There is a love called Yang Jiang and Qian Zhongshu
Chapter 4 Hand in hand with warmth on the road
Chapter 4 Hand in hand with warmth on the road
Qian Zhongshu gave Yang Jiang a sentence saying: "A unique combination of three incompatibles: wife, lover, and friend." In his eyes, Yang Jiang is a gentle and virtuous wife, a charming and lovely lover, Also a friend who talks about everything.Leaving the familiar family and friends, they came to another world, a beautiful but strange world, and she was his only company.
The husband sings and the woman follows, and the woman sings and the husband follows.They came to England together and studied and studied on the banks of the Thames.Life is life, life is life, although trivial things are inevitable, although they are not always satisfactory, but with each other, they can embrace happiness.
go to england together
In the hot summer of [-], they got married and walked into the besieged city hand in hand.The harp and chords, the phoenix singing in harmony, they are the perfect match made in heaven and earth in the twentieth century.Hu Heqing once said in admiration: "Qian Zhongshu and Yang Jiang are a pair of famous swords in contemporary literature. Qian Zhongshu is like a heroic sword flowing with heroism. The female sword of Han Zang is as wise as a fool, and does not show the blade."
Gambling books disappeared, and they formed a simple and happy family of scholars, and lived a warm life in the siege.In July, the newlyweds bid farewell to their parents and homeland, and embarked on the road of studying abroad.Hand in hand, they went to England to study at Exeter College, Oxford University.
In the classroom of Tsinghua University, Professor Ye Gongchao once half-jokingly said to Qian Zhongshu: "You should not enter Tsinghua University, you should go to Oxford University." The qualification to study abroad at public expense, embarked on the journey of Oxford University.
As the oldest university in English-speaking countries, Oxford University occupies a unique position in British politics, history, and literature, and has trained a large number of philosophers, politicians, scientists, and writers.When Mr. Wu Mi was studying in Europe, he wrote a poem:
Oxford is extremely quiet and beautiful, a paradise on earth;
The mountains are bright and the water is bright, and the sky is blue and the clouds are rosy.
Fangli group school, jagged bamboo shoots;
The spiers are planted leisurely, and the battlements are magnificent.
The bridge house forms a ring hole, and the deep courtyard hides the heavy door;
The stone wall is thousands of years old, and the peeling is black and deep.
There really is a day of Piyong, as if seeing Panchi exist;
Going in a hurry for half a year, I am the soul of dreams for life.
They set off from Wuxi and took the train to Shanghai for a boat.After years of travelling, they bid farewell to their relatives and friends on the streets of Wuxi with deep nostalgia.When parting, it is inevitable to be sentimental. When the train stopped at the platform in Suzhou, Yang Jiang burst into tears.Before leaving, she had already started to miss her. She wished she could get off the train and see her parents' loving smiles one more time.
When they arrived in Shanghai, surrounded by a group of relatives and friends, they went to the pier to board the ship.They hugged each other, said goodbye one by one, and reluctantly boarded the side of the ship.The ship weighed anchor, and they stood on the deck, looking at the waving hands of the people on the shore, and listening to the same shouts criss-crossing around them, in a trance, they only felt a faint sense of hatred, and their eyes could not help but wet their eyes.
The boat set sail and sailed to the river where the sea and the sky lined up. The shore gradually moved away and was covered with fog, but it deepened the sorrow of parting and increased the yearning.Later, Yang Jiang wrote in his prose: "In July 25, Zhong Shu was less than 24 years old, and I was a little less than [-] years old. We got married and went to Oxford, England to study together. We were far away from home. No longer under the shelter of their parents, they are a little trembling; but with two companions, they can depend on each other for life."
Blowing the sea breeze, watching the sun rise and set, and the stars move.The journey of sailing is boring, and the time is infinitely extended. When the ship docks, it is the end of summer and the beginning of autumn.After getting off the boat, watching the blondes coming and going, and listening to the machine gun-like English dialogue, I felt a little more excited and a little more nervous.
Fortunately, in this huge city of London, they still have an acquaintance---Qian Zhonghan.At that time, Qian Zhongshu's cousin had been studying as a postgraduate student at the Polytechnic Institute of the University of London for two years. In addition, his younger brother Zhong Ying was also in the UK. The three brothers, who had not seen each other for a long time, gathered together in a foreign country.
Seeing me arrive from my hometown, I am as happy to return home as you are.
Watch the frequency, doubt and dream, and ask about homework in miscellaneous language.
Since he respects his relatives, he does not leave his servants behind.
Youth is worthy of companionship, and it is not necessary to be busy.
This is Qian Zhongshu's poem describing the reunion of the three.When they came to a foreign country for the first time, hearing the familiar local accent, the husband and wife felt a little more comforted.Once, the three brothers were together in their youth, but now they meet again on the streets of London after a long absence.
Later, Qian Zhonghan often went to Oxford to visit them on holidays, read and studied with them, went for a walk in Oxford Park, visited the British Museum and the Wax Museum together... He used his camera to take a group photo of their husband and wife in Oxford.
The two of them didn't stay long in London. After a short stay and sightseeing, they went to Oxford on the upper Thames River.At that time, Oxford University had not yet started school, and Qian Zhongshu had been arranged by the government to study for a Bachelor of Arts degree at Exeter College, and Yang Jiang also began to approach admission matters.
Strolling on the streets of Oxford, looking at the well-known Bridge of Sighs, the Deer Park, the full-flavored architectural style, and this sacred place where history and modern civilization blend, they couldn't help feeling overwhelmed.This is a world-famous university city and a cultural city with rich heritage. It is simple and solemn, with a blend of urban and learning, and has always been known as "British Athens".
There is a library with a long history ─ ─ Oxford Bodleian Library.The Bodleian Library is world-class, and the theme libraries from all over the world are connected together, complementing the Bodleian Hall and the underground stacks.There is an extremely rich collection of books here. Since Shakespeare's time, the British Book Company has undertaken the obligation to donate new books to it.
This can be said to be right for Qian Zhongshu's appetite, he can read the group of books to his heart's content.During the few years in Oxford, he spent a lot of time eating here, and once translated "Bodley" into "Fuyuelou".
When he first arrived in Oxford, Qian Zhongshu fell face down and knocked out most of his front teeth.That day, he went out alone, and when he came back, he covered his mouth with a handkerchief, and his mouth was bloody.Yang Jiang was very anxious after seeing it, so she hurriedly accompanied him to the dentist, pulled out the broken tooth, and put in dentures.
Yang Jiang said: "Zhong Shu often sighs to himself as 'clumsy'. I only know that he can't tie a bow tie, can't tell the left foot from the right, and can only grab chopsticks like a child. I don't know how he is in other aspects. How stupid, how clumsy." It's just that the happiness in life is found by herself. Later, she even joked that Qian Zhongshu kissed the Oxford floor as soon as he arrived in Oxford. How pious this is!
Fortunately, everything was safe and sound, he just lost a tooth.
In October, Qian Zhongshu entered school and received a stiff square hat and a black cloth vest with two black cloth streamers.Oxford University, with its rigorous scholarship, inevitably has some serious and old-fashioned courses. Paleography courses such as "version and collation" are quite boring. Qian Zhongshu is not interested in this, and he does not want to listen to such courses, nor does he want to refer to them relevant textbooks.
Fortunately, he has a good foundation in English, and his knowledge is more solid than other foreign students. He easily passed all the courses with relatively good grades, except for the English Paleography course.It turned out that during the exam, this course had to identify many scribbled and blurred manuscripts. He didn't expect it, and he didn't prepare for it. Naturally, he failed.Later, he bit the bullet and tried hard to make up for it before passing the make-up exam. This was the only time he worked hard at Oxford University.
For example, when he was at Tsinghua University, he devoted himself to studying, and only read books based on interest.This time, he came into contact with a large number of western poems and novels - "The Waste Land", which broke the norms in fragmented language, the stream-of-consciousness novel "Remembrance of Things Past" by the French writer Proust, "Youth and the Past" by the British writer Joyce. Lysis, etc.
In addition, he was also obsessed with detective novels, and often read some thrilling detective stories to rest his mind. The detective stories of Sherlock Holmes made him even sleepless nights and dancing.It can be said that reading detective novels has become his most pleasant way of rest.
Of course, he will not let go of philosophical and psychological works such as Kant, Hegel, and Croce.During that period of time, he read so many books that even Yang Jiang couldn't tell how many books he had read. It is estimated that the "clumsy" Mr. Mo Cun himself couldn't figure it out either.
At the same time, Yang Jiang chose to be an auditor at Oxford University.She doesn't want to study history in a women's college that doesn't provide accommodation, because she doesn't like it; she doesn't want to leave Zhongshu to study elsewhere, because she doesn't feel at ease letting this Ma Daha who knocked out her front teeth here; She studied at Oxford University at her own expense, because the tuition here was too expensive, and she didn't want to put financial pressure on her parents.
