What a well behaved girl

Today, the Tang Family Courtyard seems to have been infused with boundless vitality and is extremely lively. As the first rays of dawn began to appear and the first glimmer of sunlight had not yet fully dispelled the coolness of the night, the Gu Family's wedding procession to fetch the bride had already arrived in a mighty manner. The festive red color spread freely at the entrance of the Tang Family's residence. The big red lanterns swayed gently in the wind, and the ribbons fluttered. The entire Tang Family was immersed in a sea of joy. The people in the wedding procession wore joyful smiles on their faces, and the sounds of laughter and cheerful voices intertwined to form a lively melody that echoed in every corner of the courtyard. However, amidst this ocean of festivity, at the deepest part of the third floor of the Tang Family's residence, there was a room that was like an isolated island. The door of the room was locked, and it was completely out of place with the liveliness outside. The path to this room was extremely hidden. One had to ascend three flights of stairs along the slightly steep staircase and then turn a corner in the intricate corridors to reach it. Tang Qian had already spent a long eight years in this narrow room. The room was pitifully small. As soon as one stepped inside, one could strongly feel the cramped space. A narrow bed occupied one corner of the room. Although the bedding on the bed board was neat, it was already somewhat worn out. Next to the bed was a shabby desk. The surface of the desk was uneven, and there were several slightly worn paintbrushes and a few yellowed sketchbooks placed on it. In the corner of the room, a simple easel stood alone, as if telling the perseverance of its owner. Due to the extremely small space, there was not even room for an extra chair in the entire room. Every time Tang Qian wanted to paint, she could only helplessly choose to sit by the bedside, place the sketchbook on her lap, or stand upright in front of the easel for a long time, carefully sketching the world in her heart stroke by stroke. At the moment, the room was so quiet that it was almost deathly silent. Only the faint rustling sound of the paintbrush rubbing against the paper could be heard, as if it was the only thing pouring out its feelings in this silence. Tang Qian stared intently at the drawing paper in front of her. Her eyes revealed a kind of concentration and perseverance, as if everything outside had nothing to do with her. That paintbrush danced nimbly between her slender fingers. Every time the brushstroke landed, it seemed to pour out all of her emotions. Outside the door, the noisy sounds of the wedding procession came one after another, and the sounds of people's laughter and shouts kept coming. But this closed door completely separated two completely different worlds. Time passed quietly, and in the blink of an eye, it was noon, and the Tang Family's sending-off-the-bride ceremony officially began. In the courtyard, relatives and friends gathered together one after another, and everyone's face was filled with sincere blessings. The bride, Tang Ying, was dressed in a magnificent wedding dress, just like a princess in a fairy tale, so beautiful that it was hard to take one's eyes off her. The groom, Gu Hua, was wearing a neat suit, looking valiant and heroic, with a happy smile on his face. Under the gaze of everyone, Gu Hua carefully picked up Tang Ying and walked steadily towards the wedding car. Tang Ying lowered her head slightly, smiling shyly, and her eyes were filled with longing for the future life. The wedding car slowly started and drove towards the groom's home amidst the cheers and blessings of everyone. Tang Ying, as Tang Qian's cousin and the apple of the eye of Uncle Tang in the Tang Family, had always been the focus of the Tang Family. Her every move had received much attention. Her marriage to the eldest son of the Gu Family, a prominent family in Xizi City, made everyone in the Tang Family feel extremely honored. This wedding was undoubtedly a high-status marriage for the Tang Family. As the wedding car drove away, the noisy sounds in the Tang Family gradually subsided. When the last trace of the commotion disappeared into the air, finally, the sound of unlocking the door rang out at the door of the narrow room on the third floor. When Tang Qian, who was painting, heard this sound, a trace of panic flashed in her originally focused eyes. She moved extremely quickly. Almost at the same time as she heard the sound, she quickly reached out and flipped the drawing paper in front of her over. Then, she fumbled to refix the edges of the drawing paper. Subsequently, she quickly switched to the other hand to hold the paintbrush and casually scribbled on the drawing paper, trying to cover up what she had just been painting. "Click ——" With a clear sound, the door slowly opened. The tall and upright figure of the butler, Wang Wenhua, appeared at the door. He was dressed in a neat black uniform, the white shirt at the collar was spotless, his hair was neatly combed, and he had his usual respectful expression on his face. He slightly bowed and said softly, "Miss Tang, the Second Miss, please come out and have a meal." Tang Qian looked up and glanced at Wang Wenhua. A trace of barely noticeable desolation flashed in her eyes. She gently put down the paintbrush in her hand, stood up, patted the non-existent dust on her body, and walked towards the door. ... In the dining room, the long dining table looked particularly desolate in the empty room. Tang Qian sat alone at the lowest seat at the end of the dining table. This seat was the furthest from the main seat, and it was usually the seat where the least valued person in the family sat. Even though she was the only one