Chapter 7 How Obstinate Our Hearts Are - Chapter 6
How Obstinate Our Hearts Are - Chapter 6
Before Xiaoyu's mother left, she must have a talk with me, a formal talk.Ding Xiang has agreed with her to pay her half a year's salary as compensation.So I said to Ding Xiang, since I lost all the money, what nonsense is there to talk about, I don't want to hear it.Ding Xiang said, she insists on talking to you, what can I do, if you really don't want to, I'll talk to her again.Not long after Ding Xiang left, Xiaoyu's mother still came, just like in the past, she didn't say hello, just pushed the door open, and said to me with red eyes:
"Boss Cai, don't be afraid of me, I won't do anything to you."
I smiled wryly and said, "If you say you're not afraid, then you're not afraid. The problem is, I'm really afraid."
"The matter has come to this point, I won't quarrel with you any more," she said seriously after being stunned for a while, "but you have to tell me the truth, what are you going to do, girl Xiaoyu? You can't It’s okay to pay her a few dollars. You can’t play with anyone you want just because you have money. I’m old and not worth much money. Xiaoyu is so old. We rural people care about this very much. , how do you tell her to marry in the future, you can’t just spend a few stinky money, it’s like nothing happened. Anyway, you must have a good explanation for our little fish.”
She wanted to take Xiaoyu home, but Xiaoyu ignored her at all.
"This shameless little thing, I have nothing to do with her now."
I said what do you want me to do, I am obviously helpless, do you want the fourth child to divorce his wife and marry Xiaoyu as his wife.
She immediately said through gritted teeth:
"Don't dream, it's not bad for you to be her father. She is so young, why marry such a shameless thing like you. You think she will really like you. She is just lazy and wants to live comfortably in the city. I won't really fancy you, don't think she will want to marry you."
When I heard her say that, I couldn't help laughing, it was a sneer.Then she said don't laugh, you laugh so ugly, I said I don't want to laugh, but I can't help it.I said, isn't this thing obvious, what do you say you want to do.Since she made a problem for me, I simply made a problem for her.She suddenly had nothing to say, her face turned blue and then pale. After such a quarrel, she looked ten years older, more rustic than when I first saw her, and added A gaunt.It suddenly occurred to me that when I was released from prison, when I saw my mother for the first time, my mother's face was like this.
"Boss Cai, I really misjudged you. Although you, Boss Cai, are talented, you are worse and more insidious than those other bosses." Hatred, "The woman in Dingxiang said that I delivered it to the door by myself. I will never forgive her for this. Just because of this, I will hate her for the rest of my life. I will never forget what this slut said. Yes, I am Shit, I'm not serious, I just sent you to your door for nothing, I asked for it myself."
She said that she was blinded by the three-month salary I paid Xiaoyu in advance. She said that you were such a good person at that time, and I just wanted to be such a good person, and I must repay him when I have the opportunity.She said that I have always thought that you, Boss Cai, are a good person with a good appearance and a good conscience. How could I have thought that you are such a shameless beast.
"I'm so stupid. Since you are so shameless, how can you let Xiaoyu go. Tell you, Boss Cai, don't take advantage of him, sleep both mother and daughter, and look down on him. Don't think I She is really the kind of woman with loose belt belts. We rural women are poor, and the belt belts are very tight. Don’t think that I am the kind of woman who is willing to be a man. I know that your boss Cai likes shameless women, but I no."
I didn't expect her to reason with me so calmly.At that time, I was even more afraid that she would make trouble again, and I was afraid that she would act violently again. She had already seen this, and comforted me by saying:
"I won't make trouble with you, I just hate myself for being blind."
When she said that, I was really embarrassed: "The matter has come to this point, what more do you ask for?"
"It's come to this point, what more can I ask for?"
"If you have a request, you can just ask it."
"I hope I never see you again," she said, tears streaming down her face, and she quickly wiped the corners of her eyes, "I know you don't want to see me even more, and I hope I go as far away as possible. "
"I didn't do it well."
"I never see you again."
I said I still like her.I said I regret it too, really regret it.I said I was not a human being, I was a rascal, and I begged her not to care too much about me, and hoped she would forgive me.I said that I never apologized, but now I really feel sorry for her.She said that I don't hate you anymore, and it's useless to hate a beast like you.I knew she wasn't telling the truth because there was no sign of forgiveness on her face.I said I was also very sad, people don't get angry with animals, if you think you can relieve your hatred now, just hit me a few times, I am willing to let you beat me, I am willing to let you scold me.
Later, she said that I will not beat you or scold you, but now, I only want you to do one thing.She said that as long as you do one thing, she will leave when this thing is done, and she will never see me again.What she said was shocking. I would never have imagined in my dreams that she actually wanted to have another flirt with me before she left.I don't believe that she would make such an absurd decision, but the facts do not allow me to have the slightest doubt. She walked over to close the door, put the latch in, then took off her clothes one by one, and lay naked on the bed.
I don't know if this was prepared beforehand or improvised.
I didn't expect such a scene, and I didn't know what to do.
She saw my hesitation and said calmly:
"If you don't do it today, I won't leave."
I stood there motionless.
She said you come here, I'll help you undress, did you hear me?I walked towards her like a ghost, and she sat up, reaching out to untie my pants.I wanted to step back, but she grabbed my belt and said with a sneer:
"What are you pretending to be prudish about?"
I had no choice but to hold still, and soon the pants slid down my leg and onto the instep.Soon, things were already like this anyway, and I could only obey her arrangements like an obedient child.It was a funny scene, and we tried to forget what happened not long ago.At first, she seemed to be a little excited, but suddenly, suddenly, her whole body became stiff, impotent, no matter how hard I tried, it was like a corpse without any response.I continued to work hard, but no matter how hard I tried, it was in vain.
I have completely lost my direction, and I want to end it quickly, but I am afraid that she will be dissatisfied and unwilling.
"Get that damn thing out of you," she said in a very vicious voice, pushing me suddenly, "I don't want your filth in my body."
She abruptly made me stop halfway through the job, where things were at this point, and she abruptly stopped the game we were supposed to be doing together, and let me figure it out on my own, get the shit out of it myself.
It seemed to me that this was going too far, but she commanded in an unquestionable voice:
"Do you hear me, whatever I tell you to do, you have to do!"
She made me masturbate in front of her.At that time, I really had nothing to do, and my mind went blank.To be honest, the fourth child has never been an obedient person, but I don't understand why I obeyed her words at that time, like a good child in kindergarten, he does what the teacher tells him to do, and he dare not disobey in the slightest.I already feel that she is trying to humiliate me now, let her humiliate me.She looked at me intently, and I made her look dazed, so I mechanically accelerated the movements of my hands.
