When the pears are green

Song Li made a gesture to Xing'er and Song Yue to silence them. They covered their mouths with their hands and squatted where they were.

Song Li and the other two squatted there, hearing everything they should and shouldn't hear.

Song Li was squatting between Song Yue and Xing'er. She looked at the two girls with a curious look and listened with great interest. Song Li covered her ears with both hands and motioned Song Yue and Xing'er to follow her.

After Song Li saw Song Yue and Xing Er covering their ears, she put her hands down and hugged them both. Song Li wanted to use this method to prevent the unwanted sounds from entering their ears.

Song Li's feet were numb from squatting, and with two people in her arms, she accidentally squatted on the ground, and the reeds began to shake. Song Li was so scared that she was sweating all over. She covered Xing'er and Song Yue's mouths with her hands to prevent them from making any sound.

Then a female voice was heard: "Brother Chun, there is someone here, let's go back quickly!" It sounded like a young girl's voice.

Song Yue and Xing'er looked at each other in shock. Song Li could tell from their expressions that this girl was obviously someone they knew.

Song Li reached for the backpack on her back, took out two ducklings and placed them on the ground. The ducklings instantly ran away in all directions.

The sounds of "creaking" and "creaking" filled the entire reed marsh.

"Juan'er is just timid. She is not a human being, but a duck. Let's go later. When I catch the duck, how about we go to my house to eat meat in the evening?" said a frivolous male voice.

"I don't want to. I want to leave. If someone sees me and tells my mother, she will beat me to death." The girl named Juan'er said while crying.

"This place is so far from your home. Even if someone you know sees us, so what? If anyone dares to say something wrong, I'll help you deal with it." The man said impatiently.

The girl was still begging the man, but he became even more impatient. After cursing "bad luck", a rustling sound came from the reeds again.

"Brother Chun, I'm going home. It's getting dark and my mother will look for me." The girl ran away without waiting for the man to say anything.

Song Li heard a loud vibration coming from the reeds not far away. It should be caused by the man kicking the reeds to vent his dissatisfaction. While kicking, the man said: "Damn duck, you ruined my good thing, don't let me catch you."

The sound of kicking the reeds became louder and louder. Song Li became more and more scared. She took out the dagger Jiang Qingzhou gave her from the small bag she carried with her. Since she got this dagger, she would carry it with her whenever she went out.

Song Li wanted to cut the cloth on her body and cover the faces of the three of them. Even if the man found them, they couldn't let him see who they were, otherwise they would get into endless trouble. But Song Li was afraid that the sound of cutting the cloth would attract the man's attention. Just when Song Li was wavering, the movement in the reeds disappeared. Song Li thought that the man must have left because he didn't catch the duck.

Song Li didn't dare to act rashly. She whispered to Song Yue and Xing'er, "Yueyue, Xing'er, sit down first. Don't talk or move. Let's wait. We might be caught by this man if we move."

Song Yue and Xing'er sat down slowly and looked at each other in silence.

Song Li held the dagger and looked at the reeds around her, carefully observing each reed in front of her. Even if a breeze blew, she would break out in a cold sweat. She must not fail this time. Behind her are Song Dahe's family, Song Ershun's family, and Jiang Qingzhou. If any of the three of them got into trouble here, the people behind her would be hurt by countless rumors.

Song Li was very alert, and she regretted coming here. But regret was useless, and she hoped that they could get out of the reeds smoothly.

After about an incense stick of time, there was no movement except for the breeze passing through the reeds. Song Li held the dagger in one hand and covered his face with one sleeve. He slowly poked his head out of the reeds. All he saw was the reeds swaying in the wind.

Song Li looked at the sun that was already setting, she crouched down and said to Song Yue and Xing Er: "He's gone, let's go quickly."

Song Yue and Xing'er also stood up. Song Li asked Song Yue and Xing'er to stretch their legs first, and then the three of them helped each other to remove the dirt from their clothes.

Song Li glanced at the sparkling water, and the wild ducks on the water were still quacking. The afterglow of the sun sprinkled on the water, as if it was inlaid with a layer of golden light. Song Li was in no mood to appreciate these. She quickly put on her backpack, held the dagger in her hand, and walked forward with Song Yue and Xing'er. When passing by the collapsed reeds, Song Li really wanted to spit a few mouthfuls of saliva into it.

Fortunately, as soon as Song Li and the others reached the main road, they saw Song Changming, who was worried and angry, coming to look for them. After seeing them, Song Changming breathed a sigh of relief. Song Changming first talked about Xing'er, and then asked them to go back with him quickly.

As he walked, Song Changming said, "My elder brother came to our house to look for Xiaoli and Xiaoyue, saying that you and Xing'er had gone out and had not returned yet. We looked in many places but couldn't find you. So I knew that you, this naughty boy, brought them here. Didn't I say that I would bring you here when I was free? Why are you in such a hurry? What if something happens, what will these two families do?" Xing'er lowered her head after hearing this, knowing that she was in the wrong.

Song Changming looked around the three of them a few more times and asked, "You've been here for so long, didn't something really happen?"

Song Yue and Xing'er were young and didn't know how to describe to Song Changming what they had heard, so they stammered and couldn't explain clearly.

Song Changming thought that Song Yue and Xing'er were not able to explain clearly because they were afraid, so he stamped his feet anxiously. Song Changming turned around and asked Song Li, but when he saw the dagger in Song Li's hand, he was so scared that he almost fainted.

Song Li looked at Song Changming's increasingly gloomy face, she put the dagger into her bag, and then said to Song Changming in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "Uncle Changming, we are fine, it's just that when we wanted to come back, we happened to see someone in the reeds... uh, fooling around!" Song Li thought for a long time and found the word. Song Changming looked at Song Li's slightly red face, and he understood what she meant.

Song Changming quickly asked, "No one saw you, did they?" Song Li shook her head, and then she described the incident again, and then said, "Even if someone saw it, I will take care of it."

Song Changming looked at his niece, whom he had thought was very timid, with a little disbelief. Song Li did not say anything to Song Changming anymore and went after Xing'er and Song Yue.

Song Changming caught up with the three of them and said, "Don't go out to talk about what happened today. If you meet someone later, just say we went to Tonghui River. That's where we caught the ducks. Do you understand?"

Xing'er looked at Song Li hesitantly, and Song Yue pulled her sleeve and said, "We understand, Uncle Changming."

By the time they got home, it was already dark.

Song Changhe and his wife did not dare to say anything, they just hoped that Song Changming could find the three of them. Song Changhe paced back and forth in the yard, and Zhang kept complaining about why she didn't let the two children stay at home, and it was clear that Song Li didn't want to go out. They were going to get engaged tomorrow, but something like this happened today.

Song Xing stood beside Zhang and kept comforting her.

Just when Song Changhe decided to go to Song Ershun's house to inquire about the situation, there was a knock on the door.