6.7-6.10 餓鬼趣 Hungry Ghost Interest

目錄 Content：6.7 餓鬼趣 Hungry Ghost Interest；6.7.2 強取豪奪 Robbery；6.7.3 畜生趣 Livestock Interest；6.8 殃 Misfortune；6.9 活見鬼 Seeing Ghost Alive；6.10 不是有關係也不是沒有關係 Neither Related Nor Unrelated

 

6.7 餓鬼趣 Hungry Ghost Interest

在前文《賊窩會議》幾天之後的一個早上，到處都有很厚的霜。我看見工地南邊遂川十裏早市上人山人海的，非常熱鬧，就又過去逛早市兒了，卻走進了另一個世界：我看見到處都有小偷在偷東西。

在一輛賣海鮮貨車的一麵擁擠著一群賊。前麵的小偷假裝買鮮蝦，在那裏用身體擋著後麵的。後麵的小偷兒們站著排，像是排隊似的，實際上一袋兒，一袋兒的向外邊傳遞著鮮蝦。別的地方的小偷們，也是三五成群地配合著。他們的麵目表情和手腳的動作迥然不同，使用的招法各異。誰都看不見我，好像我這個觀眾是一個透明的幽靈。我四處看，處處感覺驚訝，感覺像似到了世界末日。我突然意識到：我的目光呆滯，說不定會惹出什麽亂子來，就不看了；低頭快步走向我常去吃飯的地方。

One morning a few days after the "Meeting in the Den of Thieves" talked in section 6.4 above, there was thick frost everywhere. I saw that the morning market in Suichuan, south of the construction site, was crowded with people. It was very lively, so I went there to visit the morning market again, but I entered another world: I saw thieves stealing things everywhere.

A group of thieves crowded on one side of a seafood selling truck. The thieves in the front pretend to buy fresh shrimp, where they physically block the ones behind them. The thieves at the back stood in rows, as if in a queue, and passed the shrimp outward, bag by bag. The thieves elsewhere, too, were cooperating in groups of three or five. Their facial expressions and hand and foot movements were very different, and they used different tricks. No one could see me, as if I, the audience, is a transparent ghost. I looked around, feeling surprised everywhere, and it felt like the end of the world. I suddenly realized that my eyes were dull and might cause some trouble, so I stopped looking. I lowered my head and walked quickly to the place where I often eat.

賣筋餅豆腐腦的老板和夥計都是以前熟悉的人，可是當時在我眼裏，他們對我像是對待陌生人。我問：“今天你們是怎麽了？怎麽這麽不友好呢！” 那個老板冷漠地回答：“怎麽了！你不是常來這兒嗎！” 我注意到：在這裏所有的人都對我表現出麻木情緒，對我不感興趣，不歡迎我；不像往日，都有說有笑的。

吃完早餐，我繞路回到了住的地方，工地辦公室。這裏的氣氛仍然和以前一樣，很多人在吃海鮮：生吃螃蟹，活吃蝦。我就試著吃了一隻活蝦：像是水似的，什麽味道也沒嚐出來。大夥兒高興地議論著。以後咱們就有海鮮吃了。不知道怎麽的！那幾個搞海鮮批發的都喜歡上咱這個小市場了。這個早市場的商販比以前增多了幾倍。

The owner and the man selling bean curd dumplings were people I used to know well, but at that time, in my eyes, they treated me as if I were a stranger. I asked, "What's wrong with you guys today? Why are you so unfriendly!" That boss replied indifferently, "Why! Don't you come here often!" I noticed: all the people here showed numbness towards me, disinterested and unwelcoming; unlike in the old days, when we all talked and laughed.

After breakfast, I took a detour back to where I was staying, the site office. The atmosphere was still the same as before, lots of people eating seafood: crabs raw and shrimp live. I then tried a live shrimp: it was like water; I couldn't taste anything. The group talked happily. Surprisingly, those who engage in seafood wholesale like our small market, so we'll have seafood to eat from now on. The vendors in this small morning market are several times more than before.

八點鍾後，我們工程科的小馬忽然來到了工地，告訴我這天放紅線（注，紅線是建築物輪廓的基準線，是由測量局給出的）。小馬對我說：“你是這工地的土建技術員。我是水暖技術員。這是你的工作。我是來幫你的。”

測量局的車來了，人員卻不下車。我和小馬過去敲門。很長時間後，車裏的人才打開車門，卻表達了兩個抱怨。一，有幾個點，設計和實際不相符，最多的差一米。二，我們工地沒有紅線就開始施工了，他們得像上級匯報。他們讓我和小馬商量商量。

After eight o'clock, Little Ma from our engineering section suddenly came to the site and told me that the red line would be put in on this day (Note, the red line is the datum line on which the building outline is based and is given by the Survey Bureau). Little Ma said to me: "You are the civil construction technician at this site. I am the plumbing technician. This is your job. I'm here to help you."

The bus from Survey Bureau arrived, but the personnel didn't get out. Little Ma and I went over and knocked on the door. It was only after a long time that the people in the bus opened the door but expressed two complaints. First, there were a few places where the designs do not match the actual, with a difference of up to one meter. Secondly, the construction had started at our site without the red line, and they had to report it to their superiors. They asked me to discuss it with Little Ma.

我跟著小馬到一邊，他說：“這是老城區，測量地圖都更新多少次了，所以數據總差，不是什麽大毛病。”

我回答：“咱提前施工與他們沒有關係！”

小馬說：“對！這是人家朝咱們要下車錢”。

我聽了感覺新奇：“啥！下車錢！咱這是結婚迎接新娘子下車呢！還要給下車錢！那得給多少錢？”

I followed Little Ma to the side, and he said: "This is an old city zone, how many times have the survey maps been updated, so the data are always not matching, not a big deal."

I replied: "It's not like they have anything to do with our early construction!"

Little Ma said, "Right! This is that they are asking tips for getting off their bus.”

I felt strange when I heard, "What! Money for getting off the bus! Are we welcoming Bride? Must pay for bride getting off the bus! How much do we have to pay?"

小馬說：“我不知道，看他們這個架勢，我看四千元差不多。” （注，那時我的月薪是330元）

我說：“四千塊錢！沒人告訴我，我做不了主。等咱科長和經理來，讓他們處理吧。”

小馬說：“等他們來，你別傻了！這事兒，咱們不辦完了，他們就不會來。咱倆把事辦完了，他們立刻就到。事兒咱辦；活兒咱幹；錯誤咱犯；功勞是人家的。錢！你給不給？”

Little Ma said: "I don't know, look at their posture, I think 4,000 RMB at least.” (Note, at that time, my salary is 330 RMB/Month).

I said: "4,000 RMB! No one told me, I can't decide. Let's wait for our section chief Fu and manager to come and let them handle it."

Little Ma said: "Wait for them to come, don't be silly! If we don't finish this, they won't come. If we finish the job, they'll be here right away. We'll do the work, and make the mistakes, they'll get the credit. Money! Are you going to pay or not?"

我意識到了同事們在整我，要看我丟臉，就和小馬吵起來了。這時，測量局的人打開了車窗、車門透氣，聽我們說話，看熱鬧。

我大聲說，：“咱這地基坑不是市長兒子和公安局長兒子挖的嗎！他們要是把咱提前施工的事兒報上去了。這事兒好說，不好聽！市長肯定就不高興了。”

I realized that my colleagues were screwing with me to see me lose face, so I argued with Little Ma. At this point, the people from the Survey Bureau opened the windows and doors to get some air, listen to us and watch the fun.

I said loudly, "Didn't the mayor's son and Police Bureau director's son dig this foundation pit!? If they report our early construction to the mayor. That's a good thing to say, but not a good thing to hear! The mayor will not be happy to hear this."

小馬說：“這有啥用？”

我回答：“還有啥用！他們不敢上報！”

小馬說：“你說話兒小點聲兒！他們的車門開著，能聽見咱說話。”

我大聲嚷道：“你以為我說給你聽呐！市政府和公安局裏沒人聽他們說話！”

Little ma said: "What's the point?"

I replied: "What's the point! They don't dare to report us!"

Little Ma said: "Keep your voice down! Their doors are open, and they can hear us."

I yelled: "You think I'm talking to you! No one in the city hall and the Public Security Bureau listens to them!"

小馬問：“你想怎麽辦？”

我回答：“這不是整我呢嗎！誰這麽缺德？打架能解決問題！咱們不怕出事，他們怕！他們要整事，找錯地方了！”

小馬說：“如果咱跟他們打起來，他們局長得趕緊把事兒壓下來。沒等市長知道呢，他就把咱工地上的事兒全部解決了。但是，這不是也給咱局長找麻煩麽！咱局長今天晚上就得去找市長道歉。”

Little Ma asked: "What do you want to do?"

I replied: "This is screwing me! Who's so mean? Fighting will solve the problem! We're not afraid of trouble, they are! They're looking for the wrong place to get into trouble!"

Little Ma said: "If we fight with them, their Bureau Chief will have to quickly suppress the affair. Before the mayor finds out, he'll have solved all the problems at our construction site. However, isn't this also causing trouble for our Bureau Chief? Our Bureau Chief will have to go to the mayor tonight to apologize."

