Chapter 2 Chapter two

Manzhen recovered from illness, and on the first day back to the office, Shuhui happened to be invited to dinner that day - a colleague lost a bet with him on the host and invited him to eat Western food.It was the first time that Manzhen and Shijun went out to eat alone.At first, I felt very uncomfortable. Shuhui seemed to be the soul of their small group. Without him, it immediately became quiet, and only the sound of bowls and lanterns could be heard. The business in this small restaurant is also very deserted today, the accountant woman is sitting on the counter with nothing to do, she can't stop shooting towards them.Maybe this is just Shijun's psychological effect, it seems that people pay special attention to them today.The woman was probably the proprietress here, with permed hair and a few thin bangs on her forehead.I always see her knitting wool there, knitting a big red sweater.The weather was warmer today, so she changed into a short-sleeved two-blue bamboo cloth cheongsam, revealing a large section of fat and white arms, pressing on the big red wool, which was bright and eye-catching.There is also an emerald green burnt bracelet on his arm.Shijun smiled and said to Manzhen: "It's really warm today." Manzhen said: "It's really hot." As he said that, he took off his coat.

Shijun said: "I saw your younger brother that day." Manzhen said with a smile: "That is my youngest brother." Shijun said: "How many sisters do you have?" Manzhen said with a smile: "There are six in total. " Shijun said: "Are you the biggest?" Manzhen said: "No, I am the second." Shijun said: "I thought you were the biggest." Manzhen said with a smile: "Why?" Shijun said: "Because you seem to be used to being an older sister since you were young, and you always take care of others." Manzhen smiled.There were circles of hot teacup marks on the table, she drew circles along the white marks with her fingers, and said while drawing, "I guess you must be an only son." Shijun smiled and said, "Oh? Because you think I’m pampered and spoiled, don’t you?” Manzhen didn’t answer him, but said, “Even if you have sisters, you only have sisters, and you don’t have brothers or brothers.” Shijun laughed and said, “I just guessed Wrong, I have an older brother, but he has passed away." He briefly told her about the family members, except for his father and mother, there was only one sister-in-law and one nephew, and his family had always lived in Nanjing, but he was not from Nanjing. .He asked where she was from, and she said she was from Lu'an Prefecture.Shijun said: "That's the place where the tea is produced, have you been there?" Manzhen said: "I went there once when my father was buried." Shijun said: "Oh, your father is no longer there " Manzhen said: "He died when I was fourteen years old."

Having said that, she has reached the edge of her secret.Shijun didn't believe that she had anything to hide from others at all, but at this moment there was an air of silence that forced him to admit the existence of this secret.But if she didn't tell him, he would never ask.And to be honest, he kind of didn't want to know.Could it be that what Shu Hui guessed is possible—this situation seems to be worse than what Shu Hui thought.And she is such a simple and lovely person on the surface, it is unimaginable. He pretended to be leisurely, and took a chopstick to eat the food, but the food fell into his mouth.Wood skin, no taste at all.He picked up a bottle of ketchup and wanted to pour some, but things like ketchup have always been like this, they can be poured for a long time without being able to pour it out, and there is a big pile when it comes out.When he saw it, it was too much, and it was so red that it covered a bowl of rice.The proprietress at the counter cast another sharp look at the table next to them; this time, it was not out of kind concern.

Manzhen didn't notice this.She seemed determined to tell him about her family situation.After being silent for a while, she said with a smile: "My father used to work in a bookstore. There are so many people in the family, including my grandmother, and they live on his little salary. Once my father dies, The family is really terrible. At that time, we were not sensible, only my sister was older. Since then, our family has been relying on my sister alone." Hearing this, Shijun also understood a little up. Manzhen continued to talk, saying: "My sister hadn't graduated from middle school at the time, and she wanted to go out to work. What can she do? Even if she can find a job, the money won't be much, and it won't be enough for her to support her family. The only way is to be a dancing girl.” Shijun said: “That’s okay, dancing girls have all kinds of things, and they all care about themselves.” Manzhen paused for a moment, then smiled and said: “Of course dancing girls also have good ones. But in that way, you can't support a big family!" Shi Jun had nothing to say.Manzhen continued: "Anyway, once you start this path, it will always be a downhill road, unless the person is particularly cunning—my sister is not that kind of person, she is actually very honest." Shijun heard that her voice was already choked, and he couldn't think of anything to comfort her for a while, so he just smiled and said, "Don't be sad." Look for weeds in the rice, and pick them out one by one.After a while, he suddenly said, "Don't tell Shuhui." Shijun responded.He hadn't planned to tell Shu Hui.Not because of anything else, but because he couldn't explain how Manzhen told him all these things.She knew Shuhui before she met him, but she didn't tell Shuhui.At this time, Manzhen also thought of this level, and felt that what she said just now was very inappropriate, so she blushed again.Yin said: "Actually, I have always wanted to tell him, and I don't know why—I never said it." Shijun nodded and said: "I think it's okay if you tell Shuhui, he will understand. Your sister It was a sacrifice for the family, and there was no other way."

