At the gate of the Zhong family, Ji Yao met Xiao Shu, the eldest grandson of the Xiao family, who was also an old acquaintance, and had several encounters in Luoyang in the early years.

Xiao Shu returned the salute with a smile, he had already noticed that Ji Yao Xu was injured and had difficulty moving, and the corner of his eyes swept over the maid of the Xiao family who got down from another carriage, with a slight coldness in his smile.

The servant girl shrunk her neck and helped the second lady get out of the car, trembling when she passed in front of the little master, but she didn't dare to say a word of discernment.

Ji Yao originally planned to limp out of the car and find someone to help him enter the door, but Xiao Shu didn't let him, he insisted on sending someone to carry the soft sedan chair again, saying that he was afraid that Ji Yao would accidentally lead to the wound. Ji Yao had no choice but to continue waiting in the car, she always felt that there was a gaze on her, no matter how she hurried, she couldn't drive away, Rumang was restless on her back, if it weren't for the fact that there were many people in front of the Zhong Mansion, she really wanted to turn around and scold, she was secretly annoyed with Han Qi in her heart, looking forward to leaving his sight as soon as possible.

Han Qi's gaze was fixed on Ji Yao, no matter what he looked at, she just wouldn't turn around and let him see her face. He was about to leave, but she was still angry, how could it be? Han Qi was also a little annoyed that Fang Cai was too reckless in the car, whether he knew what he wanted Ah Yao or not was still known, but he did make her angry and annoyed.

Where does the young man who is just beginning to fall in love know how to please a little girl, only with enthusiasm to do things, whether it is close or not, whether it is deliberately provoking Ji Yao, Han Qi did what he wanted, but the effect did not meet his expectations.

The young man on the horse seemed to be playing with the horsewhip at will, and his eyes followed Ji Yao to get out of the car, get into the soft sedan chair, and disappear into the gate with a touch of clothes. He was so fascinated that Xiao Shu didn't hear Brother Han call him several times, and the last time Xiao Shu raised his voice, Han Qi turned his head, he was stunned for a moment, and then he didn't dare to respond.

Xiao Shu also looked at the back of Ji Yao, who was already far away inside the gate, looked back at Han Qi, and looked at the boss of the Huaibei Salt Gang who was still in the heavy reward. He knew almost nothing about Han Qi's past, and a ruthless character appeared out of thin air under the turbulence of the current situation, preempting the relationship with General Zhong before the Xiao family and a group of powerful people, and after only half a day of meeting, he could already feel that the other party acted neatly and decisively, which should not be underestimated.

Han Qiyi jumped off the horse and landed lightly in front of Xiao Shu, and while the other party was looking at him, he was also looking at the other party.

Xiao Shu has the same introverted and calm as Song Shiyilang, and even more, the two have the same family background, but their temperament and temperament are very different. Song Shiyilang has liked landscape and folk customs since he was a child, lingering between rivers, lakes and seas, and inevitably contaminated with a trace of the atmosphere of rivers and lakes. But Xiao Shu is the demeanor of a complete family son-in-law, gentle and elegant, silver-faced and windy, sharp but not exposed.

For Han Qi, this kind of person is also completely unfamiliar, and he won't be able to see anything real for a while. He strode towards the gate of the Zhong family, tilted his head and said quickly: "I have seen Xiao Xiaolang's archery in the morning, and his arm strength is good, so he has the heart to compete, but this time he can't, he has been on the road for seven or eight days, and he needs to eat and sleep enough to nourish his spirit, and he will leave early tomorrow morning." Wait for the next meeting, Xiao Jialangjun will not refuse. ”

Han Qi paused and stood in front of the shadow wall inside the door, waiting for Xiao Shu's response.

Xiao Shu was slightly stunned, Han Qi's straightforwardness was beyond his expectations, and he smiled: "Okay, I'll wait for the day when we meet again to compete with Brother Han." ”

Han Qi frowned, "I'm sixteen this year. ”

Xiao Shu understood and responded: "I am twenty years old, and I have been in vain for four years. ”

"Brother Xiao", Han Qi beckoned the brothers of the Salt Gang to follow, these people were rude or fierce or obscene, they were tired from running around for days but did not show fatigue, their steps were still steady, and their eyes were straight and revealing when they looked at Xiao Shu.

Xiao Shu put aside his previous contempt thoughts, kept an indifferent smile, stood under Xiao Suo's withered dead tree with his hands, the fallen leaves drifted over his shoulders and slowly returned to the earth, the long shirt was graceful, showing the style of the family, which attracted the maids of the Zhong family to look at it again and again.

After Ji Yao returned to the house, she took a sip of hot tea, and she could hear the maids of the Zhong family outside the eaves talking about the decency and excellence of the son of the Xiao family, but this time Han Qi, who escorted the female dependents with great efforts, was rarely mentioned. The next people think so, and so on, Mrs. Zhong will probably think so in her heart.

In this more than half a day's effort, Han Qi lost not only the first effort, but also the reputation and wind theory, which was really thankless.

Thinking of Han Qi, Ji Yao hated and hated, quite upset, she put down the tea bowl, freed her hand and gently rubbed her injured ankle, inevitably remembered some things again, she was extremely sleepy but also extremely irritable, crooked on the bed and couldn't fall asleep with a bang in her head.

"A-Yao, are you better?"

A voice full of concern startled Ji Yao, and she turned around to see Liang Hengli sitting on the edge of the bed, with red eyes at her injured foot.

"If it's out of the way, I've already taken the medicine. Ji Yao said softly.

Liang Hengli endured and endured, and finally burst into tears, she wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief and spoke: "My aunt is not feeling well, I only care about her at the bottom of the mountain, I can't take care of you." Among these people, only the two of us are the closest, but I left you alone, I feel that I have no heart and lungs, but fortunately, you are fine. ”

Ji Yao smiled and comforted Liang Hengli: "What do you say, I haven't seen it like this, if Sister Ao cries again, it seems that I am very stingy."

Liang Hengli wiped away her tears and just wanted to say something, the maid of the Zhong family came in and carried the food box, saying that the lady thanked the two gentlemen in the flower hall in front, and let a few girls recuperate in the house.

Ji Yao and Liang Hengli glanced at each other and swallowed what they wanted to say, Liang Hengli moved the couch with her hands, put out the meal, and the two of them hastily used it, she was worried about her mother and was in a hurry to go back, and when she went out, she confessed that Ji Yao lived in the main house in the courtyard, and Xiao Liang's mother and daughter lived in the east chamber, and Ji Yao was in the small hall of the west chamber.

Ji Yao didn't see anyone serving her to wash with hot water, she was very sleepy, she lay down in her clothes and fell asleep quickly, dreaming that the capital was burning with a fire, everyone rushed in a panic, her sister Sanniangzi and Mrs. Tai and the people of Zhenguo were trapped in the fire, and Song Shiyi carried a sword through the long street, the tip of the sword dripped blood and dragged the ground, and when she dreamed deeply, she actually saw her father who had not dreamed for a long time sitting in front of the bookcase to tell her the classics, a ray of sunlight shone in front of the window, and his father smiled and was friendly as if he was still with him in the world.

Waking up in the middle of the night, she subconsciously touched the calf under her skirt, and pulled out the dagger but realized that it was not her deceased father's old thing.

She sat quietly in the cold night with the dagger in her hand, hugged the futon on her body, and waited for the tide of longing for her family to slowly subside, and then lay down silently. The brazier in the house has long been extinguished, the brocade quilt is thin, her body is cold, her heart is as hard as iron and no longer drops half a tear, the world is difficult, no one can shield her from the wind and rain, only she can rely on.