conclusions."
Cheng Xiaocui was the daughter of Cheng Meng, a well-known butcher in the village, adept at slaughtering pigs and sheep, fierce and mighty, with muscles bulging all over. Because she had such a fearsome father, Cheng Xiaocui often domineered around the village, frequently with her two sidekicks, causing trouble, especially with her peer sister.
At the river were many playing children, many saw it, but dared not speak due to Cheng Xiaocui's family's intimidating presence.
"I heard Sister Xiaocui say she wanted to bet with Sister Daya, compete in fishing, and the loser must be the other's follower." Came the voice of the village chief's grandson Cheng Yinfeng.
With someone taking the lead, other children chimed in, saying how not daring to enter the water meant cowardice, not entering meant Sister Daya, Sister Erya, and Cheng Jia must all be Sister Xiaocui's followers, children babbling, recounting the matter in bits and pieces.
"You all shut up, I didn't." Cheng Xiaocui, vexed and flustered, defiant and guilty, turned to run behind her mother and hide.
Her mother awkwardly said: "Kids talk without thinking, arguing is common, our Xiaocui didn't mean it."
Cheng Jia, furious, said: "You say it wasn't on purpose, and it wasn't! I believe she meant it, always bullying my sister, many in the village saw it, do you wish to deny it?" Such a small child bursting with formidable fighting spirit.
At this point, Xiaocui's mother couldn't stay out of it, she looked at the village chief, "Your Honor, our Xiaocui truly didn't mean it, every time she talks harshly, everyone's just playing around, nothing happened, this time Xiaocui truly realized her mistake, how about this! We'll cover Daya's burial fee, our family will pay five taels of silver, what do you think?"
"Five taels of silver to buy my sister's life?" Cheng Jia's eyes blazed, glaring at Cheng Xiaocui.
Cheng Xiaocui, poking her head out from behind her mother, quickly shrank back, afraid to emerge again, the young kid's gaze too terrifying, as if she'd rip her apart.
Seeing Cheng Jia staring at her daughter, Mrs. Xiaocui discontentedly said: "Still not enough? People don't pay more than five taels for a new bride, even giving you two taels would be considered too much without the village chief's favor."
"You..." Cheng Jia was so enraged his eyes were red, he couldn't utter a word.
At this moment, Erya, recovering from sorrow, angrily spoke, "Who cares about your filthy money, give me back my sister, I don't want your money." Then angrily looked at their father, "Father, will you just watch outsiders bully us siblings?"