Liu Yihong wasn't the kind of person to be pedantic. Although he was surprised by Xie Yan's attitude, he still smiled slightly and asked in a calm tone, "You think highly of them?"

Xie Yan responded softly, slowly raised his head, and gazed through the window into the distance.

As far as the eye can see, there are endless, towering mountains. These mountains are a natural barrier, tightly surrounding the small village of Xiliu, so tightly that the outside world cannot be seen at all.

His tone was ethereal, his voice deep and powerful: "Look at those mountains outside, don't they look like invisible shackles, trapping the women here generation after generation?"

His voice seemed to be telling a heavy secret, making Liu Yihong's heart feel heavy as well.

Xie Yan continued, "They are kept from the outside world, from seeing even the slightest hope, destined to serve the men here forever."

He chuckled softly, his voice filled with endless sorrow, "Can you believe it? There are many women here who have never left the mountains in their entire lives. They have never even been to the nearest commune."

"You wanted to know why I think so highly of those three girls, right? This is the answer!"

"They have no way out, this is their only way out. As long as they can see a little bit of the outside world, they will have the opportunity to fight their way out."

"Look at those three girls in our class. They're clearly smarter and more well-behaved than the boys, but there must be other girls in the village who are even smarter than them."

"And what about the boys? Are there any smarter than those who go to school?" Xie Yan's tone was tinged with helplessness and indignation, as if he were questioning the unfairness of the world.

These words left Liu Yihong stunned.

He's actually quite a homebody; his favorite thing to do is read. After finishing his work, he always picks up a book and immerses himself in his own world.

Although he had spent a considerable amount of time in Xiliu Village, he didn't really understand the place. He had only wanted to perform better so he could return to the city sooner, which was why he was in charge of things at the educated youth settlement.

But recently, he noticed that the atmosphere outside was beginning to change, and he started looking for the next person to take charge. It wasn't until he became a teacher that he gained a better understanding of the children in Stream Village.

Hearing these words so suddenly, he was really surprised. After a long while, he said uneasily, "How could there be a woman who has never even been to the commune?"

Xie Yan looked up, a wry smile on his face: "Surprised, aren't you?"

Liu Yihong nodded.

Xie Yan sighed, his tone tinged with bitterness and helplessness: "At first, I was also surprised, but after I understood, all that remained was heartache."

"Did you know? The women here not only have to work in the fields, but also bear the heavy burden of housework. The word 'rest' doesn't exist in their lives."

"They're indispensable for everything in the family, big and small! Almost everyone in the family needs their service, yes, service!"

Liu Yihong was so shocked that he couldn't close his mouth.

These things were so drastic for his worldview that they were completely different from what he had long believed in.

Someone like him, who grew up in a scholarly family, simply cannot understand what life is like for women at the bottom of society, let alone imagine their suffering.

Xie Yan was not surprised by Liu Yihong's reaction.

This guy clearly has the potential to be a bookworm; people like that rarely pay attention to things outside their interests. He continued, "You know what? There's a culture around here called 'marriage exchange.' Do you know what marriage exchange is? It's when you use your own girls to exchange for wives for your boys."

His voice trembled with a hint of mockery, "A wife acquired this way is great! Not only is it convenient and free, but it's also reliable."

"They could beat, scold, and torment us, but we dared not utter a sound, much less resist."

Liu Yihong said excitedly, "Why? Why not resist? This is a society governed by law. Marriage is a matter of personal freedom, and even parents have no right to interfere!"

Xie Yan smiled helplessly, his smile revealing a deep sadness. "This is the countryside! And a remote mountain area at that. People have always been afraid of officials, let alone girls who have been oppressed by patriarchy for so long. They have lost the courage to resist."

"They even take it for granted that they can change wives for their younger or older brothers."

"After all, they were afraid of their own family falling behind."

After saying that, Xie Yan laughed sarcastically.

Liu Yihong couldn't believe it. He opened his mouth several times, but didn't know what to say.

Xie Yan looked at him and said with a smile, "Ridiculous, isn't it? Absurd, isn't it? But this is reality!"

His voice gradually lowered: "So, brides in arranged marriages can only endure hardship and toil in their husband's family. Living in this environment for a long time, coupled with the psychological manipulation from their elders, they've become accustomed to it."

"They think that's how a daughter-in-law should be, and they've forgotten what they truly are. Some have even forgotten their own names. They might be someone's mother, someone's daughter-in-law, someone's daughter, but they're never themselves again!"

After Xie Yan finished speaking, a long silence fell over the room.

Liu Yihong considered himself to have read many classic texts, but none of them could tell him what to do in this situation.

Xie Yan was startled to see Liu Yihong lost in thought. He had gotten a little excited just now; he didn't want to lead this bookworm astray! He quickly nudged him gently and asked with a smile, "What are you thinking about?"

Liu Yihong raised her head, her eyes filled with fear and helplessness. "What can we do? What can we do for Xie Yan?"

Xie Yan's smile froze, then she said helplessly, "Don't think about it. This is something we can't control or change. That's just how things are, and there's nothing we can do about it. Besides, they've already been tamed."

"Go out and see for yourself. Through long-term subjugation and subtle influences, they have developed their own worldview and philosophy of life. It's almost impossible to change them."

"Moreover, they themselves have become accomplices in harming themselves."

Xie Yan stood up, patted Liu Yihong on the shoulder, and said with a firm tone, "What we can do is teach our students well, to make the boys more responsible, to let the girls know what the outside world is like, and to let them know what is right and what is wrong."

"What people take for granted and consider to be the truth is not necessarily true."