Chapter 14 Chapter Fourteen
Manzhen was admitted to the hospital because of dystocia.Zhu's family originally invited an obstetrician to deliver the birth. It was a female doctor they knew well. She often played cards with Man Lu. The female doctor was also a top-notch person. She has seen a lot, and she is not surprised at all, so Manlu thinks she can be trusted.Her medical skills are not very good, but she encountered dystocia again.She advocated sending her to the hospital, but Zhu's family stayed close by, worried about letting Manzhen walk out of the gate, and only at the last moment did they rush her to a hospital by car.It was Manlu who accompanied her. Of course, Manlu wanted to live in the first-class ward and isolate her from the outside world as much as possible, but it happened that the first-class and second-class wards were full, and she was afraid of delaying time if she changed to another hospital. Had to live in the third-class ward.
Manzhen had already fallen into a coma when she left Zhu's house, but the car door slammed shut, the car slowly drove out, and the big iron gate of the garden was also opened, and she suddenly felt clear.She finally came out.To die is to die outside.She hated that house and would never go back out this time, except in a nightmare.She knew she would dream of it.No matter how old she lived, she would never forget the magic house and garden, and she would return there again and again in her horrible dreams.
She gave birth to a five-pound boy in the hospital, and she didn't think he would live.The night shift nurse brought the baby to feed her, and she looked at his red face under the dim yellow light.When the child was not born, she hated him more than anything else, even though she knew the child was innocent.Even now, with the child here, in her arms, she still felt a slight shudder of disgust in amazement.Who does he look like?In fact, this newborn baby does not look like anyone, just like a red skinned kitten, but Manzhen seems to find some suspicious points on his face, which makes her suspect that he is a bit like Zhu Hongcai.Not like her anyway, not at all.It is also said that when the child is in the womb, if the mother often misses someone, the child will look like that person in the future.Does it look like Shijun?I really can't see it.
Thinking of Shijun, she immediately felt confused.When Zhu's family lived in captivity, she was eager to meet him, and when she met, she would tell him everything, and only he could comfort her.She never seemed to think that she already had a child with someone else, would he treat her a little differently?That's normal, right?But she idealized him, and she believed that he only loved her more because of all the hardships she had suffered.Fortunately, she has such an absolutely reliable person in her pain, she can always think about him in her mind, that is her only comfort.But now, she was about to regain her freedom, and she might be able to meet him soon, so she was worried again.If he was in Shanghai and happened to visit a friend in this hospital, it would be great if he walked through this room and saw her. How does he feel?It's really embarrassing to think about him.
She looked at the baby, who was just sucking on the milk with all his heart, as if he wanted to drink her whole.
She has to try to get out of this hospital as soon as possible, maybe tomorrow, but she can't take the baby with her.She herself has a bright future, and she doesn't know what will happen after she goes out.Don't worry about throwing the child to her sister. Her sister will not treat him badly. Didn't she always want a son?But the boy was so thin that she believed he would die.
Suddenly she leaned down and kissed him affectionately.She felt that their mother and son met in a hurry on the frontier of life and death, and they were about to separate soon, but for the time being, they were the closest people in the world.
When the nurse came to take the baby away, she asked the nurse for a glass of water.She had already said this when she came to measure the temperature last time, and she said it again now, but she never brought it.She was so thirsty that she had to shout loudly: Miss Zheng!Miss Zheng!But it woke up a pregnant woman on the next bed, and she heard the man coughing.
There is a white cloth screen between their two beds.They once talked through the screen, and the woman asked Manzhen if it was her first child, whether it was a boy or a girl.She herself gave birth to a boy, on the same day as Manzhen's child, with a difference of less than an hour.The woman's voice sounds very young, but she is already a mother of four children. Her husband's surname is Cai, and her name is Jin Fang.That night Manzhen heard her coughing and said: Mrs. Cai, did you wake you up?Cai Jinfang said: It doesn't matter.The nurses here are terrible, begging them to do something is like a beggar, and the young lady screamed loudly.I really hate it, thinking about it, I don't even take the anger of my parents-in-law, so I came here to be angry with them!
Cai Jinfang turned over and said again: Master Zhu, your sister-in-law didn't come to see you today?Manzhen couldn't figure out who Zhu's wife was and who her sister-in-law was for a while, but then she suddenly remembered that when Manlu sent her to the hospital, she probably registered her as Mrs. Zhu Hongcai.A few days ago, Manlu came to visit every day. Everyone in the hospital knew that her surname was also Zhu, and they regarded her as a member of Manzhen's in-laws.
Seeing that Manzhen couldn't answer, Jin Fang asked again: "Is it your sister-in-law?"Manzhen could only vaguely agree.Jin Fang said again: Isn't your husband in Shanghai?Manzhen groaned again, but felt very sad in her heart.
It was late at night, except for the two of them, everyone in the room was fast asleep.Outside the window is the dark sky, with a white cross embedded with white lacquered window lattices.Under the dim light, Manzhen told Cai Jinfang everything about her experience.She and Jin Fang have never met each other until now, but she intuitively feels that he is a warm-hearted person, and she really needs help.Originally, I wanted to tell the doctors here as soon as I had a chance, that she asked to be discharged early without waiting for her family to pick her up.Or tell the nurses to tell them to pass it on, it's the same, but the doctors and nurses here obviously don't take them seriously to the patients in the third-class wards, who cares about your family disputes.
And her things are so bizarre, can people believe her?In case Man Lu insisted that she was mentally ill, and took her back before her body recovered and had no strength to struggle, even though there were many people in the hospital, who had the time to take care of these nosy matters.She does look a bit like a mental patient when she looks at herself, her hair is very long and draped over her shoulders in a mess, there is no mirror here, so she can't see her face, but she can see that her hands have become so pale now, The wrist was as thin as a stick, and a snail bone protruded high.
As long as her feet are a little strong and she can stand on the ground, she will sneak out by herself, but now she feels dizzy even when she sits up, and she only hates her body for not being able to live up to it.She discussed with Jin Fang, and wanted to ask Jin Fang's husband to send a letter to her family, telling her mother to pick her up immediately.In fact, she also felt that this method was not the most appropriate one. She didn't know what her mother's attitude was. Most likely, her sister had already bribed her. Otherwise, why didn't she try to rescue her after losing her freedom for almost a year?This was what made her feel the most distressed. She never thought that her own mother would treat her like this, but it was not as good as a stranger like Cai Jinfang.
Jin Fang was very angry, saying that her sister and husband were not human at all, and said: Drag them to the police station!Manzhen hurriedly said: Take it easy!Jin Fang fell silent, listening to the other patients still sleeping soundlessly. In the huge room, only the bamboo needles of the nurse sitting at the door knitting were occasionally slightly clicked.
Manzhen whispered: I don't want to have a lawsuit with them.In a lawsuit, the person they can afford always prevails.Jin Fang said: "Your words are not wrong at all."I was out of breath just now. In fact, people in small businesses like ours have not suffered enough from the hardships of patrolling and arresting?I don't know what's the use of dragging them to the police station, not whoever has the money will be the murderer!We will never sue them, at most ask them to take out some money to calculate compensation for losses.
