The human body can be imprisoned, but the human heart cannot. Although Juehui has not walked out of the mansion in the past few days, his heart is still active with his classmates. This was something his grandfather had not expected.

He imagined how far the student movement had become, and he read the newspaper accounts about it with great voraciousness. Unfortunately, there is not much news about this. He also received an issue of the weekly "Student Tide" published by the Student Federation, a large newspaper with several exciting remarks and a lot of good news. Gradually, the tide subsided. The Overseer's attitude gradually softened, and he finally sent Section Chief Zhao to comfort the injured man, issued two more notices to perfunctory the students, and asked the secretary general to write a letter on his behalf to apologize to the student union, and also to ensure the safety of the students in the future. Then the newspaper published a notice that the city defense headquarters strictly forbade soldiers to beat students. It is said that two soldiers were caught and confessed that they were the ones who had beaten the students that day, and that they had already been severely punished. This notice has also been seen on the streets.

The good news is that there are more and more days by the day, and Juehui, who is locked in the cage of the so-called "home", is also getting more and more anxious day by day. He often paused in his room alone. Sometimes he didn't even want to read a book, so he lay on the bed stretched, and looked at the top of the tent with his eyes open.

"Home, this is the so-called sweet home!" Juehui often shouted angrily. Juemin sometimes heard it from the sidelines, but he just smiled and didn't say anything.

"What's so funny! You go out every day, and you're happy! Look, you'll be like me one day! Jue Hui saw that his brother was laughing at him, and he was even more annoyed.

"I laugh at me, what does it have to do with you? Do you forbid me to laugh? Juemin argued with a smile.

"Yes, I forbid you to laugh!" Jue Hui said loudly with a pause.

Juemin was reading a book, so he closed the book and walked out silently, not arguing with Juehui.

"Home, what home! It's just a 'narrow cage' [note 1]! Jue Hui was still pacing around the room. I'm going out, I'm going to go out, and see what they do to me!" So saying, he went outside.

Jue Hui walked out of the room and had just descended the stone steps when she saw Aunt Chen and his fifth aunt Shen sitting under the window of her grandfather's room chatting. He stopped, hesitated, and finally changed direction and walked to the upper room. He was about to reach the upper room, when he turned right and entered the hallway. He walked down the aisle, entered the outer door of the garden, and walked under the window of Juexin's room, all the way to the garden.

He entered a moon cave door. A large rockery stood in front of him, and at his feet was a stone-paved road, which was divided into two sections, left and right. He headed to the left. The road is sloping upward, not wide, but winding, and at the end of the road is a cave. As he stepped out of the cave, he saw the road sloping down, and a fresh scent hit his nose. He walked a distance, and there seemed to be no road ahead. But he walked over slowly. There is also a path to the left. As soon as he turned the corner, his front suddenly opened up, and his eyes were pale red. This is a plum forest, and the red and white plum blossoms are in full bloom. He walked into the Merlin, stepped on the petals scattered on the ground, and spread the hanging branches with his hands, and walked slowly through the Merlin.

He inadvertently looked up and saw something blue shaking in the distance ahead. He threw away his drooping branches and walked towards the place. He walked a few steps and recognized it as a man. The man was walking on the curved stone bridge, apparently walking towards his side. He saw the whole body of the man who came, and he saw the braid hanging down his back. This is Mingfeng.

He tried to call her, but before he could do so, he saw her enter the pavilion in the middle of the lake. He waited for her.

After a while, Ming Feng didn't come out, and he wondered what she was doing there. Later, Mingfeng finally came out, and there was another woman in a purple short jacket. He only saw the big pigtails on the back of the girl's head, and she was talking to Mingfeng, her face facing the other side. But as they approached the shore of the lake, as they had made a few turns around the bridge, her face was facing him, and he recognized it as the girl of the fourth room.

When he saw them approaching, he turned and walked in, hiding himself in the place where the plum trees were most numerous.

"You go back first, you don't have to wait for me, I still have to fold a few plum blossoms for my wife," this was Mingfeng's crisp voice.

"Okay, I'll go first. Our fourth wife talks more, and if she can't see me for a while, she will grunt and scold," Qian'er replied.

So Qian'er slowly walked out of Merlin and walked back the way Juehui came.

Juehui saw Qian'er's back disappear at the other end of Merlin, so she took a big step and walked towards Mingfeng. He saw Mingfeng breaking a drooping plum blossom.

"Mingfeng, what are you doing here?" He asked with a smile.

