Red X

Author: Li Shǎshǎ
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: The story of a teenager named Shen Shengtie, as depicted in Li Shǎshǎ's novel Red X. Such a troubled youth may seem familiar to us—we see him sink into resistance against the world he became too familiar with too early. The exhaustion after resisting only makes him lose the world's only sense of novelty. Li Shǎshǎ strives to give a perfect discount to a phase of growing up. His narration shifts between sharpness and tenderness, elegance and punk, poetic imagery and utter chaos. Unlike many writers who would naturally rub salt into Shen Shengtie's wounds, Li Shǎshǎ offers him endless compassion and love. It is this love that drives the novel's raw pain and sorrow, allowing us to grasp the fragile tragedy hidden deep within the youth's heart.
Fifteen years ago, the protagonist Shen Shengtie's father fled Xi'an after killing a rival. Now, expelled from school, Shen Shengtie moves silently through the city as a student. Amidst restlessness and confusion, in a chaotic and unpredictable world, Shen Shengtie begins his youth. Too afraid to return home and unwilling to rely long-term on his girlfriend's support, he turns to theft. Once the stolen money runs out, he dreams of getting rich through his inventions. When the dream collapses, he is forced to do manual labor to survive. Guilt and life's failures make it impossible for him to calmly handle even the smallest matters.
Eventually, when the girl he cherished is trampled by those around her, he fills the world with doubt and can no longer live rationally. He considers taking a knife to escape his inner guilt, boards a train, and follows the railway his father took fifteen years ago, heading to the last person he can trust.