Chapter 4 Chapter Four

Xingle now often tries to go to the dairy shop on Guoyuan Road to see Korean stars.He ordered an ice cream or a chocolate sundae, and watched her shift silently, pacing from counter to counter.He had told her not to call his house. Usually in the afternoon, when he was busy typing a batch of documents, scrutinizing the corrections or corrections made by his superiors in small print, preparing the English translation of Chinese documents, or referring to legal books, he wanted to see her very much. His office is only five minutes away from the lottery mall.Housed in an old seven storey concrete mansion with large doors and high ceilings.A ceiling fan with large mahogany blades hangs from steel pipes, continuously blowing away heat, and humming at the top.His seat was near a window that had a brick wall about ten feet away, just to soak up the heat.

As soon as five o'clock came, he put on a sun hat and a white coat, rushed down two flights of stairs, unwilling to wait for the elevator to pass by the Indian Kshatriya guards, and walked onto the hot sidewalk, his mind was sharp and lively, It's as if the day is just beginning. At this time, the ice cream parlor was often full of customers, and Han Xing, wearing a white apron, was very busy, but she always managed to come over, say a word or two in a low voice, and then continued to work happily.He noticed that some young people, even older men, stared at her graceful figure and never got tired of it.

He also came to see her for a few minutes if he couldn't make an appointment with her. Juna noticed that he was away from home more and more at night.Sometimes he would find an excuse to call home, saying that he would not go back for dinner; and then he would go to see Korean stars around seven o'clock, when most of the British wives and children had gone home for dinner, and the customers were few and far between.He used to order a cold drink and wait quietly, or go to the corner hotel to have a Scotch and soda, or a Singapore ginger ale to pass the time.Then they ate together again and spent the evening together.

Both the cashier and another waiter, Nina, knew that Xingle was Han Xing's regular boyfriend.Watching her work is nothing like going on a night out.She was full of energy, moving from table to table, delivering items to customers, cleaning tables, picking up tips and putting them in the pockets of her apron.There are times when she seems to be chased around.When she looked down at some female customers, Xingle could see a bitter light in her eyes.He usually sits in a remote corner.When she was free, she rested on the seat behind the counter.Her eyes flicked to the distance, and through the half-closed eyelashes, she glanced across other people's heads and faces, and looked towards him.

Once they found no one else in the store.Nina goes to work at ten and leaves at six.It was 7:30 and there was not a single guest.Han Xing sat down on his desk.Mrs Timah, the cashier, didn't care either.She was a dark-skinned woman in her forties with a double chin. Xingle handed a cigarette to his girlfriend, and Han Xing reached out to take it. Oh, no, Han Xing.That's against the rules, the teller said. Han Xing put away his cigarette and frowned. If you have to smoke, go to the back and smoke.Not here. Please.Xingle begged Mrs. Tima. Feel sorry.This is the rule.She waved a kind smile to the waitress.

Oh, well, it doesn't matter, Han Xing sighed and said: Anyway, it's almost closing time. Xingle didn't leave until the shop was closed. As soon as they stepped out, Xingle gave her a cigarette.She took it and took a long breath. Sometimes I get so tired that my heels go numb.I've been busy since noon.For eight full hours, turning around, doing and doing, I just didn't know what I was doing. They turned the corner, and a strange store name was reflected in red and black letters on the glass window: Princess Bar.It was an L-shaped room.The front is half occupied by the bar.To the left is an alcove with sofa seating along the wall.Four dark oak tables, with different capital letters engraved on the old tops, bring a friendly and familiar atmosphere to the room.Two wall lamps cast a dim light.There is also a Clippers book frame and several pictures of beautiful women on the wall, which looks disorganized.This is a place where you put your hat on the table and no one talks.

Xing Le ordered a sherry, and Han Xing ordered a light beer.She leaned her head back against the wall.The eyes are shining. Your life is too unhappy.He said. joy?I hate it.By the end of the day, I was exhausted. How much income? Not necessarily, I can receive three or four yuan tips a day.Never sure.The best-dressed ladies are the least modest.Sometimes a disheveled old man who looks like he hasn't shaved his face in six or seven days will give you a dollar.Last week Nina received a five-dollar tip for nothing from a sailor.Just run to your platform and be polite to everyone.She seems a lot more relaxed now.