She said: "My father had already suffered from high blood pressure. At that time, there were no antihypertensive drugs. I left my parents and felt very sorry. How could I bear to ask them for money again? I had to settle for the next best thing, so I had to settle Be an auditor, listen to a few courses, and go to the university library to study by yourself."
However, as an auditor, she was much more diligent than Qian Zhongshu.She not only sat in on many classic courses at Oxford University, but also carefully took class notes, and then spent time in the library studying by herself.In the "Fuyue Building", she occupied a fixed seat by the window, made a schedule for herself, and carefully read the borrowed books.
She said, what is there to be dissatisfied with being able to study like this?Contented and happy, the environment here is quiet, and there are very few students coming and going. How many mornings and afternoons, she sat by the window, bathed in the warm sunshine, quietly read classics, and settled her soul.Unknowingly, her foreign literature accomplishment has been greatly improved, which laid a solid foundation for her future research on foreign literature translation.
Only occasionally, she would feel lost and sigh that she was not a formal member of Oxford University.When she was wearing a cheongsam and sitting alone in the auditorium on the side of the classroom, she felt melancholy.She said: "I saw people wearing school uniforms all over the street, and I felt inferior to out-of-school children. I always envied that black cloth vest that other people have but I don't have."
When she complained to Qian Zhongshu, he shook his head, saying that she didn't know how blessed she was, and he also showed her his compulsory courses and the topics of the previous two papers while talking.Yang Jiang looked at it, and she sighed. She was lucky that she was not under the jurisdiction of the school, so she didn't have to spend such a big effort.
It's just that Yang Jiang also knows that she lacks such strict and systematic training.But Qian Zhongshu felt that if he had enough free reading time like his wife, he would definitely gain more.Since ancient times, you can't have both fish and bear's paw, just as Yang Jiang said: "Anyway, neither of us is very satisfied, and his disappointment is even greater."
The husband sings and the woman follows, and the woman sings and the husband follows.They came to England together and studied and studied on the banks of the Thames.Life is life, life is life, although trivial things are inevitable, although they are not always satisfactory, but with each other, they can embrace happiness.
another world
Qian Zhongshu once bestowed on Yang Jiang a sentence: "A unique combination of three incompatibles: wife, lover, and friend."
In his eyes, she is a gentle and virtuous wife, a charming and lovely lover, and a friend who can talk about everything.Leaving the familiar family and friends, they came to another world, a beautiful but strange world, and she was his only company.
They lived in an apartment known as the Old King's, with two single tenants, both visiting medical specialists in Oxford.When he first came here, Qian Zhongshu knocked out his front teeth, so he relied more on their ideas.
Their room is a double bedroom with a window facing the garden. Lao Jin's wife and daughter will help clean up the room, and also provide breakfast, lunch, dinner and afternoon tea.They are free and don't have to worry about housework or meals. They can spend time in the library and enjoy the wide range of literary classics.
Oxford University has three semesters per academic year, eight weeks per semester, and then a six-week vacation, and a three-month summer vacation after one academic year.Although the style of study here is rigorous, there are still quite a lot of holidays.Most of the international students in China are rich kids who graduated from aristocratic schools. They don't take their studies seriously at school, drink and make trouble all day long, and when the holidays come, they all go on a trip again.
Seeing the Chinese international students who often misbehave and violate school rules, the moral instructor can be described as a headache, and sometimes they have to go to the police station to bail out those students who were arrested for misbehaving too much.And Qian Zhongshu is an exception, his character mentor just often treats the couple to drink tea.
Every holiday, he doesn't want to go elsewhere to see different scenery.He devoted all his time to the ocean of books, and only left for a moment during the summer vacation.If Britain is another world different from China, then the world of books that fascinates him is the most splendid stroke in this world.
In fact, this is not uncommon.Zhong Shu has never liked activities. During his four years at Tsinghua University, apart from visiting the Summer Palace and Fragrant Hills with the whole school, he never went to other places of interest in Beijing.Perhaps, for him, owning a book is considered owning the whole world.
Although the university's library collection is rich, it is limited to the eighteenth century and before. Two people who were not satisfied went to the city library to borrow books in order to read books in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.It's just that the books there will be returned within two weeks, so they go to the city library in less than two weeks, and they never tire of it.
They read a lot and exchanged ideas with each other.When Qian Zhongshu read a good book, he guessed that his wife would like it, so he would recommend it to her.Yang Jiang said: "Our literary 'communication' is the basis of our friendship. Each other has experience, and communication is a joyful and interesting thing."
A sunny room, a simple table, two people sitting opposite each other.They lowered their heads, flipped the pages of the book in their hands lightly, and read passages of beautiful words. Occasionally, they raised their heads to meet the inadvertent eyes of the opposite party. They smiled at each other and then lowered their heads again.
The years are quiet and the present world is stable. They enjoy each other in ordinary days, and the time like water is safe and warm every minute.
In addition to reading, they have small appointments every day, which they euphemistically call "adventures".If it is said that reading together is their quiet time alone, then the time spent alone before breakfast and after dinner is boundless play time.They held hands and walked slowly, no matter where the road leads, it seems that if they are not careful, they can go forever.
In the streets and alleys, the downtown suburbs, the churches in the parks, and the gates of colleges, they walked everywhere, playing while walking, measuring the customs of Oxford with their steps.In the downtown area, watching the crowds of all kinds in the downtown area, they will guess their identities and play games corresponding to the characters in the book, and when they see different types of houses, they will guess the appearance of the owner...
This is their little game, although a little childish, but full of joy.
Yang Jiang said: "Oxford has a lot of human touch. The postman met us on the way and handed us our letters from home. The children were waiting by the side and asked us for Chinese stamps very politely. The tall policemen, wearing white Gloves, walking slowly all the way in the evening, pushing and pushing the doors of each house to see if they are closed; if someone does not close the door properly, the police will warn them politely."
Without the hustle and bustle of the city, Oxford is a small and quiet town, simple and elegant, with beautiful scenery.They are not from their hometown, but they can easily find their belonging in the human atmosphere of this quiet and beautiful town.Maybe this is the love they want, to live elsewhere, away from the world, and simply live the life they want.
Being so far away from her parents, Yang Jiang missed her so much, so she sent letters home every week, and when the weekly replies arrived in her hands, she looked at the kind words of her parents and the thoughtless small words of her sisters. No, she is always smiling, very happy.
Qian Zhongshu did not have so many books, and the occasional letters were also the earnest teachings of his strict father, so he was very envious of the strong affection between his wife and family.When Yang Jiang wrote a letter, he rushed to read the kind and interesting family letter, and when she wrote a reply, he had to write a few sentences.
Occasionally, they will also participate in some social activities, the most frequent is the afternoon tea time between classmates and teachers. Qian Zhongshu and Yang Jiang also learned to make tea because of this-"Warm the teapot first, and each use a full teaspoon Tea leaves: one spoonful for you, one spoonful for me, one spoonful for him, and a full spoonful for the teapot. Four spoonfuls of tea leaves are used for four people, and four spoonfuls are used for three people. Boiled water can be added one at a time, and the tea is always strong enough.”
Oxford University has a strange rule that students must have dinner four or five times a week in the cafeteria of their college.To some extent, these few dinners are more important than attending classes, and eating them shows that the students are living on campus.Qian Zhongshu said humorously that after obtaining a bachelor's degree in liberal arts, he will have a master's degree after two years, and a doctorate after four years.
Here, Qian Zhongshu also encountered another wonderful thing.A rich man named Shi Boding wanted to set up a professorship of Sinology at Oxford University. At that time, his younger brother was a resident researcher at Oxford University, specializing in Zhuangzi's philosophy.One day, he invited Qian Zhongshu and his wife to visit his home, and persuaded him to give up the Boxer Scholarship, study philosophy instead, and be his brother's helper.
The rich man is proud, he looks down on the insignificant Chinese scholarship.But patriotism is something that everyone has. Qian Zhongshu immediately rejected his proposal, and he definitely would not do the thing of giving up the national scholarship and switching to a foreign rich man.
In Oxford, although they did not have a high reputation, they still made friends with many scholars. A Frenchman named CD Le Gros Clark, when publishing "Su Dongpo Fu", specially asked Qian Zhong to write the preface.
Later, in order to express his gratitude, he brought his wife from Paris to Oxford for a meeting and invited Qian Zhongshu and his wife to dinner.On that day, they wore grand gowns and rushed to the famous St. George Hotel for a banquet. He was a handsome gentleman and she was a lovely lady.
Qian Zhongshu is also a playful person, but what he loves is not traveling, but writing word games.At that time, they got acquainted with foreign students such as Yu Dazhen and Yu Dayu, Xiang Da and Yang Xianyi, and occasionally drank afternoon tea to exchange life and study.
And Xiang Da is a frequent visitor to his house. Whenever the two get together, they are full of nonsense and jokes, and Qian Zhongshu will make some crooked poems and gags.He also presented Xiang Da with a long poem. The first two lines said that he was "the way of death on the outside (still), but the door on the heart (sentimental)". Xiang Da was not angry, looking at those nonsense poems , and Qian Zhongshu laughed together.
