The Pearl Jacket and Other Stories Page 7

  Mo Xiaomi

  When their home caught fire, so many valuable things were burnt with it. Including their marriage certificate.

  At the time the couple didn’t think much of it. They continued to be husband and wife, and live their life together. If they could go on living like that until they were very old, perhaps that certificate would never be missed.

  Yet the problem was they couldn’t bear to live with each other any more and were getting ready to divorce.

  The custody of the children and division of property and so on had all been talked about and agreed upon. So, one day, the two went to the Community Marriage Registrar’s Office to finalize the paperwork. Yet when the registrar asked them to show their marriage certificate, they had nothing to show. They said their colleagues, neighbors, relatives, and friends could all vouch for them. Why did they need any certificate to prove it? The registrar, however, did not budge: “The certificate is a prerequisite. You have to prove that you are a couple first before you can be certified that you aren’t a couple any more, don’t you?”

  So the two went about proving that they were a couple.

  First, they found the “go-between” who introduced them to each other. The “go-between” confirmed by establishing the fact of how they had got to know each other, fallen in love, and gotten married.

  They then found their mutual friends, a couple around the same age as they. That couple confirmed by establishing the fact of the two couples going on a honeymoon trip together.

  They also found their former neighbors who confirmed by establishing the fact of how the couple had become parents when their twins were born.

  Finally they went back to their own employers. The personnel office of each side confirmed their marital status with a letter.

  Then, with all these pieces of proof in hand they went back to the Marriage Registrar’s Office. The registrar examined each document carefully and reissued them a marriage certificate.

  It had taken them several months of single-minded, concerted efforts (they hadn’t been of the same mind for so long) to prove they were a couple. Now, it seemed so easy to change were into weren’t.

  All of a sudden, though, the two began to hesitate. Since so many people had shown proof that they were a couple, why didn’t they try again to prove that to themselves?

  (2001)

  Money Order

  Bai Xuechu

  When his father’s funeral was over, Cheng Gang asked his mother to leave the village and come with him to Changsha. Mother wouldn’t say yes no matter what. I’m used to the quiet in the countryside, she said, and won’t feel comfortable in the hustle and bustle of the city. Cheng Gang knew only too well that mother didn’t want to leave his buried father behind. When he was ready to leave, Chen Gang said to his mother: You never let me send you any money. From now on, however, I’ll send you 200 yuan support money a month. Mother said: It’s not expensive living in the countryside. One hundred yuan is plenty if you really want to send.

  Cheng Gang’s home village is quite out of the way. The rural mailman comes only once or twice a month. Since in the recent years many young folks have left to be migrant workers elsewhere, their elderly parents are waiting for news from faraway places every day. That’s why the day the mailman comes is as big a deal as a holiday. The moment he steps into the village he will be surrounded by a crowd of elderly aunties and old grannies, asking if there is any mail for them. Then, they will form groups of three or five to share their latest happy tidings and each other’s joy.

  On this particular day the mailman came again. Mother was cutting vegetables in the garden behind the house. Her neighbor Auntie Zhang had to call out several times before mother realized what was going on. She hurried to where the mailman was and was handed a slip of paper: a money order. Mother’s face blossomed with joy right away: It’s from my son Cheng Gang. Auntie Zhang took over the money order, stared at it over and again, and said, enviously: Oh my, 2,400 yuan! At this everyone swarmed over. The money order passed from one hand to another like some precious treasure until all the aunties and grannies had seen it, their faces lit with envious smile.

  It was the first time Mother received money from her son and it was such a big sum! Mother was too thrilled to sleep that day. She got up in the middle of night and wrote her son a letter. Although mother didn’t go to school, both father and the village school teacher had taught her a few words. Mother’s letter had only a few lines asking Cheng Gang why he had sent so much money. Hadn’t she said 100 yuan a month would be plenty? In his reply letter Cheng Gang said that since the mailman came to the village only once or twice a month, he was concerned that mother would not receive his support money in time. He said his salary was good and he had promised 200 yuan a month. Whatever money mother couldn’t spend, she could put it aside for a rainy day.