Manzhen said: I don't want their money.Hearing this, Jin Fang seemed to respect her a little more, and said, "Then hurry up and go out, my family Lin is born tomorrow, and ask him to go out with you, you are considered me, even if he is here to pick you up." mine.If you can't walk, ask him to help you.Manzhen hesitated for a moment, then said: That's good, but in case someone finds out, don't you want to hurt you?Jin Fang laughed and said: "It's just in time for them to come looking for me, and I just slapped them fiercely."Hearing what she said, Manzhen couldn't say a word, his heart was overflowing with gratitude.Jin Fang said again: "It's just that you have only given birth for a few days, so don't cause trouble by walking around like this."Manzhen said: I think it doesn't matter.I can't take care of this much anymore.
The two discussed again carefully.Their voices are too soft, and they cannot be heard clearly when their heads are on the pillow, so they always need to hang their heads in the air, which is very difficult.Talk and stop, and see that the sky is already twilight.
The next afternoon, when it was time for family members to visit, Manzhen anxiously hoped that Jin Fang's husband would come soon, but before he came, Man Lu came with Hongcai, which was the first time for Hongcai. When I came to the hospital, I hadn't shown up before.He held a handful of flowers in his hand, showing a very embarrassed look.Manlu was carrying a food basket, and she brought it every day with stewed chicken soup.Manzhen closed her eyes as soon as she saw them.With a smile, Man Lu called Second Sister softly.Manzhen didn't answer.Standing there, Hongcai felt very uncomfortable, so he had to look around, frowned and said to Manlu: This room is really terrible, how can I live in it?Man Lu said: That's right, I'm really mad, the better wards are all full.I told them that as soon as the first- and second-class rooms become available, they will move there immediately.With a bouquet of flowers in his hand and no place to put it, Hongcai said, "Ask the nurse to bring a vase."Man Lu laughed and said, "Tell her to bring the baby for you to see."You haven't seen it yet.He was busy looking for a nurse.
After a while of confusion, the child was brought over.Hongcai had a middle-aged son, seeing this child, he simply didn't know how to love him.The husband and wife played with the child, and the child croaked and cried, and Manlu made all kinds of strange noises to call him.Manzhen always closed his eyes and ignored them.I heard Hongcai ask Manlu again: Is the nanny who came yesterday okay?Man Lu said: No way, the test today said it was trachoma.The couple just played and sang, Manzhen suddenly opened his eyes impatiently, and said weakly: I want to sleep for a while, you should go back.Man Lu was stunned for a moment, then said softly to Hongcai: "Second Sister thinks it's too noisy."you go first.Hongcai turned and left dejectedly, but Manlu caught up with him, pinned him down and asked in a low voice: Where are you going?Hongcai muttered something, not knowing how he answered her, but she still seemed worried, but she had no choice but to say, "Then call the car back to pick me up when you get there."
After Hongcai left, Manlu got up silently, just hugging the child, sitting in front of Manzhen's bed, gently shaking and patting the child.After a while Fang said: "He wanted to see you a long time ago, but he was afraid of making you angry."Two days ago, when he saw you like that and heard the doctor say it was dangerous, he was so anxious that he couldn't even eat.
Manzhen remained silent.Manlu took out a big red carnation from the bunch of flowers and dangled it before the child's eyes, and the child's head followed it.Man Lu laughed and said: Hey, I already know that I like red!The child held the flower in his hand, but couldn't squeeze it firmly, and the flower fell on Manzhen's pillow.Man Lu looked at Manzhen's face and saw that she didn't look disgusted, so she said in a low voice: Second sister, do you hate a person for the rest of your life just because he did something wrong when he was drunk?Saying that, he sent the child to her side again, and said, "Second Sister, now for the child's sake, you should forgive him."
Manzhen was feeling sore because she was about to leave her child behind, and she didn't expect to see such a side again after the last time.She did not look at the child, but silently put her arms around him, rubbing her cheek against his head.Man Lu didn't know her psychology.Watching from the side, she became happy, thinking that Manzhen had finally changed her mind, but she couldn't bear this face for a while, and couldn't turn her mouth around; at this critical moment, she had to be extra careful when speaking, so as not to offend her again.So Manlu also fell silent.
Jin Fang's husband, Cai Linsheng, has been here for a long time.Through a white cloth screen, they could be heard whispering, presumably Jin Fang had already told him all about Manzhen's story.They also listened intently to what this side said, and when this side fell silent, the other side began to talk again.Jin Fang asked him how many red eggs he had dyed, and who was entrusted to take care of the egg stand when he came here.They didn't have so much to say, Lin Sheng should have left long ago, but because he wanted to take Manzhen with him, he had to wait.Sitting there without speaking all the time seemed strange, so I had to think of something to say intermittently.Probably the couple had never had such a long talk before, and it was very difficult.Lin Sheng said that his older sister was helping out at the egg stand in the past two days, and her older sister also had a big belly.Jin Fang then told him how bad the nurses here are.
Man Lu just sat there and did not leave, the time for family visits was almost over.Some family members brought snacks and snacks for the mother, and ate chestnut shells all over the floor. The family members left, and a worker in the hospital came to sweep the floor with a broom. There is a sense of expelling guests.Manzhen was very anxious.Seeing those chestnut shells, she remembered that sugar-fried chestnuts were on the market, but it wasn't already late autumn, but she had been imprisoned in Zhu's house for almost a year.Suddenly she said to herself, "Maybe there are chestnut powder cakes now?"She was suddenly interested in food, and Man Lu felt more at ease, and quickly smiled and said: Do you want to eat?If you want to eat, I will buy it for you.Manzhen said: Maybe it's too late?Man Lu looked at her watch and said: Then I will go.But Manzhen became indifferent again, and lazily said: I just made a trip, no need.Man Lu said: "It's rare that I want to eat something, but I don't want to eat a little bit."You are recovering slowly because you eat too little.Saying that, he had already put on his coat, sent the child to the nurse, and left in a hurry.
Manzhen estimated that she had gone far away, and was waiting to knock on the screen, but Linsheng had already come here to hide with a roll of clothes.It's Jin Fang's plaid cheongsam, a woolen scarf and a pair of green cloth strappy shoes.He gave Manzhen his hands, and left without saying a word.Manzhen saw that both of his hands were bright red, presumably they were dyed with red eggs.She couldn't help smiling, and felt a little bit lost, because she and Jin Fang both had children, but her own situation was so bleak.
She hurriedly put Jin Fang's clothes on the outside, and then covered her head and face with the scarf, hiding most of her face inside. Fortunately, pregnant women are always afraid of the wind, so it doesn't look special.Dressed neatly, he was already sweating from exhaustion, standing on the ground, his feet fluttered as if he was stepping on cotton.She leaned on the wall and slipped to the screen, Lin Sheng helped her and left.She only had a quick glance at Jin Fang. Jin Fang had a long, yellow complexion, but his eyebrows and eyes were very pretty.Lin Sheng's appearance was not bad either. He helped Manzhen to go outside. The nurse on duty sent Manzhen's child to the baby's room, but they hadn't come back yet, so they felt as if they were in nowhere.After going down this floor, of course no one knows them.Walking out of the gate, there were several rickshaws parked at the gate, Manzhen immediately got into one, Linsheng asked the driver to put down the hood, saying that she was afraid of the wind, and covered the front with a rain cloth.The rickshaw pulled away, walked a long way, and crossed the bridge.It was already dark, and the eyes were full of scattered lights.Linsheng lived in a back alley in Hongkou, and the couple lived in a pavilion with several children at home.As soon as Linsheng got home, he settled Manzhen, and hurried out again to deliver letters to her home.At the same time, she asked him to make a call to Xu's house to find out if Mr. Shen Shijun was in Shanghai. If he was, she told him that a man surnamed Gu was looking for him and asked him to come here.
