Chapter 5 chapter Five
This is a vegetable market in the urban-rural fringe of Bozhou, Anhui Province. It occupies a large area, with a rough concrete countertop in the center. Various vegetables and bean products are placed in the open air, and there are also meat racks with fresh meat.On both sides are shops, mostly dry goods, grain, braised meat, noodle shops, steamed bun shops, etc.The open-air part is covered with black scrims, which can't block the rain, but can somewhat block the scorching sun.It's summer noon, and the sun is scorching hot.The vegetable market was crowded with people, many men were shirtless, and women were also very economical about fabrics. The strong smell of sweat rose among the crowd accompanied by the sound of bargaining.
Xue Yu didn't stop at the door, and walked straight in.His suit and leather shoes are a bit eye-catching here, and he is handsome, and he has attracted a lot of attention after walking by.The innermost part of the vegetable market sells live chickens and ducks, live fish and slaughtered cattle. These stores are the dirtiest and are usually placed in the innermost part of the vegetable market.At this moment, there are quite a lot of people in front of the fish shop, seven or eight people are crowded in front of the two big fish basins, some are squatting and some are standing.The fish seller is a young girl of eighteen or nineteen years old. She is squatting in front of the fish basin, cutting and scraping the scales of the fish swiftly, shouting loudly:
"Cao Huan (grass carp) is alive and kicking, three yuan and fifty one catty!"
Her voice is very crisp, standard Mandarin, which is quite special in the tone of the local dialect.Seen from the slit, she was wearing a black waterproof rubber skirt around her waist and a T-shirt on her upper body. Because she was lowering her head and exerting herself at the moment, she showed a clear cleavage, and some men focused their eyes on it.Looking up, Xue Yu saw Mei Xiaoxue's face, an ugly pockmarked face, with bright black eyes, a small bridge of nose, moist and bright red lips, delicate and fair skin, all of which were in harmony with the beauty of her face. The pits form a very strong contrast.
That's right, it was Xiaoxue, finally found her.
Xue Yu didn't push forward, but stood behind the crowd, watching her face sadly in the crowd.Eighteen changes in the female college, 13-year-old Mei Xiaoxue is more beautiful today than seven years ago—if not pockmarked.Her beauty and pockmarked face combined to form a cruel beauty, which has a strange deterrent effect on the opposite sex.Among this group of customers, there are at least two or three men who are not here to buy fish, but to see people.
Xiaoxue has packed up the two fish, stood up to weigh them, and collected the money.She smiled and asked everyone who wants more?A female customer pointed to a fish in the basin and asked her to dissect it.Xiaoxue glanced at the crowd, and saw a man in a suit and leather shoes at the back of the crowd. His style of dressing was obviously different from that of the others, and he seemed a little familiar.But she didn't recognize it, and squatted down again, scraping quickly, the fish scales fell to the ground like snowflakes.
Two men squeezed over there, and one of them asked as he walked, "Which one is the pockmarked Xi Shi, and where is it?"Another man warned him: Keep your voice down, that girl is not a good girl!But his warning was already too late, Mei Xiaoxue inside had already heard it, she stood up abruptly, pointed the fish knife outside and yelled: Damn X, which stinky man who received a thousand knives came to spoil your aunt?If you have the guts, come here, aunt and grandma will fight three times with you!The two men hurriedly slipped back and shrank into the crowd, and when they felt safe, they burst out laughing behind the crowd.Here, Xiaoxue's face was pale, the pits on her face turned white, and tears flowed down violently.The middle-aged woman selling live chickens hurried over, hugged Xiaoxue in her arms and persuaded: Xiaoxue, don't cry, it's not worth being angry for such a beast.Come on, Aunt Guo vents her anger for you.third child!third child!She called the man who slaughtered the cow, and said: Someone is bullying our Xiaoxue again, you go and curse him to death!
The man who slaughtered the cow ran over and cursed at the direction where the two men disappeared.This time Xue Yu really learned the richness of Anhui folk language. The man scolded with great vigor, catchy, and spouted all kinds of fresh and vicious curse words, some of which Xue Yu could understand, some Xue Yu did not understand.The two stinky men didn't reply, they seemed to have been cursed to death, and the youngest was still cursing endlessly.Aunt Guo was amused, and several customers who bought fish also laughed, and they all advised Xiaoxue not to be angry, saying that with the vicious abuse of the third child, the two of them must have boils.Xiaoxue was obviously used to this kind of scene, she stopped crying after a while, wiped her tears, squatted down and continued to cut fish for customers.
Xue Yu looked at her silently, feeling pain in his heart like a needle prick.After a while, the customers dispersed and only Xue Yu was left. Xiaoxue looked at him attentively and asked:
"Are you buying fish?"
Xue Yu said bitterly, "Xiaoxue, it's me."
Mei Xiaoxue recognized him immediately: "Uncle Xue Xue Yu?" Her face turned pale again, "You traitor, white-eyed wolf, what are you doing here?"
Xue Yu smiled wryly and said, "Come to listen to your scolding. I haven't been scolded like this for a long time."
Mei Xiaoxue slowly came to her senses.She scolded Xue Yu for being impulsive. In fact, she had always been very conflicted towards Xue Yu and Mei's mother.She knew that Uncle Xue's "report" was aboveboard.Yes, his denunciation harmed Mama Mei, but Mama Mei made a mistake first. She smuggled the smallpox virus from a foreign country and accidentally brought it to the orphanage, which ruined her life!Her heart was turbulent, she lowered her head and remained silent for a long time.
Aunt Guo of the live chicken shop noticed the abnormality, and thought that this little boy was also here to bully Xiaoxue?Staring at him warily.After a long time, Xiaoxue raised her head and said embarrassingly:
"Xiao--Uncle Xue," the title was still very jerky, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't scold you, I know you are a good person."
Xue Yu felt stalked in his heart and really wanted to hold her in his arms, but he held back in the end.Xiaoxue is already a big girl, not the girl she was back then.He said bluntly:
"Mama Mei asked me to find you. I, and Mr. Sun, have been looking for you for six or seven years."
When mentioning Mama Mei, who made her hate and miss her so much, Xiaoxue couldn't help but burst into tears. She didn't cry out loud, but her tears flowed like a fountain, and she shrugged her shoulders.Aunt Guo hurried over, took Xiaoxue into her arms again, stared at Xue Yu suspiciously, and asked repeatedly: "What's wrong with Xiaoxue?"Is he bullying you again?third child!Third, come here!Xiaoxue hurriedly held back her tears and said:
"No, this is from my hometown, my little Uncle Xue." She added sweetly, "He and Mama Mei have been looking for me for six or seven years."
