Chapter 20 twenty

The next day, both Zhou and Juexin went to Zhou's house to help with Master Mei's marriage.Mrs. Zhou arrived earlier.She also took Shuhua to play with cousin Yun.The two girls had a lot to say to each other.She talked freely of recent events in the two families. Juexin came later because he came from the company.He saw people from the Caixing Bank putting up a ladder to tie the color at the gate.He walked into the hall, saw the middle door was wide open, and people were busy moving new wooden utensils, he frowned unconsciously.He knew it was sent by the Feng family, and tomorrow would be a good day for his cousin to "celebrate".He hurried inside.He had just stepped through the middle door when he suddenly saw Young Master Mei standing beside the turning door with his head downcast.He felt uncomfortable, so he walked up to Young Master Mei and asked in a sympathetic tone, "Cousin Mei, what are you doing standing here alone?"

Young Master Mei raised his head, looked at Juexin in surprise, and after a while he replied slowly, "I want to go out and have a look." "What do you want to see?" Juexin asked again, feeling strange seeing Master Mei's expression. "I'm a little bored. I can't tell why. I don't know what to watch. I'm a little scared," Master Mei said frowning, hesitantly.His face was bloodless at first, but now it looked even more pale and frightening. "What are you afraid of? Everyone has to be the bridegroom's official," Juexin suppressed his complicated thoughts and comforted Mei with a forced smile.

Mei blushed slightly, and said in a low voice, "I'm not as good as others." "Who says you are inferior to others?" Juexin patted Mei's thin shoulder lightly and said encouragingly. "Brother, why did you come here?" Shuhua sent this crisp voice from the opposite stone steps.Juexin didn't agree, he waited for Mei's answer. "I know that I'm worthless. Father insists that I get married. I heard my second cousin say that early marriage is not good, and I heard that the bride has a bad temper. Father said that the elders of the Feng family all regarded you as Confucianism. Father said Scold me for not doing a good job." Mei was talking incoherently, and there was nothing in his mind at this time.He had no claim at all, but he was forced by external things. Many things besieged him from all sides, forcing him to do nothing, and he almost burst into tears.

Juexin looked at Mei's skinny face.He seemed to see his own face on that blue and white face.He felt a sore nose and his eyes were a little wet.He bit his lip hard.Only later did he forcefully say softly: "Now it's done, you don't have to think about the worst. It's not that you're hopeless, you're still so young." Seeing Mei wiping his eyes with his hands, he sighed unconsciously: "Oh , you are too honest, why didn't you let uncle understand your thoughts earlier?" "Don't say it!" Mei stopped in horror: "Father will definitely scold me. He is obviously doing it for my own good. How dare I say such things to him?"

It was always the same opinion, nothing changed, and Juexin heard the same unpleasant words again.He was very surprised: "What is it that makes this insight always grab my cousin's heart. But he has no room to think about it now. A voice called him from behind: "Big cousin. "Shuhua was supposed to be standing behind him. After saying that, Shuhua walked down the stone steps towards Juexin. She didn't go far, when she suddenly saw a figure through the open middle door, and she recognized it as Who turned around quickly and ran back, dragging Yun who was in the main room to Yun's room. It was Yun's brother-in-law Zheng Guoguang who came, and the deceased Hui was this man's wife. Short stature, square face, teeth bursting, said Just one word, foam will come out of my mouth. He is now standing behind Juexin, and he has heard Mei's last words.

Juexin looked back and saw that it was Guoguang, and felt even more unhappy, but he could only reluctantly say a few polite words to Guoguang with a smile.Mei didn't say anything except calling "brother-in-law".He always hated his brother-in-law because of his sister's affairs. Although his father often praised Guoguang for his profound knowledge of old studies, he couldn't arouse his favor.After Hui passed away, Guoguang didn't come to Zhou's house very often, but Mei's father Zhou Botao invited him here this day. Juexin and Guoguang went to the hall together to meet the elders of the Zhou family.Mrs. Zhou is very indifferent to Guoguang.But Zhou Botao still values ​​his ideal son-in-law very much.The kindness he treated Guoguang was no different from that of Hui Zairi.Chen didn't dare to offend her husband, so she had to hide her hatred in her heart and put on a smile to welcome the man who killed her daughter (she thought so).

