Chapter 9 Chapter nine

Shijun made up his mind on that stormy night, never to go to Manzhen's house again.But such determinations are of little value.After all, the stimulation he received was just a few words from her mother and had nothing to do with her.Even if she herself has a different ambition, based on the friendship between the two of them in the past, she can't let it go. At least she has to meet one time and make things clear. Shijun thought he had figured it out, but he didn't know why, but he postponed it for another day.In fact, an extra day was just an extra night of insomnia for him.The next day, he went to the head office to find Manzhen during office hours.Since Shuhui left, another person was transferred to Manzhen's office, so it was inconvenient to talk, and Shijun didn't come here often, so as not to attract attention.On this day, he simply said to her: "How about going out for dinner tonight? It's in the cafe not far from Yang's house. It's very convenient for you to teach at their place after dinner." Manzhen said: "I'm not going to teach today, and the two of their children are going to have a wedding, so I told me yesterday." Shi Jun said: "It's better if you don't go to teach, we can talk for a while. Change to another place for dinner That's fine." Manzhen said with a smile: "You should go to my house for dinner, you haven't come for a long time." Shijun paused, and said: "Who said, I just came the day before yesterday." Manzhen was very surprised, Said: "Oh? Why didn't they tell me?" Shijun remained silent.Seeing this situation, Manzhen guessed that he must have been wronged.At that time, it was inconvenient to go deep into it, so I just smiled and said: "I happened to go out the day before yesterday. Isn't my brother acting in school? Jiemin is his first time on stage, so I have no choice but to join him. When I came back, it was raining heavily. A few people I have a cold, you live it for me, I live it for you, the whole family has a cold. Don’t go out to eat out today, I can’t eat anything too greasy, my voice is hoarse!” Shi Jun It is precisely because of the slight rustling sound in her throat that she has a desolate and charming posture.So he agreed to come to her house for dinner.

He came to her house at dusk, and before he was halfway up the stairs, the electric light on the stairs was turned on, and it was her mother who turned on the light upstairs.The stairway was still the same as the day before yesterday, with a briquette stove on it, a casserole gurgling on it, and the smell of ham soup in the air was very strong. Shijun had eaten at their house many times, and Mrs. Gu knew his taste. The dishes were probably made especially for him.Why did Mrs. Gu change her attitude and suddenly become so courteous to him? Manzhen must have said something to her, Shijun was a little embarrassed.

Mrs. Gu also seemed a little embarrassed, she nodded to him with a smile and said, "Manzhen is inside." After saying this, she went to take care of the ham soup by herself.Shijun walked into the room and saw Mrs. Gu sitting there peeling watercress.Seeing him, the old lady also smiled, pouted her lips into Manzhen's bedroom, and said, "Manzhen is in there." When they did this, Shijun felt a little uneasy. Walking in, Manzhen was looking down on the window sill, Shijun quietly walked up behind her, grabbed her wrist, and said with a smile: "What are you looking at, so lost in sight?" Manzhen groaned Said: "I was startled, I have been looking here for a long time, why didn't I see you when you came?" Shijun smiled and said: "Then maybe I missed it when I caught my eyes." Holding her hand, Manzhen said: "Why don't you come these days?" Shijun smiled and said: "I'm always busy." Manzhen pouted at him.Shijun smiled and said: "Really. Isn't Shuhui a younger sister who is studying in the Mainland? She came to Shanghai to take the school exam recently and needs to study arithmetic. Shuhui doesn't live at home now, so this task falls on me. .Two hours of tutoring after dinner every day.—Where's Mu Jin?" Manzhen said: "It's already gone. It's today." Shijun said: "Oh." He sat on Manzhen's bed, just put The lamp in front of her bed was turned on and off.Manzhen slapped his hand and said: "Don't do that, it's broken! Let me ask you, what did Mom tell you when you came the day before yesterday?" Shijun smiled and said, "Nothing." Manzhen Zhen smiled and said: "You just don't confess like that. I was wronged because I didn't confess to my mother." Shijun laughed and said, "What wronged me?" Manzhen laughed and said, "Don't worry about it. Anyway, I have already explained it to her, and now she knows that she has wronged a good person." Shijun smiled and said, "Oh, I know, she must have thought that I was not sincere to you." Manzhen smiled and said, "Why, Did you hear what she said?" Shijun smiled and said, "No, no. I didn't see her at all when I came that day." Manzhen said, "I don't believe it." Shijun said, "It's true. Your sister that day Sister is here, isn’t she?” Manzhen nodded slightly.Shijun said: "They were talking in the inner room, and I heard your mother say—" He didn't want to say that her mother was snobby, so he paused for a moment, and Fang said: "I don't remember clearly, anyway, it means Mu Jin is an ideal son-in-law." Manzhen smiled and said: "Mu Jin may be an ideal son-in-law for old ladies." Shijun looked at her and said with a smile: "I think he is a man who appreciates both elegance and vulgarity."