Aunt Guo was very happy, and said repeatedly: "That's good, that's good, Xiaoxue has relatives now."After chatting for a while, Xiaoxue asked Aunt Guo to take care of the store for her. She wanted to show Uncle Xue to the house, and invited him to the restaurant for dinner at noon.Xiaoxue's home is not far from here, on the upper floor of a farmyard. The room is small and the furniture is very simple, but it is tidy.A wooden box was covered with floral plastic sheets, which could be used as a dressing table, and some low-end cosmetics were placed on it.To Xue Yu's surprise, there was a round mirror on the dressing table.He thought sadly: I don't know how Xiaoxue feels when she looks at the mirror every day to make up her makeup?
Xiaoxue embarrassedly asked him to avoid it, she wanted to change clothes.Xue Yu went out and stood outside the door. After a while, Xiaoxue came out and changed into a new white T-shirt and green short skirt, making her figure even more slim.She put Xue Yu on her arm and said she would go to Tianhe Hotel to meet him, but Xue Yu didn't refuse and let her go.
The waiter at Tianhe Hotel was very well-bred. When ordering food, he kept avoiding Xiaoxue's pockmarked face, but his avoidance could still be seen.Xiaoxue didn't care, she seemed to be used to the strange look.Xiaoxue asked Xue Yu: How did you find me?In the past seven years, I have traveled a lot, worked in Xinjiang, and stayed in Kyrgyzstan for two years.How did you find me?Xue Yu smiled and said: Ask around, this time it was Mr. Sun who found out and asked me to look for it.
He didn't tell the whole truth.Yes, it is indeed difficult to find her, but after all, she is the only pockmarked child in China in the 21st century (other people in the orphanage have no obvious pockmarked faces), and she is also a very beautiful girl. The combination of the two is a very distinctive feature. It sounds like Still relatively easy.
The dishes are served one by one, including fish-flavored pork shreds, boiled pork slices, lotus-flavored braised pork, and fried potato shreds.They are all Dalu dishes, but this is undoubtedly the best dish in Xiaoxue's mind, Xue Yu thought, just judging from the taste of her order, she has really suffered these years.The two chatted for a while, and Xiaoxue kept avoiding the topic of Mei's mother.That was what she wanted to know most, and she couldn't help avoiding it.Xue Yu could understand her thoughts, and brought the topic over first:
"Xiaoxue, Mama Mei has asked me to find you again and again. She has been in prison and is not in good health. She has rheumatic heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis, and it is difficult for her to walk now. Do you—do you still hate her?"
Xiaoxue lowered her head, tears welling up.She resented Mama Mei and missed her too.In fact, hatred is false, but desire is real. When the resentment on the surface is removed, there is solid love underneath.She will never forget Mama Mei’s birthday cake, and the happy period of illness—sleeping next to her mother at night, smelling her smell, touching her breasts, and often in a coma or deep sleep, there is often a pair of warm and soft eyes on her forehead. hand.And, quite strangely, what she can't forget the most is a night when she was in a coma with a high fever. That night, Mama Mei and Uncle Sun were watching over her, and the two had some words.She couldn't remember what she said, but she only had a vague feeling that her mother already knew that she was going to jail, and she was reluctant to part with her daughter Xiaoxue, and she was telling her husband to take good care of her daughter.These years, Xiaoxue lived alone, and sometimes at night, she would dream of her mother sitting beside her. Her mother looked at her reluctantly and said, "Xiaoxue, I'm going to jail, let's say goodbye forever."Xiaoxue cried and stretched out her hand to hold her mother, but after a while, she suddenly woke up from her dream.Then there was a sleepless night, with the shadow of my mother floating in the blurred eyes of tears.
She sighed: "Don't hold grudges anymore. Today I know that she has been looking for me, and I won't hold grudges against her. Anyway, it was just an accident, and it wasn't intentional."
Xue Yu glanced at her quickly.From what she said, she didn't know that the smallpox five years ago was intentionally released by Mama Mei.Newspapers, radio stations and the Internet have been hyping up the epidemic for two or three years, so how could she not know about it?Later he thought, maybe Xiaoxue was abroad at that time, where the language was not available, and she was actually in an information prison.
Xiaoxue eagerly asked about her mother's details: Is there a good doctor in the prison?Does it cost money to see a doctor?How many years is her sentence, and how many years are left?Xue Yu answered all of them.Xiaoxue asked again:
"How is Uncle Sun? I heard that his grandma passed away before I left."
"Uncle Sun is not in prison, and he is still the boss of Tianli Company. Now I am his vice president. Grandma Sun has indeed passed away." Xue Yu said cautiously, "However, Uncle Sun and your mother Mei are divorced."
Xiaoxue was so shocked that she almost dropped her chopsticks: "Why? Mama Mei is still in jail, and he actually"
"Don't blame him. It's your mother Mei who insisted on divorce. She said she can't have children, but she doesn't want to let Grandma Sun's wish come true." He looked at Xiaoxue and explained, "Grandma Sun is old-fashioned. I want to see my grandchildren as soon as possible. Teacher Mei understands this very well.”
"Oh, that's right."
Xue Yu didn't finish his sentence.The two failed to persevere in their marriage because of another more important factor: after Grandma Sun passed away suddenly due to that incident, Mr. Sun felt so deeply guilty that he still couldn't get out of the psychological shadow.Over the past few years, he has been working hard to train Xue Yu to succeed him.Maybe one or two years later, when Mei Yin is released from prison and Xue Yu is able to support the company on his own, he will leave his hometown and leave this sad place.He never stated this plan clearly, but Xue Yu could guess his thoughts.Xue Yu has always felt sorry for the two of them. They are both gentlemen with high morals and are very suitable for each other. They should live forever.It's a pity that they all have a deep and heavy knot in their hearts, and they are too tired to live.
In fact, why not himself?These years, the missing Xiaoxue has always been a knot in his heart, although Xiaoxue's illness and disappearance, he has no responsibility.
After chatting for a while, Xiaoxue's mood returned to normal, and Xue Yu got to the point:
"Xiaoxue, Mama Mei asked me to find you to take you to Beijing for beauty treatment as soon as possible. You can go with me and leave today. If you don't go back to Nanyang, go directly to Beijing, to the Medical Plastic Surgery Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Let me tell you, five I made an appointment with Dr. Chen Huanran there a few years ago. He is the leading cosmetic surgeon in the country. People who go to him for surgery have to wait in line for two years, but he promised me that whenever he finds you, he will go there. Do."
Xiaoxue was very moved, and said in a low voice: "I also have this plan, and I have been saving money."
Xue Yu took out a card: "I've already saved enough for you—no refusal is allowed, this is my wish, and it is also the wish of Mama Mei and Uncle Sun. I am now the vice president of Tianli Company, and I have a lot of money. Use my money to do the operation, and then you can slowly save money to pay me back, okay? I know you are a good and obedient boy. "
Xiaoxue's eyes overflowed with seven colors of brilliance.This is a dream she has been looking forward to for seven years. She originally thought it would come true in ten or fifteen years, but she never thought it would come true in one day.Uncle Xiao Xue said it sincerely, he really wanted to help her, she no longer refused, and said cheerfully:
"Okay. But we have to sign an IOU. When I earn enough money, I will definitely pay you back."
