Chapter 16 Chapter Sixteen

Things in the world are often unexpected.Shijun's sister-in-law was so enthusiastic in matching Shijun and Cuizhi in the past, but after Cuizhi got married, there was not much harmony between the sisters-in-law.Cuizhi is still a child with a temper, and the elder and younger mistresses are affectionate. Although they are first cousins, perhaps because they are too close, they are prone to friction.Firstly, it was because Shijun’s mother was too eccentric. As the saying goes, newcomers are naturally favored when a new toilet is three days old, and Mrs. Shen loves her son very much. Of course, she is partial to Shijun’s side, although these The dispute has nothing to do with Shijun.

The family gradually became more and more dissatisfied.Cuizhi told Shijun that it's better to separate the family earlier, so as not to always seem to bully their orphans and widows.The word of family separation has been brewing for a period of time, and finally implemented.The leather goods store was also sold out.The eldest mistress took Xiaojian to live alone, but Shijun found a job in Shanghai, working in the engineering department of a foreign company, so Mrs. Shen and Cuizhi followed Shijun to Shanghai. After all, Mrs. Shen is not used to living in Shanghai, and with the loss of a young mistress and no common enemy, Mrs. Shen and Cuizhi gradually became estranged.Mrs. Shen always felt that Cuizhi was not considerate enough to Shijun, and even felt that she bullied him everywhere, and hated Shijun for letting her go too much.Mrs. Shen couldn't help but sometimes intervene between the couple and get angry with Cuizhi.At Mrs. Shen's age, she still behaves like an ordinary woman, and she will go back to her natal house in anger every now and then, and stay with her brother for several days, always asking Shijun to pick her up in person.She always wanted to go back to Nanjing, but she was afraid of being ridiculed by the eldest grandma, who laughed at her for helping the second room, but she went to organize a small family by herself, and she was still pushed away by them.

Mrs. Shen finally went back to Nanjing and rented a house with two old servants.Shijun often goes back to see her.Later, Cuizhi had a child, and she went back with her once, it was a boy, and Mrs. Shen was very happy.She and Cuizhi are reconciled.He passed away shortly thereafter. Some women turn out to be more beautiful after giving birth to their first child, such as Cuizhi.She gave birth to two children, a boy and a girl, and she is now a little fatter than before.Over the years, the world has changed, but her life has always been very peaceful.In the life of a young grandmother, there is nothing more thrilling than eating a meat worm in a fruit.

It was already after liberation, and Shu Hui was going back to Shanghai. After receiving the information, Shi Jun went to pick him up at the station, and Cui Zhi went with him.After liberation, the station has also changed a new atmosphere, unlike the previous chaotic situation.Shijun and Cuizhi calmly bought platform tickets and went in to see if Shuhui's parents hadn't come yet.The two lingered in the sunshine, Shijun smiled and said: "Shuhui has been there for so many years, he must have gotten married." Cuizhi didn't say anything first, and said after a while: "If you get married Married, why didn’t he mention it in his letter?” Shijun said with a smile: “He always likes to play around, maybe he wants to surprise us.” Cuizhi turned her head away, and said angrily: “Just guessing. What's the matter, I'll know when he comes later!" Shijun was so happy today, he didn't notice her impatient look at all, and still said with a smile: "If he is not married yet, we will give it to you." He's a matchmaker." When Cuizhi heard this, she was really annoyed, but she could only hold back her anger and sneer: "Shuhui, if he is so old, if he wants to get married, I won't go find him. I want you to be his matchmaker!"

After being silent for a while, Cuizhi spoke again, and her voice softened a lot. She said, "Tomorrow, I will invite Shuhui well. We can borrow Yuan's cook to cook a table." Shijun smiled. : "Hey, that Chief Secretary is so generous, and Shu Hui is not an outsider, why should he be so particular about it." Cui Zhi said: "It's also your good friend. I haven't seen you for so many years. Is it possible that I can't bear the money?" Flowers." Shi Jun said: "That's not it. At this time, we should save a little. If you don't believe it, Shuhui won't agree." Said: "Okay, okay, I don't care, please do as you like. Don't be so red-faced, okay?" Shijun didn't blush at first, but when she said this, his face turned red with anger, and said "You're blushing yourself, and you're still talking about me!" Cuizhi was about to reply, when Shijun saw Xu Yufang and his wife coming from a distance, and Cuizhi saw him greet that side, and also guessed that it was Shuhui's parents, and the two agreed by coincidence Everyone on the ground put away their anger, and Qi Qi greeted him with a happy face.Shijun called "Uncle, Auntie" and introduced Cuizhi.

