half

"Eldest young master doesn't like to make noise. You stay by your side and keep quiet. Whatever the eldest young master tells you to do, you do it. Don't talk too much, remember?"

Ruan Tang's stature has not yet grown. When his mother sold him, she said he was sixteen, but he was not tall enough, and he looked thin.

The housekeeper bought him because he looked smart, his baby-fat face was like a tender bun, his bright black eyes were pleasing, and he was quiet.

They came in from the door all the way, and led Ruan Tang to wash and change the clothes of the book boy, and the housekeeper instructed him all the way.

Ruan Tang just kept silent.But with his head lowered slightly, as if he was listening seriously, Zhou An said inwardly, this child is probably really taciturn.

To others, such a servant might be a bit dull, but it is really appropriate to give him to Zhou Jincheng.

"Eldest young master doesn't teach people easily, but if one day he gets angry at you, he won't cry."

If there are other servants of such an advanced age, Zhou An doesn't need to give such instructions.But Ruan Tang did not say that he had never served anyone in the past ten years. Seeing his mother's appearance when she sold him, Zhou An was a little worried because his father loved and loved his mother and grew up at home.

"The one who paid you to come in is the young master. From now on, you will only listen to the young master, and you can't show that kind of stuff at home. Be obedient, and then..."

"There is food to eat."

Ruan Tang answered this time.

Zhou An glanced at him, the corners of the child's mouth were slightly pursed, revealing two dimples.Thinking of the way his parents fled all the way here, Zhou An couldn't bear it, and his tone softened, and said: "That's it, as long as you know."

Zhou Jincheng's first book boy had been by Zhou Jincheng's side since he started his career, and he was originally sold into Zhou's mansion as a house slave.But his father and mother had money in their hands recently, so they came to the door to redeem their son.

Zhou Mansion is a well-informed family and is unwilling to embarrass others.Now the wife in charge made up her mind, let the book boy go out, and gave him the ransom money to ask for a wife.

As a result, there was no one around Zhou Jincheng.

Impatiently, the wife asked Zhou An to find a suitable book boy, not one who was too young this time.I'm afraid it will be the same as the last one. When I grow up, my parents will go back and redeem me again, so there will be a loophole for Ruan Tang.

"No."

In the study, Zhou Jincheng didn't even raise his head, he only said two words, and ignored the two people standing there.

Zhou An sneered, "This... the young master is studying, and he must be served by him. Besides, he was ordered by his wife. The slave is really..."

"The one who tipped you off earlier left, and he sent this one in a hurry. Let me tell the truth, there is nothing in Zhou Jincheng's room that people can't see. If you want to know anything, just ask me. You don't have to bother with that. set."

Zhou An waved his hands again and again: "Where is it, where is it, isn't the book boy just serving the young master to study. This child is very good, and he is not noisy. The young master will use it first. If it doesn't suit you, the slave will come and change it for you tomorrow. "

He secretly changed Zhou Jincheng's meaning with a few words, said to let Zhou Jincheng use it first, then backed away, and took a few big steps out of the study hidden under the dense phoenix trees.Liu Ruan Tang—after changing his name, he should actually be called Zhou Tang. He stood alone, with his back slightly hunched, his hands clasped in front of him, his eyes flicked around, and he didn't make a sound or move.

Zhou Jincheng also just read the book by himself, as if there was no such person in the room.

It was late afternoon when Zhou Jincheng's book was turned over a dozen pages, and the sun went down.

With the reason of wanting to review the book, he didn't go to the main room to eat, but let the maid bring it to the study, and it's the same today.When the time came, two servant girls came with trays.

After Ying'er and Yan'er entered the room, they lowered their eyes and walked towards the book case. When they turned around, they dared to take a peek at the new book boy standing there.

Just now I saw Zhou An going out from his wife's room, sighing, and his wife's face was also gloomy.The two of them immediately knew that the matter of sending the new book boy had hit a snag with the young master.

The wife who is now in charge of the house is the first wife who entered the door half a year after her departure.

However, within six months, there was only the second young master left. Everyone in the entire family knew what was going on.She has been taken care of by the master all the time, once the first wife left, and the young master's filial piety was still on him, Master Zhou couldn't wait to take her into the mansion, and became the wife of the main house.

It was also from then on that the Eldest Young Master had a rift with the Master and his wife.The relationship is not far or close on weekdays, but it is absolutely impossible for him to be intimate.

"My wife wants to do such a disgusting thing. If it is the biological mother, it's fine. The young master used to be like this. The wife even opened the mouth to let the young master's book boy go out. If people who don't know it, maybe they will say something that the wife deliberately humiliated the young master." What about the young master's words?" Ying'er covered her mouth with a veil, and said to Yan'er in a low voice.

