Chapter 259

The morning light was twilight and the sky was breaking. Most of the villagers in Yuqing Village got up very early.

Smoke rose from the chimneys of many houses, and villagers walking in twos and threes on the village trails, either carrying hoes or pulling cattle, seemed to be going to the fields.

It is the time of spring plowing, and the plan of the year lies in spring. If you are lazy at this time, you will cry when the grain is harvested in autumn.

Zhao'er woke up at this hour on time, and opened his eyes to find that the little man was still asleep.

Not long after she fell asleep yesterday, the little man developed a fever again. After working for most of the night, luckily the fever subsided in the middle of the night.

She sat up, raised her hand to touch the little man's forehead, made sure that her hands were not hot, then put on her clothes lightly, and got off the kang.

The first thing to do was to open the door, and Heizi, who had been restless for a long time, got out with a swish. Zhao'er also walked out of the room, and seeing Heizi rushing out of the courtyard to pee, she shook her head with a grin.

At this time, someone had already woken up in the courtyard, it was the Zhou family of the third bedroom and his eldest daughter Xue Tao'er.

Today it's the third room's turn to cook. The Xue family's rule is that apart from the housework of each room, the work in the office is shared equally. One day per room, in rotation.

The room responsible for cooking is not only responsible for the food and drink of the whole family, but also takes care of the livestock in the family. The Xue family raised two big fat pigs, and it was not an easy job to just serve these two ancestors every day. Not to mention feeding chickens, carrying water, and chopping firewood, so the female family members who do housework on this day do not have to go to the fields to work.

It seems to be fair and just, but in fact everyone inside knows how.

The eldest aunt Yang claimed that the man was a child student, and she was exceptionally superior at home. Since Xue Qingshan passed the child student examination, she never touched housework again. The key is that Mrs. Zhao is also looking towards her, so it's not easy for others to question her.

At first, it was Xue Gouzi's mother, Mrs. Qiu, who finally came in, the third-bedroom Mrs. Zhou, and the two sisters-in-law finally shared the burden. Afterwards, Mrs. Qiu followed her deceased husband, and Mrs. Zhou was left alone. It was not until Mrs. Sun of the fourth room entered the door that she would be able to catch her breath again.

It's a pity that Mrs. Sun is lazy and playful. In fact, Mrs. Zhou still does most of the work.

In the past, when Mrs. Qiu was still alive, Zhao'er also helped Mrs. Qiu to do it. After Mrs. Qiu passed away, Zhao'er was busy with the housework of the second room and had to do the work in the office. In addition, Zhao'er was still young at that time, Mr. Xue told her to take good care of Xue Gouzi and not to take care of the work at work.

Zhao'er now has free time to go around and get some money, but she is a person who looks at her conscience and will help out as much as she can in her spare time. As for those who used words to squeeze her like Sun, her sharp tongue was not forgiving.

Seeing Xue Taoer struggling to fetch water from the well, Zhao'er rubbed his face and went up to help her.

Thirteen-year-old Xue Taoer is like a small flower in bud. Although she is not very beautiful, she is very delicate. Seeing Zhao'er coming to help her, she couldn't help showing a smile and talking to her: "Sister Zhao'er, is the second brother better?" Xue Gouzi is the second grandson of the Xue family, so Xue Taoer called him the second brother .

"I had a fever again last night, and it got better in the second half of the night." Zhao'er looked around curiously, and asked, "Why isn't Third Uncle here?"

Although Xue Qingbai is a bit honest and reticent, he always loves his wife and daughter. Whenever he meets the third room to cook, he will get up early to fill the water tank.

The Xue family has its own well, but the well is too deep, and there is no pulley on the well, so it is really exhausting to draw water with the strength of the daughter's family alone. That is to say, Zhao'er was naturally as strong as an ox, and his strength was no worse than that of ordinary middle-aged men, so he could pull the bucket out of the deep well very easily.

"My father went to the field and said he would work for a while and return after breakfast."

Xue Qingbai is an honest farmer. Unlike other brothers in the family who have other skills, he only knows how to farm, so he puts all his heart on the ground. The Xue family has a total of more than 30 mu of land, and now he, Mr. Xue and the fourth son Xue Qinghuai are all planted.

Although the women of the Xue family also went to the fields, it was only during the busy farming season, and besides, the women only had so little strength, so how could they help. Fortunately, the three men from Xue's family are all good hands in the field, and they are really too busy, so they hired part-time workers to help out for a few days, so they don't have to worry about not being able to finish the work in the field.

Just as he was talking, the door of the fourth room opened, and Xue Qinghuai walked out from inside.

