Chapter 65 Chapter 65 There is water to drink.
field,
"What's the gold in the well?"
Liao was holding a shoulder pole with a pair of empty buckets at her feet. She was fetching water to cook, and she said to Wang Mazi who was standing by the well.
There were many women and men waiting by the well to draw water.
Wang Mazi grabbed the hemp rope, swung his arm and swung the bucket into the well, and pulled up a little water. He complained:
"This well dries up every winter. My rope isn't long enough, so I'd like to borrow your rope and bucket."
Finally, two buckets of water were filled and it was time to serve the next household.
"If it doesn't rain soon, the well will die of drought." said the woman who was carrying water away.
“No water!”
Finally it was Liao's turn. She looked down at the bottom of the well and saw only bare dirt and mud on the wall. She couldn't help but howl.
Many families use this well. During dry season, the water seeping from the well cannot keep up with the water used by each family.
"You've wasted your time waiting here. Let's go to the Lingshui River and fetch some water!"
The other woman complained, but had no choice but to carry the bucket to the Lingshui River, five miles away.
Lingshui River is a large river with many sources and tributaries, so it does not dry up easily. The irrigation water for rice planting in Benguli every year is diverted to each family's fields through the dike dug at Lingshui River. Families draw water from wells because they think the Lingshui River is too far away.
Liao was also disgusted and didn't want to go there, but there was no well at home. When she saw the newly built well shed on the ridge, she gritted her teeth and picked up the empty bucket with a clang.
"Is the well water in Benguli exhausted? I thought your home was closer to Xunu's, so I would go to her house to fetch water."
Aunt Xu opened the gate for Liao and smiled when she heard the purpose of her visit.
Liao said, "I won't go to her house because I can't stand seeing her being so arrogant at such a young age. I'm afraid she'll charge me for any water she brings. Or maybe you, Aunt Xu, are such a kind person that I'll fall in love with your family."
Xu felt relieved and said with a smile, "She is a businessman, so she is naturally very particular about every penny. We are from the same village, and my family has been an old family for many years. It's just a little water, so it's nothing."
"Your well is dry too!"
Liao howled into the well, and after another empty trip, she complained and blamed everything and left the Feng family.
The public well in this field ran dry because there were too many people and too little water.
Feng Da came to look at the Feng family's well and said suspiciously:
"It's probably because we didn't dig deep enough back then, so we only had eight well rings. Our house is far from the Lingshui River, and there hasn't been a drop of rain in a row, so the ground doesn't seep water, so it dried up."
"I'm going to Xu Nu's house to fetch water to get through this period." Feng Er heard this and went out with a bucket.
"Stop! Go to Lingshui River to fetch water. Since our well is dry, her daughter Xu's well must be dry as well. Besides, her family only dug a well two days ago. Even if there is water, it is probably still muddy and yellow, and is definitely not drinkable." Aunt Xu ordered.
She heard that the woman did not look for the man named Li Jing whom she introduced, but looked for someone named Wu. Now she said to Bao Yu, who was cooking in the kitchen:
"You're rushing to help them connect, but it's all in vain. They're looking for someone from Wujing."
"It's not a waste of time. The turnips we eat at home, braised pork with turnips, are the turnips in it picked up?"
Bao Yu said, "Ms. Xu also told me about this. That Li Jingren is a scoundrel with poor craftsmanship. Many people came to his house to make trouble and demand their money back. It was just right that Ms. Xu ran into them. How could she go after him again? I blushed when I heard that. My mother had eaten his turnip, so why did she introduce him to such a person?"
Xu thought that Ji Xu was a smooth-talking person, so he told Bao Yu first, so that there would be no misunderstanding between the two of them. She said:
"It's been so long, maybe I got the last name wrong. You should talk to Miss Xu and tell her not to blame me."
Here, the two brothers Feng Da and Feng Er carried buckets together and walked along the path in the fields towards Lingshui River.
