女人和土匪（英譯本）：女主人成了地主婆

 

Chapter 22

 

The clock on the wall struck eleven times. It was the time to decide over Dai Min and her kid’s stay. The clock ticked. The room got silent. Suddenly Comrade Gao shouted:

“Dai Min, you have done many evil acts against the farmers. That’s why your husband was beaten to death. Now it’s the time for you to confess your crimes.”

Dai Min knew Liu Lijing’s evils from Yang. Liu had never told her about them. Now that Liu was in exile, probably they would never have the chance to meet again. But she had once had affairs with him. If that secret were known, her days would be counted. Then, she would become a landlady and a worthless person in the world. At such a thought she was scared.

Comrade Li was impatient, saying, “Look! You must have done piles of evils. Tell us about them!”

Dai plucked up her courage, replying, “I am innocent indeed!”

She almost collapsed. If anyone mentioned the word of bandit, she would tell them her relations with Liu.

But Comrade Gao said, “Let’s not mention your past evils for the time being.” He turned to Tang Weiqi, asking, “Madame Zhang, you mentioned that the rooms the landlady stays in were built by Zhang Jitao your father-in-law for his brother and nephew Zhang Yunchang. Right?”

Zhang Yunxuan cast a glance at his wife, replying, “My father did build them for my uncle and cousin. But that happened over 10 years ago.”

Comrade Li said, “That doesn’t matter. The father lived, then the son lived, and now the landlady and her kids stay there.”

Zhang Yunxuan remarked, “The logic should not go this way. True, the house was built by my father for my uncle and his kids. But then, my father bought land and houses for them in Qingyan, and they moved there. This house belongs to me.”

Comrade Gao said angrily, “Then it is Mrs. Zhang who is to blame. She told us that the landlady and her sons had their house here when she reported to us about the residence. That is a deception. You would have to admit your wrongdoing in the newspaper Xinqian Daily. That would be serious indeed!”

Then, all the people focused their attention on Tang, who had never expected that Dai’s stay in this house would bring so much trouble: first the farmers, then the public security workers, then blames. As a kid Zhang Yan was not ware of his mom’s plight. He urged, “Mom, why not go to the Qianling Mountain now? You have promised me about that.”

Tang blamed her son, “Why don’t you sympathize with me? So many people are doing an important thing at home. Can I go with you?”

At this time Comrade Gao cast a glance at Zhang Zhong and Zhang Yong. Then, he waved to them, “Please stay away. We are involved in serious business here.”

Zhang Zhong called Zhang Yan his cousin, “Let’s go out, dear cousin.”

Zhang Yan was not aware of his mom’s frustrations. He felt sorry for her attitude. He cast a glance at Uncle Yang and then his daddy. Then, his daddy motioned him to sit beside him. Thus, he did not do as Zhang Zhong required. Zhang Zhong and Zhang Yong stood behind Madame Wang.

Comrade Gao closed the residence registration book in an annoyed way and looked at Tang, saying, “We didn’t force you to register in that way. Since Dai and her kids have no house here, you’d better announce that in the newspaper some day, and then we’ll send them back to the countryside.”

Dai screamed at this, and knelt down before Zhang Yunxuan, sobbing, “Dear cousin, please help me. My kids and I are helpless in the countryside, so please give us a shelter here.”

Zhang Zhong and Zhang Yong understood things through their bitter childhood. They knelt down as well, pleading, “Dear uncle, please have mercy on us.”

Zhang Yan was moved, and pleaded to his parents for help.

Zhang Yunxuan helped Dai to get up, remarking, “I won’t send you back to the village, but I’ll arrange for you to stay somewhere else, and I’ll be responsible for your expenses in living and education.”

Comrade Gao said coldly, “Somewhere else to stay? That’s easier to say than to do. She is a landlady trying to avoid class struggle and debt compensations in the city. They have no right to stay here except that you report your residence in a different way.”

Tang felt helpless. She cast a glance at Yang, who was frustrated as well. At this time Zhang Yan jumped up into Yang’s arms, pleading, “Dear Uncle Yang, please help them. Didn’t you once say that helping others is joyful? I’d like to have my aunt and cousins to stay in my house. Tell me if this is okay.”

Finding his parents and Uncle Yang silent, Zhang Yan cried sadly. He pointed at them, saying:

“If my aunt and cousins were driven away, I would hate you.”

Tang was heart-broken at this. She cried “amen” and knelt down before Jesus on the cross, praying, “Dear Lord, please forgive me for my inability and even cowardice.”

Yang was heart-broken as well. He was aware of the importance of Zhang Yan in the family. Such a child even pleaded for Dai and her kids. Why couldn’t he as a man? Was his sense of justice lost?

Zhang Yunxuan was heart-broken, too. He knew his wife was a devout Christian, ready to help anyone in trouble. Dai and her kids had brought happiness to the family. Now if they had to leave, his son would be sorrowful, so would he and his wife.

