Who Am I - A Woman's 15-Year Youth Reader (Ages 18-33)

Author: Yao Junni
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: Chapter 1, Hong Kong-born Shi Gangsheng in a Summer Downpour. In the summer evening of 1988, in this city often referred to as the "furnace," the big sun seemed to be dancing a fiery tap dance on people's heads, wearing nail-embedded iron shoes. Although it had just pulled down the curtain to rest and prepare for its crazy performance the next day, the audience on the ground was still shaken and dizzy by the heat it generated, and the stifling sensation in the air was still expanding and spreading. Looking up at the sky, the dark clouds were gradually gathering, Shi Gangsheng murmured in Cantonese, "Is it not high? Will it rain heavily right away?" Having stood at the entrance of the (dance hall) of the Chongqing Hotel for half an hour, he began to show a hint of impatience, but it was only a fleeting moment.
Next, on a date with a girl he liked in this unfamiliar city, he should show some sincerity, he thought. Moreover, he didn’t know if it was in line with local customs. He had heard that Chongqing girls were accustomed to being pampered and delicate—was she deliberately arriving late to test the patience of a Hong Kong man like him? The pedestrians kept passing by Shi Gangsheng, occasionally glancing at him with admiration and whispering among themselves. He couldn’t help but glance at his youthful yet refined attire: a neatly buttoned Nike light orange cotton T-shirt, tucked into white jeans, a black leather waist bag tied around his waist, and a pair of white Nike sneakers. Ah, maybe it was this luxury brand watch costing over 20,000 Hong Kong dollars that gave him a sense of uniqueness! He couldn’t help but think of his strict yet adventurous father. Under his father’s guidance, he had taken his first risk in futures trading 28 years ago and earned this watch, which filled him with a mix of admiration and fear for his father. He thought to himself, how could his own gentle and steady personality be so different from his own father’s. At the thought of his father’s usual sternness and unyielding nature, he felt some discomfort in his body. But as he snapped back to reality, that discomfort was immediately replaced by a sense of superiority—in this city where even the average salary might not be enough for 100 yuan in China, let alone wearing a watch like this.
Looking at the beautiful girls entering the dance hall, though most showed obvious signs of trying too hard, their clothing could never escape the pitfalls of poor fabric, awkward styling, and monotonous style. Whether wearing pants or skirts, rayon or silk, it seemed that every woman’s feet were paired with red-and-yellow checkered half-calf cloth sneakers or black or white high heels that clicked with every step. Upon closer inspection, the surfaces of the two pairs of shoes were rubbing against each other, leaving streaks. The stockings on their legs only reached below the knees, slipping and rolling unstably. But they were indeed beautiful—fair skin, sparkling eyes, full figures. Though poor, they exuded a romantic, confident, and sincere aura. She was like that. Thinking of this, Shi Gangsheng’s lips curved into a subtle smile.
But after 40 minutes had passed, why hadn’t she arrived? Was the time or place wrong? Or had she simply not cared about him at all? Was he unattractive, or was she too proud, especially of a young graduate from a Hong Kong university like him? Sighing, why wasn’t there a phone or pager he could call her on at any time? The stifling heat made Shi Gangsheng unbutton his neatly buttoned collar, but his expression remained composed. The dark clouds grew thicker and more numerous. Unfulfilled prophecies often came true—sparse raindrops fell heavily, then quickly merged into a continuous line, steaming up the heat on the ground like a steam bath. Someone poured several large scoops of cold water into the hot stones in the furnace, "Bang—, bang—, bang—," and instantly, the hot steam filled the stifling air, enveloping people’s organs. Breathing became difficult. In no time, the rain turned from drops into sheets, and the entire city was completely enveloped in humidity and heavy rain, transforming the steam bath into a dimly lit steam room that made it hard to see.
Shi Gangsheng hesitated, "I’ll ask her about it when I go to work tomorrow!" Amidst the dark and stormy rain, he quickly hailed a taxi and rushed inside.
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