Chapter 13 Zhou Xiye, the Old Man
Jiang Zhizhi looked at Liang Dazhuang, who seemed naive and easily deceived, and smiled, her eyes filled with sorrow: "My family has arranged a marriage for me with a man who is much older than me and is prone to domestic violence. His previous wife was beaten to death by him. I'm scared, so I don't want to go back."
Liang Dazhuang believed it without a doubt. It was common for wives to be beaten in the village, and some were even beaten to death, but no one pursued the matter.
He thought this was normal, but when it happened to Jiang Zhizhi, he felt it was abnormal and inappropriate!
He frowned and looked at Jiang Zhizhi's arm: "Your arm, was it your family who broke it because you disagreed?"
Jiang Zhizhi was stunned for a moment. She didn't expect Liang Dazhuang to be not only easy to fool, but also very imaginative. She blinked, her eyes slightly moist, and looked pitiful: "Well, never mind. No matter what, they are my family. I can't do anything disrespectful. I can only run far away."
Liang Dazhuang clenched his fists and said angrily, "It's okay. Just live in our village. I'll let my dad find some connections for you."
Jiang Zhizhi nodded, but she knew in her heart that Old Man Liang was not as easy to deceive as Liang Dazhuang. She had to think of a way. This place was remote enough, and she could live comfortably for two years!
In two years, when everything returns to normal, she can do what she wants.
...
Old Liang arranged for Jiang Zhizhi to sleep on the kang (heated brick bed) in the east room that night, and warmly told her that if anything happened, she could call them and they would stay in the west room.
Liang Dazhuang lived in the west wing.
After a quick wash, although she was very tired, Jiang Zhizhi couldn't fall asleep on the kang (a heated brick bed). The village didn't have electricity yet, and after dark, it was pitch black everywhere.
She lay on the kang, looking at the dark roof, wondering how she could help the village, make Old Man Liang feel that she was important, and then ask her to stay?
Since it was an unfamiliar place, Jiang Zhizhi didn't dare to sleep too soundly. She dozed off for a while and heard the rooster crow three times. Light shone faintly through the window, and there was movement in the yard. Then the team's bell was rung, calling everyone to get to work.
Jiang Zhizhi couldn't sleep either, so she got up too. Yang Fengmei and Old Man Liang had already gone to the fields to work.
Liang Dazhuang was washing his face in the yard when he saw Jiang Zhizhi come out. He was quite surprised: "Comrade Jiang, did we disturb you? You can sleep a little longer. When you come back from work in the morning, my mother will cook. You can get up then."
Jiang Zhizhi was surprised: "Why didn't you go?"
Liang Dazhuang grinned and said, "I don't have to go today. I'm going to pick up the educated youth later. By the way, if you have nothing to do, you can also go and take a look at the environment of our village. You will definitely like it here."
As he spoke, he wiped his face with his hand, ran to the stove, took a fire poker, squatted down and pulled out two charred potatoes from the firebox, and smiled at Jiang Zhizhi: "Little Jiang, if you are hungry, you can eat a potato first. I buried it last night, and it's still warm."
Jiang Zhi thanked her, saying, "No need, I'm not hungry yet."
Liang Dazhuang made an "oh" sound, threw the potato on the ground, peeled it and ate it in big mouthfuls, not caring that his mouth and face were covered in black.
Jiang Zhizhi watched him eat and asked, "Don't you have wells here for drinking water?"
Liang Dazhuang pointed outside and said, "There's a well at the entrance of the village, and another one at the back. However, there's been a drought these past two years, so there's not much water. We have to control our water use every day."
Jiang Zhizhi asked in confusion, "Is there no river nearby?"
Liang Dazhuang nodded: "There is a river. There is a river every mile or so. When the well water is not enough, we go to the river to fetch water."
Jiang Zhizhi asked in surprise, "Why not divert the river water here?"
Liang Dazhuang shook his head: "Impossible, we're at a high altitude, the river can't be brought here."
Jiang Zhizhi fell silent; it seemed she had found a way to stay in this village!
...
After Liang Dazhuang finished eating two potatoes, he washed his face and drove his tractor to the city to pick up the educated youth. He also warmly told Jiang Zhizhi that she could look around whenever she wanted, and if she saw them coming back from work, she could just come back with them for dinner.
Watching Liang Dazhuang leave in a hurry, Jiang Zhizhi washed her face and wanted to wash her clothes with one hand, but then she thought that it was inconvenient to find water, so she decided to ask where the river was before doing so.
Put your things away, then go out and take a look around.
Meanwhile, Sun Xiaoyue had just gotten off the train and was overjoyed to see Jiang Donghua as soon as she exited the station. Seeing that there were two girls standing next to Jiang Donghua, who were probably educated youths who had gone to the countryside together, she tugged at her clothes and nervously touched her hair before walking towards Jiang Donghua.
Before she could greet Jiang Donghua, she was interrupted by a dark and strong young man who rushed out and said, "Are you the educated youth going to Qingquan Village?"
Jiang Donghua, fair-skinned and wearing glasses, politely adjusted his glasses and smiled at Liang Dazhuang: "Yes, we are going to Qingquan Village."
Liang Dazhuang waved his hand: "Alright, then you get on the tractor, I'll hurry and take you back so you can make it to the educated youth settlement for dinner."
When Sun Xiaoyue heard Jiang Donghua mention the name Qingquan Village, she was overjoyed. She never expected that the rebirth effect would actually occur, and Jiang Donghua and she would indeed be sent to the same rural area.
They tried to say hello, but Liang Dazhuang interrupted them again, urging them to get on the tractor quickly.
They didn't give anyone a chance to chat; they got on the tractor and sped back to the team.
In the car, Sun Xiaoyue was shaken around so much that she felt like she was falling apart. She had no time to talk, and the other three people were not much better off.
Even Jiang Donghua, gripping the tractor railing tightly, was barely holding back his anger, his face ashen.
They rushed all the way to the educated youth site and Liang Dazhuang got off the car. "Okay, we're here. Get off quickly. The houses have been prepared for you. You can decide how to allocate them."
Sun Xiaoyue came down, clutching her chest. Her stomach was churning and she felt like vomiting. She went to the roadside and dry-heaved for a while. When she looked up, she saw a slender figure flash by and turn into an alley.
Her eyes were filled with shock. Was she seeing things? She thought she had just seen Jiang Zhizhi!
No, Jiang Zhizhi went to find Zhou Xiye, she couldn't possibly be in this village.
But, I felt that I was not mistaken.
Sun Xiaoyue was a little confused. She turned around and looked at Jiang Donghua, who was helping the other two women with their luggage. She made up her mind that no matter if it was Jiang Zhizhi or not, she would never let her have any contact with Jiang Donghua in this lifetime.
Liang Dazhuang urged Sun Xiaoyue, "Hurry up, I still need to drive the tractor back."
Sun Xiaoyue said irritably, "You're driving so bumpy, I'm going to be miserable. Can't you at least give me a break?"
Liang Dazhuang was also indignant: "You don't look like a city princess at all, why are you so delicate? You can't even endure this little bit of suffering, how are you going to work in the fields?"
Sun Xiaoyue's face turned even paler after being rebuked. She hated it most when people said she didn't look like a city person!
As she reluctantly took her luggage inside and grabbed her bedding, Jiang Donghua helped her out: "Coming to the countryside is about enduring hardship. Otherwise, what's the point of coming here?"
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