女人和土匪（英譯本）：二兩金子引發的風波

 

Chapter 23

 

Tang cried at this word. She felt relieved now that her sister-in-law and nephews could live a steady life. Madame Wang also cried, so did Zhang Yan. Yang and Zhang felt sympathetic with them. They said no words and went to another room for further discussions.

After lunch, Zhang Yan, Zhang Zhong and Zhang Yong played top in the courtyard. They were waiting for Tang and Dai for the trip to the Qianling Mountain. At this time, Li Qingshan from Dai’s village came, led by Madame Wang. Zhang Yong was so absorbed in the game that he was taken aback at the sight of Li Qingshan. He was so scared that he could hardly control his secretion.

Zhang Yan was puzzled at his cousin’s act. Uncle Yang came out at this time and took Li to a small sitting-room. Madame Wang found Zhang Yong urinate a lot, and carried him in a hurry to the back of the courtyard where Dai was hanging clothes on a strip. Madame Wang shouted in a fuss:

“What a bad thing! Zhang Yong falls ill again.”

Dai came over, and found her son lose his colors. She pleaded to the sky, “Dear son, come back to me!”

Zhang Yan found his aunt put a boiled egg in the middle of her right palm and repeat her pleading time after time.

The trick did work. The egg fell down, and Zhang Yong came round. He recovered his ordinary looks.

The damn Sunday was much wasted. It was until 2 p.m. that Madame Wang called three rickshaws and they left for the Qianling Mountain. They had moved not far when they were stopped by two PLA soldiers ahead:

“Come down!”

Tang tidied up her robe and was ready to come down with Zhang Yan. Dai was so scared that her high-heeled shoes slipped and she tripped over the stone road, with her legs exposed and her silk dress stained with mud. Dai climbed up in a hurry and stood fearfully before the PLA soldiers.

A PLA soldier pointed at Tang, questioning, “Who are you? Aren’t you capitalists? The soldiers are fighting against the invaders at the frontline whereas you’re suppressing the poor.”

He pointed at the rickshaw worker, blaming, “Why do you do this work? Can’t you make money doing some other jobs?”

The blame attracted a big audience from nearby. The two soldiers found nobody make responses, and then left.

Tang and Dai and their kids were asked by the rickshaw drivers to get on their carts. But they were too frightened to take the ride again. The rickshaw drivers needed money for living, Tang was aware. She gave them some money and walked to the Qianling Mountain with her son and relatives.

Zhang Yan came back home. That afternoon, Zhang Yong his cousin was scared to illness, and Li Qingshan the village head bargained with Uncle Yang in the sleeves for the compensations. They were both cautious and serious.

Zhang Yan was not interested in the negotiations. At night, he heard his daddy speak to Mom and Uncle Yang, “Doesn’t he just want money? Give money to him, the so-called Communist of the village.”

Zhang Yan was bored. He woke up at midnight. He walked out of his room, and passed by his daddy’s room. There he saw a few paper parcels. Inside a small parcel he saw something yellow. Zhang Yan remembered he had to donate something at the school tomorrow for the Anti-American War. Then, he took a piece of the yellow thing, and came back to the bed.

The donation was almost over at the school. Zhang Yan was worried if this small thing as a donation would be a laughing stock. He remembered Fang Yu had donated a big piece of iron and another piece of copper. He felt sorry for his small donation. Fang Yu told him to play with him if he had nothing to donate.

At this time, the class master cast a glance at Zhang Yan, asking, “Zhang Yan, what are you going to donate?”

Zhang Yan passed his thing to the teacher without any expression.

The teacher looked at Zhang Yan in surprise. She nibbled the yellow thing and then asked the school master and a few other teachers to come over and weigh it. Then, the school master announced in public:

“Zhang Yan donated two taels of gold for the Anti-American War.”