我回答：“沒事兒，咱局長哪有機會去見市長，巴結人家！他上禮拜還罵咱們科呢：就窩裏鬥能耐！見著外麵的人，連個響屁都不敢放。今天，咱倆就放個響屁給咱局長聽聽。” 我說著，就開始到處看，找棒子，假裝要去砸他們的車窗玻璃。

小馬急了，說：“站住！別動！他們讓我幫你，就是讓你跟著我學。出事了都是我的錯，誰還能責怪你一個剛畢業幾個月的學生。你站這兒，別動。我去跟老馬（馬鴻光，工地生產經理）商量商量。”

I replied: "No issue. Our Bureau Chief doesn't have a chance to meet the mayor and flatter him! Last week, he scolded our section for being so good at fighting among ourselves! Dare not to fart when dealing with outsiders. Today, we're going to have a sounding fart for our Bureau Chief to listen." I said, began to look around, looking for a stick, pretending to smash their bus windows.

Little Ma got anxious and said: "Stop! Don't move! They asked me to help you so that you could learn from me. If something goes wrong, it's my fault. Who can blame you, a student who just graduated a few months ago? You stand here, don't move. I'll talk to Old Ma (i.e. Team Leader Ma, site production manager)."

 

6.7.2 強取豪奪 Robbery

過了一會兒，小馬高興地拉我來到測量局的人旁邊，讓我聽著看著別說話。他對老曹說：“想要什麽禮物，得趕快買；這個早市該散了，要不就先買幾斤海鮮？”

老曹說：“在這個地方買海鮮，得有明白人才行。若不然，買五斤，他們能給四斤半就不錯了。回去後，還得挑，最後能吃著兩斤就算是好的。浪費幾塊錢是一回事；這惹氣浪費時間，咱可犯不著。”

After a while, Little Ma happily pulled me to the side of the people from Survey Bureau and told me to listen and watch and not to speak. He said to Old Cao: "What gifts you want, you must buy quickly; this morning market should be dispersed, or buy a few pounds of seafood first?"

Old Cao said, "If you want to buy seafood in this place, you have to have someone who understands it. Otherwise, buy five pounds, it is good that you can get four and a half pounds. When you go back, you still must pick; in the end you can eat two pounds even if it is good. It's one thing to waste a few dollars; we can't afford to waste time."

小馬說：“我就是想讓你見識見識。你自己去買，我找個人跟著你。你買五斤，它們給你十斤，而且，價錢公平，海鮮質量還保正好。”

老曹就說：“這可是新鮮事，我都這麽大歲數了，還沒聽說過。你瞢我！咱們可是低頭不見抬頭見。”

小馬說：“我不敢瞢你！就是想讓你開開眼界，見識見識！”

Little Ma said: "I just want you to experience it. You go and buy it yourself, and I will find someone to follow you. If you buy five kilograms, they will give you ten kilograms. Moreover, the price is fair, and the quality of the seafood is still good."

Old Cao then said: "This is something new, I'm living this old, I've never heard of it. If you fool me, you will feel sorry for me! We see each other unavoidably."

Little Ma said: "I don't dare to feel ashamed of you! I just want to open your eyes and let you see!"

老曹說：“我還真沒見識過這個！如果我去買五斤，他們能給我七斤好的。今天，我們這些人就什麽別的也不要了；咱這活兒，保準兩個小時之內幹完。你輸了怎麽辦？”

小馬說：“我輸了！咱幹完活後就去凱萊大酒店。你們幾個隨便吃，隨便玩兒。”

老曹說：“我還真就不信邪！一言為定！” 他下車就往市場裏走，走了幾步，站住了，說：“別說我出鬼！買哪家的，誰告訴我？”

小馬說：“你想買什麽就買什麽；但是人家要是不賣給你，你就不能買。” 又對我說：“小盧！跟上，跟著去！”

Old Cao said: "I've never seen this before! If I go and buy five pounds, they can give me seven pounds of good ones. Today, we people don't want anything else; let's do this job and make sure it's done in two hours. What if you lose?"

Little Ma said: "I lose! After we finish the job, we will go to Kailai Hotel. You guys can eat whatever you want and play whatever you want."

Old Cao said: "I really don't believe it! It's a deal!" He got out of the bus and walked toward the market, but after a few steps, he stopped and said: "Don't say I'm tricky! Who's going to tell me which one to buy?"

Little Ma said: "You can buy whatever you want. But you can't buy it if they don't sell it to you. And to me he said, "Little Luyan! Follow, follow up!"

我一邊走一邊大聲叨咕：“這就是你的招兒啊！買五斤給十斤，那不是出鬼了嗎！這些人去凱萊大酒店，四千塊錢能夠嗎！”

小馬跑過來對我小聲說：“我告訴你了，別說話！你跟著去就行。快！跟緊點兒！”

老曹和我很快就把東西買回來了。稱量的結果是七斤半，稱量的人還問：“你們打得是什麽賭？是多好？還是少好？”

I chattered loudly as I walked: "That's your trick! Buying five pounds to give ten pounds, that's seeing ghost alive indeed! These many people go to the Kailai Hotel, can four thousand dollars enough!"

Little Ma ran over to me and whispered: "I told you not to talk! You just go along. Quickly! Stay close!"

Old Cao and I quickly bought the stuff. The weighing result was seven and a half pounds, and the weigher asked: "What kind of bet did you make? Is it better to have more? Or less?"

老曹走過來對我和小馬說：“今天，我可是被你們倆給整瞢了。這到底是怎麽回事兒？” 他瞪了我一眼之後，對小馬說：“是不是你事先安排好了？”

小馬說：“我不是告訴你了麽！盧岩是這兒的老大！可有麵子了！”

老曹又瞪了我一眼，說：“他是老大！我還是皇上呢！我可真不明白你們是怎麽回事兒！你們敢整我，就不怕以後有麻煩！”

這時，走過來一個小孩兒要和我說話。我們倆就往旁邊走了幾步，對他說：“你就說吧！沒事兒！”

Old Cao came to Little Ma and I and said: "Today, I've been blindsided by the two of you. What the hell is going on here?" After glaring at me, he said to Little Ma: "Did you arrange this beforehand?"

Little Ma said: "Didn't I tell you! Luyan is the boss here! He's got a lot of face!"

Old Cao glared at me again and said: "He's the boss! I'm still the emperor! I really don't understand what's going on with you guys! If you dare to screw me, you're not afraid of trouble in the future!"

At that moment, a kid came over to talk to me. We both just took a few steps to the side and said to him, "Just talk! It's okay!"

那個小孩兒就對我慢聲慢語地，大聲說：“小盧，你碰上麻煩了！需要幫忙不？”

我反應了一會兒，說：“沒有麻煩！我在上班，幹活呢！”

小孩兒問：“你是在上班？幹活呢？你就是這樣幹活的呀! 怎麽像似在打架！”

我說：“啊！我上班就是嘮嘮嗑！這是在研究怎麽放紅線。”

The kid then spoke to me in a slow, loud voice: "Little Luyan, you've run into trouble! Do you need help?"

I reacted for a moment and said: "No trouble! I'm at work, working!"

The kid asked: "Are you at work? Working? That's how you work! Why does it look like you're fighting!"

I said: "Ah! My work is to chatter! This is discussing how to put the red line."

小孩兒說：“往天，光是你看我們幹活了。你來了兩個來月了，我們就沒看見過你幹活兒。今天，我們都不幹活，一起來看你是怎麽幹活兒的。啊！你幹活就是像這樣，就隻是嘮嘮嗑。你的工作可真好！”

我很著急，就說：“你願意看，就看著吧。我得回去了。”

小孩兒說：“那，我就站在這兒，看著！”

我向回走，注意到那個小孩兒就愣愣地站在路的中間，就回去說：“你不能站在路中間，站這兒不安全，你得向後站。”

The kid said: "In the past days, you've been the only one watching us work. You've been here for two months, and we haven't seen you work. Today, we're not going to work, and we're going to see how you work. Ah! You work just like this, just chattering away. What a job you have!"

I was in a hurry, so I said: "Watch if you want. I've got to get back."

The kid said: "Well, I'll just stand here and watch!"

I walked back and noticed the kid just standing frozen in the middle of the road, so I went back and said: "You can't stand in the middle of the road, it's not safe to stand here, you have to stand back."

小孩兒說：“那，我和我們的人站在一起。”

我這才注意到，路對麵看熱鬧的人群，可能有一百多人，就問：“這都是你們的人？”

小孩兒說：“是啊！我就站在這看著。”

The kid said: "Well, I'll stand with our people."

I then noticed the crowd of people watching from the other side of the road, perhaps more than a hundred people, and asked: "Are these all your people?"

The kid said: "Yeah! I'm just standing here watching."

 

6.7.3 畜生趣 Livestock Interest

我回來時，老曹對小馬說：“這回，我可信了！我看出來了：這幫人都是真心的！”

我說：“什麽真心假心的！小馬他就這樣！見著誰就跟誰說我是這兒的老大。”

老曹對小馬說：“哎呀！他是真不知道哇！” 又問小馬：“你是怎麽知道他是老大的？”

小馬說：“他們開會時，我聽著的！”

When I came back, Old Cao said to Little Ma: "This time, I believed! I can see: these people are sincere!"

I said, "What are you being sincere about? That's what Little Ma is like! Telling everyone he saw that I am the boss here."

