At night, the slave lay on the bed, tossing and turning. She stared at the beams on the house, and there was the sound of rain outside. The raindrops fell from the eaves, ticking, ticking, and the slave's heart gradually fell silent.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

It was late at night, and the slave was a little suspicious, but she still got out of bed and opened the door.

The moment the door opened, she froze for a moment, and after a while, she turned sideways, "Come in." ”

It's Tong'an. His clothes were a little wet, and his eyes were full of sadness, indifference, and hatred. Such a look, the slave couldn't be clearer, because she once also had such eyes, and all the emotions hidden in her eyes.

"Will you help me?" Tong'an asked in a deep voice, he turned to look at the slave, "Tell me, you and them...... Is it the same? ”

The slave was silent for a moment before replying, "All the same." ”

"It's different." She chuckled, not knowing whether to mock others or herself. She continued, "Don't worry, I'll help you. Here we have a common enemy, a common goal, and we are just as helpless. We're too much alike. Tongan, do you understand? ”

"That's why you brought me back to Koyanagi-an. One is because we have experienced the same pain, and you pity me. The biggest reason is that you know that I have no choice but you. Together, you and I will surely be the most unbreakable one. I get it. The fact that the young Tong'an could say such a thing really shocked the slave. However, his next words shocked her even more.

"So be it. Together, "Tong'an's eyes are firm," take revenge. ”

Tong'an stepped forward and hugged the slave, "From today on, you are my fourth sister, Lu Tong'an's only sister." ”

After Tong'an left, Nu'er stared at the back of him leaving for a long time. She muttered,

"Actually, there is another reason. In my eyes, you're like a little ......."

She shook her head, sent away her sentimentality, and finally closed the door.

When the sky was bright, the slave finished washing and came to Shude Garden. As soon as he entered the door, the chief housekeeper Wang Fu greeted him with a smile, "It's not dawn yet, and the fourth lady is here." ”

Speaking of which, this Wang Fu is Lu Zhi's attendant and the chief butler in the general's mansion, and he is quite used by Lu Zhi. is called a subordinate, but he is actually half a master. The slave smiled faintly and saluted Wang Fu slightly, "Serving my father is really filial piety, and I don't dare to slack off." When Nu'er first arrived at Shude Garden, she hoped that Steward Wang would take care of her. ”

Wei Nu'er's voice is very gentle, giving people a sweet and glutinous feeling, like biting honey. She didn't take the young lady's shelf, but put her status very low, appeared humble and respectful, and was very sensible. Wang Fu nodded and said, "Miss is new to many things, and she is not familiar with many things. Today, I will wait outside the house, and when I am familiar with it, I will serve in the house. ”

After saying that, Wang Fu turned around and called Qiulan, and immediately a seventeen or eighteen-year-old delicate woman stepped forward and saluted respectfully.

"Qiulan, you put aside the things in your hands these days. Take the fourth lady to familiarize yourself with the things in the garden, such as how to welcome guests, salute, make tea, and hold the lamp, understand? Wang Fudao.

"Yes, don't worry, butler, Qiulan will do a good job." After saying that, Qiulan turned around, "Fourth Miss, please!" ”

The slave entered Shude Garden, Li Yuzhi felt uncomfortable, and he didn't sleep well at night, so he woke up early. Hearing the movement in the room, the painting screen immediately came in, and while tidying up Li Yuzhi's clothes, he said, "Why did Madame wake up so early today?" But what's uncomfortable? ”

Li Yuzhi got up lazily, "That Wei Nu'er got permission from the general to go to Shudeyuan, and the general even took her to the Qiongguang banquet." Can I sleep well? ”

"Madame is too worried, even if Wei Nu'er goes to Shude Garden, what she does is the work of her subordinates. Can't get it on the table. Picture Ping was relieved, "Madam, don't worry. ”

"Not worried?" Li Yuzhi sneered, "How can you not be worried?" Her mother tortured me when she was alive, and she still tortures me when she is dead. Let her daughter continue to torture me! Li Yuzhi's eyes bloomed with a terrifying essence, like a beast hunting prey in the jungle, keenly aware of potential danger. She waved her hand lightly and said, "Go and call Yinhua over, I have something to discuss with her." ”

The painting screen nodded and stepped back in amusement.

Shengjing in August was still quite hot, and it was already some days at noon. Li Yuzhi sat in front of the hall, holding his forehead with both hands, only to feel chest tightness and shortness of breath and uncomfortable. The noise outside the house is non-stop, which makes people even more irritable. Someone handed over a cup of tea, "Madam, this is the best tea in the palace a few days ago, it is the most suitable for cooling off, but do you want to taste it?" ”

Li Yuzhi glanced at the maid who delivered the tea, and then she took the teacup and took a sip, she suddenly sank her face, slammed the teacup on the ground, and reprimanded, "Dead slave, do you want to burn Mrs. Ben to death!" Pull it down, and the sun kneels down for three hours! ”

The maid knelt down in horror, and the tea spilled all over her body, but she didn't care about anything, and kept kowtowing to admit her mistake. Why didn't Li Yuzhi sit upright, not even wanting to look at her. Li Yuzhi's close maids all know that when the master is in a bad mood, she likes to punish people, and she likes to listen to other people's cries and begs for mercy, so as to satisfy her superiority sense of superiority and power. So no one stepped forward to take away the maid who delivered the tea, they just silently held their breath, praying that the fire in the master's heart would not burn themselves.

