Evetrona's old stories

At this time, Olesen did not pay much attention to etiquette-it was strange to say that this man was always loafing where his master could not see, but Comino turned a blind eye to it.

"Long time no see, Miss Eve, you look more beautiful than before." After breakfast, Olesen resumed his playful tone, as if his business day started with these words.

"Hi, Mr. Olesen, when are we leaving?" Eve asked straight to the point.

"No hurry, or you can have breakfast first."

"Can you briefly talk about today's arrangements?" Eve sat on the sofa opposite him.

"Nothing. Mr. Knaka wants you to visit him and have a chat with him."

"Do I need to prepare something?"

"You don't need to prepare anything, just as you usually do when you get along with him."

While talking, Nanfen brought a plate of snacks and placed them on the table between Olesen and Eve. The snacks exuded a tempting fragrance, but Eve felt no appetite at all. She has been eating these snacks every day recently, and she is about to throw up.

"Try it." Nanfen said to Olesen, "It's the recipe that Minxi brought back from Hatan. I don't know what it's called, but it tastes very good."

Nanfen lived in Bomeng for a long time, and usually spoke with a strong accent, but when she faced Olesen, she unconsciously began to speak official Chinese, which sounded a little awkward.

"Ma'am, your craftsmanship has improved again." Not only was it a verbal compliment, Olesen also expressed his affirmation of Nanfen's craftsmanship with practical actions-every time he opened his mouth, half of the palm-sized snacks would disappear .Even if Eve just watched him eat, she felt full.

"How do we go now, by car?" Eve asked him.

"Yes, the carriage is parked in the yard, and I will drive you back later," Olesen said.

At this time, a head poked out from the door, and Minxi looked inside the door while rubbing the corners of her eyes.

"Good morning, Miss Mincy." Oleson was the first to spot her.

"Hello." Minxi glanced at Olesen, then at her mother, and said, "I want to go too, is that okay?"

She was very sensitive to Eve's movements, and seemed determined to be inseparable from her.

Nanfen looked at her daughter, a little undecided.

"Of course, you are very welcome." Olesen affirmed first.

Minxi couldn't help smiling when she heard the other party say that.She walked into the living room from the door and wanted to sit next to Eve, but Nan Fen pushed her out and forced her to wash and change her clothes.

When the mother and daughter came back, Eve had already watched Olesen finish the whole plate of dim sum.

"I'll get it for you again." Nanfen seemed very happy, the dim sum made last night could be eaten by someone, as if her daughter had found a good home, which made her feel very relieved.

As soon as Minxi sat next to Eve, she started whispering to her.Eve listened carefully to what she said, then nodded, and turned to look at the old man opposite.

"You...you seem to be very busy today?" Eve asked Olesen tentatively.

"I'm really busy. I'm going to a lot of places today at the behest of my husband. Maybe I don't have time to eat this day."

"Would it help you if Minzie and I went to Cominona by ourselves?"

"Theoretically, it will save a lot of time, but today I drove the carriage by myself, maybe..."

"It doesn't matter, you write us the address."

"But……"

"Don't worry about Comino, he won't blame you."

Hearing what Eve said, Olesen didn't insist anymore. He got up and bowed to Eve, and said, "It's really helpful, I'll write you the address right now..."

When Nanfen returned to the living room again, she saw Olesen writing and drawing on a piece of paper.Not only did he write down the address, but he also drew a simplified map underneath, clearly marking the location.

"Who are you?" Nan Fen was a little confused.

"We want to go to Cominona by ourselves, without Mr. Olesen taking us."

Olesen nodded hastily, and he looked at Nanfen with a hint of sincerity, for fear that she would disagree.

"How do you two want to go?" Nanfen asked Eve.

"Didn't you get a saddle yesterday, so..." Minxi rushed to answer.

"The saddle?" Nan Fen was stunned, and said, "The saddle is too dirty. I had someone wash it yesterday, and I'm afraid it's not completely dry yet."

Min Xi opened her mouth wide and looked at Nan Fen with a complaining face.Eve saw that she seemed to be going to make a fuss on the spot, so she quickly said, "This is easy to handle. A piece of leather can be put on it, and it can be used."

The double saddle is an invention of little utility.The stamina of a horse is not as good as imagined. If only one person is carried, it is no problem to run and stop, but if two people sit on it, it is generally impossible to run, and even if it can run, the rider will not be able to run. Would be willing to let his horse bear such a burden.