Old Cao said to Little Ma: "Oh! He really doesn't know!" Then asked Little Ma: "How do you know he is the boss?"

Little Ma said: "I listened when they had their meeting!"

老曹瞪大了眼睛：“他們開會，你也在場？”

小馬說：“開始時在，後來，讓他們給趕出來了（如前文6.4節所述）。”

老曹說：“現在，我搞清楚了。你這玩笑可是開的過了頭了。那幫人不會認為我是來搶地盤兒的吧！你看，我可不是愛占小便宜的人，是不是應該把蝦給人家送回去？”

小馬說：“我看，還是趕緊把你們的車開到工地裏去，別讓人給弄壞了。”

Old Cao's eyes widened: "They were having a meeting, and you were there too?"

Little Ma said: "I was there at first, but later, I was kicked out by them (as mentioned in Section 6.4 above)."

Old Cao said: "Now, I've figured it out. You've gone too far with this joke. Those guys won't think I'm here to steal the land! Look, I'm not one to take advantage of small gains, shouldn't I send the shrimp back to them?"

Little Ma said: "I think it's better to hurry up and take your bus to the construction site, so that they don't crush it."

他們去保護測量局的汽車了。我們公司的經理朱國俊來了，問馬鴻光經理：“今天的事怎麽這麽順？我還以為沒有四萬塊錢辦不成呢！”

工地的人告訴了他剛剛發生的事，人們還在笑。朱經理在馬路上走了一圈軍人的正步，轉回來後大怒：“你們還笑！” 對馬經理說：“你趕緊給他換個地方住！” 說完，他離開了。

They went to protect the bus from Survey Bureau. Zhu Guojun, the manager of our company, came and asked Manager Ma Hong Guang: "How did things go so smoothly today? I thought it couldn't be done without 40,000 RMB!"

The people at the construction site told him what had just happened, and people were still laughing. Manager Zhu walked around the road in a soldier's marching step, turned back and became furious: "You guys are still laughing!" To Manager Ma, he said: "You hurry up and find Luyan a new place to live!" After saying that, he left.

人們在議論，“沒事，盧岩家是農村的，不懂這個。” 有人說，“那他二大爺也許明白呢！人家找咱房產局來理論，這咱可說個啥!?”

我和小馬跟著測量局的老曹做記錄。老曹問我，我告訴他，我是東北大學遼寧分院剛畢業的，才來和平房產局四個月。他又問我：“他們是什麽人？”

People are talking, "It's okay, Luyan's family is from the countryside, they don't understand this." Someone said, "Then his second uncle might understand! What can we say if they come to the Heping Housekeeping Bureau to argue with us!?"

Little Ma and I followed Old Cao from the Survey Bureau to make records. Old Cao asked me, I told him that I had just graduated from the Liaoning branch of Northeastern University and had only been with the Heping Housekeeping Bureau for four months. He asked me again: "Who are they?"

我回答：“他們當中，聰明的，邪見嚴重的屬於餓鬼趣（或稱餓鬼道），愚魯成性的屬於畜生趣（或稱畜生道，如圖，參見13.1.2節）。”

老曹哎呀一聲，說：“現在的大學畢業生可真了不得！我50來歲才明白這個，就覺得自己覺悟很高了。你說得對，但是你的社會經驗不夠，理解得不深。這幫人不在光天化日下做事，他們做事正常人看不見，所以現在的人叫他們黑社會，古代叫餓鬼道。” 他問小馬：“這幫人知道這工地今天放紅線，所以他們來看他們的新老大來了，是不是？”

I replied: "Among them, those who are intelligent and have serious heretical views belong to the Hungry Ghost Interest (or Hungry Ghost Path), and those who are foolhardy belong to the Livestock Interest (or Livestock Path; cf. section 13.1.2)."

Old Cao let out an ouch and said: "College graduates nowadays are really something! I was 50 years old before I understood this, and I thought I was highly enlightened. You're right, but you don't have enough social experience to understand it. These people don't do things in broad daylight, they do things normal people can't see, that's why people nowadays call them triads, and in ancient times they were called the Hungry Ghost Path." He asked Little Ma: "This gang knows that this construction site is laying out the red line today, so they came to see their new boss coming, didn't they?"

小馬一聽就不高興了：“我和他們沒關係！他們幹什麽，我怎麽會知道！” 說著，他走到一邊去了。

老曹對我說：“誰說他和他們是一夥兒的來的！他還不愛聽了。他們那種人和咱們不一樣。現在看，你是真不懂。那幫人的老大，就像過去的土皇帝一樣，金口玉牙，說了就算數。這我從那幫人的眼神看出來了，他們看你，就像看神一樣。用不了兩三年，他們就跟著你赴湯蹈火，兩肋插刀，就像電影電視裏演的似的。他們就是那樣的人，我和小馬都不是那樣的人。我和小馬就是和你的關係再好，我們也不幹那種事兒。”

Little Ma got upset when he heard that: "I have nothing to do with them! What they do, how would I know!" Saying that, he walked off to the side.

Old Cao said to me: "Who said he was in league with them! He didn't like to hear it. Their kind of people are different from us. Now you see, you really don't understand. The leader of the gang is like the old emperor of the land, with Golden Mouth Jade Teeth, and his word is his bond. I can see it in their eyes. They look at you like you're a god. Within two or three years, they'll be following you into the fire, just like in the movies and TV. That's who they are. Little Ma and I aren't like that. Little Ma and I are just as close to you as we can be, we don't do that kind of thing."

過了一會兒，小馬回來了，說：“凱萊飯店負責訂餐的人都等著急了，問咱們這活兒什麽時候能幹完？”

老曹大笑：“又給我個驚喜！大約還需要兩個小時。” 對小馬說：“都說你們和平房產局局長有頭腦，能算計，今天我才見識著。他們讓小盧在這兒負責工程。不說別的，就這工程，單是禮物錢，至少給你們房產局節省下來三十萬。”

After a while, Little Ma came back and said: "The people in charge of ordering food at the Kailai Hotel are waiting anxiously, asking when we can finish this job!?"

Old Cao smiled broadly: "Another surprise for me! It will take about two more hours." To Little Ma, he said: "They say that the Bureau Chief of your Heping Housekeeping Bureau is smart and calculating, but I've just seen it today. They put Little Lu in charge of the project here. Not to mention anything else, for this project, the gift money alone will save your Heping Housekeeping bureau at least 300,000 RMB."

小馬說：“這事兒和我們局裏可沒關係，我們局長沒這頭腦。”

老曹說：“還沒關係！小盧不懂這個！他咋就到這兒幾個月就把這事兒整成這樣？三年四年小盧也當不上老大呀！這老大，得起早趟黑、累死累活，拚命幾十年才能被選上呢！肯定是你們局裏有人給那幫人出主意，教唆它們幹的。你不這樣想，是你沒這頭腦，不是你們局長沒這頭腦。”

我問：“什麽禮物，能省那麽多錢？”

Little Ma said: "This has nothing to do with our bureau, our Bureau Chief doesn't have the brains."

Old Cao said: "how can this be unrelated!? Little Luyan doesn't understand this! He's only been here a few months and he's made a great deal. Even in three or four years, Little Luyan won't be the boss! This boss must work hard for decades to get elected! Someone in your department must have given them the idea and abetted them. If you don't think so, it's you who doesn't have the brains, not your chief."

I asked: "What kind of gift that would save so much money?"

老曹說：“工程開工了，你們局就該買很多禮物了，你負責往外送。那幫人該說話了：我們老大不喜歡給別人禮物！我看你用哪隻手接！用左手接，我們就打折你的左手，右手接就打折他的右手。他們這種人有三件事分得特別清楚，就是老大，左手和右手。他們對這三樣東西絕對不馬虎。”

我聽了好笑，說：“這可壞了，沒人敢來我們這工地了。”

老曹說：“誰敢不來！不來，那幫人該說話了：我們老大打電話叫你，你不來；你還想讓我們老大去你那兒請你去啊！他們就呼呼地，去一幫人，把他們的玻璃砸碎。”

Old Cao said: "When the project starts, your bureau should buy a lot of gifts, and you'll be responsible for sending them out. It's time for that gang to speak up: our boss doesn't like giving gifts to others! I'll see which hand you pick up with! Catch it with your left hand and we'll break your left hand, catch it with your right hand and we'll break his right hand. There are three things that people like them distinguish particularly well: the boss, the left hand, and the right hand. They are absolutely not sloppy about these three things."

I laughed at this and said: "This is bad, no one dares to come to our construction site."

Old Cao said: "Who dares not come? If you don't come, the gang will talk: our boss called you and you didn't come; you want our boss to come to your place and invite you! So, they hooted and hollered, and went to a bunch of people, and smashed their glasses."

我說：“還無法無天了呢！那公安局不管？”

老曹說：“公安局有話說：我們說說、教育、教育就行了唄！就砸你幾塊玻璃，你想讓我們咋處理？把他們都抓起來，飯錢你出啊！小盧，那幫人辦事，那分寸拿捏得才精準呢！大錯誤不犯，小錯誤不斷。”

我說：“這麽打架，這工地不就得停工了？”

I said: "It's lawless! Doesn't the Public Security Bureau care?"

Old Cao said: "The Public Security Bureau has something to say: we can just talk, educate! What do you want us to do with crushing a few pieces of glasses!? Arrest them all and who will pay for their meals! Luyan, those guys are precise in their approach! They don't make big mistakes but keep making small ones."

