In the hall to the east, the dim oil lamp reflected four lonely figures.

Two men and two women, two old and two young.

The elderly couple are Zhang Ye's parents in this life, father Zhang Shenggen and mother Liu Zhiying.

Both of them are a little rickety, their heads are crawling with silver threads, and the wrinkles on their foreheads and the corners of their eyes are all witnesses of the years.

The young pair are Zhang Ye's brother and sister-in-law in this life, the eldest brother Zhang Dekun, and the sister-in-law Xu Qianrong.

Zhang Dekun is strong, his limbs are powerful, and he is a good hand at work, but he is not good at talking, and he is an honest fisherman.

Although my sister-in-law doesn't use powder, her face is full of charm without makeup.

The figure, it's not good or bad, it's barely okay.

Loose clothes are worn on the body, which looks simple and simple, and it is indescribably natural.

At this time, the four of them were silent, and Zhang's father held a cigarette stick that had been polished to a shiny glow, and sucked it with a clatter, making the dim space have a trace of smoke.

"Mother, Xiang'er is only four years old, she doesn't understand anything, she is going to be sent to pay tribute to the river god, this ...... What can I do? ”

"Xiang'er is the meat of my heart, if I don't have her, I, I ......"

Xu Qianrong sat on the ground weakly, holding her mother-in-law Liu Zhiying's hand, crying tears.

The eyes were red and swollen.

Liu Zhiying also cried.

She also felt sorry for her granddaughter.

But she had no choice but to look at Zhang's father, who was smoking a hookah on the side.

Liu Zhiying choked up and said, "Her father, you can quickly think of a way, Xiang'er...... She can't be taken to the river god. ”

Zhang Shenggen exhaled a puff of smoke, and the smoke swirled in the dim light.

After a long time, he sighed and said: "This is what the village chief heard from the mouth of the goddess, she represents the river god, and what she said is the decree of the river god, I ...... I can't help it, I can't do anything. ”

Mother Zhang's tears flowed out of her eyes, and she didn't care about drying them, and said, "Then is it just watching Xiang'er being sunk to the bottom of the river?" ”

Once this was said, the four of them fell silent again.

It seems that this is already a foregone conclusion.

Can't change.

"Dad, mother......"

At this time, Zhang Dekun, who had been silent, spoke, and he stammered: "Yes, if it really doesn't work, just give Xiang'er away, let people take her away, that is, when she grows up, it is better to be a maid and maid than not being able to live now." ”

All three of them were shocked.

This method seems to be good, if it can be given to a good person, Xiang'er's life will be better in the future than it is now.

It can also avoid being taken to the river god.

Although they haven't been able to meet since then, they look like strangers, and even Xiang'er can't remember them when they grow up, but ...... As long as Xiang'er can live, these sacrifices can be accepted.

Zhang's mother was a little excited, and said: "Yes, yes, I remember that the boss of the store where we went to the town to deliver goods last time seemed to like Xiang'er very much, and asked Xiang'er if she would like to stay in the city to live." ”

"Her father, why don't we go to the city overnight and ask? It would be great if it could be done. ”

Zhang's mother seemed to see the light of day in despair, and said: "We don't want money, nor do we sell Xiang'er, we just want him to be better to Xiang'er, regard it as his own, and it is enough for Xiang'er to survive with him." ”

"Nonsense!"

Father Zhang shouted, knocked on the table angrily with a cigarette stick, and said, "Do you know what Boss Li is about?" Are you in a hurry to send Xiang'er to someone's house? ”

The three of them were surprised and said in unison: "What's the matter?" ”

"I heard that the man surnamed Li not only had an accident in a restaurant, but also ran two other brothels."

"He wants to buy Xiang'er back, that's to collect beautiful girls for his Qinglou, and when they grow up in the future, they will be used as prostitutes to make money for him, otherwise, do you think he will be so kind to raise them for nothing?"

"Let's not talk about what will happen if we hand over Xiang'er to him, when the goddess knows that we disobey the will of the gods and deliberately send Xiang'er away, that is, it will completely anger the goddess, what will be the result, don't I tell you, right?"

"What happened to Lao Liu's family thirty years ago was not made up to scare children."

“……”

Everyone was speechless, but they felt a layer of horror on their heads.

Lao Liu's family is the first family designated to sacrifice boys and girls when the goddess first came to Taoyuan Village.

All roads are broken, and it feels like everything is back to square one.

Xu Qianrong was still unwilling, with a hint of hope, and said, "Dad, mother...... Why don't we ask Jiro. ”

"Erlang has been reading books in the town for so many years, and he has seen more than us, and there are some rich children in his classmates, so I can't say that I can ask them for help."

"No matter how bad it is, it's okay to ask him to help Xiang'er find a good family in the city!"

Zhang Dekun's eyes lit up: "Yes, Erlang loves Xiang'er so much, he will definitely not watch the goddess take Xiang'er to sacrifice to the river god, he may really have a way." ”

Father Zhang frowned: "This ......"

"Squeak!"

