"How can it be meaningless? Just now when we were making dumplings with Grandma Chen in Chenjiatun, we were talking about you. Grandma Chen was worried that you would never find a suitable husband. Sister An persuaded Grandma Chen that you were still young, and I was also giving her advice. I was thinking of waiting until after the New Year. I would let you choose from the personal soldiers in the mansion, and maybe you would find someone you like." At this point, Meiya smiled lightly and said to Gu Qingtong, "Look. With so many people thinking about you, thinking about you, and worrying about you, how can your life be meaningless?"
Gu Qingtong shook his head gently and said nothing more.
"Miss Gu, this is your first time seeing Ming Wei. What do you think of him?" Mei Ya suddenly asked after a pause, as if she knew that Gu Qingtong would not answer. She did not wait for long. Then she continued to talk to herself. "You must think that he is quite old and a cripple who can't even walk properly. Pretty pitiful, right?"
Gu Qingtong nodded. The first time she saw Zhong Mingwei was in Jixian Bookstore. At that time, Zhong Mingwei was lame. He had to hold on to the wall to limp forward slowly. At that time, Zhong Mingwei and Mei Ya were still in a stalemate. He had not eaten well or slept well for many days. He was very thin and haggard, with a long beard. At first glance, he looked about 40 years old.
"Do you know what Zhong Mingwei looked like when I first came to Ningguta?" Mei Ya continued, leaning against the wall, slightly tilting her head, thinking of the man she saw when she pushed open the tattered door on the morning of May 2 last year. "I pushed open the door, and the whole room was filled with the smell of decay and feces. I have never smelled such a bad smell, and I don't know how long he had been suffering in that room. He was paralyzed at that time, let alone limping, he couldn't even move his fingers. He was lying on the bed that was so dirty that you couldn't even imagine. When I went in, I thought... he was a dead man," Mei Ya paused, exhaled a long breath, and continued, "In fact, it was almost the same as being dead. A dignified son of a phoenix and a dragon became a prisoner, his body paralyzed, and was exiled to Ningguta. All kinds of cats and dogs dared to bully him. At that time, he must have felt that being able to die was a relief, right?"
"But he finally made it through, and got through the lowest point in his life. He is now more calm and confident than before," Meiya tilted her head and looked at Gu Qingtong, smiling slightly, "Miss Gu, let me tell you a secret. I have liked Zhong Mingwei for many years, but compared to the former high and mighty Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, I prefer him who stood up from adversity. Even though his legs are still not very agile, he is really charming and attractive now. I think I can like him for the rest of my life, and maybe even in the next life."
"He's lucky to have met you." Gu Qingtong said softly.
"Yes, he has a good life, but do you have a bad life? Are you someone who accepts your fate?" Meiya said softly, word by word, "You have so many family members who care about you, isn't this a good life? You always know what kind of life you want to live, so you never give in, and you always work hard and make progress. Who has such courage as you? Miss Gu, you have your own vision and your future. Excuse me, but this hurdle is not enough to trip you up."
Gu Qingtong didn't say anything, but his gray lips trembled slightly.
"Come on, you have half and I have half." Mei Ya broke the sesame candy into two halves and handed half to Gu Qingtong.
…
December 30, 1934
Lunar New Year's eve.
Cining Palace.
Ever since the downfall of the Xu family, the Cining Palace has become deserted. After the empress dowager fell ill and was bedridden a while ago, and a number of palace maids were sent out, the Cining Palace became even more deserted. Apart from a head maid who took care of the empress dowager's daily life, there were two young eunuchs who took turns on night duty. Today is New Year's Eve, and the two young eunuchs had gone to watch the fireworks, so only the empress dowager and the head maid were left in the Cining Palace.
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