The kisses entered the courtyard, and the sound of firecrackers and laughter filled the front and back of the courtyard.

I don't know who put a red hijab on Gu Xinyi, and I don't know who came in to spread the word. Cui Ying and Xin Ye'er walked out of the boudoir with her in their arms and walked towards the old hall. She didn't care whether she worshiped her ancestors or kowtowed to her parents, she just did it mechanically. Zhu Qiaozhen and the people who didn't know who were walking in front of them, and the strong smell of osmanthus head oil was designated by Zhu Qiaozhen. I'm still muttering about her head this morning, but it's a pity for the newly bought hair oil. Because she doesn't like that, she likes the light Roland fragrance in the foreign shampoo powder (1).

I don't remember how many times I got up and knelt down over and over again, and I don't want to remember, and I even have the idea of skipping this day. It's a pity that she can't do it, and only vaguely remembers what her father said: "Go, the door of the Gu family will always be open for you, and you will always be the meat of my Gu Qingyuan's heart." When do you want to come back and ask Ji Tang to accompany you, or ask Xin Ye'er to send a letter, and your Uncle Gu will pick you up at any time. Her heart was so sad that she dared to shed tears after sitting in the sedan chair. Can you come back casually after this trip? That gate is no longer guarded by two tigers? Since it's the meat of your heart, you still want to throw me into the wolf's den?

The sedan chair swayed and walked forward, went out of Nangujia Hutong to the east, and entered Dongkou South Street to the north. Xin Ye'er said that the route is to go straight to Loudong Street and turn left, turn right to Wenyue Building and enter Loubei Street, turn left at the West Street Entrance of Department Road, and go straight to the new aunt's house. Gu Xinyi didn't listen to half a word, and her mind was full of thoughts about what Fan Junsheng said last night. Yes, she could wait, wait for him to complete his ideal and come back to her, but she is not appointed. If the Ji family is really as terrible as the legend says, she would rather commit seven out (2) and be swept away. But she will insist on living, she believes that one day he will come back, she believes that "Uncle Le" said "one lock, one core, one key, choose one person to promise a lifetime", she believes that there is no mistake Fan Junsheng.

When passing by Wenyue Tower and turning the corner, the sedan curtain was lifted by the wind and a gap two fingers wide. Gu Xinyi inadvertently looked outside through the corner of the hijab, and there were a lot of people watching the excitement on the roadside. Suddenly, I saw a familiar figure - Junsheng's mother. The curtain hung down instantly, and she only saw that Junsheng's mother was a little anxious when she pulled someone to speak. She wished it was him, even if he didn't have the guts to snatch the kiss, at least he could look at him more. No, it's okay not to see it, what man is willing to bear the beloved woman he marries? His mind is used to think about big things, and he shouldn't have to bear such sadness. The thought flashed, and her heart returned to its normal fluctuation range with the sedan curtain.

After arriving at the Ji family, he also worshiped this and that mechanically, more than in the Gu family. Gu Xinyi's legs were completely numb, and Xin Ye'er's sentence alone: "Xin Ye'er thank my in-laws for my young lady" at least a hundred times. It wasn't until she was pulled into the new house in the East Cross Courtyard by a piece of red silk that her legs were freed. The man who went out with her worshippers, still covered with her head. Cui Ying stood next to her, and Xin Ye'er was busy in front of the table for a while, neatly placing the red seal in the wooden box she brought from home, and came to report the number and stood there. She understands that this is the Ji family, it is her new house, and her title will be called the second young grandmother by this family, and only Xin Ye'er and Cuiying will call her Miss, they are her own people.

On this day, she didn't eat a drop of rice, and Cuiying and Xin Ye'er took turns to have lunch. She still didn't eat dinner, and she couldn't figure out why she didn't eat it, and the two girls didn't move with her. As the night wore on, her heart panicked inexplicably, and then turned into fear. In the middle of the night, the wolf would show its true nature, and she could clearly feel her body trembling.

There was two knocks on the door before it was pushed open without waiting for a response, and a heavy footstep accompanied by the strong smell of alcohol went from the outer room to the inner room. Through the gap in the corner of her hijab, she saw a man approaching crookedly, and her heart was about to break. She heard Xin Ye'er and Cui Ying shouting that her uncle had gone out and brought her to the door. A large hand ripped off her hijab, and a pair of misty triangular eyes appeared in front of her, and there was a pungent smell of alcohol. The smoke made her want to vomit, she hurriedly fled to the side, she wanted to go home.

