Chapter 22 twenty two

Master Mei married his wife in this way.For him it was the beginning of a new life.In the first few days, the heavy etiquette (especially the "return door" ceremony on the third day of the wedding, which is more terrifying than the wedding, made him more embarrassed. On this day, he should accompany the bride to the strange Feng's house. The same puppet show was played among a group of strange people) and troubled him, he had to meet many strangers, speak many dull entertainments, and his tired body still could not rest.But afterward they made him quiet.This was something he hadn't expected.In that gorgeously furnished room, facing his wife "as beautiful as a flower" day and night (he thought she was so beautiful, he even forgot that she was a head taller than him), listening to some novel and sweet songs. He seemed to be dreaming of spring.Past worries are all driven away.He thinks the world is so beautiful, his family is so happy, and he himself is so happy.He is even grateful to his father for his marriage.For him, everything is new and tender.He clings to this married life with attachment.He guards his bride lovingly.He often watches his wife make up or remove makeup in the mirror. At these times, he often thinks: idle books have not deceived him, and his dream has come true after all.

Zhou Botao was naturally very satisfied because the daughter-in-law he had chosen was from a famous family.However, he also felt wrong when he saw Young Master Mei guarding his wife in the room and whispering, not going out of the room except for morning and evening greetings and two meal times.And Mei hasn't come to listen to his lectures for several days, and he never forced Mei to do homework.He worried that this would delay Mei's studies.One night, he accidentally mentioned this matter in front of Mrs. Zhou, and planned to send Cuifeng to call Mei to listen to him.But Mrs. Zhou stopped him and said, "You can let their young couples be intimate. You are too strict as a father. Meizi has never been in good health, and his face has just turned red these days. You have to force him again. He works hard..." Mrs. Chen also agreed with Mrs. Zhou's words.Zhou Botao no longer mentioned this matter.

But Mrs. Zhou and Mrs. Chen were not as satisfied with the bride as Zhou Botao.They didn't see any benefits in Mei Shaonai, but they didn't find any disadvantages either.They only saw a pampered young lady.They had heard of her bad temper before, but they had not seen her get angry.They also treated her as a guest, sympathized with her, cared for her all the time, condoned her everywhere, and let her hide in the room all day long to spend a leisurely life with her husband. Yun and Mei Shaonai should become close friends, because besides the girl Cuifeng, they were the only young women in the family.But Yun felt that there seemed to be a wall between her and Mrs. Mei.Of course she didn't have the chance to get close to this younger brother-in-law who was older than her, and at the same time, she also felt that Mai's temperament was far from hers.Mei Shaonai is a woman who doesn't like to talk too much.Every time she said a word to Mei Shaonai with a warm heart, she always got a cold answer.There was no emotion in Mei Shaonai's voice, not even a little tremor.Mei Shaonai's appearance is not annoying.Mei's young milk's face was well-formed, and after being carefully modified and heavily powdered, it was also very moving when paired with a gorgeous costume and a shy posture.The only thing that ruined Mei Shaonai's appearance was that indifferent and even a bit proud expression, and that pair of little feet made of wood.He felt this Yun earlier and more clearly than anyone else.But Yun was not disappointed, because she had no hope before, on the contrary, she had only worry before.And at this time, she can also try to cultivate hope.She thought: There is only so little time yet.

As for Yun's mother, Xu Shi, she only regarded Mei Shaonai as an ordinary niece and daughter-in-law, a member of the family.There seems to be no direct relationship between her and Mei Shaonai.But she hoped, and believed that Mei Shaonai (just because she was a new niece and daughter-in-law) would bring a little vitality to the family, and would bring prosperity in the future. Generally speaking, Mei Shaonai is welcome in this small family.The Zhou family seemed to open their arms and let her into their arms.Everyone here has expectations of her.She doesn't know it herself, so she doesn't let those expectations be met.She was with Master Mei all day, leading a life that excited and intoxicated her.She only had herself and her husband in her mind.All day long she listened to his frank pouring out of his breast, and she quickly understood this frail young man completely, and quickly caught his frail heart.

