[Gone with the Wind] Back to the beginning

Scarlett pushed open the door.

Ashley was standing in the aisle waiting for her.He stood upright like a soldier, with a pistol in a frayed holster, an old scabbard slapping his big boots proudly, and his stained spurs still gleamed dimly.His military uniform was faded and patched, and his blond hair was sun-baked like bleached linen.The once fair skin was tanned, and the tall and slender body became thinner.The gray eyes, serene and melancholy, were now full of weary stares.When he saw her, he smiled, as if the embarrassment of rejecting her courtship had never happened.

"Scarlett." His eyes were sad, and although he tried to force a smile on his face, his brows were furrowed and everything was revealed, "I'm so sorry, Scarlett, I came to see you at this time."

"Ashley, tell me." In fact, after the initial surprise, Scarlett almost guessed what Ashley was going to say.Sure enough, the cloud on his pale face dissipated a little:

"Can I ask you to take care of Meili for me?"

Of course Scarlett would agree to it, and she would love to have an excuse to take care of Merry's body.But Ashley paid no attention to her look--as before, his eyes were looking through her at something else, but not her.

"Yes, please take care of her and take care of her. Mellie is too weak, and she is desperately trying to help the hospital. She is gentle and timid, and she has no capable relatives in the world to trust. Scarlett, forgive me for saying this." The presumptuous words will bring you trouble. Mei Li really loves you, not only because you almost became her sister-in-law, but also because of you. She treats you like a sister, I beg you to take care of her, okay?"

"He saw the failure of the great cause and worried that he would die on the battlefield, so he disregarded his own position and said such words like pleading!" The alarm bell suddenly rang in his heart, and the news about Ashley's disappearance and capture Memories came to mind one after another, and Scarlett couldn't help saying:

"I promise you, but you have to take care of yourself. Otherwise, what will Meili and——Meili do?"

One thing Scarlett knew all too well was that it wasn't that Melanie Wilkes couldn't live without Ashley Wilkes, but that Ashley Wilkes couldn't live without Melanie.She used her previous life to verify this matter, and finally realized that Mei Li was the only spiritual power of Ashley in the collapsed world, and the shadow she had loved was just a sober but cowardly man. —However, Melanie must be very worried if Ashley is captured.That was what worried Scarlett now.

Ashley nodded silently, with a wry smile on his face but did not refute.

When he turned to leave, Scarlett looked at him at the door, and saw that the young man she had loved before was leaving with difficulty and slowness step by step, as if he was in his twilight years.

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Only a few hours later, Uncle Peter drove Aunt Pete's carriage out of the house.

The carriage was full of laughing young men and women, and Scarlett was surrounded and sat in the middle.She packed quite a lot of packages, and she couldn't do it without the help of so many young men.She was sitting on the carriage with a smile on her face, and before she could speak, a group of people blushed for helping her carry her luggage.The cloud of war faded away for a while, as if she was still a great beauty in that county - of course, she is still beautiful now.It's just that in the midst of the scramble, the question of why Scarlett had so much luggage was naturally ignored.

"Scarlett, your package is not light." Alex Fontaine teased with a smile, "Didn't you say you came back after Christmas? Why..."

"Give it to me if you can't take it!" Tony Fontaine stared at the luggage in his brother's hands, "I think you've been drinking too much, and now you're soft. Give it to me, don't drop Scarlett's things!"

Alex clings to it tightly: "No, you are rough, what if you break it. Of course I can handle it!"

Scarlett just laughed and said nothing as they watched them quarrel.Of course the package was heavy, medicine, ham, bacon, gold coins, seeds, clothing, none of them were light, but she didn't intend to say this.This trip home, it's time to start stockpiling supplies.It's too late, there's no way to stop things from being confiscated.It doesn't matter if it's too late, and you can't buy things even if you have money, but this time is just right.The batch in hand was exactly what she had just gotten from Rhett.

Amidst the excitement and clamor, Scarlett's thoughts flew further and further away.

When the flames of war swept through Tara, there would be half a year before the end of the war!Clothes and food have to be bought for the past six months, but how can she move so many things by herself?Can you find some reason to bring a black man over to help?The clothes I brought back this time can be used for half a year, but the food is troublesome.Bringing ham and bacon is just to see that it has a small portion and is very hungry. I still have to find another opportunity to move the real large bags of cornmeal.But if everything happens as she hopes, Scarlett casts a nostalgic glance at Atlanta. After Christmas, it may be her last return to Atlanta during the war.

Just thinking about this, I saw Rhett driving his two-seater carriage that usually carried two people for a ride, coming from the opposite direction.Nowadays, people who wear such extravagant clothes can be seen as speculators at a glance. The boys stopped discussing and raised their hands to touch their hats indifferently and reservedly, clearly unwilling to say a word.Rhett bowed slightly, also didn't say anything, but just glanced at Scarlett.His eyes were sharp and distinct with a smile, and he looked generously at her luggage, the green ribbon on her chest, and her deep dimples, and finally landed on her beautiful feather hat.The two carriages passed by quickly.

