On the way back, Cao Yang caught Xia Rou rubbing the side of his neck several times out of the corner of his eye. Then the hands are covered there all the time.
When I got home and got out of the car, Xia Rou was still covering her neck with her hands.
"What's wrong?" Cao Yang asked.
Xia Rou didn't say a word.
Cao Yang walked over and broke her hand away. He lifted his hair and looked closer. With the dim light in the courtyard, I saw a red spot on Xia Rou's snow-white neck.
The kid from the Hu family gnawed it out!
Cao Yang's face was slightly cold, and he hummed, feeling that the lesson given to Hu Xuan was still too light.
But I also feel that Xia Rou's reaction is a bit excessive. She showed a particularly anxious and uncomfortable look.
"Are you all right?" he asked her.
"I want to take a shower quickly." Xia Rou said sullenly.
It seems that Hu Xuan is a bacterium.
Instead Cao Yang was not angry anymore, he thought it was funny.
"It's nothing big." He reassured her.
"I hate physical contact." Xia Rou whispered.
When I was a child, I ran into Cao Xiong and Cheng Wan, which left some shadows in the little girl's heart. Resistance and physical contact between the opposite sex become the projection of this childhood shadow when you grow up.
During adolescence, she once resisted very badly. When I was in high school, I was reluctant to talk to boys, let alone associate with them.
Later, as I got older, I gradually realized that sex is a normal thing for adult men and women. I also know that compared with other women, my behavior is abnormal. Intentionally self-correct.
Later she got engaged, and her fiancé, Liang Zihuan, was also a young man with vigorous blood and strong needs, and he always had some intimate needs.
Her problem can be regarded as being cured a lot by force. But she still resisted more requests. He is not allowed to go to her apartment casually, even though he has his key, he does not often go to his apartment, and subconsciously try to avoid the two of them getting along alone without anyone.
Of course Liang Zihuan complained a lot about this. But he got engaged to her just to cling to the Cao family. With a big brother like Cao Yang protecting her all day long, he has to hold her in his palm as a princess all day long.
Xia Rou has always comforted herself, thinking that her problem may be cured by herself when she gets married. It's a pity that she died as a virgin in the end. This problem has been brought into this life.
Cao Yang just had physical contact with her, hugged her, patted her, and even held her hand, he couldn't help raising his eyebrows.
But Xia Rou went on to say: "Except for those who are close to you."
It turned out that he was classified as a close person by her... Cao Yang felt a slight sense of joy in his heart.
This is not good, he thought, how will he have a boyfriend in the future.
But she is still young, maybe it is because adolescent girls are extra sensitive. Thinking of this, he didn't care.
When I saw Xia Rou again at dinner time, it was obvious that she had taken a hasty battle bath, and her hair was still half wet. Probably afraid that everyone would wait for her and come down before she had time to dry.
"What's wrong?" Cao An asked.
Xia Rou touched her neck uncomfortably: "It's dirty."
Cao Yang glanced at her.
After dinner, he went to Cao Xiong's study.
"When are you leaving?" Cao Xiong asked.
"the day after tomorrow."
"Go ahead," said his father, "don't disgrace me."
The son raised his eyebrows.
Cao Yang left the study on the fourth floor, thought for a while, went to the second floor, and knocked on Xia Rou's door.
Her hair was dry, and the scent of shower gel on her body was still there. I didn't feel it under the cover of the smell of rice in the restaurant, but when I opened the door, it came to my nose. It seems to be different from what they use, it is a fragrance that only women use.
Probably due to the use of a hair dryer just now, the cheeks seem to be smudged with the color of peach blossoms.
I always thought she was a little girl, but she was actually a big girl. Pretty enough that a man would want to lay a hand on her.
Cao Yang did not enter her boudoir. Lean against the door and talk to her.
"I'm going on a mission, and I won't be back until a few months," he said. "When I'm not around, you need to ask Cao An."
He paused, and said: "If you have any problems in the school, you can go to that Hu Xuan. He knows who you are now, and dare not ignore you."
In the end, she even asked her: "Don't be picky eaters. Eat more spinach."
Xia Rou said helplessly: "Brother, you are such a dick!"
The unscrupulous elder brother rubbed his hair into a chicken coop just after blow-drying.
Looking at Cao Yang who was smiling happily, she muttered a few words of protest and said, "Wait a minute."
Turning around and running back to the house, he ran back quickly and gave Cao Yang a talisman: "I asked for it at Qiyun Temple, and master Zhiguang had consecrated it to keep it safe."
Cao Yang smiled: "It's about time."
Of course it wasn't a coincidence. In Xiarou's memory, Cao Yang was about to leave at this time. I made an appointment with my classmates, went to Qiyun Temple together, and asked for amulets to come back.
Qiyun Temple is located in the city center and used to be a royal temple in ancient times. Now it has not become a pure tourist attraction, the incense has not been cut off, and there have always been eminent monks practicing in it. Every Chinese New Year, senior officials in the province will fight openly and secretly over who can burn the first pillar of incense, and the incense is very prosperous.
In her previous life, Xia Rou only visited the place as a scenic spot, and after a new life, she felt that there might really be some magical power in the dark, and she began to be in awe of the gods and Buddhas.
Sincerely gave Cao Yangqing a safe talisman and returned.