It can be said that he and Qian Zhongshu are like-minded.Not to be outdone, he said to Qian Zhongshu: "People talk about honey and swords, but you talk about swords and honey." Those who understand have their own understanding. Xiang Da understands Qian Zhongshu's word games, so he will not think his words are mean.
Yang Jiang once said: "There are not many people who can play with Zhong Shu on an equal footing, and those who don't agree with him will think Zhong Shu is mean. We keep a distance from those who don't agree with us, and it seems to be proud. We are young and unsophisticated. , but those who know the world and know how to behave are also criticized. Zhongshu and I explain ourselves by this.”
At that time, I was young, ignorant of the world, and disdain the world.In life, there is no need to have trouble with yourself. It is enough to make some like-minded friends, make jokes, and say some intimate words. Why let those disagreeable remarks disturb your heart?
Time is passing by; years are precipitating.Although the two have only one bedroom for daily living, and although the food in Lao Jin's house is getting worse and worse, they follow their hearts day by day and month by month, live a fulfilling and happy life, and life like this is enough Alright.
In Lao Jin's house, they shared a room, and there was no study room or living room, so it was always inconvenient, and the shared bathroom and toilet were sometimes embarrassing.As for Qian Zhongshu, who eats conservatively, he refuses to eat foreign flavors such as cheese and western food, so Yang Jiang saves most of what he can eat for him, but she still feels that he can't fill his stomach.
Seeing Qian Zhongshu's yellow and thin appearance, Yang Jiang felt distressed and decided to move.She didn't discuss with Zhong Shu, but went to look for the house secretly.It's just that I'm not satisfied after seeing a few places, either because the place is remote or the budget is not enough.During a walking adventure, she happened to see a rent notice posted on a three-story western-style building near Oxford University.
She ran over, only to find that the sign was missing, but she decided to try her luck at the door anyway.The door opened, and the owner, Ms. Dale, looked her over and asked some questions before taking her to the second floor to see the house.Yang Jiang liked it very much when she saw the separate bedroom and living room, large balcony, dedicated bathroom, toilet and kitchen. In addition, this house is isolated from other rooms and can be accessed through a small garden door.
After asking about the lease conditions, she couldn't help smiling.The environment here is elegant, and it is not far from the school and library. More importantly, the rent is very suitable. She has a hunch that Zhong Shu will also like it here.
Sure enough, Zhong Shu was overjoyed when he saw the house.Zhong Shu's happy and satisfied appearance made Yang Jiang very satisfied.They immediately signed a lease with Ms. Dale, and after spending Christmas at Lao Jin's house, they moved into the new residence, which was a private space only for the two of them.
Romance in the mundane
If love is the passion of mutual pleasure, then marriage is such a trivial life.From a lingering romantic love to a bland marriage of daily necessities, whether you like it or not, you have to follow your heart.As Qian Zhongshu said: "Marriage is like shoes on your feet. Only your toes know whether they are comfortable or not."
They moved into their new home, and personally created a corner of warmth and a happy world that only belonged to two people.
They ordered bread and milk at the grocery store, and fresh bread and fresh milk were delivered to their homes every day.When they went to the library or "explored" in the evening, they would pick up chicken, duck, fish, melons, fruits and vegetables, and other daily food in the store, and then a cute boy would deliver the food to their door.
The store owner liked the two yellow-skinned and black-haired Asians very much and treated them as regular customers.When shopping for food, they don't need to pay on the spot, just settle the bill every two weeks. When there are new things in the store, they will always be notified. Said: "This is an old product, and I will deliver it to you after a day or two when new products arrive."
In this way, they have fresh and delicious ingredients. They are just two young people who have never cooked, and there are still many things to learn.
On the day of moving, they looked at the row of elegant wardrobes in their new living room, full of joy.In the afternoon sun, they were busy, packing their clothes and books, and before they knew it, the sun had set to the west...
Ms. Dale rented them a lot of daily furniture, including kitchen electric stoves, electric kettles, pots, plates, knives and forks.That night, they learned how to use an electric stove and electric kettle, boiled a large pot of boiling water, and ate dinner with other kitchen utensils, and then fell asleep on the soft bed.
It was dawn, and the first ray of sunlight shone through the curtains on the quilt, creating a soft halo of light.Qian Zhongshu, who always went to bed early and got up early, tiptoed out of bed. This was their first morning in their new house, and he wanted to give his beloved wife a very happy start.
He went to the kitchen, cooked "5-minute eggs" clumsily, heated milk, baked bread, and showed off the skills he had just learned from his classmates, making fragrant and strong black tea for his beloved wife.Finally, he brought the carefully prepared breakfast to his beloved wife's bed on a rice tray with short feet, adding butter, jam, and honey.
Yang Jiang fell asleep late and woke up late in the morning.When she woke up from her sleep, she was surprised and delighted to see such a rich breakfast. She sighed that she had never eaten such a delicious breakfast, and said jokingly: "I will jump up to enjoy it even in my deep sleep." gone."
This is the romance in the secular world that Qian Zhongshu gave her.Who said that marriage lacks romance, as long as there is a heart, romance is everywhere.Seeing his beloved wife smiling and happy, Zhong Shu was also very satisfied. From then on, he prepared delicious breakfast for her every day until he was old.
Yang Jiang later wrote: "The days when we lived together—except in the big family, except when there was a maid to take care of three meals a day, except when Zhong Shu was sick, this breakfast was always Zhong Shu Make it for me to eat. A big tea cup of black tea with milk every morning has become a hobby that he can't quit all his life."
When they had a kitchen, they began to learn to cook by themselves.The apron with rolled sleeves is busy with the mouth, and Chao Chao washes his hands to make soup. Yang Jiang is the chef and Zhong Shu is the assistant. It's really joyful.Once, Zhong Shu wanted to eat braised pork, so Yang Jiang cut the bought meat into squares with scissors, then turned on the electric stove and boiled it with full power. But it can't be boiled.
Afterwards, Yang Jiang suddenly remembered that her mother used "slow fire" when making orange peel jam, and when she made braised pork again, she stewed the meat with slow fire, and bought a bottle of sherry wine for rice wine. Not bad, Zhong Shu ate heartily.
Yang Jiang said with a smile: "It is an adventure for us to move, and it is also an adventure to take care of our own food. Eating braised pork is an adventure and success." Boiled is also very delicious.
At the beginning, she also cooked vegetables and ate them. Once she had a flash of inspiration and remembered how to stir-fry vegetables before, so she fried them according to her memory. It turned out to be quite delicious, at least better than boiled vegetables. Vegetables too.
They groped slowly and invented slowly. Although they sometimes made some jokes, they also added a lot of fun.Once, lentils were delivered to the store. They didn't know what they were, so they complained that the shells were too thick and the beans were too small while peeling them.Just peeling and peeling, I realized that this is a lentil, and the shell is edible, so Yang Jiang made it by stewing it, and it was quite successful!
Another time, when they bought live shrimp, Yang Jiang said very "expertly": "You have to cut off the beard and feet." She took the scissors and cut it off, but the live shrimp began to twitch in her hand, terrified. She threw away the prawns and ran out of the kitchen, and said childishly to Zhong Shu: "Shrimp, when I cut it, it hurt so badly, let's not eat it from now on!"
Zhong Shu was amused by Yang Jiang's words. He reasoned with Yang Jiang, saying that he still had to eat the shrimp, and that the shrimp would not hurt like her, so he took the scissors to cut off the "whiskers and feet".
In this way, they kept experimenting and inventing, and the food was cooked in a decent way. Yang Jiang even joked that he "gradually civilized from the cooking of primitive people and entered the stage of civilization".Zhong Shu had Chinese food, ate to his heart's content, and was so happy that he just wanted to be naughty, so he painted his beloved wife's face with thick ink while he was taking a nap.
In this regard, Yang Jiang recalled: "He woke up and saw that I was asleep, so he dipped in thick ink and wanted to draw a painted face for me. But I woke up as soon as he wrote the pen. He didn't expect that my face was more ink-eating than rice paper." , Wash off the ink stains, and the face is washed torn like paper. From now on, he will no longer play pranks, but only draw a portrait of me, and add glasses and a beard to it, just for fun."
Haha, it's really fun!
Love is unforgettable under the collision of hormones.Some people love vigorously and lingeringly to death, while others love flatly and slowly. It's just that too many vows of love have been lost in the ordinary dining room at home.Therefore, some people are afraid of marriage, afraid that blandness will ruin love.
In the secular world, plainness is the main theme, while romance is the seasoning in the ordinary.Are you envious of their happy little days?In fact, romance does not need to be deliberate, as long as there is heart, as long as there is love, are you afraid of lack of fun?
During that time, they were really happy, as if they had created a world by themselves.Cooking is fun, but it takes a lot of effort. Sometimes, Yang Jiang would think: If we don't have to eat, it will be easier and happier.
Zhong Shu naturally disagreed.He said: "I want to eat. Immortals cook white stones, and I won't be hungry for a long time after eating. It's so boring. I don't envy it." A humorous remark made Yang Jiang laugh out loud, and she obediently went to cook.