Yufang and his wife are getting old and fat.Yufang was still working in the bank. Everyone in the bank put on people's clothes, and Yufang also made a suit. A single uniform was worn on him, and it looked like a small padded jacket.At that time, there were not many people wearing people's costumes, and they were the first to get the fashion.Shijun laughed and said, "The old man looks younger when he wears people's clothes." After standing there and chatting for a few words, Shijun smiled and asked: "Shuhui's letter, can you mention, is he married?" Mrs. Xu smiled all over her face as soon as she said it, and said: "Married! It's been several years. Yufang laughed and said, "I'm with him. She's a female engineer." Shijun laughed and said, "There are very few women who are engineers. After all, there are all kinds of talents in the liberated area. This time, we will come back together?" Xu Xu The wife said: "We came back together, but because his wife is busy with business, he couldn't leave, so he came alone."

During the conversation, the train had already arrived, and Mrs. Xu, because of her presbyopia, had sharp eyes in the distance, so she pointed at him from afar and said: "Isn't that him?" Shijun said no at first, and then said: "Yes Yes!" Through a car window, Shuhui could be seen dozing there, and there was a canvas bag in his luggage, which was hanging on his head, rubbing it all the way, messing up the hair on the back of his head , raised a pinch.If this was the former Shuhui, he would never have allowed such a thing to happen.When the train arrived at the station, there was a sudden noise of voices, which woke Shu Hui up. While he was busy with his luggage, he looked out the window.Here, Shijun Cuizhi and Yufang and his wife had crowded outside the car door and waited.We haven't seen each other for more than ten years, and everyone is both happy and sad.Shuhui seems to be a little older, and his face is full of weather, but he looks very strong and energetic.Mrs. Xu asked Yufang with a smile, "Has Shuhui gotten fat?" Instead, he took a step back, embarrassed to squeeze in the front.So when Shuhui got out of the car, he saw Shijun first. He and Shijun held hands tightly. He saw Cuizhi at a glance. She was fine. She and Shijun are still a very beautiful couple. She is only more fashionable than before. , is already a typical posture of a beautiful woman in Shanghai.When he saw his parents, he had nothing to say for a moment, he just laughed and said, "Father is wearing people's clothes too." Shuhui also wore a people's clothes, but it wasn't as brand-new as his father's, his one had been washed It has become a snow-blue color, although it is very delicate and charming, it is not very suitable for a man to wear.He is very sloppy about dressing now, and he is not as self-pitying as he used to be.He thought that when Cuizhi saw him now, if she thought about the past, she must feel a little relieved.He was a little suspicious that what she admired most in the past might be his kind of self-pity.The love dreams of girls are often built on that basis.

Cuizhi was particularly taciturn today, but everyone thought it was natural, because she and Shuhui's parents were quite unfamiliar, and it was the first time they met, and they happened to be caught in the scene of their reunion.Shijun said that he would treat him to dinner and take care of Shuhui. Shuhui said that he had already eaten on the train.Walking out of the station, Shuhui said: "Come to our house together. Oh, you still have to go to work?" Shijun said: "Because there are few things in our business, we simply take a rest in the afternoon." So everyone hired a car and came to Shuhui's house.All the way up the stairs, Shuhui smiled at Cuizhi, "Have you never been to this place? Shijun and I lived in this pavilion before. At that time, he was a son in distress." Everyone laughed.Mrs. Xu said: "There are people living in this pavilion now, I asked the second landlord the other day about renting it again—" Shuhui said: "That's unnecessary, I won't live in Shanghai for long " Cuizhi then said: "You come to live with us for a few days, okay?" Shijun also said: "Really, you can live with us, our place is quite close to here, you can come to see the old aunt It's very convenient." They said it again and again, and Shu Hui agreed.

Shijun and his wife sat in Xu's house for a while, thinking that their own family members must have a lot to say when they reunited after a long absence, so Shijun winked at Cuizhi, and the two stood up together, Cuizhi turned to Shuhui He smiled and said, "Then we'll go back first, you must come." They left Shuhui's house and went back to their own house.Their house is not big, but there is a lawn in front of the door. This is because Cuizhi likes to keep dogs, and needs some space to walk the dog, and at the same time, the children can also play in the garden.Two children, the older one was originally called Bei Bei, but later he had a younger sister, so he was called Da Bei, and the younger one was called Er Bei.They are all back from school now, Erbei is eating bread in the living room, eating the crumbs all over the floor, attracting many ants.She squatted on the ground to watch, when Shijun came, she called out: "Dad, dad, come and see, the ants are on the shift!" Shijun squatted down and laughed: "What are the ants doing on the shift?" Erbei said: "The ants row Take the household registration rice." Shi Jun smiled and said: "Oh? Take the household registration rice?" Cuizhi came over and said Erbai: "Look, it's dirty to squat on the ground instead of eating bread on the table!" Two Bei Dai smiled and shouted: "Mom came to see the rice!" Cuizhi looked at Shijun impatiently and said, "That's how you are, you don't care about her, and you lead her to mess around!" Shijun laughed and said: "I I think what she said is quite interesting." Cui Zhi said: "Anyway, you're flattering her so much that I can't control her anymore, and you're calling me a villain—that's why both children like you and don't like me!"