Manzhen has always been most afraid of mentioning these things in her family.This day she made an exception and said so many things to Shijun, when she went home that day, she felt very gloomy.The house where her family lives now was built by someone when her sister lived with him.Later, I separated from that person and did not come out to do it again.She has transformed into a second-way courtesan, which is more affordable, but her worth is not as good as before.She was always happy to be mistaken for a dancer at times. When Manzhen walked into the alley, her youngest brother, Jiemin, was kicking shuttlecock in the alley. When he saw her, he called out, "Second Sister, Mom is back!" Their mother went to her hometown to visit the grave before Ching Ming Festival.Manzhen was very happy to hear that he was back.She walked in through the back door, and her brother kicked the shuttlecock all the way in and followed.The little eldest sister, Bao, is opening beer in the kitchen, and there are two large glasses on the table.Manzhen frowned and said to her younger brother: "Hey, be careful, don't smash anything! If you want to kick it, go outside."

Po is there to open a beer, and there are always guests here.At the same time, she heard a radio singing very loudly, so she knew that her sister's door was open.She stood at the kitchen door and looked in, but didn't go in directly.Abao then said: "No one, Mr. Wang didn't come, only his friend named Zhu, who has been here for a while." Jiemin added next to him: "Here, it's the one who smiles like a cat, Don’t laugh at the man who looks like a mouse.” Manzhen couldn’t help but chuckled, and said: “Nonsense! How can a person be like a cat and a mouse at the same time.” Then, she walked in from the kitchen, passing by her sister Manlu room, quickly up the stairs.

Man Lu was not in the room, but she was on the phone at the stairs.Her voice was as piercing, delicate, and roof-shattering as the singing voice on the radio.She said loudly: "Are you coming or not? If you don't come, be careful!" She stood there with a phone book hanging under the phone. She grabbed the heavy phone book and shook it again and again, her body followed The momentum twisted twice.She was wearing a long cheongsam of apple green soft satin, which was probably new, but there was a faint black handprint on the waist, which was made by the sweat of someone's hand when dancing.Such a light black handprint suddenly appeared on the clothes, but it looked a little scary.Her hair was disheveled and hadn't been combed yet, but her face was covered in all stage makeup, bright red, jet black, and blue ointment around her eyes. Although she looked beautiful from a distance, she felt hideous when viewed up close.Manzhen passed her by on the stairs, feeling a little dazed, and could no longer believe that this was her sister.Man Lu was talking on the phone: "Old Zhu came early, I've been waiting for you for a long time! -Fart! I want him to accompany me! -Thank you, no one wanted me in my previous life, and I don't need you to be my matchmaker! ’ she laughed.She had only recently adopted that laugh, laughing out loud, as if someone had tickled her there.Strangely, however, the laughter was not so provocative; on the contrary, there was something old about it.Manzhen was really afraid of hearing that voice.

Manzhen hurried upstairs.Upstairs is a whole other world.Her mother sat in the room, surrounded by baskets, bundles, and bedrolls.While her mother was arranging things, she was talking to her grandmother about the situation after the farewell.Manzhen went forward and called "Mom".Her mother responded with a grin, and looked directly at her face with her eyes, as if she had something to say, but she didn't say it.Manzhen felt a little strange.Her grandmother said beside her: "Manzhen had a cold and fever two days ago, and she slept for two days." Her mother said, "No wonder she lost weight." As she spoke, she looked at her again with a smile on her face.Manzhen asked about the situation on the grave, and her mother told her with a sigh that she hadn't been back for several years, and the trees had been cut down, and the grave watchers didn't care.After counting for a while, I suddenly remembered to say to Manzhen's grandmother: "Didn't Mom always want to eat something from my hometown? This time, in addition to tea, I also brought some baked cakes, sesame cakes, and fried rice noodles." " As he spoke, he rustled around in the basket, and said to Manzhen: "Didn't you all like fried rice noodles when you were young?"