But in front of Ji Xu's house, there were many villagers from Benguli lining up at the newly dug water well, led by the daughter-in-law of the Deng family, who was drawing buckets of water from the well and pouring them into her own bucket.
"Thanks to Miss Xu for her foresight, she dug a deep well. There's still plenty of water here, saving us from going to the Lingshui River five miles away."
Deng's daughter-in-law said happily that Ji Xu had already gone to the county to sell tofu.
When she was leaving, she happened to meet the daughter-in-law of the Deng family and her group, who were going to Lingshui River to fetch water to drink, and asked them the reason.
Because there were several wives of the Deng family here, they had come to help build the house in the past, and they would visit each other during the New Year. Some of them made some fruits at home and would bring them to Ji Xu and her sisters to taste. They kept in touch with each other, so Ji Xu asked them to go to her house to pick them during the dry season, which led to this scene.
"I just thought she had dug a new well and didn't want to fetch water for us."
"Xu Nu has always been a kind and loyal person. How could the villagers not be unhappy? From now on, my family can get water nearby."
The Lin family's daughter-in-law was the woman who said her legs hurt that day and teased Ji Feng about coming to her house to fetch water, but was choked back by Ji Feng.
"People are willing to help us during the dry season. When water comes from the well in Benguli, you should have some sense and don't crowd here. You haven't paid for digging the well." said the Deng family's daughter-in-law.
Ji Feng, who was holding a bowl and eating breakfast in front of the house, nodded in agreement after hearing this. This was just the dry season, and it was a matter of camaraderie among the villagers. If it were normal times, she would have chased them away.
The group of people were waiting to fetch water, holding their shoulder poles, and chatting with Ji Feng about family matters. They asked her what dishes she wanted to eat and whether there was meat in the meal, which sounded delicious.
Ji Feng tilted the bowl, and saw the slices of bacon, crystal clear, with some pickled mustard greens and minced meat, which had an appetizing sour smell, and a few slices of stir-fried cabbage. In the warm morning sun, the rice grains seemed to be stained with oil, which was very tempting.
"Oh my! This food is really good! It smells delicious."
"My sister made it, how could it not be delicious?"
Ji Feng smiled and chatted until the meal was over. The people in the area gradually left to fetch water.
The road to Lingshui River was long, and the Feng brothers spent half a day carrying water back home. On the way, someone asked:
"The Feng family has a well, but it's dry too?"
"It must be said that the well digger hired by her daughter was good. He had foresight and dug deep. There is still water now!"
Feng Datong and Aunt Xu told her about the villagers fetching water from Xu Nu's house. Aunt Xu calmed down for a moment and said, "Tomorrow we will drive our ox cart to Lingshui River to fetch water!"
For several days in a row, the public well could not supply enough water for everyone.
Liao had been fetching water from Lingshui River for days, and her shoulders and legs ached from exhaustion. During breakfast, she complained to her husband, Cui Da:
"I told you long ago that you often walk with your eyes behind your head. You can even twist your ankle in your own yard. You can't rely on me!"
Cui Da had gotten up at night and had slipped in the yard. He was now limping and didn't dare say much. He only listened to Liao scolding him and complaining about the sky:
"It's such a horrible day! It's going to rain soon! We have to go to the Lingshui River to fetch water for our crops. It's going to be exhausting!"
Cui Dadao said: "I see that all the neighbors are fetching water from Ms. Xu's house. Why don't we go to her house too? It's only a few steps away."
Although Liao was somewhat tempted, she could not afford to lose face, so she just listened to Cui Dadao:
"Don't be so disgruntled. Just tell Sisi and Guangyao to carry the buckets. They're still kids, so why would they bother? I think Guangyao's still playing with them."
That afternoon, Cui Guangyao went there excitedly, carrying a bucket.
Cui Si held the bucket and sat awkwardly at the back. Liao hid behind the courtyard wall and whispered something in a low voice.