"Of course, of course. If you don't pay it back at that time, I will ask you for it. But there is no need for an IOU, just pull the check. If Mei Xiaoxue pulls the check, can we still repay the debt? Absolutely no, I trust you. Come, pull the hook, hang yourself, for a hundred years, don't let it go."
Xiaoxue grinned and checked him.After pulling the hook, Xue Yu took her little hand into his.This little hand, which is as beautiful as a handicraft, also left many scars.Xue Yu looked at her hands, her scarred neck and chest, and suddenly lost control of his emotions, and his eye circles slowly turned red.When Xiaoxue saw it, her throat choked up.She didn't want to embarrass Uncle Xue, so she pretended not to see it, and said mischievously:
"However, you are not allowed to say that I am a child. I am 19 years old this year, and I have been in the world for seven years. I am already an adult."
"Yes, you are already an old world, no respect, no respect!"
The two laughed.
After dinner, they went back to the vegetable market. Xiaoxue said goodbye to Aunt Guo and the third uncle, and handed over the fish shop to Aunt Guo temporarily, saying that she would come back after the operation.Xue Yu thought that he would not let Xiaoxue come back here alone again, but he didn't say it clearly, and stood aside with a smile, allowing Xiaoxue to handle the handover with them.Aunt Guo and the old third uncle were also very happy. This poor girl finally made it through meeting a nobleman today.Before leaving, the old third uncle said:
"Xiaoxue hasten to perfect her face, come back and let the old third uncle see how beautiful she looks. This brother, Xiaoxue will entrust it to you. I am a rough man, let me start with the ugly words. If you make Xiaoxue feel wronged, I will tell you you"
Xue Yu took the lead and imitated what Xiaoxue said just now: "Three knives and six holes!"
"That's right, three knives and six holes!" All four of them laughed.
They took the same day's train and rushed to Beijing the next morning to go directly to the Chinese Academy of Sciences Plastic Surgery Hospital in Badachu.Dr. Chen Huanran had seen Xiaoxue’s photo before (seven years ago, of course), and now he was very happy to see her in person, and kept praising Xue Yu for her good condition:
"You can see that her forehead is wide, her forehead, nose tip, lip pearl and chin tip are relatively high, and the gap between her eyes, the junction of the nose and the forehead, and the groin in the middle of the person are sunken, which is almost completely in line with the 'three courts and five eyes, four highs and three lows' proposed by me. The standard of beauty! Only the chin and chin are slightly flawed, which can be easily improved by surgery. Great! I want to shape her into a standard of Chinese beauties!"
Xue Yu and Xiaoxue were happy to hear him boasting, but they were a little confused——Xiaoxue came for plastic surgery because of the pockmarks on her face, why did he keep talking aside?Dr. Chen saw their thoughts and said lightly:
"As for the pimples on the face, that's a small problem. There is already a mature method, which is to use a special grinding rod to smooth it out, which can basically restore the facial skin to its original state. Xiaoxue, don't worry, just pretend you didn't wash your face today , there is a little dirt on the face, it will be fine after washing the face."
"Dr. Chen, I only want to repair the pockmarks, other cosmetics"
"No! If you get on my boat, you can't help yourself. You have such a good condition, you must achieve perfection!" He turned to Xue Yu, "Is she worried about the cost? I can use this operation as an observation and teaching for students. In some cases, the operation fee will be halved.”
Xue Yu smiled and said: "Thank you, Dr. Chen, I will do it according to your opinion, and it must be perfect. By the way, in addition to the pockmarks on the face, the pockmarks on the body also need to be repaired, such as those on the neck and chest. The cost does not matter. How much, I will solve it."
Doctor Chen still looked Xiaoxue up and down.A plastic surgeon is similar to a sculptor, who has now entered the creative impulse.He said:
"Of course, you don't say I will do the same. In order to achieve perfection, her operation time may be longer. I suggest that you rent a private house nearby, and don't be hospitalized when you don't need to be hospitalized. You can eat and live in the private house. It will save some money. You go and arrange the rental, and come for surgery tomorrow."
"OK."
"Also, little girl, I am only in charge of physical beauty, you are responsible for psychological beauty. I know that people with physical defects, especially young girls, will have a deep sense of inferiority. Have you, I don't know. If there is, throw it away. I will tell you a trick: those girls who believe that they are beautiful will become beautiful, at least 30% more beautiful than before. This is not a dream, it is all experience Talk about it, because self-confidence will make your face glow with invisible brilliance!"
Xiaoxue smiled happily: "Uncle Chen, I will listen to you."
"That's right, and—if you have any—you have to throw away the psychological darkness, jealousy, complaints, pettiness, etc. I will shape a face as perfect as a suet jade carving for you, Hopefully it's matched by a perfect heart. I'm sure you'll make it."
Xiaoxue's eyes sparkled: "Thank you Uncle Chen. I will definitely do it."
After lunch, they inquired nearby and rented a private house with one bedroom and one living room, furnished.Although small but very clean, the environment is also good, a few stops away from the hospital, the traffic is very convenient.Xue Yu accompanied her to the supermarket again and bought all the household items, especially some high-end cosmetics for her.After arranging everything, Xue Yu handed the UnionPay card to Xiaoxue and said:
"Xiaoxue, I'm sorry, the work at home is tight, so I can't accompany you. I'll take the train tonight."
Xiaoxue was a bit reluctant to part with her, but she knew that it was impossible for Uncle Xiaoxue to stay with her for a few months, so she nodded: "Okay."
"The money on the card is enough for you to spend. You can't just live here, don't worry about money. When I come next time, if you lose weight, I won't agree."
Xiao Xue agreed with a smile.
"If there is a chance for a business trip, I will come to see you."
Xiaoxue thought for a while: "No, I don't allow you to come. You absolutely don't want to come before all my operations are completed."
Xue Yu knew what she was thinking—she wanted to appear in her field of vision with a new look.He felt very relieved that the hurt, rough, and hatred Xiaoxue quickly changed into a transparent sunny girl.This is not surprising, she was such a girl, and that shell was imposed on her by an unfair fate.Now, under the warmth of love, it has quickly disintegrated. "Okay, I will listen to you. I will wait for your notice."
Xue Yu was about to leave, Xiaoxue hesitated and said, "There is one more thing."
"What's up?"
Xiaoxue blushed and said, "I have a request, you must agree."
"What request do I have to agree to? So overbearing! Okay, I promise, I promise. Tell me."
"I've grown up, I can't call you uncle anymore, I'll suffer too much."
Xue Yu laughed loudly: "Which country is this fallacy? When you grow up, you call my uncle a disadvantage? Don't forget, you are seven years older, and I am seven years older."
Xiaoxue blushed even more, and said arrogantly: "That's different! Seven years ago you were exactly twice my age, so of course I would call you uncle. Now I'm almost twenty years old, and you are only ten years older than me At the age of two, calling me brother is enough."
