After the incident of the girl in purple ended, I have been losing something for a long time, and even playing with Xiaohua and them is always absent-minded. Grandma Teng had already learned the outcome of the matter from Chang Daochang, she was very worried about me, but she didn't say anything to me, just asked Xiao Hua to follow me and find a way to make me happy. Xiaohua and I used to play together a lot, and we had a good relationship, but wherever I go now, he follows him wherever he goes, never leaving an inch, which makes me cry and laugh.

After school that day, Xiaohua followed me again as usual, and when I was about to get home, I said to Xiaohua, "Let's not go home and do our homework yet." Let's race to see who gets to the city gate first, and then runs home! Whoever wins, can ask the loser for five marbles, the biggest and most beautiful marbles! ”

Xiaohua touched his head: "It's good, it's good, but there are only two of us, how can we be sure that we both ran back when we arrived at the city gate?" ”

"Well, isn't there a stall making plum cakes by the city gate? Whoever runs there will buy two plum blossom cakes and bring them back, won't that prove it? ”

Xiaohua said happily: "Okay, that's it!" ”

So he happily chose a small alley, waved at me, and ran to the city gate. The old city gate is not too far from our old house, one stop by car. However, the stall selling plum blossom cakes by the city gate had a good business, and Xiaohua went to buy cakes, but he had to queue up for a long time. I didn't want to compete with Xiaohua at all, I just wanted to go home alone and stay quietly. When he came back, I would "lose" to him my five biggest, most beautiful marbles, which he had always liked so much, but had always been too embarrassed to ask me for.

I went back to the old house alone, it's really quiet today, Grandma Teng probably went to the little sister's house to play mahjong again; Aunt Liao took Dahu and Xiaoshi to a relative's house in Shanghai as a guest; My parents haven't come back from work yet, and I'm the only one in the last entry.

As I walked up the wooden staircase, thinking about what to do back in my room, I suddenly heard faint footsteps coming from the empty room next to the stairs, as if there was the sound of moving things.

Hey? This empty house originally lived in Grandma Gu's family, and after Grandma Gu died, the others moved away. The room was always empty, empty, and almost no one approached it except for me, who rarely went in to take a look.

Could it be that Grandma Gu is back again?

I subconsciously looked outside, it was still very bright.

As I approached the empty house, I could hear a sound through the door, as if it was pushing and pulling something heavy.

Who will it be? Curious, I approached the door, but the sound suddenly stopped. I thought about it for a moment and reached out to push the door hard. The door opened as soon as I pushed it, and I was even more sure that someone was inside. "Who's in there? Anyone? As I spoke, I walked in.

Wow! What's going on!

I froze, my eyes wide open, and I couldn't even move my feet when I stood there, as if someone had pointed at me.

The house that was once empty is now full of things. A pale yellow wooden bed is placed horizontally in the middle of the room at the back. The bed is not big, but the style is very strange, there are bed boards on three sides, and the bed boards at both ends are hollowed out and carved with many intricate patterns, flowers, grasses, insects, fish, people, birds and beasts, all available. The bed board on the back is shorter than the one at the ends, and the pattern on it is large and delicate, like two peacocks (probably phoenixes in retrospect) with long, ornate feathers. The strangest thing is that the bed also has a roof, a two-tiered wooden roof propped up by two bed boards. The front and back of the entire bed roof are full of hollow patterns, which is really beautiful! There was also a pale pink gauze tent hanging from the top of the bed, and two golden hooks delicately lifted the gauze tent. On the bed are two satin quilts embroidered with peacock (phoenix) motifs. One is pale green and the other is bright red. Next to the bed was a small dresser of the same color with a round mirror (fortunately, I often read martial arts novels and knew about dressers), with a small carved stool in the shape of an oval. On the dressing table was a wooden box, also pale yellow, delicately carved with a gold lock carved into the shape of two flowers together. The box is also lined with a piece of red flannel. In front of the bed there is a small round table with two small round stools underneath. On the other side of the wall, there was a very low, long coffee table with pen, ink, paper, and inkstones, and several strangely shaped jars like tree roots.

The whole room is filled with a faint smell of sandalwood, giving people a sense of elegance. I thought to myself: I seem to have accidentally broken into the boudoir of some young lady! turned to a wry smile, I've probably read too many martial arts novels recently, what age is it now, and where is there any Miss Qianjin? The owner of this house is probably a very nostalgic person.

