Chapter 44 Forty-four

Juexin and Jueying went to Zhushi Lane in a sedan chair.Qin Song led the way with a lantern.In just a quarter of an hour, the sedan chair entered a not very big courtyard and stopped on the hall.Qin Song led them through the turning door and turned inside.In the middle is a small patio covered with weeds.Three houses on the front.There is a small wing room on the left and right.There are lights in the front room.They went to the place where there was light.As they entered the central hall, they smelled opium.This is from the room on the right.Qin Song went inside first and reported: "Fourth Master, the Eldest Young Master and Fourth Young Master are here."

"Ah, why don't you invite them in!" Zhang Bixiu's crisp voice heard Juexin and Jueying and hurried into the room. There was a cigarette tray on the bed, and the cigarette lamp was burning. Ke An was lying on the side, smoking a bong in his mouth.Zhang Bixiu was lying opposite him, holding a bong in her left hand, and with her right hand wearing a gold ring, she was pinching the iron stick to press the burning bubble that was installed in the small hole of the bong.Ke'an heard Juexin's footsteps and didn't move a muscle.While burning cigarettes for Ke'an, Zhang Bixiu politely said to Juexin: "Eldest young master, please wait a moment, he is about to finish eating this cigarette. Please sit down."

"It's okay, let's take a look at Fourth Dad's illness," Juexin replied.Jueying didn't say anything, but just looked at Zhang Bixiu with a smile. Zhang Bixiu saw that the cigarette had burned out, so she took the bong out of Ke'an's mouth and put it in the cigarette tray.Ke'an swallowed his saliva, then turned his face slightly to look at Juexin and Jueying standing in front of the bed.They both greeted him at the same time.Jueying also said: "Father called us to see how the fourth father is sick." Juexin quickly asked, "Is the fourth father feeling better?" Zhang Bixiu cleaned up the cigarette tray, then stood up, and greeted Jue with a smile Xin said: "Eldest young master, please sit down." He saw Qin Song standing at the door, so he ordered: "Second Master Qin, go ask Xiaozhen to pour you two cups of tea." Qin Song agreed and went out.

"It's better. Fourth, you go back and greet your father, saying that I'm much better now, but my spirit is not good. Mingxuan, please sit down," Ke'an said to them gently, and he smiled slightly .But the smile disappeared without a trace from his thin yellow-black face like a stone dropped into the sea.His face was like a dry leaf. "Fourth dad's spirit is not very good. I don't know what's wrong with fourth dad?" Juexin said with a forced respect.Both he and Jueying sat down on the chairs on the left wall. Ke'an heard Juexin's words, but remained silent.Sitting on the edge of the bed, Zhang Bixiu pursed her lips and said with a smile: "He has a sore on the sole of his foot, and it's healed. But it's not convenient for him to walk." He inadvertently showed his acting posture, which made his pink face look more beautiful up.Jueying's mouse eyes stared greedily at Zhang Bixiu's pink face.Xiaozhen brought tea and put it on the coffee table next to Juexin.This is a handsome child, only fifteen or sixteen years old.He put the teacup away, then stepped back, and stood quietly beside the desk.

"I don't know which doctor to ask?" Juexin asked again. "Zhang Puchen was invited. Apply two medicines every day. It's much better now," Zhang Bixiu replied instead of Ke'an.He asked Juexin again, "He hasn't been back to the mansion for four or five days, I wonder if the fourth wife is in a hurry?" "Fourth aunt may not be in a hurry, she is too busy playing cards all day to win. There are still guests at home this afternoon," Jueying rushed to answer flamboyantly. "Fourth Master, you can also stay for a few more days with peace of mind. You see that Fourth Wife is not in a hurry, so why should you be in a hurry?" Zhang Bixiu said to Ke'an with a happy face.

Ke'an smiled at him, and ordered: "You burn another cigarette for me." He put his hand to his mouth and yawned big. Zhang Bixiu agreed, then fell down, stretched her feet back, lay down, picked up a stick, picked a cigarette from the ashtray, and lit it on the lamp. Ke'an watched Zhang Bixiu burn the cigarette with satisfaction.Jueying watched Zhang Bixiu burn the cigarette enviously.Only Juexin felt lonely and depressed in the room.His eyes wandered here and there looking for targets.He saw eight or nine sets of thread-bound books piled up on the desk in front of the window. He knew they were some collections of poetry, which he had seen in Ke'an's study before.On the opposite wall hangs a single strip in the middle, with couplets on both sides.The single article is "A Picture of Rafting on the Red Cliff", and the couplet is He Zizhen's running script.He also knew their origins: they used to hang in his grandfather's dormitory, and later came into Ke'an's hands when the family was separated.

"Mingxuan, I heard that roads are going to be built in the provincial capital, should we start with the front door of the commercial mall? Do you want to demolish the facade?" Ke An suddenly turned his face and asked Juexin. "That's what I said. But the route has not been determined yet. I also heard that it will be repaired from Dongdajie first. The general manager of our company can also find ways to postpone the repair for half a year, and it is good not to demolish the facade. However, donations are distributed on a household basis. The order has come down," Juexin replied.