Everyone stayed in the main room for a while, and Mrs. Zhou went back to her room to rest.Chen and Xu's sisters-in-law dragged Zhou and Juexin into the new house to help arrange everything.Zhou Botao invited Guoguang to his study to discuss poetry and papers, and asked Mei to sit beside them and listen to them quietly. "Feng Le is really old and strong. His recent "Pear Garden List" is simply better than all the Fus of the Six Dynasties. It is because of this old man that he could not have written this article." When they talked about Feng Leshan, Guo Guang suddenly bared his teeth and praised proudly .

Zhou Botao had never read the "Pear Garden List" drafted by Feng Leshan, but he didn't want Guoguang to know.He vaguely agreed, expressing his agreement with Guoguang's opinion (in fact, he is usually not interested in Sichuan opera), and at the same time he changed the topic to another matter.He said: "I've read his "Book of the Superintendent's Office". I can only admire the spring and autumn style of writing and the powerful words. There are also his nephew Ling and Weng, who are Meier's father-in-law." Zhou Botao turned his head and glanced at Meier. , Mei changed his face timidly.He continued: "Uncle and Weng are masters of contemporary Confucian classics."

"What my father-in-law said was that Mr. Feng Le advocated the quintessence of the Chinese nation and criticized the heresy of Oxi. This kind of indomitable spirit of defense can really move the world and make ghosts and gods cry. I heard that some young students are printing newspapers outside and spreading rumors against him. It's really unreasonable to commit a crime and have no respect for your father!" Guoguang said with righteous indignation, spittle came out of his mouth one after another. "You're right!" Zhou Botao said happily, clapping his right hand on his knee.A satisfied smile appeared on his dark and thin face.The lips, pressed down by the thick black mustache, are more parted, and the cheeks appear more sunken. "Nowadays, the problem of ordinary young people lies in the word 'exaggeration'. Loving leisure and hating work, being curious about new things, and having no respect for elders, these are common problems of ordinary young people, and they are all taught by the new school. The book of sages is a great book for one's life You can rule the world with half a book. How can you stand up and be a man if you don’t read the books of sages? Let alone governing the country with a family! I stroked his upper beard twice." So I don't want Meier to study in the new school. "He turned his eyes to look at the young master Mei who shrank aside. His slightly majestic gaze hovered over Mei's pale and thin face for a while, and then said: "This kid is just a little stupid, and he won't have much promise.But he was much quieter than the average new student. "He smiled slightly. Guoguang also smiled slightly, and Mei wanted to smile too, but he couldn't. He was a little ashamed and a little scared. Zhou Botao had just smiled, but he put away his smile again, frowned his thick eyebrows, and continued: "I just can't get used to new students, such as my second nephew, I hate the supercilious look.He is only in his twenties, yet he wears glasses and speaks a new noun.Recently, I messed around with the same class of students who love to make trouble.So I am reluctant to let Meier go to Gao's house.At first I wanted to ask Meier to go to Gao's house to set up a restaurant, but later I saw that the situation was not right, so I didn't ask him to go.This is also his luck.Boxiong, if you can come and teach him often, he will benefit from it," Zhou Botao finally smiled at Guoguang beseechingly.

Guoguang opened his mouth and smiled in satisfaction, speaking humbly.But Mei can't listen anymore.He secretly compared Guoguang and Juemin.He felt that he still liked Juemin.He thought of Guoguang's class volume again. He had read the article about the street fighting in Chengdu in the sixth year of the Republic of China.So "I'm from Liugongchuan... I'm from Daigongqian..." and such words occupied his poor mind.He felt a dark fog rise before his eyes.His father's words brought him nothing but terror.It was midsummer and there was still sunshine in the room.But he suddenly felt that this place was more terrifying than the ice cellar.