One afternoon, two weeks after Young Master Mei got married, Juexin accepted Mrs. Zhou's invitation and took Bu Nansuo to Zhou's house, where the Zhou family and Shuhua were already there.When Mrs. Zhou saw the strange wooden board, she thought of her dead granddaughter Hui. She felt her nose sore and couldn't restrain her grief, so she urged Juexin to try this novel thing immediately.Even the young master Mei and his wife, who usually hide in their own room, came to Mrs. Zhou's room to find new and strange tricks. Juexin knew it was false, so he couldn't tell the truth, and he knew he couldn't make them understand the truth.He understood old lady Zhou's mood and respected his feelings, so he had to play that trick again according to her wishes.

He sat upright in front of a square table and put both hands on Bu Nanshi.They want to invite Hui.He closed his eyes, thinking, thinking, he only thought of one person, he only thought of his deceased cousin Hui.He gradually fell asleep.His hand was still pressing on Bu Nanshi as before.The two feet of the heart-shaped board began to move.A pencil inserted into a heart-shaped tip draws lines and circles on the white paper in front of Juexin. "Come, come!" Shuhua said vigorously. "Quickly ask, quickly ask," Mrs. Zhou urged Shuhua impatiently. "Please Bu Nanshi draw a circle," Shuhua said politely.

The pencil draws a not-quite-round circle on the paper. "Please Bu Nanshi draw a big circle," Shuhua said again. Sure enough, the pencil drew a larger circle on the paper, but it was still not quite round.Juexin still had his eyes closed, as if falling asleep.His hand was still firmly placed on the wooden board, moving with the board without falling. The pencil moved more frequently and stopped drawing circles.It appears to be writing on paper.Shuhua couldn't tell if it was handwriting or not.Then she said loudly, "We invite Cousin Hui to come, invite Cousin Hui to come."

The pencil continued to draw on the paper.Everyone looked at the paper attentively.Their eyes followed the point of the pencil, but it moved too fast for their eyes to follow it.Everyone was in a hurry, when Shuhua suddenly called out: "Cousin Hui! Cousin Hui!" Mrs. Zhou moved closer to the square table.She looked down at the paper and mumbled, "Where is she?" Her old eyes were blurred with tears. "Look, the word Hui is written on the paper," Shuhua said vigorously. "If you ask her, will she recognize me or not," Mrs. Zhou said to Shuhua. Shuhua was about to speak, but saw the pencil writing again.She carefully read the handwriting on the paper, and exclaimed in surprise: "Grandma!" She said to Mrs. Zhou again: "Grandma, she is calling you."

"Hui'er, I'm here. Are you okay?" Mrs. Zhou said cordially as if she saw Hui standing in front of her.Tears started falling from the corners of her eyes.She reached up to wipe her creased upper and lower eyelids.This move of hers brought tears to the eyes of the crowd. "Okay. Po, hello!" Shuhua slowly read Hui's answer. "Can you see us?" Mrs. Zhou asked again. "See," the pencil wrote on the paper. Chen suddenly made a movement, almost jumping on Bu Nanshi.She mournfully said intermittently: "Hui'er... Do you miss me?... We all miss you."

"I think, I saw Mom," wrote the answer in pencil, and Shuhua read it aloud. "She can see me," Chen said emotionally to herself.She took out her handkerchief to wipe her tears. "Hui'er, do you know that your younger brother took over the young mistress?" Chen asked again. "Congratulations to Mom," was the answer written on the paper. "She sees, she sees everything," Chen said with a sob.Then she turned to Bu Nan and asked, "Hui'er, are you often at our house?" "It's hard to return home after a long journey," the simple five words made many people's hearts hurt.Master Mei couldn't help crying.Juexin was still supporting Bu Nanshi as if he was in a deep sleep, and saliva flowed from the corner of his mouth.

