The turbulent waves on the river surface, which was even more desolate and powerful due to the murky yellow color, were surging and rolling. Small boats were rising and falling, but it was impossible to see the boat clearly, let alone the people. Only the brightly colored silk flags were visible.
Li Xia grasped the railing and stood on tiptoe, gazing far into the distance.
Is that what they call playing with the tide?
Looking at the endless and majestic river water in front of her, and the free-spirited otters playing in the water, she really wanted to grow a pair of wings, spread them open and fly away, gliding over the waves, diving into the water, and then jumping out again, rushing straight up to the sky, and then diving down again, just like those otters, chasing each other on the wave crests.
Guo Sheng stood at the entrance of the cubicle, his eyes fixed on Li Xia out of the corner of his eye.
In the distance, a white speck stood out from the horizon, surrounded by cheers of "It's coming! It's coming!"
Li Xia tiptoed, holding her breath and staring intently at the horizon. Just as she began to make out a white speck, it rapidly grew larger, rushing towards them. Li Wenlan pounced beside Li Xia, grasping the railing, jumping up and down while shouting excitedly.
Li Dong also stood up and walked to the back of Li Xia and Li Wenlan, subconsciously stretching out her hands to encircle Li Xia and Li Wenlan in her arms. The rapidly enlarging white dots rushing towards them gave her a feeling of danger approaching, making her want to hug Ah Xia and Ge Lan tightly in her arms to protect them.
Together with the white dot, from afar to near, rushing towards the crowd, there was a loud thunderclap. The white dot grew bigger and faster, the thunderclap louder, that oppressive force, as if pouring down from the sky, wanting to crush everything, knock everything down.
The boats and colored sails that were originally scattered on the river, as well as the people in white clothes playing with the waves, now stood in a row, facing the wave crest that had already turned white, and rushed up happily.
Li Xia seemed to hear their extremely joyful whistling, and in the thunderous roar that was about to crush everything, piercing through the thunder, breaking through the air, and reaching the clouds. Joyful as if sitting on the giant chair with golden dragons for the first time, looking down at the kneeling ministers.
A white line accompanied by thunder, with a momentum that shook the mountains and seas, rushed towards each tide player, slapping every onlooker, as if tearing them apart. The sea tide and the tide players collided head-on, the angry sea tide roared and rushed towards the shore, so high that it made people throw their heads back, before everything in its sight was swept into the river, as if the tide players had been defeated, the towering wave crest crashed down, leaving only fierce winds mixed with water mist, violently slapping against the shore.
Li Dong's scream was mixed with the surrounding screams of either terror or excitement, which were even sharper than the thunder of the sea tide. Li Xia couldn't tell whether her sister's scream was one of fear or excitement.
Li Wenlan was stunned, and before he could even let out a cry, he was splashed with water vapor all over his face and body, which immediately choked back the big cry that was about to come out. Hong Yini hastily hugged Li Wenlan, who was coughing nonstop after being choked.
Li Xia stood close to the railing, facing the surging sea waves, excitedly raised her arms, and at this moment, she used all her strength to restrain herself, suppressing the urge to jump into the waves.
The first wave receded, and another wave surged up, but the momentum was far less. This sea tide had accumulated for a year, gathering only enough strength to form one wave, after which it weakened again and again.
Li Xia's two hands tightly grasped the railing, gazing at the receding tide, which grew gentler with each retreat. Amidst her excitement, she trembled slightly, and countless feelings of loss welled up within her.
The polers on the river, dancing back and forth with wet colorful flags, happily sliding around on the river, sliding to the shore, this life-and-death battle has ended.
Li Dong's face turned pale, he reached out to pull Li Xia, "Xia, scared you? Don't be afraid."
"I'm not afraid." Li Xia's clothes were half wet, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes shone so brightly that people couldn't look directly at her. Li Dong looked at her, the light in her eyes made her heart skip a beat and shrink back.
Li Dong and Li Wenlan's clothes were also half wet, Hong Niangniang and Su Ye hurriedly took out the thin rain cape they had prepared in advance. Hong Niangniang wrapped a rain cape around Li Wenlan while regretting that she should have wrapped it before the tide came, but this was her first time and she didn't have any experience.
Guo Sheng looked at Hong and said: "I booked a room in the inn, we can use it for an hour or two. Go take a wash and change your clothes."
After a pause, Guo Sheng continued to explain: "Tomorrow is the naval exercise, and all the inns around here have been fully booked for a year. It's really hard to find an empty room to spend the night."
He was explaining to Li Xia, but Li Xia didn't hear him. She was tightly grasping the railing, staring at the receding tide. Now she knew why Tang Chengyi said she looked like a beachcomber.
"Axia, let's go, we'll change our clothes, have a bowl of ginger soup and eat something, then we should head back." Li Dong went to pull Li Xia, earlier Axia's bright eyes that were startled, made her feel a sense of fear in her heart that she hadn't noticed.
"I'll just take a look for a while, and then I'll come over after you've changed your clothes...” Li Xia didn't finish speaking, when Guo Sheng immediately picked up the conversation: “I'm watching Jiu Niangzi, don't worry, Liu Niangzi, don't worry.”
Li Dong withdrew his hand, and Hong's face scrunched up in displeasure. Just as she was about to call Li Xia back, Guo Sheng cupped his hands together and chuckled: "At this hour everyone needs to wash and change clothes, the hot water at the inn is probably insufficient for now, even if we go back we'll have to wait a round or two. Since Ninth Lady has come all this way, let her take a look."
Hong Auntie thought for a moment and nodded in agreement, "Yu Ye, you stay..."
"It's okay." Li Xia turned back and instructed, Guo Sheng immediately smiled: "The most needed manpower is here, Jiuniangzi is also standing, even if Orange Leaf stays."
Hong's aunt thought for a moment and instructed Li Xia in two sentences, then pulled Li Wenlan along, Su Ye supported Li Dong, Yu Ye hugged the package, and they all followed the shopkeeper down to the inn.
Hong's group walked away, and the crowd on the black rock also dispersed. In an instant, only a few people were left on the vast black rock, accompanied by the howling wind and the sound of the river slapping against the shore. The desolation that followed the brief prosperity evoked a sense of melancholy, as if one was the only person left in the vast universe.
Their booth is empty on both sides, not too far away, and people are in groups of three or five, going down or up, continuing to play.
Guo Sheng entered the cubicle and stood two or three steps behind Li Xia, lowering his head but looking up at Li Xia with a sense of reverence.
"This Qiantang Tide, do you watch it every year?" Li Xia asked without turning his head.
"As long as it's within the two Zhejiang provinces, come and take a look one or two more times." Guo Sheng's heart skipped a beat, and he hastily suppressed that surge of excitement.
This was the first time she spoke to him without ordering him to do something.
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