Jingqiu looked up and to her surprise she saw her former classmate, Director Li’s son, Kunming, wearing a grass-green army uniform and matching jacket.
‘I’ve joined the army,’ he said exuberantly. At school his classmates barely registered his existence and no one could have imagined that he would join the army. He must be trying to avoid being sent down. ‘Waiting for a job?’ he repeated. Jingqiu nodded and with that he went through to the inner room to ask his mother, ‘Mother why haven’t you given Jingqiu any work?’
Jingqiu could hear her respond, ‘What do you mean, not given her work? There have been more people looking than jobs available.’
‘Hurry up and sort something out, she’s waiting in there.’
‘It doesn’t matter where she waits, I have to have a job to give first.’
Jingqiu heard him say something quietly to his mother but what that was exactly she couldn’t make out. She was very grateful to Kunming, but she also felt uncomfortable, as if she were asking him a favour.
After a while Director Li emerged. ‘Wan Changsheng from the paper factory came yesterday looking for workers. It’s hard work so I didn’t suggest you, but if you think you’re up to it, go now and see him.’
Jingqiu thanked Director Li and left. Out on the road she heard the sound of a bike approaching before the bell rang out. She twisted her head around to see Kunming, glowing like a flower, riding towards her. ‘Jump on, I’ll take you to the paper factory. It’ll take you ages to walk.’
Jingqiu’s face turned bright red. ‘There’s no need, I’ll be there in no time.’
He rode his bike closer and repeated, ‘Get on. We’ve graduated now, what are you afraid of?’ Jingqiu still refused so he jumped down from his bike and walked with her. Jingqiu noticed that everyone they met on the road looked at them curiously. She felt uncomfortable all over.
At the factory Kunming helped her find Mr Wan Changsheng. This Mr Wan turned out to be a weedy and slightly hunchbacked middle-aged man of not more than five-foot five with a look of death about him, reminiscent of an opium addict. It looked as if he had yet to wipe away the morning’s gunk from his eyes. The fact that his first name, Changsheng, meant ‘prosperous’ added a dint of irony to the situation.
‘Mr Wan, this is my classmate Jingqiu. My mother has sent her to you for work, can you take care of it?’ Kunming’s professional tone surprised Jingqiu. He turned to her. ‘I’m off, but be careful. If the job’s too heavy just ask my mother to get you a different one.’
Jingqiu answered with a ‘thank you’, but didn’t know what else to say.
‘Is he your other half?’ Wan Changsheng asked once Kunming was some distance away.
‘No.’
‘I thought not. If he was, his mother would never let you do this kind of work.’ He sized her up before saying, ‘Don’t you worry, today you can follow me to buy some things, I need to go to the docks.’
That day Jingqiu pushed a flat cart behind Wan Changsheng to the river to buy goods. On the way he boasted of his love of books and asked Jingqiu to lend him some to read in return for easier work at the factory. Jingqiu agreed reluctantly, thinking to herself, I wonder what kind of medicine he’s got in his gourd?
At four in the afternoon they finished and Wan Changsheng praised Jingqiu, saying that next time he would call on her specially to help him. ‘We don’t work on Sundays because I like to rest then, and most of the temporary workers slack off if I’m not here. But I don’t think you would. If I find you some work to do, are you game?’
Jingqiu had never had Sundays off before when working, so she replied without hesitation, ‘Of course.’
‘OK, tomorrow you push this cart to the city distillery, wharf number eight, and collect the bags of grain I ordered. We use it to feed the factory’s pigs. This job is especially for you, so don’t go telling the other temporary workers otherwise they’ll accuse me of favouritism.’
Jingqiu thanked him as tears collected in her eyes. This puffed up Mr Wan’s sense of self-worth and he continued his praise. ‘You only have to look at you to know you’re capable and level-headed.’ He took two pieces of paper out of his pocket. ‘This one is for collecting the goods tomorrow, and this one is a meal ticket, you can exchange it for two steamed buns at the canteen. That’ll be your lunch. Just deliver the grain to the canteen before five.’
Chapter Twenty-Two
Early the next morning Jingqiu got up and went straight to the paper factory to collect the cart and the steamed buns before setting off for wharf number eight. The wharf was right on the river some ten or so li away. There was a freight ferry further up the river where she could pull the cart across. As it was summer the water was high, nearly reaching the bank, so there was no need to climb up and then down again, you just had to be careful not to fall in the water.
As she did every time she went out to work, as soon as she walked out of the door she took off her shoes – she only put them on for her mother to see – so as not to wear them out too quickly. Today she was dressed from head to toe in her brother’s old clothes, with a sailor’s striped shirt on top and a pair of patched trousers that Jingqiu had cut off just below the knee. The sun was high so she wore an old straw hat pulled low over her face so that no one would recognise her.
By the time she got to the other side of the river she needed the toilet, but she couldn’t go to the public toilet in case someone made off with her cart. There was no way she would be able to replace it.
She stood pondering the problem when a voice from behind her said, ‘Go on, I’ll watch your cart.’
Jingqiu didn’t need to turn around, she already knew who it was. Her faced boiled with embarrassment. Why couldn’t he have come sooner, or later? Why just now when it was most awkward?
