without me

The replacement of old and new days is not just as simple as the flow of time. Yesterday is a basket, and today is a basket.The sun will always stand on a high place, commanding the servants to take away the old baskets with dazzling aura, and put the roof tiles in a hurry with the new light, making people forget to lament the warm spring.

The bead curtains need to be wiped to reflect light, the flowers and plants need to be replaced with popular and expensive ones, the fish pond in the backyard has to be cleaned up, and the pebbles in it must be replaced with more expensive ones...

They look too gorgeous, in line with the dignity of the master, and the servants have spent a lot of thought on this.However, even though they are so busy, they still have to carry bulky objects and salute respectfully when passing by, while paying attention to whether their bodies are dignified and standard, while bowing their heads and shouting that young master.

"Master."

In this way, I have to respond to this ridiculous title, even though I am not a young master at all, it is ridiculous that I don't even have the item that should be there.

They know it and still obey it.Now that I'm not naive to think about why, after all, the Patriarch's order is always higher than life.As for me, I just had to nod and didn't even know if they could see with their heads down.

"Is there a guest in the house?" My voice is not at all masculine, I really can't imagine how they can call out this title... If I would definitely laugh out loud.

The little maid took a while to confirm that I was talking to her.Looking at the square box wrapped in silk in her hand, I naturally became a little curious.

"Master, this is..." "Yingxiu, hurry up, master is waiting!"

It's a pity that I didn't hear the answer from her as I expected, because the housekeeper has already come to urge things.I really don't understand how this guy got to be a butler.Among the famous families I have visited, the butlers are all old men, who always like to stroke their beards and proudly say that they have watched the head of the family grow up.

Fortunately, he took over the chores in the house at a young age, and received a lot of benefits by relying on his tricks.

"Hey, what's your order, young master?"

This nodding and bowing appearance is very much like the yellow dog at Uncle Luo's dim sum shop across the street.It's the look I can't see the most.so what?I won't tilt my head like I used to ask - are you a dog.

As soon as I saw it, I was very busy. I have been recuperating in my own room for the past few days, and I have never heard of any guests being entertained.

"Jiang An," I just remembered, "what day is today?"

The other party made a gesture and lightly slapped himself on the head, "Oh yes, you don't like to remember the date, it's because of Jiang An's incompetence."

"Then stop talking about your bullshit." I wish I could bring out the fan and knock him hard to wake him up.Even if he told Jiang An many times that he didn't like it.Huan like this, let him calm down this glib and servile servant in front of me a little bit, the result is obvious - he can't do it.

Someone was carrying a plate of pastries to the yard, and I recognized that it was the attendant that the master gave to Lao Wu, scolding Jiang An, stretched out his hand and walked along, and ordered in a low voice, "It's okay, if Lao Wu asks you, just tell the truth. "

The kid responded and trotted away, probably because he was afraid that I would take something from him again. This is the habit of other young masters, and I was really wronged.

"Continue." I twisted the piece of pastry and threw it into my mouth, Jiang An quickly handed out the handkerchief.Of course, this kind of thing happened many times. I clapped my hands and wiped my fingers, and he also took back his intact handkerchief.

"Young master, do you remember that it was the Chinese New Year before the injury?" Jiang An saw me nodding contemptuously, squinting her eyes with a smile, "That's it, tomorrow is the master's birthday."

"I remember that my father's birthday is not more than one month away from the Chinese New Year? How could it be so fast." It was only here that I realized that I might have been in bed for too long.

Stopped a few maidservants who were more courageous, and saw that the melons, fruits and writings in their arms really looked like a birthday feast.Jiang An also joked that I was sleepy, and his tone was light and painless, and I suddenly felt much more relaxed.

"Okay then, you go to work first."

I was bored with my hands behind my back, thinking that I should go to congratulate my father first, so I drove Jiang An away.And he also wagged his tail and went looking for other puppies, showing his majesty as a big dog.

I used to sigh when I watched this kind of scene, but now I can only smile when chatting with the servant.

