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As soon as the divorce procedures between Hong and Lao Wu were completed, Lao Wu was embattled.

The entire Wu family's family members were all faint with anger. No one expected that Wu Lao would make such a stupid decision. Old Wu's younger brother dragged him to the Wu family's compound to ask him about the crime, and asked him if he had taken the wrong medicine; Even her brother and daughter-in-law, who have always been jealous of Shui Hong, began to fight for Shui Hong. They were all worried that the woman named Ah Xiu would bring a group of greedy relatives and petty citizens into the Wu family. The seventy-year-old Wu Lao was so angry that the Wu family lost a princess-like daughter-in-law, and scolded his eldest son, Lao Wu, for being an unworthy descendant on the sickbed. and asked his family to hire a lawyer, claiming that he would transfer all the shares of the property originally in Wu Hanxiong's name to Shui Hong. He told the whole family that Shui Hong was a member of the Wu family at any time, and she was welcome to return to the Wu family's garden anytime and anywhere. And asked Mrs. Wu to immediately send someone to invite Shui Hong, so that she could live here these days.

The tranquil water alley suddenly became agitated. The hotel's restaurant, tea house, is crowded with all the neighbors, neighbors and friends who have been blessed by the Wu family for two generations. People are talking a lot, puzzled, and don't understand why this loving couple, who have always been envied by everyone, suddenly divorced. The old ladies blamed Lao Wu for being dizzy and spending, abandoning Shui Hong for a girl twenty years younger than him, and breaking up a good family, which was really not worth it; The women whispered, saying that Ah Xiu, who couldn't see the usual rules, turned out to be just a slut who pretended to be serious, and actually seduced Mr. Wu in secret and did this ugly thing of a third party intervening; The men are all sorry for the loss of such a beautiful woman as Shui Hong in Shui Lane, and they are concerned about where Shui Hong will go after the divorce.

Rainbow began to receive some letters sent to her college, with cordial and ambiguous words, telling the feelings of admiring and secretly loving her for many years; They said that they had been waiting for such a day, and if they held it in their hearts again, they would never have a chance to confess in this life. Shui Hong is glad that Bai Honggen is conducting a project investigation abroad at this time, and if he is also in Suzhou, I am afraid it will be even more chaotic. There has been an angry accusation letter, which was sent to the hospital office where Lao Wu worked; When Lao Wu went out to walk in the alley, an eventful old man would stop him and advise him not to be emotionally unreasonable. They still remember the tragic experience of Shui Hongniang's predecessors, and when they arrived at Shui Hong's generation, they finally escaped the disaster and had something to rely on. But now that she has lost the protection of a man and is single to break into the world, this thief swarms in the years, in case there are three long and two short, how can you Lao Wu be worthy of her and her daughter Ah Ni?

Ah Xiu hid in the house all day and didn't dare to go out. She didn't even dare to wear the gold necklace that Lao Wu gave her once. In the face of the dirty water splashed in the alleys and the cold eyes of the people, she had no way to explain it. She promised Lao Wu that she must remain silent and bear this misunderstanding from beginning to end alone. In those days, the business of the Li family's restaurant was booming, Boss Li was more hospitable than ever, the price of the dishes was close to the point of loss, and the service and the quality of the meals were better than before.

In the nineties, when divorce was no longer news, it was unorthodox that the couple's breakup had caused such a strong shock and attention. People seem to think that Rainbow, who has a beauty that is unparalleled in the world and a character that is not moved by heavy money, should not be treated in this way. Later, some people even reported the situation to the relevant departments of the district, and an organization similar to the Spiritual Civilization Office also came forward to try to redeem the adverse effects of hastily approving their divorce by agreement.

In order to calm this unexpected turmoil, Shuihong, who was originally bent on leaving Suzhou as soon as possible, had to postpone the trip. She finally came out of a girlfriend's secret residence, and first went to the Wu family's house with Lao Wu to have a banquet with relatives and friends to comfort her in-laws; and hosted a banquet for Boss Li's family and neighbors at the Li family restaurant in the alley, and politely stated that the conflict between them had been going on for a long time; He also went to Lao Wu's unit to give a sincere explanation to the leaders of the hospital, stating that both parties were responsible. The aftermath lasted for more than a week before it was over.

But that's not the end of the story. The sympathy and indignation caused by beauty subsided slightly, and the sewage of suspicion and jealousy caused by beauty flooded the water again.

