"I've already told you that I'll listen to you, why are you still not saying anything?" Wang Song gritted his teeth, feeling an unprecedented sense of frustration in his heart. He had never thought that one day he would be forced into a desperate situation by two women. This feeling was both humiliating and helpless.
Xu Qinghe slowly took out a notebook with a slightly rustic cover and a feather pen filled with ink from her delicate and small carry-on bag embroidered with a delicate lotus pattern. Her movements were graceful and calm.
She gently spread the items out on the table, then personally handed them to Wang Song in front of her, saying clearly, "Words are not enough. To avoid any changes in the future, you must write down every condition and request put forward by the other party on this paper, word for word, and be sure to place your fingerprint on it. Only then will I consider offering assistance."
Her tone revealed a maturity and rationality beyond her age. Obviously, Xu Qinghe was not the kind of three-year-old child who was easily deceived by words. She naturally had her own judgment and considerations about Wang Song's one-sided words.
"You..." Wang Song was speechless for a moment, his face full of disbelief.
As far as he could remember, no one had ever made such strict demands on him.
This made him feel both curious and a little annoyed. After all, in this remote little village, people tended to prefer verbal promises rather than such cumbersome written proof.
In the end, under Xu Qinghe's firm gaze, Wang Song could only sigh helplessly. Although he felt unwilling, he had no choice.
He suppressed the resentment in his heart and recorded the whole process in detail on the paper, stroke by stroke. In the end, in order to increase the weight of his promise, he even bit his fingertips and pressed his fingerprints on the paper with bright red blood.
Xu Qinghe took the piece of paper carrying Wang Song's "oath", carefully examined it twice, and after confirming that there was nothing missing or ambiguous, he nodded with satisfaction.
At this moment, voices were heard in the distance, and it seemed that a group of people were walking towards this side.
Xu Qinghe quickly put the paper away and untied the ropes that bound Wang Song. His movements were swift and neat.
Almost at the moment Wang Song regained his freedom, a group of people led by the village chief appeared in their sight.
Zhang Xiaocui, a girl who always looks warm-hearted, was the first to rush to Xu Qinghe with an anxious look on her face. Seeing that she was safe and sound, she breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes full of concern and joy.
"Wang Song, what on earth is going on!" There was obvious anger in the village chief's voice.
Wang Song's work attitude is usually slack and he often slacks off. The village chief has long been dissatisfied with him.
Especially this time, he had been clearly told that he would not have any vacation, but he dared to leave his post without permission. This behavior was undoubtedly a direct challenge to the authority of the village chief!
Faced with the village chief's questioning, Wang Song seemed a little at a loss, and his eyes involuntarily turned to Xu Qinghe for help, as if she was his only savior at the moment.
Xu Qinghe, on the other hand, maintained a calm smile and softly explained to the village chief, "Grandpa Village Chief, you see, we've misjudged Comrade Wang Song. At first, I also thought he had ulterior motives towards me, but after some questioning, I realized that he found farm work too arduous and hoped, with my help, to transition to the less stressful work of the workshop."
When the village chief heard this, his frown gradually relaxed and a huge weight was lifted from his heart.
If Wang Song is really involved in provoking trouble, then according to regulations he must be reported to the police station for handling. In this way, all their recent efforts to win the year-end evaluation will be wasted.
Although it was just a misunderstanding, Wang Song's behavior still worried the village chief. He nervously asked Xu Qinghe, "Did you agree to his request?"
Wang Song had some doubts in his mind. If he could really enter the coveted workshop after all the twists and turns, it would be a blessing in disguise.
The work in the workshop is easy and the pay points are generous, so he naturally wouldn't let go of such a good thing easily.
But this expectation was quickly interrupted by Xu Qinghe's firm shake of the head.
"How can things be so casual!"
Xu Qinghe's tone was filled with unquestionable determination. "Everything has to follow certain rules. If I easily agree today, I'm afraid there will be endless people lining up to beg for mercy tomorrow. Furthermore, the number of places in the workshop isn't something I can decide alone. It must be obtained through fair competition among everyone. I can't break this rule."
The village chief listened from the side, secretly praising Xu Qinghe's wit and feeling fortunate that she did not cause him unnecessary trouble.
"Well said, Wang Song. You're lazy on weekdays, but today you even secretly followed a female comrade up the mountain. Fortunately, I asked you about your purpose in time. Otherwise, your behavior could easily be misunderstood as rude. Then, even if you jumped into the Yellow River, it would be difficult to clear your name!"
"Although it was a misunderstanding, it must not happen again. This concerns Comrade Xu Qinghe's reputation. As punishment, you and Bai Xue will be responsible for cleaning the pigsty!"
The village chief's words were like a hammer striking a note, and the last glimmer of hope in Wang Song's heart was shattered.
For the villagers, cleaning the pigpen may be just an ordinary job, but for the educated young people who came here from the city, it is undoubtedly an unbearable nightmare.
The summer heat makes the smell in the pigpen even more pungent. In order to ensure the health of the pigs, it needs to be thoroughly cleaned at least three times a day. After each cleaning, it must undergo strict review by the village chief. If there is any dissatisfaction, the process must start over again. The hardship involved is beyond words.
Hearing such a punishment, Wang Song almost couldn't stand, but since things had come to this point, he could only accept it helplessly and accept this hard task with a pinch of his nose.
"Okay, everyone, let's go. It's getting late and it's not safe on the mountain."
As the village chief spoke, he led the way back. Xu Qinghe followed closely behind with a heavy basket on his back, carefully supporting the elderly village chief. This scene brought a warm ripple to the village chief's heart.
The onlookers saw this and did not comment much.
The good relationship between Xu Qinghe and the village chief was not built overnight. In addition, given the practical benefits she brought to the village, the villagers were naturally happy to see her getting close to anyone.
After returning home, Zhang Xiaocui was still a little worried and quietly asked Xu Qinghe, "Could it be that Wang Song fabricated this excuse about wanting to join the workshop because he was afraid the village chief would punish him severely if he found out? I felt he wasn't very trustworthy when I first met him."
Zhang Xiaocui is grateful to Xu Qinghe because it was she who led the family to a better life. The two grew up together. Now that Yin Yunjie is gone, Zhang Xiaocui is afraid that someone will harm Xu Qinghe.
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