Linsheng left, and Manzhen was lying on their bed. The bed was very big, and there was a one-year-old child sleeping in the inner bed.On the walls with peeling plaster, various pictorials were pasted instead of decals. There were photos of famous ladies, photos of floods and droughts, comic strips and wedding photos. The same bright.Next to the bed is a small long table, on which all daily necessities are placed, such as hot water bottles, oil bottles, mirrors, cups, plates and bowls, which are so crowded that people cannot put their hands in them.An electric light bulb was hung on the roof. Under the light, Manzhen looked at the lively small room. It was like a dream when she came here. There was still a child lying beside her, but it was not her own child.
Of the four children in the Cai family, the eldest was a six or seven-year-old girl. Before leaving, Linsheng threw some money at her and told her to buy some pancakes for dinner.The good woman in Zao Phi Jian saw it and asked him who the new guest was, and he said it was his woman's little sister, but this incident was really strange, making people a little suspicious that he took the woman's birth in the hospital and took her away. Friends brought it home.
The little girl came back from buying the pancakes, shared them with her younger siblings, and handed a large piece to Manzhen, which she placed on the edge of the table.Manzhen then asked her to hand her a mirror on the table, took a look in the mirror, and he didn't recognize him at all, his cheekbones were raised high, his face had no blood at all, even his lips were white Yes, the eyes are big and lifeless.She stared in the mirror for a long time, and combed her hair with her hands, but the more anxious she was, the more difficult it was to comb.She was very anxious, thinking that if Shi Jun was in Shanghai, he might come soon.
In fact, Shijun happened to be in Shanghai these two days, but he came to live in his uncle's house this time. He came to invite Shuhui to be his best man just to prepare for his wedding, and he had a lot of things to buy besides.He went to find Shuhui at Yangshupu's dormitory, not at Shuhui's house, so the Xu family didn't know he was here.Linsheng called to ask, and Mrs. Xu told him that Mr. Shen was not in Shanghai.
According to the address that Manzhen gave him, Linsheng went to Manzhen's house again. A different family has already lived there. There is still a signboard at the door, and a dance school has opened.Lin Sheng went to ask the person in the alley, and the person said that the Gu family had already moved out, and it was at the end of last year.Linsheng came back and told Manzhen, and Manzhen was not surprised when he heard it.This is nothing else, it must be Manlu's plan to draw fire from the bottom.It can be seen that her mother is completely under the control of her sister. At this time, even if she finds her mother, it will be useless, or it will cause a lot of trouble instead.But what should she do now, not only has no relatives, but also penniless.Lin Sheng asked her to live here, and he himself stayed at his sister's house that night.Manzhen felt very dissatisfied.She didn't know that it is nothing for the poor to take care of each other in times of crisis. They live in precarity forever, so they can especially sympathize with those in distress, and their sympathy is not limited by various scruples like the rich. Clamping.This was something she realized slowly later. At that time, she was just glad that she happened to meet Lin Sheng and Jin Fang, a particularly loyal couple.
That night, she borrowed a pencil and a piece of paper from their eldest girl, and wanted to write a simple letter to Shijun, telling him to come quickly.She could see him as soon as she saw it, but she felt vague and uncertain about him.She remembered the reserved side of his character.Even if he completely forgives her, can he still love her as before?If he loved her desperately, they wouldn't have quarreled at all the last time they met, and the reason for the quarrel was also because he was too compromised with the family.His marriage, if his family could not pass it at the beginning, of course it would not be possible now if they knew that she had given birth to a child outside.
She held the pen in her hand, but felt at a loss in her heart.As a result, she wrote a very short letter, saying that she had been ill since the separation, and hoped that he would come to Shanghai as soon as possible after seeing the letter. She told him her current address, and said nothing else. The signature also has only one character.She was also thinking that although Shijun had said before that no one would open his letter, what if someone else saw it.
She sent an express letter, and when the letter arrived in Nanjing, Shijun was still in Shanghai and had not returned yet.Although his mother is illiterate, Manzhen often wrote letters in the past. There was a time when Shijun lived in his father's small mansion, and his mother personally brought his letters to him, and she could tell that it was a girl. The child's handwriting, when I saw Manzhen later, I guessed it was her, and there was no one else.Now there is no letter for more than half a year, and suddenly there is another letter like this. When Mrs. Shen sees it, she is very uneasy. , I have to change my mind again.She hesitated for a moment, then opened the letter, and asked the young mistress to read it to her.The eldest young mistress read it again, because she said: I see this look, as if this woman has already broken up with him, and now she pretends to be sick and tells him to go see her immediately.Mrs. Shen nodded and remained silent.The two discussed it for a while, and both said that the letter could not be shown to him.A match was lit on the spot and it was burned.
Since Manzhen sent this letter, she has been counting the days every day.Although they had had some grievances before, she believed that he would come as soon as he received the letter, which she was quite sure of.She calculated that he would arrive within three or four days, but after waiting for more than a week, looking forward to it from morning to night, not only did no one come, but there was not even a single reply.She thought to herself, could it be that he has heard what happened to her from other places, so he doesn't want to meet her again?As expected, he is so heartless and ungrateful, it was really a waste of time to get to know him at the beginning.She was lying on the bed, although her eyes were closed, the tears just flowed out, and a large area of the pillow was cold and wet. Sometimes she turned the pillow over and slept on it again, and sometimes the other side was also wet from crying.
She thought about it, unless he never received the letter and was intercepted by his family.If that's the case, it's useless to write it again, and it will still be intercepted.I had no choice but to be patient and recuperate, and when my body recovered, I went to Nanjing to find him.But there is no money at hand, so I am really anxious.Living in Cai's house, eating other people's food for free, and occupying the only room, making Lin Sheng unable to return home, is really disturbing.She remembered that she still had half a month's salary in her office, and that it would be an emergency, so she wrote a note and Tuo Linsheng sent it.The factory sent someone back with him and handed over the money to her face to face.She heard the man say that they had already hired another typist.
When she got the money, she rented a vacant pavilion on the third floor and moved upstairs. Linsheng bought two planks and two necessary pieces of furniture for her, and he still provided tea and meals.Manzhen gave him some of her remaining money, and he would not accept it as food money, saying that she would pay them back slowly when she found a job in the future.At this time, Jin Fang had already returned from the hospital and was recuperating at home. Manzhen must have forced her to accept the money, so Jin Fang made her own decision and asked Lin Sheng to cut a few feet of thread to match. Linzi, handed it over to the tailor shop in Nongkou to make a jacket for Manzhen, otherwise she would not even have a piece of clothing.Jinfang returned the extra money to her and told her to keep the pocket money, but Manzhen couldn't resist her, so she had to keep it.
