HBWnovel Chapter 4
Chapter 4
It is said that Zhan Zhao stayed on the empty island for two days, and Min Xiuxiu was cured by the medicine. He only felt that the wound on his back was already a little itchy, but the pain was gone.Bai Yutang took him to wander around the island every day, and then the two of them got into the hole to play with those hidden weapons, which was a lot of fun.Since Bai Yutang felt that he had some inappropriate thoughts about this cat that day, he really scared himself, but after playing in one place in the past two days, he didn't have that impulse, thinking about it in his spare time, he also found it strange.However, all kinds of good feelings for Zhan Zhao have never been felt by others.
At noon on the eighth day of the eighth day, the old lady of the Ding family sent someone to pick up Zhan Zhao. Seeing that Zhan Zhao was really in a hurry to leave, Min Xiuxiu asked his servants to prepare Zhan Zhao's medicine for the two days, saying it was on the tenth day of the new year. , she will take the medicine again.
Everything was ready, and everyone came to send it off, but Bai Yutang was missing. Lu Fang frowned, and said apologetically,
"Xiao Zhan, this old five is getting more and more unruly, don't mind! He may have found something new somewhere, so he didn't come to see you off!"
Zhan Zhao smiled gently and said,
"Brother Lu doesn't need to be like this. Brother Bai is a friend to me, not an outsider, so I don't have to be so particular. Besides, we will see you again in Mohua Village in two days. Today's farewell is not a big deal!" After finishing speaking , arched his hands, and said to his brothers,
"I've troubled you brothers for the past two days, and we'll see you in Jasmine Village!"
"Okay, be careful on the road! Boatman, let's go!"
Zhan Zhao stood on the deck of the boat, and did not bend down to enter the cabin until the shadows of several people on the shore became smaller and smaller.As soon as he entered, he saw a familiar white figure, sitting leisurely in the middle, holding a wine glass, looking at him and smiling while drinking, this person is not Bai Yutang, but who is it? !
"Bai Yutang, why are you here?"
He sat down opposite Bai Yutang, saw the wine glass he handed over, took a sip, and then asked,
"Why don't you tell the sister-in-law and the others, causing them to misunderstand you and think that you have gone to play elsewhere again!"
"I left a note, and they will know about it later. Besides, I went early, and I can play with Da Ding Xiao Ding and the others. After two days, the elder brother and the others arrive, and let me say hello to this one again." , say hello to that one, it will suffocate me to death!"
"Hehe!" Zhan Zhao smiled clearly, thinking about it, it's not.As the father's officialdom became bigger and bigger, more and more people of all kinds came to the family. These juniors would be called out every time, and everyone would be called out respectfully.He felt so boring to death, let alone this mouse that likes to jump up and down!
Seeing him smile, Bai Yutang was also happy, then took out a piece of paper from his pocket, spread it on the table, and said to Zhan Zhao,
"Cat, look, this is the diagram of the mechanism you said the other day that needs a key to open it alone. I drew it last night in a hurry!"
"Ah! Really!" Zhan Zhao hurriedly looked at the picture in surprise, muttering,
"You drew it so quickly?" Suddenly felt something was wrong, looked up at him, and found that there were indeed some faint shadows under his eyes, a little bit unbearable, and blamed him,
"Why are you so anxious! Why don't you sleep well, it's never too late to paint during the day! It's not something to be anxious about!"
"Hehe! You said it yesterday, and an idea suddenly came to my mind at night. If I didn't draw at that time, I was afraid that I would forget it!"
Zhan Zhao looked at the picture carefully again, and said in a while,
"Well, you are really talented. I also have a rough picture, but I can't figure out the key points of these places. Now that I read yours, I think it is also a solution!"
Bai Yutang listened to his tone and said unconvinced,
"You mean, there are still some flaws?"
Zhan Zhao shook his head and sighed,
"No, I just..." He suddenly smiled and said,
"Forget it, let's talk when we have time! Can you leave this picture with me temporarily? I'll think about it when I have time!"