Manzhen glanced at him, and said: "If you don't mention it, I won't say it—I'm about to settle accounts with you!" Shijun smiled and said, "Why?" Manzhen said: "You think I and Mu Jin is fine, isn’t he? You don’t trust me like that.” Shijun smiled and said, “It’s nothing! I was joking just now. I know you just admire him. As for him, he is the most affectionate Man, he has been so loyal to your sister all these years, how could he suddenly fall in love with her sister in just a few days? There will be no such thing." When he mentioned Mu Jin, he felt a little sour. Jin simply told him the process of proposing to her, lest he always have such doubts there.But she didn't want to talk about it anymore, because she also felt that it was a bit surprising that Mu Jin had "kept the festival" for her sister all these years, and suddenly fell in love with her, and it would be a bit ridiculous for Shi Jun to say that.She didn't want him to be laughed at by others.She somewhat guarded him.

Seeing that she hesitated to speak, Shijun felt a little strange, so he couldn't help but glance at her.He also fell silent.After a long while, he smiled and said, "Your mother is right." Manzhen smiled and said, "Which sentence?" Shijun laughed and said, "It's better to get married early. If things go on like this, misunderstandings will easily occur." Manzhen laughed. "Unless you, I wouldn't be suspicious. For example, you just said that Shuhui's younger sister—" Shijun smiled and said, "Shuhui's younger sister? She's only fourteen years old this year." Manzhen laughed and said: " I'm not asking around, don't think I'm doing it on purpose." Shi Jun smiled and said, "Maybe you do it on purpose." Manzhen was really a little angry, and said, "I won't talk to you It!" and ran away.

Shijun held her back and smiled, "I'm serious." Manzhen said, "We've already decided, we said to wait two more years." Shijun said, "Actually, it's the same when you're married, aren't you Can I still work?" Manzhen said: "What if - what if you have children? Once you have more children, you will not be able to go out to work, and you will have to bear the expenses of the two households alone. I think this kind of thing What's more, besides supporting the family, a man's father-in-law's family also relies on him, forcing him to arrest him for money and do everything, so what future is there!——What are you laughing at?" Shi Jun smiled and said: "Are you going to How many children do you want?" Manzhen spat: "This time I really ignore you!"

Shijun said again: "To be honest, it's not that I can't bear hardships. Everyone suffers. You don't think about it for me. Don't I feel sad when I see you working so hard?" Manzhen said: "I It doesn't matter." She was always so stubborn.Shijun has said these words more than once.He fell silent dejectedly.Manzhen looked at his face, smiled and said: "You must think I am very cold." Shijun suddenly pulled her into his arms, and said in a low voice: "I know, if it is for you, you Definitely not. If it's all for me, for my selfish sake, will you be willing?" She didn't answer his question, just pushed him away to prevent him from kissing her, and said, "I have a cold, Don't live." Shijun laughed and said, "I have a cold too." Manzhen chuckled, and said, "Stop talking nonsense!" She let go and ran to the next room.Her grandmother had only peeled half of the watercress, Manzhen smiled and said, "I'll help peel it."

Shijun also came out. There was a desk behind her grandmother. Shijun leaned on the desk, picked up a newspaper, and pretended to read it. In fact, he was always looking at her and smiling at her.Sitting there peeling the beans, Manzhen felt a little uneasy.She finally felt a little shaken in her heart, and thought: "Then, let's talk about it after we get married. There are more people with heavy family burdens. How do they live?" Just as she was thinking deeply, she heard her grandmother cry He let out a cry, and said, "Look, what are you doing?" Manzhen was taken aback. When she saw it, it turned out that she had left the pods on the table, but the peeled beans were thrown to the ground one by one.Her face was almost red, and she squatted down to pick up beans, and said with a smile: "I call it 'Guo idiot, help, the more you help, the more busy you are!'" Her grandmother smiled and said: "I haven't seen you like this. I don’t look at the beans while I’m doing something.” Manzhen laughed and said, “Peel a few more beans and don’t peel them. My fingernails are cut bald because of typing, and peeling these beans really hurts.” Her grandmother said: "I knew you couldn't do it!" As he said that, he pulled it off.

