Chapter 32 Xiaoyao and I are truly in love
The sunlight shines through the sparse branches and leaves, casting patches of light on Xu Yao and Xue Han.
The two walked side by side on the path leading to the village chief's house, their steps firm, yet with a barely perceptible heaviness.
The gossip in the village was like lice with legs, which penetrated into their ears and made them feel upset.
"Xue Han, do you think the village chief will help us?" Xu Yao turned her head, a trace of worry flashed in her clear eyes.
She was not afraid of rumors, but she was afraid that these rumors would affect Xue Han and their lives in the village.
After all, people's words are scary, and spit can drown people, and this is no joke.
Xue Han stopped and gently held Xu Yao's hand with his big hand. The rough touch brought a reassuring warmth.
He smiled slightly, his eyes full of determination: "Xiaoyao, don't be afraid. We have done nothing wrong, our feelings are aboveboard. The village chief is a wise man, he will understand us."
His voice was deep and powerful, like a reassurance pill, instantly calming Xu Yao's uneasiness.
She held Xue Han's hand back, clasping their fingers together, feeling the warmth of each other's palms, and a warm feeling surged in her heart.
The two of them started walking again and soon arrived at the village chief's house.
The yard of the village chief's house is not big, but it is kept clean and tidy. Several old locust trees cast thick shade, bringing a hint of coolness.
"Uncle village chief, are you at home?" Xue Han stood at the gate of the yard and shouted loudly.
"Hey, it's Xue Han, come in quickly!" The village chief's loud voice came from the house.
The two men walked into the house and saw the village chief sitting at the table, smoking a pipe in his hand.
Seeing them come in, the village chief put down his pipe and pointed to the stool opposite: "Sit down, what can I do for you?"
Xue Han and Xu Yao looked at each other and sat down on the stools.
Xue Han spoke first, his voice steady and powerful: "Uncle Village Chief, you should have heard about some of the rumors in the village recently, right?"
The village chief nodded, frowning slightly.
Of course he knew those rumors, which were nothing more than saying that Xue Han and Xu Yao were having an affair, that Xue Han was bewitched by Xu Yao, and so on.
In this conservative era, such things are indeed likely to cause controversy.
"Those people are just idle! They have nothing to do all day long and just like to gossip!" The village chief exhaled a smoke ring, with a hint of helplessness in his tone.
Xu Yao lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.
The village chief's attitude made her a little worried. She was afraid that the village chief would be prejudiced against them like those villagers.
At this moment, Xue Han held her hand again.
That warm and firm strength seemed to tell her: Don't be afraid, I'm here.
Xue Han raised his head and looked at the village chief with a firm gaze: "Uncle village chief, Xiaoyao and I are truly in love. We didn't steal or rob, and we didn't do anything that was against the law. We just want to live a good life, why is it so difficult?"
There was a hint of suppressed anger in his voice, like a beast that was cornered, ready to fight back at any time.
Xu Yao also raised her head and looked at the village chief, her eyes full of sincerity: "Uncle village chief, I know you are a fair person. We will not bring a bad influence to the village. We will use practical actions to prove that our feelings can stand the test."
Although her voice was soft, it carried an unquestionable power.
It is a kind of tenacity that is soft yet strong, like a wild flower growing on a cliff, which still blooms tenaciously even after experiencing wind and rain.
The village chief looked at the young couple in front of him and felt a sense of emotion.
He saw the calmness and responsibility in Xue Han's eyes, and also the sincerity and tenacity in Xu Yao's eyes.
These two young people were like two magnets, attracted to each other so tightly that no one could separate them.
The village chief took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
He picked up his pipe and tapped it lightly on the table, making a "tapping" sound.
"Actually..." He paused, brought the cigarette holder to his lips and took a deep puff, but did not continue speaking immediately. Instead, he looked at Xu Yao first, and then turned to look at Xue Han.
Xue Han was about to speak, but was stopped by the village chief with a gesture.
