Chapter 33 Committed to

Although Dong Xiaowan made up his mind to go with Mao Xiang, Mao Xiang didn't have such intention at all.Ye Lai's encounter, to him, was nothing more than a moment of boredom, acting on the occasion, and never thought of taking any responsibility.When he woke up the next day, he had completely forgotten the joke he had made while drunk last night.As soon as the family members who went to Xiangyang to report to his father left, he also packed up and prepared to return to Rugao.But Zhang Mingbi couldn't stop him from repeatedly reminding and urging, and Mao Cheng also helped, so he reluctantly ordered the boatman to turn the boat around to Bantang and bid farewell to Dong Xiaowan.

As soon as the boat docked, Dong Xiaowan rushed out to greet her.Obviously, she has been waiting in the dressing room for a long time.She dressed up specially today, her dark cloud-like hair was neatly combed, tied with a golden ring on the top, and pulled back into a ponytail.A set of carefully selected pearl and emerald jewelry is inserted on the sideburns.The pale complexion after illness was ingeniously remedied by the evenly applied powder; the lightly drawn eyebrows perfectly set off her charming eyes.She wore a peach red thin velvet dress with purple lining, and underneath were eight white Hunan skirts with purple flower trim.While waiting for the boat to lower the gangplank, she stood on the shore a little uneasy, with her lips tightly closed, without looking up, and her expression looked a little serious.Shou'er followed her with a small bundle of luggage.

"Well, she is indeed unique, comparable to an extraordinary woman! But, why did she bring luggage? What does this mean?" Mao Xiang thought suspiciously, walking to the side of the boat, stretched out her hand, and helped Dong Xiaowan onto her The boat is coming. "The two gentlemen are really trustworthy! I have looked down on you again and again, and I don't know how to thank you!" After standing still at the bow of the boat, Dong Xiaowan held back her skirt, leaned sideways, and said deeply. "How dare, how dare! Just because Xiaosheng has finished his affairs in Gusu and is going back to Rugao, he came here to bid farewell to the little lady." Mao Xiang replied casually, while still looking at the other party suspiciously.

"Ah, the young master is going back?" "Exactly." "I don't know when to start?" "Let's go now." "Is Master Zhang going too?" "The period of the scientific examination is coming to an end, and Xiaosheng still has to go to Hailing to take the test. Brother Zhang intends to spend a few days with Xiaosheng in Rugao, so he went back to Jintan." "So, the servants have something to ask, I wonder if the young master can accept it?" "Ah, please tell me!" Until he said this, Mao Xiang always had a kind smile on his face, but his heart became more and more vigilant.Based on his many years of experience in and out of romantic places, he is very clear about what to watch out for when dealing with this type of "famous prostitute".Don't look at their cute and pitiful appearance, but they are not ordinary people.They all have a considerable social status, have a wide range of social connections, and have their admirers and supporters.When dealing with them, one must be careful not to be too pedantic, arrogant and rude, nor to promise anything easily.If any of these two aspects is handled improperly, if it spreads, it will be a joke for colleagues in the celebrity circle and damage the reputation.Now, with Dong Xiaowan's attire today and her luggage, Mao Xiang already guessed that she was prepared to come.In connection with her attitude towards him staying with him last night, he could somewhat guess the other party's intentions, "Hmph, did you expect me to just take you away like this? It's not that easy!" He thought coldly, and at the same time Thinking about how she would refuse once she made such a request.

"The two gentlemen have repeatedly cared about your kindness, and my family is ashamed that there is nothing to repay. If you don't dislike it, I would rather see you off with the boat!" Dong Xiaowan said, bowing respectfully again. If Dong Xiaowan proposed to commit herself to marrying each other as soon as she opened her mouth, it would be easy for Mao Xiang to refuse, but now she only asks to "send Mao Xiang with the boat"; if she proposes specifically to send Mao Xiang, then Mao Xiang is okay She tried to refute it, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she pointed out that it was the "two gentlemen" who sent her, which included Zhang Mingbi; and just now Mao Xiang personally said that Zhang Mingbi planned to go back to Rugao with her, which made it even more difficult. It makes it inconvenient for Maoxiang to make his own claims.

"Well, Brother Gong Liang, look..." When Mao Xiang finally realized that this request could not be refused immediately, he had no choice but to turn around and ask Zhang Mingbi's opinion first. "Ah, even brother Mao and Xiaosheng came and went in a hurry, so it's a pity that we couldn't spend more time with Wanniang. It's so wonderful, but it's not right to work on Wanniang!" Zhang Mingbi said excitedly. Mao Xiang originally expected Zhang Mingbi to help him, so he couldn't help but wink beforehand.Unexpectedly, this brother wanted to be a matchmaking mountain, but he pretended not to see it.Not only did he agree with himself, but he also said that Mao Xiang had already had this intention.It's not good for Mao Xiang to deny it immediately, he can only smile wryly.

