When Song Yao woke up, she found herself lying on the bed, covered with a thick quilt, and she propped herself up. I saw two busy figures in the candlelight, placing cups, plates and choppers on the table, and whispering something at the same time.

"The chicken soup should be heated again, Xiao Yao doesn't know when she will wake up, it's not good if it's cold.

"Old woman, why don't you just bring in the small stove and simmer it here, so that you are not afraid of the cold soup and the house is warmer."

"Hey, you're still thoughtful."

"Dad, mother, no need for hot soup, I'm already awake." Song Yao called, her eyes suddenly blurred, she remembered her parents, they used to take care of her so intimately when she was sick, but since they passed away, she never seemed to enjoy the warmth of family affection.

Hearing her voice, the old couple of the Qiu family hurriedly gathered around, their expressions seemed to be much more relaxed, and the old lady Qiu sat down on the edge of the bed, took her hand, and said softly, "Xiao Yao, are you feeling better?" You scared the hell out of us, you were cold when I found you, I thought you were ...... You ......"

She didn't say any more, only reached out and gently wiped the corners of her eyes.

"I'm fine," Song Yao replied, but her heart suddenly jumped a few times, and she remembered Wang'er's corpse, whose neck was pierced by bamboo shoots, and his body was pecked by crows like a piece of rotten meat.

"Mother, Wang'er is dead, have you found the person who killed him?" She grabbed Mrs. Qiu's hand and clenched her fingers tightly.

"Wang'er? What the...... What a wang'er, we didn't see anything. Old Mrs. Qiu stood up suddenly, her hand was still pinched by Song Yao, it was very cold.

Song Yao was shocked, and hurriedly said, "I just fainted when I saw Wang'er's corpse, and he was lying in the bamboo forest, his neck pierced by bamboo shoots......"

By the end of the day, her voice was so low that it was barely audible. Because she saw the old couple of the Qiu family standing by the bed with their hands tied up with frightened expressions, even though they were wearing thick cotton clothes, she could still see that their bodies were trembling, like two frightened little beasts.

It turned out that they didn't know, but they had to pretend not to know. The people in this house knew that Wang'er was dead, but they all hid it from her.

Song Yao understood, so she forced herself to soothe her expression, and said with a smile, "Maybe I'm wrong, I haven't slept well recently, and I'm always in a trance." Dad, mother, I'm hungry, let's have something to eat together. ”

Seeing that she no longer mentioned Wang'er, the old couple breathed a sigh of relief, so they hurriedly helped her to walk to the table and sit down.

Song Yao thought of the tragic situation of Wang'er's corpse, she couldn't eat a bite, but she still forced herself to put the food into her mouth one bite at a time, and dried up all the chicken soup in front of her.

"My father and mother went early, and my brother is an unsuccessful person, so it can be said that he is lonely and helpless in this world. I didn't think that I was also a blessed person, I married here, met the second elder, and was as close as my biological parents. As she spoke, she picked up a few dishes and put them on the plates of the old couple of the Qiu family, and continued, "In the future, I will be your daughter, let's live together in harmony, okay?" ”

As soon as the words were said here, Mrs. Qiu suddenly put down her chopsticks, covered her mouth with her hand and choked up. The old man didn't persuade her, and he put down his chopsticks and sighed, and after a while, two old tears fell on his face full of vicissitudes.

Song Yao looked at the sad and tearful appearance of the two old men, and her heart had set off a wave of waves, but she still calmed down, and continued, "Dad, mother, why do you feel sad when you say this, it's me who is not good, eat quickly, the food will be cold after a while." ”

"Girl." Old Lady Qiu suddenly grabbed Song Yao's hand, her eyes were shining with tears, reflecting two flickering candles, "Girl, you shouldn't come to this place......"

"Don't say it, there seems to be movement." Old Man Qiu "shh

Song Yao felt that her heart was "thumping", so fast that it seemed as if it was about to pop out of her mouth in the next moment. She also looked sideways at the door, listening carefully, trying to discern the slightest hint of noise in the stillness of the night that shouldn't be there.

However, she heard nothing, there was no wind or rain today, and it was eerily quiet outside, except for the occasional bird cry or two.

But even so, Old Man Qiu still walked to the door, opened it and looked outside for a long time, and then walked back and sat down at the table again. He looked at Song Yao, his eyes blinked uneasily a few times, and finally he muttered a sentence, "Girl, Qiu Ran is estimated to be back soon, but in a few days it will be the fifteenth Yuan Festival of October, and he will definitely not be at home at that time, so you can leave at that time." ”

***

Qiu Ran came back that night, Song Yao didn't mention Wang'er to him, so he didn't ask, it seems that no one told Qiu Ran about her fainting.

However, Song Yao found that the number of people in this house was getting fewer and fewer day by day, at first it was Qiu Ran's little servants, then the cooks, and in the end, even the old housekeeper who had been in the Qiu family all his life was gone.

Now everything is taken care of by the old couple of the Qiu family and a few maids, Qiu Ran sometimes even does it himself, for example, today, he boiled a basin of hot water and brought it to the bed, and then took off her shoes and socks despite Song Yao's objections, put her feet into the basin, and carefully pressed and rubbed them.

"How does Madame feel?"

His hands were still cold even if they were soaked in hot water, so Song Yao lied, "It's much more comfortable, it's not so cold." ”

"I think it's not bad to do it yourself, so many people are in the house, to be honest, it's a bit of an eyesore." Qiu Ran smiled silently, and the movements in his hands still did not stop.

So, was Wang'er also removed because he was in the way of his eyes? Such a sentence floated in Song Yao's mind, and her face changed suddenly, she was white, and cold sweat was dripping down her forehead.

"Madame, don't you think so? Or are you ...... I like to be lively, and I think this house is too deserted. ”

Qiu Ran raised his eyes to look at Song Yao at the moment when he wiped off the cold sweat, his tone was gentle, his eyes were gentle, and his fingers were gentle, but Song Yao still felt very cold, a heart-piercing coldness.

"Xiao Yao, who your husband likes, likes everything." She smiled at him, the corners of her eyes and eyebrows drooping slightly, so endearing.

Qiu Ran stared at her face for a long time, then took a handkerchief to dry her feet, and then sat down next to her. After sitting for a while, he suddenly pulled Song Yao's hand and held it in the palm of his hand, "Madam, let me tell you a story." ”