The Little Widower (farming)

9

When Zhou Yuan took Chen Si and Meng Zhuzi to the Yamen, things did not go well. On his way to the town, he met the village chief.

Although the village chief was angry that Chen Si and Meng Zhuzhu were short-sighted and had no ability to provoke people they couldn't afford to offend, they were even more angry that Zhou Yuan ignored his face and insisted on making this matter a big deal.

Chen Si's daughter-in-law is the village chief's sister. She cried and complained early in the morning that Chen Si had not come home. She said she was going to get some money back, but she didn't expect that she was going to Zhou Yuan's house to steal something!

The village chief had no choice but to use his identity as village chief to try to make the big thing a trivial one, but unexpectedly, Zhou Yuan turned out to be a tough guy.

Zhou Yuan had long known that going to the town would not go smoothly, so he was not too surprised to see the village chief on the road.

"Zhou Yuan, what's going on?"

Zhou Yuan said calmly: "I didn't sleep very well last night. I heard some noise. When I got up, I saw that someone had entered my house."

"There must be something in between. Misunderstanding." The village chief smiled and said, "We are all from the same village. There is no need to go to the Yamen. We can just deal with it behind closed doors."

Zhou Yuan shook his head: "Village Chief, this matter is really serious. , It's not a small thing, but from the time I built the house, I felt that the villagers never regarded me as one of them."

Zhou Yuan's words clearly pointed at the village chief's nose and said that they were bullying Zhou Yuan, a foreigner. .

"If the village has other intentions, I will go to the Yamen to discuss it and see if I can live in another village."

The village chief was also a little annoyed. He had never felt that his two relatives were so annoying before: "Zhou Yuan, we have something to discuss. Yes, I promise you, this will never happen again in the future."

In the end, the matter did not go to the Yamen, and Zhou Yuan also knew how to stop it. If it really went to the Yamen, these two people would still be involved. When Chen Qing and Aunt Sun came out, they made everyone look coquettish.

Zhou Yuan just followed the village chief's words and asked the two families for some monetary compensation.

"Village Chief, I really want to live in the village for a long time." Zhou Yuan said.

"Of course."

The matter came to an end here. Under the village chief's decision, Chen Si and Meng Zhuzi paid Zhou Yuan one tael of silver, which happened to be the money the two of them earned from Zhou Yuan.

Zhou Yuan thought of Chen Qing's appearance last night and the slight weight of holding him up. He was frightened and caught cold at night. Looking at his appearance, he was afraid that he would be seriously ill. Zhou Yuan took precautions and went to the doctor to open a shop for tranquilizing medicine. .

After thinking about it, he turned back without entering the gate. He just stood at the door and talked to Aunt Sun: "I didn't send anyone to the Yamen." Aunt Sun

was just stunned, and quickly figured it out: "It's the village chief, right? ?" Zhou

Yuan nodded: "Although I warned them not to talk nonsense, after all, it is in court. If it is true that they came to your house at night, it will harm your reputation if it spreads."

Nodding: "I understand, you really took the trouble, this is the best way to deal with it."

After all, Zhou Yuan had just arrived in the village, so it was better not to offend the village chief too much.

Seeing what Aunt Sun said, Zhou Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. He was afraid that Aunt Sun would mind.

Aunt Sun quickly gave him the money Zhou Yuan had just given him: "I can't accept this."

But Zhou Yuan said: "It's because of me that you suffered unreasonable disasters. He was also sick, so he spent the money." Don't be polite to me."

Aunt Sun sighed and put away the money.

From then on, Chen Si and Meng Zhuzhu walked around here, not daring to provoke this evil god again.

Chen Qing had been ill for three days, and his whole body was dizzy with fever. Aunt Sun was so anxious that blisters appeared on her mouth, and there were circles of severe pain.

Fortunately, on the third day, Chen Qing's body temperature finally dropped and he became more energetic, otherwise Aunt Sun would have called a doctor no matter what.

Chen Qing had been keeping filial piety for Meng Tao and had not touched meat for several months. After falling ill, he became so thin that the wind could blow him over.

