There are three affiliated small cities in Jiaozhi City, Pingxi, Xiaran and Xiaoyong, each with tens of thousands of people in the city, and thousands of soldiers, which form horns with the main city of Jiaozhi and jointly guard the stability of Jiaozhi Quartet, which is also the reason why Jiaozhi City has been able to avoid poison in countless raids and wars.

Butterfly's home is in Xiaoyong, according to Luo Hu, Butterfly is now targeted by the Xu family, can only hide in his hometown to avoid the limelight, this family is only in their forties A couple is Butterfly's adoptive father and adoptive mother, and later the family is poor, and was tricked into selling Butterfly to a Fengyue place dozens of miles away, and since then this poor woman has no happiness at all.

As for the relationship between Luohu and Butterfly, it is far from a sentence of liking it or not, what they lack is just a righteous and bright confession. When Jiang Ming mentioned that he would take Butterfly away directly, Luo Hu and Die both showed embarrassing hesitation, the former refused to ruin such a woman because of the reputation of the rebellious mountain bandits, and the latter refused to wronged the hero in her heart because of the wind and dust.

Butterfly said: "Although my adoptive father and adoptive mother were not very good to me and sold me to the Red Sleeve Building, but if it weren't for them, I wouldn't have lived so much, and I am always grateful to them." ”

Luo Hu didn't agree, he hated the two of them for selling their daughter for a living, if it weren't for their irresponsible self-interest, Butterfly would not have settled in that kind of place, living in nightmares and pain, it's just that she was too kind. No shadow of darkness would stain her pure heart, even if she was scarred.

"Promise me that you will send her over, I don't want her to be hurt again. After two years, I will give her a bride price. Luo Hu pressed Jiang Ming's shoulder, his expression was extremely solemn.

Jiang Ming and Shen Yiwei witnessed the goodbye of the two, there were no explicit intimate words, the two pairs of tearful and hazy eyes, but it was difficult to walk straight under their feet. Luo Hu clenched his fists tightly, and finally turned his head away, turned his back to them, and shouted, "Butterfly, wait for me." ”

It was not far from Xiaoyong, and about three hours later, Jiang Ming and the three of them entered the city, without making any stops, and went straight to a remote city in the south. The crowded houses are close to each other, and the rows of them are indescribably neatly arranged, except for the rotten vegetable swill piled up in the dirty buckets between the households, emitting a disgusting and complex stench, as well as the thick dust on the windows, the dirty graffiti on the walls, and the whole residential area reveals a vulgar and dirty life posture of the low-level people.

Jiang Ming just frowned, but he didn't feel too much disgust, after all, the place where he grew up was a poor place, and he was used to seeing some of the styles and habits of ordinary people, but Shen Yiwei was really shocked by this scene and the food in his stomach rolled, so he called out to feel unwell and hid aside to rest.

"Young Master Jiang Ming, Sister Yi Wei, is she okay?" Butterfly said with a worried face, deeply concerned.

"It should be fine, I'll take a look in a while, it should be your house in front of you, right?"

"Hmm. As soon as Butterfly answered, she saw a woman come out of the house, and was about to pour out the swill from the bucket she was carrying, when she turned her head and saw a girl standing not far away, looking at her in amazement.

"Butterfly? Is that you? It's really you, how did you run back? The woman stepped forward and grabbed Butterfly's arm, as if questioning her eyes, and looked at the woman in front of her more closely.

"Godmother, it's me, I'm back, I'm coming back to see you. Butterfly's eyes are a little moist, she has no father and no mother, and her adoptive father and adoptive mother are the closest people even if they are harsh, far away from a few years, and they are naturally full of bitterness when they meet again.

The woman glanced at the man standing beside Butterfly, as if she was guessing another reason, and immediately put on a sad look, and said, "Butterfly, have you been doing well in the past few years? Your godfather and I have also survived by relying on the city's help, so don't blame us for being ruthless. ”

Butterfly smiled and wiped a handful of tears, and said, "How can it be, godmother, I am your daughter, how can I blame you?

