Chapter 4 Chapter Four

They took the morning train to Nanjing.There was a bus from Xiaguan Station to Shijun's home, and it was only around two o'clock in the afternoon when we got home. Every time Shijun comes home, he always feels a little surprised when he walks in the door. He feels that this place is much smaller than the home he remembers, probably because the impression he keeps in his mind is still the impression of his childhood, when he himself Small in stature, it can be seen from his eyes, of course everything is magnified in a circle. His family owned a fur shop, and he lived above the shop.The Shen family is rich now, originally they didn't rely on the income from this leather goods store, but the family is used to frugality, they have been living upstairs of this store for these years, and never thought of moving.The inside of the shop is dark and spacious, and the floor is paved with azurite square bricks.There is a chartered car parked in the back of the store, and there is a square table and two chairs, which are for the store accountant and two older guys to sit and entertain guests there.There are teapots and teacups on the table, and there are two small caps with melon skins covering the table, which seems to have a sense of leisure.When I looked up, there was a skylight above my head, the roof was very high, and it was a two-story house.Surrounded by a walking horse building, the windows of the building are all made of sapphire blue stained glass.

Shijun's mother must have been watching from the window facing the street, and she saw the rickshaw pulled up to the door.As soon as he walked in, his mother yelled down from the walking horse building: "Agen, the second young master is back! Help me get the box!" take over the luggage.Shijun led Shuhui upstairs together.Mrs. Shen greeted her with a smile, asked some questions, and asked the maid to fetch water to wash her face. The food was already prepared and served hot immediately.Mrs. Shen called Shuhui "Master Xu".Shuhui is beautiful and can speak with one mouth, so old ladies will naturally like it when they see her.

Shijun's sister-in-law also came out to meet with her child.Not seen for a year, his sister-in-law has aged a lot.He had heard that she had kidney disease before, Shijun asked her how she was doing recently, and his sister-in-law said she was fine.His mother said: "The young lady has always been fat. But Xiaojian, who is always uncomfortable, has just had a rash these two days." His nephew has always been weak, so he was named Xiaojian because he is not enough. For health's sake.When he saw Shijun, he was a little suspicious. Seeing him as if he was about to cry, the young lady hurriedly said, "Don't cry, grandma will lose her temper if she cries!" Mrs. Shen laughed and said, "What does it look like for grandma to lose her temper?" Xiaojian then made a whining sound, like a dog's roar.Mrs. Shen said again: "What is it like when Mom loses her temper?" He made that whining roar again.Everyone laughed.Shijun thought to himself, now there are only mother and sister-in-law in the family, living with such a child, the elder brother is dead, and the father doesn’t come home very often—it’s equivalent to two generations of widows, and it’s desolate enough. Rely on this child to add a little life to this family.

Xiaojian only appeared in front of people for a few minutes, and Mrs. Shen asked Shuhui, "Master Xu, have you ever had a rash?" Shuhui said, "I have." But it’s better to be careful. Although Xiaojian is already healed, he will still surpass others. Nanny, you should take him away.” Mrs. Shen sat and watched her son eat, and asked them what time they usually go to work, what time they leave work, how they eat, and their daily life.He also asked if there was a fire in the house in winter, and tried hard to persuade Shijun to make a leather robe to wear, and immediately took out all kinds of fine-haired furs for him to choose.After picking it, I still put it away and asked the young lady to help put it in the box.The eldest grandma said: "This kind of squirrel is just right to make a leather cloak for Xiaojian." Mrs. Shen said: "Children can't wear leather for him—it's too angry. Our family's rules have always been like this, Like when Shijun and the others were young, they were not even given silk cotton clothes." The eldest young lady was very upset when she heard this.

Mrs. Shen may have been overexcited today because her son rarely came back. She was in a trance, and she was smiling when she saw the servant, saying "quickly go this way" for a while, and "quickly go that way" for a while. Giving orders seems to be useless for servants. I don't know how to be extravagant and send people around.The eldest young mistress couldn't intervene if she wanted to help.When Shijun saw her mother like this, he didn't know that it was all because of him, he was just a little sad, and felt that his mother was gradually showing signs of aging.

Shijun and Shuhui were discussing which places to visit first, and Mrs. Shen said, "Let's go with Cuizhi. Cuizhi is also on vacation these two days."Shijun immediately said: "No, I have to accompany Shuhui to a place today. Someone asked him to bring two things to Nanjing, and they have to send them to others." Didn't say anything, just told them to come back early and wait for them to eat. Shuhui opened the box and took out the two carrying items, and Mrs. Shen found paper and rope and rewrapped it for him.Shijun was waiting by the side. He was standing in front of the window, and he saw his nephew, who was leaning over the window and waving to him as Second Uncle, across from the walking horse building.Seeing Xiaojian reminded him very much of his childhood.So I think of Shi Cuizhi.Cuizhi and him have known each other since childhood, although they are not childhood sweethearts, he still remembers her very much.On the contrary, happy memories are easy to feel blurred, while heart-piercing things—especially the heart-piercing things when I was a child—are always remembered, and often come to my mind for no reason.

Now he thinks about Cuizhi again.The first time he and Cuizhi met was when his brother got married.When his elder brother got married, he was called the boy holding the ring, and he walked in the front of the wedding procession.Cuizhi was one of two little girls pulling the yarn for the bride.During the practice ceremony, Cuizhi's mother was present to supervise, and she was always picky, thinking that Shijun was walking too fast.Shijun's mother sees Cuizhi, but treats her like a treasure, and drives her to scream, wanting to recognize her as her goddaughter.Shijun didn't know that this was a social strategy, what do children know, seeing his mother love the little girl so much, he couldn't help feeling a little jealous.His mother asked him to take her to play, saying that he was much older than her and should let her go and not bully her.Shijun taught her how to play chess.She was only seven years old at that time, and when I taught her to play chess, she just climbed up and down on the chair, absent-minded.After a while, he lay down on the table again, propped his elbows on the chessboard, rested his cheeks on his hands, stared at him with a pair of dark eyes, and suddenly said: "My mother said that your father is an upstart. Hey!" Shi Jun He was stunned for a moment, then continued to move the chess piece: "I will eat your horse. Why, just hit me with a cannon—" Cuizhi said again: "My mother said that your grandfather is a woolen craftsman." Shijun said : "Eat your bishop. Here, you can get out of the car. - Hit your general!"

