For a few days late at night, Cheng Fengtai and Shang Xirui sat opposite each other in the hall of the commercial house. There was a cup of fragrant tea in front of the two of them, but they didn't drink it, and Xiao Lai avoided them from a distance. Cheng Fengtai put one hand inside Shang Xirui's sleeve and closed his eyes to feel around, Shang Xirui twisted his body in boredom: "Second Master, are you alright? What's wrong with me?"
"Hush..." Cheng Fengtai pretended to be a ghost: "It takes half an hour for the old doctor to give his pulse, so what's the rush."
Shang Xirui wondered what kind of old doctor you are: "Is the pulse here? You're almost touching my shoulder!"
Cheng Fengtai glanced at him with a smile: "Of course unique skills are different from others, you know? When I went to the Northeast to buy goods a few years ago, the reclusive masters in the mountains taught them by hand, and passed on from male to female. It’s a pity that the old man only taught me this and died the next day. Otherwise, your second master is also a miracle doctor now!”
Shang Xirui actually took his nonsense nonsense seriously, nodded his head in conviction and continued to see a doctor. Cheng Fengtai held back his laughter and touched him a few more times, sipped his herbal tea, and said: "Come on, you have nothing else wrong with it, it's just that you eat too much and don't move, and your stomach hurts."
Shang Xirui has not performed martial arts recently. If you don't perform martial arts, you can still eat big fish and meat. You can eat a sauced elbow for a supper, and then squat in the background like Lafayette to listen to the show. He doesn't gain fat or ruin his figure, he eats food in his stomach, and his stomach hurts. Cheng Fengtai and Xiao Lai tried to persuade him at first, but they didn't listen no matter what they tried to persuade him, they yelled loudly when they got anxious, almost had to tie a chain around his neck and drag him out for a walk.
Shang Xirui stroked his belly and asked sadly: "Then what should I do? My stomach is rumbling and heavy, like I'm pregnant with a child."
Cheng Fengtai almost sprayed the tea all over his face: "I won't conceive. I haven't planted the seeds yet..."
Shang Xirui tilted his head: "Say what?"
Cheng Fengtai said: "I said, let Xiao Lai buy some candied haws for you later, just eat a bunch after dinner."
Shang Xirui had been planning silently in his heart, if the second master prescribed a bitter soup for him, how he would be so violent, he would have to live or die anyway. Cheng Fengtai had already gained insight into Shang Xirui's psychological activities from just now, thinking that if he made a prescription to drink it, the little actor would definitely fight him. The children in his own family eat too much delicacies from mountains and seas, and often suffer from food accumulation, and refuse to take medicine. The doctor cooks hawthorn and brown sugar juice for them. Shang Xirui put this trick here, he really likes it.
Shang Xirui shouted towards the door: "Come here! The second master said it! Buy me candied haws tomorrow! Buy old man Zhang's!"
The things that the second master ordered have never been carried out by Miss Xiao Lai, and she has not agreed to it for a long time. Shang Xirui shrugged. The two continued to sit in the hall silently facing each other. It's also strange, Cheng Fengtai can chatter non-stop with outsiders, sometimes he talks too much with others, when he gets together at night, he's lazy to talk to Shang Xirui. Shang Xirui never likes to gossip, even with Cheng Fengtai. It may also be that in the first few days, the two of them had expressed their hearts and minds in this life, and they were hurt, even though they still had thousands of thoughts in their hearts, they couldn't express them. But they will suddenly find a common topic, and then talk and laugh enthusiastically, laughing forward and backward, like two psychopaths.
Sitting in such silence now, Shang Xirui hums Kunqu opera softly and gestures with a fan. His voice has the magical power of turning stones into gold. There are no gongs, drums, costumes, or sets. Just sing casually, and the surrounding atmosphere will become what he is in the play. Ambiguity and warmth sprout and breed in the opera, spreading branches and leaves. How can Shuimoqiang be so annoying. A table was clearly separated, and Cheng Fengtai felt that he was tightly entwined by a pair of enchanting and soft arms. These hands touched his face, tapped his lips, moved downstream, and finally landed on a shameful place. He must not be the first person to hear the lewdness in the opera, otherwise there would be no such romantic drama. But he actually heard the lewdness from the play.