Shijun stood up from the ground, threw the ashes on his body, and said, "Is it so rare that I can't even talk to my own daughter?" Cuizhi said, "Then say something meaningful, don't just talk nonsense! When you see him busy and don't help, Shuhui will come soon." Shijun said, "Where are you going to live for Shuhui when he comes?" Cuizhi said, "I have to live in the study, don't There is no room for me." She directed the servants to remove all the furniture in the study and wax the floor.The house was chaotic, and a dog happily ran out and in behind the person. The floor that had just been waxed was so slippery several times that the person almost fell over.Cuizhi thought of it and said to Shijun: "This dog will see strangers later, maybe it will bite people, you can tie it in the pavilion." Cuizhi has always refused to admit that her dog can bite. Damn, last year Shijun’s nephew, Xiaojian, came to Shanghai to take the university entrance examination. When he came to their house, he was bitten by a dog. won't bite him.This time she made an exception to tie up the dog, which was very rare for the whole family.

Erbei followed Shijun upstairs together, Shijun put a leash on the dog, and led it to the pavilion where the boxes were stacked, but saw that some books and other things in his study had been moved here, in a mess piled up all over the floor.Shijun beeped unknowingly, and said, "Why do you pile up all my books on the ground?" He tied the dog to the loop of the box and was tying a knot there, the dog became dishonest and gnawed on the books on the ground, The engineering magazines that Shijun subscribed to over the years were bitten to pieces.Shijun hurriedly shouted: "Hey! Don't bite!" Erbei also shouted: "Don't bite!" She picked up a book to beat the dog, but missed. Picking up a big book, before throwing it out, Shijun snatched it away, scolding: "Look at you child!" Erbei began to cry.Half of her crying was out of desperation, because she heard her mother coming upstairs.The children have always known that Cuizhi has such a temper. She usually says that Shijun has spoiled the child, but if he really disciplines the child, she will stop him and protect the child. At this time, Cuizhi walked into the pavilion and saw Erbei crying and snatching a book from Shijun, so she frowned and said to Shijun, "Look, how can you be as knowledgeable as a child? This book is just for fun, let her play with it, and it made her cry again!" Hearing this, the second baby opened his throat and burst into tears.Cuizhi frowned and said, "Oh, I made a fuss with you, I forgot what I came up for. Oh, I remembered, you go out and buy a better bottle of wine, buy a bottle of Johnny Wager's Whiskey, you need a black label." Shi Jun said: "Shu Hui doesn't necessarily like to drink foreign wine. Don't we still have two bottles of good plum wine at home?" Cui Zhi said: "He doesn't like to drink Chinese wine. Shijun laughed and said, "How can that happen? I've known him for so many years, and I still don't know?" He thought it was ridiculous, and wanted her to tell him what Shuhui liked to eat and what he didn't like.How many times has she met Shu Hui?He said again: "Hey, don't you remember how much wine he drank when we got married—isn't that Chinese wine?" He suddenly mentioned things about their marriage, and she felt very surprised.He couldn't help but think of the scene where Shu Hui was so drunk that day and held her hand at the wedding banquet.When she thought of it at this time, she was a little bit heartbroken besides being sad.She always had the impression that he went to the liberated area at that time because of stimulation and for her sake. She didn't say a word at the moment, turned around and left.Shijun tidied up his books carelessly, and when he went back downstairs, he didn't see Cuizhi, so he asked the maid, "Where's young mistress?" The maid said, "Going out, to buy wine." Shijun He frowned unknowingly, thinking that there is really no way for a woman's vanity.Of course, he could also understand her intentions, she was just because Shuhui was his best friend, and she was afraid of neglecting him, but in fact, Shuhui was just like one of his own, so why should he be extravagant like this.Given their recent financial situation, it seems that they should not be so extravagant.They are really struggling.Originally, Shijun received a considerable amount of inheritance when the family separated, and Cuizhi also