The men in the Xue family are all big, so Xue Qinghuai also inherited a tall body.

He was born with thick eyebrows, tiger eyes and a high nose bridge. He was dressed in dark blue coarse cloth and short brown, and looked very heroic. In fact, the men of the Xue family are not bad looking, but the women of the Xue family are a little mediocre, but all the grandchildren are born well, and they are all top-notch in the village.

"Zhaoer Taoer, you wake up so early." Xue Qinghuai walked over in a few strides, took the wooden bucket in Zhaoer's hand, walked to the water tank, and poured water into the tank.

"How can you two little girls do this kind of rough work? You go to do other things, and the fourth uncle is here to fetch water."

Zhao'er and Tao'er didn't refuse either, one went to the kitchen to help her mother cook, and the other took a basin to scoop up water for washing.

As time passed, the rest of the Xue family got up one after another, and there were more and more voices in the yard. On the other side of the kitchen, Mrs. Zhou yelled to eat. Generally, country people don't pay much attention to breakfast, and they have to set a table or something. They always serve a bowl with a bowl, and eat it at any place.

Breakfast is two rice porridge, the so-called two rice porridge is porridge cooked from two kinds of rice. Yuqing Village does not grow rice, but only wheat, sorghum, millet, corn and other crops. Although farmers grow wheat, they seldom use it for their own food. They sell it for other grains.

Even a well-to-do family like Xue's family with surplus food did not eat fine grains all at once, but a mixture of coarse grains and fine grains. For example, today's breakfast is two-rice porridge, which is a porridge cooked with millet, that is, yellow rice, and sorghum rice.

Because it was a busy time of farming, it was cooked quite thickly. Although it didn't hold up with chopsticks inserted, it was much better than the usual thin soup with little water.

There is no way, the Xue family seems to have a decent family background in the village, but there are three scholars in the family. Not to mention Xue Gouzi, Guangda Fang and his son spend a lot of money every month, and it's no wonder that Mrs. Zhao usually can pick up fleas to get a little blood.

Zhao'er filled two bowls of porridge, put a few cornbreads on a thick porcelain plate, and put some pickles on the side, and took them back to the second room's room.

As soon as he entered the door, he saw Xue Gouzi sitting up from the kang.

She hurriedly put the wooden tray on the square table, and came up to see him: "But he's better? Are you hungry? Sister will bring you some porridge."

Xue Gouzi looked at her with complicated eyes.

After experiencing such a dream, he now doesn't know how to face Zhao'er. As long as he saw her, he couldn't help but think of him in his dream, those words scolded by others before he died. He also tried to find the cause of Zhao'er's death in his memory, but it seemed that that memory was Xue Tingxiang's most unbearable past, and he had no memory at all.

In fact, Xue Gouzi was burned in a daze last night, and Xue Gouzi thought for a long time. He couldn't figure out whether he was Xue Gouzi or Xue Tingxiang, whether that dream was true or not, whether he was thinking about it every day and dreaming at night , to have such an absurd dream.

However, he also had an idea in his heart. If everything in that dream was true, several things should happen in succession. If these things happen, it means that his dreams are real.

Thinking about something in his heart, he reached out to catch the bowl, only to realize that he didn't even have the strength to hold the bowl. Luckily, Zhao'er caught the bowl quickly, so he didn't spill it all over him.

Xue Gouzi was a little embarrassed and anxious. It was very strange, obviously he would not have this kind of reaction in front of Zhao'er before, but I don't know if it was a dream, and his state of mind had a strange change.

Zhao'er laughed at him: "Why are you being polite with my sister? I forgot that when you were a child, you peed on the kang, and it was my sister who washed it for you."

Zhao'er came to Xue's house when he was seven years old, and Gouzi was only five years old at that time. It is very inexplicable for a child to pee on the kang. It is obvious that he has not urinated for a long time. I don't know if he drank too much water before going to bed or what, but he actually peed on the kang.

Since Qiu gave birth to the dog, her bones were not good, and it was winter again. In order to repay the kindness of the second wife, Zhao'er volunteered to wash the dirty clothes and pants for the dog. Since then, she started her career as a child bride.

What Xue Gouzi hates the most is Zhao'er. He always likes to say inconspicuous things in front of him. You must know that as you get older, boys will lose face, how can you still be willing to listen to people mentioning such things, especially dogs are naturally sensitive. But today for some reason, he didn't feel annoyed, only a little embarrassed.

He was surprised by his own reaction, but Zhao'er had already fed him porridge with a wooden spoon. He subconsciously opened his mouth, and waited until the warm porridge blown by her was fed into his mouth, and he saw the smiling eyes of the other party.