Well? Why is there no one in the house? I was so caught up in the furnishings of the house that it took me a long time to remember why I had entered the house. I quickly searched everywhere, and there was no one else in the room but me! Strange, who made the footsteps and moving things I just heard? I couldn't help but mumble.

"Are you looking for me? Little sister. ”

I was gently tapped on the shoulder from behind, and a gentle voice suddenly sounded in my ears, and I jumped up in fright, and turned to see a man in a gray tunic, black trousers, and black leather shoes standing silently behind me.

It was a man of about thirty years of age, with outstanding facial features, very white skin, and a gentle smile on his face, but there was some melancholy and sadness in his eyes that was not appropriate for his age.

"Are you new to moving in today? I haven't seen you before! …… I live in the second house around the corner, and I've used to come in and have a look, so today I ...... "I'm a little embarrassed to explain why I broke into this house on my own."

"It's okay. Little sister, since you're here, come and sit down! The man, still smiling gently, closed the door, and motioned for me to pull out a small round stool under the round table and sit down, and he sat on the other round stool.

I sat down on a stool and couldn't help but look at the furniture curiously.

"Little sister, do you think these pieces of furniture are beautiful?"

"Of course it's beautiful! These pieces of furniture are antiques, right? I've only seen it on TV before, and I've never seen it up close! ”

The man smiled and didn't answer, but he looked happy.

"Little sister, we are neighbors. You'll come back often in the future! ”

"Okay. Well, uncle, what's your last name? What do I call you? ”

"My surname is Chen, Erdong Chen."

"Uncle Chen! Do you live here alone? I stared at the wooden box on the dresser and asked casually.

The man's body stiffened, and the smile on his face became a little forced: "Yes! …… I love living alone! ”

"However, the furnishings of this room are like the boudoir of the young lady! …… Oh, I mean, the furniture looks like it's for women! As I said it bluntly, a layer of bitterness appeared on the man's face, the sadness in his eyes became very obvious, and the whole person was enveloped in a desolation.

I realized that I had said the wrong thing and was very embarrassed: "Well, well, Uncle Chen, I'm sorry, I'm talking nonsense." My mother often said that I 'lack heart, no brain, and don't understand human feelings', don't be angry! ”

“…… Never mind. This room was meant for someone else! The man smiled reluctantly, half comforting me, half comforting himself.

Others? It must be a woman. Could it be his wife? But this time, I finally didn't ask this sentence out of the blue.

I had to turn my head and continue to look at the wooden box on the dresser. What's in such a delicate locked box? Silver? Jewelry? Jewelry? I was guessing in my mind.

"Little sister, you've been looking at that wooden box, do you like it very much?" The man asked me when he saw that I had been staring at the dresser.

"yes. The pattern on it is so beautifully carved! ”

"Little sister, do you want to see what's in it?" The man suddenly perked up and regained his gentle smile.

"Okay!" I didn't think much about it before I agreed.

The man stood up, walked over to the dresser, and picked up the wooden box in both hands. Then he walked over to the round table and placed the wooden box on it. "Little sister, after you see the contents of it, can you help me do something?" The man put his hand on the golden lock of the box and asked me earnestly.

Look at the things inside, there have to be conditions! I'm a little upset.

"Little sister, I don't know anyone here except you. So I want you to help me, will you agree? The man's tone was almost pleading, and his eyes sparkled with a joy at the sight of hope.

I hesitated, but nodded, "Okay." But I'm just a kid, what can I do for you? ”

"It's good if you agree. Let's take a look at what's in the box first! The man calmed himself down, twisted his hand on the golden lock a few times, and the two closed flowers parted.

He opened the wooden box and placed it carefully in front of me. When I looked at it, the bottom of the box was lined with large pieces of velvet inlaid with gold thread, and the four walls of the box were carved with four vivid thrushes, and the eyes, beaks, and feathers were inlaid with sparkling gems. And there was only a comb made of unknown materials, yellowish in color, and a few cracks on the velvet! I couldn't hide my disappointment that such an inconspicuous old comb was in such a beautiful box.

"Little sister, you've seen the contents of this box, can you help me do something?" The man asked me very seriously, still very seriously.

Although I feel cheated, I can't go back on what I promised. "Well, what do you want me to do for you?"

"Did you really say yes? Okay, so now let's hear a story from me. "The story? I wondered, did he ask me for help, did he just tell me to listen to stories? "After listening to the story, you can help me do this. The story I want to tell is the story of the white jade comb in front of you! ”