Mei Ruojun lit a few sticks of incense and gave them to the Cheng family brothers and sisters and Xu Ziyan, and the three of them bowed in front of the spirit, she knew that he was staring at her, and she wanted to go to a place where he couldn't see it.

After the incense, Jiaqi pulled Ruojun to the courtyard, looked her up and down, looked at her pale and emaciated face, looked at her with a pair of sincere and honest eyes looked at her gently, and said with concern: "Ruojun, you have to mourn." ”

"Hmm," she nodded.

"By the way, why did Wakari run away from home? Is it because you can't accept the pain of losing your father and mother? Jiaqi asked puzzled.

"My bad. But...... Please don't ask. ”

"Okay." Jiaqi thought about it, smiled slightly, took her hand, and said, "Ruojun, do you know? I've liked you since the first time I saw you, and we can be good friends if you want. Would you like to? ”

Mei Ruojun looked at her slightly curved eyes, a pair of black and shining eyes, her eyes were so pure, her smile was full of kindness, she was full of envy and love for Jiaqi from the beginning, she couldn't help but nod and smile slightly.

"Oh my God, do you know how beautiful you smile." Jiaqi smiled and lifted her chin, shook her head appreciatively and said, "You must smile more." Sadness will always pass, believe me, Ruojun, we will be good friends in the future, you can tell me anything on your mind. As he spoke, he laughed out again and said, "It's a pity that we met too late, if we had known earlier, I would have definitely found a way to make you my sister-in-law, you know?" You have a natural sorrow in you, and my brother, who is naturally carefree and not serious all day, will surely make you immerse yourself in joy every day, and smile from ear to ear. ”

"However, now that I see you and Brother Ryan so affectionate, I am relieved." She smiled comfortingly

Ruojun frowned slightly, she didn't know how to explain the scene just now, maybe it was Ryan's panicked and weak eyes that made her pity him, maybe it was the undercurrent of repentance that surged in her heart to make things right, she didn't know, she couldn't figure it out herself.

Jiaqi rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, I'm really clumsy, why did I frown at what you said?" In this way, I'll go and call out the two living treasures of Jiawei and Ruikang to make you happy. As he spoke, he turned around and waved into the room. Ruojun grabbed her, shook her head violently, and said hurriedly: "Don't, don't, I'm fine, really, Jiaqi, I'm very happy and honored to get your friendship, besides, I think, soon the two of us will not be just friends." When she said this, her heart ached for a while, but she still squeezed out a blessed smile.

Jiaqi's face suddenly turned red, she lowered her head slightly, but the corners of her mouth showed a happy smile, and she couldn't help but look up at the room, and saw Zhou Ruikang sitting on the chair, one hand gently on his lips, looking at them.

"Hey, do you think she's going to be better?" Jiawei patted Ruikang on the shoulder and said with a smile.

Ruikang's thoughts were cut off by him, and when he looked back at him, he was still a little dazed, "Huh? ”

"Ruikang, let me tell you, my sister is very difficult to entangle, don't look at her now, you will know how clingy she is after getting married. I've been pestered by her since I was a child. That's a haunting force, hey, it's abrasive. ”

"Hehe......" Ryan sat down and laughed.

Ruikang looked at his brother Ryan in surprise again, his brother was able to integrate into the conversation of others, when he was so isolated and isolated, but now he can join the conversation of everyone, he is relieved and sour in his heart, he knows that the fundamental reason for his brother's change is his love for Ruojun.

"Brother Ryan, in half a month, your family will know that what I said is not bad." Cheng Jiawei ran to Ryan's side again and said.

Ryan also looked at Ruojun and Jiaqi who were holding hands in the courtyard, and was very comforted in his heart, and smiled: "Jiaqi...... Good girl ......"

Ruikang became more and more irritable in his heart, he didn't know why everyone wanted to tie him and Jiaqi together, the more people praised Jiaqi for how good he was, how good he was, the more he rebelled and rejected, he wanted to yell and shut everyone up! Is it because Jiaqi is very good that he has to marry her? His brows became tighter and tighter, and he wanted to bounce up from the seat in an instant, but suddenly his shoulders sank, someone held him down, and when he looked back, it was Xu Ziyan who was standing behind him, Xu Ziyan shook his head calmly and slightly, and his sharp and thorough eyes suddenly calmed down his volcano-like emotions, but the lava in his heart was still burning and rolling.

