Chapter 3 third chapter

There was a British couple at the same table, talking with Cheng Zhen about the scenery of the Lake District in spring. Cheng Zhen could hear himself say: "For me at the age of nineteen, riding the Lulu Bell in Yundemeer was an unforgettable experience in my life. The scenery of lakes and mountains praised by Xu Shufu, the daffodils all over the mountains, What did Keats say? O fair narcissus, we weep to see you die young, as the sun never passed noon..." The old lady held Cheng Zhen's hand and kept saying, "Honey, you must come to our house for dinner." Before the food was served, the prime minister would toast first, and then the dignitaries would say a few words. Cheng Zhen didn't like Chinese and Western dishes at banquets, so he didn't move his mouth.

Fortunately, the food was served quickly, and the dancing show started, Cheng Zhen said: "I want to leave early." Dong Xin looked at her, "Do you want me to accompany you back?" "No, you dance and socialize with those Chinese ladies." Dong Xin suddenly said, "Thanks to you tonight." "You're welcome." "You take care of yourself." Cheng Zhen took the shawl and handbag and left. She didn't go back to her room. She was hungry. She planned to go to a nearby snack shop to buy fish and chips, preferably donuts. The emperor pays off, and there is a small shop around the corner.

She ordered food and sat in a corner munching. While eating, Cheng really felt that someone was watching her, and when she raised her head, she couldn't help laughing "Ouch", and the person sitting diagonally across from her was Sun Yuchuan. She asked across the table, "What do you eat?" "Cheese dog." "It's best to have Yonghe-style fried dough sticks and rice." Sun Yuchuan smiled. Cheng Zhen shook his head, "How much do you know about people's livelihood?" Sun Yuchuan replied: "It must be more than fried dough sticks."

Cheng Zhen smiled, "Where's your wife?" "Dancing." "You shouldn't be following me." This time Sun Yuchuan no longer showed weakness, "I arrived earlier than you, you should follow me." Cheng Zhen replied: "At my age, how can I still impress anyone?" He didn't come, and she didn't, they talked across the table, but he paid the bill for her. It was late at night and the weather was a bit cold, so Cheng Zhen pulled the shawl tighter. She walked in the opposite direction to the hotel, the weather was suitable for a walk.

Sun Yuchuan followed her without hesitation, which filled her with joy. Cheng Zhen raised his head, "Actually, I have never seen any Chinese look better in a suit than you." Sun Yuchuan smiled, "Have you heard the saying that the more you draw, the darker you are?" Cheng Zhen could only laugh. "Only an environment like Hong Kong can produce a woman like you?" "Is this a compliment or a derogation?" He put his hands in his trouser pockets and said nothing. Cheng Zhen stood still under the street lamp, suddenly sad, "Goodbye, Mr. Sun." She hurried back to the hotel.

While walking, I felt my nose was sore, and when I touched my cheek, there were big tears on my face, Cheng Zhen was very surprised, he was crazy, why did he start crying, what is there to cry for? Then she found herself running, faster and faster, and eventually ran back to the hotel. No one answered the phone in Dong Xin's room, so she packed her luggage, changed back to casual clothes, changed her plane ticket, left without saying goodbye that night, and flew home. When Cheng Gong saw her, he immediately said, "Does Master Dong know your whereabouts?" "He won't care."

Cheng Gong immediately picked up the phone, "I'll tell him." Cheng Zhen held a bottle of champagne in his hand. Cheng Gong came over after making the phone call and put the wine bottle in Cheng Zhen's hand in a corner. Cheng Zhen said: "Come on, let's take over the new house, and you will be responsible for the interior decoration. Please move in and live with me." "I never thought you'd be lonely." "Why, a person with a spicy pen can be immune to the seven emotions and six desires?" Cheng Gong looked at his adoptive mother, "You like him."