Imagine whether it is as short as the mother's waist, or it has already surpassed her and is comparable to the father.Even if the seasons change, and the flowers and plants wither and flourish for several rounds, there will always be such a large number of yellow dogs in the mansions of high-ranking officials or nobles.I used to always say that, to offend someone and then be disciplined by my father with a stick, I don’t know how to be blessed when I am blessed.After that, it is natural to recuperate, and they are still the ones who take care of me, so many years later, I finally can't tell whether these people are the little silver coins issued by the Tufu, or they have been deeply engraved with these orders in their bones.

They are so cute, how can I use dogs as a metaphor like before?

I still remember the third time I was beaten, my father was even more ruthless than the previous two times, and he did not recover after resting for a long time. The fifth...no, it was the sixth.At that time, everyone was still young, and I ran to the pool with her immobile body to feed the fish with her, even though I didn't like to appreciate this.Lao Liu followed my example and lay down on the ground. I did it for comfort, but she did it for fun.

"Daddy is too aggressive," she muttered, throwing fish food into the pond, "it's so beautiful layer by layer."

I watched the fish flicking its tail and pounced on without moving. I couldn't even eat the melons and fruits brought by the maid, "That's called ripples."

I thought that the other party would not answer my words, although strictly speaking there was no such thing, but the sixth child still spoke. "Elder brother, don't you like little maids? There's also the housekeeper and those people outside the courtyard."

The butler at that time was not Jiang An—if it was him, he would have to deal with affairs while learning to walk, what a novelty.

I actually thought about it seriously, and it only took me a while to get the answer, "Uh, no."

"Then don't think about it so much," she said after throwing all the fish food in her hand, she still lay low on her stomach and turned her head to look at me, "What you said last time sounds very simple, but I can't think of it no matter what What's the problem. It's annoying, bro."

The fish under the pond gathered in the area in front of her, as if realizing that the sixth child was no longer feeding, they quickly dived into the bottom of the water and spread out in twos and threes, which seemed to be faster than Epiphyllum.If the pool wasn't so clear, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to see them.

"It's like that, and I can't figure it out," I told her. "Well, let's not even think about it."

It was probably the best decision I've ever made, and I'm not bothered now, which is good.

I was very satisfied that I stopped thinking - I suddenly didn't want to congratulate my father, and it was not right to be empty-handed, and I couldn't go to Lao Wu's place for some pastries.

Yes, Fifth.I can ask him what interesting things have happened these days, and where a new dim sum shop has opened—although he only cares about whether there is a Zhangtai next to him.

I pushed the door open, and quickly got used to the new and exaggerated decoration inside, "...Old Five, your house is really getting more and more valuable."

A large black ponytail turned around with the head - this ponytail is tied up but not as high as mine, a "clear flow" in the exaggeration, but this is not the point.He sat upright and knocked on the table. When he saw it was me, he dropped his serious look and ran to the other corner of the room to take down a hanging picture.

"Miss, are you ready to memorize it? I counted it for you. No. 20 is the second stick...Looking at this painting, Qinger told me that she likes it last time. It must make her happy." The frame was in front of me, and I had just closed the door.

In his eyes, whether something is expensive or not depends on whether it can please a woman, and the object of his favor is always changed from one person to another.He was bored, or the other party was bored, and I never even had a chance to comfort him, and the fifth child found new fun for himself.

"Another poor girl." I pretended to lament, "Have you gone to congratulate your father?" The fifth child froze and rolled up the picture, looking at me blankly, "It's over...not yet. Sister, What should I do?"

It seemed like he was really worried, but I knew he didn't really care, as if I didn't want to know where a new chapter was opened, but this matter was especially important to Lao Wu.

"You have so many valuable things here, what are you worrying about?" I slapped the fifth child on the head without hesitation, "I don't have any, are you going to save the world?"

