Annushka handed the invitation to Anna.
After reading it, Anna knew who she had to turn to for help, and it was clear that her husband was the best person.
"Alexis, I have received an invitation letter from my cousin Betsy, and I will go to her afternoon tea party the day after tomorrow."
"That's good. We're back in Petersburg now, and you'll start a new social life in Petersburg," Karenin said, seemingly unaware that his wife was hinting at him.
Anna gave up the hint, but said directly: "I need your help."
Karenin looked up, slightly puzzled.
"You know, I had an illness, I didn't go out much after that, my social life has stopped for a while, and now, I'm in Petersburg instead of Moscow." Anna paused and continued , "I'm afraid I won't be able to complete this tea banquet very well."
Karenin stopped completely from cutting the bacon.
Tea parties between women are not his field of expertise, in fact, it should be said that this is not the field of his willingness to be patient.
"You have to help me, I think maybe you can tell me about these 'relationships' after you go home today." Anna emphasized the word "relationship", and in their circle, the circle that has everyone's information is necessary.
After she finished speaking, she looked at each other with those big eyes, like some kind of small animal.
"I'll be back on time," said Karenin.
Anna laughed. She happily took a mouthful of the waffle, then blinked and thanked her husband.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, Karenin returned from the department on time.
There were no guests waiting to be interviewed in his study room, and the sofas there would never be vacant if it was normal, and when he left in the morning, he told Kearney not to see any visitors today.
Although his loyal old butler was a little puzzled, he didn't ask any more questions, and just faithfully carried out his husband's orders.
So, before he had time to change his clothes, Karenin went directly to Anna's bedroom, or it should be said, their bedroom. Although his own bedroom was still kept, he had almost completely neglected his inexperienced bedroom during this time. Very soft big bed.
"Come to my study, Anna," said Karenin.
He is still wearing a civilian uniform with a medal on it, maybe he needs to meet some diplomatic envoys in the department today.
Karenin has won several very good medals, but he does not wear them every day, and generally only uses them on important occasions. And he went home on time today, just because he promised in the morning.
Anna couldn't help laughing, and almost trotted to Karenin's side with joy, then took his hand, and let him go before he frowned.
"You will always do what you promised me, won't you?"
"If nothing else, yes."
Although he didn't quite understand why his wife asked this question, Karenin answered her truthfully, and then he got a kiss on the corner of his mouth.
"You look good in your medals," she said with bright eyes.
Karenin glanced at her, then moved away slightly, as if, a little shy? Anna thought, and she also looked away and smiled secretly, not knowing that the person she thought was being embarrassed was looking at her again at this moment, and she could see her crooked eyebrows in full view.
Karenin had two studies.
One is used to receive some guests, and the other is specially used for reading.
The study room for receiving guests has a more luxurious sofa, which is more inclined to chat. The study he used for reading is simple, even a little monotonous.
Two rows of large bookshelves occupy almost two walls. There is a desk made of rosewood near the window. It is simply painted with some paint. Judging from the traces of wear on the edges, it has been used for some years. It can be seen that the owner is very serious. Cherish it.
A chair without even a cushion on it looks boxy, and it is definitely not easy to doze off when sitting on it. Just like the meaning of its birth, the whole study room is just a place to read books.
Although it was sunny, there was nothing soft about it. Except for Karenin's round teacup, it seems to be the only thing in this place without edges and corners. It was originally ordinary, but now it seems a little precious.
"There's only one chair," Anna pointed out.
Karenin realized that he had not thought carefully, and he was about to ring the bell for a servant to bring a chair, but Anna stopped him.
"I have a soft stool in my bedroom." She said, and before Karenin could say anything, she ran out, and soon brought a stool over, which looked plump and fluffy.
So, after the teacup, another object without edges and corners appeared in this room, and it also had fluffy skills.
Karenin finally didn't say anything about this somewhat disobedient existence, and he acquiesced to all of this. And in the days that followed, he would often watch his wife move in and out in his world, filling up the world with only edges and corners with more round and soft things.
