Chapter 17 17

Mrs. Zhou went home that night.The two sisters Hui and Yun stayed at Gao's house. Yun and Shuhua slept together, but Hui slept in Shuying's room. After breakfast the next day, Juexin took a sedan chair to the office of Xishu Industrial Company. He sat in the office for more than two hours.The cashier Wang came to complain to him about the difficulty of collecting rent for the past two months. The store owner said that the business was slow and refused to pay the rent on time. The cashier Wang just left.Manager Huang came in again, coughing and holding a hookah.Manager Huang also criticized Collector Wang for not collecting rent seriously, and asked him to persuade Collector Wang to work hard in the future.Juexin talked with Manager Huang calmly for a while, which made Manager Huang stroking his mustache and nodding in satisfaction.After Manager Huang left, the owner of a store came to talk to him about reducing the storefront.Then Keding came and asked him to buy some classical Chinese novels published three or four years ago.With great difficulty, he sent all these people away, and after doing some things quietly, he locked the drawer of the desk, walked to the back door of the mall, got into a sedan chair and went to Zhou's house.

Zhou's mansion seemed very busy.There are a lot of things piled up on the floor in the left side room, most of them are newly bought knick-knacks wrapped in paper.Some of the wrapping papers were torn off, and parts of foreign lampshades, vases, etc. were exposed.Juexin's great uncle, Zhou Botao, made a list of the shopping items on the case.The eldest aunt Chen and the second aunt Xu stood nearby to contribute their opinions.They said the same thing and he wrote the same thing, and sometimes he thought of what he thought was right and wrote it down.Master Mei timidly stood on the other side watching them doing things, not daring to move.The servant came into the room and ran out in a hurry. As soon as he got to the window, he heard the master calling loudly from the room.

Juexin walked into the left wing.Seeing him standing up quickly, Zhou Botao greeted him with a smile on his dark, thin and dull face: "Mingxuan, you came just in time." The two aunts also turned around to greet him.Juexin greeted them, greeted Young Master Mei, and asked, "Is grandma in the upper room?" After getting the answer, he went to the upper right room to greet Mrs. Zhou.Zhou Botao went with Juexin.Juexin sat in Mrs. Zhou's room for a while, chatted a few gossips, and then followed Zhou Botao back to the left wing.Mrs. Chen and Mrs. Xu took a notebook and counted the items piled up in the corner of the room. Young Master Mei picked them up one by one, opened the cover and showed them, then sealed it and put it aside.When Mrs. Chen saw Juexin coming in, she proudly said to Juexin, "Young master, come and see what we bought. Please check if the purchase is right?" Juexin could only walk over with an apologetic smile.There are foreign lamps, vases, pen holders, bowls and so on. There are many styles and materials, but they are all exquisite.Juexin looks like it, but after reading it, I know that there are still many missing items.They showed him the shopping list they had just written.He also had some opinions and told them all.After discussing with them for a long time, he finally completed the shopping list.Juexin agreed to take part in the purchase.Zhou Botao ordered Mrs. Chen to go to the upper left room to bring out three packets of silver coins and hand them to Juexin, which were wrapped in parchment paper, and there were a total of one hundred silver coins in each packet.Juexin put them in his purse, and left.They had him here for lunch, and he found an excuse to say thanks.He promised to come back the next day.

Zhou Botao and Master Mei send Juexin out.Zhou Botao had just stepped out of the hall when he suddenly heard Mrs. Zhou calling him, so he apologized and went in first, asking Master Mei to send Juexin into the sedan chair.Young master Mei saw his father go in, and there was no one else beside him. The servants and bearers were not very close to them, so they would not hear their whispered conversation, so he approached Juexin and said in a trembling voice: "Daddy Cousin, I have something I want to talk to you about. When you come two days, come sit in my room." Juexin looked at Young Master Mei's bluish-white thin face in surprise: the eyelids are drooping, the eyes have no eyes, even the lips There was no color on his face; his eyes blinked constantly, as if he couldn't bear Juexin's gaze; his head was bowed forward. Although he was only sixteen years old, his back was a little hunched.Juexin asked without pity: "What's the matter with you? Is it not important? Why don't you say it now?" Juexin also hoped that he could help him a little.

