The old lady stroked the ink-stained newspaper, her cloudy old eyes gently shedding a trace of nostalgia. She remembered something and her nose became sore.

She said with emotion: "Xiaodang is also a sensible child. Shuiya takes after him... She is also very promising. It has been many years, Xiaodang may have almost forgotten what Shuiya looks like, so mother burned the newspapers for him to take a look."

As A'niang listened, her nose couldn't help but feel sore, remembering that Shui Ya's father had never seen his daughter. Not to mention burning photos for him to look at, Shui Ya hadn't even taken a photo in all these years.

"He knows. Mom, don't worry about it. My Shui Ya has worked hard to earn this honor. I want to keep it."

The old lady thought about it and decided not to burn it.

After listening to it, Xie Tingyu said, "It's okay, just burn it... I'll find another one for grandma later."

The old lady was immediately happy again. She clapped her hands and said, "We have to buy two more straw cannons. They are loud and clear. Our Shui'er has made great progress this time. It is her credit that the crops in the surrounding area can be grown. No one in the past three generations has made more progress than Shui'er."

When the old lady said this, she selectively ignored her husband and son.

The old lady not only took out her savings to buy firecrackers that poor people could not afford, but also bought luxurious incense and candles. After burning the newspaper, she set off a loud bang that could be heard by everyone in the village.

I don't understand which family would be willing to set off straw firecrackers when there is a happy event. Only when a family that is about to die suddenly has a son, or gets promoted or becomes rich, would they be willing to set off straw firecrackers to make a big splash. A single firecracker costs seven yuan, which is more than you can buy even if you work for nothing for a month.

Not only that, the old lady also went from house to house, telling everyone that her granddaughter was in the newspaper. In less than a day, everyone in the village knew that the Ye family's Shui Ya was in the big newspaper!

So someone asked, "Auntie, you said your Shuiya was in the newspaper, where is the newspaper?"

Grandma Ye was so excited that she forgot she had to show it to people first before burning the newspaper, so she couldn't throw it out immediately to let everyone see this glorious moment.

She said generously: "I burned it and asked Shui's father to take a look."

The educated youth who were working heard this and said in private during their break: "The country people are so shallow and shameless. Not only did they take the credit for others' work, but they also showed it off everywhere. They have no shame at all."

"They even set off straw cannons, as if they were afraid that the whole village wouldn't know about it."

Grandma Ye was not yet so old that she was blind and deaf. While she was still full of passion, her face suddenly fell.

She actually heard those annoying educated youths slandering her good granddaughter. It was also these people who spread rumors everywhere before, and it was like a stab in the heart when Grandma Ye heard it.

In the past, she had no foothold and could only rely on her prestige in the village to suppress the rumors. With new grudges and old hatreds, Grandma Ye now stands very straight.

"You are an educated youth who knows nothing. What are you talking about?"

"That's very rude!"

"How did I, Shuiya, offend you? You don't do any work and just say bad things about her all day long!"

This was the first time that Grandma Ye had quarreled with a young man without caring about her dignity, and the content of the argument was so explosive that everyone in the village was stunned and came over to listen to the gossip.

Ye Qingshui was still at home boiling pig slop to feed the pigs when someone came running over and said:

"Shui Ya, your grandma is arguing with someone..."

Ye Qingshui was very surprised. He wiped his hands with a rag, took off his scarf, and quickly went out to find Grandma Ye.

When she saw the old lady on the ridge of the field throwing mud at the feet of the educated youth, she said angrily:

"I am not like you. I am kind and honest. If someone asks me to do something, I will do it three times as well. I am always friendly to the villagers. I work harder and have a softer heart than anyone else. I am dumber than others. I am not as well-read as you, but have you ever asked me when you bullied me?"

"She was the one who found Shui Yi. She was the one who did it!"

The stubborn old woman raised her slightly hunched waist tightly, her usual kindness and gentleness gone. Her skinny body looked very small in front of the tall women, but she was like a mother wolf protecting her cubs, fierce and cruel.