Aunt Sun counted the days and said that the three-month period of filial piety has passed. If he didn't eat meat, Chen Qing would be too thin to look like a human being. Aunt Sun couldn't leave to take care of Chen Qing, so she asked Zhou Yuan to go to the market. When you go to the market or the village, help bring back some meat or bones so that Chen Qing can replenish himself.

Time passed quickly, and it was July, when the heat was getting thicker. Chen Qing was so thin that he looked a little out of shape because of the illness and the bitter summer. Aunt Sun was very anxious, but there was nothing she could do.

Fortunately, nothing happened during this period, otherwise she wouldn't know if Chen Qing could survive it.

Zhou Yuan's house on the other side has finally been repaired. He goes to town every day these days to buy some daily necessities. Even if Aunt Sun doesn't ask, he will still help bring some things back.

Because Chen Qing was ill and Aunt Sun had a bad waist, Zhou Yuan went to pick up water for them after dark. Although Chen Qing refused, Aunt Sun looked at Chen Qingfeng who could blow him over, so she still had no choice but to trouble Zhou. Far.

That day, there was some bone soup stewed with big stick bones on the stove. They all stopped sitting by the stove because it was too hot. Aunt Sun saw that Chen Qing had gained some energy, so she chatted with him for a while.

Chen Qing's illness this time was obviously a heart attack.

Chen Qing looked at Aunt Sun's concerned eyes. His lips moved and his voice was a little hoarse when he spoke: "My father was killed in the middle of the night."

His voice was choked: "I was too old at that time. I was scared, I didn't stand up to protect my father..."

"But you protected me." Aunt Sun reached out and touched his hair, "A Qing is already very powerful."

Chen Qing covered his eyes: "I. His temperament is very similar to that of my father. He was brave twice in his life. Once he wanted to go to the Yamen to complain, but he was caught and beaten by my grandmother, and once he decided to die resolutely."

He looked at it with tears in his eyes . Asking Aunt Sun: "You said, he has the courage to die, but why doesn't he have the courage to live well?"

This was the first time Aunt Sun heard Chen Qing talk about his past.

Aunt Sun patted his shoulder distressedly: "Don't think about it anymore. Ah Qing has to look forward."

Chen Qing nodded: "Yes, I understand, Mom."

At this time, Aunt Sun heard the voice outside the door. Chen Qing lowered his head to wipe his tears at the sound. The firewood in the kitchen was crackling and he felt a little hot, so he sat in the main room. The draft blew through the hall and dissipated some of the heat.

This season is not the time for farming. The land allocated to Zhou Yuan is still uncultivated. As he works on the land, he just wants to go to the mountains to have a look. Everything has settled down and he also wants to think about his future life.

This season's rice can only be bought, and his resettlement money is almost spent, so he has to find a way to make a living.

Zhou Yuan's first thought was to go up the mountain. He had plenty of strength and was not afraid of any dangers and difficulties, so he went up the mountain with his big sword.

He had never been a hunter before, so he didn't know the habits of wild animals in the mountains, so he didn't catch any prey on his first trip to the mountains.

On the way up the mountain, he saw a fruit tree with some fruits on it. Zhou Yuan shook the tree and a few fell down. He picked them up and tasted them. There was no strange taste in the mouth. It was slightly sour, but after that, It starts to get sweet after a while.

Zhou Yuan shook the tree vigorously, and a lot of fruit fell down. He pocketed it with his clothes, which was regarded as a little trophy from his first trip up the mountain.

When he got home, he selected the fruits he had brought back and kept the wilted ones and those with insect eyes. The remaining plump and beautiful ones were packed in baskets and delivered to Aunt Sun's door.

"Oh, this fruit." Aunt Sun naturally saw it too. People in the village don't have anything sweet to eat on weekdays. Buying a piece of candy is always during the holidays, so they will find something to sweeten their mouths on weekdays.

The wild fruits in the mountains and the sweet roots growing on the field ridges in winter are all a little bit of sweetness in their peaceful days.

