Retirement

Sometimes pain makes people desperate, so desperate that they live without intention, but there will always be something that will pull people back from despair.

It was late at night and the dew was heavy, and the wetness on the grass gradually spread to the body, and the skirts pressed down on the bottom were wet.

The chill made Aji slowly stop crying, and whisper softly, raising her head.

There was still the faint land of sticks in front of me, and there was no idea when the surroundings were completely silent, and even the croaking of insects and frogs disappeared.

Aji suddenly became scared, she was also cold, and she wanted to go home.

Meng Zhongjing doesn't want her anymore. She still has her parents who love her, her cute and lazy sister, and her lively and sensible brother.

She still has a warm bed, and when she returns to the bed, she won't be cold.

Aji closed her eyes, wiped her face with her hands, and let her breath down. It doesn't matter, there is nothing worth crying. She just misread a person and liked a person wrongly. Now he has a woman next to her, and she no longer likes her. Her parents are so kind to her and will find her a new man. She will have a new life and will have nothing to do with that person anymore.

A man who is soft-hearted for a piece of clothing because a woman takes the initiative to forget her childhood fiancée is not worthy of her crying.

Aji covered her face, wiped away the uncontrollable tears that had come up again, and slowly stood up.

She didn't dare to look at the fields on both sides, lowered her head and hugged her arms, and walked forward quickly.

The girl under the moonlight is thin and pitiful.

Zhao Chen always followed from afar until he watched her enter the house. He listened by the wall of Lin's house, thinking that she would cry and complain to her parents, but there was nothing strange inside. He leaned against the wall and tried to imagine what she was doing, but he couldn't imagine. Should he hide in the quilt and cry, or would he go to bed after cleaning his face?

In fact, she was quiet and strong. She saw her fiancé hang out with the woman next to her. She did not rush out to cry, nor did she seek death.

He liked her more, but felt more distressed.

He let out a gentle breath. No matter what, the Lin Meng family was about to withdraw from the marriage. She had no engagement and he could take action.

After standing for a while, Zhao Chen walked towards the Beihe River like a walk. His carriage was hidden in the forest. He changed his clothes tomorrow morning and could come over.

The last sound of footsteps disappeared, and the small village returned to silence again. In the sleep of the villagers, the moon slowly fell, and the sky to the east gradually showed a white white fish belly. The leaves were once again green. The early birds flew across the sky, and the roosters in the chicken coop shook their wings and flew to the wall to sing with their heads. The chirping was loud and melodious, and it was very far away.

The villagers rose one after another, and soon smoke from cooking fires floated from the roof.

The Lin couple woke up early, lay in bed and chatted, and waited until their sleepiness was completely gone, so they got up to dress.

Today, the couple took part in the house. Lin Xian cleaned up the already clean yard again, while Liu was busy cleaning the house and washing vegetables to prepare breakfast. After Lin Xian finished his work, he stood by the fence and looked at the doe. Thinking that he had not worked for a while, he went to the west room to pick up his son, and the father and son went to the forest to mow the grass for the deer together.

Liu watched them go out and go back to the kitchen to wash rice and make a fire.

Add two pieces of firewood to the stove, and just cook the porridge slowly. Liu stood up and prepared to stir-fry beans, add pickles, and eat these for breakfast.

While busy, Liu suddenly felt something was wrong. Her second daughter had to prepare food every day. She was used to it, but her eldest daughter had always gotten up early. Why didn’t she move today? There are also girls who are all early.

Liu was a little worried. After the dishes were fried, she first covered the lid of the pot and wiped her hands to the wing room. The door was inserted from inside. Liu stood at the door and shouted, "Aji, Azhu Ru Niang, get up and have dinner!"

After shouting twice, Lin Zhu rubbed his eyes and turned over, reluctantly responding.

Mrs. Liu asked her worriedly: "Where is your eldest sister Azhu?"

Lin Zhu blinked her eyes and turned back, and saw the elder sister lying with her back to her. She sat up in surprise and smiled at Liu, "Mom, come in and take a look, my elder sister is lazy too!"

Liu scolded her: "You open the door quickly!"

"The door is not open?" Lin Zhu looked at Ru Niang's quilt with wonder. She got up, why did she close the door? The more she thought about it, the less reasonable it was. The mother outside the door urged her again. Lin Zhu quickly got dressed and went downstairs and pushed Aji's shoulder before going out: "Sister, get up, don't sleep, you are lazy than me today."

Aji responded vaguely.

Lin Zhu laughed secretly and went to open the door for her mother first, saying, "Sister He has already gotten up, why is the door closed?"

Liu ignored her and walked a few steps into the house. He turned to the eldest daughter, looked down and was frightened. He reached out to cover Aji's forehead: "It's so hot, this is sick. Aji wakes up and tells her if she feels uncomfortable?"

Aji slowly opened her eyes and met Liu's concerned face. Tears suddenly came out and she burst into tears in an instant.

She had never cried like this when she grew up. Even if she was sick occasionally, she would comfort Liu not to worry. Now that she cried like this, Liu felt so distressed and her eyes turned red. While wiping tears for Aji, she asked her repeatedly: "Don't cry, don't cry, what's so uncomfortable? Tell my mother, I'll ask your father to invite a doctor immediately. Azhu, go and find your father back. They are going to the woods!"