"What twenty! You are nineteen this year, you said that when we first met."
"Twenty imaginary years!"
Xue Yu knew the intention of Xiaoxue's request, and a warm current surged in his heart.In fact, this is also the faint hope in his heart.Then he said solemnly: "Okay, I agree to your request."
Xiaoxue smiled, and immediately changed her address: "That's right. Brother Daxue, I will greet Mama Mei and Uncle Sun when I go back. As soon as I go back, I will visit Mama Mei in the prison."
"Okay, I will definitely bring the word to you, little Xuemei—sister." He shook his head and said, "Why is this name so awkward. According to this generation, what should I call those two when I go back, and I will call you Auntie Mei, Uncle Sun? This time you won't suffer, but I will."
Xiaoxue blushed and smiled, saying what are you suffering?By age, they would have been your aunts and uncles.She took Xue Yu on her arm and sent him to the West Railway Station.
Three months later, Xue Yu returned here at Xiaoxue's notice.A note was pasted on the door: "Brother Da Xue: I'm going to buy vegetables, and I'll be back in a while. You go into the house and rest." Xue Yu opened the door with the key he brought with him, and the furniture in the room remained unchanged, packed like eggs As clean as the shell, Xue Yu first saw a large round mirror on the small bedside table, which was the only newly added furniture.This detail reassures him, it shows that Xiaoxue's psychology is normal and not distorted anymore.There are many large books on the bedside and on the table. He originally thought that they might be related to cosmetology, but when he looked closer, they were all medical books, such as epidemiology, virology, and cell engineering.Xue Yu was very relieved. He had already considered that Xiaoxue's educational level was too low (sophomore in junior high school), and planned to send her to an adult school after the operation.Looking at it now, she has started to work hard by herself quietly, and she has kept everything from him.Still the same sentence: She wants to see a brand new Mei Xiaoxue, not only in appearance, but also in psychology and knowledge.
But Xue Yu was worried about whether she could understand these college textbooks at the level of her sophomore year.He flipped through it casually, at least she finished the book "Epidemiology", because there were fold marks and pen scratches until the end of the book.There were still her notes on the table, and Xue Yu also flipped through them. There was a brief note on a certain page that she didn't understand a certain question, and some words were crossed out later. It must have been understood later.Xue Yu suddenly found that there was a page that was obviously different. Unlike the writing on other pages, it was densely written: Mother Mei, Uncle Sun, Uncle Xue, Brother Xue, Brother Mei, Mother Sun, Uncle Xue, Brother Xue. Over the grass, it is obvious that this is Xiaoxue's subconscious graffiti when she came out of her body.In the end, "Brother Xue Yu" became "Xue Yu" and "Yu", and the writing was so powerful that you can imagine her excitement at that time.
Seeing these, Xue Yu was fascinated.
There was the sound of a key opening the door, and Xiaoxue came in carrying a few bags.She shouted in surprise: "Brother Xue Yu Da Xue!"
Xue Yu stared at her appearance, both surprised and delighted.Dr. Chen is worthy of being the "top doctor" in the country, and he can really rejuvenate.The pock marks on Xiaoxue's face were no longer visible. Although it was not as good as her original skin, it was almost the same.In addition to the skin, the facial features have also changed.Xue Yu couldn't point out where there was a change, but the combined effect is: amazing beauty.Xiaoxue stared nervously at Xue Yu, wanting to see his first impression from his eyes.Xue Yu moaned:
"My God, I can't see, your light blinds my eyes. It is very beautiful, more beautiful than I expected."
"real?"
"Of course! Come back to Nanyang with me. Mommy Mei and Uncle Sun are so happy to see you."
Xiaoxue laughed happily, dropped the shopping bag, and hugged Xue Yu around the room.But after turning around for a while, her laughter stopped, and cool tears dripped onto Xue Yu's shoulders. She choked up and said, "Brother Xue Yu, thank you, as well as Mama Mei and Uncle Sun."
Xue Yu turned her face and wiped away her tears: "Don't cry, you should be happy now. Oh yes, I see you are reading medical books. How are you? Can you understand?"
"Most of them can understand."
"I've already made plans to arrange for you to go to an adult school when I go back, so as to make up for the lost seven years."
Xiaoxue shook her head and said firmly, "No. I want to work and study by myself while working."
"why?"
Xiaoxue has already made plans for the future.Of course she would like to go back to school, at least until she graduates from college.But with her current level of education, I am afraid it will take at least five or six years. At that time, Xue Yu was already 38 years old, and it was too late—too late to get married and have children, and she could not delay him.Thinking of this, she couldn't help but blush, she had connected herself with Xue Yu's life, but she was not sure what Xue Yu was thinking.Of course he loves himself, and you can tell it by looking at his eyes, but——after all, I have too little education, no knowledge, a wild girl, and a disability.She couldn't explain her decision to Xue Yu, she could only say:
"Anyway, I don't go to school, I have to work and study by myself."
Xue Yu has realized Xiaoxue's thoughts at this moment.He can always see through Xiaoxue's inner activities, maybe it's fate.After the operation, Xiaoxue is already very "sunshine", but it is not good enough. There is still a little inferiority complex in the deepest part of her heart that has not been completely eliminated.He pulled Xiaoxue to sit on the sofa, took a deep breath, and said:
"Xiaoxue, I have to summon up the courage to say something to you first."
Xiaoxue asked sensitively: "What are you talking about?"
"I know such a man. Seven years ago, in an orphanage, he saw a little girl like a flower for the first time. It doesn't mean that this man had any unreasonable thoughts at that time, then he was too fucked up. But to be honest, the little girl like snow lotus in Tianshan left an indelible impression in his heart. Later, by accident, this man has never been married, and his life has been entwined with this girl. When this little girl grows up, when she is nineteen years old, no," he said with a smile, "when she is twenty years old, you can confess your love to her. But this man dare not, why? He has low self-esteem, he is better than others A whole round older, twelve years old!"
Mei Xiaoxue smiled like a flower: "What is twelve years older? My girl sure doesn't care!"
"It still doesn't work. Both of them belong to the tiger. According to the sackcloth physiognomy, there cannot be two tigers in one mountain. If two tigers get married, they will definitely not be happy in the future."
"Bullshit! It's all bullshit! If I don't believe you, you won't believe these bullshit."
The two looked at each other, suddenly laughed and hugged each other, kissing each other passionately.The marriage of the two was decided so quickly, as if this was a fate that had been arranged long ago, and it was a matter of course and reason.They discussed their future life that day, and Xue Yu agreed with Xiaoxue's opinion: self-study at work, anyway, Xue Yu can be her teacher, which can greatly shorten the study time.The two plan to get married soon, so Xiaoxue's life will be easier to arrange, but the child can be had later, so as not to delay Xiaoxue's study.Xue Yu now lives in Sun Jingshuan's original house.Sun has reorganized the family and is unwilling to live here (the place where grandma died abnormally), so he transferred the house to Xue Yu.