brought a generous dowry. It was also because the economy in the society was unstable in the past two years, and neither of them was good at managing money, so Very affected.Especially during Jiang Jingguo's time, they were also part of countless people who were deceived, and suffered heavy losses, almost uprooted.There are still some properties left, which are being sold off one after another, and the subsidy has been used up under the household item. It is absolutely not enough to rely on Shijun's monthly salary in the foreign company. Shijun went to the study to have a look. The floor was waxed, but the furniture was still piled up in a mess.Cuizhi only did half of the cleaning work, and the house was in chaos, so she threw it down and ran out again.I went for a long time and didn't come back.it's getting dark.Shijun couldn't help but said to the maid: "Mother Li, arrange the furniture quickly, the guests are coming soon." When Hui Cuizhi came back, she must feel dissatisfied and still have to rearrange it.Li Ma said: "Let's wait for the young mistress to come back." After a while, Cuizhi came back and shouted as soon as he entered the door: "Is Shuhui here?" Shijun said: "No." Cuizhi put the things on the table and said with a smile: "That's okay. I was so anxious! I went to buy some ham and ran to the bowling field—only the one from that one was the best, and I couldn’t ask the servants to buy it. I had to pick it myself.” Shijun laughed and said, “Oh, you buy it. Have you eaten ham? I’ve been wanting to eat it here for the past two days.” Cuizhi was taken aback, and said in a disbelieving tone: “You love ham? Why have you never heard of it?” Shijun said with a smile: "Why didn't I say it? Every time I say it, you always say: I have to go to the throwing court, I have to pick it up by myself. In the end, I never ate it." Cuizhi fell silent, and she poked her head into the study. He took a picture and shouted, "Oh, why is this room still in such a mess? You don't care about anything anyway—why don't you ask them to put these things in order? Mama Li! Mama Li! Dead man, this family simply cannot leave me!" In the midst of chaos, Shu Hui has already arrived.Everyone went to sit in the living room, and Cuizhi called out Da Bei and Er Bei, telling them to meet Uncle Xu.When Mama Li brought tea, Cuizhi remembered that she forgot to buy two cans of better cigarettes just now, and hurriedly sent Mama Li to buy them, when she suddenly remembered something else, and unconsciously shouted: "Oh, I forgot Today, the Yuan family invites you to dinner—make a call and return it. Cough, I should have called earlier!" Then she blamed Shijun again: "I was so busy that I forgot, why don't you remember? ?” Shi Jun said, “I didn’t hear you at all!” Shu Hui said with a smile, “There’s no need to call, you should go. I also have to go out to see two friends.” Cuizhi refused at first, but Shuhui insisted they go.Later they agreed that tomorrow they would go out with Shuhui to have fun all day long, and tomorrow Shijun would have a holiday. Shuhui looked at his watch and said, "You guys should be ready when you go out to eat, right?" Shijun said, "It's not busy, it's still early." So they talked for a while.Old friends who haven't seen each other for many years, once they meet each other, because they are very familiar and yet unfamiliar people, their words seem to be deep but not, and shallow but not, and they are still groping for each other.It is a strange mood, but it is not less pleasant.The three of them were sitting there talking, and Shuhui suddenly remembered that Manzhen had come.They seem to be three people together forever, he and Shijun, and another woman.He wondered if Shijun felt the same way. Shuhui took out a notebook from his pocket and looked through it. The addresses of his friends were all written on it, and the new line added at the end was Manzhen's current address.Just now his mother told him that Manzhen came to their house once after liberation and asked if he had come back.She left an address.He plans to go to her place now, thinking that Manzhen doesn't know what's going on now, if he is still working outside, he should come back by this time.He can ask her out to dinner and talk for a while. When he left Shen's house, he went to find Manzhen.She lives there in a quiet place amidst the hustle and bustle. It’s not like Shanghai. It’s a cobbled alley. When you walk past it, there are Shikumen houses