The Twelve Years: Song of the Unsung Friends

When he was a teenager, he ordered people to set up one stage after another in the back garden pavilion, with bead lamps hanging in front of the eaves, and leno silk and satin as curtains... Before the guests arrived, the lights were not allowed. The guest is here, the lights are all bright, and the scenery is not to be described.

He just half-closed the curtain because he thought about it. He wanted to wait for the sun to set and wait for her to go home before turning on the light.

Unfortunately, Shen Xi returned home too early.

"Before you came back, the play didn't taste good," he said softly, and the tip of his nose slipped from her forehead and smelled the scent of her body. This is the scent of rouge gouache, a Chinese girl, "When you come back, It's very different."

He kissed her, savoring the smell of coffee between her lips and teeth.

"Well, it's milk coffee," he commented, "I can only drink water these days, it's not interesting."

Fu Tongwen tilted his head and smiled as if he was lost, waiting for her to light the lamp and wait for the third young master.

Shen Xi looked at him.

She is afraid of losing him, more afraid than anyone else, except for him, she has no relatives in this world. In her, the stages of the play are staged in turn, Zhongliang is framed, and the good guy will die early. She didn't want to, and finally had to experience lover separation.

The mountains and rivers are unharmed, it will only be a good wish, she can't see where the way is.

Isn't it impossible for a hundred years to...

Shen Xigang and Chen Linguan met, still depressed, fearing that his abnormality would affect his patient's mood. She avoided Fu Dongwen's face and saw the newspaper spread out on Xiaoji: "Stop reading the newspaper. It will not do you any good."

"Okay," he closed the newspaper obediently. "If you say you don't read it, then don't read it."

"If you can really say what I say, listen to whatever..."

Not to this day.

He told Rao: "You drink coffee with your friends and I am waiting in the apartment. As soon as this shows up, don't teach me anymore."

Shen Xi looked at him complainingly and took the newspaper away.

"Go and let Qingxiang prepare," Fu Tongwen leaned back on the back of the sofa chair. "The chief and his wife are getting dark, and they want to stay for dinner."

"Have you talked to Mr. Tan?"

"I dare not say, you and him have been very angry lately." He laughed at himself.

Not because of you...

Shen Xi didn't want to expose his "grief", holding a stack of newspapers and walking out.

"More than two people come, at least four or five people. Also, Madam likes smoked sausage and raw oysters." He added.

"Don't you eat Chinese food?" she asked back, "I thought they would want to eat it since they haven't returned to China for a long time."

"Madam has been cooking Chinese food at the consulate to make everyone happy," he replied, "changing them tonight."

After they arrived in France, they hired a French woman to help clean up the house and occasionally cook Western food.

It just came in handy today.

After dark, the guests arrived on time. Except for the chief and his wife, they are all foreign ministers who have friendship with Fu Dongwen. Shen Xi met them at the welcome banquet in January. Everyone was beaming at the dinner table. Today, they seemed to be a few years old. They were still polite and gentleman who brought gifts and talked with the host, but there was no smile behind his eyes. .

Dinner was arranged for three hours, less than half an hour, except for the chief and his wife, the rest left.

On the table, fresh oysters were floating in the candlelight.

No one has the appetite to eat them.

"I sent several telegrams to the country, but did not reply." said the chief.

The major powers reached an agreement to transfer German rights in Shandong to the Japanese.

China is not qualified to discuss it, nor is it qualified to object.

The delegation immediately informed the domestic government of the results of the meeting.

The day when the contract can be signed is approaching day by day, and the Beiyang government has always buckled and made no decision.

As a result, the delegation became a target of public criticism and was isolated in Paris. With a shameful goal, they have gone through hardships during their journey, and have negotiated with them after arriving in Paris. They have negotiated so far... but they were finally abandoned and become an abandoned child.

If you sign that unequal contract, it is the responsibility of the delegation and shame the people; if you don’t sign, it is also the responsibility of the delegation, which offends the big countries participating in the meeting.

"This word can't be signed again...can't be signed again." The total sighed.

Fu Dongwen is not from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is just a businessman and has no right to comment.

He fiddled with half of the bread on the white plate with a silver fork.

Shen Xi pretended not to pay attention. Under the candlelight, she saw the lady's hand on the edge of the dining table glowing blue, with abrupt blood vessels and very old. At this time, she realized that the lady was sixty-five years old, but she was still running around with her husband...

Outside the window, noise gradually began.

Shen Xi put down the glass bottle of water: "I'll go and see."

She walked into the living room, and Tan Qingxiang was also there.

"They are students studying in France, there are hundreds of people," Tan Qingxiang said quickly, "have they been protesting in front of the consulate in France? How did they find it here?"

"The chief's car is outside the lawn, so it's easy to find it," Shen Xi said.

"I'll go out and have a look first. You go and call the consulate so that someone can pick it up?"

Before Tan Qingxiang had finished speaking, Fu Dongwen came out of the dining room with the president and his wife.

"These days, they are all outside the consulate, and I have dealt with some of them." The chief smiled bitterly, "Let me go out and talk about it first."