Probably because I took the opportunity to blackmail too soon, Lao Wu actually thought about it seriously. "That's fine, I'll ask someone to send us over there, and we'll talk about the congratulations later," his eyes suddenly lit up, "Sister, why don't you take this time to accompany me to the Red Apricot Tower."

"Broad daylight?" I really didn't expect this kid to come up with such a stupid thing, and I was caught off guard.

He said without hesitation: "The girls in the yard don't distinguish between day and night—sister! You're not interested in men, maybe you can marry a girl."

"It's started again, you're just talking nonsense." Lao Wu has been like this since he was a child, and I understand that he is not joking about my identity.

The fifth child is the only one in the whole family who secretly calls me "sister" behind my back.It may be that my mother died early, and I took care of it a lot-the fifth child's biological mother was the fourth wife, and she had a difficult labor when she was pregnant with the sixth child, and she died especially early among a group of concubines.

I was still young at the time, and although my mother was the main wife, she was completely insane, and as time went by, the Jiang family no longer cared about her.One day she drove me out of the house by throwing jewelry and a mirror, and I found the room following a little crying sound—it was the fifth child who was just born. Fuchu.

I don't know if he was hungry or scared, but the fifth child kept crying, and there was no nanny to take care of him at this time.I blamed my father for not thinking carefully and not keeping the nanny. While hugging him and coaxing him like a parrot, the crying gradually slowed down but did not stop.I saw that he was making a lot of trouble, and I couldn't let him be frightened by the madman, so I had to tiptoe wrapped in a mattress and carried him across the street to find someone. Fortunately, Aunt Wang opened the door to nurse him.

Since then, I have often visited my fifth child. Compared with my sixth child who was born not long ago, my fifth child learned to speak a little slower.The fourth aunt is a very nice lady, the servant taught him to call me brother, and the fifth child did indeed do the same, but after he became sensible, he always secretly called me sister, which naturally continued to this day.

It used to be holding a cub, but after the sixth child was born, it became holding one on each side.In terms of relatives, I am the closest relative to the fifth and sixth in this mansion.As I got older, around [-] or [-], the sixth son always secretly told me which son looked like Pan An, which son was good at archery, but he was not interested in meeting him.

It's no wonder that Lao Wu thought of this, and it's hard to refuse seeing him eager to try. I happened to see what kind of place makes people miss it so much.

After saying that, he agreed, and the fifth child called his attendant, picked out two rare things and ordered him to take them to his father.I scolded dumbfoundedly: "Stinky boy, you can handle your father's gifts casually, but you have to personally choose and present the girl's baby." He blinked and said not to leak the secret, as if he was still playing.

As I said, it's not in broad daylight.

The street was crowded with people rushing around, the old fifth was thick-skinned and walked ahead, while I got my wish and went back to the house to take the fan to cover my face.

It's a pity that things backfired.

"Hey, isn't this Xiao Wu?" Uncle Xu from the fruit stand greeted him, and pushed aside the big bunches of bananas hanging in front of the stand, "Is the young master behind? Can you get some fresh fruit?"

Fortunately, the other party doesn't seem to be able to think of what we are going to do.I waved my hand and wanted to talk about it when I got back, but Lao Wu took the painting and ran to the fruit stand to get two bananas, handed me the money and said to me: "Qin'er likes this, take some to Hongxinglou by the way."

Uncle Xu paused when he took the money, looked at the fifth child and then at me. After a long time, he could only say "Thank you, go away", and then turned around and muttered in a low voice, "Hiss...that's weird."

I said that it was not good, and said that my reputation would be ruined. Seeing my sad face, the fifth child said in surprise, "Brother, why don't you gossip about me?"

At this point, I just hoped that fewer people would see me, so I pushed him away quickly with my elbow, "What gossip? It's just that I was finally driven crazy by my old lady." The fifth child laughed when he heard me say this, It's not like sarcasm, it makes people feel angry.

He shook the banana in his hand, reckoning that the girl would be happy, and he was so happy.