"Let's talk about it next time," Young Master Mei said timidly.Afterwards, he blushed suddenly, and summoned up his courage to say in a low voice: "Father is too strict. Sometimes I have to secretly read some idle books. My mind is also messed up by reading idle books. Sometimes I can't sleep all night, sometimes I can't sleep. It’s okay, but in the middle of the night I was woken up by… a nocturnal emission. I was terrified. I didn’t dare to tell my father. Recently, I often have a dry cough…” The more he spoke, the more excited he became, and then he stuttered a bit.He seemed to have a lot to say, but he suddenly hissed in a low voice, and said negatively: "Let's talk about it next time." Juexin stopped and listened to Master Mei's speech.He was moved and listened more attentively.

Master Mei suddenly shut his mouth tightly.He hastily said a few comforting words: "Cousin Mei, don't worry, it probably doesn't matter. Be careful in the future, don't have that kind of..." He omitted a few words here, but he believed Master Mei will definitely understand what he means.He was about to get into the sedan chair, but stopped again, and said to Master Mei with a serious expression, "You should ask a doctor to see it. It's not okay to go on like this. I think it's better to tell uncle." "No, You must not tell dad, dad knows he will definitely scold me," young master Mei's face suddenly showed a horrified color, he stopped in horror.

Juexin knew Zhou Botao's temperament, and felt that Master Mei's fear was justified.He sympathized with the child, but he couldn't help Master Mei.He casually advised: "You'd better go out on the street more, or come to our house. It's not good for your health if you stay in the house for too long." Young Master Mei sighed and replied in a low voice: "Oh, why don't I know? But my father forbids me to go out. My father wants me to study at home. But my father said that I will go to your house to set up a library after my sister gets married." Juexin frowned slightly, and also There was nothing else to say, and after a few words of consolation, he took his leave and got into the sedan chair and left.

Juexin sat in the sedan chair and thought about young master Mei all the way.The more he thought about it, the more sad he felt.He couldn't see a glimmer of hope in Master Mei.The young man's situation was even worse than his.At least he still had wonderful dream scenes.He had at least a few people who loved him.He had thought boldly, at least at that age.The young man has nothing.Cold, lonely, scared, family life seemed to give him only these. "Father is too strict," "I'm terrified," these two sentences included the whole life of this sixteen-year-old boy.No one gave the boy a word of advice or comfort.Now the child turned to him in despair, but he could only stand by and let the child go down the road of destruction alone.It's embarrassing to watch a young life being ruined, not to mention that he has already carried enough sorrow on his shoulders.He thought about it, but couldn't come up with a clue.As if lost, he saw nothing but darkness everywhere, and despair everywhere.His heart grew colder.

The sedan chair entered the Gao mansion and stopped in the hall.A burst of cursing woke up Juexin, and he realized that he had arrived at his home.He walked out of the sedan chair listlessly, and saw Yang's nurse with Shufang blushing, gesticulating and yelling at Gao Zhong.She stood in the hall, her skirt was open, and one breast was exposed, as if she had just fed Shufang's milk.Gao Zhong also refused to show weakness, he jumped out of the gatehouse and jumped around in the courtyard.He was only wearing an undershirt with the sleeves rolled up high, sweat was beading from his bald head, and spittle was spraying from his mouth.While yelling and cursing, he waved his fist at Nanny Yang.He scolded: "You goblin, you watchdog. The fourth master likes you, but I don't like whoring you..." Wende, the servant of the third room, advised Gao Zhong not to say a few words, but Gao Zhong didn't listen to him. If so, just keep cursing.

Nanny Yang hissed: "You are the one who is stabbed, short-lived, you son of a bitch, you will not be prosperous, you will lose your sons and grandchildren. If you hit the old lady's idea, if you hit a nail, you will spread rumors and spit people out. Okay, you will Said, let's go see the fourth master..." She was ashamed and angry, her face was flushed, and she jumped down the stone steps to grab Gao Zhong's clothes.Gao Zhong didn't flinch, and stood there majestically with his arms folded.Nanny Yang just jumped on Gao Zhong's body, Gao Zhong pushed hard, and Nanny Yang took two steps back.But she rushed again immediately.Gao Zhong's hand was about to hit her on the face, but he was stopped by the servants, bearers, and maids who were watching the fun.Mrs. Wang and Mrs. Qian pulled away Nanny Yang, and Zhao Sheng and Wende pulled Gao Zhong away.Shufang fell down next to the stone steps at the door of the upper study room in the hall, and burst into tears.