When Jin Fang was discharged from the hospital, she told her that when Man Lu came back from buying a chestnut powder cake that day, she found that Man Zhen had disappeared, but she didn't pursue it, but took the child back that day.Manzhen guessed that they must have a guilty conscience, so he didn't dare to speak out, as long as he could save the child.
After all, Manzhen was in good health at first, and even young people recovered quickly, and soon became healthy again.She immediately went to look for Shuhui, wanting to ask him to find something. At the same time, she also thought that if she happened to be lucky, she might be able to see Shijun, if he was in Shanghai.She picked a Saturday evening to go to Xu's house, because at that time there were more opportunities for Shuhui to be at home.Walking in through the back door, just as Shuhui's mother was operating in the kitchen, Manzhen called her aunt.Mrs. Xu smiled and said: Hey, Miss Gu, long time no see.Manzhen smiled and said: Is Shuhui at home?Mrs. Xu smiled and said, "At home, at home."What a coincidence, he just came back from Nanjing.Manzhen groaned, thinking that Shuhui had visited Nanjing again, and Shijun always invited him to go.When she walked up to the third floor, the people in the room probably heard the sound of her leather shoes, when an unknown girl came out and looked at her with a questioning air.Manzhen suspected that he had gone to the wrong place, so he smiled and said: Is Mr. Xu Shuhui at home?As soon as she asked, Shuhui came out from inside, and said with a smile: Hey, it's you!Please come in please come in!This is my sister.Only then did Manzhen remember that it was the girl Shijun used to do math for her, but she felt at a loss.
After sitting down in the room, Shuhui smiled and said, "I was thinking about looking for you, but you came right away."Speaking of this, his sister brought in a cup of tea, interrupted and stopped talking, Manzhen was a little puzzled, thinking that he might have heard about Shijun and her breaking up, and wanted to make peace with them.Maybe it was Shijun who entrusted him.Immediately, she took a sip of the tea, and then accosted Shu Hui's younger sister.His younger sister was probably at a shy age, she stood beside her for a while with a smile, and then went out again.Shuhui smiled and said: I'm leaving.So he told her about his going abroad, and Manzhen was really happy for him.But he reported the news from beginning to end, and still didn't mention Shijun.She felt very strange.Otherwise, she would have asked a long time ago, and for some reason, the more frightened she was, the less she dared to ask.Could it be that he knew they had a falling out, so he didn't mention it?That is unless Shijun told him that they were finished.
If she hadn't gone through all this, she still wouldn't say that in front of Shu Hui.She picked up the teacup to drink tea, looked around and said with a smile: Why has this room changed?Shuhui smiled and said: "Now my younger sister lives here."Manzhen smiled and said: No wonder, I said, how can I tidy up the mess that you two used to pile up in such a mess!The two of you she mentioned are of course Shijun and Shuhui.She thought that by saying this, Shuhui would definitely mention Shijun, but he didn't take the blame.Manzhen then asked him when he was leaving, and Shuhui said, "Leave early in the morning the day after tomorrow."Manzhen smiled and said: "It's a pity that I haven't been able to come to you long ago. Originally, I wanted to ask you to find something for me."Shuhui said: "Why, aren't you busy?"you are not there anymore?Manzhen said: I was seriously ill, they couldn't wait, so they hired someone else.Shuhui said: No wonder, I said why you lost weight!He asked her what illness she had, and she casually said it was typhoid fever.He told her to go to a foreign firm to find a man surnamed Wu. He heard that they wanted to employ someone, so on the one hand, he first called for her to ask someone.
After talking for a long time, Shijun was never mentioned.Manzhen finally asked with a smile: Have you been to Nanjing recently?Shuhui laughed and said: Hey, how do you know?Manzhen smiled and said: I just heard what my aunt said.Having said that, Shuhui still didn't mention Shijun, he lit a cigarette with a match, threw the match out of the window, stood there, faced out of the window, and took a deep breath of smoke.Manzhen couldn't bear it anymore, so she also walked over, stood beside him with her hands on the window sill, and said with a smile: "Did you go to Nanjing to see Shijun?"Shuhui smiled and said: "He is the one who asked me to go."He got married the day before yesterday.Manzhen pressed both hands on the window sill, only feeling that the window sill was undulating, and he didn't know how the solid wood became like a wave, and it couldn't be pinched.Seeing that she seemed to be stunned, Shuhui laughed again and said, "Didn't you hear that?"He is married to Miss Shi, have you seen him too?Manzhen said: Oh, we met in Nanjing that time.
Shuhui seemed unwilling to say more about this matter, Manzhen of course thought it was because he knew about her relationship with Shijun.She didn't know that he was also full of depression, because of Cuizhi.Manzhen didn't sit down to talk anymore, and said: You will leave the day after tomorrow, you must be very busy these two days, so I won't confuse you.Shuhui left her for dinner and wanted to go out with her again, Manzhen smiled and said, "I won't see you off for you, and you don't need to treat guests, so let's avoid it."Shuhui wanted to exchange correspondence with her, but he didn't have an address when he went to the United States, so he only wrote her a school address.
When she walked out of Shu Hui's house, she felt that the world had changed. She had been locked up in Zhu's house for nearly a year, and when she ran out, the outside world had changed.In less than a year, has Shijun married someone else?
She walked under the street lights, and it took a long way before she remembered that she should take the tram.But she took the wrong tram again. The tram crossed the bridge and stopped at the Bund, so she had to get down and walk by herself.It had rained a few minutes ago, and the ground was a bit damp.Gradually walking to the head of the bridge, the electric lights on the steel bridge were brightly lit. The huge black shadow of the bridge, with big black bars, lay across the grayish-yellow water.There are many small boats moored under the bridge, and the big strips of shadows also fall on the boat decks.There was not a shred of light on the water.How deep is the water here?The flat surface of the water was like gray-yellow cement, and it was impossible to know whether to fall or drown if you jumped into it.
Trucks rumbled past the bridge, and the ground trembled, making the soles of your feet numb.She just stood by the bridge with her back on her back, staring blankly at the water.No matter how bad others treat her, even her own sister, her own mother, has not made her sad like Shijun.I heard about him at Shuhui's house just now. She seemed to have been given anesthesia during the operation. She was confused, but she didn't feel much pain. Now she is gradually waking up, and the pain is just beginning.
The boats under the bridge were all dark and unlit, so everyone on board must have fallen asleep.It was probably very late, and Jin Fang told her that she must go back to have dinner, because today's food is very good, and their child is full moon today.Manzhen thought of her own child again, wondering if he was still alive.
I really don't know how that night passed.But since people are alive, they live like this day by day. Not long after that, she found a job, teaching in a school, and the salary was not good, so she wanted it to have a place to live.She moved out from Jin Fang's house and lived in the teachers' dormitory.She used to teach in a Yang family, and the two children had a good relationship with her. Now this matter was introduced to her by the Yang family. The Yang family only knew that she was unemployed because of illness, and everyone in the family returned home. After going down, she was left alone in Shanghai.
Now she lives in the school and rarely goes out, and she rarely goes to the Yang family.One day, two or three years later, she went to Yang's house to play, and Mrs. Yang told her that her mother had come yesterday and asked if they knew where she was now.Mrs. Yang probably felt very strange, how could her mother not know.He told her mother her address.When Manzhen heard it, she knew there must be trouble coming.