Cheng Zhen tied his hair back, nodded, "Yes." "What do you think he wants?" "I'm past the age of guessing someone's mind." "There's always a feeling." "I don't make love to myself." Cheng Gong smiled. "We're both married." Cheng Gong asked: "Really, does it matter?" Cheng Zhen looked at her differently, but she didn't expect her to have a thorough understanding of relationships at such a young age. Cheng Zhen replied, "No, there is no difference." "Will you pursue this relationship?"

"No." "why not?" "I can't exchange my best side with him." Cheng Zhen suddenly understood the reason for her tears that night, "The years have not spared me, and life has tortured me beyond human form." Cheng Gong laughed, "It's not true, you are still young and beautiful." Cheng Zhen sighed, raised his head with a smile, "Come on, help me choose furniture." After that day, she didn't mention it again. Cheng Gong chose Laolaai Xuli's curtains and wallpapers, all in blue and white, which are exactly the colors Cheng Zhen often wears.

To be honest, Cheng Zhen likes red the most, but he can't find any red in his closet. No one ever said that one can get what one likes. Cheng Zhen still wears white clothes and a white skirt everyday, and Dong Xin is dressed in blue and white casual clothes. No matter how critical his eyes are, he can't tell that they are not actually a couple. They have also separated. In the new house, Cheng Zhen often spent the whole afternoon squatting in the garden arranging roses. When the phone call came, she poured a cup of iced tea and chatted with Liu Qun under the umbrella. "Come and meet me in Paris, we'll be crazy for a few days."