She said, what are you doing so fast.
She said in a commanding tone, slowly, don't be so hasty.
I said, "Aren't you torturing people?"
"I'm just going to torture you today, you understand now, I'm just going to torture you." She said bitterly, reaching for her clothes, and began to put on her clothes, "Okay, today's business is over."
Of course I don't want to end it like this, what the hell is this.I pushed her hard, trying to get inside her again.She didn't give me this chance at all, so I had no choice but to stop her from getting dressed.I was angry and refused to let her wear clothes. At that time, I was really angry and competed with her for clothes like a child grabbing something.Finally she gave in, she was not willing to give in, and neither was I. In the end, maybe seeing that I was really in a hurry and felt sorry for me, she closed her eyes and put her thighs aside with a stern face.At this time, I had been tortured by her so that I lost my vigor, and I had no fighting spirit at all. As soon as I reached the door, and as soon as I touched the dry thatch, I ran out unstoppably, making it all over her body.
She got up quickly, took my face towel, wiped my body carefully, and then put on my clothes as quickly as possible.After getting dressed, she turned her head and looked calmly at the fourth child who was still in frustration.Under her gaze, I felt useless, annoyed, and helpless.There was a look of disdain in the old woman's eyes such as I had never seen before.She looked very arrogant, swallowed very calmly, and suddenly took out the half-year compensation that Lilac gave her from her pocket, counted roughly, spit a few times on the stack of money, and then slammed Throwing the money right in my face:
"Now we don't owe anyone anymore. I don't want your stinky money. What do you think I am? Let me tell you, although I am poor, I don't sell cunts. No matter how much money you spend, you may not be able to buy them. It's because I like you, Boss Cai, that I let you, a bastard, take advantage of you. I'm blind!"
I remember that at that time, it seemed that the big bills of one hundred yuan had not yet been used.Xiaoyu's mother threw the stack of money at me, and the money scattered on the way, scattered all over the ground.Although there was still a considerable distance away from me, some of the banknotes still came running towards my face, hitting my left eyeball, and I felt a golden light in front of my eyes, which immediately caused burning pain.
My eyes were red and swollen for a long time because of this.This incident made me very boring, and when I thought about it, I felt uncomfortable.To say that this is really a big lesson, since then, I have restrained myself a lot from my absurd behavior.exactly from that
From then on, for the first time, I had the idea of reforming evil and returning to righteousness.This year, I am already 41 years old. After my 41st birthday, I said to myself very seriously:
"Fourth, you can't fucking mess around anymore."
This year was a turning point, and many things began to change.First of all, in my attitude towards girls, I am no longer as vicious as I used to be.Since Xiaoyu's mother left, I have never been to the nanny market.The way my eyes look at girls has changed dramatically.One day, a very beautiful little woman suddenly appeared in the store, and kept saying that she would stay with me to do business.She wears a pair of strange silver earrings, the kind of big earrings that girls of ethnic minorities would wear. When you move your head, those two big earrings will sway in front of your eyes.This kind of little girl knows at a glance that she has been on the battlefield, she knows at a glance that she cannot leave a man, and she can tell at a glance that she is the kind of girl I liked back then.The breasts are large, and the two tits are throbbing whether it is talking or panting.She always squints at people, doesn't pay attention to what I say, and looks at the other girls in my shop out of the corner of her eye, as if to say, as long as she stays with me, I can talk to you tonight Go to bed, I promise I'm better than all the girls here.
I sent her away without hesitation.I suddenly found myself getting a little bored with the constant new girls.After Xiaoyu's mother left, I often couldn't help but think about the lame Liu she mentioned. Although I have never seen any lame Liu, I always feel that there is such a person dangling in front of my eyes.I suddenly discovered that sometimes through imagination, I can also satisfy myself very well.I found that random thinking is not inferior to real work.In fact, it's not just Xiaoyu's mother who narrates Liu Laizi's story vividly, but I use my imagination to imagine the possible scenes vividly.I seem to have seen how Li Zizi was dealing with his cow. I saw him move a small bench, limped up to the cow, and said something nice to the cow, just like a nurse in a hospital. It's like giving a child an injection.I seemed to see Lime Liu walking seriously behind the cow's buttocks, and standing on the small bench tremblingly. A lame who couldn't even walk steadily, standing on the small bench was almost doing difficult movements.
I seem to see Liu Laizi crouching anxiously in the bamboo forest. It was a hot summer day, the wind was blowing the air scorched by the sun, Cicada was screaming, the dog was panting, far away, little Mother Fish was walking back and forth in the house, wearing floral pants and a short blouse, her body was full of femininity. Village women always dressed like this at home in summer.She was in a hurry, preparing to feed the mulberry leaves to the silkworms, the green mulberry leaves, the snow-white silkworms, the silkworms were eating the mulberry leaves, and the sound of eating the mulberry leaves was clearly audible.I seem to see Liu Laizi walking past profusely, he is extremely brave and terrified, he is emotional and can't help shivering, as if he is walking on a battlefield full of landmines, as if there are dangers hidden everywhere enemy.Finally, finally, he met Xiaoyu's mother, who was also covered in sweat, and the two sweaty people got entangled together. The loose flowery pants were easily pulled to the knees, and the flowery pants were rolled up like twists. Getting up and twisting together, Xiaoyu's mother frantically said "no, no, no" to Cripple Liu, and kept saying this word until the matter was over.
"No—" I seem to hear this voice still echoing in the air.
At this point, my business officially started to go downhill.By the end of the year, Discovery was close to being untenable.After paying the girls wages, deducting the rent, utilities, and various expenses, I suddenly found that I hardly made any money.The good times are in the past, yes, I used to make some money in the past, and that was the result of my fourth son leading a few maids alone. With the development of the times, this kind of small restaurant like a family workshop has become the same as Not on trend.I suddenly realized that I was being eliminated and had been left far behind the trend of the times.In the past, when people went to restaurants, they were more greedy for their mouths and teeth. They came to me to recognize the taste and the skills of the fourth child.People go to a restaurant not because the food tastes good, but because the decoration is good, but because they will promote it.
My good old days are suddenly gone.I remember one or two years ago, the busiest business on my street was always Lao Si's restaurant.Now, when doing business at night, it is always deserted, there are only one or two tables of people, and sometimes you can't even see a ghost.In fact, long before Xiaoyu's mother left, the store's business had already started to be difficult.All the restaurants on our street suddenly lost popularity.This is the way of doing business. When the business is good, there will be a lot of money in the account every day. You can't understand why the money is so easy to make, but once the business is not good, you will find that you are losing money every day. Earn that money, and continue to develop as it is now, and you will soon be sitting on nothing, and you will soon become nothing.I suddenly realized that I haven't made a lot of money in these years. This kind of small restaurant, to put it bluntly, is just a small business. In terms of making money, it is not much more than when I first started working with Ah Yan.Later, even if he made some money, he spent it on the girl.
