Chapter 1： magnolia

In Fengdu, the capital of Fengguo, there is a dilapidated small courtyard in the alley of West Street.

It's just that although the courtyard was dilapidated, it was cleaned very cleanly.

A man in common clothes had a gray-brown linen kerchief wrapped around his head, and he was holding a baby in swaddling arms. The fallen leaves blown by the autumn wind swept aside.

If you just look at this man's appearance and temperament, no matter how you look at it, he should be a son from a rich family. Standing in such a desolate courtyard, he looks a bit out of place.

The small white hands holding the broom were covered with calluses, and he seemed to be used to this kind of life, without any complaints on his face.

Occasionally, she stopped what she was doing, stared at the child's small face in a daze, and slowly raised the corners of her mouth, but the smile only froze for a moment and then disappeared, replaced by haze and confusion in her eyes.

"Is Mulian at home? Mulian, I've brought you a job..."

The voice of an old man came from outside the courtyard blocked by a few broken boards. This old man was Mulian's neighbor Zhang Jiafulang. Sometimes life is very difficult, so I often try to help him find some work to survive.

"Hey...here we come, Uncle Zhang."

Mu Lian recognized Zhang Bo's voice, put down the broom in her hand hastily, walked a few steps and opened the door, welcomed Zhang Bo into the courtyard with a smile, and said gratefully, "Thanks to your help, Mu Lian was able to ask for a bite." I won’t let this child starve and freeze with me.”

"You child! Why do you need to be so polite with me? It's just a handy thing to pick up some jobs for you on weekdays. It's my good fortune to help you survive the day!"

Zhang Jiafu smiled and put a bag of dirty clothes on the broken wooden table beside him, and then started teasing the little doll in Mulian's arms.

"It's cold in autumn, come in and drink some hot tea to warm up your body!"

Mu Lian hastily beckoned Mrs. Zhang to come in and sit in the house. Although the house is simple, it is still a shelter from the wind and rain.

Mrs. Zhang smiled and took out an oil-paper bag from his arms and stuffed it into the little milk baby's arms. He shook his head and said, "I won't go in. The head of the house is coming back soon. I have to go back and cook for her."

Mu Lian glanced at the oil-paper bag that was still in the swaddling place, frowned and said, "Uncle Zhang, you have helped me a lot, and we father and son will definitely not accept any more of your things."

Saying that, Mulian wanted to return the oiled paper bag to Uncle Zhang.

This year, there is a lot of rain, the crops are not good, and the life of the people is also difficult. He and his son can only rely on the help of the Zhang family. How can he take things from others?

Zhang Bo pressed Mu Lian's hand, and said with a light smile, "You just put it away! It's all about being happy too..."

To say that ordinary people don't often eat candy, it's something rich people eat.

It's just that Zhang Jiafulang didn't buy the candy today, but he was lucky.

Mu Lian pursed her lips, looked at the oiled paper bag in her hand, her expression suddenly changed, her lips opened and closed, and she still asked the question in her heart.

"Uncle Zhang, where did this... this thing come from?"

Zhang Bo thought that Mulian was bored staying at home, and wanted to hear the great news that had spread throughout the capital today, so he dragged Mulian to talk about it.

"This is also my luck today. When I went to sell baskets on the street, I met a wealthy family who sent it. It seems to say that Dongcheng Nan's family is going to have a happy event..."

"You mean... the Nan family in Dongcheng is going to have a happy event?"

Mu Lian tightened her hand holding the oil-paper bag, her brows were slightly frowned, and she couldn't help muttering.

Seeing Mulian's eagerness to know the truth, Uncle Zhang could only shake his head apologetically and said, "You also know that the people living in the east city are all the gentry of our Feng Kingdom, so where are we ordinary people? can see.

As for the specific happy event, I didn't hear too clearly.

I just heard that it seems that the daughter of the Nan family has been ill for a long time, and she has recovered this morning.

I think the person who is going to marry is also a son of a noble family, let's! Just listen to it, it's really sweet. "

Mu Lian's dark eyes had just become brighter, then gradually dimmed, her rosy lips suddenly turned pale, and her pretty face turned white and red, red and white again.

The thin body swayed, but barely stopped, and the hand holding the child tightened a bit.

"You melt this candy with boiling water and feed it to my brother, and let our little brother enjoy the joy of that noble family, and marry a happy wife when he grows up. Mu Lian, you are so beautiful, this child must be too." Extraordinarily handsome…”

What Zhang Bo said later, Mu Lian didn't listen to a word, what kept echoing in his ears was Zhang Bo's words, "Then Miss Nan's concubine has been ill for a long time, and she recovered this morning. To go to the disaster, the family made a marriage for her."

"Mulian, then you are busy, I'm going back to cook."

Seeing that Mulian didn't respond, Zhang Jiafulang yelled again.

"Mulian? Mulian?"

"Ah? Ah! Uncle Zhang, thank you then..."

Only then did Mu Lian calm down, absent-mindedly bowed to Mrs. Zhang, and was about to send him away.

"Thank you, don't give it away, you don't have to freeze, little brother, go into the house!"

The figure of Mrs. Zhang disappeared before Mu Lian's eyes, but Mu Lian did not go to lock the door first as usual, but slumped on the ground with the child in her arms, venting all her strength.

In autumn, the sky was freezing and the ground was cold, but Mu Lian didn't seem to feel it. She just hugged the child tightly in her arms, and the hand holding the oiled paper bag kept shaking.

On the outside of the oil-paper bag was a bright red wedding paper with a black character "Nan" clearly written on it.

Mu Lian looked at the son in her arms, her eyebrows and eyes all coincided with that person's, making him love and hate, just like now—knowing that she woke up, Mu Lian was happy.

However, when she thought that the man would never see herself and their children again, Mu Lian's heart was pierced like a knife.

she is getting married...

What kind of husband would such a deserted woman marry?

What kind of man can take good care of her?

She likes the cold rather than the heat, and she always likes to lift the quilt in winter nights. I wonder if her new husband will get up in the middle of the night to tuck the quilt for her?

She likes light or not sweet. I don't know if her new husband would like to get up early and make her some sugar-free pastries?

She likes to be quiet and doesn't like to make trouble. I wonder if her new husband will grind quietly for her while she is practicing calligraphy?

If you want to dote on her like Emperor Qing of Changping, you probably won't choose a man who is too eccentric as Zhengjun for your daughter!

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