Outside the window of Xiaoxuan, the wind swept the empty courtyard and the pear trees swayed.
On the stone table that had been cleaned after lunch, there were dots of white pear blossoms.
In the small window, there is a woman sleeping on the couch.
One tall and one short, the two figures hugged each other for a long time.
The girl woke up from her dream and her face was stained with tears.
Ouyang Rong gently rested his chin on her head.
"Did you have a nightmare?"
Ouyang Rong asked softly.
The little head with loose black hair in his arms shook.
The magnitude of the shaking made Ouyang Rong lift his chin a little higher.
He looked at the curtain above his head and said softly:
"That's just...missing my family."
Ouyang Rong felt the little head buried in his chest shake again.
"Then... am I unhappy? Am I not happy living here? Did I accidentally bully you or offended you..."
Zhao Qingxiu in her arms still shook her head, but her expression could not be seen.
"That's why, you won't find me leaving after you wake up... and find that the house is empty? The sound of the jade pendant is not there either?"
Ouyang Rong said softly.
Zhao Qingxiu suddenly raised her head.
Ouyang Rong looked down.
Her raised little face looked as if it had been washed with water. It was flushed with makeup and her hair was disheveled.
The most eye-catching thing is the eyes. The two big eyes are like two small light bulbs, red and swollen.
The red eyes turned into two puddles on the ground when the sky cleared after the rain, and some remaining tears gathered to reflect the people passing by.
It also reflects the face of Ouyang Rong in front of him.
It was as if she could see him.
"What happened?"
Ouyang Rong asked cautiously.
At the same time, he handed a flat palm to her hand to indicate writing.
Zhao Qingxiu didn't seem to hear him.
She looked up at him with her little face open, her mouth wide open, and she cried hoarsely, so tired that her chest kept heaving and panting.
She had cried all her tears and started hiccupping again and again and couldn't stop.
Every time he hiccups, his already extremely slender body will twitch.
Ouyang Rong's heart ached when he saw it, and he was deeply afraid that she would injure himself just by burping.
Looking at the embroiderer who is blind, mute and as thin as a bamboo pole.
Ouyang Rong couldn't help it anymore. He didn't care about whether men and women were close or not, and he held this cute little body in his arms again.
Immediately, Ouyang Rong, who took the initiative to hug, felt Xiu Niang's arms hanging down by his side, and immediately hugged his back tightly.
Hug each other again.
This time Ouyang Rong didn't speak again, and he didn't ask "a hundred thousand whys" again. The two of them just hugged each other quietly.
Ouyang Rong silently listened to the sobs between her lips and teeth, feeling the twitches of her slim body every time she hiccupped.
I also deeply felt the hot temperature radiating from her small body. For some reason, although Xiu Niang was thin, her whole body was very hot, just like a small stove in summer...
Ouyang Rong just realized that sometimes there are many things for which you don’t need to ask “why”.
Especially between lovers, all "whys" can be replaced with "I do".
I do, you don’t care why...
The hours tick by.
After spending a long time with the mute embroiderer, Ouyang Rong began to feel that "silence" could also be enjoyed.
Rather than getting embarrassed.
Especially when two people don't speak together and just listen to "silence" quietly, you know she is listening, and she also knows you are listening.
They both trust each other from the bottom of their hearts and would not feel that not speaking is rude or offensive.
This is a tacit understanding of heart to heart.
I don't know how long it took, but when Ouyang Rong came to his senses on Zhao Qingxiu's shoulder, he found that her sobbing voice in his arms had disappeared.
However, every once in a while, I still hiccup and seem to be unable to stop.
It's just that her little body no longer twitched as painfully as it did just now, and her condition calmed down.
At this time, Ouyang Rong felt the little crybaby in his arms making new movements.
A finger weakly touched his back.
"What's wrong."
Ouyang Rong has a soft voice.
Then, he felt her start writing on his back, intermittently.
【Master said today】
[The happy event in life is to return to the place where the old friends are still there]
[Sir, you said you are so lucky that your old friend is still here]
"I shouldn't have said anything to make you miserable."
