People who think I'm ugly are so sweet

After Xie Qingsu and Xu Xilu parted, they went to the Fuqu Pavilion where the Xie clan was located.Xie Qingsu lived in Xu's residence for a month, and now that the year is approaching, it's time for him to return to Xie's residence.The Xie family has always regarded him as their own child, so naturally they are extremely reluctant to part with him, but Xie Qingsu's surname is Xie or Xu, and it doesn't make sense to stay in Xu's residence all the time, so he can only pack his luggage for him with tears in his eyes.

"When you go back, remember to greet your parents and grandparents on behalf of your aunt."

"Don't worry, Auntie."

Xie held back tears, forced a smile and said, "Zhaohua will look after everything for you, so you don't need to worry about it. I have a piece of Hui ink here, which is from the 15th year of Mingjing. The queen at that time, and now the queen mother rewarded me. .I looked at the material, the fineness and color are excellent, you will like it."

Xie Qingsu took the brocade box from Zhaohua, "Thank you, aunt."

"Next year, your father should be promoted to Beijing; in two years, you will be able to become an official. I look forward to... I look forward to the family reunion."

Xie Qingsu said: "Aunt, Pan Huai will definitely find a solution to your matter."

"Okay, okay..." Mrs. Xie turned her head away, "You are leaving the capital tomorrow, go back and rest earlier."

Xie Qingsu returned to Tingyu Tower, and the servants were putting his luggage into the wooden box one by one.Except for some daily needs, others are books he often reads.Seeing him coming back, a servant girl immediately stopped what she was doing and came up to her, "Young master is back. There is still half an hour before dinner. If you are hungry, how about some snacks first? Auntie's small kitchen just sent sweet-scented osmanthus flowers." cake."

"Osmanthus cake..." Xie Qingsu frowned slightly, as if thinking of something, said displeasedly: "No osmanthus cake."

The maid was taken aback, didn't their master like to eat this in the past?She didn't dare to ask any more questions, and hurriedly said, "The servant brought almond cake?"

Xie Qingsu nodded, "Yes."

The next day, when Xie Qingsu left the mansion, it was heard that besides Mrs. Xie, Xu Xuanying was also present to see him out.At this time, Xu Xilu was lying on the bed with sliced ​​cucumbers applied to his face, his legs were leaning against the wall, perpendicular to his body.He has to do this movement for half an hour every day, Jiu Dong and Xing Nong have long been familiar with it.

"Young master," Jiu Dong lay on the bedside, playing with a piece of dog's tail weed that he got from no one knew where, and said, "Mr. Xie's family is leaving the house today, why don't you go to see him off? I heard that the eldest and young masters have all gone. "

Xu Xilu said sullenly: "Xie Qingsu should be friends with a scholar like elder brother. If I go, it will only hinder his eyes."

"Young master, don't say that!" Remembering what he had overheard in Yulou that day, Jiudong was filled with righteous indignation: "It's that Mr. Xie's family has no vision."

Guessing that it was almost time, Xu Xilu gently put his legs down, and took off the cucumber slices from his face one by one.Jiudong wanted to help him, but he opened his hand, "You touch my face after you wash your hands."

"Young Master," Jiudong complained, "Why are you looking more and more like a big girl? The old men have so many things, it's jade paste, and cucumber slices. I see you, more than The ladies still love beauty!"

"What do you know?" Xu Xilu patted his face while being persuasive, "Both men and women like to judge people by their appearance. Let me ask you, do you like good-looking girls?"

"That's for sure."

"That girl also likes good-looking men, what's wrong?"

"But shouldn't men focus on their careers?"

Xu Xilu said indifferently: "Master is the young master of the Xu family. If you don't make a career, you will never starve to death."

Jiu Dong hated iron but said: "Master, you are too ambitious!"

Xu Xilu was noncommittal.It's not that he hasn't thought about this, it's just that his age makes it unrealistic for him to study and take scientific examinations. If he is asked to join the army to make contributions, should he sit on his ass and kill him, or kick him to death with a step?After much deliberation, he can only inherit the family business and share the dividends.

In a few days, it was New Year's Eve.According to the custom, family members should gather together on this night to share dinner, which means reunion.But this year, Jinshang held a banquet in the palace. Besides the relatives of the emperor, he also hosted a banquet for a group of important officials of the court.Xu Tai and the minister of the Ministry of Industry were naturally invited, not only him, but Xu Xuanying who had just entered the Imperial Academy was also invited, so Xu Xilu was the only man left at the Xu family's family banquet.