Lao Wu always seems to be so happy on the surface. I asked him why when I was most depressed, but he just held a wooden hairpin that was obviously a woman, and told me-"Anyway, I don't have to worry about food or drink now. , other than that, it would be even better if the sixth... Zhui Yan could rely on himself, so there's nothing else to worry about."

Such a simple and obvious reason, not even a reason, so miraculously relieved my depression, that I couldn't even remember what I was stuck at that time.

There was a sudden noise from the opposite side, and when I moved the fan away, I saw the young man who was neatly dressed, but his hands and feet were very careless.I just felt that he was waving his hands and shouting extremely loudly, and when I walked in, I realized that he was calling Lao Wu.

"Jiang Ci! Jiang Ci?" The man felt that the old five was out of his mind and didn't notice. He took out a card from his waist and threw it here from a distance. I followed the card across the heads of people on the street. With a "click", it fell into Lao Wu's arms.

Only then did he regain his senses and look over there, holding up a banana and shouting: "He Huang!"

The girls at the entrance of the restaurant are not like I imagined, clustered around the outside, struggling to hang handkerchiefs, or waiting for customers with long sleeves that are soft and soft to the touch.Maybe it's because it's daytime, but I'm not sure if it's nighttime.

Jiang Ci held the wooden sign and looked around for a moment, then put it in his sleeve. The young master called He Huang kept waving his hands, which was particularly eye-catching in the crowd.

There was a little more sound in the ears as they approached, and the smile on the girl's throat was very thin and delicate, and the mix of it really gave people goosebumps.If any young lady made such a noise, she would definitely be scolded by her parents.

I took out my fan again to cover my face, and I really didn't dare to do so, so I just pretended to be nonchalant and followed Lao Wu.As expected, he went to talk with that person, and I didn't want to eavesdrop, so he was led into the building after waiting for a while.

He Huang broke a banana from his arms, and looked up at Jiang Ci thoughtfully, "Hey? Don't blame me, you got all the signs."

"I don't have it." The fifth child made a gesture to hit him, but the other party covered his hands and jumped two or three times to dodge, making the girls beside him laugh with joy, and his voice was as clear as a silver bell.

I couldn't help but sighed "baby boy", and grabbed the collar of the fifth child, as if to lift the nape of the kitten's neck.

"Don't make trouble..." I thought for a while, and I needed to be stimulated again, so I said again, "The Qing'er you mentioned is still here, but it's gone?"

The amazing thing is that this trick took effect very quickly, and the slapstick atmosphere disappeared in an instant. "See you," Jiang Ci poked inside excitedly, shouting at the heavily made-up woman with curly hair, "Shuitaoer!"

Immediately afterwards, there was a call, I still can't get used to this atmosphere, as if I have escaped from the struggle and chaos in front of me...

No no no this would definitely be messier, on another level.I can't appreciate the carefreeness they have when they are having fun, because it is really different from their usual life.

I have tried to speculate, probably because only some silver can replace responsibility, and the sense of immorality may disappear after getting used to it.

"Officer Shen wait a moment, the servant will come later..."

Shuitaoer greeted the guest in front of her, twisted her hips and approached like a water snake, and fiddled with the hairpin on her head without stopping, her eyes seemed to have a fishing line in them——

The willing take the bait, I have seen those greedy and wanton eyes.

"Hey, Mr. Ci, why did you come so early today?"

She was obviously very clever, and after taking a few glances at the things in Jiang Ci's hand, she understood, "The two sisters have been waiting for you early, and there are no other guests."

I had to smile, the topic of conversation was really fast enough.Jiang Ci is not someone who likes to talk like this, so if he is in a hurry to find a girl, he pretends to be stupid and says, "That's good."

When I came back to my senses, He Huang had disappeared, but Jiang Ci suddenly thought of me at this moment.

"Ah, this is my elder brother, Jiang Xu." He didn't have any free hands, and pushed me forward with his elbow.

"Our young master of the Jiang family, you have to find a girl to accompany him."