Fu Dongwen wanted to stop, but his wife shook her head to stop him.

They had to follow and go to the garden together. The garden outside the apartment is semi-open. The lawn is connected to the road. Under the street lamp, Shen Xi can see that all are young faces. She has always been afraid of student activities because of the attack on Fu Dongwen in Shanghai. But fortunately, this group of college students didn't mean to do anything. They only sent a female student to talk to the chief executive for a short time.

She seemed to see what the female student was holding, but didn't see clearly.

Not far away, the French police are also watching.

"Should we really not notify the consulate?" she asked Fu Dongwen in a low voice.

Fu Dongwen said nothing.

After the brief conversation, the chief turned his head, stepped on the lawn, and came to Fu Dongwen and the others.

Tan Qingxiang immediately let everyone inside the door and released the lock.

The chief looked at the crowd through the glass, and said softly: "The student representative hid a flower in his sleeve, pretending to be a gun, threatening me not to sign the contract."

The lady smiled wryly.

"I saw it when she picked the flowers." The chief smiled suddenly and looked at Fu Tongwen, "What flowers are growing outside?"

"Rose," Fu Tongwen said wittyly, accompanied by him, "it's a romantic gun."

Soon, the consulate sent another car to pick up the guests and leave.

When the car drove away, the girl who used a flower to pretend to be a gun was giving an impassioned speech: "If he dared to sign, we would kill him! He would never dare to sign!"

On the road, the gathered students studying in France were passionate and surrounded the female student representative and cheered.

...

Tan Qingxiang had no intention of watching this. He went back to the dining room first, moved all the unfinished things in front of him, sat down, and ate slowly. Dinner tonight was special. He was afraid that he was there and it was inconvenient for everyone to talk about business, so he didn't show up in the dining room.

But today, there is nothing to talk about.

A glimpse of Paris, this is the best era in France.

Artists from all over the world gather here, gathering in cafes, sharing their artworks in pubs and on the street. Every night in the Moulin Rouge, the red windmill model, the iron tower soaring in the sky... the literati who experienced that era, and later described France, would call Paris at that time "a flowing feast."

And these are the glory of other people's homes.

Domestic newspapers call Shanghai the "Paris of the East", which is just the emperor's new outfit. Is there any concession in Paris? Are there any high-end places that French people cannot enter?

Fu Dongwen went to Tan Qingxiang's side, pulled out the chair, and took a seat.

He seems to be waiting for the flowers to die for half a month.

Knowing the ending, he refused to leave before the signing date.

The white wine on the table was prepared for the lady. The raw oysters were very smelly and matched with white wine. He took the ampoules and poured the wine to Tan Qingxiang. It was full. This is the Chinese way of pouring wine.

When he was about to pour himself, Tan Qingxiang covered his glass: "I have a family, please take care of Shen Xi's mood."

Fu Tongwen smiled: "I don't drink, just want to toast."

He pulled away Tan Qingxiang's hand and filled his glass.

He held the cup and touched Tan Qingxiang lightly. He obviously didn't drink, but he had a dizzy look: "Today is a day worth toasting."

"The first cup, to respect the Shen family." He poured a full glass of wine on the ground, and looked at Shen Xi from a distance through the candlelight, "It's not your father, I won't embark on the road of revolution."

The Shen family and Tan Qingxiang did not meet, he listened, did not pour the wine.

Fu Dongwen picked up the bottle and poured the wine.

When it was almost full, the bottle of wine was gone, and he slouched on the table with one hand, enough to fill the glass with another bottle of red wine that no one had ever drunk.

"Second cup, respect Dongfang," he toasted, "I am incompetent. He has been walking for so long, but I haven't done anything serious."

The dark red wine was poured on the ground.

This time, Tan Qingxiang also toasted with him.

The empty glass is full again.

"This third cup..." Who is it for?

It's not that no one respects, it's that too many people have died.

"Qingxiang, you haven't experienced the reform, that's a good job." Fu Dongwen asked.

"I smiled from the side to the sky, and went to save two Kunlun," Tan Qingxiang smiled, "Who hasn't heard of it?"

"In the past, someone advised me not to blend in with the Reformation," Fu Tongwen recalled. "That was a celebrity in the palace, and he gave me a word-persuade you not to be alone."

In fact, there is no single person in China, only a group of people who wake up early.

He was awakened when his compatriots shed blood on the day of the division of the country and found that there were already people standing beside him.

"The last wine...respect the old friend." Fu Dongwen said last.

"Respect the old man." Tan Qingxiang echoed.

To all those with lofty ideals, those who are working hard to strengthen our China and regain the land...The old folks who are ridiculously overthinking the big tree.

Two brothers of different surnames poured their glasses at the same time, and poured all the remaining wine.

It was a ridiculous toast. People poured small glasses, but the two of them were holding large glasses... The water gathered and there was wine all around. The floor of half of the dining room was full of wine, and the soles of their leather shoes were wet, as were her shoes.

