Chapter 31: Amicability (2)
Early in the morning, specifically 7:00 A.M, the brisk click of footsteps on bluestone slabs reverberated in Zhuan Zhu lane.
Most of the people living in Zhuan Zhu were old. As soon as morning dawned, they would get up to buy vegetables and light their coal stoves, filling the air with the smell of soot.
Standing in front of Zhuan Zhu Lane No. 284, Lin Zhao Xi sneezed… and began to smash the front yard gate.
Knock knock knock!
“Master, wake up!”
Knock knock knock.
“I’m here to wait on you!”
Knock knock knock.
“Open the door!”
There was no response from the other side of the iron gate, but Lin Zhao Xi wasn’t fazed. Every time she knocked, she glued herself to the window and checked for any signs of movement inside. Swathed in the dim light from the window, the person covered from head to toe in bed slept like a log, not stirring the slightest.
The hardest people to wake up are the ones who pretend to sleep. Lin Zhao Xi wasn’t in a hurry. She slowed her pace, walking back to the door. Just as she raised her fist to knock on the gate once again, someone behind her grunted, “Leave…”
“Ah!” Lin Zhao Xi nearly leaped out of her skin.
Sure enough, Old Lin had opened the window a fraction. Standing by the window, his face was creased, practically dripping with gloominess.
Lin Zhao Xi quickly turned around and smiled. “Master, you woke up.”
“I didn’t.”
“Then, please open the door for me, before you go back to bed?”
Old Lin was expressionless, his eyes empty. He mechanically turned around, covering his heart – too sleepy to notice Lin Zhao Xi boldly leaning over and sticking her hand under the window. He numbly walked to the bed and covered his head.
Lin Zhao Xi planned to open the window bit by bit. Unfortunately, at the very first pull, an ear-piercing creak slowly dragged out and echoed all around.
Old Lin fell from the wooden bed and twitched.
“I’m sorry!” She hurriedly apologized.
That quiet apology somehow seemed to invoke the ire of the chihuahua next door. Suddenly, it burst into a fit of startling loud barks.
Lin Zhao Xi, slightly curious, called out again, “Sorry?”
A booming “Woof!” rang.
“Yep…”
Old Lin couldn’t stand it any longer. He flung his legs out of bed and sat up.
“Come in, come in!”
As if a hurricane was passing through, the bedroom door hurtled to the wall, and the front yard gate was yanked open. As soon as Lin Zhao Xi poked her head inside, she was dragged into the yard by her ears.
Before Lin Zhao Xi had time to yelp, a ghastly scene assaulted her eyes. Overgrown weeds cluttered with stones, barely revealing a red-brick path connecting the kitchen to the two-bedroom bungalow. The well seemed to be in the same place she remembered, but the similarities ended there. Far from the vibrant garden in her memory, the ground was covered in broken beer bottles and heaps of cigarette butts, impossible to avoid.
Lin Zhao Xi stood stagnantly for a while, looking up at the sky. Sunlight penetrated a throng of grapevines, exposing the withered leaves underneath.
This was the first time she was home since shrinking into a little girl. With the beautiful memories clouding her mind, everything seemed exciting – even knocking on the iron gate to wake up Old Lin. But, the truth of what was inside laid before her. Upon seeing the state of disrepair in which the yard was now, cold water seemed to fall from the sky and drench her from head to toe, a bitter taste flooding her mouth.
Old Lin pointed to the kitchen and said, “Didn’t you say you’d wait on me? Go make breakfast.”
Then he put on his slippers and went back to sleep.
Lin Zhao Xi wasn’t given time to react. By the time she’d recovered, Old Lin had already locked the bedroom door.
She had meant to take care of Old Lin anyway, but it seemed fate was against her. She wormed her way into the kitchen, and a minute later, had to worm her way out. Standing outside Old Lin’s bedroom, she timidly knocked on the door. “Master… the rice… where is it?”
