"I'll go check it out. If it's a bad guy, kick him out!"
After Wuchen finished speaking, she ran towards the old elm tree. Although she usually caused a lot of trouble in the village, she only stole corn, bullied children, and spied on widows taking baths.
In fact, she had a good relationship with the villagers, and Wuchen treated the village as her own home, and would never allow any bad people to harm the village.
Qingqing was also curious, so she followed.
The old elm tree at the entrance of the village is large and lush, and is said to be several hundred years old. It holds a very high position in the village.
During the famine years, when there was no harvest, the old elm tree flourished exceptionally well, producing several times more elm seeds than in previous years. Many villagers were saved by the fruit of the old elm tree.
Strangely enough, after the famine was over, the old elm tree did not bear fruit for several years and was not as vigorous as in previous years, looking rather withered.
The oldest villager said that during those years of famine, the old elm tree exhausted its life force to produce several times more grain, saving the villagers. However, the old elm tree was weakened and had to be carefully cared for.
The villagers remember the kindness of the old elm tree and specially invited forestry experts from the city to fertilize and treat it, taking good care of it. Over the years, the old elm tree has slowly recovered and started bearing fruit again.
The elderly in the village love to sit under the old elm tree, and the children love to play there. The open space under the old elm tree has become a leisure gathering place for the villagers.
Several elderly people were chatting under a tree when a strange man started asking them questions.
The strange men looked refined and polite, all wearing glasses, and were in their thirties or forties. Their attire made them appear cultured, not at all like the shifty-eyed men Wuchen had described.
"Grandpa, I heard there's a young man in your village who's incredibly strong; he can kill a bull with one punch. Is that true?"
The stranger was very good at handling things; he offered the old man a cigarette, and it was a Hongtashan brand, which was considered a high-end cigarette by the villagers.
The old man was very pleased and found the strange man more agreeable, so he naturally answered all his questions.
"You're talking about Niu Tiedan, right? The kid is really strong. I don't know if he could kill a cow, but when he was around ten years old, he could beat up all the strong men in the village..."
The stranger's eyes darted around, and he asked again, "Is such strength hereditary? His family members must be very strong too!"
"No, it's just that Tiedan is strong, and his sister is strong too. She's only ten years old, but she can carry a huge bundle of firewood by herself. She's more capable than any man..."
"These two siblings must be very healthy. Raising kids like them is so easy; they'll never get sick!"
"That's true. I don't know how healthy she is, but she's also a handful. She eats too much. She eats the food of three people. How can anyone afford to feed her..."
Ye Qingqing could hear from afar that a strange man was asking about Tie Dan, and she became alert.
He quickened his pace and hurried over, just as the stranger asked, "How does this guy named Niu Tiedan have such strength? Did he take some kind of magic pill?"
"Where would you get some magic pills? You eat the same bread and grains as us. Maybe it's just something you were born with!"
The old man thought the strange man was ridiculous; there's no such thing as a magic cure in this world!
Although Ye Qingqing didn't know what the strange man's intentions were, she was certain he had no good intentions!
"Who are you? Why are you asking so many questions? You're not some thief here to scout the place, are you?"
Ye Qingqing gave a cold shout and first pinpointed the man's crime!
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