"Sister, how are you living now?" Yun burst into tears. "Desolate...ancient temple...wind...rain...the sound of insects," Shuhua read, and her tears also fell on the table. Everyone froze for a moment.Chen suddenly sobbed and said: "Hui'er, I understand what you mean. The Zheng family is willing to bury your coffin in the Lotus Nunnery. You are lonely there, and you don't even have a home to return to, right? It's all your father's fault, he not only caused you to end up like this, but also made you a lonely soul." "Just ask for an early burial," Bu Nanshi wrote. "Hui'er, don't be sad. I promise you, I will do it for you. I want your father to find his precious son-in-law to explain. You can see us here, but we can't see you. You give Let me have a dream. Let me see if you have lost weight. Huier, it is your father, your cruel father." Chen said these many words one after another, but then she was overwhelmed by strong feelings It's over, her self-sustaining strength collapsed, and she couldn't go on talking, so she covered her face and began to cry.She immediately left the table. The pencil cannot give another answer.Juexin's upper body suddenly threw himself on the table, his palms pressed down, and the board left his hand and flew forward.Juexin's upper body lay silently on the table. "Ming Xuan!" "Eldest Young Master!" "Big Cousin!" "Big Brother!" Everyone shouted in unison in horror.Shuhua also pulled his shoulder hard. Juexin raised his head and looked at the crowd in astonishment.He seemed to wake up from a dream, but his face was tired and ugly. "Big cousin, how are you? Are you feeling bad?" Yun asked with concern.Her eyes were still wet. Juexin wiped the corner of his mouth, shook his head and replied, "I'm not having a hard time," but he did feel a little uncomfortable, as if he was going to be sick.Mrs. Zhou said a few words of apology to him.Only then did he notice that there were eyes that had cried before him, and he guessed what had happened here, and he concluded that it was Bu Nanshi who wrote some sad words again.Seeing that Shuhua's eyes were also red, he asked, "Sister, you too." He didn't actually say what he asked, but Shuhua answered first: "Cousin Hui was invited just now. She said that her coffin had not been buried yet, which made us all cry. The eldest aunt promised her to negotiate with the Zheng family. You threw yourself on the table and pushed Bu Nanshi away. Unexpectedly, Bu Nan Sui is so effective." Shuhua said Bu Nan Sui, suddenly remembered the board, and hurriedly bent down to look for it.She saw it lying on the floor, split in two, with a broken foot.She picked it up and said repeatedly, "What a pity, what a pity." Juexin didn't say anything.He didn't feel sorry for Bu Nanshi's loss, on the contrary, he felt like he was relieved of a heavy pressure because of this loss.He thought to himself: "What kind of success is this, but you haven't forgotten that person. You still care about her so much, why didn't you reach out to save her?" He only blamed others, but forgot to blame himself. "Master, this thing is broken, can it still be used? Can I still buy a new one?" Mrs. Zhou felt sorry to see Bu Nanshi was broken here, and at the same time, she regretted losing this thing that could be used. Ask her deceased granddaughter to come back to talk, so she said sorry to Juexin. "I can't buy it anymore," Juexin replied, and he immediately struggled out of his confused thoughts. "A friend brought this back from Japan several years ago. I put it in the box and only recently found it. It's broken." It doesn't matter, I don't need it." "Hui'er said that she was very lonely in the temple. If the coffin was not buried for a day, her soul would not have a home," Mrs. Zhou said, changing the subject. "The Zheng family left Hui'er's coffin in the Lianhua nunnery. They either said they didn't buy a good land, or they didn't choose a good day. The day before yesterday I called Zhou Gui to see it. I asked the people in the nunnery, and they said it took half a year. I haven’t visited once when I came here. In the past two or three months, not a single member of the Zheng family has been dispatched to visit. I was so angry that I quarreled with your uncle. He still protects his good son-in-law. I heard that someone is paying for Boxiong. As a matchmaker. He was so indifferent to Hui'er when he didn't renew the string. If he wanted to renew the string, wouldn't Hui'er's bones rot in the Lotus Nunnery? When your uncle comes back tonight, I must talk to him. He If you don't listen to me again, I'll fight him with this old life!" The more