Chapter 56

It was winter. The sun was shining on the humid ground. Liu Lijing came out of a humid and smelly thatched hut. He trembled all the way and came to a pine. Then, he leaned against the tree. He was weak.

The sun shone for a few days. Liu slept on the pine leaves that the ugly-looking couple laid for him. Liu felt thankful to this couple for their care and kindness. They fed him herb and water. Liu had not enjoyed much care from his parents. Thus, he cherished the care from this couple.

The ugly-looking woman cooked and cast a glance at him from time to time. For months the couple seemed to have become part of the bandits. The couple took good care of Liu all the time.

Liu touched his pistol and dagger, and felt amused at the woman’s glance. They had not spoken to him yet.

Today, Liu felt happy. He wanted to show off his power before the woman. He jumped up and did some Chinese boxing (wushu) before her. He practiced it until he got tired. Then, he lay down, with a pine needle in his mouth. He stared at the sky. The sunshine was comfortable. He felt a desire in him. He missed Dai Min.

How was she now? If everything was ok with the Zhang’s, she and her sons could live a happy life. But if something bad happened to the Zhang’s, they would have to go back to the village and suffer a lot. He thought he should not stay here too long. Instead, he should go back to Dai and live with her. Only with her could he enjoy his life.

He found he could stand. Then, why should he stay here? He wanted to have a try of his strength. He jumped up and tied his belt. He checked his pistol and dagger, and then walked towards the forest.

The woman shouted behind him, “It’s time for lunch.”

He looked back with a smile and pointed at the woods. Then he left. He had walked for only meters, and then he stopped for a rest. He breathed heavily. He was puzzled with his strength. It was about 50 km from Guiyang. If he walked this way, it would take him 10 to 15 days to reach there. If he met any bad people on the way, he would even have to fight against them. He walked on. There were more and more trees ahead, together with thorns. He took out his dagger to make the way. He climbed over a rock and found a flat forest land. He lay down beside a tree for a rest. Then, a wild boar bore upon him. He was quick-minded. He caught some branches and jumped up the tree. Suddenly, his dagger fell off to the ground. It hit the rock and bounced up into the valley.

The boar stood under the tree in a silly way. It glared at Liu on the tree. Liu moved the branches, shouting at it, “Get away, piggy!”

The boar took no notice of Liu’s word. It began to dig the soil under the tree, while grunting. Soon, the tree began to lean.

Liu took out his pistol, and was about to pull the trigger. He shouted, “Silly pig, are you bullying me? I just don’t want to draw others’ attention with the shots. I am good at shooting. Let’s make a deal: Get away or I’ll shoot you dead.”

The boar looked up, as if arguing, “Why do you climb up the tree if you are capable? Get down and we’ll have a fight.” It continued to move the tree.

Liu thought the boar might be bored and wanted to have fun in this way. Maybe it would leave soon. Liu spoke to the boar for a while. Then, he remarked:

“Dear fellow, please don’t shake the tree any more. I have done nothing bad against you. I am a person in exile. I am not even frightened at tigers. Will I be afraid of you?” He motioned to the boar to drive it away. Yet, the boar kept looking up and rocking the tree.

Liu got surprised at the boar’s acts. He thought he should speak more to it. Thus, he said, “Silly pig, I am a person whose life is in danger. I have just recovered from a severe illness. Let me tell you: I love a woman. I came here today by accident. I did not mean to hurt you. I just wanted to try my strength here. My woman has two sons. I would like to stay with them.”

The boar continued to take no notice of Liu’s words and kept moving the tree. It almost collapsed. Liu felt sad. He took out his pistol and pulled the trigger. There! The bullet went into the boar’s head.

The shot was loud and echoed in the valley. The boar lay on the ground, trembling all over. It was dying.

Liu got off the tree, thinking, “This is fate. Next year people would mourn me for the anniversary of my death.” He thought the shot would attract the militia to come. If so, he could hardly escape. Then, he heard some noises behind him. He turned back and saw three piglets running desperately away from a pile of bushes.

Liu sat sadly on the boar, thinking that he could not get back for the money. He thought it might be better for him to wait here and see. He looked ahead at the deep valley.

