Chapter 9 Chapter Eight, 1925——Lu Xiaoshan, Liu Zongxiang, and Zhang Lagou
Zhou Bonian called and said he wanted to relax with Liu Yuan.
"Brother Zongxiang, is it Zhou Bonian who wants to come here to play? His old man is a person who rarely moves. How did you think of coming here to play? Is there any confidential matter to discuss?"
Wu Xiuxiu has already learned how to knit a sweater.She is threading the needle for her son Humber.She heard from Liu Zongxiang that France is colder than here.Seeing her knitting a sweater, Liu Zongxiang laughed several times: Maybe you can't buy sweaters in France?Paris, France is the capital of clothing in the world, or there are clothes for clothes, really!Your son is going to be a foreign student sooner or later, and the bloated clothes your family wears are not bad as long as they are for me.
"I think, it must have something to do with the recent movement in the provincial capital." Liu Zongxiang narrowed his long eyes.
This is his subconscious action of thinking about the problem. "Xiuwa, look, should I ask Luhua to go outside and order some dishes, or..."
"You don't care about it. The big bosses of your family, don't you have socializing outside one day? Do you eat the food in the restaurant and eat it? Maybe you don't have a bad taste?" Xiuxiu put down Sweater, ready to get up and help Luhua arrange meals.Whenever there are important guests visiting, as long as she is in Liuyuan, Xiuxiu will always supervise the meals in person.Seeing Xiuxiu coming out, Wu Ershao thought Liu Zongxiang was going to use a car, so he glanced at her.Xiuxiu knew that this glance was asking, do you want a car?She smiled politely and pouted inward.
The older he got, the more mature Wu Ershao became, and the less he talked.As long as nothing else drives him, he is like Liu Zongxiang's shadow.As long as people see Wu Ershao at a door, they will know that there is Liu Zongxiang inside.
"Mr. Liu, want to go out?" When he came to the inner room, he saw Liu Zongxiang lying on the sofa, his eyes were empty, he didn't know if he was thinking about something or resting, Wu Ershao didn't dare to make any loud noises.
"Don't go out, who said that I want to go out? Oh, oh, that's right, later, a guest is coming, please go to the gate of the garden to meet him. Oh, so, if you see him coming from a long distance, Just call me, and I will pick it up in person... eh? Yes, yes, I forgot who the guest is. You recognize him, Mr. Zhou, the chairman of the Hankou Chamber of Commerce." Liu Zongxiang was thinking about the arrival of Zhou Bonian, a rare visitor today. Liu Yuan's purpose seemed a little absent-minded.
"Yes, yes, I understand. Your family, he, your family came here in his own car? I recognize Chairman Zhou's car."
Wu Ershao withdrew and walked towards the kitchen.He was a little worried.Following the boss on the scene, Wu Ershao knew that in Hankou, Zhou Bonian was no less influential than Liu Zongxiang.Zhou Bonian has always been the leader of Hankou's business community in terms of safeguarding the interests of Chinese businessmen and negotiating with foreign businessmen to save face.It is not easy for this old gentleman to go to any house as a guest.He will come to your house today, and everything must be arranged.As soon as he got near the kitchen, Er Shao turned around and left again.
"Hey, I'm so confused. With Xiuxiu here, what else do I need to worry about! My reed flower has Xiuxiu on the side, what else can I not do well!"
Wu Ershao went to the gate of Liu Garden, but before he reached the gate, he saw Zhou Bonian's car and drove in directly.
"Oh, President Zhou, your family is really fast, and you will arrive as soon as you say it. I put down the phone and ask our Master Wu to pick up your house, and your house is here! Yohohoho, let me sit in the room , your family is running on the road, I'm really sorry, your family!"
He must have heard the sound of a car, Liu Zongxiang also hurriedly ran out of Fu Bixuan's living room, walked towards Zhou Bonian's parking place, and kept saying polite words out of his mouth.
"Boss Liu, does your family want to help me? Hohohoho, no need, once your family helps me, it will really help me become an immortal!"
It was Wu Ershao who took advantage of the opportunity and moved to Zhou Bonian's side, making a gesture of support.Just like that, Liu Zongxiang took a half step forward, Zhou Bainian was in the middle, and Er Shaoxu made a sideways movement and took a half step back, and the three of them walked towards Fu Bixuan in a diagonal line.
The Spring Festival has just passed, and the Lantern Festival has not yet arrived, and the smell of the New Year is still wandering in invisible places.Occasionally, there will be one or two explosions of firecrackers. The sound is clear and distant, as if it has been filtered layer by layer before reaching here, which does not seem very real.Liu Garden is a bit like a non-immortal place built on the edge of the fireworks in the world. It can not only watch the world's mortals laughable, lamentable, embarrassing and stamped all kinds of naive and ugly behaviors, it seems that when the city gate catches fire, it can avoid disasters that affect the fish in the pond.
"Oh, it smells so good, it smells so good!" Zhou Bonian fluttered his nose exaggeratedly and shook his head.He has a triangular face, if you only look at the face, this is a face with treachery and cunning written on it.Until now, in dealing with business, Liu Zongxiang is still on guard against Zhou Bonian.Then again, in the business world, who does not guard against anyone!
"Well, it tastes like steamed cured fish and bacon." Now that Zhou Bonian changed the subject, Liu Zongxiang was happy to follow Zhou Bonian's words and chatter casually.
Liu Zongxiang did not expect that Zhou Bonian came in a hurry today, and what he said was such a thing: the governor's office in the provincial capital issued an official document, asking merchants in the whole province to subscribe for a batch of "military coupons", and ordered the Hankou Chamber of Commerce to subscribe for 20 million yuan.
It was really guessed by Xiuxiu, and it was for money again, for money!
As soon as Zhou Bonian said it, Liu Zongxiang quickly made a calculation in his mind.If you want to share it, it will be two to three hundred thousand at most in his name——"It's easy to handle, isn't your warlord asking for money, so I'll take out the money for building a model residential area. This is your officer's money anyway." If you take the money from the money bureau, I will stop the project, and I will start the construction when you get the money from the military governor. Besides, Mr. Zhou has always been a leader representing the interests of the business community in Hankou. He must come up with some tricks. One of my feet is stepping on the concession anyway, if your family is really in a hurry, I will wrap eel in lotus leaves and slip away!"
With just such a little effort, Liu Zongxiang has thought out all the countermeasures involving all aspects of his own interests.
"Boss Liu, do you know that just these few days, those who have a little bit of accumulation have all gone down the river. Hehe, this year is going to be a long one. It’s rare that a few shops are open, even after the first lunar month is over, there are not many shops open in this big Hankou!”
Seeing that Liu Zongxiang just blindly echoed, without any intention of taking the initiative to propose ideas, Zhou Bonian stretched his waist, stopped boasting about the smell of bacon and fish, and casually brought back the topic.He was not sure what the land magnate was planning.