Mingfeng's attention was focused on the plum blossom, and he didn't see him approaching. Suddenly she heard his voice, and unconsciously let go of her hand to look at him. When she saw that it was Juehui, she smiled reassuringly and said, "Which one did I say?" It turned out to be the third young master. She reached out again and broke the branch, and took it in her hand and looked at it.

"Which one called you to fold? Why do you fold it at this time, and not in the morning? ”

"Mrs. called me to fold it, saying that my aunt wanted it, and the second young master would bring it after a while," Mingfeng said and saw a branch on the left, with a lot of flowers and a good shape, so she reached out to fold it, but her body was a little shorter and couldn't reach it. She tiptoed to break it again, but she still couldn't catch the branch.

"I'll give you a break, you're still a little shorter, and it will be fine in another year or two," Jue Hui watched from the side, laughing unconsciously.

"Okay, just ask you to fold, just don't let your wife know," Mingfeng turned sideways and stood aside, really letting Juehui fold for her.

"Why are you so afraid of your wife? In fact, the wife is not very fierce. Has she been scolding you a lot lately? Jue Hui said with a smile. He walked over, put his toes on the ground, stretched out, and reached out to break the plum branch. He broke off the flower branch and handed it to Mingfeng.

"My wife hasn't scolded me often for more than a year. But I'm still worried every day, and I'm always afraid that I'm going to do something wrong," she replied in a low voice. When she saw him break off the branch, she reached out to take it.

"It's called that the slave man can never do anything. ......" He laughed unconsciously, but he didn't mean to laugh at her.

When she heard this, she did not answer, but silently lowered her head and buried her head in the branch of the flower in her hand.

"You see, there's a good sprig there," he said happily.

She looked up and smiled and asked, "Where?" ”

"Isn't there?" He reached out and pointed to the tree next to him. Her eyes followed his fingers. Sure enough, there was a nice flower on the tree. This branch is quite high above the ground, and there are many flowers, most of which are not budding. The branches are curved and powerful, which is eye-catching.

"It's a pity it's too tall, but this one is very good," Mingfeng said to herself, looking at the plum blossom.

"It doesn't matter, it's easy to break." He looked at the tree and said, "Wait until I climb the tree and fold it." Then he began to unbutton his robe.

"I can't help it, I can't help it," she stopped, "it's not easy to be bearish." ”

"It doesn't matter," he said with a smile, and he took off his cotton robe and hung it on a nearby tree, revealing a dark green cotton tightness. He climbed up the tree and said, "Hold the trunk for me below." ”

He climbed up in a few steps. Standing with one foot at the place where the branch was branched, and with one foot stepping on a thick branch, he sandwiched the thick branch near the center between his legs, and stretched out a hand to fold it, but his hand could not grasp the flower. He withdrew his hand. The branches of the trees moved greatly, and the flowers fell one after another. He heard Ming Feng shouting below: "Third Young Master, be careful, be careful!" ”

"Don't be afraid," he said, letting go of his leg, holding his right hand tightly around the branch near the center, lifting his left foot first, stepping on the other branch twice, trying to see if the branch could carry him, and then moving his right foot as well. He leaned down and broke the flower, and broke it three times before breaking it and holding it in his hand. He moved his right foot back to the previous branch, and buried his head to look down, and saw Mingfeng's upturned face.

"Mingfeng, catch it! I dropped the flowers for you! As he spoke, he gently lowered the branches of the flower, and spread the branches that remained on the tree beside him, lest they become entangled. He saw the flower in her hand, and slowly climbed down the tree.

"That's enough, these three branches are enough," Ming Feng said happily.

"Good. It's too much, and it's not convenient for the second young master to hold it," he said, so he took his clothes and put them on his body, and asked, "Did you see the second young master just now?" ”

"He is reading on the fishing platform," she replied, arranging the branches in her hand, when she suddenly noticed that he had put his clothes over his body, and was not wearing them properly, and said with concern, "Put your clothes on quickly, for you will catch a cold in a while." ”

Jue Hui got dressed, and when she saw her suddenly turn around and walk the way he came, she called out, "Ming Feng." ”

She turned around, stood still, and asked with a smile, "What are you calling me for?" When she saw that he did not speak, but looked at her with a smile, she turned and walked forward again.

He hurriedly took two steps forward and called her a few more times in succession. She stood again, turned around and still asked, "Do what?" ”

"Come here," he begged.

And she walked over.

"You seem to be afraid of me lately, and you won't even talk to me, why?" He said half-seriously, half-jokingly, one hand playing with the drooping branch next to him.

"Which is afraid of you?" Ming Feng sneered; "People are busy from morning to night all day, where is there time to gossip!" She said she was going to leave again.

