This novel is deeply loved by Zhang Ailing. Although she finished the manuscript on 1950, it has been revised continuously in the past 30 years. It was not until 1978 that this novel was published together with two other short stories, Meet You Huan and Gone with the Wind. Zhang Ailing wrote in the preface: "This short story once shocked me, so I am willing to revise it repeatedly for many years. In the process of rewriting, I didn't realize that 30 years have passed, and love just doesn't ask if it's worth it. " (Source: Xinhuanet)
There are also strong lights on the mahjong table during the day, and the diamond ring shines when shuffling. The four corners of the white tablecloth are tied on the legs of the table, which makes it more and more white and dazzling. Violent light and shadow reveal the valley in Jiazhi's chest, and her face can withstand the relentless head irradiation. A little narrow forehead, uneven hair and feet, I don't know how to add a little refinement to that beautiful hexagonal face. Face light makeup, only two pieces of finely carved thin lips painted bright red, clouds fluffy swept up, shoulder-length hair, bare arms, with electric blue satin knee-length cheongsam, small round neck only half an inch high, just like a dress. There is a pin at the neckline and a set of "button" earrings with broken diamonds and sapphires.
The front, left and right ladies were wearing black woolen cloaks, revealing a heavy gold chain under their lapels, and the neckline was buttoned by two rows. During the war, Shanghai was isolated from the outside world, so some local fashions appeared. Huang Jingui in the occupied area is outrageous, and such a thick gold chain is valuable. It is not vulgar to change the buttons of the coat, but it can also be worn outside and paraded around the city, so it has become the uniform of the wife of Wangfuguan. Perhaps influenced by Chongqing, I think the black coat is the most solemn and generous.
Mrs. Yi didn't wear a bell at home, and she was "sitting like a bell" and fat. She and Jia Zhi met in Hong Kong two years ago. At that time, the couple followed Wang Jingwei out of Chongqing and stayed in Hong Kong for some time. Once with Wang Jingwei, he was assassinated in Hanoi, so he lived in seclusion in Hong Kong.
Mrs. Yi couldn't help adding. The rear area of the Anti-Japanese War and the occupied areas are out of stock. When you get to this shopping paradise, you can't go back to Baoshan empty-handed. Mrs. Mai was introduced to go shopping with her. Locals are experts. Even big companies in Hong Kong have to bargain, and they will suffer if they don't speak Cantonese. Mr. Mai is an importer and exporter. Businessmen like to make friends with officialdom and treat Mrs. Yi in every way. Mrs. Yi is very grateful. After the Pearl Harbor incident, Hong Kong fell and Mr. Mai's business stopped. Jiazhi also began to bring some watches, western medicine, perfume and stockings to Shanghai to sell. Mrs. Yi must leave her at their home.
"We went to Shu 'an yesterday-Mrs. Mai hasn't been there." Mrs. Yi said to one of the men in the black cloak.
"Oh."
"Mrs. Ma hasn't been here for several days, has she?" Another man in a black cloak said.
Amid the crackling of cards, Mrs. Ma only mumbled, "I have something to do with my relatives."
Mrs. Yi said with a smile, "You can't shirk your promise to invite me to dinner. Hide. "
Jiazhi suspects that Mrs. Ma is jealous because everything is centered on her after she comes.
"It was Mrs. Liao's treat yesterday, but she won alone these two days," Mrs. Yi told Mrs. Ma again. "I met Xiao Li and his wife and asked them to come and sit. Xiao Li said that the guests they invited had not arrived yet. I said that it is rare for Mrs. Liao to treat. How dare you not join us? It happened that Xiao Li was treating us, and a large table of people came. The extra chair won't fit, but it still won't fit in. Mrs Liao is sitting behind me. I said, I said that policeman is beautiful!
She said she was old and ate my tofu. I said Mapo tofu, I want old tofu!
Oh, you're laughing! Smiling, Mapo blushed. "
Everyone laughed.
"Who said that? When I went back to celebrate mr. yi's birthday, I just said that Ma Gu gave her a birthday! " Mrs. Ma said.