According to Zhou Bonian's thinking, this bad idea of buying "Military Coupons", the bigger the merchant, the more blood will be bleed, and naturally it will hurt the most.When it comes to money, it is impossible for Liu Zongxiang to jump out of "beyond the three realms".What Zhou Bonian said was obviously implying that Liu Zongxiang, an influential businessman, rushed to Shanghai to create news that "Hubei warlords forced the Hankou commercial port to collapse, and land tycoon Liu Zongxiang had no choice but to flee", adding to the opposition to the purchase of "military coupons". A heavy weight.
"That's right, the ancients said it well, if the way is not right, you can float in the sea on a stern, what does that mean!"
Liu Zongxiang still adheres to the old tradition of the Liu family, he doesn't want to talk about things for nothing, so he just pretends to be sloppy and laughs.
"Sir, does your family intend to ask President Zhou to come here to starve? I know that it is very rare for your family to ask Mr. Zhou for advice. You can't be greedy to ask for advice and starve the teacher!"
Wu Xiuxiu appeared timely and eye-catching.He was wearing a dark green trousers jacket, so thin that it was hard to see what was lined inside, most of them were made of soft leather. If it was a cotton padded jacket, the outside would not be so stretched.A happy woman under the age of forty may be just like the happiest fruit on the tree.
"Boss Liu, Mrs. Zun has such a high tone. No wonder your business is booming!" Zhou Bonian knew that he could only stop there today.He remembered that Liu Zongxiang approached him to discuss the issuance of "maintenance coupons" not long ago, and he felt a little emotional.Oh, this Liu Zongxiang, he's so smart, if he doesn't see the waves, it's really rare to ask him to be a fork.Feelings are emotions, the entertainment on the scene is still very thoughtful.
"President Zhou, I heard from my husband that your family likes to eat cured goods. Hey, what a coincidence, a friend from Hunan brought some Hunan cured fish and bacon. I followed his Hunan recipe and made a steamed dish." Double spring'."
Wu Xiuxiu had indeed been sitting outside for a while, and she had heard several of Liu Zongxiang's hahaha.
The person who shares a pillow with herself, she is too familiar with him for so many years.Although he didn't know what Liu Zongxiang's plan was, he was obviously not very enthusiastic about Zhou Bonian's idea.Her appearance is the most invisible way to break the deadlock and get rid of embarrassment.
"Yo, I just heard that there is a 'Hunan Shuangzheng', why don't you come out to have a steaming Shuangchun?" Zhou Bonian, who has been immersed in the business world for decades, even the hairs can replace the nose to smell, how could he not? Turned around.
"I said boo, I came up with a new trick to coax the president for a while, but sure enough, I can't coax him!"
Luhua served the dishes lightly and swiftly, and Xiuxiu joked while symbolically arranging the orientation of the dishes on the table.
Another string of firecrackers exploded, and the incoming sound was soft and clear.It doesn't sound like the sound of the world, but like the distant and misty sounds of heaven.
The drizzle was like fog.For several days in a row, the sky seemed to be damp like this.
In the rain, the man and woman passed each other.
In fact, the man recognized the woman after a moment of silence, or in other words, he finally remembered the woman who passed him by.
This pair of men and women, on the streets of Hankou in the rain and fog, looked different from ordinary people.
The woman wears a crimson velvet cheongsam and a pair of crimson high-heeled leather shoes.What is unusual about her is that this cheongsam of excellent texture and exquisite workmanship is wrinkled, and many parts are stained with inexplicable dirt. Moreover, the owner of the cheongsam is unkempt and has dementia eyes!
This man remembered this woman from this cheongsam.When she was with him, for the first time, she wore this cheongsam.He once praised that this cheongsam is a perfect match when worn on such a figure. People have three points to seven points, and you, seven points to three points.
This man and this woman are naturally unrecognizable.The man was wearing a navy blue suit with a maroon red bow tie tied at the neckline of his white shirt; outside he was wearing a spacious beige raincoat with only one button in the middle buttoned up.On the head is a top hat that matches the windbreaker.The biggest obstacle for him not to be recognized by her is the pair of sunglasses on the bridge of his nose and the white mask that almost covers his entire face.
"What a ghost woman, why did she become such a scary person?" Lu Xiaoshan murmured in his heart.In fact, this question should be asked to himself.
Lu Xiaoshan didn't enter the cafe, didn't even glance at the cafe, and hurried past.
He was going to the café.Just now, when I saw Huang Suzhen, who had become almost unrecognizable, poking her head at the door of the cafe, I knew that Huang Suzhen was looking for him in some places where he had been.
"What to do, the only way is to go in through the back door." Lu Xiaoshan rolled up his sleeves a little and looked at his watch.The time to meet with Liu Zongxiang is coming.He made an appointment for this appointment by phone. He can't be late, let alone miss the appointment.
Although he and Liu Zongxiang have not dealt with each other directly, the reputation of this land tycoon is indeed "like thunder".
Wu Ershao felt uncomfortable all over today.Sitting in a place like a coffee shop, it's fine to pretend to be a fake foreigner who has drunk foreign ink.After so many years with the boss of a big comprador, he is just a little ghost made of mud. After receiving incense with the Bodhisattva for so many years, he has somewhat aura.It's just that wearing this suit makes everything uncomfortable.Like playing monkey tricks on the street, I feel ridiculous.
When Liu Zongxiang asked him to wear it, he carefully put forward his own opinion: "Boss, does your house look a little smaller? I think it's a bit awkward."
"Hahaha! Don't talk in layman's terms, my Mr. Wu! The suit should look like the shirt you usually wear at home. It should be baggy, just like this!"
He heard that Liu Zongxiang's smile was not malicious, so he laughed along with it.
When looking in the mirror in the room, Lu Hua was full of praise for her man's attire: "Hey, good, good, really good! In my opinion, from now on, you will wear clothes like this! Is it like this? , just like a human being!"
"Yo ho? What the hell are you talking about, you bastard? Not necessarily. I haven't looked like a human being for so many years?
I don't look like a human being, what's the matter?Not necessarily like a ghost?Then all these years, you bitch, haven't you been sleeping with ghosts? "
Wu Ershao always felt that there was nothing to wear and stretched, and she slapped here and there, and scolded the guests with a smile.
Now, Wu Ershao is sitting in the coffee shop, sipping coffee without taking a sip, his eyes that seem to be doing nothing, often shoot a bright light, and scan the surroundings, especially the direction of the door and the window.He also often glanced at Liu Zongxiang who was sitting at the front table.
His clothes are also tied tightly around his body, so he looks quite comfortable?Look at the way he holds the cup to drink the bitter black soup, it's rare to learn.No wonder, he's used to drinking this shit since he was a child.