Cheng Fengtai sighed for a long time: "Boss Shang..." He was already holding Shang Xirui's fan. The two hold one end each. This seems to be an act of teasing girls from good families in the play, Cheng Fengtai learned it by himself. Shang Xirui stopped talking, froze for a moment, then looked back at him shyly like a woman in a play. But Shang Xirui is not a woman after all, he doesn't have sleeves half covering his face, peeking at people from the cuffs. He just stared at the fiery eyes like that, which is the ignorance of a young man who doesn't know what to do. Cheng Fengtai pulled the fan towards him, Shang Xirui threw himself forward, laying most of his body on the table. Cheng Fengtai took advantage of the situation and leaned closer to his face: "Boss Shang, actually we two..."
There was a sound of a heavy object falling to the ground in the front yard, accompanied by a soft cry of pain. Shang Xirui immediately let go and ran to the yard. Xiao Lai also heard the sound and came out to check. Cheng Fengtai tapped his fan on his forehead as if he was enduring some pain and sighed, it's been several days, always at this point. The thief came too stupidly, and the lover came too early, to Cheng Fengtai, he was an uninvited guest.
Xiao Zhouzi rubbed his knees with a smirk on his face: "Boss Shang, hehe...the wall here is really high, really high..." Then he stood there awkwardly and had nothing to say. But Xiao Lai seemed to like this little brother very much. He went up to help him tidy up his clothes, and said with a smile, "I told you not to climb over the wall, just knock on the door. It's far away from your troupe, what are you afraid of?" Laughing again Said: "Wait, I'll save some delicious food for you!"
Cheng Fengtai has never had such an amiable face as Xiao Lai's girl, and at this moment he is almost a little jealous. Xiao Zhouzi slapped his head: "Hey! Miss Lai! I still have something coming out!" After speaking, he opened the door latch and ran out, and then brought in a huge basket of apples. How did he carry such a large basket of fruits across the streets and alleys with such a weak body? It was hard to see: "Boss Shang, here you are. I picked them on the mountain when I shouted in the morning, and they are so fresh!"
Cheng Fengtai picked out a not-so-green one and took a bite, it was juicy and sour, quite suitable for Shang Xirui's six month pregnancy. So he changed hands and stuffed it into the little actor's mouth. Shang Xirui frowned sourly from sucking the juice, finally couldn't help it, and spit it out, right on Cheng Fengtai's suit. Cheng Fengtai brushed the drool sticky from his clothes as if nothing had happened, thinking that if the little opera singer was in his house, with his monkey-like virtue, he would be punished by the second mistress every day.
Seeing Shang Xirui spit out the fruits he had collected so hard, Xiao Zhouzi looked so shocked that he was about to cry, it was pitiful. But Shang Xirui has never been able to sense other people's emotions, took a cup of tea from Xiao Lai's hand, rinsed his mouth, raised his chin towards the yard: "Let's get started." Xiao Lai was holding a tea tray, and wanted to give it to Xiao Zhouzi Eat something before practicing, but was stopped by Shang Xirui: "Eat this stomach, how can you get down later? Eat after practice." He said this to Xiao Zhouzi, of course Xiao Zhouzi didn't dare to object , Nodding vigorously in trepidation. But Cheng Fengtai thought that before Shang Xirui himself took the stage, he seemed to have to eat a chopstick first.
Under Shang Xirui's guidance, Xiao Zhouzi began to practice kung fu with his waist and legs stretched. Fist and foot blind, Cheng Fengtai retreated to the eaves. Shang Xirui is too lazy to be the same as before, even though he recruited this little apprentice himself, he is still soft, resting his arms on Cheng Fengtai's shoulders and watching, occasionally saying: "Do it again, lower your waist Don't hesitate when it's time!" or "Come with hands and feet, it won't look good if you're half a beat too late." Shang Xirui's eyesight is the strictest test, even the slightest mistake can't escape him. Xiao Zhouzi looked very teachable and practiced very hard. Sometimes he can't understand Shang Xirui's instructions, if he asks one more question, Shang Xirui repeats it impatiently, and he doesn't explain too much, just repeats it. Xiao Zhouzi didn't dare to ask any more questions, and nodded blankly. If the same mistake is made a second time, Shang Xirui will taunt and say: "How many times have I told you that you didn't do this! How stupid." In just two or three days, patience wears off. The young apprentices in his own troupe were not willing to teach, and Xiao Zhouzi had already flattered him very well.