Although Manzhen was shaken in his heart, Shijun didn't know that he was still a little depressed. After the meal, the old lady took out a pack of cigarettes for Shijun to smoke. They found it in a drawer when they were cleaning the room downstairs. , the children want to use it for smoking, but their mother does not allow it.At that moment, Shijun casually took one and smoked it, and when the old lady left, he smiled at Manzhen and said, "This is what Mu Jin left here, right?" "Fairy" is already the top-grade cigarette, and I am used to smoking it, so I still buy it when I come to Shanghai.Probably he is also used to thrift.Shijun smoked his cigarette, and then talked about him with Manzhen, but Manzhen was very reluctant to mention Mujin again.When she came home today, she found that Mu Jin had already come. She took her luggage and went directly to the station. She clearly avoided meeting her on purpose, and she probably would never come again.She rejected him and lost a friend like him. Although there was no way to do it, she couldn't help but feel sad.Shijun saw her look full of melancholy. He remembered that when they were together, she often mentioned Mu Jin too many times, but now her attitude is just the opposite, as if she was afraid of mentioning him. .Something must have happened in between.She didn't tell, and he didn't ask her.

That day he was always a little depressed, and he went back early, using the excuse that he was going to tutor Shuhui's younger sister in arithmetic.Not long after he left, he suddenly heard the doorbell ring again. Mrs. Gu and the others thought they were the tenants downstairs and ignored it.Later, when he heard footsteps on the stairs, he shouted, "Who is it?" Shijun smiled and said, "It's me, I'm here again!" Mrs. Gu and the old lady, including Manzhen, were all taken aback by it. They felt that he came twice a day. His heart was too hot, and Manzhen's cheeks became hot again. She felt that his behavior seemed a bit unreasonable. Wouldn't it embarrass her to show it to her family, but she was very happy in her heart, and she didn't know why.

Before Shijun reached the door, he stopped and said with a smile, "Have you slept already?" Mrs. Gu said with a smile, "No, it's still early." With a three-point teasing meaning.But when Manzhen saw a small suitcase in his hand, she was startled first, and then saw that although he had a smile on his face, his expression was very uneasy.He laughed and said, "I'm going back to Nanjing, which is the night train today. I think I'll come here and say something." Manzhen said, "Why are you leaving all of a sudden?" Shijun said, "A telegram came just now. He said that my father is sick and told me to go back." He stood there without putting the suitcase down at all, as if he was not going to sit down.Manzhen was also like him, a little confused, just stood there in a daze.It was Mrs. Gu who asked: "What time is the bus?" Shijun said: "Eleven thirty." Mrs. Gu said: "It's still early. Sit for a while, sit for a while!" Shijun just sat down Come down, slowly take off the scarf, and put it on the table. Mrs. Gu accosted and said that she wanted to make tea, then walked away, and called the rest of the children out one by one, and the old lady also walked away, leaving only him and Manzhen.Manzhen said: "The telegram didn't say what kind of illness it was? Isn't it serious?" Shijun said: "The telegram is from my mother. I think, if it wasn't very serious, my mother would never know that he was sick. I Doesn't father have another home, he always lives there." Manzhen nodded.Seeing her silent for a long time, Shijun knew that she must be worried that he would not come back for a while, so he said: "I always come back as soon as possible. The factory can't ask for more leave." Manzhen nodded again. The last time he went back to Nanjing, after all, their friendship was still shallow. This time they tasted parting for the first time.It took Manzhen a while to say a word, and said: "I don't know the address of your home." She immediately went to find a pen and paper, Shijun said: "No need to write, I will send a letter as soon as I get there, and there will be a letter on the envelope." It's marked." Manzhen said: "Let's write one." Shi Jun leaned over the desk to write, and she leaned over the other side of the desk, watching him write.Both felt a sense of desolation. After Shijun finished writing, he stood up and said: "I should go. Don't come out, you have a cold." Manzhen said: "It doesn't matter." She put on her coat and walked