Chapter 1

Just after the eighth day of the first month, dusk.

It is when the birds return home, the birds stand on the branches and chirp, the big apricot tree at the head of the village spits out its pistils, and the willows also sprout new branches. I don't know whether it is because of this big apricot tree that this village is called Xinghua village, or because it is originally called Xinghua village that this apricot flower is planted. Villagers don't know. But no one has ever studied this problem deeply. For them, working at sunrise, resting at sunset, abundant water and a good harvest in a good year are their greatest wishes. It doesn't matter whether they plant trees first or name them first?

After a long day's hard work, farmers hoe and lead their livestock along the country road in spring. They greet each other and wave their hands to return home.

The Qingshui River at the entrance of the village meanders through, shimmering, occasionally a few naughty boys throw down a few pebbles, which makes the birds by the river scream.

Every time at this time, there will be parents shouting: "smelly boy! Come closer to the river bank and see if I can kill you alive! "

People in the village are most afraid of children coming near the water without knowing how deep they are. If they don't pay attention to falling down, what can they do? So everyone repeatedly told their children never to get close to the pond by the river. The pond is not deep enough. I heard that there are still water monsters in it! A few years ago, I drowned a young boy in my village. Although most of the people in the South know how to swim, if they are entangled by the water plants at the bottom of the pond, it's a good water. They can't help but watch themselves drown

The children were afraid of it. Few of them dared to go near the river bank. But at this time, I saw three girls of Zhao Changfu's family picking wild vegetables by the river with a bamboo basket.

The second eldest brother, who was carrying two cages of chicken cubs, yelled at her from a distance: "three girls! Come on, don't get so close! I slipped my feet carefully

"Ah! I see! " Three wenches crispy should a.

The spring breeze is blowing, the water is sparkling, the reeds by the river are floating, the small blue and white wildflowers in the trees are with a faint fragrance, the cooking smoke of Xinghua village nearby is curling, the chickens and dogs are hearing each other, the cattle, horses and donkeys are neighing each other, just like a charming pastoral scenery.

The second eldest brother said to himself, "all the three girls in Changfu's family are good children!"

As soon as the second uncle's voice fell, the third uncle, who was driving a group of white geese, said, "no! Spring apricot, three wenches are speechless, all day long shout do what do, never refute a sentence. But Qiuli is fierce, and all the children in the village listen to her - "

" ah All of a sudden, a shrill scream interrupted the discussion between the second and third eldest brothers. It was amazing that all the pedestrians on the road looked back, and the cattle and horses were restless.

"Come on! Three wenches fell into the water I don't know who called.

The second eldest brother threw two cages of chickens in a panic and ran to them. The third elder brother couldn't even care about the white geese. He followed the second elder brother and ran over.

The pond at the head of the village is water from the river, which was dug by the villagers themselves decades ago. The pond was not deep at first, but over the years, in order to fight against drought, the county has organized villagers to dig it several times. It is steep and deep. How many people dare to go down? The adults were careful to water the crops. Several people went together to take care of each other. They were afraid of a mistake.

As soon as they heard the three girls, they knew that they were the little girls of Zhao Changfu's family. Changfu's family was not easy, and they were very poor. His daughter-in-law Li had only three girls. All day long, she was scolded by the sour and eccentric mother-in-law Zhang. His big girl Chun Xing is eleven years old. She doesn't have a good dress to wear, not to mention the six-year-old girl?

Since the third girl was born, Zhang's eyes have been on her. Outside the village, she told people that her eldest daughter-in-law was pregnant with a boy and that she was the one who killed her grandson and got into the belly of her eldest daughter-in-law

Therefore, after the birth of the third daughter-in-law, Zhang not only did not serve the eldest daughter-in-law for one day, but also let the eldest daughter-in-law do needlework to earn money from the 15th day after the birth of the eldest daughter-in-law.