Chapter 31: Amicability (2)
Early in the morning, specifically 7:00 A.M, the brisk click of footsteps on bluestone slabs reverberated in Zhuan Zhu lane.
Most of the people living in Zhuan Zhu were old. As soon as morning dawned, they would get up to buy vegetables and light their coal stoves, filling the air with the smell of soot.
Standing in front of Zhuan Zhu Lane No. 284, Lin Zhao Xi sneezed… and began to smash the front yard gate.
Knock knock knock!
“Master, wake up!”
Knock knock knock.
“I’m here to wait on you!”
Knock knock knock.
“Open the door!”
There was no response from the other side of the iron gate, but Lin Zhao Xi wasn’t fazed. Every time she knocked, she glued herself to the window and checked for any signs of movement inside. Swathed in the dim light from the window, the person covered from head to toe in bed slept like a log, not stirring the slightest.
The hardest people to wake up are the ones who pretend to sleep. Lin Zhao Xi wasn’t in a hurry. She slowed her pace, walking back to the door. Just as she raised her fist to knock on the gate once again, someone behind her grunted, “Leave…”
“Ah!” Lin Zhao Xi nearly leaped out of her skin.
Sure enough, Old Lin had opened the window a fraction. Standing by the window, his face was creased, practically dripping with gloominess.
Lin Zhao Xi quickly turned around and smiled. “Master, you woke up.”
“I didn’t.”
“Then, please open the door for me, before you go back to bed?”
Old Lin was expressionless, his eyes empty. He mechanically turned around, covering his heart – too sleepy to notice Lin Zhao Xi boldly leaning over and sticking her hand under the window. He numbly walked to the bed and covered his head.
Lin Zhao Xi planned to open the window bit by bit. Unfortunately, at the very first pull, an ear-piercing creak slowly dragged out and echoed all around.
Old Lin fell from the wooden bed and twitched.
“I’m sorry!” She hurriedly apologized.
That quiet apology somehow seemed to invoke the ire of the chihuahua next door. Suddenly, it burst into a fit of startling loud barks.
Lin Zhao Xi, slightly curious, called out again, “Sorry?”
A booming “Woof!” rang.
“Yep…”
Old Lin couldn’t stand it any longer. He flung his legs out of bed and sat up.
“Come in, come in!”
As if a hurricane was passing through, the bedroom door hurtled to the wall, and the front yard gate was yanked open. As soon as Lin Zhao Xi poked her head inside, she was dragged into the yard by her ears.
Before Lin Zhao Xi had time to yelp, a ghastly scene assaulted her eyes. Overgrown weeds cluttered with stones, barely revealing a red-brick path connecting the kitchen to the two-bedroom bungalow. The well seemed to be in the same place she remembered, but the similarities ended there. Far from the vibrant garden in her memory, the ground was covered in broken beer bottles and heaps of cigarette butts, impossible to avoid.
Lin Zhao Xi stood stagnantly for a while, looking up at the sky. Sunlight penetrated a throng of grapevines, exposing the withered leaves underneath.
This was the first time she was home since shrinking into a little girl. With the beautiful memories clouding her mind, everything seemed exciting – even knocking on the iron gate to wake up Old Lin. But, the truth of what was inside laid before her. Upon seeing the state of disrepair in which the yard was now, cold water seemed to fall from the sky and drench her from head to toe, a bitter taste flooding her mouth.
Old Lin pointed to the kitchen and said, “Didn’t you say you’d wait on me? Go make breakfast.”
Then he put on his slippers and went back to sleep.
Lin Zhao Xi wasn’t given time to react. By the time she’d recovered, Old Lin had already locked the bedroom door.
She had meant to take care of Old Lin anyway, but it seemed fate was against her. She wormed her way into the kitchen, and a minute later, had to worm her way out. Standing outside Old Lin’s bedroom, she timidly knocked on the door. “Master… the rice… where is it?”