out together with him.There was no iron gate in the alley, but there were few pedestrians on the street, and I saw two rickshaws, both of which were carrying passengers.Most of the houses along the street had their lights turned off, except for one Tiger Stove, with the door wide open. Under the yellow electric light, one could see milky white water vapor coming out of the stove from under the dark wooden lid.As soon as he walked to the door of his house, it was warm.The night walker walked by here, and couldn't help feeling a little bit attached.The weather is getting really cold, and the nights are quite cold. Shijun said: "I didn't have any feelings for my father at first, but last time I went back and saw him that time, I don't know why, it made me feel very sad." Manzhen nodded and said: "I heard what you said." Shijun said: "Also, what I am most worried about is the family's financial situation in the future. Actually, this is all expected, but——I am really confused." Manzhen suddenly took his hand and said: "I wish I could go with you, I don't have to show up, I just find a place to live. If something happens, you have someone by your side, you can tell me at any time Say, feel better in your heart." Shijun looked at her and said with a smile: "Look, you will know at this time, if you get married, it will be easier, then of course we will go back together, and it will save you alone I'm thinking about it here." Manzhen rolled his eyes at him and said: "You still have the heart to say these things, it shows that you are not really in a hurry." A rickshaw came from afar.Shijun yelled, and the coachman came across the street.Shijun suddenly remembered again, and whispered to Manzhen: "No one will read my letter, you can write it—a bit longer." Manzhen sneered, and said: "Didn't you say that there is no need to write a letter?" You’re coming back in a few days? I knew you were lying to me!” Shijun also laughed. She stood under the street lamp and watched him go away. In the early morning of the next day, the train arrived in Nanjing, and Shijun rushed to his home, but his store was still open.He went in through the back door and saw the charter driver there dusting the chartered car.Shijun said: "Is your wife up yet?" The charter driver said: "Up, I'm going over there in a while." When he said the word "over there", he turned his head slightly to one side , of course "there" is synonymous with the small mansion.Shijun's heart skipped a beat, and he thought: "Father's illness must not be cured, so mother has to rush over there to see him." Thinking of this, his steps became heavy.The charter driver was ahead of him and ran upstairs to report. Mrs. Shen came out to greet him and said with a smile, "You are so fast. I was just talking to the young lady, and I will ask the driver to pick it up later. It must be at noon." Shuttle bus." The young mistress and Xiao Jian were eating porridge there, and she quickly got up and asked the maids to add some tableware, and asked them to cut some sausages.Mrs. Shen said to Shijun: "Come with me after you have breakfast." Shijun said: "How is Dad's illness?" Mrs. Shen said: "I finally got better these two days. It was so scary! I didn’t care about anything else, so I ran to see him. It didn’t look right, my tongue was stiff, and I couldn’t speak clearly. Now I get injections every day, and the doctor said that I have to rest and rest. It’s not out of danger. I’m going every day now.” Shi Jun couldn't imagine his mother running to the small mansion every day to get along with his concubine and his concubine's godly mother.Especially because a woman like her mother told her to stay in the cold cave, no matter how hard she was, she could bear it, but she had her status, and her patriarchal society was very strong, and she would never fall down in front of her concubine of.Although it is said to take care of her husband's illness.But it's not that there is no one to take care of her. It must be very unwelcome for her to run away, and it must be very painful for her.Shijun couldn't help but think of her mother, when talking about his father, she always used a cold tone, bringing up the possibility of his illness and death. She was also very calm, and said with a smile: "I don't worry about anything else. We don’t keep anything at home, how will we live in the future? If it’s not for this, I don’t care if he dies immediately, anyway, people who don’t see him all year round, might as well be dead!” The words still ring in my ears. After breakfast, his mother went