dining in the entire dining room at the moment, she still could only sit in this forgotten corner. There were several simple dishes on the dining table. Although they were not sumptuous, they were still quite delicate. However, these dishes tasted like chewing wax to Tang Qian. The other members of the Tang Family either followed the wedding car to the groom's home to witness this glorious moment or had already rushed to the hotel early to busily prepare for the wedding dinner in the evening. In the entire house, only she and her elderly grandmother were left. Her grandmother was old and in poor health, and she had already rested in her own room. Tang Qian sat there quietly, mechanically picked up the chopsticks and bowls, and ate the meal mouthful by mouthful. The butler, Wang Wenhua, stood quietly beside the dining table, like a loyal guard. His eyes were always focused and calm, without the slightest fluctuation. He held a tray in his hand, timely handed Tang Qian the tableware she needed, and quickly and silently removed the plates after Tang Qian finished her meal. Wang Wenhua had always been meticulous and careful in his work. Every movement was as if it had been carefully rehearsed, precise and standardized. There was no unnecessary expression on his face. He was neither enthusiastic nor cold. He just rigidly fulfilled his duties year after year and day after day, as if he were a programmed robot, without emotions or weaknesses. Tang Qian finished her meal quietly, put down her chopsticks and bowls, and let out a soft sigh. She looked up and glanced at the sky outside the window. The sunlight shone on her face through the window, but it didn't bring her the slightest warmth. She stood up and subconsciously walked towards the backyard. She had always been thinking about the tall ginkgo tree in the backyard. When she was feeling down, that tree could always bring her a little comfort. However, when she reached the door of the backyard, she found that the door was locked. The cold big lock glinted with a cold light in the sunlight, as if ruthlessly declaring that she was not allowed to enter. Tang Qian was stunned for a moment, and a trace of disappointment appeared on her face. Just then, Wang Wenhua appeared behind her at some point. Still with that respectful look, he said softly, "Miss Tang, the Second Miss, you can't go to the backyard." Tang Qian turned around and looked at Wang Wenhua. A trace of pleading flashed in her eyes and she said, "Butler Wang, I just want to take a walk and look at that ginkgo tree. I won't take too long." Wang Wenhua slightly lowered his head. There was still that seemingly gentle but distant smile on his face, and he repeated again, "Miss Tang, the Second Miss, you can't go to the backyard." Tang Qian's shoulders drooped slightly, and the light in her eyes gradually dimmed. She said helplessly, "I see." Then, she slowly turned around and walked towards her room. After returning to her room, Tang Qian set up the easel again, trying to relieve the depression in her heart by painting. She sat by the bedside, picked up the paintbrush, but found that her thoughts always involuntarily drifted to the ginkgo tree in the backyard and that closed door. A trace of confusion and helplessness showed in her eyes. The paintbrush in her hand slid casually on the drawing paper, but she still couldn't draw the picture she wanted in her heart. ... As night fell and the lights came on, the hotel lobby was brightly lit and extremely lively. People were dressed in elegant attire, shuttling through the lobby, and the sounds of laughter and cheerful voices echoed in every corner. Ye Fan was wearing a casual bathrobe and hotel slippers, striding into the hotel lobby. He was tall and burly. Every step he took made the hem of the bathrobe flutter in the wind, revealing his strong calves. His slightly messy hair, coupled with his sharply contoured and aggressive face, instantly attracted everyone's attention. At this moment, Ye Fan happened to meet Sun Tai, who was rushing over in a neat formal suit. When Sun Tai saw Ye Fan's attire, he was stunned for a moment, and then a look of surprise appeared on his face. Ye Fan stopped, tilted his head slightly, and looked at Sun Tai with his deep and sharp eyes. He didn't say anything, but his eyes revealed a questioning look. Sun Tai quickly stepped forward, bent slightly, and said respectfully, "Brother Fan, a distant relative is having a wedding. I was just about to go in. Do you want to join in the fun and get some good luck?" The corner of Ye Fan's mouth curled up slightly, and he showed a somewhat unruly smile and said, "Sure, I'm idle anyway." Sun Tai looked at Ye Fan's attire, hesitated for a moment, and said carefully, "Well, I'll accompany you to change your clothes first, Brother. In this wedding occasion, it's always better to dress more formally." Ye Fan raised his eyebrows and retorted, "What clothes do I need to change? This bathrobe is very comfortable to wear. Isn't it okay?" Sun Tai's eyes swept over Ye Fan's bathrobe and slippers. He secretly groaned in his heart, but he didn't dare to disobey Ye Fan's intention. He could only bite the bullet and say, "Okay..." In this area, who didn't know Ye Fan's temper and status? Who dared to criticize his attire? It's just that this strange combination of a bathrobe and slippers was really too eye-catching. Walking in the hotel lobby full of elegantly dressed guests, Ye Fan was like an intruder, causing people around to look at him curiously and whisper to each other. Those who didn't know the situation might really think he was here to cause trouble. But Ye Fan didn't care at all. He still strode forward as if there was no one else around, heading towards the wedding venue, leaving Sun Tai behind, shaking his head and sighing helplessly.