Mrs. Yi is still reporting the news of these two days to Mrs. Ma. Mr. yi came in and nodded with three female guests.
"You went to the court early today."
He stood behind his wife and looked at the cards. At the other end of the room, thick woolen curtains of khaki color are hung on the whole wall, with extra-large brick red phoenix patterns printed on them, each of which is sideways and one person is tall. Zhou Fohai has it at home, and so do they. Recently, the western developed fake French window curtains were out of stock in Shanghai during the wartime. It was really a bold move, which was used by all horses and spent on flowers. The portrait is reflected on the fern of that big country, which makes him shorter. He is wearing a gray suit, with a handsome face, slightly bald hair in front and unusually long flower tips; The nose is long, a little "mouse-like", and it is said to be expensive.
"Mrs Ma You only a few carats-three carats? The day before yesterday, Pinfen came again. There is a five-carat, bald head is not as good as you. " Mrs. Yi said.
Mrs. Ma said, "It is said that the products with pink are better than those in other stores!"
Mrs. Yi said, "The agent delivers the goods to your door, but it's convenient. You can stay for another two days. Sometimes there is nothing to taste powder outside. Last time the kerosene drill refused to buy it for me. " Said the white mr. yi one eye. "How much is it now? There is nothing wrong with the kerosene drill, which rises to a dozen taels or dozens of taels of gold per carat. Pinfen also said that kerosene diamonds and pink diamond are valuable and have no market. "
Mr. yi said with a smile, "You drill more than ten carats of kerosene, not pigeon eggs. Diamond ink is also stone, so you can't play cards in your hand.
This is indeed a ring exhibition on the poker table, Jia Zhi thought. Only she doesn't have a diamond ring. Dai Lai wears this jade. If I had known I wouldn't wear it, I would have laughed-I really couldn't see her.
Mrs. Yi said, "I have to listen to you if I don't buy it!" He played a five-barrel card, and the black cloak opposite Mrs. Ma slapped the card out. Suddenly, he smiled and sighed, and then he cut off the conversation.
You are a beard, mr. yi took advantage of the chaos to get home, and his chin tilted slightly towards the door.
She glanced at two black cloaks at once, but fortunately no one noticed. She dropped her chips, picked up the teacup and took a sip. Suddenly, she said, "Damn my memory! The three o'clock appointment will be completely forgotten. What should I do? Mr. yi will turn around for me first and come back right away. "
Mrs. Yi called the general up and said, "No! Where is this? I have never said it before, and I am not interested. "
"I'm getting ready for the wind." The black cloak that just played a card groaned.
"Unless you find Mrs Liao. Call Mrs Liao. " Mrs. Yi said to Jia Zhi, "Don't go until you come."
"Teacher Yi plays for me." Jia Zhi looked at his watch. "It's already late. I have an appointment with an agent for coffee. "
"I have something to do today, and I will stay with you all night." Mr. Yi said.
"This is the worst in Wang Jiazhi!" Teacher Yi likes to call her by her first name and surname, just like her classmates. "This time have to punish you. Treat! "
"Where can travelers take passengers?" Mrs. Ma said. "Mrs Mai is a guest in Shanghai."
"Mrs. Yi said. I want you to protect it! "Said another man with a black cloak.
They should also be careful when making fun of them. Although Mrs. Yi is old enough to be her mother, they never talk about their daughter. According to the old lady's age, she is a little wobbly. She likes to be surrounded by beautiful young women and should be jealous.
"Good, treat tonight," said Jia Zhi. "Teacher Yi is playing for me, otherwise I won't treat you at night."
"mr. yi help, help! Three deficiency and one yin injury. Call first, and then Mrs. Ma will call to find someone. "
"I really have something." When it comes to business, he immediately lowered his voice and only mumbled. "There will be people coming later."
"I know Mr. Yi has no time," said Mrs. Ma.
Is Mrs. Ma implying something, or is she nervous? Jiazhi thought. Look at his smiling face, even Mrs. Ma's words are flattering. Knowing that he wants people to know, I can't wait to be teased. It's hard to say, no matter how deep a person is, sometimes he will get carried away.
