Because he would stay in the capital for a long time, Xu Anping left hundreds of taels of silver for Aunt Yu. Even if she no longer works hard to farm, she will be able to live on her family for several years. But he knew that with Aunt Yu's thrifty and idle temperament, he couldn't bear to be barren in the field. After staying at home for ten days, Xu Anping and Yi Lian'er were ready to go.

On this morning, Yi Lian'er, who left home for the first time, cried into tears, and if it weren't for Xu Anping beside her, she probably wouldn't have been able to stand. Aunt Yu, who usually has a knife mouth and a tofu heart, can't hold back her tears, thinking of her old wife who is gone, she is even more sad, and she wants to take back the words she said before letting her daughter go to find her relatives.

Finally leaving the village, Yi Lian'er sobbed and walked back on the road step by step, even if it was more than two miles away, she could still see A-Niang standing next to the old elm tree. Walking farther onto the flat official road, Yi Lian'er suppressed her crying, and her mood was still very low. She looked at Xu Anping, who was walking beside her, and quietly took a few steps closer and grabbed the latter's sleeve, feeling much more at ease.

Xu Anping smiled when he saw this, patted Yi Lian'er's little hand with his hand and didn't speak.

Yi Lian'er asked a little shyly and worriedly, "Brother Anping, you won't want me in the future, right?" ”

Xu Anping held Yi Lian'er's cold and smooth little hand with his backhand and said, "Don't worry, Lian'er, I will always take care of you." ”

Yi Lian'er lowered her head shyly, feeling the warmth of Xu Anping's big hand, and was reluctant to let go for a while. At this time, there was a sudden sound of horses' hooves behind her, and Yi Lian'er hurriedly let go of her hand like a frightened deer, and then her face turned red and stirred at the corners of her clothes.

An hour and a half later, Xu Anping took Yi Lian'er to Anping County. Yi Lian'er came to the city for the first time, her beautiful eyes widened and she was full of curiosity about many things. However, she saw a lot of people, for fear of being scattered, so she always pinched the corners of her clothes and followed Xu Anping step by step. After a while, Xu Anping opened two adjacent rooms in the Tongfu Inn in the south of the city and stayed there, first asked Yi Lian'er to change into her previous clothes, making her look like a white and timid little scholar, and then prepared to take her out for a walk.

Deng Xiaoke was boredly playing with her fingers in the boudoir, only to see her poke the delicate Rouyi of her right hand with the white fingertips of her left hand for a while, and then unconsciously poke the embroidery needle on the embroidery cloth that she picked up and placed on the table, looking very bored. She couldn't stop muttering, "Where did Deng Jiu run away again?" Recently, there is no county master in Qingping County! It's still Deng Bahao, on call. Blackie, Blackie, come here. Looking up to see that Xiao Hei didn't come, she was so angry that she was about to go out to find it, and then she was ready to teach the stupid dog a hard lesson. Before she could get out of the boudoir door, she heard Huan'er running over with a shout.

"Big... Miss, big... Miss, no, something is wrong. The lord and the lady want to ......," Huan'er ran over panting, and said very nervously.

Deng Xiaoke waved his hand to interrupt Huan'er's words, and said directly: "Huan'er, if you lie about the 'military situation' like last time, I won't send you money to buy snacks this month." In her opinion, her personal maid is often out of tune, and she is not surprised when she speaks and acts. The last time I talked nonsense, I scared myself half to death, and I had to treat her well. With Huan'er's greedy nature, not buying snacks is much more terrifying than the threat of being sold to Baihualou.

Seeing the eldest lady's suspicious look, Huan'er was so anxious that she was sweating profusely, and she said in a certain tone: "Miss, Huan'er really heard it wrong this time, the old lady is going to marry you off." Really, Huan'er listened to what Madame's personal maid, Sister Pei'er, said, and there would be nothing wrong. ”

Seeing Huan'er's expression, Deng Xiaoke already believed most of it, and hurriedly ran towards the courtyard next to him. "Is there someone who has come to propose marriage again? Why don't you say a word to me? ”

"Eldest Miss, the marriage of children is the order of their parents, how can there be any reason for parents and daughters to discuss?"

"Shut up! Don't talk to no one when you're dumb. I said yes, yes. ”

Huan'er was bored, and stopped talking stupidly, just trotted behind and muttered: "I'm also a dowry maid, I don't know if my uncle will buy me snacks to eat in the future." Thinking that he was going to get married, his face suddenly turned red.

After a while, Deng Xiaoke arrived at the gate of Daddy and Auntie's courtyard, stopped trotting and took a few deep breaths before walking in. She saw the maid Pei'er hurriedly walking out of the yard, and was about to ask about the situation, when the latter suddenly said with a happy face: "Miss, this is really a coincidence, the old lady is asking me to call you." Deng Xiaoke knew that the matter of marrying seemed to be inseparable, so he lightly agreed and followed Pei'er into the courtyard.

Deng Yongming saw his daughter come in so soon, he was stunned for a moment, and then laughed. After all, the husband and wife have a plan for what they have been worried about, and they can solve it now, and they can breathe a sigh of relief.

Mrs. Jingniang couldn't help but sigh when she saw her daughter, who was obviously nearly a head taller than the maid next to her, but she still laughed when she thought of what she had discussed with her husband in the past two days. She beckoned her daughter to sit beside her, took her daughter's little hand and said, "Ke'er, you are seventeen years old this year, and you are already a big girl, so it's time to consider getting married." ”

Deng Xiaoke dragged a long voice and said coquettishly: "Mother...... Dear, Ke'er doesn't want to get married, she just wants to be with you and Daddy for the rest of her life. ”

Mrs. Jingniang nodded her daughter's smooth forehead with her hand, and pretended to be angry and said: "You, just let your father and mother feel uneasy, how can there be a reason for a girl not to marry." But it's not impossible for you to accompany your father and mother, and it just so happens that your father and I have discussed with me these days that I want you to recruit a husband at home. My mother thinks it's good. Deng Yongming also stroked his beard and nodded with a smile, obviously very satisfied.

Deng Xiaoke didn't expect this to be the case at all, and he didn't expect his excuse to be so easily dissolved, and he was blindsided for a while. After reacting, she hurriedly said: "Auntie, Ke'er doesn't want to get married now, will it be okay in a few years?" ”

Jing Niang said uncompromisingly: "No! Your father and I have already agreed on this matter, and I will choose a suitable husband for you as soon as possible. She turned her face and saw her daughter crying, and she couldn't bear it in her heart, after all, it was also her own heart, and she sighed and said, "Well, your father and I have considered a few candidates, and I will tell you in advance when the time comes." ”

Deng Xiaoke simply wanted to cry without tears, making the last struggle. "Auntie, Ke'er doesn't want to get married yet! Why are you so ruthless to marry your daughter! Daddy, you love me the most, I don't want to marry, I don't want to marry......"

Deng Yongming shook his head and said, "Ke'er, don't be naughty. You're already a big girl, and you won't be able to get married if you drag it on. Dad and your mother are also thinking about your future happiness. ”

Seeing that the struggle was useless, Deng Jiu's back suddenly appeared in Deng Xiaoke's mind, and a bold thought jumped out: "If it really doesn't work, I'll ...... it"