Chapter 71
As soon as Lin Xinghua left, Chen Sanhe looked around the kitchen and asked, "Where's Shouyi?"
"Not up yet."
Shu Shouyi has a habit of taking a midday rest, but recently Shu Wanxiu has to guard the water during the day and doesn't have time to accompany him for a midday rest, so she can only let him sleep in for a while in the morning.
Knowing he wasn't there, Chen Sanhe breathed a sigh of relief.
"What are your thoughts on this marriage?"
Shu Wanxiu's eyes dimmed, and she lowered her head to avoid meeting Chen Sanhe's gaze.
She murmured softly, "Brother Xun is a very good person."
Chen Sanhe pondered Shu Wanxiu's assessment in his heart.
Indeed, Xun Yi was kind to everyone, and he took great care of Shu Wanxiu and Shu Shouyi.
She was too careless; after all this time, she hadn't noticed a single sign.
Judging from Shu Wanxiu's various reactions now, she doesn't seem to be heartless towards Xun Yi.
The two developed feelings for each other.
Like untangling loose threads, Chen Sanhe would straighten out one issue before moving on to the next.
"Are you willing to change your initial idea?"
Shu Wanxiu suddenly raised her head, her tone resolute: "I will not change."
The two spoke in cryptic language, yet both knew what the other was referring to.
“Alright, then Auntie will find an opportunity to go and find out what’s going on with Xun Yi.”
Chen Sanhe felt that this matter should be put on hold for now.
She has now completely sided with Shu Wanxiu, and not only does she have to consider Shu Wanxiu's interests in every aspect, but she also has to pay extra attention to her behavior.
After all, as her "family," whatever she says or does represents Shu Wanxiu's reputation.
Lin Xinghua had just come to propose marriage, and she immediately went to Xun Yi to lay everything out and make things clear.
One must always maintain a certain level of reserve.
"Thank you for taking care of things for me, Aunt. Wanxiu will leave everything to you."
This constitutes a consensus.
Chen Sanhe went down the mountain, and Shu Wanxiu, after having breakfast, entrusted Shu Shouyi to Chen Sanhe and went to the fields to guard the water with her hoe.
During the day, only two people are usually assigned to guard the water, which is less than the number of people needed at night.
The person who was guarding the place with Shu Wanxiu today was Carpenter Pang.
He was fifteen or sixteen years older than Pang Zhishan, but both were still in good health and could do carpentry and some farm work.
Hearing that few people had asked him to make wood products lately, he took on the daytime shift of guarding the water, so as to lighten the burden on his children and grandchildren.
Shu Wanxiu was the water guardian who stayed there during the day, but the people she was paired with kept changing.
When she learned that she was to guard the water with Carpenter Pang that day, she offered to share the work, considering his advanced age.
She went to patrol the fields, guarding the gaps between them, while the old carpenter Pang only needed to stay by the stream, guarding the main gap through which water flowed from the stream into the fields.
Guarding the main breach, one can find respite in the shade of the trees by the creek, which is quite easy.
Shu Wanxiu spent the whole morning wandering between fields, her clothes soaked with sweat and then dried by the sun and wind, going through several cycles.
I stayed up until noon, went home, drank some water, ate a quick meal, and then rushed off to guard the afternoon.
As darkness approached and the shift of watchmen was about to arrive, the carpenter Pang by the stream suddenly waved his hands, stomped his feet, and shouted loudly.
"Help! Help!"
Shu Wanxiu, who was standing on the edge of the field, was the first to hear it.
Xun Yi, who lived by the stream, followed closely behind.
The two of them arrived at the stream at an extremely fast pace.
Upon finally finding someone to complain to, the carpenter pointed tremblingly at the stream, "There's no water!"
Upon hearing this, Shu Wanxiu immediately looked down.
The water level has been dropping recently, but after diverting some water to irrigate their village's fields, there is still some water flowing to other villages.
But now... there isn't even a thin layer of water left inside, it's as if it's dried up.
Shu Wanxiu braced herself on the ground and jumped into the stream, looking upstream.
The winding stream stretched out before her, but no water flowed down its banks.
More and more villagers gathered around, chattering and watching from the stream.
Pang Zhishan also arrived.
He stood with the experienced old farmers in the village and discussed what to do.
"It hasn't rained for a while, but this stream shouldn't have dried up so quickly."
“That’s right. I saw a stream of water when I came here at noon, but it suddenly stopped. It was probably cut off upstream.”
The phenomenon of people fighting for water during droughts has occurred before, but in recent years, Fangyuan County has enjoyed favorable weather conditions, so this has not happened for some years.
The old farmers had their own speculations, and the others echoed them.
"Let's go! Let's go upstream and take a look!"
"Grab hoes! Grab sticks! Let's see which damned bastard is blocking the water!"
Once a person has a backbone, they gain strength.
Shu Wanxiu also picked up a hoe and went upstream with the current.
Xun Yi didn't farm, but with such a huge commotion, how could he, as a member of Wupai Village, stand idly by?
So he went home, grabbed a thick wooden stick, and rejoined the group.
All the able-bodied men and women from Wupai Village had gathered, and most of the women and elderly people had also arrived.
Shu Wanxiu spotted Chen Sanhe in the group.
"Don't worry, Chen Lian will stay at home and take care of the children."
With her worries gone, Shu Wanxiu, who had been feeling a bit suffocated by the heat, found it much easier to breathe.
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