to his father's place together with him. His mother took a chartered car and called a rickshaw for Shijun.Shijun arrived first, jumped out of the car, rang the bell, a male servant came to open the door, seemed surprised to see him, and called "Second Young Master".Shijun walked in and saw his concubine's mother sitting in the living room, braiding her granddaughter's pigtails, and a maid squatting on the ground to tie the child's shoes.The concubine's mother braided her hair and said, "But the one from Gulou is here? Don't move, don't move, Dad is sick, you are not good! Mom Zhou, take her for a walk, don't let her eat it, ah ?” Shijun thought: “‘The one in the Drum Tower’ must refer to my mother. Don’t we live in the Drum Tower? It’s named after the place.” At this time, the “that one in the Drum Tower” also entered.Shijun asked his mother to go ahead, and he followed behind to go upstairs together.This was the first time he saw his mother with someone else's eyes, seeing her bloated body and dismal face.She had a hard time climbing the stairs, and she tried to put on an air of self-possession that she was here to do her calling. Shijun had never been upstairs.The furnishing in the upstairs bedroom more or less retains the style of my concubine's previous "business wave". The mahogany furniture is piled full of pits and valleys, and some family flavors are added. Pale green wall.Because there were patients in the room, it was a bit messy. Xiaotong slept alone on a double bed, and there was another small iron bed, which seemed to be set up temporarily.The concubine was leaning against Xiaotong's bed, feeding him orange juice with a small silver spoon, and holding his head in her arms.Xiaotong didn't know whether to think this was a kind of performance.When his wife came in, the aunt only raised her eyelids, greeted him softly as "Ma'am", and continued to drink the orange juice.Xiaotong didn't even lift his eyelids.Mrs. Shen smiled at him and said: "Look who is here!" The concubine laughed and said: "Hey, the second young master is here!" Shijun called "Daddy".Xiaotong said with great difficulty: "Hey, you are here. How many days did you ask for leave?" Mrs. Shen said: "Stop talking, didn't the doctor tell you to talk more?" Xiaotong fell silent.The concubine put out the little silver spoon to his lips to touch him again, but he shook his head in disgust and showed a embarrassed look at the same time.The concubine smiled and said, "Don't eat anymore?" The more he was like this, she wanted to show off her tenderness and consideration, pulled off the snow-white silk scarf tucked in her skirt, wiped his mouth, and wiped his mouth again. The pillow is moved, and the quilt is pulled. Xiaotong asked Shijun again: "When are you going back?" Mrs. Shen said: "Don't worry, he won't leave, as long as you don't talk much." Xiaotong fell silent again. Shijun looked at his father, but he didn't know him very well. Of course, it was because of his weight loss, and half of it was because his father was lying on the bed without glasses, and he felt very uncomfortable looking at him.The concubine asked him that he came by night train, and hurriedly said: "Second young master, lean on here, after getting off the train, he never rested." Let him sit on a sofa chair by the window, and Shijun took it Pick up a newspaper and read it.Mrs. Shen sat on a chair in front of Xiaotong's bed, and the room was quiet.Downstairs a child started crying, and the concubine's mother shouted from downstairs: "Grandma, come and hug him." The concubine was squeezing orange juice with a small glass roller, and she muttered: " An old man and a young man, they are killing me! The old man is just talking too much, the same orange juice will be unclean if squeezed by others." She was busy going in and out, and after a while, an old woman brought a large plate of fried noodles and two sets of bowls and chopsticks. The concubine followed behind and asked the wife and the second young master to eat noodles with a smile.Shijun said: "I'm not hungry, I ate at home just now." The aunt said again and again: "Eat less." Chopsticks came to eat some.His father was lying on the bed, just watching him eat, as if he felt a kind of pure satisfaction, and a smile appeared on his lips.Shijun was eating the greasy fried noodles beside his father's sickbed, but he felt a strange feeling of sadness in his heart. The concubine ordered another table to be opened for lunch in the master's room for Mrs. Shen and the second young master.Shijun sat in that room for