"So, Mr. Mao hasn't given up yet?" Dong Xiaowan asked, staring at Mao Xiang intently. Mao Xiang hesitated for a moment, and finally said: "Duomeng Wanniang loves you wrongly, Xiaosheng is very grateful. But this matter needs to be discussed in the long run. It's windy here, please--" He turned sideways politely and stretched out his hand Go, bring Dong Xiaowan into the small hall of the front cabin. The boat that Maoxiang took was a "wave boat" that is common in the Sanwu area.No matter how big or small this kind of ship is, it is equipped with halls, rooms, doors and windows, which are quite elegantly arranged.Although there is a sail hanging on the mast, it is just a small mat the size of a palm, and it doesn't work at all.When it sails, it mainly relies on a large oar at the stern, which is shaken by two or three strong men, or it is moved forward by people going ashore to pull the fiber.What's more, people and things must be balanced on both sides when riding a boat, and the weight should not exceed one stone, otherwise the hull will tilt, so it is also called "balance boat".This kind of boat usually only sails in waterways with a radius of 700 miles, and occasionally ventures to take the Yangtze River. As for traveling along the river, you have to take a big river boat instead.

After Mao Xiang let Zhang Mingbi and Dong Xiaowan into the small hall of the front cabin to sit down, for a while, he looked at the scenery outside the window and didn't speak immediately.He is not an idiot, and naturally he cannot fail to see that Dong Xiaowan's "send a ride" is nothing more than an excuse. Once she is allowed to accompany her, she will make higher demands in the next step, such as asking him to marry him. She or something.And this is absolutely impossible.Not to mention that he was in a hurry to go home to comfort his mother, and he had to deal with the imminent scientific examination, as well as the rural examination in August, and he didn't have the heart to think about it.Moreover, even if he really wants to take a concubine, Dong Xiaowan is not an ideal candidate in his mind.Mao Xiang doesn't like the overly docile and dignified temperament shown in this prostitute, and the weird idea of ​​being a good wife and mother.Although he didn't hate her enough, he thought that his wife was enough to play that role.In his mind, Mrs. Ru, in addition to her beauty and skills, should also be able to act coquettishly, make petites, be jealous, play pranks, and make people laugh and itch—in short, there should be a little bit of it. "Bad" is good enough, just like Chen Yuanyuan...

Thinking of Chen Yuanyuan, Mao Xiang's heart ached again: "Oh, she is outstanding, rare, and precious! You can only meet one woman like this in a lifetime! She has belonged to me almost forever, but let me put She is lost! But there is no doubt that she is irreplaceable!" Mao Xiang suddenly raised his head, and found two pairs of eyes looking at him with concern and anticipation—that was Dong Xiaowan and Zhang Mingbi.He suddenly came to his senses, collected himself, lowered his eyes and said: "Wanniang, Xiaosheng already appreciates your kindness. It's just that you are recovering from an illness. The most important thing is to take care of your body. It's not suitable for you to be exhausted. The days will be long in the future, and the chance to meet you will still be here." There are many, why stick to the present? In Xiaosheng’s opinion, it’s better to avoid this as a farewell!”

"But, but, I feel that I am in good spirits, which is great!" Dong Xiaowan said anxiously. "Today is great, but once you get tired on the road, how do you know it won't happen again? It's better to rest." "Ah, my family has been ill for ten or eight days, and the medicine and stones are ineffective. I got the young master in vain last night, and suddenly felt healthy physically and mentally, and suddenly healed. This is all because of the blessing of the young master. The slave family, the slave family is afraid that once they leave the young master,'' Again, at that time, I just wanted to ask the young master to save me, but I can't. I also hope that the young master will take pity on the suffering of Nu's critical illness and allow you to stay with the boat for a while, and the slave family will always be grateful for the great virtue and kindness of the young master!"