Those eyes were big and bright, as if there were stars hidden in them, and he couldn't help but blush.

Zhao'er smiled even more happily, and stuffed him with a tortilla: "Eat quickly, sister will cook eggs for you at noon."

She was coaxing him like a child, Gouzi suddenly had this understanding.

He was eating porridge from Zhao'er, thinking wildly in his mind, it was very chaotic.

Just then, someone came to the door.

It was Xue Qingshan.

Exactly the same as in the dream.

Xue Qingshan's fair face was full of sighs and worries, he sighed and said a lot of words, the main idea was to let the dog recover well, don't worry too much, there are grandparents and uncles at home, he can't lose him.

Seriously speaking, Xue Qingshan also followed the appearance and height of the man from the Xue family. He was also a weed in Yuqing Village in his early years, but unfortunately he got a little fatter as he got older.

"Uncle still has to go to the private school, dog, take care of your illness, you are a child with a lot of thoughts." Sighing and patting his nephew on the shoulder, Xue Qingshan lifted the curtain and left.

What is he doing?

Zhao'er thought suspiciously. After thinking about it for a while, she couldn't figure out why, so she stopped thinking about it and concentrated on feeding the dog porridge, but Xue Gouzi looked thoughtful.

*

In the main room, Mrs. Zhao is chatting with Mr. Xue about what happened yesterday.

Mrs. Zhao was sewing an old dress in her hand, and said, "Let me tell you, you just like to spoil that little thing. You love him, but he doesn't love you. Our family's money doesn't come from the river, just Because he didn't want to show his illness to the whole family, he made a fuss after another, which is to make the family upside down."

Mr. Xue was in his fifties, tall and tall, and his skin was black and red like that of a countryman who had been exposed to the sun for a long time. He was wearing dark blue coarse cloth pants, sitting cross-legged on the Kang, smoking a dry cigarette.

Every time after dinner or before work, Mr. Xue always smoked for a while, otherwise he would feel exhausted.

"Okay, Gouwazi is sick, who doesn't have three illnesses and four pains." After a while, he said hoarsely.

The patter, patter sounded again, and the lingering blue smoke swirled in the air, and then scattered in all directions. Behind it, the old face of Mr. Xue was hidden, looming.

"But look how long he has been in trouble? Yesterday, more than one hundred coins were lost. How long will it take you to work hard in the field to earn more than one hundred coins! Boss has to leave another two hundred coins. It is said that someone in a classmate’s family had a birthday, and there was a disaster just last year, and the tax was not exempted, but increased. Seeing that the boss said that he wanted to send Juncai to the town to study, it was another expense. How much money do you have? Withstood such a toss!"

Seeing that his wife was so distressed, Mr. Xue sat up straight, tapped the cigarette pot on the kang table, and gave her a sideways look: "Your heart will be distressed if you spend a hundred yuan for a dog, and you will give it if the boss asks you for it? Not me Speaking of you, you are a parent and grandmother, so don't be too biased, you don't have to make the following little ones have conflicts."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Zhao didn't want to. She slapped him across the kang table and said, "I'm biased? Don't you?"

He is also biased, but the boss is the most promising in the family, and the handsome is also the most outstanding among the grandchildren. It's different to have a scholar in the family. No one will say that Xue Lianxing's family is a decent person when they go out. If Dafang can produce a scholar, his Xue family will be honored.

Just thinking of Xue Gouzi, Mr. Xue couldn't help frowning.

Of course he knew that the mother-in-law was very annoyed, Gou'er was too ignorant, the eldest owed the life to the second, but Xue's family was in such a family situation, naturally they had to pay attention to their future.

It's not that Mr. Xue looks down on his grandson, but that Gou'er is really not comparable to a handsome boy, nor can he. It's good to be strong, but you always have to look at the situation.

"The boss's daughter-in-law has already said several times that the school in the town cannot be delayed. The delay is half a year. The boss still wants to let Juncai try next year." Zhao added.

"Back then, I promised my second child!" Old Master Xue sighed deeply, took two puffs of dry cigarettes, and coughed twice when he was choked.

"Anyway, you can figure it out!" Zhao Shi was so angry that she threw the clothes aside, turned her head and leaned back on the kang, giving the man a backbone.

Old man Xue slapped his mouth several times, and the gully on his face deepened: "You too, old woman, don't you think that if outsiders know about this, we can still have face in the village?"

"Then what do you think we should do? Let's not do it?" Mrs. Zhao rolled over and sat up again, staring at Mr. Xue.

