Chapter 54 Little Darling!!!

The old bell at the village entrance had stood for many years; its chimes had long since faded, barely audible now. Yet in the stillness of the night, the bell’s voice swiftly reverberated through the village, startling many from their sleep.

But time waits for no one. The bell had only sounded once when, as Jiang Chengyan glanced back, the earth beneath his feet suddenly trembled. In the next instant, a thunderous roar filled his ears.

The sounds of collapsing houses and people’s cries mingled in the darkness.

“Little Gua!” The tremors beneath the ground continued. Jiang Chengyan looked up, only to find that Bai Yan was nowhere to be seen beside him.

…

By the time Jiang Chengyan rushed after her, Bai Yan had already run toward the Jiang family’s house. Zhao and Jiang’s father lived at the far west end of the village. Bai Yan ran as fast as she could, but with every stride, another house fell. When she finally reached the Jiang family’s courtyard, she found that it, too, had collapsed. There wasn’t a soul in sight.

Panic gripped Bai Yan. Her voice trembled with anxiety as she called out, “Mother! Mother!”

“Girl, it’s an earthquake—run, quickly!” After Bai Yan had shouted several times, Zhao’s voice rose from beneath the rubble of the house.

Clearly, Zhao and Jiang’s father were trapped under the debris.

The thought of them buried under stones and beams made Bai Yan glance around. Seeing no one had noticed her, she began to lift the wreckage, grunting with effort. Yet, for all their weight, the stones and beams yielded easily to her strength.

Zhao and Jiang’s father had been jolted awake. The first thing they’d done was shield Jiang Cheng’an, so all three were trapped under the ruins, each suffering various injuries.

“Husband, listen—there’s a commotion. Why has the girl come? Didn’t we tell her to go?” Zhao’s voice was hoarse, her strength nearly spent, as a heavy beam pressed against her back.

“Girl, we’re all right—run, now!” Jiang’s father shouted, his eyes reddening. If their daughter was lost as well, what would they do?

After their words, they heard no reply from Bai Yan. Only—the darkness before their eyes seemed to be slowly lifting.

Until—the final stone was tossed aside. Zhao looked up and saw Bai Yan, filthy and ragged like a little beggar.

Jiang’s father pushed aside the timber and was about to rise, just as the earth shook once more.

Without thinking, Zhao lunged forward to shield Bai Yan, while Jiang’s father protected Jiang Cheng’an.

Jiang’s father clambered up with Jiang Cheng’an in his arms. Zhao reached out, twisting Bai Yan’s ear, and with her exhausted body hoisted her onto her back. “You silly child! Didn’t we tell you to go? You ran out without shoes? What was Jiang Chengyan doing, not protecting you? You wouldn’t trade him for someone else!”

Even in such darkness, she noticed Bai Yan was barefoot.

“I can’t be carried—I have to help rescue people,” Bai Yan protested, trying to jump down. There must be others trapped; she was strong and needed to help.

Just as Zhao was about to stop her, Zhao Chujio’s figure appeared, running from the shadows.

“Sister-in-law, Auntie, you’d better go to my elder brother’s house for now. His is the only one in the village still standing. He asked if you could help boil water and assist the barefoot doctor.”

As he spoke, Zhao Chujio gave Bai Yan a deliberate once-over.

Expressionless, Zhao grunted in acknowledgment and, despite her aching, battered back, carried Bai Yan toward the east end of the village, never once letting her down.