in the area. There is a wooden gate at the bottom of the alley. In the evening, a maid was cleaning the toilet in the courtyard, rustling and rustling.Just beside the gutter, there are several potted flowers placed high and low, including oleander and evergreen potted plants. There are always more than one family living here, and there are also fat women who look like housewives washing clothes in the yard, and a board table is built against the wall, and she soaps on the board table.Shu Hui smiled and said, "Excuse me, is there a Miss Gu who lives here?" The woman looked up at him, and said to the maid, "Miss Gu hasn't come back yet? I saw her door It's still locked." Shu Hui hesitated for a moment, then smiled and said, "When she comes back, please tell her I'm coming." When he found the address of another friend of his, he planned to visit that person.He walked out along this alley. He didn't notice it when he came in just now. There was a blackboard newspaper on the wall with dense rows of news summaries written in white chalk and pink chalk. The handwriting was familiar .It must have been written by Manzhen. They have been colleagues for many years, and he can recognize the words written by her.Standing in front of the blackboard newspaper, Shuhui couldn't help smiling, as if he had already seen her.He was glad she seemed active now. Manzhen came back late today because she went to watch the performance of the art troupe.Rong Bao has joined the art troupe.Over the years, they have always been mother and son, so Manzhen also went through some ideological struggles about this matter.After liberation, she worked very hard in both work and study, but Rong Bao seemed to be one step ahead of her.She came back from watching their performance that day and felt very excited. When she returned home, she was both tired and excited.The wooden gate outside was not yet bolted. She pushed the door open with a bang, went inside through the patio, and was about to go upstairs when Mrs. Qu, who lived downstairs heard her return, came out and told her, A man surnamed Xu came to her just now, what kind of person is he?As soon as Manzhen heard it, he knew it was Shuhui, because he said, "I'll go and call him." Then he went out again.She went to a tailor shop in Nongkou to borrow a phone, and called Shuhui's house. Shuhui's father came to pick him up. Manzhen smiled and said, "Shuhui is back, right? He came to me just now, I don't know." At home." Yufang said: "Oh, yes, he just arrived today. He doesn't live at home, he lives with Shen Shijun, and their phone number is 7275." At this point, his wife happened to be at Next to him, she blamed him for being too reckless, quickly pulled him, frowned and whispered: "Hey, don't let her call. You don't remember that she was very good with Shijun in the past." Manzhen said on the phone I only heard a woman's voice and Yu Fang chattering about something, and heard him agreeing "Oh, oh oh", and then he said loudly into the phone: "Otherwise, what is the number of Miss Gu's home, my name is Uncle Hui will call you." Manzhen paused for a while, she felt that there was no need to have so many taboos, so she smiled and said: "I'd better call, I borrow the phone number from the neighbor next door, someone calls, they It’s inconvenient to call.” She hung up the phone and dialed Shijun's number.A few years ago, this would have been unimaginable, but her state of mind is very clear now, which is quite different from before. Since the divorce, she seems to have gradually become mentally healthy.When she thinks of Shijun now, she also feels that time has dilute everything, at most it's just a little melancholy.But while dialing the phone number, my heart skipped a beat.In fact, there is no need to be like this, even if Shijun himself came to listen, it doesn't matter. —— The call was made, but someone was calling.It was Cuizhi who had a long conversation on the phone with one of her girlfriends.She was preparing for a banquet, when this girlfriend called, Cuizhi asked her if she would go to Yuan's family for a treat today, and then she talked about Yuan's affairs, everyone knew that Mr. Yuan was not loyal to his wife of. Cuizhi was talking there with a receiver, Shijun ran in anxiously and said, "I don't have a clean shirt, and Mama Li has gone somewhere! Do you know where my shirt is?" Cuizhi I didn't bother.At this time they were talking about another friend, and Cuizhi said resentfully: "I never said that! They are poor, and who doesn't know it? Is there any need for me to promote it to them? Children are free of charge in the school. ——Oh? You don’t know?” She smiled happily, and was about to recount the details when Shijun said next to her: “It’s getting late, so we can talk less A few more words. Can’t we talk about it another day?” Cuizhi said: “Don’t come to confuse me.” Then she smiled into the phone: “I’m not talking to you, I’m talking to Shijun.”