Jue Hui hurriedly gestured to stop her, and said, "I know, I know you're really afraid of me." You said you don't have kung fu, why are you playing with Qian'er over there? I also saw you talking to Qian'er in the Lake Pavilion. ”

"You are a young master, I am a girl, how dare I talk to you more?" She said with a grim look.

"Then why did you play with me all the time? It wasn't the same then! He asked.

Her bright eyes swept across his face. She smiled reluctantly, then lowered her head and explained in a melancholy tone, "It's different now, we've all grown up. ”

"What does it matter if it's big? Has our hearts become broken? Juehui asked in surprise.

"Not really. When I grow up, I often get together, and others gossip. There are a lot of gossiping people in the mansion. It doesn't matter to me, you should always be careful, don't forget the identity of the young master," she still lowered her head and spoke, her voice a little bitter.

"You don't want to just go. Let's go over there and find a place to sit down and talk slowly. Bring me the plum blossoms," he said, not caring whether she agreed or not, he took the branches from her hand, examined them, and removed two or three more twigs.

He walked along a path outside Merlin by the lake, and she followed silently. Sometimes he turned around and asked her a word or two, and she replied briefly, or just smiled.

Merlin walked to the end, and then passed a rectangular flower platform, there was a small door in front, and when he walked into the door, he walked more than ten steps away, turned a corner, and there was a stone cave again. The cave was dark, but the road was straight and not long, and one could still hear the sound of the flowing spring. When they came out of the cave, the road sloped upward. They climbed more than twenty stone steps in succession, turned a few corners, and reached the top.

It is covered with sand, and the place is not large, and it is rectangular. There is a small stone table, and four round stone benches. A pine tree grows next to a large rock, and its branches and leaves cover the stone table, like an umbrella cover.

There was no other sound in this place, only the murmuring of the spring. It turned out that the spring water flowed out of a gap on the other side of the rock, and flowed through the rubble to the bottom. Here you can only hear the sound of water, but you can't see the spring.

"What a quiet place," Jue Hui walked up first, unconsciously complimenting. He walked to the stone table, put the plum blossoms on the table, took out his handkerchief to wipe the dust on the stone bench, and sat down. Ming Feng walked over and sat down on a stone bench across from him. The branches of flowers on the table were separated from them.

Jue Hui smiled, then took away the flower branch, put it on the stone bench on the right, and pointed to the stone bench on the left and said, "Come, sit down, why don't you dare to approach me?" ”

Ming Feng silently walked over and sat down.

They looked at each other. They are talking with their eyes, and these meanings cannot be expressed in words.

"I'm leaving. I've been in the garden for a long time, and my wife knows she'll scold me," she said, as if awakened, and stood up.

"It doesn't matter, my wife won't scold. Just came, and haven't said a few words yet, I won't let you go! He grabbed her left arm and made her sit down again.

She remained silent, but cowered, as if afraid that his hand would touch hers. But she didn't say no.

"Why don't you speak? No third person here heard. Don't you like me now? He said with a deliberately disappointed look.

She remained silent, as if she had never heard him.

"I know your heart isn't in our mansion anymore. I'll go tell my wife that you're grown up, and that I'll marry you off sooner," he said blandly, as if he didn't care at all about her fate, but in fact he was secretly peeking into her eyes.

Her face changed suddenly, her eyes changed from bright to dark, and she couldn't say a word for a while. Her lips moved slightly, but she didn't say anything. Her eyes began to glow, covered in a layer of crystal glass, and her eyelashes moved several times in quick succession. "Really?" She finally uttered this short question. Tears ran down her cheeks, and she could not say a second word.

He saw her so sad, and he felt that his words were too much. He didn't hurt her mind, he said this only to test her heart, and to take revenge on her coldness. He didn't expect his words to make her so upset. The result of the trial satisfied him, but he also regretted it a little.

"I'm just talking. You'll take it for granted! Do you want me to bear to kick you out? He comforted with emotion and affection.

"Who knows if it's true or not? You young masters and masters are capricious, and you do everything when you're unhappy," she whimpered. "I knew that one day I would inevitably fall off the path of Xi'er. But why did it come so early? ”

"What did you say it came so early?" He asked gently, he didn't understand her last words.

"Your words ......," she still sobbed.

"I said I was joking with you. I won't let you out under any circumstances, and I won't tell you to go the way of Xi'er. He was so sincere that he reached out again, took her left hand and put it on his lap, and kept caressing it.

"If that's what Madame means, then ......?" Ming Feng asked, she had stopped crying, but there was still a little sadness in her voice, and there were tears on her face.

