To Hold One’s Joy

  Chapter 6 Paralysis

  The orange trees in Funing Hall are covered with sunset glow, and the green leaves are dyed a touch of red.

  The red lanterns hanging under the eaves have been lit up, covering the excitement in the courtyard.

  Luo Sheng's arrival stunned the maid guarding the gate, and then she shouted: "My cousin is here."

  Luo Sheng stepped into the door, and could clearly feel the silence in the room.

  The family banquet was held in the flower hall. At this time, except for the cousins ​​who were scared away by Luo Sheng, everyone was already there.

  In this slightly awkward atmosphere, Luo Sheng saluted the old lady Sheng who was sitting in the upper seat: "Sheng'er is late."

  Old lady Sheng's eyes flashed with surprise, but she said with a smile at the corner of her mouth: "Sheng Er, sit down quickly."

  The eldest wife and the second wife looked at each other, and their hearts sank.

  My cousin never attended family dinners before, why did she suddenly come today? Shouldn't it really be the idea of ​​​​the sons?

   Quietly swept the empty seats, the eldest wife and the second wife secretly rejoiced: Fortunately, the sons did not show up for some reason, and escaped unharmed!

  Old lady Sheng asked suddenly: "Why haven't Dalang and the others arrived yet?"

  The eldest wife shook the corners of her mouth, pretending to be dissatisfied and said: "Who knows where they went wild. Don't be angry, wait for Dalang and the others to come back and talk to my daughter-in-law."

   "It's getting worse and worse." Mrs. Sheng held up her chopsticks.

   Seeing Mrs. Sheng move her chopsticks, the others followed suit.

  Because it was a family banquet, they didn't pay much attention to the rules of eating without speaking, and the atmosphere was quite warm.

  Luo Sheng has a special status. Mrs. Sheng and her elders asked a few more questions to show their concern. It can be seen that she eats elegantly, but somehow felt that such behavior was a bit disgusting, so she stopped talking.

  Luo Sheng put down his chopsticks not long after eating, and looked at everyone coldly with the clear tea served by the maid.

   Although old lady Sheng is getting old, she has a good appetite. At this time, she is eating smoked duck breast with chopsticks.

  Uncle Sheng is in his prime, dressed as a scribe, drinks more than chopsticks, and his face is already flushed.

   Sitting next to the eldest wife is the eldest girl Sheng Jiayu. The murderous look Luo Sheng received as soon as she entered was contributed by this cousin.

  Beside Sheng Jiayu sat a girl with willow eyebrows and almond eyes, the second girl, Sheng Jialan.

  Luo Sheng looked at Sheng Jialan on purpose.

  Sheng Jialan kept her eyes down while eating, looking gentle and demure.

   "Cousin girl doesn't like it?"

  Luo Sheng turned his eyes and met the smiling face of the eldest lady.

   "The cousin girl can tell what she likes to eat, and then the eldest aunt will tell the kitchen to make it." The eldest wife smiled on her face, but she was really annoyed in her heart.

   Not only annoying, but also panicked.

  This cousin girl is not going to make trouble again, is she?

  The eldest lady changed her mind when she saw Luo Sheng put the teacup on the table.

  The blue and white porcelain teacup made a sound when it touched the mahogany tabletop.

  The sound was very slight, but everyone looked over with a boost of energy.

   Finally came, and said how could Luo Sheng be a person who eats quietly.

  Luo Chen's delicate eyebrows were tightened, and he clenched his chopsticks tightly.

  Facing everyone's eyes, Luo Sheng showed no emotion on his face, but said indifferently: "There is something I want to explain to my grandmother."

   "What does Sheng'er want to say?" Mrs. Sheng asked with all her energy.

   "I didn't intend to hang myself."

   There was a soft sound, and it was the second girl, Sheng Jialan, who dropped a silver chopstick from her hand.

   This movement was louder than Luo Sheng's just now, but it was quickly covered by the sneer of the eldest girl Sheng Jiayu.

   "Hehe, everyone knows that my cousin really wants to hang herself."