—” She turned her head away again Came to Xiang Shijun and said: "She asked you to answer the question, why didn't you hear the next one?" Then he smiled into the phone and said, "Do you want to tell him yourself?" Cuizhi shook her hand, then hurried out, went back to the upstairs room, went to find a new pair of leather shoes and put them on. Cuizhi also came upstairs after finishing her phone call.Shijun said: "I can't find any of my shirts. I don't know where Li's mother has gone." Cuizhi said: "I told her to go buy cigarettes, so don't change your shirts. She washes them down." It came out after washing, but it hasn't been ironed yet." Shijun said, "Why isn't one thing ironed?" Cuizhi said, "I need her to be busy! She's so old." Shijun said, "I won't I understand, why the people we use are always old, weak and disabled soldiers, and none of them can do things." Cuizhi said: "It's not that there are people who can do things. Mrs. Yuan said last time that she recommended someone to me, saying that she can do things and is quick. Like our wages here, and no extra money, how can we support her?" She often used these words to block him because of coming or going or because of lack of money.At that moment, Shijun was speechless.Cuizhi has many things, if she really gets serious with her, there will be endless quarrels all day long.He always felt that this was the end of the matter, and if he was arguing all day long, it would still be useless, and he might not necessarily feel happier because of it. The phone downstairs rang suddenly.Cuizhi was changing clothes, so she said, "Go and pick it up." Shijun ran downstairs, picked up the receiver and said, "Hello?" After a short rest, he heard a woman's voice say with a smile: "Hey, is Shuhui at home?" Shijun said, "He's gone out. Who are you?" The woman smiled and said, "You can't even hear my voice?" Shijun was suddenly taken aback , smiled in a trance and said: "Hey, it's you! I didn't remember it for a while. You—are you in Shanghai?" Manzhen smiled and said: "I have been in Shanghai. How are you? When did you come from Nanjing?" Shijun said: "I've been here for many years. Oh, we haven't seen each other for so many years, more than ten years?" Manzhen laughed and said: "Isn't it!" Talking on the phone, just can't stop, After a brief pause, the silence seemed particularly pronounced.Manzhen quickly went on to say: "Shuhui came to my place just now. I just happened to be away. When he comes back, tell him to call me, 28509." Shijun said: "Wait a minute, I'll write it down.—Two—eight—five—zero—nine—I'll come to see you with Shuhui tomorrow." Manzhen smiled and said, "Okay, come when you're free. what." She hung up the phone.After a while, I heard a very slight "ding"!It was only then that I hung up.She was already standing there in a daze, but now she stood there even more in a daze.The tailor shop was buzzing with people, and there were two rows of tailors sitting in the shop, burying their heads in sewing under the low-hanging light bulbs. These scenes seemed like a dream. Perhaps Shijun was more shocked than she was, because he never expected her to call.He was sitting blankly beside the telephone, when he suddenly heard Cuizhi shouting from the stairs: "Hey, why are you sitting here? Hurry up, we're already late!" Shijun stood up and said, "I It'll be fine in three minutes." Sure enough, a few minutes later, he was fully dressed, and Cuizhi was still sitting in front of the dressing table combing her hair.Shijun walked over and said, "Here, look, I'll wait for you." Cuizhi said, "I'll be fine soon. You go and ask Mama Li to call a car." She was busy dressing up, and didn't think to ask him Who made the call just now. After a while, Shijun shouted from downstairs: "The car has been called. Are you still okay?" Cuizhi replied upstairs: "Don't keep urging, it makes people flustered. I'll be fine soon. !" After a while, she suddenly shouted: "Did you see my black leather bag? - Probably