Chapter 23

In the west room, Ye Xiaoxiao didn’t recognize the person who was carried in. But his arm was dripping with blood, as if he had been bitten by something.

After a while, two more people came in.

It was the village chief, pulling Old Liu Tou.

Although he was a barefoot doctor, he had seen many animal bites and was relatively calm. He immediately took out medicine and gauze to stop the bleeding.

“Ah!!!”

Without painkillers, the injured man let out a series of screams.

The Ye family’s men struggled to hold him down.

“The conditions in the village are not good. We can only stop the bleeding for now. Whether he lives or dies is up to fate.”

It was freezing cold, and Zhang Rengui was sweating profusely, “Thank you.”

Miao Cuifang asked Ye Jian Guo, “What did you encounter in the mountains?  Why does this look like a stranger?”

Ye Jian Guo waved his hand, “Don’t ask. Those guys caused trouble this time.”

After running around in the mountains for a few hours, Ye Jian Guo was wet all over, especially his cotton trousers and shoes.

The others weren’t in any better shape.

Zhang Rengui told Old Liu Tou to stay and watch over the injured man. He had other things to deal with.

Old Liu Tou nodded, “Village Chief, go ahead. Don’t delay your business.”

Miao Cuifang went back to the house to get clothes for Ye Jian Guo to change into.

After Ye Xiaoxiao came out of the east room, she stood at the door of the west room and peeked inside.

“What are you looking at? Go back to your room and sleep.”

Ye Changning, who appeared from nowhere, pulled her braid and pushed her out the door.

“I…”

She wanted to ask what was going on, but she was pushed out. She could only go back to her room.

No matter what happened, she would find out tomorrow.

Ye Xiaoxiao went back to sleep.

But Baishi Village was far from peaceful that night.

There were occasional groans of pain from the Ye family’s courtyard.

The next morning, the snow in the courtyard was even thicker. Ye Changqing was sweeping the snow in the courtyard.

Ye Changning climbed onto the roof with a ladder to deal with the snow on the roof.

In this winter weather, if they didn’t clear the snow in time, it would stay in the courtyard for the whole winter.

If there was too much snow, it could collapse the house.

The person in the west room had been moaning all night, but now there was no sound.

“Xiaoxiao!”

Ye Changyuan ran into the courtyard from outside.

“Brother Yuan, why did you come?”

“Do you know what happened last night?” Ye Changyuan said mysteriously.

Ye Xiaoxiao calmly replied, “Someone from the village got lost.”

Ye Changyuan pulled her into the house, “It’s not just that. Zhang Erni and her group got lost in the mountains and encountered a bear. Do you know how they escaped death?”

Ye Xiaoxiao shook her head.

Ye Changyuan, “They met several soldiers who were on a mission in the mountains! They had guns, so they saved them.”

Ye Xiaoxiao looked at the west room. The person lying there was probably a soldier.

Ye Changyuan said excitedly, “But Zhang Erni and her group’s actions constituted obstruction of justice. I heard that because they saved them, the mission failed, and someone was injured. The village chief is now apologizing to them. If it’s serious, those who went into the mountains will be imprisoned, and Zhang Rengui will no longer be the village chief… ouch!”

Miao Cuifang walked over and knocked Ye Changyuan’s head, “Stinky boy, don’t talk nonsense. Where did you hear this gossip?”

Ye Changyuan was unconvinced, “It’s not gossip. I heard it from the brigade. It’s all over the village!”

There weren’t many households in the village. In this era, where there was little entertainment news, they relied on these gossips to pass the time.

Miao Cuifang, “You can’t talk nonsense. Have you eaten? If you haven’t, come and help serve the food.”

Ye Changyuan chuckled and obediently shut up.

The village doctor also had dinner at the Ye family’s house.

“That comrade’s condition is not good. He’s starting to have a fever.”

Ye Jian Guo, “What should we do? We can’t let him die in our village.”

Ye Changning was a bit impatient, “Why did the village chief send him to our house?”

Old Liu Tou could understand, “They don’t have many rooms, and they’re not as clean as your house. Besides, you know Zhang Rengui’s wife. If you send him to their house, she’s definitely going to cause a big scene.”

Ye Changning, “But he can’t just stay at our house for free.”

Their house had many rooms, so they had to accommodate guests from the village. According to him, they should charge a fee.

Ye Jian Guo glared at his son, “Your mouth can’t be stopped even during meals.”

Ye Changqing, “Xiaoxiao bought some antibiotics at the clinic before. Can we use them for this comrade?”

Old Liu Tou, “Let me see!”

After Old Liu Tou examined the medicine, he confirmed that it had an anti-inflammatory effect and could be used for the injured man.

The Ye family breathed a sigh of relief.

After dinner, there was nothing else to do. They couldn’t go outside. Miao Cuifang and Zhang Xue cleaned up the dishes and prepared food for the New Year. Miao Fengshan set up a table on the kang and taught the children calligraphy.

Ignoring yesterday’s incident, the New Year atmosphere was getting stronger.

As they were busy, the village chief came to the Ye family again.

Ye Xiaoxiao was reading a book with Ye Changsheng in the room. She suddenly looked up and saw a familiar figure flash by in the courtyard.

She put down the book…

Ye Changsheng, “What’s wrong?”

There were voices coming from the west room. They were probably explaining something to someone. They couldn’t leave Baishi Village and contact the outside world in this weather.

“Baishi Village is far from the villages around it. If the people you’re looking for are still in the mountains, they’re probably in danger. If they want to go down the mountain, the closest village is Baishi Village. They definitely wouldn’t go far.”

This was Zhang Rengui’s confident guarantee.

He glanced nervously at the man in front of him. This middle-aged official, who was clearly young but had a strong presence, had left a deep impression on him last night.

He was also worried. What if the man got angry and took all the children who went into the mountains?

His daughter was among them.

Ye Xiaoxiao opened the door to the east room and met a pair of eyes looking up at her.

Lu Hanchuan was a little surprised.

What a coincidence!

“That’s it then. Please arrange accommodation for us, Village Chief. We’ll pay for the money and any necessary food coupons.”

Lu Hanchuan nodded coldly, without a trace of a smile.

He only brought five soldiers with him this time, and one was injured.

Thinking of that piercing and untimely scream, his expression became even colder.

Zhang Rengui was even more nervous.

“Okay, I’ll arrange for all the comrades to stay in the villagers’ homes. Commander Lu, you…”

Lu Hanchuan, “Is there any space here? I want to stay with the injured man.”

Zhang Rengui immediately said, “Yes, look at this courtyard. It’s the biggest in our Baishi Village.”

This was because Ye Jian Guo and his sons were more diligent. They kept picking up stones and leveling the ground in the summer, so they built a neat and tidy courtyard. Not only did the sons have separate rooms, but even their daughter had her own room. The courtyard wall was built with stones, making it more organized than other houses.

Many families in the village still had their children, who were seventeen or eighteen years old, living with their parents.

Other families didn’t have such luxuries.