It's early winter. The weather inevitably gets cold, there are few pedestrians on the streets, the cold wind sweeps everywhere, the grass and trees have withered and yellowed, the air is always full of oppressive atmosphere, the sky is overcast, and the weather in early winter is always so uncomfortable.

However, there are places where it can be a little better, such as where the Shire are now. This is a newly built greenhouse, because there are no plants in the intended place, so the window edges are still a little shabby, and the glass windows block the air circulation inside and outside, as if the temperature is a few degrees higher than the outside.

It was a corner of his family's garden, and since acquiring the mansion at a low price, the Trévilles have been working to make their lives more comfortable, and the greenhouse is naturally part of the renovation project.

Charles walked up and down the greenhouse, inspecting the freshly installed and painted railings, looking down at the dense planters on the floor, and even crouching down to brush the exposed soil with his hands.

"Is it so pleasant to grow flowers and grass?" Fran, who had been standing next to him and watching him silently, finally couldn't help but ask, "You seem to be enjoying it?" ”

"I'm not very committed right now, but I'm sure I'll really enjoy it in the future." Charles was still staring at the soil beneath his feet, as if he were studying it, "I'll have to find something to love myself, Miss Treville, or I'll be too unkind." Besides, I'll have to make excuses for pushing away those annoying socials in the future. ”

"You've worked so hard to be a gardener...... just to live in seclusion," Fran couldn't help but laugh, "you're getting more and more like a big man." I've heard that many big people have this kind of habit that is different from ordinary people. ”

"If I can't be a big man, at least I can pretend to be a big man." Charles smiled self-deprecatingly.

"But in my eyes, you will always be the serious-faced and always thoughtful child of more than ten years ago." Look at his smile. Fran was silent for a moment, then emboldened himself and said, "You are not a big man, but a brother who stays by my side and takes care of my meticulously. ”

"I'd like to take care of you all the time, but you don't want to be like you...... all the time" Charles couldn't help but complain, but quickly sighed, "Forget it, there's no point in pursuing this now, let's look forward." ”

"Okay. Look ahead......" Fran nodded in response, and then she crouched down slightly, then suddenly hugged Charles from behind.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Charles was caught off guard, and then subconsciously turned back.

At that moment, Fran buried her head in his shoulder, and her face pressed against his. "I'm just the same as I was back then, isn't that what you asked for?"

"Stop messing around! You know I didn't mean that. Charles hurriedly scolded the other party, "Be careful." Someone is watching from outside. ”

That being said, the blonde hair kept scraping on the right side of his face, making his face itch slightly, and the fragrance kept sending the fragrance into his nose. It really made him feel a strange feeling in his heart.

"What if you see it? Can't I be a little more intimate with my brother? Fran disagreed. This is our business, and others have no right to point fingers. ”

Seeing that it was pointless to reason with the other party, Charles didn't say anything more. He staggered to his feet, as his sister had been pressing heavily on his shoulder. He finally trembled and stood upright again, and it was also thanks to his young and strong body. to be able to accomplish this great feat.

Then, he turned around and lifted Fran off his body, "Alright, don't mess around...... You're not too young anymore, don't joke around. ”

"You know I'm not young." Fran glanced at him with a look of resentment, "Do you really want to watch my precious youth run away and gain nothing?" ”

Charles was speechless for a moment, for he understood what the other man meant.

However, this is not an easy answer. So the crude greenhouse suddenly fell into a strange silence.

Just as he was still struggling to break this strange atmosphere, the person who freed him from his embarrassment finally arrived. Through the glass window of the greenhouse, he could clearly see Lola walking towards the greenhouse, led by the servants.

"Oh, Miss de Beauwan is finally here." With a sense of rejoicing, Charles said with a smile.

"She could have come late." Fran sank her face.

Lola certainly couldn't hear the conversation between the siblings, and she followed the servant into the greenhouse with a blank face, and then looked at the siblings with no emotion.

"Miss de Beauwon, long time no see." Charles stepped forward and held out his hand to her.

"Long time no see, Mr. Treville." Lola was unmoved, just quietly watching Charles.

Seeing that the other party looked so cold, Charles had to withdraw his hand in embarrassment. "I'm glad you can see the humble house today."

"You're a big guy my father is trying to woo, so of course I'll have to come at your call." Lola replied coldly, not showing much respect.

Then, she glanced around the greenhouse, "It's a pretty good place." Mr. Treville, you are not humble here. ”

Charles just smiled, knowing in his heart that Lola was mocking him by hinting at the origin of the mansion, but he was not ashamed at all, for it was only natural for the victors to prey on the losers.

