Mrs. Shen and Chao Hsin-mei were so deeply engrossed in their conversation that they could not be separated; since he had a stuffy nose and a cold Hsinmei didn't mind being close to Mrs. Shen. Meanwhile,Mr. Shen was dropping hints to Miss Su with the intention of having Uncle Sut' find him a position: in Hong Kong. On the other hand, Fang Hung-chien decided his luck that day had turned for the better,as in the expression "After the bitter comes the sweet," and he asked Miss T'ang in a whisper, "You didn't eat anything just now, as if you didn't feel well. Are you better now?""I ate quite a bit," said Miss T'ang. "There is nothing wrong with me.""I'm not the host; you needn't be polite with me. I clearly saw you drink, a mouthful of soup, then frown and play with the spoon without eating any thing else." "What's so interesting about watching someone eat? Is it polite to keep staring at someone? I didn't like you watching me eat, so I didn't eat. That's what you did to me-Ha, ha, Mr. Fang. don't take it seriously. I really didn't know you were watching others eat. Tell me, when you were sitting down' next to Mrs. Shen, why did you turn your face away and hold your mouth tightly shut as if under torture?"
"So the same thing happened to you!" Fang Hung-chien and Miss T'ang laughed intimately, having now become comrades in adversity. Miss T'ang said, "Mr. Fang, I'm a little disappointed today." "Disappointed? What were you hoping for? Wasn't that smell strong enough for you?" "It's not that. I thought for sure that there'd be a lot of fireworks between you and Chao Hsin-mei. Who would have thought there'd be nothing." "I'm sorry that there wasn't any nice drama for you to watch. Chao Hsin-mei misunderstands my relationship with your cousin. Maybe you are under the same misunderstanding. I just let him be the provocateur today, while I sit back without returning his salvos to let him know I have nothing against him." "Is that true? Wouldn't a mere indication from my cousin clear up the misunderstanding?" "Maybe your cousin has her own ideas. Dispatching a general on a mission isn't as effective as challenging him to do it as a mission impossible.There has to be a major adversary before Mr. Chao's ability can come to the fore. Too bad this tired old soldier can't live up to the fight and for that matter isn't interested in the fighting."
"Why not be a volunteer?" "No, it'd be like dragging in a conscript." As he said this, Fang Hung chien regretted having spoken so flippantly, since there was no guarantee that Miss T'ang wouldn't pass all this on to Miss Su. "But often the underdog gets more sympathy from the bystanders."ealizing that this remark could be misconstrued, Miss T'ang blushed. "I mean, my cousin might be aiding the smaller, weaker people."Hung-Chien was so overjoyed at hearing this that his heart skipped a beat. "That's her business. Miss T'ang, I'd like to invite you and your cousin for dinner tomorrow at the Mei-chun. May I have the honor?"Miss T'ang hesitated and before she could answer,Hung-chien went on, "I know it's very presumptuous of me. Your cousin told me you have many friends. Though I am unworthy, I'd like very much to be included among them.""I don't have any friends. My cousin was talking nonsense. What did she say to you?""Oh, nothing in particular. Just that you are very good at socializing and know quite a few people.""That's ridiculous. I am just an ignorant country girl!""You're being polite. Please come tomorrow. I wanted to go to that res taurant but didn't have a good excuse. I'm using you two as a pretext so I can enjoy myself. Please oblige me by accepting the invitation."
Miss T'ang said with a smile, "Mr. Fang, there's something behind every thing you say. If that's the way it is, I'll certainly come. What time tomorrow evening?" Hung-chien told her the time. Relaxed and happy, he heard Mrs. Shen speak in her sonorous voice, "The time I attended the World Conference of Women, I observed widespread trend. Women all over the world are now going in the direction of men." Hung-chien was both startled and amused, thinking, h's been like that since ancient times. Mrs. Shen shouldn't have to attend a women's conference now to find that out.Meanwhile, Mrs. Shen continued, "All the occupations that men have held, such as members of parliament,lawyers, journalists, airplane pilots, women can hold and perform just as well as men. A Yugoslav woman sociologist gave a lecture at the con ference in which she said that with the exception of women who were willing to be virtuous wives and mothers, career women could be called 'the third sex.' Though the women's liberation movement is a recent development, already there have been such outstanding achievements. I would venture to say that in the near future the distinction between the sexes will become an his toric term."Chao Hsin-mei said, "You're right, Mrs. Shen. Women today really are capable! Wen-wan, take Miss Ilsu Pao-ch'iung, for instance. Do you know her, Mrs. Shen? She helps her father manage a dairy farm and handles major and minor chores herself. Outwardly she looks so dainty and refined. You could never tell what she does."
