There was silence all night, and Wu's mother had already thought through it in her heart, stabilized her mind, and only put away the silver closely. The next morning, before dawn, I went out early.

Wu's mother did not use the Zhu family's sedan chair, but went to the city gate with silver taels and baggage to hire a half-old carriage and hurried to the western suburbs.

Previously, Wu's mother placed the deaf Chun'e in a rural family in the suburbs to raise her body. This time, she could just go over and take a look.

The farmer's surname is Zhang, and the family is honest, and the crop work is good, but the family is poor.

Wu's mother not only took a fancy to their family's honesty, but also took a fancy to their family's ancestral fields.

Last night it had just rained in autumn, and the narrow dirt road in the village had turned into a mud road full of puddles, and the carriage was reluctant to go any further, fearing that the wheels would sink in and not get out.

Wu's mother had no choice but to carry her baggage, get out of the car and walk, and walked two teas before she reached the end of the village, stopped outside the courtyard of the family with a single house at the back, wiped the sweat on her face, and called: "Is anyone at home?" ”

The tattered courtyard door was ajar, and a plainly dressed peasant woman with a sturdy figure came out of the adobe house, and when she saw that it was her, a look of surprise appeared on her wrinkled face, and she hurriedly greeted her. "Mother Wu is here, come into the house, come into the house."

The peasant woman stretched out her hand and rubbed it tightly on her apron, walked two steps over, personally held Wu's mother's hand, and said, "You are a rare guest." ”

Mother Wu smiled slightly: "I haven't seen you for a long time, sister-in-law Zhang, are you doing well?" Is Chun'e okay? ”

Sister-in-law Zhang nodded again and again: "Okay, okay, we're all fine." After speaking, she shouted into the room: "Miss Chun'e, look who is coming." ”

Wu's mother was slightly stunned when she heard this, and as soon as she raised her eyes, she saw Chun'e running straight out of the room, and suddenly threw herself into Wu's mother's arms, crying loudly.

Mother Wu was stunned for a moment, and she didn't react for a while, grabbed Chun'e's shoulder, looked at her carefully, and asked, "Chun'e, can you hear me?" ”

Chun'e nodded heavily, crying so much that she couldn't speak for a while, and only lowered her head and drilled into Wu's mother's arms.

She thought that Miss and Mother Wu had forgotten about herself, but she didn't expect to see her again.

Mother Wu was overjoyed, but she was a little dazed, "What's wrong with your ears?" ”

Sister-in-law Zhang hurriedly said, "Miss Chun'e is lucky, last month, we came to the village to pass by Langzhong, and he didn't charge for medical treatment, and after we asked him to give the girl a few injections, she could hear it." However, the right ear is still not good. ”

Mother Wu sighed deeply: "God finally has pity on you, don't cry, let me take a good look." ”

Chun'e wiped the tears on her face with her sleeve, stood up, and let Wu's mother take a closer look.

After months of not seeing her, her skin was tanned, her body was strong, and at first glance, she really looked like a native farmer.

It seems that the Zhang family takes good care of her.

Sister-in-law Zhang let the two of them into the house to talk, the room was full of the smell of rice, and there was a steaming cauldron burning on the stove outside, wafting out bursts of fragrance.

This house looks old, but the inside is cleaned up, there are only three inner rooms inside and outside, the east room connected to the kitchen is the bedroom of the Zhang family and his wife, and the two rooms on the west side are one for the two sons of the Zhang family, and one for the three girls of the Zhang family and Chun'e.

All the houses were built with clay kangs, and they were burned hot.

Sister-in-law Zhang asked Wu's mother to sit in her room and asked her and Chun'e to take off their shoes and go to the kang.

Just now, Wu's mother walked all the way on the muddy road, walked a foot of mud, and her shoes and socks were already dirty, so she had to sit down next to the edge of the kang.

Aunt Zhang immediately said to Chun'e: "You accompany Mother Wu to talk first, and I will go and boil some hot water and wash Mother Wu's feet." ”

Chun'e hurriedly got up and said, "Auntie, you can rest, let me come." ”

Sister-in-law Zhang waved her hand and said, "No, no, you can't do it, you can sit and I'll just come by myself." ”

Mother Wu smiled and said, "Old sister-in-law, don't bother, I'll just rinse with cold water." ”

Sister-in-law Zhang didn't follow: "You are a distinguished guest, how can we be lazy?" I see that you are also tired from the journey, just soak your feet to relieve fatigue, and the water will be good for a while. ”

Mother Wu looked at Chun'e sitting in front of her in a dignified manner, and couldn't help but sigh for a while, "If Miss knew that you could hear it, she would definitely be very happy." ”

When Chun'e heard this, she couldn't help but feel a sour eye socket again. "Miss, she...... How are you doing? ”

Mother Wu sighed lightly: "It's good to say it, it's not good to say it." The young lady is now in charge of the yard alone, and she has a lot of things to do every day, and she can't be idle for a moment. ”

After hearing this, Chun'e nodded thoughtfully, and didn't speak for a while.