"If Chen Qing hadn't been sick this year, he would have gone up the mountain to pick these fruits at this time." Aunt Sun smiled and took them. She was not polite to Zhou Yuan. They were just some wild fruits. Anyone can pick them, but they are on a first-come, first-served basis. time.

"That's just right. I tried one, and it didn't have much sweetness."

Aunt Sun smiled: "Ah Qing likes it. He has a bitter summer, so after eating this sour and sweet taste, he can eat more."

Zhou Yuanchui Mou: "I know, Auntie, I'll go back first."

Aunt Sun watched him leave, and then put the fruit in front of Chen Qing: "I don't have to pick it myself this year."

Chen Qing's eyes narrowed with a smile, Only when there is delicious food, Chen Qing will act like an ordinary brother.

He couldn't wait to taste one. The sour taste stimulated his taste buds. He had no appetite these days. He just forced himself to eat something every day to survive. Now after eating this fruit, he had a little bit in his stomach. Feeling of hunger.

After Chen Qing gained an appetite, his body recovered much faster. After five days, he felt that he was the same as before, and he couldn't use up all his strength.

"Mom, I'm going out to wash clothes." Chen Qing packed up the clothes he had changed out in the past few days. In the summer, they were willing to go to the lower reaches of the Luo River to wash clothes and play in the water.

Aunt Sun could tell what he was thinking at a glance: "Your body is just fine, don't play in the water, come back after washing."

Chen Qing nodded and ran out of the house with the basin in hand.

The sun was high in the sky at this time, and most people had gone home to rest, so Chen Qing chose this time to wash clothes.

Chen Qing squatted down and found the big stone where he usually washed clothes. He remembered Aunt Sun's advice and didn't take off his shoes, so he soaked his clothes in the water to get them wet.

"Chen Qing!"

Chen Qing raised his head and saw Li Xin coming towards him with a basin. There was a hint of joy on his face: "Li Xin? Are you back?"

Li Xin was one of Chen Qing's few in the village. There were many friends. At that time, Chen Qing had just arrived in the village and, like his daughter-in-law, did not go out all day. Aunt Sun went to Li Xin and asked if they could take Chen Qing to play with them.

Li Xin was the most enthusiastic and soon led Chen Qing. He became quite familiar in the village. However, in the past few years, most of the friends he had played with before had gotten married, and they had less contact with each other. .

"I also said that I would go to your house to find you today." Li Xin came close to him and looked at his face carefully, "I feel like you have lost a lot of weight."

Chen Qing finally relaxed a little: "I was sick a few days ago. "I just got better."

Li Xin was washing clothes with him, with a smile on his face. He must have lived a good life during this stay at his grandfather's house.

Chen Qing knew that Li Xin's parents had a good relationship at home. This time he went back to his parents' home with his mother, and his father agreed.

"I know what happened to your family. Are you okay?"

Chen Qing nodded: "I'm fine."

"Then haven't you thought about your future? I heard from my father that you paid tribute to Meng Tao. Don't you plan to get married again?"

Chen Qing shook his head: "I won't get married. I'll stay with my mother."

Li Xin didn't try to persuade him. He had known Chen Qing for four or five years and knew that Chen Qing was a deadbeat.

"Hey, my dad said that he wants to marry me." Li Xin was also annoyed and didn't know why she wanted to get married when she grew up.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Chen Qing didn't understand why he was unhappy. He would occasionally hear people talking about Li Xin in the village, saying that he was already eighteen years old and was not married yet.

"Do you know who my father is interested in?" Li Xin quietly approached Chen Qing.

Li Xin's father is the only blacksmith in the town. With this skill, his family can live a prosperous life. His family's conditions are good, so Blacksmith Li will naturally not let Li Xin have a bad marriage.

Li Xin said quietly: "It's the one who came back from the battlefield and settled in our village. My father had a very good impression of him and said that a man should have that kind of bearing."

Chen Qing lost strength in his hands and a piece of clothing fell into the In the water, water splashed on Chen Qing and Li Xin's faces.