The weather was fine and sunny, with clear mountains and beautiful waters.
Qingliu Village truly was a perfect place for an outing. Xu Shuo walked from the end of the village to the entrance, surveying every nook and cranny.
At the same time, he also noticed that many people in the village seemed to show extra respect to him, the young Acting Village Chief.
Initially, Xu Shuo thought his position in the village would be quite awkward.
After all, his father, the Old Village Chief, had disappeared without a trace and was still not found, while he himself comfortably occupied the position of Village Chief. There should have been many who disapproved, or perhaps the more senior clansmen would oppose his authority.
But none of that happened; this was a peaceful and amiable little village.
After casually strolling around the village, Xu Shuo turned around to head back.
Underneath the whitewashed wall at the entrance of the village, the girl who had been daydreaming with a paintbrush was no longer there, and as he passed through the center of the village, he was stopped by the female reporter.
"Village Chief!" The female reporter jogged over, her face bearing a professional smile, "What should I call you?"
"Just call me Acting Village Chief," Xu Shuo replied.
The reporter kept her smile and, showing her press card, said, "Acting Village Chief, I'm a reporter from the local television station. The villagers must have told you that I will be collecting some materials and conducting interviews here for the next few days, and then we'll promote your village on our television station. Is that all right with you? Are there any taboos I should be aware of?"
Xu Shuo glanced at her bogus credentials, flashed an even brighter smile, and nodded, "Of course, there are no issues at all. It's an honor for Qingliu Village that a television reporter is willing to come here for interviews!"
Upon hearing this, the female reporter's eyes lit up, and she took out a long pole from her backpack, then mounted a portable camera on top of it.
She walked up to Xu Shuo, and standing side by side, they faced the camera lens. As if pulling a magic trick, she produced a small microphone and, with a smile, said, "Acting Village Chief, actually after hearing the legend of 'Green-Faced Fangs' from your village, many outsiders are skeptical. What are your thoughts on this legend?"
Xu Shuo quickly got into the role of the interviewee, seriously stating, "The legend has been passed down from a long time ago, and as descendants, we naturally cannot discern its veracity. One can only say, if you believe it exists, it does; if not, then it doesn't!"
"But I've heard that recently, there has been activity traceable to 'Green-Faced Fangs' in Qingliu Village, and many villagers have claimed to have seen its true form. What's your opinion on this, Village Chief?"
Xu Shuo watched her leaving figure for a moment, then shifted his gaze and walked towards his own home.
Passing through the square, several children were playing games, their cheerful laughter creating a lively atmosphere.
In this day and age, there aren't many entertainment activities for children in the countryside, other than playing hopscotch, slapping playing cards, or playing eagle catches chicks.
As Xu Shuo passed by, the children sweetly greeted him with "Hello, Village Chief," their cleverness and cuteness on full display.
"Uncle Dai, do you want some fruit?" At that moment, the little girl with double buns came over, her fair and plump little hand holding up a yellow fruit.
Qingliu Village is surrounded by mountains on three sides, with bamboo forests and various fruit trees planted among the hills.
However, there aren't many mature fruit trees this season, nor is it the time for harvesting. Still, most households have a loquat tree in front of their houses or in their backyards.
The little girl had been sitting on the steps under the eaves, just staring longingly at the other children playing without joining in. Upon seeing Xu Shuo passing by, she suddenly got up and scurried over.
Seeing this, Xu Shuo scooped up the little girl as she approached, reminiscent of when Xu Xi was a child, equally fragrant, soft, and irresistibly cute.
He smiled and accepted the loquat the little girl had picked, popping it into his mouth to chew.
Well, although it was sweet after biting into it, it was also quite astringent.
"Uncle Dai, is it good?" the little girl asked, tilting her head.
"It's pretty good." Xu Shuo smiled. He didn't know whose child she was, but the villagers nearby didn't seem surprised to see them getting along so well.
"Do you want to come play at uncle's house?"
"Yes, I want cookies and candy," the little girl whispered softly, clinging to his neck as if afraid someone would come to snatch her away.
Charmed by her cuteness, Xu Shuo's smile grew wider as he pinched the little girl's cheek again.