"Don't worry," the village chief smiled mysteriously and pointed outside the door, "Wait for someone." As soon as the village chief finished speaking, there was a burst of hurried footsteps at the gate, accompanied by a rough voice: "Village chief, are you looking for me?"
Both Xu Yao and Xue Han found this voice familiar.
They looked in the direction of the sound and saw a burly man walking in hurriedly. It was the village's famous "loudspeaker" - Villager A.
As soon as Villager A entered the house, he saw Xu Yao and Xue Han, and the expression on his face instantly became a little awkward.
He scratched his head and said with a wry smile: "Oh, Xue Han and Xiao Yao are here too, what a coincidence, what a coincidence..."
His eyes flickered like a guilty mouse, and he didn't dare to look directly into the eyes of Xu Yao and Xue Han.
The village chief glanced at Villager A and said slowly, "Now that everyone is here, let's get started."
He cleared his throat, and his voice suddenly rose an octave, becoming loud and majestic: "Today, I called you guys here to talk about the recent gossip in the village!"
His eyes were as sharp as torches as he swept over Villager A, Xu Yao and Xue Han one by one, carrying an unquestionable pressure.
Villager A felt frightened by his gaze and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
"I heard that some people are talking about Xue Han and Xiao Yao behind their backs, saying that they are unclear and immoral. Others say that Xue Han has been bewitched by Xu Yao and has lost his mind..." As the village chief spoke, he knocked on the table with his pipe, making a "dong dong" sound that seemed to be knocking on everyone's heart.
"Who said these words? Stand up!" The village chief slammed the table with a sound like a loud bell, making the air in the room buzz.
Villager A was so frightened that he trembled and almost fell to the ground.
He secretly glanced at Xu Yao and Xue Han, and saw that they both looked calm and didn't seem to have any intention of betraying him, so he breathed a sigh of relief.
"No one admits it, right?" The village chief snorted coldly, "Okay, then I'll make it clear in front of you!"
He stood up, walked to Xu Yao and Xue Han, and patted Xue Han on the shoulder: "Xue Han is a good guy, responsible and responsible. He and Xiaoyao are truly in love, who is being bothered? Who is being bothered?"
He turned around again, pointed at Villager A and said, "You people have nothing to do all day long but gossip and stir up trouble! The couple is living a good life, does it affect your eating or drinking? Why do you have to say such bad things about them?"
Villager A was scolded so harshly by the village chief that he hung his head even lower, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
"I tell you, from now on, anyone who dares to gossip about Xue Han and Xiao Yao behind their backs will have a hard time with me! I will make sure he pays for it!" The village chief spoke in a loud voice, and every word was like a nail, firmly nailed into the heart of Villager A.
After showing off his power, the village chief put on a kind expression and said to Xu Yao and Xue Han, "You two, don't take those gossips to heart. Live a good life, which is better than anything else."
Xu Yao and Xue Han looked at each other and saw gratitude and relief in each other's eyes.
They said in unison: "Thank you, village chief uncle!"
The village chief waved his hand and said, "Why thank me? We are all from the same village, and it is only natural for us to help each other."
Having solved their biggest worry, Xu Yao and Xue Han felt relieved.
The two walked out of the village chief's house side by side. The sunshine shone on them, making them feel warm, as if even the air had become sweet.
They walked hand in hand along the path in the village, no longer having to worry about the strange looks.
When the villagers saw them, they all gave them kind smiles and no longer pointed fingers at them as before.
Villager A seemed like a different person. When he saw Xu Yao and Xue Han, he took the initiative to say hello, and his attitude was so enthusiastic that it made people a little uncomfortable.
He never dared to talk behind others' backs again, for fear that the village chief would find out and give him a "lecture of love".
Xu Yao and Xue Han walked side by side on the country road, enjoying the rare peace and sweetness.
The sunlight shone on them, stretching their shadows very long, and they snuggled together tightly, as if they would never be separated.
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