"Mom, you're back!" Xia Qingqing's heart was pounding, and she spoke loudly to hide her nervousness.
The water bucket that Gu Yunshu gave her didn't exist in this era. If it were discovered, she would be finished. The water bucket disappearing into thin air could be explained by her eyes playing tricks on her.
Zhang Hongyan saw her daughter standing suspiciously by the water vat, glanced at her with suspicion, then suddenly thought of something, quickly walked closer to the water vat and saw that the large water vat was completely empty.
She immediately flew into a rage: "Xia Qingqing, have you wasted water again? Your father just filled this tank yesterday."
Xia Qingqing smiled sweetly at Zhang Hongyan: "Unexpectedly, I didn't expect this water to be so short-lived."
"It's alright, the child just needs a little water, it's nothing serious. Hongyan, you go cook first, I'll go fetch water," Xia Heping smiled indulgently at his daughter, picked up the wooden bucket and carrying pole, and went out.
Upon seeing this, Xia Qingqing immediately followed: "Mom, I'll go with Dad to fetch water."
Looking at the courtyard that was now empty except for hers, Zhang Hongyan had nowhere to vent her anger: "So you two are on the same side, and I'm the bad guy?"
Xia Qingqing quickly caught up with him: "Dad, wait for me."
Hearing his daughter's voice, Xia Heping immediately stopped in his tracks: "Qingqing, don't run so fast, you're not fully recovered yet."
"It's okay, Dad, I'll go with you to fetch water," Xia Qingqing said with a bright smile, revealing a set of white teeth.
Looking at his adorable daughter, Xia Heping nodded happily: "My daughter is the most considerate of all."
Except for a few well-off families who had dug their own wells, everyone else in the village fetched water from the well in the center of the village, and the Xia family was no exception.
From afar, Xia Qingqing saw a person standing by the well.
The tall man's slight bending over revealed a section of his lean waist, and Xia Qingqing could vaguely see his protruding abdominal muscles. Xia Qingqing stared at him, her eyes wide with amazement.
She recalled a popular saying online: "My brother's waist isn't a waist, it's a deadly curved blade."
How come there are such exceptional people in this village? How come she never noticed?
As Xia Qingqing stared intently at the man's abs, the man looked up and gazed in her direction.
Xia Qingqing felt a moment of embarrassment when she saw the man's face clearly.
This incredibly fit young man is actually Song Ze!
Xia Heping then noticed that the person fetching water was Song Ze, and rushed over, shouting, "Little Song, let me help you fetch water."
Song Ze repeatedly refused, but Xia Heping was too enthusiastic and helped Song Ze pull the bucket up, and then filled both buckets that Song Ze had brought.
"Thank you, Uncle Xia," Song Ze said, feeling a bit overwhelmed by Xia Heping's enthusiasm.
Xia Heping smiled warmly and honestly: "No need to be so polite, Uncle. I should thank you for saving my Qingqing."
At this point, Xia Heping suddenly remembered that his daughter had also come along, and hurriedly called out to Xia Qingqing, who was standing motionless not far away: "Qingqing, what are you standing there for? Come over here."
Xia Qingqing slowly walked to her father's side: "Dad, what's wrong?"
Xia Heping patted her on the shoulder: "You silly child, why didn't you greet Xiao Song when you saw him? Last time, it was thanks to Xiao Song that you were carried down the mountain. You must remember Xiao Song's kindness."
Song Ze winked at Xia Qingqing with a smile.
Xia Qingqing gave her father a bright smile: "Yes, Dad, I know. I will definitely remember Comrade Song's kindness."
"Uncle Xia, you don't need to be so polite. It was just something I did on the spur of the moment. Anyone would have helped if they saw it," Song Ze said sincerely.
These words made Xia Heping's impression of Song Ze even better. This young man was really nice and had good character.
"Uncle Xia, I'll head back to the educated youth settlement now. We'll talk again later," Song Ze said, then picked up his water buckets and left. Before leaving, he waved goodbye to Xia Qingqing.
After everyone left, Xia Heping looked at Xia Qingqing with a strange expression and asked, "Qingqing, why were you staring at Song Zhiqing the whole time?"
He was referring to how, when Xia Qingqing first arrived, she stared at Song Ze with such intense admiration that she almost couldn't blink.
Xia Qingqing's face flushed red instantly. It was really embarrassing. The handsome guy she was peeking at was not only someone she knew, but her father had also caught her doing so.
Seeing his daughter blushing, Xia Heping misunderstood that she was interested in Song Ze and sighed helplessly in his heart.
My daughter has grown up and reached the age where she's experiencing the stirrings of first love.
Although Xia Heping didn't really want his daughter to marry a sent-down youth, Xiao Song was indeed good-looking and was also his daughter's savior, so it seemed quite normal for his daughter to like him.
"Qingqing, tell Dad the truth, do you have a crush on Xiao Song?"
Xia Heping made a decision in his heart: he would personally vet Song Ze and carefully examine him to see if he was worthy of his daughter's entrustment of her life.
Xia Qingqing was stunned by her father's words and quickly denied it, saying, "How could that be? Me, interested in Song Ze? No, no, absolutely not."
She admitted that Song Zezhang did fit her aesthetic preferences, but their personalities didn't quite click; in other words, they weren't attracted to each other.
Moreover, she has only been in this world for a short time and has no intention of finding someone to date so soon.
"Oh, Dad knows," Xia Heping said, but he didn't believe it at all. Why was he staring at the other person if he didn't like her?
But it's understandable. Qingqing is a girl after all, and girls are more shy. Even if she has someone she likes, she's too embarrassed to admit it in front of him.
Xia Heping picked up the buckets full of water, and the father and daughter went home together.
Tonight's dinner consisted of cornbread with thin porridge and a bowl of fresh wild vegetables. Xia Qingqing had just swallowed a mouthful of porridge with a frown when she heard her mother ask her about her trip to the county today.
"It went quite smoothly. I found several books at the recycling station and also bought a stack of old newspapers to use for wallpapering. I noticed that our walls are peeling."
After Xia Qingqing finished speaking, she handed the remaining money in her pocket to Zhang Hongyan: "Mom, this is the money left over from today's expenses."
Zhang Hongyan shook her head and did not take the money: "Keep it for yourself. You're a grown woman now, you should always carry some money with you."
Before she knew it, her daughter was 18 years old and would be getting married soon. Zhang Hongyan felt a pang of sadness at the thought.
Xia Qingqing obediently put the money back into her pocket and absentmindedly drank her porridge.
She earned more than 20 yuan today. How can she find an excuse to take it out and improve her family's life?
She really couldn't drink this thin porridge that stung her throat anymore; she wanted to eat rice and braised pork.
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