It's just that happy days can have accidents.In the early spring morning of [-], Yang Jiang sent Zhong Shu out. He had gone to class, but when she wanted to go back to the house, a gust of wind blew and the door was locked, but she did not bring the key...
She didn't want to find a locksmith because it was expensive and she didn't have any money with her.She turned to the garden and saw a long ladder beside the gardener who was pruning the lawn, so she borrowed it and climbed onto the balcony.She carefully observed the thick wooden door of the balcony, trying to get in through the small horizontal window framed with glass, but the horizontal window was too high for her to reach.
In a hurry, she stood on the wooden box placed on the balcony, jumped sideways, put her left hand on the lower edge of the transom, pressed her head against the transom and got in, and her upper body also got in. She forgot how the lower body got in. But she just slipped in.
It was really a near miss.She hurried to the living room to get a bunch of keys on the table and fastened them to her belt.When Zhongshu came back from get out of class, Yang Jiang, who was full of wisdom in life, had recovered his calm, as if nothing had happened.
In a blink of an eye, a school year has passed.After Qian Zhongshu's exam, the two left their luggage at Ms. Da Lei's house, and went to London and Paris for "exploration" together.Before leaving, Yang Jiang made an appointment with Ms. Da Lei that they would move into her another slightly larger house after the summer vacation.
Yang Jiang said: "This school year should be the most relaxed and happy year in my life, and it is also the year I study hardest. Apart from being homesick, I can say that I have no worries."
Qian Zhonghan traveled to Germany and Northern Europe by himself on a bicycle during the summer vacation, so they lost their guide in London and had to continue exploring by themselves: from the apartment to Hyde Park, to the second-hand bookstore on Tottenham Road, from the zoo Go to the botanical garden, walk from the rich area of the west end to the slums of the east end.
When they arrived in Paris, before they had time to appreciate the different French style, Qian Zhongshu received a telegram from the government authority, sending him to attend a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland as a representative of the "World Youth Congress", and Yang Jiang was also arrested by a resident. At the invitation of the Communist Party members in Paris, he became the Communist Party representative of the "World Youth Congress".
In this way, the husband and wife went to Geneva together.In this regard, Yang Jiang proudly emphasized: "I went to Switzerland with Zhong Shu. I have my own identity, and I didn't follow."
During the meeting, both of them participated in every important meeting, but when they encountered a meeting that could slip away, they all fled and continued their unknown "adventure".Once, the two walked endlessly on the narrow and uneven mountain road, and they came to the edge of Lake Leman unknowingly. They wanted to circle the lake on a whim, but then the lake became wider and wider, and there was no way to circle around it.
After the conference ended, the two went to Paris for a week or two before returning to Oxford.Some people say that there must be at least two impulses in one's life, one for a desperate love, and one for a walk-away trip.So, like them, what kind of romance would it be to take a casual trip with someone you love?
I still remember the eternal melody of that old song: "The most romantic thing I can think of is to grow old with you slowly, and collect little bits of laughter along the way, and save them for later sitting in a rocking chair and chatting slowly until we are old You can't go anywhere, and you still regard me as a treasure in your palm..."
Time seems to have stood still. How many people cried this song, and how many people woke up again.After the passage of time, how many people envy such a life.The years are mottled, the face is haggard, and the temples are old, but the lovers are still close together.This kind of love, this kind of marriage is a quality life.
Romance in the secular world is embellished in every bit of life.The deep love is silent, the still water flows deep, a warm breakfast cooked by oneself, a dish that the other party has been talking about for a long time, even if it is just a thoughtful word of care, it can warm the lover's heart.
Youth, life, and the past are always true when you look back suddenly.Decades later, Qian Zhongshu also said this sentence: "Before I saw her, I never thought of getting married; I married her for decades, and I never regretted marrying her; I never thought of marrying someone else." woman."
sprout of life
Life is short and there will always be regrets.Therefore, pessimists believe that the essence of life is nothingness, while optimists believe that there is an incomplete beauty between gains and losses.Regardless of poverty or wealth, mortals will be buried one day, so people pay special attention to the inheritance and continuation of blood.
The significance of children to Chinese people is far greater than that of the West.In ancient times, there was a precept that "there are three kinds of unfilial piety, and the greatest is to have no descendants".Now it will eventually turn into dust and return to the earth. Then, I am afraid that only a clear cry of a baby can save this proposition about life.
Of course, as far as Qian Zhongshu and his wife are concerned, they are definitely not so narrow-minded.The inheritance of life is just an abstract law, and the warmth and touch that can be captured everywhere in life is the most important.On the way back to Oxford from Paris, they also reaped the fruits of love happily──unknowingly, a little life began to conceive and grow.
When Yang Jiang began to notice the subtle changes in her body, her heart was full of anticipation and novelty.Like all young couples, they often discussed the future of this baby, imagining everything that was coming.Qian Zhongshu even secretly hoped that the one who will be born is a daughter, who will grow into a perfect woman who is as gentle and intelligent as his wife in the future.
In Yang Jiang's mind, she expects her child to be as knowledgeable and wise as her husband in the future.It can be seen that they all project everything they love most onto their children.Similarly, it can also be seen that in their mutual hearts, each other is the most perfect other half.
In a strange country, it is a different career, and there are various challenges that come one after another every day.This little joy is their sweetest harvest.Later, their wishes became a reality, and their daughter Qian Yuan was as warm and generous as her mother, and as educated as her father.
One side is studies, the other side is the crystallization of love.Qian Zhongshu and his wife lived a fulfilling and beautiful life.As the months went by, Yang Jiang's pregnancy reaction became more and more intense. In the sweet torment, she had to adjust her focus to the child and create all the conditions to ensure her healthy birth.
It is a woman's nature to conceive life. She often touches her belly lightly, feeling the baby's small hands and feet stretched out suddenly. She feels that the private conversation between them has started like this.There are many imperfections in this world, but they are willing to fill them with love.
It is no exaggeration to say that even for two world-renowned writers, their most important works are still children.In order to provide his wife with a good production environment and to ensure the health of the baby, Qian Zhongshu searched a lot of information, consulted many professionals, and finally booked a single ward for Yang Jiang's maternity hospital in the UK. , and asked the dean to introduce expert doctors to them.The dean recommended Dr. Spence to Qian Zhongshu, who was the best doctor in the hospital, and his home was very close to the residence of Qian Zhongshu and his wife.
For women, childbirth is a painful and challenging process.Afterwards, she doesn't even want to recall that day.She seemed to have exhausted all her strength and passed out for a while.Fortunately, everything went well in the end. When she opened her eyes, she saw everyone's anxious eyes, and there were many nurses around the bed.
"You're the bravest woman we've ever met," they said in admiration. She was wrapped in a flannel bag like a dumpling, smiling weakly.She calmly listened to the nurses talking about the thrilling process, as if the matter had nothing to do with her.When asked why she didn't yell loudly, she said flatly: "Since yelling still hurts, why bother to waste energy?" The nurses were even more dumbfounded, marveling at the resilience of this Chinese woman.
For Qian Zhongshu, it was an uncomfortable day.During the whole process, he couldn't see his wife, but he couldn't rest assured no matter what, like an ant on a hot pot.In one day, he came to the maternity hospital four times. After being persuaded by the doctor to go back, he was still worried and came back again.There is no direct bus between the apartment and the hospital, so he walks back and forth four times a day, which shows his anxiety.
After the baby was born, the hospital told Qian Zhongshu that it was a daughter. Qian Zhongshu's wish came true, and he couldn't stop smiling from ear to ear, but the mother was too weak, and the hospital still forbade them to meet, so he had to leave alone again.It wasn't until Yang Jiang was completely out of danger and came to his senses that he finally saw his wife and daughter whom he had longed for.
Throughout the ages, literary masters are all talented, but there is also an unwritten rule that if they encounter things around them, they will become clumsy in eloquence.Seeing the white and chubby newborn, Qian Zhongshu was naturally excited, but his mind was blank, unable to utter a single line of poetry or beautiful vocabulary, he just smirked and said, "This is my daughter, I like it."
Facing the greatest joy in life, only the most unpretentious language can explain it.No one knows him better than Yang Jiang.She understood what kind of uncontrollable shock and surprise was hidden in her husband's clumsy words.
During the recuperation period, the nurses often teased Yang Jiang with a smile. It is a blessing to have such a good husband. On the day of giving birth alone, they went back and forth four times.When Yang Jiang heard this, she realized how much her husband cared about her and her children. She felt a warm current in her heart, and at the same time felt a little distressed. She was worried that Qian Zhongshu would be tired because her studies were already heavy.
After having a child, Qian Zhongshu loves his wife even more.He will never forget the day his daughter was born, his hands trembling with fear.In the following years, he often repeated a sentence on his daughter's birthday: "This is your mother's good day." They jointly named their daughter Yuan, and devoted all their love and protection to Yuan. .
The birth of A Yuan inspired the lives of Qian Zhongshu and Yang Jiang, and further sublimated their love.There is another small fulcrum in the world of two people, which makes this relationship more stable.
