China Annual Short Story (2005)

Author: Yang Xiaomin, Guo Xin, Kou Yunfeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: He was probably in his forties then, at the prime of his life, full of vitality, with a sturdy build, bright teeth, and red lips. His black eyebrows were like those drawn with a brush. As he performed magic tricks while selling candy, his chubby hands, with round fingertips, were surprisingly nimble. This exceptionally agile pair of hands likely gave him the nickname "Fast Hands Liu." Much of my childhood was spent in these simple yet endlessly fascinating folk magic tricks, in this puzzle that never seemed to be solved, and in the magic of his hands that were both mysterious and captivating. How much curiosity and joy did he bring me! After middle school, I rarely saw Fast Hands Liu anymore. I would occasionally encounter him when passing by the street corner, still performing his "small bowl and ball trick" with great enthusiasm. I attended high school in a different place. Once I left, the childhood and youth left behind in my hometown felt like a closed book. The beautiful stories, the familiar characters, and the sweet scenes, like fresh petals pressed between the pages, turned into dry memories whenever I reopened the book. Who could bring the past back to life? My late grandmother, my lost dear friend, my mother's black curly hair, those beautiful books I had long lost, and the green-eyed white cat that ran away.