Chapter 4: The first choice

March 21, 2023Ai Hrist

Two days later, Shi Qingluo wanted to drink fish soup, so she went to a river connecting the two villages to catch fish.

On the way, she also heard gossip from a few women.

“Xiao Xiucai in Xiaxi Village is miserable. He finally passed the exam, but fell down the mountain and fell unconscious. I heard that his family has no money to buy medicine. I don’t know if he can survive.”

“The Xiao Family doesn’t care?”

“Haven’t you heard about the Xiao Family?”

“I just came back after going to town, what’s the matter with the Xiao Family?”

“Xiao Xiucai’s father went to serve in the military before, but who knew he became a general? When he came back a while ago, he brought a little lady back.”

“I don’t know what happened. Xiao Xiucai’s mother pushed her down, and the little lady had a miscarriage.”

“The second son of the Xiao Family wanted to demote his wife into a concubine in a fit of anger. I don’t know what happened in the end, but it turned into divorce and separation between the two.”

“Xiao Xiucai’s brothers and sisters followed their mother, and then separated from the Xiao family to live alone.”

“Xiao Xiucai is a conscientious person. I heard that General Xiao originally wanted to bring him back to the capital for training, but he refused. He chose to set up a separate household and live with his mother and younger siblings.”

“As a result, General Xiao was so angry that he wrote a break-off letter with Xiao Xiucai and his brother and sister. He returned to the capital a few days ago, so it is impossible for the Xiao family to take care of it.”

“In the past, the second son of the Xiao Family went to serve in the army. Xiao Xiucai’s mother was not doing well in Xiao Family’s house. She was often bullied by her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. If it wasn’t for Xiao Xiucai’s protection, she would have been tortured to death.”

“It’s a crime, then the second son of the Xiao Family is really cruel.”

“The members of the Xiao Family are all cruel. Since Xiao Xiucai’s mother’s natal family disappeared, they have treated their family more and more harshly.”

“If it wasn’t for Xiao Xiucai’s success in the exam, he wouldn’t be able to make decisions for his mother this time.”

“What’s the use of being admitted as a scholar and having a father as a general? Isn’t he about to die?”

“In the past, he was famous in the whole town for being able to read. What a pity, hey!”

After listening to the gossip, Shi Qingluo walked towards the river.

Who knew that as soon as she walked nearby, she saw a child drowning in the river?

So she ran over without hesitation, jumped into the river, and rescued him.

After performing first aid measures, the child opened his eyes after choking on a few mouthfuls of water.

“Am I not dead?” He asked confusedly.

He originally wanted to catch fish in the river, but he drowned suddenly with leg cramps, thinking he would die just like that.

Shi Qingluo looked at his confused look, smiled, and patted his head.

“Of course someone saved you, so you didn’t die.”

Xiao Hanyi looked up and saw a sister covered in water, looking at him gently.

He was not stupid and quickly realized that it was this sister who saved him.

“Thank you, sister, for your life-saving grace, I will repay you in the future.”

Now he was the only available male left in the family.

His eldest brother was already in a coma, if he died, he doesn’t know how sad his mother and sister would be.

When Shi Qingluo saw that the eight or nine-year-old child was so sensible, she had a good impression of him.

“Okay, then I will wait for your repayment later.”

For young children, it was good to let them have a goal.

“Where is your home? I’ll take you back.”

Xiao Hanyi originally wanted to decline but felt embarrassed to bother this sister any longer.

Unexpectedly, when he stood up, his feet hurt. He could only say embarrassingly: “Then I’ll trouble sister, my house is in the next village.”

Shi Qingluo picked up the child on her back and walked in the direction he pointed.

The child’s home was in Xiaxi Village, just across the river, and there was a wooden bridge to walk across.

Shi Qingluo chatted with the child while walking.

She was surprised to find that he was Xiao Xiucai’s younger brother in those women’s gossip.

His brother injured his leg after falling down the mountain, and then suddenly had a high fever that persisted.

His eldest aunt and third aunt took advantage of his brother’s coma and robbed most of the family’s food.

When the family was separated, they didn’t receive much money, but now his family can’t even afford medicine.

Her mother goes up the mountain every day to dig herbs for his brother to drink, while her sister digs wild vegetables to satisfy the family’s hunger.

He saw that his eldest brother was getting thinner and thinner. Then suddenly, he heard that feeding more broth could help him. However, their family couldn’t afford meat, so he wanted to catch fish and make fish soup.

Who knew he would almost drown?

After Shi Qingluo learned about it, she felt sympathy for the children, but it was miserable when the house leaked and it rained all night.

The house assigned to Xiao Hanyi’s family was the old house of the Xiao Family, so it was located at the end of the village and against the mountain.

Shi Qingluo walked for more than half an hour with Xiao Hanyi on her back.

A dilapidated small courtyard appeared in front of my eyes, and there were also houses around, but they were not close.

After pushing the door open and walking in, they heard two people crying.

Hearing the sound of the door being pushed, a middle-aged woman with red and swollen eyes ran out from crying, followed by a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl with the same red eyes.

Mrs. Kong was relieved when she saw her youngest son who had disappeared suddenly come back, and at the same time couldn’t help saying: “Erlang, where have you been? You scared me to death.”

Xiao Hanyi looked at his mother guiltily, “Mother, I wanted to catch fish just now, but who knew I almost drown, it was this sister who saved me.”

Mrs. Kong was almost scared to death when she heard this, and her body softened even more.

Fortunately, the youngest son was rescued, otherwise, what would she do? This was digging into her heart.

She looked at Shi Qingluo, and said gratefully: “Thank you, thank you so much.”

She wiped her tears, pretended to be strong, and continued: “Your great kindness, we will repay you in the future.”

What happened these days almost overwhelmed her.

If she didn’t have several children, she would want to die.

Shi Qingluo looked at the fabled and deceitful Mother Xiao and realized that she was indeed soft-tempered, but she pretended to be strong and calm at this time.

But it can be seen that she loves her child. When she heard that her son almost drowned, her expression of nervousness and care was very real.

She smiled, “I just happened to be there and saved him, it’s nothing.”

Mrs. Kong was more careful. When she saw that Shi Qingluo was still wet all over: “If you don’t mind, then put on my clothes first, and I’ll help you wash and dry them. The sun is hot, they will dry quickly.”

“Although it’s summer now, it’s easy to catch a cold with wet clothes.”

Shi Qingluo was uncomfortable with wet clothes. She saw that Mrs. Kong was wearing patched clothes, but they were very clean and tidy.

So she nodded, “Okay, then I will trouble you.”

Mrs. Kong hurriedly waved her hand, “No trouble, no trouble!”

Then she took Shi Qingluo into the room to change clothes, took her best set of clothes for Shi Qingluo to change into, and took her wet clothes to the yard to wash.

Shi Qingluo came out after changing clothes and sat in the yard waiting while chatting with the three members of the Xiao Family.

As a result, a lot of words were drawn out. It was true that these three people were too simple.

If the comatose son, Xiao Hanzheng can’t wake up, no one will protect them. She doesn’t know how the three of them will survive.

Shi Qingluo suddenly had an idea.

After Xiao Hanzheng’s family separated, this family has a very simple personal relationship in the countryside.

There was no need for them to squeeze in a large family. There were no grandparents to pressure, no uncles and aunts to interfere, and fewer conflicts between right and wrong, and it will be easier for family members to get along with. This kind of family was the first choice for marriage.

*Xiucai – a scholar who passed the entry-level exam.