Lu pattern of the town hotel, and it is different elsewhere: are the streets of a large L-shaped counter, which prepared the hot water container, you can always warm wine. People who work, Bangwu evening scattered workers often spend four paper coins, buy a bowl of wine ,------ This is twenty years ago, but now the text of each bowl to rise to ten ,---- - stood by outside the cabinet, hot drink, rest; if willing to spend a text, they can buy a plate of salt and cook bamboo shoots, or beans flavored with aniseed, things to do with wine, and if the text out to a dozen, it will be able to buy the same meat dish, but these customers, mostly jacket to help, probably not so generous. Only wear gown, the only Duojin store next door to the house, order wine and dishes, and slowly sat drinking. Since I was twelve years old, will be in town the mouth of the Xianheng hotel waiter, shopkeeper said, I look silly, not gown serve patrons afraid to strike out to do something. Patrons outside of the jacket, though easy to speak, but whining is also unclear Twining a lot. They often watched from the jars, scoop out the rice wine, watched pot of water is not sub-hysterical, and pro-children to see the pot in hot water, then rest assured: In this severe under the supervision of sheep crowding (chàn) water is also difficult. So after a few days, shopkeeper said I can not do this. Fortunately, the sensibilities recommended first large, not dismissed, then changed to specifically to deal with a boring job warm the wine. Since then, the day I stood behind the counter, specifically to deal with my post. Although there is no dereliction of duty, but the overall feel a little monotonous, and some boring. Treasurer is a fierce face, patrons can also complain to no good, lively teaching people not; only Kung to the shop, we can laugh few times, so still remember. Kung is standing drinking and the only person wearing long sleeves. He was a very large; plainer face, the wrinkles between the folder from time to time some scars; a tangled gray beard. Although wearing a long gown, but the dirty and broken, do not seem to make more than a decade, no wash. He was talking to people, always speak a lot about education in classical, as people do not understand half understand. Hole because of his name, others did give Miao Hong paper "on the adult ji" know anything about this, then in half, remove a nickname for him, called Kung. Kung one to shop, they are all people who drink at him laughing, and some cried, "Kung, have added a new scar on your face!" He does not answer to the cabinet said, "warm bowls wine, to a dish of beans flavored with aniseed. "will discharge nine coppers. They also loudly on purpose, "You must then stole other people's stuff!" Kung said, eyes wide open, "how do you clean this out of thin air pollution ... people ..." "What innocence? My eyes see you steal the day before yesterday Ho's book, hanging to play. "ji would flush, the amount of blue veins on the roads ek, argued," can not be considered stealing Stealing Books ... ... Stealing Books! ... ... reading of people, could be considered stealing you? "a series that is difficult to understand, nothing" solid poor gentleman, "what" are an absolute necessity "and the like, people are attracted laughter together: shop outside the air is full of joy. Listen to people talk about privately, Kung had also read the book, but finally did not enter science, and would not make a living; so more than poorer, will be begging to get out. Fortunately, a good character is written, it will for others copied plagiarism, a bowl of rice. Unfortunately, his bad temper, like there is delicious lazy. Take a few days, even the people and books, paper, brush, together missing. The case several times, called him Transcription in person as well. Kung is not law, they inevitably do occasionally steal things. But he was in our shop, conduct better than everyone else, is never in arrears; Although no cash from time to time, temporarily recorded in the powder board, but not in January, will certainly pay off, wiped from Kung powder board name. Kung drink half a bowl of wine, red in the face gradually restored, others right again asked, "Kung, do you really know how to read it?" Kung asked looking at him, showing an air of disdain Zhibian. Then they said, "You are fishing for one reason or another can not even do half the scholar?" Kung immediately show deserting our ideas uneasy look on his face cage with a layer of gray, mouth and say something; this time, but all education in classical and the like, some do not understand. At this time, everyone also laughter together: shop outside the air is full of joy. At these times, I can go along with the laugh, dispensers are not to blame. And treasurer met with Kung, but also often ask him laugh. Kung they know they can not talk, they had to talk to the child. Once said to me, "Have you read the book it?" I slight nod. He said, "read the book, ... ... I will test you for a test. Beans flavored with aniseed of fennel words, how to write it?" I think, begging the same people, but also with test me? Turn your face to be no longer ignored. Kung and other for a long time, very sincerely said, "can not stop writing? ... ... I teach you, remember! These words should be remembered. Dispensers do in the future, when to use written statement." I thought to myself I and dispensers level still far it, and we never will be beans flavored with aniseed on the dispensers account; and funny, but also impatient, idle channel he replied, "Who needs you to teach, not a grass beneath a round trip back to the word it? "Kung very happy to show the way, the long fingernails of two fingers tapped the counter, nodded and said," Yeah right! ... ... back to the written word has four kind of, you know? "I am more impatient, efforts of his mouth far. Kung nail dipped in the wine just wanted to write in the cabinet, see I have no enthusiasm, they tan breath, showing a very sorry appearance. "Talking more? Nothing more, nothing."
There several times, neighbors heard a child laugh, fun to drive, surrounded Kung. He would give them a one. Children eating beans, still lingers, the eyes are looking at the plate. Kung was a panic, the plate covering the outstretched fingers, bending down, said, "Not much, I was running out." Straightened up and look at the beans, his shaking his head said, "much much! More Talking? small also. "So the kids got separated in laughter. Kung people so happy, but without him, so others will too. One day, about two or three days before the Mid-Autumn Festival, dispensers is slowly closing, remove the powder board, suddenly said, "Kung did not come out a long time. Still owes nineteen coppers!" I also think he did long time no come. A drinking man said, "how could he come? ... ... He discounted the legs." Shopkeeper said, "Oh!" "He always is still stealing. This time, their own giddy, actually steal the small lifts home go. his house, stealing the get it? "" Then how? "" how? the first to write service debate, and later playing, playing most of the night, and then discount the leg. "" And then? "" Then discount the legs. "" How about a discount? "" How? ... ... who knows? Xu is dead. "shopkeeper does not ask, still slowly his accounts.
Autumn after autumn is colder every day, to see almost winter; I rely on the fire all day, but also to wear a jacket. The next day, half day, not a customer, I was sitting together his eyes. Suddenly heard a voice, "Warm a bowl of wine." This voice was very low, very familiar. See all Shiyou no. Stood up I looked outside, then the counter Kung would sit under the threshold. His face black and thin, has been horrendous; wearing a broken Jiaao, plates with legs underneath a Calceolaria, with rope tangled in the shoulder; he saw me, and said, "Warm a bowl of wine. "dispensers also head out to one side said," Kung? You still owe nineteen coppers! "Kung is deserting our ideas on his back and asked," stop this ... ... next time to pay off. This time is cash, better than wine. "dispensers are still the same as usual, smiled and said to him," Kung, you have Touliaodongxi it! "but he is arguing this time not alone say" Do not make fun! "" fun? If do not steal, how broken legs? "Kung whispered," broke, down, down ... ... "He glances, much like the treasurer pleaded, do not mention. At this point several people had gathered, they laughed, and dispensers. I warm the wine, side out, on the threshold. He took out from the rag bag four coppers, in my hand, see his hands were full of mud, had he come in with this hand. Soon, he drank wine, right again to say that laughter in others, sit and slowly walked out with this hand. Since then, they did not see long-ji. To the year, remove the powder board treasurer, said, "Kung still owes nineteen coppers!" To the second year of the Dragon Boat Festival, said, "Kung still owes nineteen coppers!" To the Mid-Autumn Festival, but did not say, and then the Year did not see him. I do not see now finally - about Kung indeed dead. Written in March 1919