Tomorrow

“No sound, what’s happened to the little one?”

Old Arch, with the red nose, held a bowl of yellow wine and nodded towards the next room as he spoke. Blue-skin Ah Wu then put down his wine bowl and gave him a hard slap on the back, mumbling:

“You… you’re lost in thought again…”

Lu Town, a secluded place, still held onto some of its old customs: by the first watch, everyone would close their doors and retire for the night. The only two households awake in the deep of the night were the Xianheng Hotel, where a group of friends reveled in food and drink around the counter, and the home of the widow, Single Fourth Sister, next door. Since becoming a widow two years ago, she had to rely solely on her own hands to spin cotton yarn to support herself and her three-year-old son, which is why she too slept late.

Recently, the sound of her spinning cotton yarn had ceased. However, since only two households were awake late at night, the sounds from Single Fourth Sister’s home were naturally only heard by Old Arch and his companions, and the silence was likewise only perceived by them.

Old Arch, after being slapped, seemed quite comfortable as he took a large gulp of wine and began to hum a tune.

At that moment, Single Fourth Sister was holding her treasure, sitting on the edge of the bed, with the spinning wheel standing still on the ground. The dim light cast a faint glow on the treasure’s face, a mix of red and blue. Single Fourth Sister pondered: she had sought divine signs, made vows, and tried various remedies, but if there was no improvement, what then? — Only then would she seek out Doctor He Xiaoxian. But perhaps the treasure’s condition was better during the day and worse at night, and with the rising sun, the fever would subside, and the asthma would ease: this was, after all, a common occurrence for the sick.

Single Fourth Sister, a simple and unsophisticated woman, did not understand the dangers of the word “but”: many bad situations had indeed improved thanks to it, but many good situations had also been spoiled because of it. The summer nights were short, and after Old Arch and his friends finished their humming not long ago, the east began to lighten; soon, the silvery light of dawn seeped through the cracks in the window.

Waiting for the dawn, Single Fourth Sister found time passing much slower than others, with each breath of her treasure seeming to last an entire year. Now, it was finally bright; the brightness of the day overpowered the dim light, revealing the treasure’s flaring nostrils.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Single Fourth Sister quietly gasped, “Ah!” and wondered what to do. There was only one option left: to consult Doctor He Xiaoxian. Despite her simple nature, she was decisive and promptly stood up, took out thirteen small silver dollars and one hundred and eighty copper coins that she had saved daily from the wooden cabinet, and, after pocketing them, locked the door and rushed straight to He’s house with her treasure in her arms.

It was still early morning, but four patients were already seated at He’s residence. She took out a forty-cent silver dollar to purchase a medical ticket, and it was the fifth turn for her treasure. He Xiaoxian extended two fingers to feel the pulse; his fingernails, over four inches long, made Single Fourth Sister marvel in silence, as she secretly hoped for her treasure’s survival. However, she couldn’t help but feel anxious and asked hesitantly:

“Doctor, what illness does my treasure have?”

“There is a blockage in his middle jiao (a region of the body in traditional Chinese medicine).”

“Is it serious? He…”

“Take two doses first.”

“He can hardly breathe; his nostrils are flaring.”

“This is a case of fire overpowering metal…”

After uttering half a sentence, He Xiaoxian closed his eyes, and Single Fourth Sister felt it inappropriate to inquire further. A man in his thirties, seated opposite He Xiaoxian, had already written a prescription and pointed to several characters in the corner of the paper, stating:

“The first ingredient, Bao Ying Huo Ming Wan, can only be found at Jia’s Ji Shi old shop.”

Taking the prescription, Single Fourth Sister thought as she walked. Despite her simple nature, she was aware that He’s residence, the Ji Shi old shop, and her home formed a triangle, and it would be more economical to buy the medicine and return home. Thus, she hurried straight to the Ji Shi old shop. The shop assistant, with long fingernails, slowly examined the prescription and carefully wrapped the medicine. As Single Fourth Sister waited while holding her treasure, the child suddenly raised his small hand and forcefully pulled at a strand of his disheveled hair, an action he had never done before, which frightened Single Fourth Sister.

