Page 139 - I Live in the Slums: Stories (The Margellos World Republic of Letters)

“Little Ping, we’re all going to move into those tall apartment buildings,”
Woman Wang said.

“I’ve gone to the city several times to look at those skyscrapers.” Little Ping’s
mouth twitched. “Skyscrapers aren’t interesting. But I picked up quite a lot of
things in the firefighting lanes.”
She pulled a live lizard out of her pocket and placed it on Woman Wang’s
table. Then she pulled out a young sparrow and placed it on the table, too.
Neither animal moved. They seemed scared out of their wits.
“Did you pick them up in a skyscraper?”
“I walked up and down, and then up and down again—Oh! I’ve never gone
down to the ground floor. Granny Wang, what do you think the ground floor is
like?”
“I think it must have many sparrows and many lizards. Little Ping, why don’t
you go down there and look? Make up your mind and close your eyes, keep

walking down—and then you’re there. It doesn’t take any effort. Then you can
enter the basement. Many people live there.”
“Granny Wang, I have to go now.”
Little Ping put the little animals back into her pocket. She looked dejected.
She didn’t look at all satisfied with Woman Wang’s answer. She knew too much
for her age. No one could fool her. Woman Wang looked at her. She felt a little
regretful: this little girl was hard to deal with.
Years ago, the first time the little girl showed up, she hadn’t come over for
anything special, but just to eat her kimchi. At this moment, Woman Wang felt
that Little Ping was like a full-feathered bird flying up to the sky. She couldn’t
help but look out at her receding back—the little girl already looked like a sexy
young woman.