Andrei went home. Alexei had already gone to the military academy, which took about two hours. Karenin sent him there.
In such an environment, what Karenin did would make the child's life a little easier. But to become more comfortable, he still needs to rely on himself.
Anna's own life is about to start anew. She came to Mr. Goldman's shop.
The shop remained unchanged, and Prokhov stood at the small counter seriously as usual. When he saw Anna, he laughed, always so simple.
"Are you having a good time?"
"Yes, very happy."
Anna entered the shop and laughed, but soon, she noticed something.
"Did something happen?"
"What?" Prokhov looked dull and confused, but soon, he laughed, "Nothing."
Anna lightened her steps and changed the subject: "Where's Mr. Goldman?"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you. Mr. Goldman is not here today. He said that you can practice by yourself. He hasn't finished reading the sketch you sent before. He will tell you tomorrow." Prokhov said, Look a little apologetic.
He wasn't usually like this. Anna thought.
Perhaps Prokhov realized that he was abnormal, so he simply closed the ledger, raised his head and smiled: "Would you like to tell me about those few days?"
"Of course."
Anna smiled. If Mr. Prokhov is not willing to talk about his thoughts for a while, she is naturally unwilling to question him again and again.
But while the wife is in doubt, the husband may find the reason.
"My lord, is this inappropriate?" Vorobev asked. He reserved a box in this hotel for Karenin and the French foreign minister, but Karenin paused.
"No, it's nothing." Karenin replied, and then continued to walk to the box.
After sitting down, he looked at the menu that Vorobev asked him to confirm, and when he felt that there was no problem, he asked Vorobiev to make arrangements, while he waited for the French diplomat.
During this free time, Karenin spared a little attention to think about what he had just seen.
Mr. Goldman, his daughter, and a strange man, and the glimpsed ring was placed in the palm of the lady.
Given their poses and expressions, and where to choose, there are two possibilities. The very slight possibility is that they are advising each other on the style of the ring, but the greater possibility is that it is a marriage proposal.
Although Karenin didn't have much contact with the father and daughter, Anna mentioned them a lot, as well as Mr. Prokhov. Obviously, he has a good impression of Miss Oria.
Thinking of this, Karenin clasped his hands and placed them on the table, meditating for a while.
He had always known what a sentimental person his wife was, and that she considered these people as friends.
friend, yeah. There are never any friends in this circle. Karenin himself had no such friends, and though he knew what it was like, luckily and unfortunately he had never felt it himself. But that doesn't mean he's unwilling to understand his wife's feelings, and to do a little maintenance of her feelings.
She doesn't need to know these things. He thought so before, but now, he is not sure.
"The so-called husband and wife, in addition to responsibility, there is also trust." This reminded Karenin that the secret corner of his heart was a little restless, but he finally decided to appease it.
"You love her don't you?"
Those anxious backed away reluctantly.
So, when Anna learned of all this during the routine walk after dinner, she was surprised, but not as excited as Karenin thought.
She was indeed unhappy, with some loss and confusion, but she was still peaceful.
"I don't understand. Although we all think that Oria is still young, she is only thirteen after all, but none of us can deny that she has a relatively mature mind."
"However, I originally thought that, no matter how you say it, it's still a little too early to talk about love, but..." She couldn't continue, and she frowned slightly in confusion, and then turned into a disappointed expression.
"It was impossible between them from the beginning." Karenin said, he slowed down, his voice matched the wind of the early summer evening, as if there was a hint of heat from the summer.
"Identity, and, uncertainty."
"Uncertainty?" Anna asked.
"I know you may have suspected it. Although I didn't confirm it, Miss Oria's health is not good."
Anna sighed at this: "You're right, I really thought about it." She thought that those mature, graceful and gentle movements were due to deliberate learning, but later discovered that the little girl's pale face from time to time, And the coldness of fingers on a cold day is definitely not just to make yourself look more elegant.
She raised her head again, with a confused look on her face: "Mr. Goldman should have a rich deposit, and he can expand the store. He is so proud, he obviously disdains to make clothes for some people, But it did.”
She murmured, "Can't you help her?"
"Help?" Karenin repeated, and then calmly said: "You should know them better than I do."
Yes, Anna hung her head.
If Mr. Gorman hadn't been such a proud man, if Oria was indeed a naive and romantic little girl, if Mr. Proudoff hadn't cherished that child so much.
"We all know that even Mr. Proudov is not sure whether it is love or not. After all, it is not an ordinary thing."
"Mr. Prokhov's identity and poverty are indeed issues that Mr. Goldman needs to consider, but what is even bigger is the uncertainty of this love."
