Out of respect for Ge Sanlin, Xiaoyue couldn't afford to cause trouble with the Ge family. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, so she decided to go outside to get some fresh air.
As soon as she reached the gate, she saw a man sneaking off to the west. Because it was too dark, Xiaoyue only saw the man jump over the wall and enter a house, but she couldn't tell which house he went into. Xiaoyue was puzzled. She saw him go in, but she didn't know which man he was.
The next day, Xiaoyue brewed medicine for Lu Xiaomei early in the morning and urged her to drink it. Today, Lu Xiaomei was able to walk to the kitchen while holding onto the wall.
Xiaoyue dressed the little boy and then tidied up the kang (heated brick bed) and the floor.
Just as she put down the broom, she heard Grandma Ge calling anxiously from the yard: "Xiaoyue, go to your second brother's house and find your second brother and his wife."
Upon hearing Grandma Ge's call, Xiaoyue quickly patted the little boy and whispered, "Go inside and keep your mother company."
Xiaoyue ran to her second sister-in-law's house and found the couple fighting, with bowls smashed outside the gate. Xiaoyue quietly returned and called to Grandma Ge, "Grandma Ge, I'll heat up yesterday's leftovers. Go ahead."
Xiaoyue didn't know what Grandma Ge said to her second son, but Xiaoyue served Lu Xiaomei and Xiaodouding each a bowl of rice and took a bite herself.
Xu Fanyuan and Gao Lei came over together right after they finished eating.
Xiaoyue hurriedly said to Grandma Ge, "Grandma Ge, I'm going out to decide on the house site." After saying that, she didn't care about Grandma Ge's attitude and walked out the door with Xu Fanyuan and Gao Lei. As for Ge Erping's matter, Grandma Ge didn't say anything, because it was none of her business.
Xu Fanyuan and Gao Lei then led Xiaoyue to the house next to Yang's. Xiaoyue looked at the house and found it to be spacious, but it was located at the edge of the village.
That would be better if it were closer to the ground.
So he turned back and asked Xu Fanyuan, "Are there any other places?"
Xu Fanyuan looked at Xiaoyue with surprise, thinking that this plot of land was excellent, and it was even next to Yang Danian's house. The Yang family were also honest and straightforward, without any trouble. He didn't understand what Xiaoyue was thinking, but Xu Fanyuan still nodded.
Her voice was devoid of emotion as she said, "Also, on the three acres of land you were allocated, it's quite strenuous for a girl like you to just carry water."
Xiaoyue pointed westward with her chin and fingers without any difficulty.
Xu Fanyuan and Gao Lei exchanged a glance, and the three of them walked together for about a mile before reaching the edge of the field. Xiaoyue saw that the field was a gentle slope, but it was all downhill, so at least it wouldn't accumulate water on rainy days.
In addition to the half-acre garden, there are five rows of land behind it, which Xu Fanyuan says is three acres.
Xiaoyue nodded: "This is it. It's close to Xiaoma Hutou Mountain. There's a Yinma River at the foot of Xiaoma Hutou Mountain, and there are plenty of stones along the riverbank, making it convenient to wash clothes. Wash your clothes before chopping firewood, and they'll be dry by the time you've finished chopping the firewood."
Seeing that Xiaoyue was determined, Xu Fan stopped trying to persuade her. He and Gao Lei marked the house site and three acres of land that Xiaoyue had chosen with wooden stakes to prove that they belonged to someone.
After watching them finish their work, Xiaoyue hesitated for a moment and then said shyly, "Could you lend me an axe, a shovel, and a rope?"
Gao Lei readily agreed, "You wait here, I'll go home and get it for you right away."
Xiaoyue didn't stand on ceremony and said okay. After Gao Lei and Xu Fan had gone far away, she immediately started pulling weeds, putting the pulled weeds aside and the wild vegetables aside as well. She picked up the stones in the ground, threw them together, and then arranged the collected stones to form a path.
When Gao Lei brought the tools, Xiao Yue had already cleared half of the garden. Actually, there was very little grass in the garden, just lots of pebbles and a few wild vegetables.
In addition to the shovel, axe, and rope, Gao Lei also brought Xiaoyue a pot. It was a pot that his family no longer used; it had a large dent, but it wasn't completely cracked, so it was still usable.
Gao Lei put the things down and said to Xiaoyue, "Don't rush to return them. Wait until we buy new ones before returning them. These are just for backup at home."
Xiaoyue looked at Gao Lei gratefully. He had a refined and handsome face with slightly raised eyebrows and a pair of fox-like eyes that were unfathomable, with dark lines running down his face. A white magnolia-shaped money pouch was tied to his waist.
Seeing that her hands were covered in mud and her palms were stained with green, Xiaoyue felt ashamed and turned her head away. She picked up a shovel and began to dig the foundation for the garden fence.
According to the width of Xu Fanyuan and Gao Leiliang, leave a door in the middle that can pass through the oxcart, and then dig a depth of 100 cm from the middle door and 50 cm from the rest.
Gao Lei was caught in a dilemma: following Xiao Yue was awkward, but not following her was equally awkward. Finally, after Xiao Yue finished digging up the first row of fences, Gao Lei suggested that she go chop firewood. He would wait there until Xiao Yue carried back a few bundles of firewood before leaving.
Xiaoyue thought about it and agreed. If she went to chop wood, what would happen to her tools? There was no one watching over them. Xiaoyue smiled awkwardly and said, "Okay."
So Xiaoyue picked up the bundle of rope and turned around to see Gao Lei pull out a book from somewhere and sit on a rock to read.
Xiaoyue strode towards Little Tiger Head Mountain. From the foot of the mountain to the halfway point, she picked out trees thicker than her little finger to cut, regardless of height.
Cut down a small bundle of firewood and lay it on the rope spread out on the ground.
When the pile of firewood was almost as tall as Xiaoyue, Xiaoyue tied the rope in two knots, propped herself up with the axe, and carried the firewood horizontally on her back.
Fortunately, it was only a mile to Xiaoma Hutou. Xiaoyue walked down the mountain and arrived in ten minutes. After unloading the firewood, Xiaoyue went back up the mountain to carry more firewood.
Xiaoyue was exhausted after carrying the load five times by nightfall, so she drank some water from the Yinma River.
Seeing that it was already dark, Gao Lei took out two sorghum rice dumplings from his pocket and a tinderbox.
Xiaoyue looked at Gao Lei in surprise. Gao Lei's fox-like eyes narrowed into slits as he shoved the thing into Xiaoyue's hand and then hurriedly ran away.
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