When Bai Yutang saw his spring breeze smile, his heart almost melted immediately, and he also smiled,
"Why not! Bai Wuye, my stuff belongs to your stinky cat! Besides, the picture book is also drawn for you!"
Zhan Zhao nodded and said,
"Then put me here first! Oh, yes, it's our business," he said, pointing to the picture that was put into his arms,
"Don't tell anyone about it!"
"Why? This is not a bad thing!"
Zhan Zhao shook his head and said,
"I don't know, but it seems that my parents and grandmother don't like what I do. Every time I mention these little tricks, they stop me and change the subject!"
"Hehe, I heard that you are very popular at home, even my sister-in-law said you are the lifeblood of the old lady!"
Zhan Zhao blushed in embarrassment,
"Don't talk nonsense! There are other brothers in the family! I'm just an adopted son. The old lady and parents are afraid that I will be wronged, so they naturally prefer some. But the eldest brother and the second brother are also very good to me. Oh, yes, there is Yue Hua them!"
"Don't mention your sister! She doesn't look like a lady at all, she's just a hag!"
"Really? I think my fourth sister has a good impression of you! Every time I mention it, I say you are handsome and smart!"
Bai Yutang looked smug,
"That's right, Fifth Master Bai is not everyone loves you! Well, as for me, I have played with Da Ding and the others since I was a child. Although I have never met you, I know that they love you very much. I'm not very close to Aunt Gui's two children."
When Zhan Zhao heard this, he shook his head helplessly,
"Brother and the others love me, in fact, they also love Zhaozhong and Yueying, but my aunt always thinks that I... I am a foreigner...but..."
Zhan Zhao has a gentle temperament. He grew up in a big family. While he is sensible, he has also developed a temper of compromise, so he seldom "gobbles" with others.However, not speaking does not mean that he has no ideas, but he has never told outsiders, even in front of Ah Fu, he never said a word about Aunt Gui and the other two younger siblings.He was afraid of causing trouble to his parents and grandmother who loved him, but fortunately, he was sent to his master a few years ago, which can be regarded as avoiding embarrassment.At this moment, he opened up his heart to Bai Yutang who he had only known for a few days, and he was surprised to say what was buried in his heart.
Bai Yutang got along with him for a few days, and knew that he would rather be wronged by himself than complain about other people's temperament. Seeing him stammering a few words now, he guessed that the cat must have been wronged a lot by Aunt Gui and Zhaozhong brothers and sisters. , so I secretly wrote down this account in my heart, thinking that someday, Bai Wuye would definitely meet them.
Bai Yutang shook Zhan Zhao's hand unconsciously, and said,
"I see, you don't need to say it!"
Zhan Zhao looked at him and knew that Bai Yutang really regarded him as a friend, so he changed the subject and said,
"When I get home in a while, you come to my room. I have the boxing score left by my master. We can compete tonight!"
Bai Yutang originally had a fierce and competitive temperament, so he was also very keen on kung fu, so he was eager to try it immediately, and the two of them immediately put the unpleasantness behind them, and chatted again.
An hour later, the boat docked, Ding Zhaolan and Ding Zhaohui brothers who had already heard the news were waiting on the shore, seeing Bai Yutang also came out of the cabin with Zhan Zhao, he was very pleasantly surprised.
"Five!"
"Fifth brother!"
The two brothers greeted each other warmly, then Ding Zhaolan patted Zhan Zhao's shoulder and said lovingly,
"Third brother, I haven't seen you for more than half a year, and I've grown taller again, almost taller than my brothers. Why don't you gain weight, and your body is still so thin. After seeing you, the old lady will have to talk about you again!"
"Big Brother, Second Brother, how are the old lady, father and mother?" Zhan Zhao went ashore, but his heart had already flown back home.