Cheng Fengtai smiled and watched Xiao Zhouzi learning opera, turned to Shang Xirui and said in a low voice: "Boss Shang, I've never seen a master like you. What can this teach you? I'm just listening to you to find fault."
Shang Xirui said: "Xiao Zhouzi has opera on him! He has roots! This is the way to lead an art investment teacher. Back then I studied opera with Jiulang, that's how it was."
Cheng Fengtai really called Qu on Xiao Zhouzi's behalf: "Who can compare with you! You are born to be a showman without a teacher, and the gossip tabloids have blown it up. You compare people's children to you, don't you intend to train people?"
Xiao Zhouzi has already been trained badly by Shang Xirui. He usually eats poorly and does a lot of chores, so he is so thin that only skin and bones remain. Now flexing his fists on an empty stomach for half the night, with the idea of achieving it overnight, he was suffering anxiously, Shang Xirui found fault with him, he was even more anxious, suddenly his legs gave way and he fell to the ground. Xiao Lai hurried to help him, he was really exhausted, he didn't have any strength in his feet, he couldn't get up after a hand, and he leaned against the old plum tree in frustration.
Shang Xirui looked at him condescendingly and sighed: "Go and eat."
Xiao Zhouzi shook his head, sat still and gasped for breath.
The reason why Shang Xirui was even more picky was because he could see that Xiao Zhouzi's heart was getting impatient, and at this moment he admonished him with an elder's attitude: "Why are you in a hurry? I practiced from morning to night when I was five years old and practiced for the first time when I was thirteen years old. On stage, what kind of life do you live every day? You have been abandoned for so long before, where are you now? Why are you in a hurry? "
Xiao Lai witnessed Shang Xirui's miserable childhood, and nodded his head empathetically, trying to give Xiao Zhouzi some encouragement. Xiao Zhouzi looked at Shang Xirui, at Xiao Lai, helped the old plum tree to stand up slowly, followed them into the house to eat. Xiao Zhouzi let go of the burden in his heart after this supper, and ate hungrily with both hands. Cheng Fengtai looked at him while smoking a cigarette, smiled at Shang Xirui, "I don't know how he sings, it's up to you to eat."
Xiao Zhouzi stopped in embarrassment. Shang Xirui punched Cheng Fengtai, said to Xiao Zhouzi: "Eat yours, ignore him."
Xiao Zhouzi chewed slowly, and after eating this meal, he didn't know how long he would be hungry. He has the same obsession and greed for food and Shang Xirui's love and care, and accepts these favors almost gratefully.
Under the light, Shang Xirui took a closer look at Xiao Zhouzi's hand, the skeleton was slender and soft, but his fingers were covered with calluses, and they were already a little thicker. Which theater troupe's Xiao Dan is not pampered without touching her fingers. Si Xier treated him so harshly, not as if she disliked him, but as if she wanted to ruin his future. But Si Xi'er loves money like his life, and ruining a good seedling in his own opera troupe, what good will it do him
Shang Xirui took the opportunity to ask: "Why did your master treat you so badly? How did you offend him?"
This is also the question that Xiao Zhouzi wanted to break his head: "I don't know, I didn't do anything."
Cheng Fengtai interjected: "Master Zhou's master, Si Xi'er, is that old opera singer in his fifties who still wears powder, combs his hair with osmanthus oil, and looks like a bustard and eunuch?"
Cheng Fengtai's description was so vivid on paper that Xiao Lai couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Shang Xirui asked with a smile: "Second Lord knows him?"
"I didn't realize it at first, but after thinking about it, I saw this guy on the mahjong table. He was so old that he was wrinkled all over his body, and he sat on someone's knee, so fucking goosebumps all over the floor." Cheng Fengtai was full of goosebumps when he mentioned it. His face was disgusted. Needless to say, he was the poor man who was sitting on the knee of the old actor: "If it was him, I would know why Mr. Zhou suffered."
Everyone in the room was waiting for him to announce the truth, Cheng Fengtai slowed down and said two words slowly: "Jealous."
Everyone suddenly realized what they were thinking. Combined with Si Xier's personality, this explanation really makes sense. The characters cultivated by the Yunxi class are good, but they have nothing special about them. Little Zhouzi's whole body burst out with spiritual energy. If he becomes popular in the future, his limelight may overwhelm that of Sixi'er back then. How can Si Xier get so angry that such a wonderful person flaunts in front of Si Xier every day. Si Xierbai had ruined most of her life, so she didn't last long. Now he wants to ruin Xiao Zhouzi so that he can't get out at all.