The girls left one after another, and they were all sent away by me.Now there are only three helpers left in the store. Ding Xiang is honest and loyal, and doesn't think much about her future.Qin and Xiaoyu were still young, and they began to have some lively thoughts in their hearts.Qin just said bluntly, she said that the business can't continue, and the money you Boss Cai earned will never be spent in a lifetime anyway, but what should we do in the future? Why don't we have to obediently go to other places to work.To be honest, I did not spend less money on the piano, and she was reluctant to leave me. The very important one was because she could often get a subsidy from me that no one else had.Xiaoyu didn't say anything, this girl has been lukewarm to me since her mother left.She didn't want to talk to me for a long time, and I knew she was holding her breath in her heart, so I tried my best to treat her better and find opportunities to please her as much as possible.
One day, Xiaoyu did something wrong, and I got angry at her, but she turned back even more angrily.This girl has always had no temper, and has never been so vicious. I didn't expect her to be so angry:
"I was wrong, I was happy to be wrong, how about it, you can drive me away."
I said, "You did something wrong, why are you still acting like you are reasonable?"
"I'm justified, and I'm justified."
I laughed: "You still said it was reasonable, but you are being unreasonable."
"I'm just being unreasonable today."
After all, she still said the same thing, saying that I know you want to drive me away, you can drive me away, it's not that I have nowhere to go.
When she said this, I lost my anger: "Who said I'm going to drive you away."
Xiaoyu said: "Sooner or later, you will drive us away."
Due to poor business, the remaining three people have a sense of crisis, thinking that sooner or later I will ignore them.Anyway, they definitely get more money from me than from other places, so of course they are still willing to stay with me.We still get along very well, and although the business is difficult to maintain, I have never treated them badly.They also knew that I would not treat them badly, so I confessed to them and swore to them, saying that the fourth child had done enough mischief, that he would turn his back on his ways and never be a greedy cat again.I swear that even if any new women come, my fourth child will be like a dog with his penis cut off, and he will never provoke them again.When I said the words cut the dick, they all giggled at the same time.I said that I was absolutely responsible for what I said. Since the fourth child is a man, I will be responsible to them to the end.I told them that as long as I had a mouthful of food to eat, I wouldn't let them go, and I wouldn't let them go hungry.I said that we share the blessings, share the difficulties, and see the truth in adversity. As long as they can get through this difficulty with me, I will definitely not treat them badly.I said that I really like them now, and that three of them are enough in my life.
"Don't put it so nicely at all, if the business really can't go on," Xiaoyu still didn't believe my words, she pouted and said, "When that day comes, you still won't want us in the end."
I continued to comfort them, I said how could I not want you, how could I, I said that what I am worried about now is that you will not want me, and when you will leave me.
I had to start a partnership with Feng Rui.Over the past few years, Feng Rui has changed from the skinny little man to a sturdy, short and fat man.He was really rich at this time, and his name was often mentioned in the newspapers.It took only two or three years to do business in the sea. He has become a huge rich man, made money, divorced, and married a young and beautiful woman who is half a head taller than him.Feng Rui used to have a son, and now this woman has just given birth to a daughter for him.
He came to my shop, looked at the situation in the shop, sighed and said:
"Fourth, you can't do it, your business can't continue, so let me save you."
Feng Rui then sold my shop. He took over my mess out of brotherly loyalty.He said that he was always thinking about those years, and he couldn't forget that Feng Rui was bullied by others at that time, and it was my fourth brother who stood up to make things right for him, and it was my fourth brother who beat those turtle bastards away for him.He said that he couldn't forget the scene when we fought and killed together. He said that now should be the time for him to repay me, because it is very simple to him and it is not a big deal.He took out the money to redecorate my restaurant, and by the way, he also took over the two adjacent restaurants. All the walls that could be opened were opened, and the style was completely different immediately.The new restaurant reopened, and Feng Rui asked me to continue to be the boss. I knew he had spent a lot of money, and he refused to accept anything.
I said, "I'll just be a great chef. I don't have the skills to be a boss."
I said I was outdated and couldn't keep up with the situation, and you made too much noise this time, how dare I be the boss again, I can't handle it.Feng Rui said, I gave you a boss for nothing, but you refused to take it.I said it's not that I don't want it, it's that I dare not want it, and I don't want it at this level.Feng Rui said, fuck, the fourth child has learned to speak softly, so you can always help me with things. In fact, it doesn't matter if you are the boss or not, and you don't care about your title. Anyway, I, Feng Rui, will not treat you badly. Show off your fourth son's ability and do it for me.
Now, this restaurant is no longer mine.Although my name was still on the business license, the signboard of the restaurant was changed, a new name was adopted, the storefront was enlarged, and the way of operation was completely changed.He recruited troops in a mighty way, and brought in a large number of newcomers.As in the past, I still hold the power and keep my word, because Feng Rui owns a bigger company, a company that dares to do everything, and has no energy to care about things here.He said to the people in the store, my surname Feng is not here, Boss Cai has the final say here, you all have to listen to Boss Cai, anyone who doesn't listen to him, leave immediately.
Feng Rui paid great attention to improving my prestige in front of others. He said that management and management, without prestige, can't control anything in the end.To be honest, I really didn't have the skills to take care of this big business at the time, so I just agreed to take care of the restaurant for Feng Rui.Since he is helping me, I shouldn't disappoint his kindness. However, I still feel that Feng Rui is a young man who likes to show off and has no experience in catering. .I don't believe that after spending so much money, business will suddenly improve.I don't think this is possible at all. Over the years, I've been used to playing tricks. Seeing Feng Rui throwing so much money, I'm a little dumbfounded.
After the new restaurant opened, Feng Ruilian invited guests for three days.In the past three days, I just posted money for nothing, without earning a penny.After a month, the lights are bright and the doors are deserted. Our prices are too expensive, more than double the prices I originally ordered. People occasionally come in, look at the prices on the menu, and turn around in fright. run.When I settled the bill at the end of the month, after I calculated it, I lost a lot of money, so I ran to Feng Rui and asked him what to do.
Feng Rui said: "Fuck, fourth child, I'm scared now, hasn't it only been a month?"
I said what to do if I lose money.
He said: "Then try to lose money for another two months, fourth child, I don't have time to take care of your business right now, so let's lose money, let's talk about it after spending so much time."