Later that day when he returned home, he asked his mother, "Mom, what did grandpa do in the past?" His mother said, "Grandpa ran a fur shop. Isn't he the one who opened this shop?" Shijun didn't do anything for a long time. He said again, "Mom, did grandpa ever work as a woolen craftsman?" His mother glanced at him and said, "Grandpa was originally a craftsman when he didn't open a shop. It's not something embarrassing, and I'm not afraid of people saying it. Yes." However, she suddenly asked sharply: "Who did you hear?" Shijun didn't tell her.Although she said it was nothing embarrassing, her expression and voice had already made him feel deeply ashamed.But what was even more shameful was his mother's flattering attitude towards Cuizhi's mother and daughter.

On the day of Shijun's elder brother's wedding, he went to take wedding photos. The children who pulled the gauze and the children holding the rings had been taken care of by their mothers in advance. When the spotlight came on, he had to be careful not to close his eyes.Later when Shijun saw the wedding photo, Cuizhi's eyes were tightly closed.He felt very happy. He didn't know why in those two years, he didn't grow taller at all, it seemed to have stopped completely.Adults often laugh at him: "Why, you must be holding an umbrella in the house?" Because there is such a taboo, children holding an umbrella in the room will never grow taller.Cuizhi also laughed at his shortness, and said, "You are older than me, why are you about the same height as me? You are still a man. You will definitely be a dwarf when you grow up." When we met again a few years later, he was already a head and a half taller than her. Cuizhi said, "Why are you so thin? You're as thin as a grasshopper." This is probably what her mother said behind her back.

Mrs. Shi has never paid attention to Shijun, but in recent years, because she has seen Cuizhi grow up year by year, her scope of choosing a husband for her daughter was originally limited to the children of their families, but the older The ones are too big, the small ones are too small, and most of these young masters are absurd. It seems that Shijun is the most honest and reliable.Ever since Mrs. Shi had this idea, she often sent Cuizhi to see her cousin, who is Shijun's sister-in-law. Shijun's mother used to say that she would accept Cuizhi as her goddaughter, but it didn't turn out to be true. Now Shijun I heard the words of admitting to be a daughter again, and this time I don't know which side took the initiative.Probably initiated by his sister-in-law.Brothers and sisters are easy to marry—Shijun thought that his mother and sister-in-law might be happy to imagine the possibility of such a marriage in their lonely lives.

On this day, he and Shuhui went out together, and they didn't come back until dark.As soon as his mother saw him, she yelled, "Oh, you've been waiting so desperately!" Shijun laughed and said, "We wouldn't have come back if it wasn't because of the rain." His mother said, "Is it raining?" ——Fortunately, it’s not too big. Cuizhi is coming to dinner.” Shijun said: “Oh?” He was feeling full of displeasure, but at this time Xiaojian walked by the door, clapping his hands and singing: "Second Uncle's girlfriend is coming! Second Uncle's girlfriend is coming!" Hearing this, Shi Jun couldn't help but frowned tightly, and said, "How did you become my girlfriend? What a joke!" Who taught him to say that?" In fact, there is something Shijun doesn't know, of course it was always taught by his sister-in-law.Shijun has been living outside for the past two years, and he is much more sophisticated than before, but for some reason, as soon as he returned home, he became childish again, completely throwing away the little self-cultivation he had honed. up. After a few words like this, he ran to his room angrily.His mother didn't answer, just said: "Mother Chen, send two basins of washing water to wipe the faces of the second young master and the Xu family's young master."Mrs. Shen then whispered to the young mistress: "When Cui Zhi comes, let's not be too explicit, and you don't want to make fun of them, it's better to let them take it easy, otherwise they will become stiff. "Her instructions were superfluous in the first place, the eldest and young mistress is already full of anger, will she still go to make fun of them?The young mistress sneered and said, "Of course. If nothing else, Cuizhi can't bear it. Our young lady is also stubborn. This time she heard that Shijun was back, and she came as soon as she invited her. For the sake of playing together when I was a child; if she knows that she is a matchmaker, she may not be willing to come." Mrs. Shen knew that she was trying to save face for her cousin, so she also echoed: "Yes , now these young people have this kind of temper! We have to