Scarlett shrugged, but a smile crept up the corner of her mouth unconsciously.

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"Honey, why did you bring so many things back?"

Scarlett arrives at home on Christmas Eve, which immediately makes Tara lively.Mammy directed the black slaves to unload the big and small bags that Scarlett had brought back from the car, and Scarlett kissed each other on the cheek with her parents and sisters.It was a long time before Ellen asked Scarlett a question.

"mom."

Despite her preparations, Scarlett couldn't help being a little nervous when facing her gentle and fair mother.She straightened her back: "I think the family lacks this, so I should buy more. Didn't Dad complain in the last letter that the money from selling cotton was in vain, and he couldn't buy many good things? There are many people in Atlanta. I want to do something for the family, so I took the pocket money you gave me and went with my jewelry to change some clothes and food...Of course, I asked Uncle Peter to buy it Yes, he is very reliable." Scarlett said the last sentence with a guilty conscience.

Ellen's serious expression gradually became gentle, and she said softly to her daughter, "Silly girl, no matter what, there are me and your father at home, how can I spend your private money?"

Scarlett rubbed her hands with uneasiness on her face: "But everything has been bought—Mom, did I cause any trouble?"

"Of course not." Seeing the eldest daughter like this, Ellen couldn't say anything serious. She persuaded patiently, "Mom will worry about family affairs. It's not easy for you to save those pocket money. When you get home..."

Scarlett turned her head and said with the same tough temper: "I won't go back, it would be so shameful. Besides——" She took a sneak look at Ellen, and her voice became a lot quieter unconsciously, " Besides, the prices of food and clothing materials are rising now, and now they are sold at higher prices. How is this different from those speculators?"

Ellen suddenly became embarrassed.If these supplies had been purchased by Mr. O'Hara, of course the two of them would have made the decision to hand them over to the food requisition team.But her daughter is enthusiastic and ignorant, not to mention that it is not easy for her to save the money. Among the jewelry are things from when she and Charles were engaged!Ellen, therefore, secretly made up her mind not to grieve any further for the poor eldest daughter who had lost her fiancé.So she said kindly, "You can keep these, baby."

"Mom?" Scarlett was surprised and couldn't believe it.

Ellen was funny and helpless, and said softly: "Yes, baby. Since you bought these things with your own money, let you dispose of them yourself. Don't be sad, okay?"

Scarlett pursed her lips, and seemed to observe Ellen's face before continuing sheepishly:

"Then can I send some vacant niggers to accompany me to Atlanta and bring back the rest?"

Things progressed beyond imagination, but Scarlett still felt very guilty about cheating her mother.Holding the corner of her clothes, she solemnly said:

"I think food is always eaten, and clothes are always made into clothes. It's better to store them. But..." She seemed to hesitate because of embarrassment, "Mom, can I have a place to store my own Stuff? I want to store these things separately from the ones at home, so I can take care of them. By the way, I bought some cornmeal in Atlanta, but I didn't bring them back this trip. Mom can find some black slaves next time Come with me and bring it back?"

"Hey, it's so troublesome to use. Since the things are still in Atlanta, it's most convenient to donate them to the hospital." Gerald said disapprovingly, "Girl, I didn't mean you..." He gradually fell silent under Ellen's gentle gaze Voice.

In fact, Ellen was also taken aback. She didn't expect her daughter to buy so many things in silence, so she couldn't help worrying that she was being cheated.At the same time, she felt even more distressed for Scarlett who had already supported her own dowry.That being the case, letting her manage her part of food and clothing may be just a good way to exercise Scarlett.Moreover, now that the first crop of cotton has been picked, it is not yet time to sow the next crop, and most of the poultry has been confiscated. The remaining work does not cost much manpower, and it is not difficult to lend a few black slaves.After a few minutes of careful consideration, Ellen said:

"Honey, I promise you."

Scarlett cheered restrainedly, and quickly buried her face in her mother's arms, hiding her expression: "Mom, you are really kind to me."

There is still corn flour in Atlanta, which is of course false.Scarlett had been preparing materials secretly before, and there was no way to transport them in big bags.The idea of ​​"shipping the rest of the cornmeal" was the idea of ​​Scarlett's momentary excitement after her mother agreed to her previous request.She planned to buy some supplies from Rhett next time when she returned to Atlanta for the black slaves to move back. After all, the black slaves wouldn't chase her for details.

All kinds of thoughts were mixed, but Scarlett only captured a kind of passionate joy of struggle.Stepping on the red land, watching the black slaves carry the wood to the swampland they designated, and build wooden houses to store supplies.Hope and longing make the green-eyed girl full of energy and spirit.She is determined to do a big job—this time, her fate will definitely be in her hands!