Jiang Yue opened her shoulders stiffly and straightened her neck. Nie Zhao used a branch to pick up her chin, gesturing for her to raise her head a little higher.
There were not many people on the street. They were coming and going in a hurry and had their own things to do. They clearly did not pay too much attention to her. At most, she was walking with Nie Zhao, and her eyes flashed with a bit of surprise.
The people in Zhucheng lived a boring life, so they loved to watch the excitement. As long as there was any new news, it would spread throughout the city the next day. The fact that Nie Zhao had a new fiancée was no exception. They didn't expect that Nie Zhao didn't have one yet. Is it acceptable to drive people away?
Jiang Yue had the illusion that these people's eyes were staring directly at her, with condemnation. She did not dare to respond to their gazes. She felt that her body was no longer hers and was as stiff as a piece of wood.
Nie Zhao put a branch against her back and asked her to walk in front.
Jiang Yue's hands and feet were numb, her brain was stiff, and every skin on her body ached with burning pain. The weather was clear and crisp in autumn, refreshing and pleasant, but it burned her whole body.
Finding a husband is an act of loyalty, she comforted herself along the way, but now she can no longer do it. Now she does go out and walk on the street, with her head raised and her chest held high.
Once a person's thoughts are shaped and stereotyped, it is difficult to change. Jiang Yue turned her back on the education she had received in the past. It was like waking up and everyone pointed at the two-legged person on the road and said he had four legs and forced her to admit it. This was as hard to accept as the truth, but she had to accept it if she didn't want to, if she wanted to continue living by Nie Zhao's side.
Jiang Yue and Nie Zhao are two completely opposite people. Even if there are no drastic changes in the Nie family and the Jiang family, and the two get married according to the agreement of their elders, they will only become resentful couples after marriage, and the situation will not be better than now.
But there is a first time for everything. After the long-term imprisonment is broken by external force, the first thing that arises must be the fear caused by the change, and then you will gradually feel free and happy.
Nie Zhao was not interested in Jiang Yue's lack of freedom, nor did he pay any attention to it. He only knew that if Jiang Yue wanted to live with him, he had to make it pleasing to him.
"Don't bend your back." Nie Zhao knocked Jiang Yue with a tree branch from time to time. Jiang Yue was quite well-behaved, which made him less angry, and the two of them arrived at the clothing store peacefully.
When the shopkeeper saw it was Nie Zhao, he was overjoyed and nodded quickly and stepped forward. Nie Zhao pushed Jiang Yue over and said, "Help her choose some clothes, make sure they are comfortable and loose."
"Okay, okay, these are the new styles in the store. The materials are soft and the colors are bright. They are most suitable for a young... pretty girl like her." In order to compliment Nie Zhao, the shopkeeper went to any length to compliment Nie Zhao. Tell lies with your eyes open.
Jiang Yue looked at the clothes he mentioned, which were tender pink, duck egg blue, and goose yellow. They were beautiful and delicate. She quickly shook her head, looked at Nie Zhao, and asked carefully: "Yes, I want something in color."
She has not yet passed the three-year period of mourning for her parents, and now her fiancé has died. She must observe mourning for them and cannot wear colorful clothes.
Although he was choosing clothes for Jiang Yue, the shopkeeper glanced at Nie Zhao. Nie Zhao didn't want to control her in such a trivial matter: "Let her go."
The shopkeeper always had something to praise her, and instead said that she had elegant taste and was different from ordinary people. He asked his wife to choose some plain white and moon-white dresses and take her to try them on.
His wife brought in some of the little girl's intimate clothes, socks and shoes.
The shopkeeper took out a bag of silver coins from his sleeve and carefully held it to Nie Zhao: "Sir, in the past you didn't need a small sum of money because you were kind-hearted. Now that you have a girl at home, you have more places to spend money. These are the little ones. Be careful..."
The head money is the protection fee collected by the bosses everywhere. After collecting the head money from the merchants and people, they must be protected.