a whole day, and Mrs. Shen wanted to tell him to go home early to rest, but Xiaotong said, "Shijun will live here today." The concubine was very unwilling when she heard this, because He smiled and said, "Oh, we don't even have a good bed. I wonder if the second young master can sleep well!" Xiaotong pointed to the small iron bed where his aunt slept, and the aunt said: "I just sleep in this room." Huh? You asked for tea and water at night, and you didn't exhaust the second young master! He can't get used to these things either." Xiaotong said nothing.The concubine looked at his face, and could only smile and said: "Well, what's the matter, Second Young Master, please tell me, I will also sleep more alertly." The concubine led the maid to remove the quilt from her bed.She slept in the same bed with the two children, changed Shijun into another quilt, and said, "Second Young Master has to feel wronged on this small bed, but the quilt is newly nailed and clean." The light shone on the apple-green walls, and Shijun slept in this very romantic room, wondering why he came here.The concubine ran in countless times all night long, to ask about her health, and to serve Xiaotong to drink tea, take medicine, and defecate.Shijun felt very sorry, because he spent the night here, causing her to lose a lot of footsteps.He opened his eyes to take a look, and she smiled and said, "Second young master, don't move, let me do it, I'm used to it." Inside is a red silk plaid blouse.Shijun hardly dared to look at her, because he suddenly remembered the story of Feng Yiting.She might want to create an opportunity to falsely accuse him of molesting her.He had developed such a concept since he was a child, and he always felt that this aunt was a scheming villain.Thinking about it later, she was probably worried about the iron box in the corner of the room, and she was afraid that there would be some private exchange between the father and son, so she came here again and again to check it out. When Mrs. Shen went back that day, she felt that Shijun had a poor appetite and thought that he was not used to the dishes in the small mansion. She came the next day and brought some vegetarian goose and lettuce balls made at home.This lettuce ball is very delicately made. The lettuce is marinated, and a long section is formed into a dark green pancake, with a red dried rose stuffed on it.She smiled at Shijun, "Yesterday you had breakfast at home, and I saw that you ate quite a few. I thought you might like it." Xiaotong also wanted to eat when she saw it.It is more suitable for him to eat porridge with this kind of pickled vegetables. He ate it with relish, and said, "I haven't eaten this for many years!" The aunt was very angry when she heard this. Xiaotong's spirit has improved a lot in the past two days.Once, the accountant came.Although Xiaotong is ill, he still has to ask about many business matters, and he must be consulted for some things.Because he is the only one who keeps accounts, and he keeps the whole set of figures clearly in his mind.The accountant man sat down in front of the bed and leaned very close, Xiaotong explained to him one by one in a very soft voice.After the accountant left, Shijun said: "Father, I don't think you should bother your mind like this. The doctor knows and must talk." Xiaotong sighed: "I really can't let go, what can I do?" Solution! After I got sick, I realized that everything is fake, and none of these people I use can be trusted!" Shijun knew that he had such a temper, if he continued to persuade him, it would only cause him to complain more, it was nothing more than saying that as long as he had one breath left in his body today, he would have to sacrifice his life, otherwise, what would the family members eat?In fact, why did he suffer so much? It seems that the family depends on him to cook and eat.He just committed the common fault of ordinary businessmen, he is too attached to money, and puts all his energy on it, so he never forgets it. The telephone in his small mansion was installed in the bedroom, and Shijun answered the call twice for him.Once there was a matter to be discussed, he said to Shijun: "You go there." Mrs. Shen smiled and said: "Is he successful?" If you can’t handle this little thing, is that okay?” Shijun ran for his father twice, but his father didn’t say anything in front of him, but praised him to his mother behind his back: “He’s still careful. He’s thoughtful. When Mrs. Shen got a chance, she eagerly relayed the story to Shijun.Shijun was originally an outsider