"Actually, it's all right to pay some money. In what year and what month did the 'fathers' not want to find a new way to scrape the land? But with the money from others, the law and order should be maintained. You see, almost every day in the past few months. Qiu Ba was making trouble. He either hit the theater or caught Xiaodan, which made him afraid to sing. Fortunately, he lives with me, and bad people dare not come in to make trouble for him," Ke An said productively, saying, "He ", he turned his eyes to Zhang Bixiu's face again, and stretched out his hand to point to Zhang Bixiu.He spoke hard this time, his face turned red, and he began to pant after speaking.Juexin was beside him and responded sympathetically.

"You're angry again," Zhang Bixiu complained just after burning the bubbles and putting them on the bong, then put the mouth of the bong on Ke'an's mouth, and said, "You'd better eat the cigarette." Ke'an took three deep breaths, then held the bong with his hand, turned his head, exhaled, and said to Juexin: "There is nothing else, I am only worried about our mansion. Road repairs will always be repaired sooner or later." He came to our place. The facade must be demolished, and even the garden must be repaired." He heard Zhang Bixiu urging him to smoke, so he swallowed his words, put his mouth on the bong, waited until the smoke was finished, and then turned around and said Go on: "At that time, it will inevitably cost a lot of money. So I think it's better to sell the mansion early. At this time, those soldiers can afford a big price, seventy or eighty thousand is not a problem. Fourth, you go back Then tell your father what I mean." His spirit is much better now.His face like a withered leaf seemed to be moistened by the rain, but the haggard description still couldn't hide it.

Jueying readily agreed.Juexin didn't agree with Ke'an's words, and only responded vaguely. "Mingxuan, I have one more thing," Ke'an said again. "Fourth Master, you talk a lot," Zhang Bixiu lowered her head to burn cigarettes for Ke An, raised her eyes and complained when she heard Ke An talking again. "Don't worry about me, I have serious business." Ke'an turned around and smiled at Zhang Bixiu, then turned his face and continued to say to Juexin: "I have several thousand yuan in your company's stock. I’m short of money, so I’d like to sell half of the stock. Look, is there anyone who wants it? You can think of a way for me. I haven’t collected the rented rice since last August. According to Liu Sheng It is estimated that it is no more than 50% of the previous two years, and the "stickers" in the country are too fierce, and the army's regiment defense donations are heavy, and several tenants are still talking about retiring their tenants. If this continues, we rely on the land for food. How can people get it? So I advocate selling the mansion as soon as possible, and sharing tens of thousands of yuan per room, or using it for other things. I think you must agree with my idea."

