However, when Yue Qingli was about to talk to Xiao Xi, he saw Xiao Xi running backwards, and then hiding behind a big rock.

Yue Qingli made a gesture towards Jiang Yinchen and them, and then walked towards the stone alone.

Seeing that Yue Qingli was alone, Xiao Xi was not so guarded. However, judging from his desire to dodge, Xiao Xi was actually still a little scared.

In fact, what Yue Qingli didn't understand was why Xiaoxi was just willing to be close to her, but when she saw Shu Yicai, who was liked by other children in the village, she hid so far away?

But now is not the time to ask this, Yue Qingli stopped a few steps away from the stone and shouted softly: "Xiaoxi?"

Xiao Xi looked out and whispered, "How do you know my name?"

Yue Qingli had a soft smile on his face: "I've asked others." ”

Unexpectedly, it was such a sentence that made Xiaoxi suddenly become vigilant.

Yue Qingli saw it at a glance and hurriedly said, "I just want to talk to you, there is no malicious intent." ”

Xiao Xi lowered her head and did not speak.

Yue Qingli was not in a hurry to step forward, so he patiently talked to him: "Are you afraid of them, or I will let them go first, just you and me, let's talk together, okay?"

Xiao Xi looked up at this time: "Why?"

Yue Qingli didn't understand what he meant, so he subconsciously asked, "What?"

Xiao Xi pouted: "You know that I am a sacrifice, why are you still willing to talk to me?"

Yue Qingli was a little helpless: "Why can't I talk to you?"

Xiaoxi didn't understand what she meant, raised her head, and looked at her ignorantly.

Yue Qingli patiently explained: "You are you, it has nothing to do with whether it is a sacrifice or not. ”

Xiaoxi's application suddenly became aggrieved: "But they didn't play with me because I became a sacrifice." ”

He didn't know what a sacrifice was before, he used to be liked by many people in the village, even Grandma Yu in the west of the village liked him very much. You must know that Grandma Yu doesn't like other children, but she treats him very well. Although many children are very envious of him, there are no children who do not want to play with him.

When did it become?

In fact, it was after he became a sacrifice. Everyone began to turn away from him.

Every time everyone saw him, they hid away.

However, there are no restrictions on his movement around the village.

But people would still avoid him, and no one would want to pass in front of his house now.

You must know that in the past, the front of his house was the most lively, and many children liked to come to him to play.

But how is it different now?

He couldn't figure it out, so he went to ask his mother.

But his mother would only hug him and cry, saying that it was all fate.

But when he saw Yue Qingli, he noticed a difference.

Unlike others who desperately want to stay away from him, Yue Qingli should really like him.

At that time, there were many children watching her, but Yue Qingli still chose him.

At that time, he felt that he would definitely make Yue Qingli like it.

But when he saw that she was going to find her companion, and saw that her companion was surrounded by a group of children, he knew that he might not be liked by anyone.

The children must have told her that he was a sacrifice.

Although it was not his intention to become a sacrifice, it was certain that the people of the village would stay away from him.

That's why he thought about running away.

But later, even if he knew that he was a sacrifice, Yue Qingli still came to look for her.

Although he knows that he may not be liked by others, he has been ignored for a long time, which still makes Xiaoxi eager to interact with people normally. That's why he can't help but come out.

When Yue Qingli saw Xiao Xi like this, he immediately felt distressed.

Although she didn't know what happened to Xiaoxi in the past, seeing everything today has let her know what Xiaoxi has encountered now.

The people of this village put their own incompetence on a child.

It was clear that they were the ones who wanted Xiaoxi to become a sacrifice, but they still put on an ugly face and said things that they didn't want to be sad when the time came.

So now you can justifiably break the hearts of children?

Yue Qingli endured the anger in his heart, and tried to put his voice softly: "I'm not them, I won't stop playing with you because of such a thing." ”

Xiao Xi looked at her and didn't say anything for a long time.

Yue Qingli took a tentative step forward.

Xiao Xi did not react.

So she didn't stop and continued to walk in front of Xiaoxi.

"Xiaoxi, even if everyone treats you as a sacrifice, you can't think the same way yourself. ”

Xiao Xi didn't really understand Yue Qingli's words, but he still nodded obediently.

Yue Qingli asked him again: "My friends are also very good, can you talk to them too?"

Xiao Xi glanced at Jiang Yinchen and them not far away.

In fact, Jiang Yinchen and Shu Yicai saw it when they were in the village before, but there were too many children around them at that time, so Xiaoxi just watched from a distance and didn't come forward to look.

At the time, he just saw them with other children and thought they wouldn't like him either.

Yue Qingli didn't get Xiao Xi's answer, thinking that he didn't want to, and was about to say something, when he heard Xiao Xi's voice.

