Before leaving, Shao Xi took out a piece of silver and stuffed it into Hao Yi's hand.
"Take these five taels of silver. Before the school is ready, you should make decent clothes and eat better for yourself and the children. These children are at the age when they are growing up. I will send someone within a month. Coming to pick you up.”
Hao Yi's hands were shaking when he took the silver collar. It can't be said that he has never seen five taels of silver collar in his life. It can only be said that he has never really owned it. Now that Shao Xi handed it to him casually, he was just a The expenses are less than a month, and you should know that they would not be able to spend all the five taels of silver in a year on weekdays.
"Sir, is this too much? We can't use so much."
"I said, you and the children should wear decent clothes. I mean decent clothes, not the coarse clothes you are wearing now. Also, you should eat better. Look at you. Look at the looks on their faces now, how thin these children have become? You can use the money wisely, but I ask you to spend it all within a month."
Hao Yi almost spit out blood when he heard Shao Xi's request. He had only heard of bosses forcing employees to save money, but never heard of bosses forcing employees to spend money. These five taels of silver were just rolling around. The moon can’t be spent all!
It can only be said that poverty has limited his imagination. The pocket money Shao Xi throws at Lao Wu on weekdays is two coins, but today he is more economical.
Because he was so excited that he didn't know how to express his gratitude, Hao Yi simply called all the children over and took them to kneel down and kowtow to Shao Xi. This panicked Shao Xi. You can thank him any way you want. Kowtow, Shao Xi fears this the most.
Shao Xi and Mei Ruoyan pulled up Hao Yi and the children who were kneeling on the ground one by one.
When they left, the plasterers and carpenters had already rushed over. Shao Xi asked them to repair it seriously, and the labor would not be short of them. These craftsmen were all hired by Shao Xi before. Naturally, they knew that Shao Xi was generous, so they agreed.
After leaving Dongshi Lane, Shao Xi originally planned to take Mei Ruoyan back to Mingfengfang, but when he passed the lotus pond of the Inner City River halfway, Mei Ruoyan stopped the carriage, got off the car, walked to the lotus pond and leaned on the railing to look into the distance. But there were no lotus flowers in the pond this season, and Shao Xi didn't know what she was looking at.
"Master, you must be wondering what I'm looking at, right?" Mei Ruoyan suddenly turned around and asked Shao Xi.
"I really don't know what the girl is looking at. Although there is some warmth now, the lotus flowers in the pond have not bloomed. Maybe the girl came early."
Mei Ruoyan smiled sadly, "What the little girl wants to see is not the lotus flowers in this pond, but the peach grove across the pond. When I was young, my sister and I often sneaked out to play by the pond. Every time we went to the other side of the pond, the peach blossoms were in full bloom. My sister will be very happy every time."
"It's a pity that the peach blossoms bloom for too short a time."
After saying this, Shao Xi secretly regretted it, because he knew that Mei Ruoyan was missing his sister, so he looked forward to the blooming of peach blossoms, and his words were tantamount to telling her that she and her sister were getting together. The time will be short, and it is indeed inappropriate to say such things at this time.
Mei Ruoyan did not show any displeasure, but instead said to Shao Xi with a smile on her face: "I have said this to my sister, but my sister told me that peach blossoms are just like our lives. Although they are short, they were once gorgeous. However, the length of a gorgeous life does not matter, do you think my sister is right?"
"I agree with this sentence! Some people live their whole lives like a piece of rotten wood, just lingering and worthless, while some people's lives are short, but they are dazzling, illuminating not only themselves but also others. In this way The most valuable life is the life that respects life."
"The young master actually said the same as what my sister said before. The young master is indeed different from others."
"My sister must be as beautiful, elegant and kind-hearted as the girl."
"My sister is better than me. She should be the best woman in the world. It's a pity that her life is as short as the peach blossoms in her mouth."
Hearing these words, Shao Xi regretted that she brought the topic to Mei Ruoyan's sister, which brought back those painful memories in her heart.
So he quickly changed the subject and asked: "The girl just said that I am different, so what does the girl think is different about me?"
A hint of expectation appeared on Mei Ruoyan's face, and she said softly: "To express your praise and longing for another woman in front of a woman without any subtleties, I am afraid that only someone as decisive and unpredictable as the young master can do it. Bar?"
Shao Xixin said: "Women are animals that really like to compare with each other. Why would you compare yourself with a dead person? She has her own good points, and you have your own good points. This is not a contradiction in the first place!"
