Mrs. Shen asked again, "What's Mom like when she gets angry?" He made that wailing sound again. Everyone laughed. Shi Jun thought to himself, now there are only his mother and sister-in-law in the family, raising this child alone. His brother is dead, and his father rarely comes home—it's like two generations of widows, which is quite desolate. This child is the only thing that brings a little life to the family.
Xiao Jian had only been in public for a few minutes when Madam Shen asked Shu Hui, "Young Master Xu, have you had a rash?" Shu Hui replied, "Yes, I have. It's a common occurrence. Nanny, you should take him away."
Mrs. Shen sat to one side watching her sons eat, asking them what time they usually went to work and came home, how their meals were, and about their daily lives. She also asked if there was a fire in the house during the winter, and earnestly urged Shijun to have a fur coat made, immediately taking out various fine furs for him to choose from. After he had chosen, she put them away again, asking the eldest daughter-in-law to help put them in the trunk. The eldest daughter-in-law then said, "This kind of squirrel fur would be perfect for making a fur cloak for Xiaojian." Mrs. Shen said, "Children shouldn't wear fur—it's too fiery. That's always been our family rule. When Shijun and the others were little, we didn't even let them wear silk or cotton." The eldest daughter-in-law was very unhappy to hear this.
Mrs. Shen was perhaps too excited about her son's rare return home, and she seemed a little dazed. She smiled at the servants, constantly ordering them around, "Go do this," "Go do that," running in and out, issuing commands haphazardly, as if she were unaccustomed to having servants and didn't know how to manage things, leaving them running around in circles. The eldest young mistress, who was standing nearby wanting to help, couldn't get a word in edgewise. Seeing his mother like this, Shijun didn't realize it was all because of him; he just felt a pang of sadness, realizing his mother was gradually showing signs of aging.
Shi Jun and Shu Hui were discussing which places to visit today when Madam Shen suggested, "Let's invite Cui Zhi to come along. She's on holiday these days too." Cui Zhi was the eldest son's cousin, surnamed Shi. Shi Jun immediately replied, "No, thank you. I have to accompany Shu Hui to a place today. Someone asked me to bring two things to Nanjing, and I need to deliver them."
After he blocked her like that, Mrs. Shen didn't say anything more, only reminding them to come back early so they could have dinner.
Shu Hui opened the box and took out the two bundles. Mrs. Shen then found some paper and rope and re-bandaged him. Shi Jun waited nearby. He stood by the window and saw his nephew across the street, leaning against the window and waving to him, calling him "Second Uncle." Seeing Xiao Jian reminded him of his childhood. This made him think of Shi Cuizhi. He had known Cuizhi since childhood, although they weren't childhood sweethearts, he remembered her well. Happy memories tend to fade, while painful things—especially those that hurt him as a child—are remembered forever, often surfacing inexplicably.
He was now reminded of Cuizhi again. He first met Cuizhi at his brother's wedding. His brother had chosen him to be the ring bearer, walking at the head of the wedding procession. Two little girls were pulling the bride's veil, and Cuizhi was one of them. During the rehearsal ceremony, Cuizhi's mother was present to supervise, constantly finding fault with Shijun's pace. Shijun's mother, however, treated Cuizhi like a treasure, calling her "my little darling" and wanting to adopt her as her goddaughter. Shijun didn't understand this was a social strategy; what did a child know? Seeing his mother's doting affection for the little girl, he couldn't help but feel a little jealous. His mother told him to play with her, saying he was much older and should let her have her way, not bully her. Shijun taught her to play chess. She was only seven years old then, and when he taught her, she just climbed up and down the chair, completely distracted. A moment later, he leaned on the table, elbows propped on the chessboard, hands supporting his chin, staring intently at him with his dark eyes, and suddenly said, "My mom says your dad is a nouveau riche. Huh!"
Shi Jun paused for a moment, then continued moving his pieces: "I'll capture your horse. Then you can use your cannon to attack me—" Cui Zhi added, "My mother said your grandfather was a craftsman."
Shi Jun said, "Eat your elephant. Now you can move your chariot. —Attack your general!"