Karenin paused, and then slowly revealed an irrefutable truth:
"Miss Oria needs a rich family, a guarantee more reliable than love."
It's not that Anna couldn't understand what Karenin said, she even understood that there was no persecution in it. She knew that if Oria was unwilling, those two men would never force her, and she also knew that those two men might even hope that she would not.
But what a mature girl Oria was, she took her fate so seriously that she never wanted to defy them from the very beginning.
She used to sort out those sketches for Mr. Goldman in the backyard, and when she was mending the scratched hat for Prokhov, her expression and movements were so peaceful.
It was as if she had allowed fate to paint on her pale and frail body, accepting them willingly.
"She's still a child..." she muttered softly.
"Not immediately married, but engaged," said Karenin. He has since gathered some information using the channels at his disposal. He knew Anna would care about that.
"Timing." Karenin said a little sadly, "The timing is not always so perfect. This is true of most things in this world."
He was referring to the fact that Mr. Goldman and the others could meet someone suitable for Oria. Sooner or later, that will happen.
People will of course pray that they will meet their life partner at the best time, but opportunities are always available but not sought after. Ordinary people can't bear to wait, rather than looking forward to the next ear of wheat, they are more inclined to firmly grasp the best one they can encounter.
"I understand." Anna said, raising her eyes and smiling sadly.
"Love is very important to everyone, but in a person's life, depending on the circumstances, the most important thing for everyone is not necessarily love. Especially in this place."
"Man's misfortune is not due to too little God gives him, but due to dissatisfaction." Karenin whispered, telling Anna a fact.
"That's a lady who knows how to be content."
This night, Anna understood, or rather, she understood a long time ago, which resulted in her current easy-to-satisfy and happy character, that is, happiness is not easy for everyone.
So the next day, when she went to see Mr. Goldman in the shop, she didn't ask him.
She saw the proud man's eyes occasionally resting on Miss Oria, complicated but not unbearable, just like when a black-haired girl looked at him, she always smiled kindly.
Mr. Prokhov is a man less able to fake his emotions.
After Mr. Goldman and Miss Oria went out, Anna stood by and made a pot of Ceylon black tea. She also brought some snacks.
It was raining outside, and the rainwater, like dripping pearls, slowly ran down the back of the eaves and gathered on the ground into a small puddle of water.
"Patter - patter -"
"You understand, don't you?" asked Mr. Prokhov, like a sad dog.
"En." Anna nodded.
"I know you will know, after all your husband..." He didn't go on, just showing a defeated smile.
"He came to me before, and to be honest, it was a little scary." He smiled again, and this time it was much better, "Of course, I'm not talking about looks or temper, but very few husbands would do that .I mean, in your circle."
Due to emotional reasons, the man's speech was a bit confused, but he was still understandable.
"I see."
Then, the air fell into an atmosphere of faint silence. The sound of black tea steamed in mid-air, and the mist was lingering. Compared with the coldness of winter, it was mixed with the heat of summer at this moment, which seemed helpless.
"Actually," Prokhov confided, reorganizing his emotions, "I wanted to fight for it, but I didn't until I saw your husband."
"It took me three days to decide to drop the idea."
"Why?" Anna asked softly.
Prokhov wiped his nose with his hand and gave a wrinkled smile.
"It's just that I hesitated."
"Miss Oria is like an angel, I love her. However, I don't think I can ever be like your husband. Understand every thought of another person, whether the world tolerates it or not, or, even if you can't understand, still try to understand."
"I may still lack the courage to fight against the world."
"You're not, don't mind if I..."
"Ah, of course I appreciate you." Mr. Prokhov laughed heartily, "But if it were my wife, I wouldn't be able to agree so frankly."
"People are always harsh on those close to them, aren't they?"
Anna looked at Prokhov and wanted to say something, but finally swallowed it back.
They raised their eyes and looked outside. They didn't know how long the conversation had passed. At this moment, the rain had stopped.
"The rain has stopped," said Mr. Prokhov.
"After all, it's just a summer shower!" He exclaimed, his voice full of the same cheerfulness as before, but also relieved.
Anna's fingers touched the cold teacup, her thoughts started and stopped a little slowly.
This week, Karenin's rest day.
The servants also noticed that the hostess was in a low mood, so they became more careful in doing things.
Anna even woke up late on a rare occasion. She settled herself on a soft bed, and the flimsy summer quilt frivolously hung on the carpet. She didn't perform her duties at all, exposing the hostess' fair calf to the sun.
And the fine dust in the sun mischievously kissed that touch of whiteness, until someone stingily blocked them.