These days, Xu Xilu has been lodging in Wenqiu Pavilion for weight loss and skin care, and he doesn't like to show up much.The meals delivered by the big kitchen were still the same as before, either sweet or oily. Xu Xilu simply asked Jiudong to buy vegetables and coarse grains outside the mansion every day. Anyway, it cost a lot for a meal.As for those big fish and meat, basically they all went into Jiudong's belly.Now facing a table of delicacies from mountains and seas, Xu Xilu forced himself not to look at them, and only picked up a few vegetarian dishes with chopsticks occasionally.

Mrs. Xie didn't like such an occasion, but after all, this was the Xu family's family rule, even for Xu Taihe's sake, she had to show her face.Seeing that Xu Xilu didn't even take a bite of rice at this moment, he said, "Second young master eats like this, no wonder he lost a lot of weight."

Xu Qingyang, who was on the side, said in a strange way: "Second brother looks like this, how thin can he be? This is born!"

Xu Anning smiled and said, "I think the second elder brother looks much better than before!"

Aunt Dong glared at her, "What do you know, eat."

During this time, Xu Xilu lost nearly twenty catties, and successfully stepped into the ranks of ordinary fat people from being too fat to be seen.The most obvious thing is that the flesh on his stomach has lost a few circles, and the contours of his face have gradually become prominent.

"It looks much better." Xie took a sip of tea and said lightly, "I see, the second young master is getting more and more like Liu's."

As soon as these words came out, everyone's expressions changed. Aunt Dong almost didn't even hold the chopsticks, and Mrs. Zhang looked at Mrs. Xie in warning.Mrs. Xie raised her eyebrows slightly: "Why, now in the Xu Mansion, she can't even be mentioned. It's just a concubine who has gone, and I don't know why my wife and aunt are so afraid—"

The sound of beating the table suddenly sounded, and Mrs. Zhang said in a deep voice: "Xie Yao, I have always treated you with courtesy for the sake of the master, and the whole house also respectfully calls you Mrs. Xie, but don't forget, what are you doing?" It's a concubine. If you are talking nonsense today, don't blame my family for serving you!"

"Ma'am, what a concubine!" Xie has always been a hot tempered person, she stood up and looked down at Zhang, "Since I'm just a lowly concubine, I don't even have the right to sit at the same table with Madam, so I'll step down first! "After Xie finished speaking, he walked away without any scruples about etiquette.

At this moment, everyone was silent, and Aunt Dong's expression was the worst. If Mrs. Xie was a lowly concubine, what would she have become? Wouldn't she be even more ineligible to sit at the same table with ladies and wives here?Xu Xilu was also a little puzzled, this Xie family has always had a higher eye, he doesn't care about the status of his concubine, and he doesn't bother to compete with the Zhang family and the Dong family for power. Today he took the initiative to provoke Zhang family and even mentioned Liu family. Could there be something in it? Hidden secrets?

A meal is so delicious that everyone has their own thoughts.

This turmoil was not big or small, but it finally reached Xu Taihe's ears.It is said that Mrs. Xie and Xu Taihe had a big quarrel, and Xu Taihe slammed the door and left in anger. Since then, the door of Fuqu Pavilion has been closed all day long, and when the servants mentioned this matter, they all kept it secret.

Until the Chinese New Year, Mrs. Xie did not show up.On New Year's Eve, Xu Xilu met Xu Taihe who hadn't seen him for a long time. When the latter saw him, he hesitated for a moment before saying, "Xilu?"

Xu Xilu sneered in his heart, and bowed respectfully on his face: "Father."

"You..." Facing those clear and bright eyes, in a daze, it seemed familiar, "Why have you lost so much weight?"

"Back to father, the way my son used to look like, he was really ashamed to see people. My son didn't want to watch it any longer. He just paid attention to his diet and lost some weight." Xu Xilu said with a smile.

Xu Taihe nodded, "You also have self-knowledge. You are not too young now, so don't waste your time on some other things. You should study hard like your elder brother. In the future, you will get fame and serve the country."

Xu Xilu lowered his eyes, "Father teaches the right thing, but the son saves it."

Xu Taihe looked at Xu Xilu, with a little sentimentality on his face, sighed, and said, "You go."

As soon as Xu Xilu left, Xu Qingyang and Xu Anning surrounded them, coquettishly begging for pocket money from Xu Taihe, while Aunt Dong looked at them with a smile.

