Outside the courtyard, Qiu Yan was finally driven to play Cuju (ancient Chinese football) by the mischievous children.
She twirled the football under her feet and kicked it to Gu Xiaoran, then asked Gao Chong, "Gao Chong, why didn't you go to the blacksmith's shop today?"
Gao Chong: "The blacksmith had something to do at home, so he gave me a day off."
Because of Qiu Xu, he has become a skilled ironworker.
After saying that, he rubbed his arm. "Sister Qiu, my arm hurts, and my wrist hurts too." He showed his swollen wrist. "Prescribe some medicine for me."
Seeing that his wrist was completely unharmed, Qiu Yan said, "You must have hurt yourself swinging a hammer."
Gao Chong: "It was from swinging a hammer; Qiu Xu was in pain too."
Qiu Xu approached and, seeing the football flying towards him, gently kicked it to Gu Xiaoran. "Brother Gao Chong, you're so pretentious."
He acted like a child in front of his sister, as if she didn't exist.
He is the older sister's biological brother.
After saying that, he asked Qiu Yan, "Sister, when did you come back? I thought you wouldn't be back until at least a month later."
Gao Chong was displeased. "That's just being pretentious." It's all because of him.
Originally, he was forced into this role by the blacksmith, but now, Qiu Xu is forcing him into it.
He felt like he was going crazy.
Qiu Yan: "I just got back not long ago." Her original plan was to come back in a month.
Gao Chong: "Sister Qiu, is it really impossible for Uncle Blacksmith's back injury to fully recover?"
Qiu Yan: "Well, that depends on his physical condition."
It's getting late, time to stop playing.
"Hmm." Gao Chong yawned; he was so sleepy.
Gu Xiaoran: "No, I want to play more!"
Qiu Xu: "Wait a minute, sister, come with me."
Gao Chong suddenly remembered something and silently followed Qiu Xu.
Qiu Yan left, and Gu Xiaoran couldn't stop her. He had a droopy face, but then he spotted the two brothers, Xia Minhan and Xia Minrui, and ran in quickly.
"Two older brothers, can you play Cuju with me...?"
Qiu Xu pulled his sister to his room.
Upon arriving at the room, Qiu Xu opened a solid wood box.
The moment the box was opened, Qiu Yan's eyes lit up. "Ah Xu, did you make all of this?"
Qiu Xu nodded, "It was something that Gao Chong and I did together."
He can't do all that by himself.
Gao Chong: "Sister Qiu, my arm hurts." He didn't forget to take credit.
Qiu Yan sighed, "Why is my brother's mind always on the battlefield?"
She brought over some ointment and tossed it to Gao Chong. "Apply it yourself."
...The next day, just as dawn was breaking, the sound of village chief Zhao Shan's gong echoed through the village.
The neighbors were quickly awakened, including Qiu Yan.
She got dressed and left the yard immediately.
At the end of the alley, a group of men, women, and children had already gathered.
"Fellow villagers, Dongjin is now actively recruiting soldiers. Anyone who wants to join the army should come here to sign up."
As soon as Zhao Shan finished speaking, the surrounding villagers erupted in a commotion.
Is war about to break out?
"Recruiting soldiers doesn't necessarily mean fighting a war."
Some were eager to try, some were hesitant, but most retreated.
War means death.
The village chief looked at the timid and hesitant villagers and was at his wits' end.
The higher-ups have issued a directive that for a small village like theirs, the number of applicants must not be less than fifty.
Qiu Yan felt uneasy.
Qiu Xu jogged over to Qiu Yan's side and overheard the village chief's conversation. A bad feeling crept into his heart.
"Sister, have you seen your senior brother recently?"
Qiu Yan also thought of Gu Qian: "We just parted ways a couple of days ago; he went to the military camp."
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