That day, when he returned home, he asked his mother, "Mom, what did Grandpa do before?" His mother replied, "Grandpa ran a leather goods shop. Isn't this shop his?" Shijun remained silent for a while, then asked again, "Mom, did Grandpa work as a furrier?" His mother glanced at him and said, "Grandpa was a craftsman before he opened the shop. It's nothing to be ashamed of, and we're not afraid of what people say." However, she suddenly asked sharply, "Who did you hear saying that?" Shijun didn't tell her. Although she said it wasn't anything to be ashamed of, her expression and tone already made him feel deeply ashamed. But what was even more shameful was his mother's fawning attitude towards Cuizhi and her daughter.
On the day of Shih-Chun's brother's wedding, when they went to take wedding photos, the children holding the veils and carrying the rings had all been instructed by their mothers beforehand to be careful not to close their eyes when the flash went off. Later, when Shih-Chun saw the wedding photo, Tsui-Chih's eyes were tightly closed. He felt extremely pleased.
For two years, for some reason, he barely grew any taller; it was as if he had completely stopped growing. The adults often teased him, saying, "What, you must have been indoors with an umbrella?"
Because of this taboo, children who open an umbrella in their room will stop growing taller. Cuizhi also laughed at him for being short, saying, "You're older than me, how come you're about the same height?"
He's still a man. — He'll definitely grow up to be short. A few years later, when they met again, he was already a head and a half taller than her, but Cuizhi said, "Why are you so thin? You're as thin as a grasshopper." She probably overheard her mother saying this behind her back.
Mrs. Shi had never really taken Shi Jun seriously. However, in recent years, seeing Cui Zhi growing up, she had limited her search for a husband for her daughter to the sons of her own family. But the older ones were too old, the younger ones too young, and most of the young men were dissolute. After much consideration, she concluded that Shi Jun was the most honest and reliable. Since Mrs. Shi had this idea, she often sent Cui Zhi to visit her cousin, Shi Jun's sister-in-law. Shi Jun's mother had previously often said she wanted to adopt Cui Zhi as her goddaughter, but it hadn't come to fruition. Now Shi Jun heard about adopting a goddaughter again, and he wondered who was initiating it this time. It was probably his sister-in-law. "God-brother and god-sister are good for marriage"—Shi Jun thought that his mother and sister-in-law, in their lonely lives, might be quite happy to imagine the possibility of this marriage.
That day, he and his uncle went out together and didn't return until dark. His mother, seeing him, exclaimed, "Oh dear, we've been waiting so long for you!" Shijun laughed, "We wouldn't have come back if it hadn't rained." His mother said, "It's raining? -- Luckily, it's not heavy. Cuizhi is coming for dinner." Shijun said, "Oh? His girlfriend's coming! My second uncle's girlfriend is coming!"
Upon hearing this, Shijun frowned deeply and said, "How did she become my girlfriend? What a joke! Who taught him to say that?" Actually, Shijun knew everything; it was his sister-in-law who had taught him. In the past two years, Shijun had become much more worldly-wise, but somehow, as soon as he returned home, he reverted to his childish ways, completely abandoning any semblance of refinement he had cultivated.
He lashed out with those words and stormed off to his room. His mother didn't respond, only saying, "Chen Ma, take two basins of water to wash the faces of the second young master and the Xu family's young master." Shu Hui, trying to be polite, also went back to his room. Madam Shen then whispered to the eldest young mistress, "When Cuizhi arrives later, we shouldn't be too blatant. Don't make fun of them either; let them be themselves. Making things awkward by saying too much will only create tension." Her advice was unnecessary; the eldest young mistress was already seething with anger. Would she really bother joking with them? The eldest daughter-in-law sneered, "Of course. Not to mention, Cuizhi couldn't stand it first. Our young lady is also stubborn. This time, when she heard Shijun was back, she came as soon as he invited her, only because they used to play together as children; if she had known it was for matchmaking, she might not have come." Mrs. Shen knew she was speaking up for her cousin Yuanyuan, so she echoed, "Yes, that's how young people are these days! We can only let them be. Ah, it's all fate!"
