The twilight is four, and the night is as cool as water.

The footsteps of hundreds of people were dense, and all the dogs in Liucun barked wildly. There was a hoarse voice shouting all the way: "Liu Langzhong, Liu Langzhong, hurry up and save people, hurry up and save people." The voice came from far and near, passing all the way in front of Chen's house and going to Liu Langzhong's house next to it.

"It's like the voice of the Liu family and the eldest brother." Chen Qiusheng listened for a while and said very firmly.

"Liu Jiahe?" Chen Qiuniang couldn't help asking. She wasn't very impressed with this man, at least in her inherited memories, the image of this person was very vague.

"It's the distant cousin of the village chief, who works as a nurse at his house. He was tall, his face was as black as charcoal, and he was missing a front tooth. Chen Qiusheng introduced the characteristics of this person in detail and helped Chen Qiuniang find the clues of memory. Helplessly, Chen Qiuniang still couldn't remember, so she had to shake her head.

"Eldest sister, his voice is the most special. Everyone else says it's a male duck. So, he doesn't talk much. Chen Qiuxia also said.

"He also likes to hunt the most, and he is the bravest in our village. He is the most daring to go up to Er'e Mountain. Last time, you were poisoned by a snake bite, and he found out. When Chen Qiusheng said this, his gratitude to Liu Jiahe was overflowing.

However, despite what they said, Chen Qiuniang still had a vague impression of this person. She didn't want to dwell too much on this person, after all, she was more curious about whether the hundreds of people outside who were listening to the sound of dense footsteps had met that group of horses on the road today. And who is this injured man? Or was it originally an injury to cover people's eyes, but in fact, Zhang Ci was found to be seriously injured?

Chen Qiuniang was puzzled, so she threw a piece of good firewood into the stove and asked: "Qiusheng, during the day, there are people from the village, have you heard who it is?" ”

Chen Qiusheng thought for a while and said, "When I went to invite Wan Sanniang and the village head, I seemed to hear the traveling merchant telling people that he was the son of Zhangfu in the town and came to this Er'e Mountain to hunt. ”

Sure enough, it was someone from Zhang's house. The movement is not slow, so it is very likely that the injured person outside is Zhang Ci. This kid's life is quite big.

"It must be that the people of the Zhang family are injured, in the afternoon, I went to ask the village chief, the village chief can't leave, and is arranging for the Liu family and the eldest brother to be guides for the people of the Zhang family to go up to Er'e Mountain together." Chen Qiusheng pondered for a while, and suddenly said again.

Chen Qiuniang said "um", and felt a little comforted in her heart. Although this autumn student is young, he is very smart and can be created. Careful cultivation in the future, even if she doesn't make a big difference, it won't let her support the whole family alone.

"Eldest sister-" Chen Qiuxia, who hadn't spoken for a long time, suddenly shouted, her expression and voice were very hesitant, and her small body shrunk.

"What's wrong?" Chen Qiuniang got up and stirred the vegetable leaf porridge in the pot.

"Dad said he was going to sell you, I'm afraid." Chen Qiuxia's voice became quieter and quieter.

Chen Qiuniang was sad when she heard this, this little girl was afraid that she had been in fear since she heard the news. She didn't squat down, reached out and took her in her arms, patted her on the back, and said, "Don't worry." He can't sell me. The eldest sister has her own way. ”

"Really?" Chen Qiuxia asked.

"Of course it's true." Chen Qiuniang tried to smile and reassure her. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Chen Qiusheng's hesitation, and seemed to want to throw himself into the arms of the eldest sister, but he stood up straight. This baby is the eldest brother of the Chen family, and he always feels that he has to take on the responsibility of the Chen family. So it's still a child, but it's like an adult.

Chen Qiuniang felt even more sad in her heart. What does this five-year-old child know in modern society? is still coquettish in the arms of his parents, and he doesn't have to worry about food and clothing. But this child has already thought about everything, and is always thinking about the weight of family responsibilities.