in these matters, and he was not very familiar with the ways of the world. When he was in Shanghai, he suffered from this point, so his popularity in the factory was not very good, and he was often troubled by this point. .But here, because he is Shen's son, everyone supports him, and he feels very comfortable when doing things, and of course he is very happy in his heart. Gradually, it all came down to him.If the accountant has something to ask the master for advice, Xiaotong smiled triumphantly: "You ask the second young master! Now it's up to him to take care of it, I don't care. Go ask him!" Shijun has suddenly become an important person now. As soon as the concubine's mother saw him, she said: "Second young master, you have lost weight these two days, you have worked hard! Second young master is so filial!" The concubine also said: "Second young master is here, master It’s much better, otherwise he’s always worrying about it all day long!” The concubine’s mother said again: “Second young master, don’t be polite, just say what you want, our aunt has always been confused, and she didn’t take care of her well!” The mother and daughter As soon as they handed it over, the second young master was long and the second young master was short, but there was a panic behind his back.The aunt and her mother said: "The old man is going to die now, it's too late! Everything in the store has been taken care of by others. No wonder people say that businessmen have no conscience, and they only know their sons except for money. Isn't it! He has been a husband and wife for more than ten years, and he doesn't plan for me at all!" Her mother said: "I said, don't be angry, you should use some soft skills with him. To be honest, he has always been good to you. He is a little afraid of you. That year you went to Shanghai to play with the dancers, and if you had a fight with him, wouldn't it be fine?" But this time the matter was a bit tricky. After much deliberation, the concubine still had to use her children to impress his heart.On the same day, she brought her youngest boy to Xiaotong's room and said with a smile, "I've been torturing me, saying that I want to see my father. Oh, my father is here! Didn't you say you miss your father?" The child For some reason, he suddenly felt awkward, and stood in front of Xiaotong's bed, just lowering his head and grabbing the mattress.Xiaotong reached out to touch his face, but felt very sad.People after middle age often have this feeling of loneliness, feeling that when they open their eyes, they are all people who depend on them, and there is no one they can rely on, not even a person they can discuss with.So he relied heavily on Shijun. Shijun has long wanted to go back to Shanghai.He whispered this meaning to his mother, and his mother grudged him to stay for a few more days, and Shijun also felt that his father's illness should be better, so he couldn't deal such a blow to him.So he didn't mention that he wanted to leave, but only said that he wanted to live at home.Living in a small mansion is really awkward.Others are secondary, the first is that the environment for reading and writing letters is too bad.Manzhen's letters were sent to his home, and his mother brought them here one after another, but he still couldn't write a long letter to her properly. Shijun told his father that he would move back home. His father nodded and said, "I also want to live there. The area there is quiet and it is more suitable for recuperation." He looked at his aunt again, Said: "She always wakes up early and goes to bed late, and she is also tired and sick. I want her to have a good rest." The aunt's wife caught a cold at night and got coughing problems, and she was like guarding against thieves day and night. The old man handed over the contents of the iron box to Shijun. A person's energy is limited, and he can't take care of some things.Suddenly hearing the old man say that he was going to move out, she turned pale and said nothing.Mrs. Shen was also stunned, and after a pause, she smiled and said: "You are just a little bit, are you afraid of being too tired?" Xiaotong said: "That's okay, call a car later, I will go back with Shijun." Mrs. Shen smiled and said, "Go back today?" Xiao Tong had actually wanted to say this for a long time, but he didn't dare to say it, because he was afraid that his concubine would make trouble for him, so he wanted to wait until the end and leave immediately.Then he laughed and said, "Are you in time today? Why don't you go back first and tell them to