This third granddaughter, Zhang's eyes are not eyes, nose is not nose, all day is not beat or scold, Leng is a lively and lovely little girl scared to be submissive, speak like a mosquito hum, see her more like a rat avoiding cat.

Three wenches are six years old and don't have a proper name. Zhang said, three girls are cheap life, in order to support, can't take a name, just call three girls. So the people in Hecun only called her "three girls".

Everyone in the village can see it clearly. The six-year-old three girl and the eight year old two sister Qiuli come out to pick up wild vegetables every day before dawn to pull out pig grass or pick up hay. Maybe they just picked wild vegetables by the river before they fell down?

The cry of the children by the river came. They abandoned the burden of the ox and horse hoe and followed the second and third eldest brother to the pond.

When they got to the pond, the second eldest brother busily instructed several young students to carry away the children who were so scared that they sat down on the bank, so that they would not fall down in fear.

At this time, an eight year old girl on the bank cried out: "three younger sisters, three younger sisters! Help my third sister

Second uncle asked: "Qiuli, did the third girl fall down?"Qiuli sobbed and nodded. She cried again.

But at this time, the splashing people in the water had disappeared, and the water was full of ripples.

"No, no..." People sigh one after another, cold in spring, so cold water, three wenches must be empty more auspicious less! A few old people who knew the past of the village sighed in their heart: "Lao Zhao's youngest son fell into this pond and drowned when he was in his teens. Is it now Lao Zhao's turn to have his youngest daughter?" But no one dare say it.

The second eldest brother twisted his gray beard and cried, "I have to go into the water to save you! Saving one life is better than building a seven level floating butcher Then he took off his shoes and socks and was about to jump down.

Several strong men quickly stopped and said, "second uncle, you are old, don't get involved! Let's leave it to us! Don't give up three girls and catch up with you

After that, they began to take off their cotton padded clothes.

The padded clothes in the side compartment are not finished yet, but someone over there "plops" into the water.

"Well, who jumped down?"

Because the man was so fast that people didn't even know who it was. What they didn't know thought it was the fish on the water!

Because they didn't know the situation, the young men who took off their clothes didn't jump into the water. Instead, they stood close to the edge and looked around, thinking that they would jump into the water as soon as the situation changed -

soon, with the clattering sound of the water, before the second eldest brother could react, he saw a young man struggling to lift a small body onto the water and go to the shore Come and swim.

Seeing this, we quickly pushed two young students to jump into the water to meet them.

One is Zhao Qiangzi, the eldest son of the third eldest in the east of the village, and the other is Zhao Jianzi, the second eldest in the south of the village. These two families are relatives. They are warm-hearted people and have a good reputation in the village.

Zhao Qiangzi and Zhao Jianzi help the boy to send the little girl to the shore.

With a sigh, the second elder brother took off his big cotton padded clothes and wrapped the little girl up. He patted her on the back with tears in his eyes: "I'm sorry to see that the third girl is so sensible. I don't know if she can be saved!"

Everyone agreed: "yes, yes! What a wonderful child! I'm diligent and sensible. It's a pity if I can't get it back! "

The third uncle said, "what nonsense! It's sure to be saved! Three wenches have a big life! I think she's a lucky girl

After hearing this, they agreed: "yes, yes! I'm sure it'll save you! The third girl is a lucky girl

Zhao Qiangzi just came up from the water, regardless of his wet body, ran over and led a donkey. He ran and cried, "second uncle, put the third sister on the donkey's back to control the water!"

Zhao Jianzi also called to the third uncle: "third uncle! Take my cotton padded clothes on the ground and wrap up the three girls

The third uncle rushed to get the cotton padded clothes.

The second eldest brother heard Qiangzi's words and answered them. He was about to put the three girls up. Just at this time, the little girl in his hand spat out a few mouthfuls.

Zhao Jianzi called out: "Dad! The third girl is alive! She's spitting water

www.novelhall.com , the fastest update of the webnovel!