Drowning
June 19
Su He choked, a smothering sensation pressing down on him. He thrashed, desperate to break the surface, but found only resistance. Panic surged. His chest tightened, a suffocating weight pinning him down.
"What's happening to me?"
This panicked thought raced through Su He's mind, but he couldn't make sense of anything.
"Dodo! Dodo!" A child's cry, laced with frantic terror, pierced the haze. The voice, vaguely familiar, triggered a torrent of images that flooded his mind.
As he teetered on the brink of consciousness, a montage of his life unfolded before him. He saw himself growing up in the countryside, working tirelessly in the city, and transforming from an inept young farmer into the chief engineer of a mechanical company. Su He had experienced a great deal, and yet, there were also memories that seemed foreign to him.
These unfamiliar recollections belonged to another rural child who had grown up with scarcely enough food or clothing. This boy was also named Su He, and he was intelligent and academically gifted. Due to his family's financial struggles, he was forced to earn his own money to continue his education. Fortunately, Su He was not only clever but also an expert with a slingshot, which allowed him to earn a considerable sum of money. With his earnings, he not only funded his education but also buy a calf.
The scene abruptly halted there. The life of this other Su He had ended only recently. He had failed the high school entrance exam, but he hadn't come to the river to end his life. He was merely walking off his frustration. Upon noticing wild lotus roots in the river, this Su He decided to dig some up and sell them in town for money. Besides wanting to repeat a year of school, he also hoped to earn some money to help support his family.
For reasons unknown, Su He, who had never experienced a cramp before, found himself afflicted by one on that fateful day.
It was as if he had inherited someone else's memories, but what did it matter? He was likely on the brink of death once again! The thought of having already died before crossed his mind. Had he time-traveled? The prospect of dying on the very first day after time-traveling seemed incredibly unlucky.
As this thought occurred to him, Su He felt himself being lifted by something. Moments later, he emerged from the water, gasping for air and coughing violently.
What happened to me?
Su He felt disoriented and uncomfortable under the scorching sun. For a moment, he was too stunned to react. Then, the sound of a little girl's cries from the shore reached his ears.
Slap! A sudden pain in his hand jolted Su He back to reality. He looked down and saw a fish thrashing about, its tail slapping against his hand. It took him a moment to realize that his finger had gone through the fish's gills.
Was this a hallucination? Or perhaps some kind of time traveler's perk? The thought crossed his mind as he tried to make sense of his situation.
Su He scanned his surroundings, the unfamiliar scene a stark contrast to his memories. The nearby village appeared desperately underdeveloped in his eyes. Mud-brick houses, not a single structure boasting modern tiles, dominated the landscape. Many roofs were even thatched!
A wave of information, a review of this unfamiliar life, flooded his mind. Su He shook his head, relieved it wasn't a permanent download. Still, a bitter smile twisted his lips before erupting into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
His laughter startled the little girl.
“Dodo!” She intended to call him brother, but her youthful age and limited speech transformed the word into “Dodo!”
Su He turned to meet the little girl’s anxious gaze. He quelled his burgeoning excitement. What could be better than being reborn with a healthy body? As for being sent back to this less developed era, what of it? With his knowledge and experience, earning money should be a breeze, right?
Moo! The call of a Water buffalo came from below!
Looking down, Su He saw the creature that had saved his life. It was a water buffalo, standing patiently in the shallow water.
“Heixing, let’s head back!”
This Heixing was not the Water buffalo he had bought, but its offspring! The original Water buffalo was sold by his mother, Ye Chuanxiu, at the cattle market because his second sister had fallen ill, and they urgently needed money. Also, his eldest sister was getting engaged and required a dowry.
Su He smiled bitterly as Heixing seemed to understand his words and began swimming towards the shore. Suddenly, Su He felt dizzy and almost fainted, nearly falling into the river. He thought he saw the large warehouse from his previous life, the one he had spent so much money on. But the feeling passed quickly, and Heixing soon reached the shore.
Su He climbed down from the water buffalo's back and picked up the little girl. "Xiao Nanhua, what's wrong?" he asked, using her nickname. Xiao Nanhua was not her real name. When she was born, Ye Chuanxiu had seen a bowl of pumpkin on the table and named her on a whim. It was common for rural children to be given "cheap" names like Xiao Nanhua to ensure their survival. Other examples included Er Gouzi (Second Dog) and San Luzi (Third Donkey).