Cheng Zhenxiao, "Do we still have the ability to do deviant actions?" "I'm here to interview the living conditions of Chinese immigrants from three different classes in Paris." "Liu Qun, you really put your mind to being here." Liu Qun sighed, "I have no choice but to come by myself after you leave." "The competition is getting fiercer." "I don't want to do many things, because I feel that it is meaningless to succeed." "I'll meet you on the next flight." "I live in a friend's apartment, 1 rue de Triomphe." Cheng Zhen asked her daughter, "Are you going to Paris?" Cheng Gong laughed in horror, "I have homework to do." "Then, remember to receive letters every day, water the flowers, and send greetings to Dong Xin for me." Cheng Gong said, "Actually Dong Zeshi misses you very much." "I also miss him ten years ago," Cheng Zhen sighed, "We have all changed, or in other words, he has changed and I haven't changed, and I can no longer keep up with his pace." Cheng Gong was very helpless, "It's really a pity that you two are separated." Cheng Zhen booked the plane ticket and started to pack his luggage. "That feeling is like watching the tropical rainforest disappear by an acre every minute." Cheng Zhen laughed. Cheng Gong drove her to the airport. The daughter is so old, can the mother not be old?She hugged her daughter, "I love you niece." "I love your mother too." Liu Qun waited for her on the balcony with carved railings. As soon as the taxi stopped, she rushed down the stairs. Seeing Cheng Zhen, he was stunned, and blurted out: "Wow, you look haggard, your face is ashen, what are you doing?" Cheng Zhen touched his face and smiled wryly, "Can you tell?" "What are you doing? That Pacific Aon story isn't finished until today, and I'm dying again." "The manuscript has been brought, and it can be handed over to you immediately. Go back and show it to the lawyer. It may involve legal issues." "You have a problem with Dong Xin?" "We have separated." "Go to Santa Curry and have a cup of coffee." "This Paris is different from the Paris of our college days. The roadside cafes are crowded and dirty." "Oh, miss, don't always think this is good or that, who knows that I have changed my color since I was twenty-eight and a half years old with you." Cheng Zhen looked up to the sky and let out a long sigh. "Ever thought about coming back?" "Think about it every day." "You know the newspaper is what you want." Cheng Zhen bowed his head and remained silent. "Come on, let's go for a walk." "Let's go to Retiro for dinner." "I'm afraid I won't be able to get a seat." "Dong Xin has acquaintances, ask Dong Xin to call and book a table." "Dong Xin will scold you." Cheng Zhen said: "No matter how unhappy you are, at most you will divorce me. Can it be worse?" She picked up the phone and dialed it. At the same time, he winked with Liu Qun, "There are advantages to not loving each other." Seeing her so sad, Liu Qun couldn't speak. When the phone was connected, Cheng Zhen liked it a little, "Dong Xin, are you at home?" Dong Xin replied coldly: "This is my new office number, Cheng Zhen, where are you?" "I'm meeting with Liu Qun in Paris. Dong Xin, please reserve a table for us at Li Chi for dinner. We'll be there in an hour." Dong Xin was silent for a while, "How many people do you invite?" "The two of us." "I'll get back to you as soon as possible." "Are you free?" "No, I'm in the conference room, and I have Taiwanese guests." Cheng Zhen immediately hung up the phone. At this time Liu Qun said: "It's not that you don't love each other." Cheng Zhen smiled, "Yes, I am still willing to bother him, and he is still willing to entertain me." "No chance of getting back together?" "Let's talk about it after the official separation. It's too early to say at this moment." Liu Qun can't laugh or cry. The two were talking non-stop when the phone rang. It's Dong Xin's secretary, "Mrs. Dong, the table for the two of Li Chi has been booked. In one hour, it will be 8:30 p.m. Paris time." Thank you Cheng Zhen. "Come on, change your clothes." "Who's paying?" "Dong Xin." Cheng Zhenlai rolled his eyes. Liu Qun smiled, "I have never liked him, and now I think he is a bit good." Cheng Zhen suddenly asked, "What's wrong with him?" Liu Qun replied: "Proud, look down on those of us who write Chinese as a profession, and often ask: Would you consider writing in English? Cheng Laozhen is already a well-known figure in the society, he just pretends not to know, the official big man Sha Wenzhu ." Cheng Zhen was stunned for a while, "Change your clothes, we are going out." The table was behind the pillars, and it was obvious from a glance that it was set up temporarily, but Cheng Zhen still tipped the foreman 500 yuan. Sitting down and studying the menu, Cheng Zhen had no appetite at all and was wandering, when the head waiter offered a glass of champagne. Liu Qun was startled, "When did Dong Xin learn so well? I'm going