By Shen Yueming

Rescuer or Rescued?

By Shen Yueming

M yfriendLuoJingpu showed his gift at investment at an early age.He became very popular and successful in his late twenties.But the miraculous brightness around his head darkened, and all he had ballooned up overnight, factory,properties,money,etc.Owning to his youth and aggressiveness in dealing with business,a big attack from his business opponent made him penniless but big debt.

Hobbling in the moonlight along a river,Luo’s heart gorged with troubles,and he wanted to commit suicide. He climbed onto the guardrail of the river ready to say farewell to the world.A voice came into his ears:“Hi,Uncle,it isn’t the right time for swimming.The water is cold!”It was a small boy,about 8,running and waving his hand to him.

Luo smiled miserably.“How could the chill of water frighten a man dying?”He thought and wanted to jump again.The boy grasped his coat at the time and hinted him down.

Luo felt sympathy on the childish face.He asked curiously:“Hi,boy, where is your home?Why don’t you go home at such a deep night?”

“I have no home,Uncle.I am an orphan.I often come here for penny from the swimmers.Today is cold, and nobody comes to swim.I haven’t eaten anything all day long.It isn’t the right time for swimming,Uncle.I am not kidding on you.Don’t jump down.”

The world seemed cruel and unmerciful to Luo when he decided to end his life.He was confused by the boy’s consideration over other people’s safety whilehehimselfsufferingby hunger and poverty.He changed his mind,andcroucheddowntothe dirty-faced boy asking:“Uncle takes your advice.I won’t swim today.Doyou mind me buying you something to feed your hunger?”

Thereon Luo became the boy’s dad. In order to raise the boy,Luo had done a lot of work,hard,dirty,unbearable,whatever.Their living environment changed here and there.Luo never complained about the hardships of life,even when they moved into a forest for a job.

Luo paid off his debt peu a peu,and their life bettered up.

Later on people said that kind-heard Luo saved that boy,but Luo answered contrarily:“It’s the boy who rescued me.Without the boy’s persuasion,I might have lived in heaven for quite a long time.”

(FromOne Escape from Youthpublished by Qing Hua University Publishing House and produced by the Cheng Ping Book Database.Illustration:Kou Mengmeng)