After a while, Xiao Nanhua stopped crying and looked up at Su He. "Dodo, I thought you jumped into the water!" she said. In their village, jumping into the water meant committing suicide, and unfortunately, some people had taken their own lives in this river.
Su He couldn't help but feel both amused and emotional. The original Su He had been frustrated, but he hadn't intended to kill himself. However, Su He didn't know how to explain this to Xiao Nanhua.
Suddenly, the fish in his hand jumped, and Su He's expression brightened.
"I didn't jump into the water." he said. "I went to catch fish for you!"
Xiao Nanhua's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" she asked.
Su He smiled and nodded. "Of course," he said, holding up the fish. "Look, what is this?"
Xiao Nanhua's eyes lit up when she saw the fish in Su He's hand. It was a carp, weighing about two catties, which was a rare delicacy at that time.
Su He smiled bitterly as he thought about the year he was reborn in: 1979. It was a time when China had just begun its reform and opening up, and supplies were extremely scarce. Making money was difficult, and most families relied on farming to make a living, but even then, they earned very little. {On January 1, 1979, China and the U.S. established diplomatic relations,}
Su He's family was no exception. Their annual grain share was barely enough to feed the family, let alone sell it to pay for school. Going to school was a luxury that few could afford, which was why Su He had to earn his own tuition.
"Let's go home," Su He said to Xiao Nanhua, as he started walking towards their village.
Xiao Nanhua clapped her hands excitedly, “I want to ride the Water buffalo!”
In his previous life, Su He had been an only child.
Having this little sister made him very happy. Xiao Nanhua was just three years old, adorable and thoughtful.
"Heixing, carry my sister home!" Su He said to the water buffalo.
Heixing was just an ordinary water buffalo, but it seemed to be very intelligent and only obeyed Su He. For some reason, Su He had always been good with animals.
He lifted Xiao Nanhua onto Heixing's back and pulled out some grass, threading it through the fish's gills. "Let's go!" he said to Heixing, who automatically followed him without needing to be led.
---
Su He (MC), Heixing (young Water Buffalo), Xiao Nanhua (Youngest/Sixth Sister), Ye Chuanxiu (Su He's mother)
Drowning
June 19
Su He choked, a smothering sensation pressing down on him. He thrashed, desperate to break the surface, but found only resistance. Panic surged. His chest tightened, a suffocating weight pinning him down.
"What's happening to me?"
This panicked thought raced through Su He's mind, but he couldn't make sense of anything.
"Dodo! Dodo!" A child's cry, laced with frantic terror, pierced the haze. The voice, vaguely familiar, triggered a torrent of images that flooded his mind.
As he teetered on the brink of consciousness, a montage of his life unfolded before him. He saw himself growing up in the countryside, working tirelessly in the city, and transforming from an inept young farmer into the chief engineer of a mechanical company. Su He had experienced a great deal, and yet, there were also memories that seemed foreign to him.
These unfamiliar recollections belonged to another rural child who had grown up with scarcely enough food or clothing. This boy was also named Su He, and he was intelligent and academically gifted. Due to his family's financial struggles, he was forced to earn his own money to continue his education. Fortunately, Su He was not only clever but also an expert with a slingshot, which allowed him to earn a considerable sum of money. With his earnings, he not only funded his education but also buy a calf.
The scene abruptly halted there. The life of this other Su He had ended only recently. He had failed the high school entrance exam, but he hadn't come to the river to end his life. He was merely walking off his frustration. Upon noticing wild lotus roots in the river, this Su He decided to dig some up and sell them in town for money. Besides wanting to repeat a year of school, he also hoped to earn some money to help support his family.
For reasons unknown, Su He, who had never experienced a cramp before, found himself afflicted by one on that fateful day.
It was as if he had inherited someone else's memories, but what did it matter? He was likely on the brink of death once again! The thought of having already died before crossed his mind. Had he time-traveled? The prospect of dying on the very first day after time-traveling seemed incredibly unlucky.
As this thought occurred to him, Su He felt himself being lifted by something. Moments later, he emerged from the water, gasping for air and coughing violently.
What happened to me?
Su He felt disoriented and uncomfortable under the scorching sun. For a moment, he was too stunned to react. Then, the sound of a little girl's cries from the shore reached his ears.
