Double Bracelets

Chapter 2

The Jiang family's house is on Masnan Road, next to Li Liejun's house. It is a French-style bungalow.Jiang Xijie had never studied abroad, so she only knew that her home in Tianjin was a Spanish-style house—because her grandfather liked Spanish architecture the most when he was on a mission to Europe.Her father and uncle were sent to France to study abroad when they stayed in Europe with their grandfather.So maybe, to their liking, the house should be French?

Anyway, I can't see it, I'm not very talented.

She sat in the car and drove all the way from the pier, from the chaotic Chinese world to the quiet French Concession. Along the way, she saw a thin and beautiful woman in a bright cheongsam sitting in a rickshaw, and she saw a expressionless woman wearing a suit and a circle. The man with glasses stood on the tram and saw the fat middle-aged woman rushing across the street with her child, and she was carrying ingredients that might be used for dinner for her foreign customers.Mixed with Huayang and the world, it is a busy and gorgeous Shanghai.The three-storey, gray-walled and red-roofed spacious bungalow in front of him is the Jiang family's new home in Shanghai.The old housekeeper, Hu Kai, came out and greeted Jiang Xijie repeatedly, "Second Young Master! Third Miss! Ouch, Third Miss, you are here! Those of us who look forward to the stars and the moon, we are waiting for you! We were all overjoyed when the uncle sent a telegram! The third lady is here, and this room is considered to be lively!"

She smiled, and didn't think there was anything wrong with what the old housekeeper said—in fact, for so many years, outsiders who visited would always say that the Jiang family was deserted, because everyone was always busy outside, and only she was spoiled and spoiled at home since she was a child. When grandpa was away from the world, when there was no one else in the house, he was half the host to entertain the guests, making the empty bungalow a bit lively. "Uncle Hu is like this, all kinds of sugar and honey come out of your mouth." Jiang Xijie got out of the car, took off her hat, and walked slowly up the 11 steps of the west wall. "Miss San doesn't know, but this house is newly built by the French Concession Board of Directors! When we first came here, it still smelled like a new house!" Walking up the 11 stone steps, there is a small platform. You have to turn around and go up to the fourth level before you get into the house.Pushing open the door, there are mahogany floors, yellowish walls, red sloping roofs, corridors with white handrails, and wooden window lattices. Jiang Xijie feels that this is like when her grandfather told her stories when she was a child, she read books. The big farm house of the rich in the European countryside.

"The south-facing room will be yours from now on. This room has its own small balcony." Jiang Xize said while leading her into the room, "All the furniture is also provided for you. If you are not satisfied, just tell me, and I will give it to you again." Change." She looked around the room and knew that Jiang Xize really loved her—not to mention the French-style bed or the ebony bookshelf, just the pair of leather armchairs were her favorites, and there were no special patterns, the taut leather The noodles are her Jiang Xijie's favorite style.

"What about you? Where is your room? Where is your brother's?" "Mine is at the other end of the aisle. Dad, second uncle, and brother's are all on the third floor, arranged by Dad. The three of them may not come back often , the eldest brother is going with the army, and my father and second uncle often stay in Nanjing, so," "So I just change the place to guard the house." She said disappointedly, at this time Hu Kai's voice came from downstairs, it's time for dinner . "Don't keep thinking that way, there will always be more people." "Yes, yes, you and your eldest brother should get married quickly!"

On July 1937, 7, Jiang Xijie came to Shanghai and lived in her new home in Yipin Village on Masinan Road.Tired and tired from the journey, she went to sleep, thinking that her father would be happy for a month or two without her father, but unexpectedly when she woke up the next morning, her father had already appeared in the restaurant downstairs.

"Father?" Jiang Xijie looked at her new-style father who was drinking hot tea and eating sausages with disbelief on her face, "Why did you come here?" "The things in Nanjing are over, I will come back with Brother Xia Huang It's gone." Jiang Tongmin laughed.Maybe it's because his wife died early, Jiang Tongmin loves his daughter very much, but he is a bit unruly and playful, and sometimes looks like an old urchin—Jiang Xijie remembers that when she was a child, she took a nap one day and woke up to find that the servants were all laughing. She stared at her, asked without answering, until Mama Zhao asked her to wash her face, and she realized that she had been drawn with a brush as a big tabby cat.

And that was her father's masterpiece.

"Eat something quickly, this weekend, I will take you to visit Dean Yang later." "Dean?" Xi Jie sat down, picked up the milk and drank it, "Yang Xizhen, dean of the Chinese and Western Girls' School Ah (1). I'll take you to meet someone, and you can go to class next week."

"Ah, I have class next week!" At the dinner table, Jiang Xijie didn't know whether to eat waffles or French toast, and now she lost the slightest appetite, even though she woke up from starvation. "Hurry up, you have to work hard to make up your homework. You will be admitted to Hujiang University next year. I discussed it with President. Richardson, and we still think it's better for you to take the normal exam. And I also think Hujiang University is suitable for you, don't be old. It's best to stay in a circle like ours and get in touch with ordinary people." Jiang Tongmin put down the newspaper in his hand, looked at his daughter seriously, and said, "Now that you're in Shanghai, you should also put away your official lady's temper. , It’s not about embarrassment, but since you say you should be a new woman, you can no longer have old-fashioned thinking. But thinking alone is useless, and you need to have practical experience. In short, you are me My daughter, I hope my daughter will be a person who is useful to China and the nation, not a superficial person like Yingying Yanyan from Shanghai!"