It's not that she hasn't missed her mother in the past two years, but she really doesn't want to see her.When she came out of Yang's house that day, she simply didn't want to go back to the dormitory.Thinking about it again, this is also unavoidable, her mother will find there sooner or later.When I went back that day, her mother was already waiting in the reception room.
When Mrs. Gu saw her, she shed tears.Manzhen only called her mother lightly.Mrs. Gu said: You have lost weight.Manzhen didn't say anything, and she didn't ask where they lived or how their family was doing, because she knew that her sister must be there to support them.Mrs. Gu had no choice but to voluntarily tell her everything, saying: Your grandma has been very healthy in the past two years, and she is better than before. My eldest brother will graduate this summer.You probably don't know that we live in Suzhou now. Manzhen Road: I only know that you have moved from Jiqingfang.I guess it was my sister's idea, she arranged it really thoughtfully.As he spoke, he couldn't help but sneered.Mrs. Gu sighed: You don't want to listen to me after I said it, but actually your sister doesn't have bad intentions, it's her fault.Now that you have given birth to a child, why bother to go outside to suffer by yourself.
Hearing her mother's tone, Manzhen seemed to pity her for being homeless, and wanted to ask her to return to Zhu's house to be a ready-made concubine.She blushed with anger, and said: Mom, don't talk to me about these things, I can't help but get angry.Mrs. Gu wiped her tears and said: "It's all for you too." Manzhen said: "For my own good, you really hurt me."At that time, I didn't know what my sister told you, how could you let them lock me up at home during those times.他們心也太毒了，那時候要是早點送到醫院裏，也不至於受那些罪，差點把命都送掉了！顧太太道：我知道你要怪我的。我也是因為曉得你性子急，照我這個老腦筋想起來，想著你也只好嫁給鴻才了，難得你姊姊她倒氣量大，還說讓你們正式結婚。其實要叫我說，你也還是太倔了，你將來這樣下去怎麼辦呢？說到這裏，漸漸鳴嗚咽咽哭出聲來了。曼楨起先也沒言語，後來她有點不耐煩地說：媽不要這樣。給人家看著算什麼呢？
顧太太極力止住悲聲，坐在那裏拿手帕擦眼睛擤鼻子，半晌，又自言自語地道：孩子現在聰明著呢，什麼都會說了，見了人也不認生，直趕著我叫外婆。養下的時候那麼瘦，現在長得又白又胖。曼楨還是不作聲，後來終於說道：你也不要多說了，反正無論怎麼樣，我絕對不會再到祝家去的。
學校裏噹噹噹打起鐘來，要吃晚飯了。曼楨道：媽該回去了。不早了。顧太太只得嘆了口氣站起身來，道：我看你再想想吧。過天再來看你。
但是她自從那次來過以後就沒有再來，大概因為曼楨對她太冷酷了，使她覺得心灰意冷。她想必又回蘇州去了。曼楨也覺得她自己也許太過分了些，但是因為有祝家夾在中間，她實在不能跟她母親來往，否則更要糾纏不清了。
又過了不少時候。放寒假了，宿舍裏的人都回家過年去了，只剩下曼楨一個人是無家可歸的。整個的樓面上只住著她一個人，她搬到最好的一間屋裏去，但是實在冷靜得很。假期中的校舍，沒有比這個更荒涼的地方了。
有一天下午，她沒事做，坐著又冷，就鑽到被窩裏去睡中覺。夏天的午睡是非常舒適而自然的事情，冬天的午睡就不是味兒，睡得人昏昏沉沉的。房間裏曬滿了淡黃色的斜陽，玻璃窗外垂著一根晾衣裳的舊繩子，風吹著那繩子，吹起來多高，那繩子的影子直竄到房間裏來，就像有一個人影子一晃。曼楨突然驚醒了。