The ugly couple came. They pointed ahead. Soon, there were a group of people at the entrance of the valley. One man stepped on a stone by accident, and the stone slid down all the way and made big echoes in the valley. The ugly couple went into the hut. Liu was aware that the silver coins that Dai gave to him were there, together with his gold and silver. If his gold and silver were lost, it would matter little to him. But if Dai’s treasure were lost, that would be a blow to her, for it was the trust she gave to Liu. Liu thought he must get back these silver coins.

He thought the ugly couple began to rob. They might search for his clothes through the pine leaves in their hut.

Liu got annoyed. He gnashed his teeth, cursing, “Fuck! I’ll kill you for that!”

There came many voices. Tens of farmers carried their hunting guns and sticks and walked towards the hut. Liu saw the ugly woman picking lice on the head of the ugly man. When these people passed by her, she pointed her fingers at the forest in the opposite direction. A Few farmers came into the hut, but nobody moved to the place where Liu’s treasures were hidden. The people stood there for some time. Then, the couple took them away. Liu did not count the people, and was not aware if some people were hiding in the hut for attacking him. Maybe the couple had taken his treasures with them. Liu cursed in his heart, “I’ll kill you!”

He crawled to the edge of the woods, and saw the militia pass by him. He pointed his pistol but could not find the ugly couple. The militiamen shouted for a long time in the valley. Then, everything got quiet again.

Liu came back to the dead boar. This was a good point for watching. He stared at the hut all the afternoon from 3 p.m. to dusk. But nobody was visible. There was an eagle flying above, and some crows were croaking in the woods. It seemed that dangers were in store for him. Liu thought: If the couple had exposed him, there might be at most four militiamen in the hut; these people were not experienced in battles, so he could defeat them easily. He decided to wait and see.

A long time passed. Then he heard a voice at his feet, “Good man!” He opened his eyes and saw the couple. Liu got out his pistol, and asked, “What do you want to do?”

The woman said, “We don’t want to do anything bad. We thought something bad happened to you and have been looking for you.”

The ugly man looked at the boar, asking, “Did you kill it?”

Liu did not find the couple evil. He put away his pistol, and kicked the dead boar contentedly, “Yes. Just one shot.”

“One shot?” He hardly believed it, saying, “But it is big.”

The woman said, “You’re lucky. If you shot the boar with two or three bullets, they would think there is a bandit here.”

“Am I a bandit?”

The man said, “She is making up a story. She went out to get herbs for you, and heard that some bandits and agents were killed in the town.”

“Then, why didn’t you report the case to the militiamen and get a reward?”

“No.” The woman replied. “You have done something good for us. You’re our benevolent. We can’t hurt you.”

Liu could hardly believe what he had heard. He asked the woman, “Why do you call me your benevolent?”

“You gave salt to us, but we are not relatives.”

Liu felt sorry for having misunderstood the couple. He learned that the couple had helped him to hide his treasures. He was relieved.

At this time the man said, “To tell you the truth, she spent the silver coin you gave us on herbs.”

The woman interrupted, “Don’t mention it!”

The man replied, “Ok. We don’t need the money. Let’s carry the boar down the mountain. That’s a deal!”

Liu asked, “Did you see my money when you hid my trousers and dresses?”

The woman said, “Yes.”

Liu asked, “Is it a lot?”

The man broke in, “A lot. I don’t think you can use it up in your life.”

Liu asked, “Why don’t you get the money and run away? I can’t find you.”

The man replied, “We can’t take such money. It would curse us.”

The woman said, “The poor should not rob.”

Facing this simple and honest couple, Liu was moved. He knelt down before them as a way of thanks. He cried and tears rolled down his cheeks.

At night the three people had boar meat together. The couple was happy to have this boar for the Festival of the New Year. Liu used to regard the couple as bad and incapable people. Now he felt that he should do something for them.

The couple continued to call him benevolent. Liu did not refuse to accept the salutation. In their eyes, the salt was great and made them worship him like a god. This couple’s hearts were better than gold, Liu thought.

All the evening they stayed together, without saying much. At dawn, the couple slept. The woman snorted in her sleep.

A few days later, Liu decided to leave. It was 5 a.m. He put his pistol and the only grenade in a worn-out basket. He took out 50-dollar silver coins and divided them into two piles. Then, he put the silver coins by the doorway. He kowtowed to the sleeping couple, and left with his treasures tied at his waist. It was time to meet Dai Min. He was to look for his love.