  Mother smiled happily when she read Cheng Gang’s letter.

  Months passed before Cheng Gang received another letter from Mother. It was short as before: Cheng Gang, you shouldn’t send a whole year’s support money in one sum. Beginning next year, be sure to send it once a month.

  Before long another year had passed. Cheng Gang had wanted to go back to visit his mother but had got caught up working on a project against a deadline. He had wanted to send the support money once a month, as instructed, yet, out of concern that he might forget, he sent all 2,400 yuan in one big sum again. About 20 days later, Cheng Gang received a 2,400 yuan money order: It was sent by his mother. He was surprised and was just about to write his mother when he received another letter from her.

  Mother said in this letter: Be sure to send money by the month. Otherwise, I don’t want a cent from you!

  One day Cheng Gang ran into a migrant worker from his home village and took him to a restaurant. In the course of the meal Cheng Gang inquired about his mother. The man said: Although your mother lives alone, she is quite happy. On the day the mailman comes, your mother is joyous beyond anything, as if it were a big holiday. And when she receives your money order, her joy will last for several days.

  Cheng Gang’s eyes were filled with tears. He knew now that mother had insisted he send her money once a month because she wanted to experience that kind of joy twelve times a year. It was not the money that she cared about, but the love of her son so far away.

  (2002)

  Soy Sauce

  Zhao Wenhui

  Xiu Juan and Xi Shun were college classmates. Upon graduation Xiu Juan was given a teaching position by the college, but for love she went with Xi Shun to this county town. The county education bureau had only one position in town for the two of them; the other had to go to a faraway place. So Xi Shun went to the Pointed Hill Valley grade school about 80 li from the county town. The living conditions there were bad and there was no transportation. Xi Shun could come back to visit only once a month. Everything at home fell on the shoulders of Xi Juan.

  It wasn’t too bad in the beginning. Once they had a baby, however, it proved to be tough on Xi Juan. Their salaries were not good. They needed to send support money to Xi Shun’s parents, too. So they were tight all the time. Xiu Juan planned and economized on everything to make it work. For three years she didn’t even buy one new dress. She was also very kind to Xi Shun’s mother. One time the elderly woman came to visit. Xi Juan took her to the doctor for a physical, bought her medicine, prepared food for her, and carried warm water for her to wash with in the evening. With her thick, cotton-padded clothes on the elderly woman couldn’t bend enough to wash her own feet. Seeing this, Xiu Juan squatted down, grasped her feet and began to wash. Afterwards, Xiu Juan clipped mother-in-law’s toenails, too. The elderly woman said: “This is the first time I have clipped my nails the entire winter. . . . ” That evening she sobbed for half of the night, her pillow wet with happy tears. Later, after hearing this from his mother, Xi Shun grasped Xiu Juan’s hands and said: “What can I do to repay you for the rest of my life!”

  During those days they w
ere so in love with each other. While at school, Xi Shun would think of Xiu Juan all the time and often dream of her taking their child to kindergarten. One time a mountain flood cut through the road so Xi Shun couldn’t go home for more than two months. As soon as the road was fixed, he jumped on the first bus to the county town.

  When he saw Xiu Juan, his eyes glowed with a flame of desire. Yet neither of them dared to do anything because their five-and-a-half year old son was “in the way.” Son asked father to tell him stories, so Xi Shun told him stories while gripping Xiu Juan’s hand and feeling it hungrily. Xiu Juan responded likewise, her hand quivering. Both of them felt time was creeping too slowly. Then, Xiu Juan gave their son a yuan and asked him to go to the small stand at the alley entrance to buy a pack of noodles. Thrilled, the boy left half dancing with the money in hand. Xiu Juan and Xi Shun had just snuggled together when the son returned and banged on the door. This time Xi Shun came up with a better idea. He went to the kitchen, came back with a plate, and told his son to go and buy half a jin of soy sauce at the small grocery. “Son,” he encouraged, “I’m sure you can ace this challenging assignment!” The boy puffed out his chest like a grown-up and marched away with the plate.