Zhou Botao just talked to Guoguang.They talked very speculatively, he didn't have time to pay attention to Mei's face, and he couldn't imagine that the son he taught would have another mood. "I heard that there is a new person in Guangdong who advocates 'filial piety is the first of all evils, and adultery is the first of all good'. This kind of rebellious officials and thieves are really punishable by everyone," Guoguang said indignantly. Zhou Botao suddenly sighed and replied: "The morals of the world are not good anymore. It is true that the ruler is not the ruler, the minister is not the subject, the father is not the father, and the son is not the son. It can also save the decadent wind..." "But he also makes trouble with Xiaodan, begging for his aunt." Mei felt that some kind of multi-eyed monster was constantly approaching him and threatening him, so he couldn't help interjecting, but he was stopped by his father after only half a sentence up. "Nonsense! Who wants you to talk too much! You bastard!" Bo Tao cursed angrily. "Men and women's room, human relations, you don't know, you dare to slander the elders! Get out!" Mei hadn't expected his father to lose his temper like this.He saw the thin, dark face grow even darker, with angry eyes and sharp yellow teeth, as if his father was going to eat him, and trembling with fear, he replied several times "Yes", and hastily exited his father's study. This time the father's face lost some of its luster in front of his son's eyes.My father frightened me, but never convinced him.He wandered up and down the aisle in the courtyard again.She still didn't understand the relationship between the phrase "a man and a woman's room is a great relationship" and Xiaodan begging for his concubine.He wandered around for a while and felt bored, and he was embarrassed to go to the new house to see how they arranged it, so he went to Yun's room. Yun is talking with Shuhua in the room.According to the rules, my aunt could not meet her brother-in-law, so they had to hide in the house.They hated Xieguang, but they couldn't drive him away.When they saw Mei enter the room with a gloomy expression, they felt strange, so Yun asked, "Aren't you going to accompany the guests?" "Father doesn't want me there. Daddy kicked me out," Mei whispered bitterly. "Did you come out? What did you do?" Yun said even more surprised. "They were talking, scolding the school, and scolding the students. Even the second cousin was scolded by my father. They talked about Feng's family again, and I said a few words. I don't know why my father lost his temper," Mei said honestly. , with an expression of shame and fear on his face. "What do you say, uncle will lose his temper with you?" Yun Jing asked. "Calling the second cousin? How does uncle scold the second cousin?" Shuhua asked in surprise and anger, her words almost uttered at the same time as Yun's.She stood up from the wicker chair by the bed. After Mei sat down on the chair near the square table, he briefly described what had happened to them. "I think uncle is going crazy," Shuhua said angrily. "Third cousin, keep your voice down," Yun warned.She carefully turned her eyes to the door and the window. "It doesn't matter, they won't hear," Shuhua said nonchalantly. "Even if uncle knows, at least I won't come here. I'm afraid he will do something!" Both Yun and Mei looked at Shuhua in astonishment. They felt that she was an incomprehensible person.Lian Yun wondered why Shuhua had such an idea. "What are you looking at me for? Shuhua was also surprised. She felt that what she said was very ordinary, and she didn't understand why it aroused their surprise. Both Yun and Mei are thinking.Yun suddenly laughed, feeling that she understood: Shuhua's words seemed unreasonable, but thinking about them, they were not bad.Shuhua can say what she wants to say, and she is still happy, maybe happier than them.She has nothing to lose.However, they didn't get anything more than her, maybe there was, and that was distress. Yun found the truth in what she thought was simple and unreasonable at first, and she felt envious of the person who said such words.She smiled and praised: "I think you are very smart even though you are young. It seems that you are similar to us. Why do you always think differently from us?" Shuhua felt that there was nothing special about herself.She walked up to Yun's side, picked up Yun's braid, stroked it lightly, and said reproachfully, "Cousin Yun, you shouldn't have ridiculed me." He closed his eyes and said with a smile: "If you continue to mock me, see if I dare to drag you to your brother-in-law." Yun's face flushed a little, she spat at Shuhua and said, "Hey, you're joking