catch the rabbit

On the bridge in the middle of the lake, Yan Pu sat alone with her knees hugged, and she heard footsteps in her ears without raising her head.

"Is it jumping?"

Jiang Tiaotiao sat down beside him, and sighed softly: "You disappeared for a day without making a sound, Ah Ling and the others were terribly worried, for fear that something might happen to you."

Rouge lowered her head and said nothing.

Seeing that the tears on his face were still wet, Jiang Tiaotiao felt uncomfortable: "The lotus here is about to wither, there is nothing to see, come back with me."

Yanpu buried her head in her sleeve, and said in a muffled voice, "Tiaotiao, I want to go back to Peach Blossom Valley."

The night was thick, dyeing his crimson clothes a crimson purple.

"Okay, I'll accompany you back." Jiang Tiaotiao forced a smile, "Xiaoye'er and the others in Peach Blossom Valley should miss you too."

"When I go back this time, I won't come to the capital again." Yan Pu tried her best to hold back her tears, "I will never come again."

Seeing him like this, Jiang Tiaotiao felt even more sad.

"Tiaotiao, there is one thing I want to ask you before I leave." Roupu wiped her eyes with her sleeve, and said, "I have something to return to Mr. Li, but I lost it..."

"Is it the peach blossom kit?" Jiang Tiao jumped, "I have already given it to Xi Baiqing."

Rouge's eyes darkened for a moment.

"Then you already know."

In the night, a few fireflies flew around them with small lights, and little fluorescent lights flickered.

After a long time, Jiang Tiaotiao asked, "Did they hurt you?"

Yan Pu shook her head: "No. Those who came to arrest me were very fierce, but they were all ordinary people. I didn't resist if I didn't want to hurt others, and they didn't make things difficult for me. Xi Baiqing let me go after a while."

Jiang Tiaotiao said "Oh", and said again: "It's fine."

He didn't want to mention it at first, but looking at Roupu, he finally couldn't help it and said: "Li Zhi is just a mortal, he will get married one day, it's useless for you to be sad."

There was a little glow in the palm of Yanpu's palm, he put his five fingers together and wrapped the little firefly in his palm.

"I know."

He lay back on the stone bridge, raised his hands in front of his eyes, and looked at the glimmer of light between his fingers.

"But... I like him."

Jiang Tiaotiao was taken aback, feeling inexplicably nervous.

"Do you know what liking is?"

"I know." Rouge said slowly, "I would rather get rid of the demon bones, destroy the primordial spirit, and only have one day to live, and want to be with him."

Yan Pu has always been weak in character, and he is the least courageous among them. This is the first time Jiang Tiaotiao has heard him say such a thing.

"He always bullies you, is this also called liking?"

"I used to think the same way, but later I realized that he is actually very good to me." Yan Pu said, his eyes clouded with mist again, "He loves beauty just like Huang Cai, I made his forehead He left a scar, but he didn’t blame me at all. His father locked him up and didn’t let him go out. He climbed over the wall and came out to find me. He had a long cut on his leg, and he hid it from me.”

Rouge covered her eyes with her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Tiaotiao, I secretly went to meet his fiancée today, she is a very good girl. I told myself at that time that it was a blessing he had cultivated in several lifetimes to marry such a person, but...but I'm still sad as hell..."

The firefly in his hand was no longer confined, and flew up again with flickering light.

"Why am I a demon..."

Rouge burst into tears like rain. Although he loves to cry, he has never cried so sadly.

"I can practice hard. In 1000 or 2000 years, I will be able to cultivate a human body one day, but by then, he will be gone."

Jiang Tiaotiao didn't know how to comfort him.

He could only lie down with him and watch the stars in the night.

Rouge stretched out a hand, and peach blossoms bloomed between her fingers, the fragrance was overwhelming.

"Even if it's just an ordinary peach blossom, I'll show him the most beautiful flowers every year." He murmured, "We will grow old together and die together."

The immortal demon wants to live and die with mortals.It would be unreasonable to change someone else.

But Jiang Tiaotiao didn't find Roupu's idea ridiculous at all.

He lay on the cold stone bridge, carefully recalling what Roupu had said.