"Well, my father only arrived two days ago, but his face is not very good! You may have heard that the students in Beijing took to the streets in May, but President Xu Shichang ordered to suppress it. Mr. Cai later resigned My father was very angry at the principal's position, but he couldn't leave. No, the students in Tianjin were petitioning again two days ago, but the governor Yang Yide sent military police. Father couldn't bear it, and handed in his resignation." Ding Zhaolan explained the situation to his younger brother.
"Da Ding, it's quite cold outside, let's go back and talk about it! I guess the old lady can't wait!" Bai Yutang was afraid that Zhan Zhao's back injury was not healed, and he heard the bad news again, so he turned around and made his illness worse.
Ding Zhaolan suddenly noticed that the four of them were standing on the bank, blowing the cool wind, and nodded quickly.
"Hey, I'm really confused, let's go, go home! The old lady has been thinking about it for several days, but, fifth, she has also mentioned you several times! This time you come back with the third brother, her old man must I'm so happy!"
After talking, several people went to the car, took the luggage into the car, and arrived at the Ding family's old house after a while.
The Ding family's house was designed and supervised by Ding Citian himself in his later years. It has the beauty of Jiangnan architectural complexes, and it also has the atmosphere of the North.After these years of ups and downs, although it is a bit old, the beauty of simplicity has also been vividly expressed.The car passed through a forest, and soon stopped in front of a gate. Several servants dressed in short clothes greeted them immediately, and Ah Fu was also standing among them.The one in front was an old man in his fifties wearing a dark robe and gray hair. He opened the back door graciously, and when he saw Zhan Zhao coming down, he called out eagerly,
"Third young master, you are back! The old lady is waiting inside!"
"Hello, Uncle Hong!" Zhan Zhao called out politely, and the old man nodded happily, then saw Bai Yutang get off the car, and said respectfully,
"Master Bai, please come inside!"
"Uncle Hong, how many times have I told you that you can just call me Bai Yutang. Your old man, your son, looks very good!"
"Haha, Mr. Bai, what you said is what you said. You are a distinguished guest, and I am a servant. You can't break the rules, can you? Come on, I'll let them take your things to the guest room. The old lady told me three days ago Let’s get ready, even the eldest miss always urges us! Dabao, Erbao, take the things of Young Master Bai in, be careful not to knock them! Ah Fu, you also take the things of the third young master into the house, and then I will go to the front to serve in a while."
Brother Ding Zhaolan also got out of the car, led the way, and brought Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang into the front hall. Before he could get to the front, he saw a well-dressed, graceful and luxurious old woman coming up to him, and Zhan Zhao hurriedly ran for a few minutes. step, walked to the front all at once, and called out emotionally,
"Grandma, I'm back!"
The old lady hugged her grandson and patted her in her arms,
"It's good to come back. I've been out for so many days, and I don't even say I'll come back soon! I really miss me!"
Bai Yutang watched from behind, and seeing that the grandparent and grandson were almost affectionate, he hurried up and shouted,
"Old lady, you only saw him, but not me?!"
Old Madam Ding looked back and saw Bai Yutang's playful smile, she also smiled and said,
"You little devil, it's hard not to see it! It's not you who detained my precious grandson for two days. I haven't asked you if I haven't asked you yet. You'll beat me up first! See if I don't report you to Jintang Now, you have to be careful with your skin again!"
While talking, they entered the main hall, the old lady sat on the front seat with the support of the girl, and said to the servants,
"Xiao Zhao and the others are here, Yunyan go and invite the master, wife, and concubine out!" Looking at Bai Yutang, she pointed to the mahogany chair next to her and said,
"Yutang, you can be regarded as half of my own family, you are welcome, find a place to sit by yourself! Xiao Zhao, come here, come to grandma!"
Zhan Zhao nodded with a smile, and before he got there, a white figure also came up to him, stood on the other side of the old lady, and said with a cheeky smile,
"No, I want to stand here too."
"Bai Yutang, stop making trouble!"
"I didn't make trouble, so you are only allowed to stand there, and I am not allowed to stand here?"
"you!"
"What's wrong with me?"