"Of course it has to be done, it depends on how to do it. How about this, you ask Cuiping to come back tomorrow, and she has to do this matter."

Zhao'er was not annoyed, but said aggrievedly: "Then how can the eldest aunt stay, she is not a woman? Besides, the dog can't talk, I don't look at it, I am afraid that what he said will anger me Lord."

In fact, her subtext was just to say that she was afraid that others would bully Xue Tingxiang, and no one present could hear it.

Mr. Xue stared at her. Now he really doubts that all this was made by this girl. He knew that Gou'er child was a bored gourd, why didn't he go to the grave early and complained that he would not go later, but why did he go at this time.

Thinking of all the disobedient things this girl did in the past, Mr. Xue felt disgusted in his heart. But he also knew that now was not the time to vent his anger, but to settle the matter.

"Since you want to listen, then listen." The tone was the same as before, but anyone could hear the dissatisfaction in his voice.

Zhao'er couldn't hear it, so he stood aside.

Seeing this, Mrs. Sun hurriedly dragged Xue Qinghuai to stay.

"Since Zhao'er has stayed, let's stay and listen too." She laughed along with her.

Mr. Xue was immediately furious: "Since you want to listen, stay and listen."

So everyone stayed, including the four-year-old Mao Dan, and even Mrs. Zhou, who was busy in the kitchen, stayed behind under the guise of cleaning the table.

In the huge main room, only an oil lamp was lit on the square table. The wick was jumping and shadowy, and everyone's eyes were on Mr. Xue. But he suddenly didn't know where to start. He looked around everyone's faces with heavy eyes, and finally fell on Xue Tingxiang's face.

"Actually, it's nothing. I just want to talk about what the boss said a while ago that he wants to send the child to the school in the town."

Zhao'er was inexplicably nervous, and couldn't help but glance at Xue Tingxiang, and then went to see Mr. Xue.

Dafang and his wife were overjoyed, they knew this would happen, and it was not in vain for them to swallow their anger for many days.

Xue Qingshan couldn't hide the joy on his face, he looked at Xue Tingxiang with pity and compassion, then looked at other people, and finally fell on Xue Tingxiang.

"Dog, don't be discouraged. You are still much worse than your talented brother. You will study with uncle for another two years, and then the family will send you to the town to study."

This kind of tone was too stinging at this time, Zhao'er had a sneer on the corner of his mouth, and wanted to say something, but was pulled by Xue Tingxiang.

Xue Qingshan took all of this into his eyes, and satirized in his heart, no matter how difficult this girl's film is, she can only embarrass others on these trivial things, and it still doesn't work when it comes to big things. He smiled, and said to Zhao'er: "Zhao'er, don't be angry, uncle knows that you are high-minded, but high-mindedness can't be eaten, don't you?"

No one in the room said anything.

At this moment, Mr. Xue suddenly said angrily: "Boss, what are you talking about!"

Xue Qingshan didn't take it seriously: "Father, I'm not trying to persuade the dog not to be discouraged..."

Old man Xue's beard was shaking with anger, and he pointed at him with a cigarette pot: "You need to persuade, the one who is going to study in the town is not a handsome man, but a dog!"

As soon as these words came out, one stone really stirred up a thousand waves.

The room was silent for a moment, and soon Zhao's slightly shrill voice broke the silence.

"Old man, what are you talking about? What do you mean a person who is going to study in the town is not a talented person?"

Xue Qingshan also said: "Father, did you say the wrong person in a muddle?"

"Your father is not ignorant, and he didn't say anything wrong. The one who goes to study in the town is a dog, not a genius!"

After saying this, Mr. Xue seemed to have lost all his energy, and stopped talking. The eyes of the whole room kept looking back and forth at Xue Tingxiang and Xue Juncai, full of surprise.

Xue Qingshan's smile cracked, and Yang's face was full of surprise.

Xue Juncai's handsome face flushed red, "Grandfather..."

Mr. Xue waved his hand wearily: "Okay, let's all go back to the house."

With everything said like this, everyone had no choice but to leave, but Dafang's family still stayed behind.

As soon as everyone walked out of the main room, they heard a commotion inside.

"Old man, please speak clearly, what do you mean it is a dog who is going to study in the town, not my handsome talent!"

It was Zhao's voice.

There is also Xue Qingshan, mixed with Yang's aggrieved and sharp cries, and Mr. Xue's exhausted explanation.

No secrets can be hidden under one roof, so everyone knows what's going on.

*

Early the next morning, everyone got up.

