Section 38: Left Ear (38)

  "Stop throwing money!" I took another step closer and said, "With so much money, how many shows can we watch? Besides, if you jump from the fourth floor and die, that's it. If you break your arms or legs, how will you become a pop star in the future?"

  "Wooo..." She wiped away her tears with her sleeve.

  Taking advantage of her being blocked by the sleeve, I stepped forward and pulled her back to a safe area. She hugged me tightly and bit my ear with her teeth, my left ear was bitten so hard that it hurt terribly. Then I heard her say: "Cicada, remember, if you dare to cheat on me, I won't die, but I'll make you die in a terrible way!"

  I couldn't hear her voice clearly, I felt my ears were about to fall off and no longer belonged to me. Suddenly, I remembered the ugly hands of that black man without little fingers, and as I held Jiang Jiao, an inexplicable fear rose up in my heart.

  Many days later, Jiang Jiao smoked one of my Red Double Happiness cigarettes and said to me: "Actually that day I didn't think about jumping at all, I was just testing my acting skills. If you hadn't come, I would have finished scattering the money and gone to celebrate the festival."

  This is my wife Jiang Jiao. I always thought I could handle her with ease, but many times, this was just an illusion, a beautiful illusion.

  The way is one foot high, the devil is one zhang high. In this world, who dares to say that he is the savior of others?

  Better go wash up and sleep early. During winter break, I went back home.

  Jiang Jiao's family was in Beijing for the New Year, so I was the only one returning. On the evening of the 30th, I arrived at this city where I had lived for over a decade and thought I would never return to again. The moment I got off the train, I suddenly felt a sense of relief in my breathing, realizing that the air in this city was what I was most familiar with and accustomed to. It turned out that this city had left an indelible mark on me, one that couldn't be erased just because I wanted to forget it.

  The moment I pushed open the door, he was very surprised.

  He is watching TV on the sofa alone with a bowl of noodles and a lively Spring Festival Gala.

  He has grown old, with white hair and a smile that brings out all the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.

  "Dad." I shouted.

  "Oh." he replied.

  I have been away from home for more than half a year, he has not sent me a single cent, I have not written him a letter, only a few sparse phone calls to report my safety.

  He didn't even know I was coming back.

  "Are you hungry? What's for food?" He was a bit uneasy.

  "Let's go out and eat!" I pulled him.

  "You think this is Beijing, on the third day of the Lunar New Year, who's still open for business?" He helped me arrange my luggage, "I cooked some chicken soup, how about I bring it downstairs for you to eat, is that okay?"

  "It's fine," I said.

  "Go! Wait for me!" He quickly entered the kitchen.

  I sat down on the sofa, which was already very old. As soon as I sat down, a big chunk of it collapsed. He quickly brought out a bowl of noodles and asked me, "Didn't you say you weren't coming back for New Year's?"

  "Suddenly wanted to come back, so came back."

  "It's also good to be back." He went into the kitchen again, carried out a thermos box and said to me: "You stay at home, I'll go to the hospital for a trip, and I'll be back soon."

  "What did you go to the hospital for?"

  "Somebody's in hospital, I'm going to take some chicken soup for her to drink." he said.

  "Who's been hospitalized?" I asked.

  "A friend," he said, and then put on his galoshes and took up a thermos bottle and went out the door.

  I didn't know he had any friends, but I'm too lazy to ask about his business. Through the window, I saw that it started snowing again outside, and after thinking for a moment, I decided to go to the mall tomorrow to buy him a pair of similar cotton shoes. The TV was too loud, so I turned it off, and at the same time, my phone rang once - I thought it was a text message from Jiang Jiao, but when I picked it up, it was actually Li E: Happy New Year!

  I quickly called back. The other end picked up quickly, she seemed to be outside, it was very noisy, and I could hear the sound of firecrackers.

  "Little ears," I said, "I want to see you."

  He stopped for a long time before asking me: "What did you just say?"

  "I said I want to see you."

  "Have you come back?"

  "Yes," I said, "I'm back."

  "What did you just call me?" she asked suddenly.

  "Little ears." I said.

  "Oh." She said, "What are you doing?"

  "I'm at home."

  "We're setting off fireworks at Victory Square, if you're happy, come and join in!"

  I hung up the phone and put on my down jacket to head to Victory Square. It takes about ten minutes to walk from my home to Victory Square, and from afar I saw her, wearing a red cotton-padded jacket, with her hair tied up in a cute ponytail, standing next to You, who was helping her light a long firework. Boom!