Chapter 290 An oil painting in the house

When did it probably start?

Murata thought in his heart that it must have been the winter when the son of Natsume's family next door was sent to Tokyo.

He remembered clearly that when he came back from other places that winter, he heard his mother say that there was an extra girl in the house next door. He saw her the next day when he went out to take out the garbage.

He was a small child, with an unusually calm expression on his face, and his eyes seemed to be dead.

Although he was very polite when meeting people and was diligent in greeting people, Murata always felt that something was strange.

Finally, during the Chinese New Year, he took his things and went to visit the house and asked casually. Natsume and his wife said that the children of relatives were staying here.

At that time, Asai was doing homework in the living room, very seriously.

He went over to ask, and the little girl said that she would take the exam to Tokyo in the future. He just thought that the little girl was ambitious and didn't think much about it.

I have lived here for several years.

People in the village have become accustomed to the fact that Natsume's family has a girl from a relative. From the beginning, there were a lot of discussions, but in the end they became accustomed to it.

It's just that Murata always feels that something is wrong...

This girl looks familiar, but I just can't remember where I've seen her before.

He had no education, so he just thought it was his own imagination.

In the spring of this year, I didn't see this cute little girl for several days. When I asked Natsume Yusei, I found out that she had actually been admitted to a university in Tokyo and had gone to study in a big city.

When he told this matter to other people in the village, everyone was very sorry. Everyone liked this little girl. She was admitted to school. She should be celebrating. Why did she leave just like that?

Later, people in the village chatted with each other and talked about the Natsume family, the richest and kind-hearted family in the village, and suddenly realized that the youngest son of the Natsume family seemed to be studying in Tokyo.

The two of them went to the same university, called Waseda.

Only then did people realize that this girl was the child bride of the Natsume family.

"Child bride?"

Everyone in the village said so, but he didn't think it was true.

Before closing the door, Murata glanced at the two people who were talking and scratched his head, thinking that he couldn't think clearly so he didn't think about it so much.

"In my childhood memory, Uncle Murata was a very warm-hearted neighbor." Natsume Naoki patted the wooden support of the waterproof shed, "He especially liked doing this kind of handicraft. He has been a carpenter for generations, and he even planted several crops in his generation.

There is not much work for carpenters these days, so I go to other places to work during the slack time.”

"I heard that there are many people from the same village who go with Uncle Murata. Everyone thinks that Uncle Murata is the backbone."

Asai nodded when he heard this: "He is indeed very nice."

"Right?" Natsume Naoki smiled, thinking that Asai was talking about helping them build a carport.

Asai turned to look at the village. The weather was getting colder and it was getting dark. The village with no one on the road felt indescribably desolate.

Now there are only some old people and young people working in Natsume's factory left in the village.

The remaining people have gone out to work.

These days, there are very few young people who are willing to stay in their hometowns. Those who work in factories are envious of the life and income in big cities. They would rather go to the city to deliver express delivery and do some small business than stay in the factory in the town.

"Natsume-kun, please go back first, I have something to do." The two of them walked to the door of the house, and before Natsume Naoki could step up the steps, Asai said.

"What's wrong?" He looked back at Asai.

She took out the key from her pocket and looked at the house next to her.

Natsume Naoki also looked at it. The house was dark and without lights, which formed a sharp contrast with the lights of thousands of houses around it under the night.

He quickly understood: "Is this the key to that house?"

Asai nodded: "I want to take a look. It hasn't been inhabited for a long time. Maybe it needs to be cleaned."

Although Natsume Naoki had many doubts in his heart, he did not ask.

It was as if Asai noticed something on his mind on the way back but didn't ask in detail. This was a tacit understanding between the two of them.

"Then let's go together." Natsume Naoki smiled: "Two people, double the efficiency."

Walking to the front of the house, Natsume Naoki took a good look at the house.

It looks quite big. It should be three rooms with a small patio. The door is incompatible with the surrounding walls. It must have been replaced in the past few months.

Asai opened the door with the key, and after a creaking sound, the yard came into view.

"These sundries have been piled here for some time." She first looked at some boxes at her feet, opened them, and found some moldy books inside.

"Let's do this tonight. I'll clean up after I send you to work tomorrow," she said.

"It's okay to wait until I come back."

Asai shook his head: "Anyway, I have to do something at home during the day."

She stood up and looked at the yard. It was still the familiar concrete floor, but the vines in her memory had been cut down, leaving only a bare tree stump in the corner of the yard, which looked so desolate.

She stood quietly under the cold night wind, and suddenly a light lit up in front of her eyes.

Natsume Naoki turned on the flashlight on her phone so that she could see more clearly.

Looking back and seeing his smile, Asai felt that the light was not only bright, but also a little warm.

There was supposed to be a doghouse in the corner, but it was now empty. The cage was made of iron and had probably been sold for scrap.

This house changed hands ten years ago, and the person who bought it was a nearby villager, thinking that it might be demolished in the future.

Not long ago, a woman from Tokyo found him and bought this house from him that had been idle for ten years.

It is said that a large sum of money was knocked off... This person was proud to talk about it everywhere. Asai heard about it after returning to the village two days ago.

Fortunately the house has not been touched.

Asai comforted himself in his heart, and then walked to the door of the main house.

The door was unlocked because there was nothing valuable in the room.

After the car accident that year, this house and the house were sold by relatives from the Asai family in exchange for money. At that time, the familiar furniture wrapped up the memories of childhood and disappeared.

Of course, it's not just a family with nothing to show for it.

Some debris is scattered in the living room like garbage.

There was no electricity in the room, and the water and electricity were cut off by the buyer after the first change of ownership.

Asai tried the switch but there was no response, and his brows immediately furrowed.

You bought the house and just threw it here without caring about it?

There is no water or electricity, and the yard is so messy... After all, this is your previous home.

Her resentment toward her aunt in Tokyo became even stronger.

Natsume Naoki walked to the corner of the living room, where a dusty stroller lay quietly.

He didn't mind it being dirty, so he squatted down, straightened the stroller, and wiped off the dust with his hands.

Asai turned around and saw this scene, lowered his eyebrows and felt a little sad.

But he quickly recovered, "Don't get your hands dirty, I'll just clean them up later."

"Why does this stroller look familiar to me?" Natsume Naoki said with a frown.

Qian Jing was stunned for a moment, and then a flash of disbelief flashed through him.

"Have you seen him before?" She remained calm and calmed her voice.

Natsume Naoki thought hard for a while: "I used the same model when I was a child? Do any relatives' children use the same model? The memory is vague, but I always feel that I saw it when I was a child."

"Have you met Izumi Mio today?" Asai suddenly said.

This time it was Natsume Naoki's turn to be stunned. He stood up and looked at Asai, "Why do you ask this so suddenly?"

"seen?"

"Hmm...yes, she and Amamiya bought the company where I was interning and became directors."

"What happened to you?" she asked again.

Natsume Naoki was silent for a moment and shook his head: "I can't say."

Asai didn't ask further questions and looked out the window at the gloomy sky.

So this is ah.

You should obviously be happy.

But why does my heart hurt so much?

That……

Will there be hail tonight?

"It looks like no one has lived here." Natsume Naoki decided to change the topic: "There is dust everywhere...but this painting seems to be quite new?"

Upon hearing this, Asai moved his gaze back from the window and looked at the center of the living room with the help of dim light.

That's an oil painting.

At the entrance of the village on a snowy night, a little girl wearing a red coat stood there, as if shouting something.

"The painting is really good." Naoki Natsume admired sincerely.

"I hate this painting," Asai said.
Chapter completed!