Boat Racing

A week has passed without realizing that the summer festival will end today. The closing event is a boat race that will take place on the beach. This event is always held every year and is a competition that is very popular with the residents of the yellow kingdom. No one expected to miss this race. Because of this the seat for the audience is always full every year. Even a lot of the residents have to stand to watch.

At Xiao Hai's house. "Qing Yang what are you doing" asked Tan Ruo impatiently "We're going to be late to see the boat race match" he reminded again.

Qing Yang was still busy in the kitchen, replying "Give a second, I just want to make sure Grandma's food is ready. I don't want Grandma skipped her dinner, because none of us could remind her once we walked out the front gate. You know how Grandma is, don't you?" Tan Ruo was silent, there were no words he could said anymore.

Qing Yang's hand took a bowl in the cupboard, walked towards the stove, opened the lid of the rice cooker. Her left hand is still holding the bowl and the right hand takes the rice spatula and then scoops the rice that is in the rice cooker pot, and she put it into the bowl she is holding in her left hand. Closing the lid, she walked towards the table where the 2 kinds of dishes she had finished cooking. She put the bowl of rice into the tray along with the dishes.

Qing Yang walked out of the kitchen with a tray in her hand followed by Tan Ruo. Walked down the corridor to the dining room and placed the tray on the table. She arranged the food on the dining table. After she finished, she turned to look at Tan Ruo and said, "Go call Grandma for lunch".

Tan Ruo noded his head then rushed to Grandma's bedroom. On the other hand, Qing Yang went to her room to change clothes. Once she made sure everything was OK in front of the mirror. He walked out of the room into the dining room. As she predicted, Grandma was already sitting at the dining table and was about to start eating.

"Grandma, we are going to watch the boat race" Qing Yang told her. Grandma looked up, looked at Qing Yang and the other children, smiled. Without another word everyone left leaving Grandma alone to enjoy her lunch.

People were busy preparing the boats for the boat racing competition, there were 12 boats with various decorations moored on the pier. And the match will start soon. The participants are ready in their respective teams.

"Hey Dragon Team, 'Spirit' I am sure, you will be win". Qing Yang shouted encouragingly.

The Dragon Team looked at her, smiling broadly as if to repay the enthusiasm given by her, they are raising one hand, fingers clenched and then said "Spirit"

"Yes, Spirit" someone shouted behind him.

Qing Yang was happy to have someone support the team she chose, but as soon as she turned and looked, she knew who was shouting earlier she chuckled "Mister again, this world seems too small for Mister always follows me wherever I go"

"Haha.... I was standing over there, then I saw you sneaking in the crowd, I thought you could be a friend to accompany me in the crowd of the race" smiling half hope.

"When the first time you met Mister there was one person who seemed to always follow you wherever you went," Qing Yang replied.

"He's busy today so he can't come here" replied the Mister, Qing Yang didn't comment anymore and returned to encourage Team Dragon. "Why did you choose Team Dragon?" The mister asked again.

"I don't know, I just feel like Team Dragon will win this race," Qing Yang replied without glancing at the mister.

"Hmm, the number of boats is twelve, why is the name of the team is the twelve Shio?" said the mister, confused.

"That's because it is believed that every winning team, people born with the team Shio name will be more protected throughout the next year". Qing Yang said, explaining.

The two of them were still talking. When someone spoke behind them, none other than the Dragon team. "How, will they come?" asked one of the men.

"They can't, last night they suddenly had a high fever, and this morning it was only found out they had Measles by the doctor who examined them," replied the other man.

"Have you been looking for a replacement for them?" asked the other man.

"Yes but no one can, because they can't row fast enough."

"Oh no, we are short of two people, we can't take part in the competition because the team must have twelve people and we only have ten people," said the team leader with a worried look on his face.

Hearing the conversation, with a suspicious smile the Mister glanced at Qing Yang, Qing Yang felt that something was wrong.

"What?" she asked suspiciously

"You support them, don't you? how can they win if they can't take part in the race," said the Mister.

"What do you mean Mister?" made Qing Yang even more suspicious.

"Of course, being a substitute for two people who can't join the race team" the mister replied confidently.

A small grin and hier face became tense, knowing the mister's meaning "Ohh... no... no... I can't row". Qing Yang replied quickly refusing the Mister's request.

"You don't need to be afraid about that, because there are already 11 people who can row quickly, so you're just a complement to the team," said the Mister forcefully.

"But I… I…" Qing Yang stammered, stopping what she was saying.

The mister without another word grabbed Qing Yang wrist and walked over to the two men "We can join your team" he said.

The two men were both surprised and happy because they didn't have to worry anymore. "Really and you guys can row?" they said in unison to be sure.