她醒過來半天也還是有點迷迷糊糊的。忽然聽見學校裏的女傭在樓底下高聲喊：顧先生，你家裏有人來看你。她心裏想她母親又來了，卻聽見外面一陣雜亂的腳步聲，絕對不止一個人。曼楨想道：來這許多人幹什麼？她定了定神，急忙披衣起床，這些人卻已經走了進來，阿寶和張媽攙著曼璐，後面跟著一個奶媽，抱著孩子。阿寶叫了聲二小姐，也來不及說什麼，就把曼璐扶到床上去，把被窩堆成一堆，讓她靠在上面。曼璐瘦得整個的人都縮小了，但是衣服一層層地穿得非常臃腫，倒反而顯得胖大。外面罩著一件駱駝毛大衣，頭上包著羊毛圍巾，把嘴部也遮住了，只看見她一雙眼睛半開半掩，慘白的臉上汗瀅瀅的，坐在那裏直喘氣。阿寶替她把手和腳擺擺好，使她坐得舒服一點。曼璐低聲道：你們到車上去等著我。把孩子丟在這兒。阿寶便把孩子抱過來放在床上，然後就和奶媽她們一同下樓去了。
孩子穿著一套簇新的棗紅毛絨衫褲，彷彿是特別打扮了一下，帶來給曼楨看的，臉上還撲了粉，搽著兩朵圓圓的紅胭脂。他滿床爬著，咿咿啞啞說著叫人聽不懂的話，拉著曼璐叫她看這樣看那樣。
曼楨抱著胳膊站在窗前朝他們望著。曼璐道：二妹，你看我病得這樣，看上去也拖不了幾個月了。曼楨不由得哼了一聲，冷笑道：你何必淨咒自己呢。曼璐頓了一頓方才說道：也難怪你不相信我。可是這回實在是真的。我這腸癆的毛病是好不了了。她自己也覺得她就像那騙人的牧童，屢次喊狼來了！狼來了！等到狼真的來了，誰還相信他。
房間裏的空氣冷冰冰的，她開口說話，就像是赤著腳踏到冷水裏去似的。然而她還是得說下去。她顫聲道：你不知道，我這兩年的日子都不是人過的。鴻才成天的在外頭鬼混，要不是因為有這孩子，他早不要我了。你想等我死了，這孩子指不定落在一個什麼女人手裏呢。所以我求求你，你還是回去吧。曼楨道：這些廢話你可以不必再說了。曼璐又道：我講你不信，其實是真的；鴻才他就佩服你，他對你真是同別的女人兩樣，你要是管他一定管得好的。曼楨怒道：祝鴻才是我什麼人，我憑什麼要管他？曼璐道：那麼不去說他了，就看這孩子可憐，我要是死了他該多苦，孩子總是你養的。
曼楨怔了一會，道：我趕明兒想法子把他領出來。曼璐道：那怎麼行，鴻才他哪兒肯哪！你就是告他，他也要傾家蕩產跟你打官司的，好容易有這麼個寶貝兒子，哪裏肯放手。曼楨道：我也想著是難。曼璐道：是呀，要不然我也不來找你了。只有這一個辦法，我死了你可以跟他結婚曼楨道：這種話你就不要去說它了。我死也不會嫁給祝鴻才的。曼璐卻掙扎著把孩子抱了起來，送到曼楨跟前，嘆息著道：為來為去還不是為了他嗎。你的心就這樣狠！
曼楨實在不想抱那孩子，因為她不願意在曼璐面前掉眼淚。但是曼璐只管氣喘喘地把孩子掗了過來。她還沒伸手去接，孩子卻哇的一聲哭了起來，別過頭去叫著媽！mom!向曼璐懷中躲去。他當然只認得曼璐是他的母親，但是曼楨當時忽然變得無可理喻起來，她看見孩子那樣子，覺得非常刺激。
曼璐因為孩子對她這樣依戀，她也悲從中來，哽咽著向曼楨說道：我這時候死了，別的沒什麼丟不下的，就是不放心他。我真捨不得。說到這裏，不由得淚如泉湧。曼楨心裏也不見得比她好過，後來看見她越哭越厲害，而且喘成一團，曼楨實在不能忍受了，只得硬起心腸，厭煩地皺著眉說道：你看你這樣子！還不趕快回去吧！說著，立刻掉轉身來跑下樓去，把汽車上的阿寶和張媽叫出來，叫她們來攙曼璐下樓。曼璐就這樣哭哭啼啼的走了，奶媽抱著孩子跟在她後面。
曼楨一個人在房間裏，她把床上亂堆著的被窩疊疊好，然後就在床沿上坐下了，發了一會呆。根本一提起鴻才她就是一肚子火，她對他除了仇恨還有一種本能的憎惡，所以剛才不加考慮地就拒絕了她姊姊的要求。現在冷靜下來仔細想想，她這樣做也是對的。她並不是不疼孩子，現在她除了這孩子，在這世界上再也沒有第二個親人了。如果能夠把他領出來由她撫養，雖然一個未婚的母親在這社會上是被歧視的，但是她什麼都不怕。為他怎麼樣犧牲都行，就是不能夠嫁給鴻才。
她不打算在這裏再住下去了，因為怕曼璐會再來和她糾纏，或者又要叫她母親來找她。她向學校提出辭職，但是因為放寒假前已經接受了下學期的聘書，所以費了許多唇舌才辭掉了，另外在別處找了個事做會計。她從前學過會計的。找到事又找房子，分租了人家一間房間，二房東姓郭。有一天她下了班回去，走到郭家後門口，裏面剛巧走出一個年輕女子，小圓臉兒，黃黑皮色，腮頰上的胭脂抹得紅紅的，兩邊的鬢髮吊得高高的，穿著一件白地子紅黃小花麻紗旗袍。原來是阿寶。怎麼會又被他們找到這裏來了？曼楨不覺怔了一怔。阿寶看見她也似乎非常詫異，叫了聲咦，二小姐！阿寶身後還跟著一個男子，曼楨認得他是荐頭店的人，這才想起來，郭家的一個老媽子回鄉下去了，前兩天他們家從荐頭店裏叫了一個女傭來試工，大概不合適，所以又另外找人。看樣子阿寶是到郭家來上工的，並不是奉命來找曼楨的，但是曼楨仍舊懶得理她，因為看見她不免就想起從前在祝家被禁閉的時候，她也是一個幫兇。固然她們做傭人的人也是沒辦法，吃人家的飯，就得聽人家指揮，所以也不能十分怪她，但無論如何，曼楨看到她總覺得非常不愉快，只略微把頭點了一點，腳步始終沒有停下來，就繼續地往裏面走。阿寶卻趕上來叫道：二小姐大概不知道吧，大小姐不在了呀。這消息該不是怎樣意外的，然而曼楨還是吃了一驚，說：哦？是幾時不在的？阿寶道：喏，就是那次到您學校裏去，後來不到半個月呀。說著，竟眼圈一紅，落下兩點眼淚。她倒哭了，曼楨只是怔怔地朝她看著，心裏覺得空空洞洞的。
阿寶用一隻指頭頂著手帕，很小心地在眼角擦了擦，便向荐頭店的人說：你可要先回去？我還要跟老東家說兩句話。曼楨卻不想跟她多談，便道：你有事你還是去吧，不要耽擱了你的事。阿寶也覺得曼楨對她非常冷淡，想來總是為了從前那枚戒指的事情，便道：二小姐，我知道你一定怪我那時候不給你送信，咳，你都不知道你曉得後來為什麼不讓我到你房裏來了？她才說到這裏，曼楨便皺著眉攔住她道：這些事還說它幹什麼？阿寶看了看她的臉色，便也默然了，自己抱住自己兩隻胳膊，只管撫摸著。半晌方道：我現在不在他家做了。我都氣死了，二小姐你不知道，大小姐一死，周媽就在姑爺面前說我的壞話，這周媽專門會拍馬屁，才來了幾個月，就把奶媽戳掉了，小少爺就歸她帶著。當著姑爺的面假裝的待小少爺不知多麼好，背後簡直像個晚娘。我真看不過去，我就走了。
她忽然變得這樣正義感起來。曼楨覺得她說的話多少得打點折扣，但是她在祝家被別的傭人擠出來了，這大約是實情。她顯然是很氣憤，好像憋著一肚子話沒處說似的，曼楨不邀她進去，她站在後門口就滔滔不絕地長談起來。又說：姑爺這一向做生意淨蝕本，所以脾氣更壞了，家當橫是快蝕光了，虹橋路的房子也賣掉了，現在他們搬了，就在大安里。說是大小姐有幫夫運，是真的呵，大小姐一死，馬上就倒霉了！他自己橫是也懊悔了，這一向倒霉瞌盹的蹲在家裏，外頭的女人都斷掉了，我常看見他對大小姐的照片淌眼淚。
