Anna returns home.
She seriously thought about what to do.
Qian and Quan presumably don't care about each other. The power may make Mr. Goldman bow temporarily, but after all, he is not willing.
As Anna said before, she hoped that Mr. Goldman would be willing.
She wants to learn and he is the best teacher.
She wrote and drew on the parchment and finally had an idea.
Finding a new piece of paper, Anna began to draw the prototype of a piece of clothing on it. Maybe not so professional, but it can probably be seen.
When Karenin came back, Anna was still drawing the design, so she didn't hear the former's knock on the door.
When she finished the last stroke and put down the pen, her husband's voice almost made her jump up.
"God, you're scaring me," Anna said, blinking. "Is it already this time?"
"I've been standing behind you for six minutes, Anna." Karenin took a step forward, and his eyes fell on the dress drawing drawn by his wife.
"What do you think?" Anna enthusiastically showed her masterpiece to the other party like a student waiting for the teacher's praise.
Karenin pressed the side of the paper with his slender fingers, his eyelashes drooped, and his blue eyes were reflected by the setting sun outside the window, making them appear transparent and warm.
His lips moved, he looked up at Anna, and said, "Although I'm not an expert in this field, I think it's pretty good."
Anna laughed. She tiptoed and kissed lightly on the corner of her husband's mouth.
"Did you eat soufflé on the way back?"
"No, not at all. In fact, I only drank a cup of tea." Karenin said slowly, sometimes he was willing to pretend that he didn't understand what his wife meant in exchange for his wife's smile.
Before having dinner, Anna told Karenin about her visit to Mr. Goldman's shop today, and finally she said: "I think maybe I can dress up as a young man and go to his shop as an apprentice."
Karenin frowned slightly at this: "It's very indecent, and no matter how you say it, a woman can't perfectly disguise herself as a man."
"If it refers to camouflage skills, I think I can do it well. But if you are concerned about whether you are decent, I have also considered it." Anna said softly.
"I understand that the title I have in this society also requires me to take on some responsibilities. To be honest, I don't like those tea parties. As your wife, I can't help you well in career or diplomacy. But I do Don't like the dress now, remember the wedding night? The dress almost took my breath away."
Anna slowed down, then looked into Karenin's eyes and said seriously.
"In my opinion, clothing should bring people the enjoyment of beauty, rather than make oneself suffer in order to cater to some inhuman taste."
After she finished speaking, she calmly waited for the other party's response. To be honest, at this moment, she didn't know if she would continue to do that if Karenin still disagreed. Maybe she will, after all, she is a free soul from modern times, maybe she won't, after all, she loves her husband deeply.
People don't always know what they're going to do until the last moment. So all you can do is wait.
For a long time, Karenin's deep but clear voice, accompanied by a calm tone, sounded in the air.
"I still don't think it's decent," he paused before continuing, "but I agree with you, Anna. So, if you insist on doing it, at least make the plan a little bit more complete. You only have one chance ,do you know?"
The phrase, do you know, passed by Anna's ears like silk.
Karenin spoke to her with the same calm tone he gave orders in an office.
Of course Anna knew what this sentence meant to Karenin, and perhaps she would not find such a reasonable husband in all of Petersburg. But it was also because, no matter how hard I searched the whole of Russia, I couldn't find a woman like Anna who was not willing to be just a lady.
"So, am I your subordinate now?" Anna felt a little excited, her big eyes sparkling.
"No, you are not qualified. From your grammar class, you are not up to the standard." Karenin pointed out this fact in a flat tone, "If I agree to your request, you have to agree to me. Anna, this It's very fair, you'll have to work a little harder on Mr. Maillard's grammar class."
"Okay!" Anna made a salute gesture, which was somewhat nondescript.
Karenin thought that if his wife was going to serve in the army, he would be the first to cross her out. She was too beautiful to be conducive to the unity of the army camp. Well, if there is such a day, he thought lightly in his heart.
Anna looked extremely happy all evening because of Karenin's support.
When Karenin was reviewing official documents in the study, Anna and Annushka were learning simple knitting, and she told her personal maid about it.
Annushka sighed softly: "I thought people like our husband were very rigid."
"He is a little bit, but I think he is very cute!" Anna said unconsciously, the accelerated secretion of adrenaline made her a little uncontrollable, just like a mother who just gave birth, thinking that her baby is the whole world cutest. Even if he only has wrinkled skin and tiny eyes.
Anna leaned in front of Anushka and whispered in her ear the plan for tomorrow.
