The Pearl Jacket and Other Stories. Shouhua Qi
of an eye their tenth wedding anniversary had arrived. That day Erniu prepared ten delicious dishes at home and placed a bottle of good wine on the table. When Minzi came back from work, he was surprised. He patted his forehead and exclaimed: “Oh my, today’s our tenth wedding anniversary! How could I have forgotten?”
With that he turned to go. Erniu grabbed his arm: “Where are you going?”
Minzi said: “I promised to buy you a ring, but haven’t delivered yet. I have to go now before they close shop. . . . ”
Erniu said, still holding his arm, “Oh, that won’t be necessary. I’ve a ring already.”
Minzi was surprised once again: “Already have one? When did you buy it?”
Erniu turned, opened a trunk, took out a red silky pouch, and handed to Minzi.
Confused, Minzi took over the pouch and gazed at Erniu. With a smile blossoming on her face, Erniu said: “Open it.”
So Minzi opened it with careful fingers, layer after layer. When he reached the last layer, Minzi’s hands quivered. So Erniu opened it for him. There on Minzi’s palm was the same straw ring he had given her many years ago.
Minzi sighed with disappointment: “Ah, I thought it was a real one. Why are you still keeping this?”
Erniu said: “A ring is only a token. Straw ring or gold ring, it won’t make any difference if you wear it in your heart. This ring from you I’ve always worn it in my heart. It’s more precious than gold.”
Minzi was touched beyond words. All he could do was to gather Erniu in his arms and hold her tight.
(2001)
Marriage Certificate
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