(End of this chapter)
Qian Zhongshu gave Yang Jiang a sentence saying: "A unique combination of three incompatibles: wife, lover, and friend." In his eyes, Yang Jiang is a gentle and virtuous wife, a charming and lovely lover, Also a friend who talks about everything.Leaving the familiar family and friends, they came to another world, a beautiful but strange world, and she was his only company.
The husband sings and the woman follows, and the woman sings and the husband follows.They came to England together and studied and studied on the banks of the Thames.Life is life, life is life, although trivial things are inevitable, although they are not always satisfactory, but with each other, they can embrace happiness.
go to england together
In the hot summer of [-], they got married and walked into the besieged city hand in hand.The harp and chords, the phoenix singing in harmony, they are the perfect match made in heaven and earth in the twentieth century.Hu Heqing once said in admiration: "Qian Zhongshu and Yang Jiang are a pair of famous swords in contemporary literature. Qian Zhongshu is like a heroic sword flowing with heroism. The female sword of Han Zang is as wise as a fool, and does not show the blade."
Gambling books disappeared, and they formed a simple and happy family of scholars, and lived a warm life in the siege.In July, the newlyweds bid farewell to their parents and homeland, and embarked on the road of studying abroad.Hand in hand, they went to England to study at Exeter College, Oxford University.
In the classroom of Tsinghua University, Professor Ye Gongchao once half-jokingly said to Qian Zhongshu: "You should not enter Tsinghua University, you should go to Oxford University." The qualification to study abroad at public expense, embarked on the journey of Oxford University.
As the oldest university in English-speaking countries, Oxford University occupies a unique position in British politics, history, and literature, and has trained a large number of philosophers, politicians, scientists, and writers.When Mr. Wu Mi was studying in Europe, he wrote a poem:
Oxford is extremely quiet and beautiful, a paradise on earth;
The mountains are bright and the water is bright, and the sky is blue and the clouds are rosy.
Fangli group school, jagged bamboo shoots;
The spiers are planted leisurely, and the battlements are magnificent.
The bridge house forms a ring hole, and the deep courtyard hides the heavy door;
The stone wall is thousands of years old, and the peeling is black and deep.
There really is a day of Piyong, as if seeing Panchi exist;
Going in a hurry for half a year, I am the soul of dreams for life.
They set off from Wuxi and took the train to Shanghai for a boat.After years of travelling, they bid farewell to their relatives and friends on the streets of Wuxi with deep nostalgia.When parting, it is inevitable to be sentimental. When the train stopped at the platform in Suzhou, Yang Jiang burst into tears.Before leaving, she had already started to miss her. She wished she could get off the train and see her parents' loving smiles one more time.
When they arrived in Shanghai, surrounded by a group of relatives and friends, they went to the pier to board the ship.They hugged each other, said goodbye one by one, and reluctantly boarded the side of the ship.The ship weighed anchor, and they stood on the deck, looking at the waving hands of the people on the shore, and listening to the same shouts criss-crossing around them, in a trance, they only felt a faint sense of hatred, and their eyes could not help but wet their eyes.
The boat set sail and sailed to the river where the sea and the sky lined up. The shore gradually moved away and was covered with fog, but it deepened the sorrow of parting and increased the yearning.Later, Yang Jiang wrote in his prose: "In July 25, Zhong Shu was less than 24 years old, and I was a little less than [-] years old. We got married and went to Oxford, England to study together. We were far away from home. No longer under the shelter of their parents, they are a little trembling; but with two companions, they can depend on each other for life."
Blowing the sea breeze, watching the sun rise and set, and the stars move.The journey of sailing is boring, and the time is infinitely extended. When the ship docks, it is the end of summer and the beginning of autumn.After getting off the boat, watching the blondes coming and going, and listening to the machine gun-like English dialogue, I felt a little more excited and a little more nervous.
Fortunately, in this huge city of London, they still have an acquaintance---Qian Zhonghan.At that time, Qian Zhongshu's cousin had been studying as a postgraduate student at the Polytechnic Institute of the University of London for two years. In addition, his younger brother Zhong Ying was also in the UK. The three brothers, who had not seen each other for a long time, gathered together in a foreign country.
Seeing me arrive from my hometown, I am as happy to return home as you are.
Watch the frequency, doubt and dream, and ask about homework in miscellaneous language.
Since he respects his relatives, he does not leave his servants behind.
Youth is worthy of companionship, and it is not necessary to be busy.
This is Qian Zhongshu's poem describing the reunion of the three.When they came to a foreign country for the first time, hearing the familiar local accent, the husband and wife felt a little more comforted.Once, the three brothers were together in their youth, but now they meet again on the streets of London after a long absence.
Later, Qian Zhonghan often went to Oxford to visit them on holidays, read and studied with them, went for a walk in Oxford Park, visited the British Museum and the Wax Museum together... He used his camera to take a group photo of their husband and wife in Oxford.
The two of them didn't stay long in London. After a short stay and sightseeing, they went to Oxford on the upper Thames River.At that time, Oxford University had not yet started school, and Qian Zhongshu had been arranged by the government to study for a Bachelor of Arts degree at Exeter College, and Yang Jiang also began to approach admission matters.
Strolling on the streets of Oxford, looking at the well-known Bridge of Sighs, the Deer Park, the full-flavored architectural style, and this sacred place where history and modern civilization blend, they couldn't help feeling overwhelmed.This is a world-famous university city and a cultural city with rich heritage. It is simple and solemn, with a blend of urban and learning, and has always been known as "British Athens".
There is a library with a long history ─ ─ Oxford Bodleian Library.The Bodleian Library is world-class, and the theme libraries from all over the world are connected together, complementing the Bodleian Hall and the underground stacks.There is an extremely rich collection of books here. Since Shakespeare's time, the British Book Company has undertaken the obligation to donate new books to it.
This can be said to be right for Qian Zhongshu's appetite, he can read the group of books to his heart's content.During the few years in Oxford, he spent a lot of time eating here, and once translated "Bodley" into "Fuyuelou".
When he first arrived in Oxford, Qian Zhongshu fell face down and knocked out most of his front teeth.That day, he went out alone, and when he came back, he covered his mouth with a handkerchief, and his mouth was bloody.Yang Jiang was very anxious after seeing it, so she hurriedly accompanied him to the dentist, pulled out the broken tooth, and put in dentures.
Yang Jiang said: "Zhong Shu often sighs to himself as 'clumsy'. I only know that he can't tie a bow tie, can't tell the left foot from the right, and can only grab chopsticks like a child. I don't know how he is in other aspects. How stupid, how clumsy." It's just that the happiness in life is found by herself. Later, she even joked that Qian Zhongshu kissed the Oxford floor as soon as he arrived in Oxford. How pious this is!
Fortunately, everything was safe and sound, he just lost a tooth.
In October, Qian Zhongshu entered school and received a stiff square hat and a black cloth vest with two black cloth streamers.Oxford University, with its rigorous scholarship, inevitably has some serious and old-fashioned courses. Paleography courses such as "version and collation" are quite boring. Qian Zhongshu is not interested in this, and he does not want to listen to such courses, nor does he want to refer to them relevant textbooks.
Fortunately, he has a good foundation in English, and his knowledge is more solid than other foreign students. He easily passed all the courses with relatively good grades, except for the English Paleography course.It turned out that during the exam, this course had to identify many scribbled and blurred manuscripts. He didn't expect it, and he didn't prepare for it. Naturally, he failed.Later, he bit the bullet and tried hard to make up for it before passing the make-up exam. This was the only time he worked hard at Oxford University.
For example, when he was at Tsinghua University, he devoted himself to studying, and only read books based on interest.This time, he came into contact with a large number of western poems and novels - "The Waste Land", which broke the norms in fragmented language, the stream-of-consciousness novel "Remembrance of Things Past" by the French writer Proust, "Youth and the Past" by the British writer Joyce. Lysis, etc.
In addition, he was also obsessed with detective novels, and often read some thrilling detective stories to rest his mind. The detective stories of Sherlock Holmes made him even sleepless nights and dancing.It can be said that reading detective novels has become his most pleasant way of rest.
Of course, he will not let go of philosophical and psychological works such as Kant, Hegel, and Croce.During that period of time, he read so many books that even Yang Jiang couldn't tell how many books he had read. It is estimated that the "clumsy" Mr. Mo Cun himself couldn't figure it out either.
At the same time, Yang Jiang chose to be an auditor at Oxford University.She doesn't want to study history in a women's college that doesn't provide accommodation, because she doesn't like it; she doesn't want to leave Zhongshu to study elsewhere, because she doesn't feel at ease letting this Ma Daha who knocked out her front teeth here; She studied at Oxford University at her own expense, because the tuition here was too expensive, and she didn't want to put financial pressure on her parents.
She said: "My father had already suffered from high blood pressure. At that time, there were no antihypertensive drugs. I left my parents and felt very sorry. How could I bear to ask them for money again? I had to settle for the next best thing, so I had to settle Be an auditor, listen to a few courses, and go to the university library to study by yourself."