Anushka was a little surprised, she couldn't express her thoughts when she saw her wife immersed in joy.
After a while, while Anna was humming softly, Annushka laughed too.
Early the next morning, after Karenin went to work, Anna studied French with Mr. Maillard for a while.
Mr. Maillard was somewhat surprised by the seriousness with which she studied.
"My dear Anna, although you have never been considered a lazy student, I have to say that you have become more diligent and studious today."
Anna blinked: "I promised Alexei that I will work hard."
In this world, there is no such thing as one side begging the other side all the time, and, in essence, what Anna promised was nothing at all.
"He wasn't a caring person before." Mr. Maillard blinked. He has always been a jovial old man, and he is more interesting in class. In private, he likes to chat with Anna about the former little Karenin.
"He's been a very studious kid from the start. I mean, at my age, I've usually seen tons and tons of kids, some of them smart, but nobody's as focused as him."
"I used to worry that the kid was going to be too precocious, and I tried to tell him some funny jokes, but he didn't seem very interested. I mean, he would cooperate with me politely, but I also knew that it was just Just being polite. Sometimes it can be really discouraging."
"I understand." Anna said with a smile, "Sometimes he is not interested in everything I say, and I know it, but I think, as long as he doesn't stop me and doesn't show a bored expression, I can always Comfort yourself, he can actually bear me."
"And I just want to talk to him. He has to be vigilant all the time at work and not miss any information. When I get home, I have to let him relax."
"It sounds like you treat him like a baby!" Mr. Maillard said, winking his eyes.
Anna blushed a little, touched her hot cheeks, and said, "Ah, sometimes it is, but I think it doesn't matter. What can I do, so as long as I can, yes Just do a little bit."
"Believe me, dear, there's a lot you can do for him," said Mr. Maillard kindly.
"I hope so." Anna also smiled.
"I'm really grateful to you and Mrs. Maillard. Aren't you caring about Alexei in your own way?"
"We have done far less than you." Mr. Maillard said, "Karenin has extraordinary talent and diligence beyond ordinary people. I had no doubt that he would become a high-ranking official in the future, but now, since he and you After marriage, dear. I began to believe that he was not just a high official, but that he would be a great man."
"Ah, thank you, Mr. Maillard, thank you for trusting my husband so much. To be honest, I also believe so firmly." Anna smiled brightly. She was really happy that besides herself, someone else could see See Karenin's shining point, and give him such lofty praise and hope.
In the afternoon, Anna revised the drawings and then dressed herself up.
She put on the clothes Anuschka had bought back, a coat the same color as pine branches, clean and decent. Some loose trousers are not long enough and will expose the top of the feet, but they are very suitable for the status of the lower class. A hat hides her hair.
The eyebrows are thickened, and the neck is not exposed.
She felt very relieved not to wear skirts anymore. Anna slipped out through the back door, and Anushka led him to the stables.
Peter was feeding the gray horse.
"Peter, this is Pavel, my cousin. He wants to be a doorman. It just so happens that there is no one here these days. Madam said that he can learn from you." Anushka said.
Peter glanced at the skinny boy in front of him, and finally said, "Don't trouble me!"
"Don't worry, sir." Anna said in a low voice.
"Come on, kid, we have to pick up Mr. Karenin now." Peter sat on the carriage aggressively, raised his chin, and motioned for Anna to come up.
Anushka wanted to help Anna subconsciously, but was dissuaded by the latter's eyes.
Anushka looked at his wife with some concern. After all, a noble lady like Anna is not used to wearing pants, and she has to sit in the carriage casually like a kid.
But to her surprise, her wife seemed to sit on it easily, and when she left, the former even winked at her.
"Good job, boy!" cried Peter, and the voice of the driver was always loud.
"Thanks, sir." Anna said with a smile, her voice deliberately lowered.
"You don't need to be too cautious when you see Mr. later, but it's better not to look around like a country bumpkin, especially, even if those officials are indeed dressed in gold, don't fix your eyes on it." Peter reminded.
"I know, sir, you are very kind! I will tell Madame about your kindness to me!" said Anna sincerely.
Peter laughed: "You're not bad, kid."
When he got to the yamen, Peter waited in a secluded place, unlike other people's carriages parked there aggressively by the door.
Not long after, a person came out of the yamen.
The man was wearing a black woolen overcoat and was tall. Compared with the fat man next to him, he looked very thin. They seem to be saying goodbye.
The younger man shook hands with the other party with slender fingers. He didn't bring his secretary over until the other party got into the carriage and left.