Nie Zhao bent his elbows and swung the branches while still holding something in his hand. He put his elbows on the shopkeeper's shoulders, pushed the money bag back, and chuckled: "Bibbe me?"
"It can't be a bribe. I'm just asking for your blessing." The shopkeeper said sincerely.
"That's not necessary, the food you used to eat is enough... Do you have anything to ask me for?" Nie Zhao paused and asked.
The shopkeeper then rubbed his hands and told all the recent troubles: "You are busy, we don't dare to disturb you." Everyone knew that Nie Zhao was dissatisfied with his fiancée who came to look for his bride a few days ago. Who dared to do this at this time? Find him?
While the two were talking, the landlady came out with Jiang Yue, who had tried on a pair of clothes, and said nonchalantly: "I tried on the clothes and they fit perfectly."
With this color and simple style, as well as Jiang Yue's current bamboo pole-like figure, there is no need to mention the dressing effect.
Nie Zhao looked over and saw that Jiang Yue's hair was still messy, her face was sallow, and her whole body was plain, which was much more pleasing to the eye than when she was dressed in rags. He pinched his shoulders. The material was good, soft and close to the body, and ordered: "Measure Open it two inches wider, hold a few items, and let her wear the clothes she came in with." Children grow fast, and if you don't put more clothes on them, they will outgrow them in a few days.
The landlady agreed repeatedly and took Jiang Yue back in. After a while, she packed the selected clothes from the inside out, including several big packages.
Nie Zhao was too lazy to take it, so he let Jiang Yue hold it by herself. He raised his hand to the shopkeeper: "Address, name, a few people."
The shopkeeper was overjoyed and handed him the information about a few gangsters, and also brought Muyan Powder and Bath Beans bought from Beijing.
Jiang Yue stumbled out while holding her things. Nie Zhao would hit her shoulders, neck and back with branches from time to time, reminding her: "Stay straight, don't bend down."
While she was holding something, she had to remind herself to stretch her body and be wary of Nie Zhao's knocks from time to time. She was stretched thin. After a while, she was so tired that she was sweating, and she didn't care how the passersby around her looked at her.
Nie Zhao drove her to a river in the suburbs and said, "You can put down your things."
Jiang Yue obediently complied. Before she could stand up, she felt a impact on her body. Then she jumped up and was kicked into the river by Nie Zhao.
"Wash yourself well, put on new clothes after washing, and I'll take you to dinner." Nie Zhao threw the bath beans into her arms, turned away, and helped her keep watch.
The river water was not deep, and it was shallow enough to cover Jiang Yue's abdomen. She stepped on the rocks below and found a stable point of support. She had already walked far away. She lowered her head and carefully smelled the bath beans in her hand. They were fragrant with jasmine.
Nie Zhao guessed that it would take a long time to clean Jiang Yue's dirty body, but he did not expect it to take so long. He sat cross-legged on the grass, bored and picked a few small wild flowers with white petals and yellow pistils, and played with them dexterously with his fingers. , and after a while, a garland took shape in my hand.
He put it on his head, sighed, and took it off again.
After a while, a weak voice came from behind: "Three, third brother."
Nie Zhao turned around and saw Jiang Yue standing behind him with wet hair, clean and refreshing, at least not boring anymore.
"Well, wait a minute." He glanced at Jiang Yue and ignored her, turning his back to wonder what he was doing.
Jiang Yue obediently grabbed her sleeves and waited for him to finish.
After a quarter of an hour, Nie Zhao stood up, and Jiang Yue saw a small wreath in his hand, dotted with yellow and white flowers. It was very beautiful. She removed her eyes and continued to stare at the ground.
Nie Zhao walked straight over and raised his hand. Jiang Yue was so frightened that she quickly squatted down to protect her head, thinking that he was going to hit her.
Nie Zhao just put the garland on her head: "These little flowers blooming in the wild are too plain and not worthy of me. I am taking advantage of you."
Jiang Yue couldn't believe that this was given to her, and couldn't help but widen her eyes. She was flattered and touched it gently, and after a moment, she gave him a careful smile.