Wu Ershao didn't know what the boss was doing in this cafe today.He never asked what the boss was doing.All he cares about is his boss's safety.He knew that if he came to such a foreign place today, he would not be able to make friends.Otherwise, the boss would not tell him to disguise himself.Sitting in such an obscure place for a long time, the dangling candles, the warm room, and the soft music made Wu Ershao a little distracted.Just as I was a little distracted, suddenly the curtain leading to the outer hall flickered, and the candlelight flickered, and the whole shop seemed to shake.Wu Ershao straightened her waist subconsciously, and her whole body cheered up.Originally, the right hand held the cup, but at this time, he naturally switched the cup to his left hand, holding it like that, with his right hand resting on the elbow of his left hand.Suddenly, Wu Ershao's right hand quickly reached into his left flank, touching the hot handle of the gun.
"Oh, it turned out to be a letter. It was a false alarm! It seems that the boss is going to secretly discuss something quite confidential with this little bastard. Sure enough, he doesn't seem to recognize him, so take out the letter as proof."
Wu Ershao took out a pack of cigarettes, took out one, put it horizontally under his nose, sniffed it with gusto, and put on a satisfied expression.Then, I put the cigarette on my thumb, paused for a while, picked it up again, pinched it, as if to test the tightness of the cigarette, then lit the candle in front of me, took a sip, and did not swallow it. Go in, let the smoke stay in your mouth for a while, and spit it out quite realistically.Wu Ershao doesn't smoke.Among the hobbies of many men, he just likes to drink a few sips.Of course, he is also very restrained. When going out with the boss, he absolutely does not drink alcohol.
After meeting with Liu Zongxiang, Lu Xiaoshan's heart felt as if it had been rubbed with lard.
It never occurred to him that the land tycoon in Hankou, the big comprador in the French Concession, and a businessman who earns his living by doing business, would have such deep ties to the political world.He is very proud of his straight to the point.Talking about politics with a businessman you don't know is not a simple talk when the world is peaceful, but a political talk with a strong smell of gunpowder in a crisis-ridden environment.He didn't do the usual temptations, but directly took out Feng Zigao's personal letter, which saved him from the needless verbiage.Talking about such things at this time, the taboo is long-winded.
Sure enough, Liu Zongxiang smiled after reading Feng Zigao's letter.From now on, I, Lu Xiaoshan, will be the one-man show.The famous Boss Liu in front of him just nodded there.Hey, how delicious!Really, no matter what you do, you will find it interesting, especially when you are so stern and arrogant, when you twist him around, how comfortable it is to watch!
"I see, the Revolutionary Party must win! See, some proud people like Feng Zigao, and rich and serious people like Liu Zongxiang are all of one mind with the Revolutionary Party. It seems that participating in the revolution One treasure, bet on the right one! If there is a day when the revolutionary party is in the country, you can get it even if you sit in Hankou. I will kill that bastard Zhang Lagou first! No, I won’t tell him to die quickly, I will You need to cut it with a rusty knife! You don’t want to let that dog die all at once, cut it a few times a day, and cut it for a few more days, yes, it’s said in ancient books, this is called Ling Chi!”
Lu Xiaoshan was in a great mood.Before returning from Guangzhou this time, in addition to the secret interviews with high-level people and the granting of secrets, Feng Zigao, as the direct leader, also gave him instructions to lie in for a long time. In season, take this letter to Liu Zongxiang.Feng Zigao said, Don't look at Boss Liu as a businessman. More than ten years ago, during the First Rebellion of 1911, he actively supported the revolutionaries.When the Qing troops captured Hankou, Generalissimo Huang Xing's headquarters was set up in Boss Liu's house.The day before yesterday, he received a letter from Feng Zigao, asking him to contact the business community in Hankou, so that Wu Peifu and Luan Yaozu's forced purchase of "military coupons" should not be completed.The success of this matter is tantamount to adding strength to the warlord.At this time, to add strength to the warlords, they are not going to fight each other, go to dog to dog, but prepare to store up their energy to deal with the revolutionaries who are going to fight north.The meaning of Mr. Feng's letter is quite clear: Don't look at Mr. Sun's dealings with the Beiyang government in Beijing right now, the best is yet to come.
When you are in a good mood, you will have a good mood and gait.Lu Xiaoshan felt a little hot.He took one of his hands out of the pouch of the raincoat, stretched it out, and drew in the air, as if he wanted to part the rain and fog that was knitting in front of him.
"Young man, still young! Treat me like a scorpion? Well, it's good to make you feel better. You know, brother Zigao wrote me a long time ago to tell me your ins and outs."
Liu Zongxiang looked at Lu Xiaoshan's back as he walked and flicked, and smiled faintly.
Without clouds flying, the whole sky is just a wet lead plate, hanging heavily over people's heads, it seems that it may fall down at any time, and grind all the living things below into powder.The rain stopped.The rain stopped and the rain did not stop, giving people the same feeling.It's so dark in broad daylight.
Well, a lot of things that usually require a lot of effort to cover and scrub, now they are covered naturally without thinking about it.
Wang Lifa pinched a rag in his hand and stared at the table dazedly, with an air of stagnant thinking and doing nothing.
In Wang Lifa's eyes, all the tables and benches, in the dim light, all have a faint dim light, which means that they are all clean and do not need the owner to do any more useless work.
A black-headed winged fly was stinging on the edge of the middle table.
There, a guest just now may have been too hungry, his teeth had just torn off a piece of tendon meat from the bone, and he was still chewing, when the chopsticks hurriedly grabbed the piece of white radish.Firstly, he was in a hurry, and secondly, the radish was simmered until it was crispy, and when it was only an inch away from his mouth, the radish pieces fell on the table in half.The guest freed the hand that was holding the bowl, grabbed the pieces of crushed radish, stuffed it viciously into his mouth, and chewed viciously, as if he had a grudge against this piece of rotten radish.
Now, the place where the fly stings is exactly where the radish fell just now.
Wang Lifa found this idea on the edge of the table, which was darker than other places.He couldn't remember whether there was a nail there, and it came loose, and the nail cap came out.In this wet and cold weather, it is said that there will be no flies.It's just a fly, forget it.It's a rice fly, it doesn't matter.
A large pot of beef bone soup was almost sold out, leaving a shallow pot bottom, like a pond in a dry season.
"Master, do you still have soup?" Wang Yuxia took a bowl and walked towards the soup pot. "Oh, this is the only foundation left? Why don't you keep a little bit?"
Wang Lifa didn't make a sound, just glanced at her.People in my own family never drink the soup for sale.
Not for any other reason.I have been in the cooked food business for many years, I have boiled beef bone soup for many years, and I have smelled the smell of beef bone soup for many years.No matter how interesting things are in the world, they can't last ten years without stopping!Wang Lifa knew why Wang Yuxia wanted beef bone soup today.
God, there are so many things in this world.Today, I don’t know if I heard Xiaoya’s crying, but a woman who is not crazy or not, rushed into the door, and insisted on holding the little girl that Kong Konger brought back a while ago, into her arms and kissed without letting go Where to eat.That kid is also strange, ever since he entered the door of this house, he either cried or made noises, even the mice wished to be moved by him, eating like cat food, only eating a little bigger fart, it seems that they don’t One year old, it's as if he recognizes this sloppy woman as his mother, knows how to giggle, and won't let go when he grabs it with his little paws!Unbelievable, wow, unbelievable, strange things come out of troubled times, I don't know if it's a disaster or a blessing!Damn, as soon as the bastard Xiao Shan shows up in Hankou, strange things will find themselves in this house.This little puppy is either a genius or a monster.Troubled times are kings, the bastard Xiao Shan might be a reckless worm in this troubled times.
