The two boys, still young and full of mischief, couldn't be contained at home.
Yun Jinhe, slightly bolder, carried a bucket filled with a hammer and an awl.
He planned to chisel a hole in the ice and catch some big fish.
Yun Jinshan, holding a fishing rod, looked worried. "Brother, let's go back. I heard there are earth dragons in Gougou Lake!"
"What are you afraid of? Even if there were earth dragons, they'd have frozen to death by now."
The white wind whistled, the ice gleamed, and not a soul was in sight.
"Here, this spot will do!"
Yun Jinhe chose a spot near the bank and began to chip away at the ice with the awl.
After a series of 'ding-ding-dang-dang' sounds, a crack appeared in the thick ice layer.
"Why is it so hard? We've been at it for ages, and we still can't see the lake water!"
Yun Jinshan, panting, sat down on the ice.
Yun Jinhe smiled. "Usually, our little aunt helps us. Today, let's catch some big fish and show our aunt how much we appreciate her!"
"Okay!" Yun Jinshan nodded vigorously.
The thought of catching fish for their little aunt made him forget his fatigue.
He rolled up his sleeves and chipped at the ice with all his might.
Ice chips flew everywhere. Suddenly, with a 'crack,' the ice surface broke.
Yun Jinshan lost his balance and tumbled into the lake.
If Yun Jinhe hadn't reacted quickly, he wouldn't have escaped either.
"Jinshan, Jinshan!" Yun Jinhe was stunned and helpless, not knowing what to do.
The lake water in winter was bone-chilling and biting.
What's more, Yun Jinshan was wearing heavy cotton clothes. After the cold water seeped in, his body felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.
"Brother... Big Brother, save, save me!"
Yun Jinshan flailed his limbs, splashing in the lake. His face was pale and devoid of color from the cold.
Yun Jinhe quickly untied his belt and threw it to him. "Jinshan, grab hold! I'll pull you out!"
Yun Jinshan shivered uncontrollably, his teeth chattering as he clutched the belt.
Cold, so cold!
He felt as if the very air was freezing.
Yun Jinhe, with all his might, managed to pull his brother out.
The two brothers supported each other, staggering home.
Yun Jinshan's cotton jacket was frozen stiff, and his hands were ice-cold. He didn't dare to take it off completely.
"Jinshan, let me carry you on my back!"
"No... no need, I, I... I want to walk for a bit."
As he finished speaking, with a 'plop,' Yun Jinshan's eyes rolled back, and he fainted completely.
Just then, Xue Ling, carrying a rabbit in its mouth, ambled past.
Seeing his family's big dog, Yun Jinhe's tears instantly flowed. "Wuwuwu, Big White Dog, hurry and call Mom and Dad! Hurry, hurry!"
Xue Ling tilted its large head, dropped the rabbit, and sniffed Yun Jinshan with its wet nose.
"Woof! Woof!"
Its body tensed abruptly, and it sped towards the Yun family's home.
Zhao Guihua and Gu Shi were sitting on the kang, putting a small floral jacket on Xiao Xitian.
"Look, Little Sweet Treasure is so beautiful! Like a little bride!" Zhao Guihua said with a smile.
Xiao Xitian felt a bit uneasy.
A bad premonition washed over her, making her glance towards the door frequently.
Gu Shi noticed her daughter's unusual behavior and pulled her closer. "What's wrong, my dear? Don't you like this floral jacket?"
"Ah ah!" Xiao Xitian shook her head like a rattle drum.
No, it's not that, Mother!
Your eldest and second nephews went out before dawn, and they still haven't returned. Aren't you worried?
"Woof woof! Woof woof woof!" Xue Ling's barks came from outside.
Old Man Yun was busy with the soy sauce vat with Yun Daman when Xue Ling bumped into him.
"Hey! What's wrong with this dog today? Why is it jumping on people?" Yun Daman asked curiously.
Old Man Yun frowned, then suddenly thought of something.
This dog was brought by his youngest daughter and was very spiritual. It wouldn't jump on people without reason.
Gu Shi and Zhao Guihua hurried out, and even Liu Cuirong ran out of the house. "Dad, what's wrong?"
Seeing Xue Ling tugging at his trouser leg, Old Man Yun didn't hesitate and ran out. "Daman, quickly call the second one and follow me!"
The cold wind howled like blades, obscuring the two small figures in the wind and snow.
After Yun Jinshan was rescued, he remained unconscious, his body burning with fever.
He was already delirious, his sweat soaking the bedding.
Liu Cuirong shed tears of heartache. "Son, wake up, son, son..."
Yun Jinhe looked at himself with self-reproach, his guilt growing.
If he hadn't insisted on chiseling the ice hole, this wouldn't have happened.
Yun Erman felt his son's forehead. The scorching temperature made him pull his hand back.
"I'll take my son to see a doctor!" Yun Erman picked up Jinshan and rushed out.
Old Man Yun stopped him. "We don't have a mule cart. How do you plan to carry him?"
The wind was raging outside, and there were no doctors in the village. By the time he reached the county town, Jinshan would have frozen to death.
Yun Daman stood up. "I'll go to the village chief's house to borrow a mule cart!"
"No, that old mule fell ill a few days ago and can't pull a cart at all!"
"Then... then what should we do? Father, if something happens to Jinshan, I won't live either, wuwuwu!"
Liu Cuirong sobbed uncontrollably, her face smeared with snot and tears.
At this moment, Xiao Xitian squirmed in Gu Shi's arms and reached out her small hand towards Yun Jinshan. "Ah ah!"
Let me see!
In her past life, she had learned medicine from her grandfather and parents and understood some pharmacology.
Her family had been doctors for generations, but she alone had chosen a major in agricultural science.
Being a medical student was not easy, and being a doctor was even harder.
"Does Sweet Treasure want to touch Jinshan?" Gu Shi asked.
Little Sweet Treasure nodded.
Mhm!
Everyone in the family knew that Sweet Treasure was their little lucky star, so they didn't stop her.
Xiao Xitian placed her hand on Yun Jinshan's pulse and began to examine him carefully.
The room was eerily silent, so quiet that a falling needle could be heard.
The whole family stared intently at Xiao Xitian, as if as long as she was there, they could overcome any storm.
Xiao Xitian closed her eyes, her mind wandering.
Suddenly, with a 'clang,' a strange noise came from the kitchen.
"Go and see!" Yun Daman nudged his son.
Yun Jinhe quickly returned with a cloth bag.
When opened, it contained dozens of objects of various shapes.
Some were round, some flat, some rectangular, and there were even fine powders.
"What... what is this?" Yun Daman asked, confused.
Gu Shi instinctively looked at Xiao Xitian, as if realizing something.
These were all medicines for treating colds and fevers, which Yun Xitian had prepared for herself while working at the base.
Wearing her little floral jacket, she crawled to the pile of medicine and fiddled with it with her not-so-dexterous little hands.
"Eat two of these, once a day."
"Eat four of these, three times a day, after meals."
She spoke very seriously, but to her family, it sounded like: "x, &%￥#@......"
Xiao Xitian felt despair.
She wished she could grow up faster.
Gu Shi was deeply moved. She picked up the pills her daughter had sorted and handed them to Liu Cuirong. "Let Jinshan eat them!"
"Mother, what is this? You're just going to let him eat it?" Liu Cuirong looked suspicious.
What if it made him worse?
Gu Shi didn't bother arguing with her. She used a rolling pin to crush the pills, mixed them with warm water, and directly poured them into Yun Jinshan.