[Gone with the Wind] Back to the beginning

When Rhett Butler finally came out of Ellen's small office, Scarlett had been waiting outside for a long time restlessly.

"How is it?" She immediately stepped forward and asked, but she glanced at Ellen's face behind the door that was not closed tightly from the corner of her eye, and quickly fell silent again.

Rhett blinked at her: "Don't worry." He didn't elaborate.

Looking at him, Scarlett knew that at least the result would not be too bad, so she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.There is no rush to ask this moment——she thought so at the time.However, in the next few days, Scarlett couldn't really ask Rhett about the details of the accountant's conversation no matter how much she scratched her heart-the man laughed and said nothing, and Ellen occasionally caught them fighting. It just coughed, and sometimes even passed by without changing his face.Scarlett felt that this was so amazing, so incredible...and so happy at the same time.For her who has experienced the pain of her previous life, everything is unreal now like a dream, and she likes this dream so much!Surrounded by family and friends, she can look forward to ultimate happiness with peace of mind, which is really wonderful.

After living in Tara for three or five days, Scarlett bid farewell to her parents, and she and Rhett returned to Atlanta together—Captain Butler had had a hot fight with her father in a few days, and Mr. O'Hara took his hand Yiyi Reluctant.Except for Mammy's cocky eyebrows, Ellen's slight indifference, and Rhett's almost subdued Tara—Scarlett felt a subtle annoyance mixed with a sort of proud pride.

See, this is the man she loves.And this man also... loves her.

After returning to Atlanta, anyone who is close to Rhett and Scarlett can see the changes - the uninterrupted intimacy and vague ambiguity, as well as the never-ending daily encounters.Melanie was the first to say congratulations. She was blushing, but her eyes were shining with genuine joy.Scarlett furiously announces that she didn't say yes to Butler's marriage proposal at all - only to have Merry snicker and run away.Ashley was not far behind either. For Ashley, who was like a big brother in this life, Scarlett was rarely a little shy, although it only led to Rhett's incomprehensible jealousy-well, no one actually believed it.Later, congratulations came one after another, which made Scarlett surprised and happy, but also ashamed and indignant, including even Tommy Welburne.The blond man saw the clues early on, and he generously said congratulations.Facing Tommy like this, Scarlett can only sincerely wish him to find happiness as soon as possible.No matter how you look at it, Tommy Wellburn, who is mild-tempered, smart and capable, is better than this one around him!Scarlett gave Rhett a sideways look in disgust, not knowing why she fell in love with him.It's just that - a happy smile appeared on her lips, they fell in love, it was that simple, from the previous life to the present life, she finally held Rhett Butler's hand tightly.

After returning to Atlanta, Rhett stepped up his efforts to improve his reputation. Scarlett was happy to see the results, and wanted to tear things apart.And the man just looked at her with a doting look and a smile from the beginning to the end, which made Scarlett feel a little embarrassed.Seriously, if Rhett is willing to play a "repentant" image, no one can do it better.What's more, he insisted on pulling on Scarlett, showing that he turned his prodigal son back for love--a story that the ladies and wives of Atlanta love, Scarlett really wanted to slap him!

Rhett's assault on hearts and minds came slowly and deftly.He purposely avoided his disreputable old friends, no longer mingled with Yankee officers, rebels, and Republicans.He showed up at Democrats' rallies, bluffing and donating money to vote.Leave the high-budget tables and stop drinking at Watling's.Everyone's jaws almost dropped when he showed up at church for the first time in years.

He pretended to inadvertently let people find out that he had fought for the South, but when others asked him for proof, he repeatedly said that it was not worth mentioning and asked them to keep it a secret for him.So it soon became known to all.He chose sober suits and exuded a tacit sympathy for the men who had saved his life—so they doubled their embarrassing gratitude, Hugh Elsing, René Pickard, etc. People have regarded him as a reliable comrade-in-arms.He generously donated money to repair the tombs of fallen soldiers, generous but not deliberately publicized, so the ladies let go of their suspicions a little.Atlanta people have good memories and heavy suspicions, and it is not easy to change their views on a person.In the process of Rhett moving everyone, Melanie played a key role.