In the early morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, the Xu Mansion became lively, Xu Tai and many disciples and colleagues visited him.Xu Taihe and Xu Xuanying were busy with socializing, Mrs. Zhang had to receive the female relatives who were traveling with her, and Xu Xilu could neither follow Xu Taihe nor accompany Mrs. Zhang like the ladies, so he could only stay idle in Wenqiu Pavilion.

"You don't have to stay with me anymore." Xu Xilu said to Jiudong and Xingnong, "I'll give you a day off and go back to celebrate the New Year."

Jiudong was eating meat buns, and said vaguely: "My mother said... let me accompany the young master to celebrate the New Year."

Xing Nong smiled softly, "The maidservant's hometown is far away in Huainan, and it will take half a month to go back by carriage."

Xu Xilu asked her, "When was the last time you went back?"

"Back to the second master, since the Xu family bought it, the slaves have never returned home."

Xu Xilu nodded, got up and said, "Let's not just sit around, since everyone is paying New Year's greetings, let's go too."

Jiudong swallowed the steamed stuffed bun, "Master, where are we going?"

"You will know as soon as you follow."

"Second Master and Jiudong go, the servants will not go." Xing Nong said softly, "I have to finish the second master's fox fur before the Lantern Festival."

Compared with the lively and festive Xu Mansion, Fuqu Pavilion is much deserted, and the gate does not even have Spring Festival couplets posted.Xu Xilu thought he would be turned away, but after explaining his purpose, Zhaohua invited him in.

Xie, who hadn't shown his face for a long time, didn't put on makeup today, and his plain face looked a little less glamorous than usual.When she saw Xu Xilu, she laughed at herself and said, "I never thought that in the end of this family, only you would remember me."

Xu Xilu said with a smile: "Madam Xie was only neglected by my father for less than a month, but I have been a transparent person in Xu's residence for 18 years."

Mrs. Xie smiled faintly, "The second young master came here today just to pay New Year's greetings to me?"

"Mrs. Xie and I share the same illness. There are some things that I don't need to say. Madam must understand."

"You say so."

"Mrs. Xie has been in the Xu Mansion for many years and has no son or daughter, yet she can sit on an equal footing with Madam at home. Why?"

The smile on Xie's face gradually faded, "It's because I'm the first daughter of the Xie family."

"But the Xu Mansion is the Xu Mansion, not the Xie Mansion."

Xie frowned, "You mean..."

"Without my father's acquiescence, who in the Xu family would dare to call you 'madam'? This is the family business created by my father, and the entire Xu family naturally listens to him the most. You are respected in the Xu family, of course you have the same It is related to your noble birth, but more importantly, your father has loved you all these years."

Xie lowered her head and pondered for a while, then she said: "Second Young Master is beating around the bush to persuade me to come."

"Don't dare." Xu Xilu considered his words carefully, "I just don't know why Mrs. Xie wants to be so angry with my father? Father is a scholarly man, so he will never take the initiative to show weakness to his wife and concubines,"

Xie smiled wryly and said, "Why don't I know what you said? It's just that I'm really not reconciled, not reconciled—"

Zhao Hua, who had been silent all this time, suddenly said, "Ma'am!"

"..." Mrs. Xie closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her eyes were already calm, "If the second young master is a daughter, you can listen to me, but it's a pity...that's all."

Xu Xilu thought for a while, then changed the subject: "Before the renovation, there was a dry well in the backyard of the Xu Mansion. I wonder if Mrs. Xie remembers it?"

"Remember, why did Second Young Master mention this?"

Xu Xilu twitched his lips, "When I was young, my second sister played with me and said that she had a jade hairpin that fell into the well. She was afraid of being punished, and she didn't want others to know, so she begged me to go down the well to help her pick it up. I agreed and tied the rope down. I entered the well, but I didn’t see the jade hairpin. When I wanted to go up, I found that the rope had been untied at some point, and the second sister had disappeared.”

"and then?"

"At that time, I was only six years old. I cried out to the heavens and the earth, and I cried all afternoon, but no one responded. Then...then I heard a voice." Xu Xilu said slowly, "That voice made me cry." Don't cry, don't be afraid, he said, he will come to my rescue soon."

Xie's eyes widened, "I remembered, one time, Qingsu came to me and said that someone fell into the well, and asked me to send some people to rescue him, so it was you..."

Xu Xilu nodded, and said: "The Xie family has been kind to me, and I will always remember it in my heart. Although I can't help you, I will definitely not harm you."

Xie sighed, "Xi Lu, you are a good boy, it's just..."

Xie's words were interrupted by a rush of footsteps - "Master! Master is not good! Xing Nong, she...she is going to hang herself!"