A close call. If we don't succeed today, Mrs. Yi will know if we put it off again.
She is still bargaining with Mrs. Yi, and he has left. She struggled to break free and went back to her bedroom. She didn't change clothes and cleaned up in a hurry. The maid has said back and forth that the car is waiting at the door. She went out in Yijia's car and told the driver to drive to a cafe and get off to send him back.
It's still early, and there are not many people in the cafe. Pairs of apricot pleated silk cover wall lamps are on. The place is large, with small round table, dark white linen tablecloth and conservative restaurant appearance. She went to the counter to make a phone call. After the bell rang four times, she hung up and called again. Afraid that people at the counter would feel strange, she whispered, "Could you have dialed the wrong number?"
This is the agreed code. Someone answered this time.
"hello?"
Fortunately, it was Kuang Yumin's voice. Even at this time, she is a little afraid of being Liang Runsheng, although he is very clever and always lets others come forward.
"Hello, second brother," she said in Cantonese. "How are things at home these two days?"
"Well, all right. What about you? "
"I went shopping today, but the time is uncertain."
"Well, it doesn't matter. Anyway, we will wait for you. Where are you now? "
"On Joffrey Street."
"Well, that's it."
Silence.
"What is that?" Her hands are cold, feeling a little warm and attached to the local accent.
"Nothing else."
"I may leave right away."
"In time, no problem. Ok, see you later. "
She hung up and came out to call a tricycle.
If I don't succeed today, I really can't live in Yijia anymore. These ladies are staring at me. Maybe we should find an excuse to move out as soon as we get along with him. He can give her an apartment to live in. The last two meetings were in the apartment. These two places are different. They are all British and American houses, and the owners have entered concentration camps. But that's harder to do-do you know when he will come? I think it will suddenly fall from the sky. Otherwise, you can't come if you have something ahead of time. It's hard to call him. His wife keeps a close eye on him, and several offices are probably plugged in with eyes and ears. No, as long as someone knows, it's not good. Too many people gossip to please his wife.
If you don't go to him, he may not even come once. It is said that this happened, and the apartment was a parting gift. He was too tempted to take care of it. If you can't see him, he will be left behind. I still want to nail him. All I have to do is shake my chest in front of him.
"It wasn't like this two years ago," he whispered, hugging and kissing her.
He leaned his head against her chest and didn't see her face turn red.
Even now that I think about it, it's like a needle. I immediately saw those people looking at her with disgust and knowing smiles, even Kuang Yumin. Only Liang Runsheng turned a blind eye and pretended not to notice that her breasts were getting higher and higher in the past two years. A small scene that has been played more than once, as soon as it appeared in front of her eyes, was immediately driven away by her.
It's a long way to the concession. When the tricycle came to the intersection of Jing 'an Temple Road, she stopped in front of a small cafe on the corner. In case his car arrives first, watch the side of the road. There is only one charcoal car parked a little further away.
This family probably relies mainly on outlets for takeout, with only a few card slots. Although it is dark, it is not in the mood. There is an air-conditioned glass counter in the back, which is filled with all kinds of West Point. A narrow tunnel light in the back is very bright, reflecting the shiny scraggy in the lower part of the wall. A small refrigerator is hung with white clothes. On it, near the roof, there are rows of long woolen robes that Xi Zi took off, like a clothing store.
She heard him say that this was opened by Xizai, Tianjin Zhilin No.1. Presumably, he chose this one in order not to meet familiar people. The door is near the main traffic road. Even if he does meet someone, it doesn't matter. It's no more suspicious than a remote location, like hiding something from others.
The cup of coffee in front of me is cold, and the bus hasn't come yet. Last time I went to pick her up, I waited in the apartment for almost an hour before he arrived. It is said that China people are not punctual, and they can only reach their peak in officialdom. If we wait like this any longer, the shop will close.
It was he who said, "We are memorable today. You need to buy a ring here. You can choose for yourself. It's late today, or I'll go with you. " That was the first time we met outside.