Even if the demon bones are removed, the primordial spirit is destroyed, and there is only one day left to live, I still want to be with him.

Roupu is kind-hearted, if others treat him a little bit better, he will always remember it and repay others a thousand times.Jiang Tiaotiao didn't know how much Li Zhi had paid for him, and he didn't know what happened between them when he couldn't see him, and he didn't know whether he liked this kind of emotion, but he believed that they both treated each other sincerely. .

There are some things in this world that just relying on sincerity is far from enough.Now that Li Zhi is about to get married, Yan Pu also wants to go back to Peach Blossom Valley.After this farewell, I am afraid they will never see each other again.

Jiang Tiaotiao looked at the peach blossoms fluttering between his fingers, and heaved a long sigh in his heart.

Lianxin Lake is completely silent, and the fireflies that danced just now have disappeared without a trace.

***

Lin Wanke has been extremely busy these days.

His precious younger brother Lin Baizhi went out to play during the day and came home sweating profusely. After taking a bath, he was greedy for the cold and refused to put on his coat. As a result, he developed a high fever that night.

Lin Wanke was so anxious that he took him to see a doctor in the middle of the night, serving water and decocting medicine until dawn.

After all, Lin Baizhi is a weak child, lying on the bed and humming uncomfortably. Lin Wanke has a lot of work at hand, so how can he keep looking after him, so he has no choice but to trouble Jiyun again.

When he came back after delivering the cakes, Ji Yun had already cooked porridge and was feeding Lin Baizhi mouthful by mouthful.

Lin Baizhi's complexion has improved a lot. Seeing him coming, he shouted, "Big brother, I can't go to the academy today!"

Lin Wanke put down the empty food box in his hand, and said, "How can you go to school when you're sick like this? Just take a good rest."

"No! Mr. Le posted a question yesterday, and I wrote two poems!" Lin Bai knew, "Brother, can you bring it to Mr. Le for me?"

Lin Wan could see that his face was pale with anxiety, and he couldn't say no, so he had to fold the paper on the table and put it in his arms.

Ji Yun sent him to the door, seeing that he was sweating from running just now, and he didn't have time to take a sip of water, so he shook his head and said, "I just said, you really need to find a wife. Look at the people who are sick now, and there are always people around you." Take care. I can still help you now, but when I get married next year, who will help you?"

Lin Wanke could only smile.

"What do you think of the Jinxiu I showed you last time?" Ji Yun said, "Jinxiu is really a good girl, she has a kind heart, and she does her needlework skillfully. I asked in private, and she has a good impression of you. Said that you are honest, and——hey, don't leave in a hurry!"

Lin Wanke said something was wrong, and hurried out the door before she finished speaking.

Jiyun's complaints could be vaguely heard behind him, Lin Wanke knew that Jiyun was really thinking of him, and also vaguely felt that Jinxiu was interested in him, but he had others in his heart, so how could he delay them for no reason.

Lin Wanke suddenly felt that his life was really a mess.

If it wasn't for his younger brother, he really wanted to leave the capital and find a small, sparsely populated mountain village to live his life peacefully, even if he was the only one to live this life, then he would admit it.

Lin Wanke thought about Qingyan Academy all the way, because he hadn't been there for a long time, and now he heard the jingling of the copper bells at the corner of the eaves, and he felt a little nostalgic.

When it was time for class to end, the children ran out of the academy chirping and went home for lunch.

He stopped a boy who looked familiar, and was about to speak when the boy raised his head and shouted, "Brother Lin, why didn't Lin Baizhi come to the academy today?"

The children next to him also rushed over: "That's right, he said yesterday that Mr. Le's assignments were simple, and he could compose several poems for us to see! Didn't he write them out?"

Lin Wanke said: "Lin Baizhi is sick, so he can't come to the academy. Please call me—"

Before he could say a word, the child turned around and shouted, "Mr. Le! Lin Baizhi's elder brother is here!"

In fact, Lin Wan wanted him to ask Wen Jin to come out, and this is good, he stood there without a place to hide, so he just met Le Xin face to face.

The four eyes met, and his face instantly turned red as if he had drunk two catties of soju.

