Envy

When Yan Zhaohan woke up the next day, he could no longer touch the people around him.He lay in a daze for a long time, thinking that he was still having a dream.

Waking up from a big dream, he put on his clothes, washed up and went out as in the past.

The little girl next door, Yaoyao, ran over to tell him not long ago that the hibiscus tree outside his yard had bloomed, and the flowers bloomed very beautifully.Sometimes a few children would play in circles around the tree.

It was the tree his mother had planted before her death.

He smelled the fragrance, and there was a pool of stagnant water in his heart, and something was about to grow from the branches.Fortunately, he thought, it was still summer.

He went to the tea stand and poured tea for several guests.It was a very lively day, and many guests gathered together to talk about something excitedly.He vaguely heard the name of the bully on East Street, but he was not interested.

The mother-in-law always felt that she had forgotten something. She was getting old and couldn't remember it.She was talking to her old man when she suddenly remembered.

She anxiously sat down at the table and talked to him: "Grandma forgot to tell you, the last time I came to town to look for your little brother came back! Just last night, he beat up the bully on East Street, beat him up His nose and face were bruised and his face was swollen, and his arms and legs were broken, so it's an insult for you, God is so open!"

Yan Zhaohan's heart skipped a beat: "Last night?"

"That's right. It's at Xitingfang, where many people were watching, clapping their hands and applauding. My old man also went to see it." The mother-in-law said, "But this morning, the little brother just showed up on the street. He was taken away by the government."

"Took away by the government?"

"Yes. I don't know what the Yamen will do." The mother-in-law said, "If you want to see him, you can go and see him now."

Just as Yan Zhaohan was about to speak, Meng Tou's voice came from behind him: "No, I'm already back."

Yan Zhaohan stood up and reached out to touch him: "Third brother."

Meng Tou held his hand, pressed his shoulders to let him sit down, and said, "It's me who made you worry."

"I wanted to go out this morning to buy some vegetables for cooking, but just as I was going out, I ran into an official, so I went to the Yamen. They didn't do anything to me, and they let me out after asking a few words."

Meng Tou put a small basket of vegetables on the table, "I just came back after shopping."

The mother-in-law asked, "Are you Meng Yan's brother?"

Meng Tou was slightly taken aback when he heard the name: "Yes."

Yan Zhaohan said, "Third brother, this is Granny Zhu. I'm helping her with some things at the tea stall, and she's been taking care of me for more than a year."

The mother-in-law's tone contained some complaints: "Your brother is really serious. Why did it take so long to come to him? He is so pitiful, blind, and in poor health. The bully on the East Street often bullies him. Your family There has been no movement for a year."

"It's my fault. I will definitely take good care of him in the future." Meng Tou said to Granny Zhu, "Thank you for taking care of him for so long. I don't know how to thank you."

"It's nothing big, don't worry about it. I look at him like I look at my own son." The mother-in-law said, "A while ago, I arranged a marriage for Xiaoyan, thinking that this girl could take care of him .Now that you, the elder brother, are here, this is your own family's business."

Meng Tou looked at Yan Zhaohan: "Marriage?"

"Well," Yan Zhaohan seemed to notice Meng Tou's gaze, and grabbed his arm, "It's... a girl from the town."

"That girl's appearance is a bit poor, but she has a good heart and a very virtuous person." The mother-in-law asked, "Xiaoyan, do you still like that girl?"

Yan Zhaohan felt that Meng Tou's eyes were fixed on his face, he grasped his sleeves a little bit, and parted his lips, not knowing what to say.

Meng Tou held his hand: "Grandma, let's talk about this matter later. My brother has a bad stomach, so I have to go back and make him lunch first." The word bite is a bit heavy.

The mother-in-law said yes again and again.

The sun was very strong at noon, Meng Tou led him to a shaded place, and clasped his hands with his fingers without saying a word.Yan Zhaohan could feel that Meng Tou had been blocking the scorching light for him.

It seems to be like this since he was young, as long as Meng Tou is around, he will feel very at ease.

He was sitting in the yard, Meng Tou had been busy in the kitchen for a long time, and came out to greet him for dinner.

Yan Zhaohan asked, "Third Brother, didn't you leave the town? Why are you back?"

Meng Tou took a small piece of fish and fed it to him: "I met Yan'er earlier, and she said that you and your mother used to live in this Yunqi Town. I searched around here but didn't find you. Just now After leaving by boat, I received a letter from the spies, saying that you are in this town."

Yan Zhaohan wanted to get the bowl and chopsticks: "Third brother, I just can't see, I can eat by myself."

Meng Tou refused to give it to him: "I'm here, so you can rely on me more."

He stubbornly fed Yan Zhaohan a meal.The taste of the dish was unexpectedly good.

Meng Tou moved a rattan chair and let Yan Zhaohan sleep for a while.He avoided the light and shadow, and slept on his side under the shadow of a tree, as if he had returned to the summer when he was in Shen Gui many years ago.

The cicadas were so noisy at that time, and his cat was also noisy, meowing non-stop in his arms.

For the first time in a long time, he slept soundly.

After Yan Zhaohan woke up, the sun was not so strong, the first thing he did was to call for Meng Tou.His voice was very close, and it sounded beside Yan Zhaohan.

Meng Tou said, "I'm here."

Meng Tou was reading beside him. Seeing him wake up, she slid down his wrist and clasped his hand.It was only when Meng Tou thought that he couldn't see that he must be very uneasy.

Meng Tou washed his hair by the well in his courtyard.I didn't expect that a rich man like Meng Tou would be unambiguous in doing these things.

Meng Tou was in a good mood, and his tone was brisk: "You are much better than my little monkeys. I used to wash their hair, but I always splashed water all over my body."

"You wash your siblings' hair?"

"Yeah, every time I go home, they pester me." Meng Tou dried his hair with a towel, "Our custom in Lizhou is to love our daughter-in-law. When I was young, my mother often told me that if I don't If you can wash your sweetheart's hair, but you can't wash clothes and cook for her, you won't be able to marry a wife, at least you won't be able to marry a girl from Lizhou."

Yan Zhaohan smiled softly, "Lizhou is a good place."

"That's natural," Meng Tou curled his lips, "Our men in Lizhou will only marry one person in their lifetime."