Wang Yuxia bent down towards the cauldron, carefully skimmed off the slick oil on the surface of the soup, carefully filtered out the bone residue in the soup, raised her wide buttocks high, and stretched her trousers tightly.Maybe it's because the buttocks are wider than before. Wang Yuxia's waist seems to be thinner than before.When she bent down to scoop up the soup, the folds of her clothes around her waist and eyes cast a deep shadow.
"What to do, just something strange happened! Look, see what that bastard Xiaoshan said when he came back! Alas, Yuxia, a ghost woman, has grandchildren, and she is still so young, such a mother, I'm afraid I won't be able to bear it Oh her!" Wang Lifa looked carefully at the back of Wang Yuxia ladling the soup, felt a little guilty, and couldn't help touching his own bare head, which was almost barren, and felt a chill, and was startled. The molar rag was pressed to the skull.
"Uncle, er, what's going on in your house? After wiping the tables and benches, I just take a break. I'm so panicked that I have to wipe my head. It's not a table, bench, or bowl!"
Lu Xiaoshan liked this kind-hearted stepfather very much, and when he grew up, he often joked with him innocuously.
"Look at you, look at you, big and small, really!" Wang Yuxia straightened up, seeing Wang Lifa just laughing, she scolded her son lovingly.
"Mum, uh, today is really weird. Uncle wiped your family's bare head with a rag; your family is so poor and hungry, why did you scoop up the bottom of the pot?"
Lu Xiaoshan was very comfortable with everything he saw today, so he went to his mother and took the hot bowl of soup: "How about it, mum, uh, should I just drink it in the shop or go upstairs to drink it? I Behold, it is better to go upstairs to the room."
"Okay, it's up to you, it's up to you. Take it upstairs for me, serve it up, yes, it's a little bit of filial piety, baby!" Wang Yuxia said, and glanced at Wang Lifa.
Wang Lifa turned his face to the car, pretending not to see it.He looked at the black spot on the table: "Hey! It's not a nail, it's a fly! Damn, there are still flies in this cold day! This damned fly is hard to survive."
"Heh, did I see Guibo..."
Lu Xiaoshan glanced back and forth, left and right.No, this is obviously my home, is it obviously my mother's house!
Not wrong wow!
The sky was a little bit open, and it was upstairs again, the light coming in from the windows was much brighter than that in the shop downstairs.
Is this the crimson cheongsam I saw on the street?
The entire front of the cheongsam is open.A hairy head arches over the right breast.On the other side, that is, on the left, the towering hills are covered with white snow, but at the top of the mountain peak, in the center of a purple halo, stands a purple jam fruit proudly.My God, my God, I used to remember that this halo is a delicate pink!Isn't this jam fruit a pink bud?When did the delicate and seductive pink settle down into a proud and dignified crimson purple?
The distant and clear picture suddenly cut into Lu Xiaoshan's mind, a bucket of bone-chilling cold water poured down his head, and when the chimney opened up, a gust of dryness and heat swam up from his dantian.
"Looks like a sweet potato, the soup is crooked! It's a pity that you have such a playful human skin!"
The unkempt face is still unkempt, but the voice, the low voice, the sober voice, is more deafening than any other sound.
Zhang Lagou locked himself in the room and drank too much wine, his face became whiter and paler.Huang Huo stood beside him, trying to persuade him, but he opened his mouth several times and then closed it again.
According to Huanghuo, I asked Director Zhang to drink in his own Hankou hotel, get a girl, lean on him, feed vegetables and wine, and wipe him off, or he opened it at your house. In the "New Market", a place is specially arranged, and a young lady who can see the eyes is called, playing and singing, making fun and laughing, won't it solve the troubles in my heart!
Since the opening of this new market, the director, your family has been hiring people to run it, but he rarely goes in to play.All the fun tricks in Hankou can be found in the new market.Huanghuo didn't understand why his director didn't often go to such interesting places to relax.
"Forget it, just cook two dishes in the house, and have a quiet drink. Big hotels, where you work all day long, and treat guests there, why don't you get bored? New Market? I don't necessarily know that it's fun there? Do you know how many people pooled shares to build it? Today I go to play, and tomorrow the other shareholders will go to play with the ducks and chickens all the way to the cage! How can you make any money? You don’t You know, there are no fathers and sons in the gambling field, and there are no friends in the business field!"
I don't know what's going on, but Zhang Lagou's face is a little sad when he said these words.
"Hey, what a mother, no wonder people say that the emperor is unhappy! Our director is as majestic as he says, and he is still so unhappy. I don't know what your family thinks about it. Yes. It’s because of that crazy mother-in-law, oh, people say that our director is cruel, but he and your family are so affectionate!”
Huang Huo glanced at his director again, which was sympathetic.
Layan came up with a plate of braised hoof flowers.He held the plate with one hand, and wiped the dripping saliva with the other from time to time.It's not that the eyes are staring and the mouth is greedy, but the mouth has not grown well, and the lower lip is too open.Wiping his mouth was his last resort.
Huang Huo rolled his eyes in disgust.He originally wanted to call a servant to serve the food and water, but Zhang Lagou asked, "Layan? Just tell him to be a layan." Huanghuo remembered that their director always didn't like Layan in front of him. shaking.Anyone who has to stay far away from rough things, or goes to do something with people whom the boss looks down on, is called layan.This is dangling in front of me, and it's a matter of appetite. I don't know why the director changed his mind.
Huang Huo really didn't understand, his director just didn't want to have a good appetite.
Sitting in the latrine all day long, all I can smell is stench. As soon as I come out of the latrine, I immediately stick my nose to the mouth of the cream bottle. The pleasant smell is not the girl who puts on cream all day long. You can taste it!It is also a kind of stimulation to have something quite uncomfortable dangling in front of your eyes.
This made him miss Huang Suzhen even more.
"Oh, what a bitch, she's not even sixteen years old, she's noisy to the death, she follows me with shameless face, what a shame, I've had a child for so many years, and I don't know which enemy stole it Let's go. You son of a bitch, this enemy is very scheming and scheming. He always follows me like a shadow! If I catch you..."
Zhang Lagou poured a glass of wine into his mouth again without making a sound, and was startled: Hey, am I too poisonous, too cruel?Oh, how come I want to be a Bodhisattva!In this world, neither poisonous nor cruel, no matter how successful one is, how one can survive!
There was a squeak, which seemed to be frighteningly loud.Before the kerosene lamp in the room shook, Huang Huo turned sideways and stood in front of Zhang Lagou.
Zhang Lagou is used to this kind of scene.