tidy up the house, and we'll come back later." Mrs. Shen agreed, but she and Shijun looked at each other, both of them were thinking: "It's not sure if we can go or not." When Mrs. Shen left, the concubine sneered, and said, "Humph, that sounds so nice, tell me to rest!" After saying this, the circles of my eyes turned red.Xiaotong just closed his eyes, showing a very tired look.Seeing this, Shijun was bound to have a quarrel, he was caught in it, and it was a lot of inconvenience, so he immediately went out, went downstairs, and pretended to ask Li Sheng to buy an evening paper.The servants were all whispering and chirping, as if they were very nervous, probably they already knew the news that the master was going to move out.Shijun paced back and forth in the living room, and heard the maids shouting from a distance: "Master's name is Li Sheng. Li Sheng has gone to buy newspapers for the second young master." After a while, Li Sheng came back and delivered the newspaper to When he came to the guest room, a maid came in and said, "Master is calling you. He told you to call for a car." Hearing this, Shijun couldn't help becoming nervous.The car seemed to come very slowly. He read an evening newspaper upside down two or three times before he heard the car horn.Li Sheng said to a maid outside: "Go up and tell me." The maid said: "Why don't you say it? You called me." Li Sheng said seriously: "Go, go, talk One sound! What are you afraid of?" The two of you pushed me and I pushed you, but they didn't dare to go, but Li Sheng ran into the guest room and reported with his hands down, "Second Young Master, the car is here." Shijun remembered that he still had some clothes and odds and ends in his father's room, which had to be tidied up, so he went back upstairs.Before reaching the door of the room, I heard my aunt say loudly from inside: "How about it? You take out these things and prepare to take them all away? That's not okay! Are you going to lose our wives? You don't plan to Are you back? Didn’t you raise these children?” Xiaotong said in a hurried voice, “I’m not dead yet. Where am I? Of course, things have to be put there, just for convenience!” said the aunt : "Bento—I tell you, it's not so convenient!" Immediately afterwards, there was a snatching sound, and then a loud bang. The second stroke is hopeless.He couldn't stay out of it anymore, so he hurried into the room and saw that it was all right. His father sat on the sofa panting and said, "Are you going to piss me off or something?" The iron box was open, stock, passbook and warehouse receipt Scattered all over the floor, probably just now when he tremblingly went to open the iron box to get something, his aunt was in a hurry and tugged at him, he fell forward, but fortunately he didn't fall, but pushed a chair to the ground. The concubine's face turned yellow with fright, and she still said stiffly, "Then think about it for yourself, are you worthy of me? I have been ill in the past few days, and I have not been considerate in serving you. You just leave as soon as you say, you are too bullying! ”她一扭身坐下来，伏在椅背上呜呜哭了起来。她母亲这时候也进来了，拍着她肩膀劝道：“你别死心眼儿，老爷走了又不是不回来！傻丫头！”这话当然是说给老爷听的，表示她女儿对老爷是一片痴心地爱着他的，但是自从姨太太动手来抢股票和存折，啸桐也有些觉得寒心了。趁着房间里乱成一片，他就喊：“周妈！王妈！车来了没有？——来了怎么不说？混帐！快搀我下去。”世钧把他自己的东西拣要紧的拿了几样，也就跟在后面，走下楼来，一同上车。 回到家里，沈太太再也没想到他们会来得这样早，屋子还没收拾好，只得先叫包车夫和女佣们搀老爷上楼，服侍他躺下了，沈太太自己的床让出来给他睡，自己另搭了一张行军床。吃的药也没带全，又请了医生来，重新开方子配药。又张罗着给世钧吃点心，晚餐也预备得特别丰盛。家里清静惯了，仆人们没经着过这些事情，都显得手忙脚乱。大少奶奶光只在婆婆后面跟出跟进，也忙得披头散发的，喉咙都哑了。这“父归”的一幕，也许是有些苍凉的意味的，但结果是在忙乱中度过。 晚上，世钧已经上床，沈太太又到他房里来，母子两人这些天一直也没能够痛痛快快说两句话。沈太太细问他临走时候的情形，世钧就没告诉她关于父亲差点跌了一跤的事，怕她害怕。沈太太笑道：“我先憋着也没敢告诉你，你一说要搬回来住，我就心想着，这一向你爸爸对你这样好，那女人正在那儿眼睛里出火呢，你这一走开，说不定就把老头子给谋害了！”世钧笑了一笑，道：“那总还不至于吧？” 啸桐住回来了，对于沈太太，这真是喜从天降，而且完全是由于儿子的力量，她这一份得意，可想而知。他回是回来了，对她始终不过如此，要说怎样破镜重圆，是不会的，但无论如何，他在病中是无法拒绝她的看护，她也就非常满足了。 说也奇怪，家里新添了这样一个病人，马上就生气蓬勃起来。本来一直收在箱子里的许多字画，都拿出来悬挂着，大地毯也拿出来铺上了，又新做了窗帘，因为沈太太说自从老爷回来了，常常有客人来探病和访问，不能不布置得像样些。啸桐有两样心爱的古董摆投，丢在小公馆里没带出来，他倒很想念，派佣人去拿，姨太太跟他赌气，扣着不给。啸桐大发脾气，摔掉一只茶杯，拍着床骂道：“混帐！叫你们做这点儿事都不成！你就说我要拿，她敢不给！”还是沈太太再三劝他：“不要为这点点事生气了，太犯不着！大夫不是叫你别发急吗？”这一套细瓷茶杯还是她陪嫁的东西，一直舍不得用，最近才拿出来使用，一拿出来就给小健砸了一只，这又砸了一只。沈太太笑道：“剩下的几只我要给它们算算命了！” 沈太太因为啸桐曾经称赞过她做的莴笋圆子，所以今年大做各种腌腊的东西，笋豆子、香肠、香肚、腌菜臭面筋。这时候离过年还远呢，她已经在那里计划着，今年要大过年。又拿出钱来给所有的佣人都做上新蓝布褂子。世钧从来没看见她这样高兴过。他差不多有生以来，就看见母亲是一副悒郁的面容。她无论怎样痛哭流涕，他看惯了，已经可以无动于衷了，倒反而是她现在这种快乐到极点的神气，他看着觉得很凄惨。 姨太太那边，父亲不见得从此就不去了。以后当然还是要见面的。一见面，那边免不了又要施展她们的挑拨离间的本领，对这边就又会冷淡下来了。世钧要是在南京，又还要好些，父亲现在好像少不了他似的。他走了，父亲一定很失望。母亲一直劝他不要走，把上海的事情辞了。辞职的事情，他可从来没有考虑过。可是最近他却常常想到这问题了。要是真辞了职，那对于曼桢一定很是一个打击。她是那样重视他的前途，为了他的事业，她怎样吃苦也愿意的。而现在他倒自动放弃了，好像太说不过去了——怎么对得起人家呢？ 本来那样盼望着曼桢的信，现在他简直有点怕看见她的信了。