He didn't answer right away, just looked her in the eye. He hesitated for a moment, and suddenly said with a decisive look: "I have a way, I want my wife to do what I say, I will tell her that I will take you as a third young lady...... His words were indeed sincere, but at this time he did not think carefully about his situation.

"No, no, don't say it!" She cried out in fright, and hurriedly stretched out her right hand, which was not pinched by him, to cover his mouth. "My wife will not agree. In this way, everything is finished. Please don't talk about it. …… I didn't have that kind of life. ”

"Don't be so afraid," he said, taking her hand off his mouth. "Look, your face is full of tears, let me wipe it clean for you." He took out his handkerchief and rubbed it on her face, but she didn't refuse. He rubbed it and smiled at the same time: "You women always have so many tears. ”

The smile returned to her face, but it was also a sad smile. She said slowly, "I won't cry anymore." I've shed enough tears in your mansion. Now that you're here, I'll never cry anymore. ”

"It doesn't matter, we're all young now. When that time comes, I will say it to my wife. I must have a way. I'm not lying to you in any way. He gently comforted her, still holding her left hand.

"I know your heart," she said gratefully; Later, she looked relieved and said semi-dreamily: "I've been dreaming a lot lately, and I always dream of you most of the time. Once I dreamed that I was deep in the mountains, and a pack of jackals was chasing after me, and I saw that I was about to catch up, and suddenly a man ran out of the mountainside and repelled the jackals. When I looked closely, it turned out to be you. You don't know that I always think of you as a savior! ”

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? I didn't know you believed in me like that. His voice trembled, indicating the excitement in his heart. How much you have suffered in our family, even I have not treated you well, I am truly sorry for you. Mingfeng, you won't blame me. ”

"Where do I dare to blame you?" She shook her head and said with a smile. "There are only three people in my life: one is my mother, and the other is the eldest lady, she taught me to read and write, and taught me to understand many things, and she always took care of me. Both of them died. It's just you right now......"

"Mingfeng, when I think of you, I always feel ashamed, I have a comfortable day, but you are suffering in my family," Juehui said excitedly.

"It doesn't matter, I've been here for seven years. Life is much better now, and I don't feel bitter. …… As long as I think of you and see you, I can endure the great suffering. I often call your name in my heart, but I dare not say it in front of people. ”

"Mingfeng, it's really hard for you. At your age, you should go to school. If you're as smart as you are, you must be better than Miss Jean in reading. …… If you were born into a rich family, or if you were in the position of Miss Jean, how good it would be! Jue Hui's voice was full of regret.

"I don't want to be born in a rich family as a lady, I don't have this blessing. I just beg you not to send me out. I am willing to serve you in the mansion for the rest of my life, be your girl, and be by your side all the time. …… You don't know how happy I am to see you. As long as you're around, I'm at ease. …… You don't know how much I respect you! …… Sometimes you are like the moon in the sky...... I know my hands can't reach it. ”

"Don't say that, I'm just an ordinary person, just like you. I'm going to pick you up—" His voice trembled, and he shed a few tears.

"Third Young Master, please don't talk like this in the future," Ming Feng hurriedly interrupted Jue Hui's words. "Why do you always have to say you can't answer? Wouldn't it be better for me to be your girl for the rest of my life? That way your wife won't be angry, and you won't offend anyone. I'll be satisfied as long as I'll be by your side for the rest of my life. I'm a little scared, I'm afraid that dreams that don't last long if they are done too well. Third Young Master, please don't think too much, don't think too well! ”

"Mingfeng, why do you think that? If I let you be my girl forever, I will be bullying you. I would never do that! I must be worthy of you! Juehui said movingly and sincerely.

"Don't make a noise," she whispered, suddenly grabbing his left arm, "Listen, there's someone down there." ”

The two men listened quietly. The sound came from below, and by here it was already low, mixed with the sound of spring water, and they couldn't hear it clearly. But they knew it was Kyawmin singing below.

"Second Young Master is going back," Jue Hui said and stood up, walked to the side and looked down. He saw a gray in the light red of the plum grove below, and slowly he could see a figure moving. "Sure enough, it's him," he muttered to himself, and turned back to Ming Feng and said, "Sure enough, it's the second young master." ”

Ming Feng hurriedly stood up and said, "I'm going back, I've been delayed here for so long." …… It's almost time for lunch. She reached out to take the plum blossom, and Juehui had already taken the flower branch in her hand, so he handed it to her, and instructed her:

"If your wife asks you why you have been so long, you ...... Just say I'm calling you to do things. ”

"Okay, I'll go first, so I don't run into anyone else." She smiled back at him and walked on.

