Eastern Extremism or Pointed Shoes

Author: Xi Li / Country:
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-06-01
Features: She's talking about Sabina from The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Women, no matter what they read, tend to see themselves in a character within the book. Rozsi also loves Kundera's works, but throughout the 1980s and 1990s, China talked too much about "the unbearable lightness of being," to the point where cultural and artistic figures, when feeling embarrassed, would quote "Man thinks, and God laughs," treating it as a well-known saying. So, when Qiong mentioned Sabina, Rozsi didn't answer. In the art world, he kept his distance from those women who occasionally claimed to represent new trends. In broader circles, he avoided women who were always eager to start feminist movements. "But," she continued, "I'd suddenly panic. Because as I approached climax, I'd feel like the walls of the house had disappeared, and we were in some courtyard." Rozsi felt uncomfortable. "They surrounded us, watching. But their faces clearly showed they wanted to punish us severely. I felt like I was finished!" Rozsi fell silent, holding her closer. The few months he spent with Qiong were the most fulfilling and perfect times of his life. He had always craved her, feeling he couldn't live without her. Without her, he would feel powerless, incomplete. Love had made him cautious. When walking on the street, he would carefully avoid those wandering taxis and motorcycles, because he suddenly realized how precious life was! He had loved before—brief, fleeting loves—whether called pleasure or adult games—yet they had never disturbed his peace. Women were of all kinds, and to avoid being harmed by them, he had always been careful. At the same time, he sincerely sought a passionate, perfect woman. A man would always meet many women who matched him, and a woman would meet countless men who matched her. If their cycles (psychological and physical likes and needs) aligned, they could understand each other and come together. But this was not love. A person's capacity—love's capacity, which is primarily a mental one—is limited. Therefore, true love can only happen once. To have never loved is to wait, to gather strength; to have loved is to deplete that strength, and the peak of passion can never be reached again. Time cannot turn back, and love cannot repeat itself. So, as time passed, Rozsi grew cautious, uneasy, and filled with inexplicable worries—until her appearance, whose face was as delicate as camellia petals. "The song gently sways, oh, dear hawthorn tree" He knew all of Qiong's phone numbers and had even gone to the back of a building in the compound to peek through her office window. Yes, by listening to his own heartbeat, he knew where she was, what she was doing, what she was thinking. Often, he preferred to spend his days in longing rather than call her or visit her. And she had become so bold! Qiong was such a woman—seemingly frail and melancholic, yet unstoppable like a when in love! Another hot afternoon, everyone was hiding in the office, sighing over the air conditioning. They had just eaten, wiped away the scent of food, rinsed their mouths with tea, chewed a Green mint, and settled into their executive chairs, lifting their polished shoes onto the computer side. Tang Ren had just dropped off a few guys for company packages at a Western restaurant, their ties tied tightly. He had returned to Huaqiang Road. Usually, he'd order takeout from a nearby fast-food store and eat in the car, resting for a bit. He had just parked by the roadside when someone opened the back door. He was in a terrible mood today. For a long time, he had been like this, not knowing what was wrong but wanting to curse. If the customer was from a different province—not a Cantonese—he often cursed them in Cantonese. At least, he'd say, "Damn your mother!" Once, when a suit-and-tie wearer sat in the front seat, he cursed, and the guy, probably understanding this "Cantonese curse," widened his eyes and said, "What did you say?" He quickly replied, "A nut fell off my toolbox!" He wasn't very hungry but didn't want to do business anymore, especially when a "" (a flashy guy in a suit and tie) came up. He checked the rearview mirror and confirmed the back seat, saying, "I'm taking a break to eat!" The "" had a gaunt, sharp face, didn't look up, and was busy fiddling with something, saying, "Driver, could you take me to Caiwuwei? I'm in a hurry." Tang Ren liked when Northerners called him "You," so he replied kindly, "Even if you're in a hurry, aren't you hungrier than me?" "It's true! Extremely urgent, need to get things done!" "Really?" He found it a bit funny, but the guy in the back didn't seem to be joking. "The 'Sherlock Holmes' said, 'I don't hide my work. You can see my ads everywhere from Xinxiu to Zhonghua Hotel to Renmin Bridge, along with my phone number.'" He paused, then said, "Oh, I see, you really do resemble him. Aren't you the guy selling pirated DVDs on the pedestrian bridge?" "What kind of work do you do?" "A rich woman suspects her husband of having a mistress. I'm collecting evidence." "Is that so?" "Yes. The most I take on is extramarital affairs investigations." "Isn't that illegal?" "Don't worry, I work with lawyers. Many things they can't do, I can." Tang Ren thought for a moment, then fell silent. Finally, he understood why he was so agitated. He started the car, "Are you going to Caiwuwei?" "Yes, thank you!" When they arrived at Caiwuwei, Tang Ren handed a woman's photo to the "Sherlock Holmes." "Do you have any other information?" "She works at the city committee." "If she drives a car, it'll be a bit troublesome, harder to investigate. If she takes the bus, it'll be easier." "She takes the bus." "So, do you have a feeling, or some evidence already?" "Just a feeling," Tang Ren said gloomily. "Do you need to film bedroom scenes? Usually, that's only necessary when there's a lawsuit..."