Everyone sat for a while before leaving, Ruikang was the first to rush out of Mei's house, he didn't want to stay here for a minute, this little dilapidated yard gave him so much sweetness, shock and pain, he made love with her in the rain, for her for three days and three nights, boiled medicine for her, swore an alliance with her, and now he felt like a fool, not just a fool, but also a sinner. He left Mei's house in stride, without looking at her, and his heart ached.

The small courtyard of the Mei family was quiet again, Mei Ruojun slowly walked into the hall, lit three incense sticks, inserted them in the incense burner, and kowtowed three times to her parents' spirit card.

//

In a remote tavern in the city, in the lobby, there are a total of seven or eight tables, only two tables are sitting guests, a square table by the window, there are a few dishes of side dishes, and two pots of white wine, Zhou Ruikang has already been drunk, his cheeks are red, but he still holds the wine glass, looks up and drinks it all, pours another glass, and pours it into his mouth, Xu Ziyan next to him, snatched the wine pot from his hand, shook his head and said: "Hey, hey, enough is enough." Wine into the sorrow, the intestines are even more sorrowful. ”

Zhou Ruikang frowned, picked up another pot on the table and poured himself wine.

"Did getting drunk settle things?"

"Ruikang, you're playing with fire, how could you ...... How could you fall in love with ......" No matter how wise and calm Xu Ziyan was, he didn't expect Ruikang to fall in love with his sister-in-law, in the small courtyard of Mei's house in the afternoon, he had already seen it clearly.

"Huh!" Zhou Ruikang, with a sense of self-mockery, sneered at himself and drank another glass.

Xu Ziyan snatched his wine glass, frowned and said, "Don't drink it, what are you going to do?" Your wedding with Jiaqi is still half a month away. How do you do this as a groom? ”

"The bridegroom? Hehe...... Whoever loves to do it, I won't do it. ”

"What?" Xu Ziyan hurriedly asked, "What do you mean by this?" ”

Zhou Ruikang was drunk, felt a little dizzy, propped up the table, supported his forehead, closed his eyes, untied his neckline with one hand, and said, "Do you think I can marry Jiaqi like this?" ”

opened his somewhat hazy eyes and said with a wry smile: "It can only be a tragedy if she marries me." ”

"You're so persistent?"

"You also think I should marry Jiaqi?"

"No, I just don't think you can sink into the maelstrom. Even if you don't love Jiaqi, but there are thousands of women in the world, why bother with a Mei Ruojun......"

"Don't mention the name!" He frowned, slammed the wine glass on the table, stared at Xu Ziyan fiercely, grabbed the wine jug with one hand, and poured himself a few sips.

"Okay, well, I won't mention it. So what are you going to do now? ”

"I can't marry Jiaqi, I can't give her happiness, I'll go to Cheng's house tomorrow to withdraw from my relatives."

"This!" Xu Ziyan pushed down the glasses on the bridge of his nose, "Have you ever thought about the consequences?" ”

"The consequences? Scold! Ruikang smiled bitterly again and sighed: "The consequences are that the world is turned upside down, landslides and earth cracks, stormy waves, volcanic eruptions, Jiaqi and I broke up, Jiawei broke off relations with me, the Cheng family swept me out of the house, and my father and mother beat me up......" In fact, these things are part of the plan he has thought about a long time ago. It's just that now he is doing this, no longer for himself and Mei Ruojun's future, but for himself.

"Well, so be it, I'll go with you, so I'll be on the side to maneuver around for you." Xu Ziyan sighed and said.

Ruikang raised the wine jug to salute him, Xu Ziyan looked at him, shook his head, smiled heartily, and touched him with the wine jug in his hand, making a crisp "dang--" sound.

//

Zhou Ruikang stepped into the courtyard of the Zhou family with a drunken body, and was instructed by his subordinates to go to the hall to see his parents, and when he walked into the hall, Mrs. Zhou hurriedly pulled him and said happily: "Oh, you are finally back." Hurry, hurry, hurry. Your groom's wedding dress is ready, come and try to see if it fits, and if it doesn't, you can change it. ”

Ruikang looked at the mahogany tray on the table folded neatly, the handmade wedding dress, the dark red short coat embroidered with crimson bright thread countless Xi characters, he did not wear the wedding dress, he used to wear for his brother Ryan to marry Mei Ruojun, he still remembered the wedding day, her Xipa flew to his face, a glance, her face has since taken root in his heart, at this time he saw the wedding dress again, he only had pain in his heart, frowned, no interest at all, he turned around in frustration and walked out of the hall. confused the second elder of the Zhou family and the tailor.

