Xinlan's house is on the east and west streets of the village, and 100 meters east of the door is the eighty-four wells.

In fact, the eighty-four wells do not really have eighty-four water intake holes, it is made of eight bluestone slabs about 4 meters long and thick enough to be carved and spliced, according to the structure is actually eight stones and four wells. It rises above the ground and has three steps for people who take water to get up and down. Two of the eyes are equipped with rollers to facilitate different ways of drawing water, and there are eight stone mortars for inserting flat poles along the four stone edges. As for the period of its construction, it is impossible to verify the age.

Eighty-four wells are a landmark building in the village, which is built in the lower right corner of the center of the cross street and the upper left corner of the central square. Originally, there was only a well and no square, but later this square had to be repaired. There is a legend here that in the 40s, there was a drought and famine, the people were not able to make a living, bandits were rampant, killing people and selling goods, kidnapping tickets for extortion. The surrounding refugees who fled here had nowhere to go, so they all went into the village to take refuge, and it was overcrowded for a while. Originally, this well was dug deep, and there was no problem with daily water in the village, but this time, the water level was low due to the drought, and the large amount of people used it was large, so it dried up in a few days. The superstition of the manager of the chamber of commerce in the village thinks that there is a problem with the feng shui of the well, so he asked Mr. Lin, who is famous for watching the house in the village, to see, Mr. Lin took a compass around the wall of the village during the day and watched the sky at night, and finally gave a conclusion that the view of the steward was right. There is a Sanxi River in the east of the village, which runs northwest and southeast, and the water in the area through which it flows comes from this river, which is distributed by the river god in a unified manner. The reason why the water in the eighty-four wells is not enough is that the waterline below the well was blocked by the lower road of the same waterline in the southwest direction of the gods, and the waterline outlet was dug for his convenience. If you want to root the water, you can only open the water outlet in the well, and at the same time split the site in the southwest direction of the wellhead, plant willow trees according to the arrangement of the first three and four backs, and lock the drain to retain water. The steward believed it to be true, so he mobilized the village to donate money and materials, dig wells and plant trees, and solved the crisis. Fortunately, the powerful and powerful in the village pay attention to feng shui, and live in the upper district of the east and west streets, and the families living in the lower district next to the well are also happy to move out. At first, the trees were too small, and the square was so convex that people were reluctant to stay here. After a long time, there are no scruples. When the tree is big and has shade, it becomes a leisure square. The brigade headquarters also set up a propaganda board here, and people here know about any news at the earliest. After the reform and opening up, Qingjun, the eldest son of the old Wang family of the fifth team with a businessman's mind, set up a stall here, which made the streets cross here and people came and went.

When Xinlan arrived, Qingjun's stall had already been erected. At the small table used to attract business and accumulate popularity, a few idle people were playing cards and betting on sugar and cigarettes. Under the willow tree in the distance, Er Kuiniang was washing clothes, and the sound of 'smack, smack' squeezed out of the distance. Sitting next to him were neighbor Wang Haihai's daughter-in-law, Liu Guizhi, and vanilla, and Lin Qing's young daughters-in-law were squeezing the soles of their shoes.

Seeing Xinlan coming, Gui Zhi hurriedly stood up for fear of being preempted, and waved his hand exaggeratedly and shouted, "Auntie, come on, I have a stool." ”

Xinlan walked over, sat down on the stool set by Guizhi, and smiled: "You still care about your aunt." ”。

"Are you an aunt! Of course I have to behave. Besides, Uncle Fusheng is with the seawater, and he takes care of the seawater. Lu Dong and Haishui are playing around together all day long, and the relationship is like a brother, if I do something wrong, Haihai will know that I will also say me, no, aunt!? Gui Zhi said a word, and said with a sigh of relief at both ends.

Guizhi spoke like a machine gun, so fast that people worried about whether her brain could react. She was not tall, dexterous, with short hair tied at the back of her head, and her two black eyeballs were whirling when she spoke, and she was clever and likable. Since marrying Haihai for half a year, she has been diligent and sweet-mouthed, and she is deeply loved by Haihai's parents. As a neighbor, Xinlan sees it in her eyes and often praises Guizhi. At this time, after listening to Gui Zhi's words, he hurriedly boasted: "The sea is so blessed, if Lu Dong can find a daughter-in-law like you in the future, our old Lu family will burn high incense." ”

"Look at what you said, auntie, Lu Dong is outstanding in talent and has good skills, and he will definitely marry someone ten times more beautiful than me in the future." Gui Zhi said quickly.

"Well, if only it could be done that would have been worry-free. Lu Dong has been messing with me for the past two days, I don't know what he's looking for!? Seriously, a few people who have a matchmaker must tell me Ludong, I invite you to eat the big carp I made myself! Xinlan said.