"Nurse Yang, Miss Seven has fallen, hurry up and hug her." When Aunt He saw Shufang fall, she called out to Nanny Yang loudly from behind.Nanny Yang ignored it, but struggled to beat Gao Zhong.Mrs. He went to pick up Shufang and wiped her tears. The voices of Jueying, Juequn, and Jueshi reading in the study were also covered by Nanny Yang's scolding.The more Gao Zhong cursed, the worse it sounded.Nanny Yang burst into tears when she couldn't scold her.Mrs. Wang advised her by the side. Juexin wanted to scold them a few words to stop the quarrel.But he suddenly felt something rushing up in his heart, and he just vomited.He didn't speak, and quietly stepped through the turning door and went inside. Unexpectedly, when he walked to the door of his room, he heard someone talking inside.He opened the door curtain, and a scent of sandalwood came to his nostrils.He saw clearly the faces of several people in the room at a glance.Unpleasant thoughts left him.He said pleasantly: "It's rare that you are all here." "Our guests are all here. As the host, what do you have for hospitality? Tell me quickly." Shuhua laughed loudly.She sits in the movable chair in front of the desk. "Third Sister, aren't you the master too? You didn't treat Cousin Hui and Cousin Yun well, but you had to wait for me to come back," Juexin said the above words, and before Shuhua could say anything else, he walked to the front of the square table and approached Hui side.He looked at Hui with concern and said, "I've been to your house." "Didn't mother-in-law tell you anything? Everyone should be busy," Yun, who was sitting at the other end of the square table, asked. "No," Juexin shook his head slightly.He suddenly noticed that Hui was looking at him, which was full of trust and gratitude.There was a slight shock in his heart, and then he frowned and said to Hui anxiously: "It's just my cousin..." "What's the matter with Mei?" Hui interjected in surprise. Juexin pondered for a while, then shook his head and said, "It's nothing. But he's not in good health, so he should be more careful. He's also afraid of uncle. Even if he has something on his mind, he doesn't dare to let uncle know." There is no way. You are not young, but you don’t have any masculinity." Yun interjected from the side. "What's on Mei's mind? Big cousin, did he tell you?" Hui asked worriedly in a low voice. "He didn't say anything, it's just my own guess." Juexin said as if fleeing quickly. Hui fell silent.Shuhua pesters Juexin to tell jokes.Yun also said a word or two. After a while Hui suddenly called "Big Cousin" and then pleaded, "Brother Mei seems to be sick. Father treats him too strictly and doesn't show consideration for him. He is very pitiful alone. Are you free?" , please take care of him. He will listen to what you say." Hui's eyes for help stayed on Juexin's face for a long time, waiting for his answer. Juexin knew that he couldn't do anything for Mei's cousin, but he couldn't bear to disappoint her when he saw Hui eagerly asking for help.He thought: He never helped her a little bit, but let her suffer a miserable fate alone. Does he still have to verbally refuse her even this small request now? Compassion made him forget himself for a moment, compassion gave him courage.He finally comforted Hui with an extremely gentle voice: "Don't worry, as long as I can, I will try my best to help him." He sat down on a rattan chair beside Hui. Loh moved and smiled slightly.Cheerful colors brighten her face.She nodded slightly to Juexin, and said softly, "Thank you." Shuhua was talking to Yun, and her seat was facing the door.When she saw the door curtain move, Juemin walked into the room leisurely, and asked, "Second Brother, where's Sister Qin?" "I've invited you for you, she will definitely come tomorrow," Juemin replied with a smile. "Why don't you come today?" Shuhua said disappointedly. "She has something to do today, and she is not very comfortable. Anyway, their school is on holiday the day after tomorrow, and she can stay for a day when she comes tomorrow," Juemin explained quietly. "When will Sister Qin come tomorrow? It's better to be early," Shuzhen said anxiously, looking at Juemin eagerly, as if she wanted to see Qin's face on Juemin's face. "Sister Qin will come tomorrow, and we must punish her. These two days have made us wait so hard. We still don't come today. Second brother, it's your fault. If you don't invite sister Qin to come, we won't obey you." Shuhua complained. "It's really the second brother's fault, Sister Qin has always been willing to listen to the second brother's words," Shuying interjected with a smile. "Yes. If the second brother wants her to come today, she will