Since the war, Melanie Wilkes has never concealed her respect and patronage for Rhett Butler, and Rhett has returned equal respect.She has always believed that Rhett is a good person, but suffered a misunderstanding.Even Rhett himself was too lazy to respond to this enthusiasm before, but when he really made a move to correct his past, Meili's enthusiasm for helping him rectify his name surged again.

If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, it would be hard to imagine the fanaticism that the people of Atlanta had for Melanie—they all liked her and loved her, because she had a pair of peaceful eyes that could not be changed by war.Those eyes are like candles that no wind can blow out, burning tenderly and passionately surrounded by people.She is young, humble, virtuous, optimistic and kind, loyal to tradition, and has won the unanimous favor of the southerners.Melanie was almost the center of the new Atlanta social circle—her kindness and courage nourished not only Scarlett, but the rest of Atlanta as well.Merry was ashamed of people's affection, but Scarlett thought she totally deserved it.

"Honey," she said to her, "how kind you are."

Mei Li's cottage is full of guests every day, and southerners are willing to visit her and have tea parties on her lawn, and they don't dislike the simple environment at all.At times like this, Meili is always willing to speak well for Rhett and Scarlett. She brags about them making Scarlett blush, but she has to reluctantly admit it under Meili's eager eyes.Rhett didn't come many times, and most of the time he stayed quietly in the shadows and listened. When people praised him, he came out and bowed humbly. His neither arrogant nor impatient attitude gradually won some goodwill.

The residents of Atlanta were involved in a difficult quarrel the other day—about the "Society for the Beautification of the Cemetery of the Martyrs."While weeding the Confederate cemetery, they debated whether to clear the nearby Yankee cemetery as well, because the weedy mounds looked so unsightly.The two sides argued fiercely and fought violently, almost ruining their friendship for many years.No one could convince anyone, and Mrs. Meade even threatened to throw the Yankee bones out on the garbage dump if she didn't want to get into trouble.At the critical moment, Melanie stepped forward.

"Hold on, ladies!" she cried with courage, her heart pounding in her throat, "I mean—I mean I've been thinking about this for a long time! I think we should not only pull the weeds— We're supposed to put flowers on them, too. I don't care what you think, but I—every time I go to send flowers to Charlie's grave, I always put a bouquet on that nearby Yankee cemetery where somebody's buried. That grave ——That grave is too desolate!"

There was another commotion and chatter among the crowd.This time the two sides actually agreed.

"Put flowers on the Yankee's grave!" "Merry, are you confused?" "They killed Charlie!" "Almost killed you and Beau!" "The Yankees also want to set fire to Tara and burn you And Scarlett and the others were driven away!" There were endless objections for a while.

Mei Li tried to lean against the back of the chair.

"Oh, ladies!" she begged aloud, "please let me finish! I know I have no right to say anything on this matter, because I have no relatives who died at the front except Charlie. Thank God, I know that Charlie is buried." There. But how many of us still don't know where our loved ones are buried..."

She gasped, and the room fell silent.

Mrs. Meade's flaming eyes dimmed.After the war, she traveled all the way to Gettysburg to bring back Darcy's body, but no one could tell her where he was buried, only that he lay in a hastily dug trench.Mrs. Allen's lips quivered. Her husband and brother had participated in the ill-fated attack on Ohio.The last news she had was that the enemy cavalry had fallen dead on the river bank when the onslaught came, and where they lay in their final rest she had no idea.Mrs. Alison's son died in a prison camp in the north, and she was so poor that she couldn't afford to transport his body back to her hometown.Many others saw only the words "missing - believed killed" on the casualty list, the last news they had of their loved ones.Everyone looked at Mei Li together, as if they were asking: "Why do you poke these old pains again? This wound of not knowing where the souls of relatives go will never heal!"