Cui Si said uncomfortably, "I know."
Every morning and evening, villagers would come to Ji Xu's house to fetch water. A slender woman named Xiao, wearing a cotton-padded skirt and a silver hairpin on her smooth flat bun, was seen carrying a bucket of water and heading home with a smile on her face.
After she left, everyone started talking at once towards her back.
"I see that this Mrs. Xiao is dressed very smartly, while her daughter is slovenly."
"The other day I saw that dumb little girl with lice crawling on her forehead, and she kept scratching because of the itch."
Seeing the Cui brothers and sisters coming, a woman asked:
"Guangyao is here, can you lift it? Where are your father-in-law and mother?"
Cui Guangyao said, "They are all at home. I can lift it!"
Cui Si turned her face away and said, "Auntie twisted his foot, and Mom's shoulder hurts so much that she can't carry water. That's why my brother and I came here."
"I've seen your grandfather sprain his foot. Your mother was watering the vegetables today. She must have sent you here because she was afraid you'd feel awful coming here. Come, bring me the bucket."
Deng's daughter-in-law said, while turning the wooden barrel, she would pour water for their children first.
Cui Si looked uncomfortable, turned away, and handed the bucket over.
Just then, Ji Feng came out of the kitchen and picked up firewood under the eaves. She felt even more uncomfortable, her face flushed with embarrassment.
In fact, Ji Feng had heard that the brother and sister had arrived, but because their eldest brother Cui Guangzong helped his sister push the cart to the county, she would not take the opportunity to make fun of them. She picked up the firewood and went to the stove to light the fire.
A group of people were chatting about family matters by the well. Cui Guangyao and the other children were playing in the mud. Cui Si called him, and Fang lifted his hat and ran to fetch water.
The original noisy atmosphere suddenly became quiet for a moment. Then the gate of the Ji family's main house next door opened, and Ji Fu came here carrying an empty bucket, muttering to himself for a while.
You have to know that the older generation of the Ji family is biased. Ji Fu, as the eldest son, has had a better life than his brother Ji Gui since he was a child. He has taken advantage of everything, including the job of driving cars for the rich families in the county and the real estate and land he got from the family division.
Because of this, the second wife's daughter-in-law Tian often quarreled with the elders. The relationship between the two families has long been strained and they have stopped communicating. Everyone in Benguli knows it. How can Ji Fu still have the nerve to come here to fetch water?
"What are you looking at? Is there gold on my face?"
Ji Fu said, pushing through the crowd and going to the well to draw water.
"Why aren't you queuing up? Go to the back." Deng's daughter-in-law shouted.
Ji Fu said, "This is the well my niece dug. As her uncle, I come here to fetch water. Do I have to queue up like you outsiders?"
Others were reluctant to argue anymore, after all, the man's surname was Ji and they were relatives, so they angrily stepped back and let him hit them first.
"How dare you say such things? Where are you from? Other uncles are kind and respectful to each other, looking after their younger uncles and their families. You, the uncle, don't show up when things go wrong, and now you come to my house to show off your power? Do you think you are worthy of being called an uncle?"
Ji Feng, who was boiling water in the kitchen, dropped the fire stick and came out when he heard Ji Fu's words.
"My sister worked hard to dig this well. If you have any shame, go to the Lingshui River to fetch water!"
Ji Fudao said, "You are so uneducated, yelling at your elders. All the children in your family are surnamed Ji. What's yours and mine? If we really talk about it, since there is no male heir in the second branch, this house and this well will belong to the Ji family a hundred years from now! As an uncle, I can do whatever I want!"
"Uncle, what are you talking about? The two families separated a long time ago, and their household registration is not in the same place. Even after a hundred years, this house and well will belong to the descendants of the second branch, and their surname will not be uncle's Ji. If you continue to make trouble, I will have no choice but to report it to the patrol officers and say that my family has been robbed."