At this time, the people's misunderstanding of Lao Wu was eliminated, so the blocked dissatisfaction began to look for a new outlet. Especially when people didn't see the sadness and pain that Shui Hong should show, but inadvertently leaked her happy smile, all kinds of speculation and doubts, like the wind after the rain stopped, hit Shui Hong in bursts. Some people say that Shui Hong finally can't bear the loneliness, so she has to go to the south to shoot commercials, appear on TV, and start a company to make a lot of money; Some people say that she will marry the billionaire-level *** so-and-so, and they have bought a mansion for her in the ** Mid-Levels District; Others said that she did not take the wealthy Chinese businessman seriously at all, and was ready to marry the heir to a Japanese, American, and Jewish banker; So of course she didn't look down on Boss Bai's necklace of 200,000 yuan, she was not moved by the heavy money, but she didn't think the previous heavy money was heavy. People with a little culture say that in less than ten years, Shuihong will return the noble lady to her hometown and rebuild the Venice Water City in Suzhou, benefiting her hometown and lasting forever. In any case, it shows that Qin Shuihong is really a shrewd woman, and she can actually cover her beautiful second-hand stocks and throw them out when the market reaches a sky-high price. It is also the extra-large news in Suzhou this year.

Zhou You was so anxious that he called Shui Hong's secret residence twice a day, and he couldn't wait to go south to protect him personally. But Shui Hong told him that he must not come to Suzhou to "expose the target". She must not let anyone know that she is going to Beijing. She was most afraid that Ah Ni would know where she was going. As long as the word Beijing is missing, Ah Ni will not be able to stay in Suzhou.

The reason why Shui Hong was unable to set off for a long time was also because she had to take away the precious paintings that Zhou You had given her. Especially the three "Red, White, and Black" that Zhou You sent her at the end. The group of paintings that lead her to the stars, to the explosion, to heaven and to hell. But Ah Ni resolutely refused to return the painting to her mother. No matter how old Wu is soft and hard, Ah Ni just shook his head. Zhou You repeatedly told Shui Hong on the phone, only hoping that she would bring back the portrait of Shui Hong that he painted for the first time. He said that this painting was most precious to him, and that it was a work that would send him to heaven or hell. Lao Wu was really reluctant to return this painting to Shui Hong, he begged Zhou You on the phone that he had taken Shui Hong away, couldn't he still leave a portrait for him? Zhou You had no choice but to promise to copy another painting after receiving it and give it to Lao Wu.

A few days later, in addition to the three group paintings, Lao Wu had consigned most of Zhou You's works to Beijing. Under the repeated persuasion of her father, Ah Ni finally agreed to return the white and black paintings in "Red, White, and Black" to her mother, but she insisted on keeping the red one for herself. When Shui Hong heard about it, she had an ominous premonition in her heart. In the red, white, and black trilogy, only the burning red expresses the most fiery love. If there is no red in life, which symbolizes life and love, only white nothingness and black death, what can we expect in the future? The red color left for Ah Ni may become a potential timed **, threatening the fate of the five people involved in it from time to time. The date for leaving Suzhou has been set, Shui Hong thought about it again and again, and couldn't think of any good way to get Ah Ni to hand over the red that she regarded as life.

On a dark rainy night, Shui Hong quietly returned home with Lao Wu to say goodbye to Ah Ni. After Shui Hong went up the stairs, Lao Wu called Ah Xiu and asked Ah Xiu to meet with Shui Hong according to the prior agreement to complete the handover of his ex-wife and fiancée.

Shui Hong stood at the door of Ah Ni, and gently called Ah Ni's name, as soon as the words came out, tears had blurred her eyes, and she only felt that Ah Ni was like a white dove, and she was surprised to pounce into her arms.

"Mom, aren't you already married to a foreign country? But I don't think you're leaving. You'll definitely come to see me before you leave. Mom, I'm so glad you're in the United States. I can also go to the United States to play in the future, shall I bring my big brother with me? I can't wait to see Lady Liberty more than anything else......"

"Mom has not yet made a final decision on whether to go abroad or not. But Mom is here to say goodbye to you. Mom is leaving, far, far away. I'll call you and write to you. ”

"And when are you going to come back to see me?"

"Not necessarily, maybe soon, maybe ...... Maybe in a few years...... Ani, my good daughter, Mom is sorry for you, but Mom loves you, Mom and Dad will always be the relatives who love you the most......"

Shui Hong hugged her daughter, tears welling up, dripping with a string of Ani's hair. Shui Hong really wanted to hold her daughter and never let go, like a few years ago, let herself lie next to Ah Ni all night and tell her daughter stories on the bed. At that time, she thought that the bed was the end of the day, that the bedroom was the end of the world. Little did she know then that life was a long corridor with countless rooms, the doors of which were constantly being opened, and she avoided them, but one door would suck her back in.

