(5) Husband
The warmth brought by the winter sunshine is not enough to offset the cold. So I pressed my hands against the city wall, but my fingers still felt numb from the cold. The city wall may have been built hundreds or even thousands of years ago, and it is no longer complete. The section we are in is half rotten, with only a section of about ten meters left, filled with various wild grasses that have long turned yellow. Yes, I am not alone, it is me and Zhu Xiangxiang. We are standing in front of the city wall in a rather rare posture. Zhu Xiangxiang's back is tightly against the wall, and her body is standing straight. As for me, I am on the opposite side, pressing my hands against the wall, with my arms stretched out and my body standing straight. The place where my hands are pressing is on both sides of her head, that is to say, her whole person is within my arms, and the distance between our noses is not more than twenty centimeters. It is a very enjoyable thing to gaze at each other with the opposite sex you like in this way. I don't know what she is thinking, but she must also feel happy, otherwise, she could have escaped from my arms, and she wouldn't occasionally raise her eyes, look at me for a few seconds with her clear eyes, and then lower her eyelids, her eyelashes trembling. If it weren't for being rejected twice before, this would be a good opportunity to kiss her. At this moment, my thoughts were quite chaotic: I kissed her, I really kissed her! Although it seems like a dream when I think back, the feeling at that time was so real, and she, like me, also had this experience, which means that it really happened! At that time, it was not long after my "first kiss," and I couldn't accurately understand the truth of this matter. It wasn't until several years later that I suddenly realized that it was a very real out-of-body experience. It was not just me, but both Zhu Xiangxiang and I had the experience of our souls leaving our bodies, meeting, and being intimate! Although I still don't understand why such a situation occurred, because although humans have been actively studying souls, they still know very little about them! On that winter morning, Zhu Xiangxiang and I had been standing in this posture for a long time, neither moving nor speaking. In the eyes of others (especially adults), we seemed boring, but we knew how much we were enjoying ourselves. Suddenly, in one of the cracks in the city wall, a four-legged snake, perhaps deceived by the brilliant sunshine, thought that spring had already come, so it half-exposed its body. However, it was still in hibernation and couldn't move properly, so it fell down in an instant and landed on Zhu Xiangxiang's head. She reached out to brush it off, and I also reached out to brush it off. Our hands met, and our movements stopped naturally. She looked at me, and I looked at her. I brushed away the snake that appeared at the right time, and Zhu Xiangxiang didn't pull her hand back, so I held her hand tighter. She sighed softly, and I hurriedly said, "Even if you were engaged, even if you have a husband, it's okay to talk to a good friend!" Zhu Xiangxiang's voice sounded calm: "Talking to you is just constantly accepting your interrogation!" I sighed softly (at that time, it was popular for teenagers to sigh without reason, this was the realm of "struggling to find new words to express sorrow"), "When there are doubts in the heart, you always have to ask, good friends should not have secrets!" Zhu Xiangxiang suddenly widened her eyes: "No, even between the closest people, there are still secrets. The way people communicate is indirect, so there are bound to be secrets!" Zhu Xiangxiang's words sounded very profound, and I had to think carefully to understand. I thought about it for a while before accepting it, and I agreed very much. Zhu Xiangxiang suddenly laughed again (her laughter was really pleasant): "And you have too many questions you want to know!" I sighed again naturally, indeed, this beautiful girl is a mystery. A few days ago, I told her, "You have a face like a poem, a life like a mystery!" Zhu Xiangxiang's reaction was a continuous smile for a minute, which was very refreshing to see. Although she repeatedly said that I shouldn't ask too much, my curiosity was very strong (this character has never changed, and has even become stronger), so I still said, "There is a doubt that must be resolved, because of this matter, it was caused by you." Zhu Xiangxiang is very smart, and she immediately said, "I won't say!" I raised my voice, "You have to say, because you made me lose my master!" Zhu Xiangxiang had asked me to take her to see my master, and then something unexpected happened after we met. Since it was caused by her, I naturally had a reason to ask what exactly happened. Zhu Xiangxiang still tightly pursed her lips and shook her head, indicating that she wouldn't say. I held her hand tighter and tried to pull her closer. But don't be fooled by her slim figure, she has quite a bit of strength, which is naturally due to her strict martial arts training. I took a roundabout tactic, "You don't have to say, but my martial arts master is gone, and you have a good martial