Old Third walked round to face her and, taking hold of the cart’s handle, repeated, ‘Go, I’ll look after the cart.’
‘Go where?’ she asked, her face burning red.
‘Don’t you need the toilet? Go, I can watch the cart.’
She felt extremely uncomfortable to hear him speak so frankly. Even if you can tell someone needs it you don’t just say it straight out. ‘Who says I need the toilet?’ she said.
His short-sleeved white shirt was unbuttoned revealing a white vest trimmed with blue tucked into his army trousers. This was the first time she had seen him wearing short sleeves and it was strange. His skin was unexpectedly white and his forearms bulged; they were even more muscled and defined than his biceps. Boys’ arms were really strange.
‘I’ve been following you since yesterday.’ He smiled. ‘But you were being escorted by a fellow army man so I didn’t come to say hello. Breaking up an army marriage is, without exception, dealt with very harshly and if you’re not careful can result in a death sentence.’
‘What army man? Oh, that was an old classmate.’
‘He looked very brave and imposing in his army uniform. So are you going to the toilet? If not, then we should head off.’
‘Where? I don’t have time, I’m working.’
‘I’m off to work with you.’
She started laughing. ‘You want to go to work with me? Aren’t you scared people will laugh at you dressed up all posh and yet walking with me and this cart?’
‘Who’s going to laugh? Laugh at what?’ He removed his white shirt and rolled up his trouser legs and asked, ‘How about like this?’ Seeing her shake her head he pleaded, ‘You’ve already graduated and no one around here knows you, let me go with you.’
It didn’t take any more to convince her. She had been longing to see him for so long that she couldn’t b
ear to let him go. Today they would take the risk. Blushing she replied, ‘Wait a second,’ and ran to the toilet. On her return she said, ‘Let’s go. Just you wait, you’ll soon be crying tears of exhaustion.’
‘What a joke,’ he boasted. ‘Pushing a cart will make me cry? I haven’t cried in years.’
Seeing that she was walking barefoot he removed his shoes and placed them on the cart. ‘Sit on top.’
She resisted but he insisted so she climbed up. He took her old straw hat and draped his white shirt over her head. ‘This will cover your shoulders and arms as well as your head.’ Then they set off.
She sat on top, giving him directions. After a while he said, ‘It’s a shame my shirt’s not red, otherwise it would look like I was pushing my new bride in her red bridal veil.’
‘Oh, so you’re trying to take advantage of me!’ Then, as if driving an ox, she called, ‘C’mon! Go!’
‘Ah yes, you’re just like a real wife, already bossing me around,’ and with that he started gathering speed.
Only once they got to the distillery did Jingqiu realise how lucky it was that Old Third was there to help, otherwise she would never have been able to deliver the grain back to Mr Wan. The grain was still being stored in a deep pool of hot water. They had to scoop it out themselves and put it into sacks, each one weighing more than fifty kilos. Furthermore, the distillery was located on a small but steep hill. Just pushing the empty cart up had been tough enough, never mind taking it down again when loaded with grain. If they weren’t careful it would tip over and cause them a serious injury. Old Third lifted the shaft up high but still the cart raced down the hill and the two of them struggled until they were drenched in sweat. So much for Mr Wan’s promise of an easy job!
Once down the hill, however, the road followed the river and was much easier to manage. Old Third took hold of the handle and Jingqiu pulled a rope attached to the side. They walked and talked until without thinking they arrived at the small pavilion that had been the site of their last meeting. ‘Let’s rest here a while,’ Old Third suggested. ‘Didn’t you say it had to be delivered before five? It’s only three now. Let’s take a seat.’
They stopped the cart by the pavilion and went to rest inside. It was a hot day, so Jingqiu used her straw hat to fan herself and Old Third went to buy ice lollies. ‘Who was the other man you were taking a walk with yesterday?’ he asked as they ate.
‘Taking a walk? Didn’t you see me pushing the cart? That was my boss, Wan Changsheng.’
‘He doesn’t look like a nice guy, I don’t think you should work for him.’
‘Where else will I work? It took a lot of pain and effort to get this job. What makes you dislike him? You don’t know him.’
Old Third smiled, ‘There’s something about him. Watch out, don’t be alone with him.’
‘What could he possibly do?’
‘You’re too naive. Just find a way to tell him that your boyfriend is in the army, it doesn’t take much for us army men to draw our swords. If he does anything untoward, tell me.’
‘And what would you do?’
‘I’d sort him out.’ He reached into his bag and took out a Swiss army knife, and started fiddling with it.
‘I didn’t know you were so tough,’ she joked.
‘Don’t be afraid, I would never do anything to you. I just don’t like your boss, there’s something not right about him, you can see it in his eyes. I followed you two the whole day and I had to force myself not to go up to him and give him a warning. I thought you wouldn’t want me to.’
‘It’s best that people don’t see us together. Even though I’ve left school my new job still isn’t sorted and lots of people at school are already jealous.’
‘I know, so I’ll only approach you when you’re on your own.’ They sat in silence for a while before Old Third spoke again. ‘Let’s find somewhere to eat lunch.’
