The little girls walked away as they spoke, and Mu Xiaowu muttered while rubbing the embroidery on her waist, "It seems that something unclean came out of Yan's house last night." But why didn't I see the old lady they said yesterday? It is said that if the grandson has an accident, it is impossible for the grandmother not to show up, is it that she is sick and inconvenient to see people? ”

As he was talking, Mu Cripple's voice suddenly sounded behind him, "This dress suits you quite well, and it looks like a girl when you wear it." ”

He said casually, but Mu Xiaowu's heart moved, walked to the mirror and turned around, taking a picture back and forth. The skirt was cut out of creamy yellow satin, with a few pale blue daisies scattered on it, the colors were harmonious, the lines were bright, elegant but luxurious, and it was very appropriate for her age.

There was a bird's cry outside the house, crisp and beautiful, Mu Xiaowu pushed the window open a crack, glanced at the translucent sky, turned his head and said to Mu Cripple, "I'll go out for a walk and come back in a while." ”

"Don't get your skirt dirty." Before the words fell, the sound of the door closing had already come, and Mu Xiaowu jumped into the bright summer sunshine.

***

After the rain, the sky was as clear as a piece of blue paper, and a few thin clouds, as if sunburned, floated slowly with the wind.

Mu Xiaowu wandered around the house aimlessly, passing by a few girls from time to time, either holding boxes or carrying cage drawers, walking in a hurry, obviously preparing for the evening banquet.

Smelling a burst of floral fragrance in his nose, Mu Xiaowu looked forward, but saw a garden in front of him, through the arch, you can see a lotus pond, in which more than 100 lotus flowers dance lightly in the wind, reflecting the sun, as if they have been rendered by vermilion, it is very beautiful.

Mu Xiaowu walked towards the garden, and as soon as he arrived at the door, he suddenly heard a familiar voice coming from inside, it was Yan Qingcheng.

"The invitation was sent a month in advance, and the Shoutang was also properly arranged, and the food and drink at the banquet were all freshly delivered this morning, and I ordered someone to check them, and they were all the best ingredients in season. The rooms of the distant guests were also cleaned up, and I had a few more rooms packed up in case of emergency. Others, such as brocade banners, couplets, etc., have been prepared for a long time. So, what else do you have to worry about? ”

"Qingcheng, thanks to your manipulation, Jiayan has been sick for so many days, and I really can't get out of my body to prepare for my father's birthday."

Another voice came, and Mu Xiaowu recognized that the owner of the voice was Yan Yuchi's wife, Xiangzhen, so he glanced into the door, but just such a glance made her still warm heart half cold.

Xiangzhen is wearing a moon-white low-necked gown and a light cyan pleated skirt, no jewelry, no powder, very elegant. She doesn't look like a young grandmother from a wealthy family like the Yan family, but like a young lady from a scholarly family. However, no matter how low-key she dressed, she still couldn't hide the tranquil and soft temperament on her body.

This temperament is peculiar to women, a mixture of weakness and beauty, which makes anyone who has seen her can't help but have a desire to protect her.

However, Mu Xiaowu has never had this kind of temperament, although she is also a sweet-looking girl, although she is now wearing a delicate and beautiful skirt.

Mu Xiaowu was suddenly a little deflated, the happiness brought to her by this dress had drifted away with a gust of wind, and now, she was standing by the courtyard gate in annoyance, and her heart was filled with an indescribable feeling.

"Is Mother alright? I went there in the middle of the night last night, and I haven't had time to see her today. Xiangzhen's voice came again.

"It's much better, you know, she's always in good spirits, and she's often incoherent, so I don't think I need to take her words too seriously." Speaking of this, seeing that Xiangzhen was still frowning, Yan Qingcheng leaned down and folded a lotus leaf, put it on Xiangzhen's head, and said with a smile, "Do you remember when you were a child?" In summer, you are afraid of the sun, so you often ask me to fold lotus leaves for you to wear as a hat. ”

Xiangzhen's voice finally had a hint of a smile, "Qingcheng, I have no brothers and sisters, so I have always treated you as my own brother, and I have been married to your family for all these years, and thanks to you, I don't feel like an outsider." Later, Jiayan ...... Well, Jiayan also likes you, and he pesters you when he has nothing to do...... Actually, I'm very grateful to you, but ...... I don't say that, you understand, don't you? ”

There was a sudden silence in the courtyard, which aroused Mu Xiaowu's curiosity, but at the same time, a thought popped up in her heart: she shouldn't stand here and eavesdrop on the conversation between the two, it was nothing just now, but now, it can't.

She didn't quite understand why she suddenly thought like that, but she didn't have much time to think about it now, so she stood on tiptoe, grabbed the hem of her skirt, and prepared to leave.

"I ...... After his father's birthday, he was about to leave the Yan family. Yan Qingcheng's words poured out, and Mu Xiaowu felt that his tone was very different from Fang Cai, as if there were too many heavy and indescribable emotions in it.

She didn't understand, but she seemed to be ignorant enough to know that.

"You're leaving? Qingcheng, why are you leaving? Yu Chi often said that the Yan family has a lot of big things and is very short of helpers, and you left again, so what should your eldest brother do? Xiangzhen's tone was anxious.

Yan Qingcheng smiled a little sadly, "You think about him in everything, but ...... Have you thought of me? ”

Xiangzhen seemed stunned for a moment, "Qingcheng, aren't you happy?" This is your home, the home where you grew up, don't you feel comfortable here? ”

Yan Qingcheng glanced at Xiangzhen, and suddenly turned his gaze to the lotus pond, he stared at the swaying lotus flowers, and was stunned for a moment before finally saying, "Being uncomfortable has nothing to do with where you are, but with the people around you." ”

"People? Did you have an awkward relationship with Yuchi? I know that his philosophy of doing business is a little different from yours. But gentlemen are harmonious and different, and besides, you are brothers, so what can't you discuss......"

Xiangzhen's words were interrupted by Yan Qingcheng, he looked at her eyes, looked at his slightly flushed face reflected in her pupils, and after a long time, he finally suppressed the surging waves in his heart, "He is my eldest brother, how can I make trouble with him?" I just feel like there's a big world out there, and I don't want to be trapped in this house. ”

***

"These two people are soft and soft, and they are still in the clouds, and they can't understand it."

After running a long way, Mu Xiaowu summed up the indescribable feeling in his heart, and he also felt that he summed it up very incisively.

But anyway, now she feels a lot more comfortable, after running out of a stinky sweat. As she walked towards the courtyard where she lived, she raised her arm to smell the sweat on her clothes.

"You have to smoke it, save yourself from being embarrassed at night, Yan Yuchi's eyes are like hiding knives."

Just thinking about it, her body was slammed unexpectedly, and before she could see who it was, her two wrists were tightly clamped.

"He's coming, he's coming out."

An old woman with hair stared at Mu Xiaowu with eyes like dried apricots.