Fang Zichen's brows furrowed again.

What are you kidding?

He was only eighteen years old, how could he get married.

People marry late and have children late, even if he marries early and gives birth early, he can't get to this point early.

Brother Zhao raised his eyes to look at him, and saw that his face was not very good, and he wrinkled his eyebrows and did not speak, so he knew what he meant.

There is a dull pain in the heart, dense, I can't tell what it tastes like, it's just uncomfortable.

He took the hand of the good boy, did not speak, did not plead, was indifferent and a little numb, like an outsider in this incident.

The big deal is death, he thought.

But···

Brother Zhao still hopes that someone can come to save him.

He has lived nineteen years in his life, and he has had this thought three times.

The first time was when he was abducted and trafficked into Ma's house and tried to escape and was caught. The Ma family locked him in a shabby, damp, cramped firewood house, where he was tied up with hemp rope. The Ma family beat him every day, did not give him food to eat, did not give him water to drink, and the cracked wound on his arm was bleeding pus and maggots, gnawing at him, he was still young at that time, nauseated, frightened, flustered, and at a loss.

He begged the Ma family to let him go, don't beat him, he won't run away again, but Ma Dazhuang said that he can't let him go, he has to teach him a lesson, he hurts him, and he is afraid, so he won't think about running away in the future.

The Ma family was really ruthless and locked him up for six days.

At that time, every night he looked at the light leaking from the roof, wishing that someone would come to his rescue.

…… It doesn't matter who it is, as long as you can get him out, that's fine.

But... No one.

Ma Dazhuang's words were indeed right, in the next few years, maybe that time he was really beaten and scared, and he never had the intention of running away.

He was honest, chopping wood, going to the fields, doing laundry, carrying water, doing all kinds of work, and pumping all day long.

It's not that I don't feel tired, but I don't dare to stop.

But even if he was like this, the Ma family still didn't allow him to leave Xiaohe Village for half a step.

So, as a young man, he was imprisoned in this barren land, making cattle and horses for the Ma family, and did not see the light of day.

The second time was when he fell into the water last night, and when he was on the verge of despair, he thought again that it would be good if someone came to save him, he didn't want to die yet, and his son was still so young.

…… Then Fang Zichen appeared.

Today, once again, he wanted someone to help him.

He was a rootless man in Little River Village.

was divorced, and there is no mother's house to go back to.

I didn't have a penny on me, not even a place to stay.

The times are almost harsh, he has lost such a big face of the Ma family, if Fang Zichen doesn't want him, the village can't accommodate him, how will the Ma family treat him?

What should he do if his child is still so young?

In an instant, all kinds of thoughts flashed through Brother Zhao's mind.

“··· Daddy? The good boy looked up and called out to him in a small voice.

The midsummer was so hot, Brother Zhao's hands and feet were cold, and he needed to do his best to maintain a calm tone, he held the little hand of the good boy: "··· All right. ”

"Daddy doesn't cry." Good boy said.

Fang Zichen looked at Aunt Ma and said slowly, "Where did you come from..." and go back to wherever they are.

"Lang Jun ......"

At this moment, a brother ran into the courtyard, and he begged Fang Zichen with red eyes: "Please, marry Brother Zhao!" Otherwise, the Ma family will definitely dip Brother Zhao in the pig cage when they go back. Please, save Brother Zhao. ”

Fang Zichen: "......"

Fang Zichen subconsciously asked the village chief: "Can it still be like this?"

The village chief sighed.

"Brother Zhao was bought back by the Ma family," he said helplessly: "The previous days have passed, and it is not a matter to give two mouthfuls of food at ordinary times, but in the past two years, the border has been fighting for the past, and the taxes are high, and this year the court has levied a group of people, three brothers of the Ma family, and there are a few boys at the bottom, a large group of men, all of whom don't want to go to war, and they have paid more silver, and now they are afraid that they have no silver at home, in order to save some rations and make some money, they can only get from Brother Zhao."

"I guess when I look back, they either sink Brother Zhao to death in the name of losing their virginity, or sell people, and they won't end up well."

It's a bit miserable!

Fang Zichen was silent.

He is not a very good person, and he doesn't mind 'roaring when he sees injustice on the road' without harming his own interests, but now if he is soft-hearted, he may put himself in it.

But he couldn't do it indifferently.

Fang Zichen thought about it, hesitated for a long time, and then said with difficulty: "Forget it, if you marry, it's not a big deal, and it's not impossible to marry home as a brother."

The village chief's face was still not very good: "Have you figured it out?"

Fang Zichen said: "I didn't think it clearly, but what else do you say you can do at this juncture?"

The village chief took pity on Brother Zhao and spoke for him: "Brother Zhao is not to blame for this, don't beat people when you turn around, it's not easy for him to be angry!" ”

"I don't beat women," Fang Zichen said, thought about it and added: "I don't beat my brother either."

Village Chief: "Then I'll go talk to Ma Dazhuang's family."

Ma Dazhuang's family had such an idea, how could they disagree, but...

"They said they wanted three taels of silver." The village chief came back and said.

"What?!"

Fang Zichen was puzzled: "I'm afraid that when you see that I am handsome, you think I'm a bully, what's the truth, the one who was divorced, the worst one was swept out of the house pennilessly, and the better one can leave with a dowry, and I am not married to his brother, why do you want me to pay money?" You want to eat, eat them. ”

The village chief said: "They said that Brother Zhao was bought back by their family when he was seven years old, and he has been raising him for many years, so it's not too much to ask for silver."

Raising is raising, but Brother Zhao later became the husband of their Ma family, and gave birth to a grandson to their Ma family, and the cost of raising people for a few years is not too much as a bride price!

Fang Zichen panicked.