Speaking of Uncle Sun's remarriage, Xiaoxue felt a little sad.She understands Uncle Sun's decision, but still feels sorry for Mama Mei.Xue Yu lived with Xiaoxue that night.After the bath, Xiaoxue pointed out to him the places where there were scars before, such as the chest, lower limbs and feet, and now these places are all back to normal.Xue Yu kissed every inch of his lover's skin, maybe he was twelve years older after all, when he and Xiaoxue fell in love, there was not only a man's passion in his body, but also a deep love.Xiaoxue's beauty was damaged once, but now it has recovered.He wants to cherish her, protect her, and let her stay away from the pain she once had.
They visited Dr. Chen the next day to thank him.Dr. Chen is very proud, saying Xiaoxue is "one of his most proud creations".They left Beijing that day and returned to Bozhou, Anhui. Xiaoxue said goodbye to Aunt Guo and the third uncle.Aunt Guo and the old third uncle could hardly recognize Xiaoxue, and they praised her shockingly.All the people in the market who knew about "Mazi Xishi" rushed over and praised her, making Xiaoxue's face red with shame.Aunt Guo and the old third uncle knew that Xiaoxue and Xue Yu were engaged, and they were even happier, so they asked Xiaoxue to send out wedding candies in advance, so that they would not be able to catch up when they got married.The two agreed with a smile, not only gave out wedding candy, but also a wedding banquet, where all Xiaoxue's acquaintances were entertained in that Tianhe Hotel.
On the third day they returned to Nanyang and first visited the orphanage.More than half of the orphans back then have left, and only a few little ones from back then still recognize "Sister Xiaoxue". After a while, they rushed over affectionately.Mama Liu and Mama Chen are still working here, and the two of them are not as surprised by Xiaoxue's beauty today as Aunt Guo and the old third uncle in Bozhou, because in their impression, Xiaoxue's pockmarked face is very short-lived, just a nightmare that lasted more than ten days. has been forgotten by them.What they clearly remember is Xiaoxue's original beauty. Now, the childhood beauty is smoothly connected with the beauty after plastic surgery, omitting the ugliness of the seven years in between.Mama Liu took Xiaoxue's hand and shed tears before exchanging greetings:
"Xiaoxue, your mother Mei is still in prison and her health is not good. She is so pitiful!"
Xiaoxue's eyes were red, and she said, "Mother Liu, Mama Chen, I will go to see her in the prison tomorrow."
They returned to Xinye Tianli Company that night, and Mr. Sun was waiting for them in the office.I haven't seen you for seven years, Mr. Sun is much older, not because of his appearance, but because of the obvious vicissitudes in his mentality.Xiaoxue choked up when she called "Uncle Sun", and couldn't help thinking of the scene when she said "I no longer call Uncle Sun, but Papa Sun" in the orphanage seven years ago.At that time, she thought Mama Mei's marriage was the happiest in the world, but now they broke up!Although she knew that Uncle Sun was a good person, there was a place deep in her heart that she still couldn't forgive him.
Uncle Sun looked her up and down, and said with satisfaction: "The operation was a success, and the stone in my heart finally fell to the ground."
He asked the two of their plans, and said: "Okay, your plan is good. Let Xiaoxue go to the laboratory to work and study, and it is estimated that she will be the director of the laboratory in a year. I will ask the Human Resources Department to handle this matter tomorrow." .Now you guys go home early."
The two left the factory and walked home, walking along the path in the pine forest, stepping on the soft pine needles, and watching the little squirrels stretching their heads on the branches.Xiaoxue had never been here before, so she looked around curiously.In the depths of the pine forest was the original Sun family's yard, which was very large and planted with various flowers and trees.In the middle is a wisteria frame, under which are exquisite stone round tables and stools.On the east side of the yard is the garage.The exterior of the house is relatively vicissitudes, but the interior decoration is very modern. The most exquisite is a boudoir, decorated in warm colors, decorated with various feminine accessories, and an ivory white dressing table.Xue Yu said:
"This is specially prepared for you. It's your little world. Of course, when I was doing the renovation, I didn't expect our relationship to develop so fast." He said with a smile, "Now I prefer you to live in the master bedroom. It's the housewife's position."
Xiaoxue looked at the layout of the room happily, but didn't answer directly, and said, "Ah, so many rooms!"
Xue Yu said that there are quite a lot of rooms, and he hired a sister-in-law to clean the house twice a week.Xiaoxue said not to hire a sister-in-law, I will clean it.You must have racked up a lot of debt for my surgery, and we have to pay it off quickly.Xue Yu smiled and said:
"It's over, at least more than half of it!"
What he was referring to was not a debt of money, but a debt of conscience.Seven years ago, he "reported" Mr. Mei and made him owe a debt of conscience.Now he helped Teacher Mei find Xiaoxue and had a beauty treatment, which is considered to have paid off the debt.As for Xiaoxue becoming his wife in the end, it was a huge interest that he hadn't expected in advance.
Xiaoxue is very novel, and the fatigue of the journey has been diluted.She wanted to inspect every room and every corner of the courtyard, Xue Yu gave her a bunch of keys with a smile and asked her to look by herself.Here Xue Yu put on an apron to make dinner, listening to Xiaoxue's childish cheers, going upstairs and downstairs, inside and outside the courtyard.After a while, he called Xiaoxue over for dinner, and Xiaoxue said excitedly:
"It's so big! It's so beautiful! I've never lived in such a big room and such a spacious yard, even if it's enough to bring Mama Mei here. Yu, take me to see Mama Mei tomorrow."
The next day happened to be the day of prison visits, and the two drove to the prison.The reception room is divided into inner and outer rooms by thick glass, and visitors and prisoners talk on the phone through the glass.There are prison guards watching from the other side of the glass.The prisoners came in one by one, and under Xiaoxue's anxious eyes, Mama Mei came in last.She was in a wheelchair and a policewoman was pushing her.Xiaoxue was stunned for a moment, and looked back at Xue Yu, Xue Yu sighed:
"Her arthritis is getting worse. I bought her a wheelchair before going to Beijing."
Xiaoxue tried her best to hold back her tears, not wanting Mama Mei to see her. At this time, Mama Mei was already sitting opposite the glass, with a thin body and gray hair, but her eyes were still shining brightly, her clothes were neat and her hair was not messed up.She first looked at Xiaoxue's appearance, and said happily:
"Xiaoxue, you are more beautiful than seven years ago. Xiaoxue—I mean big and small Xue, thank you very much."
Xue Yu simply said: "I should."
"Xiaoxue, where have you been for seven years? Mom misses you so much."
"Mom, I also - miss - you." Xiaoxue only said this, her throat was blocked.
"Mom made you sick and made you suffer for seven years. Mom is sorry for you."