"Mom, when are you going to take me to your new home? When is it time for me to see the new dad? I especially want to know what kind of person my new dad is? If you like someone, I will definitely like it too. I'll call him Daddy. Mom, let me tell you, I'm not called Ah Xiu's mother, I'll call her Ah Xiu......"

Shui Hong smiled bitterly and said, "Mom doesn't plan to get married right away." Your new dad doesn't have it yet. Besides, even if you have, you don't necessarily have to call him Dad. ”

"I'm screaming. I don't like new moms, but I like new dads. ”

Shui Hong was speechless. She felt that Ah Ni had a father-lover complex since she was a child, and since she saw Zhou You, she had obviously empathized with her love. How much trouble awaits this amorous and headstrong girl in the future?

"A-Ni, you have grown up and become more and more beautiful. There are a lot of bad people out there now, so you have to be careful. Mom is not around, you have to listen to Dad, don't go out alone, don't wear too revealing clothes and short skirts in summer, remember no, my good daughter, Mom really can't rest assured of you......"

"Mom, I'll be careful, I'm not a little doll again. Last week, when I came back from school, I met a bad guy, he always followed me, and then when no one was around, he grabbed my schoolbag belt and touched me in the face, and as soon as I shouted, he ran away. By the time I took the vial out, he was gone, which was infuriating. ”

"That little bottle is very useful, and with it, you are like having a gun, and you have the ability to defend yourself. A-Ni, mom is leaving, do you have anything else to say to mom? ”

"Mom, you're fine with everything, but why don't you leave all the big brother's paintings to me? You don't paint, why do you have to paint that red painting? Don't you know how important it is to me? ”

Rainbow avoided Ani's tan, sparkling eyes. She hesitated and said, "...... Because...... Because I also love these paintings...... I'm going to go far away, and when I look at the paintings, I think of the river, of home, of you and your father. Ani, don't you still have so many big brother paintings? The red painting...... You're actually ...... Actually, it should still be given to mom. Isn't it a bit unfair that you gave your mother those two terrible black and white paintings, and the most beautiful red one to yourself? If you give me the red too, my mother can put it all together. ”

"No. These three paintings of the eldest brother were given to the three of us in the family. One for an average person. All I want is a red one, and that's what I deserve. I've already given you two, and you've got one more than I do. Moreover, I also gave you the painting "The Wolf of the North", I like that wolf so much, that wolf can sing, so I want it to sing to my mother, and my mother will not be lonely......"

"But...... If the red color is missing from these three paintings, the meaning of the painting is completely changed. Rainbow insisted. Besides, it's so big, you don't even have a place to hang it. Why don't you exchange other paintings with you? Whichever one you want, you can choose ......"

"No, I don't. I just like this red one. Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes. Mom, leave this red color to me. As soon as you left, you took so many paintings with you, and as soon as I came home that day, I saw that the paintings on the wall were gone, and I was so sad, until now, I went upstairs and downstairs, and when I saw the empty living room, I wanted to cry...... Mom, why are you separated from Dad, I don't want you to be separated...... Now, it's only this red with me......"

Ah Ni hugged Shui Hong violently, threw herself into her arms and cried. She cried so violently that every joint in her body trembled, making a tearing sound that made Shui Hong tremble. She had never seen Ah Ni so sad, Shui Hong's chest twitched, hugged Ah Ni tightly, and couldn't help crying loudly. While sobbing, he said incoherently to Ah Ni, just leave the red painting at home...... She is willing to give the light to her beloved Ah Ni and keep the darkness to herself...... Whatever calamities and misfortunes there are, let her bear them alone......

I don't know how long it took, Shui Hong heard Lao Wu coughing next to him, and whispered that Ah Xiu had come and asked her to go down. Shui Hong let go of Ah Ni and wanted to carry her to the small bed so that she could cover her with the quilt. Ah Ni was already crying with no strength, her hands were still hooked around her mother's neck, and she refused to let Shui Hong go. They held on like this for a long time before they finally let go of their hands, fell on the bed, and fell asleep. Shui Hong wiped away the tears on Ah Ni's cheeks, and finally kissed Ah Ni lightly on the forehead, and hurriedly walked downstairs.

Ah Xiu stood by the door in a panic, and the heavy makeup and vulgarity in the past had been reduced a lot. The natural beauty makes her somewhat compatible with the elegant style of the Wu family. Shui Hong felt Lao Wu's efforts on Ah Xiu, which gave her some comfort. Ah Xiu is still a girl, she is malleable, and she will slowly adapt to the environment here. Shui Hong really hopes that Ah Xiu can be the mistress of this family and bring peace and happiness to the Wu family to alleviate her sins.