Hearing what she said, Mao Xiang laughed loudly: "Wan Niang is too serious. There is such a magical reason! You have been in the doctor for a long time, and the medicine is working. Although you didn't realize it, the disease has actually recovered. But When I came to visit, I miscalculated the doctor's work on Xiaosheng. Even if Xiaosheng didn't come last night, you would still be fine." After a pause, he continued, "To tell you the truth, it's not because Xiaosheng insisted on not coming. Yun, it's all because the period of the scientific examination has come to an end, Xiaosheng's journey here is day and night, and he can't delay even a day. In case the little lady's expensive ailments recur on the ship, it's not right to stop the ship to take care of it, and it's not to stop the ship to take care of it. , but how can we live in the district?" "Ah, if this is the case, I will leave the ship on my own, and I will never delay the trip of the young masters for a day!" Dong Xiaowan replied firmly. Mao Xiang casually shook his head: "It's easy to say now, how can we..." He suddenly saw Dong Xiaowan's expression was miserable, his eyes were red, his lips were trembling pitifully, and he looked like he was about to cry. Just stop talking. "Pijiang!" Zhang Mingbi, who had been sitting beside him for a long time without speaking, finally spoke, "Since Wan Niang is sincere, why do you insist on refusing? I see that she is in good health today. I'm afraid it's not enough to travel by land, and the boat is the best thing to do." You can sit down. If you are still not at ease, then whatever happens at that time will be covered by Brother Yu!" Mao Xiang was very dissatisfied with the fact that this brother did not discuss with him, but kept fanning the flames on his own initiative.Just now Zhang Mingbi ignored his suggestion and agreed to let Dong Xiaowan see him off with the boat, which made Maoxiang even more annoyed.These two breaths hadn't come out yet, but now that he was trying to curry favor with him, he lowered his face, turned his head, stared at Zhang Mingbi and asked, "So, brother Gong Liang plans to go back to Rugao with my younger brother?" It was Zhang Mingbi's idea that they went to Rugao together this time, which included his intention, as Maoxiang's ally, to visit Mao's mother sincerely and express his respect and condolences to her.Now that Mao Xiang suddenly raised such a question, Zhang Mingbi knew that Mao Xiang was angry.He has always been a little afraid of this talented and beautiful brother, always obeying him and not daring to disobey him.Seeing that he was angry, Zhang Mingbi had no choice but to shut up embarrassingly. Dong Xiaowan, who once rekindled hope, now seems to be completely hopeless.She stopped talking, and the circles of her eyes started to turn red again.She lowered her head and stared at her skirt for a long time, but she didn't cry. Seeing her like this, Mao Xiang couldn't bear it.He stood up, approached Dong Xiaowan, and persuaded him softly: "It's not because I'm unfeeling. In fact, the schedule is tight. This is also for the sake of the little lady. There is no way. You go back, don't be overwhelmed. After the autumn I might come again, so I must hang around for a while, okay?" While Mao Xiang was speaking, Dong Xiaowan seemed to have made up his mind.She raised her face and looked at Mao Xiang seriously, with a determined look in her eyes.When he had finished speaking, she also stood up and said: "Since the young master is really in a difficult situation, the slave family does not dare to force each other. It is just that the slave family has decided to leave this place and never come back. Now that there is a boat, the slave family said to the boat owner that they are willing to rent a place under the smoke canopy and go along with it. The slaves dare not see off the young master, and the young master doesn't care whether the slaves are dead or alive on the way." After Dong Xiaowan finished speaking, she bowed deeply to Maoxiang and Zhang Mingbi, then turned around and walked out of the cabin. This was unexpected, he did not expect Dong Xiaowan's will to be so firm.Of course, he could order the boatman not to allow her to be attached, but doing so would not only appear too heartless, but also would be too petty to fight with a weak woman like this, and would be degrading his identity.So let Dong Xiaowan live under the smoke awning?Even worse.Because she is not an ordinary prostitute, she has long been famous in the circle of celebrities in Jiangnan, and everyone knows her.If the news spreads, Dong Xiaowan was subjected to such abuse on Maoxiang's boat, it will definitely cause an uproar in public opinion, and he will inevitably be laughed at by people... Thinking of this, Mao Xiang got busy instead.He opened his mouth to shout, but felt that it was inappropriate, so he gestured to Zhang Mingbi who was staring at him closely, asking him to call Dong Xiaowan back quickly. After a while, Dong Xiaowan followed Zhang Mingbi and walked in again.She stood in front of Maoxiang with her head down, silent.Mao Xiang looked her up and down for a while with a straight face, and finally asked helplessly: "Well, you mean just give us a ride on the boat?" Dong Xiaowan nodded. "Just a ride, nothing else?" Dong Xiaowan hesitated for a moment, wanting to say something, but finally nodded. "Okay, then you stay. You must come back at the next stop!" After Mao Xiang finished speaking, he called out of the cabin: "Mao Cheng!" Appeared in the hatchway impersonating. "You go - bring in the little lady's luggage. Then tell the boatman to set sail immediately!" "Yes!" Mao Cheng agreed, but his body didn't move. "Go! What are you doing here?" "Yeah, Mr. Qi, a man came outside just now, and he said he was the little lady's father..." Mao Cheng said with his hands down. "Huh?" Mao Xiang's gaze suddenly flickered.He glanced at Dong Xiaowan suspiciously, and asked Mao Cheng, "What is he here for?" "He said, uh, he said..." "Say it!" "Yes! He said that this little lady was raised by him alone. The uncle can't just take her away like this. He begged the uncle to think of him being old and poor, and at least give him some money." This request came so suddenly and unexpectedly, for a long while, the cabin became silent: Mao Xiang frowned and said nothing; Zhang Mingbi lowered his head slightly, and was slowly stroking his beard; He looked anxious and angry.She opened a pair of terrified eyes, looked at this and then at that, and when she found that no one seemed to listen to her explanation, her expression changed from anxiety to despair. Finally, Mao Xiang raised his head slowly, and shot his cold eyes straight at Mao Cheng, who shivered and quickly lowered his head. "Nonsense!" Mao Xiang yelled suddenly, "Wan Niang just sent us off with the boat, and she will be back in a day or two. What 'take her away'? Who is he trying to blackmail by saying this! He thought I would Take this trick? A joke! Tell him, there is money! But I won’t give him, not even half of it! Tell him to leave quickly, don’t delay the sailing!” After finishing speaking, Mao Xiang turned around, gave Dong Xiaowan a hard look, walked quickly into the bedroom connected to the small hall, and closed the door with a "bang".

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