Shuangling: Braving the Rapids

"I got into Yanghe No.1 High School!"

The thin, dark-skinned boy roared at the mine pit, which had steep cliffs on three sides.

The boy's name was Qin Yuechuan. He was a poor child from a remote mountain village. He firmly believed that studying was the only way out of the mountains.

At this moment, he was one step closer to his goal, and it could even be said that he already had one foot in the door of university. The reason he was so confident was because he had been admitted to Yanghe No.1 High School, which is the only provincial-level demonstration high school in Yanghe County.

Tears of happiness slid down his cheeks and neck. The boy wiped away his tears, then cupped his hands into a cup shape and pressed them tightly to his mouth.

Yue Chuan took a deep breath and was about to shout when he suddenly felt an itch on his ankle. He looked down and, lo and behold! Ah Huang had somehow sneaked up to his feet!

"Ah Huang! What are you doing here?" Yue Chuan was both surprised and delighted, and hugged the dog tightly.

Ah Huang's eyebrows curved into a smile, revealing a human-like expression. It wagged its tail and licked Yue Chuan's cheek with its wet tongue.

Unable to bear the itching, Yue Chuan chuckled, then pinched Ah Huang's head and returned his "good brother's" kiss with a big cheek kiss.

The man and the dog huddled together like that until the shepherd arrived...

Seeing this heartwarming scene, Qin Yunhai finally felt relieved. He slowly walked up to Yue Chuan and said cheerfully, "Little Chuan, you and Da Huang are so close you're practically inseparable. Why don't you just become sworn brothers?"

In Yue Chuan's memory, this second uncle from the same clan was always very serious. Although the two families had a close relationship and were neighbors, it seemed that this was the first time he had ever heard such a joke.

"Second Master!" Yue Chuan stood up and greeted him, then scratched the back of his head and changed the subject, "Have you seen Uncle Aimin?"

Aimin is Qin Yunhai's only son and also Yue Chuan's junior high school math teacher. He has always taken good care of his nephew.

Otherwise, Yue Chuan wouldn't have been able to get into a top high school so easily.

"Huh? Didn't your uncle take you to school today? What happened? He didn't come back with you?" Qin Yunhai asked, looking puzzled.

Qin Yunhai had a reason for asking this question. For three years of junior high school, Yue Chuan relied entirely on Ai Min's motorcycle to get to and from school. The uncle and nephew spent more time together than anyone else. If even Yue Chuan didn't know Ai Min's whereabouts, then no one else would have a chance of knowing.

"My uncle gave us his middle school entrance exam results, and then... I haven't seen him since. I thought he went home early!" Yue Chuan quickly explained.

Qin Yunhai nodded, then seemed to remember something else. "The village is so far from home, how did you get home? Did you come back with your brother Shoufeng? What about him? Did he get into the top high school?"

Qin Shoufeng is Yue Chuan's cousin. In order to get into a key high school, his father, who is also Yue Chuan's uncle, made him repeat a year, but in the end, he still failed.

Thinking of his cousin's dejected expression when he received his report card, Yue Chuan felt a pang of sadness. He didn't answer his second uncle's question directly, but simply replied softly, "Yes, it was my uncle who drove us back. My uncle has connections; I bet he could find a way to get Shoufeng into No. 1 High School..."

Having said all that, Qin Yunhai naturally had his answer. His brows relaxed, and he showered Yue Chuan with praise, "Of all our family members, you're the most promising! You've made your father proud, and you've made our Qin family proud too. Come on! Come home with me, and I'll give you a whole leg of lamb to eat tonight!"

Yue Chuan was overjoyed to receive praise from the Second Master. He was about to say something more when he saw that the other man had already turned his back and was hurrying down the mountain.

As a junior, Yue Chuan was already used to his second master's straightforward way of communicating. At this moment, he remained silent, leading Ah Huang and quietly following behind the flock of sheep...

As the sun sets, it gilds Shuangling Mountain with a golden hue; the chirping of cicadas and the calls of cuckoos add to the secluded and tranquil atmosphere of the forest paths.

The beauty of the twilight was breathtaking, yet Yue Chuan did not stop to admire it. He merely stared at the old man with the whip ahead, lost in brief contemplation:

Six years ago, Yuechuan's mother gave birth to her youngest daughter. Perhaps she caught a cold during her postpartum period, because her health deteriorated rapidly afterward. She often broke out in cold sweats for no reason, and at her worst, she was almost unable to take care of herself.

With half the family's pillar collapsed, the entire burden fell on Qin Shuangling's shoulders. To better care for his sick wife and young child, he quit his respectable job and took on odd jobs, working day and night but still struggling to make ends meet.

Just when the family was in dire straits, Qin Yunhai stepped forward. This elder of the clan found a secret recipe from somewhere, using mutton bone soup as a base, supplemented with traditional Chinese medicine, and miraculously stabilized Ding Lingfang's condition.

Whether it was medicinal herbs or sheep bones, Qin Yunhai had paid for all of these things out of his own pocket, and that alone was enough to make the Yue Chuan family extremely grateful.

At first, Yue Chuan simply understood this kindness as the care of an elder for a younger generation. However, after hearing more and more of the Second Master's legendary experiences, the young man's respect for him grew deeper and deeper.

Qin Yunhai was a volunteer soldier who went to a foreign country when he was not even seventeen years old.

After a fierce tunnel battle, only two men survived in the entire company. Qin Yunhai, one of the survivors, was rescued in a rear hospital for a full day and night before he miraculously survived.

Later, he worked as a factory worker and a car mechanic. After returning to Qinjiazhuang, he was elected as the production team leader by the villagers...

As dusk settled and Venus began to appear in the western sky, Qin Yunhai and Yue Chuan finally returned to the village.

Hearing the sheep bleating, Qin Geda, the helper, emerged from the sheepfold, swinging his arms. This man was big and burly, but a slow-witted simpleton who couldn't speak clearly. He didn't utter a sound when he saw the chief sheep, but instead started yelling at the lead sheep.

Faced with Qin Geda, who was comparable to a large black brown bear, the lead sheep became unusually obedient. With it leading the way, the sheep quickly rushed into the sheepfold.

The sheep had been settled, and Geda then focused his attention on Ah Huang. He picked up an iron chain with a leather collar and walked straight toward the dog.

Ah Huang wasn't as easy to handle as the lead sheep. It dodged left and right, playing "hide-and-seek" with Geda. Geda, who wasn't as agile, tried to catch it several times, but the dog dodged each time.

Seeing Geda being completely outmaneuvered by Ah Huang, Yue Chuan couldn't help but burst out laughing. Only then did Geda notice Yue Chuan's presence. He scratched the back of his head and gave the boy an awkward smile.

Knowing that the other party was asking for his help, Yue Chuan acted without hesitation. The two of them attacked from both sides and finally managed to put the dog leash around Ah Huang's neck.

Ah Huang, having lost its freedom, was filled with sorrow in its eyes. It whimpered incessantly, as if trying to gain Yue Chuan's sympathy, or perhaps venting its discontent. Geda, however, remained unmoved, clumsily swaying its body until it finally managed to tie the leash to a stone pillar beside the sheepfold...