Manzhen's grandmother said she wanted to find an airtight biscuit tin to hold the cakes in the next room. As soon as she left, Manzhen's mother went to the desk, cleaned up the things on the table, and said "I'm not at home, you're sick again, and a few kids ruined the place." Under the glass of the desk are a few small photos, which were taken by Manzhen last time in the suburbs. Zhang was standing side by side with Shuhui, and Shuhui was alone—she put away Shijun's one instead of putting it outside.Manzhen's mother bent down to look at it, and asked casually, "Where did you take this photo?" Pointing to Shuhui, she asked, "Who is this?" After saying these words, he immediately stared at her with piercing eyes to see if there was any change in the expression on her face.It was only then that Manzhen understood why her mother always looked at her with a smile like that just now.Probably my mother saw these two photos as soon as she came back. Although they were very ordinary photos, she pinned her infinite hopes on them.It's ridiculous and pitiful for parents to plan for their children.

Manzhen just smiled at that time, and replied: "This is a colleague. The surname is Xu, Xu Shuhui." Her mother looked at the look on her face, but she couldn't see why, so she didn't ask any more questions at that time.Manzhen said, "Does my sister know that Mom is back?" Her mother nodded and said, "She came up just now, and then she went down when a visitor came. ——But the one surnamed Wang came?" Manzhen Zhen said: "Then Mr. Wang didn't come, right? But this person is also a member of their group." Her mother sighed, and said: "The group of people she is crushing now are getting more and more unseemly, downright obscene. People are getting worse and worse now!" Her mother only felt that the character of Man Lu's guests was deteriorating, but she didn't think that it was because of Man Lu's deteriorating condition.Thinking of this, Manzhen became even more silent.

Her mother mixed some bowls of fried rice noodles with boiling water, gave a bowl to her grandmother, and said, "Where's Jiemin? He just wanted to have some snacks." Manzhen said, "He's kicking shuttlecock downstairs." " She went down to call him, and when she reached the stairs, she saw that he was standing at the bottom of the stairs, hanging on to the railing, looking into Manlu's room.Manzhen became anxious, and shouted in a low voice: "Hey! What are you doing?" Jiemin said: "I kicked a shuttlecock into it." Manzhen said: "You won't tell Abao to tell her to go in. It's time to bring it out for you." The two were talking softly, and suddenly the guest in Man Lu's room appeared, it was the one surnamed Zhu, named Zhu Hongcai.He was slender, with thin shoulders and a narrow neck, and he wore a medium-sized overcoat.He stood at the door with his hips akimbo, and when he saw Manzhen, he nodded and called "Second Miss" with a smile.Probably he has been paying attention to her all the time, so he knows that she is Manlu's younger sister.It's not that Manzhen has never seen this person before, but when he saw him today, he couldn't help but think of what Jiemin said about him, saying that he looks like a cat when he laughs, and like a mouse when he doesn't laugh.He has a serious face now, with small eyes and a pointed mouth, and he really looks like a mouse.She almost laughed out loud, tried her best to hold back, but still smiled and nodded to him.Zhu Hongcai didn't know why she expressed her affection for him like this today.When she smiled, of course he smiled too; when she smiled, she immediately turned into a cat face.Manzhen couldn't stand it any longer at this moment, so she immediately turned back and ran upstairs.In Zhu Hongcai's eyes, it was regarded as a kind of coquettish shyness. He stood at the foot of the stairs, feeling a little fascinated. He returned to Manlu's room and asked, "Does your second miss have a boyfriend?" Manlu said, "Why are you asking about this?" Hongcai smiled and said, "Don't get me wrong, I don't mean anything else, she If I don't have a boyfriend, can I introduce her?" Man Lu snorted and said, "Among your friends are there good people? They are not good things!" Hongcai laughed and said, "Aiyo, aiyo, Why are you so angry today? I think you are still angry with Lao Wang there?" Man Lu suddenly said: "Tell me honestly, is Lao Wang getting involved with Fei Na again?" Hongcai said, "Why should I Do you know? You didn’t hand over Lao Wang to me.” Manlu ignored him, stifled a cigarette she was smoking, and muttered to herself, "I have a good appetite too—Fina looks like that, with raised lips, swollen eyes, and two legs like a Japanese, And there is no neck—people say 'white cover all ugliness', but I think it's still 'one year young covers all ugliness'!" She walked to the dressing table resentfully, picked up a mirror