Love in the New Millennium by Can Xue

Author:Can Xue [Xue, Can]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780300224313
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: 2018-11-15T05:00:00+00:00

Mr. You found 132 Sea Line Drive. It was a pachinko gambling parlor, not an apartment or an ordinary house. When he entered, the pachinko machines all had people in front of them, and the hall was bustling. The old man sat in front of the third machine, focusing all his attention on operating it. Once he saw Mr. You he laughed out loud until it sent bursts of cold through Mr. You’s heart. Mr. You noticed that everyone else had turned off the machines, gotten to their feet, and were looking at him, many of them glowering.

“Thank you for honoring us with your presence late at night. You see, everyone is busy at their work. Talking here isn’t convenient, let’s go upstairs.”

They passed through a narrow stairwell and corridor and went into a room. The room was too cramped to turn around, with the ceiling so low he could touch it. There were no lights inside. Rays from the large building opposite streamed at an angle into the room, misted and obscure. The room was not soundproof; Mr. You could hear the racket in the pachinko hall below. He sat on the chair the old man offered him, feeling his knee press against the other’s knee if he moved it at all. He could smell the old man’s stomach on his spraying breath. There was a cot beside him. Did the old man sleep there? He remembered that the old man had come to his antiques shop to purchase an expensive painting by a well-known artist, so he should have been fairly wealthy. Why would he live in such a birdcage?

The old man reached out and placed a hand on Mr. You’s shoulder, saying to him, as if in confidence, “I don’t usually turn on the lights. I like the secretive atmosphere. Sitting here, your thoughts can roam the entire city. What do you feel at this moment?”

Mr. You stared wide-eyed at the tiny window, that sole source of light.

“I’m a little cold.” He thought it sounded like he was complaining.

“That is an ordinary reaction. I have a question for you: why did you break the electric circuits in your shop?”

Mr. You sensed the old man snickering to himself, so hard that his entire body shook.

“Which time do you mean?”

“March 27th, on the day of the big storm.”

“You have an incredible memory! That time I wanted to manufacture an accident. It was probably because I couldn’t stand being lonely. I plotted for a long time beforehand.”

Mr. You narrated mechanically. He was thinking, Why would I confess?

“You’re honest. Let’s not talk about unhappy things. If you don’t mind people in your same line of business, then you should come to my place here often. There’s always a lively scene late at night. 132 Sea Line Drive is one of the symbols of this city. If I look at our pachinko hall from the end of the street, it’s inspiring. The place is simmering with life.”

“Do all of you belong to an organization?” Mr.

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