"What about your wife?" Lola asked again. "Are you and your sister coming to receive me today?"

"You know, my wife is pregnant, and it's due now, so it's not convenient to leave the room right now." Charles shrugged, "It's a shame that I couldn't get her to receive you. ”

"I don't think there's anything to regret about that." Lola suddenly sneered and glanced at Fran. "Maybe some people are cheering about it."

At her glance, Fran felt a little uncomfortable, and she glanced at the other party dissatisfied.

"Mr. Treville. To cut a long story short, what are you calling me here for? Lola frowned slightly. Why don't we change places, the air here is unpleasant. It's stuffy. ”

Although this greenhouse is well built, it is still very simple after all, and Lola, who loves to talk about pomp and circumstance, is definitely not a person who is willing to accommodate herself, and always finds the earthy smell in the air very unbearable.

"I think the air here is good," Charles disagreed, "we're usually too detached from the world, and that's not good." Every now and then we need to recall the scent of the earth. ”

"I don't know what the dirt smells like." Lola shook her head. "I don't want to see dirt anywhere else but in the flower beds."

"If you can't stand the dirt, how can you put up with the strong smell of oil and iron filings and steam?" Charles smiled and asked, "You're going to have to deal with them all the time in the future......"

This meaningful remark made Lola's heart move slightly, and she raised her gaze again to look at Fran.

"Mademoiselle de Beauwon, when she has just returned to Paris from Vienna. I heard my sister's report......" Charr continued, walking over to a low stool and sitting down simply, "She said you want to set up a railroad business. And then you want to use the power of our family to monopolize? ”

"Yes, I did propose it to her." Lola nodded immediately.

Her heart suddenly welled with joy, because if it didn't come true. There was no need for this young man to call himself to his home. "What do you think, Mr. Treville?"

"Honestly. I don't really support your approach. Charles gave a reply that disappointed Lola.

"You...... Not supported? Why? She was puzzled.

"The interests of railways are too great to be monopolized by one person or a group of people. Not even if it were me. Charles was calmly right, "Think about it, who would be willing to take such a big profit into the arms of a small group of people?" Those who want to do this will surely become the target of public criticism, after all, even the Bonapartes themselves have to be involved, and we do not need to be enemies of the royal family. Sometimes we have to think not only about economic interests, but also about political interests. ”

"So...... So what did you call me over for? Although she knew that Charles's words were reasonable, Lola was still very disappointed, "If you want to reject me, you can write a letter, and you don't have to waste everyone's time." ”

"You seem to be too eager, miss." Charles shook his head, "I'm not done yet—although it is impossible for us to monopolize this huge profit alone, a certain degree of monopoly is reasonable and necessary. ”

He called Lola and his sister over, not just to entertain them.

Charles's subtle words made Lola a little confused. "You...... Can you not be so convoluted with me? Just say it straight. ”

"I'm sorry, but I've contracted a diplomat's occupational disease." Charles smiled, "First of all, I would like to tell you the news that I have received the royal approval of His Majesty the future Emperor, and soon I will become the Minister of the First Cabinet of the Empire, in charge of the country's railways, water transportation, and other transportation undertakings. ”

“…… Congratulations. After a moment of silence, Lola congratulated with a somewhat complicated expression.

With the other party's status, there is no need for him to tell this kind of lie to his face, since the other party is so sure, it means that this is probably true. At such a young age, he will become a cabinet minister...... No matter how evil and despicable, he was indeed a very good man, a man who surpassed most mortals.

She has always been above the top, and deep down, in addition to hating, she has to admit it.

"Since I am in charge of the railway business in the future, I have the obligation to promote its further development so that both the people and the country can benefit from it." Charles didn't see what the other party was thinking, but just said to himself, "And this depends on the specialization of capital and technology." ”

"Specialization?" Lola didn't understand the term well.

"Yes, specialization." Charles said, while taking out a low stool from the side, he gestured, "In essence, railways and trains are one of the most developed mechanical creations of human beings...... So, I'm going to set up a special civil society organization after I become a minister, um...... It is called the Union of Railways, in which commercial organizations and enterprises are involved, and everyone regulates the standards of technology and the circulation of capital, and then takes a common position to develop the country's railway industry. ”

"You mean, using this as a way to secretly monopolize?" Lola still didn't understand what she was saying, but she still had a keen grasp of a point.

"If you have to understand that, you can do that." Charles sighed rather disappointedly, "I think it's much better to use rules to monopolize than to blatantly exclude everyone." (To be continued.) )