He found that she had noticed the marks on her face, contrary to her full expectation of this family business, he was only full of contradictions about this family business, the Jiaqi in front of him was beautiful, empathetic, gentle and generous, and wholehearted, and even better than Mei Ruojun in many places, Ruojun's thinking was too old-fashioned to keep up with his revolutionary rhythm, he and Ruojun might be able to talk about poetry and ancient music, but he couldn't talk to her about national affairs, revolutionary future, political ambitions, she belonged to the dusty world of the past, but Jiaqi is different, she has thoughts, wisdom, talent, and courage, she is almost impeccable, as if God specially created it for him, but so what? He couldn't fool his heart, he was just attracted by that miserable, lost, lonely and helpless figure, which always lingered in his mind.

He didn't know that his brows were tightly knit and his face was full of trouble, and Jiaqi had already seen it in her eyes, and she asked tentatively, "Ruikang, do you have something to say to me?" ”

"Hmm," he hesitated for a moment, groaned, looked around, his classmates had gradually dispersed, he thought for a while, and said, "Let's go for a walk by the lake." As she spoke, she slowly walked towards the shore of the unnamed lake, Cheng Jiaqi followed silently, and the closer she got to the lake, her heart sank to the bottom of the lake.

The surface of the unnamed lake is wide and calm, the lake water is clear and translucent, reflecting the slim tower shadow, the scenery is beautiful and romantic, the two came to a quiet corner, the calm water surface is in stark contrast to the undulating thoughts in the hearts of the two of them, she knows what he wants to say, but she still wants to wait for him to say it himself, he frowned hesitantly, the corners of his mouth pulled down slightly, and finally he slowly said: "I'm sorry, Jiaqi, I can't ......"

Before he finished speaking, her heart was broken, she kept saying to herself in her heart to be strong, she must not cry, she must hold on, she must endure, although she bit her lower lip tightly, but her tears still betrayed her, and her tears rolled down her face.

When he saw her tears, he immediately stopped what he said, he thought she was strong and she could understand him, but her tears made him feel that his 'thoughts' were all wrong.

"You don't have to say it, I understand. I know your heart belongs. Jiaqi took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears, she is indeed strong, but strong people will also be hurt and sad.

Her words surprised him, she knew? Is it so obvious that you are showing yourself? Could it be that the secret buried in his heart is already known to everyone? He looked at her face, her tears made him feel unbearable, he was never a ruthless person, he didn't want to hurt her, he couldn't say cruel words, so he chose to be silent.

"Mei Ruoli is lively and lovely, intelligent and agile, and indeed likable. I understand. She smiled reluctantly, hoping to hide her sadness and embarrassment.

Well? Mei Ruoli? Zhou Ruikang was stunned for a moment, wondering how she could associate herself with Mei Ruoli, and after a while, she remembered, ah! Yes, when I went to the movies with Ruoli that time, I met Jiaqi and Jiawei in the movie theater, yes, it must be because of this, Ruikang felt that his peach blossom luck was really a little too good, and now it has become a bunch of confused accounts that can't be explained and entangled.

"Jiaqi, don't get me wrong, it has nothing to do with Ruoli, I'm just not ready." He wanted to be as tactful as possible, but his eloquence didn't seem to show up at all when it came to romance.

Her tears, her sadness, made him sad, and he tried to comfort her, saying, "Jiaqi, maybe we should give each other a little time." ”

"You...... You're not going to get out of the marriage? Jiaqi's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope, and her tear-dried, face, was full of anticipation.

"I ......" Ruikang felt that he was stupid, the more he said this, the more he went back, he hesitated and thought about it, the shadow in his heart is always a dream, maybe he can spark with Jiaqi, maybe another day, she can replace the shadow in her heart, she is so good, she must be able to put the restless * in her heart right, it is better to try it.

"If you're willing, let's not talk about marriage first, shall we?"

Jiaqi didn't quite understand what he was trying to say, and her eyes searched hard for an answer on his face.

Ruikang took a breath and said, "I think love is the foundation of marriage, and when we have a foundation, can we talk about marriage?" ”

She frowned lightly and pondered, she was disappointed in her heart, his words were obviously saying that he didn't love her, she loved him, but she was also dignified, she was arrogant in her bones, and although his words were very tactful, they still hurt her.

She shook her head and said, "Why don't you just say that you want to get out of the marriage?" Ruikang didn't expect her to be so direct, he glanced at her, and there was anger on her face, thinking that he was already angry, and her directness made him not know how to answer.

Jiaqi looked at his handsome face, and was reluctant in her heart, but she also knew that he would never compromise with the words of his parents' matchmaker, rather than forcing him to accept this marriage, it was better not to, she took a breath and whispered very quickly: "I agree to withdraw from the marriage." ”

After saying that, he stopped looking at him, turned around and walked away quickly, Ruikang looked at her back blankly, feeling both relieved and ashamed and guilty in his heart, which made him have another inexplicable burden for a while.

Sitting on the grass by the lake, looking at the shadows of the trees and towers reflected on the surface of the lake, constantly shaking in the ripple marks on the surface of the water, he felt very uncomfortable in his heart. After a while, suddenly someone patted him on the shoulder, Ruikang turned his head and saw that it was a chubby female classmate, Ruikang didn't know her, and was wondering, the female classmate suddenly took out a few banknotes and some copper plates and handed them to him.

"What is this?" Ruikang asked.

"Cheng Jiaqi asked me to transfer it to you, saying that if you don't have money, how will you go home? So let me give you this money. ”

Ruikang was stunned, his heart only shook, and the female classmate stuffed the money in his hand and ran away.

