The Lost Mermaid [Zhongyingmei]

"Of course." 1900 nodded in agreement without hesitation, and looked at the friend beside him, "Mr. Crowley, all the paintings listed today are for sale, right?"

Crowley nodded and reminded: "The person in charge is on the second floor, shall I take you there?"

1900 hesitated, and looked at Doris: "Can you wait for me here alone?" The people who participated in the art exhibition were all prominent figures, and he was not worried that some villains with ulterior motives could abduct Doris.

Doris nodded without leaving the "Girl of Avignon" for a long time.

After getting her affirmation, 1900 felt relieved, talked with Crowley and left with a smile.

Doris sat alone in front of the painting and looked at it for a long time. She didn't rub her eyes until her eyes were dry.After she came back to her senses, she realized that there was no one around.

Oil paintings composed of colorful patterns and various strange and distorted lines are placed on a large white curtain wall, which forms a maze.

The sound waves were blocked by walls one after another. Even though there were quite a lot of people in the venue, Doris sat where she was, and the surroundings were extremely quiet.

The silence made her think wildly.

Ruth appeared beside Hockley in such a posture today, and everyone present could see that the two of them were getting closer.One is a handsome rich man from the United States, and the other is a lady of noble birth, which is indeed a perfect match.

This should be good news for Doris.

Ruth is kind by nature, and she was willing to risk being dragged into the bottom of the lake by the lake that night to "save" her. Doris did not doubt that if she told her that she needed the heart of the ocean to save her life, Ruth Ruth wouldn't refuse to sell it to her—Ruth considered her a friend.

However, until Ruth took the rightful place next to Hockley, she couldn't help being jealous.If she had a pair of healthy legs, if she had a beautiful voice, would she still need to "calculate" friends like this?

Life and love, she can only choose one of the two.

"Doris, are you crying?"

Doris was startled by the voice behind her. Only then did she realize that tears were shed on her cheeks at some point. She wiped her cheeks with her cuff and looked back.

Ruth stood alone at the intersection, holding the wide-brimmed hat she had worn when she arrived, watching her worriedly.

"I'm not crying, Ruth."

"I heard your sobbing."

"...Maybe this painting is too sad."

"Perhaps," Ruth sighed, without quibbling.

Ruth stood beside her and looked along her line of sight. The girl from Avignon on the wall was looking at them.

After a long silence, Ruth said in a low voice: "This picture is really sad, Doris, prostitutes can only do such shameful and despicable things in order to survive, they are blamed by others, but the devil behind them Isn't that the culprit?"

The ghost is hidden behind the painting, not even a figure appears.

Doris said "hmm".

"...God is so unfair." Ruth couldn't help complaining, "In order to survive, we always have to sacrifice our dignity and even our souls, my God! Even if we want to break through the cage, the shackles of reality are broken took our wings."

"What?" Doris turned her head to look at her, Ruth's beautiful face was full of unconcealable pain.

Ruth lowered her head and looked at her, and said: "Doris, you may not understand that your brother loves you so much and won't force you to do anything, but I..." Ruth almost choked up, "I even I don’t understand, what exactly do I want! I should be happy with what I already have, but the pressure from the people around me almost makes me collapse.”

"Has Mr. Hockley treated you badly?"

Ruth nodded, then shook her head again.

"What he needs is not me, but my identity." Ruth took a deep breath and smiled wryly, "To be honest, I was at the lake that day, and I really thought about...suicide, but if I choose If you do that, what will mother do? She has already lost her father, and if she loses me again, she will definitely collapse. "

"You mean...you don't love Mr. Hockley?" Doris asked softly.

Ruth took a step back in panic, looked around, and covered her mouth.

"No, no, why would you say that? Doris, you are so, so rude."

"I don't understand. Since you feel pain, then you must not love him, right? If you love him deeply, you won't feel that his pampering you is pressure." Doris shook her head puzzled.

"Ah... God!" Ruth was speechless.

"Ruth, you..."

"I should go!" Ruth put on her hat, hurriedly lifted her skirt and was about to leave. At the corner, she stopped, pulled down the brim of her hat, and said, "I'm not blaming you, Doris." She still wanted to say something, but couldn't say anything, stomped her feet, and left quickly.Only Doris was left blank-eyed.