"Yes, yes, yes. The woman hugged Butterfly's weak body, glanced at Jiang Ming unconsciously, and found that Jiang Ming was also looking at her with a cold and cruel look, and quickly withdrew her gaze in fright.

"Godmother, let me introduce you, this is my friend, Jiang Ming Gongzi, who sent me back with another sister. "Butterfly Road.

"Friend, I thought he was your sweetheart, he looks quite dignified, he shouldn't be an ordinary child, right?" the woman looked at Jiang Ming with a dry smile, pursed her lips and said.

"Godmother, don't talk nonsense. Jiang Minggongzi already has a sister Yiwu, not to mention that I am just an ordinary woman, where can I be worthy of Jiang Minggongzi. Butterfly said hurriedly.

Jiang Ming ignored Butterfly's misunderstanding, in the eyes of outsiders, maybe he and Shen Yiwu had an unusual relationship, but these identities can avoid some troubles, but the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. What he frowned on was the humble state of mind of the butterfly. If it weren't for these, it is estimated that she and Luo Hu would have been able to stay together more than be silent.

But there are not many good girls like Butterfly in this world, and there are too few people who can have the ability to marry Butterfly Girl, but unfortunately I am not in this ranks. Jiang Ming's words were intended to highlight the value of the butterfly, half of it was said to listen to the butterfly, and half of it was said to listen to the butterfly's godmother.

When Die heard this compliment, her pretty face suddenly turned red, and when she came into contact with Jiang Ming's light-hearted gaze, she immediately understood Jiang Ming's intentions, but she seemed flustered at the moment, standing in place and lowering her eyebrows, only to hear a buzzing whisper: "Gongzi's words are serious." ”

What made Jiang Ming quite helpless and puzzled was how such a thin-skinned woman lived in that land of wind and moon, wouldn't she be excluded and bullied?

At this time, Shen Yiwu also walked over with an ugly face, and did not give Die's adoptive mother a polite greeting, but just grabbed Die's arm, and said angrily: "Why are you blushing like this? This guy bullied you?"

Jiang Ming and the three were invited into the house. Butterfly, who has not returned home after several years, also has no authority from the owner, and is shy like a real guest, but Jiang Ming and Shen Yi, who are real guests, have no restraint in their indifferent expressions.

Butterfly's adoptive father is a short middle-aged man with a beard, with a withered yellow face, a crooked mouth, and eyes that are always upright, and he always seems to be angry, making it difficult to approach.

"Are you back? I'm really ignorant, it's only taken so long to come back, and when we die of old age, who will mourn us!" Die's adoptive father said to Die, and then walked to the back room without looking at Jiang Ming and the others.

"Leave him alone, I'll make you something to eat all day. Butterfly, you sit with your friend for a while. Butterfly's adoptive mother laughed and scolded, then walked into the dim kitchen on the side, ping-pong packed up the meal, and heard the middle-aged man next to him scolding from time to time: "Be quiet, losers, you have to make noise with me when cooking, eat and eat, eat today, drink the northwest wind next time!"

Die lowered her head and said softly: "Jiang Minggongzi, Sister Yi Wei, I'm sorry, my family is too poor, and it is inevitable that my life will be undignified, please don't mind." ”

Jiang Mingfang wanted to comfort him, but Shen Yiwu said: "It's okay to be poor, it's just too lazy and dirty, and you still expect to live a good life, isn't that a daydream?" Shen Yiwei deliberately raised this sentence very highly, I don't know what psychology it was, the people in the back room didn't seem to hear it, and no one responded to her arrogance and rudeness.

"Yi worry, there's no need to be like this!" Jiang Ming signaled, because at this time, Die's face was already quite unsightly, not blame, and there was more gloom and sadness.

There was nothing to say for a while, and after waiting in silence for a short time, the meal was served, and the butterfly, who had been tired for a long time, smiled and ate a lot, Jiang Ming just symbolically drank two mouthfuls of porridge, and did not move the dishes and chopsticks again. As for Shen Yiwu, it seems that he is a particularly picky eater today, facing three small dishes with unfragrant oil and salt, incomplete seasoning and white porridge mixed with rice residues, he hesitated for a while but did not have the courage to eat.