Karenin covered Anna with the quilt.
He had ordered all the servants not to disturb Anna, and even Annushka had been instructed by him.
Anna's depressed mood was like a continuous light, and even Karenin was infected. So, after finishing breakfast alone, Karenin, who was supposed to go to his study to deal with official documents according to his usual daily habits, came to his wife's bedroom again.
After covering Anna with a thin quilt, he stood on the edge of the bed for about half a minute, and then obeyed his own will, regardless of the fact that the shirt would become unseemly because of being covered with folds, he sat on the edge of the bed.
He raised his hand, and let his fingers stroke his wife's brow lovingly, trying to smooth out the frown that was still frowning in Shunmeng.
It's a boring and completely pointless thing to do.
But the man seemed patient.
Time seemed to stand still at this moment, only warmth and love flowed slowly on the fingertips with the movements of the fingers.
When Anna woke up, what she saw was Karenin's warm and loving eyes.
Focused and full of emotion.
It was at this moment that the accumulated emotions suddenly seemed to find an outlet. She raised her hands and gently hugged Karenin's neck.
She pressed against his chest, through the shirt, feeling the warm heart that was beating for her.
She felt again—it turned out that she was so close to heaven.
The sound of the thin quilt rubbing against the sheet sounded softly, and then fell helplessly on the carpet.
At this moment, the two people on the bed have changed their order.
Anna put her hands on Karenin's shoulders, raised herself up, and looked at her husband.
She seldom looked down at her husband with such a downcast look, that was usually her position.
So, she found another different place, which is fascinating. It turns out that this is the reason why men like to look down on women from this angle.
Your appearance will not become more beautiful, and even, because of this posture, you will look a little awkward without knowing it, but no matter what, the emotion in your eyes will not be covered up.
Like spring water under the sun, clear and full.
She bent down, kissed the corner of Karenin's mouth, and then slowly withdrew her movements. When she opened her eyes, she found that the man's eyes were still staring at her.
Unabashed admiration.
This sight was like a silk thread, entwining the negative emotions in Anna's heart. When her thoughts returned to reality, the positions of the two changed again.
She returned to her familiar position.
She saw those blue eyes, like deep ice crystals, with a trace of friendship attached to each cut surface, looking at her so intently.
She felt that the shoulder straps of the pajamas were gently taken off by Karenin, and the skin exposed to the air would not feel cold, because some warm lips were touching them.
The temperature of the lips is not particularly hot, but the touch left there makes people want to tremble, as if, as long as it moves like that, all your thoughts will inevitably follow its footsteps and sink.
She knew that Karenin was sucking the skin there gently, stubbornly, and after leaving a lot of marks, decided to leave a deeper bruise in a place he was happy with.
Before this, Anna thought she would feel shy, but in fact, she just gently raised her left hand, and slowly stroked the man's hair with her slender fingertips.
A pleasant, refreshing breath spreads in the air.
A ray of summer sunlight leaked in from the gauze curtain and shone at the end of the bed, making that place warm.
Anna put her feet close to the sun, she always prefers warmth to cold.
Her thoughts were almost chaotic until the warm touch left. She opened her eyes, looked at those blue eyes again, but blinked a little slowly, expressing a question.
Karenin played with her curly black hair, which was now falling on the sheet.
He didn't say anything, just dropped a kiss between her eyebrows, and then, like some kind of warm vegetation, he wrapped Anna in his arms.
In the action just now, Karenin took off his socks.
Maybe he had other plans, maybe not, Anna didn't know.
In a contented stupor, she sank back into sleep. The little hands were pressed against the husband's chest, and the cold feet were being pressed close by the other's feet, receiving the ray of sunshine together.
The author has something to say: "A Promise with Andre"
Andre: If someone gave you candy and asked you to go with him, would you go with him
Bambi: [shakes head] No
Andre: good, wait for me here
Bambi: [nods] OK
Later, Andre left for a while
Stranger: I have candy, do you want to come with me
Bambi: [shakes head] No
Stranger: The cookie
Little Bambi: [Tangled] Don't
Andre came back just in time to see the stranger, he raised his fist, and the stranger ran away in desperation
Andre: Did that guy say there's candy for you to go with him
Bambi: Well, he also said there are cookies
Andre: [Frightened] Remember to give you cookies in the future, and you can't go with strangers!
Bambi: [smiling softly] No matter how many cookies you give me
Andre: Well [Suddenly feel that Bambi has become smarter]. Why
Little Bambi: Because I promised to wait for you! [angel smiles]
Andre covered his nosebleed and muttered: Why is my cousin so cute