Mrs. Zhou spoke, the more angry she was, she piled all the charges on her son, and she wished to give him a big punishment immediately.This time she made up her mind: she must take care of that matter for the dead Hui. "Mom's words are too serious, big brother is not good, even if mom teaches him, there is no need to be so angry," Zhou Shi saw that Chen Shi and Xu Shi didn't dare to make a sound, so he quickly persuaded with a smile. "You see, it was all caused by him alone. If he hadn't messed around like that, why would Hui'er die tragically, and why would the coffin be left in the nunnery without anyone to take care of it? I think Hui'er must also hate her for being ruthless in Jiuquan." father," Mrs. Zhou said tremblingly. Juexin was in pain, but he never showed his feelings.He secretly complained about these elders, thinking: "You are all accomplices! Why didn't you save her back then? Now it's so painful!" He felt a little angry.But their pain and regret gradually reached his heart and became his own, and their hopes became his hopes.He thanked Mrs. Zhou for making such a determination.The question that had always been on his mind could finally be resolved.This is the last chance, and he can do his best for Hui.But based on his past experience, he was still worried that his grandmother would not be able to insist on her claim, so he took this opportunity to encourage Mrs. Zhou to say: "Speaking of Cousin Hui's coffin, I mentioned it to Boxiong in front of my uncle some time ago. Boxiong hesitated, but my uncle didn't say anything. I don't think there will be any results if we don't formally negotiate with the Zheng family. This time I have to ask my grandma to make the decision, and urge my uncle to negotiate, so that Cousin Hui's coffin can be buried as soon as possible, so that the deceased can get a home, and everyone can feel at ease..." After Juexin said that, he felt that something was twisting his chest Heart, the faint heartache he used to feel broke out again.Sore nose and sore eyes attacked him at the same time.He was struggling hard, and he didn't dare to look at those sad faces anymore, for fear that it would draw his tears.He buried his head, and his voice was a little hoarse, so he suddenly closed his mouth. "Look, the eldest cousin is still so concerned about Hui'er's affairs, but her stubborn father doesn't care at all. You say you are not angry!" Mrs. Zhou said angrily to everyone, and her tears fell again . "When he comes back tonight, I will explain to him that if he refuses to do it, I will do it myself!" She turned her eyes to Juexin again, and said to him, "Eldest Young Master, I still need your help. " "I will do what grandma tells me to do," Juexin raised his head and replied, his voice was soft but firm. "Since this is the case, mother and sister-in-law don't have to be sad. The young master is here, and the eldest sister is here too. I think it's better to play cards for fun." Mrs. Xu saw everyone sitting in the room in a daze in grief, and Mrs. Zhou kept getting angry , felt that this sad atmosphere should be broken, so he proposed. Mrs. Zhou knew what Mrs. Xu meant, so she helped her comfort Mrs. Zhou. When Zhou Botao came back, everyone was still playing cards in the living room.After supper everyone went back to the inner drawing room.Seeing that everyone was there, Mrs. Zhou just happened to be talking, so she asked Zhou Botao about Hui's coffin, and she also talked about asking Bu Nan to lose. "The theory of Fushi is just nonsense. Besides, it's a foreign thing, and it's even less credible," Zhou Botao said with a smile, and he gently rejected his mother's proposal with these two simple words.There was no expression of emotion on his face. Zhou Botao's words and attitude angered Mrs. Chen and Mrs. Zhou.Regardless of the presence of the newlywed daughter-in-law, Mrs. Chen couldn't help retorting sharply: "I asked you whether Hui'er's coffin should be buried? Do you want it to rot in the ruined temple?" Chen's sudden words made Zhou Botao feel a little embarrassed, and red appeared on his dark and thin face.But he immediately scolded his wife with a straight face and said: "I'm talking to Mom. Don't make noise. Whether Hui'er's coffin is buried or not is the Zheng family's business, not yours!" "It's none of my business? I'm Hui'er's mother, can't I control it? You don't want to be a father yourself, I'm still Hui'er's mother!" Chen shizhuo blushed and contradicted. "Hui'er married into the Zheng family, and she is also a member of the Zheng family when she dies. The Zheng family has been a scholarly family for generations, how