Picturesque Rivers and Mountains in the Red Chamber

Chapter 281 4.77 We know each other very well
Volume Four

4.77 We know each other very well
That night, in the courtyard of the Xue family's guest room, there was Zhou Yang's bedroom.

"Brother Zhou, why didn't you tell me in advance when you came?" Xue Baochai blushed and let Ai Lang sit on his lap, but he did not forget to care, "Even if it is too late, you should have someone come to the prefect when you get home. Let the Yamen know, there's nothing going on over there anyway, my little sister can come back with just a few words of greeting."

"Anyway, family, you don't have to be so polite. Since you have entertainment, I don't have anything big to do, so what's the rush?" Zhou Yang explained with a smile, "I'm not familiar with the prefect's family either. If I'm a petty person, I'll kill you when I see you leave. What should I do if I write it down privately because I don't want to show face? I don't care. You guys are in trouble in Jinling.

Besides, with my wife at home, how can we not entertain anyone?I am very familiar with this house, so what do I need to worry about?On your side, I wonder how this 'poetry meeting' is going, but are there any good words or sentences that I, a scumbag, can read carefully, maybe it can improve my cultivation? "

"A scumbag? Pfft——" Xue Baochai couldn't help but laugh at his self-proclaimed title. She gave him a gentle blow and said, "How could you be so disrespectful to yourself? Besides, what will happen to the poem? Aren't you the same as your mother?" Did you tell me? As long as you give me a generous gift, who cares whether the poems or songs are completed?"

"Is it possible that there aren't any?" Zhou Yang didn't believe that all the merchants in Jinling City didn't cultivate their own women.

"How could it be? My little sister was born in a merchant family, and she doesn't dare to forget to study and be sensible. Why can't there be ten or eight sisters in Jinling City who can write poems correctly?" She was brought up from a young age, and she can't do anything on the surface, but my wife is very indifferent. Even if others have ideas, they can't really do anything.

Fortunately, she only showed up for the first time, and only said a few words at the lunch banquet after receiving the gifts. But with her there to support her, even if the prefect's lady is good-looking and talented, who would dare to say more?Just talk about needlework and rouge and gouache. But when the little sister was discussing with her mother just now, she saw how angry she was. Why? "

"This -" Zhou Yang touched his nose in embarrassment and could only tell the truth under Xue Baochai's concerned eyes, "My wife asked about Brother Wen Long. I was not afraid that he would not want to go back when he came back, so I didn't let him go. He knows about my coming to Jinling, so that he won’t be stunned by the fragrance of Jiangnan and forget to make progress."

"Have you forgotten?" Xue Baochai also reacted and hit him hard several times angrily, "Brother Zhou, when my eldest brother did too much in the city, my mother was originally worried so she sent him to the army, but... The first time she came back, she cried a few times because of her elder brother's suffering, but in order for him to make progress, she endured it anyway.

But what about you?At the end of the year, I knew I would go back to Jinling for a visit, but I didn't bring my eldest brother back. Apart from not caring about him at all, what else could I do?I can’t blame my mother for being so angry that she didn’t even have dinner, and I don’t know how much pain my eldest brother is suffering now, let alone whether he can eat well and sleep well.”

"Oh, my dear sister, what are you thinking about?" Zhou Yang saw her shedding tears as she spoke, and he quickly persuaded her with distress, "Although Brother Wenlong has been severely trained in the army, he has made a lot of progress these days. It's hard to say anything else. , At least my body and bones are much stronger than when I was in Jinling, and in terms of conduct, I can now listen to advice and say good things."

Well, Zhou Yang is not lying about this. Other officers and soldiers cannot train strictly according to modern standards due to consumption issues. They usually only train two or three kilometers a day, plus some push-ups, horizontal and parallel bars, etc. Xue Pan does not need to consider this. , three meals a day include meat, enough tubes, and even medicated meals. Correspondingly, there are at least two five-kilometers a day, and other items are doubled.

This kind of training lasts for two or three months, and it is time to train people no matter what. As for speaking and doing things, anyway, if you are disobedient, you will be beaten with a belt. If you say something wrong, you will be beaten with a belt. If you do not do well, you will continue to be beaten with a belt. And well, if this continues, no matter who comes here, they will either learn well or die, and Xue Pan is obviously the former.

"Seriously?" Xue Baochai asked in disbelief.

"Can I still lie to you?" Zhou Yang was about to curse and swear, "It doesn't matter if you don't believe it. When I go back after the New Year, you will follow me to Daye. You will know what I said when you see Brother Wenlong It’s more real than real gold; besides, if he doesn’t learn well and then he does something wrong, I won’t be the one to clean it up in the future? I want to teach him well in the same mood as you.”

"That's not necessary." After hesitating for a moment, Xue Baochai said softly, "Since Brother Zhou is so sure, can I still not believe it? When you go back after the new year, it will not be convenient for me to go there, so I will only ask my mother to follow you. Just go and take a look, I believe that big brother will be happier when he sees it, right?"

"Huh?" Zhou Yang always felt that something was wrong, "My sister really doesn't want to."

"No need." Xue Baochai hurriedly broke away from Zhou Yang's arms, straightened up his appearance and then said with a slight salute, "It's late at night, little sister, don't disturb the elder brother's rest. You and the two sisters have worked hard all the way, so just have a good rest today; Regarding the Northland business account book that I mentioned during the day, I will discuss it with Sister Qiying."