Ye Qingshui looked at this scene and was suddenly reminded of things from his previous life. His heart suddenly ached and tears suddenly fell.

She wiped her tears, walked up to the old lady and pulled her hand.

Warm and dry. Skin wrapped around bones, thin as a stick, but very strong. It was this pair of hands that once pulled her out of the quagmire and urged her to move forward.

Now she has grown up, her thick shell is impervious to swords and guns, she no longer clumsily exposes her soft flesh like before, and she no longer needs the protection of the old lady. She can protect the old lady...

Ye Qingshui said softly: "Grandma, don't be angry. Why bother to argue with them?"

After she finished speaking, she turned around and unexpectedly slapped the educated youth in the face. Rural women who were used to doing heavy work had strong hands, and the educated youth's face quickly swelled up like a fermented steamed bun. She looked at Ye Qingshui with shock.

Ye Qingshui asked coldly: "Are you awake now?"

"I really want to know where this sense of superiority comes from."

"Family background, education? Or coming from the city, so they are so great? They look down on the uneducated, so when they see others achieve success, they make malicious speculations, and they don't know how to ask. So ignorance will always be ignorance, and stupidity can only be stupidity. It's ridiculous."

Although Ye Qingshui did not use vulgar words to curse, his words were powerful and his sarcastic tone made people blush.

The female educated youth was filled with resentment, astonishment, and confusion. She had never expected that these few words would cause such a big disturbance. Ye Qingshui was still so confident. Why?

Only at this moment did they realize: Could it be that she was the one who really did the water-finding instrument? Does she have that ability?

Several female educated youth were also confused this time. Why did Ye Qingshui and her grandmother sound like they had been in the newspaper? But... they had never seen Ye Qingshui in the newspaper!

How can you brag with your eyes closed and still be so confident? It's really... so hateful.

At this time, the second captain finally had a chance to interrupt, "Tsk, how come you guys don't give him any recognition for being a hero, but you even scold him? This is not a good attitude... Why don't you apologize to him?"

"What on earth is going on? Newspaper, what newspaper?" The villagers who were eating melons started discussing.

"Why do you say Shui girl is short-sighted? Do you think all of us country folk are dead?"

Ye Qingshui was not interested in listening any further and pulled the old lady towards home.

The old woman muttered, "It's my fault. I burned it."

Ye Qingshui said: "Don't blame grandma, she protects Shuiya so much."

The old lady sighed, "I don't know what sin I have committed. Shui'er is such a good person, but there are always some people who gossip and spread rumors. Shui'er's good reputation is about to be ruined by them. If..."

It would be great if this marriage didn't happen.

But the old lady couldn't say such things now. After all, Xiao Xie seemed to be a very good person, unlike those educated youth. He didn't look down on the country folk, nor did he look down on Shuiya.

Grandma Ye knew that the educated youth in the village were feeling aggrieved and hated Shui Ya for picking up such a rich husband.

Although Xiao Xie was good, in Grandma Ye's heart, her granddaughter was the best. She was considerate, kind, hardworking, and could pick any good man in the neighborhood. Last year, the matchmaker who came to propose marriage came again and again, and Grandma Ye was reluctant to marry the girl off even with a betrothal gift of 500 yuan.

It’s not as bad as others say. Those people are deliberately belittling Shui Ya.

When Grandma Ye returned home, she said to Xie Tingyu with a stern face, "You must treat Shui'er well."

"Otherwise I'll let her remarry. The men here are not much worse than you."

Xie Tingyu, who had just woken up from a nap, rubbed his eyes and was shocked. Remarry?

Before his relationship with Ye Qingshui even started, the old lady was already thinking about letting her remarry. What... had happened?

Xie Tingyu expressed his determination firmly: "Don't worry, grandma, I won't let her suffer any injustice."

He asked: "Why did grandma suddenly say these words? What happened just now?"

Grandma Yeh had a stern face and tapped the bed with her cane, "No!"