Just then Ji Xu came back and heard what Ji Fu said, so he said.
She got off Luo's ox cart, stood beside Ji Feng, and stroked Ji Feng's back which was shaking with anger.
Ji Feng immediately found the main person and chimed in, "Right! Report it to the patrol officer."
Seeing that Ji Xu was trying to distance himself from the first wife and that there was room for division of evidence, the others began to talk at once and blame Ji Fulai, asking him not to fetch water here but to go to the Lingshui River.
Ji Fu saw that she was in a bad position, and he had recently seen her being able to afford to hire an ox cart and drive to a tofu shop. He did not want to offend her, so he said:
"Niece, I have always been innocent. I have never interrupted your mother and aunt when they quarreled. If your grandfather were still alive, we brothers would always be on good terms.
"Women's quarrels have nothing to do with us brothers. We should be relatives. I just came to draw water from your well. Why do you care so much?"
Today he carries water, tomorrow he should ask for more, which is exactly what Ji Fu can do. Ji Xu said:
"You have cleared yourself of all charges. Do you have less food to eat, less room to live in, or less money to spend? My aunt still needs to quarrel, but you don't have to worry about any charges.
You have your grandparents who are partial to you, and after they pass away, your aunt is a bad person, so you still have to get what you deserve.
In the past, when we were eating coarse food and living in a thatched hut, you didn't seem to have any affection for us three sisters. Why are you talking about affection now?
We can’t afford it, it’s not that heavy!”
Ji Fu's face turned pale, and he pointed at her and said, "What a bastard who has no respect for his elders! When a woman is in charge, the stove will fall down and the house will collapse, and you..."
Before he could finish his words, Jin, with a gloomy face, pushed through the crowd with a handful of cabbage in her hand. It seemed that she had just returned from the vegetable garden.
She grabbed her own bucket and poured the water in it back into the well.
Ji Fu was too late to stop him and exclaimed, "What are you doing? I just pumped up some water!"
Jin snatched the shoulder pole from his hand, carried a pair of empty buckets, and went home.
Before Jin went to pick vegetables, she asked him to fetch water from Lingshui River. Ji Fu was lazy and ran straight to the next door. Now he had no choice but to follow behind and went back cursing.
Soon, a quarrel was heard from the next courtyard. Jin scolded Ji Fu for being shameful. Ji Fu said:
"I've been driving all day, so who has the time to go to the Lingshui River to fetch water for you? Why not find a place closer? If you weren't so competitive and showed off, and hadn't offended the Tian family, you wouldn't have gotten me into trouble!"
The Feng family was also in a state of turmoil. Bao Yu was making the bed when she saw her husband Feng Er coming back from fetching water. She complained:
"You're not allowed to go to the nearby Xu Nu's house, but insist on going to the distant Lingshui River. Mother really doesn't care about you!"
Feng Er said, "Keep your voice down. I can tell that mother is also angry."
Bao Yu said, "Why would she be so angry?"
Feng Erdao said, "Our well is dry, but Miss Xu's is still dry. Every morning and evening, someone goes there to fetch water. It's so lively and bustling. So many people praise her for her ability and kindness that it's even overshadowed our unique reputation. How can mother not be angry?"
Bao Yu was puzzled. "Why are you so angry? We can also go and fetch water to drink. It saves a lot of effort."
Feng Erdao said, "You don't understand. Our ancestors were slaves, and outsiders often look down on us. But in Bengu Village, we are the richest family, and we have a good reputation for being well-mannered and respected. If we were to be inferior to others in this regard, my mother would be very angry."
Bao Yu muttered, "I told her not to sell grain then..."
Feng Er quickly made a gesture to keep quiet, and Bao Yu lowered his voice. This matter has become a sensitive issue for Xu Mu, and it cannot be touched at all.
Bao Yu sighed and said, "We can only hope for a quick rain so that the well water will be abundant."
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