arts foundation. Introduce your master to me, I want to continue practicing!" When Zhu Xiangxiang heard this, it seemed like she heard something extremely funny. She shook her head even more and had a playful smile on her pretty face. I pretended to be angry, "This won't work, that won't work!" Zhu Xiangxiang stopped shaking her head and looked at me with a hesitant expression. I felt happy because I knew that when a person showed this kind of expression, it meant that they were ready to reveal a secret, especially for girls. When they have this kind of expression, you can learn their secrets from their mouths. I didn't urge her anymore with words, as it would only hinder the process. I just encouraged her with my eyes to speak out and reveal the secret, no matter what secret she was willing to share. It would be a breakthrough, and many mysteries surrounding her might be solved one by one! She slightly opened her mouth and said five words, "You can't marry me." She was obviously prepared to continue, but suddenly, a very strange sound came from a distance, like a series of thunder, rising from the ground and rolling towards us quickly. This sudden change was really annoying, interrupting Zhu Xiangxiang's words. We both turned to look in the direction of the sound, but for a moment, we didn't know what had happened! Not far from the city wall, there was an ancient road. At this time, about a mile away, following the "thunderous" sound, a cloud of dust rose, looking like a gigantic monster that could produce thunder, rushing towards us with the momentum of ten thousand horses. The sound was overwhelming and awe-inspiring! The "monster" came very fast. When the raised dust reached near us, I finally saw clearly that it was a group of more than ten motorcycles. Motorcycles, also known as motorized bicycles or "electric donkeys" in the Cantonese system, were not very common at that time, so I couldn't immediately understand what these strange things were when the dust rose. Suddenly, a group of motorcycles came rushing, although the situation was unusual, I never expected that it would have anything to do with me. I turned to look at Zhu Xiangxiang, and saw her biting her lower lip, her face pale, showing a very unhappy expression. I immediately realized that my guess was correct. I turned my head to look at the motorcycle group, and was surprised by what I saw! Except for one person, the rest of the group, all wearing uniforms made of yellow cloth, were military officers. The military insignia on their caps and shoulder patches were shining brightly, and they all looked extraordinary. In addition, everyone was wearing windproof goggles, which added to the sense of mystery. The only one not wearing a military uniform was wearing a leather hat, a shiny black leather jacket with the collar half raised, and riding breeches with tall leather boots. He looked extremely handsome, and this kind of outfit was what most teenagers dreamed of. He was the first to get off the motorcycle, and when he got off, he casually pushed the bike to the ground. He walked towards us, and as I saw his two pistols hanging from his waist, I felt Zhu Xiangxiang move behind me, indicating that she needed protection. Without thinking, I took a step forward, showing my determination to protect her. My character can be classified as sanguine. In other words, I am more impulsive in my actions, and I rarely think things through, but act quickly. People with this kind of character may suffer in some situations, but they may also take advantage in other situations. There is no perfect thing in the world, and the same goes for people's various characters. At that moment, the other party's imposing manner was so powerful that although I could see that the person walking towards me was not much older than me, just the two pistols hanging from his waist were enough to make me no match for him. If I had thought about it, I would have pulled Zhu Xiangxiang and fled, but at that moment, I didn't think about it. I just took a step forward, showing my determination to protect her. The person I was facing was probably used to being arrogant and acted very differently. His behavior was quite abnormal, and of course, my answer was not friendly either, but it was because he was rude first, so how could I blame myself. His next action was even more provocative. He raised his hand and slapped me in the face! He was wearing very exquisite leather gloves. His attire and demeanor didn't look like an ordinary person. He was undoubtedly a rich and powerful young master. But even if he was the son of the president, I couldn't let him hit me! As soon as he made a move, I raised my hand and grabbed his wrist, and with a twist, I twisted his arm behind his back, restraining him! The person screamed, and several officers shouted loudly and rushed over. The person tried to reach for the gun at his waist with his left hand, and his movements were surprisingly fast. Seeing that I couldn't stop him, a small hand that was frozen red reached out from the side and grabbed the gun in his hand. The person screamed again, his hand froze at his waist, not knowing what to do. I saw that Zhu Xiangxiang had taken his