She froze up and stopped moving. She raised her head and looked at me with tearful eyes. A trace of hurt and loss flashed clearly in her beautiful eyes. Obviously, she was immersed in the huge emotional impact of losing and regaining. My calmness and change of subject made her feel ignored. But she just bit her lower lip, barely suppressed her emotions, and whispered: "In... in the county funeral home. I heard... the county is going to hold a memorial service for him."
I nodded silently, my eyes looking into the void: "My parents... do they know?"
She sat back in her chair, her voice filled with fatigue and worry: "On the day of the incident, Mayor Hu and Secretary Kuang went to our house in person to inform us... At that time, you were still unknown whether you were alive or dead... Uncle and aunt... fainted on the spot. Later, when you were transferred, they also came to see you... This evening, the county arranged a car to take them back. Xixi is too old and can't be alone... They... asked me to stay and continue to take care of you."
A warm current mixed with sadness surged into my heart. After surviving the disaster, I have never been so eager for family affection. I refocused my eyes on her haggard but still beautiful face, and my voice softened with heartfelt gratitude: "Jiu Min... you have worked hard. Thank you."
She turned her head abruptly and quickly wiped the tears off her face with the back of her hand. When she turned back, there was no trace of weakness in her red and swollen eyes, only the determination to break off relations with you: "Why thank me? I have been yours for a long time! If you live, I will live with you; if you die, I will die with you! I have never thought of asking you to thank me for even a word!" Every word was firm and resounding.
This unreserved oath was deafening and made my heart beat violently. I slowly and with some difficulty raised my hand.
She understood my intention instantly. Without any hesitation, she leaned down again, gently and naturally pressed her tear-stained cheek against my trembling palm. At that moment, it seemed as if all the noise, hatred and sadness were isolated, leaving only the little bit of truth under my palm, with the warmth of life, for me to rely on.
In the following conversation with Xiaomin, I pieced together the truth after the disaster bit by bit from her intermittent and fragmentary information.
It turned out that when Xiang Qianjin risked his life to push me into the ventilation shaft at the critical moment, there was another lifesaver - Hu Jia.
That day, I insisted not to let him follow us to Taixiang Coal Mine. However, after I left Xiang Qianjin, he thought about it again and again, and the strong feeling of uneasiness in his heart could not be shaken off. In the end, he made a decision: to follow us from a distance. Just when he was about to lose his way on the rugged mountain road, an unexpected discovery made him continue to track us - he caught a glimpse of me Xiang Qianjin from a distance, staying in front of Tang Xiaomei's father's grave. It was this combination that made him lock on to our trail again and follow us quietly all the way.
When the huge tailings dam of Taixiang Coal Mine rushed down with a torrent of mud and rocks, Hu Jia, who was standing on a hillside in the distance, witnessed the arrival of this all-consuming natural disaster with his own eyes!
It was this crucial witness that saved me the golden rescue time! Otherwise, the consequences would be disastrous - when no one knew we were in distress, when would the rescue be launched? Would it be in time? These were things that people dared not think about.
I felt more and more clearly that there was a will from heaven. Not only did heaven allow me to survive this catastrophe, but it also placed a heavy burden on my shoulders: this life was bought by Xiang Qianjin, and it was also saved by Hu Jia. I must live, not only for myself, but also for Xiang Qianjin! With his unfinished loyalty and simple life force, I will complete everything he can no longer complete!
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