I said: "If we fight like this, won't the construction site be shut down?"

老曹說：“誰敢不來！你的電話一打過去，他們馬上就來了。這活兒保證幹得又快又好！不來，他們就去砸它們的玻璃；不來，還去砸。

那幫人認上什麽事，一年，兩年不忘；三更半夜喝點兒酒，生氣了，就去砸玻璃了。公安局還真不管，有說的：那幫人就不幹什麽大壞事，為啥就偏偏看不上你呢！肯定你是沒幹啥好事！他們是缺心眼兒，你也缺心眼兒啊！”

放完紅線，他們就去凱萊飯店吃飯去了。小馬說：“經理吩咐了，盧岩不能去。他去了，費用經理不給我報銷。”

Old Cao said: "Who would dare not come! As soon as you call, they'll come right away. The work is guaranteed to be done quickly and well! If they don't come, they'll smash their glasses; if they don't come, they'll smash it again.

Those people recognize something, a year, two years will not forget; drink some wine in the middle of the night, angry, go to smash the glass. The Public Security Bureau really doesn't care, and they say: those people don't do anything greatly bad, so why can't they like you? I'm sure you didn't do anything good! They are retarded and stupid, are you too!?”

After the red lines were laid, they went to the Kailai hotel to eat. Little Ma said: "The manager ordered, Luyan can not go. If he goes, the expense manager won't reimburse me."

 

6.8 殃 Misfortune

以前，我就看到我們工地北麵的一條街總是很熱鬧，三更半夜還是燈火通明，人來人往。我就去那裏吃飯，順便看熱鬧。可是，我到那裏之後，就不熱鬧了。

這天中午，風很大，我到那裏後，這條街就沒什麽人了。我失望地坐在了一家理發店前的台階上，無所事事。

忽然，坐在店前的中年婦女喊我過去，問我：“你幹什麽來了？”

I used to see a street to the north of our construction site that was always bustling with people coming and going in the middle of the night. I went there to eat and watch the fun. However, after I got there, it was no longer lively.

At noon that day, the wind was very strong. When I got there, there was no one on the street. I sat in despair on the steps of a barber shop, doing nothing.

Suddenly, a middle-aged woman sitting in front of the store called me over and asked me, "What are you doing here?"

我回答說：“吃完中午飯，沒事兒做，遛噠遛噠。”

她生氣地說：“你當我是白癡呐！遛噠遛噠還用帶二十來人！”

我聽不懂，問：“人在哪呢？我怎麽看不著！” 這時，整條街總共才有四、五個人。

I replied: "After lunch, I have nothing to do, just take a walk."

She said angrily: "You think I'm an idiot! You take twenty people with you for a walk!"

I didn't understand, so I asked: "Where are the people? Why can't I see them!" At this time, there were four or five people on the street in total.

她說：“別裝了！別看你的大姐我年輕，我在這條街上混了二十來年了，天天坐在這兒看。我這雙眼睛，什麽人，從哪兒來的，要幹什麽，我一眼就能看出來。你都把便衣警察招來了。你整事兒也不看看，這是什麽地方！我們是什麽人！”

我什麽也聽不懂，問：“你是什麽人？一個剪頭發的。人都不來了，不是警察在搞嚴打嗎！與我有啥關係？”

她說：“什麽搞嚴打，有嚴打我還能不知道。從你來這條街上晃悠，這條街上的人就越來越少。到現在，你看，都沒人了！你還不走？你就直說吧！你幹啥來了？有啥目的？”

She said, "Don't pretend! Don't look at your big sister I'm young, I've been on this street for twenty years or so, and I sit here every day and watch. With these eyes of mine, I can tell briefly what kind of people, where they come from, and what they want to do. You've brought in plainclothes cops. You don't even look at what kind of place this is when you're organizing things! What kind of people are we?"

I couldn't understand anything and asked: "Who are you? A hair cutter. People aren't coming, aren't the police engaged in a crackdown! What does it have to do with me?"

She said: "What's with the crackdown! If there's a crackdown, how come we do not know!?  It is you! From the time you came to hang around on this street, there have been fewer and fewer people on this street. Now, look, there's no one left! Why don't you leave? Let's get to the point! What are you doing here? What's the purpose?"

我如實回答：“我看這兒熱鬧，來這兒吃飯，順便看看漂亮姑娘，不是白看麽！違法啦？”

中年婦女說：“那你光看，不違法！你是從哪來的？”

我指著身後的工地說：“我從那兒來的！”

中年婦女看了看我指的地方，臉色立刻變了，結結巴巴地說：“你是人是鬼？從那兒來的！？”

我立刻生氣的不得了，向前走了兩步，說：“你是怎麽說話呢！”

I answered truthfully: "I saw that there was a lot of activity here, so I came here to eat and look at the pretty girls! Is it illegal?"

The middle-aged woman said: "It's not illegal for you to just look! Where are you from?"

I pointed to the construction site behind me and said: "I'm from there!"

The middle-aged woman looked where I was pointing, her face immediately changed, and she stammered: "Are you a human being or a ghost? Where did you come from?"

Immediately angry as hell, I took two steps forward and said: "How are you talking!"

她站起來了，轉身走到了門口，用手指著工地，說：“你從那兒來的！你是怎麽從那兒來的？”

我回頭看了看，意識到我指的地方是我們工地的地基坑，說：“那不是建築工地嗎！”

她想了想，放鬆了下來：“你嚇我一跳，我還想呢：那地方兩年前就沒人住了；上個月還挖了這麽大一個坑，怎麽就把你給挖出來了呢！？”

我被逗笑了，說：“你別看我笑了，你說的話可是不受聽！”

She stood up, turned to the door, pointed her finger at the construction site, and said: "You came from there! How did you get out there?"

I looked back and realized that where I was pointing was the foundation pit of our construction site and said: "Isn't that a construction site!"

She thought about it and relaxed: "You startled me, and I was thinking: no one has lived in that place for two years ago; and such a big pit was dug last month, so how did you get out of there!?"

I was amused and said: "Don't look at me laughed, but what you say is not to be listened to!"

她笑了笑，走回來，又橫起來了：“我也是順嘴就說出來了。那你遛噠遛噠，還帶這麽多人幹啥？”

我覺得奇怪，問：“剛才你就說，我帶來了二十多人，我怎麽一個都看不著？”

她回答：“這還沒打起來呢！一動手，一個個的都不知道從哪兒冒出來了！”

She laughed, walked back: “I said it in passing, too. Then why did you bring so many people with you when you were walking around?"

I felt strange and asked: "Just now you said that I brought more than twenty people, how come I can't see any of them?"

She replied: "The fight hasn't started yet! As soon as we started, one by one appeared out of nowhere!"

我問：“那你看我是什麽人？我要幹什麽？”

她回答：“我沒看出來！這我才問你呢！”

我們吵了一會兒，我什麽都聽不懂，覺著沒意思，就生氣地離開了。

I asked: "Then who do you think I am? What do I want to do?"

She replied: "I didn't see it! That's why I'm asking you!"

We argued for a while, but I couldn't understand anything and found it boring, so I left angrily.

6.8-2

我自己坐在地基坑邊上，呆了一會兒，想：還是幹點正事吧！我開始沿著地基坑邊上找裂縫兒，看看有沒有地方存在塌方的危險。

當我走到工地的東南角，聽見圍牆外有人在廣告牌子旁邊說話：“你看！就是這個大樓。我們老大剛畢業，就全負責。你說那門子硬不硬！？”

I sat on the edge of the foundation pit and stayed for a while, thinking, “Let’s do something serious!” I started looking for cracks along the edge of the foundation pit to see if there was any danger of landslides.

As I walked to the southeast corner of the site, I heard someone outside the fence talking next to the advertising sign, "Look! This is the building. Our boss just graduated and is in full charge. Do you think that his sponsor is powerful!?"

我走到附近的院門看是什麽人在說話。那是兩個小孩兒。一個小孩兒又說：“那天，我們看我們老大幹活。那人家算計的，他們那麽多人誰也沒聽明白，不怎麽的！？如果把那輛車砸了，他的事兒就辦成了（參見6.7節）！？”

另一個小孩兒問：“你們老大說得對嗎？”

那個小孩兒回答：“他們都相信，事兒是肯定是那麽回事兒，就是不知道為什麽！現在，他還不行，剛畢業，沒經驗。他們說，再培養兩年，多說三四年，那我們老大就誰也比不了了！到那時候，我就求他，在這工地裏給我安排個活兒。我就不在這小市場上混了！在這小市場上幹活兒，讓人瞧不起！”

I went to the nearby yard gate to see who was talking. It was two kids. One kid added: "That day, we watched our boss work. That he counted, so many of them who didn't understand, not so ever! If we smash that car, his thing is accomplished (cf. section 6.7)!?"

Another child asked: "Is your boss correct?"

The child replied: "They all believe that it must be that way, but they don't know why! Now, he is not good enough. He has just graduated and has no experience. They said that he will be trained for two more years, or four more years., then no one can compare with our boss! At that time, I will beg him to arrange a job for me in this construction site. I will not hang out in this small market! Working in this small market, it makes people look down upon!”