"That's fine." Zhou Yang still didn't figure out what was wrong, but he could only follow him to the courtyard and watch Xue Baochai leave. He even heard the voice of Ying'er greeting him outside the courtyard gate.I don't know why, but after coming here this time, Zhou Yang always felt that there was something hidden between Xue Baochai and him. It seemed that they were very close, but also seemed to be distant. Although he had held her in his arms just now, he was not as intimate as before. Even when she came in this time, she specifically left Ying'er outside the hospital, which was impossible before.

"Sister Bao is gone?" Just as he was thinking about something, Zhao Qiying came from behind and said, "It's late at night, let's take a rest."

"It's okay, I just don't know why, Baochai gave me the feeling today." Zhou Yang hesitated for a moment, and then said his thoughts again, but he knew that Zhao Qiying was much more resourceful than himself, "Why on earth? Obviously I already did last time."

"Oh?" Zhao Qiying's expression changed, and she obviously had a guess, but she opened her mouth but did not say anything. After thinking for a moment, she said, "I think it's because of me and sister Qingwen? We were obviously visiting Yue's house, but we took our concubine with us. , it’s not surprising that Miss Bao has any thoughts; not to mention the matter of Mr. Xue, Brother Zhou, you are really bad this time."

"Didn't I just forget about it?" Zhou Yang said with a wry smile. His relationship with the Xue family was just mutual use at the beginning, and then they were "invested" by others. It was not until Xue Tu was assassinated and Baochai was engaged that The two sides finally broke the ice, and Wang Shuying's matter was caught in the middle, but no matter what the reason was, Xue Pan was definitely not included.

Whether it is out of guard against the "Idiot Xue" in the original work, or because he is speechless now, it is impossible for Zhou Yang to get close to such a person. He is willing to get an empty bucket title for him, but because of Wang Shuying's In terms of the face of Xue Baochai and his daughter, he even considered that if Xue Pan was really irreversible, he would simply make arrangements. Under such circumstances, how could he care much about him?

"You, if Qiying hadn't fallen in love with him at the beginning, and we have known each other very well these days, judging from your attitude towards Young Master Xue, I would have thought you were cold-hearted." Zhao Qiying rolled his eyes at him angrily and said, "How could it be possible? You get benefits from others but turn a blind eye to their heirs?"

"How deep do we know each other?" Zhou Yang smiled evilly and took the girl into his arms, "How deep?"

"Fuck you!" Zhao Qiying blushed and punched him a few times before continuing, "Not only is the younger sister worried about this, but the Li family sister in the capital is also thinking about it, for fear that she can't make you feel at ease on her own. Take Sister Yingchun with you. Logically speaking, she is the second young lady of Rongguo Mansion, even if she is a concubine, she should not be abused like this by you."

"Do you all see it this way?" Zhou Yang was stunned for a moment, smiled bitterly and hugged Zhao Qiying tightly and said, "I ask myself that I really owe you a lot. I thought that we have been together for a lifetime, and I will pay you back slowly from now on. But I never considered that it would leave such an impression on you. It’s really disappointing.”

Because he knew the world too well, Zhou Yang preemptively decided to distance himself from the Jia family. Even if it was because of Li Wan, the label of "Rongguo family disciple" did not change anything. He did not expect that because of this , was regarded as "cold" by Li Wan; Xue Pan's incident was actually for the same reason.

"Brother Zhou, there's no need to worry. As you said, it's been decided for the rest of your life, so what else can you do?" Zhao Qiying leaned gently on Ai Lang's chest and said emotionally, "Little sister won't worry about anything, just like Sister Qingwen is like this. If she hadn't been bought by you, she would have been sold somewhere now. How could she have such a good life?
She is your girl in name. She is probably raised as a young lady on weekdays. Just look at her current appearance. My little sister was used to seeing many family members in Beijing. Those young ladies and wives, in addition to having some problems, Fewer people are literate and read, and more are bookish. Just in terms of appearance and temperament, how many people can compare? "

"This girl, am I willing to treat her harshly?" Zhou Yang said with a smile. He had always been quite proud of the fact that he bought Qingwen when he first came to this world. "The same goes for you, not to mention other things. , I promised you back then that everything I have will be without you, how is it now?"

"If that's not the case, my little sister is not a casual person, how could she marry Brother Zhou regardless of her shame?" Zhao Qiying's cheeks turned red and she leaned into Ai Lang's arms emotionally and said, "I didn't even say anything about Yan Ling. , don’t you know what your eldest brother is like?”

"Yes, I owe you a lot." Zhou Yang kissed the girl in his arms with a smile, paused for a moment to think, and then simply hugged her, "Forget it, as the saying goes, 'It takes time to see a person's heart,' no matter what Is it for a more in-depth understanding, or for this 'long time', I think it's better to continue to communicate, right?"

"If you, the sage, knew that this ancient saying was so misinterpreted by you, I'm afraid I would have crawled out of the coffin and beaten you severely." Zhao Qiying blushed and punched him, but still let him be dealt with. "Huh? Brother Zhou, why don't you go to my little sister's room? Sister Qingwen is also there, isn't it a bit..."

"Then have you ever heard of 'sisterly love'?" Zhou Yang said with a smirk and let the girl beat him back to the bedroom.

"Hey, Sister Qiying? Oh, Master, how could you be like this-"

(End of this chapter)