"Great." Chen Qiuxia heard her affirmative answer, and raised her little face from her arms, with a tearful smile on her face. She grabbed Chen Qiuniang's shirt tightly with both hands, and asked, "Eldest sister, you will always be with us, right?" ”

"Yes. The eldest sister and the younger brother will always protect you. Chen Qiuniang said, stretched out her hand to pull Chen Qiusheng on the side, the hands of the three sisters and brothers clasped tightly together, she asked: "Qiusheng, you will stand by the side of the eldest sister and protect the family with the eldest sister, right?" ”

"Yes." After Chen Qiusheng's short and powerful words, he pursed his lips tightly, as if a firm belief suddenly rose.

Chen Qiuniang did this family mobilization meeting, so she patted the two little guys and said that there was no need to be afraid of anything if the eldest sister was there. However, the two of them must help the eldest sister.

Two little ones, nodding their heads like rattles. His expression was obviously much more relaxed.

Outside the house, the dog was still barking, and Chen Qiuniang looked at Liu Langzhong's house through the leaky wall of the kitchen. The courtyard over there was brightly lit, and it seemed that there were people coming and going, very busy.

If it was Zhang Ci, his injuries should be very serious, looking at this situation, I am afraid it is very dangerous.

She couldn't help but get worried, standing by the stove, looking at the shadows, thinking of Zhang Ci's face.

That face, that's good-looking. The facial features are clean, the eyebrows are heroic, and under the serious injury, the expression is calm, and the smile is warm.

That's a pleasing face, and that's a pleasing person. Just one glance, it makes people feel that he is the most beautiful and just right, like the autumn mountains and fields in the clear sun, like the summer wind sweeping the hairline eyebrows, like the red clay stove in winter warming the wine.

Chen Qiuniang has to admit that he is an unforgettable person, and he can make a difference in his heart at a glance.

"Qiuxia, you go and guard your younger brothers and feed them some warm water. Qiusheng, you wait for the piece of firewood in the stove to finish burning, and then drink porridge. Then feed the two younger brothers. Chen Qiuniang commanded, but she had already decided to find out. After all, Zhu Wenkang's bad behavior is there, and it is difficult to guarantee that after he clears up the feud at home, he will not come back to her trouble.

She had to find a backer for herself. Of course, she admitted very frankly that she was a little worried about Zhang Ci.

"Sister, where are you going?" Although Chen Qiusheng was old, he was really smart and asked very vigilantly.

"I went to Liu Langzhong's house to see the situation, and Liu Langzhong helped us a lot. His family must be very busy at this time. I'll help boil some water. The group of hunters seems to be five big and three thick, where are the people who can work? Chen Qiuniang touched Qiusheng's head and replied in detail, which can be regarded as calming his uneasy heart.

"Hmm. You're welcome. At this time, there must only be Brother Cheng. When I went to invite Wan Sanniang before, I saw Aunt Liu hurriedly go out, saying that Liu Langzhong had broken his leg in Wang Village. Chen Qiusheng said very obediently, and urged Chen Qiuniang to hurry up and help Brother Cheng.

It turned out that Liu Cheng was really at home alone. Chen Qiuniang straightened her dress, carried the lamp and went out, and told Chen Qiusheng, who came out, "Don't forget what I just said." Also, if Dad comes back, you will come and sue me quietly. Don't let him know. ”

Yes, she wants to keep an eye on herself and know herself. If Chen Quanzhong really comes back, she will strike first.

Chen Qiusheng agreed crisply. Chen Qiuniang then carried the lantern to Liu Cheng's house.

Liu Cheng's house is only one acre away from Chen's house, and even if the bamboo forest path is tortuous and the field path is winding, it is only five or six minutes to walk slowly. Chen Qiuniang carried the lantern and took a wooden stick to knock on the grass and fallen leaves on both sides of the path. It's not snake season yet, but it's always a good idea to be careful.

In front of her house is a bamboo forest path, and it is Liu Cheng's vegetable garden to walk through the bamboo forest along the ridge of a field. Behind the vegetable garden is Liu Cheng's house.