Hung-chien said something to Miss T'ang, whereupon Miss T'ang burst out laughing. Miss Su said, "Pao-ch'iung is more clever than her father and is actually the behind-the-scenes manager."Disgusted by Hung-chien's closeness to Miss T'ang, she asked, "Hsiao-fu, what's so funny?"Miss T'ang just shook her head and laughed.Miss Su then said, "Hung-chien, if there's a joke let us hear it."Hung-chien too shook his head and said nothing, making it even more apparent that he and Miss T'ang were sharing a mutual secret. Miss Su became quite vexed,and Chao Hsin-mei, putting on his most supercilious expression, said, "Maybe the great philosopher Fang was expounding some optimistic philosophy of life, which made Miss T'ang so happy. Right, Miss T'ang?"Ignoring Hsin-mei, Fang Hung-chien said to Miss Su, "I heard Mr. Chao say he couldn't tell by looking at Miss Hsu that she runs a dairy farm. Maybe Mr. Chao thinks Miss Hsu ought to grow two horns on her head so that people could tell who she is at one glance.Otherwise, you could never tell what she does, no matter what she looks like."
Chao Hsin-mei said, "That makes no sense. If she grew horns on her head and turned into a cow herself, how would that show she's a dairy manager?" While he was speaking, he looked around the room and roared with laughter, feeling he had trounced Fang Hung-chien again. Determined not to be the first one to leave, he entrenched himself deeper into the sofa.Having achieved his aim, Fang Hung-chien did not care to stay any longer and wanted to leave while there were still enough people present to make his parting from Miss Su a little easier. Since he hadn't been near her that day, Miss Su made a point to see him to the hallway. Her reasoning was similar to warming one's hands in front of the stove before stepping outside on a cold day.Hung-chien said, "Miss Su, I didn't have a chance to talk with you much today. Are you free tomorrow evening? I'd like to invite you to dinner at the Mei-chun. I don't care to have Chao Hsin-mei invite me. I just wish I were an old customer. I probably can't order the dishes as well as he can."The fact that Fang was still at odds with Chao Hsin-mei gave Miss Su an uplift in spirit. She said with a smile, "Fine. Just the two of us, then?" As soon as she said this, she felt a little embarrassed,having realized that the ques tion was unnecessary.Fang Hung-chien said hesitatingly, "No, your cousin is also coming.""Oh, she is. Have you invited her?""Yes, I did. She promised to come-to accompany you.""All right then, goodbye."Miss Su's parting manner dampened Fang Hung-chien's high spirits. He felt the situation between him and the two women was too difficult to handle. and prayed that he would be able to handle it smoothly and cleanly and let Miss Su's affections toward him die a painless death. He heaved a sigh for Miss Su. Though he didn't love her, he had become softhearted because of her. It's just too unfair! She is too scheming. She shouldn't be so easily hurt and she should bear the situation without complaint. Why does love have to lower one's mental resistance and make one so weak that one can be easily manip ulated? if God really loved man, He would never be the master of man, he thought. If his thoughts had been made known to Chao Hsin-mei, Fang Hung-chien would have had to listen to Hsin-mei's abuse about how "the philosopher is up to tricks."That night Fang's sleep was fitful, like rice-flour noodles without elastic ity or stretchability. His joy burst from his dreams and woke him four or five times.Each time he awoke, he seemed to see T'ang Hsiao-fu's face and to hear her voice. Her every word and gesture during the day he tried to impress upon his heart.Moments later he would drift to sleep only to awake with a start a moment later, feeling his joy had been robbed by sleep. Once more he would mentally review the day's happiness. When he finally awoke and got up, he found the sky dull and grey. He had not chosen a nice day for a dinner party, he thought, and wished he could have pressed blotting paper against the pale rain clouds to dry them up.Monday was usually the busiest day of the week at the bank. Fang wouldn't be able to leave the office until after six o'clock in the evening. Since he wouldn't have time to come home and change before going to the restaurant, he got dressed in the morning before leaving for work. Imagining he were Miss T'ang, he judged his appearance in the mirror through her eyes.In less than a year since his return from abroad, he had acquired more wrinkles on his forehead, and since he hadn't slept well the night before, his complexion and eyes were dull and lusterless. His acquisition of a new love two days ago had made him meticulously aware of every last blemish in his appearance in the manner of a poor man with only one dress suit who knows its every spot and patch. Actually, to other people, his complexion looked the same as ever, but he found himself particularly ugly that day. Thinking that the color of his necktie made his sallow complexion greenish, he changed neckties three times before going down for breakfast.
