Chapter 26 Twenty-six

The money is gone!Zhang Wen sold all of Xiulian's jewelry and ate all the money he got.Xiulian's belly got bigger day by day, so big that she didn't even dare to go out, she looked shabby, how could she see people. She didn't expect a pregnant woman to be so ugly.The face changed completely.When I woke up in the morning, my face was swollen and puffy, and it was difficult to smile.Even with what little cosmetics she had, it couldn't cover up her sickness.This appearance is really ugly and pitiful.My legs and feet were swollen, and sometimes I couldn't even put on my shoes.

Zhang Wen has no warmth towards her.Even if you get close to her, it is nothing more than to vent your animal nature. Once the animal nature is satisfied, you will throw her aside.Once, in order to disrespect her for blocking the way, he beat her hard in the stomach.Another time, because she thought she took up too much space on the bed, she scolded her. "Get the fuck off you, potbellied bitch," he yelled.She turned her face to the wall and sobbed softly, but said nothing.The next morning she greeted him humbly and sincerely.She felt that it was too childish to cry.My stomach is too big, squeezing him, and being scolded by him is nothing.She was very sorry.

Zhang Wen didn't have the heart to talk to her about love.He sat on the bed, lit a cigarette, closed his eyes, and thought about something.Suddenly, he took a long puff of cigarette at her and laughed. "Xiulian, ask your father for money. We have to eat, and I've lost a penny." She looked at him with wide eyes.He doesn't mean it, does he?Doesn't he know that father doesn't want her anymore?She is sorry for her father, she has no face to face others. "Oh," she whispered, "oh no, I can't do that." "Idiot," he scolded her angrily, "your father has money, but we are short of it. He stole your money, why don't you get some back?"

She shook her head.She can no longer bully her father.I can no longer do embarrassing things and ask my father for money.Zhang Wen clenched his fists, as if he wanted to hit her.She saw what he was about to do, but sat still.Zhang Wen cursed loudly, put on his jacket, put on his trousers, and walked out. She lay alone in bed for two days.There is no food and no money.She didn't want to do anything but think about her mind.The body is getting heavier and heavier, and it has reached the time when walking is difficult.She was nauseated because of hunger. Zhang Wen returned home.He went there by himself for two days without mentioning a word, and she didn't ask.She lay on the bed, smiling, wishing he would come closer.While undressing, he asked, "Why don't you go to sing? We need to get two dollars, don't we? This is a way, find a place to sing the big drum."

"I look like this, how can I get there?" She forced a smile. "With a big belly, people should laugh at it. It will be fine after the child is born. Besides, there is nowhere to sing except my dad's troupe. Chongqing is just such a bookstore." "Then you go back and sing for him. " "That won't work. I can't go on stage and sing books like this, embarrassing my dad." "What? Shame? Whose person?" Zhang Wen didn't understand.There's nothing shameful about a woman being pregnant, let alone a drummer.As a woman, Xiulian is lovely; but she doesn't want to go out and earn money, which is really annoying. "Go, sing a book to your dad." He ordered again.

"I'm not going," she began to cry, "I can't stand it, I can't embarrass Papa by doing this." "Shame!" He sneered contemptuously, "A drummer, can he talk about shame?" Something snapped in Xiulian's heart, and the last sliver of affection she had for him was over.From now on, things can no longer go on like this.She didn't expect him to say such a thing.He doesn't love her at all.She left home for him, ruining her future, but he was completely indifferent to it! That night, Zhang Wen left again.It takes three days to go.Xiulian was dying, unable to tell day from night.Die, and the pain will be over.If you die, you don't have to suffer, but you still have children!The mother committed a crime and committed a crime, why should the child die with her?

The next day, she got up.He was so weak that he couldn't walk.After Zhang Wen left, she only ate a little glutinous rice cake and drank two sips of water.She had to go for a walk, to catch her breath.It was really strenuous to walk. Every step I took, my feet were pricked by needles, and my legs were so swollen that I couldn't move an inch.Where are you going?she does not know.She walked forward step by step, stumbling, and stopped to rest after walking a few steps.After a while, she saw that she had come to the end of the street where her father's house lived.Can't go, never go.She turned around and quickly returned to the cabin.

Maybe Zhang Wen's friends will come to him.In such a deserted and lonely day, it would be nice to have someone to talk to.She could beg them to find Zhang Wen and call him home.But no one came, and she could guess why.They used to come here to see her, to see the most famous drummer in Chongqing.Now, she is sick and ugly, who would care to see her?What's so good about a woman with a big belly!She took a few steps in the hut and sat down on the bed. The child was kicking again, and she was very upset.But the sadness in my heart is even worse.The terrible thing is that in the future, what if the child is born in this small and dilapidated house?Beads of sweat popped out one by one on her forehead.She doesn't understand anything.What if a living child popped out of her stomach all of a sudden?I heard that when a woman gives birth, she screams desperately. Is it really that terrible?It seemed that with every kick in her stomach, her sadness increased and became more and more unbearable.

She lay down in a daze, even if Zhang Wen came back to take a look.Whenever there were footsteps in the alley, she raised her head to listen.In this dilapidated alley, men and women came and went, and the sound of footsteps continued.She knew that Zhang Wen would not come again.Maybe Dad, or Dafeng will come to see her.Just thinking about it this way gave her a lot of comfort.But she knew in her heart that they would not come.They lived a completely different life from hers.Just like the earth revolves around the sun, they follow the rules and live a well-behaved life.As for her, she was desperate and could no longer live a decent life.