let them go. Alas, this is also everyone's fate!" Shuhui and Shijun were in their own room, and Shuhui asked him who Cuizhi was.Shijun said, "It's my sister-in-law's cousin." Shuhui smiled and said, "They want to make coal for you, don't they?" Shijun said, "That's my sister-in-law's wishful thinking." " Shijun said: "You can take care of yourself later. It's really annoying. It's rare to come back for two days and not let people be quiet for a while!" Shuhui looked at him and said with a smile: "Hey! Look at you Hu Jin!" Shijun was still angry there, so he couldn't help laughing, and said: "What am I, you haven't seen his Hu Jin, it's really impressive! Miss in the small town, shut up Is it what the emperor is used to!" Shuhui said with a smile: "'Miss in a small town', Nanjing is not a small city." Shijun smiled and said: "I am talking about the psychology of you Shanghainese. From the perspective of Shanghainese, the mainland is either a countryside or a small town. Is there such a mentality?” Just at this point, the maid came to treat me to dinner: she said that Miss Shi had come.With some curiosity, Shuhui and Shijun came to the front room.Shijun's sister-in-law was serving food there, and Shijun's mother sat on the sofa with Shi Cuizhi and talked.Shuhui couldn't help but look at her twice.That Shi Cuizhi was only eighteen or nineteen years old, with a small narrow face, she looked very beautiful, with a high nose, a pair of big bright eyes, but the eyeballs were slightly swollen.She wears very long front bangs on her forehead, covering her eyebrows, but there is a lot of curly hair behind her head.She was wearing a green and blue bamboo cloth gown, and the apricot-yellow silver flower satin cheongsam was slightly exposed from the fork of the gown.She came to the banquet wearing such a blue cloth burqa, and everyone felt a little surprised in their eyes.In fact, it was precisely because she knew that she had a purpose in inviting her here today, and she felt that if she came here in full makeup, she would feel even more embarrassed. She was sitting there with her arms folded, and when Shi Jun walked in, the two just smiled and nodded.Shi Jun smiled and said, "Long time no see, how is Auntie?" Then he introduced Shu Hui.The eldest grandma smiled and said, "Come and eat." Mrs. Shen was very polite and insisted that the two guests, Cuizhi and Shuhui, sit at the front, and Mrs. Shen sat on the other side of Cuizhi.Cuizhi and the old ladies have never had much to say, among the few people present, she can only talk to her cousin, but today it happened that the young mistress was angry and she was unwilling to speak, so the conversation on the table The air felt very still.Although Shuhui is talkative, he feels that in such a conservative family, it is certainly not appropriate to strike up a conversation with a strange lady.Chen Ma stood waiting at the door of the room, Xiao Jian hid behind her and poked his head around, asking, "Why isn't Second Uncle's girlfriend here yet?" The young mistress became angry when she heard this, but Chen Ma didn't know who she was. , bent over with a playful smile and said to the child softly: "Isn't that what it is?" Xiaojian said: "That's my cousin! Where's the second uncle's girlfriend?" Then he ran out to expel Xiao Jian, saying: "Don't go to bed yet! What time is it?" He personally escorted him back to the room. Cuizhi said: "Our dog recently gave birth to a litter of puppies, we can give one to Xiaojian." Mrs. Shen smiled and said: "Yes, you should answer him." Cuizhi smiled and said: " If Shijun lives at home, I won’t be able to give you dogs. Shijun hates dogs!” Shijun laughed and said, “Oh? I didn’t say that.” Cuizhi said, “You Of course I won’t say it—you are always so polite, and you never say a word from the bottom of your heart.” Shijun paused, and after a while, he asked Shuhui with a smile: “Shuhui, am I so fake? ?” Shu Hui laughed and said, “Don’t ask me. Ms. Shi has known you for more years than I, so of course she knows you better.” Everyone laughed. The sound of the rain gradually stopped, and Cuizhi stood up to leave. Mrs. Shen said: "It doesn't matter if you go back later, I will ask Shijun to take you back later." Cuizhi said: "No need." Shijun said: " It’s okay. Let’s go together, Shuhui, and you can see what Nanjing’s night looks like.” Cuizhi smiled and asked Shijun, “Is this the first time for Mr. Xu to come to Nanjing?” She didn’t ask uncle Hui, but asked Shijun.Shuhui laughed and said, "Ah. Actually, Nanjing is so close to Shanghai, but I've never been there before." Cuizhi had never spoken to him directly, and when he answered, she blushed for no reason, so she didn't Go on. After sitting for a while, she said she wanted to leave again, and Mrs. Shen ordered the servant to call a car.Cuizhi went to her cousin's room to