In fact, he didn't steal or rob, so he had no reason to hide from Le Xin, but Lin Wanke was an honest man after all, and he didn't have the slightest courage in front of the person he liked. To put it bluntly, he was like a mouse. Met the cat.

The child who got into trouble unintentionally didn't know it, and ran away with his partner long ago.

There was silence in front of the academy gate.

"Uh... Baizhi was sick today and couldn't come to the academy. He asked me to bring this to you."

Lin Wanke took out the folded paper and handed it over with his head down, how awkward and awkward it must have been.

Le Xin took a look and said, "Are you seriously ill? Does it matter?"

He couldn't remember how long it had been since he had spoken to Le Xin, and he didn't realize it all at once, and he replied after a while: "It's...not bad."

After saying this, he wanted to take a picture of himself. When people asked about his condition, what did he mean by saying he was okay?

"It's fine if it's not serious, let him rest well." Le Xin said.

Lin Wanke nodded hurriedly, feeling that he had nothing to say next, and wanted to leave but couldn't move. The sentence "Then I'll go first" turned a few times in his throat, but finally swallowed it back.

The two stood face to face, and the atmosphere was a little awkward.

"If it's okay, let's go for a walk together."

In the end, it was Le Xin who spoke first.

The two of them walked slowly along the wall planted with roses in the academy, one behind the other.

Lin Wanke was full of doubts and nervousness, as well as a little bit of surprise and anticipation. All in all, it was impossible to talk about it, but he vaguely felt that Le Xin was not angry with him. It was only this point, for him. It has been a great comfort.

Lin Wanke hesitated for a while, and asked tentatively, "Mr. Le... How are you doing?"

"it is good."

Le Xin's tone was indifferent, and he couldn't hear the emotion, and he was not good at observing words and expressions, so his heart was really like a cat scratching.

"By the way, the previous medicinal porridge, thank you."

Lin Wanke hurriedly said, "It's just a matter of raising your hands."

He said to catch up with a few steps, trying to get closer, but his clothes were hooked by rose vines.

The roses on the wall have withered long ago, and the remaining clusters of flowers, although the description is still there, have lost their color.

Lin Wanke recalled the scene of pink and tender flowers all over the wall a few months ago. At that time, he was still delivering desserts to the academy every day. He and Le Xin were neither familiar nor unfamiliar. some distance.

"I have been in poor health since I was a child, and spent half of my childhood recuperating in my room." Le Xin did not look back at him, but said slowly, "When I grow up, although I have no family to take care of me, I still have Wen Jin and the tea man by my side .”

Lin Wanke couldn't figure out why Le Xin said this suddenly, so he could only listen quietly.

"But the tea man is getting old, Wen Jin...I can't keep him forever." Le Xin lowered her voice, "I think after a while, I will close the academy and leave the capital."

Lin Wanke was startled by his words, and immediately became confused.

"Mr. Le, if you close the academy, what will Baizhi do?"

"My family is not the only academy in the capital. Although I can't bear to part with them, I can't stay here forever after all."

Lin Wanke heard from Wen Jin that because he was weak and sick since he was a child, Le Xin's family thought he was a burden and treated him badly, so he brought Wen Jin and the tea man to the capital. I know, but he has a hunch that if Le Xin leaves the academy, he will definitely not go back home. Where can he go alone then?

Lin Wanke thought about it, and suddenly thought of a reason.

"Is it because of me?"

He was silent for a moment, and said in a hoarse voice.

"I said I like you, so you want to go?"

There was a moment of surprise in Le Xin's eyes: "No."

"You don't want to see me that much?"

Lin Wanke's hands were clenched into fists, and he slammed heavily on the wall covered with vines.

It was the first time for him to speak to Le Xin in such a tone. In fact, he already regretted it after he finished speaking, but even a person with a good temper sometimes gets angry.

"I know you look down on me as a rough person, and I didn't dare to think that you could accept me, but...but I treat you with sincerity. I know that you have been in poor health since you were a child, so your family members don't like it You, but I don't mind, I want to take care of you for the rest of my life, will you?"