I suddenly got a little angry, saying Feng Rui, you can't come with me just because you are rich, you can't care about me, just show off with me, when the time comes, when you settle the accounts, you can see that you have lost so much money, and it is still my fourth son No dick.I told him that I had long felt that this was not a good thing. At the beginning, I thought there would be problems with spending so much money. What kind of investment is this? This is throwing money into the stove.
I said, "I advised you at the beginning, but you just refused to listen."
"I don't blame you. Do I blame you? No," Feng Rui saw that I was in a hurry, and said with a smile, "What are you in a hurry for? What's the rush?"
"Of course I'm anxious if I don't make money."
"Who says you won't make money, just wait."
A few months later, the restaurant's business suddenly became unbelievably good.Feng Shui takes turns, and miracles come as soon as they are said. I saw people coming to my restaurant on a street.What a ghost, this kid Feng Rui is really capable, as soon as he moves his little head, he will get money, big money.He was born with no interest in making small money. If he wanted to make money, he would kill him viciously.A knife down, is a real piece of fat.Feng Rui is definitely a first-rate expert in slaughtering guests. Soon, he introduced all those who open the back door to treat guests and those who have the ability to spend public funds.
Feng Rui is absolutely proficient in the tricks of slaughtering people. He kills people, but also makes you feel convinced that you are not at a disadvantage.His ability to kill you is that you spent a lot of money and asked you to thank him from the bottom of your heart.Feng Rui adopted the same method of packaging female stars today, spending a lot of money to package my fourth child, which greatly increased my popularity.Thanks to him, he figured it out, he spared no effort to promote my cooking skills, TV and radio stations made introductions and publicity, and even paid a newspaper to do a continuous report for me.It was at this time that I began to formally connect with King Chef. I was known as Li Yanling's closed disciple and became the only successor of King Chef's cuisine.To be honest, Li Yanling, who was already paralyzed, also took advantage of me in turn.After a series of publicity and hype, Li Yanling's glorious glory in the past has also been transferred to my fourth child.Of course, it doesn’t mean that I have served Chiang Kai-shek and Zhou Enlai. The selling point is just that the dishes that Chiang Kai-shek and Premier Zhou ate back then are only my fourth child who can cook.What is packaging, packaging is bragging, the bigger the bragging, the better.I never dreamed that the business would get better just like that. Once the business got better, diners would fill up the doors immediately, and every day was full.
Speaking of this period of time, it can be said that it was a flashback, and my fourth child became beautiful again.Back then, I opened a restaurant by myself, because there were fewer and fewer customers, my cooking skills became worse and worse, and I became less and less careful.You have to be appreciative of this cooking, and you have to be applauded to be enthusiastic about it.Feng Rui is a master who knows how to eat, is proficient in the art of eating, and is a true gourmet.Back when I was still working in a public restaurant, he was a real glutton.Because of its deliciousness, Feng Rui personally formulated a series of Chef King’s signature dishes. Many of the dishes were created out of thin air. He figured them out from the recipes of other cuisines. Give it a name, and it will be printed beautifully on the gold-foiled menu.
It's not enough to have a carefully printed menu, but you have to put it on the spectrum, and the spectrum must be big.Since I am the direct descendant of King Chef, it was agreed at that time that I would cook one special dish for each table every day, and only cook one dish.If you want me to cook a table of dishes, the price is another matter, that is the sky-high price, and you don't know the north, south, east, and west.Things in the world are so amazing, so incredible, the more expensive you are, the easier it is to make money.
I have already said that it is no problem to let the fourth child cook the dishes well. I have the ability.But let me manage so many people and manage finances well, which is a bit difficult for me.Now it’s not like in the past, I was a man who was the party representative and led a group of careless girls to work. Now there are about ten men and women, so many that you can’t see it, and you can’t figure out who is it. Who.Feng Rui recruited a group of beautiful girls, most of whom were in their twenties, and brought in a few boys who had just graduated from a culinary school, with both red and white cases, and asked them to follow me honestly .
"Fourth, just bring these apprentices to me. If they can do things, don't you worry about it. However, you have to save them, don't teach them everything."
Feng Rui enlightened me and asked me to be careful in case they might change jobs in the future.During this period of time, I not only have to take care of these guys, but also those girls. I can't take care of them, so I let Lilac keep an eye on them.It didn't take long for this gang to know about my little secret that was almost open.There is no impenetrable wall, and everyone will soon know that I have not divorced Ah Yan, that we have been separated for several years, and that they know who I am having an affair with.I keep my word. At that time, although there were so many beauties in front of me, I had already changed my bad habit of liking flirting.I no longer have any interest in messing around.There are Lilac, Qin, and Xiaoyu, just to deal with these three people is enough for me.When I drove them to my residence by bicycle, the bachelors in the shop with wives and without wives were very envious. They all thought that I was so blatantly supporting women and having several women at the same time, so I looked like a good guy. Dashing man.
I didn't have any scruples at the time, because compared with the past, my approach was much more restrained.I have already shown my duty. To be honest, there are so many fresh and lovely girls in front of your eyes. One is more beautiful than the other, and the other is cuter than the other, but you never regenerate that evil heart. This is to my fourth child. ,It's not easy.At that time, I really changed my ways. Anyway, I was still the boss in name, and my name was still written on the business license. Whoever I want to stay and whoever wants to leave has a lot of power.I didn't just do whatever I wanted because I had the power in my hand.In everyone's mind, I am a very good boss, able to work by myself, and easy to work with.
Qin actually got involved with a guy named Zhu behind my back.This kind of thing can't be hidden from the people who work together, except for me who is confused and kept in the dark, everyone is watching the joke.In fact, even if I knew it beforehand, I wouldn't be guilty of overturning the jar of jealousy because of Qin, and if the sky is falling, Yuniang will marry. If it is really a good marriage, maybe I will bless them.This guy surnamed Zhu knew about the relationship between Qin and me, so he didn't take her seriously, he was just playing with her, but Qin took it seriously, and was moved by the truth, and wanted to discuss marriage with him.The man refused to want her, so the two started arguing. This guy is not a good kind, and he was probably jealous of Qin and me, so he started to fight while talking.How could Qin, a woman, be his opponent? Not only did he have frizzy hands, but he was also ruthless.
Of course I would be very angry, how can a man beat a woman, how can he beat a woman like this.Because I was kept in the dark in advance, when I first saw Qin's face, I only knew that she was beaten, but I didn't know who was beaten or why she was beaten.It was in the lobby at that time, in the morning, when I just got to work, girls and boys came one after another, changing work clothes for work clothes, and picking vegetables.I was very surprised when I saw Qin's deformed face, and asked her inexplicably:
"What's going on, what's wrong with your face?"