Talk more about yourself!Xing Le said. have nothing to say.I was half-orphaned at the age of three.Don't remember my father at all.He is Portuguese and works in Hong Kong. Xingle put one hand on her chest.With a cigarette in his other hand, his chin sticks out, looking in the direction of the brightly lit bar. Then he put his hand on her lap.Squeeze gently and say: I am glad to meet you. She came closer and said: Me too. He kissed her forehead lightly.Tell me, why do they call you Han Xing?It's not Chinese, and it's not like Portuguese.Looks like a Swedish name. This is my father's nickname.My mother said my scientific name was Graciela.After my father left, my mother continued to call me Han Xing.

She loves you very much. Of course.I am her only child.Do you find it ridiculous? What? my name. Now that I know you, this is the most beautiful name in the world. I tell you frankly.I don't want to hide anything because we love each other.I think the name refers to the mermaid's child.My mother is a mermaid, you know Cantonese, right? Salty Water Girl.In Cantonese, this term specifically refers to a prostitute who picks up white sailors. Did you grow up with her? My mother sent me to study for three years.We moved to Singapore when I was ten years old.I went to a mission school.I can't stand it.After studying for two years, I left.I didn't have much of a childhood.i grew up on the street

But she grew up to be the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. She patted his hand playfully. You don't like your current job. It's not a question of liking it or not.This is life.Of course, it was a better job than a housekeeper.I've done it in a couple of UK homes.I can't stand it.You know, they don't see you as white, nor as Malay.You are caught in the cracks.Anyway, I like the independence of the clerk.You work eight hours and then you're free.I can't stand people yelling at me and calling the shots. I would love to see your mother. real? Don't you think I should go?because