As Lin Wanke spoke, he couldn't help but smiled wryly: "Of course you don't want to, right? What am I...Mr. Le, although I'm not smart, I understand what you mean by what you said. You don't have to go Now, it's me who should go, don't worry, I will never appear in front of you again in the future."

After saying this, he turned around and left, so neat that even he couldn't believe it.

Le Xin has not spoken.

Lin Wanke was secretly heartbroken that he neither explained nor stayed, it seemed that he really hated himself to the extreme.

After walking a few more steps, he faintly felt that something was wrong, and when he looked back, he saw Le Xin supporting the stone wall with the other hand clutching the skirt of his clothes, as if he was in extreme pain.

Lin Wanke was shocked, seeing that he was about to lose his grip, so he hurried over to support him.

"fun……"

Before he could finish his sentence, Le Xin had already fainted in his arms.

Lin Wanke was really scared out of his wits by him, so he didn't care much, bent down and hugged Le Xin horizontally, and rushed into the academy calling Wen Jin all the way.

Wen Jin happened to be sweeping the floor at the door, and was at a loss when he saw this. Fortunately, the tea man was still calm, so he helped Le Xin into the house, took a closer look, and said that it was just too tired a few days ago and didn't sleep well at night, nothing serious .

The tea man has been taking care of Le Xin for a long time, and he has become a doctor after a long illness. When he said this, Lin Wanke felt a little relieved.

This time Wen Jin was going to get some medicine for Le Xin, and it was inconvenient for him to stay longer. He was about to go out together, but the tea man behind him said: "Brother Lin, wait a minute, I'll boil some water, please help me first." Take care of sir?"

Lin Wanke could only nod his head.

Seeing that he agreed, the tea man closed the door and went to the woodshed.

The room was suddenly so quiet that even the sound of breathing could be heard clearly.

Le Xin was not awake yet, although the tea man asked Lin Wanke to take care of him, but he really couldn't think of what to do, so he could only move the chair closer, stretched out his hand to tuck him in the quilt, and saw a few strands of hair scattered around him. On the pillow, close him up again.

There is a book next to Le Xin's pillow, and it seems that he has only read half of it. Lin Wanke picks it up and flips through it, and unexpectedly recognizes many words in it. Remembering that it was all taught by Le Xin, he feels complicated.

Just as he was about to put the book away, he saw something out of the corner of his eye, and his eyes widened immediately.

Under the book, there was actually a pair of Mohele lying there, they were obviously given to Le Xin by him that day, and the corners were still worn, and they were broken when they fell to the ground that day.

Why did Le Xin keep the things he gave her around?

Didn't throw it away, does it mean that he doesn't hate him as much as he imagined?

Lin Wanke's thoughts became confused. Looking at the peaceful sleeping face of the person in front of him, he couldn't help but whispered: "If you are willing to come with me, I will accompany you to the ends of the earth. Any hope left."

Before he finished speaking, a voice suddenly came from outside the door.

"Brother Lin, would you like some tea?"

Lin Wanke was startled, seeing that it was the tea man standing at the door holding a teapot and cup, he stood up hastily.

"Don't worry, I should go back too."

The tea man came in to put down his things, and sent him to the gate of the academy, "Thank you for today. I am very old, my eyes and ears are not good, and Wen Jin is still a child. Fortunately, you are here. "

Lin Wanke thought to himself that it was fortunate that the tea man had bad ears, otherwise he would have heard what he said just now, and I really don't know what would have happened.

"Brother Lin, Le Xin usually doesn't have anyone to talk to. If you are free, you can come to the academy often."

Wen Jin also said this before, and Lin Wanke couldn't help asking: "Has none of Mr. Le's family ever visited him?"

The tea man let out an "ah" and said after a long time: "It doesn't make any difference whether you look at it or not. Since you never regard him as a member of the Le family, it's better not to come here."

He said this sentence vaguely, as if he was just talking to himself, although Lin Wanke was puzzled, it was inconvenient to ask more.

When he got home, Lin Baizhi had already got out of bed and was playing with Ji Yun, and the first thing he said when he came back was whether he gave the poem to Mr. Le.