Qin cried and said nothing.
I asked again.
Jean still didn't speak, she seemed ashamed to tell me the truth.Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at me to see how I reacted.
I said, "Whoever bullied you, tell me, and I'll help you to settle the score with him."
Jean then began to wipe away tears.
"Did someone in our store do it?"
Qin didn't say anything, just nodded.
I said, "What the hell is going on, who the hell did it, if you have the guts, stand up for me."
That guy surnamed Zhu is really a man. He was chopping minced meat in the kitchen, and when he heard my voice getting louder, he came out slowly with a kitchen knife in his hand. He stared at me with dissatisfaction.This guy has a hunchback, a medium build, and a beard. Looking at his posture, he was ready to have a fight with me.I immediately understood what was going on, and immediately thought of the relationship between him and Qin. I thought he was also in a daze, relying on his youth and being so evil, he didn't ask me who the fourth child was at all , He thought that a broken kitchen knife could frighten my fourth child.
I said, "Xiao Zhu, what the hell is going on? Could it be that you did this, just you, a big man, beating other women like this?"
"How am I doing?"
"How about it?"
Xiao Zhu said arrogantly: "Don't think that it's your woman, I can't touch it, I just touch it, how about it?"
"As long as people like it, I have no problem with anyone you touch, but you can't hit her. What kind of thing is it if a man hits a woman?"
"I did, how about it?"
"How about it!"
The people around immediately get out of the way, and everyone's consciousness will fight.
The blood in my whole body rushed up immediately.I said you kid is really powerful, you are capable, cut me twice first.While I was talking, I walked towards him, and he stepped back again and again, still saying:
"Don't come here, don't come here."
I walked up to him without haste, and punched him as fast as lightning, knocking him to the ground immediately, and the kitchen knife fell off.这一拳也叫老虎戴眼镜，正打在他眉毛中间，到第二天，他两个眼睛一定会发青，就像戴了墨镜一样。他迅速爬起来，站稳了，摆好了架式，还准备跟我对打。他已经知道了我的厉害，脸上已露出了怯意。我根本不给他任何喘息的机会，连续几个摆拳，又是连续几个直拳，打得他那脑袋像钟摆一样摇过来摇过去。他根本就没有招架之力，我的速度飞快，在他面前跳来跳去，他的拳头根本都不知道往哪打。接下来，我让这次打架成为一种赏心说目的表演。我大开杀戒，将这家伙往死里打，多少年不打架了，老四仿佛已经忘了打架是怎么回事，老四已经很久没过打架的瘾了。我让他满脸开花，空气中散发的血腥味刺激了我，我变得非常兴奋，一拳比一拳狠，一拳比一拳歹毒。我知道要打，就得彻底打垮他，就得彻底击溃他的意志。我必须打得他服服帖帖，打得他日后见了我，就像老鼠见了猫一样。我要让这店里的所有的人都知道，老四虽然已经四十多岁了，论打架，我谁都不怕，谁也不是我的对手。我要让这家伙狠狠地吃些苦头，打到最后，我问他服气不服气，问他还想不想再用菜刀砍我了，他不吭声，连站都站不稳了，但是我还是不准备放过他，我说你要是不吭声，我他妈的把你的手剁掉，说着，我捡起地上的菜刀，余恨未消地冲过去，扬言一定把他的手给剁了。
