Li Xianggui's small courtyard.
Looking at Liu Sichun's body covered in wounds, He Dazhu felt another sharp pain in his heart.
He Dazhu helped Liu Sichun into Li Xianggui's house.
He Dazhu said, "Sister Guihua has had so many things happen today, it seems I can't go up the mountain with you to find the treasure you mentioned."
"I need to help your second aunt heal her wounds."
Li Xianggui said, "I support you. Anyway, only I know the location of that treasure; no one else does."
"Your second aunt's injuries look quite serious. You should treat her first."
Looking at Liu Sichun's injuries, Li Xianggui couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
If we're talking about the most miserable person in Shihua Village, Liu Sichun is definitely one of them.
Almost everyone in the village knew about Liu Sichun's situation, but the villagers were already used to these chaotic things, and since they were all from the same village, they turned a blind eye.
Liu Sichun tried to escape several times, but was caught by He Debing each time. Her fate after being caught was also terrible.
A severe beating was inevitable, followed by locking Liu Sichun in a cowshed and starving her for several days until she fainted from hunger, at which point the punishment was considered over.
Liu Sichun's escape attempts were witnessed by villagers who then informed the He family. The villagers even helped the He family to capture Liu Sichun.
After being captured and brought back many times, Liu Sichun gradually fell into deep despair and accepted her fate of being trapped in the deep mountains.
He lived a life similar to that of the mentally challenged He Dazhu, enduring He Debing's punches, kicks, and insults every day.
Liu Sichun's situation only improved after she gave birth to He Yaowen for the He family, but more than ten years have passed since then.
Liu Sichun seems unable to escape these mountains that trap her, deeply locked in this barren land.
"Dazhu, you're not stupid anymore. Your second aunt is really happy."
"Alright, don't show me any more injuries. These injuries are nothing serious. I'm used to them, and they'll be fine in a few days."
"My second aunt is leaving soon," Liu Sichun said with a helpless expression.
Upon hearing Liu Sichun say she was leaving, He Dazhu immediately asked, "Leaving?"
"Second Aunt, where are you going?"
Liu Sichun sighed deeply and said, "Where else can I go?"
"Of course, I went back to your second uncle's side."
Hearing this, He Dazhu and Li Xianggui were both shocked.
Li Xianggui said, "Sichun, are you stupid?"
"He Debing treated you like that, why would you still go back there?"
“If you go back, that damned He Debing will probably beat you up again.”
"Second Aunt, you can't go back. If you go back, Second Uncle will definitely beat you to death."
“They’ve just been reprimanded by me, so they’re probably still angry and might take it out on you.”
"How about this, you can stay here with us," He Dazhu said.
He Dazhu then looked at Li Xianggui with a pleading expression.
“You silly Dazhu, you have a kind heart, bringing your sister’s house to entertain your second aunt,” Li Xianggui said.
"Go ahead and stay if you want. Anyway, I'm the only one living in my sister's house. The house isn't big and it's a bit run-down, but it can still fit three people."
"And I also feel sorry for your second aunt."
He Dazhu was overjoyed when he heard Li Xianggui agree to let Liu Sichun stay.
He happily took Li Xianggui's slender hand and said thank you several times, just like a little child.
However, Liu Sichun did not seem happy; instead, she frowned, looking deeply worried.
"Wouldn't it be too much trouble for Aunt Guihua if I stayed here? Besides, I'm worried..."
The thought of He Debing filled Liu Sichun with a habitual sense of fear.
"Second Aunt, what are you worried about?" He Dazhu asked.
“What I’m worried about is that if I live here, your second uncle might be even more determined to get rid of you.”
"They will definitely come looking for trouble with you."
"Moreover, one more person means one more mouth to feed. The grain production in Shihua Village is already low, and they have to rely on borrowing grain from the neighboring Matang Village to survive."
"If I live here, then you'll have trouble getting food."
After hearing this, Li Xianggui laughed heartily and said, "His second aunt really thinks a lot."
"You can stay here first. As for the food, which family in Shihua Village doesn't borrow food from other villages? Otherwise, Shihua Village wouldn't be called Pocket Village."
"At worst, we can just borrow more grain next time we go out to borrow grain."
"Besides, my family has half an acre of land next to Lingtangzi. The grain we grow there is more than enough for me to eat by myself, and we'll even have some left over."
When Lingtangzi was mentioned, He Dazhu said, "Second Aunt, don't worry, my family also has a mu and a half of farmland next to Lingtangzi."
"As long as we work hard, these two acres of land should be able to support the three of us without any problem."
However, hearing He Dazhu and Li Xianggui's words did not dispel the worry on Liu Sichun's face.
Liu Sichun spoke up, "Sister-in-law Guihua, Dazhu, what you said is true."
"But in Shihua Village, everyone knows that the land next to Lingtangzi is an important source of food for the village, and there is very little farmland there."
"With just this small pond and a few acres of paddy fields, many families often fight tooth and nail over the water."
"Moreover, that spirit pond is occupied by the village bully Chen Niu. Anyone who wants to use the water in the spirit pond for irrigation must get his permission."
After hearing Liu Sichun's words, Li Xianggui also felt a sense of powerlessness, and her heart ached slightly.
Li Xianggui's half-acre of land was enough to support her, but she never had a source of water for irrigation, which caused her half-acre of land to dry up as soon as the rainy season ended.
She went to Chen Niu, the village bully, to reason with him. Chen Niu either wanted to lay a hand on Li Xianggui or ordered his henchmen to drive her away.
Chen Niu summed it up in one sentence: "In Shihua Village, even the village chief doesn't dare to control me. Everyone who uses the water from the Lingtang Pond has to pay."
"Even if the King of Heaven himself came, he would still have to pay some money."
As a result, the villagers of Shihua Village were forced to go up the rocky mountains to find soil in the severely desertified rocky mountains and plant corn in order to survive.
However, the corn yield was extremely low, and more and more people fled Shihua Village, making it a laughingstock of other villages.
It was jokingly called "Pocket Village." People would carry large bags and beg for food like beggars.
He Dazhu learned about all of Liu Sichun's experiences after he regained consciousness.
He Dazhu patted his chest and said, "Second Aunt, don't worry, I will definitely solve these problems and lead you and Sister Guihua to a good life."
"I'm going to send you out of Shihua Village!"
Liu Sichun stared at He Dazhu in shock after hearing his words...
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