Yan'er looked around and patted her hand, "Oh, you are going to die! You dare to say anything, let Uncle An hear us talking about the master, and tear our mouths apart!"

Ying'er pursed her lips, knowing in her heart that she was wrong, so she changed the topic and said, "It's just a pity that there is that one standing in the room, and within a day after entering the door, you will be angry from both sides."

Yan'er thinks about the appearance of the book boy just now, she is not as tall as herself, with a round face, round eyes, hair protruding behind her head and tied into a bun, it is very painful.

"The eldest young master doesn't like to torture people, but he has a cold temper. The work of the book boy is too easy. He came here from famine, so don't worry about him."

Ying'er nodded: "You're right."

The two maids sat in the shade covered by a sycamore tree at the back door of the study, and the stone bench they were sitting on was also cool.

This job is done three times a day, so there are three opportunities to be lazy.

The lamp was lit in the room, Zhou Jincheng left the desk, sat down on the round stool, and began to eat.

Summer dinners are light, but there are many types.Five dishes, one wooden barrel rice, and one sweet soup with lotus root slices.

Zhou Jincheng didn't even need half of it, the servants waited every day for Yinger Yaner to take back the leftovers left by the young master, devouring them hungrily, and sleeping soundly at night.

This night, however, all they got was a stack of empty plates.

"Brother." Ruan Tang, who had stood for an entire afternoon without moving, walked quickly this time, and moved to Zhou Jincheng in three or two steps, with a little timidity in his eyes, but a smile on his face, with deep dimples, a little shy , said softly: "Hungry."

Before Zhou Jincheng's chopsticks touched the dish, he paused when he heard the words, and then said, "What did you say?"

Ruan Tang said again: "I'm hungry, brother. I came here because my mother said that I can eat here and be full."

Zhou Jincheng stretched his eyebrows, put down the chopsticks in his hand, and asked with interest: "Do you want to eat my meal?"

"I only eat half." Ruan Tang said seriously, "Let's share it equally, okay?"

Zhou Jincheng said, "Come closer."

Ruan Tang obediently went around the table and walked up to him. He was about to touch Zhou Jincheng's knee before stopping.

Zhou Jincheng looked at Ruan Tang's round, tender and lively face, "How old are you?"

Ruan Tang was in trouble, looked at Zhou Jincheng, then lowered his head and pinched his fingers, and finally told the truth: "I used to be fourteen, mother said I'm sixteen today."

Zhou Jincheng asked again: "Why did your mother ask you to come into our house?"

Ruan Tang said: "When I got up in the morning, Ruan Tang was hungry, and I asked my mother to eat. My mother said, I went to a good man's house to eat, so Ruan Tang behaved and could still eat."

"It's really a..." Zhou Jincheng said half a sentence, he thought to himself, he looks like this, but he is really a fool.

"But there's only one pair of chopsticks here." Zhou Jincheng said.

Ruan Tang quickly shook his head: "It's okay, brother eat first, and just give Ruan Tang half of it."

"it is good."

Zhou Jincheng ate at his leisure, while Ruan Tang waited anxiously.

"Brother!" Ruan Tang, who had been quiet all this time, suddenly called out anxiously.

"what happened?"

The expression on Ruan Tang's face was a bit aggrieved, and he pointed to the vinegared cabbage in front of Zhou Jincheng and said, "This is not half enough, brother can't eat it."

"Isn't it okay to leave the fried meat for you?"

Zhou Jincheng saw that he was pitifully skinny, and two mouthfuls of rice was really nothing precious, so he picked out vegetarian dishes to eat, and left the greasy ones for Ruan Tang, but the little fool refused, "Didn't we agree, half for each person?"

"Okay." Zhou Jincheng simply handed the chopsticks to Ruan Tang, "You come and eat."

"Brother, isn't he eating?" Ruan Tang couldn't move his eyes from staring at a table of dishes, but he still hesitated.

Zhou Jincheng didn't let him sit down, and he didn't even think about it, so he just stood and ate.I hold a bowl of rice in my hand and feel hot, so I hold it for a while, and then put it on the table for a while.

When the maid came to collect the dishes, Ruan Tangyuan had already retreated to the place where he was standing just now, and Zhou Jincheng was tracing the characters.

Ying'er and Yan'er clicked their tongues at the empty plate, packed up their things and backed away soundlessly, dragging Ruan Tang out

Ruan Tang was standing close to the door. As soon as Yinger opened the door, Yaner pushed him and was pushed out.

He stepped back and was grabbed by Yinger, "Where are you going? We'll take you to eat."