Ji Yun smiled and said that the child had been talking about this, and then said after a pause, "Mr. Le is really a good man. I heard from Dr. Du that he has been in poor health. He fell into the water last time. I'm afraid it's the root cause of his illness. He should have Resting, but where does he have this free time, it's not all for teaching you guys to read."

Lin Baizhi yelled: "I will become a high official in the future, and I must buy a lot of ginseng for Mr. Le!"

Ji Yun laughed loudly: "Do you know how much ginseng costs? However, it's always a good thing to have this ambition, and it's not in vain for your elder brother..."

As she spoke, she glanced at Lin Wanke. Lin Wanke wanted to talk about Jinxiu again for her, but she just stood up and said that she would go back to make dumplings and bring them some to eat later.

A few more days passed like this, and Lin Baizhi started to be alive and kicking again after recovering from his illness. He didn't know where to play with his friends every day, and he got muddy all over his body.

Lin Wanke was already busy, so he couldn't keep watching. I told him in the morning not to play too hard, but he forgot in a blink of an eye.

That day when the academy came back from class, Lin Baizhi put down his books and ran out the door before he even had time to eat, but was grabbed by Lin Wanke.

"Where do you go all day? Sit down and eat."

Lin Baizhi ate two bites in a hurry, and stuffed it all into his mouth without looking at what it was.

"Big brother, I'm going out!"

Lin Wanke couldn't hold him back, so he could only call from behind to come back early.

After dinner, he went to wash the dishes, washed all the changed clothes, and tidied up the house, but Lin Baizhi still didn't come home.

Although Lin Baizhi used to play very late before coming back, but today he always felt that something was wrong.

Lin Wanke waited for a while, but couldn't sit still any longer. When he asked the children who were his constant companions, they all said that they didn't see Lin Baizhi.

Now he was really in a hurry, so the parents of those children said they would help to find them too, and asked him to go to the academy first.

Lin Wanke ran all the way to Qingyan Academy, and it was Wen Jin who came out to open the door. Seeing his sweaty head, he couldn't help but ask him what's wrong.

Lin Wanke only asked him if he saw his younger brother, Wen Jin was surprised that Lin Baizhi left after class and was not in the academy.

At this time, Le Xin and the tea man also went out to see what happened. When they heard that Lin Baizhi had disappeared, they were shocked.

"Have you searched all the places you usually go?" Le Xin asked.

"I've been to all the places Baizhi used to play, and the children who were always with me said that I wasn't with him today. Where do you think he will go?" Lin Wanke was so anxious that he didn't know what to do.

Le Xin thought for a while and said, "I'll go look for it with you."

He put on a coat, took the lantern from Wen Jin and was about to go out the door, Wen Jin said anxiously: "It's windy at night, sir, you'll be better, be careful if you catch a cold again, I'll go too!"

Le Xin said: "It's okay, you and the tea man stay in the academy well, I'll be back in a while."

After speaking, he nodded at Lin Wanke: "Follow me to Xiao Jin'er's house."

Xiao Jin'er was the child that Lin Wanke stopped at the gate of the academy that day, and he always played with Lin Baizhi. When Le Xin and Lin Wanke came to his house, he was playing with his puppy.

"Lin Baizhi? I didn't see you. We went fishing by the river today, but he and Wen An didn't go. He was so mysterious and didn't know what to do." Xiao Jin'er said while teasing the dog.

In that case, I still have to go to Wen An to ask.

Just as Lin Wanke was about to say this, Wen An's parents also came to the door.

After asking, I found out that Wen An also ran out in a hurry after dinner today, and never came home.

His parents were so anxious that they searched for each family. They happened to find Xiao Jin'er's house, and they met Le Xin and Lin Wanke. Wen An's family members were tearful, and they kept asking where the two children could go.

"Little Jin'er, think about it again, did Lin Wanke and Wen An tell where they went?" Le Xin asked.

Xiao Jin'er raised her head and thought for a while before saying: "I really don't know, they are always together recently, talking about ginseng and so on, last time I leaned over to listen, they ignored me."

Le Xin nodded upon hearing the words: "Okay, I understand."

He turned to Lin Wanke and said, "Let's go to Xiluo Mountain to look for it."