The Pearl Jacket and Other Stories. Shouhua Qi
she took out a paper napkin and brushed off the caterpillar carefully.
The crisis was resolved, yet the girl squatted down, covering her face in her hands.
The same cry of “A caterpillar on your shoulder!” had pierced through so many years of time and hit hard the heart that had been numbed for so long. Who else in the world would be so sensitive to the tremors of the girl’s heart as the boy had once?
The fat cat stood there and said: “Why, a mere caterpillar scared the wits out of you, and now you can’t stand up!”
A sobbing sound leaked through the fingers of the girl.
(2004)
Big Buddy
Wang Kuishan
Dorm Room 6028 of the Chinese Department had eight residents. Chen Hao was the oldest. So everybody called him Big Buddy fondly.
By the time of their junior year, everyone in the class became involved in a romantic relationship, as if they had all been hit by a contagious disease at the same time. All the female students in the class had been “claimed” in the blink of an eye. That all had been claimed is not an accurate statement because there was still one damsel who was yet to be “claimed:” Liu Meiyan. When it came down to it, there wasn’t anything visibly wrong with Liu Meiyan. If one had to be picky, then, she was a bit on the heavy side. 1.6 meters tall, yet 130 jin in weight. Liu Meiyan, for her part, though, was quite open about it. She would say in front of everybody “I gain weight even if I live on water alone. There’s nothing I can do about it.“
One day someone in the dorm room suggested they write an anonymous love letter to Liu Meiyan to invite her out for a date and see how she would respond. There was nothing else to do for fun anyway. The suggestion received warm, unanimous approval. Since everyone was bursting with Tang poetry and Song lyrics, writing up a sugar letter would be like a master chef preparing an appetizer. That evening they penned a draft. Having praised Liu Meiyan with all the beautiful words available, the letter invited her to meet in the plum tree woods north of the school’s Big Sports Ground at 6 o’clock in the afternoon: “Stay till we meet.” The letter further explained that the 6th hour (after noon) of the 6th day of the week was chosen for its auspicious ring: “Six Six Success!”
This letter was composed on Monday evening.
The next day the sealed letter was dropped into the mailbox.
The plum tree woods north of the Big Sports Ground was chosen as the site for the date because the window of Dorm Room 6028 commanded a very good view of everything inside the plum tree woods.
Over the next few days, Liu Meiyan’s hearty singing could be heard in and outside the classrooms and on the way to the library. She might be a bit on the heavy side, but, honestly, she had a really good voice. When she sang Meng Tingwei’s “Come and See Winter Rain in Taibei,” one would feel as if it were Meng herself singing.
Six o’clock on Saturday afternoon arrived at last. In Dorm Room 6028, everyone squeezed together at the window and, eyes wide open, gazed toward the plum tree woods north of the Big sports ground.
Liu Meiyan appeared right on time. Once in the plum tree woods, Liu Meiyan lifted her hand to check her watch, probably wondering to herself: I’m on time. Now, you, the mysterious admirer, it’s your turn to show your face.
Five past six. Liu Meiyan gazed left and right.
Ten past six. Liu Meiyan paced back and forth.
Fifteen past six. Liu Meiyan stopped pacing. She stood there and stood on her toes again and again to see better and further.
The spectators chattered and chuckled mirthfully.
Usually, Chen Hao would not partake in the things of his younger roommates and would stay far away from their practical jokes like this. He had a principle to follow: Big Buddy should behave like Big Buddy. Yet, this time round, the chattering and smirking of the younger roommates attracted him to the window despite himself. He took a look at the plum tree woods and was stunned: Liu Meiyan in a rosy down jacket and white jeans reminded him of someone. Last year when he went home for New Year’s, his younger sister wore exactly the same clothes. The sister, who had leukemia, had already died half a year ago. At this thought Chen Hao’s heart beat wildly. He could feel something hot washing over his entire being. Without a word to anyone he pulled open the door and dashed downstairs.
That same night Chen Hao came back very late. His younger roommates, already in bed, were in the midst of a heated conversation. When he pushed open the door and stepped in, a hushed silence fell on them suddenly. Without turning on the light, Chen Hao washed, got into bed, removed his clothes, and crawled into his quilt. The whole time Chen Hao didn’t say anything, not a single word. He could hear his own heavy breathing.
Finally, Chen Hao opened his mouth. “I have an announcement for everyone: Tonight Liu Meiyan and I have decided to be boyfriend and girlfriend.”
With that Chen Hao sighed deeply, a thousand-jin burden on his shoulder having been relieved. Chen Hao thought to himself: If anyone dares to say half a word against Liu Meiyan, I’ll kill him.
Surprisingly, though, someone clapped his hands. Then, everyone in the room clapped their hands.
Tears flowed down Chen Hao’s cheeks.
(2005)
Return Visit
Ai Ya
He wrote “twenty” on the check, signed his English name gracefully, and started to write a letter to his friend:
Please, my friend, buy a hand-braided straw hat. Please, then, buy a ticket to my hometown, and at the corner of the station, buy a bunch of lychee from the elderly man who is often in his faded shirt. I know lychee is now in season. Afterwards, instead of getting on the train, please put the straw hat on, walk through the noisy, muddy farmers’ market, turn at Old Wang’s Beef Lo Mein stand, and you will be at my home. No need to knock on the door. Just call out: “Uncle Ah Lang’s Son!” That’s my Pop. Then, please place the lychee on the table and sit down to drink tea with Pop. Then, please stroll to the neighbor to see a young woman, an uncultured woman dressed in simple clothes. She was my first love. Please see if she still has the sweet smile on her healthy face. Has she given her husband another son? Please do all these on my behalf. Enclosed is US$20 to reimburse your expenses. Thanks.
He put the letter and check into the envelope, sealed it with tears and a lick, and put an airmail stamp on it. Then he picked up the pen and wrote the following in the record section of the checkbook:
June 18, Return visit fare and misc. expenses, $20 exact.
( n.d.)
Butterfly Forever
Chen Qiyou
It is raining. The asphalt road looks cold and wet. It glitters with reflections of green, yellow, and red lights. We are taking shelter under the balcony. The green mailbox stands alone across the street. Inside the big pocket of my white windbreaker is a letter for my mother in the South.
Yingzi says she can mail the letter for me with the umbrella. I nod quietly and hand her the letter.
“Who told us to bring only one small umbrella?” She smiles, opens up the umbrella, and is ready to walk across the road to mail the letter for me. A few tiny raindrops from an umbrella rib fall onto my glasses.
With the piercing sound of a vehicle screeching to a halt, Yingzi’s life flies in the air gently, and then slowly falls back on the cold and wet road, like a butterfly at night.
Although it is spring, it feels like deep autumn.
All she did was cross the road to mail a letter for me. A very simple act, yet I will never forget it as long as I live.
I open my eyes and remain standing under the balcony, blankly, my eyes filled with hot tears. All the cars in the entire