in the cabinet. Is the key on the cabinet with you?" Shijun said: "It's not with me. Cuizhi said: "I remember you took it! It must be in one of your pockets." Shijun had no choice but to try to dig out in his pocket for the time being. Said: "Oh, yes, yes!" After finding the key, he opened the door of the cupboard, took out the leather bag, and then moved the contents of the daily-used leather bag into the black leather bag. It doesn't matter if you pick out a few pieces, it will take a lot of time. She finally came downstairs, and shouted as she went downstairs: "Mother Li! Mr. Xu will come later, in case we haven't come back, you can get some tea for Zhang Luo. You can watch the big ones and the two big ones, and let the time come They are sleeping, don't let them disturb the guests, ah! The can of cigarettes you bought just now is in Mr. Xu's room, that is, in the study." Walking out of the door, she turned around and warned: "Don't forget to put the cigarettes away. Listen to the head and open it." Sitting on the tricycle.She shouted again: "Mother Li, don't forget to feed the dog, ah!" The two sat side by side on the tricycle, and just after covering the car blanket, Cuizhi said to Shijun again: "Hey, give me a run, there is a powder mirror in the second drawer of the dressing table, what do you give me?" I'll bring it. Not the big one—I want the one with the suede cover." Shijun didn't say anything, jumped out of the car, walked through the garden, walked into the house, went upstairs and opened the drawer, Bring the pink mirror and give it to Cuizhi.She took it and put it in her purse, and said, "Otherwise, I won't forget it, and I remind you." When they arrived at Yuan's house, all the guests had already arrived.The host, Yuan Sihua, and the hostess, Ping Niyuan, came up to shake hands with them.Na Ping Ni is the "First Lady" among their acquaintances, she can be said to have both talent and beauty.She is tall and slender, with slender eyebrows, fine eyes, pink, white, and red oval face, and she speaks with a very sharp throat; for some reason, she speaks English in a higher tone than usual, holding a fake like singing an opera. voice.She hummed and smiled at Shijun: "It's been a long time since I saw you. How are you doing? Do you like to beat Bo Liqi?" Shijun smiled and said, "It's not good." Penny said with a smile: " You must be being polite. But you really need to use some brains to beat Bo Liqi—" She giggled, and then added, "Some people just can't beat them well." She always thought that Shijun was a little imbecile .He never said anything when he met her.Of course, he is a good person, but he is mediocre, has no characteristics at all, and is not very promising. Not only does he not make money, but even the money that Cuizhi married as a dowry has been spent on his family. She is very sorry for Cuizhi. . Later, during the conversation, Ping Ni smiled and said: "Cuizhi is so lucky, Shijun has a good temper, and he is honest, so he doesn't go out to play." She pouted her mouth to that side, and said with a smile: "Like us Si Hua, I don’t know how many flower heads there are. I also have too many entertainments outside, so there are more temptations. Don’t tell me, it’s better if you don’t go out often!” In her tone, it seemed that she was respectful of Shijun’s kind Bu's husband has a sense of contempt.It is a well-known fact that her own husband likes to flirt outside, and Penny feels that she is inferior to Cuizhi in this respect.But she is the strongest person, even if she is only a little inferior, she will not admit defeat, and she can't wait to criticize others so that she is worthless. There are not many customers today, just one table.Penny had a child who ate at their table, along with the child's nanny.Children must have a nanny, or a caregiver in addition to the nanny. This has become a custom among rich and noble families, as if they are not qualified.The nanny of the Yuan family was born as a nurse, everyone called her Miss Yang, but I'm afraid she is not young, and she looks ugly.I don't know where Penny found it.If it weren't for such a person, he wouldn't have been able to stay in their house for long - the master of their house is so obsessed with sex. After dinner, Si Hua turned on the radio as soon as she returned to the living room.Ping Ni gave him a sideways look, and said: "Just take a day off and don't listen, okay? There are so many guests here today." She turned