Although he knew that his mission this time was safe and sound, he could still make meritorious service.
It was precisely because she knew in advance that Xia Rou was not worried.
She quietly lived a simple life that a high school student should have, without any disturbance.
A semester is coming to an end soon. The results of the final exam are in the middle of the class, far from excellent, but Xia Rou is already very satisfied.
As she said, her brain is really not very bright. Such achievements are due to the high level of the school teachers on the one hand, and because she did not slack off because of her rebirth, but she studied hard like a real high school student.
During the winter vacation, it was already very cold. Then soon it was snowing and it was getting colder every day.
Xia Rou has always been afraid of the cold, and she doesn't like to go out in winter. Unless Cao An pulls him to eat hot pot, he stays at home every day.
Another weekend.
Xia Rou ate her own meal at noon, took a nap after the meal, woke up in the afternoon, and strolled to the reading room.
The reading room has two floors. The Cao family has a considerable collection of books, and it is said that they are all written by Mrs. Cao. The layout of the reading room also shows some softness.
For example, there is a thick log desk in the center, a light-colored fabric sofa on one side, a comfortable wicker chair by the window, brocade cushions and pillows on the window sill, and elegant curtains and drapes.
All the things left by Madam Cao, even if they are replaced with new ones, will be replaced as exactly as possible according to the original appearance.
Xia Rou didn't expect Cao Xiong to come back after lunch.
He was lying in the rattan chair by the window, closing his eyes and resting his mind, wondering if he had fallen asleep. On the carpet at hand, lay a thick book, the bookmark was slanted, half exposed and half uncovered.
Xia Rou rarely has the opportunity to be alone with Cao Xiong. Occasionally, there are only two people eating together, and the dinner table is also quiet.
Cao Xiong would ask her a little about her studies, and occasionally praise her.
Other than that, the two of them had nothing to say.
The soft and thick carpet, people walk on it silently.
Xia Rou stopped in front of Cao Xiong.
The man was lying on the rattan chair, the winter afternoon sun penetrated through the window panes and fell on him, and countless dust floated in the sun.
Xia Rou stared at her mother's man.
He still looked robust, but his skin was deeply wrinkled. Compared with his youthful appearance when Cheng Wan was still there, he seems to be much older now.
Xia Rou still remembers how he aged quickly in the next ten years, how he became a real old man who was lifeless.
Until she died, she never said thank you to this man.
But in fact, since she was seven years old, from the rainy night when her mother cowardly went to seek her death, it was this man who protected her from food and clothing, sheltered her from wind and rain.
Although after she came to Cao's house, it was Cao Yang who took care of her all the time. But if he didn't take care of her with a single thought, would Cao Yang care about who she was
Her life is because of this man, so that she will not be displaced and have no branches to live in.
But she obviously let him down. So he didn't care about her anymore.
After rebirth, Xia Rou thought about it many times, and felt that she had no right to blame anyone. Thinking back on her own, even she herself felt that she was annoying.
Only Cao Yang has never disliked her, and has always tolerated her...
Xia Rou sighed softly, squatted down to pick up the crooked book, and gently clamped the bookmark.
Cao Xiong suddenly opened his eyes.
"Cheng Wan..." He narrowed his eyes and called her.
Xia Rou raised her head and looked at him silently.
After a while, he sighed and called her, "Xiarou."
She softly replied, "Uncle."
Cao Xiong closed his eyes again.
"Xia Rou, read a passage to me." He said.
Xia Rou remembered the sunny balcony in the apartment, the man in the black uniform was sitting on the rattan chair, holding black tea, and the collar was unbuttoned. Cheng Wan sat beside him, reading to him in her soft voice.
The tone is soothing.
"Yes." Xia Rou replied.
With her knees together, she knelt on the carpet. In the soft sunshine, slowly read word by word.
Her voice at this moment is much more delicate than that of her adulthood. There is a big difference between Cheng Wan and Cheng Wan. But when Cao Xiong listened to it, he felt that it was quite tactful.
He slowly opened his eyes.
I also recalled that sunny balcony, a rattan chair, and a soft and sweet woman.
Cao Xiong's eye sockets suddenly became wet.
"Uncle..." Xia Rou stared at the page, and finally asked, "Why didn't you marry my mother?"
Cao Xiong suddenly felt a burst of heartache.
Cheng Wan has been with him for eight years, don't you want fame
No. Of course she would. Of course longing for an official title. However, she knew that this was something Cao Xiong refused to give her.
So she was submissive, just as he hoped and hoped, and never made this request.
But she didn't mention it, it doesn't mean Cao Xiong doesn't understand.
"As a man, my first concern is my own home," Cao Xiong said.
The answer sounded callous. Xia Rou really heard the unspeakable weakness in his voice.
She thought of his rapid aging, his gray hair...
This mountain-like man, it turns out... also has his weaknesses.
"Hmm..." Xia Rou lowered her head, a tear wet the pages of the book.
"She understands," she said. "She never blamed you."
Yes, Xia Rou knows. Because she once asked her mother the same question.
Why can't Uncle Cao be her stepfather
The mother felt sad for a moment, but she still smiled softly.
Because, as a father, he had to protect his own children first, she told her.
Xia Rou yearns for such a father.
I long to be his child.
In the sunshine and dust, the man she longed for stretched out his hand and touched her head.
There was a soft "hmm".