A large hand grabbed her by the arm and threw her onto the bed. She jumped out of bed and rushed to the outer room, and just as the latch could reach it, she was pulled back and dragged inside. She desperately cried for help: "Help! Cuiying, New Ye'er—"

The door opened, and Xin Ye'er poked her head in and asked, "What's wrong?" Miss? ”

Before she could speak, she was pushed down, and the man glared and shouted at the door, "Fuck you!" Stinky girl! Do you want to see Lao Tzu's cave house? "Bang Chang" closed the door and latched.

She got up and ran again, but was caught by the man and ripped off her wedding dress. After throwing herself on the bed, she ran down again to run, but he still threw her down and dragged her ankle back...... She cried, her face full of tears. He didn't have the slightest mercy, threw her to the bed with all his might, and tore her clothes one by one...... She struggled desperately, cried desperately, and there was no other way but to cry!

This night was the most difficult night for her, she struggled again and again but was ravaged by force, and she didn't close her eyes until dawn. The man was asleep, but she was crying. She cried all day, her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and she never left the room. Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law came to call her to dinner, but she ignored no one and just cried. It wasn't until midnight that Xinye'er reminded her to rest, because after dawn they and the new aunt returned to the door (3), and the old lady would be sad to see her like this.

She finally slept, and slept beautifully until the sun rose. That person didn't come that night, so she could sleep well. After washing, I was accompanied by Xin Ye'er to the front hall to see the family. Those fake intimacy in fake anger made her remember those people. The person with a smile on his face is his father-in-law Ji Wenhua; A girl screaming is her mother-in-law Ji Han; With a limp leg and a face full of scum, it is the eldest brother Ji Guang; Just approached is the sister-in-law Ji Ying with a rich balsam (4) flavor; When he spoke, he shook his head and shook his head, and it was the little uncle Ji Xi; The well-dressed beast with small triangular eyes is Xianggong Jitang.

After breakfast and preparing to go back to the door, Ji Tang personally selected more than a dozen gift boxes; Arrange a two-handler mustache named Hei Wu to set up the carriage, and move a stool for her to sit in the carriage with Xin Ye'er and Cui Ying. After going out, Ji Tang also got into the car, and Hei Wu and another girl, Erni, sat diagonally on both sides of the car holding the gift box. The short road from Jiedao West Street to Gujia Hutong understands a lot of truths. For example, Erni said that after getting married, she is her mother-in-law's family, and when she goes back to her parents' house, she is not free when she is a girl, and she must report good news and not bad news; The behavior must show harmony between the husband and wife and avoid the disagreement between the two new parents. Only then did she remember the contrived expression on Xi'er's face when she returned to the door that year, and every woman has to experience feelings. Then there is Ji Tang's gentle and humble care, a shallow smile on his face, and the enthusiasm of "our father" and "our mother", which makes her deeply understand what hypocrisy is.

On this day at the Gu family, Gu Xinyi was surrounded by a peaceful atmosphere. Everyone was smiling and greeting each other affectionately, and it seemed that the entire Gu family was looking forward to her going back. She found that her parents were different from before, and they kept caring about whether she was used to living and eating, and her mother even took her hand to wipe her tears. What if you can't get used to living and eating? Why didn't you care so much about it before, and didn't ask her if she was happy to marry?

That night, Ji Tang stayed in her room again, and she didn't struggle anymore or cry. But this does not mean that she is not in pain, she decided to grit her teeth and endure it, she will stay up until Fan Junsheng comes back to pick her up. She remembered what he said, "As long as the heart does not die, there must be hope", and waited for his victory.