‘I brought a steamed bun. You go and find a restaurant, I’ll wait here with the cart. That grain is so smelly it’s attracting the mosquitoes. I don’t want to park the cart in front of someone’s restaurant.’
Old Third thought a while. ‘Okay, I’ll buy some things and bring them back here to eat. You wait, don’t run away. It’s too dangerous for you to push the cart over the river on your own.’
After a while he came back with a pile of food in his arms, along with a red swimsuit. ‘Let’s eat, rest then take a swim in the river. It’s so hot today we’re covered in sweat. The water looks really inviting.’
‘How do you know I can swim?’
‘Jiangxin is surrounded by water, how could you not have learned? Everyone on the island must be able to, surely?’
‘Well, yes.’ Jingqiu opened the packet containing the swimsuit. It was a figure-hugging model, the top part shaped like a vest and the bottom part like a pair of briefs. It was the most old-fashioned and conservative type, but Jingqiu had never worn one like it before, and neither had anyone else she knew. Everyone wore a short-sleeved T-shirt and shorts when swimming. ‘How do you wear it?’ she asked, her face turning crimson.
Usually she wore boxer-style pants and sports bras, she had never worn briefs nor bras with thin straps. The thought of wearing such a revealing costume horrified her. She was always desperate to cover up what she considered to be her large thighs and breasts. ‘You bought it without asking me. Can it be returned?’
‘Why return it?’ Old Third said.
After their lunch and a rest Old Third continued to urge Jingqiu to go to a nearby public toilet to change into her new swimsuit. She was too shy but she did want to swim, so after a lengthy period of persuasion she decided to try it on. I’ll put my shirt and trousers over the top and when I get to the water I’ll ask Old Third to turn away so I can quickly remove them and slip in, she decided. Okay, she thought, and ran to the public toilets to get changed, emerging again with her shirt and trousers over the top of the swimsuit.
They parked the cart close to the bank so that they could watch out for potential thieves as they swam. Jingqiu ordered Old Third to go in first and, laughing, he obeyed, stripped off his vest and trousers until he was standing in only a pair of boxer shorts, and in he went. After a couple of steps he turned and shouted, ‘Hurry up, the water’s lovely and cool.’
‘Turn around.’
Again, he obeyed. Jingqiu removed her clothes quickly and started pulling at her swimsuit around her chest and bottom, painfully aware that it didn’t cover her up sufficiently. After tugging at the cloth for a while she could see no improvement and so gave up. Just as she was about to step into the water she noticed that he had already turned around and was watching her. ‘How can you be so sneaky?’ she finally managed to stutter.
He turned around again quickly and sank into the water. She dived in and swam towards the middle of the river before turning back to look behind her. He hadn’t followed and was, instead, still crouching in the shallows. What’s he up to? She swam back towards him until she was close, and standing in the water up to her chest she asked, ‘Why aren’t you swimming?’
‘You go first, I’ll chase you,’ he said.
She turned and swam out again to the middle of the river, but after turning she realised that he still hadn’t started swimming. Maybe he doesn’t know how to swim? He’s so funny, he can’t swim but is so insistent that I should jump in. She swam back again and called out, ‘Are you a duck raised on dry land?’
He sat in the water, laughing, but didn’t reply. She too stopped swimming and stood in the deeper water, talking to him. After a while he said, ‘Let’s have a race.’ With that he took off towards the middle of the river. So he can swim! H
e had a beautiful front crawl, making not even the slightest splash of water as he swam into the distance. She wanted to catch up but she couldn’t swim that fast, so followed behind.
Tired, she called to him, ‘Come back, I’m exhausted.’
Quickly he returned, and as he drew near asked, ‘So, do you think I’m a duck raised on dry land now?’
‘No, but why were you sitting so long in the shallows then?’
‘I wanted to see how good you were at swimming.’ He laughed.
What a bad boy, waiting to see I wasn’t better than him, so I’d make a fool of myself! She followed him again before making a surprise attack. She grabbed him by the shoulders so that he could pull her back to land. She floated on the surface and gently hung herself around his shoulders kicking her legs. I can’t be giving him too much extra weight. But he suddenly stopped, straightened his body, and started treading water. Her body seemed to glue itself to his, so she let go as quickly as she could.
Together they swam back to the shore and he sat in the water, shaking slightly.
‘Are you tired?’ she asked.
‘No . . . You go first and get changed, I’ll come in a second.’
He had a strange look on his face. ‘Have you got cramp in your legs?’
He nodded. ‘You go and get changed. Unless you want to go for another swim?’
‘No more.’ She shook her head. ‘We need some energy left in order to deliver the grain. If you’ve got cramp don’t swim any more either. Where does it hurt? Do you want me to give it a rub?’
‘Never mind me.’
He was behaving very strangely, so she stood firm and asked, ‘What’s wrong? Is the cramp in your stomach?’
He looked back at her intently until she realised that she was still wearing the swimsuit. She ducked down into the water; he must have seen my thighs, he thinks they’re huge. ‘It’s my legs, they’re horrible, aren’t they?’
Under the Hawthorn Tree Page 20