'Ruth doesn't love Hockley! thought Doris in amazement, 'no wonder she looked so miserable that night!Whether it's being forced to marry someone you don't love, or being forced to leave your sweetheart, it's enough to break a person. '

Doris hesitated. In this case, can her previous plan still count?

Doris looked up again and looked at the "Avignon Girl" on the wall. The sick woman's eyes were empty, and no one could tell her the answer.

The voices of 1900 and Mr. Crawley got closer and closer behind her. Doris turned around in the wheelchair to meet her. Soon, a group of people appeared in front of her.

"We have already paid the deposit." 1900 said happily, "Everything is going well. The person in charge said that he will help us deliver the painting to the manor in two days."

"Congratulations, Miss Boardman." Crowley sent his blessing in a timely manner.

"Thank you for your help, Mr. Crawley."

1900 pushed Doris' wheelchair to another fork in the road.They've wasted too much time on this painting.

In the evening, the end of the sky was dyed a flame-like color by the sunlight.The cars that had been reserved earlier had already been parked at the gate of the art exhibition, and the drivers gathered in twos and threes, squatting on the side of the road to smoke, or leaning against the tree trunks to chat and brag.

The door of the painting exhibition was opened, and the guests in fancy clothes came out talking and laughing.Satisfied, Doris sat in a wheelchair and recollected the excellent paintings she saw today. 1900 and Crowley stood at the intersection to bid farewell.

"Where's Miss Buckett? You're obviously her guest today, but I haven't seen her again!" After Crowley left, 1900 lowered his head and asked.

"She left a long time ago." Doris coughed softly, "I met her when you and Mr. Crawley went to the second floor."

1900 frowned: "You met Mr. Hockley again?" The man clearly had a goal, but he was still restless. 1900 was very worried.

Doris shook her head.

But in the next second, Hockley walked down the stairs next to him.He was surrounded by a group of people, with a casual smile on his face, but Doris could feel the occasional impatience in his eyes.

Doris did not see Ruth beside him.

1900 turned around, snorted coldly in his heart, and led Doris to his car.

"Wait!" Hockley yelled. He left a group of people behind and walked over quickly, "Wait a minute! Mr. Boardman!"

1900 stopped, narrowed his eyes, and looked back at him.

"What else do you need, Mr. Hockley?" 1900 asked bluntly, "We are about to go home. I don't think our relationship has reached the point where we need to meet next time when we bid farewell!"

Unexpectedly, Hockley did not show an angry expression.

He took out a pocket watch from his suit, glanced at it briefly, and said with feigned surprise: "It has come to this point! Mr. Boardman, Miss Boardman, I don't know if you would like to show your respect and let's go together!" What about dinner? I've made a reservation at a nice American restaurant."

"..." 1900 seemed to no longer recognize him, looking at him with a strange expression, "Are you joking?"

"No, no, of course not! Mr. Boardman, Ruth, you know, she and Miss Boardman are good friends, she—"

"Brother, I'm hungry, let's go home?" Doris interrupted his excuse. She didn't know what the hell Hockley was doing, but she was a little angry. She didn't know if it was for herself or for Ruth. .

Hockley's expression twisted for a moment, but he quickly adjusted back to an eager smile.

"Mary must have prepared grilled lamb chops and delicious baked potatoes." 1900 nodded, and then Doris said, "Doris is also tired today, Mr. Hockley, you must understand, Doris Your body is not designed to work hard."

"Of course, of course."

Hawkley gritted his teeth secretly.

"Excuse me, where did Ruth go?" Doris asked directly, "I saw her once at the art exhibition, and she didn't look happy. Mr. Hockley, I think you are responsible."

"Am I responsible? No, I'm not responsible for her."

"As you said, you are pursuing her." Doris looked into his eyes and said without hesitation, "If you make her unhappy, I...I can't do anything to you, but she is In this way, my friend, I have one more reason to hate you!"

"Hate me?" Hockley repeated the word, taking a step back in disbelief.

"Yes, I don't like you, I hate you." Doris emphasized again.

"I have no reason not to dislike you, sir. You stole my ocean heart and provoked me again and again, and now you're making my friends unhappy!" Doris's grievances during this time erupted suddenly. No matter what, he growled in a low voice.

"Should I like you?"