一說到鴻才，曼楨就露出不耐煩的神氣，彷彿已經在後門口站得太久了。阿寶究竟還知趣，就沒有再往下說，轉過口來問道：二小姐現在住在這兒？曼楨只含糊地應了一聲，就轉問她：你到這兒來是不是來上工的？阿寶笑道：是呀，不過我看他們這兒人又多，工錢也不大，我不想做。我託託二小姐好吧，二小姐有什麼朋友要用人，就來喊我，我就在對過的荐頭店裏。曼楨也隨口答應著。
隨即有一剎那的沉默。曼楨很希望她再多說一點關於那孩子的事情，說他長得有多高了，怎樣頑皮一個孩子可以製造出許多軼聞和佳話，為女傭們所樂道的。曼楨也很想知道，他說話是什麼地方的口音？他身體還結實嗎？脾氣好不好？阿寶不說，曼楨卻也不願意問她，不知道為什麼這樣羞於啟齒。
阿寶笑道：那我走了，二小姐。她走了，曼楨也就進去了。
阿寶說祝家現在住在大安里，曼楨常常走過那裏的，她每天乘電車，從她家裏走到電車站有不少路，這大安里就是必經之地，現在她走到這裏總是換到馬路對過走著，很擔心也許會碰見鴻才，雖然不怕他糾纏不清，究竟討厭。
這一天，她下班回來，有兩個放學回來的小學生走在她前面。她近來看見任何小孩就要猜測他們的年齡，同時計算著自己的孩子的歲數，想著那孩子是不是也有這樣高了。這兩個小孩當然比她的孩子大好些，總有七八歲的光景，一律在棉袍上罩著新藍布罩袍，穿得胖墩墩的。兩人像操兵似的並排走著，齊齊地舉起手裏的算盤，有節奏地一舉一舉，使那算盤珠發出批！批！的巨響，作為助威的軍樂。有時候又把算盤扛在肩上代表槍枝。
曼楨在他們後面，偶爾聽見他們談話的片段，他們的談話卻是太沒有志氣了，一個孩子說：馬正林的爸爸開麵包店的，馬正林天天有麵包吃。言下不勝艷羨的樣子。
他們忽然穿過馬路，向大安里裏面走去。曼楨不禁震了一震，雖然也知道這決不是她的小孩，而且這一個衖堂裏面的孩子也多得很，但是她不由自主地就跟在他們後面過了馬路，走進這衖堂。她的腳步究竟有些遲疑，所以等她走進去，那兩個孩子早已失蹤了。
那是春二三月天氣，一個凝冷的灰色的下午。春天常常是這樣的，還沒有嗅到春的氣息，先覺得一切東西都發出氣味來，人身上除了冷颼颼之外又有點癢梭梭的，覺得骯髒。雖然沒下雨，衖堂裏地下也是濕黏黏的。走進去，兩旁都是石庫門房子，正中停著個臭豆腐乾擔子，挑擔子的人叉著腰站在稍遠的地方，拖長了聲音吆喝著。有一個小女孩在那擔子上買了一串臭豆腐乾，自己動手在那裏抹辣醬。好像是鴻才前妻的女兒招弟。曼楨也沒來得及向她細看，眼光就被她身旁的一個男孩子吸引了去，一個四五歲的男孩子，和招弟分明是姊弟，兩人穿著同樣的紫花布棉袍，雖然已經是春天了，他們腳上還穿著老棉鞋，可是光著腳沒穿襪子，那紅赤赤的腳踝襯著那舊黑布棉鞋，看上去使人有一種奇異的淒慘的感覺。那男孩子頭髮長長的，一直覆到眉心上，臉上雖然髒，彷彿很俊秀似的。
曼楨心慌意亂地也沒有來得及細看，卻又把眼光回到招弟身上，想仔細認一認她到底是不是招弟。雖然只見過一面，而且是在好幾年前，曼楨倒記得很清楚。照理一個小孩是改變得最快的，這面黃肌瘦的小姑娘卻始終是那副模樣，甚至於一點也沒長高其實當然不是沒有長高，她的太短的袍子就是一個證據。
那招弟站在豆腐乾擔子旁邊，從小瓦罐裏挑出辣醬抹在臭豆腐乾上。大概因為辣醬是不要錢的，所以大量地抹上去，就像在麵包上塗果子醬似的，把整塊的豆腐乾塗得鮮紅。挑擔子的人看了她一眼，彷彿想說話了，結果也沒說。招弟一共買了三塊，穿在一根稻草上，拎在手裏吃著。她弟弟也想吃，他踮著腳，兩隻手撲在她身上，仰著臉咬了一口。曼楨心裏想這一口吃下去，一定辣得眼淚出，喉嚨也要燙壞了。她不覺替他捏一把汗，誰知他竟面不改色地吞了下去，而且吃了還要吃，依舊踮著腳尖把嘴湊上去。招弟也很友愛似的，自己咬一口，又讓他咬一口。曼楨看著她那孩子的傻相，不由得要笑，但是一面笑著，眼眶裏的淚水已經滴下來了。
她急忙別過身去，轉了個彎走到支弄裏去，一面走一面抬起手背來擦眼淚。忽然聽見背後一陣腳步聲，一回頭，卻是招弟，向這邊啪噠啪噠追了過來，她那棉鞋越穿越大，踏在那潮濕的水門汀上，一吸一吸，發出唧唧的響聲。曼楨想道：糟了，她一定是認識我。我還以為她那時候小，只看見過我一回，一定不記得了。曼楨只得扭過頭去假裝尋找門牌，一路走過去，從眼角裏看看那招弟，招弟卻在一家人家的門首站定了，這家人家想必新近做過佛事，門框上貼的黃紙條子剛撕掉一半，現在又在天井裏焚化紙錢，火光熊熊。招弟一面看著他們燒錫箔，一面吃她的臭豆腐乾，似乎對曼楨並不注意。曼楨方才放下心來，便從容地往回走，走了出去。
那男孩身邊現在多了一個女傭，那女傭約有四十來歲年紀，一臉橫肉，兩隻蝌蚪式的烏黑的小眼睛，她端了一隻長凳坐在後門口摘菜，曼楨心裏想這一定就是阿寶所說的那個周媽，招弟就是看見她出來了，所以逃到支弄裏去，大概要躲在那裏把豆腐乾吃完了再回來。
曼楨緩緩地從他們面前走過。那孩子看見她，也不知道是喜歡她的臉還是喜歡她的衣裳，他忽然喊了一聲阿姨！曼楨回過頭來向他笑一笑，他竟阿姨！Aunt!地一連串喊下去了。那女傭便嘟囔了一句：叫你喊的時候倒不喊，不叫你喊的時候倒喊個不停！
曼楨走出那個衖堂，一連走過十幾家店面，一顆心還是突突地跳著。走過一家店舖的櫥窗，她向櫥窗裏的影子微笑。倒看不出來，她有什麼地方使一個小孩一看見她就對她發生好感，阿姨！Aunt!地喊著。她耳邊一直聽見那孩子的聲音。她又仔細回想他的面貌，上次她姊姊把他帶來給她看，那時候他還不會走路吧，滿床爬著，像一個可愛的小動物，現在卻已經是一個有個性的人物了。
這次總算運氣，一走進去就看見了他。以後可不能再去了。多看見了也無益，徒然傷心罷了。倒是她母親那裏，她想著她姊姊現在死了，鴻才也未見得有這個閒錢津貼她母親，曼楨便匯了一筆錢去，但是沒有寫她自己的地址，因為她仍舊不願意她母親來找她。
轉瞬已經到了夏天，她母親上次說大弟弟今年夏天畢業，他畢了業就可以出去掙錢了，但是，曼楨總覺得他剛出去做事，要他獨力支持這樣一份人家，那是絕對不可能的。她又給他們寄了一筆錢去。她把她這兩年的一些積蓄陸續都貼給他們了。
這一天天氣非常悶熱，傍晚忽然下起大雨來，二房東的女傭奔到曬台上去搶救她晾出去的衣裳。樓底下有人撳鈴，撳了半天沒有人開門，曼楨只得跑下樓去，一開門，見是一個陌生的少婦。那少婦有點侷促地向曼楨微笑道：我借打一個電話，便當嗎？我就住在九號裏，就在對過。