From the fifth day after the visit, Ji Tang always consciously or unconsciously mentioned the trading houses, shops and swastika lock shops on Loudong Street. Rather than reminiscing about the scene when they were children, it is better to ask about the thirteen. A few days later, in the evening, had dinner. Ji Tang asked the fat girl to set up a fruit plate in the room to make fragrant tea, and then took Cuiying and Xin Ye'er away, and pulled Gu Xinyi to sit down and chat. Ji Tang first talked for a while about how good his father-in-law and mother-in-law were, how kind Uncle Gu and Aunt Qiao Zhen were, and said that Gu Xinyi was a little inexplicable, and he didn't want to say a word to him. Ji Tang suddenly changed his words and said gently: "I heard that the craftsmanship of this swastika is unparalleled in the world, how good it would be if I could see it!" ”

"Then ask your neighbors, many of them visited Swastika 10 years ago." Gu Xinyi said lightly.

"Ma'am, tea." Ji Tang smiled and changed a cup of hot tea and handed it to her. She didn't take it, she didn't drink tea, and she didn't touch the peeled pear. I just heard him go on to say, "What good thing can those people have?" It is said that Swastika Thirteen has a thing called the Seven Tricks Exquisite Brocade Box at the bottom of the box, and it shows his true skills on it. ”

"Oh?" Gu Xinyi instantly understood, why he was so diligent today, it was nothing more than her seven-trick exquisite brocade box. He couldn't believe it if he wanted to say that there was no such thing, so he simply turned his heart and said coldly: "That's my personal thing, and there's nothing in it." My mom and dad never asked, and no one should even think of beating it. Which one wants to come hard, unless I die! ”

"Hehehe, what did Madame say? Who would dare? Whoever dares to have a bad heart, I Ji Tang will not let him go! Hehehe, Mrs. drinks tea and eats pears. Ji Tang stood up with a smile, patted Gu Xinyi's shoulder and turned out.

It was late at night, Gu Xinyi wanted to sleep and was worried that Ji Tang would come back in the middle of the night to call the door and make noise, so she asked Cui Ying to go over and test it.

Cuiying was originally timid, so she pulled Xin Ye'er together, and the two cautiously came to the study to get closer. Suddenly, I heard a tantrum inside: "Bastard thing! Ming'er continues to look for me, if you live to see people and die, you have to see corpses! It was Ji Tang's voice, which scared the two of them not to leave. Then I heard Black Five's voice answering: "Yes, yes, the little one understands!" ”

"Humph! Be careful! Don't let others be suspicious! Ji Tang's voice was again, as if he was trying his best to suppress it.

"Yes, Second Young Master, there is no other command, the little one will go down." Black Friday is usually submissive.

The two girls were so frightened that they didn't dare to go to the study, turned around and went back to the house where Gu Xinyi lived, and returned the words they heard to Gu Xinyi as they were. She was not very surprised, hesitated for a moment and said coldly: "These wolf cubs are not sure who will harm them!" Don't go, you two take a bunk and sleep in the outhouse. ”

They were already afraid, and they agreed again and again. They believe that no matter how bad the Ji family is, they will be a little scrupulous about Miss Gu.

Ji Tang didn't come back that night, probably sleeping in the study again.

Two days later, in the morning, when everyone was having breakfast in the front hall, Gu Xinyi asked Xin Ye'er to go back to the room to get the card, and found Erni rummaging in her room for something. As soon as Xin Ye'er asked, she actually quibbled and said that she would help the young grandmother clean up the room, and Xin Ye'er hurriedly ran back to report to Gu Xinyi in public. Ji Tang, who was eating next to him, was furious when he heard this, and asked Hei Wu to pull Erni over immediately and beat him thirty times in public. immediately warned everyone that whoever entered the house without the consent of the second young lady would be beaten if he was caught.

Erni's deterrent effect is indeed very great, and many people dare not approach Gu Xinyi's room, and no one even dares to go in alone to deliver tea, food, and clean the yard. However, the matter did not end because of this, but made Gu Xinyi feel more and more uneasy. She often heard the sound of the sound when she slept, and the objects in the room were always not in their original places, and it was unlikely that she would calculate them carefully during the day. Because since Erni was beaten, other girls didn't even dare to come to this courtyard, and only Cuiying, Xin Ye'er, and Ji Tang came and went freely.

When she was about to go to bed that day, she suddenly felt a little flustered, so she went to the dresser and opened the dresser she had brought from her mother's house. Pull out the small drawer at the bottom and scare the soul is gone: the brocade box is gone! Her precious seven-trick exquisite brocade box is gone!