It was Mr. Vorobiev, whom Anna did not like very much. So she snorted softly in her heart, and automatically blocked this person.
"Sir, please get in the car." Anna said in a low voice, and opened the door with her right hand.
When Karenin was about to get into the carriage, he stopped for a moment, and turned his head to look at the strange doorman.
Peter immediately said: "Anuschka's cousin, sir. I want to find a job as a porter in Petersburg to make a living. Annushka and his wife told him to let him learn from me."
"Good day, Mr. Karenin."
Karenin frowned slightly, but finally said nothing, just nodded slightly, and then got into the carriage.
Vorobev glanced at Anna, always feeling a little strange, but he didn't think about it, because he had to discuss some issues with Karenin.
Anna closed the door, and got into the carriage neatly.
"Good job, kid." Peter praised, as if to say, kid, you have great potential to be a doorman.
Anna laughed. She was leaning against the carriage and couldn't hear what was being said inside. However, she was already thinking about what Karenin would think when he knew the truth.
When they arrived at the house, Anna opened the door for Karenin again, and then watched the man leave.
When Karenin returned home and did not see his wife, he asked Annushka, "Where is your wife?"
"Madame has gone to Mr. Maillard's. She said she would have dinner there and be back later."
After Karenin expressed his understanding, he took Vorobev to the study room where the guests were treated.
They were busy until dinner time and didn't come out.
Karenin looked at the time on his pocket watch and frowned slightly.
Vorobev was a funny man, but if he was facing his boss Karenin, he would not dare to show his craft at will.
Because he was not facing Anna, Karenin only took fifteen minutes to finish the food, as he did in the previous thirty-two years, and did not allow time for rest, and then continued to discuss with Vorobev, and, He checked the time on his pocket watch again.
At half-past eight Vorobyev took his leave.
Karenin asked Peter to send Vorobev back to his place, and Peter called Anna again.
Even though Anna was reluctant to open the door for Vorobiev, she had to do it anyway.
The night was completely dark, but there was still a little starlight.
Vorobiev breathed a sigh of relief when he went out. It was never easy to stay with Karenin. He's too rigid and not stupid at all.
Vorobev was trying to go to the tavern tonight for a few drinks, he was thinking, and then he saw the doorman again when he was about to get into the carriage.
This is strange, Vorobyev glanced at the porter, who bowed his head respectfully.
He has never seen such a quiet doorman, and generally this kind of people will always be very enthusiastic about him. After all, for young doormen like this, they are not always willing to do this kind of thing because this profession can fill their hearts. abdomen.
Don't forget that last year Countess Lydia and her doorman who was only nineteen years old caused a lot of trouble in the circle.
"Lift up your head and let me see," said Vorobiev.
Anna was a little nervous, but also a little annoyed. She was worried that she would be found out by this man, and she was also annoyed that she had to stay with someone she didn't like.
In any case, she raised her head as calmly as possible, with a trace of puzzlement on her face, and asked in a low voice, "Do you have any orders, sir."
Vorobyev looked carefully at the doorman when he raised his head.
Then he was a little disappointed, he had never seen this face in his memory. This is a poor boy with a fairly clean face and stupid ignorance and ignorance in his eyes.
Vorobev suddenly remembered something from the past. A poor boy ran from the countryside to a big city. He thought that there were gold mines everywhere, until he had to bow his head in the face of reality.
Vorobev rolled his eyes in annoyance, pinched his fingers vigorously, caught sight of those gray eyes from the corner of his eye, and finally said in a low voice patiently: "Next time, trim your beard clean, if you still want to If you get a good job in Petersburg."
After speaking, he got into the carriage.
Anna closed the carriage door, but was very surprised in her heart.
The unshaven stubble was deliberately faked by her. After all, sometimes, if you want to hide something, it is better to actively expose the point that is more attractive to others than to keep hiding it.
A good-looking poor boy, given a good opportunity, well-prepared, always a little bit wrong, maybe a careless stubble that goes unnoticed, but that's more trustworthy, isn't it
However, she didn't expect this man to kindly mention herself.
Anna was thinking in the carriage, and began to think, whether her previous impression of the frivolous secretary was a bit wrong.
At this moment, Karenin in the study felt a little restless for the first time.
He paced the study for a while, and finally put on his overcoat again, called Kearney over, and said he was going to Mr. Maillard.
Karenin quickened his pace. He asked Kearney to prepare another carriage. He walked into the hall and was putting a hat on his head when he saw a young man walking in.
Karenin stopped in his tracks.