Chen Qiuniang took a stick and banged, and soon after she walked into the bamboo forest path, she faintly saw a figure shaking in the depths of the bamboo forest, because the light was too dim. She couldn't see men, women, and children.

She felt a sigh in her heart, Rao was not afraid of heaven and earth, and she couldn't help but feel a chill down her spine.

There are not many people near the dilapidated mud-walled thatched hut of the Chen family. In front of the house is a bamboo forest, which used to be a large field; Behind the house is a sloping land, to the left of the house are a few fields, the dense woods on the other side of the field, and then the majestic Er'e Mountain; On the right side of the house is a vegetable field and a field, and then there is Liu Langzhong's house.

The Chen family is in the most remote corner of Liucun, and it can be said that there is no other family here except the Chen family. Even if you pass by this door or visit Chen's house, you won't go to the depths of the bamboo forest.

To sum up, there is only one conclusion: the one who comes must be bad.

But who is this "bad one" and what is his purpose?

Chen Qiuniang couldn't figure out anything for a moment. What suddenly jumped into his mind was Zhu Wenkang's sinister and evil face. However, according to Chai Yu, Zhu Wenkang is now busy fighting with several uncles and brothers for the family's property, and it is impossible to pay attention to a small role like her.

It must not be Zhu Wenkang's person. Chen Qiuniang ruled out the possibility of Zhu Wenkang. I further thought of the Zhang Ci incident. Although it was Chai Yu who sent the letter to Zhang's house, she walked with Chai Yu on the street and many people saw it. Just look a little and you'll know. If the people in the depths of this bamboo forest are Zhang Ci's enemies, then Chai Yu is also in danger.

When Chen Qiuniang thought of Chai Yu, she felt very guilty, it was her selfish desire that dragged him into a dangerous situation. She is not a virgin, but she is not the kind of person who takes advantage of others and is at ease, not to mention that this involves human life, it is really not a joke of Yun Danfeng and lightly saying "Dead friends are not dead and poor".

However, her guilt is only for a moment, because the situation is critical at the moment, and she doesn't have too much time to be sad and guilty.

Chen Qiuniang's feet did not stop, still beating the thick bamboo leaves with wooden sticks, on the other hand, she raised the lamp to expand the illumination range, wanting to use this faint light to see the general outline of the hidden person, but the person was very shrewd and hidden behind a clump of bamboo.

If this is not Zhu Wenkang's person, nor is it one of those possible lurkers, maybe it could be someone else.

At this moment, although Chen Qiuniang's back was cold and frightened, her thoughts were still flying, remembering the conversation between Chen Quanzhong and Chen Liu's described by Qiusheng and Qiuxia just now, it seems that when Chen Quanzhong threatened Chen Liu's to take money, he said that he would go to the government to tell the truth.

What is Chen Quanzhong going to inform? According to Chen Qiusheng's description, Chen Liushi reacted greatly to Chen Quanzhong's words. The actions of this lady actually intuitively show that although the Chen family has fallen to the point where it is now, it still has an ulterior secret.

It's a family with secrets. Well, there is no impermeable wall in the world. Maybe he didn't wait for Chen Quanzhong to report it, and the people who wanted to spy on the secret were already staring in the dark.

Before and after Chen Qiuniang's analysis, she felt more and more that the dilapidated Chen family was in danger, and every step she took was more difficult than she imagined.

However, whether it is full of dangers or difficulties, it is all an afterthought, and it is this person in the bamboo forest who must be forced to retreat at the moment. No matter what this person's motives were, no matter who he was targeting, since he was hiding in the Chen family's bamboo forest, Chen Qiuniang had to guess that he would be unfavorable to the Chen family. had to do what it should be.

So, she slowed down, still carrying a lamp, holding a stick and beating the thick bamboo leaves and the weeds on the side of the road.

What to do? She looked at this bamboo forest planted by her ancestors, and it was black and pressed, and it belonged to the only property left by Chen Liu's mother's family. Then she looked at the lamp in her hand again.

How can money be compared to the lives of loved ones? Almost instantaneously, she made her decision.