However, as an auditor, she was much more diligent than Qian Zhongshu.She not only sat in on many classic courses at Oxford University, but also carefully took class notes, and then spent time in the library studying by herself.In the "Fuyue Building", she occupied a fixed seat by the window, made a schedule for herself, and carefully read the borrowed books.
She said, what is there to be dissatisfied with being able to study like this?Contented and happy, the environment here is quiet, and there are very few students coming and going. How many mornings and afternoons, she sat by the window, bathed in the warm sunshine, quietly read classics, and settled her soul.Unknowingly, her foreign literature accomplishment has been greatly improved, which laid a solid foundation for her future research on foreign literature translation.
Only occasionally, she would feel lost and sigh that she was not a formal member of Oxford University.When she was wearing a cheongsam and sitting alone in the auditorium on the side of the classroom, she felt melancholy.She said: "I saw people wearing school uniforms all over the street, and I felt inferior to out-of-school children. I always envied that black cloth vest that other people have but I don't have."
When she complained to Qian Zhongshu, he shook his head, saying that she didn't know how blessed she was, and he also showed her his compulsory courses and the topics of the previous two papers while talking.Yang Jiang looked at it, and she sighed. She was lucky that she was not under the jurisdiction of the school, so she didn't have to spend such a big effort.
It's just that Yang Jiang also knows that she lacks such strict and systematic training.But Qian Zhongshu felt that if he had enough free reading time like his wife, he would definitely gain more.Since ancient times, you can't have both fish and bear's paw, just as Yang Jiang said: "Anyway, neither of us is very satisfied, and his disappointment is even greater."
The husband sings and the woman follows, and the woman sings and the husband follows.They came to England together and studied and studied on the banks of the Thames.Life is life, life is life, although trivial things are inevitable, although they are not always satisfactory, but with each other, they can embrace happiness.
another world
Qian Zhongshu once bestowed on Yang Jiang a sentence: "A unique combination of three incompatibles: wife, lover, and friend."
In his eyes, she is a gentle and virtuous wife, a charming and lovely lover, and a friend who can talk about everything.Leaving the familiar family and friends, they came to another world, a beautiful but strange world, and she was his only company.
They lived in an apartment known as the Old King's, with two single tenants, both visiting medical specialists in Oxford.When he first came here, Qian Zhongshu knocked out his front teeth, so he relied more on their ideas.
Their room is a double bedroom with a window facing the garden. Lao Jin's wife and daughter will help clean up the room, and also provide breakfast, lunch, dinner and afternoon tea.They are free and don't have to worry about housework or meals. They can spend time in the library and enjoy the wide range of literary classics.
Oxford University has three semesters per academic year, eight weeks per semester, and then a six-week vacation, and a three-month summer vacation after one academic year.Although the style of study here is rigorous, there are still quite a lot of holidays.Most of the international students in China are rich kids who graduated from aristocratic schools. They don't take their studies seriously at school, drink and make trouble all day long, and when the holidays come, they all go on a trip again.
Seeing the Chinese international students who often misbehave and violate school rules, the moral instructor can be described as a headache, and sometimes they have to go to the police station to bail out those students who were arrested for misbehaving too much.And Qian Zhongshu is an exception, his character mentor just often treats the couple to drink tea.
Every holiday, he doesn't want to go elsewhere to see different scenery.He devoted all his time to the ocean of books, and only left for a moment during the summer vacation.If Britain is another world different from China, then the world of books that fascinates him is the most splendid stroke in this world.
In fact, this is not uncommon.Zhong Shu has never liked activities. During his four years at Tsinghua University, apart from visiting the Summer Palace and Fragrant Hills with the whole school, he never went to other places of interest in Beijing.Perhaps, for him, owning a book is considered owning the whole world.
Although the university's library collection is rich, it is limited to the eighteenth century and before. Two people who were not satisfied went to the city library to borrow books in order to read books in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.It's just that the books there will be returned within two weeks, so they go to the city library in less than two weeks, and they never tire of it.
They read a lot and exchanged ideas with each other.When Qian Zhongshu read a good book, he guessed that his wife would like it, so he would recommend it to her.Yang Jiang said: "Our literary 'communication' is the basis of our friendship. Each other has experience, and communication is a joyful and interesting thing."
A sunny room, a simple table, two people sitting opposite each other.They lowered their heads, flipped the pages of the book in their hands lightly, and read passages of beautiful words. Occasionally, they raised their heads to meet the inadvertent eyes of the opposite party. They smiled at each other and then lowered their heads again.
The years are quiet and the present world is stable. They enjoy each other in ordinary days, and the time like water is safe and warm every minute.
In addition to reading, they have small appointments every day, which they euphemistically call "adventures".If it is said that reading together is their quiet time alone, then the time spent alone before breakfast and after dinner is boundless play time.They held hands and walked slowly, no matter where the road leads, it seems that if they are not careful, they can go forever.
In the streets and alleys, the downtown suburbs, the churches in the parks, and the gates of colleges, they walked everywhere, playing while walking, measuring the customs of Oxford with their steps.In the downtown area, watching the crowds of all kinds in the downtown area, they will guess their identities and play games corresponding to the characters in the book, and when they see different types of houses, they will guess the appearance of the owner...
This is their little game, although a little childish, but full of joy.
Yang Jiang said: "Oxford has a lot of human touch. The postman met us on the way and handed us our letters from home. The children were waiting by the side and asked us for Chinese stamps very politely. The tall policemen, wearing white Gloves, walking slowly all the way in the evening, pushing and pushing the doors of each house to see if they are closed; if someone does not close the door properly, the police will warn them politely."
Without the hustle and bustle of the city, Oxford is a small and quiet town, simple and elegant, with beautiful scenery.They are not from their hometown, but they can easily find their belonging in the human atmosphere of this quiet and beautiful town.Maybe this is the love they want, to live elsewhere, away from the world, and simply live the life they want.
Being so far away from her parents, Yang Jiang missed her so much, so she sent letters home every week, and when the weekly replies arrived in her hands, she looked at the kind words of her parents and the thoughtless small words of her sisters. No, she is always smiling, very happy.
Qian Zhongshu did not have so many books, and the occasional letters were also the earnest teachings of his strict father, so he was very envious of the strong affection between his wife and family.When Yang Jiang wrote a letter, he rushed to read the kind and interesting family letter, and when she wrote a reply, he had to write a few sentences.
Occasionally, they will also participate in some social activities, the most frequent is the afternoon tea time between classmates and teachers. Qian Zhongshu and Yang Jiang also learned to make tea because of this-"Warm the teapot first, and each use a full teaspoon Tea leaves: one spoonful for you, one spoonful for me, one spoonful for him, and a full spoonful for the teapot. Four spoonfuls of tea leaves are used for four people, and four spoonfuls are used for three people. Boiled water can be added one at a time, and the tea is always strong enough.”
Oxford University has a strange rule that students must have dinner four or five times a week in the cafeteria of their college.To some extent, these few dinners are more important than attending classes, and eating them shows that the students are living on campus.Qian Zhongshu said humorously that after obtaining a bachelor's degree in liberal arts, he will have a master's degree after two years, and a doctorate after four years.
Here, Qian Zhongshu also encountered another wonderful thing.A rich man named Shi Boding wanted to set up a professorship of Sinology at Oxford University. At that time, his younger brother was a resident researcher at Oxford University, specializing in Zhuangzi's philosophy.One day, he invited Qian Zhongshu and his wife to visit his home, and persuaded him to give up the Boxer Scholarship, study philosophy instead, and be his brother's helper.
The rich man is proud, he looks down on the insignificant Chinese scholarship.But patriotism is something that everyone has. Qian Zhongshu immediately rejected his proposal, and he definitely would not do the thing of giving up the national scholarship and switching to a foreign rich man.
In Oxford, although they did not have a high reputation, they still made friends with many scholars. A Frenchman named CD Le Gros Clark, when publishing "Su Dongpo Fu", specially asked Qian Zhong to write the preface.
Later, in order to express his gratitude, he brought his wife from Paris to Oxford for a meeting and invited Qian Zhongshu and his wife to dinner.On that day, they wore grand gowns and rushed to the famous St. George Hotel for a banquet. He was a handsome gentleman and she was a lovely lady.
Qian Zhongshu is also a playful person, but what he loves is not traveling, but writing word games.At that time, they got acquainted with foreign students such as Yu Dazhen and Yu Dayu, Xiang Da and Yang Xianyi, and occasionally drank afternoon tea to exchange life and study.
And Xiang Da is a frequent visitor to his house. Whenever the two get together, they are full of nonsense and jokes, and Qian Zhongshu will make some crooked poems and gags.He also presented Xiang Da with a long poem. The first two lines said that he was "the way of death on the outside (still), but the door on the heart (sentimental)". Xiang Da was not angry, looking at those nonsense poems , and Qian Zhongshu laughed together.