Although it is very close to Yangjie Street, it is at the end of Hualou Street after all.There are no pull wires in this area.Having grown old, Zhang Lagou felt nostalgic for no reason, and never moved himself and Huang Suzhen's small nest to an area with electric lights near the Hankou Hotel.Deep in Zhang Lagou's heart, it seems that he needs a sense of confusion similar to the environment of the Miaojia Wharf back then.
"Director, look at your house, my wife is back!" Huang Huan stepped aside.
If you come back, you will come back, is it worth such a surprise?Desolation shouldn't be such a shock!Recently, Huang Suzhen is really abnormal, running around outside all day long.I don't know how many nights I have been back every day, and I don't know where I ran away. Every day I come back, my body is dirty to death.Coming back quite late, before going to bed, if the servant hadn't reminded her to wash, she wouldn't even remember to wash!Oh, this ghost mother-in-law, her soul is gone until the little girl is gone!
Zhang Lagou took the cup off his face, glanced at the door inadvertently, and immediately bounced up as if he had been shocked by an electric shock.
"Well, did you find me back? Where did you find it? How did you find it..."
Only then did Zhang Lagou understand the reason for his real unhappiness: Damn, after a long time, I still remember this kid in my heart!That's right, I remembered it, I remembered it, it was quite a long time ago, when Lu Scarzi's guest was sitting in the main room, pulling out the breast to feed the baby, I thought at that time, if I had my own baby, how much would it be? ok!Damn, how do you remember this long time ago?It was because of that cricket that he turned his face with Scar.If the child with the scar is still there, he should be an adult.
Seeing that their director was blank at first, and then a series of sweet questions followed, Huanghuo felt relieved.For a person, no matter how many stuffs are stuffed in his heart, as long as he opens his mouth, as long as it explodes, it doesn't matter.Like just now, the director would drink a night of stuffy wine, and it would be strange if he didn't burn to death.Ouch, no matter how ruthless a person is, they can't pass the test of their children!
"Layan, layan, you go first, there is nothing for you here!"
Huang Huo thought while urging La Yan to leave.
Huang Suzhen brought the child in her arms to Zhang Lagou, and asked Zhang Lagou to look at it, in order to ask him to share a little bit of the joy of regaining her son.In fact, Huang Suzhen was too happy and gave up her usual vigilance.Regarding this child's matter, Huang Suzhen has always been wary and timid towards Zhang Lagou.How could she forget that this child is not a child of Zhang Lagou at all!This is not a matter of borrowing a pair of chopsticks and a bowl from the people next door or so.When it comes to crotch, it's two things.If it's a man's, you can go to the Fengyue Field to chase after sex, as long as you have money in your wallet, you can go openly and semi-openly.If it's a woman's, you don't have so much freedom, unless you become a bitch.What's more, once there is "goods" in the stomach, it is not just a problem of dirty crotch.Incense, heirs, heirs, in the future, will someone add a shovel of soil to the grave every year, will someone burn a few pieces of paper in front of the grave every year, this is the real big deal!