不，妈妈我早就不记恨你了，其实我从来没有真正怨恨过你。小雪用力摇头，说不出话。她知道只要一说话，汹涌的眼泪就会跟着涌出来。梅妈妈亲切地说：
“不说这些了，今天见到你，咱们该高兴的。薛愈这回去北京前对我说，他要鼓足勇气向你求婚，怎么样，做到了吗？小雪你答应没？”
小雪破啼为笑：“妈妈，他挺可怜的，我不想答应，又不忍心拒绝。我听妈妈的意见吧。”
梅茵爽朗地笑了：“薛愈你听见没，你的幸福可是窝在我的手里！”回头对小雪说，“答应他吧，这是个好男人，你们的婚姻一定会非常美满的。”
她的眼神有刹那间的暗淡。她想到了另一个“好男人”，可惜两人分手了，这只能怪命运。三个絮絮谈了很久，探视时间快到了，梅茵突然想起来一件事：
“小雪，这几年你怎么过生日，还是九月的第一个星期天吗？”小雪没有回答，这七年她哪儿庆祝过生日！梅茵猜到这一点，笑着对薛愈说，“快到小雪的生日了，可不能忘记，这是对你的第一次考验。小雪，让薛愈代妈妈为你庆贺生日吧。”
时间到了，那位女警过来，态度温和地催他们告别，推着轮椅离开。两人驱车回家，路上小雪再也忍不住泪水，痛痛快快哭了一场。她对薛愈说：
“愈，我想接梅妈妈回家，行不？咱们能不能帮她办保外就医？薛愈哥哥，帮我把她接回来，好吗？”薛愈没有立即答应，手扶方向盘，侧脸看看她，他的目光中有一些奇特的东西。小雪看出来了，但她不知道这种“奇特”意味着什么。她担心地问，“你不答应吗？是不是你和她之间有什么心结？”
薛愈把车开到一条小河边停下，唤小雪下来，他搂着小雪坐到草地上。河水平静地流淌，偶尔一条小鱼跳出来，搅出一片水花。
“不，我和梅老师之间没有什么心结。小雪，梅老师的保外就医问题不大，她在监狱里表现很好，孙总和我正在办，估计很快会有结果。不过——有件事我原想瞒着你的，你既然想接梅妈妈出来，我觉得还是告诉你为好。”
小雪心中有不祥的预感：“什么事？你尽管说。”
“其实不是什么秘密，所有人都知道的，也许就你不知道。小雪，七年前那次天花传染并不是无意的泄露，而是梅妈妈有意撒放的，就撒在你们的生日蛋糕上。”
“什——么！？”
“对，你没听错，是她有意撒放的。当然她并不是为了害你们，这要牵涉到一个比较复杂的医学观点，三两句话说不清，你听我慢慢说。”
小雪没有听见他的后几句话，她全身的血液往头上冲，把听觉暂时堵塞了。有意的撒放！在孩子们的生日蛋糕上！刹那间，所有迹象全都串到一起，拼成一张再清晰不过的真相：妈妈当年的负疚表情；小雪昏迷中听到的只言片语；梅妈妈忽然要认她做女儿；小雪第一次在镜中看见麻脸时万念俱灰的心情；七年中无数不怀好意的男人目光没错，这才是真相，而作为当事人，她是最后一个知道的，这对她太残酷了。
她心目中梅妈妈的形象忽然变了，变得阴森，变得可怕。可是——她不相信梅妈妈会是这样的人！
薛愈心疼地看着她在痛苦中煎熬，搂紧她，往下说道：“我知道，你突然得知真相后，心里肯定不好受。不过，并不是你想象的那样，在这个真相后还有更深的真相。梅妈妈其实是爱你的，是更深层次的爱。你听我慢慢说。”
他耐心地讲了一切，怕小雪文化低听不懂，关键地方反复讲。He said:
“其实在那次撒放前，梅老师早就在自己身上做了实验。你记不记得，梅妈妈在照顾你时连口罩也不带？她，还有孙叔叔，已经有了终生免疫力。也就是说，在孤儿院撒放前，这种低毒天花已经相当安全，但再安全也不能保证万无一失，而你恰恰是体质最敏感的。不过，你虽然经了一次磨难，但对天花获得了终生免疫力，这是非常宝贵的。”
又说：“知道吗？现在我接手了梅妈妈的研究。这种研究在医学伦理上颇有争议，政府公开认可不妥，完全禁绝也不妥。中国政府很聪明的，采取了'双非政策'——既不说你合法，也不说你非法；这边判了梅老师的刑，那边却对梅老师的实验室不管不问，让这项研究在夹缝中求生存，直到你自我证明其正确或荒谬。小雪，孙总和我想安排你去的那个实验室，就是研究生产低毒天花和其它病原体的。世界卫生组织一直在资助我们。”
小雪慢慢平静下来。她听懂了薛愈的话——他说得浅显直观，怎么能听不懂呢？但她又听不懂，薛愈在她面前展开的是一个理性的世界，它严谨、有力、清晰、坚实。可惜小雪只会凭女人的直观来看世界。那个理性世界对她而言太遥远，太生疏，而且——有点可怕。至于究竟是哪点儿可怕，她现在说不清，直到十个月后它才逐渐明朗化了。
薛愈讲了这一切，然后说：
“小雪，我把所有真相都告诉你了。你还想接梅妈妈回家来吗？如果愿意，那再好不过，如果一时情绪上转不过弯，我和梅妈妈也能理解你。梅妈妈出来后，我先安排她到另外的地方。”
小雪没有犹豫：“当然是接到咱家。不管她做的事我能不能理解，反正她疼我是真的，那种母爱做不了假。我要用同样的亲情来回报他。”
“太好了。我就抓紧办这件事吧。”
一个月后，孙总、薛愈和梅小雪一块儿去监狱，接梅茵回家。高大的铁门缓缓打开，一位女警把梅茵推出门，然后她自己摇着轮椅过来，笑容灿烂得像个孩子。那一会儿，三个人心里都像打翻了五味瓶，眼眶都不由得湿润了。孙总迎过去，把她从轮椅上抱起来，梅茵笑着拒绝，说这几步路我能走，我可以的。孙总没有听她的，她也不再拒绝，很自然很亲密地挽着他的脖子，被他抱进汽车。他们回到松林中的这个家，把她安排到原来为小雪准备的闺房内。孙总张罗忙活着，但在这个原属于他的家中，面对前妻，他的心绪很复杂，怅惘、愧疚、伤感兼而有之。他尽量不让自己的心情表现出来，但多少有些沉闷少言。梅茵能体会到他的心情，一直注意着维持谈话的温度。She smiled and said:
“何莹和娇娇都好吧。改天带她们来家里玩。”
薛愈笑着说：“孙总是金屋藏娇，连我都很少见她们。”
孙景栓没有接这个话茬，对小两口说：“从今往后，梅老师就交给你俩啦。”
