Lu Cheng was quick to act and protected Lin Yuexi behind him. Liu Cuihua missed and fell to the ground.
"Mom, don't make any more mistakes!" Lu Cheng's voice was choked with sobs.
Liu Cuihua lay on the ground, crying loudly, her voice full of despair and regret.
Li Xiuying stopped struggling and let the militia take her away with empty eyes.
After Liu Cuihua and Li Xiuying were taken away, there was an uproar in the brigade square.
Everyone was talking about this matter, expressing sympathy for Lin Yuexi's experience and understanding for Lu Cheng's decision.
Seeing that the matter had been settled, Captain Li returned to the topic of growing Gastrodia elata.
Captain Li clapped his hands and said in a louder voice: "Fellow villagers, today's incident has reminded everyone that as a human being, you must be conscientious and do your duty. Now, we still have to put our minds back on the important matter of growing hemp, which is the key to our village's poverty alleviation."
The villagers nodded one after another. Although they were still immersed in the turmoil just now, they also understood the importance of growing Gastrodia elata to the village.
Lu Jianmin and Wang Lijuan also stepped forward and patiently explained to everyone the precautions and follow-up plans for planting Gastrodia elata.
Lin Yuexi and Lu Cheng also quickly adjusted their state and threw themselves into the discussion, as if the fact that Liu Cuihua and Li Xiuying were sent to labor camps had never happened.
While listening to the explanation, Lin Yuexi was thinking about how to further improve the planting plan. Lu Cheng silently supported her and offered some constructive suggestions from time to time.
Time passed quietly without us noticing, the sun gradually set, and an orange-red sunset glow appeared on the horizon.
But everyone's enthusiasm for discussing the planting of Gastrodia elata has not diminished at all, and they still gather together to express their opinions.
It was not until it was almost dark and twilight enveloped the entire village that everyone ended the discussion with a sense of unfulfilled desire.
Lu Cheng and Lin Yuexi said goodbye to the enthusiastic villagers. Grandpa Xia's ox cart took them to the town, and then they boarded the last bus back to the county.
After getting off the bus, the afterglow of the setting sun stretched the figures of Lu Cheng and Lin Yuexi very long. The two walked side by side on the way back to the county town. Along the way, their hands were tightly held, as if they were drawing strength from each other.
In the streets and alleys of the county town, the smell of fireworks is in the air. Pedestrians are either strolling leisurely or hurrying on their way. The familiar scenes make them feel a long-lost sense of security.
Finally, they arrived at the gate of their own yard, gently pushed the door open, and a familiar smell of food instantly entered their noses.
When Aunt Zhang heard the noise, she quickly came out of the kitchen with a kind smile on her face: "You are finally back. The food is ready and waiting for you to eat it while it is hot!"
As Aunt Zhang spoke, she looked back and forth between the two men's faces, her eyes full of concern.
Lu Cheng and Lin Yuexi smiled at each other, and the fatigue in their hearts dissipated a lot in an instant.
When they walked into the restaurant, they saw the table filled with their favorite dishes, which were delicious and tasty.
The braised pork belly exudes an alluring meaty aroma; the hand-shredded cabbage is green and tender, which makes people's appetite increase at the sight;
There is also a bowl of steaming chicken soup with a fragrant aroma. Just smelling it makes people feel warm and satisfied.
Lin Yuexi walked to Aunt Zhang, gently took her arm, and said gratefully: "Aunt Zhang, thank you for your hard work and making so many delicious dishes."
Aunt Zhang smiled and patted her hands. "It's not hard, it's not hard. You've been busy outside all day, you must be hungry. Come sit down and eat."
When Lu Ziyan and Lu Xiyun heard that their parents had returned, they also ran out of the room, calling their parents, and then sat down at the dining table.
Lu Cheng pulled out a chair and asked Lin Yuexi to sit down first, and then he sat down beside her.
Five people sat around the dining table, and a warm atmosphere filled the entire room.
While eating, Lu Cheng and Lin Yuexi shared their experiences in the village today with Aunt Zhang.
When talking about Liu Cuihua and Li Xiuying, Aunt Zhang couldn't help but frown, feeling distressed for the grievances that Lin Yuexi had suffered.
She gently held Lin Yuexi's hand and comforted her, "Yuexi, the past is the past. If you have any problems in the future, tell Aunt Zhang. Aunt Zhang will support you."
Lin Yuexi's eyes reddened slightly, and she nodded vigorously, her heart filled with emotion.
Just when Lin Yuexi and Lu Cheng were working hard on growing Gastrodia elata in Qinghe Village, returning to Qinghe Village from the county town from time to time.
On this day, two strangers, a man and a woman in their twenties, appeared at the entrance of the village and broke the peace.
The man had a tall and straight figure, wearing simple yet stylish casual clothes. On his well-defined face, a pair of deep eyes revealed gentleness and curiosity as he looked around this strange village.
The woman was wearing a red Chinese style cotton jacket with a slanted collar and a pair of black straight pants. The lines were simple and smooth.
Her hair was curled into the most popular big waves at the time, and draped over her shoulders in a fluffy style. She wore a long woolen scarf around her neck. The bright red scarf contrasted with her cotton-padded jacket, exuding the atmosphere of the city.
Her eyebrows and expression are exactly like Lu Cheng's mother Liu Cuihua when she was young, making people unable to help but take a few more glances.
The two men came to the entrance of the village, and after stopping for a while, they walked towards the village.
The warm winter sun lazily sprinkled on the entrance of the village. Grandpa Li was sitting on a low stool at the door of his house, basking in the sun comfortably, fiddling with an old pipe in his hand slowly.
The two walked straight towards Uncle Li. The woman spoke first, her voice clear and polite: "Uncle, sorry to bother you while you're basking in the sun. I want to ask you about someone. Where does Lu Zhendong live?"
Uncle Li slowly raised his head, his eyes narrowed slightly on his face full of wrinkles. He looked them up and down with a hint of doubt, and then said slowly: "What do you want to see Lu Zhendong about? He is probably worried at home right now."
The woman was slightly startled, then a gentle smile appeared on her face, and she explained, "It's like this, I'm the niece of his Liu Cuihua's mother's side, and I wanted to come and visit my aunt. I haven't seen her for so many years, and I miss her a lot."
As she spoke, she took out a handful of White Rabbit candies from her bag and handed them to Uncle Li: "Uncle, have a piece of candy as a thank you for the trouble."
Uncle Li waved his hand and didn't accept the candy, but he opened up the conversation: "Oh, it turns out to be Liu Cuihua's family. Speaking of Liu Cuihua, she made a big mistake and was taken away by the militia not long ago. She will probably go to prison for reform. Lu Zhendong was also upset. How could he not be worried when such a thing happened at home?"
Hearing this, the woman and the man beside her looked at each other, and a hint of surprise flashed in their eyes. The woman then asked: "Uncle, what is going on? Why did my aunt make a mistake and be taken away?"
Uncle Li sighed, tapped his pipe, and began to tell the story of how Liu Cuihua and Li Xiuying framed Lin Yuexi, from the conspiracy back then to the truth now, in vivid detail.
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