A Qi

I went to the kitchen and poured a pot of hot water, and hurriedly sent it to the number one uncle.

Ah Qi yelled, "Young Master Ling, you want hot water."

Rong An heard the movement outside the door, got up and opened the door, but saw a few pieces of orange pomace sticking to the corner of Ah Qi's mouth, and then glanced at the ground, the few pieces of honey fruit that had just dropped were gone.

Ah Qi followed his gaze, embarrassing, didn't he just eat the few snacks you dropped, as for staring at me all the time.

"Come in."

Put the copper basin on the desk, the candied fruit just given is still intact on the table, the sweet and sour fragrance of the just candied fruit is still in the mouth, I can’t help but feel a little greedy, and my eyes look there unconsciously read and watched.

The last time I entered the room, I was a little cramped. This time my son was obviously not as nervous as before on the second trip, and his heart calmed down. Occasionally, he could smell a faint fragrance. Ah Qi didn't know what the incense was, he just felt nice smell.

There was a faint sound of breathing coming from behind the curtain, and Ah Qi wondered if Mr. Liang couldn't do it, he was so tired that he fell asleep within a few strokes.

The tortoise-nu in front of me has met many times on weekdays, but he has never spoken to him.An Rong looked at him carefully, he was a head shorter than him, his complexion was black and yellow, and his appearance was not ugly, but he was really not good-looking. With the corners of his mouth down, he looked honest and able to endure hardships.Just now in the hall, this man doesn't bother to appreciate his Guqin, although he has a low-browed and pleasing look at the moment, I'm afraid he is disdainful to him in his heart.However, he has a greedy mouth, which is too inconsistent with his inner feelings.

"You can take these snacks and take them with you when you leave."

Ah Qi was overjoyed, and repeatedly bowed his waist to express his thanks, "Thank you, Mr. Ling."

After that, Ah Qi's attitude toward Young Master Ling completely changed. The so-called poor man has short-sightedness, and after getting a little benefit from others, he can't wait to treat that person with all his heart. Yes, that is the sun and moon in his heart, the God in his heart.

The rising sun illuminated the area, and the Changchun Courtyard was open for business. Aunt Mei stood in front of the hall, looking at this big family property, her heart was full of joy, her red lips were grinning grinningly on her face like flour dough .

There is a small river in front of the backyard of the restaurant, and ordinary people lived on the other side of the river. In the past, the people and the people in the brothel faced each other across the river. Later, the people on the other side thought the restaurant was dirty and unsightly, so they built a long wall beside the river to separate the two. separated.Since then, all the people washing clothes by the river are from the Changchun Courtyard.

This morning, some maidservants scrubbed and washed the clothes for their young masters, and some little-known young men were not worthy of maidservants, so naturally they had to go to the river to wash clothes by themselves.

In the early morning, the riverside is full of talking and laughing, very lively.

Ah Qi didn't have a lot of work this morning, so she finished it in a while.This time, he also took his dirty clothes to the river to wash.

Gossiping is inevitable in crowded places, especially where women and men who look like women gather together.

"Ah Qi, Mrs. Zhang from the kitchen said yesterday that Chunrui asked you to deliver something to her young master."

"That's right, this Chunrui is too bad, if something good happens, it will be miserable for Ah Qi."

"Ah Qi, tell me quickly, what happened when you went last night."

"Mr. Liang's body looks like..." He covered his mouth and smiled, "I'm afraid Mr. Ling will be too much for it."

……

When everyone said something, I said something, all thinking about the bed curtains of that class, Ah Qi was thinking in his heart: You people are just jealous of the beauty of Mr. Ling, and he is the number one, so I don't understand your way. .

"At that time, I left after delivering things to Mr. Ling, so I didn't pay much attention."

Don't say this sooner, don't say it later, but Chunrui said it when she showed up, it's a coincidence, but this Chunrui is a quick-tempered master, half obedient, and now she has identified Ah Qi Gossip about her son behind her back.

"Well, you Qi, you dare to talk about my son Ling behind your back. You have to tell your mother about it, and see if she doesn't tear your mouth apart."

Pulling Ah Qi and walking towards Aunt Mei.The people who were joking just now are also silent at this time, who in Changchun Courtyard doesn't know that the maid Chunrui walks sideways, relying on Young Master Ling being the number one in the hall, her nose almost grows to the sky, everyone is also very afraid of her.