Cuiying and Xin Ye'er outside heard the cry and hurried in, and helped the pale Gu Xinyi from the ground to sit on the side of the bed. When asked carefully, they also looked at each other, they didn't know that the makeup box had a mezzanine, and they didn't know about the seven-trick exquisite brocade box. But it happened after all, and it was the top priority for them, because Gu Xinyi was crying "whining" by the bedside. On this day, it happened that Ji Tang was not at home when he went out to do something, so Xin Ye'er ran to report to the master.

Ji Wenhua had just fallen asleep and heard Xin Ye'er calling, so he hurriedly got up and dressed. His wife Ji Han also nagged out to see it and asked him face to face. I heard that the new daughter-in-law's baby was lost, and this was worth it, and the old couple immediately called the housekeeper Han Bajin to call everyone. The eldest son, the youngest son, the daughter-in-law, the maid and the mother-in-law, and dozens of people from the nursing home gathered at the gate of the east cross courtyard of Jitang. After the roll call, the little grandson who is more than a year old is missing, as well as Ji Tang and Black Friday, who go out to do errands. Ji Wenhua personally interrogated one by one, who had delivered water, who had dried clothes, and even who had passed by the gate of the courtyard at any time, and no one had ever seen a copper box the size of a palm. After asking, the whole family began to search, Xin Ye'er and Cuiying each took a few nurses, looking for them room by room, and even searched the house where the old couple lived to show fairness, but they didn't find a brocade box or similar objects.

No one in the entire Ji family slept well that night, but it was in vain after all, and it didn't end until dawn. Ji Wenhua and his wife went to Gu Xinyi's house to persuade them for a while, and then they went back to the room to make up for sleep. Gu Xinyi cried all day long, and Cui Ying and Xin Ye'er were anxious to wipe their tears beside them, but they couldn't help.

Ji Wenhua felt that the matter was a bit too big, and in order to avoid gossip from reaching Nancheng, the Gu family was unhappy, so he squinted for a while and passed without eating in the morning. apologize to Gu Qingyuan first, saying that he has made trouble with the family thief and wronged his new daughter-in-law, and he will be strictly disciplined in the future. Gu Qingyuan didn't know what was going on with the brocade box at all, so he just thought it was her thing, and comforted his in-laws with a smile. said that the child is used to hypocrisy, just ignore her in a few days. After chatting for a while, Ji Wenhua got up and said goodbye. He thinks that Gu Qingyuan is not as relaxed as it seems, there were rumors in the early years that the Gu family has heirlooms, and now he is pretending to be calm because he is afraid that outsiders will know about it.

Mrs. Gu waited for Ji Wenhua to go over to discuss with her wife, she thought that her daughter had indeed been wronged, no matter what she lost was worth it or not, it showed that this was the Ji family's bullying. Although Gu Qingyuan disagreed, he was also worried that his daughter and in-laws would be unhappy, so he asked Zhu Qiaozhen to visit him after lunch. And bring her a message, go back to her parents' house to live in a bad mood, and don't be affected by small things to affect the family's disharmony.

Zhu Qiaozhen was still crying when she saw Gu Xinyi, so she comforted her next to her, and also conveyed her father's meaning. But she still couldn't stop crying, Zhu Qiaozhen had to sigh and go back, guessing that she must have been greatly wronged. Zhu Qiaozhen went out of the gate of Ji's house and happened to meet Ji Tang who came back on horseback, he asked the reason and asked her to wait, and entered the door to prepare a generous gift to accompany her to review the home. Seeing Gu Qingyuan, Ke Jin blamed himself, knelt on the ground and swore to go back to investigate thoroughly, and never let Gu Xinyi suffer such a grievance. Gu Qingyuan and his wife hurriedly pulled him up to comfort him, and chatted for a while to let him go home.

When Ji Tang arrived home, he made a big move, and he asked everyone except Gu Xinyi, including his parents, to stand in the courtyard. personally searched from his and Black Friday's room, and didn't even let go of the kitchen and granary. When it was over, let all the subordinates report to each other, and reward 1,000 silver dollars for finding the brocade box. Until late at night, only a few maids and cooks who had stolen rouge, rice, and meat came out, and reluctantly asked everyone to go back to their rooms.