Ouyang Rong whispered.
Zhao Qingxiu buried her face in his shoulder and became quiet.
After a while, Ouyang Rong did not wait for her new words to come, but heard the crisp sound of the ice-white jade hairpin on his head.
"Long Ling——"
Ouyang Rong was slightly stunned.
Zhao Qingxiu was lying in Tan Lang's arms, her little head buried in his shoulder was slightly raised, revealing a pair of red-rimmed, somewhat absent-minded eyes.
It turned out to be her. She stretched her little hand towards Ouyang Rong's head, raised her index finger, and gently flicked the pendant of the ice-white jade hairpin.
Zhao Qingxiu's originally dull paint eyes dimly lit up with a little brilliance, like a starry sky lantern floating in the dark sea of ​​clouds at night.
She likes to hear its sound.
At this time, Ouyang Rong directly raised his hand, took out the hairpin, and handed it to her.
Zhao Qingxiu took the hairpin and touched it carefully with both hands. Just when Ouyang Rong was about to speak, she touched Ouyang Rong's hair crown with her small hands and gently inserted the ice-white jade hairpin back.
Ouyang Rong's face was startled.
After doing this, Zhao Qingxiu tilted her head and face again, put her cheek on Ouyang Rong's shoulder, and became quiet again.
It seems that... the sound made by Tanlang's ice-white jade hairpin is her favorite melody.
The two of them were holding a hug that was "somewhat inappropriate relative to their relationship" at the moment.
No one took the initiative to leave first to break the inertia of silence.
In front of the bed, the two of them hugged each other with such a strange relationship.
Zhao Qingxiu suddenly wrote words on Ouyang Rong's back.
[Sir, no man has ever been so kind to me]
Ouyang Rong narrowed his eyes and said softly: "I'm different. I've had it before. Well, I mean women."
In an instant, Zhao Qingxiu's body fell silent.
[Then she is really lucky to meet the young master and have the opportunity to be kind to him. Many people do not have this opportunity]
She wrote silently.
Ouyang Rong shook his head and whispered:
"Actually... I have almost forgotten what she looked like. The most profound memory is of a pair of hands quietly doing needlework in front of the bed. She was as thin and thin as a bamboo pole. She must have a very quiet temperament, just like you, girl.
"She is my child bride in my hometown in Nanlong. I remember telling you about it. What a coincidence. She is also called Xiu Niang. She is mute, not as blind as you... I don't know how she is now.
Where is it again?"
Zhao Qingxiu's originally silent body suddenly froze.
She couldn't help but bury her face deeper, not even daring to breathe in her nose...she didn't answer anything.
Ouyang Rong didn't seem to notice anything strange about her body.
Immediately afterwards, Zhao Qingxiu, who was burying his head like an ostrich, heard Tan Lang's voice continue, and his tone seemed to be reminiscing:
"She is from the same race as my mother, and it was my mother who took her home. She is also very similar to my mother, virtuous and considerate, hardworking and uncomplaining. She is a very traditional kind of girl, and she also treats relationships...
"I remember that I was weak and sick and bedridden all year round, and she stayed by the bed to take care of me... Then something happened, a confusing incident, and my aunt and the others had objections to her, and then... she left
.
"I don't know where she went, but I don't believe she is the kind of person my aunt said, because with her kind of character, how could she do something that hurts others? Such a stupid girl would not go even if she is willing to hurt herself.
Hurt me, so I don’t believe it at all…”
Zhao Qingxiu didn't know when she got up, and opened her empty mouth. After a while, she took a deep breath, closed her mouth and eyes, and made no sound.
Zhao Qingxiu heard Tan Lang's magnetic low voice continue to come to her ears, with some melancholy and sadness in her voice:
"I don't know how to describe my feelings towards her...
"To tell you the truth, although I have met many women of all kinds and experienced many family relationships, I always feel in my heart that she is the one who treats me best, or I can say that she ranks first.