Shuitaoer was obviously taken aback, "Ah? This..."

I know that Jiang Ci's revealing his identity is definitely not a trick.I'm not a man, nor do I look very much like a man. My eyebrows are all due to the fierceness drawn by my mother. If people look closely, they will definitely reveal their secrets.

Jiang Xu, the "young master" known to the neighbors, the "poor guy" who came out of the belly of a crazy woman-I don't think so, but there are so many people with mixed opinions, and I can't stop it.

This is good, the young master wants to visit Zhangtai, but this kind of thing is also very common, isn't it?It just takes a little experience and countermeasures.

Shuitao'er's eyes rolled around and she didn't know what she was thinking, she stepped forward and grabbed my arm, the silk head brushed my nose, and the fragrance exploded like ink.

"Master Ci, you can go directly to their room, as for Master Xu..."

I had a strange feeling for a moment, "There must be something different about the people in Zhangtai." But I couldn't figure out why.

Well, let them go.

She continued to push me, and I had to walk half-cautiously so as not to stagger.Halfway through the walk, Shuitao sneaked up to me to lead the way, and I took the opportunity to look back. Although I was a little far away from my original position, I could still see that Jiang Ci didn't greet me at the same place, smiling heartlessly.

So I decided right away, if this Zhangtai person wants to do something against me, I will immediately run back and give Lao Wu a meal.

Unexpectedly, Shuitao led me almost to the edge of the building.She pushed open the wooden door and made a creaking sound, and then half of the scene was revealed—well, the upper part of the line of sight was blocked by a curtain, the fabric was not as gorgeous and fancy as those Zhangtai people's clothes, but rather... well, plain and rough , no no what am I thinking, this has nothing to do with clothes.

"Shuitao... girl."

The other party responded coquettishly.

I couldn't help asking: "Are you the madam here?"

Maybe it's because she's too young, she still looks a little immature in her imposing manner, but the rouge and gouache cover most of my visual judgment.

Shuitao covered her mouth and smiled, "How could I be? The bustard went to work and didn't come back, so the monkey is called the king now."

The first time I heard a girl compare herself to a monkey, I felt novelty.

She beckoned, her eyes followed her fingertips to see a courtyard, it turned out that there was a hole outside this building.

"Young master, take a good look," Shuitao whispered, pointing to a place, "You go to that room, the girl's name is Liu'er."

After she finished speaking, she turned around and was about to leave. In a hurry, I saw that the other party was a little timid and hurriedly pinched her arm, but it was effortless.

"Why do I feel something is wrong?"

"Where... is there anything wrong, young master, you are worrying too much." My eyes dodged left and right, and my hands struggled to break free. I thought about it, this girl is going to use me as a knife, and the person in the room is waiting to be slaughtered. lamb.

I let go and took out some silver.

"Jiang doesn't quite understand these rules...it's also the first time here."

Just talking about this, Shuitao is really not in a hurry to leave, she nodded repeatedly.

"That's right, it's for the slave family, although it's okay to give it to Liu'er later." She spread her hands and took the money from me, as if she had recovered a little patience, "The slave family will keep it for the madam first."

Although the yard is not full of precious flowers and green plants like the backyard of the Jiang Mansion, there are a few excellent willow trees planted.The sprouting branches beat the roof, and there are clothes racks outside. It really doesn't look like the Zhangtai people's residence-but I really have no experience with it as I said in the preface.

"Sister Shuitaoer..." I quietly approached her.

The other party seems to really like this, and the corner of his mouth looks very useful.

I took advantage of the situation and asked, "Why does this look a little different from the picture book?"

Shui Tao narrowed her eyes and looked at me, "Which picture book have you seen that start from the entrance? Don't they all go straight to the point."

I thought it was right, I might as well follow her wishes, and walked to the door with my hands clasped.Looking back in the shadow of the eaves, Shuitao has already moved away with the silver tael, and has no intention of giving me, a new guest, any next instructions.