外面嘩嘩地下著雨，曼楨便請她進來等著，笑道：我去喊郭太太。喊了幾聲沒人應，那女傭抱著一卷衣裳下樓來說：太太不在家。曼楨只得把那少婦領到穿堂裏，裝著電話的地方。那少婦先拿起電話簿子來查號碼，曼楨替她把電燈開了，在燈光下看見那少婦雖然披著斗篷式的雨衣，依舊可以看出她是懷著孕的。她的頭髮是直的，養得長長的擄在耳後，看上去不像一個上海女人，然而也沒有小城市的氣息，相貌很娟秀，稍有點扁平的鵝蛋臉。她費了很多的時候查電話簿，似乎有些抱歉，不時地抬起頭來向曼楨微笑著，搭訕著問曼楨貴姓，說她自己姓張。又問曼楨是什麼地方人，曼楨說是安徽人。她卻立刻注意起來，笑道：顧小姐是安徽人？安徽什麼地方？曼楨道：六安。那少婦笑道：咦，我新近剛從六安來的。曼楨笑道：張太太也是六安人嗎？倒沒有六安口音。那少婦道：我是上海人呀，我一直就住在這兒。是我們張先生他是六安人。曼楨忖了一忖，便道：哦。六安有一個張豫瑾醫生，不知道張太太可認識嗎？那少婦略頓了一頓，方才低聲笑道：他就叫豫瑾。曼楨笑道：那真巧極了，我們是親戚呀。那少婦喲了一聲，笑道：那真巧，豫瑾這回也來了，顧小姐幾時到我們那兒玩去，我現在住在我母親家。
她撥了號碼，曼楨就走開了，到後面去轉了一轉，等她的電話打完了，再回到這裏來送她出去。本來要留她坐一會等雨小些再走，但是她說她還有事，今天有個親戚請他們吃飯，剛才她就為這個事打電話找豫瑾，叫他直接到館子裏去。
她走後，曼楨回到樓上她自己的房間裏，聽那雨聲緊一陣慢一陣，不像要停的樣子。她心裏想豫瑾要是知道她住在這裏，過兩天他一定會來看她的。她倒有點怕看見他，因為一看見他就要想起別後這幾年來她的經歷，那噩夢似的一段時間，和她過去的二十來年的生活完全不發生連繫，和豫瑾所認識的她也毫不相干。她非常需要把這些事情痛痛快快地和他說一說，要不然，那好像是永遠隱藏在她心底裏的一個恐怖的世界。
這樣想著的時候，立刻往事如潮，她知道今天晚上一定要睡不著覺了。那天天氣又熱，下著雨又沒法開窗子，她躺在床上，不停地搧著扇子，反而搧出一身汗來。已經快十點鐘了，忽然聽見門鈴響，睡在廚房裏的女傭睡得糊裏糊塗的，甕聲甕氣地問：誰呀？ah?ah?who?曼楨忽然靈機一動，猜著一定是豫瑾來了。她急忙從床上爬起來，捻開電燈，手忙腳亂地穿上衣裳，便跑下樓去。那女傭因為是晚上，不認識的人不敢輕易放他進來。是豫瑾，穿著雨衣站在後門口，正拿著手帕擦臉，頭髮上亮晶晶地流下水珠來。
他向曼楨點頭笑道：我剛回來。聽見說你住在這兒。曼楨也不知道為什麼，一看見他，馬上覺得萬種辛酸都湧上心頭，幸而她站的地方是背著燈，人家看不見她眼睛裏的淚光。她立刻別過身去引路上樓，好在她總是走在前面，依舊沒有人看見她的臉。進了房，她又搶著把床上蓋上一幅被單，趁著這背過身去鋪床的時候，終於把眼淚忍回去了。
豫瑾走進房來，四面看看，便道：你怎麼一個人住在這兒？老太太他們都好吧？曼楨只得先含糊地答了一句：她們現在搬到蘇州去住了。豫瑾似乎很詫異，曼楨本來可以趁此就提起她預備告訴他的那些事情，她看見豫瑾這樣熱心，一聽見說她住在這裏，連夜就冒雨來看她，可見他對她的友情是始終如一的，她更加決定了要把一切都告訴他。但是有一種難於出口的話，反而倒是對一個萍水相逢的人可以傾心吐膽地訴說。上次她在醫院裏，把她的身世告訴金芳，就不像現在對豫瑾這樣感覺到難以啟齒。
她便換了個話題，笑道：真巧了，剛巧會碰見你太太。你們幾時到上海來的？豫瑾道：我們來了也沒有幾天。是因為她需要開刀，我們那邊的醫院沒有好的設備，所以到上海來的。曼楨也沒有細問他太太需要開刀的原因，猜著總是因為生產的緣故，大概預先知道要難產。豫瑾又道：她明天就要住到醫院裏去了，現在這兒是她母親家裏。
他坐下來，身上的雨衣濕淋淋的，也沒有脫下來。當然他是不預備久坐的，因為時間太晚了。曼楨倒了一杯開水擱在他面前，笑道：你們今天有應酬吧？豫瑾笑道：是的，在錦江吃飯，現在剛散，她們回去了，我就直接到這兒來了。豫瑾大概喝了點酒，臉上紅紅的，在室內穿著雨衣，也特別覺得悶熱，他把桌上一張報紙拿起來當扇子搧著。曼楨遞了一把芭蕉扇給他，又把窗子開了半扇。一推開窗戶，就看見對過一排房屋黑沉沉的，差不多全都熄了燈，豫瑾在岳家的人想必都已經睡覺了。豫瑾倘若在這裏耽擱得太久了，他的太太雖然不會多心，太太娘家的人倒說不定要說閒話的。曼楨便想著，以後反正總還要見面的，她想告訴他的那些話還是過天再跟他說吧。但是豫瑾自從踏進她這間房間，就覺得很奇怪，怎麼曼楨現在弄得這樣孑然一身，家裏人搬到內地去住，或許是為了節省開銷，沈世鈞又到哪裏去了呢？怎麼他們到現在還沒有結婚？
豫瑾忍不住問道：沈世鈞還常看見吧？曼楨微笑道：好久不看見了。他好幾年前就回南京去了。豫瑾道：哦？曼楨默然片刻，又說了一聲：後來聽說他結婚了。豫瑾聽了，也覺得無話可說。
在沉默中忽然聽見一陣瑟瑟的響聲，是雨點斜撲進來打在書本上，桌上有幾本書，全打濕了。豫瑾笑道：你這窗子還是不能開。他拿起一本書，掏出手帕把書面的水漬擦乾了。曼楨道：隨它去吧，這上頭有灰，把你的手絹子弄髒了。但是豫瑾仍舊很珍惜地把那些書一本本都擦乾了，因為他想起從前住在曼楨家裏的時候，晚上被隔壁的無線電吵得睡不著覺，她怎樣借書給他看。那時候要不是因為沉世鈞，他們現在的情形也許很兩樣吧？
他急於要打斷自己的思潮，立刻開口說話了，談起他的近況，因道：在這種小地方辦醫院，根本沒有錢可賺，有些設備又是沒法省的，只好少僱兩個人，自己忙一點。我雖然是土生土長的，跟地方上的人也很少來往。蓉珍剛去的時候，這種孤獨的生活她也有點過不慣，覺得悶得慌，後來她就學看護，也在醫院裏幫忙，有了事情做也就不寂寞了。蓉珍想必是他太太的名字。
他自己覺得談得時間夠長了，突然站起身來笑道：走了！曼楨因為時候也是不早了，也就沒有留他。她送他下樓，豫瑾在樓梯上忽然又想起一件事來，問道：上次我在這兒，聽見說你姊姊病了，她現在可好了？曼楨低聲道：她死了。就是不久以前的事。豫瑾惘然道：那次我聽見說是腸結核，是不是就是那毛病？曼楨道：哦，那一次那一次並沒有那麼嚴重。那次就是她姊姊假裝命在旦夕，做成了圈套陷害她。曼楨頓了一頓，便又淡笑著說道：她死我都沒去這兩年