Juexin disagrees.But he felt that he came to ask Ke An about his illness, and it was inconvenient for him to argue with his fourth uncle, so when he heard the last two sentences, he still responded obediently.He thought about the stock again.The current business situation is not good, and the company's business is normal. Even if the stock is discounted from the original price, it will not be easy to sell for a while.He wondered why Ke'an was short of money.According to his estimate, Ke'an can live a comfortable life for two years relying solely on bank deposits and stock interest.He only saw that Ke'an was very stingy at home, but he didn't know that Ke'an was spending money like water outside, and the money spent on Zhang Bixiu alone was a lot of money (he should know that Ke'an bought clothes for Zhang Bixiu, but he Then it was forgotten).He was about to talk to Ke'an about stocks when Zhang Bixiu accidentally interrupted him. "Fourth Master, you're talking about family affairs again," Zhang Bixiu frowned and complained, "You know I'm afraid to listen," he pursed his mouth, with a gloomy and displeased expression on his face. "I won't say any more," Ke'an said hastily.Seeing Zhang Bixiu's face, he asked in a low voice with concern: "Did you think about your life experience again?" Zhang Bixiu nodded and buried her face.But Ke An turned around and explained to Juexin and Jueying: "Don't underestimate him, he is also a son of a scholarly family. He can write well. He is still from the provincial capital, and his family is still in the provincial capital. inside." "Fourth Master, you are really...why are you still mentioning those things?" Zhang Bixiu raised her watery eyes to glance at Ke'an, and said in a low voice. "Talk to them, it doesn't matter," Ke'an replied.He turned his face to Juexin again and said, "His family is very rich, and he was murdered by his uncle. So he doesn't want to hear about family affairs. His uncle is also a big gentleman in the provincial city..." "You'd better eat cigarettes," Zhang Bixiu sent the bong over to Ke An's mouth again. "Really? Where is your home? Since you know, why don't you go back and make trouble with your uncle?" Jueying said loudly with interest. "I didn't expect such a thing. Do you still associate with your uncle?" Juexin asked sympathetically. Juexin's sincere voice moved Zhang Bixiu.He didn't want to keep silent anymore.While burning cigarettes for Ke'an, he said in a bitter voice: "Eldest young master, if you don't mention the past, do you think they will still recognize a singer who sings Xiaodan as a relative? You won't believe me if I tell you." The human heart is so sinister. I still remember that I was only ten years old. Not long after my father died, someone tricked me outside and abducted me to other states and counties. They saw that I was born well, so they sold me into the theater troupe. Later I When my master died, my uncle told me that it was my uncle who killed me. I learned opera, sang in other states and counties for several years, and then came to the provincial capital. After many inquiries, I found out that my mother died of illness within half a year after I was abducted. We As expected, all the property of the family fell into the hands of my uncle. He is a very wealthy gentleman now. He also often comes to see me sing operas. I also went to his mansion with the troupe to sing an opera once. That day was my little Brothers picking up their daughters-in-law, it was very lively, and their family was very happy. It was the same old place, and I recognized them all. Naturally, they didn’t recognize me. My little brother was running around among the guests in a grand manner. In fact, if it wasn’t That uncle of mine is cruel, and I'm also a young master....Thinking about it, it's all fate." The more Zhang Bixiu went on, the more uncomfortable she felt, and then there was a little crying in her words.He waited for Ke'an to finish smoking, took the bong back, held it carelessly in his hand, and continued talking to Juexin.His eyes were red, and there was a helpless and sad expression on his face.After he finished speaking, his eyes stared at the flames of the smoke lamp.He seemed to see his happy childhood in the red flame. "What he said is the truth, and I have also inquired outside," Ke'an said to Juexin and Jueying with a smile. "You should go to your uncle, negotiate with him, and get the property back. If he doesn't agree, you can sue him!" Jueying shouted angrily.He felt that such a lovely person like Zhang Bixiu should not encounter such a cruel thing.Juexin didn't say anything, just groaned a few times beside him. "Fourth young master, you have a good heart. But please think about it, who would believe a word for a lowly actor like us? I have no proof. They are rich and powerful. How can I fight a lawsuit? Beat them?" Zhang Bixiu said bitterly.He put down his pipe, took off his handkerchief from under his armpit, and wiped his eyes.He felt a lot of words welling up in his heart, and the injustice and grief that had been suppressed in his heart for many years beat up in his chest, about to rush out of his throat.He took off the handkerchief and continued: "People always call us shameless and sell our looks for money. They call us how to make eyebrows and eyes, how to act like a baby, how to talk, how to walk. They don't know that there is nothing but how many horse whips we received back then. , How many tears did I learn it. People only know how to scold us and make fun of us. But no one understands our suffering," he said here, began to sob softly, and quickly covered his eyes with a handkerchief. "Fangwen, Fangwen, why did you start crying when you talked about it?" Ke'an asked pitifully.He stretched out a hand to grab Zhang Bixiu's hand, trying to pull the handkerchief from Zhang Bixiu's eyes. Jueying watched with wide eyes with interest. Seeing Ke'an's expression, Juexin knew that it would be inconvenient for Ke'an that they stayed here, and he wanted to go home early, so he stood up and said goodbye to Ke'an.Ke'an didn't hold back either.When Zhang Bixiu heard that they were leaving, she immediately sat up and told Xiaozhen, "Xiaozhen, quickly go and get a lamp." Xiaozhen hurried out of the room. Jueying also had to leave.He followed Juexin and greeted Ke'an.Zhang Bixiu greeted them again, and they also saluted.Juexin also said a few words of comfort to Ke'an before walking out.Zhang Bixiu followed behind to see them off. "This is my room. Do you want to go in and have a look, Young Master?" They walked into the hall, Zhang Bixiu pointed to the opposite room and said to Juexin. Before Juexin could answer, Jueying rushed to say, "Okay, let's go and have a look." He didn't care what Juexin had to say, and went there first.Juexin had no choice but to follow in.Xiaozhen lit the lamp and waited at the door of the room. This is a well-decorated room, very clean, but the smell of makeup is too heavy, it doesn't look like a place where a man lives.A flower hanging screen on the wall is also from Ke'an's house.After hearing the previous conversation, Juexin also had a good impression of Zhang Bixiu. Seeing his hospitality at this time, he had no choice but to say a few words of praise before walking out. The sound of their footsteps, their conversation, and the light alarmed the parrot on the eaves shelf, which suddenly flapped its wings and screamed.Zhang Bixiu raised her head and pointed at the parrot and said to them: "It learns a few words here, and I'll tease it every day when I have nothing to do." " Juexin responded casually and walked outside.Jueying didn't have much chance to speak. Zhang Bixiu sent their brothers into the sedan chair. Juexin and Jueying returned to Gao's house and got off the sedan chair in the lobby.Before they reached the turning door, Jueying suddenly said to Juexin with admiration: "Fourth dad's eyesight is not bad. It's worth the money." Juexin secretly glared at Jueying, but said nothing.He had only one thought: tell his second brother about this!