The day after her sister-in-law left, Tao Xiaoxi went to fetch water. Although she no longer had to fetch firewood herself, she still had to fetch water herself, and it was indispensable every day.
But her shoulders really couldn't bear the weight. For some reason, the original owner could carry two full buckets of water all the way home without a break. But after Tao Xiaoxi took over, her shoulders became so fragile that she had to put down the load and rest once when she carried an empty bucket, not to mention one that was full of water. She had to rest four or five times.
When he stopped for the third time, he ran into Liang Hengsheng, who was returning from his future father-in-law's house.
"Fetching water?" Liang Hengsheng twitched the corners of his mouth when he saw Tao Xiaoxi. He was not happy at all. His face had an unfathomable expression, as if he was constipated and had a lot of pain to suffer.
Tao Xiaoxi didn't exchange pleasantries with him and asked directly, "I heard you're getting married?"
Liang Hengsheng suddenly became embarrassed and looked at her in surprise, "Who told you that?"
"Don't worry about who told me this. Marriage is a good thing. There's nothing to hide. I just want to ask you if it's true. If you're determined, I won't say anything more."
Liang Hengsheng lowered his eyes, "What do you want to say?"
"It seems you haven't made up your mind yet?"
"Just say it." Liang Hengsheng even urged.
"It's only a matter of time before you return to the city. If you're going to get married just because of a rural teacher's job, I advise you to think twice."
"How do you know that I can definitely return to the city?" A light flashed in Liang Hengsheng's eyes, but it quickly dimmed.
"Why, you don't believe it? Look at the villages in the counties next to us, every one of them is implementing the policy of returning educated youth to the city."
"It depends on the situation. I've asked the village chief, and my situation is a bit complicated." Liang Hengsheng pushed his glasses.
"What's so complicated about it? It's just that your parents' case is still under review. Trust me, it's nothing serious. It just takes some time."
"You don't understand. I can't return to the city in this condition."
"Did the village chief tell you?"
"I also asked the county, and they said it's hard to say. It's a mysterious matter."
"So you've given up and decided to stay in the countryside for the rest of your life? If you truly want to contribute to the country's rural development, I won't stop you. But if you're just trying to solve a current work problem, I strongly disapprove of your approach and I'll look down on you."
Liang Hengsheng looked at Tao Xiaoxi with complicated emotions in his eyes.
"Several teachers want this position, and there are high school graduates coming back to the village soon, most likely to teach. I'm afraid..."
Tao Xiaoxi grew impatient. "I've made everything clear to you. Think about it carefully. I don't want to hear about your bitter past and your hesitations. You are educated and knowledgeable, and you shouldn't be confined to this small world. Forget it, forget it. I won't say any more. Just take care of yourself."
Tao Xiaoxi had rested enough, so she picked up her burden again and stood up. She had just said those words to Liang Hengsheng because she was bored. She didn't particularly care whether Liang Hengsheng would listen to her or not. She just thought that she happened to know the answer, and since they met again, she decided to say something.
Looking at the village chief from her perspective, she could see clearly that he had ulterior motives. He wanted to take such an outstanding talent for himself and let his pockmarked daughter marry an educated youth from the city. What a good plan! Everyone in the village could see that this was a losing deal. It was a pity that Liang Hengsheng himself was confused by the situation.
When Tao Xiaoxi finally carried a load of water to her doorstep, Damao came running to her in a panic and told her that something had happened and Beibei had fallen into the river.
Tao Xiaoxi threw away the carrying pole, and ran all the way with Damao. When they reached Qushui River, there was already a circle of people surrounding them. Tao Xiaoxi pushed through the crowd and rushed in, calling "Beibei Beibei".
"Mom, I'm here." I didn't expect to get a response from Beibei.
Tao Xiaoxi stopped charging and looked up. Who was that bastard who said Beibei fell into the water? She was standing right on the river bank.
"Beibei, come here!" Tao Xiaoxi pulled Beibei over and said angrily.
"Mom, grandma is still in the water." Beibei said, pointing at the figure splashing in the river.
It turned out that Mrs. Sun had fallen into the water.
The eyes of the whole village are now on Tao Xiaoxi.
The splash of water created by Grandma Sun was so white that it blinded Tao Xiaoxi's eyes, and she felt dizzy.
Before she could go blind, an older woman nearby nudged her and said, "Xiao Xi, your mother-in-law has fallen into the river. Go and save her."
"Yes, yes, everyone is going to die."
"Hurry up, she's Beibei's real grandmother, she's gone crazy again, so pitiful, and her son is not with her."
Tao Xiaoxi grew increasingly angry as she listened. Were these people relying on a weak woman like her, who couldn't even swim, to save someone? She and Sun Wangcai were divorced, so what kind of mother-in-law was Sun Po to her? Besides, if they had time to gossip, they would have rescued the person long ago!
But she couldn't just ignore it, because she could swim, and she was very good at it.
So, she must go down!
With a splash, water splashed everywhere!
Tao Xiaoxi's face, with her eyes closed, was splashed with water. Obviously, the water was not splashed by her. She, she hadn't gone down yet!
"Look, Liang Hengsheng goes down to save people!" There was a commotion in the crowd.
Tao Xiaoxi opened her eyes and finally saw clearly that the person who appeared in the water was Liang Hengsheng.
The water wasn't very deep. Mrs. Sun drowned out of fear and her heavy body. After being rescued by Liang Hengsheng, she didn't even need artificial respiration. She just got up from the ground and went home, as if this matter had nothing to do with her.
Tao Xiaoxi was not as shameless as her. She thanked Liang Hengsheng very sincerely, not because he saved her mother-in-law, but because of his bravery.
But the people in Mantou Village don’t think so. They think it is natural for Tao Xiaoxi to thank Liang Hengsheng because he saved her mother-in-law.
In Mantou Village, there is no such thing as divorce. Tao Xiaoxi is the first one, but the people in Mantou Village still cannot accept the fact of divorce.
"Xiao Xi, you should thank him for saving your mother-in-law."
"Yeah, eight boiled eggs wouldn't be too much."
The mothers-in-law and mothers in the village said everything Tao Xiaoxi wanted to say or didn't want to say. Tao Xiaoxi was like a young wife who had done something wrong, surrounded in the middle, unable to leave or stay.
In the end, Liang Hengsheng couldn't stand the cold anymore and wanted to go home to change clothes, so everyone dispersed.
"How about I wash your clothes?" Tao Xiaoxi called out.
"No, go back and see your mother-in-law. She's soaked too."
"I've already told you that Sun Wangcai and I are divorced." Tao Xiaoxi was no longer able to defend herself.
"Let's go back, it's very cold..." No one listened to her explanation.
The water of Qushui River experienced a brief period of jubilation and then returned to calm. The river flowed away with a whimper, and no one knew whether it was singing a hymn or a funeral song.
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