Siheyuan: Xu Damao's New Life

Soon, Xu Damao and Secretary Wang arrived at the scene. They saw a group of people gathered in a circle. Just as they were about to push through the crowd and go in, they heard someone inside shouting, "Hurry up, Mr. Wang is dying!"

Hearing the shouts, Xu Damao and Secretary Wang quickly pushed through the crowd and went in. They saw that Grandpa Wang's face was blue and purple, and he was barely breathing. He was indeed in critical condition. Secretary Wang said, "Has anyone gone to find the commune doctor? Is there anyone around who knows Chinese medicine? If there is, please come out and take a look at the old man."

"We have sent for our commune's doctor."

"There is an old Chinese doctor in the next village. Even if we go and ask him to come, it may be too late."

Xu Damao thought that Uncle Wang's condition was probably caused by something blocking his throat or trachea, which led to difficulty breathing. It didn't seem like a sudden illness. Xu Damao remembered the Heimlich maneuver and cardiopulmonary resuscitation that he had learned when he was working. This was not the time to be modest in an emergency.

Xu Damao said, "The old man is dying. I know a little bit about first aid, but I don't know if it will work. If you can't do anything, let me try. It's better than just waiting here."

Secretary Wang was also anxious like an ant on a hot pot. The doctor he went to find had no news. When he heard Xu Damao say that he knew a way to save the life, he quickly said, "Okay, then you should try it quickly. The old man is really dying."

Xu Damao rushed in and half squatted in front of Uncle Wang. He tried his breathing with his hand and listened to the breathing noise. Xu Damao felt more confident.

Xu Damao shouted, "Come and get some strong young men to help!" As soon as he finished speaking, five or six young men rushed out. Xu Damao directed them to pick up Uncle Wang, tilting him slightly upside down, and patted his back vigorously with his hands. After a while, he asked someone to help Uncle Wang stand, and he clenched one hand into a fist and covered it with the other hand from behind, pressing his hands quickly and forcefully inwards and upwards on Uncle Wang's stomach.

Xu Damao was sweating profusely after doing this several times. Finally, a large piece of yellow phlegm fell to the ground with a puff. Uncle Wang's breathing became stronger, but because he was blocked by phlegm for a long time, his breathing was still a little weak. Xu Damao laid Uncle Wang flat on the ground again, knelt on his side, crossed his hands and placed his palms on Uncle Wang's stomach, and began to press rhythmically, stopping from time to time to ask people to perform artificial respiration.

Another five minutes passed before Uncle Wang's breathing became smoother and his face was no longer purple but returned to normal color, but he had not yet woken up.

At first, people around looked at Xu Damao and a few young men busying around in confusion, until Xu Damao successfully revived the man, thunderous applause broke out at the scene for a long time.

At this time, Xu Damao was exhausted and sitting on the ground, panting. His hair was soaked with sweat and stuck to his forehead. His beautiful mustache was no longer as radiant as before. He took out a cigarette and held it in his mouth, but his shaking hands could not strike a match.

Secretary Wang walked over to Xu Damao and took a match to help him light his cigarette. He then held his hand and said emotionally, "Damo, thank you, thank you very much. You saved a life and a family. On behalf of Lantai Commune, I thank you."

"Dad, Dad." A man in his thirties ran over following the leader. He seemed to be Uncle Wang's son.

"Gangzi, your father is fine now. It was projectionist Xu who saved him." People around said to Wang Gang.

At this time, Wang Gang also ran to the center of the circle. Seeing his father lying there breathing steadily, he was relieved. He knelt down in front of Xu Damao and said, "Projectionist Xu, thank you for saving my father. On behalf of my whole family, I thank you for saving my life."

"Brother Wang, this is not possible. Please get up quickly. I just tried my best and didn't expect that I would actually succeed. I am not saving people for you to thank me. Anyone who encounters this situation will help." Xu Damao said as he quickly stood up and helped the man up.

"Comrade Damao, Gangzi really has to thank you this time, otherwise his father would be in trouble this time. You see you have been busy for a long time, why don't we go eat first. Gangzi will send your father back first and come to the commune compound to find us later." Secretary Wang said.

After Secretary Wang said this, Xu Damao was really hungry, so he nodded. In the evening, he had a simple meal, but the main thing was this dinner.

When they came to the table, everyone was particularly enthusiastic tonight, and they all raised their glasses to toast Xu Damao. Xu Damao also accepted everyone's toast, and the wine was drained. For a while, everyone toasted each other and it was very lively.

Half an hour later, Wang Gang sent his father home and rushed to the battlefield with two bottles of wine. The addition of new forces made Xu Damao unable to resist and soon he became drunk.

Seeing this, everyone stopped drinking and started chatting. Of course, the topic was always about Xu Damao's rescue. The drinking lasted until twelve o'clock. Secretary Wang arranged for someone to send Xu Damao to the duty room to rest, and then he and everyone else dispersed.

That night, Xu Damao slept soundly until dawn. He was awakened by the sound of birds crowing one after another.

Xu Damao was stretching his stiff body in the yard when he suddenly heard footsteps coming from the gate. He turned around and saw that his body, which had just stretched a little, immediately became stiff again.

"Da Mao, I got up this morning and cooked some porridge to bring to you. Why didn't you come to see me last night?" The man sounded a little resentful.

"Sister Zhang, I drank a little too much last night. I had barely taken a few bites of the food when a group of people started to force me to drink like crazy. In the end, I even lay under the table. They carried me back." Xu Damao said with a guilty conscience.

It turned out that this Zhang Jie was one of Xu Damao's lovers, a famous pretty widow in Lantai Commune. After only three years of marriage, her husband died in an accident, and she lived alone with her son.

In the countryside, everyone lives in the same hardship. Even if people can help you temporarily, who can help you forever? Especially in the past two years, natural disasters have caused a significant reduction in grain production, and people have no food to eat.

Once, Xu Damao went to the countryside to show movies. Zhang Widow saw that Xu Damao was a city dweller, well-dressed, and rode a bicycle, so she thought he must be a rich man, so she became interested. One night, she climbed onto Xu Damao's bed while he was drunk. Although Xu Damao was a little confused, he was not completely drunk. Besides, Xu Damao had encountered such things many times over the years, so the two hit it off and made good things happen.

Afterwards, Xu Damao gave five catties of food coupons plus three yuan, and occasionally gave some money or brought some food when he came over. Don't say these things are few. In that famine era, many people died of starvation on the road. Even in the relatively better conditions in the suburbs of Beijing, marrying a young girl was enough. I think that the old Jia family only gave five yuan as a gift to marry Qin Huairu. At that time, it was not a difficult period. In difficult times, food is life.

In this way, Widow Wang and her mother did not starve to death. Widow Wang was also a kind-hearted person. Every time Xu Damao came, she served him comfortably. This time, Xu Damao went to the countryside and did not visit her, so she found an excuse to come and see him.

"Okay, I've heard about how you saved someone yesterday. This isn't anything good, so drink this porridge first to fill your stomach." Widow Wang Guihua said.

"Well, Sister Osmanthus, I have something to tell you after we finish drinking."