While Xia Mang was still talking to the system, Qiao Yuandong took the initiative to explain to Mrs. Zhou: "Mang Xia is indeed your child, and now she is working as a maid by my side."
When Zhou saw that the noble lady had spoken, she was naturally convinced of Xia Mang's identity.
Looking at Xia Mang's current appearance, Mrs. Zhou felt that she was very majestic. She didn't look like a maid, she was almost better than a lady from a landlord's family!
For a moment, Mrs. Zhou looked at Xia Mang with much eager eyes. She grabbed Xia Mang's hand and asked questions, saying how much she missed her after not seeing her for so many years.
Faced with Zhou's hospitality, Xia Mang didn't feel too cold, but thinking that it was Qiao Yuandong's kindness, he still exchanged pleasantries with her.
The original person’s father’s surname was Feng, and he was a poor farmer in a small mountain village in southwest China. When the original person was seven years old, there was a famine in the village and life could not survive, so the family had to sell the original person to Yazi in exchange for food rations.
As a result, the small mountain village was hit by a snowstorm last year. The heavy snow collapsed the house, and only Zhou and Feng Tiezhu survived.
Seeing that mother and son were about to live on the streets, fortunately, Qiao Yuandong sent someone to find them and arranged for them to be brought to Fengkang County.
This was what Zhou told Xia Mang. Xia Mang also sympathized with the tragic experience of mother and son. After knowing that Qiao Yuandong had arranged the two of them well, he said nothing more.
Ms. Zhou could also feel Xia Mang's tepid attitude. Thinking of selling her daughter back then, she felt more and more guilty.
Xia Mang chatted with mother and son for a while, and then sent them out of Zhuangzi. Mrs. Zhou turned around and left with a look of reluctance.
After watching the two people leave, Xia Mang turned back.
At that time, Qiao Yuandong was looking through the account books in the room. He saw Xia Mang coming in and asked, "We finally met, why don't we talk more about it?"
How could Xia Mang tell the truth? He just said vaguely: "I felt like I had nothing to say, so I sent them back."
Qiao Yuandong lowered his head and thought for a moment, then said clearly: "Are you blaming them?"
Xia Mang scratched his head and hesitated: "I have been away from them since I was a child. I don't know anything about their temperament. I have never seen them looking for me for so many years. I don't think they care about me that much. Now I suddenly see them. Is it because of me as a person that I am so diligent, or because of my current situation?”
After finishing speaking, Xia Mang didn't see Qiao Yuandong's reply for a while. He couldn't help but look up at her, only to see her looking over with her head propped up and a smile on her face, with admiration in her eyes.
"You are living a clear life, but I originally hoped that you would be happy to see them, but it seems that I did something bad with good intentions."
Xia Mang couldn't help but feel soft when he heard what she said, and hurriedly leaned over to pinch her shoulders and hit her back.
"Madam, what you said really upset me. You have found relatives for me to recognize and treat me as well as you can. I am very happy!"
Qiao Yuandong was obviously greatly pleased by these words. She turned around and looked up into Xia Mang's eyes and asked, "Are you really happy?"
Xia Mang nodded hard, maxing out his mood: "I'm really happy!"
Qiao Yuandong turned away with satisfaction so that she could not see the raised corners of his lips.
She thought for a while and then said: "Your mother and the others live in Guanhe Village. If you want to see her, go and see her more. If you don't want to see her, you may not have any contact with her in the future."
Xia Mang couldn't tell that Qiao Yuandong was thinking about himself, so he couldn't help but feel sincerely moved.
How about being nice to her before going back?
In the first few days at Zhuangzi, Qiao Yuandong either asked the steward about the situation in various places, or looked through the account books. Sometimes he even went for a walk in the fields when he got interested.
Xia Mang could see that Qiao Yuandong was relaxed and at ease in Zhuangzi, and she was clearly enjoying this freedom.
Xia Mang, who decided to be nice to Qiao Yuandong, planned to do what he wanted and give his boss some original fun.
She found a long fishing net from Zhuangzi's side room, picked up a wooden bucket, and ran to Qiao Yuandong: "Madam, let's go fishing!"
In early spring, when the snow melts and the weather gets warmer, the fish become quite active. Fish can be seen swimming in many shallow streams. Xia Mang saw with his own eyes many villagers fishing for fish in the river.
