When the Rapeseed Flowers Bloom chapter 1

It is said that dogs tend to go crazy when the rapeseed flowers are in bloom. No one knows whether this saying is true or false. Anyway, “Blackie”, the dog of Tommy’s family, has caused a big problem this time.

Blackie is the precious dog of Tommy’s family. When it was born, its small bamboo – tube – like head looked like a rat’s head. The villagers all said it wouldn’t grow up, but Tommy couldn’t bear to abandon it. He took care of it every day as if it were a precious treasure and even saved the meatballs he liked the most to feed it. After a month, Blackie really grew rapidly. With its tiger – like head and body and a coat of shiny black curly hair, everyone loved it.

Such a lovable dog just got into trouble!

One noon, Tommy’s family was having lunch in the yard. Suddenly, Blackie started barking wildly outside the yard gate. Almost at the same time, a voice shouted, “Ouch, it hurts so much!” The family was stunned, not knowing what had happened. Tommy’s dad jumped up and rushed out of the yard. He saw that it was Grandma Lucy from the east end of the village. She was hunched over, covering her right calf with both hands and moaning “Ouch”. Blackie was crouching aside, baring its teeth.

Tommy’s dad knew that things were bad. Without saying a word, he rode his bike and took Grandma Lucy to the Disease Control Station. After that, he went to buy some supplements and asked Grandma Lucy to take them home.

Grandma Lucy was going to visit a friend in the west end of the village. As a result, she didn’t make the visit. Instead, she was frightened and got a leg injury. Tommy’s dad was extremely angry. When he got home, he angrily picked up a kitchen knife, closed the yard gate and chased Blackie around, shouting that he was going to kill it. Blackie stared at him with frightened eyes, whined and ran around. Seeing its pitiful look, Tommy’s tears welled up and flowed down.

Suddenly, Blackie rushed to Tommy’s feet and grabbed his trouser leg with its paws and wouldn’t let go. Tommy couldn’t help but pick up Blackie and hug it tightly in his arms. He cried and said to his dad, “Dad, Blackie is just being naughty. It’s my fault that I didn’t watch it well. Please spare it. It won’t bite people again!”

Tommy’s dad didn’t really want to kill Blackie. After all, it was a dog that they had raised with great effort, and he also liked it very much on normal days. But why did Blackie bite Grandma Lucy?

It turned out that when Tommy’s dad was just admitted to middle school, Tommy’s grandpa, who had been living with him, passed away due to over – work. Tommy’s dad cried all night. The next day, he was going to give up his studies and go out to work to support himself. At that time, Grandpa Jack and Grandma Lucy, who had no children of their own, took him in and treated him like their own child, supporting him until he graduated. Before Tommy’s dad got married, they were like a family, eating and living together. Now, what could Tommy’s dad say?

Tommy’s dad looked at tearful Tommy and the terrified Blackie in his arms, then “clattered” and dropped the kitchen knife on the ground. He took deep puffs of his cigarette. Finally, he set a condition for Tommy: “Listen to me. Tie Blackie up during this period to prevent it from causing more trouble.” Tommy nodded desperately.

However, in the evening, when Tommy was watching TV at home, Blackie started barking wildly in the yard again. Tommy rushed out in a flash. It was Grandpa Jack. Grandpa Jack glared at Tommy and shouted, “What’s the use of your family’s dog? Is it raised to bite people? Where’s your dad? This brute not only bit my wife, but now it even bites me!”

Tommy’s dad quickly ran out of the house. He glared at Blackie fiercely, and his face was distorted with anger. He squatted down and gently stroked the wound on Grandpa Jack’s right leg that was bitten by Blackie. He said anxiously, “Dad, we can’t delay. I… I’ll take you to the Disease Control Station to get a vaccine.” Unexpectedly, Grandpa Jack stiffened his neck and said, “I can go by myself. I won’t trouble you! If you have time, just take good care of your dog quickly!” “Then…” Tommy’s dad quickly went back into the house, took out 200 dollars and stuffed it into Grandpa Jack’s hand, and accompanied him out of the yard gate.

After coming back, Tommy’s dad thought for a while, then went to the newly – opened grocery store in the village and specially bought two bottles of good wine, asking Tommy to send them to Grandpa Jack. After Tommy’s dad married Tommy’s mom, Tommy’s mom always thought Grandpa Jack was dirty and Grandma Lucy was talkative. She forced Tommy’s dad to renovate the old house into a new one and move out of the Jacks’ place. She also didn’t allow Tommy’s dad to have contact with the Jacks. Tommy’s dad couldn’t resist Tommy’s mom, but he felt guilty in his heart. Sometimes he would secretly go back to the Jacks’ place by himself and took Tommy there twice. However, as time passed, his feelings for the Jacks gradually faded. Now that the old people came to the door and even the dog didn’t recognize them and bit them both, how could he have the face to go to their place? He felt really ashamed to face the old people, so he had to ask his son to go.

The Jacks’ house was alone at the foot of the mountain in the east end of the village. In the evening mist, it was eerily quiet. Tommy carried the wine and respectfully called out at the yard gate, “Grandpa Jack! Grandma Lucy!” But there was no response. Looking at the open yard gate, Tommy hesitated: Should he take the wine inside, leave it in the yard, or wait a little longer? He was afraid that the old people were hard – of – hearing, so he timidly walked into the yard and wanted to go into the house to have a look. But as soon as he stepped in with his right leg, suddenly a black shadow pounced on him from behind the door. Tommy turned and ran, but it was too late. He was bitten on the right leg, and it hurt like a needle prick.

Rover? It was Rover! Rover was an old dog that Grandpa Jack had raised for six years. It was born mute and usually ran away when it saw people from afar. Why was it so fierce today? Seeing the faintly shining iron ring around its neck, Tommy suddenly remembered: Didn’t people say that dogs tend to go crazy when the rapeseed flowers are in bloom? Looking at the ferocious Rover, Tommy was so scared that he trembled all over. Fortunately, Rover was chained by a thick iron chain and couldn’t break free. Tommy limped out to the yard. His legs were so weak from fear that he gasped for breath and plopped down on the ground.

By this time, it was almost dark. Tommy really hoped that Grandpa Jack and Grandma Lucy would come back soon. Unexpectedly, instead of waiting for the old couple, his dad suddenly appeared in front of him. After Tommy left, Tommy’s dad thought more and more that he had really let the old people down over the years, so he also came here. He couldn’t rest easy if he didn’t see the old people.