Seeing that Shui Qing was alright, the topic returned to Ling Ran.
In the past, the villagers would care about each other, but they wouldn't pay much attention to each other. However, after the floods, the trips to deliver potatoes and sell rabbits, and the united fight against bandits, the hardships they faced deepened the bonds between them.
Especially since Ling Ran went out for the sake of the village, even more people are concerned.
The villagers had a simple idea: if their father's clan was reliable, who would want to leave their hometown to find their maternal grandparents? Nor would they end up being taken in by Shui Qing and Fan Jin.
And this was only because Ling Ran was lucky. After the flood, there were waves of disaster victims, and they couldn't even be taken in or given food!
Ling Ce pursed his lips tightly, but the villagers were all concerned about Ran'er and didn't say anything bad. They were just speculating based on Ran'er's situation, so it was really not their fault.
He truly couldn't listen any longer, so he cupped his hands in greeting to Shui Qing and asked, "May I ask who you are, Hu Shui Qing?"
He had inquired about the situation on the way here and found that the Fan family was somewhat special, with the husband managing the household and the wife handling external affairs.
It's not fair to say that the Fan family's situation is special; to be precise, the entire Shanshui Village is special, because the woman in front of us is the one who is in charge of the whole village.
"Yes," Shui Qingluo replied readily.
Ling Ce's expression softened slightly. He didn't smile often, but now he forced a stiff smile and asked, "Could we speak in private for a moment?"
Shui Qing didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "Are you Ling Ran's father? Why don't we go and see the house he lives in?"
Upon hearing Shui Qing's words, the villagers watching were so wide-open that they could practically fit eggs in their mouths.
The old women who had just been discussing Ling Ran's father's situation were not ashamed, but rather filled with regret.
"Ling Ran's father, are you here to pick him up?"
"What a pity, we missed it."
"It's alright. Didn't Shuiqing say that Ling Ran went to his maternal grandparents' house? Just go and bring him back quickly."
"Yes, yes, Ling Ran is a sensible and responsible child. He's a very good kid. Ling Ran's father, you must treat him well."
...
Ling Ce had held a high position for many years, and it had been a very long time since anyone had spoken to him like this. At this moment, they did not know that he was the governor, and they did not treat him as an official, but as a father giving instructions to his children.
He lowered his eyes and gave a low, hoarse "hmm".
With that assurance in hand, the women around them beamed with joy: "Good, good, Ling Ran finally has a home."
Shui Qing spoke up at the opportune moment: "Let's go."
Ling Ce handed the horse's reins to his attendant and followed Shui Qing's pace.
He began observing from the moment he entered the village gate.
Unlike other villages that are dirty and messy, Shanshui Village has neat and flat dirt roads, and tidy houses and courtyards. There is no encroachment on the road surface by occupying a small piece of land. The weeds and rocks at the corners of the houses and the base of the walls have been cleared clean, making it look extremely refreshing.
The gate and walls are different from those of other villages, making it more like a wealthy manor. Inside, you see mostly mud-brick houses, with only a few brick and tile houses, indicating that Shanshui Village is not particularly rich. The fact that it was able to build a protective wall is due to the unity of the villagers.
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