It’s been a while since I wrote an article. This article is my heart and soul and I hope you read it with all your heart. It’s definitely a true story, in fact it’s my own story, I’ve just moved it forward a couple decades.
Me and My Sister-In-Law will continue to be released.
(i)
In the evening, when it was snowing lightly and the streets were cold and clear, I watched attentively the departure of the last pair in the tavern, and then sat calmly again.
My own life is very dull, a dullness I have endured for 22 years, and I have actually been searching for the meaning of people’s lives. However it is clear that people like me are viewed as mentally ill by almost the entire population.
The tavern finally closed, and I carefully walked out, yet the two clerks behind me continued to giggle and follow, a laughter that made me feel like I was being manacled. In fact, due to the fact that I come here often and am still a psychopath, everyone calls me Kung Yee Hoo. Forget it, what can I do?
It’s a very lovely city, called Changchun I think, not a lot of people, but very kind (I’m writing decades ago) and not many cars and bicycles. I’ve been coming to this tavern to sit down almost whenever I can for several years now. There are only two purposes, the first is to anesthetize myself and forget that I live in this world; the second and most important purpose is to look at the small red building outside the tavern, to be exact, the dim light from the penultimate fifth window on the second floor.
Honestly, it’s a miracle, a miracle no one can deny. I’ve been watching that little window so passionately since I was a little kid, right up until now. This is obviously where my misfortune lies.
(ii)
I was at the tavern again at noon this day, and today I wasn’t just having a little drink, I was also having dinner.
The boss’s wife walked over, her name is Zhao Xueyao, she’s in her thirties, she’s white, but not at all pretty. The tavern was taken over by her husband last month, and the previous owner – the one I could often get credit for – went back to his hometown, Shuangyang I think. I believe there was a long time when I was the only customer in his tavern.
Zhao Xueyao came over and said to me, “Are you here again today? What do you want?” I am very happy, because there are few people so kind to talk to me, let alone a woman. I even hoped that there was a teasing meaning in the words, but there was none.
“Ask for two taels of wine, any kind of food, just the usual.” I actually talk fairly normal, I don’t know why people say I’m mentally ill?
So I began to stare at the small window, where a string of silver-white wind chimes hung, reflecting the sun’s light.
“What are you looking at?” I was taken aback, and it turned out that Zhao Xueyao had come to the side.
“Didn’t see anything, I had a headache and was fuming, lol!” I gave a smile that was worse than crying.
Zhao Xueyao placed her wine glass and a plate of peanuts on the table, twisting her head to look in the direction I had just gazed at: “It’s a wind chime, quite pretty.” She said carelessly.
I was deeply taken aback, shocked even, did she know my secret? It had to be defended.
“I have a headache right now! And…” I suddenly realized that Zhao Xueyao was looking at me stupidly, and it was hard to imagine someone in her thirties having such naive eyes.
That’s when the one thing that everyone would think is bullshit happened, a woman walked in from outside.
The air froze, time was suspended, and I experienced relativity.
The woman hurriedly glanced here, and I hastily lowered my humble head as I felt her take a seat at the opposite table, and Zhao Xueyao walked next to her.
Escape, my best trick. But I didn t forget to leave fifty cents, it s meal money, I guess, men are not meant to be scoundrels in front of women, except real scoundrels.
(iii)
It’s safe to assume that no one noticed my presence in the tavern at the time, so even if I had left without eating, I don’t think people would have sent me to the police station. Based on this point, I came back to the tavern after only two days.
Since it was late, there weren’t many people in the house. I pushed the table, and there was a squeak, so the curtain was lifted, and Zhao Xueyao walked out.
“It’s been a couple days.” She chimed in. I’m surprised she didn’t mention the day I ran off without eating! Hurry up and ask for something.
“With everything going on lately, it’s still two-two bars and peanuts.”
“It’s the twenty-ninth day of the Lunar New Year, and the cook has gone home. There is wine.” She replied, turning and walking inside.
Is it the 29th day of the month? How come I don’t know? Is there a reason I live alone? Maybe that’s it.
Zhao Xueyao put the wine on the table and turned to leave, but suddenly turned her body around again: “Why did you leave without eating that day? Was it because a woman came in!” A shot in the arm.
Bad question. My face was burning straight up, so I poured a glass of wine, put on a face full of innocence and asked, “What girl? I don’t know!”
Zhao Xueyao stared at me for a moment and said, “She’s getting married in a few days, and she’s coming over that day to have her wedding ceremony at my place.”
Run away, run away! As if nothing could save me. I drained a glass of wine, and then another, it was obvious that I wasn’t going to get drunk. I looked up, Zhao Xueyao was still staring at me with rare innocent eyes.
“I’m not pretending! And I don’t have to pretend with you.” I was very excited, I’ve been coming to this pub for years, and it’s been a long time since my mom’s war against Japan. I laughed: “I came to see the window with the wind chimes, how about that? Can you catch me?” Suddenly I realized there was nothing I fear, so I tried to pour the rest of the wine down. It felt good to be fearless!
But I drank half of it and threw up, “No way!” I shouted, grabbing another drink and finally getting it all in! “People are fucking ridiculous sometimes! I’m mentally ill and here I am daydreaming all day, I’m nothing!” I hollered, it was so exciting!
What makes me strange is that Zhao Xueyao listens to me shouting, and listens with great vigor! I understand, free to watch the big show. I stood up with a whoosh, took out all the money in my pocket and threw it on the table: “This is all the money I have, everyone else saves it up and prepares to do this and that, and I come here every day, and now if I come back again I’ll be your grandson! I’m your grandson! It’s no fun! It’s no fun at all!”
I ran out, my legs were unbelievably strong, and as I ran, I plopped down in the snow, it was so painful!
(iv)
It was morning when I awoke, and there was a serious discussion going on around me as to how I should be taken to the crematorium. One balding advocated going by the western avenue, as it would be possible to run a horse-drawn carriage; another said that it would be possible to use a bicycle, and so to take the path.
I stood up shakily, my headache pounding and weak, and instinctively headed for home. It was Monday?
Why all the firecrackers? There is no logical relationship between the two, I know I drank too much last night, but how I went to sleep in the snow is still a mystery. I dragged my tired body along the road, passers-by all cast a surprised look, like I was riding a rocket.
When I got back to the door, I noticed that the key was missing, which was a noteworthy thing, as the door seemed to be locked. I tried pushing it, and it was, so I went back to look for the key, but I couldn’t find it until I got to where I was, and I went through my pockets again, and I didn’t have a penny! The problem got worse, I had no money for food.
I had to exercise because it’s not a good idea to fight winter standing around stupidly.
The people on the street all showed great interest in me, one by one, they were making eye contact, I didn’t even want to figure out why this was. When I passed by the tavern, I remembered something that surprised me, the owner of the wind chimes was getting married, so I hurriedly walked over quickly, but Zhao Xueyao saw me and chased after me.
“Where did you go last night? You ran out all at once. Here’s your money and your keys.” She handed over a bunch of shiny things, and for the first time I realized my keys were as shiny as wind chimes.
“Thanks, I was looking for it!” I said honestly. She’s a nice person, really, but she’s… well, heh heh!
After six or seven seconds of silence, I said self-deprecatingly, “I haven’t eaten yet, and with the key, I’m going to hurry back.”
“She wants to meet you.” Zhao Xueyao said with great certainty.
“Who?” I knew at once, and asked knowingly.
“Su Yingtian! That’s the one who’s getting married.”
(to be continued)