A moment later, He Xiaoya realized she had lost her composure and quickly withdrew her hand, taking a step back. She lowered her head, not daring to look at the tall boy in front of her again.
She was really afraid that she couldn't control herself and would cross that red line.
At this time, Zhang Xiaobei felt both excited and nervous. The softness of her jade fingers sliding over his body was truly comfortable.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. These injuries are just scratches from tree branches while I was walking. Sister-in-law, I'm hungry, is there anything to eat?"
"It's… it's good you're fine. The food is in the pot. I… I'll go get it for you." He Xiaoya's face blushed as she stole a glance at Zhang Xiaobei before turning and running into the house.
Her bashful appearance left Zhang Xiaobei dumbstruck. She was so beautiful!
"Eat slowly, don't choke. There's still more in the pot." He Xiaoya felt sweet inside as she watched Zhang Xiaobei gobbling down the food she had lovingly prepared for him.
"Sister-in-law, this is the consultation fee I earned from seeing patients today. Keep it. Though it's not much, it's enough to buy a decent piece of clothing."
Over the years, in order for her to go to school, the family had always been frugal. He Xiaoya was even more so, still wearing the clothes she had come into the Zhang family with to this day.
Every time he thought of this, Zhang Xiaobei's heart was filled with immense guilt.
"What clothes to buy? I think my clothes are still pretty good. Let's save this money to pay off debts." Since Zhang Xiaobei left that morning, He Xiaoya had not been idle. She had visited both friends and relatives but hadn't been able to borrow a single penny.
Not only did she fail to borrow any money, but she also endured people's disdainful looks. Some even avoided her as if she were a plague. Her own family did the same, and what was more outrageous was that they even pressured her to remarry.
The fickleness of the world and the chill of human relationships were vividly depicted at this moment. With a stomach full of bitterness, she dared not reveal a bit to Zhang Xiaobei, afraid that he would worry.
But despite He Xiaoya's best efforts to conceal it, the attentive Zhang Xiaobei noticed some clues.
"Sister-in-law, you don't have to worry about money issues. I've already thought of a solution."
"Xiaobei, what did you just say?" He Xiaoya couldn't believe her ears and even suspected she was hallucinating.
"I said, I've thought of a solution."
"Quickly tell me, what is the solution?" He Xiaoya looked at Zhang Xiaobei, her eyes full of longing.
"Didn't someone poison our fish pond? But after my care these past days, the water in the pond is back to normal, and those fry that survived have now grown to five or six inches long, plump and spirited."
Zhang Xiaobei put down his bowl and chopsticks, "And based on my estimates, if we sell all these fish, even if we can't make up the twenty thousand yuan, it will be close enough. If we really need to, we can also sell some of the sorghum from our home, and that should cover it."
"Xiaobei, is what you're saying really true?"
"Of course it's true. When have I ever lied to you?" Looking at He Xiaoya's tear-stained face, Zhang Xiaobei's heart ached. He slowly got up and came to her, gently wiping the tears from her face. "From now on, I will take care of everything at home. I will make sure you have a happy life and never let you suffer the slightest grievance."
He Xiaoya nodded gently, then buried her head in Zhang Xiaobei's embrace, sobbing incessantly. At this moment, she could no longer hold back the bitterness she had suppressed for years, pouring it all into the arms of the man before her.
After lunch, Zhang Xiaobei took the freshly picked herbs and pond-cleaning tools and headed out the door.
"Xiaobei, where are you going in the midday heat?"
"Sister-in-law, I'm going to feed those little guys and clean the fish pond. I have roughly calculated it will take about six or seven days to clean up."
"Wait a minute, I will go with you."
Before Zhang Xiaobei could object, He Xiaoya turned and went into the house. Shortly after, she emerged with two straw hats in her hand.
"Sister-in-law, it's too hot, you don't have to go."
"If you can go, why can't I? Wait for me, I'll grab some things."
Seeing He Xiaoya was so determined, Zhang Xiaobei had no choice but to agree.
According to Zhang Xiaobei's plan, the only thing they could rely on to turn things around was the fish pond. If the pond was re-operated properly, in less than a year, they might be able to pay off all the Zhang family's debts and even save some money.
Then, by expanding the fish pond, life would gradually get better. Next was to investigate the poisoning of the fish pond and then to settle accounts with that adulterous couple.
If it were not for these two incidents, his father would not have died so tragically, his future would not have been destroyed, and his sister-in-law would not have suffered so much.
As the two of them were leaving the house, a Santana police car with its siren blaring drove into the village, coming to an abrupt stop at the entrance to Zhang Xiaobei's home. The sight of a police car in the village was unprecedented and immediately attracted attention.
Villagers gathered in groups of three or pairs of two, quickly converging at the entrance to the Zhang family's home.
"My goodness, what happened to the Zhang family? What did they do to have a police car come?"
"I don't know, probably Zhang Xiaobei did something unseemly in his desperation to pay off debts and got caught."
"I don't think so. Probably He Xiaoya was unfaithful, and someone's wife found out and reported her."
…
The crowd buzzed with speculation and whispers.
The car door opened, and two uniformed police officers stepped out.
"Who is Zhang Xiaobei?" the leading officer asked, his face stern.
"Officer, I am Zhang Xiaobei. May I know what this is about?"
The leading police officer sized up Zhang Xiaobei, "Take him away!"
Hearing that they were going to arrest someone, He Xiaoya bravely stepped in front of Zhang Xiaobei, "Officer, please tell me what crime Zhang Xiaobei has committed that requires taking him away?"
The leading officer glanced at He Xiaoya with an impatient look. "Someone reported Zhang Xiaobei for practicing medicine without a license, inadvertently causing someone's death, and extorting money from others. Do you understand?"
Upon hearing this, He Xiaoya's vision went dark. The police officer's words were as shocking to her as if a thunderbolt from a clear sky had struck.
"Officer, there must be a mistake. We have not extorted money from anyone, nor have we ever caused someone's death. It must be a misunderstanding."
"Whether it's a misunderstanding or not, we'll know at the police station. Take him away!"