  This time it worked. Xi Shun and Xiu Juan barely had enough time to satisfy their hunger for each other when their son returned, crying: “I walked slowly and carefully but the soy sauce still spilt. I didn’t do a good job with the assignment!” Xiu Juan gathered her son in her arms and smiled, both shame and joy in her eyes.

  Later, Xi Shun left his teaching job and started to work for the local township government. From administrative assistant to deputy town commissioner to commissioner to Party Chief to the Director of County Petrochemical Fertilizer Factory, Xi Shun moved up step by step. Since the fertilizer factory was the backbone of the county’s industries, Xi Shun’s car was the best in the entire county. Dining and staying in expensive hotels became a routine in his life, too. He changed gradually. Before long he hooked up with a new college graduate. Xiu Juan refused to believe what she had heard until one day Xi Shun asked for a divorce. Then she knew the same story she had seen on TV had happened to her.

  When their son, now a college student, knew this, he came all the way home to talk to his father. But Xi Shun wouldn’t listen. Desperate, the son said: “If you divorce mother, you won’t be my dad any more.” But Xi Shun had already made up his mind: “You will still be my son, no matter how you feel about me. However, I have to follow through on this.” Hearing of this, Xiu Juan knew there was no hope.

  Xi Shun was thrilled beyond himself when Xiu Juan said yes to his request. He took out the divorce agreement and asked Xiu Juan to sign. Xiu Juan held the pen between her quivering fingers. Her son said: “Ma, don’t sign!” Biting her lip bitterly, Xiu Juan put her name on the agreement. While gathering the signed agreement, Xi Shun said: “You know where to find me when you run into difficulties.”

  Xiu Juan didn’t say a word. Xi Shun wanted to leave right away but felt it would be too soon. So the three of them sat there, as if frozen. The room was deadly quiet.

  A long while had passed when Xiu Juan stood up suddenly, went to the kitchen, came back with a plate, and thrust it into her son’s hand: “Go and buy half a jin of soy sauce!” The son looked at his mother, confused, and didn’t move. Xiu Juan cried out: “So, you don’t listen to me, either!” Tears welled up in her eyes. Seeing this, the son took the plate and left for the small grocery.

  Xi Shun was stunned. That plate pounded his soul like a hammer and opened up a floodgate of memories. His face reddened right away as if he had been slapped hard left and right, his head low. When the son returned with the soy sauce, he saw his father burning a sheet of paper with his cigarette lighter.

  (2002)

  The Secret

  Liu Liying

  An’s wife likes to play poker.

  Gan’s wife also likes to play poker.

  When they have leisure time, An takes his wife to Gan’s to play poker. The four of them have fun playing poker. Yet, there is a problem: An and his wife lose all the time.

  An’s wife says An is slow and doesn’t know how to play a hand.

  An, on the other hand, thinks his wife doesn’t know how to play cards.

  Words have been exchanged between them several times. Once it got so bad both threw down the cards at the same time and left at once, fuming with anger.

  After An and his wife leave, Gan’s wife says to Gan, “This is not good, this is not good.”

  Gan says, “I’ll go and invite them back. When they’re here, let’s swap. You and An play as a pair and me and An’s wife as a pair.”

  Gan and An live in the same compound. So it doesn’t take long to get An and his wife back.

  Now that An and Gan’s wife play as a pair, when An plays the wrong card sometimes, she doesn’t feel comfortable scolding him. Sometimes Gan’s wife plays the wrong card, too, and An doesn’t feel comfortable saying anything, either. That evening the four of them play all the way till morning.

  From then on whenever they have free time, they play poker. Once, as soon as An and his wife leave, Gan’s wife makes a very long face.

  Gan says, “Your face is like a long eggplant.”

  His wife says, “Of course my face is not as good-looking as An’s wife’s.”

  Gan says, “One hundred An’s wives put together wouldn’t be as good-looking as you.”