Shu Hui and Shi Jun were in their own room. Shu Hui asked him who Cui Zhi was. Shi Jun replied, "She's my sister-in-law's cousin." Shu Hui laughed, "They want to work for you, don't they?" Shi Jun said, "That's just my sister-in-law's wishful thinking." Shu Hui laughed, "Isn't she beautiful? Husband, can't you let me have a moment's peace!" Shu Hui looked at him and laughed, "Ha! Look at your stubbornness!" Shi Jun, who had been angry, couldn't help but laugh and said, "What's this? Didn't you see her stubbornness? It's quite something! A young lady from a small town, used to being an emperor behind closed doors!" Shu Hui laughed, "A young lady from a small town? Nanjing can't be considered a small town." Shi Jun laughed, "I'm saying this because of the mentality of you Shanghainese. In the eyes of Shanghainese, the inland areas are either the countryside or small towns. Isn't that the mentality?"
Just then, the maid came to invite them to dinner, saying that Miss Shi had arrived. Shu Hui, filled with curiosity, went with Shi Jun to the front room. Shi Jun's sister-in-law was there serving the dishes, while Shi Jun's mother sat on the sofa talking with Shi Cuizhi. Shu Hui couldn't help but glance at her a few more times. Shi Cuizhi was only eighteen or nineteen years old, with a small, narrow face that was quite pretty, a high nose, and a pair of bright, large eyes, though slightly puffy. Long bangs covered her forehead, reaching up to her eyebrows, while a large tuft of curly hair cascaded down her back. She wore a turquoise bamboo-cloth robe, the slit revealing a slightly apricot-yellow satin cheongsam underneath. Everyone was somewhat surprised to see her wearing such a simple blue robe to the banquet. Actually, she knew there was a reason for inviting her today, and she felt that coming in elaborate attire would make her even more embarrassed.
She sat there with her arms crossed. Shi Jun walked in, and the two simply smiled and nodded. Shi Jun smiled and said, "Long time no see, Auntie, how are you?" He then introduced Shu Hui. The eldest daughter-in-law smiled and said, "Come and eat." Mrs. Shen was polite and insisted that Cui Zhi and Shu Hui, the two guests, sit at the head of the table, so Mrs. Shen sat on Cui Zhi's other side. Cui Zhi never had much to say to the old ladies. Of the people present, she only got along well with her cousin, but today, the eldest daughter-in-law was in a bad mood and hardly wanted to speak, so the atmosphere at the table was very quiet. Although Shu Hui was talkative, he felt that in such a conservative family, it was not appropriate to strike up a conversation with a strange young lady. Chen Ma stood at the door serving, while Xiao Jian peeked out from behind her, asking, "Why isn't Second Uncle's girlfriend here yet?" The eldest mistress was furious at this, but Chen Ma, oblivious to the situation, smiled and bent down, gently telling the child, "Isn't that her?" Xiao Jian said, "That's Auntie! Where's Second Uncle's girlfriend?" The eldest mistress couldn't take it anymore. She put down her bowl and ran out to chase Xiao Jian away, saying, "Go to sleep!"
"What time is it?" He personally escorted him back to his room.
Cuizhi said, "Our dog recently had a litter of puppies, we can give one to Xiaojian." Mrs. Chen smiled, "That's right, you promised him that last time." Cuizhi smiled, "If Shijun were to live at home permanently, it wouldn't be convenient for me to give you a dog." Shijun hates dogs! Oh? I didn't say that. Of course you wouldn't have said that—you're always so polite, never a single word from the heart. After a while, he smiled and asked Shuhui, "Shuhui, am I really that fake?" Shuhui smiled, "Don't ask me. Miss Shi has known you for longer than I have, so of course she knows you better." Everyone laughed.
The rain gradually stopped, and Cuizhi stood up to leave. Madam Shen said, "It's alright to go back a little later. I'll have Shijun take you home." Cuizhi replied, "No need."
Shi Jun said, "It's alright. Shu Hui, let's go together. You can see what Nanjing is like at night." Cui Zhi smiled and asked Shi Jun, "Is this Mr. Xu's first time visiting Nanjing?" She didn't ask Shu Hui, but Shi Jun. Shu Hui smiled and said, "Ah. Actually, Nanjing is so close to Shanghai, but I've never been here before." Upon hearing this, she blushed for no reason and didn't continue.