and took a look at herself.The result of looking in the mirror is to put on makeup again.The makeup on her face needs to be repaired at any time. She is quite indifferent to Hongcai, but he always stays there and doesn't leave.There was a photo album on the table, and he dragged it over and flipped through it.There is a four-inch half-length photo of a girl with a round face, wearing two short braids.Hongcai smiled and said, "When did your sister take this picture? She still has braids!" Man Lu glanced at the photo album, and said annoyedly, "Where is this my sister?" Hongcai said, "Then who is it?" What?" Man Lu paused for a while, before she sneered and said, "You don't know me at all? I don't believe that I will become so powerful!" When she said the last two words, her voice was shaking. Changed, a little scratchy.Hongcai suddenly came to his senses, and said with a smile, "Oh, it's you?" He looked at her carefully, then at the photo, horizontally and vertically, and said, "Ah! To put it bluntly, it does look a bit similar." What he said was very casual, but it was also irritating to her.Man Lu didn't make a sound, she still applied her lipstick in the mirror, but she did so very slowly.The lips are opened, and the air of breathing is sprayed on the mirror. After a long time, a layer of fog forms on the mirror.She wiped it impatiently with a row of fingers, then resumed her lipstick. Hongcai was still studying the photo, and suddenly asked, "Is your sister still studying there?" Man Lu just snorted vaguely, and didn't bother to answer him.Hongcai said again: "Actually——as she is like, if I go out to do it, I will definitely do it." Man Lu slammed the mirror on the table and said loudly: "Stop talking nonsense, I have eaten this bowl of rice, Is my family destined to eat this bowl of rice? You are called looking at people through the cracks of doors, you look down on people!" Hongcai laughed and said, "What's wrong today? I will lose my temper when I touch it. It's my bad luck, just right When you are unhappy." Man Lu gave him a sideways look, and picked up the mirror again.Hongcai salivated and leaned behind her, and said with a low laugh, "You are so beautifully dressed, do you want to go out?" Manlu didn't evade, turned her head and smiled at him, and said, "Where are you going? Are you treating me?" Shi Hongcai, just like Manzhen just now, saw Manlu's stage makeup at a very close distance, her face was colorful, with two bright red cheeks, and two black eye circles.However, instead of feeling terrified, Hongcai felt a little ecstasy, which shows how different people's viewpoints are. That day she went out to eat with her, came back together, fooled around until midnight and left, Man Lu had the habit of eating late at night, A Bao warmed up some fried steamed buns and brought them in.While Manlu was eating, she suddenly heard footsteps upstairs. She guessed that her mother must be still awake. She and her mother rarely had a chance to talk. She was holding a plate of fried steamed buns and wearing a A black satin bathrobe embroidered with yellow dragons came upstairs.Sure enough, her mother sat alone under the lamp and unwrapped the bed.Man Lu said: "Mom, you are really - go to work on this again at this time! Aren't you tired after riding the train all day?" Her mother said: "I took this quilt with me when I went out, so I have to take it down and wash it , take advantage of the fine weather these two days." Man Lu let her mother eat raw fried steamed buns, she took a bite of a steamed bun, and suddenly looked left and right under the lamp suspiciously, the meat filling was red.She said: "Damn it! This meat is still raw!" Looking again, even the white skin was dyed red, and only then did I realize that it was the lipstick on her mouth. Her mother and Manzhen shared a room.Manlu looked at Manzhen's bed and asked softly: "Is she asleep?" Her mother said: "I fell asleep a long time ago. She wakes up early in the morning." Manlu said: "Second sister is now this age; Ordinarily, she is a girl, so it is not good to live with me, people will tell. I hope she finds a suitable person, and it would be better if she gets married earlier." Her mother sighed and said: "Who said it wasn't?" Her mother really wanted to tell her about the beautiful young man in the photo at this time, but even her mother felt that Manzhen and her were people from two different worlds, so it's better not to let her know about it for the time being.In another day, ask Manzhen himself carefully. After all, Manzhen's marital problems were relatively easy to solve.Her mother said: "She is still young after all, so it doesn't matter if you wait another two years, but you, I am anxious about your affairs." Man Lu lowered her face and said, "Leave my affairs alone!" Her mother said: "I can't control you, I just said so! You are