"Don't they mind either?"

When Xiao Xi said this, he raised his head to look at her, and the longing in his eyes was clearly visible.

Grandma Yu said that since the sacrifice was announced, Xiaoxi has been treated coldly by the villagers. So far, it's only been a month.

But a month is also a long time for Xiaoxi. He was still young, and he didn't really understand why everyone did this to him. But it is precisely because he is still young that he still has expectations for everyone.

Obviously he didn't do anything wrong, and no one should have done this to him.

It was precisely because of this that he couldn't help but take a step towards Yue Qingli.

It's probably so cold that I can't stand it, so I don't want to let go when I see the slightest warmth.

Yue Qingli took Xiao Xi's hand and walked towards Jiang Yinchen and them.

Xiao Xi's eyes were wide open, as if he was afraid that he would miss it. His appearance is more and more distressing.

Xuanrui couldn't help it first and took a step ahead.

It was only one step before she began to hesitate.

Because of Xiaoxi's performance before, she wasn't sure if she would scare him.

But Xiao Xi was not frightened, but smiled at Xuan Rui.

He looks good when he laughs, with vigor and vitality.

Jiang Yinchen and the others asked the previous questions again, and this time Xiaoxi answered them directly. It's almost the same as Grandma Yu said.

When the four of them heard this, they felt even more sorry for Xiaoxi.

In the end, Xiaoxi couldn't help but say: "You guys are so good to me now, you will definitely be sad in two days." ”

If these words were said by other villagers, they would only feel angry, but when Xiaoxi's mouth came out, the four of them were only full of distress.

Yue Qingli glanced at Jiang Yinchen. Jiang Yinchen nodded slightly.

Yue Qingli squatted down, looked at Xiao Xi's eyes, and said to him very solemnly: "Xiao Xi, listen well, we will not let you become a sacrifice of the river god, we will save you." ”

Xiao Xi's eyes widened suddenly. His eyes were full of surprise and disbelief. "It's impossible, the sacrifice must be held every year, and if the sacrifice fails, the people in the village will not agree. ”

Yue Qingli didn't know how a child like Xiaoxi knew this kind of thing, it was estimated that it was the idea that the people in the village had instilled in him since he was a child.

After all, what is needed for the sacrifice here is a child, and the villagers plan to prepare it early, so that when the child is chosen as a sacrifice, they can be willing to accept their fate.

Yes, it is to accept fate.

Although Xiao Xi longs for warmth, he is also resigned to his fate. After being chosen as a sacrifice, although he was reluctant to accept the warmth and kindness he had received before, he did not think of fleeing.

But these are nothing to Yue Qingli and them.

Jiang Yinchen said beside Yue Qingli: "Do you believe us?"

Xiao Xi looked at them and did not answer.

Yue Qingli hugged him: "Xiaoxi, believe us, we will save you!"

Her voice is soft, gentle, and has a warmth that is impossible to ignore.

Although Xiao Xi didn't speak, he also focused on it.

After that, the four of them sent Xiaoxi home together.

Xiao Xi's mother was looking at the door, and when she saw Yue Qingli and the others outside with Xiao Xi, she immediately became nervous, and beckoned to Xiao Xi from afar: "Xiao Xi, come back!"

Yue Qingli and the others stopped.

Xiao Xi looked at Yue Qingli and said with a smile, "Sister Qingli, we have made an appointment." ”

Yue Qingli nodded: "Yes, it has already been agreed." ”

Xiao Xi then ran towards his mother with a smile.

Seeing that Xiaoxi was led into the door by his mother, the four of them turned back.

There were still two days left for the sacrifice, and Yue Qingli and the others had nothing else to do in the past two days, so they asked around the village about the sacrifice.

However, many of the villagers did not want to deal with them, and they did not ask anything.

Fortunately, the two days passed quickly, and the day of the sacrifice was soon reached.

Before dawn, it began to rain. Slowly, the rain became heavier and heavier, and the large lake in front of the village rose and fell severely.

The Yao village is not very high, and if the lake rises, it is likely to flood the village.

However, Yue Qingli did not see the panic on the faces of the villagers, and many of them were very calm.

Shu Yicai was very puzzled and asked his grandmother directly.

Grandma Yu looked at the heavy rain outside and said slowly: "It was like this before. ”

In fact, before the appearance of the river god, there was not much rain in the Yao village, but since the river god came, there will be a heavy rain at this time of year, and it will rain when it should rain, and it will not rain much when it shouldn't. The crops planted by the villagers will basically usher in a bumper harvest.

It is precisely because of this that although the river god needs a sacrifice every year, everyone still obediently prepares the sacrifice according to the river god's instructions.