The next morning, Gu Xinyi planned to pack up and go back to her parents' house for a few days, but when she opened the small drawer of the makeup box, she found that the seven-trick exquisite brocade box was still inside. It's not wrong to take it out and see it, could it be that it was a hallucination yesterday? Or have you been in a bad mood lately and have you gotten suspicious heart disease? Cui Ying and Xin Ye'er also looked left and right like ghosts after seeing each other, and when they saw it yesterday, there was really nothing, and it was empty to touch it.

The news that the second young grandmother's baby was lost and recovered, and the time of half a cup of tea spread all over the Ji family. Ji Wenhua and Han were also very surprised, and hurriedly ran over to take a look. The three sons and daughters have arrived. When they saw the seven-trick exquisite brocade box on the table in front of Gu Xinyi, they couldn't help but marvel. The brocade box is about six inches long, wide and high, and the bronze matte brushed surface (5) is delicately carved with lifelike hibiscus petals; The pattern on the six sides is exactly the same, and there is no trace of splicing; The dark lines and dotted stamens of each petal are clearly visible, and they are frontal from that side. What's even more wonderful is that you can't see any gaps at all, which is the cover and which is the bottom, and you can't see that it's a box at all. The skills of the swastika are really extraordinary, it turns out that this legend is true!

After this incident, Gu Xinyi became more cautious, and the makeup box would hardly leave the sight of her, Cuiying, and Xinye'er. When sleeping, the window is tightly closed, and two latches are connected to the door. The reputation of the Seven Tricks Exquisite Brocade Box also spread, and Gu Qingyuan and his wife came to see it in person, but no one asked Gu Xinyi to open it to see, all they cared about was their daughter's health and happiness. The people of the Ji family are not easy to mention because of face, because Gu Xinyi said that it is just a personal item and is not valuable. As a result, there are rumors that the Ji family has an ancestral treasure, and the name is the Seven Tricks Exquisite Brocade Box, and the contents are made up into multiple versions, in short, it is rare and valuable in the world.

A few days later, one afternoon, Ji Tang took her, Cuiying, and Xin Ye'er to the bookstore for a stroll. When I came back, I saw Fan Junsheng's mother on the turntable of Wenyue Building, and she was still wearing the same clothes as last time, and she was still talking to others with a tired face. Ji Tang said hello when she was inconvenient to go over, and asked Cui Ying to inquire again after she went back. Who knew that Cuiying came back and said that Widow Fan was crazy, and when she met people, she asked if she had seen her family, and asked her if she didn't know anything else. Gu Xinyi thought about it, probably because he went to the northwest, and his mother became delirious when he was worried about her son. I really want to take care of my mother for him, but unfortunately she is now a woman, and it is inconvenient, so I have sympathy left.

At the end of March, Gu Xier accompanied Han Fuguang to Jining and Liaocheng for routine inspections. In the end, I deliberately stayed at my mother's house for two days, and it was natural to talk to my good sister Gu Xinyi. Ji Tang sent his wife and two girls to the Gu family with interest, and sent the fat girl to serve the little aunt together. At this reunion, Gu Xinyi felt that Xi'er had changed a lot. The speech is elegant and intimate, and the whole body exudes the feminine atmosphere of the new era, unlike the hypocrisy of the wedding time.

Han Fuguang was going back to the provincial capital, Gu Xi'er was reluctant to give up, and before leaving, she invited Gu Xinyi to live in the provincial capital for a few days to relax. She also felt that she should change the environment and rest for a few days, and she would go crazy if she continued to stay in the Ji family. She told Ji Tang and her in-laws, and they agreed. So, the two sisters went to the provincial capital Jinan together, and Gu Xinyi naturally took Cuiying and her makeup case.

Note: (1) Early powdered shampoos. (2) The seven origins refer to: childlessness, adultery, inappropriate aunts, tongue, theft, jealousy, and evil diseases. It was the standard reason for men to divorce their wives in ancient times. (3) Also known as Guining, it refers to the first time that a woman returns to her parents' home to visit relatives on the third day of marriage. (4) Early cosmetics, a paste-like emulsifier with more oils and fats, with emollient effect. (5) The surface of the plate after grinding treatment makes it form a regular texture. The effect is that it is not easy to scratch, and it is not easy to see even if it has been scratched.