I Transmigrated as Cannon Fodder, Only to be Desired by the Dragon King - Chapter 55

Chapter 55: Falling into the Water Again!! — Anyone, please… someone… save me…

Several days had passed since the “horsie” fiasco, and Shen Youqing had finally managed to salvage most of his Destroyed Lifelong Reputation—mostly thanks to Feng Xiuyan coaxing him with daily varieties of pearl candies. Even Little Black and Little Fu benefited from the fallout; their mouths had been constantly full of sweets.

Today happened to be the annual River Lantern Blessing Fair of the Gulang Dynasty.

Shen Youqing dressed the two little ones in newly made brocade robes and chose a moon-white short tunic for himself, looking every bit the spirited youth.

“Feng Xiuyan said he’d meet us at the tanghulu stall at the fair entrance at the Hour of the Dog (around 8 PM). He’ll come as soon as he finishes with the Dragon Palace affairs,” Shen Youqing said as he tied Little Black’s belt and patted Little Fu’s round head. “Let’s go grab a good spot first. When he arrives, we’ll buy candied haws together.”

Little Black hopped around with a wooden sword. “Yay! I love the temple fair!” Little Fu nodded in agreement, his chubby hand gripping Shen Youqing’s hem. “Fair is noisy. I like it!”

Just as the three stepped out of the Shen residence, the Sea-Calling Conch at Shen Youqing’s waist suddenly turned hot. An urgent voice came through: “Qingqing, I’m sorry. Mo Ying found traces of Chu Heng at the Western Cold Pond—this is the first time he’s appeared since the last incident. I have to investigate. I might be late to the fair.”

Feng Xiuyan paused, then added a serious warning: “Stay in crowded areas with the children and wait for me. Do not go to secluded places. I’ll be back as fast as I can.”

Chu Heng? Shen Youqing frowned. He almost forgot about that person. Thinking back to when he was kidnapped, Chu Heng had orchestrated the plot but never actually hurt him; in fact, Chu Heng had taken a deep blade wound to the back to save him.

Actually, he didn’t feel Chu Heng was truly evil—more like a child starved of love, using extreme methods to get attention.

Shen Youqing opened his mouth to tell Feng Xiuyan not to be too hard on him, but seeing the kids’ excited faces, he swallowed the words. He rubbed their heads and replied warmly into the conch, “Don’t worry, we’ll stick to the main street. We’ll wait for you.”

…

The Lantern Wish

The fair was a sea of people. Red lanterns lined the streets, and the air was thick with the scent of roasted chestnuts and osmanthus cakes. Little Black dragged Little Fu from stall to stall, shouting for flour dolls and sugar paintings.

They eventually wandered toward the Gulan River to release lanterns. Shen Youqing didn’t notice a dark figure watching them from the shadows of a second-floor balcony—a figure with eyes flashing with obsessive light.

By the riverbank, thousands of lanterns drifted like fallen stars. They queued at a stall run by an old woman.

“Granny, I want that carp lantern!” Little Black pointed eagerly. “Daddy, I want the tiger one,” Little Fu whispered.

Shen Youqing paid and borrowed a brush and cinnabar. “Granny, may the kids write a wish?” “Of course! Write them over there, it’s lucky!” The old woman pointed to a small stool.

Little Black wrote “Daddy, Father, Brother” in wobbly characters. Little Fu drew four connected circles with dots for eyes and mouths—representing their family of four.

“Let’s go release them,” Shen Youqing smiled, leading them to a set of stone steps where the water was calm.

…

The Accident

“Watch your step, don’t break the lanterns,” Shen Youqing cautioned. He pulled out a fire starter to light the wicks. “Blow gently. Once the flame is steady, the wish can float all the way to the East Sea.”

Just as they were about to set the lanterns into the water—CRASH!

A sharp scream and the sound of breaking porcelain erupted nearby. A sugar-syrup vendor’s cart had been knocked over. The crowd, like a stirred tide, panicked and surged. People began pushing and shoving to see what happened or to get away from the mess.

“Whoa! What’s happening?” Shen Youqing tried to pull the kids into his arms, but the force from behind was too strong. He stumbled back.

“Daddy, what’s wrong?” The kids clung to their lanterns in fear.

“Stay close to me, we need to move to—” Before he could finish, he saw Little Fu, who was on the outer edge, lose his balance. His rabbit lantern smashed on the ground, and his short legs tripped over the edge of the stone step. He began to fall toward the rushing river.

“Little Fu!”

Pure instinct took over. Shen Youqing lunged forward and grabbed Little Fu’s collar, yanking the child back to safety. But his own momentum, combined with a violent shove from the panicked crowd behind him, sent him over the edge.

SPLASH!

A massive spray of water erupted, followed by screams from the shore. “Someone fell in! Help! Save him!”

The river closed over his head instantly. The water was icy, carrying the chill of the East Sea tides. Salty water rushed into his nose, making his lungs burn.

Shen Youqing thrashed his limbs. Crap! Am I cursed by water? First the cliff, now this?!

He hadn’t learned how to swim. His frantic splashing only made him sink faster.

“Help…”

His vision began to go black. The shouts of the crowd and the crying of Little Black and Little Fu became muffled, replaced by the “glug-glug” of water filling his throat. The cold seeped into his bones. His lungs felt like they were exploding. He could feel his life force draining away.

Anyone… please… someone… save me…