"Stop!" Master Zhou shouted at him: "What are you crazy about?" Who owes you? ”

Mrs. Zhou smiled awkwardly, pulled Master Zhou, and looked at the tailor: "Master, there are outsiders here." ”

"Look at him, he is depressed all day long, he smells of alcohol, he looks depressed, and he doesn't look like a person who wants to get married at all." Master Zhou said angrily.

The tailor smiled busily: "Don't worry, the second young master can try it whenever he wants, and there is still time." With that, he retreated.

Mrs. Zhou hurriedly pulled her son back to the house, took a closer look, and couldn't help but be shocked, she had never seen so much pain in Ruikang's eyes, her heart was tight, and she hurriedly held his face and asked, "Child, what's wrong with you?" ”

He was silent, and Master Zhou said angrily: "I really don't understand, how many people outside can't even eat now, and he pampers him every day and has a sad face all day long, as if we parents have something to be sorry for him." Saying that, he sighed and kept shaking his head: "You tell us, what are you dissatisfied with?" Say! ”、

Ruikang raised his head, looked at his parents, frowned and said, "I'm not married!" ”

"What? Why? Master Zhou's eyes widened and he approached his son, he didn't understand this child, he didn't understand at all, he had done everything he could to get him the best life, why was he still unhappy.

"Because...... Because...... I don't love Jiaqi. He frowned.

"Love again! What exactly is love? The Cheng family and we are the right people, don't you and Jiaqi often go in and out, right? Now that the wedding date is in sight, you say that you will not get married? How do you ask your parents to behave? What do you want girls to do? Master Zhou asked again and again.

"This marriage was set by you for me, I never nodded, yes, I hesitated, tried to accept it, but I failed." He said excitedly: "Dad, mother, don't force me, otherwise I can only leave this house." ”

"You...... You...... You ......." Old Man Zhou trembled angrily and pointed his finger at his son, but he couldn't speak.

Mrs. Zhou hurriedly helped Master Zhou to sit down, looking at the painful and desperate look in her son's eyes, she knew that he was not joking, nor was he threatening his parents, he was struggling, he was trying to survive, she pulled her son and said tremblingly: "Ruikang, don't scare your mother, you don't really want to leave home, right?" ”

Ruikang didn't care about his mother's problem, and continued: "If you are afraid of losing face, then I will go to the Cheng family to withdraw from my relatives by myself, and I will bear all the consequences." ”

"You take it yourself? The reputation of our Zhou family for a hundred years, and the reputation of our two elders who have operated it for a lifetime, are about to be ruined in your hands, can you afford it? "Master Zhou's chest is undulating, his face is flushed, and the lines between his eyebrows and forehead are deeper.

"I'm sorry, Dad, please fulfill me." Seeing that his father was angry, Ruikang felt guilty and knelt down.

Master Zhou looked at the son in front of him, he looked so similar to himself when he was young, he was so good, he was the continuation of his own bloodline, he was angry again, and the father's love in his heart would not be broken, so he restrained his temper slightly. Suddenly, Master Zhou's eyes lit up and asked, "Ruikang, do you have another sweetheart?" ”

Ruikang was silent, Master Zhou blinked his eyes, and said: "If you have another sweetheart, then our parents always think of your lifelong happiness, even if you want to break the contract with the Cheng family, we will admit it, I will show this old face and withdraw from the marriage for you." It's a big deal to let the Cheng family scold. ”

"As long as the girl you like is innocent and has a good character, we will go to propose marriage immediately. Good no good? ”

Ruikang looked at his father with emotion, it turned out that his father was not an old stubborn who didn't care about his happiness, and he still loved himself in his father's heart, but the girl he liked...... The girl he liked...... How did he say it......

Ruikang's contradictory and unspeakable expression made Mrs. Zhou chuckle in her heart, and she couldn't help shaking two steps, she felt a little dizzy, propped up the table, and slowly sat down.

Ruikang looked at his father who was eager to know the answer, he was both weak and ashamed, although he had a passionate personality and pursued freedom, but he was not a person who did not abide by the law of etiquette, and the love affair between himself and Ruojun, whether it was in the past, present, or future, was against human ethics and was spurned.

"Dad, mother, I'm sorry, I can't say!" He said bitterly: "I'll say it myself about the Cheng family." With that, he stood up, turned and ran out of the hall.

