Chapter 443 - 424: Saving Someone from the Lake

By the time Yun Jiao and her older brother got back, the meat in the small courtyard was already being smoked.

She was a little bored, so she sat in the courtyard and drew with a stick.

She drew a little pig’s head.

"Jiaojiao."

Lu Yu’s daughter, Guo’er, had come looking for her after school.

Her classmates came along with her.

They were all curious about the pretty friend Guo’er had mentioned.

Once they saw her, they all started chattering away.

The children had to learn Mandarin in school, so even though their speech had a local accent, Yun Jiao could still understand them.

It just took a bit of effort to understand.

"Jiaojiao, let’s go play outside."

"What should we play?"

"We’re going to herd the cattle and sheep, and we can go to the lake. A lot of birds and wild ducks have flown back now, so we can go watch them. Some of the birds are really pretty."

The weather here had already started to warm up, and the birds that had left for the winter were beginning to fly back.

Yun Jiao’s interest was piqued. "Okay, let’s go."

The lake Guo’er mentioned was quite large. It wasn’t just the children herding cattle and sheep; there were adults with them, too.

This was because the area was close to a forest, which was home to wild animals.

These adults were also carrying weapons: bows and arrows, daggers, and guns.

They were homemade guns. Because of the special living conditions and the need for herding, the people here were allowed to carry homemade guns after applying for a permit.

However, the application process was very strict.

"Look! There are so many big white birds over there."

Riding on horseback, Guo’er pointed to the birds flying over the lake in the distance as she spoke with Yun Jiao.

Yun Jiao had come with her older brother. Even while sitting on horseback, his upper body was ramrod straight, quiet as a silent guardian.

The scenery by the lake was beautiful: blue sky and white clouds, the forest, patches of unmelted snow, green grass, and birds of all colors flying over the lake. It was like a painting.

"Yun Jiao, let’s go look for wild duck eggs."

Yun Jiao got off her horse and started running across the grassy field with Guo’er and the others.

"Coming!"

Pushing aside the reeds, some startled birds took flight.

There were many species of birds here, so many that it was impossible to identify them all.

Aside from the more recognizable ones like wild ducks and geese, the names of many of the birds were quite obscure, so they were simply called by their colors.

"Wow, there’s an eagle flying over!"

"A white eagle."

Yun Jiao looked over. She could see more clearly than the others.

"That’s not an eagle. It’s a Hai Dongqing."

The Hai Dongqing was very fast, but it was smaller than an eagle.

After locking onto its prey, it dove like an arrow, so fast that everyone could barely see more than a blur.

The prey had no time to flee; it was snatched up in a single strike and went limp.

"So it’s a Hai Dongqing. My dad said Hai Dongqing are incredibly fierce."

After watching the spectacular hunt, Yun Jiao went back to looking for wild duck eggs with the others, also collecting some beautiful feathers she found.

They didn’t just take every duck egg they found. Instead, they would pick one up and hold it up toward the sun.

They only took the ones that didn’t have a small dark spot inside.

"My mom said the ones with dark spots can hatch into ducklings, so we can’t take those."

Yun Jiao heeded the advice. The children found about ten greenish wild duck eggs together before heading back.

"When the weather gets warmer, I’m going to go catch fish in the lake."

"My dad won’t let me. He says the water is dangerous."

They were walking back with the wild duck eggs tucked into their clothes when a child suddenly shouted.

"Aman is missing!"

Everyone did a headcount and realized that a child was indeed missing.

Aman was a boy. They had sometimes split up while looking for eggs and hadn’t noticed when he disappeared.

The group of children instantly panicked.

Yun Jiao said, "A few of you go get the adults. The rest of us will search around here. Call out Aman’s name while you look."

Her words instantly gave them a sense of direction.

"I’ll go get the adults."

The two fastest children ran to get the adults, while the rest began searching along the path they had just taken.

"Aman! Aman..."

The reed bed was a maze, but they had been shouting for so long that if Aman were nearby, he would have surely heard them.

Yun Jiao weaved through the reeds. After a moment’s thought, she headed toward the lakeshore.

"Aman!"

The view at the lakeshore was much more open. Yun Jiao could see farther and more clearly, and with a single glance around, she spotted a suspicious dark spot in the distant water.

She immediately threw off her outer coat and dove headfirst into the lake.

The lake was still very cold at this time of year, but for Yun Jiao, it was no problem at all.

Her legs kicked, and she swam faster than the fish in the lake.

In just a few breaths, she reached Aman’s side.

Aman had already drowned and was unconscious.

She turned him over so his face was pointing toward the sky, then quickly started bringing him to shore.

"Found him! Over there!"

"Yun Jiao! Aman!"

"AMAN!!!"

The adults’ voices called out. Yun Jiao glanced over and saw a middle-aged man hurry into the water as well.

Together, they got Aman onto the shore.

"Quick, first aid!"

Yun Chendong said, "I’ll do it."

He had learned specialized first aid techniques in the military.

The others quickly handed clothes to Yun Jiao.

"Take off your wet clothes and put ours on."

Yun Jiao didn’t feel too cold, but the wet clothes clinging to her body were indeed uncomfortable.

By the time she returned after changing, Aman had already coughed up the water in his lungs.

"He’s breathing! He’s alive! He’s alive!"

"That’s great! Quick, change his clothes."

Aman was breathing and alive, but his body was blue and purple from the cold, his lips were dark, and his face was deathly pale.

The adults quickly stripped off his clothes and wrapped him in dry, thick garments.

Under the circumstances, they couldn’t continue herding the cattle and sheep.

Aman’s father quickly took him home and then to the town clinic.

Their companions helped herd their family’s cattle and sheep back.

Yun Chendong took Yun Jiao back as well.

That outing had been truly harrowing.

When Shen Yunlian saw Yun Jiao wrapped in her older brother’s military greatcoat, she quickly asked what had happened.

Yun Chendong explained the situation in a few brief sentences.

Shen Yunlian just said, "Oh," and then, "As long as the child was saved, that’s what matters. Jiaojiao, do you want some ginger soup?"

Yun Jiao quickly shook her head. "No, thanks. Mom, is it time for dinner?"

Yun Chendong’s expression was conflicted.

"What’s with that look?"

"Jiaojiao’s hair..."

It was chaotic at the time, so he wasn’t sure if anyone else had noticed, but he had been truly startled when he realized Yun Jiao’s hair wasn’t wet at all.

Shen Yunlian’s expression was calm. "Oh, that. Jiaojiao’s hair has been like that ever since its color changed."

Yun Chendong said, "...But that’s not normal. What if outsiders find out?"

Shen Yunlian let out a sigh. "Vice Commander Lin and the others have already found out, and they didn’t say anything. Jiaojiao usually goes into the sea by herself, so as long as she avoids people, basically no one notices. And so what if they do?"

’Even if they did find out and thought of our Jiaojiao as a monster, what are they going to do, try to kill her? Jiaojiao won’t let anyone beat her. Ostracize our family? Honestly, Jiaojiao couldn’t care less. Besides, we have the military backing us up.’