so old, there is no way to do this job, can you still do it for the rest of your life? You have to have a plan!" Man Lu said "I'm still living one day at a time. If I look forward, I won't live anymore!" Her mother said, "Oh, what are you talking about?" He wiped his tears with a large handkerchief and said, "It was I who harmed you. If it weren't for me and your brothers and sisters, you wouldn't have ended up like this. Let me think for you. Your brothers and sisters have all grown up. In the future, each of them will go to their own business—" Man Lu cut off her words impatiently, and said: "They are all grown up and don't need me anymore, so they think I'm ashamed, don't they? That's why they want me to marry People! Tell me to marry someone at this time, who are you asking me to marry?" Her mother was so angry that she couldn't answer her words, and said after a long while: "Look at you child, I'm kind Advise you, you are so ignorant of good and evil!" Both fell silent, except for the snorting of the sleeping person in the next room and the snoring of the grandmother.Most older people snore. Her mother suddenly said quietly: "This time when I went back to the countryside, I heard that Zhang Mujin is doing well now and has become the director of the hospital in the county." When she mentioned the word Zhang Mujin, she felt a little timid, because of the name It has not been mentioned between their mother and daughter for many years.Manlu had been engaged before.When she was seventeen, two relatives from their hometown took refuge in Shanghai because of the unrest in the area, and stayed at their home.It's a relative of her grandmother, surnamed Zhang, a lady with a boy.When Mrs. Zhang saw Manlu, she liked her very much, and wanted her to be her daughter-in-law.Mrs. Zhang's son is named Mu Jin.Although Man Lu and Mu Jin didn't express anything about this marriage, it seemed that they were very willing.So engaged.Later, Mrs. Zhang went back to the countryside, and Mu Jin still stayed in Shanghai to study and lived in the dormitory. Man Lu and him have been writing letters and seeing each other often.Until her father died later, she went out to be a dancer, and then they broke up the engagement, which was proposed by her side. Now when her mother suddenly mentioned him, she didn't say a word as if she didn't hear her.Her mother looked at her, as if she didn't want to say anything, but she couldn't help but said, "I heard that he hasn't married yet." Man Lu suddenly laughed and said, "So what if he isn't married?" , will he still want me now? Mom, you are so clueless, why are you still thinking about him?" She said such a long list in one breath, stood up, pushed the chair, and slipped on her slippers went downstairs.Pata pata, the sound of footsteps was very heavy.As a result, her grandmother stopped snoring and asked Manlu's mother, "What's the matter?" Her mother replied, "It's nothing." Her grandmother said, "Why aren't you sleeping?" Her mother said: "I'll go to bed right away." Then she cleaned up her work and got ready to go to bed. When I was about to go to bed, I searched and searched again, and I couldn't find something.Manzhen couldn't help but said on the bed: "Mom, your slippers are on the box behind the door. I put them there. I'm afraid they will sweep the floor and dust them." Her mother said: "Hey, you Haven’t fallen asleep yet?” Manzhen said: “I’ve been awake for a long time.” Her mother said: “I woke you up by talking to my sister, right?” Manzhen said: “No, I’m because of the two days I slept too much when I was sick, and I’m not sleepy at all today.” Her mother brought the slippers and put them in front of the bed, turned off the light and went to bed. When she heard the grandmother snore again and again in the room over there, the mother sighed again in the dark, and said to Manzhen: "What you heard just now, I persuaded her to choose someone to marry, and this is serious! After persuading her, she lost her temper like this with me." Manzhen remained silent for a while, and then said: "Mom, don't say these things to my sister in the future. It’s gone. It’s hard for my sister to get married now.” However, things in the world are often unexpected.Less than two weeks after this, news spread that Man Lu was going to get married.It was A Bao, the young lady who served her, who said it.The upper and lower floors of their house have always been separated, and almost all her mother knows about her is from A Bao.This time when I heard that she was going to marry Zhu Hongcai, Ah Bao said that this person lived on the exchange like Mr. Wang, but he had been with Mr. Wang all the time, and he had no money himself. Her mother originally planned to take an indifferent attitude, because she had lost her temper when she showed concern for her last time, so don't make trouble this time.However, when