Chapter 34
On the day Fu Jingyuan was buried, Rong Xiang was told by the doctor that he could eat some liquid food, but he should never speak, because his wounds were not healing very well.
Xiao Meng brought him a bowl of warm milk and spooned it to him. He swallowed with difficulty, and when he heard Xiao Meng mention Fu Jingyuan's funeral, he immediately shook his head, not wanting him to continue.
"The people who were truly kind to me—my mother, Yi Zhongming, Jingyuan, and perhaps even Guanglin—are all dead," he thought sadly. "And I still have a long life ahead of me. From now on, I'll just live alone. Anyway, I'm destined to be a lone wolf; whoever gets close to me will be unlucky."
Xiao Meng put away the spoons and bowls and went out to give them to the caregiver to wash. Rong Xiang looked up at his back and thought to himself, "He has always lived a peaceful life... I should treat him better in the future. If he dies too, I will really be all alone and completely finished."
Xiao Meng closed the door, then turned around and drew the curtains. She then walked to Rongxiang's bedside and gently asked, "Third Master, would you like to sleep, listen to the phonograph, or listen to me read?"
Rongxiang lay on his back on the bed, his eyes watery as he stared at the ceiling, as if he were about to cry. However, he did not cry. Instead, he picked up a copy of Huanzhu Louzhu's "The Legend of the Swordsmen of Shushan" from beside his pillow and handed it to Xiao Meng.
Xiao Meng turned to the page with the folded corner and whispered as if afraid of startling someone, "Third Master, last time we read up to the ninth chapter, it was 'A Murderous Encounter at the Ancient Temple, Many Filial Scholars Suffer Tragic Attacks, A Simple-minded Young Master Escapes from the Stone Prison, and Climbs Over the East Wall in the Night Rain.' It is said that in Guiyang County, Guizhou, there was a scholarly family named Zhou, whose lineage was passed down through generations of single-son families, emphasizing both farming and scholarship. However, in the last generation, there were nine brothers..."
He was reading in a flat tone when he suddenly saw Rongxiang reach out and cover the pages of the book. The skin on the back of his hand was so white it was almost translucent, and the tiny bluish-purple veins beneath were clearly visible.
Xiao Meng looked up at him.
Rongxiang struggled to sit up, pulled out a notebook and pen from under his pillow, bit the pen cap with his teeth, unscrewed the pen, wrote a line on the paper, and then nodded to Xiao Meng.
Xiao Meng took the notebook and looked at it. The words on it read, "I want to leave Xi'an."
"Third Master, where are you going?"
Rongxiang wrote again: "Shanghai".
Xiao Meng looked at Rong Xiang: "Shanghai?"
Rongxiang added: "I will leave as soon as I am able to be discharged from the hospital, and I will try to bring the baby with me."
Xiao Meng knew why he wanted to go to Shanghai. He didn't agree with the suggestion because both he and Rong Xiang grew up in Manchuria and were more used to life in the north. However, since Rong Xiang wanted to continue his unfinished promise with Fu Jingyuan, he was determined not to stop him. After all, he could survive anywhere—he was truly confident of that.
February 1934, Shanghai.
This residential area, which is very close to Hengshan Road, seems to be particularly favored by wealthy outsiders.
The house where Rongxiang lived was small in every way, with small rooms, a small courtyard, and a small garden, all exquisitely furnished. When Xiao Meng first arrived, she only planned to rent it for a year. However, the owner's business had recently gone bankrupt, and he wanted to move back to the mainland to retire. Xiao Meng took this opportunity to negotiate a much lower price and ended up buying it.
The houses in this area are all newly built, so although they vary in size, they are all similar in style and design, all two- or three-story Western-style buildings with stained glass windows, giving them a strangely incongruous fashionable look. The interiors are all decorated in the latest style; fireplaces have been replaced with water heaters, and gas is used for cooking.
The house was nice, but it was empty and bare. Xiao Meng worked tirelessly for a week and finally bought most of the necessary furniture. He also hired a cook from the north, two old women to do manual labor, and a nanny to take care of the baby. He knew things were different now, and his money was dwindling, so he was extremely shrewd and wouldn't waste a single penny.
He had to settle into his new home, serve Rongxiang, and tirelessly manage accounts at night. After two weeks of this he was constantly busy, even though he had been bullied and bossed around by Rongxiang since childhood, he was still exhausted. But he didn't show it outwardly, continuing to run errands with a blank expression every day. Another week passed, and he had finished tidying up the garden behind the house and the front yard. Finally, he could rest a little.