gun, and I couldn't help but feel delighted. I hurriedly shouted, "Catch the thief, catch the leader!" At this time, the officers shouted and rushed forward, but the first two who rushed forward were too hasty and fell to the ground, looking very embarrassed. The person was both shocked and angry, shouting, "Xiangxiang, why are you joking? Come with me!" I added more strength to my hand, causing his arm to ache, but that guy managed to endure it without making a sound. He just gritted his teeth and shouted, "Xiangxiang!" Zhu Xiangxiang lowered her head for a very short time, then suddenly raised her head, softly said to me, "Let him go." I was stunned and anxious, "I can't let him go, this group of people is obviously not good for you!" Zhu Xiangxiang smiled, a smile that seemed a bit forced, and she continued her words, which made my head spin! She said, "They won't harm me, he is my husband. Remember, I told you, we were engaged!" My mind was in a whirl, and I really didn't know what to do. I only heard that guy shout and struggle, and I also couldn't hear what he was shouting. Zhu Xiangxiang showed a helpless expression, and she actually remembered the question I asked her a while ago, and only answered with five words, and now continued, "You can't worship my master as your master. My martial arts were taught by my mother." She said this, suddenly lowered her voice, and only I could hear it, "She is behind that section of the city wall, I know!" My mind was in chaos, and I really didn't know what to do. I only heard that guy waving his gun and shouting, "Do you dare? Do you dare?" Without thinking, I said, "What can't I dare? I dare to do anything!" As soon as I answered, that guy quieted down, took a step back, and stared at me. Although there was a glass between us, I could still see that his eyes were full of anger and fierceness. At this point, I was relatively calm, knowing that I must have agreed to do something for him, but because my thoughts were too chaotic just now, I didn't hear clearly what he wanted me to do. I was young and had a reckless spirit. I agreed to do it without thinking. What could be so difficult? So I didn't bother to ask again. That guy stared at me for a whole minute, and I stared back at him. He finally waved his hand and shouted, "Xiangxiang, let's go!" I was thinking, how could Zhu Xiangxiang go with him, but he turned around and walked towards the main road, and Zhu Xiangxiang actually followed behind him! I was shocked and anxious, took a step forward, and Zhu Xiangxiang turned her head, pointed behind me, and I turned my head, but I didn't see anything. When I turned back, some officers had helped that guy up, Zhu Xiangxiang got on his motorcycle, and he got on another one. With the sound of engines, the two motorcycles sped away, and the other officers got in their cars one after another, raising a cloud of dust as they left! I stood there, letting the dust fall on me, feeling a mix of frustration, anger, surprise, and sadness. I didn't know what kind of feeling it was, what to do, or how long I had been standing there. When I regained my senses, the sun was already slanting, and when I lowered my head, I saw not only my shadow but also another slender shadow beside me. That is to say, right behind me, there was someone else! I quickly turned around and saw a very beautiful woman looking at me. This beautiful woman gave a very familiar feeling when you looked at her, and I immediately knew that she was Zhu Xiangxiang's mother, the one she had mentioned before! As soon as I saw her, I felt even more frustrated in my heart, and at the same time, I felt that no matter what kind of frustration I had in my heart, I could confide in her. I pointed in the direction that Zhu Xiangxiang had left and said in a hoarse voice, "That guy... Xiangxiang said that guy is her husband!" As I spoke, I stomped my foot heavily to show how absurd this situation was! However, Zhu Xiangxiang's mother, with a gentle and soothing voice, said, "Yes, they are engaged." Although I had a good impression of her, I couldn't suppress my anger, and my actions became rude. I pointed at her abdomen and said sharply, "How could you do such a foolish thing? Don't you know what era it is now? You adults are simply... simply..." She interrupted me, "I also think this is a foolish act for adults. It wasn't my decision, it was Xiangxiang's father's decision!" I couldn't help but say something rude, "He's a bastard! He has no right to make such a decision." Zhu Xiangxiang's mother put her hand on my shoulder and said softly, "Young man, what right do you have? Can you be her husband?" I opened my mouth wide, and the cold wind blew into my mouth. It was too difficult for someone of my age to answer such a question! So, I couldn't answer at all! Zhu Xiangxiang's mother sighed, and her expression at this moment made my heart beat faster! I had seen it before! The woman who appeared on the ghost bamboo branch looked just like her! It must be her! The situation was getting more and more bizarre! Also, that guy asked me if I dared or not, obviously challenging me. I didn't even think about it and just said "I dare." What kind of challenge did I accept?