After sitting for a while, she said she had to leave, so Mrs. Shen instructed the maid to call a car.
Cuizhi went to her cousin's room to say goodbye. As soon as she entered, she saw a small stove with a pot of something bubbling away on it. Cuizhi laughed, "Hmph, I've got my hands on you!"
"Is this your own homemade dish?" the eldest young mistress said. "What homemade dish? This is Xiao Jian's beef broth. Xiao Jian just recovered from his illness and needs to eat something nourishing. It was our old lady who said to have Wang Ma stew chicken soup or beef broth for him every day. These past two days, with Shi Jun coming back, the servants have been running around like crazy, neglecting everything else at home. Who remembers to stew beef broth for Xiao Jian? So, in a fit of pique, I bought a piece of beef and stewed it myself. These servants are so opportunistic; they're just hoping to eat the second young master's food in the future! As for us orphans and widows, who treats us like human beings?!" As she said this, tears welled up in her eyes. In fact, she had accumulated more than ten years of experience as a daughter-in-law in an old family, so why was she so easily angered? It was all because of the two things Shi Jun said today that offended her. From then on, she had a lot on her mind, and no matter how trivial the matter was, it became a series of triggers for her.
Cuizhi couldn't help but advise, "That's how servants are. Just ignore them and it'll be fine."
"Your old lady really dotes on Xiao Jian." The eldest daughter-in-law snorted, "Don't be fooled by her affection for the child; it's all fake. She just uses him to amuse herself. She forgets about her grandson the moment she sees her son. Xiao Jian's rash has long since healed, but she won't let him see anyone—Shijun is afraid of him catching it! His life is incredibly valuable! This afternoon she sent me to the pharmacy again to buy over ten kinds of tonics and acupuncture for Shijun to take to Shanghai. It was only after I mentioned that these medicines were available in Shanghai that she started making a scene:"
Even if we can buy it, we don't know if he'll be willing to buy it! And even so, we don't know if he'll eat it or not—young people are all like that, they don't care about their own health at all! Cuizhi asked: Is Shijun in poor health?
Someone like me, who's sick, is never asked to see a doctor or take medicine. I have a kidney problem, so bad my face is swollen, and they still say I've gained weight! Isn't that infuriating?
"Sigh, being their daughter-in-law is really tough!" Her last sentence was clearly meant for Cuizhi, implying that the matter would not succeed, but it was better that it didn't.
Cuizhi, of course, could not say anything, but could only inquire about her health and ask what medicine she was taking.
The maid announced the carriage was ready, so Cuizhi put on her raincoat and went to say goodbye to Madam Chen. Shijun and Shuhui accompanied her into the carriage. The horses' hooves clattered along the cobblestone road in the rainy night, the pebbles shimmering like fish scales. Shuhui kept lifting the oilcloth curtain to peek outside, saying, "I can't see anything at all. I'm going to sit next to the driver." After traveling a short distance, he actually called out to the driver, jumped down, climbed onto the carriage, and sat next to the driver, oblivious to the rain. The driver found it strange, but Cuizhi just smiled.
Only Cuizhi and Shijun remained in the carriage, and the air immediately became heavy. The seats felt hard and the ride was extremely bumpy. In their silence, they could often hear Shuhui and the coachman exchanging questions and answers, their conversation unclear. Suddenly, Cuizhi asked, "You're staying at Mr. Xu's house in Shanghai?" Shijun replied, "Yes." After a while, Cuizhi asked again, "Are you going back on Monday?" Shijun answered, "Yes."
Cui Zhi's question sounded strangely familiar—it was the same question Man Zhen had asked twice.
The thought of Manzhen suddenly made him feel lonely. In the drizzling night, sitting in the damp, swaying carriage, his hometown seemed to have become a foreign land.