He spread it out and said, "What then?" I'm so clean that I can't even stand on a fly, so why should I give them three taels of silver? ”

Brother Fang who rushed into the courtyard to beg Fang Zichen was relieved when he saw him, and now he was embarrassed again, for fear that he would regret it because of the three taels of silver, he hurriedly ran to Brother Zhao'er's side and gently pushed him twice: "Brother Zhao, go, go and beg Fang Gongzi, now only he can help you, you go and beg him."

Brother Zhao stood still, and Brother Zhao was about to persuade him two more words, when he heard him say confusedly: "So much silver, will he agree?"

Xiaohe Village is notoriously poor, and three taels of silver doesn't sound like much, but some families can't earn three taels of silver a year.

Over the years, he has been starving and freezing and secretly saved, but only more than 30 Wen, a few days ago, the good boy was not feeling well, and he had spent it all, and three taels of silver had become an astronomical amount for him.

"I don't know," the brother said, "But Fang Gongzi looks like a good one, he was relieved just now, if you don't think about yourself, you have to think for the good boy!" He is still so young, if you are gone, the Ma family will not be able to tolerate him. ”

Good boy···

These two words are like a fatal blow.

Brother Zhao was cold from head to toe.

"Childe," Brother Zhao didn't dare to think about it anymore, holding on to the only remaining hope, he pulled the good boy over, and knelt down: "··· Please help our father and son once, I will work hard to make money in the future, I will give you back when I earn it, I will be a cow and a horse for you, you help us, please. ”

The good boy knelt down next to Brother Zhao, his two little hands propped up on the ground, and his milk voice followed: "··· Please. ”

He was too young to know what the word 'ask' meant.

I don't know what it means to kneel on the ground at this moment.

Fang Zichen's gaze wandered back and forth on their father and son, and finally stopped at Brother Zhao.

Brother Zhao has a round face, and his skin is a little tanned from his perennial work, but he still looks very small, and he is even very childish between his eyebrows, and he should only be a seventeen/eight-year-old teenager.

What are the characteristics of young people at this age?

Fang Zichen understands very well that they are particularly strong, face-saving, and self-respecting.

They would rather be scolded than open their mouths to say 'I'm sorry'.

As a last resort, the head and back will never bend down and compromise.

Brother Zhao is not much older than him, but at this moment, he lost his dignity and knelt on the ground arrogantly, saying 'please' in his mouth one after another.

The Ma family came over early in the morning to make trouble, when he was fighting with Aunt Ma, the second daughter-in-law of the Ma family didn't know what to say to Brother Zhao, Brother Zhao didn't speak, she kicked and scolded Brother Zhao, the thief was ugly, at that time Fang Zichen saw Brother Zhao standing motionless, like a wooden stake.

Now the man who was beaten and scolded and did not fight back knelt before him, his head on the ground and begged him.

What is the situation in which he is like this?

Are you already in danger and have no way out?

Or is there no hope and you are desperate?

He was limp kneecaps, undignified, shameless, and should have been the only struggle he could do in the most desperate of all.

He fell to his knees and pleaded with everything, and if he did not agree, waited for his ......

Will it be sunk or will it be sold again?

The Ma family, an open-mouthed mongrel and a closed-mouthed mongrel, is estimated to be able to do anything.

Hey...

Fang Zichen was helpless.

"Village chief, can you help me go and talk to the Ma family's gang, I owe the silver first, and you can write an IOU, but also let them prepare the letter of resignation and Brother Zhao'er's deed of sale, and then I will take the silver and exchange it with them." Fang Zichen said.

The village chief nodded: "Okay, I'll solve this matter."

……

The excitement dispersed, Brother Zhao and the good boy were still kneeling on the ground, Fang Zichen walked towards them, and his tone was alienated: "Get up!"

Brother Zhao didn't move.

The good boy gently tugged at his sleeve and shook it: "Daddy?"

Brother Zhao wiped his face, and then pulled the good boy to stand up.

Fang Zichen briefly explained a few words, and went back to the room.

He's tired, he's sleepy, he's hot-headed, he's in desperate need of a night's sleep.

Fang Zichen lay on the bed with his eyes closed, and the courtyard was quiet.

The two big living people outside didn't make a sound.

Fang Zichen didn't know how long he had been sleeping, when he got up, the sun was blazing outside, Brother Zhao heard movement in the house, squatted down and said something to the good boy who had been following him, the good boy nodded, and went to the house.

The door creaked, and the three-headed boy walked in.

He seemed to be very uneasy, on the way from the door to the bedside, he kept his head down, his two small hands stirring the corners of his clothes, and hurriedly lowered his gaze at Zichen above.

"Father... Father~"

“……”

A father called Fang Zichen in a trance.

He forced out a smile: "You call my brother." To put it mildly, he's just a kid now.

The good boy listened to his words, his eyes turned red in an instant, he was looking forward to Fang Zichen, and looked up at Fang Zichen at the moment: "Are you... Don't like me? I will be obedient in the future. ”

Fang Zichen has no experience in getting along with children, and his heart is not hard, his eyes are wet and aggrieved, and he has to be defeated after a few seconds: "Okay, okay, you can shout whatever you want, you can call my son."

The good boy wiped his tears and was satisfied, he cautiously reached out to take Fang Zichen's hand: "Father, eat."

He didn't even realize that Fang Zichen hadn't eaten two meals, and as soon as he talked about eating, his stomach rang out at the moment.

Brother Zhao was waiting in the kitchen, and the broken bowl on the stove was filled with a night's dark porridge.

It is boiled with brown rice mixed with wild vegetables.

After Fang Zichen went back to the house to sleep, he had the courage to walk around the house, and then went to Aunt Liu's house to borrow a bucket, filled the water tank, and cleaned the kitchen and the yard outside.

He hoped that Fang Zichen would wake up and be satisfied with all this.