say goodbye.As soon as I entered the door, I saw a small stove with a pot of stuff cooking on it.Cuizhi smiled and said: "Hmph, I caught it! Is this your own private dish?" The young lady said: "What private dish, this is Xiaojian's beef juice. Xiaojian just happened to be ill, so he had to eat it It's what our old lady said about nourishing things. Every day, she asks Wang Ma to cook chicken soup or beef juice. I'm coming back these two days because of Shijun, and I'm busy with a few servants. Anyway, what's going on at home? Leave it all alone, who still remembers to stew beef juice for Xiao Jian. So I got angry and bought a piece of beef back and simmered it myself. These servants are also snobbish, and they are sure that they will eat the meal of the second young master in the future! Like us orphans and widows, who takes you as a human being!?" When she said this, she couldn't help but shed tears.In fact, she has been a daughter-in-law in an old family for more than ten years, so why is she so impatient.It was because of the two words Shijun said today that offended her, and she became more determined since then, no matter what the sesame seed was, it became a series of stimuli to her. Cuizhi couldn't help persuading: "The servants are like that, ignore them and it's over. Your old lady loves Xiaojian very much." The eldest young lady snorted and said: "Don't look at her loving children so much, it's all fake Yes, but I just used him to amuse myself. As soon as I saw my son, I forgot about my grandson. Xiaojian’s rash has long since healed up, and he is not allowed to come out to see people—Shijun is afraid of contagion! His life is very valuable! This afternoon Sent me to the pharmacy, bought more than a dozen kinds of tonics and needles, and brought them to Shanghai for Shijun. I said, "These medicines can also be bought in Shanghai", and I exploded: "You can buy them." I want him to be willing to buy it! Just like this, I don’t know if he’s willing to eat it or not—young people are like this, and they don’t know how to be careful with their own health!'" Cuizhi said: "Is Shijun not in good health?" The eldest grandma said: "He is fine, and he is not sick at all. A sick person like me never asks a doctor to take medicine for you. I have a kidney disease, and my face is swollen. I’ve always been fat! Do you think you’re irritating or not? Cough, being their daughter-in-law is really hard!” Her last words were obviously intended for Cuizhi, implying that the matter would not succeed, but It's okay if you don't succeed.Of course, it was inconvenient for Cuizhi to express anything, so she could only ask her about her illness and ask her what medicine she was taking. The maid said the carriage was ready, so Cuizhi put on her raincoat to bid farewell to Mrs. Shen, and Shijun and Shuhui accompanied her into the carriage.The horseshoes are good, walking on the gravel road in the rainy night, the cobblestones are shining like fish scales.Shuhui kept opening the oilcloth curtain to peek outside, saying, "I can't see anything, I'm going to sit next to the carriage." After walking a short distance, he really stopped the carriage driver and jumped out of the carriage. , Climb up to sit side by side with the coachman, he doesn't care if it rains.The coachman thought it was strange, but Cuizhi just laughed. Cuizhi and Shijun were the only people left in the carriage, the air immediately became dull, and the seat felt hard and bumpy.In their silence, they often heard Shu Hui and the coachman asking and answering questions, not knowing what to say.Cuizhi suddenly asked: "You live in Mr. Xu's house when you are in Shanghai?" Shijun said: "Yes." After a long time, Cuizhi asked again: "Are you going back on Monday?" Shijun said: " Hey." Cuizhi's question sounded very familiar - it was asked twice by Manzhen.Thinking of Manzhen, he suddenly felt lonely. In this rainy night, sitting on this bumpy, wet carriage, his hometown seemed to have become a foreign land. He suddenly noticed that Cuizhi was talking there again, and he hurriedly said with a smile, "Huh? What did you just say?" Cuizhi said, "It's nothing. I wonder if Mr. Xu is also an engineer like you." It was a very common sentence. He asked her to repeat the question, and she suddenly felt a little embarrassed. Before he could answer, she climbed the oilcloth curtain and looked outside, saying, "Is it almost there?" Shijun didn't know what to answer her. Good for a question.After a while, he smiled and said: "Shu Hui also studied engineering, and now he has achieved the position of helping engineer in our factory. Like me, he is still a trainee engineer, which is equivalent to a trainee." After all, Cuizhi felt that Sorry, he was still explaining here, but she just opened the curtain and looked outside, as if she had lost interest in his