小雪说：“放心吧，妈妈在女儿家里还有啥不放心的。”
薛愈说：“孙总在这儿吃午饭吧，有两瓶多年的茅台，还是你搬走时留给我的。”
孙景栓留下了，午饭时他喝得过量了一点。梅茵已经保外就医，薛愈也能担起天力公司的担子，他心中再无包袱，可以离开了。他要带上妻子和女儿，带上愧疚和思念，去外地开始新生活。He said:
“梅茵，你知道三国时徐庶走马荐诸葛的典故吧。”
“当然知道，你以为我真是外国人呀。”
“那事就发生在咱新野县。三国演义中对这一段的描写很动人。曹操软禁了徐母来诱降徐庶，徐庶不得不离开刘备，临走他说：过去我能帮使君出谋划策，'恃此方寸耳'。现在方寸已乱，留这儿又有何用？又对送行的众人说，我不能善始善终，诸公不要学我。”
三个人都听出他的话意，也听出他的伤感，梅茵想把话头扯开：“景栓”
“让我把话说完。薛愈，小雪，真理往往很残酷，皈依真理不易，身体力行更难。我的心理太脆弱，没能善始善终，你们不要学我。”
三人都听出这是他的临别赠言，不免伤感。梅茵知道他决心已定，也就不再劝说，笑着说：“景栓，记着我们，经常回来看看。”
“我知道，我会常回来的。”
饭后两个男人去公司上班，梅茵摇着轮椅，在门口与景栓送别。晚上薛愈回来，平静地说：
“梅妈妈，孙总已经同我办妥了公司的所有交接，他说明天就走，走前不来看你了。他把这个十字架托我捎给你，说是做个留念。”
梅茵接过那枚银光闪闪的十字架，默默地握在手里。关于孙总的离开，两人都没再说一个字。旁观的小雪知道妈妈心里一定很沉重，笑吟吟地说：
“可惜孙叔叔不能参加我们的婚礼了。妈，你回来得正好，可以为我们主持婚礼。我们准备这个月就办。”
薛愈不大好意思地说：“我们原打算两三年后再要孩子的，但不小心怀上了。既然怀上，也好。那就先不让小雪上班，趁这段时间多学几本书，等孩子周岁后她再正式工作。”
“这是个喜事呀。其实我一向反对初产妇的高龄化，那对身体不好。20岁左右生头胎才符合自然之道。”她沉默一会儿，“可惜我这一辈子没有生育。如果能重新选择生活，我想我会要一个孩子。”
这段话中弥漫着伤感之情。不过她马上拂走阴云，高高兴兴地为今后做安排。她说孩子生下来可以交给我照顾；小雪，你的学习也由我负责，根据你的条件，对你要采取速成法，争取让你在两三年内成为一个胜任的实验室主任。她开列了一些书籍，大都是大学教科书，让薛愈尽快购齐。“小雪，你的学生生活从明天就开始吧。”
第二天早上小雪起床后，到卫生间洗漱，忽然惊慌地喊起来：“薛愈，妈妈呢？妈妈呢？”薛愈赶快起床去找，原来妈妈在院里。轮椅停在墙边，她侧着身子，探着头，正兴致盎然地欣赏院中的花木。薛愈和小雪在门口相视一笑，回去洗漱做饭，没有打搅她。等早饭做好，小雪去把妈妈推回来，梅茵欣喜地说：
“小雪，我刚才在观察丝瓜。丝瓜会卷着植物的茎干往上爬，但你知道它怎么往墙上爬？原来它会把卷须伸到墙缝里，再膨胀卷须的端部，这样就把卷须在墙缝里固死了。这和登山运动员用的、能在石缝里撑死的棘爪是一个道理。多巧妙的设计！”
小雪扔下饭碗出去看看，真是这样。丝瓜的卷须在砖缝里膨胀出一个绿色的小球，把砖缝撑得很紧，拉都拉不掉。小雪想，丝瓜是最常见的植物，但不是梅妈妈说，她倒没有注意过这样的小诀窍。她悄悄打量着梅妈妈，灰白头发，身体削瘦，但眼中光彩流溢，喷礴着生命的活力。她欣喜地想：从现在起，梅妈妈的新生活真的开始了。
从第二天起，母女两人都开始了新生活。薛愈上班后，梅茵就带着小雪开始学习。小雪在北京做手术的三个月里，为了今后能融入薛愈的生活层面，生吞活剥地看了不少有关疫病的教科书，看得头都大了。她的初二文化程度，和这些艰深的专业知识之间，有一道相当陡峭的深涧，现在有了梅妈妈当教师，这道深涧不知不觉就轻松跨越了。在梅妈妈这儿，小雪知道了什么叫“大师”。大师能把最艰涩的知识用最直观明晓的话讲清楚。大师肚里的知识是完整的、条理清晰的、触类旁通的、驾轻就熟的，无论你从哪儿扯起一个线头，她都能轻松地提起一大串知识，从表层一直到深层。梅茵也很欣喜，小雪虽然底子差，但冰雪聪明，思维灵活，常常冒出一些怪想法，可能比较肤浅，但不失新颖。也许这正得益于她没上多少学？她的天份还没有被填鸭式教学给全部窒息。梅茵常鼓励她“胡思乱想”，不仅教她知识，也教她观点，或者说，她把十字组织的教义，在潜移默化中向小雪浇灌着。而小雪像海绵一样吸收着她的雨水，迅速成长着，几乎一天一个样。那天小雪正在看书，突然合上书本，说：
“妈耶，我不敢学了，我咋越学，越对科学不放心呢。”
梅茵很感兴趣：“是吗？你说说看。”
“从前我认为科学通体光明，没有一丝阴影；科学无所不能，比上帝更强大。凡是现在人世上有的缺陷、灾难、痛苦，都是因为科学不够发达。总有一天，人类会生活在无比美好的天堂里，比如说：未来的人类再也没有任何疾病。现在我对这一点已经不抱幻想了。”
“你说得对，科学不可能全部消灭疾病。”
“你看，科学发明了抗生素——却催化出了超级耐药病菌，而且它们进化的速度比人类研制新药的速度还快；科学消灭了天花——却造成了危险的天花真空，让齐亚·巴兹那样的坏人趁机作恶；科学让遗传病病人也能活到老——却让不良基因在人类中累积，埋下了琮琮作响的定时炸弹。科学发明了克隆人——可是，如果人类真的变成单性繁殖，没有了男女之爱，那该有多可怕！”小雪叹息着，“好像世上真有一个脾气古怪的上帝，心眼又善又恶，冥冥中捏着咱们的脚脖子，又推又拉，推着往前走两步，再扯回一步半。”
梅茵笑了：“对，那位老人家就是这么古怪。不过他总的说还不错，毕竟还让咱们往前走半步。”
“妈妈，我现在非常替地球上的动物担心，比如角马啦，狮子啦，海豚啦。”
"why?"