另一個小孩兒問：“你跟你們老大說過話兒嗎？”

那個小孩兒回答：“沒有！他的辦公室就在那兒！那幾個大頭兒常去和他嘮嗑，去培養他。他的眼睛可特別了，看誰誰受不了！”

我看著那倆孩子走遠了，也沒心思找裂縫了，開始往辦公室走；邊走邊落淚。我對自己說：我應該和這倆孩子談談，教導教導他們！不行！那樣的話，一失足成千古恨！我又不能收養他們；現在，我自己還靠父母的接濟呢！

Another kid asked: "Have you talked to your boss?"

The kid replied: "No! His office is over there! Those big bosses often go to chat with him and train him. His eyes are special, and all other can't stand it!"

I watched the two children walk away, and I no longer had any intention of looking for cracks. I started walking towards the office, crying as I walked. I said to myself: “I should talk to these two children and teach them! No! In that case, one mistake will lead to eternal hatred! I can't adopt them; now, I still rely on my parents' support!”

6.8-3

這天晚上，我就回到了東北大學找老同學。第二天晚上，我搬家到了東北大學第四宿舍，住進了老同學張利民的房間。

That night, I returned to Northeastern University to look for my old classmate. The next night, I moved to the fourth dormitory of Northeastern University and stayed in my old classmate Zhang Limin's room.

 

6.9 活見鬼 Seeing Ghost Alive

測量局給出紅線幾天後的一個下午，我被從遂川工地招喚到了公司。同事們都在，說是測量局的老曹回家後，一連三、四天吃不下飯，睡不著覺，不能上班工作了。他還說了許多話，人們都聽不懂。

測量局的局長打電話到和平房產局詢問：“那天在遂川工地發生了什麽事？他看見什麽了？（注，參見6.7節）被嚇成那樣！” 兩天內，和平房產局收到了二十多個電話，市長辦公室也打來電話，詢問工地發生了什麽事。所以局裏決定調查，明天局長帶著調查資料去向市長匯報。

One afternoon a few days after the Survey Bureau laid out the red line, I was summoned to the company from the Suichuan construction site. My coworkers were all there, saying that the Old Cao of the Survey Bureau had gone home for three or four days in a row, unable to eat and sleep, and unable to go to work. He also said a lot of things that people could not understand.

The chief of Survey Bureau called Heping Housekeeping Bureau to ask: "What happened at the Suichuan site that day? What did he see? (Note, cf. section 6.7) Being scared like that!" Within two days, the Heping Housekeeping Bureau received more than twenty phone calls, and the mayor's office also called to ask what had happened at the construction site. So, the bureau decided to investigate, and tomorrow Bureau Chief will take the investigation information to report to the mayor.

6.9-2

這時我自己並沒有意識到這事件的嚴重性（注，實際上，那時我就根本不懂），就如實說了。在我們的辦公室裏，工會主席問我們的工程科科長付國青：“盧岩自己都說了，但他怎麽就不明白呢！？”

付科長回答：“咱局四千人，明白這事兒的可能隻有幾個！社會上的人，懂的就更少了。不過，盧岩是真不懂。多次，事情發生的時候，他都是似懂非懂的；過一兩個星期，他就明白了，還懂得特別清楚。他剛來的時候，說話掩我，我觀察了他這半年了，發現他懂得比別人慢兩個星期。”

At this time, I did not realize the seriousness of this incident (annotation, in fact, I just didn’t understand at that time), so I told the truth. In our office, the union chairman asked Fu Guoqing, our engineering section chief: "Luyan said it himself, but why doesn't he understand!?"

Section Chief Fu replied: "There are 4,000 people in our bureau, and only a few may understand this matter! There are even fewer people in society who understand. However, Luyan really doesn't understand. Many times, when things happened, he seems to understand it; after a week or two, he understands it, and understands it very clearly. When he first came here, he pinched me by words, so, I have been observing him for half a year, and I found that he understands slower than others, two weeks slower than others."

工會主席說：“我聽說過，有這種人。他自己不認為是老大，那就不是唄！那你看咱這事該咋辦？”

同事高德新說：“咱這是要出大事了，但大事還沒出來呢！”

The union president said: "I've heard that there are such people. If he doesn't think he's the boss, then he's not! So, what do you think we should do about this?"

Coworker Gao Dexin said: "Something big is going to happen to us, but the big thing hasn't come out yet!"

6.9-3

同事電器技術員翹翹對我說：“你應該生氣！我就不信黑社會老大還能看出來，這是測量局的老曹在整你呢！”

我回答：“我和他一個測量局的，八竿子也打不著的關係，他整我幹什麽！就是事趕事，偶然發生了，我有什麽可生氣的！”

翹翹說：“這是在調查你。人人都知道，“無風不起浪”。就這一個調查，兩三年之內，你找不著女朋友了。誰給人介紹對象都先問問在公司裏幹得怎麽樣。不論今天調查的結果怎麽樣，在外人看來，你和黑社會有關係。這會影響你十年。”

My colleague Qiaoqiao, an electrical technician, said to me: "You should be angry! I don't believe that the triad boss can be found out by looks! The affair is that the Old Cao of Survey Bureau is bullying you!”

I replied: "He works in Survey Bureau; we have nothing to do with each other. The affair is incidentally happened sequentially; what should I be angry about!"

Qiaoqiao said: "This is an investigation of you. Everyone knows that ‘there is no smoke without fire’. Just this investigation, you will not be able to find a girlfriend within two or three years. Whoever introduces a partner to someone should ask someone in the company first Well done. No matter what the results of today's investigation are, in the eyes of outsiders, you are related to the underworld. This will affect you for ten years."

我迷惑地叨咕：“有那麽嚴重！”

翹翹說：“這就是事實！我以前說給你介紹那個女孩兒的事，過幾年再說吧！”

我頓時生氣了，著急地說：“咋還過幾年呢！你就直接說不給我介紹了！”

翹翹說：“你跟我生什麽氣！前些日子，我聽人們說你是黑社會老大，她媽問我什麽時候安排你倆見麵，我回答，盧岩現在很忙，等幾天吧！”

I mumbled in confusion: "It's that serious!"

Qiaoqiao said: "This is the fact! I told you to introduce that girl to you before, let's talk about it in a few years!"

I immediately became angry and said anxiously: "How come it's still a few years away! Just say you won't introduce me!"

Qiaoqiao said: "Why are you angry with me! A few days ago, I heard people say that you are the boss of the underworld. Her mother asked me when I would arrange for you two to meet. I replied, Luyan is very busy now, just wait a few days!"

我說：“我不忙！”

翹翹說：“我知道你不忙，但今天調查你這事。如果我告訴他們，那肯定不行，但我又不能對他們隱瞞這麽大的事。”

電器技術員老呂說：“我第一次看見盧岩就認為他是黑社會的，但是我從沒跟人說。你要介紹誰給盧岩？”

翹翹鄙夷地對他大叫：“你看誰都是黑社會的，因為你窩囊！XXX家的YYY。”

付科長大聲說道：“你們倆要嘮嗑，回家嘮去！這兒在開會呢！”

I said: "I'm not busy!"

Qiaoqiao said: "I know you are not busy, but the affair is investigating you today. If I tell them, it will definitely not work, but I can't hide the big affair from them."

Electrical technician Old Lu said: "When I first saw Luyan, I thought he was from the underworld, but I never told anyone. Who do you want to introduce to Luyan?"

Qiaoqiao yelled at him with disdain: "Look, everyone is a member of the underworld, because you are a coward! YYY from the XXX family."

Section Chief Fu said loudly: "If you two want to chat, go home and chat! There is a meeting here!"

6.9-4

工會主席打斷了付科長，說：“等等！我們搞調查的有義務減少給調查對象造成的損失。翹翹，你說的那個女孩兒是怎麽回事？你一說，盧岩就被氣得變了臉色。還有，你怎麽看人們說盧岩是黑社會的？”

老呂在一邊叨咕：“淨瞎操心，XXX家的YYY怎麽能看上盧岩！我怎麽看，盧岩都是黑社會的。”

The union chairman interrupted Section Chief Fu and said: "Wait a minute! We who are investigating are obliged to reduce the losses caused to the subjects of the investigation. Qiaoqiao, what happened to the girl you mentioned? As soon as you said it, Luyan his face changed with anger. Also, what do you think about people saying that Luyan is from the black society? "

Old Lu muttered on the side: "Net blind worry, how can the XXX family's YYY look at Luyan! I think Luyan is a triad member."

翹翹說：“前幾個月，我上夜大考高等數學，盧岩給我押題，全壓對了。這說明他明白高等數學，在學校是個好學生。另外，他要考研究生。如果他是黑社會老大，他還能考研究生嗎！你不能因為誰跟那幫流浪漢有點來往，就說人家是黑社會的！”

老呂說：“高數考試押題，全押對了？數學老師也押不那麽準啊！”

工會主席對付科長說：“你們工程科的人有學問，我就愛聽你們工程科的人說話！翹翹，你繼續說那個女孩兒。”

Qiaoqiao said: "A few months ago, I took the advanced mathematics test at Night University, Luyan gave me the questions, and he got them all right. This shows that he understands advanced mathematics and is a good student in school. In addition, he wants to take the postgraduate entrance examination. If He is the boss of the underworld, can he still take the postgraduate entrance examination! You can't say someone is from the underworld just because he has some association with those homeless people!"