The wooden boards started to rattle in an instant, and the paper on the windows crackled. Seeing the wicker that was still scratching the house more and more wantonly, one knew that it must be the wind.

Knowing that the wind will not stop, but not so arrogant.I watched the clothes-drying pole crumbling, and I had no doubt that if it continued to blow, it would fall apart.A bit of dust floated into my eyes, and I couldn't help but hiss and raise my hand to block the sand.

It seems that I am really unlucky today, the girl obstructed me before I saw her.

"...Then I have to take a good look at how beautiful it is, even the gods want to block me." I comforted myself with a joke.

But things backfired, how can the gods just do what I want.

Just as I was about to open the door, the clothes drying pole fell down, quilts and thick clothes were spread out on the ground layer by layer, and a light and fluffy skirt was blown against my face by the wind.

The fabric is... kinda comfortable.

With incense, is this a girl's clothes?I can't help but sigh.

But at this moment, the door opened.

I took off the skirt and met the eyes of the girl in the room, so embarrassed.

"I……"

Before I could explain, she slammed the door open and hurriedly ran to the clothes and quilt stand.

The wind seemed to be satisfied after making trouble, and didn't try to blow these things into more chaos.

I don't think the situation is too bad. The girl had an unconcealable panic on her face. After checking the clothes and quilts over and over again, she patted her chest and let out a long sigh of relief——

"Luckily it wasn't dirty."

She stood up on her legs and re-supported the lazy pole, leaving me alone to walk aside, either staying or staying.

I closed my eyes in resignation, and approached quietly cheekily, helping to prop up the pole on the other side.

"The wind is really weird." She rolled up her sleeves and hung them up one by one again, "Um, thank you."

Well, it can be regarded as noticing.I knelt down to help her tidy up, thinking about how to strike up a conversation...or escape back, it seems that I am really not suitable for visiting Zhangtai, and God thinks so.

I sighed silently, and realized that I had sighed too many times today, holding it in my chest, unable to spit it out or swallow it.

"...What bad luck."

When I came back to my senses, I already sighed aloud, I didn't intend to disturb, and suddenly I patted my shoulder with one hand.

"The young master is a guest of our Hongxing Building?"

It can be regarded as a conversation starter.

I dusted off a small amount of dust on the cloth, and handed it over with a clean look, "Well... yes, Miss Water Peach brought me to you."

No matter what Zhang Tai said, it should be gorgeous and fancy.

Observing the scenery that is very different from the inside of the building, I had the illusion that I was not in Zhangtai, but an ordinary house.Looking at it from afar, it is nothing more than ordinary, more like a residence.

So - I still can't let go, the behavior of that water peach is really suspicious.

The girl subconsciously looked towards the back door and muttered in a voice I couldn't hear clearly.She frowned and tidied up the laundry pole and the clothes, but she didn't forget that I was still standing here.

"My name is Liu'er... Shuitao probably told the young master," she said while she was busy, "What should I call you?"

Different from the "beautiful appearance" just imagined, good-looking is good-looking.Very obedient and lively, with warm eyebrows, eyes, nose and mouth.

It just looks too pleasing to the eye, too pleasing to the eye, and I don't know how to describe it.

Not like the people from Zhangtai, but like a lady from some family.

I thought it was not an option to stand here, so I picked up a narrow bench from the door of the hut and sat on the spot, trying to straighten my posture so as not to look lazy.

Very good, very serious.

"My surname is Jiang, my first name is Xu."

The inexplicably extra work at hand was also done, and Liu'er went into the room and carried the Maza and worked side by side with me, with an extra wooden box in her hand.

"It's very pleasant to hear, and fits the temperament of a young master."

She opened the wooden box, and there were a bunch of...

melon seeds.

Before I could react, Yu conveniently grabbed my wrist and stretched it towards the box.

"Come on, spread it out." Liu'er grabbed a handful and put it in my hand, the palm was immediately stained with the salty taste.

I suddenly realized - this is to chat!