Jiang Xijie could only nod.From this point of view, Jiang Tongmin is actually a very enlightened father.He grew up in Europe since he was a child. Needless to say, he didn’t even care that his only daughter was brought up like a boy by two nephews. He felt proud when he saw his daughter riding a horse with a heroic appearance: probably thinking in his heart, Just spoil her with the last wish of the child who died young.Sometimes even if she did something wrong, her father never punished her, unlike the two elder brothers who would kneel in the yard at every turn.Her father just taught her softly why she was wrong and what to do to be right.Then use your abilities to find what your daughter wants.Because of this kind of unindulgent breeding, even though Jiang Xijie is arrogant, she is not unreasonable, especially she listens to her father very much.

Her father's words also came to her heart, she really didn't want to be a mediocre person, she wanted to prove that Miss Jiang San was as great as her two brothers, or even more great than them.This era should be an era in which every Chinese strives hard for the country, and it should also be an era in which women make a career.

She tidied up and asked Mama Zhao to bring a simple and elegant pure white cotton dress with red trim and put it on. She combed her long hair properly and put it neatly on her shoulders without a bun; she put on a white matching dress. A wide-brimmed hat with a dark green ribbon, and the same white flat shoes.Fang went downstairs, got into a brand-new black Buick with his father, and went to Yang Xizhen's mansion.

At this time, Wang Jiyue got off the rickshaw and handed the fare to the driver.I intentionally gave more, because I saw the coachman pulling the cart so skinny along the way, it must have been a difficult life.The coachman was grateful and stammered endlessly. Wang Jiyue felt a little embarrassed again, so she just smiled and walked into the bungalow.Today Saturday is the day I make an appointment with the dean every week to come to her home to give tutoring to poor children nearby.Wang Jiyue is the best student in this noble school, the Chinese and Western Girls' School.Yang Xizhen loves her talent and is also from Suzhou, so she got close to her. Later, she found that her personality was not as double-faced as her father's. .

Therefore, when Yang Xizhen suggested to her whether she should come to her house every Saturday to give free English tutoring to some serious children from low-income families around her, she agreed without any objection.

"Ah, Jiyue is here." Yang Xizhen came downstairs and saw Wang Jiyue in a plain white cheongsam. "Hello principal." "Thank you for your hard work. You have to come here in this hot weather. You go first, and I will send you and the children some cool drinks later. The children can't wait." Wang Jiyue nodded and smiled, thanked her, walked around the living room from the corridor, went to the study at the back, and started teaching a group of children who spoke strange Pidgin English.It takes only one and a half hours each time, and it is probably close to the time for afternoon tea after serving.Yang Xizhen often prepares some delicious food for these children, and especially gives a piece of chocolate as a reward to the child who performed best today.Of course, the decision is in Wang Jiyue's hands, which often makes her feel in a dilemma.

She just finished distributing chocolates today and took a sip of orange juice. She was curious about what was going on in the living room.At the end of the class, I heard the sound of a car, followed by a slightly noisy exchange of greetings.She has good hearing, and she can vaguely hear the northern accent through the corridor.But she has a weak temper, and she was used to being hidden by the family since she was a child, so she dared not go out to meet people at this time.It so happened that Yang Xizhen's maid came and said that Madam asked Miss Wang to come over.

Wang Jiyue walked slowly, and saw a man and a woman sitting in the living room.The man looked to be in his early forties, wearing round glasses, polite and smiling; while the woman was very young and looked similar to herself, dressed in red and white, with a small bag on her lap, standing upright with her legs together Sitting, peach-blossom eyes willow-leaf eyebrows, nose straight and straight, lips curled up without smiling, black hair neatly placed on shoulders, revealing a natural charm in demureness.

If it weren't for his sharp eyes to see that the two look very similar, Wang Jiyue would have thought it was someone else's master and his concubine.

"Come on, Mr. Jiang, let me introduce you. This is Mr. Wang Shaoxun's eldest daughter, Queen Jiyue. Jiyue, this is Mr. Jiang Tongmin. This is Mr. Jiang's daughter, Jiang Xijie." Wang Jiyue bowed slightly and said yes, looking up. I found that Jiang Tongmin was looking at her with a smile, "I said, when Miss Wang came in, I felt very familiar. It turns out that Miss Wang is the eldest daughter of Brother Shaoxun who has been unwilling to make it public! I met yours in Nanjing. Father and younger brother, you and your younger brother really look exactly the same! Both look good!"

Wang Jiyue smiled awkwardly, "Yes, Hao Peng and I are twins." "Ah, no wonder! Brother Shaoxun is so lucky! This is my daughter Jiang Xijie! She will be Miss Wang's classmate in the future. I just heard Principal Yang say that Miss Wang In terms of grades, my incompetent daughter will ask Ms. Wang to give some advice in the future!" Wang Jiyue just agreed, seeing Jiang Xijie throw a knife at her father, but in an instant, Jiang Xijie smiled at Wang Jiyue.It happened that she was standing with the white curtains behind her back, and the summer sun shone in. For a moment, Wang Jiyue felt that she was unreal in her beauty.

The author has something to say:

(1) It is not possible to confirm whether Yang Xizhen, who later became the principal, is the provost at this time.This assumption can only be made for the sake of convenience.