Old Lu said: "Is it correct to bet on all the questions in the advanced mathematics exam? The math teacher is not so accurate either!"

The chairman of the union said to the section chief: "You people in the engineering department are knowledgeable, and I love to listen to what you people in the engineering department talk about! Qiaoqiao, keep talking about that girl."

翹翹說：“那是你那麽認為的！事後，我就想給盧岩介紹對象，就把這事跟那個小姑娘的爸媽說了。那小姑娘今年19歲，人長得很漂亮，在沈陽大學讀大一。家裏人都是老幹部，都會看人。我說，那個盧岩拿我的數學書一翻，就說，你這本數學書是這麽編的，就給我指出來了。這四個地方是難點，你學會了，能多得15分，就不要學了。這四處是基本麵，必須學會，占70分，因為你們夜大學生的素質參差不齊，所以這部分的比重大，讓學懂這些內容的人都能通過。剩下的那15分是簡單的概念。這三種考題的比重可能變動5、6分，不會太多。”

Qiaoqiao said: "That's what you think! Afterwards, I wanted to introduce someone to Luyan, so I told the little girl's parents about it. The little girl is 19 years old and very beautiful, is a freshman at Shenyang University. Her family are all veteran cadres, and they know how to judge people. I said, Luyan took my math book and flipped it through, and said, this is how your math book is compiled and pointed it out to me. These four points are difficult. If you learn it, you can get 15 points more, so don’t learn it. These four points are the basics, you must learn them, and they account for 70 points. Because the quality of your night college students is uneven, this part the weighting is so heavy that anyone who has learned these contents can pass. The remaining 15 points are simple concepts. The weighting of these three types of questions may vary by 5 or 6 points, not too much."

翹翹說：“人家的幾個老幹部一分析，押題，對於明白人來說，可不就是這麽回事。他們就跟我打聽盧岩的情況，我說了幾件事，當然我是挑好事說。人家全家人討論，分析的可不一樣，認為盧岩看問題有門道，興趣麵寬而且思想活躍。他們還跟我談論了盧岩的許多別的特質，我都聽不懂。他們說我和他們閨女從小一起長大，性格也合得來，我看好的，他們閨女會喜歡的可能性大。他們說，找對象結婚最怕單調的人；盧岩是個多重性格的人，內心世界豐富，不單調。那小姑娘她媽就惦記上了，幾次問我什麽時候介紹盧岩跟她閨女認識。這回讓你們一調查，我的努力全白費了。”

Qiaoqiao said: "They several veteran cadres analyzed that betting questions for exam, for people who understand it, is just like that. They asked me about Luyan's situation, and I told a few things. Of course, I picked the good things. The whole family discussed and analyzed those affairs differently. They thought that Luyan has his own ways of looking at problems, a wide range of interests and an active mind. They also talked to me about many other characteristics of Luyan, but I couldn’t understand them. They said that I I grew up with their daughter and have compatible personalities. I am optimistic that their daughter will like her most. They say that when looking for a partner to marry, they are most afraid of monotonous people; Luyan is a person with multiple personalities and a rich inner world, is not monotonous. The little girl's mother is obsessed with Luyan and asked me several times when I would introduce Luyan to her daughter. This time, you had an investigation on him, all my efforts are wasted."

6.9-5

我氣憤得臉上發燙，叨咕：“這我要是不把老曹家的玻璃砸了，整個房產局也沒人瞧得起我呀！我得鼓起勇氣扮流氓！”

這時，屋外傳來話：調查到此為止；以後的事，讓警察去查吧！

工會主席對付科長說：“咱們的事好像有譜了，但把小盧的對象給攪黃了。我感覺事情不妙，盧岩要去砸老曹家的玻璃，警察聽了也得覺得有道理！你得說幾句！”

My face burned with anger, and I muttered: "If I don't smash the glass of Old Cao's house, no one in the Heping Housekeeping Bureau will look up to me! I must pluck up the courage to play the hooligan!"

At this time, outside the room came the words: the investigation ends here; the future, let the police to investigate!

The chairman of the labor union said to the section chief: "We seem to have a plan for our affairs, but we've spoiled Little Luyan’s girlfriend. I don't feel good about it. Luyan is going to smash the glass of Old Cao's house, and the police might feel justified when they hear about it! You have to say something!"

付科長說：“在沈陽六百萬人中找到老曹的家可不是件容易的事，誰也不能告訴他。他的研究生考試就在下個月，他得選擇是跟警察忙，還是跟研究生考試忙。”

Section Chief Fu said, "Finding Old Cao's home among the six million people in Shenyang is no easy task, and no one shall tell him. His graduate school exams are next month, and he'll have to choose whether to be busy with the police or with his graduate school exams."

6.9-6

人們走後，我自己坐在辦公室裏算計這事。直到午夜，我的氣消了，覺得去砸老曹家玻璃的工作量太大，事後免不了還得應付警察，還真就把我的研究生考試給耽誤了。我決定，少惹氣，準備考試。

After everyone left, I sat in my office and figured it out. By midnight, my anger had subsided. I felt that the workload of smashing the windows of Old Cao's house was too much. I would inevitably have to deal with the police afterwards, which really delayed my graduate examination. I decided to stop being angry and prepare for the exam.

6.9-7 眾賊要遊行示威 Thieves Wanting Demonstration

隨後的星期一，我到公司上班，整棟樓就隻有我一個人。中午的時候，高德新和小馬來了。他們看見我就笑：“咱和平房產局的人都在忙，就你一個人閑著！”

我問：“發生什麽事了？”

高德新說：“那幫流浪漢對咱和平房產局關於你的處理不滿意，讓和平房產局把你給他們，不然他們就來砸咱局。”

我感覺這話說得新奇，沒頭緒，問：“這是什麽和什麽呀？”

The following Monday, I went to work and was the only one in the building. At noon, Gao Dexin and Little Ma came. When they saw me, they laughed: "Everyone in the Heping Real Estate Bureau is busy, but you are the only one free!"

I asked: "What happened?"

Gao Dexin said: "Those homeless people are not satisfied with the handling of you by the Heping Housekeeping Bureau; they want the Heping Housekeeping Bureau give you to them, otherwise they will come and destroy our bureau."

I felt that this was a novel statement and had no clue, so I asked: "What is this; what is it?"

高德新說：“哥給你解釋！那幫流浪漢想的可跟咱們不一樣。這次因為你，他們對咱和平房產局有意見了。你想，都知道他們是賊，要是他們來幾百人到咱局的院子裏來鬧，臨走再生幾堆火，砸幾塊玻璃，那咱局的政治問題可就大了！咱們是國家政府部門，怎麽能和賊群有來往呢！還打架！以前出過類似的事，三四個局長被撤職，三十多人受到了處分。”

我說：“政治問題，性質嚴重，要界限分明（注，那時，我根本沒把這事當回事，實際就是不懂）。”

Gao Dexin said: "Brother, allow me to explain it for you! Those homeless people think differently from us. This time, because of you, they have a problem with our Heping Housekeeping Bureau. Think about it, we all know that they are thieves. If they come for hundreds of people to the yard of our bureau to cause trouble, and before leaving, they start a few fires and smash a few pieces of glass, then our bureau will have a big political problem! We are a national government department; how can we have contact with thieves! And fighting with them! Similar things have happened before, three or four bureau chiefs were dismissed, and more than 30 people were punished."

I said: "Political issues are serious in nature and the boundaries must be clearly defined (note, at that time, I didn't take this matter seriously at all. In fact, I just didn't understand)."

高德新大叫：“對嘍！明白點兒就行！哥跟你說過吧！你的那個靠山有眼光，不是一般人，選擇和平房產局來培養你，別的地方可遇不到。就這事兒！明白的人很少。”

我問：“我怎麽辦？”

高德新說：“雖說這事兒是因你而起，但咱們局長的官帽是大事，你就自己找個地方準備你的研究生考試去吧。誰問你什麽，你都說不知道，或者不出聲。活該他們出事！誰讓他們把你放進了賊窩。”

Gao Dexin shouted: "That's right! Just understand it! I told you! Your backer has a vision and is not an ordinary person. He chose the Heping Housekeeping Bureau to train you. You can't find it elsewhere. That's it! Very few people understand.”

I asked, "What should I do?"

Gao Dexin said: "Although this matter happened because of you, the official title of our bureau chiefs is a big deal. Just find a place to prepare for your postgraduate examination. Whoever asks you something, you always say you don't know, or you don't speak up. They deserve what happened to them! Who let them to put you into a den of thieves!?"

6.9-8

他們倆走後，付經理來了，告訴我：“遂川工地停工了，因為投資方懷疑房產局的領導班子不穩定，讓我以後不要去那裏了。” 他又說，冬天我們這建築公司就沒什麽事，如果我願意，可以休假，去準備研究生考試。我決定休假兩星期。

After the two of them left, Manager Fu came and told me: "The Suichuan construction site has been suspended because the investors suspected that the leadership team of the Heping Housekeeping Bureau was unstable and asked me not to go there in the future." He also said that our construction company must stop in winter. There is nothing wrong. If I want, I can take a vacation to prepare for the postgraduate examination. I decided to take two weeks off.