Shen Xi lowered his head and looked at the water under his feet. She didn't want to disturb them, so she held her own glass and sipped wine. She doesn't drink well, and her cheeks are hot in two or two sips, and there is water in her eyes.

After the three glasses of wine were toasted, Fu Dongwen sat back in the chair. He looked at the drinks on the floor and said nothing for a long time.

After a long time, Shen Xi noticed something wrong, so he happened to probe his hand to get the water glass. When Fu Dongwen was drinking water, she clearly saw a drop of water slipping from his chin. From this angle, Tan Qingxiang is invisible.

Tan Qingxiang did not respond, nor did Fu Tongwen who drank the water. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would have thought it was an illusion.

...

Shen Xi's throat choked and he drank all the wine in one gulp.

Pretending to be worried, she turned her head and looked out the window: "It seems to be gone, those students studying in France."

"We are not a consulate here," Tan Qingxiang picked up his fork and was eating raw oysters. "If you want to encircle, encircle there too. But there is nothing to encircle."

That night, Fu Dongwen said a lot.

Later, his young master got angry and took the record player from the study to the bedroom.

He laughed and said: "This drama is addicted, no one can stop it."

He also said: "It's best to be full of red."

He said again: "I will clean up the old mountains and rivers from the beginning, and face the sky. This sentence is the best."

Shen Xi boiled the water, brought it to the room, and wiped his face and hands.

"Can I teach you how to sing?" he asked.

Shen Xi protested: "I have no talent."

"It's the same as Dong'an." He teased her.

"You laugh well, we people can't sing well, so it seems that you can sing well Sanye." She held him up with the words and made him happy.

He was embarrassed by her with a hot towel, so he was so uncomfortable, "Uh", and accompanied her to sing a fake show: "I understand the rules better."

The two laughed for a while, and Fu Dongwen was persuaded to fall asleep.

He suffered from angina twice that night.

It's not difficult to make a strong face and laugh, it's rare to pass this hurdle in my heart.

Within two days, Fu Dongwen was sent to the hospital again. From January to France, Fu Dongwen spent more time in the hospital than in the apartment. French doctors will not say that they are "slumped in the heart", but they often explain to her family members of the patient that they should try to ensure that the patient feels comfortable. But after speaking, even the doctor himself felt that this was nonsense.

The Paris Peace Conference is mentioned in the newspapers every day, and all France knows what China is about to lose again.

Fu Tongwen also knew that he was going through the ghost gate during this period, so he called Zhou Lixun in case of accidents.

When Shen Xi saw Zhou Lixun enter the door, he immediately saw through his thoughts, his eyes turned red immediately, and he couldn't hide it. Fu Dongwen was afraid that Zhou Lixun would see her fragility, and waved his hand outwards: "Call you to come in again."

Zhou Lixun is also a very temperamental young master, but today he is honest.

Let him wait outside, turn around and leave, there is no more nonsense.

Fu Tongwen pulled Shen Xi's hand: "Okay, what's wrong?"

"What did you ask him to do?" Shen Xi could not breathe steady.

He sighed: "It's not good to be too smart, I just suffered from premature wisdom."

He paused briefly, and patiently explained to her: "The business is large and the assets are complex, so you must explain it in advance. For example, the mansions, apartments, minerals, trading houses and companies all over the country need to be discussed one by one."

But seeing her tears blurred, he didn't dare to go any further, and softly reviewed and said, "I am the one who delayed you. A good girl, marrying me, and remarrying will be troublesome."

"Fu Dongwen..." She stared at him.

Fu Tongwen came to her ear and said, "Stop making trouble. Go and call someone in."

Intellectually, Shen Xi knew that this was necessary. After all, his assets were complicated and only he could arrange it reasonably.

But emotionally, no one can bear it.

After Zhou Li visited the ward, Shen Xi took the initiative to cover the door for them and sat alone on the bench in the corridor, emptying himself. She wants to enter the ward later so that she can control her emotions and stop crying...

"Mrs. Fu." Fu Dongwen's attending doctor in this hospital stood in front of her, followed by an English-speaking nurse.

Shen Xi hurriedly stood up.

The attending doctor was talking. She was very anxious, fearing it might be related to his condition, staring at the nurse in charge of the translation.

"The doctor asks you, do you remember the professor he recommended to you?"

"I...remember," Shen Xi answered the nurse with a heavy nasal voice, "but I didn't succeed. I couldn't even make an appointment."

The attending doctor listened carefully to the nurse's interpretation.

Uneasiness was permeating, Shen Xi didn't realize it, holding his breath, waiting for the doctor's reply.

The doctor nodded and asked the nurse to continue translating his own words.

The nurse spoke quickly and conveyed the doctor's meaning to her again in English: "This is good news, Mrs. Fu, some of the best cardiologists in the country called us and wanted to conduct a consultation for your husband."

Suddenly unable to prevent it, like someone opened the curtain in the darkness.

She was so stabbed by the light that she couldn't open her eyes and wanted to cry. There are tears, it keeps falling, it can't stop at all...

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Next Saturday