Page 211 - I Live in the Slums: Stories (The Margellos World Republic of Letters)

balloon, I can take care of it and you can get a good look at the bird!”
When Yiping said this, she really had no idea how her cousin would respond,
but she was desperate, so she chanced it.
Her cousin seemed touched by what she had said. He stared at her and asked,
“Do you really think so? What the hell. Is this possible?”
“Sure it is! Of course! Really!” Yiping shouted.
Her cousin carefully folded the bread wrapper and put it away. He looked at
the chestnut tree next to him as if he had something on his mind. Then he said
very slowly: “Yiping, sit down.”
Yiping sat down nervously on the rock. She was blushing.

“Do you know about Venus?” he asked.
“Yes. I’ve seen her at twilight.” Yiping relaxed.
“She’s what I saw before daylight! At that time, it was dark in all directions,
but she was radiant. She seemed to be green colored. I reached out my hand and
I could almost touch her, but a force pulled me away, and so I was separated
from her. I really regret that. Why didn’t I jump over to her then? At worst, I
would have died! It was a great opportunity that not everyone can have—and I
missed it. What’s wrong with me? When I landed here, it was almost dawn. I
suddenly felt weary of the world and fell asleep. I was completely out. Did you
come to help me, Yiping?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Do you think I can succeed?”
“Yes, you will,” Yiping whispered. But what she thought to herself was, I
hope you don’t succeed. You should land with me.
Something crossed the cousin’s mind. He frowned and asked Yiping, “Have
people in the two nearby villages said anything about me recently?”

“Yes. Someone said that you’re looking for your tomb. Is that true?”
“Ha-ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha!” Her cousin began laughing uproariously.
“Of course I fly around Tomb Mountain because I want to find a suitable
burial place. This whole matter must be connected with Venus, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know.” Yiping shook her head, and her face clouded over.
They fell silent. Both of them looked at the sky and then looked at the village
below the mountain.
When they parted, they agreed that Yiping would slip away from her home at
midnight and Xuwu would meet her at the foot of the mountain. When Yiping
went down the mountain, her cousin shouted behind her, “Yiping, you must take
an afternoon nap, because if you doze off later, we’re both done for!”
“I know, cousin! I won’t doze off!” Yiping answered excitedly.
She ran home and immediately picked up the bucket and went to fetch water.

She went once, and then once more, until the two water containers were full.