by Yu Hua
Song Gang bowed his head. Baldy Li was completely intoxicated by his master plan and excitedly asked Song Gang, "Is this not a truly diabolical plot?"
Seeing Song Gang sitting silently and with a bowed head, Baldy Li waved and said, "Okay, you should go."
Song Gang shook his head sadly, unwilling to go. He said, "I can't say what you're asking me to say."
Baldy Li was unhappy. Counting on his fingers, he said, "Just think of the five stratagems you suggested for me: beating around the bush, coming straight to the point, laying siege at the outskirts of the city, penetrating behind enemy lines, and beating to a pulp. Of those, not a single one was helpful. You have been completely useless as my military advisor. Therefore, it is now up to me to come up with a new diabolical plot."
Having said this, Baldy Li lifted his thumb and pointed out the door. "Go, quick."
Song Gang still shook his head. Biting his lip, he said, "I really can't say what you want me to say."
"Fuck!" Baldy Li exclaimed. "Song Gang, we are brothers. Can't you help me this once? I swear that this will be the last time. I'll never again ask for your help."
As he was saying this Baldy Li pulled Song Gang from his seat and pushed him out the door. He stuffed the handkerchief into Song Gang's hand and himself picked up the apples. Then the brothers headed to Lin Hong's house. At this point it was dusk, and the street was bathed in a damp mist. Baldy Li walked happily in front with the apples in his hand, and Song Gang followed with the handkerchief and a heavy heart. The entire way, Baldy Li tirelessly gave Song Gang words of encouragement, offering him one blank check after another. He promised that after he and Lin Hong became a couple, the first thing he would do would be to help Song Gang find a girlfriend even prettier than Lin Hong. If such a woman couldn't be found in Liu, he would search the surrounding towns, and if she couldn't be found there, he would go to the city to look for her. If she couldn't be found in the city, he would search the entire province, and if she couldn't be found in the province, he would search the entire country. If she couldn't be found in China, he would search the entire world for her. Baldy Li laughed. "Perhaps I might end up finding you a blond, blue-eyed girlfriend. That way you could live in a Western house, eat Western food, sleep in a Western bed, hug a Western girl's waist, kiss a Western girl's lips, and give birth to a pair of mixed-race twins."
As Baldy Li was animatedly describing Song Gang's Western future, Song Gang walked with a bowed head along the thoroughly rustic street. He didn't hear a word of what Baldy Li was saying but simply followed mechanically behind him. When Baldy Li paused to chat with other passersby, Song Gang would also pause and stare confusedly at the setting sun. When Baldy Li set off again, Song Gang would again lower his head and follow him. When the people of Liu saw Baldy Li carrying the apples, they asked, "Are you going to visit a friend or a relative?"
"Why does it have to be either a friend or a relative?" Baldy Li retorted happily.
When they arrived at the entrance to Lin Hong's house, Baldy Li came to a halt and patted Song Gang's shoulder. "It's up to you! I'll wait here for news of your success."
Then Baldy Li added affectionately, in what amounted to his trump card, "Remember, we are brothers."
Song Gang watched Baldy Li's flushed face in the evening light, shook his head and laughed bitterly, then turned and walked into Lin Hong's home. When Song Gang abruptly showed up, Lin Hong's parents were in the middle of dinner. They were somewhat surprised to see him and obviously knew what had happened the previous evening. Song Gang felt that he should make a bit of conversation, but his mind was a complete blank. He merely stood there without saying anything, unable to step through the doorway, until finally Lin Hong's mother stood up and called out to him,"Come on in."
Song Gang finally stepped through the doorway, but after he walked to the center of the room, he didn't know what he should do next. Lin Hong's mother smiled as she opened the door to Lin Hong's bedroom, quietly telling Song Gang, "She might already be asleep."