According to Karenin's habit, his guests always sit across from him, either in uniform or formal attire. When talking with them, Karenin has become accustomed to thinking about the other party's next sentence before finishing the last sentence. The meaning of a sentence.
But now, next to his deserted chair, there is an oversoft stool. It is pink and has lace made of ribbons, like, the kind of place you put your fingers on, whether it is placed Everywhere, there will be a "boom" and a soft bounce.
After he sat down, he also found that for a moment, he was a little uncertain about the tone he should use to talk to the people around him.
She was wearing a white skirt, the neckline was not exposed like ordinary women, but closed, like the petals of a jacaranda, with a blue brooch in the middle. The neck is slender, the skin is delicate, and it looks like a calla lily. The white heart with slender stamens innocently looks up at the blue sky.
And looking up, her round gray eyes are like the color of the hairy necks of gray doves in the square, very bright and soft.
She was so close to herself, her eyes lingered on the form he had just spread out, and then she gave a soft admiration, as if it was not just a form, but something great.
"You are really great, Alexei, you did a great job, it's so obvious at a glance!" Anna admired from the bottom of her heart.
Karenin's handwriting has always been the kind she likes, neither frivolous nor blunt, his logical thinking is very strong, the relationship context listed is concise and clear, and the key points are very prominent.
"It's nothing." Karenin said, his tone was still steady, but there were some waves in his heart.
In his flat voice he began to tell Anna about the great circles of Petersburg society.
As a distinguished lady, Karenin roughly divided them into three categories in the circle that his wife had to contact in Petersburg in the future.
The first one is that the circle that Anna must involve in the future is also the circle he brought to her, including his colleagues and subordinates. But it is not the main task today, and, in this circle, Karenin himself will play a leading role.
The second is the circle headed by Countess Lydia, which has a political cloak, although it is flashy, it is some kind of hidden political channel, some of which Karenin will slowly tell his wife in the future .
The third circle is the circle that Anna will come into contact with tomorrow, the circle headed by Duchess Betsy. He was the kind of circle Karenin disliked least, but he couldn't avoid it completely.
"Your cousin, Betsy, is an excellent leader in this circle. She has fully grasped the core meaning of this circle, and has never deviated from the theme from the beginning to the end." Karenin said in a flat tone.
Although most people wouldn't think otherwise when they heard this kind of evaluation, Anna could tell that Karenin didn't like Betsy very much.
"Don't you like Betsy?"
Karenin glanced at her and said: "If someone asks me this sentence, I will avoid answering my personal preferences, or I will let you come up with the answer you want. But I said I will always be honest with you, so I am sorry to have to tell you, Anna, that I do not like this lady."
Anna didn't have a big image of Betsy, she just remembered that she was a beauty, and she was even more curious about why Karenin didn't like Betsy.
"I don't want to talk about other people's rights and wrongs, Anna. A man should not talk about a woman, no matter what her status is." Karenin said in a cold language, and Anna knew that this meant that he was not right for the time being. Willing to talk about it.
She didn't go into it any more, but she secretly remembered it in her heart, and she had to figure it out by herself tomorrow.
After making up her mind, she raised her eyes and peeked at her husband again. Seeing his lips pursed, obviously displeased, she smiled.
Pulling out that trace of jealousy, he leaned over and kissed the corner of the other party's mouth, then raised his hands, gently pressed the corner of Karenin's mouth, and pressed it down, revealing a small blunt arc.
"Who is in front of you now?" she asked.
Karenin raised his right hand, pressed Anna's wrist, kissed her thumb joint for the last time, fixed his eyes on her, and replied calmly: "You."
Anna giggled.
Later, she recalled what happened that day, and then understood one thing. She thought she was a tolerant person, but in fact, when it comes to matters related to Karenin, she is also the most ordinary person, with various shortcomings and a little jealousy.