  His wife says, “Your mind was not on the game at all tonight. You were looking at An’s wife all the time, 27 times altogether, to be exact.”

  Gan says, “Foolish woman! I was looking at the TV.”

  The next day An and his wife come again to play poker.

  This time Gan’s wife turns the TV off.

  Gan tries to focus on the game. Gradually, though, Gan becomes somewhat less vigilant. He casts a quick glance at An’s wife and then pretends as if nothing has happened. This time around, however, Gan has become wiser. Every time he looks at An’s wife, he turns to look at his wife first. If his wife’s eyes are on him, he tries his best to refrain from looking at An’s wife.

  When An and his wife have left, Gan’s wife asks Gan: “You were looking at An’s wife on the sly again tonight! Altogether 18 times. Is she that good-looking?”

  Gan feels embarrassed.

  Gan says: “Foolish woman!”

  Gan’s wife says: “I am the dumbest woman under the sky! Right in front of my eyes my man and someone else’s wife exchange amorous glances!”

  This time it is Gan’s turn to be upset.

  He pulls a long, long face.

  His wife says, “Your face is like a pumpkin.”

  Gan says, “Let’s not play poker any more.”

  His wife says, “Really?”

  Gan says, “I won’t play this stupid game anymore.”

  When An and his wife are home, he says to her, “The last time we played poker, you looked up at Gan 27 times. Today you looked 18 times.”

  An’s wife stares at An and stares and stares.

  An stares at his wife and stares and stares.

  His wife says: “Whoever goes to the Gan’s to play poker again is the turtle’s son.”

  A few days later, Gan says to his wife, “At work today An came to my office and stayed for a long time. Perhaps An wants to come and play poker.”

  His wife says, “I ran into An’s wife in the street yesterday. Oh, she was much warmer than usual. You and An are colleagues and we live in the same compound. Why don’t you go and ask them over.”

  When An gets home, he says to his wife, “I spent quite a bit of time in Gan’s office today. I was afraid that he was upset by us not going over to play poker.”

  An’s wife says, “Faraway relatives are not as good as nearby neighbors. Whenever I run into Gan’s wife, I feel bad. Why, all of a sudden, we don’t go to play anymore. Every time we were there, they treated us to cigarettes and tea. Wouldn’t they say things about us?”

  A
n says, “Let’s go then.”

  An and his wife run into Gan on their way.

  Gan says, “Play poker.”

  An says, “Play poker.”

  This time around Gan and his wife are even more hospitable than before. The more they are so, the more An and his wife feel they are not worthy of such a warm reception.

  That night when An returns home, he kicks his wife’s slippers under the bed.

  An’s wife smashes An’s favorite ashtray to pieces.

  An’s wife says, “Whoever goes to the Gan’s to play poker again is the son of the turtle’s son.”

  Gan and his wife also go through a bloodless battle. They don’t speak to each for several days.

  But before long, the four get together to play poker again.

  Neither family wants to say “let’s not play any more” first.

  The last time they played poker was June perhaps, or August. The reason for discontinuing the poker game was Gan. He was hurt in a car accident which left him in a vegetative state. Around this time, An’s wife came to see Gan’s wife. An’s wife wanted to tell the secret between her and Gan. Given the state Gan was in, it didn’t look like they would ever play poker together again.

  Gan’s wife, however, didn’t want An’s wife to tell.

  Gan’s wife said, “No need to try and comfort me. I won’t abandon Gan. I will take care of Gan for the rest of my life.”

  An’s wife suddenly realized something: Given the state Gan is in, Gan’s wife will never believe her even if she tells the secret between her and Gan.

  Now An’s wife regretted having had the secret with Gan: Looking at each other’s face as a signal of what card to play.

  (2004)

  Happy Family

  Wu Di

  Like any other day he returns home from work. He is about to take out the key to open the door when the door opens. She stands by the door, a smile on her face. One, two, three kids peek from inside to greet him: “Welcome home, dad.”