Ah Qi, a big man, can't be as strong as a little girl, but he was dragged by her, he didn't dare, this turtle-slave has a low status, even a little girl can't compare, Ah Qi It's depressing to think about it.

"Mom, look, this Ah Qi doesn't work hard, he talks behind his back, and dares to speak ill of our young lady."

Aunt Mei is a philistine woman, her mind is full of making money, thinking of how to expand the scale of the Changchun Courtyard, and she absolutely doesn't care about the trivial matters of the youngest daughter's family.

"I said Chunrui, do you think my mother is not busy enough usually, all cats and dogs are pissed at me." Chunrui gave Chunrui a white look, and walked away flirtatiously with her ass twisted.

That Chunrui thought that the madam would punish this filthy tortoise-slave for her young master, but she never thought that it would be worthwhile not to punish beatings and scolding, but she said that she was given a meal by Aunt Mei for nothing, and she felt even worse in her heart. Unable to swallow this breath, he dragged Ah Qi to the second floor.Ah Qi secretly sighed, she has been a tortoise-slave in this Changchun Courtyard for many years, and she has never stepped into the wing of this Young Master Ling before, and she has been in and out several times in the past few days, it is really a monster.

At that time, An Rong rested her head on her hands, leaned on the couch, and turned the pages of the book.Bored, read a book to pass the day.

"Master Ling, it's me, Chunrui."

"What's the matter?"

"It's a long story, the servant brought Ah Qi along."

After a while, a clear and peaceful voice came——

"come in."

An Rong sat up for a while, listening to Chunrui's mouth like a bean, talking non-stop.

"Young Master Ling, today a servant girl is in the backyard and heard Ah Qi speak ill of you."

"I did not say."

"You are still stubborn, I heard it all."

Chunrui's domineering look was too dazzling, the man lowered his head, a little frustrated, his face was obviously full of disbelief, but he held back, only daring to defend himself in a low voice, "I didn't say it".

"You go down first, I'll ask him."

"Mr. Ling, you can't be soft-hearted. It's the worst thing for such a lowly bastard to gossip behind his back."

Seeing that her young master didn't agree with her, Chunrui tactfully withdrew.

Seeing Chunrui leave, Ah Qi smiled secretly, obviously not the cautious and aggrieved look just now.

An Rong is in a good mood today, talking more than usual.

"When did you enter this Changchun courtyard?"

Ah Qi thought for a while, "It's been eight years."

"Several years earlier than me, are you still used to it here?"

Ah Qi felt uncomfortable all over, why did the young master suddenly ask this question, could it be that he wanted to chat with him about family affairs.

"accustomed."

"You are older than me here, but have you heard anything strange?"

"What... what does Young Master Ling refer to?"

"Anything outlandish will do."

Ah Qi frowned and thought about it hard, but it didn't seem to be.But you can't say that to the top card in the hall, otherwise people will think that he, Ah Qi, has no one in his eyes.When my mind was hot, I suddenly thought of that matter.

"There used to be a young boy who refused to pick up guests. One night he tried to sneak away in the dark, but he was discovered and reported to his mother. My mother asked us to chase him back..."

While talking, Ah Qi paused.

"Later, he...he was tortured to death."

An Rong looked at the tortoise slave in front of him, his gaze was deep, with a faint sparkle in it, and he instinctively told himself that the story he told must not be finished.

"Aqi."

"Ok?"

"You go down."

Ah Qi didn't say anything, and retreated consciously, walked to the door, closed the door, suddenly felt a lump in his throat, couldn't get up, couldn't get down, and slowly squatted down, tears just fell down.He thought he could tell anyone about it calmly, but he didn't seem to be able to do it at all.

It was Ah Qi's first year in the Changchun Courtyard. He was still young at that time, only 15 years old. There were older brothers and sisters and an elderly mother at home. In order to support the family, he went to the city to work as a slave in a brothel. No matter how disdainful he was, he couldn't make trouble with money.

He gritted his teeth and shamelessly did the most lowly menial work in this dirty romantic place.On weekdays, I am used to seeing rouge-like men clinging to men for money, and their soft and slender waists are tightly entangled with men like water snakes.