“过去它们虽然没医没药，也没让哪种烈性疫病给灭绝。病原体进化，它们也进化，几十亿年走下来，打了个平手。可是，现在人类催生了那么多超级病原体，万一哪种能对野生动物致病，那动物们就惨了！它们的进化绝对赶不上这些超级病原体，又不像人类这样，有现代化的医院！”
梅茵笑着点点头，没有回答。这正是她15岁那年，在非洲看角马大迁徒时萌生的想法，现在被她悄悄移植到小雪的意识里。
“妈妈，我觉得你的观点是对的，人类必须与大自然和谐相处，不能逞强斗狠。”
梅茵欣喜地想，也许再过一两年，就能把前夫交回的十字标志带到小雪脖子上了。那时她没想到，几个月后小雪的“信仰”会有一个大的反复。
梅茵保外就医两个月后，薛愈小雪举行了婚礼。不敢再拖了，形势不等人。小雪已经有了身子，目前还不太明显，但很快就遮掩不住。虽然现在世人都开通，但腆着肚子当新娘毕竟有点难为情。
婚礼是城乡合璧式的，宴席就摆在院子里，在这方面他们是得天独厚，如今城里上哪儿找到得能摆三十张饭桌的大院子？饭菜是请南阳金爵饭店的厨师做的，来了两位大师傅，这边配了几个打下手的。薛愈的父母从武汉赶来，见了小雪，喜爱得了不得。这样漂亮、年轻、开朗、贤惠的姑娘，咋就让儿子给逮到手呢，这臭小子有福气。后来知道她已经怀上了薛家的骨肉，那个疼劲儿就更不用提了。这儿居住环境也好，不像武汉，楼房都挤得伸着脖子，前楼打麻将的声音能传到后楼的窗户里。二老说，等他们一退休，就来这儿定居。小雪笑着说欢迎啊，三十几间房间足够你们住了，想住哪间住哪间。二老只是对亲家梅茵的身份——保外就医的囚犯——心里有疙瘩。但薛愈早就向他们说明了内情。梅茵是因医学上的不同观点、因为她要身体力行这种观点，而被判刑的，可以说是“科学上的政治犯”。这么一解释，二老也就释然了。
应小雪的邀请，南阳圣心孤儿院的刘妈陈妈带着所有孩子赶来，年龄从两岁到十岁，占了三张桌子，抱着小雪的腿喊“小雪姐姐给喜糖”，吵闹得像一池青蛙。两位妈妈搂着梅茵和小雪掉泪，说俗话说得对，大难之后必有后福，小雪经过磨难，现在掉福窝里了！那些和小雪一茬的大孤儿们，只通知到了小凯和媛媛，两人都在外地上学，请假赶来。小凯在小雪面前颇有点自卑，自己还是个酸涩的小青杏，可你看小雪，已经舒展开了，风度雍容，变成一个贵夫人。媛媛拉着小雪，跌足惊叹：
“小雪你真漂亮，时装杂志没让你当封面人物，都是瞎子！”又说，“知道不，小凯暗恋你七八年，哪怕你变成麻他还在暗恋你。可惜这些年他和你失掉联系，让这个姓薛的抢了头手。”
小凯红着脸说：“媛媛你胡说啥！”媛媛不服气地说：“是你亲口对我说的，我咋是胡说！”小凯脸红过耳，不敢和她打嘴仗了。小雪很感动，拉了拉小凯的手，大方地说一句：
“小凯，谢谢你的情意。”
后来媛媛看出了小雪的身子，小声问：“有了？”小雪羞涩地点头。媛媛点着她的额头笑：“你呀，真不浪费时间啊。这样好，很快我就能当姨了。”
金市长也通知到了，他没有来。从那次风波后，市里对梅茵的这个公司一直非常谨慎，紧紧追随着中央的“双非”精神行事，半步也不敢超越。一方面法院判了梅茵的刑，而且可以办保外就医但坚决不减刑，这是为了向国外彰示中国的官方态度。另一方面，借助于WHO的支持，市里对这个公司的“非法研究”不闻不问，让他们能在夹缝中生存下去。他现在是正市长，如果公开参加天力公司总经理薛愈的婚礼，那么，这种刻意的“模煳态度”就要被打破了。所以他没来，只是送了一份重礼。他给梅茵打电话说：
“官身不自由啊。梅大姐你多理解吧。”
梅茵说她非常理解，谢谢你的礼物。
参加婚礼的还有一位重要客人：薛愈的舅舅赵与舟。他一直很看重这个外甥，当然要参加婚礼。按此地风俗，婚礼上娘家舅舅是主客，一定要小心伺候，如果娘家舅舅不满意，是可以当场撕破脸皮砸场子的。但小雪没有任何亲人，只有梅妈妈当娘家人的代表。梅妈妈对薛愈笑着说：就让你婆家舅来充当娘家舅的角色吧。赵与舟很喜欢这个外甥媳妇，一见面就喜欢上了，给了一份很重的礼物。但有一件事他非常不满小俩口儿，怎么会把梅茵接出监狱供在家里，真是吃饱了撑的！梅茵是什么人？一个坚决反对销毁天花、在孤儿院的生日蛋糕上撒病毒的巫婆！以她的罪行，完全死有余辜，但她却心境恬然地在这儿当老太太。恶人反有善报，老天不公啊。但今天是外甥的婚礼，不好和梅茵冲突，他只能把火窝在肚子里。好在梅茵不参加婚礼，一直呆在屋里，两人基本没有碰面的机会。这也是此地的风俗，娘家父母不参加正场子婚礼，随后再单独宴请。因为婚礼上总要闹洞房的，闹得太出格，会让娘家父母尴尬。
不过这次“闹洞房”很平淡，可能是薛愈的总经理身份，也可能是小雪过人的美貌有震慑作用，客人们只是象征性的闹了闹，让夫妇俩当众亲吻、吃悬挂着的苹果、为大伙儿点烟，等等。婚礼结束得较早，因为南阳的宾客，包括厨师和孤儿们，还要连夜送走。孤儿院的那群小青蛙们熬到现在，都没有一点儿睡意，同小雪姐姐告别，叽叽哌哌地坐车走了。本地的客人也逐渐散去，院里熄了灯，恢复了平静。新婚夫妇、薛愈父母和赵与舟回到客厅，梅茵在这儿等着他们，轮到亲家母之间拉拉家常了。大伙儿坐定，梅茵笑着说：
“婚礼结束了，我这儿还有一项小议程呢。薛愈，你把灯熄掉。”
薛愈有点摸不着头脑，但听话地熄了灯。夜色中看见梅茵摇着轮椅出了客厅，少顷，一团明亮的灯光从内室里滑出来，梅茵膝上放着一个小小的生日蛋糕，20团烛光欢快地摇曳着。她的面庞浸在温馨的金光中，有如黄金雕塑。She smiled and said:
“新婚之日正好是又小雪的生日。我知道大家已经饭饱酒足，只订了个小蛋糕，每人吃一口，多少是个意思吧。”
薛愈难为情地搔搔后脑勺，可不，今天是九月的第一个星期天，是孤儿小雪的生日。上次探监时梅妈妈还交待不要