"She seems to be so kind without asking for anything in return. She has never asked me for anything. She just gives whatever she has and never comes to me to ask for anything in return. She will even hide from me.
Holding on to me, deeply afraid that I would find out, I ran to repay...
"I don't know what she thinks and why she does this. Sometimes I can't understand it. Then one day, I suddenly understand that maybe in her eyes, there are not so many reasons, so just give it.
that is it."
Zhao Qingxiu felt that he seemed to have raised his hand and wiped his face. His voice was not passionate or low, but was calm and casual, as if he was chatting:
"Speaking of which, I still dream about her sometimes. I even dreamed that I bit her once, very hard, but she still disappeared with the wound like that stupidly... Well, it was nothing like the dream.
Hen, it would be nice if this dream was true, but if it were true, she would come and go, and the thought of this would make people even more uncomfortable."
Zhao Qingxiu didn't know that when Ouyang Rong said this, he kept turning his head and his eyes fell on somewhere on her fair neck... Her eyes turned red again. The previous crying hiccup had not ended yet, and she began to cry again.
My shoulders twitched and my fingers trembled when I wrote.
[Looking at it this way, she seems to like the young master very much. Don’t feel guilty, don’t feel guilty. She is willing to do it. If you feel guilty, she, she can’t understand, and it hurts]
"Well, okay, okay."
Zhao Qingxiu heard Tan Lang's several consecutive responses, but seemed to turn a deaf ear and was a little dazed.
He suddenly said: "Miss Xiu Niang, I have seen many kinds of love.
“There are those who are free, independent, cheerful and open; there are those who are passionate and uninhibited;
“There is also a case where love at first sight is like glue, but after a long time we part ways;
"There are also those who deceive themselves whenever possible, only enjoying the fireworks for a moment, and then looking at each other in disgust.
"In the end, these love affairs are nothing more than the word "selfishness". They follow their own happiness, or interests, and decide whether to stay or be separated. Therefore, they gather when they arise and separate when they disperse. In fact, they are empty inside. They follow reality.
, without any paranoia.
"But... I have never seen such a traditional woman like her, even the most stupid woman, who only asks for "I want it".
"A thin marriage contract when I was young; a vow to stay together forever; a long black hair tied up for you; just standing there waiting for a lifetime, only for one person...
"My heart is too heavy to be turned away from a rock; my heart is too thick to be rolled around like a mat.
"Miss Xiu Niang, I have always regarded myself as a very rational person. It was quite confusing at first. I even thought that this kind of love was as cliche, self-motivated and unrealistic as a drama script. However, is there really such a unique person?
Only when the woman was placed in front of me did I realize how precious and rare it was.
"She doesn't say anything, she is willing to do anything, and her actions are more powerful than words. Miss Xiu Niang, do you think I can ever meet such a woman who is so good to me?"
Before she could answer, who was silently choked with sobs and her eyes red, Ouyang Rong said softly: "There is no one like her in the world."
The atmosphere was silent, Zhao Qingxiu's face was full of excitement, she opened and shut her mouth repeatedly, and in the end she spoke a thousand words, which turned into a deep bow... She said nothing and was willing to do anything.
I don't know how long it was quiet in front of the bed, until Ouyang Rong pretended to smile freely: "Forget it, let's not mention it anymore, talk about something happy."
Zhao Qingxiu moved her little hands and prepared to write.
"Uh~" She hiccupped suddenly.
Ouyang Rong was stunned for a moment and then smiled.
The girl's face suddenly turned red, she pushed away her arms and patted her husband on the shoulder.
Ouyang Rong, who separated his arms, had an innocent look on his face. While adjusting his clothes, he blinked at her, as if waiting for her next cry or burp.
He saw Xiu Niang suddenly turning around, turning her back to him, lowering her head and pinching her nose, as if she was puffing her mouth, trying to hold in her breath.
Ouyang Rong was stunned for a moment, then he realized what he was doing and laughed even happier this time: "Haha."
Hearing laughter from behind, the back of Zhao Qingxiu's neck and ears turned red with embarrassment. She stopped using the stupid method. She curled up and buried her head in silence, as if she would never dare to raise her head to see anyone again in her life.
