Chapter 4
Edward Quan ·
Thud!
Grandpa fell unconscious and collapsed onto the courtyard floor.
Blood ran from his head, staining the ground red.
Thinking he was dead, Grandma sprang up and hurled herself at the beggar with the last of her strength.
“I'll kill you!”
Just as he was about to strike her, Đại Hắc broke his chain.
He shot forward and clamped his jaws around the beggar's arm.
The man screamed in pain.
His club changed direction, hammering blow after blow onto Đại Hắc.
The dog's eyes were fierce.
However much it hurt, he refused to let go.
Amid the chaos, Grandma caught my hand.
“Ngôn Ngôn! Run! Get help!”
I wiped my tears.
“What about you?”
She shook her head.
“I can't run anymore. Go!”
“No! I won't leave you alone!”
She gave me a light, angry slap.
“If you don't get help, we'll all die!”
That slap brought me to my senses.
“All right! I'll go! Wait for me!”
I turned and ran out of the courtyard.
Behind me, the beggar roared, “You little bitch! Where are you going?”
But Đại Hắc still held his arm.
He couldn't chase me.
I had only run a few paces when I saw several tall figures coming toward us.
A familiar voice called anxiously, “Ngôn Ngôn?”
It was Trụ Tử.
I burst into tears.
“Trụ Tử! There's a bad man at our house!”
He immediately led the others into the courtyard.
Picking up a large rake, he struck the beggar across the back with its blunt side.
The man staggered and fell.
Grandma crawled over to Grandpa and cradled his head with trembling hands.
“We... we have to get him to hospital!”
Only then did Trụ Tử see the devastation around him.
“What happened?”
Just as everyone relaxed a little, the beggar, lying on the ground, made one more attempt.
His hateful eyes turned toward me.
Suddenly, he drew a small knife from inside his clothes and lunged.
“You wretched brat! You again!”
My eyes widened in terror.
My feet seemed rooted to the ground. I couldn't move.
Then a black shape sprang in front of me and took the knife meant for me.
When Trụ Tử and the others recovered from their shock, they rushed forward, restrained the beggar, and tied him up.
“Y-you... why are you trying to kill people?” Trụ Tử stammered.
He still looked shaken.
Grandma hurried to me first.
“Ngôn Ngôn! Are you hurt? Why is there so much blood?”
I pressed my lips together, unable to speak.
Đại Hắc lay in my arms.
His chest rose and fell weakly.
Each breath was so faint it seemed about to stop.
My hands felt warm and wet.
The smell of blood grew stronger.
“Grandma... is he going to die?” I choked.
Tears kept falling as I spoke.
Her eyes reddened too.
As though sensing my sorrow, Đại Hắc gently licked my palm to comfort me.
“It'll be all right,” she said softly. “We'll take him to town for treatment. They'll save him.”
I nodded.
I remembered another village dog, Đại Hoàng, who had eaten poison by mistake and been taken to town.
I had heard that the doctor spent the whole night flushing out his stomach before he was out of danger.
Somewhere, Trụ Tử borrowed a three-wheeled vehicle.
He carried Grandpa onto it, then lifted Đại Hắc aboard too.
Finally, he looked at the beggar, bound in the courtyard.
Perhaps remembering the man's ferocity, he dragged him to a tree outside the gate and tied him there, adding a tight knot.
“I'll take your husband and Đại Hắc to hospital first. After that, I'll report him to the police.”
The beggar began begging us to let him go.
Grandma glared at him, then turned to Trụ Tử.
“Thank you.”
I caught his sleeve.
“I want to come too.”
He stroked my head.
“Stay home. This vehicle can't carry much. Too much weight will slow us down.”
I stopped insisting.
“Then I'll wait here for you.”
After he left, the beggar kept shouting outside the gate.
Irritated, Grandma grabbed Grandpa's unwashed socks and stuffed them into his mouth.
Back inside, she changed her clothes.
Her body was covered in dark bruises, probably all from the beggar's blows.
I hurried to fetch the medicine box and put ointment on them.
She winced and hissed with pain.
Suddenly, remembering something, she reached beneath her pillow.
She pulled out the talisman and angrily set fire to it.
Strangely, the instant the flame touched it, it flared up and turned to ash.
Toward evening, a police car arrived with its siren wailing.
The beggar's legs shook with fear.