Two days later, Zhang Wen rushed in rashly.He wore a new Western-style shirt and silk tie, and a brightly colored handkerchief in his coat pocket.He was tanned and pretty.As soon as she saw him, she found all kinds of reasons for his departure: he might have tried to earn money so that he could eat well, and he loved her, so he worked desperately for her.When she saw him, she suppressed the resentment in her heart.After all, he was her lover, her man.However, Zhang Wen ignored her.He was busy packing.She looked at him inexplicably, covering her mouth with her hands to keep herself from crying.He gathered his shorts, his shirt, and the socks she had washed, and packed them in a new light-coloured suitcase he had just brought back.Tears fell from her eyes, but she remained silent.

He stopped and looked at her.The eyes are not so fierce, revealing a look of pity.There was a smile on his tightly pursed lips. "I'm not coming back," he said, "I'm going to India." Then he packed his bag again. She was stunned, and didn't understand all of a sudden.Oops, India, so far away.She jumped off the bed and pulled his sleeve. "I'll go too, Zhang Wen, wherever you go, I'll go too. I'm not afraid." He laughed, "Don't be so childish. With such a big belly, why come with me. Take a little bastard who is about to emerge, and follow me, then it will be worth watching! Shut up, what I have to do There are many." She felt a chill in her heart.She let go of his arm and sat on the bed, eyes wide open, utterly terrified. "What do I do? What do you want me to do?" she asked. "go home." "Wait..." "What are you waiting for?" "Aren't you waiting for the baby to be born?" "Hey, go back! Don't talk about waiting. Be smart. You eat me up and spend all I have on you. Isn't that enough? We haven't had it before." Good day. I tried my best to satisfy you, now I have to go, I can't do it, don't be so stubborn." She threw herself on the floor and hugged his legs. "Don't you love me at all?" "Of course I love you," he said, picking it up more quickly. "If I don't love you, can you still conceive a child?" She was lying on the ground, exhausted and unable to get up.She asked feebly: "What will we do in the future?" "Then who's to say? Don't count on me, you know me. I'm soft-hearted. If a girl likes me in India, I'll be with her. I can't be hard on a woman. I'm not a man. Righteousness, isn’t it the same for you? I’ve already given you sweetness.” He looked at Xiulian lying at his feet with a playful smile, and stroked his shiny hair. "You've tasted the sweetness, haven't you?" After packing up, he looked around the room to see if there was anything left behind.When it was over, I said something in English: "Gutbai," and it disappeared. He left a hut, a bamboo bed, and a quilt on the bed, which was too thick to fit into the suitcase.There are also two bamboo chairs, a bamboo table and a pregnant woman. Xiulian lay on the bed and didn't get up until she couldn't stand the hunger anymore.She had only one thought on her mind, and that was to earn money to support herself and her children.Maybe I can make a living by singing and earning some money.As long as you survive until the child is born, you can find any theater to make money.No matter what you do, as long as you can earn money and support your children.She had tasted enough of the bitterness of this love, and it was nothing.It's better to let someone sell it. Even the orders of parents and the words of matchmakers are better than this.The next day, she lay in bed all day.When I woke up, my legs were so swollen that I couldn't even put on my socks.She knew she was dirty, she hadn't changed her clothes for many days, and she smelled like a beggar.In the afternoon, she went to some teahouses by the river for a walk.The owner of the teahouse found it funny when he heard that she wanted to find a job.Carrying a belly as big as a rice bag, who wants it! She walked home with heavy steps.The braids fell apart, and there was dirt all over the ends.The swollen legs were as heavy as the body.His lips were chapped and sore, and his eyes were bloodshot.When she reached the gate, she sat down on the steps and could no longer move.I haven't changed my clothes for many days, and the clothes are wet and sticky.Just jump into the Jialing River to save the child from suffering. She struggled up and went back to the hut.The door was open, and she stopped, startled.Who's coming?Zhang Wen changed his mind?Or is a thief coming to steal her precious quilt?She took three steps at a time and rushed into the house, saying that she could not let the quilt be stolen... Suddenly, she stopped her steps.The dim light at dusk illuminated a figure sitting on the edge of the bed with his head bowed. "Dad," she cried, "Dad!" She knelt down, laid her head on his lap, and cried bitterly. "I heard he left," Baoqing said. "Now you can go home. I have been unable to come. He threatened me and said that he would kill me. Now that he is gone, he came to pick you up." She looked up at him, her eyes filled with suspicion and surprise. "How can I go back like this, Dad?" "Yes, the whole family is waiting for you, let's go." "But mother... what will she say?" "She's waiting for you too. We're all waiting for you." Baoqing rolled up the bedding, held her under his arms, and led her out. "When the child is born, I will sing along with you for the rest of my life," Xiulian made a wish, "I won't do stupid things anymore." She stopped suddenly. "Wait, Dad, I forgot something." She strode hard on her swollen leg and went back to her cabin. She wanted to take another look at this room, never to forget it!This is the house where she lived with others. She thought it was a paradise, but it turned out to be a prison to torture her.Her dream was completely shattered here.She stood at the door, looked carefully at the hut again, and kept it in her heart.Then, holding hands with her father, she came out.They are puppets played on the big stage of life.An old man, a pregnant girl, is about to bring another lonely child to the world of misery. Dafeng greeted her sister with enthusiasm.Second Mistress was sitting in her own room.She planned to insist on *Hanghuan* Lian talking.But when she saw the daughter she had raised since childhood, she couldn't stop crying. "Hmph, bad girl," she cried excitedly, "Come on, I have to wash you well and tell you to go to bed and sleep first." In the opposite room, Dafeng's son, Xiaobao, slapped the floor with his small hands and giggled.Xiulian also laughed when she saw him.