to fall in love with him." Cheng Zhen was moved, "It's not him." Gently asked the foreman, the foreman smiled and glanced at the table on the other side. Cheng Zhen raised his head to look, and was stunned. He didn't lower his head at all. It was Sun Yuchuan who was sitting and eating alone over there. Liu Qun also saw it, "Hey, Cheng Zhen, it's Lao Sun." Cheng Zhen was stunned. "If you don't know each other, please come and sit with him." Cheng Zhen suddenly became angry, "If you dare, I will break up with you immediately!" "Hey, what's going on here?" "Sit down, don't move, and eat." Liu Qun was puzzled and gradually understood, so he dared not make a sound. Cheng Zhen just drank too much wine, his eyes gradually turned red. After a long while, Liu Qun couldn't bear it any longer, and he would ask, "Are you guys making an appointment?" Cheng Zhen put down his wine glass and said solemnly: "Every time we meet by chance, if there is any falsehood, it will be struck by thunder." Liu Qun remained silent, and after a while, she seemed to be talking softly to herself: "Sun Yuchuan's background doesn't allow him to take a wrong step." The bottle is empty. The foreman brought another bottle. Liu Qun couldn't help asking again: "How did he know that you like Kruger champagne?" "Or, they also have a data set." Liu Qun stopped talking. "Dessert?" "Enough is enough." "Then check out and go." "Yes, retreat in spite of difficulties." "Liu Qun, there are puns in every sentence, I'm afraid you're tired." "Hey, don't worry about me, and take care of your body." Cheng Zhen continued to drink, "Tell me about Zhao Baichuan's recent situation." "He's all right, he's fine, let me greet you." "If Baichuan hadn't been in a car accident that day, I wouldn't have gone on a business trip for him." Liu Qun glanced over there, "Yes, you wouldn't write that tidbit to attract someone's attention." Cheng Zhen nodded. "Hey, he checked out and left." After a while, Cheng Zhen said, "Let's go too!" Ask the foreman to check out, but he said: "Mr. Sun has already paid." Liu Qun sighed, "Look, it's just a little more playful, so Mr. Dong made a reservation, and Mr. Sun paid the bill. I'm envious of others." "Let's walk back." "It's an hour's walk, Miss, the road is not smooth, let's take a car!" "I heard that there is a Lady Long in Paris, who is very powerful and has many methods. Do you plan to visit her?" Liu Qun answered well, "I only interview real people." Cheng Zhen smiled and patted her on the shoulder. Early the next morning, when the doorbell rang, Liu Qun went to open the door, and a boy brought flowers. Cheng Zhen brushed his teeth, took a mouthful of toothpaste foam, and said with a smile: "This tweed seems very vulgar, but it is really useful as a gift every day." She thought it was Liu Qun's friend. Unexpectedly, Liu Qun said, "For you." Cheng Zhen was startled, "Is it Dong Xin?" "It's Sun Yuchuan." The bouquet was not big, all white, Liu Qun inserted it, Cheng Zhen put the toothbrush in his mouth, and looked at the card. Liu Qun: "I didn't expect him to be so blatant." After a long time, Cheng Zhen said: "Well, it's nothing, we often send flowers to our male colleagues." "Yes, Zhao Baichuan broke his leg, which part did you break?" Cheng Zhen sat down, toothpaste sticking to his lips like a mustache. "How did he know we lived here?" she asked. "That's not easy. You always have a phone number when you book a seat in Lichi." Cheng Zhen washed his face, "Come on, let's go to Tie Luli Garden today." Liu Qun stared at her, "You are mistaken, Tie Luli Garden is in Rome." Cheng Zhen immediately admitted his mistake, "Yes, yes, I mean Fontainebleau, let's go there for a stroll." "I've started my day at work, who cares about you!" Liu Qun went downstairs with his tape recorder and notebook on his back, "Hey, be careful, see you in the evening." "What am I doing alone?" "To shop like the women tourists all over the world, go to Via Condotti." Liu Qun teased her, Via Condotti was also in Rome. On the small white card was written in dark blue pen: Ms. Cheng smiled and received it, and Sun Yuchuan respectfully presented it. What is Xiaona?That means, the gift is so meager that it makes you laugh, so just accept it with a smile. She must have given him a lot of encouragement, otherwise he wouldn't have done that. It took a lot of courage to take this step. Cheng Zhen felt that the corners of her eyebrows and eyes might have betrayed her. She touched her face, but she really didn't expect that she would be so frivolous. Cheng Zhen changed into casual clothes and went out on the street. She went to the left bank to visit the small galleries. The works of lesser-known painters were piled up in one corner in bundles, costing three to five hundred francs each. Cheng Zhen had no intention of buying them, as it was too inconvenient to carry them. The owner of the shop is a young man, "There is a painter