Don't want to go with the flow

Author: Yu Zi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: About the Author: Yu Zi: Born in 1966, majoring in Decorative Art, studied at Jilin Provincial Literature College. Published black-and-white paintings, and a poetry collection titled Passed Through the Crowd. His novella Silent with the Wind won the Changbai Mountain Literature Award from the Jilin Provincial Government. Currently lives in Changchun and writes.
I said where I said, you guys absolutely can’t tell anyone, okay? This morning, An Dong suddenly had diarrhea and vomiting. The old man said he was possessed last night. The old man knows those kinds of things. Now, An Dong is lying in the old man’s room, and the old man is treating him. So, was Old An performing a funeral last night? Xiao Dohua asked.
Bullshit, that’s art. What does art have to do with superstition! Old Zhang muttered unhappily.
Four Beauty let out a sigh: Now, my question is answered. Can you guys loosen one arm now? Alright. Xiao Dohua loosened his hand and patted Four Beauty, saying, Brother, you’d better do well. As for marrying a wife, don’t worry about it!
Four Beauty scratched his ear and said, The second question is a bit awkward for me to answer. Xiao Dohua said, If you have one, just say one. If you have two, just say two. What’s so hard to answer about that?
Four Beauty said, You don’t know, I’m a Communist Party member. Party members must be responsible to the Party and the people!
I said, The second question is hard to answer, just pick the easier one. Answer the third question first.
Four Beauty’s face suddenly flushed. He stammered, The third question is even harder to answer!
Four Beauty, you’re a Party member! You’re so young, and you haven’t even married yet!
Four Beauty’s face turned red and white. Suddenly, he broke free from my hand and started speaking like a machine gun: Alright, I’ll tell you everything. But you guys can’t laugh at me. Not only can’t you laugh at me, you have to help me!
Last night, when I asked An Dong for the first time, he was discussing something with the old man. When I asked for the second time, he was using the restroom. When I asked for the third time, he was talking to Secretary Ai. So, when I ask where An Dong is staying, I can’t give you a specific answer. Where was Old An talking with Secretary Ai? What did they talk about?
Xiao Dohua grabbed Four Beauty’s arm again and said, This is a very important point. You must answer truthfully! It was in Secretary Ai’s dormitory. What they talked about, I don’t know.
Then why did Secretary Xiao Ai appear in Old An’s truck later?
Four Beauty scratched his ear and said, That’s how it is. I’ve had my eye on her for a long time, but she never paid any attention to me. Last night, I forced An Dong to ask her out for me while I was drunk. I said, “If she agrees, I’ll take her. If she doesn’t agree, I’ll take her anyway. If it doesn’t work with words, I’ll use force.” Either way, I was determined to get her. She was listening to everything when I talked to An Dong. Maybe she was afraid I’d make a move on her, so she hid in An Dong’s truck.
Honestly, could I have done that?
Four Beauty, did you do that? Then what were you doing in your dreams last night? Xiao Dohua teased.
Alright, stop messing around. Old Zhang looked seriously at Four Beauty: Comrade Four Beauty, you’re a Party member, and so am I. Now, I demand you answer me in the name of a Party member—was everything you just said true? If not, you can go check!
Of course, I’ll check. I don’t believe that Little An, as a soldier and a Party member, would be possessed by demons or believe in superstition.
Old An really looked like he was just recovering from an illness, and even had a kind of sickly beauty on his face.