Song Gang nodded expressionlessly and then walked into the bedroom, which was bathed in evening light. He saw Lin Hong asleep on the bed as peaceful as a kitten. He walked forward uncertainly a couple of steps, until he was standing in front of her bed. The covers had fallen off, revealing the tender outline of her body, and her hair covering her pretty face. Song Gang felt the blood rush to his head and his pulse start racing. Sensing someone moving in front of her bed, Lin Hong half opened her eyes and smiled in pleasant surprise when she realized it was Song Gang. She closed her eyes again and grinned for a while, then opened them and extended her hand to him.
At this point Song Gang finally remembered what he was supposed to say to her. He took a deep breath and stuttered, "This time you should give up all hope."
Lin Hong shuddered as if she had been shot and stared at Song Gang with wide eyes. At that instant he saw the terror in her eyes, after which she closed them painfully, with tears running down her cheeks. His entire body shuddering, Song Gang placed the handkerchief on her covers, then rushed out of her room as if he were fleeing for his life. When he reached the door to the house, he seemed to hear Lin Hongs parents saying something, but after a moments hesitation he rushed out.
When Baldy Li saw Song Gang rush out as if he had seen a ghost, he delightedly asked him, "Did you succeed?"
Song Gang unhappily nodded his head, tears streaming down his face, then hurried away, determined never to look back. Baldy Li watched him leave and muttered, "What's he crying about?"
Then Baldy Li sauntered into Lin Hongs house, stroking his bald head as if he were combing his hair, and weighing the apples in his hand.
While Lin Hongs parents were trying to figure out what had just happened, Baldy Li sauntered in and greeted them as Auntie and Uncle, then continued on into Lin Hongs room. He turned around and closed her door, and as he did so he winked mysteriously at her parents. Both parents scratched their heads and stood there staring at each other.
Baldy Li smiled as he walked toward Lin Hongs bed and said, "Lin Hong, I heard that you were sick, so I bought you some apples."
Lin Hong, who had not yet recovered from the preceding shock, stared at Baldy Li with a look of utter incomprehension. He was secretly pleased that she was not kicking him out, and so he sat down on her bed and took the apples one after another, placing them next to her pillow, and bragged, "These are the reddest and biggest apples Liu Town has ever seen. I went to three separate fruit stalls to find them."
Lin Hong was still staring speechlessly at Baldy Li, and Baldy Li felt as though he were on the verge of success. He tenderly grasped her right hand, caressing it and lifting it to his face. At this point she finally came to her senses, immediately pulled back her hand, and let out a bloodcurdling scream.
Lin Hongs parents heard the scream and rushed into her room. There they saw Lin Hong, huddled in the corner of the bed, pointing at Baldy Li and shouting, "Out! Get out of here!"
Without even having a chance to explain himself, Baldy Li again fled from Lin Hongs house. This time her parents didn't use broomsticks and feather dusters to kick him out but, rather, their own hands and fists. In front of all the assembled onlookers, they cursed Baldy Li again and again, using not only the "ugly toad" and "cow dung" curses from before but also adding "hooligan," "bum," and "bastard" to the mix.
Amid their curses, Lin Hongs parents finally remembered their daughter and rushed back into the house to see her. Baldy Li stood there resentfully; his own belly was full of curses, but at that moment he couldn't think of a single one. The onlookers laughed as they watched him, and one after another they asked him what had happened.
"Nothing." Baldy Li shook his head as though nothing were wrong, and said simply, "It is merely a lovers’ quarrel."
With this, Baldy Li prepared to turn around and was about to leave when Lin Hong's parents reemerged, carrying the apples. They called out to him and hurled the apples like hand grenades at his head. Baldy Li ducked
and dodged, and after Lin Hong's parents had finished throwing the apples and headed back inside, he turned to the onlookers and innocently shook his head. He squatted down and picked up all the apples, saying, "These are my apples."