Master Zhou looked at his wife suspiciously and asked, "He can't say it?" What does that mean? ”

Mrs. Zhou only felt her temples swell at this time, shook her head, her heart went up and down, and she smoothed her chest with her hand, trying to return her heartbeat to normal.

"Heck, he wouldn't have a crush on a woman who doesn't care, right?" Master Zhou stood up from the stool. "I'll ask him."

"No, sir, don't ask!" Mrs. Zhou grabbed her husband's arm to stop her, she knew too well the personalities of her husband and son, and she was afraid that under Master Zhou's questioning, Ruikang would blurt out the terrible truth for a while, and the reputation of this family and her two sons would be ruined in the future.

"Why? Don't you see his unspeakable look of suffering? There must be something hidden. Why don't you let me ask? ”

"Master, leave this matter to me, I'll talk to him."

Master Zhou looked at his wife suspiciously, nodded, indeed, his temper is irritable, in case he disagrees and conflicts with his son, it will only be a bad thing, he trusts his wife.

//

Ruikang returned to Yongmei Garden, in front of the desk, Xiao Shuzhi was engrossed in writing, his little face was bulging, his eyebrows were frowning, Zhao's mother was sitting on the side doing needlework, and looked at him with a smile, as if she was watching Ruikang read and write when he was a child.

Ruikang stepped forward and touched Shu Zhi's head to see what he was writing, thinking that he was copying the Four Books and Five Classics, but when he got closer, it turned out that Shu Zhi was copying the news in the newspaper, his font was neat, and he had copied several pieces of paper, all of which were news about Japan's invasion of China.

Ruikang sighed secretly, Shu Zhi didn't look up, and shouted in his mouth: "Big brother is good!" ”

"Hmm. What about your sister? ”

"I'm playing with Yanxi rag dolls, it's not interesting. They also talk to rag dolls, silly! ”

"Hehe" Ruikang touched his head again.

Mother Zhao smiled and said, "You kid, how can a girl be like you boys?" He looked up and said to Ruikang: "Yo, Second Young Master, you are drinking, I will pour you a cup of strong tea to sober up." ”

"Hmm."

After Zhao's mother went out, Ruikang fell on the bed with exhaustion, let out a long sigh of relief, and felt dizzy.

"Big brother, are you going to get married?" Shu Zhi asked suddenly, and the nerves that made Ruikang want to relax collapsed again.

"How do you know?" Ruikang looked sideways at him.

Shu Zhi moistened the brush, his attention was still on the pen and paper, but he said: "They are all talking, saying that you are going to marry a daughter-in-law." ”

Ruikang suddenly felt that he couldn't cry or laugh, how could the whole world know that he was getting married, and even in his bedroom, there were people talking about his marriage with him.

"Are you going to marry Sister Ruojun?" Shu Zhi stopped the pen in his hand and looked at Ruikang strangely.

Ruikang laughed bitterly twice, looked at the top of the bed, and sighed "Hey----", which seemed to sigh out the depression squeezed in his heart, shook his head and said, "No." ”

Shu Zhi shrugged his shoulders in disappointment, turned his head and continued to copy the newspaper, and said, "Sister Ruojun likes you." ”

Ruikang was even more surprised, how could this eight or nine-year-old boy say such a thing, he suddenly woke up a little drunk, sat up, looked at him curiously, and said, "How do you know?" ”

"When you left, she looked at your back in a daze."

"Really?" Ruikang's heart suddenly became joyful, "She looked at my back in a daze? ”

"Yes. It's like my mother looks at my father. ”

Ruikang looked at his round little face and really wanted to rush up and kiss him.

Shu Zhi suddenly shook his head again, sighed, and said with a serious face: "When I grow up, I will marry her." ”

"Poof! Haha" Ruikang was amused by his seriousness, walked out of bed, went to the desk, picked him up, put him on the bed, pinched his face, and joked: "Grab a woman with me, be careful that I beat you." He raised his fist as he spoke.

Shu Zhi tilted his head and said innocently: "You're going to marry someone else, my sister is unhappy, I want to marry her and make her happy." ”

Ruikang's heart became heavy again, put away his smile, shook his head, and said, "You don't understand. My brother doesn't want to marry someone else, but my brother can't marry my sister. Because, my sister is already married. He sat on the edge of the bed in pain, looked away from Shu Zhi's face, and pinched the corners of his eyes twice with his fingers.

"Then I'll go and grab her." Shu Zhi's eyes flashed.

Ruikang shook his head helplessly, and touched his head again, after all, he was still a child, how could he understand so many grievances and entanglements in the world?