6.9-9

後來，我聽人們說，材料科長王寶山跟人們評論這事。如果盧岩真去砸老曹家的玻璃。他扔個小石頭，那就是令箭。隨後不知道有多少石頭飛進他家屋子裏了。即便老曹沒被當場打死。沈陽愛看熱鬧的人多，隨後進屋就把他殺嘍。這盧岩就得跑路哇！那就誰也不知道他到哪兒念研究生去了。幾年後，沈陽就又多了個禍害。盧岩是個老實人；他當賊，活不了幾年。就因為他考研究生，不能貪事，老曹撿了條命。

Later, I heard people say that Wang Baoshan, the material section chief, was commenting on this matter. If Luyan really went to smash the glass of Old Cao's house. He throws a small stone and that is the commanding arrow. Then an unknown number of stones flew into his house. Even though Old Cao was not beaten to death on the spot. There were many people in Shenyang who liked to watch the excitement, so they entered the house and killed him. Then, Luyan must run away! Since, no one knows where he went to graduate school. A few years later, Shenyang suffers one more misfortune.  Luyan is an honest man; he will not live for a few years as a thief. Just because he was preparing his exams for graduate school and could not be greedy on affairs, Old Cao’s life is saved.

 

6.10 不是有關係也不是沒有關係 Neither Related nor Unrelated

一九九五年春，我研究生沒考上，沒事幹了，就問付科長： “我該做些什麽？” 他告訴我，得主動去和施工隊的隊長搞好關係，那樣他們有事才會找我。

我到了馬洪光隊長的工地，他看我悶悶不樂，就開玩笑地對人們說： “喂！你們誰也猜不著小盧在想啥呢！”

人們說：“你知道，就說說唄！”

In the spring of 1995, I failed the postgraduate entrance examination and had nothing to do, so I asked Section Chief Fu: "What should I do?" He told me that I had to take the initiative to build a good relationship with the leaders of the construction teams, so that they would be able to do business with me.

When I arrived at team leader Ma Hongguang's construction site, he saw that I was unhappy, so he jokingly said to people: "Hey! None of you can guess what Little Luyan is thinking!"

People said: "You know, just tell us!"

馬隊長說：“小盧是在懷念幾個月前他在遂川當老大的時候呢！那老大當的，可比咱局長威風多了。”

人們問：“那件事兒，到底是真的還是假的？”

馬隊長說：“人家兄弟都要圍攻咱房產局了，要跟咱們爭小盧；弄得局長們都愁眉苦臉的，一連開了三四次秘密會議。咱馬凱華局長說，‘這盧岩是咋回事兒呢！？才兩個多月，就整成這樣兒；要是他在遂川那兒幹上四五年，沈陽也不夠大兒呀！’你們想一想，那是真的還是假的！”

Team Leader Ma said: "Little Luyan is nostalgic for the time when he was the boss in Suichuan a few months ago! That boss was much more powerful than our bureau chief."

People ask: "Is that affair true or false?"

Team Leader Ma said: "Luyan’s brothers wanted to besiege our Heping Housekeeping Bureau and competing with us for Little Luyan.  This made those bureau chiefs all nervous and held three or four secret meetings in a row. Chief Ma Kaihua said, ‘What's going on with this Luyan!? It's only been two months, he managed the Suichuan site like that. If he works there for four or five years, the Shenyang city wouldn’t be big enough for him!' Think about it, is that true or false!?"

畢姐問：“後來咋沒事了呢？”

馬隊長開始給我們講，這事情最終是局長們找來了一位說客。那人把和平區的名人們（賊老大們）召集到了一起，為盧岩開了個 “正名兒大會”；事情就結束了。

人們問：“那麽多的亡命徒聚在一起，不亂成了一鍋粥了，還怎麽開會？”

Sister Bi asked: "Why did everything get better afterwards?"

Team Leader Ma began to tell us that in the end, the bureau chiefs hired a lobbyist. The lobbyist called together the celebrities (thief bosses) in Heping District and held a "name-rectification meeting" for Luyan, so the affair was over.

People asked: "How can the meeting hold so many desperadoes together and it did not become a mess?"

馬隊長說：“咋說，人家那位說客是異人呢！與會的那些名人對說客的行為表現和說辭，無不驚奇，各個稱讚（注，劉團長具有三千威儀八萬四千細行）。那幫人見了說課，就跟小學生見了老師似的，會場秩序井然。他們說，名人們是陸續到場的，開始的時候有二三百人，後來越聚越多。那個說客把他們組織起來了，坐成了一個圈，像是八卦陣（如圖6.10右）似的。外麵被上萬人包圍著，把周圍的小街道都給堵塞了。咱這麽想：那肯定有幾千人，但是大部分人是看熱鬧的。”

Team Leader Ma said: "What to say, that lobbyist is an extraordinary person! Those celebrities who attended the meeting were amazed at the behavior and speech of the lobbyist; all praised him (note, Troupe Leader Liu has “3,000 Majesties 84,000 Enchantments”). Those people saw the lobbyist, just like an elementary school student saw the teacher, the meeting was in order. They said that the celebrities arrived one after another, at the beginning there were two or three hundred people, and then more and more people gathered. The lobbyist organized them, sitting in a circle, like a Bagua Array (see fig. 6.10 right). The outside was surrounded by tens of thousands of people, blocking the small streets around them. Let's think of it this way: there must have been thousands there, but most of them were watching."

人們問：“幾百人和一個人談話，怎麽談？”

馬隊長說：“那幫賊也是有組織的，都是一組一組的，一夥兒內部互相商量，然後由發言人提問。那個說客就在八卦陣裏走來走去的，隨問隨答，想都不想；說話聲大，一句是一句，三兩句，就扣題，聯係到小盧的終身幸福上去了。而且，很多組同時發問，他不混淆，比如說，他在那說話呢！別的事發生了。他處理完回來後，接著說，沒有反問，比如 ‘我們剛才說什麽來的？’‘說到哪兒了？’沒這事！” 注，這是說劉團長具有念無失（參見15.1.3-3節）。

People asked, "How can hundreds of people talk to one man?"

Team Leader Ma said: "That gang of thieves is also organized, all in one small group or one small gang. A small gang discusses with each other internally, and then a spokesman asks questions. That lobbyist just walked around in the Bagua formation, answering questions as they were asked, not even thinking about it. Speaking loudly, a sentence is a sentence, three or two sentences, and then buttoned up the topic, linking it to the lifelong happiness of Little Luyan. With many groups asking questions at the same time, he doesn't confuse. Say, he's talking there! Something else happened. He comes back from processing and then goes on, without rhetorical questions, like 'what were we talking about?' 'Where was it said?' None of that!" Note, this is saying that Troupe Leader Liu has “Spells without Loss” (Cf. V. 15.1.3-3).

人們問：“那還隨便聽啊，外人不也混進去了？”

馬隊長說：“你認為那些名人的名兒都是虛的！咱們這麽想，外人肯定是進不去，隻是在遠處看著，聽不清楚他們在說什麽！”

人們驚訝地問：“這人可少見！他是哪的人？多大歲數了？長得什麽樣？”

People asked: "People can listen at will!  Aren't outsiders also sneaking in?"

Team Leader Ma said: "You think the fames of those celebrities are all false! We think this way, outsiders will not be able to get in. They can just watch from a distance and not be able to hear what they are saying!"

People asked in surprise: "This man is rare! Where is he from? How old is he? What does he look like?"

馬隊長回答：“他們都認為說客是沈陽人。也奇怪，就那幫人的觀察力，愣是誰也沒看出他有多大歲數。有說三十多歲的，有說四十多歲的，五十、六十、七十多歲的，說什麽的都有。許多人回想起來都不一樣兒，說那人長相不特殊，但是幹淨利索，舉手投足都讓人愛看。” 注，劉團長具有三千威儀八萬四千細行。

畢姐說：“這是什麽呀！怎麽連多大歲數都沒個譜！”

馬隊長鄭重地說：“我可不懷疑那幫人的觀察力；咱還就得依據在場人的觀察。應當說，那人就是那種看不出年齡的長相（注，這個說客是劉團長，具有 “百變神通”，參見7.12節）。”

Team Leader Ma replied: "They all thought the lobbyist was from Shenyang. Strangely enough, no one could tell how old he was based on the observative capability of those people. Some said he was in his thirties, and some said he was in his forties. Some said he was in his 50s, 60s, and 70s, you name it. Many people think it’s different in retrospect, saying that the person looks not special, but clean and neat, and everyone loves to watch it.” Note, Troupe Leader Liu has “3,000 Majesties 84,000 Enchantments”.

Sister Bi said: "What is this! Why cannot people even know how old he is!"

Team Leader Ma solemnly replied: "I don't doubt the observation skills of those people; we should rely on the observations of those present. It should be said that that person has the kind of appearance that cannot tell his age (annotation, the lobbyist is Troupe Leader Liu, has the capability of “Hundred Godly Transformations”; cf. section 7.12)."

（問題1 Question 1）

人們問：“他們都談什麽了？”

馬隊長說：“我也是聽這個說，聽那個說的。名人們說，盧岩是我們按照在沈陽流傳了兩百多年的老規矩挑選出來、立為老大的。所有的規矩程序都如實做了，核實了。另外，我們也在他身上做了很多工作，所以他是我們的人。”

“說客說：這都解放多少年了，你們還用那些陳規舊習。那些規矩在法律上都不承認。再說，按老規矩，盧岩是房產局的人，不是你們的人。我就不相信哪個房產局的幹部能同意把他給你們！另外你們認為盧岩是你們老大，人家盧岩同意不？”

“那幫人討論了一會兒，回答：盧岩沒說同意，也沒說不同意，沒表態。”

“說客說：沒表態就是還沒接受；這就是你們一廂情願！”

People asked: "What did they talk about?"

