Jiang Muxia didn't think there was anything wrong with it, she just felt that it was too troublesome for them to fetch water back and forth between the county and the village every day.

"What if I move the winery to the village?" Xu Da seemed to see through her thoughts and asked tentatively.

"Of course, but you have to find another piece of land. Qingfeng Villa is mine, don't even think about taking it back. Besides, this year is a year of severe drought, and moving here and there will be too much trouble. I advise you to wait until the drought eases before making a decision!"

Without waiting for his response, Jiang Muxia left the pub and ran away, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Xu Da shook his head helplessly. This girl was becoming more and more naughty. She was more likable now than when he first met her.

Some villagers in the village who have little food stored at home have started digging up wild vegetables and grass roots.

The village’s previously common practice of three meals a day was changed to just one meal a day.

Jiang Muxia put down the work at hand and focused all his attention on finding the person who harmed Jiang Xinghua.

When she discovered that Jiang Xinghua was suspected to be pregnant, she recalled what had happened every year in the ten years of Yuanhe in her previous life, but found no clues at all.

She doesn't even know the specific cause of death in her previous life?

In the previous life, Aunt Jiang told outsiders that the cause of Jiang Xinghua's death was the same as in this life, a relapse of her old illness and she died.

Now that she knows the reason, she wants to seek justice for her and have the perpetrator punished.

But it's easier said than done.

Jiang Xinghua’s circle of friends is too small, and she stays alone at home most of the time. If someone wants to force her, they should at least trick her into a secluded place.

Everyone talks about a pregnancy that takes ten months. Aunt Jiang was sure that she had given birth at full term, so it turned out that she was conceived in July of the tenth year of Yuanhe.

Jiang Muxia had not returned at that time. After so many years, she had a vague memory of what happened in July of the tenth year of Yuanhe.

It seems that we still have to rely on Jiang Zaohua and Yin Haitang to carefully recall the details of that time.

"Zaohua, Brother Jiru, think carefully about whether there was anything special that happened to Sister Xinghua last July?"

The three of them sat under the willow trees along the Qiaotou River in Xigang Village, carefully going over the timeline proposed by Jiang Muxia.

"Let me think about it." Jiang Zaohua held her head, frowning. "Last July, the weather was very hot, there was no wind outside, and the cicadas were chirping, making people feel upset. My sister was clamoring to go out, but mother complained about the heat and stopped her from going out. She sat on the ground and cried, and my sister-in-law came out and said a few words for my sister, asking her to stay under the elm tree at the door and not go anywhere. My sister was very obedient, and nodded in agreement with a smile. I was also in the house that day, and I helped my sister-in-law to speak for my sister, but I complained about the heat, so I stayed in the house and didn't go out."

Jiang Zaohua's eyes lit up and she sat up straight. "No, I didn't stay in the house. I followed my sister-in-law in the kitchen to make fruit. Yes, it was Qiaoguo. I remembered that day was the Qiqiao Festival. We were all busy at home. It was very hot that day and there were almost no people on the road. When we remembered that my sister was still outside the door, I ran out to call her and found that her clothes were disheveled and there were stains on her face. Mother asked her at the time, and she said that a good friend asked her to go home to play and she accidentally fell. We were all busy participating in the Qiqiao competition in town and didn't take her words to heart. Could it be that day..."

Jiang Zaohua shed tears, "Mu Xia, tell me, was it that day, was it that day that the good friend she mentioned bullied her?"

Jiang Muxia was not sure. After looking at Li Jiru, she considered it again and again and asked, "What is the relationship between the old bachelors in our village and Jiang Heshui and Sister Xinghua?"

Jiang Zaohua's face darkened, and she stood up suddenly, glaring at Jiang Muxia, and said unkindly, "What do you mean?" Li Jiru saw her getting angry, and hurried forward to persuade her, "Don't be angry, Muxia is looking for someone, how can you find that beast without asking clearly? You are such a smart person, why are you confused now?"

"I know it sounds harsh, but they are the only people in our village I can think of who could do such a thing. Zaohua, if I have hurt you, I apologize." She was not angry at Jiang Zaohua for getting mad at her.

Anyone who encounters this kind of thing will find it difficult to get over it.

Jiang Zaohua calmed down after being comforted by Li Jiru. She wiped her tears, walked to sit next to Jiang Muxia, pulled up her sleeves, and apologized, "I'm sorry, I was petty."

"My family always told me not to talk to those people you mentioned, and to stay away from them. I remember that Jiang Heshui teased my sister once, and my brother saw it and chased him with a stick for two blocks. My father beat my sister, and since then, my sister has yelled and hit them with stones when she sees them. So, Mu Xia, they are not the ones who violated my sister."

Jiang Muxia nodded, took her hand, and said solemnly: "Okay, I believe you, and I also believe Sister Xinghua."

The three of them fell silent, looking at the almost dried-up water in the Qingshui River. Jiang Muxia really wanted the river water to wash away the distracting thoughts in his mind and clearly present to everyone what happened during last year's Qiqiao Festival.

Li Jiru suddenly spoke up, "Muxia, could it be that he is not from the village? Or is he from another village who is visiting relatives in the village?"

Yes, they have been checking everyone in the village one by one and ignoring people from other villages.

She suddenly thought of a person who should have been in the village last July.

He is smart and familiar with each household than they are. Perhaps he can provide more insights than they do. It would be better to ask him for advice.

"Zaohua, can I call Brother Yusheng over? His insights may help us find it as soon as possible." She was cautious when making this suggestion, fearing that it would make her unhappy again.

"Okay, I believe in Brother Yusheng's character." She pushed Li Jiru who was sitting next to her and said coquettishly, "Go quickly."

After Li Jiru left, the two sat by the river, enjoying the gentle spring breeze. No one spoke. Jiang Muxia put her hand on Jiang Zaohua's shoulder and patted her gently. Jiang Zaohua leaned her head on her shoulder.

The waves were rippling and the breeze was blowing, but their hearts were heavy.

On the way here, Li Jiru briefly told him the matter. After Yin Yusheng thought about it for a while, he had an idea in his mind.

He came to the river and stood by the willow tree, and said straight to the point: "I know what happened. I was in the village on the Qiqiao Festival last year. On the way here, I kept thinking about what happened that day. There was a boy talking and laughing with Xinghua in front of your house. Could it be him?"

The three of them lit up their eyes, stretched their necks to stare at him, and asked in unison, "Who?"

"Aunt Zhang's nephew from the back street is called Qiu Bao. He often comes to the village to play. I have seen him many times, but I think his behavior is that of a... idiot."

"Foolish?" Jiang Zaohua didn't believe it. "How could a fool like him bully my sister?"

When Jiang Muxia heard the word Qiu Bao, she felt that it sounded familiar. She must have heard it somewhere.

"Brother Yusheng, do you know what his full name is?"

"Aunt Zhang's maiden family is from Lu Village, Xing'an Town, and her maiden name is Zhao." Yin Yusheng thought for a moment and said with certainty.

"Zhao Qiubao, Zhao Qiubao..." Jiang Muxia's eyes lit up and she exclaimed in surprise, then her eyes dimmed in an instant.

If it really is him, he's dead, so there's no point in finding him.

"What's wrong? Do you know him?" The three looked at her in surprise. She reacted so strongly, she must know this person.

"If it's really him, then there's no need to look for him." Jiang Muxia raised her head, a look of sadness in her eyes. She looked at Jiang Zaohua steadily and said slowly, "He's dead. He was buried on the second day of the new year."

"What?" The three looked at her in disbelief.

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