Ci Jinzhi

  Chapter 2 Perception

   "Girl, what's wrong with you?"

  Xiao Lian's concerned voice pulled Xin You back from the empty picture. Instead of answering Xiao Lian's words, she turned her head slightly and glanced at the people in the room one by one.

The old lady with red eyes, the first wife Qiao with a concerned face, the second wife Zhu with pitying eyes, the frowning girl in red dress, the girl in apricot shirt with drooping eyes and pursed lips, the girl in pink with an indistinguishable expression, And the curious girl standing beside Zhu Shi.

  Xin You took another look at the second master Duan Wenbai, who hadn't spoken much since entering the house and Bingming's general situation, and a chill came to his heart: Perhaps Kou Qingqing's fall from the cliff was not an accident.

   "Qingqing?" The old lady called out in doubt.

  Xin You rubbed the center of her brows, and explained casually: "Just now I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my eyes."

  She knew from an early age that her eyes were different from others. She would see without warning that bad things were going to happen to a person, or a sprained foot, or a bumped head, or... an accidental death. Of course, she can't see the same person every time, but when she sees more people, it's not uncommon for this kind of horrifying scene to appear suddenly, which is enough to make her panic from the beginning to panic later. Vigorously.

   "It's been hard for you for the past two days." The old lady patted the back of Xinyou's hand lightly, and signaled Xiaolian to help her up, and she was still carried by the strong woman to Kou Qingqing's residence.

  The green curtain of plain muslin swayed, and gradually returned to calm.

  The old lady looked at Duan Wenbai, the concubine, and asked in a deep voice: "Has Qingqing really lost her memory?"

  When Duan Wenbai came back with Xinyou, he sent someone to report back to the mansion first, which is why all the masters of the mansion gathered here with the old lady.

   "Maybe I bumped my head and I don't know anyone."

  The old lady's expression was difficult to distinguish between emotions and anger, and she was silent for a moment and sighed: "It's good that people are fine. Mrs. Qiao, you should worry about Qingqing. Tell me in time if you have any problems after seeing the doctor."

  Mr. Qiao bowed slightly: "Daughter-in-law, don't worry, don't worry."

  The old lady looked pale, and waved her hand to let the crowd disperse.

  Xin You quietly lay on the back of the mother-in-law, looking at the surrounding environment.

  Chaoshou verandah, artificial hills and green bamboos, through two moon gates, you will arrive at a small courtyard. This is Kou Qingqing's residence, titled Wanqingju.

  The servants of Wanqingju came out to welcome Xin You into the house.

  The beautifully carved canopy bed is hung with a plain gauze curtain, and there is a blue flower embroidered pier with a white background beside the bed. The dressing table against the wall is slightly empty, and the blue and white vases in front of the window are full of gardenias. Perhaps Kou Qingqing had an accident in the past two days, and the maid had no intention of changing it, and the pure white gardenias had faded and turned yellow.

  Xinyou's first impression was that this dormitory was too clean for a sixteen-year-old girl.

   Before she could observe more, the eldest lady walked in with the doctor.

The doctor, a female doctor in her forties, carefully examined Xinyou's injuries, and explained the situation to Qiao Shi: "The girl has many abrasions on her body, but fortunately they are not serious, and the medicines applied on time will not leave scars. But the girl's lungs have been shaken, and she needs to rest in peace..."

  Mr. Qiao nodded while listening: "Doctor Lao is here."

  The female doctor wrote down the prescription and explained to Xiaolian how to cook the medicine. Mrs. Qiao sat down on the embroidered pier and comforted Xinyou softly: "Listen to the doctor to take the medicine on time, and tell auntie if you need anything..."

  When Mrs. Qiao left with the female doctor and there was no one else around, Xin You asked Xiaolian: "The eldest lady talked to me just now, why did you look at her so many times?"

  At that time, the female doctor was taking over the job, and Xiaolian was distracted from looking at the eldest wife, Qiao Shi, so there must be a reason.

   Sure enough, Xiao Lian whispered: "The eldest wife is always serious, and this is the first time that the maid has seen her so close to the girl."

  Xin You slightly raised his eyebrows: "So, the eldest lady treated me badly in the past?"

  Xiao Lian's tone was a little hesitant: "It's not bad, it's just...be more polite."

  Xin You nodded and pointed to the dressing table: "Bring the mirror."

  Xiao Lian walked over and opened the drawer, took out a palm-sized mirror and returned to Xin You. It was actually a glazed mirror that could clearly illuminate people, although it was small, it must be worth a lot.

  Xin You's eyes fell on the handle of the mirror. The rosewood handle carved with flowers and birds can be seen to have traces of time.

  Xiao Lian knew that the girl didn't remember anything, so she took the initiative to say: "This mirror was bought from the capital on your tenth birthday. You liked it very much at that time, and played with it every day..."

   "Really?" Xin You murmured, staring intently at the face in the mirror.

  The eyebrows are picturesque, the nose is bright and the lips are bright, these are clearly her eyebrows and eyes.

   "Miss Xiaolian, the medicine is ready." A little maid stood at the door and shouted.

  Xiao Lian walked out quickly, and soon came in with a bowl of concoction.

  The strong medicinal fragrance completely dissipated the remaining gardenia fragrance in the room, Xinyou took a light breath, and drank the medicine.

  No matter why these people misunderstood someone, or what crisis Kou Qingqing was in, she had to take care of her body before she could have the energy to deal with it.

   Tiredness struck, and when Xin You woke up again, it was already dark night.

Xiao Lian warmed up the food from the big kitchen on the small stove and served Xin You to eat it, and then directed the little maid to bring a basin of hot water: "Girl, you are still injured and cannot take a bath. The servant girl will give you a bath first." Wipe yourself off."

  Xin You naturally did not refuse.

  Having not bathed for a few days, she already felt sticky and uncomfortable.

  Xiao Lian stretched out her hand to untie Xin You's coat, wondering: "This dress is not what you wore that day."

   "The clothes are scratched, this one is left by Grandpa Wang's daughter who married in the early years."

   "The girl must have been in so much pain at that time. If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have gone climbing..." Xiao Lian was heartbroken, and the movement of gently wiping suddenly stopped, and her eyes were glued to Xin You's shoulder.

  The girl's shoulders are round and snow-white, and a red water drop is particularly conspicuous.

  Xiao Lian blinked vigorously, and wiped the drop of water back and forth with a warm towel, but the redness that fell on her shoulders seemed to become more vivid after being rubbed.

  The hand towel fell into the washbasin, splashing a splash of water, Xiao Lian suddenly took a step back with a look of horror.

   It's not vertigo, it's a drop-shaped birthmark!

  Xin You noticed something was wrong, and looked sideways at Xiaolian.

  The horror in Xiao Lian's eyes almost overflowed, and she asked with trembling lips, "You, who are you?"

   There is no birthmark on her girl's shoulder at all!

   "Why do you look the same as my girl? Where is my girl?" Xiao Lian was flustered, turned around and ran away.

  A slightly cold hand held her wrist, and the voice behind her was also cold: "Where are you going?"

   With a pale face, Xiao Lian turned her head slowly, looking at the face exactly like her own girl's, she felt like seeing a ghost, and tremblingly said: "I, I'm going to tell the old lady!"

   "And then?" Xin You asked calmly.

   "Then?" Xiao Lian was confused and incoherent, "Then arrest you monster and bring back my girl!"

  The hand holding Xiaolian's wrist loosened.

"Go ahead."

  (end of this chapter)