Baldy Li walked home with his smashed apples. The townspeople watched him rub one against his shirt, lift it to his mouth, and take a bite, mumbling, "This tastes good." While he was walking away chewing his apple, the onlookers heard him recite a verse of Chairman Mao's poetry: "This is the start of a Long March, a Long March…"
CHAPTER 34
AFTER SONG GANG left Lin Hongs home that evening, tears streaming down his face, he wandered the streets of Liu, heartbroken and hopeless. Lin Hongs terrified gaze repeatedly appeared before him, again making him feel as though a dagger had been driven through his heart. Every time he crossed a bridge, he wanted to throw himself into the river below; and whenever he passed an electrical pole, he wanted to hurl himself into it headfirst. Someone passed by pushing a cart containing two folded wicker baskets and a pile of rope. Song Gang immediately grabbed the rope and scurried away. The person put down his cart and chased Song Gang down, grabbing him and asking, "Hey, what're you doing?"
Song Gang froze and stared fiercely. "Committing suicide, can't you see?"
The cart pusher did a double take. Song Gang tied the rope around his neck and yanked it upward with his hand, sticking out his tongue for good measure. He laughed fiercely and said, "I'm hanging myself, can't you see?"
The cart pusher did another double take and stared, speechless, as Song Gang walked away. He then cursed as he returned to his cart, complaining that he was fucking unfortunate—that it wasn't even nightfall yet and already he'd had to deal with a nut job. Not only had the nut job startled him twice, but furthermore he had stolen his rope. He cursed incessantly as he pushed his cart, and after walking the length of the longest street in Liu, he arrived at the front door of Lin Hong's house. Baldy Li had just finished picking up his apples and was eating one of them as he walked over. The cart pusher cried out aggrievedly to Baldy Li, "I've had such fucking bad luck, running into a nut job…."
"You're the fucking nut job," Baldy Li answered scornfully and walked off.
After Song Gang tied the rope around his neck, he simply left it on, as if it were a scarf made of twine. He walked briskly, looking as though he were rushing to his death. The rustling of his clothes and his rapid pace made him feel as though he were walking on air. It seemed to him that he covered the length of the street in a flash, and in no time he turned into the alleyway and arrived at his own doorstep.
Song Gang took out his key and opened the front door, and after entering the dark room it was a while before it occurred to him to turn on the lights. He then looked up and inspected the ceiling beams, telling himself that these would do just fine. He placed a bench under one of the beams and stood on it. Only then did he notice that he no longer had the rope in his hand. He looked around suspiciously, not remembering where he had left the rope and thinking that maybe he had left it in the road. He jumped down from the bench and headed toward the door. When a burst of wind blew in his face, he heard a rustling sound. He then laughed as he realized that the rope was tied around his neck.
Song Gang stood again on the bench, removed the rope from his neck, carefully tied it around the beam, and then made a noose. He yanked it firmly, placed his head into the noose, and tightened it. He then exhaled deeply and closed his eyes. A gust of wind reminded him that he had left the door ajar. He opened his eyes and saw that the door was swinging open and shut. Therefore, he removed his head from the noose, jumped off the bench, and went to close the door. Then he once again stood on the bench and placed his head in the noose. Closing his eyes, he inhaled one last time, exhaled, then kicked the bench out from under himself. He immediately felt as though his body had been stretched out and his breathing cut off. It was at this point that he got the vague impression that Baldy Li had returned.
When Baldy Li pushed the door open and walked in, he immediately saw Song Gangs body flailing about in midair. He cried out in horror and rushed forward to grab Song Gangs legs, struggling to support his body. Quickly realizing that this wasn't working, he started rushing around the room like a caged beast. When he saw a vegetable knife, he suddenly had an idea. He picked up the knife, righted the bench, stood on it, and proceeded to jump, using the knife to slice through the rope. When Song Gangs body dropped, Baldy Li also fell to the ground. He turned over and knelt there, hugging Song Gangs shoulders and rocking back and forth. He wept as he cried out, "Song Gang, Song Gang …"
Baldy Li bawled, tears and snot running down his face. At that point, Song Gangs body moved, and he started to cough. When Baldy Li realized that Song Gang was still alive, he wiped his tears and snot and started to laugh, then started crying again. Sobbing, he exclaimed, "Song Gang, what did you think you were doing?"