"Hey, look back." Ouyang Rong smiled and narrowed his eyes, raised his hand calmly, flicked the hairpin on his head, and shouted: "I'll give you something."
Zhao Qingxiu subconsciously turned around when she heard the sound. As soon as she turned around, her little nose was pinched by him.
The palm of her hand that pinched her nose blocked her vision and she couldn't see him. Zhao Qingxiu only heard Tan Lang's serious voice: "Hold your breath quickly, or you'll keep hiccupping."
Zhao Qingxiu's little face was slightly dazed, but she was obedient.
After a while, she finally stopped hiccupping. Ouyang Rong looked at the night outside and didn't leave. He continued to sit by the couch to accompany her.
Maybe it was because she was tired from crying just now, but this time, Zhao Qingxiu fell asleep quickly.
After what happened just now, the relationship between the two has vaguely changed.
Especially the two hugs just now, Xiu Niang seemed to have acquiesced.
Although in name the two of them still have that kind of relationship...but now it has progressed to the default level of physical contact.
As for the specific relationship now, neither of them tried to pierce this layer of paper.
It was getting late at night outside, but Ouyang Rong did not leave, silently staying by the bed.
"Long Ling——"
Ouyang Rong turned his head and looked at the candlelight beside the bed, his face thoughtful. He flicked the hairpin pendant from time to time, not knowing what he was thinking.
The ringing sound didn't stop until late at night...
At dawn, roosters crow in the distance.
Ouyang Rong woke up and lay down in front of the bed last night and took a nap.
He rubbed his eyes and saw the peaceful sleeping face of the girl on the couch. She must have been awake all night.
Ouyang Rong breathed a sigh of relief, stood up and stretched carefully without making any movement.
He tidied up, and after a while, turned around and went out.
Passing by the dressing table, he glanced at the rouge and gouache box.
Ouyang Rong stopped, took out a red sign from his arms, stuffed it into the lid of the box, and put it back into the box.
His face was calm.
From the beginning to the end, I have never opened this red sign of marriage.
Ouyang Rong strode away.
Outside the door, the sky is white.
…
Zhao Qingxiu woke up again, it was already morning.
There is the sound of insects outside the window and the smell of sunshine.
She slept particularly soundly that night.
Tanlang was nowhere to be seen inside and outside the house, and Zhao Qingxiu did not cry this time.
She hugged the quilt with both hands and was lost in thought for a while. Then she lowered her head and tied the azure ribbon to cover her eyes... It was placed on the bedside stool along with the mandarin duck emerald hairpin, the jasper bamboo cane, and the clean skirt.
She's within easy reach.
"Long Ling—Long Ling—"
Zhao Qingxiu, who had spent a long time getting dressed, suddenly heard a familiar crisp sound.
She walked to the courtyard in a daze, came to the stone table, and touched an ice-white jade hairpin left behind.
Zhao Qingxiu held the hairpin in her hand and stood silently in front of the table, with a complicated expression on her face.
She stayed behind in confusion at the beginning because she was planning to get this old hairpin that she had longed for and then leave quietly.
But now that the ice-white jade hairpin was placed in front of her, Zhao Qingxiu's first thought was not to leave.
She hasn't found the tripod sword yet, and there's no response from her "family", so she can't leave yet... She convinced herself so. But at a certain moment, she faintly realized that the bond with Tanlang seemed to be getting deeper and deeper unknowingly.
It's getting harder and harder to leave him...
In the court, a girl blindfolded with a ribbon has a look on her face that is both happy and scared, happy and worried.
For a while, I began to worry about gains and losses...
In the end, Zhao Qingxiu did not leave.
She sat quietly at the stone table, curled up a slender finger, and gently flicked the ice-white jade hairpin pendant again and again.
"Long Ling—Long Ling—Long Ling—"
Zhao Qingxiu's face was blank, and she listened attentively for a long time.
…
—————
PS: or2 (monthly voting slot)
Chapter completed!