Trụ Tử got out behind the officers.
Villagers came to watch. Before long, the area outside our gate was packed.
The police asked us a few questions, then handcuffed the beggar and took him away.
Trụ Tử had been busy all day and night, but still remembered to reassure Grandma.
“Don't worry, Auntie. Your husband only needs a few days in hospital, then he can come home.”
“What about Đại Hắc?” I asked quickly.
He smiled.
“He's all right. They've stitched him up and treated the wound. He can come back with him.”
Grandma was overcome.
“You've worked so hard. If you hadn't arrived in time that night...”
She sighed.
“I've called Ngôn Ngôn's parents. They're taking leave to look after him, so you don't need to worry about the hospital anymore.
“Go home and rest. In a few days, I'll come and thank you properly.”
He hastily waved his hands.
“There's no need. You don't have to be so formal with me.”
Even now, the memory of that night frightened him.
“A few of us were together when we heard something strange at your house and came to see.
“Thank goodness nothing worse happened.”
Perhaps the memory was too painful. Grandma pressed her lips together and said nothing.
He changed the subject.
“I'll head home, then. Call if you need anything.”
She nodded repeatedly.
“Yes. Go and get some rest.”
A few days later, Grandpa and the others finally returned.
Dad hired a car and drove right into the village.
As soon as it stopped outside our gate, several people watched from a distance.
Mom got out and opened her arms.
“Ngôn Ngôn.”
Delighted, I rushed into her embrace.
She crouched and stroked my face.
“Let me see. Are you hurt anywhere?”
I shook my head.
“No. Mom, I missed you so much.”
She smiled, her voice catching.
“It's all right now. I'm here.”
Watching us, Dad quietly carried Grandpa from the car.
“Dad, where's Đại Hắc?”
He tipped his chin toward the vehicle.
“Still inside.”
Patches of Đại Hắc's fur had been shaved away, leaving him ragged and uneven.
The knife wound was stitched closed, the crooked line looking like a centipede.
He lay listlessly on the back seat.
The moment he saw me, his tail began wagging without him seeming to notice.
After settling Grandpa, Dad carried him back to his kennel.
Grandma had been busy in the kitchen since early morning.
Now a whole table of food was ready.
She called everyone in to eat.
It was a feast fit for New Year.
Even Đại Hắc's basin held several big bones.
“He's our family's hero,” she said with a smile. “We must take good care of him from now on.”
During the meal, Dad mentioned the beggar.
Apparently, he had been sentenced to death for breaking into our home and attempted murder, the circumstances being considered particularly serious.
Grandpa thumped the table.
“Serves him right! Good riddance!”
Grandma looked at the bandage on his head and reminded him, “Careful with your wound.”
It had been a long time since the whole family had been together.
The atmosphere grew livelier and livelier.
Grandpa loudly demanded a bottle of liquor to celebrate.
Grandma frowned.
“Are you trying to kill yourself? You're still hurt, and all you can think about is drinking.”
She got up and ladled out a bowl of thin rice broth.
“This is all you're drinking.”
He smiled sheepishly and obediently lifted the bowl.
Half a month later, my parents' leave ended.
Mom held me for a long time. It took a great deal of soothing before I would let them go.
As the car disappeared down the road, Grandma gently comforted me.
“New Year's coming soon. You'll see them again then.”
I nodded and slowly walked home, holding her hand.
The moment we entered the courtyard, Đại Hắc came trotting over, his backside wiggling.
With good food and no exercise, he had grown as fat as a pig.
Grandma smiled fondly.
“There you are. Come along. I'll stew some ribs for you tonight.”
His ears twitched. He scampered after her into the kitchen.
“Don't feed him too much!” I called. “Being fat isn't good for him!”
“It's all right.”
Grandpa rocked in his wicker chair in the courtyard.
“Your grandma dotes on him. Let him eat. He can lose weight when he's fully recovered.”
I sat on a little stool beside him.
“You should be thanking me, Grandpa.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“Thanking you?”
“Yes! If it weren't for me, you'd have slaughtered him ages ago.”
He roared with laughter.
“I certainly should.
“You and Đại Hắc are both our lucky stars.”
Just then, Grandma called from the kitchen door.
“Come and eat! If you're slow, he'll finish all the ribs!”
I sprang up and pattered inside.
“Coming!”
— The End —