Compared to him, Rongxiang's life was utterly boring. In Xi'an, he underwent vocal cord repair surgery, but because the previous wound hadn't healed well and had repeated infections and inflammations, the final surgical outcome was unsatisfactory. He didn't become mute, but speaking even a few words would cause a sore throat, and shouting would lead to loss of voice. Fortunately, he had been mute for a long time in the hospital and seemed to have gotten used to a life without speech; even if he could speak now, he was reluctant to do so.
He spends his days wandering around the house, initially finding it novel and somewhat interesting. Later, as he became more familiar with the place, he would stand in the yard every day, looking around. For example, right now, he is standing in the yard with his hands in his pockets, watching the neighbor's children fight.
Rongxiang's neighbor to the left was a large family of former Qing dynasty officials. It was said that the patriarch had been a high-ranking official, a loyal and filial son, and still wore a queue (traditional Manchu hairstyle) to this day. The family had countless wives and concubines, and over twenty sons alone. These sons married and had children, each one as ruthless as a wolf, draining the family of its resources. However, they couldn't give up opium, and they still had to maintain a facade of wealth. On weekends, the fifth concubine would take her favorite grandchildren to the movies and Western restaurants, filling three cars to capacity, honking the horns deafeningly.
The old man's house and Rongxiang's house were separated only by a road. The walls were both ornate iron fences, so any movement between them was clearly visible. At that moment, his sons, looking like mud-covered monkeys, were fighting over fruit candies on the concrete. Suddenly, a young woman in a sky-blue cheongsam and high heels walked out, pulled a child behind her protectively, and then turned to the building's entrance, shouting in Shanghainese. Rongxiang couldn't understand it, but he could guess she was cursing. Then, a woman in a Western-style dress with permed hair rushed out of the building and shouted back in Mandarin.
Just then, Xiao Meng drove back from outside. After parking the car, he took a potted green plant of unknown species out of the car and placed it on the ground. Then he walked to Rong Xiang's side and said, "Third Master."
Rongxiang nodded and glanced back at him.
Xiao Meng replied as if she could read minds: "I'm not going out this afternoon. I've converted half of the remaining money into US dollars and deposited it in Citibank."
Rongxiang didn't react this time, focusing intently on watching his neighbors argue.
Just then, the nanny strolled out of the building carrying the baby. She hummed a low tune as she walked, and stopped under a tree on the edge of the yard, curiously observing the battle unfolding in the neighbor's yard.
Hearing the nanny bring the baby out, Rongxiang temporarily stopped observing, turned around, clapped his hands at the child, and walked over with a smile. The nanny knew he wanted to hold the baby, so she carefully placed the infant in his arms. He gently bounced the little ball of flesh, intending to amuse him, but unfortunately, the baby, held with his head lower than his feet and being rocked back and forth, was already terrified and started crying. Rongxiang, startled, quickly returned the baby to the nanny.
The wet nurse started humming a lullaby to soothe him, but when she realized she couldn't, she had to go back to her room and use her breast milk to stop the baby from coming out.
When Rongxiang returned to continue watching the fight, he found that the women who had been arguing in the courtyard were gone, and only the young masters who had been fighting fiercely were playing marbles together.
"Third Master, go back to your room. It's time for lunch." Xiao Meng's voice drifted from behind him.
He did as instructed and went inside the building.
The restaurant was well-lit, but somewhat empty. A medium-sized table stood in the center, covered with a white floral tablecloth. Four chairs surrounded it, elegantly designed but made of ordinary materials. Pale yellow floor-length curtains hung in the large windows. Beside the window stood a tall potted bamboo, its branches and leaves initially growing wildly and haphazardly. Xiao Meng trimmed them, starting with the left side. Lacking experience, she trimmed them neatly to the point of being bare; the right side fared much better.
Rongxiang walked to the table and sat down. In the center of the table was a bowl of ham and vegetable soup, surrounded by several plates of stir-fried dishes. After putting away the potted plant she had brought back, Xiao Meng washed her hands and came over to serve him rice and soup. Then she stood behind him, ready to do whatever she needed to.
Rongxiang pointed to the chair next to him.
Xiao Meng bent down and asked, "What is it, Third Master?"
Rongxiang mumbled something like a mosquito's buzz: "Let's eat together."
Xiao Meng knew he was feeling lonely and wanted her to keep him company—she had even slept with him last year, only to be dragged out by Fu Jingyuan in the middle of the night.
He hesitated for a moment, then went to get a bowl of rice, picked up his chopsticks, sat down next to Rongxiang, and ate in silence.
