Mai Jia - Decoded

Daddy, still in a joking tone of voice, said, ‘Someone suitable might be the other side of the globe; on the other hand they might also be right here with you. . ’

He thought that Daddy was talking about me and immediately started asking about my work. Daddy just pointed to a photo of Zhendi pushed into the frame of the mirror on the wall and said: ‘Him.’‘Who is he?’ he asked.

Daddy pointed to the photograph of my aunt, Rong Lillie, and said, ‘Don’t they look alike?’

He went over to the mirror and had a good look; then he said: ‘They do.’

‘That’s her grandson,’ Daddy said.

As far as I can remember, Daddy didn’t often introduce Zhendi to people like that — in fact it was practically the first time. I don’t know why he spoke to the man in that way; perhaps it was because he wasn’t local — he didn’t know more than the bare outlines of the story so it did not matter so much. On the other hand he was a graduate of our university, so he would know who my aunt was. After Daddy had said that, he started asking us excited questions about Zhendi. Daddy was perfectly happy to tell him all sorts of things about Zhendi, all about how clever he was. Nevertheless, right at the end of their conversation, Daddy still told him not to think about trying to take Zhendi away. When he asked why, Daddy said: ‘The research institute needs him.’

He smiled and said nothing. He didn’t return to the subject again, so we had the impression that he had put the matter of Zhendi aside.

The following morning, Zhendi came home for breakfast. He told us that someone had come to find him really late the previous night. Because the facilities at the research institute were so excellent, Zhendi often spent the entire night there, sleeping in his office, coming home only for meals. The moment he spoke up, Daddy knew exactly who had gone to find him. He burst out laughing and said. ‘Clearly he hasn’t given up yet.’

‘Who is he?’ Zhendi asked.

‘Don’t pay any attention to him,’ said Daddy.

‘I think he wants me to go and join his work unit,’ Zhendi said.

‘Do you want to go?’ asked Daddy.

‘That is up to you,’ said Zhendi.

‘Then ignore him,’ Daddy said.

Just as they were talking, there was a knock on the door and Zheng walked in. When Daddy caught sight of him, he began by asking very politely if he had had breakfast already — he said he had eaten at the guest house. Daddy asked him to go upstairs and wait, that he would be finished soon. When he had finished eating, Daddy told Zhendi to go away. He said exactly the same thing as he had said before: ‘Don’t pay any attention to him.’

After Zhendi left, Daddy and I walked upstairs together. Zheng was waiting in the sitting room, smoking a cigarette. Daddy might have looked very courteous and polite, but his meaning was quite plain. Daddy asked him if he was here to say goodbye or because he wanted someone. ‘If you are here because you want him, then I am afraid I can’t help you. As I told you last night, I don’t want you taking him away from me — there is no point.’

‘If you can’t help then you can’t help,’ he said. ‘I will just say goodbye.’

Daddy asked him to go into his study.

I had a class that afternoon, so after a few pleasantries, I went to my room to collect the things I needed. On my way out, a little bit later, I thought I should go and say goodbye. However, the door to Daddy’s study was closed, something that very rarely happened. I decided not to disturb them and went off. When I got back after my class, Mummy told me sadly that Zhendi would be leaving us. I asked where he was going and Mummy had to wipe away her tears before she could reply. ‘He is going with that man. Your father has agreed. . ’

[To be continued]

Nobody knows what Zheng the Gimp said to Young Lillie in his study that day, behind closed doors. Master Rong told me that until the day he died, her father refused to answer questions on the subject — if anyone mentioned it, he would get angry. He was clearly determined to take this secret to the grave. One thing is perfectly clear and that is that Zheng the Gimp managed to change Young Lillie’s mind in the space of just over half an hour. Whatever it was that he said, when Young Lillie walked out of his study, he went straight to tell his wife that Jinzhen was leaving.These events made Zheng the Gimp even more mysterious, and now an atmosphere of secrecy began to envelope Jinzhen too.

Jinzhen began to become mysterious that very afternoon — the afternoon that Zheng the Gimp and Young Lillie shut the door to his study to talk in private. It was that afternoon that Zheng the Gimp collected him in the jeep and took him away — he did not return home until the evening. He was brought back in an ordinary car. Once he got home, there was already a secretive look in his eyes. Faced with the questioning glances of his family, it was a long time before he opened his mouth. Everything he did now seemed to be touched with mystery. Having gone away with Zheng the Gimp for just a couple of hours, it seemed as though a wedge had already been driven between him and his family. After a very long time, and repeated questioning from Young Lillie, he sighed deeply and then said hesitantly, using the same respectful term of address as usual, ‘Professor, you have sent me somewhere that really doesn’t suit me.’ He spoke lightly but the words had underlying implications that horrified everyone present: Young Lillie, his wife, and Master Rong. They had no idea what to say next.

Mrs Lillie said, ‘If you don’t want to go then don’t — it’s not as if you have to.’

‘I have to go,’ Jinzhen said.

‘What are you talking about? He — ’ she pointed to Young Lillie ‘ — is he and you are you: if he wants you to do something it does not automatically mean that you have to agree. Listen to me. Decide what you want to do for yourself. If you want to go then go; if you don’t want to go then don’t — I will talk to them for you.’

‘That won’t work,’ said Jinzhen.

‘What do you mean it won’t work?’

‘If they want me to go, I don’t have the right to refuse.’

‘What kind of work unit is that? Who has such powers?’

‘I am not allowed to tell you.’

‘You are not allowed to tell you own mother?’

‘I am not allowed to tell anyone. I had to swear. . ’

Just then, Young Lillie clapped his hands and stood up. He said seriously, ‘Right, in that case you must not say another word. When are you leaving? Has it been decided yet? We need to pack your things.’

‘I am leaving before dawn tomorrow morning,’ Jinzhen said.

Nobody got any sleep that night, because everyone was busy packing Zhendi’s belongings. At around four o’clock in the morning, his stuff was pretty much packed — his books and his winter clothes had been corded into two cardboard boxes. After that it only remained to collect some daily necessities: even though Jinzhen and Young Lillie both said he could buy whatever he needed when he got there, the two women were both in packing mode and rushed up and down the stairs, racking their brains for anything that he could possibly need. First they put in a radio and some packets of cigarettes, then tea leaves and a first-aid kit — they managed to fill a leather suitcase with the fruit of their labours. At about five o’clock in the morning, everyone met downstairs. Mrs Lillie was almost hysterical — she could not possibly make breakfast for Jinzhen that morning, so she had to ask her daughter to do it for her. She went with her to the kitchen and sat there, explaining exactly what it was that she had to do. That was not because Master Rong couldn’t cook, but because this was to be a very special meal — they were saying goodbye to Jinzhen. Mrs Lillie was determined that this meal had to comprise four important elements.