"Yes, of course we can" replied the Mister firmly but glanced at Qing Yang for a moment to make sure that she would not spit out the words she had said earlier. "Now what should we do?" the mister asked.

"Come with us," said one of the two men.

Qing Yang's hand was still in the Mister's grip, and she was still trying to resist "Mister" she called out.

"Sshhh… just follow along, you just pretend to row" the Mister whispered as he put his index finger to Qing Yang's lips, signalling Qing Ying not to continue her words.

In the end, Qing Yang could only surrender. The race began, the participants had taken their respective places, waving to the audience, the audience shouted to support each team they supported.

The sound of a firecracker signalled the start of the race.

The participants with full enthusiasm and strength rowed their respective boats. All boats go fast to the middle of the sea to reach the axis that has been determined by the race organizers as the limit for all boats to turn around.

First of all, it was the Tiger team that outperformed, being chased by the Dragon team in second place and the third position was the Rabbit team. The tiger team continued to row, the Dragon and Rabbit teams tried to outperform each other. The three of them were already at the limit of turning back. The rest teams boat are left behind.

Team Tiger is still in first position. Half of the journey, Team Naga leaders encouraged their team to row faster. Dragen team and Tiger Team competed each other for speed. In the end Dragon Team won first place and reached the finish first. As soon as the boat stopped the participants stood happily lifting their paddle sticks into the sky. The audience who supported Dragon Team were overjoyed. The cheers in the audience broke up the chaos of the other team's supporters.

"Dragon… Dragon… Dragon..." shouted the audience happily. The Dragon Team Leader pulled the Dragon pennant out of the boat and waved it left and right. The audience cheered even more.

The tiger and rabbit team participants got off the boat, as well as the Dragon Team, all of them had left, only Qing Yang and one participant, because the participants were so excited, He were not careful, when he stepped, his feet tripped over the seat board and fell and made them fall.

The boat was unbalanced and capsized, both fell into the sea. Qing Yang was shocked beyond mind. She tried to move her hands to stay on the surface of the water, but because she was panicking her efforts were fruitless, Qing Yang's struggles grew weaker, and she began to sink.

The mister who invited Qing Yang to join the race that was waiting for her to get on the pier quickly jumped into the sea, swimming swiftly to the place where she was struggling, not to mention that her hands had stopped flapping and sank. Arriving at the place where she was but she was nowhere to be seen "Miss... miss..." The Mister called out. Since there was no response, he decided to dive. Looking around for the figure of her who was starting to sink deeper. The mister swam over to her who had not moved at all, holding her hand, swam to the surface. The cheers erupted again as soon as they came to the surface. The mister continued to swim to the shore, when he arrived at the dock the Dragon team was waiting. Grabbing Qing Yang's hand and lifting her out of the sea, the Mister climbed onto the pier and went straight to where Qing Yang was laid. Her face start turning blue, Qing Yang's cheeks were beaten but still unconscious.

Tan Ruo suddenly appeared "Qing Yang, Qing Yang" both hands gripped her shoulders, shaking her as hard as he could, hoping she would wake up. The look on Tan Ruo's face was very worried, without thinking anything else he immediately said, "Why she enters the competition?" looked up, searching for answers among the crowd.

"I invited her to come along" replied the Mister who was holding Qing Yang on his lap.

"Why did Mister take her?" Tan Ruo asked "Qing Yang is very afraid of the sea" Tan Ruo explained.

"Oh, why?" asked the Mister in surprise.

Tan Ruo briefly explained what happened on the East Sea coast 10 years ago.

The mister remembered the look on Qing Yang's face the night they released the wishing lantern, at that time Qing Yang said 'A wish' a wish that would never come true. Also remembering the time when Qing Yang had tried to refuse not to take part in the competition, the extremely frightened look on her face, and now he had an answer.

The mister tried to help Qing Yang by pump her chest so that the water in her chest can came out to give her some breathing space. With every effort Qing Yang finally came to her consciousness.

"Father, Mother!" Qing Yang shouted once she regains her conscious, her body was shaking.

"Are you okay?" asked the Master worriedly.

"Ah Qing Yang, thank goodness you're awake" said Tan Ruo in relief who was already crying in fear.

Qing Yang just sat silently without a sound, still shaking. trying to calm down. The Mister took his outer garment, which was left by the pier to help her and put it on Qing Yang. "Qing Yang...Qing Yang" called Tan Ruo. Qing Yang's previously empty eyes stared at Tan Ruo. A voice came out of her mouth "Tan... Ruo..." couldn't help but feel relieved. Tan Ruo hugged her "Qing Yang...." for a moment then she let go of his hug. Tan Ruo invited Qing Yang to go home, Qing Yang complied, stood up and walked home with Tan Ruo with other children who had been standing around her since Qing Yang had been laid down on the pier.