After they finished eating, he saw Rongxiang staring blankly out the window, looking rather pitiful. So he tentatively asked, "Third Master, would you like to go out for a walk this afternoon?"
Without a second thought, Rongxiang waved his hand and refused.
"Want to go out and have some fun tonight?"
Rongxiang refused again.
He used to love to party, because back then he had power and influence, spending money like water and being young and handsome, he was always the center of attention at any entertainment venue. Now that he's fallen on hard times, he might as well live a quiet life in seclusion at home, eating a meager meal. Besides, he's been through a lot of ups and downs in the past two years, suffering several near-death experiences. Although he hasn't reached the point of seeing through the ways of the world, his mind has become much more world-weary.
So even though he was only twenty-five years old, he was already preparing for retirement and had no other thoughts.
"If the baby isn't asleep, have the nanny bring him over so I can take a look," he suddenly ordered.
Xiao Meng agreed, got up, and went out. Rong Xiang, left alone, also lazily stood up and went back to his bedroom.
The wet nurse, Xiao Zhen, followed Xiao Meng into the restaurant. Finding it empty, she went upstairs to find Rong Xiang. The two walked side-by-side. This wet nurse was the same one from Xi'an. Because she didn't have a proper husband, she gave away her illegitimate child. Her hometown wouldn't accept her, and with nowhere to go, she came to Shanghai with the baby. She felt her job was quite good; the pay was good, and she wasn't bullied by various masters. Her so-called shameful past was unknown to anyone. So she was content every day, and both she and the baby grew up healthy and plump.
Of all the people in the house, Xiao Meng was the one she feared most. She always felt there was something eerie about him, like a ghost who had been dead for many years, appearing silently everywhere, his face devoid of any emotion. What was most terrifying was that he was all-knowing and a know-it-all, which made him very unsettling.
She looked down at the baby sucking his thumb in her arms and thought to herself, "I wonder what kind of wife this man will marry in the future."
Suddenly, as she walked, Xiao Meng gently pushed the baby's little hand away, saying, "Don't let him suck his fingers, it will affect his mouth shape later."
Xiao Zhen was startled by him: "Oh... I see... Mr. Meng."
"Just call me Xiao Meng."
"oh."
After the two entered the bedroom, Xiao Zhen unwrapped the baby and let him crawl on the bed. Rong Xiang lay on his side and used a small toy to make the child giggle. After a while, he lay on his back, picked him up, and placed him on his stomach. The baby crawled up to his chest and then reached out to grab his chin. Rong Xiang laughed and tilted his head back to avoid it, revealing two almost symmetrical small round scars above his throat, pink in color, which were not usually noticeable.
The father and son were having a great time, while Xiao Zhen sat to the side watching with a smile. Xiao Meng stood by the door, also feeling that everything was wonderful—it was practically the ideal life.
A month passed, and the house gradually became more complete and beautiful with the additions and furnishings. The weather also warmed up considerably, and Rongxiang would sit in the yard every day, either playing with the children or gazing at the sky in a daze. With everything taken care of by Xiao Meng, he became quite pampered and even gained some weight, his face now rosy and fair, a far cry from the pale, weak, and sickly man he had been when he first arrived.
His physical health improved, but his spirits didn't rise as a result. It was as if he had completely changed; he no longer lost his temper or put on airs, becoming a quiet and agreeable gentleman.
That day, he stood under the old tree in the courtyard, gazing idly at the activity at the old man's house next door. The old man's spacious courtyard was filled with drying chili peppers and vegetables, which puzzled Rongxiang, as spring was approaching and it wasn't the season for storing vegetables.
A little boy in overalls kicked a ball into a pile of chili peppers. He went over to get it, rubbed his eyes, and kicked it again. After one kick, he suddenly covered his eyes and started wailing. An old woman who was setting out dried vegetables stood up, grabbed the child, and led him into the building, muttering to herself.
Just then, a car drove into the courtyard, and a stunningly beautiful young woman stepped out. She had a slender figure, a rosy complexion, delicate eyebrows, and lips like cherries. She wore a light orange, loosely woven cheongsam with a cashmere shawl loosely draped over it. Her hair was short and permed into waves, and a pink gauze artificial flower sprinkled with silver powder was tucked behind her ear. Rongxiang had been with countless women; because of his own handsome appearance, his close friends were all beautiful women. However, he had never seen a woman as modern and charming as her before, and he couldn't help but stare at her with curiosity.