"Medium-medium. Carp must be eaten. After a few consecutive voices, Gui Zhi said again: "Auntie, don't worry, maybe Lu Dongzhen has never talked about the object, and he hasn't tasted the sweetness of the object, if he tasted it, he wouldn't say so." ”

Lin Qing heard Gui Zhi say that he leaked his mouth, and hurriedly smiled and continued: "Auntie, Gui Zhi is from the past, she understands the sweetness of the person she is talking to, or Gui Zhi, let Lu Dong taste your sweetness, and everything will be fine." ”

"Get out! Catch the fart and eat it with the wind. See that I don't pierce your mouth. Gui Zhi raised a needle to scare Lin Qing as he spoke.

Gui Zhizui quickly said that he leaked his mouth, which caused a burst of laughter, and the big guy was happy to watch the excitement, just watching the two of them fighting. Xinlan knew that the two of them were equals, and they were used to joking, so she wasn't worried about them making trouble about it. Everyone laughed, and there was silence for a while. Xinlan was thinking about how to speak, and Vanilla on the side said: "Actually, it's not difficult to talk about the object, one is to find and the other is to chase." Looking for - pay attention to the appearance of a talented woman, the right door. Chase -- pay attention to being thick-skinned. The talented Lu Dong brothers don't have to say anything, but they don't know if their skin is thick enough? Auntie, do you think I'm right? ”

Xinlan didn't know how to answer for a while, she knew that it was wrong to answer thick or thin on such an occasion, so she had to smile faintly. Lin Qing beside him looked left and right, and said with a little mystery: "I'll tell you a joke, you will know whether Lu Dong's skin is thick or thin." In the summer of the year before last, everyone in our team was collecting wheat in the field of Liu Tomb in the west of the railway, Aihua's sister-in-law, that is, Baojun's daughter-in-law, that day she was anxious to urinate, anxious to relieve her hands, and deliberately went to Lu Dong to collect the Macquarie, just in front of Lu Dong, 5 or 6 meters away from Lu Dong squatting conveniently, you know that Aihua sister-in-law usually likes to joke, she thinks that Lu Dong usually doesn't talk much, thin-skinned will be shy, to deliberately shame him, make him ugly, but she thought wrong, just when she took off her pants and just squatted down to pee, Lu Dong bent down and came to him, The frightened sister-in-law Aihua ran in front of her pants, and Lu Dong chased after her, she had to see how her sister-in-law squatted and peed, so much so that her sister-in-law almost peed on her pants, and everyone in the field laughed. Do you say that Lu Dong's skin is thin or thick? After Lin Qing finished speaking, everyone was yin and white, and she looked left and right to guard against Baojun. Xinlan knew about this, and she was also harvesting wheat in that field at that time. But Guizhi and Vanilla, who only married in the village last year, didn't know, and listening to Lin Qing, the two also found it interesting.

Lu Dong's personality Xinlan knows, and he doesn't twist, but he doesn't talk much in front of outsiders. Listening to what Vanilla and Lin Qing said just now, they are talented, thick-skinned, and both conditions are met, as if Lu Dong's marriage is no longer a problem, just waiting for his daughter-in-law to enter the door, his mood is suddenly a lot easier.

Erkui Niang didn't say anything for a long time, and kept holding back her strength on the washboard and rubbing her clothes hard, her face flushed. After listening to Lin Qing's speech, he interjected and asked Xinlan when he was resting: "Sister-in-law, how old is Lu Dong of the family this year?" ”

"It's 20 years old this year." Xinlan looked at Erkui Niang and said.

"It's time to look for it. Don't dare to delay any longer, hurry up. Have you heard about Nancun the day before yesterday? Erkui Niang's thoughtful questioning aroused everyone's interest.

"Tell me about it, Aunt Meat." Lin Qing was an anxious person, and as soon as Er Kui Niang's voice fell, she urged.

"Mother-in-law's feet, Aunt Meat is what you called." Erkui Niang is not tall, she eats fat and fat, and her fleshy face is long, but she squeezes her nose and mouth small, but fortunately, her ears and eyes can hear clearly and see the yin, and the news that comes along is like a long leg that spreads quickly, so she gets the nickname of a meat horn. Hearing Lin Qing call her like that today, pretending to be angry, it was to arouse people's curiosity.

Everyone was anxious to listen, and they didn't answer again but concentrated their energy, for fear of missing a word.

Erkui Niang shook her hands and wiped her hands on her apron, looked at the expressions of several people, and said unhurriedly: "Something happened in Nancun the day before yesterday, a boy was violent to a neighbor's girl, and he didn't run away after he was done, so he was arrested." ”

"How old is that boy?" Lin Qing interjected and asked.

"I heard that he is about the same age as Lu Dong, about 20, now that young people are at the age of finding a target, they don't want to be taught by others, they know everything, they are thick-skinned, no matter how bold they are, what can't they do!?" Er Kui Niang continued.