answer, she just murmured: "Oh, don't walk past my house!" Shijun thought to himself: "Cuizhi is like this. It's disgusting." Drizzle, like fog.Shuhui sat next to the coachman, watching the lights of the ancient city along the way, he thought of Shijun and Cuizhi, a young couple who grew up in this ancient city.Perhaps because he was perched on top of the carriage, like a god, he actually felt a little compassionate.Especially the young ladies like Cuizhi, who will always live in a small circle, and the only way out is to find a family with equal status, marry and become young mistresses—this is also a sad fate.And Cuizhi seems to be a person with a strong personality, it is really a pity to bury her in such a fate. Shijun stretched out his head from inside and shouted: "It's here." The carriage stopped, Shijun jumped off first, and Cuizhi also got off. She put a raincoat on her head and went around to say goodbye to Shuhui in front of the carriage. Yu Si and the light of the headlights raised their heads and said "goodbye".Shu Hui also said, "Goodbye," but he thought in his heart that we might not see each other again.He was a little melancholy.Although she has no destiny with Shijun, she also has no destiny with him because the environment is too different. Shijun sent her to the gate and waited for someone to open the door after she rang the bell before leaving.Here Shuhui has already jumped down and sat in the carriage.There is still a faint smell of hair in the carriage.He was sitting alone in the dark. When Shijun came back, he didn't get into the car, he just leaned in half of his body, and hurriedly said: "Shall we go in and sit for a while, Yipeng is here too—this is his aunt's house." Shuhui was taken aback for a moment, and said, "Yipeng? Oh, Fang Yipeng!" It turns out that Shijun's sister-in-law's maiden name is Fang. She has two younger brothers, the older one is Yiming, the younger one is Yipeng. Shijun went to Shanghai to study at university together, so he and Shuhui were also classmates, but they didn't know each other very well because they didn't share the same smell.Because Yipeng heard that Shuhui’s family was poor, once he was willing to pay for Shuhui to write a paper for him, but Shuhui refused. Yipeng was very angry. He said something to Shijun behind his back. Jun didn't tell Shuhui, but Shuhui also knew something.Now, of course, the past has long since passed. Shijun didn't intend to visit the Yipeng brothers because he came back to Nanjing this time. He happened to meet them at Shi's house today, so he seemed embarrassed if he didn't go in and sit for a while.I couldn't let Shuhui wait in the car alone, so I asked him to go in together, and Shuhui jumped out of the car, and then two servants came out to greet him with umbrellas.They walked into the gate together, Cuizhi was still waiting for them in the concierge, and led the way in front. When they entered, there was a big garden, which could not be clearly seen in the dark rainy night.Although the rain did not fall very heavily, the accumulated water on the leaves fell on people's heads in big drops.The scent of sweet-scented osmanthus is very strong.The Shi family’s house is an old-fashioned bungalow. From a distance, you can see a row of glass doors. Inside the glass doors is the living room. A cluster of five-star lamps holding the moon are brightly lit. Before they could take a closer look, Cuizhi led them in through the main entrance and into the guest room. Cuizhi's mother, Mrs. Shi, bowed slowly at the poker table and greeted Shijun. Mrs. Shi was short and very fat.Yipeng was also playing cards there, and when he saw Shijun, he shouted: "Hey, I don't know when you came to Nanjing! Shuhui is here too! We haven't seen each other for many years!" Shuhui also greeted him for a moment.Yipeng's elder brother Yiming and sister-in-law Amy are also on the poker table.That Amy is an outstanding modern figure among their relatives. Regardless of her elders or peers, she is always called Amy, but everyone still stubbornly calls her "Young Mistress Yiming" or "Sister-in-law Yiming".At that moment Shijun called her "Sister-in-law", Amy looked at him and said, "Ah, you are here, and you have kept it from us!" Shijun smiled and said, "I just arrived this afternoon." Amy smiled and said: "Oh, as soon as you arrive, you will find Sister Cui, and you won't look for us!" Yiming said with a smile: "What are you? How can you compare with Sister Cui!" Shi Jun never thought that they were in front of Mrs. In front of him, he would make such a big joke.Of course Mrs. Shi was inconvenient to say anything, she just smiled.Cuizhi, however, kept her face so serious that she didn't even have a smile on her face, and said: "What's wrong with you today, you just came to me!" Amy smiled and said: "Okay, don't make trouble, let's