Yu Hua - Brothers

"He not only caused his parents to lose face," one of the onlookers added. "He even lost face on behalf of Writer Liu."

"That's right," the onlookers agreed.

Writer Liu's face became mottled with fury. He knew that these little bastards were simply trying to incite a fight, and cautioned himself that he must not, under any circumstances, act rashly and open himself up for another beating from Baldy Li. But with everyone staring at him, he felt it was necessary to come forward and say a few words. Therefore, he rose to the occasion, stepping forward and loudly agreeing with everyone, "Yes, Poet Zhao has lost face on behalf of all the Men of Letters in the world."

With this declaration, Writer Liu lived up to the title of one of Liu Town's Men of Talent. In a single sentence he evoked all writers and poets from the past and present, in China and abroad, to serve as his human shields. Seeing everyone standing there dumbfounded, Liu realized that with one stroke he had succeeded in turning the tables in his favor. Now that he'd gotten started, he was so proud that he couldn't stop: "Even Lu Xun has lost face with this, as well Li Bai and Du Fu, not to mention Qu Yuan. Mr. Qu drowned himself on account of his love for his country, but still Poet Zhao caused him to lose face by association. There are also foreign writers, such as Tolstoy and Shakespeare, and even Dante and Homer, who have now lost face on account of Poet Zhao!"

The onlookers burst into laughter, and even Baldy Li joined in. He appreciated Writer Liu's comments and said happily, "I didn't realize that I had made so many famous people lose face."

At this point Song Gang rode by on his shiny Eternity bicycle. He saw that the crowds had completely blocked off the street, so he repeatedly rang his bell. Song Gang was in a hurry to get to the knitting factory to pick up Lin Hong. When Baldy Li heard the sound of the bicycle bell, he knew that it was Song Gang. Supporting himself with the wutong tree, he stood up and called out, "Song Gang, Song Gang, I haven't eaten anything all day."

IT HAD BEEN more than a year since Song Gang and Lin Hongs wedding, and their Eternity bicycle had been flashing through the streets of Liu for two years. Song Gang carefully wiped his bicycle down every day until it gleamed like the morning after a cleansing rain. Every day Lin Hong rode behind him, hugging his waist with both arms and pressing her cheek into his back, looking as screne as if she were pressing her head into a soft pillow. Their Eternity bicycle would not stop for wind or rain, and as the clear sound of the bell rang through the town, the town elders all remarked that the couple was indeed a match made in heaven.

Lin Hong was delighted to hear of Baldy Li's misfortunes. Before, whenever she heard his name, she would immediately become mortified, but now she would simply laugh and say, "I always knew that he would eventually come to this. That kind of person …" Lin Hong wouldn't continue — Baldy Li was a well-known hooligan, and if she said too much she might invite his fury to rain down on her.

One time Lin Hong turned around and asked Song Gang, "Don't you agree?"

Song Gang was silent. He was so troubled by Baldy Li's misfortunes that he lost all desire to eat or sleep. Displeased by Song Gang's silence, Lin Hong nudged him, "Say something!"

Song Gang had no choice but to nod but muttered, "When he was still a factory director, he was doing okay."

"Factory director?" Lin Hong said disparagingly. "How can you be considered a factory director if all you direct is something like the Good Works Factory?"

Song Gang looked at his beautiful wife and smiled gratefully at his own happiness. Lin Hong asked, "Why are you smiling?"

Song Gang replied, "I'm smiling at my own good fortune."

Though Song Gang was basking in connubial bliss, the thought of Baldy Li continued to haunt him like a shadow, and Song Gang felt as though a heavy stone were weighing down his heart. He secretly blamed Baldy Li for giving up his perfectly good job as factory director in order to try to start a business of his own, as a result of which he had lost every cent, now owed a fortune to his creditors, and furthermore had been beaten to a pulp.

One night Song Gang dreamed of Li Lan. At first, he dreamed of her holding his and Baldy Li's hands as they walked along the streets of Liu; then he dreamed of the scene immediately preceding her death, when she grasped his hand and made him promise to take good care of Baldy Li. In his dream, Song Gang began to cry miserably, and that woke up Lin Hong. She roused him and asked anxiously what was wrong. Song Gang shook his head. He pondered his dream, then told her that he had dreamed of Li Lan. Song Gang hesitated a moment, then told Lin Hong about the heartrending conclusion of the dream, when Li Lan grasped his hand and asked him to take good care of Baldy Li. Song Gang had promised her that even if he had just a single bowl of rice left he would give it to Baldy Li, and if he had just one last piece of clothing, he would also give it to Baldy Li. Lin Hong yawned and interrupted him, saying, "She wasn't even your mother."

Taken aback, Song Gang was about to respond when he heard her steady breathing and realized that she had fallen back to sleep; he therefore swallowed his retort. Lin Hong did not know much about Song Gang and Baldy Li's childhood and didn't appreciate how much their shared history meant to Song Gang. She simply knew that Song Gang was her husband and that he would embrace her every night when they went to bed, allowing her to rest peacefully.

Once they were married, Lin Hong took charge of the household finances. She felt that Song Gang, being so tall, probably got hungry faster than other people; therefore, she put twenty cents and two grain coupons in his pocket, saying that this was money to nourish his body, and if he was hungry he should go to an eatery and buy something. Lin Hong would conscientiously inspect his pocket every evening, and if had spent the money and grain coupons, she would replace them. For a long time, however, every time Lin Hong checked his pocket, she would find the same money and grain coupons. One day she finally became angry and asked him why he didn't spend the money.

"I wasn't hungry," Song Gang replied with a smile. "Ever since we got married, I haven't been hungry."

Lin Hong also smiled, but that night when she lay in bed, she tenderly stroked his chest and asked him to tell her honestly why he didn't spend the money. Song Gang hugged her and offered a variety of explanations. He said that Lin Hong was always so economical and could never bear to spend two cents when one cent would suffice. Nevertheless, she always gave Song Gang the best morsels of food, and whenever she went to the store, she would always think of what Song Gang needed and never buy anything for herself. To tell the truth, Song Gang couldn't help adding, he often felt hungry, but he could never bring himself to spend the money or grain coupons in his pocket.

Lin Hong said that since Song Gangs body belonged to her, he should take good care of himself for her sake. She therefore made him promise that when he was hungry, he would buy himself something to eat. Song Gang was dumbstruck by this, and all he could do was nod in response. Then Lin Hong fell asleep, as peaceful as an infant, with her breath gently blowing on his neck. For a long time Song Gang was unable to sleep and lay there embracing Lin Hong with his left arm and stroking her body with his right. Lin Hongs body was warm and smooth, like a flame.

Lin Hong continued checking Song Gangs pockets every day to see if he had spent his money or grain coupons, and she continued to shake her head and ask reproachfully why he still hadn't spent the money. Song Gang no longer tried to claim he wasn't hungry but, rather, replied honestly, "I couldn't bring myself to."