Comrade Gao kept saying, “Let’s leave the property ownership aside for the moment. But President Zhang, aren’t you the inheritor of this house given that the owner of the house is your daddy on the land deed? Am I right?”

Zhang replied, “Right. But I made it clear to Director Yan and other provincial leaders at the open criticism meeting against Landlord Zhang Yunchang.”

“But if you made it clear, why did so many farmers come to your house? If you made it clear, why did we come to your house?”

Zhang Yunxuan replied, “It seems that you have to know the case through Director Yan.”

Comrade Gao made no response. Then Comrade Li said, “We have spent much time on this. The farmers did not come to your house for no reason. If Dai and her kids did not dare to face the farmers in public and just wanted to live an easy life, it would not work. Definitely!”

The other people present stared at Tang after Comrade Li had said so.

Tang was a woman devoted to Christianity. Last Christmas Eve Lord sent Dai and her kids to her house, and she promised to help them at her best. She would never fail her promise. She could not refuse to show pity and kindness to them three. Furthermore, they were her relatives. She would be reluctant to see them live a pitiful life in the cold world. Tang was determined to help them three with her love and kindness. She would like to provide them with a Noah’s ark.

The new society seemed to go in a frustrating way: the farmers were revenging the old-time rulers with violence. Could evils be settled by means of evils?

Tang seemed to see Lord’s light above, with His voice coming, “Dear child, please show your love and kindness to the poor family. Love your lord and others as you love yourself!”

Tang stood up slowly. Lord was the lamb of the world. Why couldn’t she follow Him? She said to herself. She wiped the tears on her son’s face, and told herself in her heart to take good care of his playmates and relatives. The world needed the sunlight of love, she thought. Tang seemed to get the joys of life: Dear Lord, if we have to shoulder the cross, then we must.

Tang said to Comrades Gao and Li, “If I became the landlady, then my sister-in-law and nephews would not have to go back to the village. Right?”

Comrade Gao replied, “It’s not enough to be a landlady. You must agree to the farmers’ compensations as well.”

“If I agreed to them, then…?”

Zhang Yunxuan interrupted, “Dear wife!”

Yang nudged Zhang, saying, “I think it’s proper to have Tang decide over the matter.”

Tang cast a respectful glance at Yang and nodded. Comrade Gao said to Tang, “The landlady has her house here. If it’s so, then there is nothing wrong with the residence.”

Tang turned to her husband with a smile, saying, “Honey, why don’t we give back the house to the poor family?”

Zhang was aware that he could do nothing about her decision. He learned from Yang’s gaze that he showed much respect to Tang. Zhang realized that he had no reason to refuse to accommodate the poor family. With this thought, he remarked, “Dear wife, it’s up to you to decide over the matter.”

Tang sat down calmly on the chair, saying to Comrades Gao and Li, “Then let me be a ‘landlord’.”

Comrade Gao replied at once, “Good! Then, you’ll have another title on the registration book besides ‘industrial capitalist’: landlord.”

At this time Zhang shouted, “Wait! How can my wife be the landlord? Let me be the landlord!”

Tang said, “The public security workers told me that identity depends on the past three years’ work. You were in the army in the past three years, so it’s better to let me be the ‘landlord’.”

Zhang Yan was uneasy at the title of landlord. But if this could help to make auntie and cousins stay, that would be ok. As long as I do not tell people about that, that will be ok. He said to himself.

The case was thus settled. The two comrades were excited. They urged Zhang to associate with the farmers for compensations as well as possible. Comrade Li even gave a light pat on Zhang Yan’s head, “Your family is rich. Just get rid of the disasters with money!”

At this time, Dai got more courage. If my sister-in-law is the landlord, then I am not the landlady, she said to herself. She plucked up her courage and said:

“Do you mean that I am no longer a landlady?”

The two comrades looked at each other for a moment. Then, Comrade Gao said in a serious way:

“I hear that landladies are bad. Now I witness that. If you were not a landlady, how could your husband have been beaten to death? If you were not a landlady, don’t you mean that the farmers committed a murder? Shit! You’re a landlady in reality. Don’t you know it’s Madame Zhang who takes over your stains?”

Dai was too frightened to say no.

Comrade Li said, “You’re a landlady that needs to be criticized from time to time. You deserve punishment. I think you’re too bored with this easy life. Let me ask the farmers to bring you back to the village for punishment, ok?”

Zhang Yong dragged his mom by the sleeve, crying, “Mom, don’t go back!”

Dai knew she had made a blunder. She hugged her son, admitting her wrong to the two comrades, “Sorry for my impoliteness.”

At this time, Zhang distracted the talk by saying, “The two comrades have been working all the time. Why not stay here for lunch?”

The two comrades felt relieved at this. Then they left the house. Dai hugged Zhang Yan, sobbing:

“Dear sons, please remember your cousin later whether you live a good or bad life. Also please remember the kindness of your uncle and auntie.”