CHAPTER XVIII

"No matter how much I care, I don't have as much as yours."

Lin Ruxuan smiled, deliberately stretched out his foot and kicked Yuan Changqing again, but told him to avoid it again.

Lin Ruzhi, who was still standing by the window with Zhou Chong and looking downstairs, turned around, just saw it, and complained to her third cousin: "Third brother, you are bullying my Senior Brother Yuan again!" ”

Lin Ruxuan smiled: "Then I have to be able to bully it!" He added, "It's you, running away so recklessly, and it's also a shame that Hou Thirteen didn't bother with you, otherwise it would seem that you are rude!" ”

"Why is it rude?!" Lin Ruzhi came back from the window unconvinced, sat at the table and said, "I want to know her, but you are a man, there is no way to introduce me, and I can only get to know her myself." ”

Lin Ruxuan shook his head and smiled: "Do you think this Meishan Town is the capital?" Anyone can talk to a stranger! It's useless if you're a girl...... Speaking of which, I'm wondering, the Hou family has always prided itself on being a famous family, and the young ladies in the family are not allowed to go out, and the Hou Thirteen is the most virtuous and virtuous of the Hou family girls, and all the things that will provoke people don't want to call her to get involved, but I don't know what kind of wind is blowing today, so I asked her to come to the street in person. The most bizarre thing is that you are so reckless to talk to you, and she actually takes care of you! ”

But it turned out that Lin Ruzhi's father, Lin Zhonghai, was the second son of Lin Zhi, the head of Meishan Academy, and now teaches in the Royal Xinglin Academy in the capital. Lin Ruzhi has lived in the capital with his father since he was a child, and because of his grandmother's recent birthday, he returned to Meishan Town with his father to save his relatives.

The Lin family is a scholarly family, and the old man of Linzhi is a famous Confucian, who has been immersed in the cause of teaching and educating people all his life; Mrs. Lin and the old man and his wife were of the same heart, and they also went into battle in person and became the head of the Women's College of Meishan Academy. This Hou Shanniang studied under Mrs. Lin, because she worked hard and won the first place every year, she can be regarded as one of Mrs. Lin's protégés.

In the previous life, when Lin Ruzhi came back to visit the old lady, Hou Shanniang was obediently going to school in the girls' school, and the old lady had no reason to mention her in front of Lin Ruzhi; And in this life, because she was "sick from hard study", the old lady thought of her granddaughter who also had excellent academic performance, so she mentioned Shanniang in front of Lin Ruzhi.

That Lin Ruzhi is only thirteen this year, but she is already a well-known talented woman in the capital. The so-called "Wen Wu is the first and Wu is the second", listening to her grandmother praising Shanniang, she was inevitably a little unconvinced, and she wanted to see what kind of three-headed and six-armed leader this Meishan Female School was.

It just so happened that Yuan Changqing was going to come to the town to do errands today, and she, Lin Ruxuan, and Zhou Chong were idle and bored, so they all pestered Yuan Changqing to come over together. I didn't want to inadvertently let her see that the carriage parked outside the store was marked with the word "Hou", and then listened to the old shopkeeper beckoning to the person who came as "Thirteen Girls", she was busy pulling her cousin Lin Ruxuan, who was also studying in Meishan Academy, over to recognize people.

A year ago, Lin Ruxuan was still a classmate with Zhou Chong and Yuan Changqing, and now he is studying in the men's college of Meishan Academy. So as soon as he recognized the person here, his lively little cousin slipped down from the stairs like a fish, and actually talked to Nahou Thirteen in such a hurry.

-- As a result, this "historic" meeting that had never existed in a previous life was achieved.

"Look at what the third brother said," Hearing that his cousin seemed to have a lot of criticism for Hou Shisan, Lin Ruzhi couldn't help but widen his eyes, and said for the new friend he had just met: "I think Sister Hou has a good temperament, how can it be like you said?!" I took the liberty of talking to her, and she didn't think I was rude, and she was always smiling like that. After a pause, he sighed again: "It just looks like his body is not good, and he said that he was going to suspend his studies." ”

The old man Lin Zhi has two sons, four or five grandchildren, but there is only one girl like Lin Ruzhi in the two rooms, so Lin Ruxuan also loves his cousin very much, and when he saw that his cousin was unhappy, he quickly bypassed this topic, but he still reserved his opinion on Hou Shisan in his heart.

On the side, Zhou Chong, who was still looking downstairs by the window, suddenly said: "You say, is that 'jade embroidery'?" ”

"How is that possible?" Lin Ruzhi didn't look back and said, "Now the 'jade embroidery' in this world has already been looted, not to mention that Sister Hou has three in her hands!" If it is really 'jade embroidery', this 'jade embroidery' is too worthless. ”

Lin Ruxuan also said: "I know your thoughts, but this 'jade embroidery' is not found everywhere." What's more, I think this jade Linglong is already a good birthday gift, and the Queen Mother should be able to explain it. Besides, didn't Boss Yuan give you an idea? Add a few more tricks to the box, and you can also overpower ...... Uh, someone else. ”

Zhou Chong turned his head and flicked his nostrils unceremoniously at Lin Ruxuan, "The fourth is the fourth, what else?!" Last year, the fourth birthday gift to the Queen Mother was a "jade embroidery" - "I just want to overpower him, what's the matter?!" My eldest brother can't make a move, I should have stepped forward to suppress them, otherwise it would really make them think that they could turn the sky upside down! ”

Suddenly, Yuan Changqing, who had not squeaked beside him, cleared his throat, "Fifth Master, I'm afraid you have forgotten how you promised your eldest brother when you left Beijing." ”

Zhou Chong was stunned, glanced at Yuan Changqing, and only stopped squeaking indignantly.