This is the difference between man and beast.Look at that hen, ready to hatch, and no matter what eggs you put in her nest, she will hatch with love.After hatching, there are ducks and geese in the flock, and the hen clucks and loves each other so much.Even if all the hatched flocks are chickens, how many of them came out of the eggs laid by the chicken lady?It seems that the more evolved, the more selfish.
Zhang Lagou has no intention of looking at this kid at all.Huang Suzhen hugged her and came to her. In addition, Huang Suzhen seemed to have been washed and wiped clean, and she didn't look sloppy at all, and there was a faint scent of cream on her body.The scent from the hot flesh gave Zhang Lagou a feeling of being reunited after a long absence.
Zhang Lagou took a perfunctory look symbolically.He understood very well that this kid had nothing to do with him.
For a long time, he didn't wear this layer of window paper.What do you want to wear it for?Ask for trouble?Bored?
Don't you fall asleep and get up and burn!
What he values is not this child, but what he values is that there is a child in this family.Looking at it this way, Zhang Lagou has both the selflessness of a hen and the intelligence that a hen does not have.
"Oh, oh," Huanghuo also withdrew.As for where to return the unsold goods, this is not Zhang Lagou's concern.He knows that the barren goods will appear in front of his eyes when he needs them most.The burst of surprise just now has now ebbed like a tide.He said casually, and listened to Huang Suzhen's one-day adventure: How did she see this boy in a restaurant selling beef bone soup, and she recognized his clothes; how did he find out that the trafficker sold the boy to this family.How kind is this family, and how well they take care of this child... "I think, our child can come back, our child can be raised so well, thanks to this family.
我看哪，我们就把这家人家当亲戚走动，好不好？就只当我们的伢结拜了一个干娘干爹。 "
黄素珍按照在王玉霞那里商量的口径，絮絮叨叨地说。一边说，没忘记看张腊狗的脸色。她要小心，不能让张腊狗听出破绽来。她晓得，现在一脸喜欢的男人，绝不是个老实坨子。
这也是冇得法子哟。我么样丢得开这个伢咧？冇得伢，不等于是挖了我的心尖子肉么！陆小山那个臭杂种，倒像是一点事都冇得！他的老娘是个糍粑心肠，真是疼这个伢。也是冇得办法唦，么样能把伢放在那里咧，那还不想死我了！
黄素珍答应经常把伢抱到王发记包子铺去，让陆小山的娘能经常看到自己的孙子。
“哦，噢。”张腊狗脸上挂着含义不明的笑，捏着酒杯，不经意浅浅啜上那么一小口，或者让杯子沾湿嘴巴，做出一副全神贯注听说天书的样子。
个把妈，真是巧巧的姆妈生巧巧，这样的巧板眼都被你个婆娘碰到了！编得像真的咧！算了，你说你的，老子听老子的。老子明天叫人去一打听，有么事打听不出来？苕婆娘，不动脑筋想想，你的男人是做么事的！
口里“哦噢”的，张腊狗心里早就有了主意。
也许是太熟悉眼前这个男人了，黄素珍自顾自说了半天，没听到对方答白，有些悟了，这才过细地又朝张腊狗瞄了一眼。张腊狗鼓鼓的下眼泡，不停在掣动。
黄素珍心里一阵发紧：这个喜怒无常的男人，心里一发狠，他的肿眼泡就这样跳。
“暮春时节，江南草长，杂花生树，群莺乱飞……”撞落一树紫丁香，惹了一身缤纷。到底是春太浓了。凡事不能到极处，极者必反。刚涌上这么几句，牟兴国又伤感起来了。
这个时节的蛇山，真是踏春的好去处。仿佛武昌城的春色，都集中到这里来了。
该绿的都绿得发胀，该艳的都艳得发腻了。空气中弥漫着浓郁的甜香气息，黏稠得化不开。牟兴国有些奇怪，这些年来，怎么就忘记了省城还有这么一个极佳的冶游之处。无论汉口、汉阳、武昌，他都是老土著了，他怎么会不熟悉这么个好地方呢！
当年，在武昌求学，后来，又在武昌参加革命党，再后来，参加辛亥起义的筹划，担当汉口和武昌之间的总联络人。是呵，我还是为改朝换代出生入死过的人哪！要不是为改朝换代拼过命，也还罢了，也就没有后来的气怄了。后来咧，后来，革命胜利了。革命胜利了，清朝成了民国，我随么好处都没有得到。也似乎没有经常出来找个好地方玩一玩。忙么事去了呢？哦，怄气去了，怄了一些时的气，就做生意去了。这做生意，真是最最消磨人性的勾当。一天到黑要想心思对付这个那个，一天到晚要想心思把别个的钱弄到自己荷包里头来。以前是朋友的没有了友情，以前不是仇人的有了仇恨。唉嗨，钱哪钱哪，多不得少不得的钱哪！
你看你看，冇得钱了，才又回过头来，记起身边有这么好的一个地方！也是，省城这边，可游的地方不能说不多，但像蛇山这样景致集中，且一作登临，即可将武昌、汉阳、汉口三镇尽收眼底的景点，真还只有蛇山这一处。
今天，牟兴国无论如何也提不起春游的兴致来。他不仅没有春游的兴致，就是自己今天是怎么到蛇山上来的，也是糊里糊涂的。