Ruan Tang shook his head, hurriedly pulled out his hand, and looked back at the closed door behind him.

As soon as he moved around, Ying'er saw the unwiped oil on the corner of his mouth, and pulled him even tighter, "Did you eat the young master's food?"

Ruan Tang looked at Ying'er with a pair of round eyes, and was afraid of being dragged by her. Hearing this, he nodded his head honestly, and wanted to back away again.

Ying'er and Yan'er looked at each other and laughed in surprise.Yan'er nodded Ruan Tang's head and said, "You're so courageous."

The two of them were about to leave with the tray, so they pushed Ruan Tang to the door and said, "Okay, let's go in."

Ruan Tang didn't hesitate for a moment, pushed the door open and walked in.He was still standing where he was just now, two steps away from the half-person-high vase, not far behind.

The butler brought him a set of light blue shirts, with a button-up jacket on top and trousers tucked into shoes, which made him look more childish.

He stood there silently, Zhou Jincheng ignored him, and he didn't look embarrassed by neglect, but still pursed his lips, showing two dimples.

Zhou Jincheng didn't order him, thinking about sending Ruan Tang back the next day.

In the past, Zhou Jincheng always told his wife trivial things about him, but Zhou Jincheng just didn't know.But now that that one has gone, and Zhou Jincheng will go to school after the bitter summer, he can take care of himself, and there are servants, so there is really no need to burden the idiot with him.

With such an idea, Zhou Jincheng would not even talk to Ruan Tang.

After Ying'er made the bed and prepared water in the room, she came to ask him to rest, so Zhou Jincheng put down his books and went out.

When he left, Ruan Tang hurriedly followed.After leaving the study, Zhou Jincheng walked in front, Ying'er and Ruan Tang followed side by side.

When they arrived at Zhou Jincheng's yard, the three of them entered the suite. Ruan Tang wanted to follow again, but was stopped by Ying'er, and they took them to the Nuan Pavilion outside Zhou Jincheng's house.

Ying'er led him to wash his face and feet first, then pointed to the new quilt and said, "Sleep here, don't sleep too hard at night, I heard that the young master wants to drink tea or wake up at night."

Ruan Tang was sitting on a thin layer of mattress in a daze, first there was a sound of water inside, and not long after, all the lights inside and outside were turned off.

He looked left and right, and it was pitch black.This chaotic day suddenly quieted down, Ruan Tang was terrified, and immediately got up and groped into Zhou Jincheng's back room.

Zhou Jincheng lay flat and did not fall asleep. He had been listening to the movement since Ruan Tang got out of bed, and waited until Ruan Tang got close to his bed before he said, "What are you doing?"

The moonlight came in from the window, Ruan Tang stood with the backlight, he could see Zhou Jincheng clearly, but Zhou Jincheng couldn't see him clearly.

Zhou Jincheng had no expression on his face, he was neither angry nor surprised, he was just asking him what he was doing in here.

Ruan Tang stretched out his hand to hold Zhou Jincheng's hand outside the quilt, and a layer of panic appeared on his face after smiling all day: "I'm afraid..."

Zhou Jincheng sat up, "Then what should we do?"

Ruan Tang leaned closer to him again, lowered his head, and whispered again: "Brother, I'm afraid."

Before Steward Zhou brought Ruan Tang in, his mother told him that from now on, he would be the young master's book boy, and only the young master would be his master.

You have to serve with all your heart, you can't hide anything you have to say, you have to say whatever the master asks, you can't wait for others to guess him like you were at home.

This sentence was the last sentence his mother said to him. When Ruan Tang thought of this sentence, he thought of his mother, and took Zhou Jincheng's hand and choked up, "I want my mother, woo... I'm afraid, I'm afraid." I want my mother, brother, I want my mother... woo woo woo..."

He tilted his eyes and cried on Zhou Jincheng's shoulder, and Zhou Jincheng easily grabbed Ruan Tang's waist, hugged him in his arms, and patiently patted him on the back.

The child had been smiling all afternoon, and it was not annoying to cry now.The eyeballs were shining, not the endless crying, but only shed a few tears and then stopped, just looked pitiful.

"Your parents have already left." Zhou Jincheng just told him this, regardless of whether he understood it or not: "They took Steward Zhou's money and decided to go elsewhere to make a living. There is not even arable fields in the city. Wouldn't even want to stay."

Ruan Tang sat in Zhou Jincheng's arms, his thin arms loosely wrapped around his neck, and he twitched a couple of times when he heard the words, and called out aggrievedly: "Brother..."

"Besides, they sold a fool to come in, so they have to run away quickly?" Zhou Jincheng's mouth was not forgiving at all.