be serious, Shijun, you will come to us tomorrow Sister Cui will come to eat there too." Before Shijun could answer, Cuizhi laughed and said, "I don't have time tomorrow." She was standing behind Amy, looking at the cards, and Amy turned her hand to fish for it. She held her arm, and said with a smile: "I'll treat you well, but you're putting on airs!" Cuizhi said seriously, "I really have something to do." Amy ignored her, grabbed a card, and put the card in front of her. The cards went straight again, and Yin said: "Lend us this deck of cards tomorrow. We have several tables of mahjong tomorrow, and there are not enough cards. Sister Cui, bring them when you come. Shijun, you should come earlier too." Shijun smiled and said: "I have time to come some other day. Don't bother tomorrow. I plan to go out with Shuhui tomorrow." Yipeng said: "Come together, and Shuhui will come too." Shijun Still refusing, it happened that Yiming made a deal with a big hand at this time, and everyone was busy calculating the deal, and it was over as soon as they got mixed up. Cuizhi went upstairs to take a look around, then came downstairs again, and stood by the side to read the cards.Yipeng happened to drop a card on the ground, bent down to pick it up, saw Cuizhi was wearing a pair of brand new taupe-colored satin money embroidered shoes on his feet, and said with a smile: "Hey! These shoes are so beautiful!" He said casually After saying this, he didn't pay much attention to whether Cuizhi still treated her like a child.When he was studying in Shanghai, he was chasing girls from the Queen's school. Naturally, he looked down on a mainland lady like Cuizhi, thinking it was too dull and not interesting.But after what he said, Shuhui couldn't help but glanced at Cuizhi's feet. He remembered that she was not wearing the same pair of shoes just now, probably because the leather shoes got wet in the rain, so he changed another pair as soon as he got home. . Shijun guessed that he had been sitting for more than half an hour, so he bid farewell to Mrs. Shi.Mrs. Shi was probably also a little unhappy with him, so she only left a moment and said to Cuizhi, "You see it off." Cuizhi sent them out, only to the edge of the steps.They were still led through the garden by the two footmen under umbrellas.When we were approaching the gate of the garden, suddenly there was a barking dog, which came straight out from the shadows. It turned out to be a big wolfhound. The two servants kept scolding, but the dog kept barking.At the same time, Cuizhi's voice was heard calling the dog's name from a distance, and she ran across the garden quickly.Shijun hurriedly said: "Hey, it's raining, don't come out!" Cuizhi ran out of breath, and without answering, first bent down and grabbed the dog by the collar.Shijun said again: "It doesn't matter, it knows me." Cuizhi said coldly: "It knows you but doesn't it know Mr. Xu!" Say goodbye to them.At this time, it was raining heavily, so Shijun and Shuhui turned around and walked out in a hurry. In the darkness, one foot was raised and the other was lowered, and water also entered the leather shoes. One ring.Shuhui couldn't help thinking that Cuizhi's pair of light-colored embroidered shoes must have been ruined. They went out of the garden gate and got into the carriage.On the way home, Shuhui suddenly said to Shijun: "Miss Shi—she seems to be very out of harmony with her environment." Wearing a blue cloth gown." After being commented by him like this, Shu Hui laughed.Shijun laughed again and said, "Miss, even if she wears a blue cloth gown, she should be more particular than others. They all wear blue cloth uniforms in school, but their color is not as emerald as hers—her blue cloth uniforms." Every time the cloth gown is washed, it has to be dyed. The old lady who does the laundry at home has blue hands when she stretches out her hands." Shuhui laughed and said, "How do you know these things?" Shijun said: " I also heard what my sister-in-law said." Shuhui said: "Isn't your sister-in-law very enthusiastic about being a matchmaker for you? Why would she say these things to you?" Shijun said: "That was in the past, she hadn't thought of being a matchmaker yet. Time." Shuhui laughed and said, "These grandmas and wives are really good at criticizing people, eh? Especially for other women. Even relatives from her natal family are no exception." Although he was referring to Shijun's sister-in-law, It also reflected a little bit on Shijun, as if he felt like a mother-in-law.Shijun was also blaming himself there; he often complained about Cuizhi, and his motive was self-defense, lest others think he and her were on good terms. Talking about people behind their backs is not like his usual behavior.When he thought of this, he became silent.Shuhui also felt a little bit, so he led him to