Slowly, the maid seemed to know that she was irretrievable, and her crying gradually became smaller. At this moment, a person walked in outside the house, she was wearing a royal blue placket long skirt, a moon-white shawl, willow eyebrows, cherry mouth, walking like a lotus step by step, swaying, it was Lu Yinhua, the eldest daughter of the general's mansion. The woman stepped forward and saluted respectfully, "Mother, Xia Japan is vigorous, don't be angry, so as not to hurt your body." ”

Lu Yinhua looked at the residue of this place, and immediately understood what was happening, she took a fan and stepped forward to gently shake the fan for Li Yuzhi, "This maid looks at the face, like a newcomer who doesn't understand the rules." The intention must be good, so why should the mother be angry with her? With that, she turned her head to the maid and smiled softly, and asked softly, "What's your name?" ”

The maid looked at Lu Yinhua timidly, and replied in a low voice, "Miss Hui, the slave's name is Qiuxin." ”

"Autumn Heart." Lu Yinhua nodded, still with a gentle smile on his face, "Good name." You go down, it's all right. ”

Qiu Xin was flattered, and was stunned for a long time before he reacted, and hurriedly kowtowed to thank him, and then retreated.

Lu Yinhua dispersed the slaves, and then poured tea for Li Yuzhi again, and when he poured the tea, he spoke unhurriedly, "Mother is impulsive today." Such a heavy punishment for a cup of tea will be labeled as a slave by someone with a heart once it spreads. It violates the benevolence advocated by the Holy Beings and greatly damages the reputation. The gains outweigh the losses. Having said that, Lu Yinhua had already served the teacup in front of Li Yuzhi, "But mother rest assured, Yinhua will not let such rumors appear." ”

"It's you who reassure me the most." Li Yuzhi rubbed the corners of his forehead, as if he had encountered something troublesome. Lu Yinhua asked, "There is still half a month before the Qiongguang banquet, but Yinhua saw that his mother had been absent-minded recently and had no intention of preparing. ”

"That Venus is a thorn in my heart, and she used to be under my control, but now she makes me uneasy." Li Yuzhi looked at Lu Yinhua and said earnestly, "Yinhua, you have grown up, she has also grown up, and gradually has the power to resist." And your father's softness for her, intentionally or unintentionally, makes me feel like a thorn in my throat. Can't live in peace. ”

"Since it's a thorn, just pull it out." Lu Yinhua said with a smile.

Li Yuzhi came to his senses and asked, "Do you have a plan?" ”

When he came out of Ripple Garden, it was already dusk, and Lu Yinhua only took a maid, Mengyun, to go back along the path. She didn't say a word along the way, and Mengyun couldn't help but ask, "What is Miss thinking?" ”

"You go check Qiuxin."

"Miss is trying to ......"

Lu Yinhua looked at the sky, "Mengyun, look, the sun is setting, and it's getting dark." ”

Shengjing is really a strange place, it is still very hot during the day, but there is a hint of coolness at night. Walking in the hallway, the slave shivered coldly.

Qiulan seemed to notice it, so she stopped and asked, "Fourth Miss is cold?" Before the slave could reply, Qiulan had already untied her cloak and draped it over the slave's shoulders, and while fastening her belt, she said, "In Shengjing, the night is always colder than the day. Miss must remember to bring a cloak when you go out at night in the future. ”

The cloak also carried Qiulan's body temperature and a faint scent of soaphorn, and Nu'er never thought that in addition to Bai Shuanghe and the girl in her memory, there would be others who cared about her and gave her warmth. She looked down at the cloak that was already draped over her, it was not a gorgeous and extravagant fabric, but it was cut from the cheapest green cloth on the market, but she felt that it was better than all Ayara. She hesitated and asked, "Aren't you cold when you gave me your cloak?" ”

I saw Qiulan walking in front, turned around and smiled, "It's not cold, I'm used to it." Dress it up, it's warmer. ”

The slave will never forget Qiulan's unadulterated smile, the second such smile she had ever seen since her mother's death, and even her eyes were glowing. She thought she would never be able to be so unbridled, never so pure to laugh.

In fact, the slave knows very well in her heart that this kind of warmth is what she dreams of, or rather, she wants to be a person with such a smile. She yearns for kindness, but can only go to hell.

Therefore, she can only silently record this warmth in her heart, and give them the greatest protection when they come to the next day, when they soar in the future, and when they turn the world upside down.

Qiulan walked ahead, holding a red candle in her hand, and lit the lamps one by one along the corridor. Her shadow was stretched long by the candlelight, and the slave seemed to see her long road that seemed to never end.

The slave lowered her eyes slightly.

Mother, can you see my hardships in heaven?