Читать книгу The Pearl Jacket and Other Stories - Shouhua Qi - Страница 11

Ling Rongzhi

Xiao Ju became a mistress at a very young age. Pretty and bright, Xiao Ju never thought she would be a mistress one day, but many things happen not because we want them to happen, but because they are destined to. Xiao Ju’s family was poor. She passed the college entrance exams, but didn’t have the money to pay tuition and fees. She got acquainted with a fat cat who paid for her college. Before a year was over, she became his “beauty hidden in a gold house.”

Xiao Ju didn’t want it to be like this at first, but one time she had a glass of wine, which went to her head, and she consented. Once he had got what he wanted, he was worried that she might be lured away while in college. So he bought this house for her to live in.

Xiao Ju wasn’t quite settled emotionally, though, because in her heart was someone else, her high school sweetheart, Ah Fu. Ah Fu was poor, but he was honest and was as nice to her as she was to him. But Au Fu had no money to pay for her college, let alone to support her. The fat cat, however, could not only support her, but support her extravagantly and toss her lots of money for her to spend, too.

So Xiao Ju was sheltered in this villa, and everything seemed good: good food, good clothing, yet one thing wasn’t good: boredom. The fat cat was still married with a son and a daughter. His wife was quite sharp and watched him closely. Every time he came, it was on an odd day. He would sneak here from work. He would spend two hours here at the most. When he finished he would toss some money and leave no matter how badly Xiao Ju asked him to stay.

Every day Xiao Ju had nothing to do but take care of the flowers and plants in the garden and her cat and her dog to kill time. Xiao Ju had endless amounts of money to spend. Her cat and dog ate better food than most average people. She played with her dog often, which she named Ah Fu, because the young man was still in her heart.

One day the dog fell into a ditch and couldn’t climb back out. Desperate, Xiao Ju called aloud: “Ah Fu! Ah Fu!”

Ah Fu, the young man, happened to pass by on his way home from work. When he saw who it was calling his name, he almost jumped for joy. “Xiao Ju, is that you? Why are you here?”

“Ah Fu?” Xiao Ju held Ah Fu’s hands and wouldn’t let go. “Why are you here, indeed?”

“Work, of course! I’m a worker at a factory not far from here.” Ah Fu pointed. “What about you? Aren’t you a college student?”

“Come in so we can talk,” Xiao Ju led Ah Fu into her home.

“This is your home? Oh, so big and beautiful!” Ah Fu couldn’t stop looking around, his eyes wide-open. “Where did you get the money to buy such a big house?”

With tears in her eyes Xiao Ju told her story. When it was over, she held him in her arms. “Do you hate me? Can you forgive me?”

His head low, Ah Fu said: “No use talking about hate or no hate. It’s all because I’m poor and have no knack for anything. I don’t understand why this world is becoming so practical and cruel.”

Wiping away her tears, Xiao Ju looked up and said: “Ah Fu, don’t go and work at that factory any more. I’ll support you.”

Ah Fu almost laughed aloud: “You want to support me? You?”

Xiao Ju nodded: “Yes, I will support you. He gives me lots and lots of money anyway, enough to support me, and you, too.”

Ah Fu wanted to say something, but Xiao Ju put her hand to his mouth.

Afterward, Xiao Ju kissed Ah Fu and said, breathlessly, “Ah Fu, you know in this whole world I only love you. Be sure to come often.”

Ah Fu asked: “What if I run into him, if I come often? Then we’ll be finished!”

Xiao Ju gave Ah Fu another kiss and said: “Blockhead! Come often doesn’t mean come every day. He comes only on odd days, not on even days. So, why don’t you come on even days, to be safe.”

Ah Fu said: “Okay, I’ll come on even days.”

So from then on Ah Fu came over every even day. Once he was here they’d talk some sweet nonsense first. Before long Xiao Ju would make the first move. When it was over, Xiao Ju would give Ah Fu a big sum of money. At first Ah Fu didn’t feel comfortable taking the money. Xiao Ju said: This money is free, free of charge or anything. Take it and put it aside. It’ll come in handy. At this, Ah Fu took the money.

From then on Xiao Ju was not bored any more. On odd days the fat cat came while Ah Fu came on even days. Everyday someone came to be with her. Odd days she would harvest lots of money; even days, she would harvest lots of “love.”

Ah Fu was not the same poor Ah Fu any more. Now he had a cell phone, a motorcycle, and everything he needed. On even days he would harvest lots of money, too.

Ah Fu would hold Xiao Ju in his arms and say: “We can’t go on sneaking around forever.”

Xiao Ju nodded: “I know. How about this: give me two years so that we can save up enough money for the rest of our lives. Then we’ll go back to our home village to have kids and enjoy life.”

Ah Fu said: “Okay, two more years.”

One day Xiao Ju was taking a stroll in the street when she saw an affectionate couple walking ahead of her, the man looking quite familiar. So she followed them out of curiosity.

The woman said: “Why do you come to be with me only every other day?”

The man said: “On even days I have to go to work. Why, I am with you on all odd days. Not enough?”

The woman said: “We can’t go on sneaking around like this for the rest of our lives! When can we be together like a real couple?”

The man said: “Soon, in about two years. By the end of the two years I will have made enough money to support us for the rest of our lives. We can build our home and have kids.”

Heavens! That man was none other than Ah Fu! Xiao Ju fainted before she could cry “Foul!”

(2002)