But the spirit is not very good, it can be seen that he didn't sleep much at night. Especially Yang's eyes were a little red and swollen, and she looked like she was crying.

Xue Qingshan's eyes were also full of bloodshot eyes, he looked at Zhao'er and Xue Tingxiang with sinister eyes from time to time, but for some reason he didn't say anything.

The atmosphere was very depressing, no one spoke, everyone was there and doing what they were doing in an orderly manner, but the yard was surprisingly quiet.

After breakfast, Mr. Xue took his hoe and planned to go to the field. Xue Qingbai and Xue Qinghuai didn't dare to delay, one went to lead the cow out, the other picked up the iron plow, and followed him out the door.

Xue Qingshan didn't stay at home anymore, and then went out, but he didn't know where he went.

Unlike the rest of the Xue family, Zhao'er was very happy.

Since she learned the ins and outs of the matter from Xue Tingxiang last night, she has fallen into uncontrollable excitement. Don't say that she gloats, in her heart she should be a little man, and she is worrying about having no money in her hands. This news is tantamount to great joy for her.

Knowing that the schoolchildren who go to the academy are very particular, she purposely found a piece of blue cloth that had been kept at the bottom of the box for a long time. This is Qiu's dowry back then, and Qiu gave Zhao'er to make clothes, but unfortunately she has been reluctant to part with it, and now it is just right to use it as a school bag for Xue Tingxiang.

After cutting the cloth, she began to sew with needles and threads, talking to Xue Tingxiang without saying a word. At this moment, the door curtain was suddenly lifted.

It was Xue Youcai, the second boy of Dafang.

Xue Youcai was only seven years old this year, but he was born fat and thick, and he was obviously spoiled. After he came in, he scolded Xue Tingxiang: "Just like you, you are still grabbing things from my elder brother, and you have the same name as a dog. You are no smarter than a dog."

This kid's tongue is really poisonous, and he is also used to by the elder couple, and he has always been a bully at home, making everyone angry. I saw signs of it a few years ago, but it's a pity that Mrs. Yang has been protecting him, saying that he is still young and ignorant, but he has grown up in the past two years, but it is a pity that he is still ignorant.

Zhao'er doesn't like him, if anyone in this family beat Xue Youcai, it must be her. Xue Youcai was afraid of her, yet hated her, she stood up abruptly, before she could speak, Xue Youcai suddenly threw a bag of things in his hand. It hit the head and face, and it hurt people, and there was a strange smell in it.

Zhao'er was hit twice, she subconsciously tried to hide, thinking of Xue Tingxiang on the kang, she turned her back to protect him. Xue Tingxiang was unprepared, she hugged her upright, obviously it was not appropriate, but he felt blushing and heart beating.

After finally waiting for this wave to pass, Zhao'er let go of his hand, Xue Youcai had already run away, and the thing he used to hit them turned out to be dried cow dung.

Zhao'er was so disgusted that she ran after her.

She stopped Xue Youcai at the gate of the courtyard, grabbed him by the collar without saying a word, picked up a branch from a nearby wall, and lashed at him.

"If I don't beat you for three days, you dare to go to the house to expose the tiles..."

Xue Youcai struggled to run away, but Zhao'er was so painful that he was whipped. Crying and shouting, he sat down on the ground and lay down on the ground.

This looks like the posture that young children are accustomed to playing tricks on.

There was such a big commotion outside that everyone in the room was startled out.

Seeing Xue Youcai being beaten by Zhao'er, Mrs. Zhao exploded: "Who told you to beat my grandson, stop!"

Zhao'er ignored her and scolded: "Do you still dare to do it in the future? Why don't you learn how to throw bullshit like others! The words are quite vicious. Who taught you to speak like this? If you don't speak clearly today, I will not only Hit you, I will take you to the river to wash your mouth later..."

Mrs. Yang also came out, and she screamed: "Wang Zhaoer, you are crazy, you dare to hit Juncai!"

"Auntie, why don't you see what he has done? You didn't learn well at a young age, like some women who uttered obscene language and threw cow dung on people. I'll tell you now, your second brother has a name , called Xue Tingxiang, if you dare to tell me whether you are a dog or not in the future, I will beat you every time I see you!"

Xue Youcai cried until tears and snot came out, but unfortunately no one came up to rescue him. Zhao was so angry that she jumped up and down, Yang wanted to stop Zhao'er, but was stopped by Heizi.

You usually see this sunspot with a slumped head and no energy at all. He stopped in front of people, growled a warning in his voice, and showed his sharp teeth. Yang didn't doubt that if she dared to go forward, she would The dog would pounce on her and give her a bite.