On the other side, Lin Ruxuan quietly gave Yuan Changqing a thumbs up.

He thought he was doing something hidden, but he just asked Zhou Chong to look at it. Zhou Chong's fiery temper came up at once, shook the corner of his robe, and said, "I'm still unwilling, I have to ask clearly." As he spoke, he ran downstairs without touching his feet.

"Hey!" Lin Ruxuan and Lin Ruzhi shouted in unison, but they were already a step too late. The two hurriedly got up and chased after them, and ran to the side of the stairs, Lin Ruxuan turned around, and saw that Yuan Changqing was still sitting there drinking tea, and couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, "You're not coming?" ”

"It's enough to have you." Yuan Changqing said with a smile.

At this time, the voice of Zhou Chong stopping Hou Shisanniang from speaking was already heard downstairs, and Lin Ruzhi's voice apologizing on his behalf. Lin Ruxuan couldn't care about Yuan Changqing anymore, so he stomped his feet and had to go downstairs first.

Upstairs, Yuan Changqing listened to the conversation downstairs, and his eyebrows couldn't help frowning. He thought about it, and was a little uneasy, so he took the teacup and walked to the staircase, and hid his head from a high place to look downstairs.

*・*・*

When the frightened Friday Lang stretched out his arm to stop Hou Shanniang regardless of it, Shanniang hadn't reacted yet, and Fang's mother was already like an old hen guarding the chicks, protecting Shanniang and Sanhe Wufu behind her.

"What are you going to do?!" She shouted.

Zhou Chong didn't look at her, but only asked Shanniang through her: "Let me ask you, are your embroideries 'jade embroidery'?" ”

At this time, Lin Ruzhi had already chased Zhou Chong downstairs, and when he saw this, he hurriedly went over and dragged Zhou Chong away, and smiled apologetically at Shanniang: "Sister, don't blame, my senior brother is a quick temper ......when he is young."

"It's not a quick temper, it's rude." Shanniang said unceremoniously.

Suddenly, the store was silent.

Upstairs, Yuan Changqing looked downstairs, but found that Hou Shisan's face was blocked by the stairs, so he could only let him see her light purple clothes and the corners of her lips with a smile.

Shanniang habitually pursed the corners of her lips and said with a smile: "If you want to ask someone something, you should always use the word 'please' first." Mr. should have been taught, I'm afraid that the time has passed, and this son has forgotten for a while. ”

-- but it was an allusion to Zhou Chong.

Zhou Chong frowned, according to his temper, he should have been angry in front of him, but looking at the faint smile on the corner of the girl's lips opposite, somehow, the anger couldn't be released.

"Sister, I'm really sorry." Lin Ruzhi hurriedly pushed Zhou Chong again.

Zhou Chong was pushed by her and shook, but he was forced by his sister to look at him, and he was afraid that she would go to the teacher to complain, so he had to turn his eyes awkwardly and muttered "sorry" vaguely. He told himself that it was all for the sake of the "jade embroidery", so he raised his head again and said, "You haven't answered me yet." ”

"Answer, what?" Shanniang pretended to be stupid.

Zhou Chong's eyebrows twisted again. But looking at Lin Ruzhi's threatening eyes, he had to try to be polite and said, "Excuse me, how many embroideries of yours are, but 'jade embroidery'?" ”

"What 'jade embroidery'?" Shanniang continued to play dumb.

"It's your embroidery." Zhou Chongdao.

"I don't know what 'jade embroidery' is." Shanniang shook her head.

Zhou Chong had no choice, looked at Lin Ruzhi, and said to Shanniang: "So, can I take a look at your embroidery?" ”

"I can't." This time, Shanniang refused very simply.

"Why not?!" Zhou Chong asked.

Shanniang raised the corners of her lips, "Because I don't want to show you." ”

Zhou Chong was stunned. He has always been domineering in the capital, and he has never met Shanniang who dares to say "no" to him in person.

He frowned again here, and then heard Shanniang say again: "I won't show you, do you want to come and rob it?" ”

Zhou Chong did have such a thought in his heart. He raised his head and happened to see the slightly upturned corners of the girl's lips who were protected by his mother-in-law, and his brows couldn't help but move.