in this shop to make portraits for you, each one is a thousand." Cheng Zhen glanced at him, "Montmartre is only a hundred." Young people get angry, "the quality is different." Cheng Zhen added, "None of them are famous, they are all the same." The young man waved his hand, "One day, you will pay more than one million francs to buy my paintings." Cheng Zhen took the opportunity to teach him a lesson, "It's wrong to think this way, what you love is art, so why keep talking about money!" The young man was so angry that he could hardly speak, "You were the one who mentioned money first." "Duh, I'm a customer, of course I have to haggle." Cheng Zhen opened the door and left. Halfway through, she stopped on the stone road and looked at the shadows on the ground. She wondered if anyone was following her. nobody. It's been so hard since the beginning, Cheng Zhen smiled wryly. She went to Wuquan to drink water, and patted her face with her hands. "Miss, would you like to have a cup of coffee together?" Cheng Zhen raised his head abruptly. Startled by her, the man took a step back instead. He was just a slouch, and when he saw the other party's overreaction, he got scared and turned around and slipped away. Cheng Zhen was stunned for a long while before he collected his mood and went back to the city center to pick out some fashionable clothes for Cheng Gong in a department store. When I came out, I looked up and saw the signboard: Lafayette Department Store, hey, it was here that Picasso met the blond, blue-eyed and white-skinned Marie Tieliz. He went up to strike up a conversation, and then the two fell in love. Cheng Zhen bought food and went back to the apartment to cook. Liu Qun came back and said with a smile, "I thought I'd be at Maxim tonight." "You try my borscht." "I bet you forgot to buy sour cream." "You underestimate me too much." Cheng Zhen smiled. Liu Qun asked, "Did that person make any further comments?" Cheng Zhen answered irrelevantly: "I will leave tomorrow morning." Liu Qun had no choice but to change the subject, "I worked extremely hard today." "Who was interviewed?" "A family of Vietnamese overseas Chinese has no legal right of abode. The whole family does rough work, and the children cannot go to school." Liu Qun rubbed his eyes. "Although the world is big, it seems that there is no place for them to stand." She sat down. "Huadu is naturally not Huadu to them." Liu Qun sighed, "Have you ever been to the Tangren Khan store in Queens, New York? Capitalism is all about capital. Without capital, the people have no means of living." "I told you to visit Madam Long earlier, it won't hurt your stomach." "I've also figured it out. When I go back this time, I'll simply write romance novels. Also, publish a few new collections of poetry. Maybe I'll write some martial arts scripts. Otherwise, I'll just comment on the works of experts." "Don't see people taking burdens without effort." Cheng Zhen smiled. "Give me your feature." "I want to change my pen name." "No matter what name you use, someone will recognize you, Cheng Zhen, your pen has already been finalized, don't underestimate it." In the evening, the flowers gradually withered. Liu Qun said at the side: "Perhaps, this bouquet of flowers is just to thank you for writing him so well." Cheng Zhen smiled, "Maybe." "If you're really bored and can't stay any longer, it's good to come back and be Mrs. Feng again." "How can you still run?" "It can be seen that you have landed on the shore. No matter how hard it is, there will be no sharks on the shore." "Liu Qun, don't be too nervous. If you take a step back, the sea and the sky will be brighter. If someone writes a social column, it will be a lifetime. I don't know how happy and fulfilled I am." Liu Qunwei said, "Thank you for your advice, thank you for your advice." "Do you want to go sightseeing in the red light district?" "After I retire, I will go to South America with you to report on pornography in Latin American countries." Cheng Zhen was very throbbing, "Then you will get ulcers." "No, it is more painful to study the atrocities committed by the Japanese army during the Anti-Japanese War." "Oh, that, that will get brain cancer." "What do you plan to write in the future?" "Write a love letter." Liu Qun laughed out loud. I really left early the next morning. " The next seat on the plane was empty, but Cheng Zhen always felt that a person in a dark suit would sit down at any time. He was always restless and restless, and the journey was not lonely. Cheng Gong picked her up at the airport. He asked his mother, "Have you been to the Louvre?" Cheng Zhen suddenly remembered, "Ah, the Louvre, I forgot." "But you went shopping." "I bought two golden nubuck leather backpacks, one for each of us, mother and daughter, yes, how is Dong Xin?" "It turns out that no one has been doing his laundry. I took ten of his shirts and went to the laundry." Cheng Zhen was