The sun had already risen. Carrying her child and the medicine, Single Fourth Sister felt the weight increasing with each step; the child also struggled continuously, making the journey seem longer. With no other option, she sat on the threshold of a house by the roadside to rest for a while. As her clothes gradually chilled her skin, she realized she had broken into a sweat; the treasure, however, seemed to have fallen asleep. She got up again and continued walking slowly, still unable to support herself, when she suddenly heard someone say:

“Sister Sisi, let me hold Bo Luo for you!” It seemed to be the voice of Blue-skin Ah Wu.

Looking up, she saw it was indeed Blue-skin Ah Wu, with sleepy eyes, following her.

At this moment, although Sister Sisi wished for a heavenly general to descend and lend a hand, she did not desire it to be Ah Wu. However, Ah Wu possessed a bit of chivalry and insisted on helping regardless, so after a brief exchange of refusals and offers, he was finally allowed to assist. He reached out his arm and, from between Sister Sisi’s breasts and the child, directly down, took the child into his arms. Sister Sisi felt a surge of heat on her breast, which quickly spread to her face and ears.

They walked together, separated by more than two feet and five inches. Ah Wu spoke, but Sister Sisi mostly did not respond. After a short while, Ah Wu returned the child to her, citing an appointment with friends for a meal that had been made the previous day; Sister Sisi then took the child back. Fortunately, it was not far to her home, and she could already see Wang Jiu Ma sitting by the roadside, talking from a distance:

“Sister Sisi, what’s wrong with the child? — Have you seen the doctor?”

“Yes, I have. — Wang Jiu Ma, you are older and have seen more, so I would like to ask you to take a look and give your opinion…”

“Hmm…”

“What…?”

“Hmm…” After examining the child, Wang Jiu Ma nodded twice and shook her head twice.

After the child took the medicine, it was already afternoon. Sister Sisi carefully observed his condition and felt that it seemed to have stabilized significantly; however, in the afternoon, he suddenly opened his eyes and called out “Mom!” before closing his eyes again, as if he had fallen asleep. After a short sleep, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead and the tip of his nose. Sister Sisi gently touched them, and they felt sticky, like glue. She hurriedly felt his chest and couldn’t help but sob.

The child’s breathing shifted from stable to non-existent, and Sister Sisi’s sobs turned into wails. At this time, several groups of people gathered: inside the door were Wang Jiu Ma, Blue-skin Ah Wu, and others; outside the door were the Xianheng shopkeeper and Red-nose Old Arch, among others. Wang Jiu Ma gave orders to burn a string of paper money and, using two benches and five pieces of clothing as collateral, borrowed two foreign coins for Sister Sisi to prepare a meal for the helpers.

The first issue was the coffin. Sister Sisi still had a pair of silver earrings and a gold-plated silver hairpin, which she handed over to the Xianheng shopkeeper, entrusting him to act as a guarantor and buy a coffin on a half-cash, half-credit basis. Blue-skin Ah Wu also extended his hand, very willing to volunteer, but Wang Jiu Ma did not permit him, only allowing him to be in charge of carrying the coffin the next day. Ah Wu cursed “old beast” and quickly pursed his lips, standing there. The shopkeeper then left on his own; when he returned in the evening, he said that the coffin would have to be made on the spot and would be completed by the early hours of the morning.

When the shopkeeper returned, the helpers had already eaten dinner. Because Lu Town still had some ancient customs, everyone had gone home to sleep before the first watch. Only Ah Wu remained, leaning against the counter of Xianheng, drinking wine, while Old Arch hummed.

At this time, Sister Sisi was sitting on the edge of the bed, crying, with the treasure lying on the bed and the spinning wheel standing still on the ground. After a long while, Sister Sisi’s tears finally ran out, and her eyes opened wide, looking around at the situation, feeling strange: everything seemed impossible. She thought in her heart: it’s just a dream, all these things are a dream. When she wakes up tomorrow, she will be sleeping well in bed, and the treasure will also be sleeping well beside her. He will also wake up, call out “Mom,” and jump to play lively.