我疯狂嗜血的暴力倾向，让所有在一旁观看的人不寒而栗。大家也不知道我是真的失去理智要剁他的手，还只是说说而已，看我像发了疯一样，举着菜刀又向他扑过去，连忙一涌而上，冲过来把我团团围住，一个劲地用好话哄我。男男女女都围了过来，他们七嘴八舌，说蔡老板你不要生气了，说蔡老板你大人不记小人过，就放他一马，跟小朱这样不知道好歹的人顶什么真，他怎么会是你蔡老板的对手。他们说小朱已经被你打得不轻，你已经教训过他了，得饶人处且饶人，你蔡老板何必生这么大的气。
这次打架虽然大获全胜，但是也让我明白了岁数不饶人的真理。以后的半个月里，我一直腰酸背疼，身上有好几处肌肉都拉伤了，连胳膊都举不起来。冯瑞听说了这件事，立刻把我说了一通，毫不犹豫地就将小朱和琴都炒了鱿鱼。他说你老四也是荒唐，多大年纪了，竟然还这样打打杀杀，你难道就是这样做生意的，就是这样管理自己的员工，难道就不觉得丢人。你说你老四荒唐不荒唐，居然跟手底下的一个伙计争风吃醋，为一个与谁都能上床的女人打架。
我让他说得要发急，脸上顿时有些挂不住，他摆摆手，说：
“别急，我才不管那些男男女女的鸟事，反正这样下去不行，我得找一个人来帮你。”
隔了没几天，冯瑞打电话过来，说今天晚上我们一起吃个饭，上次说好要找个人帮帮你，现在，我已给你找好了一个人，保证你满意。他似乎很得意自己找的这个人，说他也觉得奇怪，怎么早就没有想到这一步妙棋。我不知道他找了个什么人，也不明白他说的帮我是什么意思。也许是他对餐馆的账目不太放心，准备找一个更牢靠的人来监视我，毫无疑问，我在这方面做得是不太好，因为我总是大大咧咧的，几乎是不太过问经营状况。到晚上，生意已经做得差不多，冯瑞带着阿妍来了，当他们走进来的时候，我怔了一下。我已经有一阵没见到阿妍了，突然见到她，很有些吃惊。她打扮得很时髦的样子，看到我，脸上有了一丝笑意，故意把眼睛移向别处。冯瑞回过头来，看着阿妍的表情，不由地笑起来，也不说什么，仿佛陪同什么贵客一样，先领着她里里外外地参观。
然后我们三个人就坐在一起喝酒。阿妍似乎很不高兴，板着脸，我知道她是因为又看到了丁香。刚进来的时候，她并不是这样，一看到丁香，这心里当然会立刻不痛快。很显然，她不可能那么轻易地就忘记过去，过去的事情仍然是她心里的一道阴影。冯瑞没有察觉到这样的变化，一本正经地说：
“我们今天是明人不说暗话，大家都是老朋友了，给我说句老实话，你们到底是想离呢，还是不想离？”
我和阿妍对看了一眼。
冯瑞需要下文：“你们表态呀。”
阿妍悻悻地说：“当然是想离。”
冯瑞没想到阿妍会来这么一句，这显然有些出乎他的意外，与他原来计划好的思路不符合，于是继续用玩笑的口吻说：
“要离，要离就办手续啊，这么拖着算什么？”
他说着对我使了使眼色，见我不明白他的意思，又在下面踢了我一脚。我还是不开口，因为一时不知道说什么好。
冯瑞便悠悠地接着往下说：“我说句心里话好不好，不管你们要不要听，我自己就是离过婚的人，我劝你们不要做这种傻事，离婚实在没什么意思。离婚一点意思都没有，离婚一点都不好玩。阿妍，我们可是事先谈好的，你总不至于突然变卦吧。”
我终于明白了冯瑞的用意。他这是一石双鸟，既想让我们夫妻重新和好，又要让阿妍到餐馆里来帮我打点。冯瑞说，老四你可不要不知好歹，实话告诉你，我有时候真是看在阿妍的面子上，才照顾你的。他虽然只是随口这么一说，我听了心里便不是滋味，感到很不自在，立刻有些醋意。阿妍的脸色顿时红起来，她也感到不自在，冯瑞这小子当年曾经追求过她，这件事大家虽然没有说破，可是他这时候这么一说，倒好像是在重提往事了。好在冯瑞自己没有什么感觉，他一直相信阿妍不会把这事说给我听，继续讨好阿妍，继续批评我。he did not
完没了地说着，阿妍有些不好意思，狠狠地白了我一眼，突然打断了冯瑞的话头：
“人家现在不是很能干吗，不是生意做得很好吗。”
这话虽然有讽刺挖苦，明显有了和解让步的意思，冯瑞立刻接着她的话说：“所以你如果来帮助他，老四这不是如虎添翼吗？”
阿妍说：“谁知道人家要不要我帮助？”
“老四，你说句话，要不要？”
我说：“当然要。”
冯瑞笑了起来：“你看，你看人家多迫不及待。”
阿妍的脸仍然板着，很平静地说：“我可以在这做，但是有人得走。”
“让谁走？总不会是让老四走吧。”
“老四知道，你问他。”
我立刻知道阿妍指的是丁香。
冯瑞依然蒙在鼓里，一本正经地问我到底是要谁走，他确实不太明白阿妍为什么人还没到，先要赶人走。我只能装糊涂，说我也不知道。
阿妍看着我，说：“你不知道，还有谁知道。”
冯瑞心里终于明白过来是怎么回事，打着包票说：“我有数，我有数。这事好办，阿妍说让谁走，就让谁走。老四，你还不赶快再表态。”
丁香从看到阿妍的第一眼开始，就知道自己离开的日子到了。她似乎一直在等待这一天。不管怎么说，我们前前后后也有好几年，临分手，真有些不忍心。这几年里，她忠心耿耿地跟着我，是我最得力的助手，现在说走就要走了，我不由地感到十分茫然。丁香知道我们之间的缘分已到尽头，反过来安慰我说：
“这些年来，我一直在等大姐回来，大姐可是个好人，大姐她一天不回来，我这心里就是一天都不踏实。现在好了，大姐终于回来了。”
我深深地叹了一口气。
丁香说：“不管怎么说，蔡老板，大姐能回来是件好事。”
我说别老是叫我蔡老板了，你称阿妍叫大姐，临走前，你就叫我一声大哥。丁香其实也就比阿妍小两岁，不过是看上去老气一些。这几年过去，在外形上，她几乎没有什么变化，再丑的女人看多了也就看顺眼，像她这样相貌的女人，反而更经得起时间沧桑。我递给她一张存折，上面的数额正好相当于几年来她的应得工资。丁香先是不肯要这个钱，说已经拿过工钱了，怎么可以再拿。我说你就收下吧，如果换了别人，我绝不会拿出这个钱来，毕竟这些年来是你丁香帮我的忙最多，应该拿这个钱。
"Boss Cai---"
“我说了，别喊蔡老板，喊大哥。”
“大哥――”她喊了一声，似乎很不好意思。
我听在耳朵里，也觉得那声音陌生，叹了一口气，说：“丁香，我还真有些舍不得你走。”
“我知道，你不要说了，”她很为我这句话感动。
“是真的舍不得。”
“还是那句话，大姐能够回来，就是一件最好的事情。”
丁香说她知道对于我来说，更重要的还是阿妍。她说她知道我更爱阿妍，知道只要阿妍不回来，我就不会有真正的快乐。说老实话，丁香说的是对的，她实在是太了解我了。在我们的内心深处，都有一种对不住阿妍的歉意。一段时间里，我以为自己已经忘了阿妍，事实上却是从来没有过。我不可能忘了阿妍，我怎么会忘了阿妍，我的人生没有了阿妍，便没有什么真正的幸福可言。现在，丁香是真为阿妍回来感到高兴，阿妍一回来，她心口的那块石头终于落地。她一直在等着这一天。