He followed her for a few steps, then stopped again. He saw her slowly descending the stone steps, and suddenly she was covered by the stone wall when she turned a corner. He didn't see her back anymore.

He paced it alone for a while. Her face occupied all his thoughts. He forgot to whisper to himself: "Mingfeng, you are so good, so pure." Only you ......" He walked to the stone bench where she had just sat down, sat down, put his elbows on the stone table, held his head and stared into the distance as if in a dream, and muttered, "You are so pure, you are so pure......"

After some time he suddenly stood up, as if awakened from a dream, hurried to look around, and walked down.

The moonlight was fine that night. Juehui didn't want to sleep, the third watch knocked out, and he was still walking in the patio.

"Third brother, why don't you sleep yet? It's cold in the patio! Juemin came out of the room and saw that Juehui was still in the patio, so he stood on the stone steps and asked.

"The moon is so good, I can't sleep," Juehui replied absently.

Juemin walked down the stone steps. He shuddered and said, "It's cold!" "While looking up at the moon.

There is not a single cloud in the sky. A full moon sails in this endless blue sea. Lonely, cold, it sheds its radiance. On the ground, the tiles were stained with a layer of silver white. The night was very quiet.

"Good moonshine! You see, it's really 'like frost'. Juemin exclaimed, and he accompanied Juehui for a walk in the patio.

"Jean is so smart! …… How brave! …… She's so nice! Juemin couldn't help but praise, a satisfied smile on his face.

Jue Hui was silent, and his thoughts were occupied by another girl. He just followed in his brother's footsteps.

"Do you like her? Do you love her? Juemin suddenly grabbed his brother's right arm and asked.

"Of course," Jue Hui replied, but he immediately corrected, "Did you say Sister Qin?" …… I don't know it myself. I think you love her. ”

"Yes," said Juemin, still holding Jue Hui's arm, "I love her." I think she'll love me too. I don't know what to do. …… What about you? You say you love her too? ”

Juehui didn't look at his brother's face, but he felt that his brother's hand that grabbed his right arm was trembling, and even his voice was different from usual, he knew that his brother was very excited, so he gently patted the back of his brother's hand twice with his left hand, and said with a smile: "You should be brave." I wish you success. …… I love Sister Jean as if she were my own sister. I would prefer her to be my sister-in-law. ……”

Juemin was silent. He looked up at the moon for a long time before he lowered his head and said to Juehui, "You are really my good brother!" …… Will you laugh at me? ”

"No, second brother, I don't laugh at you," Jue Hui said sincerely. "I really sympathize with you......" he said with a sudden change of tone, "Listen, what sound?" ”

I don't know where to send a trace of crying, the voice is very low, it seems to be suppressed by something, but it fills the air, everywhere, and even permeates the entire moonlit night. It's not the voice of a man, it's not the wailing of insects and birds, it's much softer and clearer than all of them. Sometimes a few loud voices, as if they were a tactful lament coming directly from the depths of the heart, and then slowly lowered, almost to the point of none, as if a breeze was blowing, but one did feel that something was vibrating in the air, stirring the air, making the air full of sorrow.

"What sound?" Juehui asked suspiciously.

"My eldest brother is doing a, and he's been blowing like this all nights, and I've heard it all night," Juemin explained.

"What's on his mind? He wasn't like that before! How miserable the sound of the flute is! Juehui's suspicion increased.

"I don't know. But I think he probably knew that Cousin Mei had returned to the provincial capital. I think it should be. He's been blowing this miserable tune all nights these days. …… What do you think there is besides 'love'? I couldn't sleep well these nights because I heard the sound of the flute. …… The sound of the big brother's flute seemed to bring me a warning, and even terror to me. …… Now my situation with the piano is similar to the situation of my eldest brother and cousin Mei. When I heard the sound of the flute, I couldn't help but worry about whether I would follow the path of my eldest brother in the future. I don't dare to think about it. Because when that happens, I'm afraid I won't be able to live. I won't be like Big Brother! ”

Juehui listened quietly to Juemin, and he suddenly noticed that his brother's voice had changed from calm to trembling, and then to mournful. He comforted Juemin sympathetically: "Second brother, don't worry, you will never go to the road of the eldest brother, because the times are different." ”

He looked up at the sky again. He looked at the bright moon that spread infinite light. He felt as if an irresistible force had pushed a girl's face in front of him. He muttered to himself, "You are so pure, only you are like this bright moon!" ”

[Note 1] Borrowed. "The Narrow Cage" is a fairy tale written by the blind poet Ai Luo Xianke (translated by Lu Xun). This is the story of an Indian tiger locked up in a zoo.