"Jiang Ming, go out for a walk with me?" Before the meal was finished, Shen Yi was anxious to leave.

Jiang Ming said to Die, and Die only said: "Jiang Ming, it's good for you to go out for a walk, I'm quite adaptable, and now I have to help my godmother clean up the dishes and chopsticks, so I won't accompany you." Go out from here and turn left, cross a small bridge, but there is a block in a hundred steps, there is Xiaoyong's night market, generally there is no curfew until late at night, there is a lantern festival here these days, it should be quite interesting. ”

Jiang Ming expressed his understanding and gratitude, bowed his head slightly and gestured to Butterfly's adoptive mother, expressing his gratitude for dinner, and did not stop, keeping up with Shen Yi's footsteps, as for etiquette or something, it didn't matter.

"Why are you so irritable today? Jiang Ming asked.

"If you don't want to, you don't want to, how can you ask so much? When I see Butterfly's adoptive father and adoptive mother, I am disgusted, how can the person who can sell his daughter be so kind? That kind of face is really disgusting. Shen Yi stomped his feet and walked away by himself, without giving Jiang Ming the slightest space to answer.

"Woman!" Jiang Ming sighed lightly and hurriedly followed, at this time, it seemed that he had really angered the ignorant young man of his sweetheart.

In the middle of April every year, Xiaoyongcheng has more than ten days of lantern festivals, in such a small landscape city, this festival is not much inferior to the Spring Festival, but because of the particularity of the lanterns, more young men and women are more willing to take this time to go out for a stroll, the lanterns are blind, couples walking side by side abound, this simple and generous festival, in fact, is a charming tryst.

"You say, Miss Butterfly, did you mean it? She didn't say it was like this. Jiang Ming saw pairs of men and women strolling among the lantern markets, and immediately froze in place.

Shen Yiwu snorted lightly and said, "How do I feel that girl thinks that we are in that relationship from the beginning, and today you came out to chase me, and in her eyes, you may really be coaxing me." Miss Ben's reputation has taken advantage of you. ”

Although Shen Yi's words were not polite, there was no meaning to blame, Jiang Ming breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Then weren't you really angry at that time?"

"Oh, ask everything!" Shen Yi pushed Jiang Ming away angrily, and said angrily: "It's really a stone, women will be like this every month!" After speaking, Shen Yi's face turned red instantly, turned his head and ignored Jiang Ming, and strode forward.

"Uh! Seems to have asked something that shouldn't have been asked. Jiang Ming was embarrassed.

Of course, this little episode didn't affect anything, and after a while, Shen Yiwu took the initiative to take Jiang Ming to the snack stall in front of the street, ordered two Hexi wontons and cold spring bamboo shoots, and ate them happily.

"I knew you weren't full, and two mouthfuls of porridge weren't much. I can't eat that kind of food, maybe it's really because I've been more particular about eating since I was a child, even if I escape, I often have good wine and good food, and the food on that table is really hard to swallow. Shen Yi muttered worriedly, and he didn't forget to chew the wonton in his mouth.

Jiang Ming also sighed a little, Shen Yiwu has been pampered since he was a child, but Niancheng has encountered a lot of tragic things, he is not free to be used as a tool for the exchange of interests, trapped in a cage and unable to break free......, for a woman in her youth, what kind of sadness is this?

"What?" Shen Yiwu didn't seem to hear what he was talking about, and patted Jiang Ming's shoulder absently, and said, "Hurry up and eat, accompany me to see the lanterns after eating, don't miss the time." ”

To Jiang Ming's relief, Shen Yiwu seemed to be in a good mood, walking on the street market and bouncing, far from being depressed when he was a man in Cambrian, from time to time picking up strange objects on the stall to play, from time to time to buy some uncommon food to taste, while talking and laughing with Jiang Ming, while lying on the edge of the bridge to watch the moonlit night fish out of the water, unconsciously took Jiang Ming's arm, like a real lover, slowly strolled.