最后我还是让丁香收下了那张存折，并且告诉她，我已经托冯瑞给她重新找了一份工作。冯瑞对我和丁香的关系有些奇怪，他不明白我为什么会看中这么一个没档次的女人。我一口否认自己与她有什么瓜葛，我说阿妍完全是胡思乱想，只是瞎吃醋。冯瑞听了我的话，似信非信摇了摇头，说我看阿妍她也是吃醋吃错了地方，女人就是这样，要吃醋就是瞎吃醋。
冯瑞说：“你老四怎么可能看上她，这瘸子有什么好。”
这确实是一个问题。当我和阿妍重新睡在了一张床上，重新成为了夫妻，她忍不住也会有与冯瑞同样的想法，会发出同样的提问。她用这个问题无数遍地折磨我。这件事一直困扰着阿妍，她想不明白，为什么自己丈夫会看上一个几乎就是难看的瘸子。
她说我真是想不明白，我想不明白你凭什么要喜欢她：
“难道是觉得她走路的样子好看，一边走，那屁股一翘一翘的。”
阿妍取代了丁香在店里的位置。当然，与丁香相比，阿妍要比丁香名正言顺得多，丁香不过是个小组长一样的角色，阿妍现在是不折不扣的老板娘。我们并没有立刻就恢复夫妻关系，一开始，她还憋着一口气，仍然是天天住回娘家。晚上忙完了，大家一起吃夜点，伙计们跟她说笑，一口一个老板娘，然后她就再孤伶伶地一个人骑车回家。说老实话，阿妍远没有丁香能干，她根本没有管理经验，根本不知道如何管理手底下这么一大帮人。她来当这个老板娘也是有些迫不得已，是逼上梁山，因为她的服装生意早就做不下去，钱也亏得差不多了。刚四十岁出头，已经提前退休在家，想找些事做，但是到她这岁数，外面已没什么适合她做的事了。
半个月以后，天天见面，天天在一起干活，我觉得水到渠成，机会已经成熟，便把她带回了我们的住处，带回那个属于我们共同的家。
让人感到哭笑不得的是，那天的情形又和我们的新婚之夜相似，她身上正好又来了女人的那玩意。那天晚上，阿妍没完没了审问我和丁香的事情。她说我才不相信你们后来会没事，打死我也不会相信的。我说你要不相信，那我又有什么办法。阿妍又说，那一定是还有别的女人，难道你还能闲着，你肯定看中了什么更年轻漂亮的女孩，你这样的男人，怎么能离开女人。我知道对阿妍，最好的办法就是骗她，就是哄她，就是死活不认账。于是我赌咒发誓，一遍遍地声称自己绝对没有别的女人，她不相信，继续审问，最后我被她逼得没有办法，既然她一定要个结果，不达目的誓不罢休，我只好承认偶尔和丁香还有过那种事。我知道这反正是笔陈年旧账，罪名要轻得多，她非要逼着我认罪，我只能捡个轻微一点的。
阿妍叹了一口气，说：“终于承认了，你总算终于承认了。”
她扭过身来，用拳头在我身上捶，捶得并不是很重。我知道她这是原谅我了，我知道让人难堪的审问已差不多，便捉住她手，往下面拉。她立刻表示出不愿意，说我才不会碰你那玩意，你别做梦了，我才不会就这么轻意放过你，我才不会跟没事一样。你别当我是傻子，我不是傻子。阿妍嘴上这么说着，最后还是当了傻子，最后，她轻轻地抓住了分别已久的铲刀把，像新婚之夜那样，不时地摇晃着。我被她弄得很难受，更难受的是她在这时候，竟然还有情绪审问：
“老四，我一直在想，丁香脱光了，她要是不穿衣服，会是什么样子。我是说她的那条瘸腿，是短一些，还是长了一些，我想应该是短了，对不对？她的那条腿我见过，我是说那条有毛病的腿，就像是鸭子的那脚，是朝外翻的，难怪她站不直。我一直在想，我老是忍不住就会想到，她光着身子走路，又究竟是什么样子，她站都站不稳，那样子一定很滑稽？”
我不知道应该怎么回答。
最后，她又说：
“老四，我还是不明白，你为什么不找个漂亮一点的女人呢？她是不是在床上特别有本事？”
接下来的两年里相对有些平静。我和阿妍恩恩爱爱，就好像生活中没发生过这样那样的波折。这期间，我们家居住的老屋赶上了折迁，由于我妹妹户口还在，稍稍贴了些钱，一下子拿到了两个中套，我和阿妍住一套，父亲和我妹妹住一套。住新公房的感觉真好，有厨房，有卫生间，有卧室，有客厅，一切都立刻改善了，我和阿妍心满意足，开始一心一意地过日子。
餐馆的生意渐渐不像当初那么火爆。冯瑞果断地将原来的经营规模缩小，把部分店面转让给了别人。他建议我考虑改做火锅生意，因为只是凭直觉，他敏感地意识到，很可能会在这个城市里兴起一股火锅热潮。不久，吃火锅果然风行一时。但是，我拒绝了冯瑞的这个好建议，觉得好不容易才打出一片天地，干吗非要砸自己的招牌。冯瑞拗不过我，当时他确实也吃不太准应该怎么办，便将自己的资金全撤走了，让我独自经营开店。
我的生意立刻大打折扣，再也不像以前那样日进斗升，天天只要数钱就行了。好在还能维持，毕竟已经做出了名气，毕竟已经有了一定的基础。说老实话，有冯瑞的参与，做生意当然要容易得多，但是我还是更愿意独自干，还是希望能摆脱冯瑞。我觉得自己已经从冯瑞那里学到不少，和过去相比，我已经有了很大的进步。阿妍也觉得自己独自经营好，她娘家的人都说，钱自己赚多好，干吗要跟别人分，她受这影响也赞成我摆脱冯瑞。只有自己开餐馆，我们才是真正的老板和老板娘，阿妍似乎很在意这名义上的“正式”。
这时候，我隐隐地发现阿妍有些改变，变得有些游手好闲，变得贪图虚荣。她再也不是过去那个朴素勤快的阿妍，衣著打扮甚至比做服装生意时更时髦更耀眼。阿妍开始迷上了打麻将，昏天黑地没日没夜地赌，那些麻友和她差不多，都是些无所事事的老板娘，一个个穿金戴银，一个个涂脂抹粉，不是怀里抱着条狗，便是手上拿着根烟，聚在一起说东道西，动不动就比谁男人赚的钱多，动不动就说其他女人的坏话。阿妍虽然不至于和这些女人一样，我还是担心她会受影响。
我说：“你和这些女人根本不是一路的，为什么要和她们在一起？”
自从迷上了麻将，阿妍几乎不管我这边的生意，只是在晚上七点多钟的时候，抽空过来看一趟，把抽屉里的收款统统卷走。她总是疑心别人会偷店里的钱，每天都是匆匆来，把营业款拿了，匆匆离去。阿妍管钱管得很紧，大约是受那些老板娘的影响，她相信只要牢牢控制住了经济大权，我老四就没办法胡来，只要钱捏在她的手里，我老四就跳不出她的手掌心。在这方面她做得真是有些过分，对店里的钱，她采取的办法是能捞就捞，而且是只进不出，捞一把是一把，拿到手了，就再也不肯拿出来。渐渐地，我这边生意越来越不好做，她对麻将却越来越入迷，索性懒得天天再到店里来了，规定我每个月必须要缴多少钱给她。