Mother Wu knew that she had always had a pimple in her heart about what had happened before, so she said again: "Chun'e, Miss was forced to send you out out of desperation, she felt sorry for your injury, and she didn't want you to be bought by people's teeth, so I asked you to find such a place to live." After you left, a lot of things happened in the courtyard one after another, and Mama Li and Mingyue died...... Mingxin was also sold. ”

When Chun'e heard this, she was shocked and stammered, "What...... How so? ”

Mother Wu said in a deep voice: "This is all their own doing, and it is not a pity to die." ”

Chun'e nodded in agreement. "It's really for my sake, Miss, who let me out before and keeps me away from right and wrong...... Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang treat me kindly, and my ears can hear it, think about it, I owe it to Miss. After speaking, she sniffed, held back her tears and said, "Why is Mom free today?" Is there something the lady has to order? ”

"Yes, I came out this time to buy a field for our young lady."

While talking, Aunt Zhang had already brought a basin of hot water, she put the wooden basin in her hand on the stool next to the bed, smiled at Mother Wu, and said, "You wipe your face first, and I will find a pair of clean shoes and socks for you to change." With that, he turned and walked out again.

Chun'e hurriedly rolled up her sleeves and waited for Wu's mother to wipe her face, and then waited for her to take off her shoes and socks, and picked up the cloth on the wooden basin to scrub it for her.

Mother Wu looked at her bowing her head and serving herself, her heart was warm, and she asked softly, "Is the Zhang family treating you well?" Did you feel wronged? ”

Chun'e nodded vigorously: "They treat me very well." Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang treat me as if they were their own children, Brother Zhang and Second Brother Zhang are usually amiable, and even my little sister likes to be my companion. ”

To be honest, although the Zhang family is poor, the family is harmonious, and everyone is honest and responsible.

Although every meal is a little coarse tea and light rice, you can eat enough and eat steadily.

After washing, Wu's mother sat cross-legged on the kang, and Sister-in-law Zhang and Chun'e sat down together to talk to her: "There is nothing delicious at home, there will not even be tea, only hot water to quench your thirst." There are only a few pig bones, and I put them in the pot early in the morning to cook, and I hope that Wu Ma will not dislike them. ”

For them, a pot of bone broth and a few pancakes are already a good dish.

Wu's mother smiled: "Farmer's food is the most nourishing person." Sister-in-law Zhang, don't be polite to me, we're all old acquaintances. Seeing that you take such good care of Chun'e, I really should thank you. ”

Sister-in-law Zhang hurriedly waved her hand: "I can't help it, Miss Chun'e is so sensible and has helped us a lot." I have been old in the past few years, often have back pain, and I can't do heavy work, all relying on Miss Chun'e to help me in and out, and she takes the time to sew and mend clothes for our family, or do some needlework and embroidery, and when I catch up with the market, I will take it out and sell it to help make money to supplement the family. Speaking of which, where is we taking care of her, it is obvious that she will take care of us again. ”

Aunt Zhang's words made Chun'e blush.

She sighed for a while in her heart, when she was by Miss's side in the past, she was always compared to Sister Chunming, she was not as good as others, but now that she is here, no matter what she does, she is praised by others, and everything she does is good.

As soon as her words fell, Zhang Liujin and his eldest son Zhang Yuan came back panting from outside with a big bag of grain.

Today is the day of the market, and the two of them sold the only pig in the family in exchange for two bags of grain.

Aunt Zhang and Chun'e heard the movement and hurriedly got off the kang to welcome them.

Before Sister-in-law Zhang could take a breath, she told Wu's mother about her coming. Chun'e walked up to Zhang Yuan, did not use a rag, but took out her own handkerchief to wipe the sweat on his forehead.

Zhang Yuan looked at her and smiled innocently.

There were guests at home, Zhang Liujin and Zhang Yuan didn't even have time to breathe, so they went into the house to greet Wu's mother.

Since the person in charge of the family has returned, Wu's mother went straight to the point and said that she wanted to buy a few acres of land from his family.

When Zhang Liujin heard this, he was slightly stunned, then glanced at his daughter-in-law, and said with some embarrassment: "Mother Wu, you see, there are several people in our family, all pointing to those acres of land to live." You're going to buy it, how can we live in the future? ”

Mother Wu smiled slightly: "Brother Zhang, you listen to me first." My young lady wants to buy your land, but after you buy it, you still have to rely on your family to farm and clean it up. ”

Zhang Liujin had worked long hours for a large family before, so he understood what she meant. She wanted to buy her own land, then rent it to herself, and then receive a net rent and a fifth of the grain every year. Many people in the village bought land in this way, but the landlord calculated that there was nothing left, and they had to sell their sons and daughters.

The croppers were all in a hurry, and when they thought of this, they couldn't help but sit still, and suddenly got up and said, "Mother Wu, we have always thought that you are a kind-hearted person, but how can you calculate our land?" We are poor and white, except for this little land left by our ancestors, there is no hope, please raise your noble hand, don't embarrass us. ”