Team Leader Ma said: "I also heard this and that. Celebrities said that Luyan was selected and established as the boss by us according to the old rules that had been passed down in Shenyang for more than two hundred years. All the rules and procedures had been done and verified as they were. Also, we have done a lot of work on him, so he is our man."

"The lobbyist said: it's been many years since liberation, and you still use those old rules. Those rules are not even recognized in the law. Besides, according to the old rules, Luyan is a member of the Heping Housekeeping Bureau, not one of you. I don't believe any cadre of the Heping Housekeeping Bureau can agree to give him to you! Also, you guys think Luyan is your boss, does he agree?"

"The gang discussed it for a while and answered: Luyan didn't say he agreed, didn't say he didn't agree, didn't take a stand."

"The lobbyist said: no statement means he hasn't accepted yet; this is your wishful thinking!"

（問題2 Question 2）

“名人們說：如果盧岩嫌他的地盤小，我們可以把他的地盤兒劃大點兒。”

“說客張嘴就答：你們給盧岩的地盤兒越大，他就死得越快！”

"The celebrities said: if Luyan thinks his territory is small, we can make his territory bigger."

"The lobbyist opened his mouth and replied: the bigger the territory you give Luyan, the faster he will die!"

（問題3 Question 3）

“名人們說：我們讓盧岩當老大，是因為我們喜歡他，隻是給他個名兒，不用他幹活。”

“說客立刻回答：你們還認為那是對盧岩好呢！你們那是在害他呢！那片兒老大是個賊名兒，就是賊。人家盧岩還年輕，雖然沒什麽文憑，但也說不定將來還能撓個一官半職的。有了你們給他的這個賊名兒，他這一輩子就別想當官兒了。有了這個賊名兒，他一輩子見不得人，一輩子也沒有出頭之日了。”

"The celebrities said: we made Luyan the boss because we liked him and just gave him a name and didn't need him to work."

"The lobbyist immediately replied: you guys still think that's good for Luyan! You are doing him a disservice! The “boss of that piece of land” is a thief by name. Luyan is still young, although not much of a diploma, but may also be able to sequentially succeed a position in the future. With this thieving name you gave him, he can't be an official for the rest of his life. With this thief's name, he would be shamed to see anyone for the rest of his life, and he won't be able to get ahead in life."

畢姐問：“那個說客就敢這麽的對那幫人說話，罵那幫人？”

馬隊長說：“人家就這麽說了。”

畢姐問：“那幫人聽了之後，不生氣？”

馬隊長說：“那幫人聽了之後就不生氣，還聽高興了呢！各個豎起大拇指，稱讚：沒想到咱沈陽還有這樣的人物，今天真是長了見識，大開眼界！感到榮幸能和這個說客見一麵。”

Sister Bi asked: "That lobbyist dared to speak to and scold those people like that?"

Team Leader Ma said: "That's what people said."

Sister Bi asked: "Aren't those people angry after hearing this?"

Team Leader Ma said: "The group of people were not angry after hearing this, and they were even happy! Everyone gave a thumbs up and praised: I didn't expect that there are such people in Shenyang. Today I have gained a lot of experience and opened my eyes! It's an honor to meet this lobbyist."

人們問我：“那個說客是誰？”

我回答：“不知道！馬隊長說的這些事，我根本不知道。”

畢姐問：“那個說客能是誰？他不說他和盧岩是什麽關係，名人們能同意他代表盧岩嗎？”

People ask me, “Who is that lobbyist?”

I replied: "I don't know! I don't know anything about what Team Leader Ma said."

Sister Bi asked: "Who can that lobbyist be? If he doesn't say what his relationship is with Luyan, can celebrities agree that he represents Luyan?"

馬隊長說：“他們的議題還真就集中在說客和盧岩的關係上。開始的時候，那些名人不同意。說客也不同意公開他和小盧的關係。他們僵持了很久。後來，名人們就一個、一個關係地問，你是他舅舅？你是他叔叔？你是他的幹爹？什麽的。說客都回答不是。名人們也說，你不給我們個明確的答複，我們也不好向下麵交代呀！”

Team Leader Ma said: "Their agenda really focused on the relationship between the lobbyist and Luyan. At first, the celebrities did not agree. The lobbyist also did not agree to disclose his relationship with Little Luyan. They were in a stalemate for a long time. Later, the celebrities asked one by one, "Are you, his uncle?” “Are you, his godfather?" and so on. The lobbyists all answered no. The celebrities also said, "You won't give us a clear answer”, it’s hard for us to explain to the people below!”

“說客就說，讓我好好想想，給你們個確切的說法。他就坐在那兒，瞪著眼睛，一動不動，麵無表情地想。有人說他想了半個小時，也有人說他想了能有一個小時。我認為那就是很長時間唄！”

“名人們開始擔心了：這老爺子這樣想下去，不得累暈過去呀！他們又怕驚嚇著老爺子，就假裝在他身邊打架，大聲吵吵：咱們這些人就這樣欺負一個老爺子！這叫別的區的人聽說了，咱們多丟人呐！有人說：我們在這兒擺幾輛救護車是為了掩人耳目的，也不是真想把老爺子送醫院去！”

"The lobbyist said, let me think about it carefully and give you a definite explanation. He just sat there, staring, motionless, thinking expressionlessly. Some said he thought for half an hour, others said he thought about it for an hour. I think that’s a long time!”

"Celebrities began to worry: This old man will faint from exhaustion if he keeps thinking like this! They were afraid of frightening the old man, so they pretended to fight beside him and made loud noises: We people bully an old man like this! People heard about it, what a shame for us! Some people said: the purpose that we put a few ambulances here is to cover up other people’s eyes and ears, and we didn’t really want to send the old man to the hospital!"

“說客聽了之後，笑了，說，我決定了，我這麽說，我不說我和盧岩有關係；我也不說我和盧岩沒有關係。”

“當時與會的名人們猜了六十幾種關係，誰也沒想出來這是什麽關係。最後，名人們對此的決定是：考慮到個人隱私和宗教秘密的原因，允許他不公開他和盧岩之間的關係，同意他代表盧岩。”

人們問: “他們怎麽看出那個說客和盧岩有深厚的感情?”

"After hearing this, the lobbyist laughed and said, I have decided. I say this way that I do not say that I have a relationship with Luyan, and I also do not say that I have no relationship with Luyan."

"The celebrities present at the meeting guessed more than sixty relationships, but no one could figure out what the relationship was. In the end, the celebrities decided on this: considering the reasons of personal privacy and religious confidentiality, the lobbyist was allowed not to disclose his relationship with Luyan and agreed that he represents Luyan.”

People asked: "How did they know that the lobbyist had a deep relationship with Luyan?"

馬隊長說：“這個還得聽在場的人說。他們說，如果他和小盧沒有深厚的感情，他不可能回答問題反應得那麽快，張嘴就答；三兩句就聯係到小盧的終身幸福上去。也有人說，這是說客的策略。我個人認為，還是得以在場人的說法為主。”

人們開始盤問我，幫我猜想誰和我的關係是“不是有關係，也不是沒有關係”（參見4.7節《靈魂轉世的故事》）。可那時我的生活和記憶中沒有說客這個人。

人們問：“最後，他們的結論怎麽樣？”

Team Leader Ma said: "We should listen to the people present. They said that if he and Little Luyan didn't have a deep relationship, he wouldn't be able to respond so quickly to questions and answer questions as soon as he opened his mouth; he could connect to Little Luyan’s lifelong happiness in just a few sentences. Some people say that it is a lobbyist's strategy. Personally, I think it is better to rely on the opinions of those present."

People began to interrogate me and help me guess who was "neither related nor unrelated" (Cf. V. 4.7 Stories of Soul Reincarnation) to me; but there was no lobbyist like person in my life or memory at that time.

People ask: "In the end, what did they conclude?"

馬隊長說：“人家那些名人，誰也沒把咱房產局放在眼裏，說：說客與盧岩的感情深厚，有關係在先，看在說客的麵子上，饒了咱和平房產局。名人們同意了，承認盧岩是咱房產局的人；並且同意如果盧岩不去找他們，他們就不主動找盧岩。那個說客還說：我已經跟和平房產局的領導同誌們（注，這用詞很陳舊，在當時隻在老電影中使用）說好了，以後他們不派他去你們那地方了。”

Team Leader Ma said: "The celebrities, who didn't take our Heping Housekeeping Bureau seriously, said: the lobbyist and Luyan had a deep bond and a relationship in the first place, so for the sake of the lobbyist, they spared our Heping Housekeeping Bureau. The celebrities agreed, recognizing Luyan as a member of our Heping Housekeeping Bureau, and agreed that if Luyan didn't go to them, they wouldn't take the initiative to find Luyan. The lobbyist also said: I've made a deal with the leader comrades (Note, this terminology is archaic and was only used at the time in old movies) of the Heping Housekeeping Bureau that they won't send Luyan to your place in the future."

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