When Ah Xiu saw Shui Hong, her knees were already bent and she was almost about to kneel. Shui Hong immediately stepped forward to hold her slightly trembling hand, pulled her to sit down beside her, and said with a smile:

"Ah Xiu, you are so beautiful today, it's a pity that I'm leaving. Or I'd love to officiate at your wedding. ”

"Aunt Qin, you are so good. Our whole family thank you. I will take good care of Mr. Wu and Ah Ni, you can rest assured. Ah Xiu stammered in reply. She doesn't seem to be quite used to this old and modern way of handing over.

"You should call me Sister Qin, it's not good to call Aunt Qin anymore. You grew up watching me, why don't I worry about you? You can't treat Ah Ni as a sister anymore in the future, dare to take care of her, she makes Lao Wu spoiled so much, see if you have a way to make her listen to you. ”

Ah Xiu nodded shyly, relaxed slightly, and his expression became more natural.

Shui Hong explained some trivial matters at home to Ah Xiu, including some living habits of Lao Wu and Ah Ni. He also said: "Ah Xiu, Lao Wu is the eldest son of the Wu family, and Mrs. Wu has always wanted us to move back in. But we all like this small building, next to the river, the environment is quiet, and the neighbors are familiar with each other, so we haven't moved. I think it's better for you to move in after you get married, there are a lot of people there, and there are nannies, so it's very safe. Ani can also play with her cousin. ”

"I don't want to move there just yet." Lao Wu said. "I still have a lot of affection for this place. Old houses are being demolished everywhere in the city of Suzhou, and there will be fewer and fewer such houses in the future. Besides, Ah Xiu is moving over now, and he won't be angry with his brother-in-law. ”

"Aunt Qin, oh, Sister Qin, I also want to move slowly. It's close to my parents' house, so it's good to take care of everything. If I can't get busy at home, I'll call someone from my mother's family to help......"

Shui Hong said: "Then it's up to you, I'm just a little worried." Ah Xiu, you are young and beautiful, you come out and go in on weekdays, be careful, don't bring your friends to play casually, it's still important to be safe. ”

As she spoke, Shui Hong took out an oval jewelry box from Kun's bag and handed it to Ah Xiu.

"This pearl necklace will be given to you as a souvenir. This is a real natural pearl given to me by my mother-in-law when I got married, and I usually don't dare to wear it. The people of the Wu family like natural and elegant things, and if you wear it, your parents-in-law will be very happy. ”

Ah Xiu's eyes widened in surprise and said, "Yo, I've never seen such a precious pearl necklace, it's so beautiful, every pearl is so big...... Must be very expensive ......"

"Wear it when you get married, and let it come to your wedding on my behalf, and rejoice for you. In the future, do more filial piety for me for the two old men, I am ashamed of the Wu family, so I have to let you help me make up for it. ”

Shui Hong puts on a necklace for Ah Xiu. Ah Xiu also has some ladylike charm against the backdrop of pearls. Ah Xiu fell on Shui Hong's shoulder and cried: "Sister Qin, you treat me so well, our family will never forget your kindness for the rest of our lives......"

The old table clock on the side of the staircase struck ten dull times.

Lao Wu said, "It's time to go." Ah Xiu, I'll send Shui Hong to Shanghai. Leave later, less right and wrong. You'll stay here tonight and sleep with Ah Ni. I'll be back tomorrow. Make a phone call and tell your family that you don't want to go out again. ”

Rainbow took one last look at the home she had lived in for many years. Every piece of furniture, tableware, ornaments on the wall, flowers and plants in the courtyard have her fingerprints and handprints, her breath and breath. Here she spent the years of calm and love with Lao Wu and raised her lovely daughter. In this claustrophobic little building, life passes, unconsciously, without a shadow or sound, like an ice cellar, storing and freezing her beauty and hope, neither consuming nor increasing. She loved the place in her heart, but she didn't know why it still didn't keep itself in the end. She had walked into this room before, but had stepped out through another door. She looked at the mahogany chair in the living room window, which was the place where Zhou You painted her for the first time, and it was also the beginning of her real first love in this life. That morning, the sun came in through the window, with her back to Zhou You's colorful drawing board, and she suddenly discovered for the first time that there were two rainbows living in that room. One was concentrating on the chair, while the other followed Zhou You's pen and paper and floated leisurely into another magical door in the human growth corridor.