when someone compliments you so kindly! I don't believe you, but you dare to go see your cousin-in-law!" "You say I don't dare? Then come with me. Don't hold back as you said!" Shuhua smiled and pulled Yun's arm, really wanting to pull Yun to see Zheng Guoguang. Yun looked at Shuhua with a smile, and said concedingly: "Okay, you won. I know you can do anything, and you are not afraid of anything. But if you are uncle..." She paused, her cheeks appeared Out of a pair of dimples. Shuhua didn't let Yun finish, so she went on to say: "I know, if my uncle hears these words, he will call me thick-skinned." She also laughed. "You are self-aware," Yun sneered.A smile appeared on Mei's thin face. "Of course, I'm not a rich lady. How can you be so tender-skinned as you? It's really flamboyant!" Shuhua said mockingly, she had already let go of Yun's arms.She pointed to Yun's cheek again: "Look, these dimples are really cute." "Third cousin, where did you learn such a glib tone? Fortunately, you are here as a guest today, otherwise, I would teach you a lesson," Yun scolded with a smile. "Please hit, please hit, you should discipline your sister as a sister," Shuhua said jokingly, putting her face in front of Yun on purpose. Yun really raised her hand.But she slowly put down her hand, tapped Shuhua's head lightly, and said with a smile: "Gu Nian, this is your first offence, please forgive me." "After all, it's the kindness of a sister," Shuhua stood up straight and praised.She went back to the wicker chair and sat down. Mei suddenly asked from the side: "Third cousin, do you also talk and laugh like this at home?" "Naturally, if it weren't for this, I would have been suffocated to death. Who is happy to see those cold faces?" Shuhua replied confidently.She was happy to speak, so she continued: "To be honest, I don't like Uncle's face, it's cold and not warm at all. I said it casually, so don't get angry." Yun smiled.Mei's face changed immediately, as if a gust of wind had blown some dark clouds onto his face. The sound of shuffling the cards began to float into the room. "They are playing cards again, and my brother-in-law will be upset when he loses money. But my sister is gone, so I don't worry about being bullied by him," Yun said to herself; then she turned to look at Shuhua: "Third cousin, you are right I'm also a little scared to see my uncle. He doesn't seem to like anyone at home. It's no wonder Meidi..." Shuhua was speechless for a while.There was a moment of silence in the room.Mei suddenly pursed her mouth and said, "Father only likes brother-in-law, he often says brother-in-law is a genius." "What kind of genius? The second brother said that my cousin's husband can't even master Chinese. I don't know why the uncle praised him like that?" Shuhua continued. She relayed Juemin's words, as if she wanted to use this sentence to attack her eccentric Uncle. "This is a fixed number, this is a fixed number," Mei said painfully, and sentences such as "I am Liu Gong" and "I am Dai Gong" appeared in his mind again. "What fixed number? I don't believe it?" Shuhua retorted. "Sanmei, what are you talking about? You're working so hard," Juexin's voice sounded from the door.Juexin has already raised the curtain. "Big cousin, you didn't play cards?" Yun asked in surprise. "They were fighting and I pushed them away," Juexin replied with a weary smile. "I don't want to play cards with Boxiong. He loves to chatter, and reminds me of my cousin Hui, and the days when she was alive," he said here, his eyes fell on Hui's photo, and his eyes turned red , quickly turned his face away. "Brother, come and sit here." Shuhua quickly stood up and gave him the wicker chair. "I won't sit, I won't sit," Juexin said, waving his hands, but he finally got there and sat down. "Brother, it's just right that you don't play cards. You are here, and it would be interesting for us to talk," Shuhua said encouragingly. "Big cousin, I'll pour you a cup of tea. I think you're tired too." Yun stood up and went to Lian Er's cabinet to pour tea. "Cousin Yun, don't dare to be, wait for me," Juexin said quickly and politely.He tried to stand up, but his body seemed to have grown so heavy that he felt he had no strength to move it.He is still sitting. "Big cousin, you look so bad, you still have to be polite to me. You can rest for a while," Yun said, bringing tea to Juexin.Juexin accepted the teacup gratefully.While drinking tea, he looked at Yun's young face.That innocent face, that caring gaze, that kind words... Shuhua also sent encouraging eyes and words of concern.The faces of these two kind young women gradually warmed Juexin's heart and dispelled the dark fog he brought from another room.