   This was the first time Luo Sheng heard Sheng Jiayu call her cousin after waking up, but it was full of sarcasm.

   "Jiayu, don't talk nonsense!" The eldest wife shouted at her daughter, but her eyes were calm.

  Of course she wouldn't be angry with her daughter. Although her daughter's words were harsh, but this cousin girl was too pretentious.

   Make heaven and earth disturb the entire Sheng family.

  Luo Sheng has a father that the Sheng family can't afford to offend. It's hard for them as elders to say anything, and a few disputes between peers will not cause trouble to the Sheng family.

  If this is her daughter—the eldest wife is so scared that she can't breathe.

  She can't raise such a daughter!

  My mother-in-law used to always talk about my sister-in-law being gentle and courteous. Don't you feel shabby seeing such a granddaughter?

   She thought about going to see Luo Sheng, and couldn't help being startled.

  The girl's back is straight, her brows and eyes are calm, which is quite different from the impression she gave in the past.

  Luo Sheng didn't even give Sheng Jiayu a look, and explained seriously: "I mean I didn't vote."

  She kept looking at Sheng Jialan from the corner of her eye, and saw that the other person's face was pale, the corners of his lips were tight, and he lost the demure look just now.

  Old lady Sheng's expression became serious, she stared at Luo Sheng and asked in a deep voice, "Sheng'er, what do you mean by that?"

   Listening to granddaughter, could it be that someone harmed her?

  Luo Chen's expression also changed.

  It's one thing for Luo Sheng to kill her, but it's another thing for someone to kill her.

   "Cousin girl, there are some things that are not easy to say casually." The eldest wife persuaded her beating heart.

  Luo Sheng's lips curved.

  Her eyes are bright, and her skin is snow-white, but there is no smile on her face, and she is as deserted as a beautiful woman.

   This inexplicable indifference made people pay more attention to what she was going to say next.

  Luo Sheng said: "I didn't think about throwing money, but that happened. After thinking about it, maybe I made a mistake with night tours, and I did something ridiculous in a daze."

   "Night tour?" Everyone was taken aback.

  Luo Sheng nodded slightly: "I didn't want to bring up the hidden illness at first, but what happened three days ago made the elders worry, so I'd like to make it clear today."

  The stagnant atmosphere suddenly flowed with Luo Sheng's explanation.

  Old lady Sheng breathed a sigh of relief, and asked with concern: "Is the illness serious? Has your father invited you to a doctor?"

   "Please. I used to have it when I was young, but I never had it when I was older. Maybe it happened because I was not used to it when I changed places."

   "Then invite a doctor to come and have a look tomorrow."

  Luo Sheng shook his head and refused: "Don't bother, Hongdou used to make medicine for me, I still remember the prescription."

  Old lady Sheng wanted to persuade her again, but Luo Sheng said directly: "I don't want more people to know about my hidden disease."

  Old lady Sheng just gave up.

   Luo Sheng glanced out of the corner of his eye, and the second girl Sheng Jialan's face had regained its color.

  She bent her lips slightly and took a sip of tea.

  The family banquet is over, and a waning moon is already hanging in the sky, sprinkled with thin moon frost.

  Luo Sheng didn't let Hongdou carry the lamp, and walked calmly on the bluestone road.

  Luo Chen followed quickly, blocking her way.

  Under the moonlight, the young man looked deep and inquiring: "Are you really nocturnal?"

  Luo Sheng nodded.

   "Why do you want to hang yourself in your dream?"

  Luo Sheng felt that the young man's question was a bit sharp, and after thinking about it, he said, "Probably because he didn't dare to try it when he was sober?"

   "Unreasonable!" The boy turned pale with anger at this answer, and walked away.

  Luo Sheng stood on the side of the road and watched the thin boy go away, feeling nothing in his heart.

  She will be leaving here soon, and she doesn't have the energy to build a good relationship with others.

  The roadside is surrounded by verdant flowers and trees, shadows casting shadows on the girl's clothes.

  Suddenly, a man's voice came faintly.

  (end of this chapter)