The creeks and alleys were shrouded in rain and mist. The street lights are dim, and the quiet alleys are empty. The velvety rain silk in early winter falls gently and flies up slowly, like rain but not rain, like fog but not fog. Under the light, the thousands of transparent hairs densely woven into a crystal silk net, neither falling nor rising, just suspended in the night, lazily undulating and fluctuating. It was as if the rain was hollow, and there was a thinner core in the silk, which carried it to wander in the humid air.

Lao Wu held the umbrella low, but he didn't know which angle to tilt the umbrella surface from in order to block the directionless drizzle. After walking for a while, the hair and clothes of the two of them were already wet.

"Why don't you put your umbrella away?" Shui Hong said.

She raised her head and stretched out her hands, like a golden and bronze immortal holding a dew plate, enjoying the moisture of the rain and mist. She ripped off her scarf and unbuttoned her collar, letting the ubiquitous and pervasive rain mist drift down her neck and moisturize her skin. She breathed deeply, allowing her internal organs to absorb a little more of the coolness and moisture of Jiangnan water vapor. The vast Taihu Lake and the leisurely and tranquil river are the other mothers who nurture her beauty, her flexibility, and her dreams. She will be forever grateful for her kindness. "Goodbye, my beautiful mother." Shui Hong meditated in her heart, and at that moment she suddenly really felt the sadness and the taste of farewell, and the tears of parting flowed from her cheeks into the fluffy rain and mist between heaven and earth.

Lao Wu slowed down and said hesitantly: "Shui Hong, you are reluctant to leave Xiaohe, right?" I'm worried that if you go to that cold, dry north, your skin will lose its luster and clarity. Flowers and plants in the south are always not good in the north. Will you get used to life there? There is also Zhou You...... Can he love you like me forever? I...... I can't help you......"

"I only need a few years, and I don't want to give a foolproof guarantee in the future. I don't like the word forever, the future is always unpredictable, and that's why life doesn't feel like a pool of stagnant water......"

"I mean Zhou You...... You gave up a comfortable and comfortable home for him......"

"No, you don't know Zhou You, he is a painting that ordinary people can't understand. Especially the kind of sensible and practical person, I am afraid it is difficult to understand him, and in fact, he has given up many, many ...... for me."

Lao Wu wiped the rain and tears on his face with a tissue, and said, "However, in case...... In case you are not used to living in Beijing, in case you want to come back, I will persuade Ah Xiu to divorce me, and the door of the Wu family is still open for you......"

Shui Hong's heart was a little moved, and she couldn't help but gently hold Lao Wu's arm. She really wanted to say to Lao Wu that for many years, she had been living in fear of being chased by men and defending herself, and she had always longed for the experience of taking the initiative and hoping to let herself control her fate, regardless of whether it was a blessing or a curse awaited her at the end of the labyrinthine corridor, the open windows and rooms. For this reason, she longed to give up her privileged life and rush out of the small building where she was imprisoned. She has been in this comfortable and peaceful environment for too long, just like the rainy season in Jiangnan that lasts too long every year, and if she doesn't throw herself into the sun to expose herself, even her heart will become moldy and hairy. A woman in her thirties, life seems to have time to start again. She longs for all kinds of turmoil full of risks, wealth has lost its temptation for her, and even, she yearns for poverty and despair, looking forward to fighting and rebuilding in a desperate situation where she has nothing, and truly showing her charm......

But her lips moved, and she swallowed them back. She looked at Lao Wu and said euphemistically: "I am reluctant to bear the rain and fog in my hometown, it is very beautiful, but it is a pity that it has been covering the sun for too long." I seem to prefer clear skies in the north. However, when this turmoil subsides, I will come back to visit you and Ani's ......."

Under the tall French plane tree at the entrance of the alley, an Audi car sent by Brother Wu's company has been waiting there for a long time. In order to avoid people's eyes, Lao Wu specially took care to park the car far away from home. In the drizzle, the car started silently and galloped towards Shanghai. Shui Hong turned around, wiped the moisture on the back window glass with a tissue, and looked back at the blurred lights and tower shadows of Suzhou City for a long time, gradually disappearing into the night and rain and fog......

Rainbow's heart began to beat forward as the car went. She was looking forward to arriving in Shanghai soon, and saw Zhou You, who had been anxiously waiting there for two days and two nights. Lao Wu will personally send her to Zhou You to complete a handover similar to that from winter to spring. Then, she will fly back to Beijing with Zhou You. Just like that huge Boeing airliner, she and Zhou Youjiang will hold the air current, piercing the two parallel wings of the white clouds.