The melon seeds hit Liu'er's voice, occupying my ears and taste at the same time.

Her movements of eating melon seeds are very small, and when she spits out the shell, the lid of the wooden box is slightly raised to cover half of her face. After a set of movements, she does not look like eating melon seeds, but like drinking tea.

"Which 'Xu' did you just say?"

I also pinched a melon seed between my teeth and bit it down. Yes, it was fried very fragrant, "Guess what."

"I guess..." She thought for a while, "Continue to continue."

I opened my mouth, and the wooden lid was held and handed over, and the melon seed shells came out of my mouth lightly, and fell into the lid with precision.

"wrong."

Maybe it was because the sky was too blue and the clouds were too white. I always felt that the surrounding environment was becoming lazy and comfortable, so I squinted my eyes and looked at the other party.

"It's a reminiscence about the past."

"That's not bad," she replied.

The little Maza is too short, and the melon seeds and the bright spring in front of us are really suitable for the occasion. Our sitting posture at the beginning is nowhere to be seen at all.I raised my toes and looked for the ground with my heels, and my legs spread out in the shape of a "big". Liu'er also swayed her feet back and forth slightly, and she looked like two girls chatting in a daze in their backyard.

……

When there were no melon seeds left in my hand, I suddenly remembered something.

"Something seems wrong?"

Liu'er looked at me, then at my hand, grabbed a handful of melon seeds from the wooden box, and silently placed them in my empty palm.

……

"No, it's not that something is wrong."

But if I don’t eat for nothing, I continue to knock on the melon seeds, “Then let’s just chat now?”

The implication is, shouldn't you be a little bit expressive? How can you say that as a Zhangtai person, you are covered with a quilt when you want to chat.

Liu'er didn't seem surprised, she looked at me and said, "My lord, do you want me to serve you like the older sisters in the building?"

"Shouldn't it be?" I wondered.

"But I think my lord..." She paused, "I don't think it looks like Miss is coming to Hongxinglou for a spring evening."

Being caught was both expected and reasonable.Xiao I didn't want to do that kind of thing, she can be regarded as caring.

I poured the melon seed husks in the lid into the lid, and clapped my hands up and down, "Yes, I came with someone."

"Wouldn't it be boring to respond like this." She tilted the lid and felt that it was almost done, left the wooden box containing melon seeds on the mat, and poured the melon seed husks inside into the dustpan in front of the house.

"Anyway, I'm a 'son' outside, so I can learn a lot and be able to pretend to be a little bit."

I looked away from the light clouds, and turned to look at her, "What about you? Aren't you bored?"

Liu'er actually laughed, and put the wooden box on the side with the cover, as if she didn't intend to touch it anymore.

"...Liu'er stays in the yard every day, compared to this, it's not boring at all."

When she said this, there was a trace of emotion in her eyes, like regret and yearning, "I'm also curious about the things outside, although the mother... the madam won't let you go out."

Then there were whispers, which I heard clearly this time as I sat closer.

"..."

"Sooner or later it will go out."

I don't know if it was an illusion, but after Liu'er finished saying this, her brows gradually eased.

It's not very obvious, it's like a small piece of ice on the forehead has melted away by itself.The bright eyes seemed to lift up slightly, as if looking outside through the Hongxing Tower.

"Do you want to know?" I said suddenly.

"Outside, and beyond, want to know?"

This girl, who is always isolated from the world, said with a smile, "Think."

She paused.

"I really want to."

So I also calmed down, she wanted to know the big things, so I told her that the emperor pushed his daughter out to get married again; she wanted to know the small things, so I told her that there was a pastry shop two streets away, the shortbread was very delicious , especially homemade seasonings…

Sitting in a daze like this, I suddenly felt pretty good.

Without power and disputes close at hand, without sticks and untrustworthy friendship, the sky will always be so blue, the clouds will always be erratic, and the shadow of the willow will run from side to front and then to the side.

It occurred to me that this is the easiest thing in the world.