Chapter 4 Section 4

It was already cold autumn, and the women all changed into autumn clothes one after another. The leaves also fell to the ground in the early morning and late at night. The garden was covered with withered yellow. Several maids squatted together to burn the leaves, and a smell of burnt smoke permeated the air. , Songlian's window slammed open, and the maids saw that Songlian's face was flushed with anger.She grabbed a wooden comb and tapped on the window sill, who told you to burn the leaves?The good leaves smell so bad.The maids put away the brooms and baskets, and a bold maid said, how can we get rid of so many leaves without burning them?Song Lian threw the wooden comb on her body from the window, Song Lian shouted, "If you don't burn it, you don't burn it!"Then she slammed the window shut.

Fourth wife's temper is getting bigger and bigger.The maids told Yu Ru so.She won't let us burn the leaves, why is her temper getting bigger and bigger?Yuru scolded the maid, and she was not allowed to chew her tongue, it's not your turn to gossip.Yuru was very angry in her heart.In the past, the leaves in the garden had to be burned several times a year. Could it be that a Songlian would break this rule?The maid stood with her hands down and said, so the leaves won't be burned?Yuru said, who says it can't be burned?You burn it for me, just ignore her. When the maid went to burn the leaves again, Songlian didn't show up, but she saw Songlian walking out of the south wing when everyone was gone.She was still wearing a summer skirt, and the maid said why she wasn't cold, it was so windy outside.Song Lian stood at the pile of black ashes, stared blankly for a while, and then she went to the middle courtyard for dinner.Song Lian's skirt fluttered in the cold wind like a white butterfly.

Song Lian sat at the dining table and watched them eat.Song Lian never moved her chopsticks.Her face was calm and gloomy, and she held her arms tightly, looking inviolable.That day coincided with Chen Zuoqian's going out, and it was also a time for trouble in the mansion.Feipu said, hey, why don't you eat it?Song Lian said, I am already full.Feipu said, have you eaten?Song Lian snorted in her nostrils, I was already full of the burnt smell.Philip wondered, looking at his mother.Yuru's face changed, and she said to Feipu, you eat your own food and don't mind so much.Then she raised her voice and looked at Song Lian, "Fourth wife, I'm listening to you, what do you think there are so many leaves piled up on the ground?"Song Lian said, I don't know, what qualifications do I have to take care of housework?Yuru said, there is nothing wrong with burning leaves every autumn, why are you more delicate than others?I can't stand the smell of smoke.Song Lian said, the leaves will rot by themselves, do they need to be burned?The leaves are not people.Yuru said, what do you mean by that? I don't know why.Song Lian said, I don't mean anything, I still don't understand why the leaves are swept to the backyard to burn, whoever likes to smell the smoke can burn it there.Yuru couldn't listen any more, she slapped her chopsticks on the table, and you didn't take a mirror to look at her, what kind of thing are you, Songlian, in the Chen family?As if someone wronged you.Songlian stood up.His eyes rested reservedly on his sallow and swollen face.That's right, what am I?Song Lian softly seemed to be talking to herself, she smiled and turned around to leave, when she looked back she was already in tears, she said, God knows what you are?

For a whole afternoon, Song Lian locked herself indoors, and did not even open the door for Yan'er to serve tea.Song Lian sat alone in front of the window and saw that the vase of dahlias on the dressing table had withered and turned black. She took out the bouquet of chrysanthemums and wanted to throw them away, but she didn't know where to throw them, and the window was closed tightly and would not open again.Song Lian was walking around the room with the flowers in her arms. After much deliberation, she finally opened the closet and put the flowers in.The autumn wind was blowing outside again, a very cold wind, blowing the darkness into the garden bit by bit.She heard a knock on the door.She thought it was Yan'er who was bringing tea again, so she knocked on the back of the door, annoyed to death, I don't want tea.People outside said, it's me, I'm Feipu.

Songlian didn't expect Feipu to come.She opened the door and stood leaning against it.What are you doing here?Feipu's hair was messed up by the wind, he licked his hair, smiled a little awkwardly and said, they said you were sick, so they came to see you.Song Lian hissed, whoever is sick, will die if he is about to die, sickness is very painful.Feipu went straight to sit on the sofa, looked around the room, and suddenly said, I thought you had a lot of books in your room.Song Lian spread out her hands, but she didn't have any. Books are useless to me now.Song Lian was still standing, she said, are you also here to teach me a lesson?Feipu shook his head and said, how come?I get a headache seeing these things.Song Lian said, so you are here to smooth things over?I don't think it's necessary. Someone like me should be scolded by someone.Feipu was silent for a while and said, my mother has no bad intentions, she is stubborn and dull by nature, don't fight her, it's not worth it.Song Lian was walking back and forth in the room, and she suddenly started laughing. In fact, I didn't want to fight against the eldest wife. Really, I don't know what's wrong with me. Do you think I'm ridiculous?Feipu shook his head again, he coughed, and said slowly, people are all the same, they don't know what's going on with their emotions.

