Page 203 - I Live in the Slums: Stories (The Margellos World Republic of Letters)

because it was already daytime. Everything was where she had left it. Her
embroidery was on the windowsill, as if suggesting something. Someone
knocked on the door: it was the village chief.
“Zhen, I heard that you drove Liuhei away. He’s a good man.”
“Who said this? It’s nonsense. Liuhei had something urgent to do and went
home.”
“Oh, I see. What a relief. Zhen, I always think you’re a remarkable woman.”
“Get out of here. Don’t you have any work to do? Did you come here just to

jabber?”
Covering his mouth with one hand, the old man giggled. She pushed him out
the door.
Outside, the frogs were croaking. Was it going to rain?

3.

Recently, the queen really did come to Wang Village—and often. You could
see this from some people’s expressions. The village chief arose early and set
out to collect manure. As soon as he went out, he ran into the young, neatly
dressed oil peddler.
“You’re out so early. Who will buy sesame oil at this hour?” the village chief

teased.
“I came out early for people’s convenience, for pleasure, or because I had a
happy encounter last night. These are all possible reasons. It doesn’t have to be
for business,” the young oil vendor said.
“Ha-ha! A happy encounter! Can you talk about it? I’d love to hear it.”
“No, I can’t.”
“I wish you happy encounters every day!”
The village chief—this old fox—had guessed what the young oil vendor’s
encounter was because he had run into similar occurrences many times. He knew
that the queen honored the village with her presence. Although she did so at
midnight and although no one had really seen her, who else could it have been?
Look at Woman Ji, who sat beside the road at twilight combing her hair. The left
side of her face was reflected in the setting sun: she looked splendid and

magnificent in profile! That’s right: the village chief liked describing her with
these words.
“Hi, Ji, the matchmaker’s coming for you,” the village chief said, to please
her.
“Who cares? After she came, I got the magic wand that makes me pretty!
Chief, take a look at me. Do I still need a matchmaker?” She approached the
chief aggressively.