Mei Li's voice was exceptionally powerful in the silence.

"They're buried up in the North, just as a lot of the Yankees are buried here. If some Yankee woman says she's going to dig up our folks—that's terrible."

Mrs. Meade gave a low, horrible sigh.

"But if we hear of a kind northern woman—there will be one! I don't care what others say, northern women are not all bad! If we hear of a kind northern woman who cleared the weeds from our relatives' graves , and put flowers, even if they were enemies, how reassuring we must be! If Charlie died in the North, I would be comforted if someone could do that—I don't care what you think of me," she swallowed again, "I— —I'm going to weed out every Yankee grave I can find, and plant flowers—I'll see if any of you stop me!"

After issuing this final challenge, she cried out with a loud cry, and then rushed out the door.But faster than she was Mrs. Meade--and the other women, all of them hugging her and crying, hugging her and saying they'd do it for her.In the end, everyone was happy-the people of Atlanta loved Melanie even more.Everyone loved her so much, and Scarlett couldn't help being a little wronged while feeling that Melanie deserved it all.

"Everybody loves her," Scarlett said once when Rhett walked her home. "Of course, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with Melanie—she's definitely worth it, and I like her." Watching Rhett warily, as if he was about to say something bad. "I—I just feel, I just want—" She suddenly became depressed, "I don't think I'll ever be liked like that."

"I have always loved Meili very much, and I also like how gentle, firm, and kind she is." Scarlett's expression was inadvertently a little sad, "but——when I was in Tara, I worked hard to wear it down." I gave everyone a bite to eat with my hands, and Meili comforted them with soft words, and everyone liked Meili more. When the soldiers passed by, Meili persuaded me to give them food. I know she is very kind , and never thought of embarrassing me, but it was difficult for me at that time..." She was a little incoherent, "I mean, although I am not as generous as her, I also took out the food, didn't I? Why... Everyone is grateful to Mei Li." Her voice trailed off a little bit, and the slight grievance and puzzlement dissipated in the air.Apparently, Scarlett was ashamed that she had come close to speaking ill of Merry - something that Rhett noticed.

"Honey." He considered his words, and opened his mouth slowly, "Don't you think you are a little too humble in front of Miss Mei Li? In fact, Mei Li is of course very good, but it doesn't make you look down on me so much. Myself—darling, you're fine, very fine." His dark eyes gazed into hers, earnestly and tenderly.

"I—" Scarlett found herself a little incoherent.Is it really?Because of her rebirth, she revered Mei Li so much that she was almost deified...?

"Actually," Rhett began again, in a flatter tone, "you do as well as she does in my opinion. Yes, it's not for everyone to maintain peace of mind in the face of disaster and at the same time be tenacious. I see, Melanie Wilkes is great. But Scarlett darling, you are just as great—” His tone softened suddenly, “Don’t you know how brave and strong you are? Don’t know your own How touching is persistence?" He pointed to his eyes, "But I've seen it all." He said again, almost as gentle as a sigh, "I've seen it all."

—Scarlett O'Hara, of course, cannot be a lovely lady like Melanie Wilkes, but she is also a shining diamond.And this beauty is enough for Rhett Butler to appreciate.Scarlett's eye sockets became slightly moist, she sniffled her nose in disappointment, and smiled at the man.

Really, it's great to have him here.

"By the way." Scarlett might feel embarrassed, she deliberately changed the subject, and gave Rhett a coquettish look, "How is your preparation for the second marriage proposal?" When the interest came, he joked with great interest: "If the preparation is not serious--I will refuse all the way."

Under the starlight, Rhett Butler's eyes flashed.

"Ah, I will definitely not disappoint you, beautiful lady." He said slickly, "You can just wait and see."

——It's just that no matter how hard Scarlett tried, she couldn't pry a word out of his mouth.She could only grit her teeth secretly, swearing that if Rhett behaved badly, she would definitely take care of him!