come today too," Shuhua said sarcastically.But she immediately made a correction on purpose with an air of comprehension: "No, it should be said that the second brother loves to listen to sister Qin. The second brother has always been afraid of sister Qin." Yun looked innocently at Juemin's face with her two flowing eyes. , she smiled with interest, and said encouragingly: "Second cousin, since they said that, you go and invite sister Qin here immediately, and show them if you are afraid of sister Qin." What does it matter to me? Why do you want me to invite you? Cousin Yun, why do you say that too?" Juemin deliberately pretended not to understand, and looked around in surprise. Yun pursed her lips into a smile, dimples appeared on her round pink face, and she replied, "They all say that." "Second brother, don't pretend to be crazy. Everyone understands their own affairs. I'm really not shy. I still have to rely on it." Shuhua stroked Shame Juemin with her finger on her cheek. Shuying laughed, Yun laughed, and Shuzhen laughed too.Hui and Juexin also had smiles on their faces.Hui soon suppressed her smile, sighed briefly, and said to Juexin in a low voice: "I really envy the sisters in your family, how happy they are." The word "envy" made Juexin faintly hurt. .This is like sarcastic irony.However, he knew that Loh said it sincerely.Even such a life is enviable.From this point alone, he can also guess how great the sorrow in this girl's lonely life is.She is simply his shadow, walking the path he walked.He knew there was an abyss waiting for her ahead.But he couldn't stop her.In fact, it never occurred to him at this moment to try to stop her.He had but one thought—they were the same wretch.He once had such a hope—hoping that an unexpected force would fly from the sky to save her.But hope flew by quickly.All that remains is a miserable fate.Tears suddenly wet his eyes.His eyes lingered for a moment on her youthful and beautiful face through the tears.Painful convulsions appeared on his face, and he whispered to her, "Don't say that, I feel very sad to hear that." Hui never expected Juexin to say such a thing.She gave him a surprised look.Her heart couldn't help beating.This excessive concern, this sincere sympathy made her heart go limp, and she had no idea.She blushed first, and then her eyes were red.She buried her head and couldn't say a word for a while, her hands were only rubbing a handkerchief. "Second Sister, look, Elder Brother doesn't know what to say to Cousin Hui, one of them buried his head in silence, and the other's eyes are full of tears." Shuhua turned the chair, put her head close to Shuying's face, and held back a smile Shuying whispered in her ear. Shuying followed Shuhua's gaze, she didn't know what Juexin and Tonghui were talking about, but this scene moved her.She didn't want to laugh, and she didn't want Shuhua to talk and laugh at them.She shook her head to stop Shuhua and said: "Let them talk, don't interrupt them." Shuhua felt a bit disappointed when she hit a snag, but she took another careful look at Juexin, and her heart softened. She didn't mention it any more. Juemin stood behind the desk talking to Yun.Yun sat diagonally across from Shuhua.While she was speaking, she could also see Shuhua's movements.Yun is a very smart woman, she guessed Shuhua's mind with a little attention.She naturally loves her older sister. She was afraid that Shuhua would really yell and joke with Hui, so she took advantage of Juemin's silence and hurriedly called: "Third Cousin". "Yes," Shuhua agreed.Seeing that Yun didn't speak immediately, she asked, "Cousin Yun, what's the matter?" Yun couldn't find a word to answer Shuhua.She hesitated for a moment, then suddenly caught a glimpse of the sandalwood box on the desk, and said casually: "The sandalwood is finished lighting, please print another box." Before Shuhua could answer, Shuying stood up and put a hand on Shuhua Hua's shoulder said: "Let me do the printing." "That's fine," Shuhua said, and she stood up and asked Shuying to sit down, while she stood behind the chair.Shuying moved the sandalwood box in front of her, took off the upper layer, just picked up the small shovel, Qixia and Cuihuan entered the room to invite everyone to have lunch.Shuying and Shuzhen naturally went back to their rooms.Shuying took Cuihuan away.Shuzhen reluctantly walked back to the right wing room alone.When they parted, they also discussed with the Shuhuas where to meet in the evening. That night, Juemin stayed in his room to write articles and prepare homework.Juexin sat in Shuying's room next to Guitang for more than one o'clock, talking about the past with several younger sisters.Later, Keming