Xiao Zhouzi finally realized the seriousness of the problem, swallowed the food in his mouth with difficulty, and looked at Shang Xirui helplessly. Shang Xirui has a very heroic countermeasure: "Don't be afraid! Si Xi'er is eight years younger than my master, and she is fifty-seven years old this year, so she won't be alive for a few years! Just practice hard and wait until your master is boiled." If you die, you will come out!"
Hearing this, Cheng Fengtai choked on the cigarette: "Ahem, Boss Shang, you don't expect someone to die. Even if Si Xi'er lives to be seventy, there are still ten years left! What's going on in these ten years? Sing noon opera twice a month, won’t you still be unable to come out?”
"No." Shang Xirui proudly said: "I asked Shijiu to come out and talk to Yun Xiban, and asked them to borrow Xiao Zhouzi to sing a couple of songs for me. Maybe I can sing it? It's good if you can't sing it to enjoy yourself. Shang Xirui stroked Xiao Zhouzi's shoulder: "But what I teach will definitely be popular!"
Shang Xirui insisted on refusing to take Xiao Zhouzi as an apprentice, but secretly arranged so many things for him, fulfilling the duty of a true master. Xiao Zhouzi was so moved that he almost knelt down and kowtowed to him again. Shang Xirui stopped him, thinking of a question: "Hey! You're on stage tomorrow, what's your stage name? You can't just be Xiao Zhouzi."
Little Zhouzi thought about it: "I only know that my surname is Zhou."
Cheng Fengtai booed and said: "Then Boss Shang, why not give him one? Let me lend you a little enthusiasm, and it will be popular."
Shang Xirui really remembered. Little Zhouzi was lying on the table, staring at him and waiting for him, as if getting a name was a great thing, as if getting a name would make him a character. Cheng Fengtai also looked forward to it with a funny heart, he knew the way Shang Xirui got his name, but it was something popular, like coming out of a brothel.
Shang Xirui said seriously: "Actors have to be named after flowers and plants, especially those who sing Dan. Let's call them Zhou Xiangyun!"
Cheng Fengtai immediately drew out the word Xiangyun for him with a pen and paper, and handed it to Shang Xirui: "Is that how it is written?"
Shang Xirui said: "Yes! There are grains and grasses, that's it." Then he brightened the words to Xiao Zhouzi with satisfaction: "Look! This is your name, don't even recognize your own name in the future."
Little Zhouzi looked at those three words cherishingly, then folded them in half and tucked them into his arms, and bowed to Cheng Fengtai Shang Xirui with tears in his eyes: "Boss Shang, little Zhouzi will repay your kindness one day. of!"
Shang Xirui pondered for a while, Cheng Fengtai thought he was really going to offer some conditions, but unexpectedly what he said was: "Then don't pick sour fruits for me from now on, the spicy duck neck last time was good, bring this later .”
Xiao Zhouzi hastily agreed. Cheng Fengtai couldn't help laughing again. When Xiao Lai sent Xiao Zhouzi out of the door, Cheng Fengtai said: "Hey! Boss Shang, he is a little reminder, where can I buy a duck neck to honor you..." Just as he was saying that, he saw Xiao Lai stuff it into Xiao Zhouzi's hand. Xiao Zhouzi couldn't evade her for a few dollars, so he accepted it gratefully, as if turning his back and wiping away his tears.
Cheng Fengtai and Shang Xirui looked at the child. Cheng Fengtai asked: "Boss Shang, can he really be a character?"
Shang Xirui shook his head: "I don't know." Cheng Fengtai still didn't want to go home when the night was heavy and dewy, he was using Shang Xirui's small yard as a nest now. Shang Xirui walked into the house and sighed, "It's not enough to be an actor just by being able to sing."
Cheng Fengtai followed into the bedroom, put his arms around his waist and carried him to the bed: "Boss Shang let me see and see, what else does an actor have to know besides singing?"
Shang Xirui was about to laugh when he touched him, he couldn't breathe from laughing, he clutched his belly and got out of bed: "Don't make trouble, don't make trouble! There's still something in the stomach! It needs to be digested, don't touch it."
Cheng Fengtai put on his hat and hugged his shoulders: "That's fine! Let's go to a night movie to digest!"