can there be no reason for ignorance of etiquette? You women are ignorant, don't talk too much!" Zhou Botao taught Chen arrogantly. "You talk nonsense!" Mrs. Zhou was so angry that she couldn't help it, she pointed at Zhou Botao and stammered and cursed. "Who wants to listen to your stupid reasoning? Let me ask you, you say that women are ignorant, so you were not born by a woman yourself? You have read books for many years, and you have read them into the belly of a cow! You have relied on you for the rest of your life." You don’t want to think about what you have to eat in the field left by your father? You have etiquette in the east and the west. When I talk to you about the Zheng family, you are full of generations of scholars and family history. Let me ask you, Could it be that your etiquette only kills people? Tell me! I must make it clear today." Zhou Botao buried his head and remained silent. "At the beginning, I didn't want to marry Hui'er to Zheng's family, so you must make this marriage. You should see the result now!" Mrs. Zhou became more and more annoyed as she spoke, she wished she could vomit all the words hidden in her heart come out. "My granddaughter married the Zheng family to be their daughter-in-law, not to be sold to them for spoiling. What is good or bad about her, maybe I can't talk as a grandmother? I have never seen such a heartless father like you Let me ask you, are you going to negotiate with Boxiong?" Zhou Botao shook his head and replied stubbornly: "I will obey whatever Mom tells me. I can't do this." "You can't do it, wait for me to do it myself. I will negotiate with the Zheng family myself," the old lady Zhou replied angrily, and she also had her own plan at this time. "Mom, you can't do this, it will make the Zheng family laugh and say we don't understand the rules," Zhou Botao respectfully dissuaded.The old lady Zhou was panting with anger.Zhou, Chen, and Xu all looked at her with concern.Zhou Shi also walked up to her side and gently patted his back.It took a while for her to spit out the words: "My God, how could I give birth to a beast like you who doesn't understand human language! You say I don't understand the rules? Only your cannibalism rules I don't understand! Okay, whatever What do you say, I limit you to finish the matter within one month. If you don’t do it, I will fight you with my old life! I don’t want to live!” When she said this, she suddenly stood up, furious walked out. "Grandma!" "Grandma!" "Mom!" Yun, Shuhua, Chen, and Xu shouted in unison, and they ran out of the room. Zhou Botao stood in the room and looked around in confusion, not knowing what to do.Juexin looked at him with disgust.Young master Mei sat timidly in the corner, not daring to make a sound.Sitting next to her husband, the beautiful young mistress Mei suddenly let out a sneer.She seemed to be watching a farce. Mrs. Zhou leaned against the empty chair and stood.She stayed and planned to take this opportunity to talk to Zhou Botao.She said seriously: "Brother, Mom is getting old. You can't make her angry. You should deal with Miss Hui's affairs quickly. Otherwise, if Mom does something good or bad, you can't afford that crime!" "But etiquette." Zhou Botao mumbled these four words.He no longer has a fixed dominant style, and his mind is also in a mess.Juexin thought: What does this have to do with etiquette? "You still talk about etiquette? Does etiquette require you to do something wrong to your ancestors and become a treasonous sinner?" Zhou said threateningly. Zhou Botao seemed to have received a big blow, his face was very ugly, and he stood in front of Mrs. Zhou dejectedly, unable to answer for a long time. "Brother, I advise you to think about it calmly and act according to mother's advice. Even I think you are too willful. After all, Miss Hui is your biological daughter, and you should have a little father's heart. Mom used to Everything is up to you, and now even she can't take it anymore, no wonder she's the old man," Mrs. Zhou advised gently when she saw Zhou Botao's dejected look and knew that his mind was a little active. "But what do you tell me to do?" Zhou Botao suddenly said distressedly, even at a loss.He turned his head to look at Juexin again and asked, "Mingxuan, what do you think we should do with this matter?" Juexin replied excitedly: "I think it's only according to grandma's wishes, please ask uncle to bring Boxiong and negotiate with him face to face. If uncle is inconvenient to say anything, I can say it too." A shameful expression appeared on Zhou Botao's face, and he could no longer find an excuse.