Their conversation naturally led to Nazhi Xiao.I used to have a Xiao, too, Songlian said, what a pity, what a pity I lost it.So you're going to blow it too?Philip asked happily.Song Lian said, I don't know, I lost it before I had time to learn.Feipu said, how about I introduce a friend to teach you?I just learned from him.Song Lian smiled, noncommittal.At this time, Yan'er came in with two bowls of red dates and white fungus soup, and first handed them to Fei Pu.Song Lian said on the side, look at how loyal this girl is to you, she can make snacks without taking care of herself.Yan'er's face was flushed with embarrassment, and she put another bowl on the table and escaped.Song Lian said, Yan'er, don't leave, the young master has something to tell you.Saying so, Song Lian covered her mouth and smiled.Feipu also laughed. He stirred the snacks in the bowl with a silver spoon, and said, you have treated her very well.Song Lian said, do you think she is a fuel-efficient lamp?This girl is mean, I have someone here, why isn't she eavesdropping outside the door?I don't know why she was so confused.Feeling Songlian's displeasure, Feipu quickly changed the subject. He said, I have always eaten sweets since I was a child, so I am really sorry for the red dates and white fungus soup. My friends said that only women like sweets.Song Lian's expression was still gloomy, she began to play with her nails, the nails were left long and thin, painted with impatiens juice, they looked like some pink scales.hello are you listening to mePhillips said.Song Lian said, listen, you said that women like to eat sweets and men like to eat salty things.Feipu smiled and shook his head, stood up and said goodbye.Before leaving, he said to Song Lian, you are interesting, I can't figure out your heart.Song Lian said, you are the same, I also can't figure out your heart.

On the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, lanterns were hung at the gate of the Chen residence, which was Chen Zuoqian's fiftieth birthday.The relatives and friends who came to celebrate the birthday from the morning shuttled endlessly in the Chen Family Garden.Chen Zuoqian wore a black dress presented by Feipu to receive the guests in the living room, while Yu Ru, Zhuo Yun, Mei Shan, Song Lian and the children surrounded Chen Zuoqian and exchanged greetings with the guests.When it was bustling, there was a sudden sound, and people looked to one place, and saw a half-person-high vase shattered on the ground.

It turned out that Feilan and Yirong were chasing after each other and knocked the vase over from the bench.The two children stood there looking at each other, knowing that something had happened.Feilan first woke up from her fear, pointed to Yirong and said, she knocked it over, it's none of my business.Yi Rong also quickly put her finger on Fei Lan's nose, you chased me, you knocked me over.At this time, Chen Zuoqian's face had already changed color, but due to the presence of the guests, he did not attack.Yuru walked over, muttering softly yet deeply, evil species, evil species.She dragged Feilan and Yirong outside, and slapped each of them, bad luck, bad luck.Yuru pushed Feilan again, get the hell out of here.Feilan rolled to the ground and cried, Feilan's shrill and bright voice spread into the living room.Mei Shan rushed out first, she hugged Fei Lan, gave Yu Ru a good look, and said, well played, well played, anyway, it has long been disliked, if you can hit it, it will be good!Yuru said, what are you talking about?The child got into trouble, and you didn't teach him a lesson but still protected him?Mei Shan pushed Feilan towards Yuru, and said, well, I'll teach you a lesson, hit me, beat me to death, you'll feel better after beating me to death.At this time Zhuo Yun and Song Lian also ran out.Zhuo Yun pulled Yirong over and patted her on the head, my grandma Xiaozu, why are you making trouble for me?Tell me, who made the vase?Yi Rong started to cry, it wasn't me, I said it wasn't me, it was Fei Lan who knocked over the table, Zhuo Yun said, don't cry, since it wasn't you, why are you crying?The master's wedding day has been messed up by you.Mei Shan sneered at the side, and said, how can Miss San not be dazed when she lies at such a young age?I can see clearly from the side that it was your arm that turned the vase over.The four women had nothing to say for a while, only Feilan was still crying.Song Lian looked at it for a while, and said, there is no need to do this, isn't it just a vase?If it breaks, it breaks, what can happen?Yu Rubai glanced at Song Lian, you put it lightly, is this about a bottle?The master likes to seek good luck in everything. If you meet people like you who are heartless, the good Chen family will be defeated by you sooner or later.Songlian said, choke, why is it my fault again?Count me as nonsense, in fact, who wants to take care of your business?Song Lian turned around and left the place of right and wrong, she went to the back garden, met Fei Pu and a group of his friends on the way, Fei Pu asked, why did you leave?Song Lian touched her forehead and said, I have a headache.My head hurts when I see the lively scene.