Lin Zhu had already been panicked, and turned around and ran out after hearing this.

In the room, no matter what Liu asked, Aji was just crying, weak and weak, and her face was so red and hot. Liu was so anxious that she wet her handkerchief and applied Aji's forehead. Hearing his daughter calling her mother constantly, Liu could no longer help it. She took off her shoes and put Aji into her arms like she did when she was a child, and gently patted her back: "Aji is not afraid, my mother is here, your father will go to invite a doctor immediately. We will finish the medicine, Aji is not afraid..."

Perhaps it was because of the long-lost gentle arms that Aji gradually stopped crying, and fell asleep again under the soft comfort of her mother, but her brows were frowning tightly and her expression was painful.

Lin Xian and the other two hurried back. Seeing that Aji was so sick, Lin Xian quickly went to the town to invite a doctor. Liu asked Lin Zhu and his brother to go to dinner first. The two children had no appetite. They all said that they would wait for the elder sister to get up and eat together. Liu was an adult after all, so he quickly calmed down and asked Lin Zhu: "Where is Ru Niang? You don't eat it so that you can eat it."

Lin Zhu looked at Lin Chongjiu: "I didn't see her, did Xiaojiu see it?"

Lin Chongjiu also shook his head.

Liu frowned, but her eldest daughter was seriously ill, so she didn't have the heart to care about an outsider, so she just asked Lin Zhu to watch it, and Ru Niang would invite her to have a meal first when she came back.

Half an hour later, Lin Xian pulled the old doctor into the house and hurriedly ran into the house.

In less than half a month, the old doctor came to the Lin family for the second time, and it was considered a familiarity. First, I looked at Aji's face and looked at her eyes, and then I sat down and took my pulse seriously. The four members of the Lin family held their breath and gathered around her, looking at the old doctor, and then I looked at Aji who was sleeping, worried.

The old doctor slowly put down Aji's wrist and stroked his beard and said to Lin Xian: "Master Lin, this is a depression caused by the heart that hurts the spleen and lungs, and then dampness and cold invade the body. Then he can't get sick. Fever diseases are easy to treat, so you can take two medicines. However, for this depression, I will prescribe a prescription for calming the mind and nourishing the body. But in the final analysis, heart diseases still require heart medicine. After the eldest girl wakes up, you can help her more."

As soon as these words were said, except for the ignorant Lin Chongjiu, Lin Xian and the other two were stunned.

Aji has not shown any abnormalities in the past few days, nor has she been in the rain and freezing. How could he get such a disease?

Lin Xian was the calmest. After being slightly stunned, he immediately thanked him and asked the old doctor to go out to prescribe medicine. Even if he was suspicious, he could not show it in front of the other doctor. Wouldn't that question his medical skills? Besides, Lin Xian has been teaching in the town for so many years and has heard of the old doctor for a long time, otherwise he would not have invited him to come.

After prescribing the medicine, Lin Xian told Liu a few words to go to the town to get medicine with the doctor.

Liu felt distressed and blamed herself.

There are three children in the family. The second daughter is lazy and coquettish. The youngest son is so naughty that she wants to tie her body to watch. Only the eldest daughter has been sensible since she was a child and doesn't have to worry about it. She also helps her take care of her younger brothers and sisters. Because of this, she neglected her eldest daughter and couldn't even see her worries.

Liu called Lin Zhu outside and asked her if she had noticed something strange. Lin Zhu only knew that Aji had a fight with Meng Zhongjing, but she didn't know the reason, so she called Lin Chongjiu and asked him what happened after he left that day. Lin Chongjiu dared not hide it at this time, and she told everything in detail.

Lin Zhu was the most sensitive and frowned and asked him: "After the eldest sister led you away, Brother Meng and her didn't come out to chase you?"

Lin Chongjiu shook his head.

Lin Zhu gritted her teeth: "That woman must have fascinated Brother Meng, otherwise what else could make my elder sister so sad? Where is she? I'll go find her!"

Liu grabbed her and whispered, "You guessed this, stay at home and don't cause trouble, wait until your elder sister wakes up!" She couldn't guarantee what Ru Niang said, Meng Zhongjing was definitely not that kind of person, there must be a misunderstanding.

Lin Zhu couldn't help but curse and was pinched by Liu's face. Lin Zhu shook his hand and leaned against the kang and sulked.

There was a movement outside soon, and there was also the sound of a carriage. Before Liu could go out, Xiao Liu's anxious voice came in: "What's wrong with Aji? Why are you sick all the time?" Before he finished speaking, the person rushed in and lay down in front of the kang to see Aji. He felt distressed when he saw that his eldest niece was sick and drowsy.

Lin Xian was also behind. As soon as he came back, he happened to meet the Zhou carriage and told the story.

There were people all over the room, and Liu had a headache, so she asked Lin Xian to invite Zhou Pei and his son to sit in the room. She went to decoct the medicine. The medicine had just been decocted and had not yet come out of the pot, and there was another sound of a carriage at the door. She felt a little sad. When she went out, she saw that it was Mr. Zhao who was here.

