The Lucky Farmgirl-Chapter 1920 - 1895: Recognition

The three talked while retreating, and soon distanced themselves from the battlefield. They first found some children playing in the alley to ask for directions and found the well.

In the north, water is scarce, and it’s rare for families to have their own wells. Usually, the Chief would decide the location for a communal well for everyone to use.

The well wasn’t far from where they were, and even though it was already noon, there were still quite a few people there fetching water and washing clothes.

Bai Erlang ran ahead, borrowed a bucket from someone by the well, and clumsily drew up half a bucket of water, which was just enough for them.

He splashed water to clean his hands and waved to Bai Shanzhou and Manbao, "Hurry up."

Bai Shan stepped forward, washed the handkerchief, and then reluctantly wiped his face.

Manbao also fetched water to wash her hands. She was lucky; when the two began to argue, she was standing behind Bai Shan.

The two squatted on the side, smiling as they watched Bai Shan wash his face.

The people washing clothes by the well also stared at Bai Shan. A woman couldn’t help but exclaim, "The young master is really handsome."

Bai Shan’s face turned slightly red, and he politely thanked the person for the compliment, then casually asked, "Do you know where the Chief’s house is in this area?"

Everyone began inspecting the three of them and couldn’t help but inquire, "Does the young master have business with our Chief?"

Bai Shan smiled politely, "We are from the capital seeking relatives; it’s just that we haven’t been in contact for many years and the relatives seem to have moved, so we want to inquire with the Chief."

Upon hearing this, everyone became excited and quickly said, "Is the young master’s relative nearby? You should ask us; we’ve lived here forever and know a lot."

Bai Shan’s gaze swept over them. Those washing clothes here couldn’t be that old. The eldest looked about thirty, with a total of six people, the remaining five seemed younger, about the same age as Sixth Sister-in-law, all donning married women’s hair buns.

It was evident they all married into the village. Bai Shan didn’t quite believe they had always lived here.

However, villages are full of gossip and few secrets. That Sister-in-law Xia didn’t seem very pleasant, and if she had poor relations, people would certainly like to talk about her family, so they might really know something.

So Bai Shan found a stone to sit on the side and talk to them, "It’s relatives from an older generation, we’re young and have never been here, haven’t been in contact for over ten years, and don’t know where they are now."

He smiled and asked, "Does sister-in-law know if there was a Xia family scholar here over ten years ago? He had only one daughter, and I heard she later married in."

The oldest paused, looking at Bai Shan in surprise.

A young wife beside her had already started laughing, "Never heard of such a family, young master, are you mistaken? There’s no family here that married in."

But Bai Shan looked at the older woman.

She hesitated, then curiously asked Bai Shan, "Are you relatives of the Xia family?"

Bai Shan smiled and nodded.

She frowned, "Never heard of the Xia family having such relatives outside."

Her look at Bai Shan changed, becoming less enthusiastic, but she still said, "However, over ten years ago, there indeed was a Xia family scholar here, but they are long gone. There was a daughter who married in, but she left with her husband and never returned."

She paused there, again suspiciously looking at Bai Shan, but seeing he was a boy and didn’t match the age, her eyes turned to Zhou Man who had been quietly squatting on the side.

Upon closer inspection, her eyes widened slightly, scrutinizing Zhou Man up and down.

Manbao slightly edged backward under her gaze.

Bai Shan then stood up to shield Manbao and smiled at the woman, "Does sister-in-law know who lives in their house now? And if they have any other relatives?"

The woman leaned sideways to try to get another look at Zhou Man. Seeing Bai Shan again blocked her view, she helplessly said, "The one living there now is a nephew of the same family line, several generations apart. Are you from..."

She looked around and then lowered her voice to ask, "Are you from Lady Xin’s family? Where are Lady Xin and Mr. Zhou?"

Bai Shan just smiled, reached down to pull Manbao up, and said to her, "We’re here to find relatives. Do you know how to get to the Chief’s house?"

The woman eagerly gave them directions, "Go in from there, exit at the junction ahead, take a right when you reach the street, the second house is it."

Her eyes sparkled as she tried to sneak another glance at Zhou Man behind him, but Bai Shan blocked her view.

Bai Shan thanked her and led Manbao away.

The three quickly left, almost breaking into a run. Manbao patted her chest with relief, "It seemed like she wanted to eat me alive."

Bai Shan said, "You must resemble Uncle Zhou or Aunt Zhou."

Manbao tilted her head, pondered, and said, "I always hear my dad say I look like him, and villagers also say I look like my dad, so I guess I look like my dad?"

Bai Shan held her hand as they looked for the Chief’s house and laughed, "This is good, looking alike spares us some trouble."

Meanwhile, the woman, after they left, excitedly packed up her clothes into the wooden basin and headed home.

A young wife couldn’t help asking, "Aunt Fan, you’re not washing anymore?"

"No, I’ll head home first."

The young wives watched her hastily stash the unwashed clothes into the tub and stared, noting, "Going back like this, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law might quarrel again."

But Aunt Fan didn’t care, hugging the tub and walking quickly. Upon returning home, she tossed the tub into the yard; her son saw this and gaped while her mother-in-law, seeing this, was about to scold, when she said excitedly, "Mom, guess who’s back?"

"Who’s back? Whoever it is, you can’t just throw around the basin. How many basins do we have at home? Wait, did you wash the clothes clean..."

"Lady Xin’s family is back."

"Who is Lady Xin?"

Aunt Fan pointed next door, "Lady Xin! Her family’s Lady Xin is back!"

The old lady’s eyes widened slightly, losing interest in the basin and clothes. Grabbing her daughter-in-law’s sleeve, she asked, "Really? Where are they?"

Saying this, she pricked up her ears to listen for any sounds from next door, "But that can’t be right. Today I only heard arguing next door with the Gao Clan, nothing else. Did you see Lady Xin?"

Aunt Fan stiffened, realizing something was off; she hadn’t seen Lady Xin, and if she had returned, she could simply go home instead of asking about family relatives.

The old lady, seeing her daughter-in-law dazing again, chided her, "You’re spouting nonsense again..."

"There is something, there is! I didn’t see Lady Xin, but I saw Lady Xin’s daughter. Seriously, mom, that child looks fourteen or fifteen, the age matches, and that face resembles Mr. Zhou’s so much, her eyes look just like they were taken from her dad and put on her. Plus, her forehead and chin look a lot like Lady Xin, they must be their child."