Xu Zhuohua and Xu Minghua were sitting in a car
After leaving the Cheng residence, Xu Minghua kept staring at Xu Zhuohua, even in the car, with a strange look in his eyes that made Xu Zhuohua feel very uncomfortable.
Xu Zhuohua covered her face with her hand. "Don't you recognize me? Why are you staring at me?"
Xu Minghua frowned slightly, his lips moved, but the words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat and he couldn't say them.
Her hesitant manner made Xu Zhuohua extremely uncomfortable. "Laugh all you want, I don't care."
Xu Minghua remained silent, so Xu Zhuohua simply turned around and looked out the car window.
During this period, Xu Minghua worked at the newspaper, and whether intentionally or unintentionally, he always heard news about Xu Zhuohua.
The first time was on the day of the gunfight at the Paramount Ballroom, when I heard that Xu Zhuohua had been lost;
The second time was when I heard that Xu Zhuohua had performed a lewd dance at the warlord's wife's ball, which ruined her reputation.
The third time was when I heard that Xu Zhuohua had been kidnapped and hadn't been seen for two days.
The next time they met, Xu Zhuohua was following Cheng Muyun in a disheveled state, like a stray cat, with messy hair and torn clothes.
Xu Minghua didn't want to marry Cheng Muyun. She felt that she was a woman with her own thoughts and was not bound by feudal ideas. She also thought that since Xu Zhuohua had never been to school, it wouldn't matter if she was forced to marry in place of Cheng Muyun.
She knew Cheng Muyun was dangerous, but she didn't know he was this dangerous. It seemed that Xu Zhuohua had been either grounded or kidnapped for the past two weeks, and had even almost lost her life.
Xu Minghua suddenly felt guilty, thinking that he had pushed Xu Zhuohua into a pit of fire.
Are you injured?
Xu Zhuohua's voice was clearly filled with heartache. Xu Zhuohua thought she had misheard, "What?"
Xu Minghua repeated, "Were you kidnapped and injured?"
Xu Zhuohua was stunned, but was then stung by Xu Minghua's sorrowful gaze. "You're not injured."
"Are the Cheng family members treating you badly?"
Xu Zhuohua was even more confused about what Xu Minghua was up to, and replied evasively, "It's alright."
Hearing her say that, Xu Minghua felt even more guilty. "Did you do those things that ruined your reputation so that you wouldn't marry Cheng Muyun?"
Xu Zhuohua finally realized that Xu Minghua was pitying her.
She swears to God that although Xu Zhuohua has had a very exciting time these past few days, she doesn't feel miserable at all. In fact, she finds it quite interesting. Moreover, she is really not used to Xu Minghua's sudden change in attitude.
Real rich girl, you're more pleasing to the eye when you're high and mighty and look down on me. Please don't pity me like this!
Xu Zhuohua said, "If I don't marry him, are you the one who should? It's easy for you to say that when you're not in my shoes. If I weren't suffering for you, I wouldn't have to ruin my reputation."
Her good intentions were met with ingratitude, and Xu Minghua, in a fit of temper, snorted coldly, "You really don't know what's good for you."
Xu Zhuohua retorted, "You should keep your kindness to yourself. You didn't want to get married, so you asked me to take your place. Now you pity me and want to make yourself feel better?"
Xu Minghua had never experienced such gunfire before, so he turned away and ignored Xu Zhuohua.
...
The Xu family's mansion was even larger and more imposing, consisting of two separate buildings in the same courtyard. A huge kapok tree occupied most of the courtyard, and the kapok flowers on the tree were in full bloom, as red as blood, with five petals that looked like red stars adorning the dense canopy.
Just like the tree in the old house in Dongzhou.
Looking at the fallen kapok flowers on the ground, she suddenly recalled the scene of Cheng Muyun picking up the kapok flowers from the bottom of the steps and then looking at her.
Xu Zhuohua shuddered. She had finally gotten rid of the big devil, so why did she have to think of him again?
Damn it, damn it, I almost forgot.
The First Madam rolled her eyes at Xu Zhuohua, who was swaying her head around, and said, "Stop making a scene here. Hurry up and go inside. Don't embarrass the Xu family."
Xu Zhuohua walked in dismissively, went into the living room, and asked, "Where do I live?"
None of the Xu family members spoke, but Hu Niang said, "Miss, come with me."
They led Xu Zhuohua to the front of the attic. As soon as the door opened, everything came into view. The guns on both sides had slanted, pointed tips, as if they were pressing in, making it hard to breathe.
Hu Niang said, "We just moved here recently and haven't settled in yet. Please bear with us for now, Miss. We'll move downstairs once everything is settled."
Xu Zhuohua carried the suitcase inside, probably because she wouldn't be able to wait until it was all packed.
Although it was very depressing, the room was large enough that Xu Zhuohua could manage.
Seeing that Xu Zhuohua had accepted it, Hu Niang breathed a sigh of relief. "Miss, the family banquet will start soon. Remember to come downstairs for the meal when you're ready."
Xu Zhuohua said, "Okay, I understand."
Xu Zhuohua sat in the chair, looked up at the slanted window above, smelled the decaying odor, and sighed.
The good days are over.
The bed was broken, the table was old, the lamp was crackling, the floor was creaking, and the lighting was insufficient. This was far inferior to the Cheng Mansion.
Suddenly I felt a little reluctant to go back. The Cheng Mansion was so nice, with the morning sun and hot water. Actually, it wasn't unforgivable that Cheng Muyun would always come to climb over the wall at night.
However, Xu Zhuohua thought about it and realized that although the Cheng Mansion was nice, it was too dangerous to be around Cheng Muyun, and there was a possibility that she would be forced into love.
Although the Xu family disliked her, she was Cheng Muyun's fiancée, so at least they couldn't sell her off.
Since we're here, let's make the best of it.
After tidying up, Xu Zhuohua slowly went downstairs. The huge dining table was already full of people.
Xu Shinong's concubines were all brought over, each dressed in their finest attire. They sat beside the First Madam, who covered her nose in disgust, looking at the four concubines with displeasure.
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