Fortunately, Eve and Minxi are very light in weight. Both of them are wearing slim-fit riding clothes, and the weight of the saddle does not exceed 130 kg.After fixing the saddle on the horse's back and adjusting the length of the stirrups, Eve helped Minxi get on the horse together.Since Eve is short, she can only sit in front, holding the rein in her hand, while Minxi sits behind holding her waist.The bodies of the two were tightly pressed together, and Minxi leaned her head on Eve's shoulder, her chin poking Eve felt a little itchy.

"Be careful and go home early." Nan Fen stood at the gate of the courtyard and told the two of them.

Eve waved her hand to say goodbye to Nanfen, and then walked along the snow-covered road.Soon, they left the manor and reached the small road on the outskirts of the city.The winter sun shines on the snow, surrounded by a vast expanse of whiteness, which makes people's eyes hurt.Since Eve could not accurately distinguish the road conditions, Eve could only walk slowly along the path. Fortunately, there were already several ruts and horse tracks on the road, which was not difficult to walk. This may be left by Olesen, who left the manor first. of.

Out of Nanfen's sight, Minxi revealed her playful nature again, her hands kept groping Eve's body, which made her almost unable to concentrate on driving the horse.

"Don't make trouble, be careful of falling." Eve warned her.

So, Minxi calmed down obediently for a while, but after a while, she started blowing into her ears again, which startled her.

Sometimes Eve wonders if this is what it would feel like to have a girlfriend?Or, between her and Minxi, I am more like a woman?

Comino's mansion in Bomen is located north of the outskirts of Bomen. According to the route given by Olesen, they followed the road outside the east wall, and this was Eve's first time here.The further north you go, the higher the terrain, but the slope is gentle, so it is not difficult to walk.On the way, I passed a large maple forest. In today's season, the bare branches are covered with snow. Although it is not as red as autumn leaves, it is quite spectacular.

Eve rode very slowly and walked for nearly three hours. Minxi was still talking to her at first, but after the boil, she couldn't help dozing off. Eve noticed that the arms around her waist were getting looser and looser, so she had to move her shoulders to wake her up.

Comino's mansion is quite magnificent. The four-storey wide villa stands in the center of the huge courtyard in a "convex" shape, with pillars all over and exquisite carvings.Although it just snowed last night, there was no trace of snow here. Eve had to wonder if Comino had enough money to manipulate the weather.

There are many servants in the courtyard, both men and women, all wearing uniform black uniforms. Even when they are cleaning the road, their manners and expressions are still decent, just like the waiters in the lobby of a bank.

The two dismounted one after another.Without Minxi leaning against her back, Eve was still a little uncomfortable for a while. A gust of cold wind blew past, and she felt her back was chilly.They followed a steward into the mansion surrounded by high fences.Along the way, all servants encountered nearby would temporarily stop their work and bow deeply to the three of them.Under such a battle, Eve couldn't help but feel a little dizzy, as if she had lived for so many years, and now she really gained the respect she deserved.She sighed in her heart, how correct was Nanfen's decision not to let her take Ivy back to the manor.Only now did she really realize how huge the difference between people is—no matter what kind of society they are in, the rich and powerful live a civilized life far beyond ordinary people.The advancement of science and technology cannot allow machines to replace human beings to provide cost-effective services, because only human beings know people best, and human-to-human services are always the most advanced.

It's hard to imagine that such a group of high-income servants, many of whom are graduates of prestigious schools and the best in society, are now willing to become a brick in a rich man's family and a well-dressed slave in their completely legal kingdom .Master and servant make up such a large family, in which each member has what he needs, and everyone is rich and contented-perhaps, the lofty ideals have always been a deception of word of mouth.

Primitive people live a life of ruthlessness and blood, and today's people are living ugly for money-there has never been real dignity and decency, everything is just for the body and soul to exist at the same time at this moment-like a The slob wears his filthy overcoat upside down, but he never intends to face his own problems. While showing others his clean inner lining, he also makes his inner filth even more filthy.

And the only people who have always been decent are probably the Knaka family—they spend other people's time on their own private affairs, making others mediocre, so that they can have more time to grab the wealth of this world and resources to monopolize the time and money of most people.But can it really be their own fault?Like everyone else, they are law-abiding citizens. They neither took advantage of the loopholes of the law nor violated public morality. They just hoarded too many resources...and this is precisely the so-called private property that should not be violated in principle. .

Perhaps, what is right and what is wrong is not something that individuals can consider and understand, nor is it a personal or overall mistake.People hope to live in a Locke-style country, where equality, freedom and protection are guaranteed, but in the end they have to face the Hobbesian problem of order and take the path of mutual hatred—similar contradictions and oppression will always exist before the highest stage of human society, and will inevitably be tolerated or even acquiesced in their existence—and what is even more frustrating is that the so-called highest stage of human society in this era can only be a metaphysical concept, not a visible goal that can be achieved at this stage.