The song of Old Arch had long been silent, and Xianheng had also turned off the lights. Sister Sisi, with wide eyes, did not believe all these things. —— The rooster had crowed; the east gradually turned white, and the silvery dawn light shone through the window cracks.

The silvery dawn light gradually turned pink, and the sunlight then shone on the ridge of the house. Sister Sisi, with wide eyes, sat there in a daze; when she heard the sound of knocking on the door, she was startled and ran out to open the door. Outside the door was an unfamiliar person carrying something; behind him stood Wang Jiu Ma.

Ah, they had brought the coffin.

In the afternoon, the coffin lid was finally closed: because Sister Sisi cried and looked again and again, she was always unwilling to firmly close it; fortunately, Wang Jiu Ma was impatient and angrily ran forward, pulled her away, and then they closed it in a hurry.

But Sister Sisi had indeed done her best for her treasure, and there was no more room for improvement. A string of paper money was burned yesterday, and forty-nine scrolls of the “Great Compassion Mantra” were burned in the morning; when collecting, he was dressed in the newest clothes, and his favorite toys —— a clay figure, two small wooden bowls, and two glass bottles — were all placed beside his pillow. Later, Wang Jiu Ma pinched her fingers and carefully considered, but she finally couldn’t think of any shortcomings.

On this day, Blue-skin Ah Wu simply did not come at all; the Xianheng shopkeeper hired two porters for Sister Sisi, each paid two hundred and ten big money, to carry the coffin to the charity burial ground. Wang Jiu Ma also helped her cook the meal, and everyone who had helped or spoken ate the meal. The sun gradually showed the color of setting; the people who had eaten also showed the color of wanting to go home, and so they finally all went home.

Sister Sisi felt very dizzy and rested for a while, but surprisingly felt a bit stable. However, she immediately felt very different: she encountered something she had never encountered in her life, something that should not happen, but it did appear. The more she thought about it, the stranger it became, and she felt another strange thing: —— the room suddenly became too quiet.

She stood up, lit the lamp, and the room became even quieter. She walked dizzily to close the door and came back to sit on the edge of the bed, with the spinning wheel standing still on the ground. She settled her mind, looked around, and felt that she could not sit still; the room was not only too quiet but also too large and too empty. The too large room surrounded her, and the too empty things pressed on her from all sides, making it hard for her to breathe.

She now knows that her treasure has indeed died; she does not want to see this room and blows out the lamp, lying down. She cries while thinking: at that time, she was spinning cotton yarn, and the treasure was sitting beside her eating fennel beans, staring at a pair of small black eyes for a moment, and then said, “Mom —— Dad sells wontons, and when I grow up, I will also sell wontons, sell a lot of money, —— I will give it all to you.” At that time, even the spun cotton yarn seemed to be full of meaning, and every inch was alive. But what about now? What about now? Sister Sisi really did not think of anything. —— I have said it before: she is a simple woman. What can she think of? She just feels that the room is too quiet, too large, and too empty.

But Sister Sisi, although simple, knew that resurrection was impossible, and her treasure would indeed never be seen again. She sighed and muttered to herself, “Treasure, you should still be here, let me see you in my dreams.” So she closed her eyes, wanting to fall asleep quickly, to meet her treasure, and through the silence, the largeness, and the emptiness, she could clearly hear her own heavy breathing.

Sister Sisi finally fell asleep in a daze, and the whole room was very quiet. At this time, the tune of Red-nose Old Arch had long been finished; he staggered out of Xianheng, but raised his throat and sang:

“My rival! —— Pity you, —— left all alone…”

Blue-skin Ah Wu then reached out and grabbed Old Arch by the shoulder, and the two of them, laughing and swaying, walked away.

Sister Sisi had already fallen asleep, Old Arch and his friends had left, and Xianheng had closed its doors. At this time, Lu Town was completely enveloped in silence. Only the dark night, in its effort to become tomorrow, was still rushing about in this silence; there were also a few dogs, hiding in the dark and whining.

(June 1920.)