Manzhen came home one day, her mother told her quietly: "I asked her today." Manzhen smiled and said, "Hey, didn't you say you didn't plan to ask?" Her mother said: "Well, I just said that to her last time. I'm afraid that she will find someone to marry indiscriminately out of anger. It's not that I'm going to be picky at this time, it's just because she has been with people before. I have done it twice, with no beginning and no end. I always hope that she will not be fooled by others this time. Since the surname Zhu said she has no money, what is she greedy for him? Didn't you marry a wife?" She paused at this point, and lowered her head to brush off the clothes on her body, carefully removing the two sticky threads from the sleeves one by one. Manzhen asked, "What did she say?" Her mother said slowly, "She said he had a wife in the country, but he never went back. He has been alone in Shanghai. He bought another home. Now if his relationship with Manlu is successful, he will never treat her as his concubine. She thinks he is reliable—at least she can hold him. His money I don’t have much money, the expenses of a family like ours can still afford—” Manzhen heard this silently, and couldn’t help interjecting: “Mom, no matter what happens in the future, I will pay for the expenses of the family. Sister Why did you support me to study in the past, and I can’t replace her even now?” Her mother said: “That’s not bad, your salary is not enough, it doesn’t matter if we save a little, the younger ones are still worth it. I want to go to school, how much should I pay for this tuition?" Manzhen said: "Mom, don't worry, there will always be a way. I can find something to do, and if my sister leaves, the servant can also use it. It doesn’t matter, the house at home doesn’t need so much, and it can be rented out, so it doesn’t matter if we squeeze a little.” Her mother nodded and said, “That’s all right, it’s just a little bitter, and I feel better. Honestly Said, I use your sister's money, I really feel bad. I can't think about it, and I feel uncomfortable when I think about it." At this point, my throat choked up.Manzhen forced a smile and said: "Mom, you really are! Isn't my sister better now?" Her mother said: "She can marry someone well now. Of course, there is nothing better. Of course, she should make do with it. But what I mean is that it doesn't matter if she has money or not. Stubborn temper, how can we get along well? Now this surname is Zhu, that’s what I don’t agree with.” Manzhen said: “Don’t tell her!” Her mother said: “I won’t tell, wait For a while, I still think that I dislike the poor and love the rich." The two people downstairs are already discussing the marriage procedures.What Man Lu meant was that she must get married formally, which made Zhu Hongcai feel very embarrassed.Man Lu became angry, the two of them were sitting on the same chair, she stood up and said: "You have to understand, I didn't marry you for your money, you don't give me any face! "She plopped down on a sofa. She had a habit of pulling her feet up and curling up on the sofa as soon as she sat down.Wearing a pair of purple velvet slippers trimmed with white rabbit fur on her feet, she lowered her head and twisted her body, stroking the rabbit fur with her hands, like stroking a cat.Touching his shoes, he made a resentful expression on his face. Hongcai didn't dare to look at her, just scratched his head, and said: "I don't know what you treat me with, but we don't care about it if we are good." Man Lu said: "You don't care, I care! For the whole life, you plan to invite two tables of wine and forget it?" Hongcai said: "Of course, we have to keep it as a souvenir. How about this? Let's take two wedding photos—" Man Lu said: "Who wants to take pictures?" That kind of crappy photo - ten yuan, there is a ready-made wedding dress in the photo studio to lend you to wear, the total is ten yuan, and there are even wedding gauze balls. Your calculation is too smart!" Hongcai said "I'm not doing it to save money. I think it's too ostentatious to get married like that." Man Lu became more and more angry, and said, "Why is it too ostentatious? Unless you feel embarrassed to formally marry a low-down woman like me, what's wrong with you?" My friends laughed. Isn’t that right, I guess that’s what you have in mind!” He was telling her exactly what was on his mind, but he still had to argue, saying, “Don’t be suspicious, I’m not afraid of other things, you have to know, This is a crime of bigamy!" Man Lu turned her head, and said, "Bigamy, as long as that woman in your country doesn't speak - didn't you say she can't control you?" Hongcai said: "She absolutely I don't dare to do anything, I'm afraid that people from her natal family will come out and talk." Man Lu sneered and said, "Since you are so afraid, why don't you settle