"She said she would be back this weekend." When she mentioned her daughter, Aunt Fang smiled.
Xia Rou asked: "I heard that she is studying in college, why is she so late on vacation?"
"No, no, she was released early." Aunt Fang said, "She graduated and went to practice. Alas, the employer is too ruthless. They treat interns like them as hard labor and make them work overtime. They don't Don’t dare to join. But the internship is over, and I will be back soon.”
"When she comes back, you will have a companion. I'll let her play with you." Aunt Fang said, "This family is too masculine. It would be nice to have a girl."
Xia Rou smiled softly, feeling a little hopeful in her heart.
She didn't get along with Aunt Fang's daughter He Lili for a long time, but in her memory she was a very enthusiastic big sister. She came to Cao's house alone, and no one else treated her well, but He Lili was the only one who treated her very well.
So although she didn't get along well with Aunt Fang, she got on well with He Lili.
Not long afterward, Aunt Fang suddenly resigned and left Cao's house, and she and He Lili never saw each other again. Although she hated Aunt Fang very much, she still missed that big sister a little bit when she thought about it occasionally.
The temperature in summer is getting higher and higher day by day, but time flies by amidst the chirping of cicadas.
On the weekend, He Lili came back.
Just graduated from university, she is in her early twenties, full of youth. Her breasts are bulging, unlike the fifteen-year-old Xia Rou, who is easily seen as a "child" or "girl". He Lili has gotten rid of her youthfulness and is working hard to mature.
The attitude towards Xia Rou is as enthusiastic as Xia Rou remembers.
"Are you Xiarou? Oh, what a little sister." He Lili smiled brightly. "It's not a coincidence that you came here. The second floor is under construction. Have you visited the house? Not yet? I'll take you there so you can familiarize yourself with the environment."
In the last life, because Xia Rou was sensitive to other people's faces, she stayed in her room all day long and didn't go anywhere. Later, when He Lili came back, she was the first to take her around the house.
And in this life, Xia Rou has lived in this mansion for nearly ten years, and she has been familiar with it for a long time. So after she moved into Cao's house this time, except for the restaurant on the first floor, it was the same as in her previous life, and she hadn't been anywhere.
Aunt Fang saw her and thought she was a silent and honest girl, so she told He Lili to take her around more often. After all, Xia Rou will move to the main building when the decoration on the second floor is finished.
Xia Rou knows that many of the things she has done and the path she has traveled in her previous life must be repeated. She didn't refuse He Lili's kindness, and she took her to the main building.
The above-ground building of the main building has four floors. Because it is too high, although the original architectural style was retained during the renovation, a passenger elevator and a worker elevator were added. They took the passenger elevator to the fourth floor first.
"Let me tell you, don't come up to the fourth floor casually. There are only Commander Cao and Mrs. Cao's bedroom and study on this floor, and there is also a small reception room for the former wife. You really can't just enter this floor casually." Yes, especially Mrs.'s room."
He Lili said so, but she took Xia Rou familiarly, pushed open the wooden door of the hostess' room, and walked in. "Look, this is Mrs. Cao's room."
This room is probably the strangest one Xiarou has in this house. In the previous life, He Lili took her to see it, but she just stood at the door and glanced at it, and she didn't want to go in to see more.
In this life, she still stopped at the door and looked at He Lili fixedly: "Didn't you say you can't come in casually?"
He Lili smiled and said: "I'm fine, I grew up here. No one will say anything about me, just don't move things around. Come in, look, this bed, I tell you, this bed is an antique What!" She said, and sat down on the bed honestly.
That bed was bought by Cao Xiong for his wife after a lot of effort. In classical Western style, the bedposts are carved with complicated and complicated patterns, and there is an elegant and luxurious atmosphere everywhere. He Lili felt eagerness in her eyes as she touched those delicate patterns.
Xia Rou stood at the door, feeling a little cold in her heart.
Is this the warm-hearted big sister she remembers
That's right, she remembered that back then, she also warned her that Madam Cao's room should not be entered casually, but she also revealed to her the message "it doesn't matter if you enter" with practical actions.
Mrs. Cao has passed away for more than ten years. Her hostess room and hostess reception room are still the same as when she was alive. It is conceivable that Cao Xiong loves his wife very much. It is conceivable that the deceased mother lived in the Cao family. The weight in the minds of the four brothers. Mrs. Cao's room is a taboo place, which is common sense in this mansion.
He Lili could come in and out at will, not really because no one would say anything about her, but because the men of the Cao family were not at home during the day and didn't know about it. It was also because her mother was the housekeeper who managed the mansion, and she had quite a status here, and no staff member would sue He Lili for talking too much.
But if she believed He Lili back then, casually entered Madam Cao's room, and casually moved the utensils left by Madam Cao, what would happen if the men of the Cao family found out
Xia Rou didn't dare to think about it.
No matter how kind the Cao family is, they have their own bottom line.
Fortunately, because of her embarrassing status, she always subconsciously wanted to avoid things related to Mrs. Cao. No matter how luxurious and attractive the room on the top floor is, she would never peep at it.
He Lili turned her head and saw Xia Rou standing silently at the door.
She called her twice, but Xia Rou still stood at the door, refusing to step in. He Lili curled her lips.