The reason why people consider these issues may be because they are too weak to continue to exist without society.

"elder sister?"

Minxi held Eve's hand, pulling her drifting consciousness back to reality.

［81］Kenaka couple (Part [-])

The lobby on the first floor of Knaka's house was very lively. When Eve entered, there were many people standing inside.The housekeeper told them to wait a while, and then went to look for Comino.After a while, I saw Comino coming out of the crowd, followed by several people.

This old friend looked different from usual, and it was the first time Eve saw him dressed so formally—his hair was waxed and combed obediently to the back of his head; the once gray hair was also dyed black again, as if he was young again; he was wearing a shiny white satin dress, and the gold watch on his wrist appeared and disappeared with the movement of his arm.Before anyone approached, Comino's voice came over: "Hey, two little girls!"

Minxi turned her head and secretly made a face at Eve, with a slightly contemptuous expression.

"You guys are here." Comino walked in front of the two of them, "You guys are here, and I finally don't have to talk to those old guys anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Eve asked him.

"What do you think we can talk about when we stand together?" Comino spread his hands, "Of course we are discussing Kriging's economic development."

Eve laughed as soon as she heard it: "I thought you were going to talk about money."

"You think I'll make a self-deprecating humility?" Comino raised his eyebrows, looked at the people on both sides of the crowd pretendingly, and then said, "But if a successful person like me makes a self-mockery, then others will definitely think I'm too disgusting—look at his smug face!" He seemed to suddenly remember something, and said in feigned surprise: "I'm sorry, but I couldn't hold back to say that to myself in the end."

Everyone laughed, and Eve also laughed, but Minxi pouted. She felt that this man was indeed just as he said, a bit annoying.

Comino didn't introduce the people around him, but Eve also knew some of them, such as Comino's youngest son Oleden, his son-in-law Weatherford, and Smeren, whom he had only met once, and Comino's sons and nephews who often went to the manor to run errands and so on.Most of these people are related to Comino, and for some reason, they are all here today.

"Are you guys here to discuss something important today?" Eve asked.

"No, to be honest, I was a little surprised. Who spread the news of my return to the capital?" Comino glanced at the large group of people in the distance, approached Eve, and said in a low voice, "They all came uninvited, and I can't just drive them away."

"You became so popular when you went to Eastern City?"

"It's not that I'm popular, it's that the news from the Eastern City is popular." Comino said, "They're waiting for me to reveal something."

"What's going on over there, is there a big move?"

"It's hard to say." Comino would subconsciously say these words when he heard someone ask about the Eastern City.He tilted his head and scratched his temples, and said, "Let's go upstairs, it's too tiring to talk standing up."

Comino greeted everyone downstairs, and took Eve and Minxi to the third floor, accompanied by his son-in-law Weatherford and nephew Smirn, and most of the rest stayed in the same room. The building has dealt with a large number of visitors.

"I wanted to take you for a walk, but I didn't expect so many people to come today, and it snowed so much yesterday..." As soon as he went upstairs, Comino began to complain. At this time, he was the spice merchant that Eve was familiar with.

"Did you just come back today? And as soon as you came back, you pushed everything to Olesen?" Eve heard a little bit of truth from his complaints, and she was surprised that the other party could still find time to spend time with him here. Bullshit yourself.

"Not today, but last night, when the snow was falling heavily, about two or three o'clock," Comino replied.

"Isn't that still today?" Minxi interjected.

Comino was stunned for a moment, and then realized, "That's right, strictly speaking, I did come back today. Your sister is absolutely correct—look at her tone just now, as if the boss is teaching the subordinates to do things, It's really too strict, and people can't find any flaws."

Eve felt a little uncomfortable being praised by him, so she silently turned her head to look at the lampposts in the corridor. Those intricate and exquisite metal decorations were quite artistically designed, showing a pinnacle of hand-crafted iron.

"My house is not bad, right?" Comino pointed to the decorative paintings on the wall and said, "Look at these paintings, how different is it from a museum?"

"I think your house is more like a bank, both on the outside and on the inside." Minxi said, "Especially when you entered the door just now, a group of people were making noise there."

Comino laughed loudly: "You're right, from the outside, this house is exactly the same as a certain bank in the Eastern City."

"Really, why?" Minxi was a little curious.

