Springwater Family of the Nineties
In the early 1990s, a story unfolds within the courtyards of old Jinan. It is a tale of youth, sweet affection, mutual pursuit, and the trivialities of family life. On the final day of her college en
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Summer, 1993.
The summer in Jinan was dry and scorching, with waves of heat rolling through the city. Vendors selling crispy pancakes took advantage of the cool early mornings, riding their bicycles through alleyways and neighborhoods. The riverside morning market was crowded with stalls, and the vendors’ shouts echoed one after another, bringing a touch of lively bustle to this ancient northern city.
Lin Xiyu, carrying her schoolbag, rode her bicycle through the morning market. She bought a stick of fried dough and bit into it as breakfast, savoring each bite.
“Someone’s fallen into the water…”
“Help! Somebody, help!”
Suddenly, the screech of brakes pierced the air ahead. A mother and her child on a bicycle were struck by a car and thrown into the river.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Lin Xiyu dashed forward, shrugged off her bag, vaulted the railing, and leapt into the water.
The city moat in summer flowed gently, its waters clear to the bottom, allowing for perfect visibility even beneath the surface.
She first swam toward the child, grabbed their clothes, and dragged them back to the riverbank.
By now, a crowd had already gathered. A few good Samaritans leaned over the railing, stretching out their arms to help pull the child up.
Seeing the child safe, Lin Xiyu breathed a sigh of relief, pushed off the stone wall with her feet, dove back underwater, and swam toward the woman.
The woman couldn’t swim; after swallowing a few mouthfuls of water in her struggle, she began to sink.
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