It can be said that he and Qian Zhongshu are like-minded.Not to be outdone, he said to Qian Zhongshu: "People talk about honey and swords, but you talk about swords and honey." Those who understand have their own understanding. Xiang Da understands Qian Zhongshu's word games, so he will not think his words are mean.
Yang Jiang once said: "There are not many people who can play with Zhong Shu on an equal footing, and those who don't agree with him will think Zhong Shu is mean. We keep a distance from those who don't agree with us, and it seems to be proud. We are young and unsophisticated. , but those who know the world and know how to behave are also criticized. Zhongshu and I explain ourselves by this.”
At that time, I was young, ignorant of the world, and disdain the world.In life, there is no need to have trouble with yourself. It is enough to make some like-minded friends, make jokes, and say some intimate words. Why let those disagreeable remarks disturb your heart?
Time is passing by; years are precipitating.Although the two have only one bedroom for daily living, and although the food in Lao Jin's house is getting worse and worse, they follow their hearts day by day and month by month, live a fulfilling and happy life, and life like this is enough Alright.
In Lao Jin's house, they shared a room, and there was no study room or living room, so it was always inconvenient, and the shared bathroom and toilet were sometimes embarrassing.As for Qian Zhongshu, who eats conservatively, he refuses to eat foreign flavors such as cheese and western food, so Yang Jiang saves most of what he can eat for him, but she still feels that he can't fill his stomach.
Seeing Qian Zhongshu's yellow and thin appearance, Yang Jiang felt distressed and decided to move.She didn't discuss with Zhong Shu, but went to look for the house secretly.It's just that I'm not satisfied after seeing a few places, either because the place is remote or the budget is not enough.During a walking adventure, she happened to see a rent notice posted on a three-story western-style building near Oxford University.
She ran over, only to find that the sign was missing, but she decided to try her luck at the door anyway.The door opened, and the owner, Ms. Dale, looked her over and asked some questions before taking her to the second floor to see the house.Yang Jiang liked it very much when she saw the separate bedroom and living room, large balcony, dedicated bathroom, toilet and kitchen. In addition, this house is isolated from other rooms and can be accessed through a small garden door.
After asking about the lease conditions, she couldn't help smiling.The environment here is elegant, and it is not far from the school and library. More importantly, the rent is very suitable. She has a hunch that Zhong Shu will also like it here.
Sure enough, Zhong Shu was overjoyed when he saw the house.Zhong Shu's happy and satisfied appearance made Yang Jiang very satisfied.They immediately signed a lease with Ms. Dale, and after spending Christmas at Lao Jin's house, they moved into the new residence, which was a private space only for the two of them.
Romance in the mundane
If love is the passion of mutual pleasure, then marriage is such a trivial life.From a lingering romantic love to a bland marriage of daily necessities, whether you like it or not, you have to follow your heart.As Qian Zhongshu said: "Marriage is like shoes on your feet. Only your toes know whether they are comfortable or not."
They moved into their new home, and personally created a corner of warmth and a happy world that only belonged to two people.
They ordered bread and milk at the grocery store, and fresh bread and fresh milk were delivered to their homes every day.When they went to the library or "explored" in the evening, they would pick up chicken, duck, fish, melons, fruits and vegetables, and other daily food in the store, and then a cute boy would deliver the food to their door.
The store owner liked the two yellow-skinned and black-haired Asians very much and treated them as regular customers.When shopping for food, they don't need to pay on the spot, just settle the bill every two weeks. When there are new things in the store, they will always be notified. Said: "This is an old product, and I will deliver it to you after a day or two when new products arrive."
In this way, they have fresh and delicious ingredients. They are just two young people who have never cooked, and there are still many things to learn.
On the day of moving, they looked at the row of elegant wardrobes in their new living room, full of joy.In the afternoon sun, they were busy, packing their clothes and books, and before they knew it, the sun had set to the west...
Ms. Dale rented them a lot of daily furniture, including kitchen electric stoves, electric kettles, pots, plates, knives and forks.That night, they learned how to use an electric stove and electric kettle, boiled a large pot of boiling water, and ate dinner with other kitchen utensils, and then fell asleep on the soft bed.
It was dawn, and the first ray of sunlight shone through the curtains on the quilt, creating a soft halo of light.Qian Zhongshu, who always went to bed early and got up early, tiptoed out of bed. This was their first morning in their new house, and he wanted to give his beloved wife a very happy start.
He went to the kitchen, cooked "5-minute eggs" clumsily, heated milk, baked bread, and showed off the skills he had just learned from his classmates, making fragrant and strong black tea for his beloved wife.Finally, he brought the carefully prepared breakfast to his beloved wife's bed on a rice tray with short feet, adding butter, jam, and honey.
Yang Jiang fell asleep late and woke up late in the morning.When she woke up from her sleep, she was surprised and delighted to see such a rich breakfast. She sighed that she had never eaten such a delicious breakfast, and said jokingly: "I will jump up to enjoy it even in my deep sleep." gone."
This is the romance in the secular world that Qian Zhongshu gave her.Who said that marriage lacks romance, as long as there is a heart, romance is everywhere.Seeing his beloved wife smiling and happy, Zhong Shu was also very satisfied. From then on, he prepared delicious breakfast for her every day until he was old.
Yang Jiang later wrote: "The days when we lived together—except in the big family, except when there was a maid to take care of three meals a day, except when Zhong Shu was sick, this breakfast was always Zhong Shu Make it for me to eat. A big tea cup of black tea with milk every morning has become a hobby that he can't quit all his life."
When they had a kitchen, they began to learn to cook by themselves.The apron with rolled sleeves is busy with the mouth, and Chao Chao washes his hands to make soup. Yang Jiang is the chef and Zhong Shu is the assistant. It's really joyful.Once, Zhong Shu wanted to eat braised pork, so Yang Jiang cut the bought meat into squares with scissors, then turned on the electric stove and boiled it with full power. But it can't be boiled.
Afterwards, Yang Jiang suddenly remembered that her mother used "slow fire" when making orange peel jam, and when she made braised pork again, she stewed the meat with slow fire, and bought a bottle of sherry wine for rice wine. Not bad, Zhong Shu ate heartily.
Yang Jiang said with a smile: "It is an adventure for us to move, and it is also an adventure to take care of our own food. Eating braised pork is an adventure and success." Boiled is also very delicious.
At the beginning, she also cooked vegetables and ate them. Once she had a flash of inspiration and remembered how to stir-fry vegetables before, so she fried them according to her memory. It turned out to be quite delicious, at least better than boiled vegetables. Vegetables too.
They groped slowly and invented slowly. Although they sometimes made some jokes, they also added a lot of fun.Once, lentils were delivered to the store. They didn't know what they were, so they complained that the shells were too thick and the beans were too small while peeling them.Just peeling and peeling, I realized that this is a lentil, and the shell is edible, so Yang Jiang made it by stewing it, and it was quite successful!
Another time, when they bought live shrimp, Yang Jiang said very "expertly": "You have to cut off the beard and feet." She took the scissors and cut it off, but the live shrimp began to twitch in her hand, terrified. She threw away the prawns and ran out of the kitchen, and said childishly to Zhong Shu: "Shrimp, when I cut it, it hurt so badly, let's not eat it from now on!"
Zhong Shu was amused by Yang Jiang's words. He reasoned with Yang Jiang, saying that he still had to eat the shrimp, and that the shrimp would not hurt like her, so he took the scissors to cut off the "whiskers and feet".
In this way, they kept experimenting and inventing, and the food was cooked in a decent way. Yang Jiang even joked that he "gradually civilized from the cooking of primitive people and entered the stage of civilization".Zhong Shu had Chinese food, ate to his heart's content, and was so happy that he just wanted to be naughty, so he painted his beloved wife's face with thick ink while he was taking a nap.
In this regard, Yang Jiang recalled: "He woke up and saw that I was asleep, so he dipped in thick ink and wanted to draw a painted face for me. But I woke up as soon as he wrote the pen. He didn't expect that my face was more ink-eating than rice paper." , Wash off the ink stains, and the face is washed torn like paper. From now on, he will no longer play pranks, but only draw a portrait of me, and add glasses and a beard to it, just for fun."
Haha, it's really fun!
Love is unforgettable under the collision of hormones.Some people love vigorously and lingeringly to death, while others love flatly and slowly. It's just that too many vows of love have been lost in the ordinary dining room at home.Therefore, some people are afraid of marriage, afraid that blandness will ruin love.
In the secular world, plainness is the main theme, while romance is the seasoning in the ordinary.Are you envious of their happy little days?In fact, romance does not need to be deliberate, as long as there is heart, as long as there is love, are you afraid of lack of fun?
During that time, they were really happy, as if they had created a world by themselves.Cooking is fun, but it takes a lot of effort. Sometimes, Yang Jiang would think: If we don't have to eat, it will be easier and happier.
Zhong Shu naturally disagreed.He said: "I want to eat. Immortals cook white stones, and I won't be hungry for a long time after eating. It's so boring. I don't envy it." A humorous remark made Yang Jiang laugh out loud, and she obediently went to cook.