It looks pretty fun!
Qiao Yuandong heard Xia Mang's voice, put down the account book and looked at her, and saw her standing there fully equipped, looking at him with bright eyes, and "please agree" written on her face.
He Lan was grinding ink for Qiao Yuandong next to her. She was startled by Xia Mang's voice. She couldn't help but said: "How old is this person to be? What is the identity of the lady? You actually asked her to go fishing?"
He Lan originally expected his wife to take good care of this unruly girl, but Qiao Yuandong stroked his sleeves and said, "It's time for an outing in spring, so let's go."
Helan: "???"
Qiao Yuandong changed into light clothes, put on a gauze curtain hat and followed Xia Mang to the river. He Lan was worried about the two of them, so she naturally followed him.
She wouldn't admit that she wanted to go too!
The three of them walked upstream and found a shallow stall before stopping. At that time, there were three or two villagers fishing in the river.
Children stood on the shore and fished with fishing nets, while adults boldly stood in the river and fished.
Some skilled young men saw the right opportunity and thrust their hands into the water, and there was a big fat fish jumping around.
Xia Manngle Diandian took Qiao Yuandong to the shore. Qiao Yuandong saw the fish swimming in the water at a glance. She couldn't help but exclaimed: "So many?"
Xia Mang nodded: "Of course, madam, watch me catch one for you!"
She followed the example of the children and stretched the fishing net into the water to reach the fish, but the fish seemed to have eyes on their tails, and she could not catch them no matter how she attacked them.
A four or five-year-old kid walked by to watch the fun. Seeing that Xia Mang had not harvested anything for a long time, he blinked his big eyes and asked: "Sister, why don't you catch the fish? Do you not like to eat fish?"
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Xia Mang: "."
He Lan heard a chuckle from the side. Xia Mang turned his head expressionlessly and saw Qiao Yuandong looking like he was trying hard not to laugh.
"I'll give it a try." Qiao Yuandong adjusted his expression and reached out to ask Xia Mang for the fishing net.
Xia Mang's enthusiasm was dampened by the previous setback, and he handed the fishing net to Qiao Yuandong without any hesitation.
He Lan tied Qiao Yuandong's sleeves with a tie, and Qiao Yuandong stretched the fishing net into the water to catch fish.
Xia Mang was not optimistic about whether Qiao Yuandong could catch the fish. After all, even she couldn't succeed. It's strange that a wealthy lady like Qiao Yuandong who came from a deep house could do it!
Sure enough, Xia Mang saw that Qiao Yuandong had tried several times without success. She warned herself in her heart that she should not laugh at Madam for a while and save some face for Madam.
Qiao Yuandong worked hard for a long time holding the pole, sweatdropped on his forehead, but he didn't catch a single fish. But she had no intention of giving up. Looking at the fish swimming happily in the water, her eyes were focused.
After frowning and thinking for a while, Qiao Yuandong moved again.
Then Xia Mang saw with his own eyes that a fish about fifty centimeters long seemed to have got into Qiao Yuandong's net, and was suddenly caught in the net.
"Mang Xia, help me grab the pole!" Qiao Yuandong couldn't help shouting, his voice full of joy, not as calm and dignified as before, and even a bit crisp.
Xia Mang was stunned for a moment and hurriedly reached over to grab the pole. Seeing this, He Lan immediately helped pull it up.
The fish was trapped in the net pocket and was flopping around hard, causing the long pole to tremble. The three of them worked together to drag the net to the shore, and the fish was still flopping around.
Qiao Yuandong clapped his hands and said: "Quickly, grab it in the bucket!"
Xia Mang and He Lan, one pressing the head and the other grabbing the tail, caught the big and lively fish into the barrel.
There is water in the barrel to prevent the fish from dying of thirst, but the fish cannot turn over in the barrel and can only curl up in a circle and spit bubbles in frustration.
Qiao Yuandong took off her curtain hat and squatted by the bucket, looking strange. Her eyes were brighter than ever before. The broken hair on her forehead was soaked with sweat and hanging on the side of her face. She didn't bother to touch it at all.
She looked at the fish's shiny scales and exclaimed: "Usually the fish we eat at home are bigger than this, and the fishermen can catch them all and bring them to us. It's really amazing!"
Unexpectedly, Qiao Yuandong, a lady from a high family, could actually think about those fishermen. Xia Mang couldn't help but look at her one more time.
