Rebirth to Save Myself

With the end of the final exams, the Lunar New Year was drawing ever closer. Despite achieving the top score in her grade, Su Xia didn't receive any praise from her mother, who had no idea how much effort her daughter had put in to achieve such a result. She simply felt relieved that her daughter was finally on winter break and could help take care of her son.

Su's father returned just two days before the Lunar New Year, partly because it was difficult to buy tickets and partly because he wanted to earn more money. At the New Year's Eve dinner, Su's father was very generous, feeling that his family was finally complete, so he drank a few more glasses of wine.

Su's mother didn't want to stay at home, but Su's father rejected her idea, saying that his son was still young and both daughters were in school, making it inconvenient for them to travel around. Moreover, his mother already had complaints about raising Su Xia alone, and if Su Yue were added to the family, she would definitely be even more unhappy. Therefore, Su's father asked Su's mother to stay home and take good care of the children so that he could go out and earn money to support the family with peace of mind.

At this time, Su's mother's older sister called Su's mother, saying that the furniture industry was booming in her area, and Su's father, who had the skill, could come and try his luck and earn more money. Su Xia knew about this; indeed, it had been very popular a few years ago, and she had made a lot of money. But later it gradually faded away; many factories suddenly opened and then suddenly closed down.

After thinking it over, Su's father packed his bags after the New Year and went to Putian to stay with Su's mother's sister, preparing to start making furniture.

The first half of the year in the south is usually rainy. Su's mother had to take care of Su Yaoche, while Su Xia either went to school or stayed home to read. Su Yue was so bored that she could only play with Chen Tao. After all, the two were close in age and cousins, so they had more in common.

Su Xia remembered that Su Yue's incident occurred during this rainy season. So she quickly spent Saturday and Sunday by Su Yue's side, telling her not to run around. She would remind her from time to time not to go to the river on rainy days, not to get too close, and not to think that it was okay to play in the water just because it wasn't raining. Su Yue was at that playful age and, unlike Su Xia, couldn't keep her composure, so while she outwardly agreed, she completely forgot Su Xia's instructions.

One afternoon, while Su Xia was taking a nap, Su Yue secretly ran out to play with Chen Tao. Chen Tao thought that since it wasn't raining, they could go play by the river.

"Let's not go, the river is swollen now," Su Yue said worriedly. Her sister had been telling her this for a while, so Su Yue was a little scared.

"Coward, if you won't go, I'll go myself." Chen Tao stuck out his tongue at Su Yue and ran towards the river.

Su Yue thought for a moment and decided to be careful, so she followed after him, calling out as she ran, "Wait for me!"

When Su Xia woke up, she found that Su Yue was nowhere to be seen. She had a bad feeling and rushed to her mother's room, but Su Yue was not there.

"Mom, where's Su Yue?"

"I don't know, am I not with you?"

Upon hearing this, Su Xia realized something was wrong and quickly ran downstairs. Chen Tao and Su Yue were nowhere to be seen in her aunt's room. She guessed they had gone out to play. Su Xia wondered if this was the time, so she hurried towards the door.

Su Xia ran to the public restroom, where a staircase led down to the river. When she got there, she saw Su Yue and Chen Tao squatting by the riverbank, about to gather water plants. Afraid of startling them and causing them to fall into the water, Su Xia ran up to them.

Over there, Su Yue's body bent higher and higher, getting closer and closer to the water. The river was very swift after the rain. Chen Tao was still behind her saying, "Keep going, you're almost there."

"Ah!" Su Yue wasn't paying attention, and the soil beneath her feet, which had been constantly being pounded by the river, suddenly collapsed and was swept away by the river. Su Xia immediately rushed over and grabbed Su Yue's hand.

"Sister!" Su Yue fell into the river, the rushing water constantly pounding against her body. Only one of her hands was held tightly by Su Xia.

"Sister!" Chen Tao was so frightened that he took two steps back and fell to the ground.

"Hold my hand tight, don't let go. Otherwise you'll be swept away, you know?" Su Xia gripped Su Yue's hand tightly with both hands, then turned to Chen Tao and said, "Hurry back and call the adults, hurry!"

"Okay." Chen Tao was startled by Su Xia's voice and quickly stood up, running and shouting, "My sister fell into the water! My sister fell into the water!"

Before long, an adult arrived. By then, half of Su Xia's body was already in the water. She used one hand to grab onto the weeds on the riverbank, hoping that the roots of the weeds could hold her up until the adult arrived.

"Quick, quick, pull the one in the river first." Everyone hurriedly pulled Su Yue up, and then grabbed the exhausted Su Xia. Su's mother finally arrived and looked at her two daughters.

"What a terrible thing! Who told you to run to the river to play?! Why didn't the flood wash you away?!" Su's mother grabbed Su Yue and started hitting her.

"Alright, alright, stop hitting the child. It's good that she's alright, hurry back and change your clothes." The person next to her stopped Su's mother and gestured to Su Xia to pull Su Yue back to change her clothes.

As Su Xia pulled Su Yue home, she sighed, lamenting that if she had arrived even a moment later, Su Yue would have been swept away by the river. The river was still swift and strong after the rain, with rocks on the bottom; she couldn't imagine what the situation would have been like. Although Su Yue had been saved by an older man in her past life, Su Xia couldn't be entirely sure Su Yue would escape danger this time. Rather than relying on someone else, it was better to take matters into her own hands.

"Ah Yue, remember this lesson. Don't make the same mistake again next time. I can't always catch you so easily, you know?"

"Waaah, I know, waaah, I know, waaaah." Su Yue was terrified and kept crying.

Su Xia took Su Yue home, boiled water for both of them to bathe, and then made ginger soup for Su Yue to warm her up. Throughout the whole process, Su's mother kept scolding Su Yue: "I told you not to go play by the river, it's dangerous, why did you still go?"

"It was my brother who said we should go play," Su Yue explained softly.

"Then why did you suddenly put your hand into the water? What were you looking for?" Su Xia asked Su Yue.

"My brother said there were small fish inside, but they were trapped in the grass, and he told me to catch them." Su Yue didn't dare to lie and honestly explained the whole story.

This infuriated Su's mother, who dragged Su Yue to her aunt's room and berated Chen Tao. Her aunt, knowing she was in the wrong, could only let Su's mother vent her anger.

When Grandma heard about Su Yue's situation on the street, she came back and saw Su's mother scolding her beloved grandson Chen Tao. She rushed over angrily and said, "You didn't take good care of your own daughter, why are you blaming A Tao?"

"If he had ordered A-Yue to catch fish, would A-Yue have fallen into the water? If Su Xia hadn't arrived in time, A-Yue would have been swept away by the river." Su's mother was also angry that her grandmother favored Chen Tao. They were both grandchildren, so why was Su Yue not as precious as Chen Tao?

“It’s not like it didn’t happen, so let it go,” Grandma said to Su’s mother, protecting Chen Tao.

Su's mother was so angry that she couldn't speak. Su Xia came over and pulled her and Su Yue out of her aunt's room.