The door of the hall was pushed open from the outside, and Zhang Ye's thin body pulled out a slender shadow like a bamboo pole in the moonlight.

He stepped over the threshold and walked into the house.

Originally, before he came, he still had a bit of luck, but ......

Just now he had heard the conversation between his parents, brother and sister-in-law outside the door, and he already knew that Xiang'er was the virgin who was chosen to sacrifice to the river god this time.

But......

Even so, he couldn't accept it.

Zhang Ye walked to the center of the hall, saw his parents, brother and sister-in-law, and then said, "I heard what you just said. ”

Xu Qianrong bit her lip, her face showed guilt, and said: "Erlang, sister-in-law, if I really can't help it, I won't ask for you, now all the roads are blocked, only you can let Xiang'er survive." ”

Xu Qianrong walked to Zhang Ye's side and knelt down with a "poof": "Erlang, sister-in-law, please help your sister-in-law, help Xiang'er." ”

Zhang Ye stretched out his hand to help Xu Qianrong, "Sister-in-law, you, don't be like this, get up quickly......"

Xu Qianrong cried and shook her head: "Erlang, your brother and I are such a daughter, if it is, if it is ......"

At this time, Zhang Dekun also walked over, he looked at Zhang Ye with red eyes, and said, "Brother begs you too." ”

As he spoke, he also knelt down for Zhang Ye.

Zhang Ye hurriedly pulled up Zhang Dekun.

Although this eldest brother is not good at words, in his memory, he is really good about his predecessor.

Delicious food, good drink, and fun are all reserved for this younger brother.

If it weren't for his parents' toughness, he would even want to give his daughter-in-law to his predecessor, let the predecessor marry first, and he would talk about it later.

And the things that were scolded and beaten on his back were all carried by himself, and he never let his predecessor be bullied.

Even in the more than two years that Zhang Ye has traveled over, Zhang Dekun, who is a brother, has never treated him badly.

In his words, that is: "I'm your big brother, who don't cover you?" ”

For such a "rough man", how could Zhang Ye withstand his kneeling?

"Big brother, sister-in-law, get up and talk first."

Zhang Ye pulled up the eldest brother and sister-in-law and said, "Xiang'er is not only your relative, she is also my niece, but also my family, I will do my best to protect her!" ”

"Tomorrow I will go to the town and ask for help from people I know, and I will definitely find a way to save Xiang'er, I swear with my life, I will definitely let Xiang'er live, definitely."

Zhang Ye's words made Xu Qianrong moved, speechless, and just blindly bowed to Zhang Ye.

If she hadn't been supported by her husband Zhang Dekun, she would definitely have knelt down to Zhang Ye three times and bowed nine times to show her gratitude.

"Jiro."

Zhang Dekun hugged Zhang Ye, touched Zhang Ye's forehead with his forehead, and choked up: "Brother owes you, no matter whether you succeed or fail, my brother will treat you as a cow and a horse in this life." ”

"Big brother, what I did to Xiang'er is really not worth mentioning compared to what you did to me."

Zhang Ye patted Zhang Dekun on the shoulder and said, "Early tomorrow morning, I will rush to the town." ”

"Brother, good brother!"

Zhang Dekun hugged Zhang Ye.

No one noticed that this rough man had tears swirling in his eyes.

At this time, Zhang's father on the side knocked on the cigarette stick and said, "Don't be in such a hurry to get to the town!" ”

Everyone was stunned and turned their heads to look at Father Zhang.

Zhang's father smoked a cigarette and said: "I learned this news from the village chief two days ago, and the village chief also overheard the goddess mention this, this time it was Xiang'er who was chosen, but the goddess has not yet announced it to the public." ”

"If we can let the goddess re-elect someone to replace Xiang'er before the goddess announces the candidate, then there may be a turning point in this matter."

"But to make the goddess change her mind, this ...... I'm afraid it's hard! ”

Father Zhang was like talking to himself.

Zhang's mother immediately answered: "His father, no matter how difficult it is, we have to give it a try, Xiang'er is the lifeblood of our family, I can't lose it, you look at this family, if there is no Xiang'er, is this family still a home?" ”

"Shut up! How could I not know? ”

Zhang's father glared at Zhang's mother, smoked a cigarette again, and said: "The goddess decided on the candidate, but she didn't announce it directly in public, but conveyed it to me through the village chief's mouth. ”

"I guess the goddess is trying to get rich or something?"

Zhang's father said again: "Tomorrow, tomorrow I will invite the village chief and the goddess to come to the house for dinner, probe the goddess's tone, and see what she thinks." ”

"You all prepare, good wine and good food are greeting, don't snub her, if the goddess intends to loosen her mouth, then it is okay to pay some price, as long as you can keep Xiang'er alive."

"If the goddess is destined to let Xiang'er sacrifice to the gods, then ...... Erlang, you go to the town again and find someone to help. ”

"If we can find someone to help, it's naturally the best, even if we need to pay a lot of money, we can accept it, if we can't find someone......"

Father Zhang didn't go on, but everyone knew it.