"This bridge, also known as the Flower Bridge, is said to be a full moon, when the carp in the water under the bridge gather in the water and pose as a Milky Way, as if it is also for enjoying the lanterns and moonlight. ”

"This small river, is a branch of the upper abyss, it is said that it has not dried up for hundreds of years, there is an ancient big fish kun town guard, someone has seen the shadow of the kun reflecting the moon. ”

"The lanterns here are different from the lanterns of the entire Gakino realm, and it is said that there is a six-sided lantern making method that was created by a god who broke through the heavenly realm. ”

Visitors gossip and gossip, probably say some folklore and customs, whether it is true or not, can always be involved with today's lantern event, containing a beautiful meaning.

Shen Yiwu stood on the flower bridge, the moonlight set off the shadow is extremely beautiful, she raised her head, immersed in the bath of the bright moon, a trace of sorrow between her eyebrows, always do not hide the prosperity of the lights and shadows at this time, she looked at this dark river, endlessly running through the city, just like her thoughts, once flew over the swing.

If I wash away my sorrows today, can I drink with you?

If I can't worry about it in the future, will I have to drown in love?

Shen Yiwei suddenly realized that the world was long, and he couldn't let go of his own freedom, wouldn't he be sad?

Jiang Ming walked beside her, hugged her shoulder blade affectionately, and asked, "What's wrong?"

"No, nothing. Let's go back after a while!" Shen Yi turned his face away, avoiding direct contact with his gaze.

"Good. Jiang Ming stuffed a piece of emerald jade with tassels into her hand, and said, "The jade pendant you just saw, I spent all my savings to buy it, one piece per person, is there more?" I heard the old man who sold jade say that this is called 'zero jade', which is a kind of jade from the real estate of the three walls."

Shen Yi grabbed the jade worriedly, feeling the cool and comfortable texture, and didn't think of saying anything for a while, and the silence at this time was undoubtedly quite charming. She looked at him with four eyes, unconsciously slowly approaching, blurred eyes, like an encounter from a dream, and finally, the lips of the two touched.

Touch and divide, taste and stop.

Shen Yi turned around in a panic, as if he was about to flee, but he stood not far away with his back to Jiang Ming, and said lightly: "Forget all about today." ”

Jiang Ming grabbed her hand, stared at her eyes affectionately, and said softly, "Let's try to start." ”

A word of affection, a half-day gaze, holding the son softly, and forgetting the worries.

It was about dusk before the two of them returned to Butterfly's home, where Butterfly and the woman were waiting for each other with a lamp, and the thick snoring of a middle-aged man came from the back room.

"Butterfly girl, please wait for the trouble, we forgot the time today, sorry, please forgive me. Jiang Ming bowed slightly, apologizing embarrassedly.

Butterfly and the woman stood up together, and Butterfly smiled and said, "Childe is serious, I have already cleaned up the room for you, and I will live next to you if you need whatever you want." ”

"Oh, I'm tired of the girl. Stay one night today, and we'll leave tomorrow, bother" Jiang Ming looked towards Butterfly, where there were clearly only two bedrooms, one was for Butterfly, and the other was ...... Uh...... "Just one?" Jiang Ming was rude and stunned, looking quite embarrassed.

Die was also stunned, staring at Jiang Ming's eyes, and said tentatively: "The family is poor, there are only three bedrooms, and the prepared one is reserved for the son and sister to live, the layout and furnishings are a little simple, it is getting late today, if you don't dislike it, let's make do with it for one night." ”

Is this a simple or not simple question? Jiang Ming felt an urge to scold in his heart, but when he saw Die's simple appearance, he swallowed the words in his throat raw, and he was even trying to make himself understand that maybe Die really didn't know about the taboo in this! Jiang Ming had to nod his head, stiffly expressed his gratitude, then looked at Shen Yiwu, whose face was flushed, and without saying anything, grabbed her hand and brought it into the back room.