Old Madam Ding was amused by the two of them, she grabbed their hands and said,
"Okay, both of you are here with me."
"Hmph!" Bai Yutang glared at Zhan Zhao.
"Cut!" Zhan Zhao stared back.
The Ding Zhaolan brothers looked at each other, looked at each other and smiled, the whole two hummed and haed the second general, these two live treasures!
While playing around, I saw a group of people filing in from a side door. The one who walked in the front was a middle-aged man who was not tall but powerful. He was about in his early 50s. Dressed in Chinese style, but exuding a foreign style, when he saw Zhan Zhao, he smiled and said,
"Xiao Zhao is back!"
Zhan Zhao hurriedly stood up, and replied respectfully,
"Father, I'm back!"
This person is Zhan Zhao's adoptive father and Ding Wenju's father, Ding Zhaolan's brother.
"Well, it's good to be safe. The world is a bit chaotic recently. You and Ah Fu went to Nanjing and didn't encounter any trouble, right?"
"No, everything went well."
"Hey, is Yutang here? How many of Lu Fang and the others are here?"
"Hello Ding Shibo! My eldest brother and the others will arrive tomorrow, and they are probably counting the presents and getting ready to board the ship!"
"Hey, our neighbors have been neighbors for so many years, and Xiuxiu often sees Xiao Zhao's doctor, but she is always so polite! Xiao Zhao, let your mother see you, she misses you too! Yutang, Yuehua just said What about you, you will be annoyed in a while!"
"Master, why do you say that about your daughter?!" Mrs. Ding pretended to curse angrily, but looked at her adopted son with a real smile, and said,
"Xiao Zhao, but you're back! Why did you lose so much weight? You don't even look good! Could it be that you haven't eaten or slept well these days?"
Zhan Zhao hurried forward, helped his mother's arm, shook his head and said,
"Mother, I'm fine, but I'm getting thinner when I grow taller, but my body is strong!"
Mrs. Ding also smiled and said,
"Xiu Ming, I thought he was getting thinner just now, but this boy is really growing! Look, he is almost surpassing Zhaolan and the others! Xiao Zhao, help your mother to sit down. Wen Ju, there are three of them, Auntie and her mother! "
"Old lady, we are here. We have been standing by for a long time, and now we need your roll call!"
Aunt Gui and Mrs. Ding are two different styles of women.If Mrs. Ding is the representative of everyone's ladies, then Aunt Gui can definitely be called the leader of Xiaojiabiyu.Mrs. Ding grew up in a wealthy family, and she behaved decently in her bones, while Aunt Gui was three points of beauty, but her nobleness was far behind.Not to mention the difference between the two, that is, the children who are educated, even though they are half-brothers, are also high and low, and the effect is immediate.
Coming out from Aunt Gui's back was a boy about Zhan Zhao's age, but with small eyes, he didn't like to look at people directly, and his cheeky face made him not very pleasing to look at.This person is Aunt Gui's eldest son, Ding Wenju's fourth son Ding Zhaozhong. He is six months younger than Zhan Zhao. He was born with a disabled leg. Although he had an operation in a foreign hospital, he still can't walk. Turning around is quite laborious.He was spoiled by Aunt Gui since he was a child, and he is not smart enough, but he is self-righteous, and he is quite disrespectful to his three brothers, especially Zhan Zhao.The longer he grows up, the more he knows the gap with Zhan Zhao, and the more he sees him as a thorn in his side.Coming in behind him was his own sister, Ding Wenju's youngest daughter, Ding Yueying.She has inherited her mother's beautiful face, but because she is the youngest child in the family and a girl, she will inevitably be spoiled by everyone, so she is a little bit arrogant. Although she is only thirteen or fourteen years old, it still makes the servants headache and fear master.
Seeing Aunt Gui come in, Zhan Zhao also hurried forward and shouted politely,
"Auntie, hello!"
