[Gone with the Wind] Back to the beginning

The day after Melanie and Ashley's wedding, Scarlett and Charles held a simple engagement ceremony.

The big boy with curly brown hair was so excited to be favored by Scarlett, but he missed the darkness in her eyes.Charles's innocent and happy expression made Scarlett's heart fluctuate rarely.She even thought that maybe she should try to prevent Charles Hamilton's death, even if she would have to pay the price of annulling the engagement afterwards-hey, maybe it would be easier for her mother to agree to marry Rhett if she ruined her reputation!She thought with a bit of bitterness.

It was a pity that the distant memory was a blur, and Scarlett only remembered that Charles had died of pneumonia and measles, the most common diseases in the barracks.Know nothing about others.She tried to suggest that Charles report to another regiment—or at least take a different path, when Charles agreed, excited by the rosy face of the girl he loved.But only one day later, he told Scarlett in frustration that Uncle Peter insisted that he and Ashley join the South Carolina Legion and take care of each other.He couldn't resist the will to bring up his old black person single-handedly.

The captain of the South Carolina Legion is... Wade Hampton.

Scarlett closed her eyes, as if she saw fate running towards her with an irreversible will.When she opened her eyes again, she smiled:

"Okay, then, good luck."

——During the war, it was popular in the South to name children after their father's officer's name, and her child with Charles in her previous life...was named Wade.Charles, still joined the legion that killed him.

In order to get rid of the unspeakable guilt, irritability and anxiety in her heart, Scarlett sewed a belt for Charles.This made the young man flush with excitement.

"That's a queer thing," thought Scarlett, though it seemed to the others that it was perfectly normal for Miss O'Hara to make belts for her fiancé who was going to war. "Maybe I still hope to make some changes—after all, who would really expect that friends around me will die one by one, but I can't do anything about it."

As for Charles, she had already tried to save him—although not with all her strength, and this left Scarlett with a little guilt.But that's all there is to it.The reborn Scarlett knew very well that she would never be able to keep everyone.All she can do is... Cherish this fate, and then work harder to keep all the people she cares about the most.

Rhett said in her previous life that the death of old Frank made her feel guilty all of a sudden.Maybe he's right.The reborn Scarlett is no longer that spoiled and self-righteous girl, but even if she feels guilty for using Charles, she will never stop her pace.When she said goodbye to Charles, she said softly:

"I'll take good care of Melanie for you—I promise you."

In this way, she sent Charles away with a completely different mood from her previous life.And the lads she grew up with.

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The South was intoxicated with frenzy and fury, and everyone thought that a single battle would be enough.All young people are eager to join the army, for fear that they will not be able to catch up.They were in a hurry to get married with their people.There were so many weddings in the county all of a sudden, there was no time for parting. Everyone was busy and excited, and there was no time to think about it or wipe tears.Women rushed to make uniforms, knit socks, and roll bandages.The men drilled, shot.A train loaded with troops was heading for Jonesboro and north to Atlanta and Virginia.The military uniforms of the detachment are bright red, light blue, and green worn by the strictly selected social militia.Some soldiers just wore homespun uniforms and raccoon fur caps.Others had no uniforms to wear, and simply wore tweeds and linen civilian clothes.The whole group was ill-trained and ill-equipped, but they were screaming and screaming with excitement, as if they were on the road for a picnic.This situation made the boys in the county panic, fearing that the show would be over before they could get to Virginia and shoot.Therefore, the various preparations for the departure of the troops have been accelerated.

Seeing all this, Scarlett has no way to stop it.The trend of the times threatens these innocent and proud teenagers, the sober and melancholy Ashley, the cynical Rhett, and her who lives a new life.She couldn't speak, because she knew it would be useless to speak out, but it would be disgusting.Rhett is a lesson from the past-of course, maybe he doesn't care, but today's Scarlett doesn't have the capital to openly rebel.She knew that no one in the south at this time could have imagined what a miserable failure they would experience.

Scarlett vaguely remembered some of the content she had peeped in Ashley's letter before, and felt that she seemed to be able to feel his pain.

"But I will never be Ashley." She said to herself with a jerk of her head. Although she could not change this war, Scarlett O'Hara would never give up!But—Scarlett thought of the man again.Rhett Butler, from the start, made no secret of mocking the war.He mocked patriotic fools wantonly, but he was not a fool in the end!Maybe he also knows that the south is doomed to fail except for the battle of dignity?

"Even Rhett can't help..." This realization didn't make Scarlett feel any better.For the first time since her rebirth, her strong belief in changing the fate of her loved ones was thwarted. "I also can't do anything... No! Even if I can't change this war, I must—I must keep Tara, and keep Mom and Dad!"

Scarlett couldn't sit still, she had to find a way out at once.

The green-eyed girl immediately got up and went to her mother, expressing sweetly that she wished to keep the dowry herself.

"Seeing them will make me happier, as if—Charlie is going to marry me soon." Poor Charlie, she was used again, but the guilt was quickly forgotten, and Scarlett's eyes were full Looking expectantly at his mother.

"My silly child." Ellen stroked her hair lovingly, and took out several beautiful jewelry and 3000-yuan Confederate bills.