The girl glared at him. Because I want to get to know you better, see your life, your room and stuff like that.And, when I propose, I want you to say yes. She turned her eyes to him and said: You know I will. He reached out to hug her back and felt her whole body tremble.Now her head rests on his shoulder.She didn't speak at all, but muttered the thoughts floating in her mind. Sometimes I can't believe it.It's like a dream I've had since childhood.I often daydream and think about things.There is a man by my side.Her fingers stroked his chin.We'd have a family, kids, and not have to live the life my mother had.Those days are too hard, Xingle, let me tell you.It is really hard for a woman to struggle alone in the world, very hard.I know. Now her fingers slid over the top of his head, grabbing a lock of his hair. Xingle, I passed by your house several times, looking in from the gate.Why don't you invite me to your house? Certainly, when the time is right. Her head jerked up and she sat up straight. why not go nowBecause I'm Eurasian? My uncle is a very stubborn person.Not only stubborn, but also very Chinese.He feels very honored to be Chinese, just like the British are proud of Britain.He's always trying to match me with a Chinese girl and I've made up my mind.Unless you don't marry.But I have to convince him slowly, with Juna's help Who is Juna? Xing Le told her. Han Xing knows the barriers of race.As a Eurasian girl, she always felt that she was drifting between the East and the West, but she didn't belong to either side. Singapore is like this.There were all kinds of people: Chinese in the majority, Malays in their own country, Indians, Tamilis, Zoroastrians and Europeans.East and West meet for business, but never mix.All kinds of people have not yet unified into a Datong society with similar customs and beliefs.Some of the Eurasians are college graduates and some have never been to college. They are all employed in institutions, and most of them form a group of their own.They are completely Westernized in appearance, habits, and language, but they are not emotionally close to any country, with perhaps a slight exception to their father's or mother's homeland. Like Nina.She is of mixed Spanish and Chinese descent.So she is very beautiful, and her eyes are as beautiful as Han Xing.Her friend Susan, whose father was Irish and whose mother was a Malay woman, worked as a stenographer for an English firm next door to Little John in the lottery mall.Susan likes to think of herself as pure white, pure Irish.She will never marry a Chinese in her life.She is a Catholic, but she goes to Church of Angelique because she feels that there are too many Chinese women and children attending Catholic Mass.She felt at home in the Church of England, surrounded by white people, the kind of society she aspired to be in but had no other chance to be in.Other than that, she was a cheerful, reasonable, healthy young girl, ready to start a family, cook, and have children.She drank only bottled, artificially dyed orange juice and ate no fresh fruit for fear of catching an infection.All in all, she's just a modern teenage girl who grew up in Englishport and got all her ideas from Dorothy Dick shows, movies, magazines, and various commercials. Han Xing's home is in Bedok District, near the coast, which is the eastern suburb.There are many dull two- and three-story brick houses in this area, each with a small garden.The house is very old and made of red bricks.Another family lived on the top floor.They have a living room, the mother and daughter sleep in the same bedroom with a four-year-old child, the kitchen is large and bright, leading to a small backyard, and behind it is another row of uniform brick houses. Mrs. Ma's head was covered with ornaments, and she was rubbed with sesame oil.She is in her forties and has put on weight, but if she was born in a good environment, she could be quite attractive.Like most Cantonese women, she wears black linen pajama pants and slippers at home.And like most tropical women, don't wear stockings.She showed perfunctory sincerity to everyone, when Han Xing introduced Xing Le, she immediately smiled. Forgive our mess here.It's good of you to come.Han Xing often talks about you, I am eager to see what the man she admires looks like. Xing Le smiled quietly. We can't talk about anything.Mrs. Ma's tone put him at ease immediately. But your family has a pearl like no other in the world. He looked at Han Xing.Mother understood immediately what he meant. Oh, she's a jewel to me anyway.she says.Mrs. Ma has sharp eyes and can read a man's mind. A brown sofa chair that was in disrepair was placed under the window, and thick curtains were hung on the window to block the hot sunlight outside the window.The only furniture was a few chairs, a solid Cantonese recliner with wooden legs, and a round table of chestnut wood.The phone was on a low table in one corner.The wallpaper is dark red dark green.The place doesn't even have an air of phoniness. Xingle found that her mother's skin was very fair and thin, and she began to have a good impression of her round face.She is a heavy smoker.Her daughter told him that she lived on beer and cigarettes; that she drank beer with sausage for lunch; but at night when Han Xing came home, she always prepared a big hot meal. Han Xing has been standing beside him, with his hands on his shoulders or around his back. You want to see my house.See it now.She said to her mother again: He said he wants to know everything about me, where I sleep, where I eat, do you want to look at other places? of course yes. She took him by the hand and looked at the bedroom first.There is a bunk bed in the room, and there is a small hammock next to it, which is close to the wall and the window, and the backyard is outside the window; there is a movable large oval mirror on the back of a large dresser, which is too gorgeous to match, it must be Bought at auction; and a huge second-hand black wardrobe with huge square brass handles that looked out of place in the room.Xing Le stood inside the door, a few feet away, browsing the surrounding decorations. Who sleeps in the little hammock? my child.He couldn't sleep.Sleeping with me now, or with her grandmother. your child? Yes.You saw him when we walked in the door. She dragged him to visit the bright kitchen, gestured and said: Now you can see it all. Xing Le kissed her to express her gratitude. I have a child, you are surprised? You didn't tell me that you were married before. No, that child is my evil obstacle.She downplayed it, without embarrassment at all, and let him draw his own conclusions. When they returned to the living room, Mrs. Ma smiled quietly and said: Now you have seen our little house. Yes, I'm happy, this is your daughter's home, it means a lot to me.I was also happy to meet her mother. We're happy too and hope you feel comfortable here, she loves you a lot and you know that. I love her too. Xing Le and Han Xing smiled at each other. Mother continued to ask him about his job, his family, interspersed with the occasional pleasant, lame joke.Her voice is young and loud.She said she had no objection to her daughter marrying a gentleman and avoiding bad guys.She thinks that everyone who hangs around in the city is a villain. Xing Le got up to say goodbye, she stretched out her arms, looked at him bluntly and said: You must come to play again, welcome anytime. When he was gone, she turned to her daughter and said in a disappointed tone: I thought he was here to propose. Oh mom!do you like him? Love it, he's such a handsome man, polite, serious looking, and has a good job. She walked to the recliner, her face suddenly haggard, oh, I'm so tired, I'm tired of all this hard work, saving, saving money.I hope to get married one day and we can have a home of our own. He actually proposed to me already.Mom, don't you think he's wonderful?He said a lot of sweet things to me, which made the girl feel very comfortable and really loved. You didn't promise him? He understands, I don't need to say more, but he hasn't taken me to his family yet, there is a Juna. Juna? His uncle's concubine. have you met her No. Oh boy, you are young and beautiful.Don't go down the wrong path of your mother.I'm glad you got rid of that bastard Liupi. I didn't get rid of him, he dumped me. I think this boy seems very decent.He seems to be serious, and if you let him slip out of your grasp, it's your own fault.