The second time was more urgent, so I didn't mention it. Of course I won't let go, but if I don't remember today, wouldn't it be beneath me to ask her to remind him at the corner? Another man, of course. He is a crafty old scoundrel. It never occurred to him that a housewife like her would have a crush on a short man in his forties and fifties.
It's not the money, it's suspicious. Jewelry has always been a weakness of female wives. Isn't she working outside alone? It's reasonable to earn some extra money by the way. He is an agent himself, and if he doesn't suspect, he will be cunning and elusive. She needs to win his trust, because she has met at his designated place so far, and now she wants him to go with her.
Last time the car came to pick her up, it arrived on time. After waiting so long today, he must have picked it up by himself. Never mind, or we can meet at the apartment. Once you get there, it's hard to get out again. I didn't leave until midnight unless I was going there for dinner-but I didn't even eat there for the first time. Naturally, I will delay for a while, and I won't come back when I go out. I'm worried that the shop will close. I can't rush him, like a prostitute.
She took out a pink mirror and took a picture, adding some powder. It is not necessarily him who is late. It's just that after the novelty, I don't take her seriously If you don't succeed today, you may not have another chance in the future.
She looked at her watch again. A premonition of failure, like a split sock, quietly climbed up the calf in the shade.
There is a middle-dressed man in the card slot diagonally opposite her who pays great attention to her. Also a person, reading newspapers there. Come earlier than her, it won't follow her. I can't figure out what path she took. Is the jewelry you are wearing real? It is not like a dancer. If she is in a movie or TV series, she doesn't look familiar.
She did act in a play and is still working hard on the stage, but no one knows and she can't be famous.
The performances at school are all impassioned patriotic historical dramas. Before the fall of Guangzhou, Lingda moved to Hong Kong and performed once. The seats were not bad. When she walked off the stage, she was too excited to relax. Everyone had a midnight snack before she left. She refused to go back and took a double-decker tram with two female classmates. There are few passengers upstairs, the car body is swaying in the wide street, and the advertisement of neon lights in the dark outside the window is as intoxicating as the cool breeze after drinking.
Borrowing HKU's classroom for class is crowded and takes a long time to pass, which is very inconvenient and inevitably feels like a sponsor. The indifference of ordinary people in Hong Kong to state affairs also makes people angry. Although most students live in the provincial capital, it is very convenient, and there are also students in exile. Few people get along best, forming a small group. Wang Jingwei and his party arrived in Hong Kong. Mr. and Mrs. Wang and Chen Gongbo are both Cantonese, and an adjutant and Kuang Yumin are fellow villagers. Kuang Yumin went to see him, made friends and got a lot of news. After coming back, everyone talked about it and set up a honey trap. A girl approached Teacher Yi-not a student, but mostly the most intense and wary. Businessmen's concubines are similar, especially in Hong Kong, where they have no national ideas. This role is of course played by Hua Dan, the head of the school troupe.
Only Huang Lei's family is rich, so he went to raise money, rent a house, borrow a car and borrow clothes. Only he can drive, so he acts as a driver.
Ouyang Lingwen is Mr. Mai. Kuang Yumin is a cousin, accompanying his wife. For the first time, the adjutant took them to pick up Mrs. Yi for shopping. Kuang Yumin didn't get off the bus. The bus first took him and his adjutant home-the adjutant sat in the front seat-and then drove them to Central.
Mr. yi she met several times, but nodded. The first time I sat at a table playing cards that day, she knew he didn't pay attention to her, but she didn't dare to take the liberty. She has been pursued since she was twelve or thirteen, and she knows it. Although he was cautious during this period, he really didn't want to be cruel. He is bored and preoccupied, and he can't get rid of it. He didn't even dare to drink wine in case Wang Mansion wanted to find him at any time. * * * Two couples share an old building, and the most they can do is to play mahjong behind closed doors.