今天一大早，他懵懵懂懂地在街上走，懵懵懂懂地买了一张报纸，懵懵懂懂地看。可是，刚看了一个标题，他就不懵懂了。
“哦，呵，老天，孙先生，孙先生！您家么样就这样走了咧！”
牟兴国想喊，想放声大哭。他觉得自己已经在喊，已经在号啕。实际上，他鼻子发酸，就这么站在街上，眼睛盯着报纸上那条报道孙中山先生在北京逝世的消息，呆呆地，眼泪无声地往下淌。
谁也没有觉得这个人不正常，谁也没有注意这个站在大街上泪流满面的男人。
大街上，没有多少人。从大街上走过的人，都是一脸的戚容。
今天，在大街上当街流泪，甚至真正号啕大哭的人，有，而且，没有人感到不正常。就是目不识丁的苦力人，都晓得这个叫孙文的人，就是当年领导辛亥首义推翻最后一个皇朝的人物。这种人死了，是值得大家哭的，是值得登报的。
牟兴国就这么不知不觉地跑到蛇山上来了。
当然，如果他的生意还顺利，知道孙文先生逝世的消息，他也会哭。但是，他不一定到蛇山上来。
他之所以哭，而且到蛇山上来伤感，除了孙中山先生的死，还因为他公司生意的死。
牟兴国被栾耀祖的人，彻底从楚兴公司挤出来了。
面南而望，当年首义军政府大楼，红墙红瓦，似乎象征着当年弟兄们流的血，已经深深地浸透了民国的旗帜。而这面旗帜，被人家拿去当了遮羞布，被人家拿去换成了黄的金，白的银。而像我牟兴国这样的开国元勋，却成了叫花子，成了在人家屋檐底下躲雨的流浪汉。像孙文先生这样的民国缔造者，不是死在总统的位置上，而是死在总统椅子旁边的小胡同里！唉，虎落平阳被犬欺呀。
“'林花谢了春红，太匆匆。无奈朝来急雨晚来风。胭脂泪，留人醉，几时重？
自是人生长恨水长东。 '怪不得，一个日子过得天花乱坠的皇帝，能写出这样好的东西来呢，人哪，如果都有'麻雀掉到粗糠里，空欢喜了一场'这样的遭遇，不管他是皇帝，还是叫花子，个中的滋味，恐怕都是一样的。 "
难道就这样算了么？牟兴国不止一遍这样问自己。
他是个不信邪的人。从本质上看，他并不是个做生意的料子。他是个特别爱感情用事的人。感情用事的人是不能做大生意的。比如，这一次，在政治气候变化急骤的时节，作为曾是职业革命者的商人，理当未雨绸缪，那么，对于什么购买“军需券”这一类的把戏，对付的办法早就该想好了。他却始终把枕头垫得高高的，以为自己是革命元勋，又是督军身边的工厂，兔子还不吃窝边草呢。哪知，栾督军这个兔子，这回吃的第一口，恰恰就是窝边的草。当这把草被彻底吃掉之后，牟兴国才又回复了当年革命的思维：哦，既然兔子连窝边草都开始吃了，说明这个兔子的日子不好过，说明这个兔子的日子不长了！
可惜这种聪明，回来得太迟了。
站在蛇山尖尖上，面对着滔滔汩汩的江流，牟兴国既心有不甘，又有些心力交瘁。
在逐渐暗下来的天色里，小南风吹起来了。把朝前匆匆奔走的江流，朝汉口的方向，横扯出一层层的皱褶，使义无反顾向大海奔流的长江，略显出些儿牵牵挂挂的儿女情长。
“汀州无浪复无烟，楚客相思亦渺然。汉口夕阳斜渡鸟……这是哪个写的咧？后头的好像都记不起来了。唉，这倒是提醒了我。汉口，我不是还有一处窝子么。
看来，真正做生意，还是要在汉口发展哪！ "
牟兴国朝山下督军府的方向剜了一眼，心，已经飞到汉口去了。
毛芋头驾轻就熟地在这里找到了他的大哥。
穆勉之对老六在这里看到自己，没有一点羞惭之类的颜色。在穆勉之的弟兄伙之间，如果谁谁没有过妓院的经历，往往会被大家认为是个难得猜透的人，至少会被弟兄们认为你不怎么合群。除非你还有很强烈的其他爱好。像穆勉之山寨里的老五孙猴子，就是这种情况。他从没有到花柳去处盘桓过，但老五对于吃，极其地考究。汉口哪条巷子有么好吃的东西，自是不在话下，他肯定早就品尝过了。
就是汉阳西大街的牛杂碎汤、武昌户部巷的面窝，这一类不被人注意的小吃，他都不肯放过，早就一品为快了。所以，山寨的老五不近女色，并不被弟兄们视为异端。人各有所长。老五这也算是一长罢。何况老五如今已经有了家室，讨了个如花似玉的娘子呢！
这一段时间，在色字上头，穆勉之好像已经进入了一个崭新的阶段。和相公厮混的兴趣一点都没有了。他好像第一次认识到，底下的事情，还真是得一公一母一男一女来做。一旦有了这样的认识，他做起来就格外地勤快，格外地上心，因而也就有了格外的体会：哎呀，真是，亏这多年是么样过来了的哦！
看到老六毛芋头的时候，穆勉之已经和这个高大的法国女人完了事。法国女人在浴室里冲洗，穆勉坐在椅子上品味从浴室传出来的哗哗声，在脑壳里复制着，这个正在被水抚弄的胴体，刚才在自己的统治之下，痛苦而愉快辗转的所有细节。
这也是穆勉之很长一段时间不换窝的重要原因。在穆勉之看来，洋妓和土妓的明显区别有两点。第一是完事后当即冲洗。虽然穆勉之从来不附和着去做这附加动作，但爱干净，毕竟不是个坏习惯。不像“土窑”里头的货色，完事之后，就那样陪着你。当然咯，这也罢了，不算是个蛮了不得的区别。最重要的是第二点。
那就是，土妓把你拉进门之前，手段用尽，可以使出浑身解数，可到了床上之后，差一点就是个泥偶了。她们和泥偶的唯一不同之处，就在于还是热的，是软的。哪里赶得上这大洋马样的洋妓哟，你进得门来，价钱一开，一上床，嗨，哪怕你是七老八十岁，只要有站得起来的扒壁之力，她们都可以把你盘得像三十郎当的壮汉子！男人做这事图个么事咧，就是图个快活图个舒服唦！个把妈的洋婊子，硬是像钻到你心里去的虫哦，你就是不中神，她也不停地夸奖，说你真是这世界上顶棒的男人。个把妈的，男人哪，也真是贱得很，高头喜欢听好话，底下也喜欢听好话。高头听了好话，朝外头撒钱眼睛都不眨；底下听了好话，耷家伙也仰头翘颈——那真是一分钱一分货！
穆勉之很想和这个进来得恰是时候的兄弟交流这些感受。可他朝毛芋头的头上看了看，马上联想到他这位六弟的底下，比高头还要惨得多。自己关于这方面的体会，恰是毛芋头目前的短处。显然，这不是个可以交流的对象。
“老六呵，您家蛮会找哇。”
一旦打消了交流体会的积极性，刚才还在品嚼的激情也就消失殆尽了。穆勉之说话的口气里，就多了慵懒的成分。
“大哥，有个叫么事国的人找您家咧！”毛芋头吸了吸鼻子，脸随着朝周围转了一圈。“嗯，好香！大哥，这味道真好闻。”毛芋头夸赞。
“老六哇，到底是哪个唦，那个人姓么事唦？”穆勉之没有接着毛芋头关于香味的话题往下说。这个兄弟很不自觉，不会藏拙，您家说香不香有么用咧？还不就是鼻子过点干瘾！我不接着您家的话说，是爱惜您家。老六也真是，有本事跑到这种地方把我找到，就连人家的姓名都冇搞清楚。
毛芋头说的是牟兴国，其实，牟兴国来过穆勉之的山寨，只是毛芋头不记得罢了。
“是唦是唦，那个把妈的自己也说他就是姓么，您家说怪不怪，我们弟兄伙的这多年在汉口，都冇听说过还有姓么的。”
也怪不得毛芋头，汉口话“牟”与“么”同音。
毛芋头似乎找到香源了，他把脸车到浴室的方向，就停住了，鼻子狠劲地连吸了几下，咝咝有声。穆勉之这才注意到，浴室里的水声没有了。想是里头已冲洗完毕，正在上妆，故而才弄出这么浓郁的味道来。
“不错，老六底下不行，高头看来还比以前进步了。可得，总还是一种享受啵，还不算是个整残废。”暗自夸奖毛芋头的鼻子顶用之余，穆勉之忽然心血来潮——“呃，老六哇，大哥这就走，去有事。您家要是冇得多的事，不么样忙，就在这里玩。我先走，先走……”穆勉之边说边站起来，眼睛朝毛芋头这边睃。
“哦，噢，那好，也好，大哥，您家先去，我坐一下子，反正也冇得么蛮急的事。”
穆勉之非常失望。他没有看到预期会出现的情况：听了穆勉之叫留下来的话，毛芋头应该忙不迭地站起来，连连摇手，抢在他的前头，逃离这个不是他用武的地方。
失望的感觉还没有消退，又一片疑云盖过来：“呃，个把妈，这才是邪得很咧，老六要在这里玩——他用么事玩咧？”
“叫个么猡呵？”
栾耀祖没有动身子，只是在吐出一口轻烟，呷了一口浓茶之后，趁专司烧烟泡的师傅剔烟枪的当口，才略微动了动嘴皮子。
