By the stream, the water flows gurglingly and clear springs flow over the rocks.

Several women were washing clothes on the shore, beating the clothes with the laundry beaters up and down.

Where there are many women, there is never a lack of topics to talk about. They chatter about all kinds of interesting things and gossip in the village.

Suddenly, a short woman came running over, twisting a wooden barrel.

"Why are you all still here? Why don't you go and see what's going on?"

The women looked up one after another, and Tuqi asked what the commotion was about.

The short woman said in surprise: "The daughter of the old Zhao family is very lucky! She was rescued by an old lady from Hexia Village. She recovered from her injuries for a few days and was sent back by the old lady the next day!"

As soon as the words were spoken, several women stopped washing clothes and swarmed over.

"What?! From Old Zhao's family?"

"No way? That Xiao Xing? That pretty girl - not dead? She's back?"

The short woman nodded hurriedly, "She's not dead, she's still alive! I saw it with my own eyes just now, her arms and limbs are all intact, nothing is missing. The old lady looked like she was from a wealthy family, with a head full of white hair, and she looked to be in her sixties or seventies, very noble and generous. She said she saved Xing girl and bought her medicine. I heard that she was a girl from a wealthy family here, and she personally sent her back!"

"Is it true? Did that Xing girl really fall into the river?"

"That's right! The Zhao family said she fell into the river and drowned, but no one believed it! Everyone knows that his daughter was sleeping with that handsome guy named Gu, and his mother came to their house and scolded her. It was so embarrassing!"

"That old woman cursed so nastily that I almost died of fright when I went to join in the fun! This old woman from the city looks quite respectable, but when she cursed, she was so rude!"

"That's right! They looked down on us mountain people and made the Zhao family give up! Later, the Zhao family locked their daughter in the house and didn't let her out. The young man named Gu came later, but the Zhao family drove him away and didn't even talk to him. Who knew that after a few days, they suddenly said that their daughter fell into the river and drowned - no one believed it!"

"I don't believe it either! How could a grown-up girl fall into the river?"

"Some people say that he probably ran away with that kid Gu, and they deliberately said that he fell into the river and died."

"Who saw it? How can you say that? After the woman in the city got married, the Zhao family immediately found a matchmaker to arrange a marriage for Xing girl. It's obvious that they don't want that young man Gu anymore!"

"Yes, yes! They have already found a matchmaker to arrange the marriage. Everyone in the village knows about this!"

"So he really fell into the river and was rescued?"

"Ah!" The short woman shook her head and said, "You have to believe it now! The girl Xing said that she wanted to go into the city, but she slipped and fell into the river. The old Zhao family did go to look for someone at that time, and they searched along the river for a day and a night - everyone knows about this, and those people even went to help look for her! Who doesn't know how long it takes to rescue someone who falls into the water! If they couldn't find her, they stopped looking. Who knew that the girl was lucky, she said she grabbed a rotten piece of wood and floated down. She was also lucky to meet a noble person who saved her!"

"Ouch! That's really lucky!"

"What's that saying? If you don't die from a disaster, good fortune will come later. What's that saying?"

"Those who survive a great disaster will be blessed in the future!"

"Yes, yes, yes! That's exactly what I meant! That girl is pretty and not short. You can tell at a glance that she is not a short-lived person. She will definitely be blessed in the future! Very blessed!"

"I'll go to the Zhao family to propose marriage! My eldest nephew from my mother's side is thirteen years old and is looking for a match. His daughter won't have to worry about not being able to marry in the city, there are a lot of people waiting to marry her."

"Hey! What's the hurry? I want to find a wife for her, too. My nephew is fifteen years old—and he has just been paired with Xing girl!"

"What are you fighting for? Are you counting on others' future blessings? You are so impatient!"

"Hahaha!"

…

At the foot of the mountain, the carriage slowly went away, bumping along the rugged mountain road, and gradually disappeared from sight.

Old Zhao and his wife watched the carriage go away, looked at each other in panic, then winked at their son and daughter-in-law, and hurriedly took their daughter home.

After a while, the door was closed and the window was closed too.

Old Zhao smoked his water pipe impatiently while glaring at his daughter.

Zhao Xiaoxing buried her head and explained in a low voice that she didn't believe that Gu Yi would be so cruel to her that day and wanted to ask him face to face.

But her parents didn't want her to go out, so she simply climbed down from the attic in the middle of the night and ran to the capital to find Gu Yi.

"I didn't know the way, and I got lost. Fortunately, I met Mrs. Li who sent me here. She told me that I had taken the wrong road, and she even took me to the capital in her carriage. I went to look for Gu Yi, but I couldn't find him... But he left me a message, asking me to wait for him. He said he was going to Yucheng in the south to find his elder brother and sister-in-law, and asked them to help us."

"Who to help? You?" Old Zhao frowned and asked, "His wife has explained it so clearly, why don't you understand? Gu Yi is her son, how can he not listen to his mother?"

Mrs. Zhao's eyes were red as she whispered, "If his parents don't agree, you won't have a good life even if you marry him. My girl, you are still young and have a long life ahead of you. Why are you rushing into this pit?"

Zhao Xiaoxing cried, "I believe in Ayi... He won't lie to me. He said that his eldest brother makes all the decisions in his family. He also told me that he would come back to marry me soon and that I only need to wait for him for half a month."

"Then why didn't you come back?" Old Zhao slapped the table angrily and cursed: "Your mind is full of that kid! We thought you ran away with that brat!"

Zhao Xiaoxing shook her head quickly: "No... I walked too long, I was very tired, and I was caught in the rain, and then I fell ill. Old Mrs. Li felt sorry for me, so she took me home and bought me some medicine. I don't know what happened, I suddenly felt a headache, and it took ten days to get better. Old Mrs. Li was worried that I would take the wrong road again, so she personally sent me back. Who knew that when we got to the foot of the mountain, someone said... that I fell into the river and disappeared. Old Mrs. Li said that my family must have thought that I ran away with my lover, so they said that. She taught me to say what my family said and not to make you angry again."

In the carriage, her sister-in-law asked her to practice saying these words. After practicing them several times, she finally said them without stuttering.

The brother and sister-in-law beside him all breathed a sigh of relief and advised their parents not to be angry anymore, hoping that their sister would return safely.

"We were all wrong before, and we almost misunderstood our sister! She ran off with Gu Yi without saying a word, and even knew to come home. At least we didn't bring shame to our Zhao family."

"Yes! She is not not coming back, she is just sick and cannot come back. Fortunately, my sister-in-law is lucky enough to meet a great nobleman when she goes out. That old lady Li looks like an old lady from a wealthy family, she is very kind-hearted!"

"It's a pity that we can't give her anything valuable right now, so we just got some mountain products."

Zhao Xiaoxing said quickly, "It's okay! The old lady won't bother with us. Her family is very rich, she lives in a big house and has a bicycle. She said she believes in Buddhism and likes to do good deeds and good deeds."

Old Zhao and his wife were secretly glad to see their daughter return safely without the stigma of "elopement".

"Luckily I met a great man, thank God!"

"Don't do that again! You scared your mother to death!"

Zhao Xiaoxing answered yes obediently repeatedly.

The sister-in-law beside him rolled her eyes, and asked curiously, "Sister-in-law, what did you say to Gu Yi from Shangjing City?"

Zhao Xiaoxing answered firmly, "I will wait for him. He said he would come to marry me in half a month, or at most a month... I believe him."