Perhaps afraid of getting her white high-heeled shoes dirty, the woman carefully walked around the large patch of dried vegetables. She happened to turn her head and noticed a man watching her from the courtyard across the street. Instead of flinching, she raised her head and glared back at him with a sharp look in her eyes.
Rongxiang smiled and turned his head away, thinking that if she didn't want him to look, he wouldn't look; beautiful women were never short of temper. But as soon as he turned his head, he saw a foreign beggar walking towards him on the street outside the gate. He was dressed in what looked like a pile of tattered rags, his hair and face obscured, making it impossible to discern his appearance or age. He walked to the roadside, bent down, picked up a cigarette butt, put it in his mouth, took out a match, lit it, and then sat down on the roadside, taking a deep drag and leisurely exhaling a smoke ring.
Rongxiang stared at his unkempt, bushy beard, thinking how lucky he was to be able to find his mouth so accurately from within it. The contrast between wanting to see a perfect man and then looking at this wild, beggar-like fellow was truly hard to accept.
The beggar knew someone was watching him in the courtyard, so after taking three puffs and burning his hand with the cigarette, he threw away the butt, crossed the street, and asked through the iron fence, "Sir, could you give me something to eat? Thank you." He spoke in broken, distorted Chinese.
Rongxiang turned around and instructed the old woman to fetch a large loaf of bread from the kitchen. Then, he carried the bread over and handed it to the beggar over the fence. The beggar happily accepted the bread, saying, "Thank you, sir. You are so kind. May God bless you."
Rongxiang hesitated for a moment, then took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and handed it over—he didn't smoke, but he would occasionally take one out and sniff it.
The beggar's eyes seemed to light up when he saw the cigarette: "I really don't know how to thank you..." Then, as expected, he didn't say anything more and ran away with the cigarette and bread.
Rongxiang was stunned, feeling as if he had been tricked.
He didn't expect that the beggar would come again the next day.
This time, he and Xiao Meng stood at the door together. Xiao Meng brought back a potted kumquat tree. Rong Xiang had never seen this before, so he looked at it with suspicion: "This can also bear oranges?"
Xiao Meng nodded: "They will bear fruit later, but the fruit will be very small."
Just then, a strange accent rang out: "Good afternoon, sir."
Rongxiang and Xiaomeng turned their heads to look, and saw a beggar standing outside the courtyard. His face was mostly covered by his beard and hair, but his blue eyes were full of smiles.
"Sir, could I have something to eat?"
Rongxiang sighed and said to Xiaomeng, "Go get him something to eat."
Xiao Meng carried the kumquat tree and strode into the building. A moment later, she came out with a paper package and handed it to the beggar without a word. The beggar immediately opened it and saw that it contained cold steamed buns.
"Thank you so much, sir. God will surely bless you. --- May I have a cigarette lit?"
Rongxiang found it both amusing and disapproving of his assertive manner. He patted his pockets and shrugged, "No more today."
"Can you give me some money? I'll go buy it myself!" The beggar probably figured the two people in the courtyard wouldn't turn against him, so he became even more demanding.
Xiao Meng was a little unhappy; this beggar didn't look like a beggar at all, but more like Ji Gong (a legendary Buddhist monk). However, he didn't show it on his face because Rong Xiang nodded to him. He took out a dollar and handed it to Ji Gong.
Ji Gong was overjoyed: "I don't know how to thank you..." and then ran off again.
After he left, Xiao Meng casually remarked, "That beggar is really strange."
Rongxiang replied softly, "That's quite interesting."
A thought popped into Xiao Meng's mind. She felt that if she said it, it would be against the rules; but if she didn't say it, she couldn't help but feel compelled to.
He turned one hand behind his back and tugged at the back of his suit jacket, finally speaking up: "Third Master, it's best if you avoid dealing with these people of unknown origin in the future."
After saying that, he prepared for Rongxiang to lose his temper.
However, Rongxiang just stared into the distance with a look of melancholy, and replied weakly, "I used to be used to lively atmospheres, but now I do feel a bit lonely. You're not here with me—what are you doing moving all these flowers and furniture every day? There are only a few people in total, isn't that enough?"
It was rare for him to have a serious and meaningful conversation with Xiao Meng, but his words were incoherent, a mix of complaining, whining, questioning, and accusation.
Xiao Meng was already used to his way of expressing himself, so she lowered her head and replied seriously, "Yes. I won't go out tomorrow."
Rongxiang hummed in agreement and walked into the building with a melancholy expression. After entering, he saw the kumquat tree and suddenly added, "If you want to eat oranges, go buy some. This tree is so small, even if it's full, it won't be enough for one person to eat in one meal."
"Yes, I understand."
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