After Joy's death, Xiangzi was completely desperate, with no goal and no support, and muddling along. Man has lifted himself from the animal nature, but so far he has expelled his own kind to the animal nature. Xiangzi is still in the city of culture, but he has become an animal.
This is the author's criticism of the dark and indifferent old society at that time. Xiangzi was hopeless and fell into a bottomless pit. My heart was taken away. All he has left is that tall meat shelf, waiting to fester and prepare for the chaotic death.
The rest of Xiangzi's life
Xiangzi spent the rest of his life accepting his fate, following the crowd and indulging himself. Since self-discipline is not good, since his own method is not feasible, and other foreign drivers are lazy and proficient in eating, drinking, whoring and gambling, Xiangzi is good at everything.
Other rickshaw pullers are unwilling to give up their strength. Xiangzi is willing to waste every drop of his sweat, keep the vehicle clean and tidy, and take care of the main body. It's hot in Leng Xia in winter, so he will never go out to work without something to eat.
Xiangzi became a "real" foreign driver. Xiangzi refused to work hard to pull rickshaws and wait on others, so he found another way: to fight for weddings and funerals, and to wave flags in the square when he was exercising, so as not to waste energy.