As usual, Mr. Chou was still in bed, so Fang ate with Mrs. Chou and Hsiao-ch'eng. As Fang was still eating breakfast, the telephone outside his bedroom upstairs rang. At home, he seldom had a moment's peace and quiet, and when irritated by the phone, he would often think his fianc6e's life had been snatched away by that "soul-snatching bell" of the telephone. The maid servant came down to say, "Telephone, Mr. Fang. It's someone named Su, a woman." As she spoke, her eyes passed the message to Mrs. Chou and Hsiao ch'eng, whose eyes were so busy that they resembled ripples in a spring pond in the breeze. Hung-chien had never expected Miss Su to call, and he was sure Mrs. Chou would quiz him about the call. As he bounded up the stairs to an swer the phone, he heard Hsiao-ch'eng remark in a loud voice, "I bet it's Su Wen-wan." The other day in his history class Hsiao-ch'eng had incorrectly identified the family name of the Manchu rulers Ai-hsin Chiao-1o13 as Ch'in-ai Pao-lo (Dear Paul); for his mistake he had received a severe reprimand from his teacher, and the reprimand had so infuriated him that he was playing hooky and staying home that day. On the other hand, after seeing Miss Su's name once, he had it memorized. As Hung-chien picked up the receiver, he felt the entire Chou family were listening in with bated breath. "Miss Su?" he said softly. "This is Hung chien." "Hung-chien, I thought you'd still be home so I called you up. I'm not feeling well today, so I won't be going to the Mei-chun this evening. I'm very sorry.You mustn't get mad at me.""Is Miss T'ang going?" As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he regretted having said them.Incisively, she said, "I have no idea." Then in a distant tone, she went on, "Of course, she will be." "What's wrong with you? Is it serious?" He knew his inquiries were already too late. "It's nothing. I just feel too tired to go out." The implication was ob vious."Well, I am relieved to hear that. Take good care of yourself. I'll cer tainly see you tomorrow. What do you like to eat?""Thank you. I don't want anything." Pause. "Well,then, I will see you tomorrow."After Miss Su hung up, it occurred to Hung-chien that as a matter of courtesy he should cancel and schedule the dinner for another day. Should he call Miss Su and ask her to tell Miss T'ang about the postponement? But he really didn't want to. Just as he was pondering over the matter, Hsiao ch'eng came running and jumping along, yelling at the top of his lungs all the way,"Dear Miss Su, have you come down with lovesickness?
What do you love to eat? I love baked sesame buns,fried puffs, five-spice beans, dried bean- curd strips, dried mucus, stinky salt-preserved fish."With a yelp, Hung-chien grabbed Hsiao-ch'eng, cutting short his pro posed menu and frightening him into begging for mercy. Hung-chien gave him a light pat and dismissed him. He then went downstairs to finish his breakfast. As expected, Mrs. Chou was waiting to query him in detail. "Don't forget, you must make me your adopted mother," she said."I'm waiting for you to get an adopted daughter. The more daughters you get, the wider is the selection for me. This Miss Su is only an old class-. mate. Nothing serious between us, so don't worry," Hung-chien quickly an swered.The sky gradually cleared up, but because of the phone call that morn ing Hung-chien's high spirits had been considerably dampened. He felt un worthy of such a beautiful day as he had planned it, and he felt as if a tent were about to collapse on him. Miss Su was up to mischief, no doubt. And if she didn't come, so much the better as that would leave just Miss T'ang and himself. But without a third person, would Miss T'ang come? he wondered. He hadn't asked Miss T'ang for her address and telephone number the day before, so he couldn't find out if Miss T'ang knew about Miss Su's not coming to the party. Miss Su would surely let Miss T'ang know. What if Miss T'ang had asked Miss Su to tell him that she wasn't coming either. That would be disastrous! At the bank he assisted Chief-secretary Wang with letter writing. His mind preoccupied with his own affairs, he made a few errors in the drafts of letters he wrote. Wang corrected them for him, chuckled, and said, "Brother Hung chien,i4 the eyes of this old clerk are still pretty sharp."By six o'clock when he still hadn't received any word from Miss T'ang, he began to get nervous but didn't dare call Miss Su to ask about Miss T'ang. Around seven, he briskly walked over to the Mei-chun and engaged a pri vate dining room, preparing to wait for Miss T'ang until eight-thirty. If by that time she still hadn't come, then he would have to eat alone.
Waiting patiently and never raising his hopes too high, he lit a cigarette and then snuffed it out. The evening was too chilly for him to open the windows,yet he was afraid the odor of smoke might fill the room and offend Miss T'ang. He opened the book he had brought to the bank to read during his spare time but not a single sentence made any sense. When he heard the waiter greeting a customer outside, his heart fluttered. The dinner was for seven-thirty, and it was just seven-forty-five by his watch. She couldn't possibly be coming this early, but suddenly the curtain was drawn, the waiter stood aside and in came Miss T'ang. In his heart what Hung-chien felt was gratitude, not joy. After greeting her, he said, "I am sorry Miss Su couldn't make it today.""I know. I almost didn't make it myself. I tried calling you but couldn't get through.""Then I'm grateful to the telephone company. I hope their business pros pers and their lines get so busy that telephone calls to make last minute changes of plan won't get through. Did you call the bank?""No, I called your house. This is what happened. Early this morning my cousin called me saying she couldn't come to dinner and had already informed you. I said I wouldn't go either, in that case. She wanted me to tell you my self and gave me your phone number. I dialed and asked, 'Is this the Fangs' residence?' A woman answered in your native dialect-I couldn't imitate the way she said it-'This is the Chous' residence.
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