around and smiled at everyone: "Si Hua listened to Yang Naiwu these two days. Bewitched!" Everyone talked about Yang Naiwu and the torture in the courtroom.Then Ms. Yang said: "Oh, I am so scared when I mention torture now! In the past, the director of our hospital was captured by the Kuomintang, and he was wronged as a traitor. He ran to the hospital to search, just like a robber. The dean's wife asked her to take out the money, hung her up and beat her, burned her heels with fire, poured water on her, and———” She lowered her voice, and said two cruel and special tortures , It made everyone feel sad, and they became restless while sitting in their chairs.Ms. Yang moaned and said, "Oh, that sound of her screaming! It was during the Anti-Japanese War. I was too scared to stay there, so I ran away to Shanghai. That Mrs. Zhang didn't suffer from internal injuries. It was too heavy—later I heard people from Lu'an say that she died in a short time." Shijun suddenly heard the word "Liu'an", he couldn't help being startled, and then said: "Oh, what you said is ——Could it be Zhang Mujin's wife? His wife died?" Miss Yang also looked at him in astonishment, and said, "Yes. Do you know Dr. Zhang?" Shijun only said briefly: "I have. "He was very upset.If it wasn't for Manzhen's call just now, he would have thought it was Manzhen. ——Even so, he still had an absurd feeling, as if her ghost had called.At that time, didn't her sister tell him clearly that Manzhen and Mujin were married?Why would her sister tell such a lie?难道怕他不肯死心，要和她纠缠不清吗？那曼桢总该知道，他不是那样的人呀。他无论如何也想不通，她那时候究竟为什么缘故，就此避不见面了——何至于决绝到这样？ 他忽然发觉，那杨小姐正在那儿冲着他说话。他急忙定了定神。她在那儿问：“沈先生现在可听说，张医生现在在哪儿？”世钧道：“不知道。我还是好些年前看见他的。”杨小姐道：“我就听见说他后来倒也出来了。那医院当然是没有了，给接收了去了。当初还不就是为了看中他们那个医院。” 有一部分人发起打勃立奇，世钧没有入局。翠芝是不会打。他们走得比较早，不过也将近午夜了。两人坐三轮车回去，世钧一直沉默着，翠芝以为他是困了。她说：“你只喝酒喝多了，你一喝多酒就要瞌睡，我刚才看见你坐在那儿都像要睡着了似的。”世钧不语。翠芝又道：“刚才吃饭的时候袁太太跟你说些什么？”世钧茫然地说：“啊？——哦，袁太太啊？她说的话多着呢，哪儿记得清楚那么许多。”翠芝道：“喏，就是吃饭的时候，我看见她笑得叽叽呱呱的。”世钧道：“哦，她在那儿说老五在香港闹的笑话。”翠芝道：“我还当她是笑你呢。” 隔了一会，翠芝又道：“袁太太皮肤真好，你看她今天穿那件黑衣裳真挺好看的。”世钧道：“我是看不出她有什么好看。”翠芝道：“我晓得你不喜欢她。反正是女人你全不喜欢。因为你自己觉得女人不喜欢你。” 他对她的那些女朋友差不多个个都讨厌的，他似乎对任何女人都不感兴趣，不能说他的爱情不专一，但是翠艺总觉得他对她也不过如此，所以她的结论是他这人天生的一种温吞水脾气。世钧自己也是这样想。但是他现在却又发觉，也许他比他所想的是要热情一些。要不然，那时候怎么会妒忌得失掉理性，竟会相信曼桢爱上了别人。其实——她怎么能够同时又爱着别人呢，那时候他们那样好。——那样的恋爱大概一个人一辈子只能有一回吧？也许一辈子有一回也够了。 翠芝叫了声“世钧”，她已经叫过一声了，他没有听见。她倒有点害怕起来了，她带笑说道：“咦，你怎么啦？你在那儿想些什么？”世钧道：“我啊——我在那儿想我这一辈子。”翠芝又好气又好笑，道：“什么话？你今天怎么回事——生气啦？”世钧道：“哪儿？谁生什么气。”翠芝道：“你要不是生气才怪呢。你不要赖了。你这人还有哪一点我不知道得清清楚楚的。”世钧想道：“是吗？我倒有点怀疑。” Got home.世钧在那儿付车钱，翠芝便去揿铃。李妈睡眼蒙眬地来开门。翠芝问道：“许先生回来了没有？”李妈道：“回来了，已经睡了。”那李妈呵欠连连的，自去睡觉。翠芝将要上楼，忽向世钧说道：“嗳，你可闻见，好像有煤气味道。”世钧向空中嗅了嗅，道：“没有。”他们家是用煤球炉子的，但同时也装着一个煤气灶。翠芝道：“我老不放心李妈，她到今天还是不会用煤气灶。我就怕她没关紧。” 两人一同上楼，世钧仍旧一直默默无言，翠芝觉得他今天非常奇怪。她有点不安起来。在楼梯上走着，她忽然把头靠在他身上，柔声道：“世钧。”世钧也就机械地拥抱着她。他忽然说：“嗳，我现在闻见了。”翠芝道：“闻见什么？”世钧道：“是有煤气味儿。”翠芝觉得非常无味，她略顿了一顿，便淡淡地道：“那你去看看吧，就手把狗带去放放，李妈一定忘了，你听它直在那儿叫。” 那狗被他们关在亭子间里，不住地呜呜叫着，那声音很是悲怆。世钧到亭子间里去把皮带解下来，牵着狗下楼。这是他们家每天晚上的例行公事，临睡前一定要把这狗牵到院子里去让它在外面大小便。 世钧弯到厨房里去看了一看，看见煤气灶上的开关全关得好好的，想着也许是管子有点漏，明天得打个电话给煤气公司。他把前门开了，便牵着狗走出去，把那门虚掩着，走到那黑沉沉的小园中。草地上虫声唧唧，露水很重。凉风一阵阵吹到脸上来，本来有三分酒意的，酒也醒了。 楼上他们自己的房间里已经点上了灯。在那明亮的楼窗里，可以看见翠芝的影子走来走去。翠芝有时候跟他生起气来总是说：“我真不知道我们怎么想起来会结婚的！”他也不知道。他只记得那时候他正是因为曼桢的事情觉得非常痛苦。那就是他父亲去世那一年。也是因为自己想法子排遣，那年夏天他差不多天天到爱咪家里去打网球。有一位丁小姐常在一起打网球，现在回想起来，当时和那丁小姐或者也有结婚的可能。此外还有亲戚家里的几个女孩子，有一个时期也常常见面。大概也很可能和她们之间任何一位结了婚的。事实是，简直只差一点就没跟翠芝结婚——他现在想起来，觉得很可笑。 小时候第一次见面，是他哥哥结婚，她拉纱，他捧戒指。当时觉得这拉纱的小女孩可恶极了，她显然是非常看不起他，因为她家里人看不起他家里人。现在却常常听见翠芝说：“我们第一次见面倒是很罗曼谛克。”她常常这样告诉人。 世钧把狗牵进去，把大门关上了。他仍旧把狗拴在亭子间里。看见亭子间里乱堆着的那些书，都是从他的书房里搬出来的，他不由得就又要去整理整理它。又从地下拣起一本，把上面的灰掸掸掉，那是一本“新文学大系”，这本书一直也不知道塞在什么角落里，今天要不是因为腾出书房来给叔惠住，也决不会把它翻出来的。他随手拿着翻了翻，忽然看见书页里夹着一张信笺，双折着，纸张已经泛黄了，是曼桢从前写给他的一封信。曼桢的信和照片，他早已全都销毁了，因为留在那里徒增怅惘，就剩这一封信，当时不知道为什么，竟没有舍得把它消灭掉。 他不知不觉地坐了下来，拿着这封信看着。大约是他因为父亲生病，回到南京去的时候，她写给他的。The letter reads: 〖世钧： 现在是夜里，家里的人都睡了，静极了，只听见弟弟他们买来的蟋蟀的鸣声。这两天天气已经冷起来了，你这次走得那样匆忙，冬天的衣服一定没带去吧？我想你对这些事情向来马马虎虎，冷了也不会想到加衣裳的。我也不知怎么，一天到晚就惦记着这些，自己也觉得讨厌。真是讨厌的事——随便看见什么，或者听见别人说一句什么话，完全不相干的，我脑子里会马上转几个弯，立刻就想到你。昨天到叔惠家里去了一趟，我也知道叔惠不会在家的，我就是想去看看他的父亲母亲，因为你一直跟他们住在一起的，我很希望他们会讲起你。叔惠的母亲说了好些关于你的事情，都是我不知道的。她说你从前比现在还要瘦，又说起你在学校里时候的一些琐事。我听她说着这些话，我真觉得非常安慰，因为——你走开太久了我就有点恐惧起来了，无缘无故的。世钧！我要你知道，这世界上有一个人是永远等着你的，不管是在什么时候，不管你是在什么地方，反正你知道，总有这样一个人。 〗 世钧看到最后几句，就好像她正对着他说话似的。隔着那悠悠岁月，还可以听见她的声音。他想着：“她难道还在那里等着我吗？” 他坐在那箱子盖上，略一转侧，忽然觉得一只脚已经完全麻木了，大概他这样坐着已经坐了很久的时候，自己都不觉得。他把脚跺了跺，很费劲地换了一个姿势，又拿起这封信来看，下面还有一段：“以上是昨天晚上写的，写上这许多无意识的话，你一定要笑我的。现在我是在办——”写到这里忽然戛然而止，下面空着半张信纸，没有署名也没有月日。他却想起来了，这就是他那次从南京回来，到她的办公室里去找她，她正在那里写信给他，所以只写了一半就没写下去。这桩事情他记得非常清楚。他忽然觉得从前有许多事情都历历如在目前，和曼桢自从认识以来的经过，全想起来了。 第一次遇见她，那还是哪一年的事？算起来倒已经有十八年了——可不是十八年了！ ——