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Xiang Shu had drunk too much and was speeding on his motorcycle. It was already quite late, and the darkness was creeping in. As he approached a turn, a large truck loaded with logs came barreling toward him. Xiang Shu didn’t react in time, and his motorcycle collided head-on with the truck. The driver of the truck tried to swerve but couldn’t avoid the impact due to the heavy load of timber. The crash was inevitable.
Xiang Shu's motorcycle slammed into the side of the truck, and his head struck one of its wheels. Wen Hao was thrown off and rolled onto the road. The motorcycle toppled over, and Xiang Shu let out a startled "Ah!" as he fell beneath the massive vehicle.
Since this was an intersection leading into a village, there were shops nearby that were still open, their lights illuminating the scene. Upon witnessing the accident, people from the shops rushed out to help. The truck driver found himself unable to escape; he had no choice but to get out of the vehicle. The bystanders helped pull Xiang Shu from underneath the truck. He was bleeding profusely from his head, making it difficult to recognize his face. However, many of those in the shops were friends of Xiang Shu and immediately recognized him. Others went to assist Wen Hao, who was also known to many since his village was not far away.
The shop owner quickly called Hua Shan: "You all need to hurry over! Xiang Shu has been in an accident! Also, call Wen Hao's family."
Hua Shan was alarmed and anxious: "Where is it? What’s going on?"
The shop owner replied urgently, "It’s at the intersection leading into your village! Don’t ask questions—just come quickly!"
Upon hearing this, Hua Shan hung up and frantically called out to Li: "Quick! Your dad is in trouble! Go to your aunt’s house and get help!"
Yuan was also stunned for a moment before rushing to bang on Wen Sheng's door. Inside, Wen Sheng was chatting with his mother when he heard the knocking. Wen Xin ran over to open the door and was taken aback by Li's frantic demeanor. "Li Jie! What happened?"
Yuan cried out, "Get my uncle quickly! My dad and Wen Hao have had an accident!"
Wen Xin froze for a moment but then dashed back inside to tell Wen Sheng's father: "Dad! Xiang Shu and Wen Hao have been in an accident! We need to hurry!"
Wen Sheng's father panicked upon hearing this: "Where are they? What’s going on?"
Yuan sobbed, "It’s at the intersection leading into Guan Road. I don’t know what happened—just that we need to get there fast!"
Wen Sheng's father felt as if thunder had struck him. Anxiously, he urged, "Then hurry up! Wen Sheng and your mother will go too, while Wen Xin stays at home with Grandma."
Wen Xin tugged at Wen Sheng's hand. "Can I go too?"
"Stay at home!" Wen Sheng shouted back. "What do you want to go for?" He shook off Wen Xin's hand and went with his parents and Hua Yueting to find Uncle A Jin, asking him to drive Auntie Jin over. Despite Uncle A Jin driving very fast, Hua Yueting urged him, "A Jin, hurry up!" Of course, Li also went along.
When they arrived, someone had already called for an ambulance. As Wen Sheng and the others reached the scene, they saw people lifting someone into the ambulance. The paramedics had already given Xiang Shu a simple bandage. Xiang Shu was unconscious. Wen Hao's injuries were not severe; he had only broken his leg and had a bleeding head. He kept asking, "How is my uncle?"
At that moment, Hua Shan ran to the ambulance and climbed in, crying as she asked, "How are you?" Xiang Shu could not respond; he was only breathing weakly. Both Hua Shan and Yuan were in tears. Naturally, Wen Sheng and the others were crying too. The ambulance sped towards the town hospital.
Before they even reached the hospital, Xiang Shu had already passed away. He was not yet forty years old, leaving behind his wife and children without a word! The cries of Hua Shan and Yuan echoed in the dark night.
Wen Sheng felt a chilling coldness that pierced to his bones. Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.
Xiang's body was brought back. Wen Hao was hospitalized in the town. Because it was summer, Xiang Shu's body could not be kept for long. Two days later, the entire village held a grand funeral for Xiang Shu! Many people stood on the streets.
When Xiang Shu's coffin was buried, Hua Shan fainted from crying several times, while Yuan cried heart-wrenchingly; both children were also in tears. The sorrowful cries were beyond description! Wen Sheng and Wen Xin cried as well. Wen Sheng's family, along with Xiang Shu's brothers and nephews, were all weeping.
Wen Sheng felt very cold; he seemed somewhat numb. As a cloud drifted by overhead, he looked up. Whose fault was it all: Was it Wen Hao's incessant troublemaking? Or his father's stubbornness in saving face? Or was it Xiang Shu's kind-hearted meddling? Perhaps it was the alcohol that had been consumed? Or Gao Liang unintentionally yielding his vehicle? Or that large truck carrying logs passing by... It was unclear whose fault it was, but it no longer mattered; what mattered was that they had paid a heavy and tragic price for this mistake. Xiang Shu was dead, leaving behind a young wife and three children who did not yet understand loss. As he thought about this, he unconsciously pulled Wen Xin into his embrace, holding her tightly despite the pain in his heart. But what had happened had happened; there was nothing anyone could do about it now. The owner of that large truck negotiated with the government and compensated Xiang Shu's family fifty thousand yuan. Yet no amount of money could bring back Xiang Shu’s life or ease the pain of young children losing their father or a young wife losing her husband.
And so it passed; not many people cared about Wen Hao’s injuries. Many discussed why it was Xiang Shu who died instead of Wen Hao; some said fate seemed blind to injustice. There is even a poem that roughly conveys this sentiment: "With clever tricks at play, selfish gain is celebrated nightly; while those who are just and fair go hungry."
Why are there so many injustices in this world? No one knows; no one!
Wen Xin felt cold and instinctively snuggled tightly into her brother's embrace. She wished for him to hold her like this forever, seeking refuge from the wind in his warmth.
As night fell, Wen Cheng arrived. He returned the five hundred yuan he owed Xiang Shu's family and brought some gifts to visit Hua Shan and the children. Of course, Wen Sheng and his family were also there. Hua Shan's home was filled with many people, all comforting her as she cried.
Three months later, Wen Sheng began his second year of middle school, and Wen Hao was discharged from the hospital, recuperating at home. Due to his leg, the household had temporarily regained some peace. Besides attending school, Wen Sheng helped Hua Shan with chores in the fields. Sometimes he would also assist at the Wood Factory where their father worked, earning some money to support the family or buy things for Li and others. Although Hua Shan insisted that everything was in the past, Wen Sheng still felt indebted to them—forever in their debt.
At this time, Ling had also started her first year of middle school, while Ling's mother showed no signs of improvement in her illness. Despite visiting the county hospital and spending a considerable amount of money, there was little change.
One day after school, Wen Sheng secretly borrowed one hundred and fifty yuan from the owner of the Wood Factory; it was necessary. Holding the money in his hands, he walked into town, unsure of why he had returned or why he needed to borrow that amount…
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