Chapter 190: Saving the Child
Fu Mingxue quickly finished her breakfast.
She said to Qin Wenhao, who was wheeling out his bicycle, "I’m going to work by myself today. You don’t need to take me."
"I’m faster," Qin Wenhao countered. "Besides, if I take you, it’ll be easier to pick you up tonight."
Fu Mingxue wanted to tell him she could get home by herself in the evenings.
She didn’t need him to keep coming to get her.
Just then, a loud shout suddenly came from outside.
"Wang Xiang, Wang Xiang, come out quick! Something’s happened to your son—"
The voice outside was quite loud, so it was clearly audible from their courtyard.
Hearing that his neighbor’s child was in trouble, Qin Wenhao forgot all about taking Fu Mingxue to work.
He said quickly, "I’m going to take a look—"
Fu Mingxue was no longer in a hurry to get to work. She followed him out as well.
Although Mrs. Fu didn’t know what was going on.
But she couldn’t leave, not with two children to look after.
She couldn’t just run out like that.
’What if something happens to my own children?’
Qin Wenhao had long legs and ran fast. He was gone in the blink of an eye.
Fu Mingxue followed the crowd.
By the time she arrived, she found herself at the riverbank.
Qin Wenhao, soaking wet and holding a child, was just climbing onto the bank.
Wang Xiang pushed through the crowd. Seeing her child silent and still, she immediately began to wail, "Xiao Yu, my Xiao Yu—"
Fu Mingxue grabbed her just in time. "Don’t rush over. Let Qin Wenhao get the water out of him first."
Qin Wenhao had already laid the child on the ground.
Then he began compressions—
Fu Mingxue saw that the child’s face had turned a purplish-blue.
But even after several compressions, no water came out.
"Qin Wenhao, quick, give him artificial respiration!"
Qin Wenhao knew some of these first aid techniques.
He did as she said—
After a little while, the boy finally sputtered and coughed up water.
The onlookers were overjoyed at the sight.
"He’s alive! He’s alive—"
"My boy!" Fu Mingxue released her grip, and Wang Xiang rushed toward her son.
Fu Mingxue quickly spoke up, "Sister Wang, put your jacket on him first, then get him to the infirmary quickly."
Wang Xiang immediately took off her own cotton-padded jacket and wrapped it around her son.
Just then, Wang Xiang’s husband, Xiao Li, came running over.
His heart jumped when he saw his son’s condition.
Qin Wenhao glared at him. "Xiao Li, what are you gaping at? Hurry and get your son to the infirmary!"
Xiao Li snapped out of it, picked up his son, and ran toward the infirmary—
Wang Xiang didn’t even have time to thank Qin Wenhao; she just followed her husband, running toward the infirmary.
Qin Wenhao’s jacket had been tossed on the ground.
He picked it up.
Looking at how soaked he was, Fu Mingxue said, "Hurry home and get changed."
Qin Wenhao nodded.
The couple walked home together.
The other onlookers made way for them.
"How did that kid end up over here?" Fu Mingxue asked, puzzled.
Qin Wenhao explained, "This is the road to his school. He was probably on his way there and fell into the river, either because he was playing around or for some other reason. We’ll have to ask Xiao Li’s son to know for sure."
Fu Mingxue glanced at the river. "But it’s a fair distance from the road, isn’t it? You don’t need to go near the river to get to school—"
If the boy really had wandered over just to play, he was probably in for a good spanking.
Qin Wenhao looked at her. "You’re late for work now, aren’t you?"
Fu Mingxue replied, "It’s okay to be late once in a while. Besides, it was for a good reason."
Qin Wenhao gave her a look.
If he remembered correctly, she was late yesterday, too.
She’d just started this job and had already been late twice.
Anyone else would probably be criticized at a general workers’ meeting for that.