down early. Even if we didn't say what we said before, why don't you talk to me here? Don't come!" After seeing her like this, Hongcai softened. He paced up and down the room with his hands behind his back, saying, "Okay, okay, okay, as you please. There are no other conditions, right? There are no other conditions." , let's 'knock'!" Man Lu chuckled and said, "This is not about business." When she smiled, the two of them beamed again.Although both parties felt aggrieved and felt that they were condescending, they were beaming anyway. The next day, Manzhen came home, and as soon as she entered, Ah Bao invited her to the eldest lady's room.She found that the whole family gathered in her sister's room, and Zhu Hongcai was there too, busily chasing her mother to call her "Mom".As soon as he saw Manzhen, he said, "Second Miss, I'm going to call you Second Sister now." He changed into a suit today.Although it was his first time to wear a suit, he was quite skilled in his posture. He kept his two thumbs in the trouser pockets on both sides, and opened the front of his clothes, revealing a gold watch chain hanging on his chest.He called Manzhen "Second Sister", but she just smiled and nodded as a greeting, and didn't call him brother-in-law.Although Hongcai yearns for her very much, he feels very restrained when he meets her, and has nothing to say to her. Manlu's room was the most exquisitely furnished room in the whole house. Later, she walked to a wardrobe, knocked on the wood, and said to her mother with a smile: "Her furniture is not bad. I will accompany her out today." She looked at the wooden wares several times, but she didn't like it, in fact, there are all these goods outside now, if it is the same as in this room, the price is not right now!" Hearing this, Manlu felt very unhappy, and was about to speak, Her mother was afraid that she would get angry with her uncle again because of this, so she hurriedly said: "Actually, you don't need to buy the furniture in your bedroom, just use what's in this room. I don't have anything else to accompany you, I'm ashamed " Hongcai laughed and said, "Where is that, what are you talking about, Mom?" Man Lu only said lightly: "Let's talk about it. The furniture is not busy anyway, and the house has not been found yet." Her mother said: " After you leave, I plan to rent out the room downstairs, and there is nowhere to put all these furniture, so you should take them with you." Man Lu was startled for a while, and said: "The house here does not need it at all, we will find it Let's live together in a bigger place." Her mother said: "No, we won't go with you anymore. There are so many children in our family, they are all too noisy; you young couple should live alone, it's not good to be quiet. ?" Because Manlu had a bit of resentment in her heart, she thought that her mother might be thinking about her brother's future and wanted to distance herself from her, so she didn't want to live with her, so she didn't insist on it at that time.Hongcai didn't know where to go, she had made an agreement with him first, and he would take care of her family for three generations, so he still had to persuade him: "It's better to live together, and there is also a care. I think Manlu You may not know how to be a housekeeper, but if mom is there, the house can be handed over to mom." Her mother said with a smile: "she will stay at home all day from now on and have nothing to do, and these things of living at home have to be learned. No, learn You can learn it." Her grandmother interjected and said to Hongcai: "Don't look at Manlu as if she doesn't know how to live. When she was young, her mother told her fortune, saying that she would help her husband's luck. Even if you marry a beggar, you can become a great president, not to mention that if you wish your husband to be a rich man, he must be very rich." Hong Cai was very excited when he heard this, and he shook his head triumphantly, walked up to Man Lu, She bent down, smiled face to face with her, and said, "Really? If I don't get rich, I'll find you, ah!" Man Lu pushed him, frowned and said, "Look at you, what do you look like!" Hongcai walked away with a grin, and said to her mother: "Your young lady has seen everything in the world, but the bride has never done it. This time I must have a good time, so I am going to have a lot of fun. Ask the second lady to be the bridesmaid, ask your younger sister to pull the yarn, and each will give a set of clothes." Manzhen felt that his words were really annoying, the whole speech of this man was tasteless, and his appearance was disgusting.She couldn't help but glanced at her sister, who also had a look of shame on her face, as if she was afraid that her family would laugh at her for picking such a husband.Manzhen felt sad when she saw the ashamed expression on her sister's face.