Scarlett deliberately cheered and took it, and innocently said what to buy with the 3000 yuan. In fact, she had already thought about it, and she wanted to turn all these into gold coins and hide them!Of course, Scarlett did not forget to remind her mother euphemistically that it is necessary to reserve the dowry of the two younger sisters in advance while supporting Mr. O'Hara's patriotic enthusiasm for donating money and materials.Ellen highly praised Scarlett's spirit of caring for her sister, saying that she would definitely do the same.

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"Miss Scarlett, what on earth do you want to do!"

As soon as she got out of the study, Scarlett found a fat black body blocked in the corridor.With her hands in her white apron, Mammy stared vigilantly at the little Scarlett who was playing tricks on her, her old eyes were full of brilliance.

Scarlett was a little guilty. After all, Mammy had the same sense of smell as a fox. In her previous life, she had never hidden any of these things about her liking for Ashley and wanting to be Rhett's mistress.However, Mammy probably never dreamed that her beloved little darling had already lived a new life, right?

Thinking about it this way, Scarlett was confident: "I'll take my dowry!"

With a raised head, she bumped away from Mammy Hei without looking sideways and left.As he walked, he couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth, feeling proud of his response just now.It was a good move to ask her mother to set aside the dowry of the two younger sisters first-in Scarlett's eyes, the dowry of the two younger sisters would be used to keep Tara in the future. "Anyway, Sue Ellen wasn't married when she paid her taxes, so Karin won't need it if she becomes a monk in the end—maybe we should try to persuade her." She thought happily, and casually hummed a song called Charleston that Rhett taught her in her previous life. minor. "I'm not doing badly! Wait...Charleston?!"

In two weeks the green-eyed beauty arrived in Charleston, on the ostensible purpose of visiting Ellen's sisters, Aunt Pauline and Aunt Eulalie.As for the reality, only she knows it in her heart.

Aunt Pauline married a little old man, well-mannered but oddly cold, with the absent-minded air of an elderly man.Aunt Eulalie's house is equally boring, and the guests she receives are all those who pay attention to tradition and family status. "I don't understand how Rhett grew up to be 20 years old here!" she thought distressedly. Scarlett couldn't help being silly that such a boring place could develop such a temper, and she even liked the people of Charleston a lot, besides, they always told her to listen to their drawl like Rhett. Kind heart.

"I've had enough of betraying relatives in my previous life, and I absolutely don't want to get to that point this time."

Therefore, she tried her best to please the two aunts, and they gave her a lot of pocket money.For these "extra income", Scarlett has no psychological burden. "Anyway, these two aunts also depended on me to support them after the war."

Most importantly, at Aunt Eulalie's house, she met Rhett's mother!This is a surprise!

Rhett's mother was a gentle and delicate woman.She behaved elegantly, and there was a hint of sadness in her face.Scarlett really likes her because she is Rhett's mother.And she also likes Scarlett who is full of energy and lively.Scarlett always wondered smugly, was it because she and Rhett had a similar temper? — Rhett used to say that often, but she never admitted it.But now she can't wait for others to think so.

However, Rhett's father makes Scarlett feel depressed and uncomfortable.He was a stodgy old man, a well-known decent man, admired by the people of Charleston for driving his unworthy son out of the family.Scarlett couldn't help sticking her tongue out behind his back.Of course, she still tried to act like a lady in front of this gentleman-although Rhett would never care about the old man's opinion if he wanted to marry her.But there is always a contingency in everything. I can't see Rhett now, and it is always right to get along well with his family.

It was also in Charleston that Scarlett used the shrewdness of doing business in her previous life, shopped around, and exchanged all the 3000 yuan in hand into gold coins.Scarlett didn't care a bit what kind of storm this rebellious girl's behavior would cause in Charleston.She is someone who has been disliked by the entire Atlanta social circle, is she still afraid of this?Although I have made up my mind to try to maintain a decent appearance, I can't help but let pragmatism take the upper hand when things come to an end.But she acted coquettishly, and even dismissed and beat her aunts' suspicions, so Scarlett didn't take this matter to heart.

With heavy gold coins, Scarlett happily bid farewell to the two aunts and Rhett's mother, and returned to Tara.But there was an air of sadness over Tara that took her by surprise.

"Scarlett," Ellen's eyes suddenly became tender and sad when he saw her, "my poor Scarlett."

Scarlett was hugged into her mother's arms in such a daze, feeling wet and cool liquid on her face.Gerald was cursing repeatedly, but such a rough man rubbed his hands uncomfortably at his daughter.Mammy's face was distressed, Karin looked at her sister worriedly, and even Su Ailun, who had always been at odds with her, looked at her with a hint of sympathy.

"What's the matter?" Scarlett asked anxiously, thinking that something had happened at home.She never thought of her poor fiancé Charles.

"My poor Scarlett," sighed Ellen. "Your fiancé, Mr. Hamilton, died a few months ago in South Carolina in the barracks. He had the measles. We didn't tell you for fear of your grief, and it's true." Feel sorry."

Mr. Hamilton? —Charlie.

he died.Died again.

Scarlett took a deep breath, hugged Ellen with her backhand, and buried her face in her mother's arms:

"I'm fine, Mom."