At the poker table, I mentioned several sets of suit materials that Mrs. Yi bought for him, and I was going to make two sets first. Jia Zhi introduced a clothing store, which is their experienced tailor. "But now is the peak season, busy doing tourism business, can drag on for a few months, so good, when mr. yi is free, Mrs. Yi will call me and I will bring him. Old customers, he is embarrassed not to catch up. " When she leaves her phone number, mr. yi will make a copy when his wife walks her out. In a couple of days, she will find an excuse to call to explore. During working hours, when Mr. Mai is not at home.
It was raining lightly that night. Huang Lei drove her back and went upstairs together. Everyone is waiting for the letter. An unprecedented successful performance, I feel that I am looking around before I get off the stage. She couldn't bear to let them go and couldn't wait to go again. It's already midnight, and Kuang Yumin and others don't dance. Instead, they went to a small restaurant that was open all night to eat porridge, and then walked all the way back to Mao Mao in the rain until dawn.
But after a while, everyone was silent. Occasionally, one or two people whisper a few words to each other and sometimes laugh.
That hiss is familiar. It was not a day's work, and she knew that they had discussed it behind their backs.
"Listening to them, it seems that Liang Runsheng is the only one of these people who has had sexual experience."
Lai Xiujin told her. Lai Xiujin is the only girl besides her.
It must be Liang Runsheng!
Of course it's him. Only he has been whoring.
Since you have the determination to sacrifice, you can't say you don't want to take advantage of him.
Bathed in the afterglow of stage lights tonight, even Liang Runsheng is not very annoying. Everyone seems to see that one by one has slipped away, leaving only Liang Runsheng. So the play went on.
Not just tonight. But mr. yi didn't call for several days. She called Mrs. Yi, and Mrs. Yi was listless. She said that she was busy these two days and would not go shopping. She will call her later.
Is it suspicious? Found out that Lao Yi had her phone number? Or did you get bad news from Japan? After torturing her for two weeks, Mrs. Yi called with joy to say goodbye. She regretted that she left in a hurry and couldn't see her. She also invited her husband and wife to visit Shanghai, stay for a while and chat, and take them to visit Nanjing. Presumably, the plan to go back to Nanjing to organize the government was once stranded, so it has been abandoned.
Huang Lei is heavily in debt. The family heard that he lived in a rental house with a Hong Kong dancer and was cut off from support, which was extremely embarrassing.
She and Liang Runsheng have long been very stiff. Everyone knows that she regrets, and they all avoid her and don't look at her when discussing together.
"I'm so stupid. Anyway, I was stupid, "she said to herself.
Even when everyone booed her out this time, someone had ulterior motives.
Instead of avoiding Liang Runsheng, she alienated them. She always feels that they are looking at her with curious eyes. After the Pearl Harbor incident, all the students moved to Shanghai by sea. As an enemy-occupied area, Shanghai still has books to read. She didn't go with them, nor did she associate with them in Shanghai.
For a long time, she was not sure if she was infected with something dirty.
In Shanghai, they met an underground worker. A surnamed Wu-presumably not really surnamed Wu-heard that they had such a valuable method and of course strongly encouraged them to implement it. They had to come to her again, and she was duty-bound.
The fact is that every time I am with Lao Yi, it is like taking a hot bath and washing away all the depression, because everything has a purpose.
There must be a sentry at the entrance of this cafe. When you see him in the car, you will tell everything in advance. I didn't see anyone wandering around when I came here just now. The Ping 'an Theater across the street is ideal. There is a shade under the colonnade, and the people in front of the theater are confident, but the venue in front of the theater is too empty and far away to see the people in the car clearly.
There is a delivery bike parked in front of the fur shop run by foreigners next door. The car seems to be broken, and it is being checked and repaired. Shaved head, about 30 years old, with his head down, he can't see clearly, but he is obviously not an acquaintance. She didn't expect it to be a pickup truck. Some things they don't tell her, and she doesn't ask,
But it still sounds like their original team. With that Wu's help, maybe we can get a car. If the commercial vehicle is still parked there, it may be the pick-up and the driver is Huang Lei. When she came just now, the car turned its back on her and the driver disappeared.
Wu probably still doesn't trust them, fearing that they will be too tender, have problems and get tired. He may not be alone in Shanghai, but he always comes into contact with Kuang Yumin alone.
