The two children initially didn't want to leave, as their mother had told them to wait there for him.
But as they watched the crowd flee in panic, the two children also became frightened.
"Brother," Gugu looked at the surging crowd with some fear.
"Sister, don't be scared. Let's go find Mama," the little boy said, pulling Gugu towards the direction their mother had left.
"The flood is coming..."
"Run to higher ground, run to higher ground..."
"Mama..."
"Daddy, where are you?"
"Hurry..."
The entire street was in chaos, and no one noticed the two children.
The brother held Gugu's hand, weaving through the surging crowd as they walked forward.
"Xiao Hai, Xiao Lan..." Gugu's mother's panicked voice called out from within the crowd.
"Mama, we're here!" Xiao Hai immediately shouted excitedly.
It turned out Gugu's brother was named Xiao Hai, and Gugu's name was Xiao Lan.
"Mama."
Gugu also shouted excitedly, then let go of her brother's hand and ran towards the direction of the voice.
In reality, Gugu's small body couldn't see anyone, she was just stumbling around blindly.
"Xiao Lan!" Xiao Hai called out with some alarm.
Then he quickly rushed forward and grabbed Gugu.
At that moment, a roar suddenly came from behind them, and a massive flood rolled in.
People tumbled in the water like dumplings.
The two children were separated. Gugu began to cry, then a large mouthful of floodwater poured into her mouth.
Gugu, swept away by the water for a short distance, was finally blocked by an awning, and for the moment, she was safe.
Gugu clung to the awning, crying her heart out.
"Mama, Brother...呜呜...呜呜..."
"Gugu, don't be afraid, don't be afraid. I'm coming to save you, I'm a great swimmer!" Little Carp anxiously hopped from side to side.
But the little Gugu couldn't hear her, and she couldn't even touch her.
Little Carp turned to look at Gugu beside her and found Gugu's face streaked with tears, her body trembling. She quickly stepped forward and gently embraced her.
"Don't be afraid, Gugu," Little Carp awkwardly hugged her and gently patted her back.
"Xiao Lan."
At that moment, Xiao Hai's voice rang out. He was not far from Xiao Lan, holding onto a utility pole. Besides Xiao Hai, there was a middle-aged man with him.
"Brother."
Seeing her brother, Gugu stopped crying and showed an excited expression.
"Xiao Lan, don't be scared. Mama will come to save us soon," Xiao Hai said reassuringly.
"With so much water, how can your mother save you?" the middle-aged man holding the utility pole with Xiao Hai said.
"My Mama can swim, she's very good at it," Xiao Hai said indignantly.
"呜呜... Mama."
Hearing the word "Mama," Gugu started crying sadly again.
The flood had come from behind them, and their mother was in front of them. She must have been swept away by the flood.
"Xiao Hai, Xiao Lan..."
Gugu's mother's voice truly rang out. Xiao Hai hadn't lied; their mother could indeed swim and was quite skilled in the water.
"Mama."
The two little ones immediately shouted loudly, their excitement indescribable.
"Gugu, your Mama is here to save you!" Little Carp was also happy for Gugu.
... But Gugu didn't seem happy. She just stared blankly at everything in front of her.
Liu Nanfeng bent down and picked up Gugu with his other hand.
Little Jin Hua cooed and looked around curiously, reaching out her little hands to grasp at things, but she couldn't touch anything, getting frustrated and crying out.
They seemed like illusory beings; the surrounding flood had no effect on them whatsoever.
Gugu, held by Liu Nanfeng, buried her head on his shoulder, remaining silent. However, Liu Nanfeng could tell from her slightly trembling body that she was immersed in immense grief.
He glanced back to see another huge wave of floodwater rolling in.
Then he looked at her mother, swimming towards them against the current. Liu Nanfeng began to understand why Gugu was so sad and why she didn't want to talk about her mother.
Indeed, it was as Liu Nanfeng had guessed, without any surprise.
Watching the surging flood, the woman hesitated slightly before swimming towards the boy.
"Mama."
Seeing her mother swimming towards her brother, Gugu called out.
But Gugu's mother didn't answer her. She just swam with all her might towards her son. There wasn't enough time; she could save one, she would save one.
"Xiao Lan, Mama, the flood is here, quickly save Xiao Lan, quickly save my sister...呜呜...呜呜..."
"Rumble."
The immense torrent of water engulfed everything.
"Mama..."
Gugu was swept away by the flood. In her last glance at the sky, a flock of pigeons flew past her.
"Gugu..."
"Mama doesn't want me anymore."
Gugu sobbed softly in Liu Nanfeng's ear, mumbling.
The surrounding scenery receded like a tide, and they returned to the flower garden.
Little Carp scratched her head, completely unsure how to comfort Gugu.
She also couldn't understand why Gugu's mother hadn't saved Gugu. Had Gugu drowned?
Shui Sheng had drowned.
Had Gugu, upon dying, become a water ghost, or a pigeon?
The little one's thoughts jumped, a jumble of random musings.
"Gugu, don't be sad. Your mother didn't abandon you. She just wanted to save your brother first and then come back for you," Liu Nanfeng said softly, trying to comfort her.
Gugu hugged Liu Nanfeng's neck and continued to sob, overcome with grief.
"What's wrong?" Su Jinxiu emerged from the house, asking curiously.
Liu Nanfeng handed over the little Jin Hua, who was wriggling in his arms.
Then he sat down with Gugu in his arms and gently patted her back.
"It's all over now. You have us, you have Little Carp, and Grandma Yu, Grandpa Liu. We all love you."
Seeing that Liu Nanfeng didn't answer, Su Jinxiu turned her gaze to Little Carp beside her.
"We just saw Gugu's mother. Humph, she's so mean, she didn't save Gugu!" Little Carp stood with her hands on her hips, looking very indignant.
"Gugu's mother?" Su Jinxiu seemed to realize something upon hearing this.
She had heard Liu Nanfeng mention before that Gugu had likely been hurt in the past, possibly by her mother. That's why she never brought up her mother in front of Gugu.
But what exactly had happened?
She curiously pulled Little Carp aside and asked her to recount the events.
Little Carp told her everything she had seen.
However, her expressive abilities were not very strong, and she spoke in a disjointed manner. Su Jinxiu found it a bit difficult to follow, but she still grasped the general situation and felt even more pity for Gugu's ordeal.
However, she found it difficult to comment on Gugu's mother's actions. Whoever she chose to save, she would have hurt the other.
Perhaps Gugu's mother had been in great pain at the time as well.
As a mother, to have a living child in front of her abandoned – what a cruel thing that must have been.
This event had caused Gugu significant emotional harm.
Even though Gugu, who had narrowly escaped death, suffered more harm later, this incident remained indelible in her memory.
However, since Gugu was willing to share this memory with Liu Nanfeng,
it meant she was moving past it.
Even though she was still very sad.
So sad she couldn't control herself.
He Qu Ke Tao reminds you: Please remember to bookmark after reading.