He suddenly noticed Cuizhi talking again and quickly asked with a smile, "Hmm? What did you just say?" Cuizhi replied, "Nothing. I was saying, is Mr. Xu an engineer like you?" It was a very ordinary question, but he made her repeat it, and she suddenly became a little embarrassed. Before he could answer, she peeked out from behind the oilcloth curtain and said, "Are we almost there?" Shijun didn't know which question to answer. After a while, he smiled and said, "Shuhui also studied engineering, and now he's a junior engineer in our factory. As for me, I'm still an intern engineer, like a trainee." Cuizhi finally felt embarrassed. While he was explaining, she just kept lifting the curtain and looking outside, as if she had lost interest in his answer, only muttering, "Oh dear, don't let him have already passed my house!" Shijun thought to himself: Cuizhi is like this. How annoying.
A light drizzle fell, like mist. Shu Hui sat beside the coachman, watching the lights of the ancient city along the way. He thought of Shi Jun and Cui Zhi, a young couple who grew up in this ancient city. Perhaps because he was perched high in the carriage, almost like God, he felt a pang of pity. Especially for young ladies like Cui Zhi, forever living in a small circle, their only way out being to marry into a family of equal status and become a wealthy wife—a tragic fate indeed. And Cui Zhi seemed to be a very strong-willed person; it was truly a pity that she was buried in such a fate.
Shijun poked his head out and called out, "We're here!" The carriage stopped, and Shijun jumped down first, followed by Cuizhi. She put her raincoat over her head and went around to the front of the carriage to say goodbye to Shuhui. In the rain and the light of the carriage headlights, she looked up and said, "Goodbye." Shuhui also said: As for him, because of the vastly different circumstances, we were also destined to be apart.
Shijun escorted her to the gate, waiting for her to ring the bell so someone could open the door before leaving. Shuhui had already jumped down and sat inside the carriage. A faint scent of her hair lingered in the air. She sat alone in the darkness. Shijun returned, but didn't get in. He only leaned in halfway and hurriedly said, "Should we go in for a while? Yipeng is here too—this is his aunt's house." Shuhui paused, then said, "Yipeng? Oh, Fang Yipeng!" It turned out that Shijun's sister-in-law's maiden name was Fang. She had two younger brothers, the elder named Yiming and the younger named Yipeng. Yipeng had gone to university in Shanghai with Shijun, so he and Shuhui were classmates, but they didn't get along well. Yipeng had heard that Shuhui's family was poor, and once offered to pay her to ghostwrite his thesis, but she refused. Yipeng was very angry, and he said some things to Shijun behind her back that Shijun hadn't told Shuhui, but Shuhui somehow knew. Of course, things have changed a long time ago.
Shi Jun hadn't planned to visit Yi Peng's brothers since he was back in Nanjing, but he happened to run into them at the Shi family's house today. It would seem impolite not to go in and sit for a while. Not wanting Shu Hui to wait alone in the carriage, he invited him in. Shu Hui jumped out of the carriage, and two servants came out with umbrellas to greet them. They entered through the gate, where Cui Zhi, still waiting in the gatehouse, led the way. Inside was a large garden, barely visible in the dark rain. Although the rain wasn't heavy, large drops of water from the leaves fell on their heads. The fragrance of osmanthus was strong. The Shi family's house was an old-style Western-style building. From afar, a row of glass doors could be seen, leading to the guest room. A cluster of five-pointed star-shaped electric lamps was brightly lit, and several men and women sat in the lamplight. Before they could get a closer look, Cui Zhi led them through the main entrance into the guest room.
Cuizhi's mother, Mrs. Shi, slowly bowed at the mahjong table, greeting Shijun. Mrs. Shi was short and rather plump. Yipeng was also playing cards there. Upon seeing Shijun, he exclaimed, "Oh, when did you arrive in Nanjing? I didn't even know! Shuhui is here too! We haven't seen each other for years!" Shuhui exchanged pleasantries with him. Also at the table were Yipeng's brother, Yiming, and his sister-in-law, Aimi. Aimi was a particularly modern figure among their relatives. Regardless of age or generation, she always insisted on being called Aimi, but everyone stubbornly called her "Young Mistress Yiming" or "Sister-in-law Yiming." Shijun called her "Sister-in-law," and Aimi glanced at him, saying, "Ah, you're here! You kept it a secret from us!"
