Chapter 145: The Village’s Elder Ancestor

Chapter 145: Chapter 145: The Village’s Elder Ancestor

The children went to class, and Fu Xiaoxiao took Lu Chen for a walk around the village.

The village life was pretty much the same every day, with no significant changes. Every day began with going to work, laboring, tending to the fields, eating, returning to work, and then sleeping.

Fu Xiaoxiao’s arrival was the biggest entertainment for the village. She had rid the village of a family of pests, bringing harmony. Seeing Fu Xiaoxiao, the villagers would nod and smile, even if they didn’t speak.

"Mom, why do they all nod at you?" Lu Chen curiously asked as he watched the villagers nodding at Fu Xiaoxiao, not understanding why.

Fu Xiaoxiao explained with a smile, "It’s a way to greet someone; nodding is like saying hello."

"Is that so?" Lu Chen imitated their nodding, and Fu Xiaoxiao patted his head. "Yes."

"Hee hee." Lu Chen chuckled. On the road, when someone nodded at Fu Xiaoxiao, he would nod too.

"This little one is really cute, and he looks smart," some villagers said, amused by Lu Chen’s adorableness.

"Thank you," Fu Xiaoxiao laughed, hearing them praise Lu Chen.

Fu Xiaoxiao led Lu Chen under a big tree and saw the familiar group of four, quickly guiding Lu Chen over.

"Aunt Wang, Aunt Zhang, Aunt Zhang #2, Aunt Zhang #3," Fu Xiaoxiao greeted happily. "Xiao Chen, call her Grandma Wang, and these three are Grandma Zhang..."

Once Fu Xiaoxiao said so, Lu Chen understood and sweetly called out, "Grandma Wang, Grandma Zhang, Grandma Zhang #1, Grandma Zhang #2."

"Hahaha! Aww~~~," the four laughed heartily at Lu Chen’s words, quickly responding.

"Such a well-behaved child."

"Looks so clever."

"Definitely has a bright future."

The four of them eagerly crowded around Lu Chen, adoring him.

They weren’t without grandchildren themselves, but their grandchildren didn’t possess Lu Chen’s sweet, sugar-coated words, calling them grandma so endearingly.

Fu Xiaoxiao watched as Lu Chen was showered with kisses, unafraid and happily returning the kisses.

This only brought the four more joy, making them unable to stop smiling.

"Oh my, why didn’t you bring this little darling earlier? He’s really charming." Aunt Wang held onto Lu Chen, reluctant to let go.

"Why haven’t you been to the village lately? Something happened?" Aunt Zhang looked at Fu Xiaoxiao, curiously asking.

"There was a little issue, but it’s all resolved now." Fu Xiaoxiao replied with a smile.

"Come, come, sit down and have a sip of ginger tea. It’s almost New Year, and it’s indeed a bit chilly!" Aunt Zhang #2 pulled out a thermos filled with ginger tea, pouring two bowls for them.

"What’s this?" Lu Chen looked at the bowl of black-red liquid in his hand, hesitant to drink.

"It’s sweet," Fu Xiaoxiao answered with a smile. "There’s brown sugar added too."

"Ah! So spicy." Lu Chen took a sip, found it sweet, and drank the ginger tea in one go, only realizing the spiciness afterward.

"It’s okay, the spiciness will pass soon." Aunt Wang laughed, advising him to exhale a bit to dispel the spicy sensation.

"Tasty, Grandma Zhang, may I have another sip?" Although he was spiced up, Lu Chen’s foodie nature took over, unable to resist the sweet treat.

"Greedy little boy." Aunt Zhang #2 tapped his head but cheerfully poured him another bowl.

This time, Lu Chen sat, sipping slowly and savoring each mouthful.

Fu Xiaoxiao was amused by his antics, ruffling his hair.

"How’s the village been lately?" Fu Xiaoxiao asked with a smile. Aunt Wang and the others waved dismissively at her question.

"Oh, let me tell you, the village is the same every day, extremely boring," Aunt Wang replied. "But the educated youth camp has been quite lively."

"Did something happen?" Fu Xiaoxiao asked.

"A female educated youth was caught sneaking into the woods with a man," Aunt Zhang whispered to Fu Xiaoxiao.

Fu Xiaoxiao was taken aback, not surprised by this, as she had seen it firsthand.

"You saw it?" Aunt Wang tugged on Fu Xiaoxiao’s clothes, curious about her lack of surprise.

"...Ahem." Fu Xiaoxiao glanced around, then lightly nodded.

"Hiss... it’s true?" Aunt Zhang #3 gasped. She had thought it was just someone envious of the girl’s good fortune—turns out it was true.

"I saw it with my own eyes," Fu Xiaoxiao nodded.

"Did you see who it was? Right now, everyone in our village is investigating! But they only saw Xu Linlin, not the man," Aunt Zhang #2 whispered.

The hot topic is guessing who the male protagonist in the scandal is. In the village, every man, married or not, can be accounted for.

But no one admits to it, and no one has been caught.

This only makes it more intriguing.

Fu Xiaoxiao gestured for them to come closer, and the four leaned in immediately.

Fu Xiaoxiao whispered the word "Zhao" in their ears.

"Goodness gracious," Aunt Wang’s eyes sparkled.

"No wonder I found it odd that the Zhao guy has been acting suspiciously, always pointing fingers at Xu Zhiqing and cursing. Turns out they were in cahoots?" Aunt Zhang #2 widened her eyes. She wasn’t the only one who thought something was amiss.

"I told you! There had to be something between those two. You scolded me for ruining her reputation," Aunt Zhang #3 pouted. She just felt that the Zhao guy and Xu Zhiqing had something going on. Many times, she’d caught them exchanging glances and gesturing to each other when passing by.

When she told Aunt Zhang #2, the latter claimed she must have been mistaken.

"Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have wronged you." Aunt Zhang #2 quickly consoled Aunt Zhang #3, who huffed proudly.

"That Zhao fellow is getting more and more outrageous! Xu Zhiqing is still so young..." Aunt Zhang felt Xu Linlin was foolish for doing such a thing.

In the old days, she would have been drowned for such actions.

"From what I know, it was for a quota to return to the city..." Fu Xiaoxiao looked at Aunt Zhang and sighed.

"..." Upon hearing Fu Xiaoxiao’s words, the four fell silent.

They knew how much the educated youths longed to return to the city. Once sent to the countryside, who knew how long it would take to return. Some couldn’t endure and married into the village, while others were exploited under such conditions, like Xu Linlin, selling the most important part of herself for it.

"So foolish! How could she trust a man’s words?" Aunt Wang shook her head, the four exchanging glances, aware of Xu Linlin’s fate.

"In our village, the quota isn’t something Zhao can decide. It has to be approved by a village-wide vote," Aunt Wang slowly stated.

"Who was it? So wise to set such a rule?" Fu Xiaoxiao’s eyes lit up. The rule was truly excellent, awakening those considering the wrong paths.

"Isn’t it the person right in front of you?" The three aunties laughed, pointing to Aunt Wang in front of Fu Xiaoxiao.

"Aunt Wang decided this?" Fu Xiaoxiao was genuinely surprised, not expecting Aunt Wang to wield such influence in the village.