It's just that happy days can have accidents.In the early spring morning of [-], Yang Jiang sent Zhong Shu out. He had gone to class, but when she wanted to go back to the house, a gust of wind blew and the door was locked, but she did not bring the key...
She didn't want to find a locksmith because it was expensive and she didn't have any money with her.She turned to the garden and saw a long ladder beside the gardener who was pruning the lawn, so she borrowed it and climbed onto the balcony.She carefully observed the thick wooden door of the balcony, trying to get in through the small horizontal window framed with glass, but the horizontal window was too high for her to reach.
In a hurry, she stood on the wooden box placed on the balcony, jumped sideways, put her left hand on the lower edge of the transom, pressed her head against the transom and got in, and her upper body also got in. She forgot how the lower body got in. But she just slipped in.
It was really a near miss.She hurried to the living room to get a bunch of keys on the table and fastened them to her belt.When Zhongshu came back from get out of class, Yang Jiang, who was full of wisdom in life, had recovered his calm, as if nothing had happened.
In a blink of an eye, a school year has passed.After Qian Zhongshu's exam, the two left their luggage at Ms. Da Lei's house, and went to London and Paris for "exploration" together.Before leaving, Yang Jiang made an appointment with Ms. Da Lei that they would move into her another slightly larger house after the summer vacation.
Yang Jiang said: "This school year should be the most relaxed and happy year in my life, and it is also the year I study hardest. Apart from being homesick, I can say that I have no worries."
Qian Zhonghan traveled to Germany and Northern Europe by himself on a bicycle during the summer vacation, so they lost their guide in London and had to continue exploring by themselves: from the apartment to Hyde Park, to the second-hand bookstore on Tottenham Road, from the zoo Go to the botanical garden, walk from the rich area of the west end to the slums of the east end.
When they arrived in Paris, before they had time to appreciate the different French style, Qian Zhongshu received a telegram from the government authority, sending him to attend a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland as a representative of the "World Youth Congress", and Yang Jiang was also arrested by a resident. At the invitation of the Communist Party members in Paris, he became the Communist Party representative of the "World Youth Congress".
In this way, the husband and wife went to Geneva together.In this regard, Yang Jiang proudly emphasized: "I went to Switzerland with Zhong Shu. I have my own identity, and I didn't follow."
During the meeting, both of them participated in every important meeting, but when they encountered a meeting that could slip away, they all fled and continued their unknown "adventure".Once, the two walked endlessly on the narrow and uneven mountain road, and they came to the edge of Lake Leman unknowingly. They wanted to circle the lake on a whim, but then the lake became wider and wider, and there was no way to circle around it.
After the conference ended, the two went to Paris for a week or two before returning to Oxford.Some people say that there must be at least two impulses in one's life, one for a desperate love, and one for a walk-away trip.So, like them, what kind of romance would it be to take a casual trip with someone you love?
I still remember the eternal melody of that old song: "The most romantic thing I can think of is to grow old with you slowly, and collect little bits of laughter along the way, and save them for later sitting in a rocking chair and chatting slowly until we are old You can't go anywhere, and you still regard me as a treasure in your palm..."
Time seems to have stood still. How many people cried this song, and how many people woke up again.After the passage of time, how many people envy such a life.The years are mottled, the face is haggard, and the temples are old, but the lovers are still close together.This kind of love, this kind of marriage is a quality life.
Romance in the secular world is embellished in every bit of life.The deep love is silent, the still water flows deep, a warm breakfast cooked by oneself, a dish that the other party has been talking about for a long time, even if it is just a thoughtful word of care, it can warm the lover's heart.
Youth, life, and the past are always true when you look back suddenly.Decades later, Qian Zhongshu also said this sentence: "Before I saw her, I never thought of getting married; I married her for decades, and I never regretted marrying her; I never thought of marrying someone else." woman."
sprout of life
Life is short and there will always be regrets.Therefore, pessimists believe that the essence of life is nothingness, while optimists believe that there is an incomplete beauty between gains and losses.Regardless of poverty or wealth, mortals will be buried one day, so people pay special attention to the inheritance and continuation of blood.
The significance of children to Chinese people is far greater than that of the West.In ancient times, there was a precept that "there are three kinds of unfilial piety, and the greatest is to have no descendants".Now it will eventually turn into dust and return to the earth. Then, I am afraid that only a clear cry of a baby can save this proposition about life.
Of course, as far as Qian Zhongshu and his wife are concerned, they are definitely not so narrow-minded.The inheritance of life is just an abstract law, and the warmth and touch that can be captured everywhere in life is the most important.On the way back to Oxford from Paris, they also reaped the fruits of love happily──unknowingly, a little life began to conceive and grow.
When Yang Jiang began to notice the subtle changes in her body, her heart was full of anticipation and novelty.Like all young couples, they often discussed the future of this baby, imagining everything that was coming.Qian Zhongshu even secretly hoped that the one who will be born is a daughter, who will grow into a perfect woman who is as gentle and intelligent as his wife in the future.
In Yang Jiang's mind, she expects her child to be as knowledgeable and wise as her husband in the future.It can be seen that they all project everything they love most onto their children.Similarly, it can also be seen that in their mutual hearts, each other is the most perfect other half.
In a strange country, it is a different career, and there are various challenges that come one after another every day.This little joy is their sweetest harvest.Later, their wishes became a reality, and their daughter Qian Yuan was as warm and generous as her mother, and as educated as her father.
One side is studies, the other side is the crystallization of love.Qian Zhongshu and his wife lived a fulfilling and beautiful life.As the months went by, Yang Jiang's pregnancy reaction became more and more intense. In the sweet torment, she had to adjust her focus to the child and create all the conditions to ensure her healthy birth.
It is a woman's nature to conceive life. She often touches her belly lightly, feeling the baby's small hands and feet stretched out suddenly. She feels that the private conversation between them has started like this.There are many imperfections in this world, but they are willing to fill them with love.
It is no exaggeration to say that even for two world-renowned writers, their most important works are still children.In order to provide his wife with a good production environment and to ensure the health of the baby, Qian Zhongshu searched a lot of information, consulted many professionals, and finally booked a single ward for Yang Jiang's maternity hospital in the UK. , and asked the dean to introduce expert doctors to them.The dean recommended Dr. Spence to Qian Zhongshu, who was the best doctor in the hospital, and his home was very close to the residence of Qian Zhongshu and his wife.
For women, childbirth is a painful and challenging process.Afterwards, she doesn't even want to recall that day.She seemed to have exhausted all her strength and passed out for a while.Fortunately, everything went well in the end. When she opened her eyes, she saw everyone's anxious eyes, and there were many nurses around the bed.
"You're the bravest woman we've ever met," they said in admiration. She was wrapped in a flannel bag like a dumpling, smiling weakly.She calmly listened to the nurses talking about the thrilling process, as if the matter had nothing to do with her.When asked why she didn't yell loudly, she said flatly: "Since yelling still hurts, why bother to waste energy?" The nurses were even more dumbfounded, marveling at the resilience of this Chinese woman.
For Qian Zhongshu, it was an uncomfortable day.During the whole process, he couldn't see his wife, but he couldn't rest assured no matter what, like an ant on a hot pot.In one day, he came to the maternity hospital four times. After being persuaded by the doctor to go back, he was still worried and came back again.There is no direct bus between the apartment and the hospital, so he walks back and forth four times a day, which shows his anxiety.
After the baby was born, the hospital told Qian Zhongshu that it was a daughter. Qian Zhongshu's wish came true, and he couldn't stop smiling from ear to ear, but the mother was too weak, and the hospital still forbade them to meet, so he had to leave alone again.It wasn't until Yang Jiang was completely out of danger and came to his senses that he finally saw his wife and daughter whom he had longed for.
Throughout the ages, literary masters are all talented, but there is also an unwritten rule that if they encounter things around them, they will become clumsy in eloquence.Seeing the white and chubby newborn, Qian Zhongshu was naturally excited, but his mind was blank, unable to utter a single line of poetry or beautiful vocabulary, he just smirked and said, "This is my daughter, I like it."
Facing the greatest joy in life, only the most unpretentious language can explain it.No one knows him better than Yang Jiang.She understood what kind of uncontrollable shock and surprise was hidden in her husband's clumsy words.
During the recuperation period, the nurses often teased Yang Jiang with a smile. It is a blessing to have such a good husband. On the day of giving birth alone, they went back and forth four times.When Yang Jiang heard this, she realized how much her husband cared about her and her children. She felt a warm current in her heart, and at the same time felt a little distressed. She was worried that Qian Zhongshu would be tired because her studies were already heavy.
After having a child, Qian Zhongshu loves his wife even more.He will never forget the day his daughter was born, his hands trembling with fear.In the following years, he often repeated a sentence on his daughter's birthday: "This is your mother's good day." They jointly named their daughter Yuan, and devoted all their love and protection to Yuan. .
The birth of A Yuan inspired the lives of Qian Zhongshu and Yang Jiang, and further sublimated their love.There is another small fulcrum in the world of two people, which makes this relationship more stable.
(End of this chapter)
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