Lin Xian and others went out to greet the people again.

Zhao Chen changed into a moon-white brocade robe, with a smile on his lips, greeting everyone one by one. When he walked in, he saw Liu coming out of the kitchen with a bowl of soup. He knew it was medicine as soon as he smelled it. He was shocked and asked with concern: "Auntie, is this?"

Liu sighed: "Xiaojiu's elder sister is sick. I'll go and send her medicine. Mr. Zhao will sit in the house." After saying that, he didn't bother to exchange greetings, and walked around behind the people and headed straight to the wing room.

Sick?

Zhao Chen kept turning his head for a while, but fortunately, the strange color in his eyes flashed and no one saw it. Turning around, Zhao Chen asked Lin Xian about Aji's condition, and his tone was just right, expressing concern but not being too attentive. Lin Xian just said a few simple words, not only not telling the specific reason. Zhao Chen knew it well, so he did not ask and followed Lin Xian and Zhou Pei into the room.

Zhou Pei is an elegant businessman, Lin Xian is a scholar who is good at speaking, Zhao Chen has studied and done business, and he is so friendly with others. The three of them soon had a great time talking to each other. Zhou Pei joked with regret: "If I had known that Mr. Zhao was just cold, I wouldn't have to be careful to entertain me for so many years. Mr. Zhao didn't know anything. Every time you come, our friends at Pinlanju would fight tremblingly, fearing that they would not serve me well."

Zhao Chen showed a hint of embarrassment on his face. He looked at the door and obviously changed the topic: "Why haven't Brother Meng come yet?"

Lin Xian was also puzzled: "I told him to come early. I'm afraid this kid has delayed his family's affairs. Xiaojiu, go and have a look."

Lin Chongjiu responded happily and looked at his aunt Zhou Lansheng inquiry. Zhou Lansheng spoke to his father and walked out with him.

But the two of them were unable to get out of the Lin family. As soon as they reached the center of the yard, two figures turned around at the door. Dad Meng walked in front with a gloomy face, and Meng Zhongjing followed behind with a complicated expression. Dad Meng was obviously angry. Lin Chongjiu was a little scared. After saying hello, he asked Zhou Lansheng to go to the house to pass the message. He deliberately stood there without moving. When Dad Meng passed, he quickly walked up to Meng Zhongjing and asked him with a tense face and a low voice: "Brother Meng, what are you doing to make my sister angry? She is sick and unconscious, and the doctor said she is angry!"

"Is your elder sister sick?" Meng Zhongjing finally got angry in his dim eyes and asked in shock.

Lin Chongjiu nodded and explained to him what he asked about his uncle: "It was said that he was angry, but later he caught a cold, and it was all you got angry!"

Meng Zhongjing panicked for no reason, feeling distressed and worried, and a kind of uneasiness that he couldn't explain clearly. He stared at the west wing room in a daze, trying to distinguish the reason for his panic. My father in front suddenly shouted loudly. Meng Zhongjing's body shook. Thinking of Ru Niang who was kneeling in front of his father in the morning, thinking of the purpose of today, he slowly lowered his head and headed forward.

Maybe he was just impulsive last night, but now he is no longer qualified to inquire about her. He is sorry for her.

It seemed like a piece of flesh was cut off from his chest, which made him unable to breathe.

That was the girl he liked since he was fourteen years old. He would feel uncomfortable if he fell in love with others, but he never thought of hurting her in this way. Even if she had fallen in love with others, he wouldn't want to.

After entering the room, Meng Zhongjing's eyes swept over Lin Xian, Zhou Pei, Zhao Chen, and finally returned to Lin Xian, and then knelt down without warning.

"Zhongjing, what are you doing?" Lin Xian was shocked and stepped forward to help him.

Dad Meng stopped him and turned around and ordered Lin Chongjiu: "Where is your mother Xiaojiu? Go and call her over."

Lin Chongjiu ran away in a hurry.

When Mr. Meng looked at Lin Xian, he felt that his old face had been thrown away. Who is Lin Xian and what kind of girl Aji is? Being able to get this marriage is like a smoke from the Meng family's ancestral grave. He didn't expect that at this critical moment of the wedding, he was thrown away by his son with his own hands. He regretted the marriage before marriage because of another woman, what would outsiders say about their Meng family?

Almost Lin Chongjiu left, Zhao Chen said goodbye to Lin Xian and Zhou Pei: "If you have something to do at my uncle's family, I will say goodbye first and talk to my two uncles another day."

Lin Xian repeatedly apologized and wanted to send him out in person. Zhao Chen refused. He went out and met with the Liu sisters and Lin Zhu sisters. Just as Liu was about to talk, Zhao Chen said first: "Auntie, hurry up, come in, I will disturb you later."

Liu apologized for reparation and asked Lin Chongjiu to go out and send him off.

Zhao Chen glanced at the west wing and strode away.

The Lin family went to the room.

Except for Aju, the Lin Zhou family and the Zhou family were all here, looking at the Meng family father and son with confusion.
To be continued...