A Gentleman II

This article was written on September 28, 2013

Author: Lü Jianfeng

In 1999, Beijing's winter was particularly cold, with the lowest temperature at night reaching minus 18 degrees Celsius. A lived in a single room in a courtyard house without heating in Dayangfang, Lishuiqiao. The room was less than 20 square meters, leaving little space after placing a bed. Because of the cold, A bought a honeycomb briquette stove and a cartload of coal, learning from the landlord how to use it. When not in use, the stove was covered to keep the fire; upon returning, A would lift the lid with iron tongs to cook and warm up, filling the room with warmth mixed with the smell of food and coal. Before sleeping, to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, the stove had to be covered and moved outside. Days passed with the stove being moved in and out.

Next to the courtyard where A rented lived a small shop, usually tended by an old mother. A often went there to buy oil, salt, MSG, etc. Because the location was remote and the weather cold, the shop's wooden window was usually closed; to buy something, one had to knock on the window to call. One day, A went to buy something again. The window opened, revealing a young and beautiful face—M. A was stunned. M, holding her lower lip, smiled and asked a second time what he wanted, only then did A, flustered, buy his things and rush back.

A few days later, A learned that M was the old mother's daughter, also just started working, at Anzhen. From then on, A hoped that when the window opened, it would reveal M's flower-like face. A started buying items one at a time, even enthusiastically helping other tenants buy things, hoping to see M more. Gradually, A began to try chatting with M, getting to know her. Soon, A obtained M's pager number and learned her schedule. At that time, A was quite shy, often looking around on the way to and from work, hoping to run into M, asking villagers in Dayangfang about M, and collecting information about her everywhere. After more than a month, A gathered courage at the window to ask M out. M said she was busy that day and suggested another time. That night before sleeping, A analyzed for a long time whether M was really busy, or unwilling to go out with him, or perhaps had a boyfriend—though he had never seen or heard of one. In a daze, A seemed to dream of M that night.

Not long after, A, who worked in Zhongguancun, would transfer to bus 358 at Anzhen on his way home. There were always many people waiting. That day the wind was strong; everyone had their collars up and hands tucked into sleeves. A, who always dressed lightly, was jumping and stamping his feet on the platform to keep warm. Suddenly, someone tapped his shoulder. Turning around, A saw M's flower-like face. A felt warm, and excitedly chatted with M, stammering a bit. Soon A became more natural, learning that M had no boyfriend, worked as an accountant, and knew what movies she liked and what food she enjoyed. That day the bus came unusually slowly, and there were many people; two large 358 buses passed, and A and M couldn't get on. When a small 358 bus arrived, M suggested taking it, and walked toward it. A hesitated, saying he never took small buses. M, already getting on, hesitated and slowly sat down.

A watched the small bus start, waved to M, then turned to look at the newspaper board on the platform. A few minutes later, A slowly turned back, his gaze searching in the direction of the small bus, but it was already out of sight. Clutching his monthly pass tightly, A gritted his teeth, regretting deeply. Why didn't he have any money on him today? He couldn't even afford the 2-yuan small bus. Why hadn't he withdrawn the 200 yuan from his savings? What was he saving for...

The following spring, on his way home from work, A saw M in the distance, holding a man's arm, leaning on him as they walked slowly. A was very calm, quickly caught up to M, and greeted her. Seeing A, M quickly withdrew her hand from the man's arm and introduced them somewhat awkwardly. A saw that the man was handsome, well-dressed, and greeted A with confidence. A thought they were a perfect match.

That night, A bought several bottles of beer, tore up the notebook page where he had written M's pager number (which she had never called), and got drunk.