That day, he was going to rest in the utility room as usual.Hearing the noise outside, I don't know which young man ran away in the middle of the night, all the turtle slaves in the utility room put on their clothes, followed the leader and ran out, and of course Ah Qi followed.

The little boy was quickly caught. In a thicket of bamboo and reeds, he might not be able to find the way ahead. In addition to his young age, he was really scared in this wilderness, crying alone. Then he ran back again, and was caught by Ah Qi and the others in no time.

Ah Qi knew him, he was from the same village as him, and he was about the same age as him, so he didn't know how he ended up in a brothel.

The man was caught and brought back. Aunt Mei thought that this child was also an unfamiliar wolf. She gave him delicious food and drink as offerings these days. She wanted to change her mind and concentrate on working in Changchun courtyard.Unexpectedly, she made such a move for her.Since you don't eat the toast, then eat the fine bar.

Several tortoise slaves locked him in a small room, and then Aunt Mei brought a young man here. Aunt Mei pointed to one of the tortoise-slaves, and savagely fought the young man in front of the escaped man. Then he put a cat into the trouser leg of the escaped boy, and tied the trouser leg up with a rope.I beat the cat again, and every time I beat it, the cat scratched hard, and it felt like life was worse than death.

Aunt Mei pulled her vulgar voice, opened and closed her big red lips, "Humph, you can't live better if you have a good life." She grabbed the young man's hair and forced him to look at the two people who had sex, "See Hua Xin, he is enjoying happiness now, but you are being beaten. Hahahahahaha."

The lascivious laughter resounded throughout the small room, Ah Qi didn't dare to breathe, he was still a child, and he didn't dare to look at the two people who were entwined.

Later, that little boy died, and before he died, he left a word to Ah Qi, "Ah Qi, don't tell my mother..." At that time, he was young, and this matter left a deep shadow on Ah Qi.

Ah Qitu, who was trapped in the memory, felt the powerlessness of fate, curled up with his slipped body, and squatted at the door.

Crying uncontrollably, the noise was a bit loud, and An Rong heard it too.The moment she opened the door, Ah Qi raised her head and looked at An Rong blankly, her eyes were red and full of tears, how sad it is for a big man to cry like this.

"Come in." Ah Qi obediently followed An Rong into his wing room again, An Rong poured him a glass of water, the tea set on the table was delicate and exquisite, top-quality blue and white jade porcelain, with delicate purple flowers on it, Sober and elegant.

Ah Qi held the small porcelain cup awkwardly, her expression was not as sad as before.

An Rong frowned, looked at the person in front of him, "Why are you crying?"

That question quietly fell into Ah Qi's heart. For so many years, no one had ever asked him why he was sad.

Ah Qi had a rough childhood, his mother probably had a difficult delivery when she gave birth to him, and suffered a lot, and later his mother always looked at Ah Qi as unhappy.Ah Qi has helped the family with the work since he was a child, but his brother who is two years older is an unlearned and incompetent apprentice, and his mother just likes it very much.All the heavy work in the family fell on Ah Qi's shoulders, and he suffered from the sufferings of the world at a young age.It's okay that life is hard, but his mother is too eccentric, the palm of the hand is flesh, but the back of the hand is nothing. His elder brother and younger sister grew up used to it, and Ah Qi was beaten up.

Later, when he was 15 years old, Ah Qi was forced by his mother to leave home to earn money. After begging all the way, he came to Guangling City not far from home.This is the bustling capital city of the emperor, Ah Qi was young and incompetent, and then by accident, he entered the Changchun Courtyard and became a tortoise-slave.

The memories came to an abrupt end, and Ah Qi looked at An Rong in embarrassment, and it took a long time to choke out a few words, "You are a good person."

After finishing speaking, he ran away without answering An Rong's question "Why are you crying?"

Since then, An Rong has always felt a little different from other people in Ah Qi's heart, and he doesn't know what it feels like, but every time he sees Young Master Ling, Ah Qi wants to run away, afraid of meeting him, and is very shy; Talking about Mr. Ling, he was so angry that his teeth itched, wishing to tear that person's mouth open, of course Ah Qi was timid and afraid, so he only dared to express his resentment in his heart.