Then he said, "Then I'll take you to see the small reception room."
That room is also very beautiful. Every vase, every piece of porcelain, and those small bits and pieces are all indescribably delicate. Especially Mrs. Cao's favorite tea set, there is a sterling silver tea set, which is really dazzlingly beautiful.
Girls are born to like crystal and shiny things. When she was a child, she finally couldn't stand the temptation, and secretly took back a small silver spoon with delicate rose patterns.
Later, her mother found out, beat her up hard, and quietly put the little silver spoon back.
So He Lili felt that it was impossible for a little girl like Xia Rou not to like those things. It's best for her to like it very much, and to do something if she likes it, that's the best.
But Xia Rou shook her head and said, "No need. It's better not to enter Madam Cao's room randomly. I know any rooms on the fourth floor. Let's go downstairs."
When the girl looked at people, her eyes were dark. He Lili felt a little uncomfortable, as if she could see all the little darkness in her heart. After thinking about it, she felt impossible, she was only fifteen years old, half a child.
But half-old children have said such sensible things, and she can't find any more suitable reason to take her to see it. The two went down to the third floor.
"Brother Cao Yang and Brother Cao Bin live on the third floor. In addition to the bedroom, they all have their own small study for their own business. You are not allowed to enter these rooms, especially their study, remember?" He Lili Speaking of "no unauthorized entry" this time, the expressions and attitudes are much more serious than when they were on the fourth floor.
This made Xia Rou understand that she really didn't want her to enter Cao Yang and Cao Bin's room casually.
"The one over there is the gym. The one from the top to the end is the reading room. It is empty from the second floor. You can only enter from the second floor. There is no door on the third floor."
He Lili took her to the third floor and took her to the elevator.
"The second floor is being renovated now. It's too messy. Let's look at it later. Brother Cao Xing and Brother Cao An both live on the second floor. There is also a guest room next to the audio-visual room. You will live there from now on."
She didn't say that the guest room was also being remodeled. After the decoration, it is no longer a guest room, but a bedroom that belongs exclusively to Xia Rou.
In the elevator, Xia Rou glanced sideways at her, then turned her head silently. In the mirror of the elevator door, looking at this girl who was a few years older than her at this time, she realized that as a young girl, her makeup was a bit too gorgeous.
Xia Rou lowered her eyes, hiding the deep disappointment in her heart.
In He Lili's eyes, as if she was shot by a small arrow hidden in her words, the corners of her lipsticked lips couldn't help but curl up slightly.
The elevator door opened silently, and He Lili "enthusiastically" pulled Xia Rou to the basement: "Come, let me show you the swimming pool."
The swimming pool in the basement was also built during the later renovation. Although the architectural style of this house is classical, the actual interior is full of very modern facilities.
"There is a men's locker room over there. There is also a women's locker room." He Lili was a little proud, "I will also come to swim, and I use it alone."
She said generously, "If you want to swim, just use my changing room and shower room."
She looked at Xia Rou with a smile, waiting for the Cinderella who was living under the fence to say "thank you" to her timidly. But Xia Rou just nodded, said "oh" softly, and said nothing.
He Lili couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, thinking that this girl looks like a wooden person. She was even a little worried about whether she could understand the hints in what she said.
But seeing Xia Rou's dumbfounded look, she suddenly lost the interest to talk more. Casually took Xia Rou around the basement, showed her the shower room and sauna room, and they went back to the annex.
"What, she looks like a wooden figure, she can't be stupid, can she?" She complained to Aunt Fang.
"Don't talk nonsense." Aunt Fang said, "Xiao Rou is a very good child, obedient and quiet. Her mother just passed away, and she must be depressed now. It should get better after a while, and you should be more considerate."
She suddenly remembered: "By the way, did you tell her that the rooms on the fourth floor cannot be entered casually?"
"I've said it. I didn't even open the door of the small reception room, for fear that she would mess things up."
Aunt Fang paused when she folded the clothes, and suddenly said sharply: "Then you opened the door of the hostess' room? Why did you open the door? You went in again?"
He Lili slipped her mouth inadvertently, and explained in embarrassment: "I just let her take a look..."
"What are you looking at! How many times have I told you! You are not allowed to enter Madam's room again! He Lili!" Aunt Fang glared at her fiercely, "Don't think I can't beat you up when you grow up!"
"Oh, she's curious, so I'll open a slit and let her take a look." He Lili hurriedly hugged her mother's arm, half coquettish and half defensive.
Seeing Aunt Fang's dubious eyes, she quickly added: "Really!"
Aunt Fang hummed and ignored her.
He Lili resentfully took an apple and took a big bite.
"Xiao Rou is a very good child. She also said that she saw you for the first time today. Anyway, the commander and Cao Yang are not at home today, so she came over to have dinner with us." Aunt Fang sighed, "You are so sensible at such a young age. Well. Let's say that you are about the same age as her, so you should treat her better and take care of her more. Do you know?"
"Understood." He Lili said impatiently.
It's just a mistress' child, why can he sit in the dining room of the main building and eat at the same table with Cao Yang and Cao Bin!
Why can she only eat with the cleaner and the chef in the worker's restaurant in the annex!
He Lili took a bite of the apple, feeling uncomfortable in her heart.