But at this time, Qiao Yuandong was rolling up his sleeves, his face was stained with a faint trace of muddy water, and even his hair was a little loose due to the excitement just now.
She has completely lost her usual dignity and poise, she is clearly a young girl with still childish temperament!
Xia Mang had never seen Qiao Yuandong with such a cheerful atmosphere.
I got to see her once today, and she was so charming.
He Lan also squatted beside the bucket to look at the fish curiously, and asked casually: "What kind of fish is this?"
Qiao Yuandong didn't know, so he looked up at Xia Mang.
Xia Mang usually only eats food but doesn't really recognize it. She scratched her head and asked uncertainly: "Is it grass carp?"
The four or five-year-old kid came over to answer the question. He pointed at a golden thread on the fish and said contemptuously: "This is obviously a carp. I know it but you don't!"
The little baby shook his head as he spoke, and the look on his face clearly said: He has grown so old in vain!
Three people: "."
In the evening at Zhuangzi, the fragrant smell of braised fish could be heard. Qiao Yuandong rarely ate meat with such rich oil and red sauce, but today was an exception.
Perhaps because she caught the fish with her own hands, it was particularly appetizing to her, so she actually had a bowl of rice with the braised fish.
Ever since he caught a fish, Qiao Yuandong seemed to be addicted to it, going to the river to catch fish for several days in a row.
Xia Mang was tired of eating fish.
But Qiao Yuandong was in a good mood, and she couldn't bear to dampen his interest.
The main reason is that the childish Qiao Yuandong is really not too cute, and Xia Mang hasn't seen enough.
Having no choice but to eat fish, Xia Mang came up with a new trick for Qiao Yuandong and took her to catch sparrows.
Spring sowing is coming soon, and the seeds in the ground will be dug out and eaten by birds, so many children will run to the fields to catch the birds.
Use a wooden stick to support a small basket, scatter some wheat seeds underneath, and wait quietly for a while, waiting for the birds to come to eat. When you pull the rope, the birds will be covered by the basket.
Xia Mang told Qiao Yuandong this novel way of playing, and she was visibly moved.
Finally no longer needing to fish, Xia Mang happily went to get a bamboo basket and a small bag of wheat, and walked to the fields with Qiao Yuandong.
He Lan was about the same age as Qiao Yuandong, and they were equally curious about such things, so they naturally went together.
The three of them were walking along the field ridge, but suddenly they heard a woman crying.
He Lan shrank behind Qiao Yuandong with some fear, "Husband, madam, there are no ghosts in broad daylight, right?"
Qiao Yuandong patted her back comfortingly, and Xia Mang sharply spotted two legs in the bushes beside the field.
The woman's figure was hidden by the bushes and could not be seen clearly. All she could see was her two legs kicking on the ground.
Xia Mang took two steps closer and found that the pants on the woman's legs had fallen down, revealing a section of her white thighs!
The scene in front of him, combined with the voice that sounded like weeping but not weeping just now, suddenly made Xia Mang think of an inappropriate scene.
Could this be.
"Ouch!" Xia Mang exclaimed with his face flushed.
Qiao Yuandong supported her as she kept retreating, and asked with concern: "What's wrong?"
Xia Mang blushed and couldn't say anything. He just stopped Qiao Yuandong for fear that she would see something she shouldn't see, "You, don't go."
Really, you are too brave, why do you do this kind of thing in the wild!
As he was talking, the woman lying in the bushes heard the movements of the three people and quickly called out: "Little ladies, please help me!"
Xia Mang couldn't help being stunned when he heard this, and belatedly realized that he had misunderstood something about Yue Mo.
Qiao Yuandong heard the call for help and had already walked over. Only then did he see a potbellied woman lying on the ground. It looked like she was about to give birth!
"Why are you running around when you are about to give birth to a baby? Where is your husband?" Qiao Yuandong couldn't help but reach out to help the woman.
But the woman was in so much pain that she had no strength, and Qiao Yuandong couldn't help her.
After hearing Qiao Yuandong's question, the woman explained: "My man went to work in the village next door, and no one was plowing the fields. I thought of hoeing, but my water broke."
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My wife is about to give birth, but she is left alone at home. It’s really...
(End of chapter)
The author said: More updates will be added tomorrow