Bloody tulips

Author: Feng Shirong / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: The reason I decided to interview her was that she was a talented and kind-hearted girl who played the roles of both victim and perpetrator, which greatly interested me. In a small reception room, I watched Wang Lan across the table for the th time. Without makeup, she no longer looked as glamorous as she had on stage, but under the morning sun outside the window, she appeared fresh and graceful, especially with her thick eyebrows and large eyes. Due to her excitement, they looked moist and seemed to hold an unfathomable depth. I asked, "Would you like to share your story?" She nodded and then stood up to close the curtains behind her. The light in the reception room instantly transformed into a soft dusk, and her shadow was cast on the curtains—gray and black, swaying with the rhythm of her storytelling. It looked like a shadow puppet dancing joyfully.
Three years ago, after graduating from university, I started looking for a job in W City, hoping to apply my knowledge and find a place to shine. At that time, my sister in the provincial capital called to say that my brother-in-law, Zhuang Xiaokun, had been promoted to the position of deputy general manager of the company and wanted to bring me to work as his assistant. Upon hearing the news, I was so happy I nearly jumped out of my seat. Thinking of how Zhuang Xiaokun had supported me financially for five or six years of study, and imagining the competitive environment in the provincial capital where I could build a career, that night, a mix of excitement and happiness kept me wide awake.
Two months later, the company held an employee management competition, and I won the th place. As a result, I was promoted to the position of the general manager’s secretary. From then on, Zhuang Xiaokun seemed to pay extra attention to me. Once, when I had a persistent cold and fever, Zhuang Xiaokun drove me to the hospital himself and stayed by my bedside all night. When I woke up the next morning to see his tired eyes looking at me, I couldn’t help but say, "Brother-in-law, you’ve done me so many favors, I don’t know how to repay you—" But he gently touched my forehead and said, "Silly girl, we’re family. Why say that?" In that instant, tears streamed down my face.
On a sunny autumn day, Zhuang Xiaokun suggested going bowling with me. From 9 a.m. that morning until 5 p.m., he taught me step by step. When I scored six perfect games in a row and finished the activity, Zhuang Xiaokun, sitting behind me, walked up and hugged me tightly. I was shocked and struggled to break free while saying, "Brother-in-law, let go, let go!" When he released me, he smiled at my flushed and angry face and said, "What a silly girl! Coaches rewarding athletes is an international norm!" His laughter left me confused and unsure how to react. My sister had once subtly warned me to be careful, but I playfully told her she was jealous. In reality, I had lost my guard, giving germs the chance to multiply.
"The more venomous a snake, the more it displays a beautiful exterior to the world. You might think this is just a rule of the game, but you’ve forgotten that it hides deep truths. Sometimes, once you get tangled in it, it’s hard to escape." I said to her. She looked at me again and nodded thoughtfully. I didn’t want to make her suffer too deeply, so I stopped disturbing her thoughts.
P39-41