What did you do? What did you say? What a good woman she is, how much she loves herself, she is so careful and considerate, after she said such ruthless words, she actually thought about giving herself the fare to go home, and remembered that she has known her so far, she has always been silently supporting herself behind herself, surrounding herself, and she really neglected her too much. Ruikang held the money left by Jiaqi, stood up violently, and looked for her everywhere, but there was no trace of her on the huge campus.

//

When Ruikang returned to the Zhou family with Shu Zhi and Xunmei, who were all dirty, the second elder of the Zhou family was displeased, but the second elder of the Zhou family, who had always regarded himself as benevolent and righteous, still endured his dissatisfaction and let Zhao's mother and Cuiliu take the two children to take a bath and change clothes first.

"Ruikang, how can you casually bring outsiders home?" Mrs. Zhou complained.

"Yes, even if you sympathize with them and pity them, you must discuss with us first." Master Zhou also complained.

"I can't turn a blind eye, their parents were killed by the Japanese, they came to Beiping with refugees, and they relied on well-wishers to give them some food to sustain their lives along the way, Xun Mei is also sick, do I want to watch them starve to death and freeze to death on the street?" Ruikang said.

"You kid is really ignorant, do you know that the world is different now, our family's land rent, rent can't be collected, our family has a large population, and it is already very difficult to support a large family. If you want to do good, do what you can. And now that there are so many refugees and orphans, are you going to bring them all home? Mrs. Zhou said unhappily, what she said was the truth, in the days of war and chaos, the dead died, and the escaped, although Beiping was temporarily fine, but those who rented land and rented each had their own difficulties, which was the result of a loss.

"Then I'll give them my portion." He was in a bad mood and his tone was not good, although he knew that his mother was telling the truth, but he also knew that the family was not so difficult that he could not even afford to raise two children, and he did not want to have another head-on conflict with his parents, so he turned around and walked out of the hall and returned to his own Yongmei Garden.

"This kid ......," Mrs. Zhou sighed and shook her head.

"That's it, since you have brought it back, let's stay, it is also a matter of doing good deeds and accumulating virtue." Master Zhou frowned and spat out a puff of smoke rings.

After a while, Zhao's mother came to the hall with Shu Zhi, who had finished changing, and the second elder of the Zhou family looked at the child, and saw that he had a round face and a wide forehead, clear eyebrows, white and clean, although he was thin, a pair of black and white eyes were bright and flashing, and he was not afraid of a strange environment, and his whole body was full of spirit. The two elders had a good feeling in their hearts, and they exchanged glances with each other, and the corners of their mouths were slightly raised.

Mother Zhao also liked it very much, pulled him forward to show the second elder of the Zhou family, and said with a smile in her mouth: "Old lady, you see, I took a bath and changed my clothes, but it is really different, this dress is still from the second young master's childhood, I have been keeping it, and I put it on for him today, and it fits perfectly, at first glance, it looks the same as the second young master when he was a child." ”

Although Mrs. Zhou was worried about the family's expenses, she looked at Xiao Shuzhi's cute appearance, and she liked it very much, and asked him his name and age, and Shu Zhi also answered generously.

Master Zhou saw that he was talking and slinging, and his words and deeds were also polite, not like ordinary children, and asked him about the situation in his family, only to know that his father was a local squire in the northeast, and the Japanese occupied their house and killed more than a dozen people in the whole family, they were escorted out by the old housekeeper and fled all the way to Beiping with the refugees, but the old housekeeper died of illness not long after he arrived in Beiping, and his brother and sister could only sit on the street every day and wait for some food to live.

After listening to the experience of their brother and sister, the second elder of the Zhou family also became sad in his heart, recently the Japanese have become more and more rampant, and even the city of Beiping has begun to be unpeaceful, those pro-Japanese traitors are constantly moving around, although everyone tries not to say it, but everyone feels the dark cloud hanging in their hearts.

Mrs. Zhou stopped worrying and asked, "What about the little girl?" ”

Mother Zhao said: "Oh, when I took her to take a bath just now, I happened to meet the eldest and youngest grandmother, it was the eldest and youngest grandmother who took a bath for the little girl, and the little girl still had some fever, took medicine, and rested in the eldest and youngest grandmother's room." ”

Mrs. Zhou nodded, lowered her head and thought for a moment and said, "It's okay, let these two children live with Ruojun." ”

Mother Zhao nodded and took Xiao Shu Zhi to the chrysanthemum garden, Ruojun was very happy, welcomed Shu Zhi warmly, and arranged him in the small hall, while Xun Mei lived with her.

After everything was arranged, Ruojun returned to the bedroom and looked at Xunmei who was sleeping soundly on the bed, about five or six years old, with a beautiful appearance, thin eyelashes, a pointed chin, and white and tender skin, she must be a beautiful woman in the future, but she was too thin and there was no flesh on her cheeks. Ruojun put her face on her forehead, and she was still a little burned, tucked the quilt corner for her, touched her little face, and leaned on the bedside flipping through the book.

She is happy from the bottom of her heart for the arrival of Shu Zhi and Xunmei, at least the chrysanthemum garden is no longer deserted, she doesn't have to be lonely, with the company of two children, she feels that her life has meaning again, she has to take care of them, first of all, let them get fat and healthy, and then she can teach them to read and write, play with them, she put down the book, and couldn't help but look at Xunmei's face, couldn't help but smile slightly, bent down and said softly in her ear: "Don't be afraid, with me with you, you sleep well, When I woke up, my sister made you something to eat. ”

After saying that, she felt a little funny, how did she talk to herself to a sleeping strange child, and after a while she understood that she was too lonely, too lonely, she needed someone to rely on herself, so that she felt that she was valuable, and life had content, for this, she was grateful to Ruikang for bringing Shu Zhi and Xunmei back.