Promise to recruit them into this organization. Maybe this is a test.
"They are almost shooting at people at gunpoint, unlike in movies." Kuang Yumin once told her with a smile.
Probably to reassure her, shooting at random won't hurt her, and if she doesn't commit suicide, she will become disabled. Might as well be dead.
At this time, it is a taste.
Panic on the field, come together.
Waiting is the hardest. Men can also smoke. I fished for nothing once, and I had no idea where I was. She opened her handbag and took out a bottle of perfume. The glass bottle stopper is tied to a small glass rod, dipped in perfume and rubbed behind the earlobe. Cool, angular, empty, only this kind of contact. Rub it under the ear over there, and it won't be long before you smell a short wisp of gardenia.
I took off my coat and sprinkled perfume on my elbow. Before I could put it on again, I saw a car coming from the white wooden model of the three-story wedding cake in the window. I knew it was his car at a glance, and there was no ugly charcoal crate in the back.
She picked up her coat and handbag and went out arm in arm. The driver has got off to open the door. Mr. yi sat in the back.
"Come late, come late!" He bent down and mumbled an apology.
She only glanced at him. On the bus, the driver returned to the front seat and told him "John Calvin Ferguson Road". That's the apartment they went to last time.
"There is a shop here first," she whispered to him. "I lost a small diamond in my earring and need to be repaired. Just here, or just walked over, I was afraid that I couldn't find anyone, so I just sat there and waited for a long time. "
He smiled and said, "I'm sorry, I'm really late today-I've already come out and two people have come, but I can't miss them." Then he leaned down and said to the driver, "Go back there first." I drove a block earlier.
She pursed her mouth and murmured, "It's really troublesome to meet you. I can't say a word when I stay with you-I have returned to Hong Kong, and I want you to buy a better plane ticket."
"Going back? Miss Wheat? "
"What wheat and barley, but also mention this person-I am so angry!"
She said she was getting back at her husband for dancing.
As soon as he sat down, he held his arm and bent his elbow to the outer edge of the southern hemisphere, where her breasts were the most plump. This is his old trick, sitting on the surface, but secretly eating bones, eating numb.
She leaned against the window and looked out to avoid driving by again. The car didn't turn around until the next intersection. Once again, I turned around, from Yili biscuit line to Ping 'an Cinema, the only clean second-round cinema in this city, with a gray, red, black and yellow brick facade, which has a warm feeling of knitted tweed. The whole building is round and concave inward, forming a crescent-shaped corner, and the front door is very spacious. Opposite is Commander Kay's Cafe, followed by Siberian fur shop and green house ladies' fashion shop, with four large windows side by side, and luxurious wooden models in various postures behind neon lights. A small shop next door is even more inconspicuous. There is nothing in the window. Although the signboard has the word "jeweler" in English, it is not a jewelry store.
He stopped the driver, got out of the car and followed her in. She is half a head taller than him in high heels. Otherwise, he wouldn't wear such high heels. He obviously doesn't mind. She found that big men tend to like petite women, but short men like taller women, which may be a compensation. Knowing that he was watching, he bent even lighter. Waist thin, wan if Youlong swam into the glass door.
An Indian shop assistant in a suit greeted him. Although the shops are small, they are also very bright in Gao Shuang, but there is nothing like snow caves. There is only a short glass counter at the back, displaying some "birthday stones"-according to the birthday month, wearing lucky "semi-precious stones" such as Huang Shiying, rubies and sapphires are all made of gem powder.
She took out a pear-shaped ruby earring from her handbag, and a diamond was missing from the leaf made of broken diamonds.
"Yes," said the Indian.
She asked how much it was and when it was available. Mr. yi said, "Ask him if he has a better ring." He stayed in Japan, refused to speak English, and always waited for an official translation.
She paused and said, "What for?"
He smiled and said, "aren't we going to buy a ring as a souvenir?" It's just a diamond ring, okay? Better. "
She stopped again and smiled helplessly at him. "Do you have a diamond ring?"
She asked softly.
{unfinished, continue}