talk again, and talked to him about Yipeng, saying: "Yipeng hasn't gone out to work now, has he? I didn't have a chance to ask him just now." Shijun said: "He probably It's fine, his family doesn't let him go out." Shuhui smiled and said, "Why? He's not a big girl." Shijun smiled and said, "You don't know, this gentleman, every time he finds something in Shanghai , always earning not enough money to spend, resulting in a lot of losses, and instead asked the family to repay his debts, more than once, so now he is locked at home, and he will never let him go out again." These words are Mrs. Shen She told Shijun behind his back that the youngest mistress had always been taboo about her brothers. Shijun and Shuhui chatted all the way, but they had already arrived home.They planned to get up early tomorrow morning to visit Niu Shou Mountain, so they went back to bed as soon as they got home, but Mrs. Shen sent someone to deliver two bowls of wontons. Shu Hui said with a smile: "It's only been dinner for a while, where can I eat?" Shijun asked the maid to bring a bowl to his sister-in-law's room, and he himself took the other bowl to ask his mother if she wanted to eat it.His mother was very happy and felt that her son was really filial.As soon as the son was filial, the mother got up and took the opportunity to say, "Sit down, I have something to tell you." Shijun frowned again unconsciously, thinking in his heart that it must have something to do with Cuizhi.But no. Mrs. Shen was afraid that she might offend him if she said the wrong thing, so she prepared a draft in advance, and carefully said: "It's rare for you to come back, it's not that I'm going to say you when I see you——I think you said those two sentences today too much. Reckless, your sister-in-law is very angry-you can see it." Shijun said: "I'm not talking about her, who told her to be over-hearted?" Mrs. Shen sighed: "You will be unhappy if you talk about you. You It doesn't matter if you lose your temper with me, you should be more careful in front of others. You are such an old man, your brother already had a young mistress when you were your age, and even had children!" Speaking of this, Shijun has already expected the following - sooner or later Cuizhi will be mentioned.He laughed and said: "Mom is coming again! I'm going to bed, I have to get up early tomorrow." Mrs. Shen smiled and said: "I know you are most afraid of hearing these words. I don't want you to get married right away, but... ...You can also think about it. When you meet the right person, you might as well make friends. For example, like Cuizhi, who has been used to playing with you since childhood—" Shijun had to interrupt her: "Mom Shi Cuizhi, I really don't have the right temper with her. I don't want to get married now, even if I want to, I don't want to marry her." This time he made up his mind, and couldn't make it clearer.After receiving such a blow, his mother remained calm, and said with a smile: "I don't necessarily mean her. Anyway, just be similar to her!" After some conversation, Shijun felt very happy.With regard to Cuizhi, he finally clarified his attitude, and also got his mother's understanding, and there will never be any more troubles in the future. They were planning to go for a mountain tour the next morning, but unexpectedly, the rain continued all night and they couldn't go out. They were feeling anxious, but the Fang family sent a servant to say: "Second young master, please go with that young master Xu today." Definitely come, if it’s later, please come later. Please Mrs. Shen and our aunt come to play cards.” Mrs. Shen said to Shijun, “I don’t want to go out in this rainy day, so go.” Shijun said, “I don’t want to either. Go, I have already returned to them." Mrs. Shen said: "Just go there, isn't Yipeng still your old classmate, he and Master Xu also know each other?" Shijun said: "Shuhui and He can't talk about it." Mrs. Shen said in a low voice: "I think you just go there, and you can save face by perfunctory your sister-in-law." Then she pointed to the eldest young lady's room and said quietly: “还在那儿生气呢，早起说不舒服，没起来。今天她娘家请客，我们一个也不去，好像不大好。”世钧道：“好好好好，我去跟叔惠说。” 本来他不愿去的原因，也是因为他们把他和翠芝请在一起，但是昨天亲耳听见翠芝说不去，那么他就去一趟也没什么关系。他却没想到翠芝也是这样想着，因为昨天听见他斩钉截铁地说不去，以为他总不会去了，今天上午爱咪又打电话到石家，一定磨她要她去吃饭，所以结果翠芝也去了。世钧来到那里，翠芝倒已经在那儿了，两人见面都是一怔，觉得好像是个做成的圈套。世钧是和叔惠一同来的，今天方家的客人相当多，已经有三桌麻将在那里打着。他们这几个年青人都不会打麻将，爱咪便和世钧说：“你们在这儿看着他们打牌也没什么意思，请你们看电影吧。我这儿走不开，你替我做主人，陪翠妹妹去。”翠芝皱着眉向爱咪说道：“你不用招待我，我就在这儿待着挺好的，我不想看电影。”爱咪也不睬她，自顾自忙着打听哪家电影院是新换的片子，又道：“去看一场回来吃饭正好。”世钧只得笑道：“叔惠也一块儿去！”爱咪便也笑道：“对了，许先生也一块儿去。”叔惠不免踌躇了一下，他也知道在爱咪的眼光中他是一个多余的人，因此就笑着向世钧说：“还是你陪着石小姐去吧，这两张片子我都看过了。”世钧道：“别瞎说了，你几时看过的？一块儿去！”于是爱咪吩咐仆人给他们雇车，翠芝虽然仍旧抗议着，也不生效力，终于一同去了。 翠芝今天装束得十分艳丽，乌绒阔滚的豆绿软锻长旗袍，直垂到脚面上。他们买的是楼厅的票，翠芝在上楼的时候一个不留神，高跟鞋踏在旗袍角上，差点没摔跤，幸而世钧搀了她一把，笑道：“怎么了？没摔着吧？”翠芝道：“没什么。——嗳呀，该死，我这鞋跟断了！”她鞋上的高跟别断了一只，变成一脚高一脚低。世钧道：“能走么？”翠芝道：“行，行。”