"This matter is related to my father. It was about seven years ago... What year was it?" Comino shook his head and said, "It doesn't matter, it was more than 20 years ago. One day, I brought my father I went to the Eastern City to visit my properties. After the tour, I said to him, "Look, we also have a family business." He was so happy when he heard that. Later, I took him to a bank, and I Said 'This is also our own bank', but just halfway through the sentence, I saw him rushing in excitedly, which shocked me a lot. I haven't figured out what happened, Then I saw him come back with a disappointed face, and asked me, 'Hey, Kom, why are there so many people inside, isn't this our house?', hey, when I heard him say that, I laughed so hard on the spot I couldn’t straighten my back, but ended up laughing and crying again. It’s a bit embarrassing to say that people on the street must have thought I was crazy. My father had been a farmer for most of his life and had never seen the world. He bought a house before, but he never lived in it. I thought afterwards that his reaction when he saw the bank must have been because he liked such a big house, so he might as well build a similar one in Bomeng, so that He moved in, and there is plenty of land in the yard, if he likes to farm, let him do it.”

"What happened later? Did he come to live?" Minxi asked.

"Of course I came here, and every morning when I get up, I have to go around the house. When I see the sundries on the ground, I have to pick them up and put them in my pockets. I'm more diligent than the servants at home. I don't care too much about it. , happy, when I bought the carriage for the first time, I also had this kind of virtue, I washed and wiped it every day..."

Comino took them to a dining room on the third floor instead of the drawing room.This dining room was mostly used as the family's activity room. Comino gently knocked on the door, and a servant opened the door from inside.At this time, the three women, Yilulun, Xilinya and Lientaya, were sitting in the room drinking tea and chatting.When they saw a visitor, they all stood up.

"Go get some snacks and fruit." Comino ordered the servants, and then said to Eve and the others: "Lunch is at 12:30, let's chat here for a while."

Four people came, plus the mother and daughter of the Knaka family, a total of seven people were sitting on the circular sofa.

Son-in-law Weatherford sat next to his wife, Lientaya, and they held each other's hands.Even though they have been married for more than ten years, they still show the same intimacy in front of people as they did before when they were newlyweds.

Silinya sat next to her mother Eluren, Comino sat on the other side of Eluren, Eve and Mincy sat across from them, and Smeren sat alone on the window side.

"Now...it's finally quiet." Comino took off his coat, threw it to the servant beside him, and then leaned carelessly on the sofa.He pointed to Si Mien beside him, and said to Eve: "I forgot to introduce just now—his name is Si Mien, and he is Ilulun's cousin. From this aspect, he and Minxi are also considered relatives."

Yi Lulun and Nanfen do have a little kinship, but it is very faint, and the two share a common great-grandfather.

"Oh, Smirn is 26 years old this year." Comino added, "Minxi can call him brother." His words were probably making fun of Minxi.

"I'm not going to bark." Sure enough, Minxi was not happy.

Everyone laughed, only Si Mien scratched his head in embarrassment.

"If Eve called him brother, would you call him?" Komino asked again.

"Then..." Minxi turned her eyes to Eve, and asked her in a low voice, "Can you call?"

Eve smiled and shook her head.

"Look—" Minxi raised her chin towards Comino, with a victorious attitude.

Everyone was amused by Minxi's performance again, and among them, Eluren laughed the most.

Eve saw Simeon's embarrassment at this time, and felt a little sympathetic to him, so she said, "It's not impossible, but it must be beneficial."

Hearing this sentence, Minxi opened her mouth wide, looked at Eve beside her in surprise, and hurriedly dissuaded her: "No, no amount of benefits!"

So everyone laughed again.

"Okay, I'm not kidding anymore." Comino said, "Smiern and I will go to the Eastern City for a while this time, and we will go there tomorrow."

"In such a hurry? You're only coming back for a day?" Eve was surprised by this.

"If I didn't need to come forward for some things, I wouldn't come back." Comino sighed, "Unfortunately, all the time was wasted on the road."

"With such a tight schedule, you can still invite me to chat?" Eve was puzzled by this.

"Don't worry about it—by the way, I still have some gifts here." He raised his hand behind him, and the servant put several boxes on the table.

Comino picked up a box, opened it and showed it to Eve.Eve frowned as soon as she saw what was inside.

Inside was a gold necklace studded with precious stones and pearls, which looked expensive.Everyone looked curiously, but after looking at it, they all fell silent, and the atmosphere in the room seemed a little weird.

"This...should...not be given to me, right?" Eve asked cautiously.

Seeing her distressed look, Comino didn't intend to keep it any longer. He said, "I brought it back from Muchito and gave it to Nanfen."

Hearing this sentence, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.