called him to discuss sending people to the countryside to collect rent, and he left them.He never went there again, thinking that it might be more convenient for the sisters to have heart-to-heart talks without him in the middle. Juexin returned to his room, it was still early, and the electric light lazily illuminated the empty room.In the corner there was the squeaking of mice.He stamped his feet on the floor twice, and everything fell into silence.At first he thought: Haichen must have fallen asleep very soundly, so he went into the inner room.There was no one on the bed.Only then did he suddenly remember: Haichen was no longer a person in this world, so he sighed in a low voice.He stared blankly at the empty bed, and after a while he walked listlessly to the outer room. On the square table was the "Five Geng Chicken", and the teapot was simmering on top of it, which Aunt He had prepared for him.He walked to the desk, sat on the movable chair, picked up a newly arrived "Novel Monthly" on the desk, read two pages, and still didn't know what was written in the book.He couldn't read it anymore, so he put down the book, sat quietly on the chair for a while, and then fell asleep on the desk.It wasn't until Mrs. He brought him snacks for supper that he was woken up.He said wearily: "You serve it to the second young master." The second watch gong on the street sounded.He listened to the startling sound of the gong.He even counted half-dementedly.Mrs. He took the snacks away.Soon she came back again, and graciously poured him a cup of tea and put it by his hand.When he saw Mrs. He, he couldn't help but think of Haichen again, but he never shed tears in front of Mrs. He.After Mrs. He walked out of the room, he took out a handkerchief and wiped his eyes frequently.Later, he felt that sitting was boring, so he went to the inner room and took out a set of dominoes, still sitting in front of the desk, "passing five levels" alone to relieve boredom. He was playing cards lazily, but he couldn't get past the fifth level.The more he played, the more irritable he became. Then the lights went out.He had heard the signal from the light factory--the miserable siren.There was a foreign candle stuck in the candlestick on the square table, but he didn't light it either.Once the electric lights were turned off, the room was never in darkness, the moonlight came in through the windows, and the table and the ground reflected the shadows of the carved window curtains.Moonlight even leaned against him.He sat quietly in the chair for a while, then stood up suddenly.He wanted to go for a walk in the garden. Juexin walked into the garden.He saw that the door of the moon cave was slightly closed, without a bolt.He was a little strange: Who is still going to the garden at this time?He also strolled inside. The moonlight is very good tonight.Juexin's heart was also drawn away by the silence of this moonlit night.He just watched the surrounding scenery along the way, and walked into the bamboo forest unknowingly.When he was about to finish walking the narrow path in the bamboo forest, he suddenly heard someone talking by the stream ahead. He was slightly taken aback, but understood immediately.That was the voice of Hui and Shuying.But he was still puzzled: what are they doing here late at night?He suddenly had an idea: to hide in the bamboo forest and eavesdrop on what they were saying. "...It's just that I've always been too weak, and now I can only resign myself to God's fate. But I'm afraid I won't live long. My mother always said that I was born with a bad life. I think it makes sense," Hui said with patience and desolation. "I just hate why I'm not a man. Otherwise, I must help you," Shuying said angrily. Hui sighed, and said: "My life is over. But second cousin, you can still think about things. You are different from me. You have several brothers. The first cousin and second cousin will help You, big cousin is a kind-hearted person...but he has been suffering too much recently. I am worried about him..." Hearing this, Juexin's heart beat violently.He is joyful, sad, and grateful.Instead he shed tears.He felt that he had no strength to hold himself anymore, so he moved two steps, picked a thicker bamboo, and leaned on it. Before Hui's last sentence was finished, she said it casually. When she said the word "he", she suddenly fell into a groan, and couldn't find the right words to express her feelings.At this time, she heard a noise in the bamboo grove. She was a little surprised, so she listened carefully and said, "Second cousin, listen, it seems that someone is coming." Shuying also listened attentively.Cuihuan next to her said, "No way. Maybe