Zhou Chong's status is noble, and when he was in the capital, he saw a lot of young ladies from the family who attracted his attention by various means, and when he saw the corners of Shanniang's lips that seemed to be smiling, he thought that she was also that kind of person, and he snorted coldly in his heart, and suddenly changed into a look of recklessness, with a little disrespect, and laughed: "You show me, I may not rob you." ”

Shanniang ignored him, turned her head and asked the old shopkeeper with a smile: "Your store won't be a black store, right?" How can you still rob the guests? ”

The old shopkeeper stood behind them, and a layer of sweat was already on his head - others didn't know the identity of the young master in front of him, but he knew, this was the fifth prince today, the only half-brother of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince......

The old shopkeeper couldn't help but raise his eyes to look at the second floor. On the second floor, my little master is also there, but he is here, and he doesn't even come down......

Just when the old shopkeeper was looking forward to someone to solve the dilemma in front of him, a person finally came down from the upper floor—but it was not his master.

The man smiled as he walked: "The thirteenth girl misunderstood, my junior brother has no malice, he just wants to find a special birthday gift for the elders in the family, seeing that the embroidery in the girl's hand is outstanding, he wants to know where the girl's embroidery came from, if he can, he also wants to buy a few to go back to please Changshang." ”

Shanniang looked back at the stairs, and her eyes suddenly sank.

-- She knows someone.

Not only in the past life, but also in this life.

The person who came was Lin Ruxuan, the son of Lin Boyuan, the head of the Men's College of Meishan Academy.

Shanniang is the first in the women's college of Meishan Academy every year, and Lin Ruxuan has been occupying the top position in the men's college since she returned from the capital.

In his previous life, in another year and a half, he would still be with his brother Lin Ruting, and Yuan Changqing, who would also enter Meishan Academy a month later, and the three of them were called the "Three Gentlemen of Luomei".

Although Shan Niang and he knew each other in both the past life and this life, they had never spoken directly like now......

Shanniang couldn't help but glance at Lin Ruzhi - she didn't want to have another thing that happened to her after meeting her.

And in the past life......

Shanniang's eyes floated slightly. Obviously, she was in a wood shop at the moment, and all she could smell was the aroma of wood between her noses, but somehow, in the aroma of wood, she seemed to smell a faint sour smell of decanting soup......

In that life, the young Shanniang learned Lin Ruzhi's name for the first time, and the first time she learned that her husband was hiding another person in his heart, it was from this person's mouth...... From the mouth of the drunken Lin Ruxuan......

She still remembered that at that time, she still wanted to be a good wife, so when she learned that Yuan Changqing was entertaining his classmates and friends in the study, she personally prepared the wine soup and sent it over.

It's just that she never set foot in the forbidden place of the study after all. As soon as she walked to the window, she heard Lin Ruxuan complaining with a big tongue in the room: "You are bitter, and you are also bitter in your heart, obviously you have each other in your hearts, but you ......"

"You're drunk!" In the study, Yuan Changqing's voice interrupting him was particularly cold, "If you say that, it will destroy your sister's reputation......"

Further down, Shanniang didn't dare to listen.

By the time she came to her senses, the boiling decanting soup had become cold. And Yuan Changqing hasn't woken up yet, but her dream has already woken up......

"Girl!"

When Sanhe held Shanniang, Shanniang realized that her body shook.

Waking up from the "dream" that had never happened yet, Shanniang suddenly became irritable, turned her head and ordered Sanhe Wufu, "Just show them." Otherwise, I'm afraid that we weak women won't be able to get out of this store. ”

With that, she simply turned around and sat down at the table in the corner.

The little second in the store was also clever, and hurriedly served her tea. When she picked up the tea, Shanniang noticed that her hands were trembling slightly.

When she finished drinking a cup of tea, Lin Ruzhi had already personally re-rolled the three embroideries and returned them to Sanhe, and came over with a red face to apologize to Shanniang: "Sister, don't worry, it's all my senior brother who is rude, and my sister is here to apologize to my sister for him." As he spoke, he bowed to Shanniang in a dignified manner.

Shanniang only said coldly: "Okay? ”

Lin Ruzhi nodded shamefully.

"So, can we go?"

Lin Ruzhi took a step back in embarrassment and made way out.

Zhou Chong on the side suddenly said: "Although I don't know if this is 'jade embroidery', but it looks pretty good, I want to buy a ...... with you" After a pause, he glanced at Lin Ruzhi before adding a polite suffix aggrievedly, "Okay?" ”

Shanniang sneered, "If I say no, what is Childe going to do?" ”

Zhou Chong was stunned. It was only then that he realized that although this girl still looked like she was smiling, her eyes were already cold—it turned out that the corners of people's lips were naturally upturned!

Although Zhou Chong was domineering, he was not a gentleman, and when he saw that Shanniang was really annoyed, he couldn't help but be at a loss.

Lin Ruxuan hurriedly came over, and Lin Ruzhi and the two of them bowed respectfully to Shanniang, raised their heads and said, "I'm really sorry for the girl, offend ......"

But before he could finish speaking, Shanniang had already flung her sleeves and went out.

Yuan Changqing, who had been hiding at the top of the stairs, came down at this time, looked at Shanniang's back and smiled: "This girl, what a big temper." It's a shame that I didn't come down. ”

- You're treacherous!

There was a burst of disdain in the hearts of several people downstairs at the same time.