她当着叔惠，很不愿意让世钧搀着她，所以宁可一跷一拐地一个人走在前面，很快地走进剧场。好在这时候电影已经开映了，里面一片漆黑，也不怕人看见。 这张片子是个轰动一时的名片，世钧在上海错过了没看到，没想到在南京倒又赶上了。他们坐定下来，银幕上的演员表刚刚映完，世钧便向叔惠低声笑道：“还好，我们来得还不算晚。”他是坐在叔惠和翠芝中间，翠芝一面看着戏，不由得心中焦灼，便悄悄地和世钧说道：“真糟极了，等会儿出去怎么办呢？只好劳你驾给我跑一趟吧，到我家去给我拿双鞋来。”世钧顿了一顿，道：“要不，等一会你勉强走到门口，我叫部汽车来，上了车到了家就好办了。”翠芝道：“不行哪，这样一脚高一脚低怎么走，给人看见还当我是瘸子呢。”世钧心里想着：“你踮着脚走不行吗？”但是并没有说出口来，默然了一会，便站起身来道：“我去给你拿去。”他在叔惠跟前挤了过去，也没跟叔惠说什么。 他急急地走出去，出了电影院，这时候因为不是散场的时间，戏院门口冷清清的，一辆黄包车也没有。雨仍旧在那里下着，世钧冒雨走着，好容易才叫到一辆黄包车。到了石家，他昨天才来过，今天倒又来了，那门房一开门看见是他，仆人们向来消息是最灵通的，本就知道这位沈少爷很有作他们家姑爷的希望，因此对他特别殷勤，一面招呼着，一面就含笑说：“我们小姐出去了，到方公馆去了。”世钧想道：“怎么一看见我就说小姐出去了，就准知道我是来找他们小姐的。可见连他们都是这样想。”当下也不便怎样，只点了点头，微笑道：“我知道，我看见你们小姐的。她一只鞋子坏了，你另外拿一双给我带去。”那门房听他这样说，还当他是直接从方家来的，心里想方家那么些个佣人，倒不差个佣人来拿，偏要差他来，便望着他笑道：“嗳哟，怎么还要沈少爷特为跑一趟！”世钧见他这一副笑嘻嘻的样子，知道一定是笑他给他们小姐当差，心里越发添了几分不快。 那听差又请他进去坐一会，世钧恐怕石太太又要出来应酬他一番，他倒有点怕看见她，便道：“不用了，我就在这儿等着好了。”他在门房里等了一会，那听差拿了一只鞋盒出来，笑道：“可不要我给送去吧？”世钧道：“不用了，我拿去好了。”那听差又出去给他雇了一辆车。 世钧回到戏院里，在黑暗中摸索着坐了下来，便把那鞋盒递给了翠芝，说了一声：“鞋子拿来了。”翠芝道：“谢谢你。”世钧估计着他去了总不止一个钟头，电影都已经快映完了，正到了紧张万分的时候，这是一个悲剧，楼上楼下许多观众都在窸窸窣窣掏手帕擤鼻子擦眼泪。世钧因为没看见前半部，只能专凭猜测，好容易才摸出点头绪来，他以为那少女一定是那男人的女儿，但是再看下去，又证明他是错误的，一直看到剧终，始终有点迷迷糊糊，似懂非懂的。灯光大明，大家站起身来，翠芝把眼圈揉得红红的，似乎也被剧情所感动了。她已经把鞋子换上了，换下来的那双装在鞋盒里拿着，三个人一同下楼，她很兴奋地和叔惠讨论着片中情节。世钧在旁边一直不作声。已经走到戏院门口了，世钧忽然笑道：“看了后头没看见前头，真憋闷，你们先回去，我下一场再去看一遍。”说着，也不等他们回答，便掉过身来又往里走，挤到卖票处去买票。他一半也是因为赌气，同时也因为他实在懒得再陪着翠芝到东到西，一同回到方家去，又要被爱咪他们调笑一番。不如让叔惠送她去，叔惠反正是没有关系的，跟她又不熟，只要把她送回去就可以脱身了。 但是无论如何，他这样扔下就走，这种举动究竟近于幼稚，叔惠倒觉得有点窘。翠芝也没说什么。走出电影院，忽然满眼阳光，地下差不多全干了，翠芝不禁咦了一声，笑道：“现在天倒晴了！”叔惠笑道：“这天真可恶，今天早上下那么大雨，我们要到牛首山去也没有去成。”翠芝笑道：“你这次来真冤枉。”叔惠笑道：“可不是么，哪儿也没去。”翠芝略顿了一顿，便道：“其实现在还早，你愿上哪儿去玩，我们一块儿去。”叔惠笑道：“好呀，我这儿不熟悉，你说什么地方好？”翠芝道：“到玄武湖去好不好？”叔惠当然说好，于是就叫了两部黄包车，直奔玄武湖。 到了玄武湖，先到五洲公园去兜了个圈子。那五洲公园本来没有什么可看的，和任何公园也没有什么两样，不过草坪上面不是蓝天，而是淡青色的茫茫的湖水。有个小型的动物园，里面有猴子；又有一处铁丝栏里面，有一只猫头鹰迎着斜阳站在树桠枝上，两只金灿灿的大眼睛，像两块金黄色的宝石一样。他们站在那里看了一会。 从五洲公园出来，就叫了一只船。翠芝起初约他来的时候，倒是一鼓作气的，仿佛很大胆，可是到了这里，不知怎么倒又拘束起来，很少说话。上了船，她索性把刚才一张电影说明书拿了出来，摆在膝上看着。叔惠不禁想道：“她老远的陪着我跑到这里来，究竟也不知是一时高兴呢，还是在那儿跟世钧赌气。”玄武湖上的晚晴，自是十分可爱，湖上的游船也相当多。在一般人的眼光中，像他们这样一男一女在湖上泛舟，那不用说，一定是一对情侣。所以不坐船还好，一坐到船上，就更加感觉到这一点。叔惠心里不由得想着，今天这些游客里面不知道有没有翠芝的熟人，要是刚巧碰见熟人，那一定要引起许多闲话，甚至于世钧与翠芝的婚事不成功，都要归咎于他，也未可知。这时候正有一只小船和他们擦身而过，两边的船家互打招呼，他们这边的划船的是一个剪发女子，穿着一身格子布袄裤，额前斜飘着几根前刘海，上窄下宽的紫棠脸，却是一口糯米银牙。那边的船家称她为“大姑娘”，南京人把“大”念作“夺”，叔惠就也跟着人家叫她“夺姑娘”，卷着舌头和她说南京话，说的又不像，引得翠芝和那“夺姑娘”都笑不可抑。叔惠又要学划船，坐到船头上去扳桨，一桨打下去，水花溅了翠芝一身，她那软缎旗袍因为光滑的缘故，倒是不吸水，水珠骨碌碌乱滚着落了下去，翠芝拿手绢子随便擦了擦，叔惠十分不过意，她只是笑着，把脸上也擦了擦，又取出粉镜子来，对着镜子把前刘海拨拨匀。叔惠想道：“至少她在我面前是一点小姐脾气也没有的。可是这话要是对世钧说了，他一定说她不过是对我比较客气，所以不露出来。”他总觉得世钧对她是有成见的，世钧所说的关于她的话也不尽可信，但是先入之言为主，他多少也有点受影响。他也觉得像翠芝这样的千金小姐无论如何不是一个理想的妻子。当然交交朋友是无所谓，可是内地的风气比较守旧，尤其是像翠芝这样的小姐，恐怕是不交朋友则已，一做朋友，马上就要谈到婚姻。若是谈到婚姻的话，他这样一个穷小子，她家里固然是绝对不会答应，他却也不想高攀，因为他也是一个骄傲的人。 他这样想着的时候，只管默默地扳着桨。翠芝也不说话，船上摆着几色现成的果碟，她抓了一把瓜子，靠在藤椅上嗑瓜子，人一动也不动，偶尔抬起一只手来，将衣服上的瓜子壳掸掸掉。隔着水，远远望见一带苍紫的城墙，映着那淡青的天，叔惠这是第一次感觉到南京的美丽。 他们坐了一会船，到天黑方才回去。上了岸，叔惠便问道：“你还回方家去吧？”翠芝道：“我不想去了，他们那儿人多，太乱。”可是她也没说回家去的话，仿佛一时还不想回去。叔惠沉默了一会，便道：“那么我请你去吃饭吧，好不好？”翠芝笑道：“应该我请你，你到南京来算客。”叔惠笑道：“这个以后再说吧，你先说我们上哪儿去吃。”翠芝想了一想，说她记得离这儿不远有一个川菜馆，就又雇车前去。 他们去吃饭，却没有想到方家那边老等他们不来，到了吃晚饭的时候，就打了个电话到翠芝家里去问，以为她或者已经回去了。石太太听见说翠芝是和世钧一同出去的，还不十分着急，可是心里也有点嘀咕。等到八九点钟的时候，仆人报说小姐回来了，石太太就一直迎到大门口，叫道：“你们跑到哪儿去了？方家打电话来找你，说你们看完电影也没回去。”她一看翠芝后面还跟着一个人，可是并不是世钧，而是昨天跟世钧一同来的，他那个朋友，昨天他们走后，一鹏曾经谈起他们从前都是同学，他说叔惠那时候是一面读书一面教书，因为家里穷。石太太当时听了，也不在意，可是这回又见到叔惠，就非常地看不起他，他向她鞠躬，她也好像没看见似的，只道：“咦，世钧呢？”翠芝道：“世钧因为给我拿鞋子，电影只看了一半，所以又去看第二场了。”石太太道：“那你看完电影上哪儿去了？怎么到这时候才回来？饭吃过没有？”翠芝道：“吃过了，跟许先生一块儿在外头吃的。”石太太把脸一沉，道：“你这个孩子，怎么这样，也不言语一声，一个人在外头乱跑！”她所谓“一个人”，分明是不拿叔惠当人，他在旁边听着，脸上实在有点下不去，他真后悔送翠芝回来不该进来的，既然进来了，却也不好马上就走。翠芝便道：“妈也是爱着急，我这么大的人，又不是个小孩子，还怕丢了吗？”一面说着，就径直地走了进去，道：“许先生进来坐！王妈，倒茶！”她气烘烘地走进客厅，将手里的一只鞋盒向沙发上一掼。叔惠在进退两难的情形下，只得也跟了进来。石太太不放心，也夹脚跟了进来，和他们品字式坐下，密切注意着他们两人之间的神情。仆人送上茶来，石太太自己在香烟筒里拿了一支烟抽，也让了叔惠一声，叔惠欠身道：“嗳，不客气不客气。”石太太搭拉着眼皮吸了一会烟，便也随便敷衍了他几句，问他几时回上海。叔惠勉强又坐了几分钟，便站起来告辞。 翠芝送他出去，叔惠再三叫她回去，她还是一直送到外面，在微明的星光下在花园里走着。翠芝起初一直默然，半晌方道：“你明天就要走了？我不来送你了。”说话间偶然一回头，却看见一个女佣不声不响跟在后面。翠芝明明没有什么心虚的事，然而也涨红了脸，问道：“干什么？鬼鬼祟祟的，吓我一跳！”那女佣笑道：“太太叫我来给这位先生雇车子。”叔惠笑道：“不用了，我一边走一边叫。”那女佣也没说什么，但是依旧含着微笑一路跟随着。已经快到花园门口了，翠芝忽道：“王妈，你去看看那只狗拴好没有，不要又像昨天那样，忽然蹦出来，吓死人的。”那女佣似乎还有些迟疑，笑道：“拴着在那儿吧？”翠芝不由得火起来了，道：“叫你去看看！”那女佣见她真生了气，也不敢作声，只好去了。 翠芝也是因为赌这口气，所以硬把那女佣支开了，其实那女佣走后，她也并没有什么话可说。又走了两步路，她突然站住了，道：“我要回去了。”叔惠笑道：“好，再见再见！”他还在那里说着，她倒已经一扭身，就快步走了。叔惠倒站在那里怔了一会。忽然在眼角里看见一个人影子一闪，原来那女佣并没有真的走开，还掩在树丛里窥探着呢，他觉得又好气又好笑。由这上面却又想起，那女佣刚才说要给他雇车，他说他自己雇，但是雇到什么地方去呢？世钧的住址他只记得路名，几号门牌记不清楚了。在南京人生地不熟的，这又是个晚上，不见得再回到石家来问翠芝，人家已经拿他当个拆白党看待，要是半夜三更再跑来找他们小姐，简直要给人打出去了。他一方面觉得是一个笑话，同时也真有点着急，那门牌号码越急倒越想不起来了。幸而翠芝还没有去远，他立刻赶上去叫道：“石小姐！石小姐！”翠芝觉得很意外，猛然回过身来向他呆望着。叔惠见她脸上竟是泪痕狼藉，也呆住了，一时竟忘了他要说些什么话。翠芝却本能地往后退了一步，站在暗影里，拿手帕捂着脸擤鼻子。叔惠见她来不及遮掩的样子，也只有索性装不看见，便微笑道：“看我这人多糊涂，世钧家门牌是多少号，我倒忘了！”翠芝道：“是王府街四十一号。”叔惠笑道：“哦，四十一号。真幸亏想起来问你，要不然简直没法回去了，要流落在外头了！”一面笑着，就又向她道了再会，然后他头也不回地走了。 他回到世钧家里，他们才吃完晚饭没有多少时候，世钧正在和小健玩，他昨天从雨花台捡了些石子回来，便和小健玩“挝子儿”的游戏，扔起一个，抓起一个，再扔起一个，抓起两个，把抓起的数目逐次增加，或者倒过来依次递减。他们一个大人，一个孩子，嘻嘻哈哈地玩得很有兴致，叔惠见了，不禁有一种迷惘之感，他仿佛从黑暗中乍走到灯光下，人有点呆呆的。世钧问道：“你怎么这时候才回来？我母亲说你准是迷了路，找不到家了，骂我不应该扔下你，自己去看电影。——你上哪儿去了？”叔惠道：“上玄武湖去的。”世钧道：“跟石翠芝一块儿去的？”叔惠道：“嗳。”世钧顿了一顿，因笑道：“今天真是对不起你。”又问知他还请石翠芝在外面吃了饭，更觉得抱歉。他虽然抱歉，可是再也没想到，叔惠今天陪翠芝出去玩这么一趟，又还引起这许多烦恼。