Song Gang coughed as he leaned against the wall to sit up. He stared blankly at Baldy Li and heard him repeatedly calling his name. Song Gang opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He opened his mouth again, and this time said softly, "I no longer want to live."
Baldy Li reached out his hand to stroke the red welt on Song Gangs neck, and through his tears he cursed his brother, "If you had fucking died, what the fuck would I have done? You are my only fucking relative, and if you had fucking died, I would have become a fucking orphan."
Song Gang pushed Baldy Li's hand away and, shaking his head, said, "I like Lin Hong, even more than you do. You not only don't want me to be with her but furthermore keep demanding that I hurt her."
Baldy Li wiped his tears and said angrily, "Is it really worth it to kill yourself over a woman?"
Song Gang rushed at Baldy Li, saying, "If it were you, what would you do?"
"If it were me," Baldy Li shouted back, "I would slaughter you!"
Song Gang looked at Baldy Li in surprise and, pointing at himself, said, "But I'm your brother!"
"Even as a brother, I would still slaughter you," Baldy Li immediately retorted.
Song Gang stared in astonishment and eventually began to laugh. He looked carefully at Baldy Li, this brother of his, with whom he shared everything. Baldy Li's comment gave Song Gang instant release, and he felt that now he had complete freedom to devote himself to Lin Hong. Song Gang laughed out loud and told Baldy Li sincerely, "That was truly well said."
Song Gang, who just moments earlier had been crying "I don't want to live," now started laughing happily. Baldy Li was deeply disconcerted by this and watched Song Gang leap up as if he were competing in the high jump and proceed quickly to the door. Not knowing what Song Gang was planning, Baldy Li struggled up and cried out, "What are you going to do?"
Song Gang turned around and said calmly, "I'm going to go see Lin Hong. I want to tell her that I like her."
"You can't do that!" Baldy Li cried. "You can't fucking do that. Lin Hong is mine."
"No." Song Gang shook his head firmly. "Lin Hong doesn't like you. She likes me."
Baldy Li at this point once again drew on his trump card, exclaiming passionately "Song Gang, we are brothers."
Song Gang replied happily, "Brothers can also slaughter."
As Song Gang was saying this he stepped out the door and walked away. In his fury Baldy Li punched a wall but then immediately grimaced in pain. As he rubbed and blew on his injured hand, his howls of fury turned into yelps of pain. After his pain had subsided, he looked out into the empty night and shouted to Song Gang, who was already out of sight, "Get out of here! You fucking value women over friends, and even over your own brother."
As Song Gang walked along the moonlit street, the autumn leaves drifting by, he couldn't stop laughing. He had kept things bottled up for a long time and only now could finally express his happiness. He drank in the cool breeze as he strolled toward Lin Hong's house. On his way, he felt that the Liu Town evening was so beautiful, with the sky full of stars, the autumn breeze blowing, and the tree shado
ws waving back and forth. The lights from the streetlamps and the moon were intertwined, like Lin Hong's braids. A few pedestrians appeared in the peaceful street, and as they walked beneath the streetlamps it looked as though they were glowing, making Song Gang stare in surprise. When he walked over the bridge, he was even more astounded, seeing the river full of stars and moonlight.
CHAPTER 35
ALL NIGHT Lin Hongs parents felt as if they were riding an emotional roller coaster. First Song Gang walked into Lin Hongs room and broke her heart. Then Baldy Li came and made her scream in horror. Lin Hongs parents spent the entire evening sobbing and sighing, and they had just gone to bed when they heard someone knocking at the door again. They looked at each other, unable to imagine who might be visiting at that hour. They got dressed and were headed for the door when the knocking abruptly stopped, making them suspect that perhaps they'd been hearing things. They were about to head back to bed when the knocking started up again. Lin Hongs mother leaned toward the door and asked, "Who is it?"
"Its me," Song Gang replied from outside.
"Who are you?" Lin Hongs father asked.
"I am Song Gang."
When Lin Hongs parents heard that it was Song Gang, they grew angry. After exchanging glances, they opened the door and were about to start reprimanding him when he happily announced, "I've returned."