Amy laughed, "Oh, you went to find Cui-mei as soon as you arrived, but didn't look for us!" Yi-ming laughed, "Who do you think you are? How can you compare to Cui-mei!" Shi-jun never expected them to joke like this in front of Mrs. Shi. Mrs. Shi, of course, couldn't say anything, but just smiled. Cui-zhi, however, had a completely expressionless face and said, "What's wrong with you all today? You keep coming to me!" Amy laughed, "Okay, okay, let's not joke around. Seriously, Shi-jun, you're coming to our place for dinner tomorrow, and Cui-mei is coming too." Before Shi-jun could answer, Cui-zhi blurted out, "I don't have time tomorrow." She was standing behind Amy looking at her cards when Amy reached behind her and grabbed her arm, laughing, "We're inviting you so nicely, and you're putting on airs!"
Cui Zhi said seriously, "I really have something to do." Amy ignored her, grabbed a card, and arranged the cards in front of her again, saying, "Let us borrow this deck of cards tomorrow. We have several mahjong tables tomorrow, and we don't have enough cards. Cui-mei, bring them with you when you come. Shi Jun, you should come early too." Shi Jun laughed and said, "I'll come another day when I have time. Don't bother tomorrow. I'm planning to go out with Shu Hui tomorrow." Yi Peng then said, "You all come together, and Shu Hui too." Shi Jun still declined. Just then, Yi Ming won a big hand, and everyone was busy calculating the score, so the game was over in no time.
Cuizhi went upstairs for a stroll, then came down and stood to the side watching the cards. Yipeng happened to drop a card, bent down to pick it up, and immediately noticed Cuizhi's brand-new lotus-colored satin shoes embroidered with coins. He laughed, "Wow! These shoes are really beautiful!" He said this casually, still treating Cuizhi as a child and not paying much attention. When he was studying in Shanghai, he specifically pursued the most beautiful girls in the school, and naturally looked down on inland girls like Cuizhi, finding them too dull and lacking in charm. But after his comment, Shuhui couldn't help but glance at Cuizhi's feet. He remembered she hadn't been wearing these shoes earlier; probably because her leather shoes had gotten wet in the rain, she had changed into another pair as soon as she got home.
Shi Jun, having estimated he'd been sitting for over half an hour, bid farewell to Mrs. Shi. Mrs. Shi, perhaps a little displeased, only gave a perfunctory reply before telling Cui Zhi, "See them off." Cui Zhi saw them off, only to the edge of the steps. Two servants, still holding umbrellas, escorted them through the garden. As they neared the garden gate, a dog suddenly barked and darted out of the shadows. It was a large wolfhound. The two servants shouted at it, but the dog continued barking. At the same time, they heard Cui Zhi's voice calling the dog's name from afar, and she quickly ran across the garden towards them. Shi Jun hurriedly said, "Oh dear, it's raining! Don't come out!" Cui Zhi, panting heavily, didn't reply, but first bent down and grabbed the dog's collar. Shi Jun said again, "It's alright, it recognizes me." Cui Zhi coldly replied, "It recognizes you, but it doesn't recognize Mr. Xu!" She bent down, pulling the dog along, turned and left without saying goodbye. The rain was pouring down, so Shijun and Shuhui hurriedly turned and walked outside. In the darkness, they stumbled along, their shoes soaked with water, making a splash with each step. Shuhui couldn't help but think of Cuizhi's light-colored embroidered shoes; they must be ruined.
They left the garden and boarded the carriage. On the way back, Shuhui suddenly said to Shijun, "This Miss Shi—she seems quite out of place with her environment." Shijun smiled and said, "You mean: although she's a wealthy young lady, she wears a blue cotton gown." Shuhui laughed at his comment. Shijun continued, "This young lady, even when she wears a blue cotton gown, is more particular than others. Everyone at her school wears blue uniforms, but none are as vibrant as hers—she dyes her blue gown every time she washes it. Even the old woman at her house who does the laundry has hands that are blue." Shuhui smiled and asked, "How do you know all this?" Shijun replied, "I heard it from my sister-in-law." Shuhui said, "Isn't your sister-in-law very eager to play matchmaker for you? Why would she tell you these things?" Shijun said, "That was before, before she even thought about playing matchmaker." Shu Hui laughed: "These grandmothers and ladies really know how to criticize people, huh? Especially other women."