"It's also said that with the reform and opening up, young people have more contact, and with the added curiosity and bold skin, it is inevitable that this will happen. It's just that...! Lin Qing slowed down his speech, tilted his head, and slanted the cinnamon branch with his eyes.

"Just what? If there's a fart, let it go! Gui Zhi looked at Lin Qing's posture of sitting crookedly on the stool with her eyes slanted and retreating, knowing that she didn't have good words, so she put the sole of her shoe in her right hand and secretly used her strength, raised her chin and glared angrily and said.

"I'm reminding you to pay attention, you are also a neighbor with Lu Dong, be careful that Lu Dong gives you that." Lin Qing turned around and retreated before he finished speaking, but Guizhi's soles were faster, and they were aimed at Lin Qing's buttocks.

Lin Qing was hit by the sole of his buttocks, so he stopped running, turned to Gui Zhi and said, "It's really a dog biting Lu Dongbin, I don't know the hearts of good people." ”

The cheap cinnamon branch quickly ran behind the willow tree, and the two circled around the willow tree, making the big guy laugh. Seeing everyone laughing back and forth, Xinlan couldn't be happy, and the already imperceptible smile on her face was full of bitterness. Erkui Niang and Lin Qing talked about Lu Dong, Xin Lan was not angry, but the words of the two seemed to be a stone blocking Xin Lan's heart, making Xin Lan feel depressed, as if this matter would soon be fulfilled to Lu Dong, and the mood that had just relaxed couldn't help but be more depressed, and she felt more and more urgent about Lu Dong's marriage.

The sun had risen high, the willows did not tremble, and the air seemed to be out of circulation. Everyone, you are talking and laughing at each word. Xinlan felt blocked in her heart, but she couldn't say uncomfortable, and remembered the pots and pans that had not been cleaned up in the morning, so she got up and said, "You can play here, I still have something to go at home." ”

Gui Zhi said to Xinlan that he had something to say, seeing that Xinlan was leaving, he hurriedly said: "Auntie, wait for me, I have something to tell you, and I will accompany you back." After speaking, he buckled the two small stools he brought together, clamped them under his armpits, and left the square with Xinlan one after the other.

Xinlan's house is on the north side of the east and west streets, and Guizhi's house is on the west side of Xinlan's house, separated by a wall. As the saying goes: distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors. Xinlan's mother's house is in Xijing, and the courtyard of Fusheng's family is not large, and it is almost a single-door family here, so naturally the two families are closer. Xinlan waited for Gui Zhi to follow, squeezed out a smile and asked Gui Zhi, "What do you have to tell me, daughter-in-law?" ”

"Of course it's a good thing." Gui Zhi said with his neck tilted slightly.

"I came out angry in the morning, I originally wanted to relax, but when I heard them talk just now, I was inexplicably angry with Lu Dong, I couldn't be happy, so I told me what was going on. Let Aunt Kai relieve her troubles. Xinlan heard that it was a good thing and hurriedly urged.

"It's still Lu Dong's marriage. Didn't Wan Feng introduce Wan Feng's cousin to Lu Dong a few days ago, I don't know what the situation is, let me ask you? Gui Zhi stopped and asked.

"I don't know why! As soon as I heard the letter, I stopped again, as if the woman's parents were not very satisfied with our family's conditions, and I was thinking about asking the matchmaker to talk about it. That's not the good thing you're talking about, is it? Xinlan asked.

"I'll tell you the truth, auntie, my cousin and I are from the same village, and our relationship is not ordinary, and she came to see off when I got married. I know what kind of person she is, this girl is a talent, and she does a good job in the village-run garment factory. If you miss it, you'll regret it. Guizhi said.

Xinlan didn't know that Gui Zhi and Wan Feng's cousin were in the same village, and when she heard Gui Zhi say it, she was overjoyed, so she asked Gui Zhi tentatively: "Gui Zhi, you know the situation in Lu Dong, and you also know the situation of the woman, do you think they are compatible?" ”

"Auntie, if I don't feel worthy, I won't ask you. Now that the two of them have broken up before they have met, it is really wronged. Gui Zhi said.

"What's not wrong? The girl may not know about this, Lu Dong heard that he was disgusted by the woman's family, and swore that he would not marry her for the rest of his life. After Xinlan finished speaking, she paused and tried to beg Guizhi: "Guizhi, why don't you say yes!?" ”

"I'll try! Auntie, don't mention this to Lu Dong first, it's like nothing happened, I'll say it again. Gui Zhi said.

"Don't worry, daughter-in-law, what do you say I will do, I will fully cooperate. It's just that this matter has to be grasped tightly, your aunt and I are in a hurry, and I can't let go of it! I'm worried that if the woman says it's too late to go to her mother-in-law's house. "Xinlan Dao.

"It shouldn't be so fast. Don't worry, aunt, I will definitely complete the task you have given me successfully. I'll keep your big carp. Gui Zhi pretended to be coquettish and swore solemnly.