Slap! A sudden pain in his hand jolted Su He back to reality. He looked down and saw a fish thrashing about, its tail slapping against his hand. It took him a moment to realize that his finger had gone through the fish's gills.
Was this a hallucination? Or perhaps some kind of time traveler's perk? The thought crossed his mind as he tried to make sense of his situation.
Su He scanned his surroundings, the unfamiliar scene a stark contrast to his memories. The nearby village appeared desperately underdeveloped in his eyes. Mud-brick houses, not a single structure boasting modern tiles, dominated the landscape. Many roofs were even thatched!
A wave of information, a review of this unfamiliar life, flooded his mind. Su He shook his head, relieved it wasn't a permanent download. Still, a bitter smile twisted his lips before erupting into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
His laughter startled the little girl.
“Dodo!” She intended to call him brother, but her youthful age and limited speech transformed the word into “Dodo!”
Su He turned to meet the little girl’s anxious gaze. He quelled his burgeoning excitement. What could be better than being reborn with a healthy body? As for being sent back to this less developed era, what of it? With his knowledge and experience, earning money should be a breeze, right?
Moo! The call of a Water buffalo came from below!
Looking down, Su He saw the creature that had saved his life. It was a water buffalo, standing patiently in the shallow water.
“Heixing, let’s head back!”
This Heixing was not the Water buffalo he had bought, but its offspring! The original Water buffalo was sold by his mother, Ye Chuanxiu, at the cattle market because his second sister had fallen ill, and they urgently needed money. Also, his eldest sister was getting engaged and required a dowry.
Su He smiled bitterly as Heixing seemed to understand his words and began swimming towards the shore. Suddenly, Su He felt dizzy and almost fainted, nearly falling into the river. He thought he saw the large warehouse from his previous life, the one he had spent so much money on. But the feeling passed quickly, and Heixing soon reached the shore.
Su He climbed down from the water buffalo's back and picked up the little girl. "Xiao Nanhua, what's wrong?" he asked, using her nickname. Xiao Nanhua was not her real name. When she was born, Ye Chuanxiu had seen a bowl of pumpkin on the table and named her on a whim. It was common for rural children to be given "cheap" names like Xiao Nanhua to ensure their survival. Other examples included Er Gouzi (Second Dog) and San Luzi (Third Donkey).
After a while, Xiao Nanhua stopped crying and looked up at Su He. "Dodo, I thought you jumped into the water!" she said. In their village, jumping into the water meant committing suicide, and unfortunately, some people had taken their own lives in this river.
Su He couldn't help but feel both amused and emotional. The original Su He had been frustrated, but he hadn't intended to kill himself. However, Su He didn't know how to explain this to Xiao Nanhua.
Suddenly, the fish in his hand jumped, and Su He's expression brightened.
"I didn't jump into the water." he said. "I went to catch fish for you!"
Xiao Nanhua's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" she asked.
Su He smiled and nodded. "Of course," he said, holding up the fish. "Look, what is this?"
Xiao Nanhua's eyes lit up when she saw the fish in Su He's hand. It was a carp, weighing about two catties, which was a rare delicacy at that time.
Su He smiled bitterly as he thought about the year he was reborn in: 1979. It was a time when China had just begun its reform and opening up, and supplies were extremely scarce. Making money was difficult, and most families relied on farming to make a living, but even then, they earned very little. {On January 1, 1979, China and the U.S. established diplomatic relations,}
Su He's family was no exception. Their annual grain share was barely enough to feed the family, let alone sell it to pay for school. Going to school was a luxury that few could afford, which was why Su He had to earn his own tuition.
"Let's go home," Su He said to Xiao Nanhua, as he started walking towards their village.
Xiao Nanhua clapped her hands excitedly, “I want to ride the Water buffalo!”
In his previous life, Su He had been an only child.
Having this little sister made him very happy. Xiao Nanhua was just three years old, adorable and thoughtful.
"Heixing, carry my sister home!" Su He said to the water buffalo.
Heixing was just an ordinary water buffalo, but it seemed to be very intelligent and only obeyed Su He. For some reason, Su He had always been good with animals.
He lifted Xiao Nanhua onto Heixing's back and pulled out some grass, threading it through the fish's gills. "Let's go!" he said to Heixing, who automatically followed him without needing to be led.
---
Su He (MC), Heixing (young Water Buffalo), Xiao Nanhua (Youngest/Sixth Sister), Ye Chuanxiu (Su He's mother)