我感到很失望，因为她现在似乎只对钱有兴趣，只知道打麻将，为了麻将可以废寝忘食，为了麻将可以几天不跟我见面。有时候，我很想劝劝她，想向她有所表示，可是她根本就不愿意搭理我。对我的殷勤她总是视而不见，动不动就冷言冷语地奚落，打击我的情绪。有一次，我以开玩笑的口吻，与她谈起了久受冷落的铲刀把，说她已经很长时间不关心它了，说她不应该这么长的时间不理睬它。阿妍好像也意识到这是有些问题，却冷冷地说，她对铲刀把已经不感兴趣，她说她看不出它有什么好的。
我有些伤感，虽然我们的配合一直不是太好，我是说在做那件事上，却也从来没有像现在这么糟糕过。
我对她说：“阿妍，你好像已经不是过去的那个人了！”
“问题是，你也不是过去那个老四。”
“我们为什么不能像过去一样？”
“过去又是怎么样？”
我们就像是两个陌生人，仿佛都已经忘记了过去相亲相爱时是怎么样的。
我只能说：“反正过去不是这样。”
这次谈话不久，有一天，大家正忙着，阿妍兴冲冲带着一个人到店里来了，当着众人的面，告诉我这是她新认的干儿子。谁也没想到她会在这时候突然冒出来，而且风风火火，还带了一个小伙子来。因为我们没有孩子，阿妍前前后后，已经胡乱认了无数的干儿子干女儿，她就好这个，可是这回的干儿子也太大了一些，是一个二十岁的小伙子。所有的人都感到吃惊，大家看着她，看着她新带来的那个干儿子。
这干儿子的名字叫余宇强，他一脸天真地站在那里，大家都盯着他看，他似乎有些不好意思。在店里，阿妍很难得这么高兴，很难得这么情绪昂扬。我被她的话吓了一跳，说阿妍你不要跟我开玩笑。阿妍便笑说开什么玩笑，她这回绝对是当真的，说她不仅已认他做了干儿子，还要让他做我老四的徒弟，让他跟我学烹饪。
阿妍回过头，对余宇强说：“好好地和干爸学手艺，你干爸的手艺非常好。”
余宇强是阿妍在做美容时认识的。在美容店老板娘亚美的撮合下，阿妍一时性起，不加任何思索便认了这么一个干儿子，而且自说自话地也顺带为我认了一个徒弟。亚美是阿妍的麻友，这女人我见过一面，四十岁模样，是阿妍妹妹的中学同学，人长得很妩媚，据说是一个什么副局长的情人，关于她的风言风语很多，她反正也不在乎，任凭别人怎么去说她。余宇强在亚美的美容店里帮着打杂，阿妍一来二去，也就熟悉了，看他无所事事，便开导他说：
“你一个大小伙子，年纪轻轻，不学点真本事怎么行。”
亚美接着阿妍的话说：“我也是这句话，美容这碗饭，又不是你一个大男人可以吃的，男人吗，当然应该学点真本事，学点手艺什么的，那能成天这么无事晃荡。对了，阿妍，你丈夫的那手艺我可是听说过，他要是不带个徒弟就可惜了。”
阿妍告诉亚美，说：“我们家老四当然有徒弟，他有好几个徒弟。”
亚美便说：“嗨，既然如此，那就不会多这一个，余宇强，我看你就认阿妍做干妈吧，然后再认干爸，然后再跟你干爸学烹任。我告诉你，当大厨子才赚钱呢。”
余宇强这小子没别的什么能耐，就是会讨女人的好，就是天生的嘴甜，亚美刚说要认干妈，他已经一口一个干妈地喊开了，叫得十分亲热。
亚美说：“这干儿子不错，阿妍，你就认了吧！”
阿妍略有些犹豫：“认这么大的干儿子？”
“嗨，有什么关系，反正是白捡的。”
余宇强想学厨艺，也不过是图个新鲜，想换个环境。我禁不住阿妍的软磨硬缠，稀里糊涂地收下了余宇强这个徒弟。阿妍倒是真关心这个干儿子，隔了一段时候，便问我他学得怎么样。我说什么叫怎么样，多看，多问，眼勤手勤就行。阿妍说，那你也得认真教呀，你不教，人家怎么学得会。我说你这是瞎操的什么心，现在的问题是当徒弟的得认真学，得动脑子。阿妍不明白我的意思，我就告诉她，说这孩子是什么道理都懂，可是从来不肯认认真真做好，动不动就偷懒。天下无难事，只要认真了就行，这孩子内心毛躁，做事总是差那么一点。
阿妍为他辩护说：“不差一点，真跟你一样，不是显出你老四没什么真水平了吗？”
余宇强称呼阿妍干妈，喊我叫干爸，我听着别扭，觉得刺耳，让他不要这么喊。我说你就叫我师傅，他喊了两天师傅，说大家都叫蔡老板，我怎么可以叫你师傅呢。我说你小子既然跟我学徒，当然应该叫师傅。余宇强想了想，一根筋地说，你是老板，我不能叫师傅，我还是喊你叫干爸，干妈也让我这么叫你。这以后，他也不管你喜欢不喜欢，一口一个干爸地叫开了，我听着仍然觉得别扭，也只好随他。这孩子根本不是学手艺的材料，心思根本就不在这上面，他最大的能耐是喜欢混到女孩子一堆里去，什么地方的女孩多，他就往什么地方钻。他喜欢和女孩在一起玩，女孩也喜欢他。
那段时候，我偶尔还会与小鱼有点不清不楚。既然阿妍对做那种事没什么兴趣，既然她觉得麻将才是人生最重要的享受，我便又和小鱼偷偷恢复了往日的关系。男人吗，总不能老是让自己的东西没有用武之地。说老实话，我已经改邪归正了，自从阿妍回来以后，我发誓绝不寻花问柳。丁香已经不在了，琴也早不在了，阿妍在那方面又非常冷淡，我只能在小鱼身上寻找一些寄托。当时小鱼已是个二十二岁的成熟女人，真的是很成熟了，再也不是当年那个什么都不懂的黄毛丫头，已经很会在那些事情上找到乐趣。我仍然是把她带到原来的住处，仍然是在原来的那张小床上寻欢作乐，虽然我和阿妍已经有了新房，原来租的那间沿街的小房子一直没有还给人家。
小鱼这时候已经成了一个女人味十足的大姑娘，在她身上，你已经很难找到当年的影子。她再也不是原来那个只上过两年小学的农村小女孩，对外面的世界一点都不了解，既天真单纯又幼稚可笑。小鱼这时候要比同年龄的女人成熟得多，好像一个熟透的红苹果那样，你只要轻轻晃晃树枝，它便会自动从树上掉下来。当然，我说的成熟只是在那方面，在其他方面，小鱼仍然是天真单纯，仍然是幼稚可笑。在其他方面，小鱼永远也不会成熟，永远成不了一个真正的城里人。
有一天，我陪阿妍去买衣服。阿妍做过一段服装生意，自认为很会买衣服，熟悉料子，熟悉价格，动不动就喜欢到街上去逛。不但为自己买，也为她的姐妹买。她们姐妹多，身材都接近，常常是为大姐买了一件，又想到二姐，然后就是三妹四妹。过去因为经济条件不好，有一件好看的衣服，姐妹几个人轮着穿，在文化大革命中，的确凉衣服曾经很流行，一开始价格也贵，她们姐妹几个便穿过同一件衬衫去和男朋友约会。现在经济条件改善了，阿妍仍然喜欢买各种各样的便宜衣服，买了便宜货送给她的姐妹做人情。那天看中的是件羊毛衫
，她在那没完没了地还价，我便在一旁嘀咕，说天气已经热了，为什么还要买这玩意。
阿妍说：“你不懂的，反季节的衣服最便宜，到了秋天，这衣服翻一