"Hey, look, the third young master of our family is getting more and more handsome. He has been in Beijing for a few years, and the official saying is quite authentic. Unlike children from small places like us, no matter how you look at it He's a country bumpkin. So, master, Zhao Zhong is of the right age, can you go to Beijing to study at university with the third young master next year!"
Ding Wenju nodded with a smile, gestured for everyone to sit down, and then said,
"Xiao Zhao came back today, everyone has a good reunion dinner! After the meal, the boys will follow me to the study, I have something to say!"
He looked at the old mother, saw the old lady nodded, and continued,
"Next year, we may have to move to Shanghai!"
"What?" All three of the Ding brothers were taken aback, only Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang realized something.
Mrs. Ding saw that her husband did not speak, but she heard Aunt Gui scream,
"Huh? Move to Shanghai? Good! I heard that the women in Shanghai are very fashionable, and the clothes there are also very beautiful!"
"Shut up!" Ding Wenju became impatient, looked at the sky, it was dark, and was thinking, when the butler Hong Bo came in and said,
"Old lady, master, the meal is ready, shall we eat now?"
Seeing the irritability on her son's face, the old lady nodded and said,
"Then let's eat first!"
So, everyone went to the restaurant for dinner.Soon, it was completely dark. Mrs. Ding returned to her room accompanied by her daughter-in-law. A group of boys followed Ding Wenju to the study. Bai Yutang touched Zhan Zhao and whispered in his ear,
"Why didn't you see Yuehua? That hag always bickered with me every time she heard me coming. Why didn't you see her today?"
Zhan Zhao was also thinking about why the fourth sister didn't come, and when Bai Yutang asked, he also looked puzzled, and then heard Zhaolan say,
"What are you two mumbling about?"
"Hey, it's nothing! I just didn't see Ding Yuehua's mother... that girl!"
"Yuehua? Yuehua is now learning to be a lady! She is learning to be a female celebrity in the Zhenxiu Pavilion today!"
"What? Female red? Hahaha, what are you kidding, Yuehua!" Bai Yutang thought of Ding Yuehua's tomboy appearance, and then saw her pricking his finger with a needle and thread. No matter how he thought about it, he felt so happy!
"Old Fifth, don't laugh! Yuehua made such a big decision this time, and I think it's because of you!"
"Me? What does she have to do with me when she turns from evil to righteousness?" Bai Yutang didn't understand.
Ding Zhaolan didn't speak, looked at Ding Wenju, squeezed his eyes and said,
"You can ask my father later."
Before they finished speaking, the servants had already opened the door of the study room. When everyone entered the room, they found three other young people sitting in the room. Seeing them coming in, they all stood up and said to Ding Wenju,
"Ding Shibo!"
"Mr. Ding!"
"Okay, everyone sit down! We are all our own people, so you don't have to be restrained, sit down!" After speaking, he sat down at the desk first, and several boys also took their seats.Ding Wenju said to his servants,
"Ade, bring me the tea, and tell Uncle Hong to bring me the things I asked to prepare!"
Ding Wenju looked at these boys of similar age with a smile, and said happily,
"Zhaolan, you two are about the same age. Let me introduce you. We will be friends from now on."
He first pointed to his own children and said,
"This is Zhaolan and Zhaohui, the eldest and second child in our family. They are twins. They are difficult to identify at first. After a long time, you will naturally know the difference. Zhaolan is steady and sensible, while Zhaohui is lively and active. They are a little older How old are you? You are 23 this year. You work in the bank and silk shop at home in Shanghai. That is my third son, Zhan Zhao, who is also studying in Beijing. He is the same age as you. He is also 17 years old this year. The foster brother of Master Lu of Kongdao Island and the second young master of the Bai family in Shanghai, of course, I treat him as a half-son here." Speaking of this, Ding Wenju gave Bai Yutang a deep look. Tang didn't understand, so he felt a little moved, half son, what does this mean? !Thinking of what his elder brother said just now, Zhan Zhao suddenly understood, looked at Bai Yutang and smiled, this smile made Bai Yutang even more flustered.