silent. "You never wash his shirts?" Cheng Zhen asked back: "Why should I help him wash? Why don't you ask who will wash my shirt?" "But, I remember you doing my laundry." "That's different, you are my daughter and I love you." Xiao Chenggong sighed softly. Cheng Zhenxiao said, "You are too sympathetic." "No no, yesterday, my biological mother called Dong Zeshi to look for me." "What's up?" "She asked Dong Zeshi to borrow money." "I have it here." "Dong Zeshi has already paid her." "How much?" "Thirty thousand Hong Kong dollars." Cheng Zhen was silent, and he had to speak up for mere decimals. It can be seen that the environment is really bad. There are many examples of this kind. Cheng Zhen learns to think about daily life. It is better to be reserved when you have something to spend than to go around for a few dollars when your hands are tight. Qian Tongren kowtowed. Cheng Gong asked in confusion: "Is she living a tight life?" "Don't worry, there will be gold everywhere, and she will definitely find a way." "Then, didn't he become a gangster?" Cheng Gong was still hesitant. "Where did you learn this term?" Cheng Gong stood in front of a jeep and took out the key. Cheng Zhen was taken aback, "When did the Mercedes get out of the jeep?" "It's called G type. Dong Zeshi bought it new and lent it to me temporarily." Cheng Zhen was silent. Dong Xin will never give up this enjoyment of life, so he has to spend all his treasures to make money. The mother and daughter got into the car. Cheng Gong said: "The new house is almost finished." Cheng Zhen didn't say a word, it was really desolate, it was finally completed, but, the personnel has changed, she will not be the hostess of the house. "Dong Zeshi asked if you would move in." Cheng Zhen said without thinking, "No." "There are customers from Taiwan who want to buy." Cheng Gong glanced at her. "Does Dong Xin earn money?" "Earn about 300,000 yuan." Cheng Zhen let out a laugh, "Five years of hard work, and you only earn that little?" Pausing, "You are very familiar with his handicap." "I work in his office building from three to six every day." Cheng Zhen was surprised, "That's great, when did it start?" "Last month, Dong Zeshi has always been kind to me, and you two have been really kind to me." Cheng Gong held his mother's hand tightly. It's true. When Cheng Zhen brought the little girl home, even the servants couldn't get used to it for a while, but Dong Xin hit it off with the little girl, greeted her with a smile, put chocolate in front of her, and put Archimedes and Newton together. The theory that when the story was told to her, he was kind to the child even in the most annoying and busy moments. Cheng Zhen kept laughing to his relatives and friends and said that Dong Xin's conscience is still alive. I could only hear Cheng Gong asking: "After graduating in the future, I will be able to afford it, so should I help my birth mother?" Cheng Zhen glanced at her, "Friends still have the meaning of making money." "Morally—" "Why bother to be reasonable, you can help her if you want." "So how can I repay you?" she asked cautiously. "Yo Cheng Gong, you are really a mother-in-law. You talk and laugh with me every day, and you do your best when you have something to do. You have already earned credit for your hard work, so why mention other things?" Cheng Gong finally got to the point: "You and Dong Zeshi are both so reasonable, intelligent and mature people, why can't the two sides understand?" Cheng Zhen looked out the window, "I don't know, maybe, your naive mind overestimated us." "I hate to see you break up." Cheng Zhen smiled, "Sometimes even I feel sorry for myself." When I got home, I saw a garden of roses blooming brilliantly, sweet and fragrant, and Cheng Zhenxin was in full bloom. Cheng Gong said with a smile: "I fertilize the flowers, remove insects and pruning the branches." "Thank you, Cheng Gong, this is really better than any gift." "Dong Zeshi invites you to dinner tonight." "Can I not go?" "It's just our family of three." Cheng Gong begged. Her bright and beautiful face made Cheng Zhen compromise, "Is it a place where you can attend in casual clothes?" "whatever." "Then let me sleep first." "It's too late, Mom, hey, listen to me—" Cheng Zhen chuckled, put all her clothes on the sofa, put the cushion on her head, closed her eyes, and fell asleep. And into the dreamland, Dong Xin has never been in her dreams, as if good dreams and nightmares have nothing to do with him, she dreamed that her mother was still young and was helping her to sew new clothes, when she came back from school, she saw that the clothes were not yet finished Pretty much the same as school uniform, immediately disappointed, and outspoken. The mother kept silent, put away her clothes, and never mentioned this matter again, ah, Cheng Zhen is so ungrateful, so the relationship between mother and daughter has not been very good. "Wake up, wake up."