“姓穆，您家，是汉口的大商家，叫穆勉之。”
看来，这个管通报传信的，被穆勉之塞了个不轻的“红包”，为穆勉之通报名姓特别耐烦。
“姓母？还姓公咧！哪有这样的个猡姓呢？汉口的大商家，老子么样就冇听说有个猡姓母的！”
报信的和剔烟枪的师傅对了一眼，剔烟枪的又低头用烟钎子去通那个早就通了的烟嘴子，报信的就继续说：“是穆桂英的穆，您家。是汉口禁烟局的咧，您家……看样子，很带了点好货来了，您家！”
“哦噢，穆桂英的后人哪，你么不早说咧！带不带货来有么要紧咧，看你个猡日的么样在说话！该说的，你把个猡嘴巴子夹得蛮紧，不该说的咧，你那嘴巴子又像老母鸡的屁眼，不晓得有几松！请那母么事进来唦！”
栾耀祖早就忘记汉口禁烟局还有个什么姓穆的局长了。虽然，他曾经“吃”过这个局长一次“黑”。
正说到这里，烧烟师傅刚好把烟枪整顿好，一颗泡子正在烟灯上恰到好处地鼓泡泡：“栾大人，好了，正好，老爷，您家快点接到！”
栾耀祖赶忙把还要往外蹦的“渣滓”收住。他毕竟只有一张嘴巴。
里头真暗。
在穆勉之看来，这完全不是办公的地方。如果要说是一间昏暗的香烟缭绕的佛堂，倒还更能让人相信。有好一阵子，穆勉之看不出香烟来自何处。整个房间，被严严实实笼罩在烟雾里。隐约中，可以感觉到有人，或者说是有些憧憧的影子。
很不真实。如果，穆勉没有思想准备，或者，穆勉之本人不是经营鸦片生意，不是看惯了瘾君子吞云吐雾的众生相，那么，他很可能会产生已经来到九泉之下阴曹地府阎罗殿前的恐怖。
“来的……可是……穆勉之……先生？”
烟障深处，一个断断续续的声音传出来。听得出来，发出这声音的人，中气严重不足，阴阳两虚。穆勉之年轻习武，对跌打损伤养元固本一类的名堂，多少晓得一些。
“噢，督军大人，您家好唦？在下穆勉之，专程看望您家。”
穆勉之的眼睛稍微有些适应这里的亮度了。他隐隐约约看到不远处的矮榻上歪着一具骷髅样的人影子。凭在汉口听说过的印象，晓得这就是统治中国偌大一个省份的大督军栾耀祖。
“在下托您家的信赖，做着禁烟的差事。在下公务上免不了要收缴鸦片，在下和手下的弟兄，有是有些眼水，总还是难免失手弄错咧，您家。晓得您家是精通烟土鉴定的大行家，今日特地带了点，您家有空的时节，慢慢地鉴定。”
“哈哈，下官还有这样的名声？哈哈，穆先生，作为商人，真正难得你会说话，会说话呀！”也许是及时地又吸了一颗泡子，栾耀祖的声音听来有力多了。“算了，穆先生，我们还是抄近赶直，猡日的莫绕弯子。老子就是喜欢吸两口，就这样说，冇得么关系的。你带来的东西，老子顶喜欢。说，你今日来，到底有么事？”
“哟哟，大人，真的，就是来看望您家，真的冇得么别的事……”
烟雾稍稍有些薄了。穆勉之朝周围看了看。虽然看得不是很清楚，但晓得很有几个人。
“莫看，看个么猡？有么事，尽管就这样说。都是老子跟前的人。”
穆勉之眼睛下意识的一扫描，竟被歪在烟榻上的栾耀祖注意到了。
“噢，噢，是这样，您家们这边有个叫牟兴国的参议，也托在下送了一块土来了。说是想请在下顺便在大人面前说几句'圆范'话。在下听说这位老兄最近跟您家有点，嘿嘿，有点那个，就留了个心。用只猫子试了一下，猫子还冇闻到两口，就伸了胯子……”
“呵？呵！么事，么事呵？个猡日的，想这种坏心思来害老子？”烟枪还在嘴里含着，栾耀祖就一个打挺坐起来。旁边烧泡子的师傅，连忙一伸手，把烟灯端起来，凑拢去。
babble?都说这个把妈的栾耀祖是要烟不要命，也不一定全对呀。你看，听说人家要他的命，暂时还是把烟搁到旁边了么。
“穆先生，多谢了。麻烦您家过江去，对侦缉处的张处长说，要他办这桩事……哦，算了，本督军还是正经地下个公文去。”
栾耀祖狠劲地把这颗泡子化成一团浓烟之后，终于离开了烟具。瘾过足了，又有了性命之忧的刺激，栾督军头脑活络，思维敏捷，口齿清楚，表现出少有的大将风采——“这样，穆先生，本督军跟你，也不收着藏着说，你立的这一大功，就用免购军需券抵了。再咧，只要本督军还在这里歪着，汉口禁烟局的事，就还该你管。本督军晓得，汉口猡日的生意人，都猡日的跟老子作对，都一个个跑的跑，躲的躲。你咧，也跑出去算了。不然，你要得罪汉口一大帮猡日的，以后不好做生意。
做生意，冇得人抬着做，是做不成的。本督军晓得你的心思。 "
这棵枸树，用它阔密的绿叶挑起了一肩初夏的阳光。一只急躁的蝉，不晓得躲在哪一片叶子底下，唱得声嘶力竭。
王利发扭头朝枸树叶丛中瞄了一眼，皱了皱眉头，旋又舒展开，舀了满满一碗牛骨头汤，浮在上头的红彤彤的辣椒油，快要漫出来了。
凡事有利就有弊。有树遮荫，自然是好，但就免不了有些虫子。不过咧，有点虫子也是好事。热闹唦。再说咧，虫子也是命哦，都要活哦。这样大的个世界，这么多的拐家伙都活着，就容不得几条虫子？汉口人称坏人为“拐人”，以此类推，坏也就是拐人。至于称自己的兄辈人为“拐子辈”或“拐子”，就有相当于“兄长”、“哥哥”一类亲近、亲切的意思了。
王利发小心翼翼地端着这碗汤，朝店堂一瞥。老叫花子正在和一个丑得要死的男将说话。他就有意地捱了一捱，不慌着为老叫花子端上去。
王利发从来就不认为自己是个长得有看相的男人。可是，尽管没有看相，总不至于长得蛮讨人嫌。
对自己的长相，王利发一向自卑。但看到和老叫花子说话的这个男人，他的自我感觉就好多了：你看这个男将唦，一只眼睛的眼皮子不晓得么样竟扯得那么老高。我的个老天爷，么样活下来了的哟。人的眼睛，除非睡着了，是要不停眨的唦！个把妈这遭孽的杂种，么样眨呢？随么样眨都是白眨了的。还有他的个嘴巴，也不晓得是么样长的，豁得那样狠。嘿嘿，个把妈，还上下一起豁！这么样吃饭咧？那还不一天到晚不停地流涎？babble!老子真还说对了，你看你看，真的在流，真的在流咧！遭孽，这晓得要费几多条幅子抹哟！王利发顺手摸摸袖口。那里，王玉霞每天为他放一条幅子——白手巾。不管用不用得着，时不时地摸出来，白生生的，表示你这人爱干净。做熟食行业的，顶讲爱干净的。他记得王玉霞不止一回这样嘱咐。唉，这个把妈的娘老子，真不是东西，么样只做出个人胚子，就慌忙急火地送到世界上来了呢？真是，丢汉口男将的丑。老叫花子哟，老哥哥，您家不是蛮讲究开眼睛荤，讲究一莫让嘴巴子吃亏、二莫让眼珠子吃亏的么，么样和一个这样丑的人说这半天咧？哦，总算是说完了！
王利发伸手摸摸碗沿，还烫得很。到底是天道热了，汤难得冷：“老哥哥，您家今日还喝不喝哦？”
“哪个说我不喝了哇？活了几十年，还想再活几十年咧。”汉口话喝、活不分。
大声打完哈哈，老叫花子压低了声音，“伙计，注点意哟，就是刚才和老哥子说话的丑八怪，像是个探子咧兄弟，像是在打探您家的底子咧。我跟狗日的说，您家冇得伢，连个伢苗都冇得。怕是冲小山来的……哼哼，过来了。”
“老板，生意……好……哇！”拉眼朝这边移了一张桌子。他长得实在是遭孽。
年纪轻轻的，哪个不想好看呢！大庭广众之中，拉眼还是很苦恼的。他要不停地揩嘴巴，不停地用很大的劲眨眼睛皮。这样不停的努力，也还只是个体力劳动，不算是难事。困难在于，所有的努力，并不能改变自己的形象。张腊狗也有些体谅他，很少派他的外差。拉眼经常在汉口大旅馆里侍候，也算是张腊狗把困难留给自己吧。这次出来暗访，以证实黄素珍说的是真是假，张腊狗考虑只有拉眼最合适。在张腊狗看来，像拉眼这样的长相，是不会有人怀疑他是探子的。张腊狗哪里晓得会碰到老叫花子这样的眼睛呢。
“托福托福，您家！您家要点么事？小店冇得么多的东西卖，酱肉包子、素菜包子、豆沙包子，外加牛骨头汤咧，您家。东西的样数是不多，嘿嘿，您家，味口还可得，十几年了咧，您家！”王利发眼睛看着对面的墙，把抹布一抖，不停地在拉眼跟前抹去抹来，动作做得很大。抹布很湿，抹到之处，不仅没有产生干净的效果，反而留下一路不尴不尬的水珠子。王利发还从来没有这样做过。用这种大开大阖的动作抹桌子，无疑是赶客人走。他很希望对面的墙上出现点什么奇迹，哪怕上头有两只苍蝇做那种事，也比看这个丑得喊娘的家