"Take good care of your wounds. You don't have any flesh on your body and your strength is not even as good as that of the men in the village. How can you give me a good life?"

Xie Tingyu, who was facing Grandma Ye's disdainful gaze, remained silent. He said, "I am very strong."

He can carry hundreds of kilograms and run five kilometers in one breath!

Grandma Ye snorted lightly, turned around and left the house.

…

In the afternoon, Ye Qingshui came back after finishing his work.

She habitually took out the unfinished clothes and mended them in the light from the window. Xie Tingyu took the cloth from her hand and could vaguely see the outline of the clothes. She had very skillful hands and didn't even need a sewing machine to do such delicate work. The stitches looked very natural and smooth.

You can see that a lot of thought went into it.

The sun on the other side of the mountain gradually sank, revealing only a warm orange half circle. It was dark, and the oil lamp was not lit. The shadow from the window frame cast a shadow on her face, and the room was dim. The little skin she showed in the dim light was like white jade, emitting a faint glow.

"Stop it, it hurts your eyes."

Ye Qingshui gets angry whenever he sees Xie Tingyu and is not very willing to pay attention to him.

Xie Tingyu gently hooked the string hanging from her ear with his thumb and took off her mask. Only then could he see her expression clearly. He didn't like her talking to him through a layer of gauze.

Xie Tingyu looked into Ye Qingshui's eyes and asked, "Did you encounter something unhappy? Is this unhappiness related to me?"

He took in her expression.

Her bangs, which were usually tied up, fell down a few strands and covered her forehead obediently. Her eyes, which were as misty as landscape paintings, were covered with a layer of gray, and she looked a little listless. She returned to the house without saying a word to him.

Unlike usual times, she would ask him if he was thirsty, hungry, and whether he was ready to eat!

After spending a long time with her, Xie Tingyu would be easily infected by her emotions. Her emotions were pure, like lively water that permeated people. When she was happy, her eyes would twinkle and shine, and she would be happy when she was working foolishly, sweeping the floor, cooking, and sewing clothes, but she was not happy today.

Unhappiness can also be contagious.

Xie Tingyu saw her frown and couldn't help but reach out to smooth it out. He sighed:

"I know. I'm sorry."

Ye Qingshui sneered in his heart, what does he know?

He often said he knew, but Ye Qingshui felt that he knew nothing.

She knocked Xie Tingyu's hand away and said unceremoniously, "Don't touch me. You said you would treat me as your sister."

"Oh yeah... and good friends."

This sentence sounded familiar, and Xie Tingyu suddenly felt complicated. He struggled to control the expression on his face.

But Xie Tingyu only paid attention to this sentence for a moment and didn't care. After all, the important thing now was that she was very angry. He said in a gentle voice:

"It's good that Shuiya isn't angry."

The man's deliberately gentle voice was extremely gentle, and his voice was deep and mellow, like the breeze at night, able to dispel the haze in one's heart. Hearing such a gentle voice, any girl would be a little fascinated.

Ye Qingshui was caught off guard and pricked his hand, cursing inwardly.

People who have studied bel canto are different. They have a good voice and can go on airing. Even their unintentional gentleness is like the sweet words between lovers. Ye Qingshui has heard him sing and he sings very well.

Maybe it was because she was getting younger, but Ye Qingshui had an illusion that she could feel the warm and seductive hormones that Xie Tingyu was emitting all the time, like the spring breeze. It was so light that it seemed to be invisible.

Xie Tingyu smiled.

He could already guess the general outline. The reason why Grandma Ye came to warn him angrily was nothing more than the gossip in the village.

It was obvious that the girl was still angry and took her anger out on him.

Xie Tingyu coughed lightly, "Shui Ya, don't be angry. When I get better, I will help you calm down."

The author has something to say:

Grandma: I'll let Shuiya remarry. I can always find a good one in this area.

Brother Yu, whose position is precarious: "..."

Inner thoughts: I can’t pick any. I will never pick any.

After all, I will pick one and kill one :)