Song Lian really had a headache, she wanted to drink water, but the water bottles were all empty, and Yan'er was helping in the living room, so she took advantage of the situation and left things here.Song Lian scolded the little bastard, and opened the stove door to boil water.It was the first time for her to do this kind of housework when she entered Chen's house, and she was a bit clumsy.After standing in the kitchen for a while, she went to the porch again, and saw that the back garden was very quiet at this time, and the people were bustling, leaving some loneliness—they dripped on the dead branches and leaves, soaking the heart of the lotus .The ground saw the withered wisteria again, making melancholy whispers in the wind, and the well was still calling to her vaguely.Song Lian clutched her chest, she felt that she heard some enlightening voice in nothingness.

Song Lian walked towards the well, her body was extremely light, as if walking in a dream, there was a smell of rotten plants pervading the surroundings of the well platform, Song Lian picked up a wisteria leaf from the ground for a closer look, and threw it into the well .She saw the leaves floating like an ornament on the stagnant water in the blue basket, covering her floating shadow, and she couldn't see her eyes.Song Lian walked around the well platform, but couldn't find an angle to see herself. She thought it was strange, a wisteria leaf, she thought, how could it be?The noon sun was slowly jumping in the dry well, turning into a little bit of white light, Song Lian was suddenly seized by a terrible imagination, holding a wisteria leaf with one hand and the other covering her eyes, thinking of her like this It seemed as if she could actually see a pale wet hand rising from the bottom of the unfathomable well and covering her eyes.Song Lian cried out in horror, hand, hand.She wanted to turn around and run away, but her whole body seemed to be firmly attached to the well platform, she couldn't stop, Song Lian felt like a flower broken by the wind, she bent down weakly and stared into the well.In another burst of dizziness, she saw the well water suddenly churning and making noise, and a vague voice pierced her eardrums from a distant place: Song Lian, come down.Songlian, come down.

When Zhuo Yun came to find Song Lian, Song Lian was sitting on the porch alone, holding Mei Shan's Persian cat in her arms.Zhuo Yun said, why are you here?It's lunch time.Song Lian said, I feel very dizzy and don't want to go.Zhuo Yun said.How about that?Even if you are sick, you have to go. The master has repeatedly told you to go back for things on the scene.Song Lian said, I really don't want to go, I feel so uncomfortable, please let me be quiet for a while.Zhuo Yun smiled and said, are you angry with Yu Ru?No, I don't have the energy to be angry with someone, Song Lian showed an impatient expression, she threw the cat in her arms to the ground, and said, I want to sleep for a while, Zhuo Yun still smiled, then go to sleep, I'll go back and tell the master. That day, Song Lian fell into a drowsy sleep, and when she fell asleep, she also saw the well and the acacia leaf in the well, and she was covered in cold sweat.Who knows what that well is?What is that acacia leaf?What is she, Songlian?Then she lazily got up and washed herself in the mirror.She saw that her face was as haggard and lifeless as that dead leaf.She was a stranger to the woman in the mirror.She doesn't like women like that.Song Lian sighed deeply. At this time, she thought of Chen Zuoqian and birthday concepts, and she couldn't help regretting her actions in her heart.She blamed herself for thinking about how I kept playing my petty temper. She knew it would be harmful to her life, so she hurriedly opened the wardrobe door and took out a gray woolen scarf from it. She had already prepared a gift for Chen Zuoqian's birthday. All the members of the Chen family were at the dinner party.When Song Lian entered the dining room, she saw that they were all seated.They opened the table without waiting for me.Song Lian walked to her seat with this thought in mind, Fei Pu greeted her on the opposite side, saying, how are you?Song Lian nodded, she peeped at Chen Zuoqian's face, Chen Zuoqian's face was so gloomy, Song Lian's heart skipped a beat for no reason, she brought the woolen scarf to him, master, this is my humble gift present.Chen Zuoqian hummed, and pointed to the round table next to him, let's put it there.Song Lian grabbed the scarf and walked over, and saw that the table was full of birthday presents from her family.A gold ring, a fox fur coat, and a Swiss watch, all tied with red ribbons.Song Lian's heart skipped a beat again, and she felt hot on her face.Sitting down again, she heard Yu Ru say, since it's a birthday gift, why didn't she know how to tie a red ribbon?Songlian pretended not to hear, she felt that Yuru's pickiness was really abominable, but she was really in a trance and absent-minded all day long.She knew that she had already annoyed Chen Zuoqian, and this was the only thing she didn't want to do.Song Lian tried her best to think of a remedy, she should let them see her special status in front of the master's page, she couldn't act humble, so Song Lian suddenly smiled at Chen Zuoqian, she said, master, today It's your auspicious day. I don't have much savings, and I can't give you a gold ring and fur coat. I'll give you another gift.Saying that, Song Lian stood up and walked to Chen Zuoqian, hugged his neck, kissed him once on the cheek, and kissed him again.Everyone at the table was stunned, looking at Chen Zuoqian.Chen Zuoqian's face was flushed red, he seemed to want to say something, but couldn't say anything, finally pushed Song Lian away, and said sternly, show some respect in front of everyone.