"I don't mean to praise her in front of the girl, nor do I mean to let the girl know how much I miss her, because all this comes from my heart, because she deserves to be praised and missed, and even this is far from it. Not nearly enough.”
"Oh? Listening to the young master, that woman must be very special, otherwise a person like the young master would never praise an ordinary woman so much, or even remember her. I remember that the young master promised me before that he would tell her story to me I listen, can you tell me something right now?"
Shao Xi was silent for a moment. He couldn't tell whether he was recalling that past event or trying to suppress the sadness.
After taking a long breath, Shao Xi said: "Actually, there are many similarities between her and you. Like you, she is proficient in music, good at singing and dancing, makes a living in an art workshop, and also likes to wear clothes. Wear a red dress and tie your hair with a red ribbon. You are as beautiful, elegant and kind as you."
Mei Ruoyan smiled and asked jokingly: "Master, are you praising her or me? If it is true as Master said, I hope she is a perfect woman, and I am similar to her." Wouldn’t it also become perfect?”
Shao Xi looked dumbfounded, "It's not that I mean to please the girl, but you two do have many similarities. I unconsciously compare you two. It's rude of me. Please don't do it." Calculate.”
"Now I know that she is similar to me in many ways, so what has she done? What stories happened to her?"
Gradually, Shao Xi fell into memories...
The time that that past event passed was long or short. In Shao Xi's mind, it seemed like it was a long, long time ago, but Shao Xi remembered every detail and never forgot it.
…
When Mei Ruoyan heard the tragic scene of Ye Ziyuan committing suicide, her body seemed to tremble unconsciously. Is it because of shock or excitement? Mei Ruoyan's face turned pale, as if she had completely lost all color. Her slender jade hands clenched her fists tightly, and the joints on her hands turned white.
"Why? Why are kind-hearted people always forced into desperation? Why can't they be given one more choice? This world is too cold and ruthless, and good people will always be forced into desperation."
Shao Xi was sensitively aware that Mei Ruoyan used "them" instead of "she" when she said this. Maybe the other person in "them" is his sister?
"There is no reason. In fact, all the answers are right in front of you and me. It's just that we are unable to fight, so we choose not to face it. This cold and ruthless world often cannot be changed with kindness, so sometimes we need to use extreme measures To change everything, use more cold and ruthless means than this world."
"Change? Is it really possible to change? My sister and I have had our fate decided since we were children. We have no choice at all, let alone change."
"Of course it can be changed. Maybe the price to be paid in this process is extremely expensive. Just like Ziyuan, she never gave up until she died. Maybe you think suicide is a very tragic and sad thing, but she was in her life She didn’t give up on changing her destiny at the last moment, but she finally ended her life in the way she chose?”
Mei Ruoyan seemed to understand something all of a sudden, and said passionately: "Young Master is right, maybe many people can't make their own choices in their lives, and they can't change anything in their lives, but never giving up to change is a choice in itself. , is a change in itself. What people fear most is to become numb, become content with the status quo, and give up on choices and changes. Miss Ziyuan is amazing, but I am not as good as her."
Shao Xi nodded silently, "Yes! Zi Yan finally made her own choice and fulfilled her wish. Her biggest wish when she was alive was to redeem herself. At the end of her life, she She finally regained her freedom, so she chose her own life and completed the changes she wanted, and she finally did it."
"Actually, I think Young Master should also choose to change. If Young Master always keeps this matter in his heart like a huge stone, Young Master will never be truly happy. I think Miss Ziyuan doesn't want to see you like this. , you should choose to put this matter aside and start your life again."
"But her figure often appears in front of me, especially her last look. I can never forget it. You said that I should put it down and start my own life again. I have also thought about it, but I don't know what I should do. Where to start."
Mei Ruoyan smiled lightly, "You don't need to forget her, you just need to put her deep in your heart, let her live in your heart forever, but it will not disturb your life. If you don't know from now on, Where to start, I think I can help you.”
With that said, Mei Ruoyan grabbed Shao Xi's hand at an extremely fast speed and quickly took off the red ribbon with a bow on Shao Xi's hand before he could react.
"Actually, it's not that you can't let it go, but that you don't want to let it go. You tie it to your hand every day, just like Miss Ziyuan stays with you every day, always reminding you that her death is because of you. How long will you continue to blame yourself for being negligent? If you want to start over, start by letting go of this self-blame and guilt!"
Shao Xi looked at the red ribbon held in front of Mei Ruoyan's eyes. The bow was gone, and the bow that Ye Ziyuan had tied for him was gone.
After a burst of inner cramps, Shao Xi gradually calmed down.
"perhaps you're right……"