cats.Who else is coming this late at night? "Shuying doesn't care about this matter either. She still remembered Hui's words, so she said sympathetically: "Cousin Hui, you are too kind.Your own affairs are like this, and you still worry about other people's affairs. "Hui stood on the wooden bridge with a wry smile on her face. She raised her head to let the moonlight caress her cheeks, and she said dreamily: "Second cousin, I really envy you, you have such two brothers.There is simply nothing our brother can do.It's like there is no one in the house. "Suddenly she lowered her head to look at the stream, hesitated, and then said: "I miss your Mingfeng a little bit.I can't see that she is doing vigorously.I can't even keep up with her.Sometimes I really think that I should die cleanly.But I am a little concerned.I am indeed weak.I also know that it is meaningless to live in this world like me..." At this moment, Juexin couldn't bear it anymore, and he staggered out of the bamboo forest. "Young Master." Cuihuan was the first to see him and called out in surprise. Hui and Shuying greeted Juexin pleasantly.Juexin forced a smile and said gently, "It's rare for you to watch the moon here. You've been here for a long time." "We've been here for a while. We didn't expect you to come too," Shuying said with a smile. She walked down from the bridge to meet Juexin.Hui was still standing on the bridge, looking down at the stream silently. "I've been here for a while, and I heard what you said just now," Juexin said with a sad smile. "So you heard everything?" Shuying asked anxiously.Hui raised her eyes, glanced at him like a spy, then buried her head in embarrassment. "No, I only heard a little bit. I think I'm sorry for you," Juexin said bitterly.He took two steps forward, stood at the end of the bridge, looked at Hui with concern, and suddenly smiled, but this smile was similar to a weeping face.He called softly: "Cousin Hui." Hui agreed softly and looked up at him.He held his heart with one hand and couldn't say a word for a while.It wasn't until Hui opened his eyes that he begged for forgiveness and said, "Please forgive me." Feelings expressed in words.She whispered: "Why do you say such things to me? Don't you know that I am only grateful to you?" She stopped talking and took out a handkerchief, wiped it lightly on her face, and leaned on the railing, holding the handkerchief in both hands. Playing with the handkerchief, she buried her head slowly, and she continued, "It doesn't matter to me, big cousin, you should take good care of yourself." "Me? Why do you still only care about me? Look at you..." Juexin could no longer speak, he completely lost the power to control himself.He wanted to cry, but he didn't want LOH to see his tears.He sighed, turned around hastily, hurried to the courtyard on the other side of the bridge, and stopped under a laurel tree. Hui looked at Juexin's back silently, then picked up the handkerchief to wipe his eyes again. "Second Miss, go over and persuade her." Cuihuan urged in Shuying's ear.They were still standing by the stream at this time, and they heard most of what Hui and Juexin were talking about.Shuying gradually understood the situation, she was very moved, and there was an indescribable feeling in her heart.Seeing Juexin standing still in the courtyard on the other side, she walked up the bridge, came to Hui's side, and called affectionately, "Cousin Hui." Cuihuan followed her onto the bridge. Hui turned her head to look at Shuying, and after a while, she suddenly said in a mournful voice: "Let's go back." She held Shuying's arm tightly, and leaned against Shuying's body. Shuying pretended not to know the feelings of the two of them. She forced a smile, and said gently and encouragingly: "It's still early. Cousin Hui, you see the moonlight is so beautiful. Now that it's here, why don't you play for a while longer?" .Let's take elder brother and go to the fishing platform to enjoy the moon, okay?" "Second cousin, I won't go, I feel sad," Hui whispered in Shuying's ear, and the desolate voice resounded through Shuying. Ying heart.Shuying's thoughts were also aroused by it.Dark clouds gradually came to cover her eyes.She was afraid that she would not be able to support herself, so she looked at Hui with concern and said, "That's fine, then let's go back. The eldest brother is also very tired these two days, he should go to bed earlier.Anyway, we can come back tomorrow. "Juexin forced a smile, and replied: "I don't have anything to do, but I think Cousin Hui is not in good spirits, so she should rest more.After all, it is late at night, and it is not good to stay in the garden for a long time. "