I thought to myself......he took a loan in Macau, how did he end up in Bangkok? How could a pure-hearted teacher be able to cope with the atrocities and rough treatment of the triad gangs?
Out of concern, I made a phone call to Li Fang and asked him for help to check whether Principal Yang's son came back these few months. Li Fang was outside with his 'god-sister' having an affectionate rendezvous, vaguely answered and hung up his phone.
A night, I had a talk with Fei Ge and mentioned Principal Yang's case and Fei Ge was very anxious but was helpless to do anything.
During high school, she was also a regular in the principal's office. The last time I and Fei Ge was there because Stone had caused a big uproar so much so that many teachers and students of other schools also knew that in Middle School, there was a two-person group called 'Black Sheep'. They had even badly influenced a good student in High.....they really had a bad reputation. The sports school teacher almost kicked Fei Ge out of school and her mother anxiously rushed to the school to plead for her. Unexpectedly, Principal Yang had already appeased the sports school teacher and repeatedly assured that Jiang Ge Fei student had changed for the better. In future, she would certainly be able to add luster to the motherland's sports career. The sports school teacher gave up and finally did not kick Fei Ge out.
So Principal Yang could be considered both, I and Fei Ge's savior and these few years we had visited him twice. Because when we were young, we had been too naughty and now as we had grown older, we felt shy and could not brazenly go back to our alma mater, lest our former teachers would speak behind our backs. "Those are the two most arrogant students in the school's history. Don't be deceived by their well-behaved appearance, rebellious to the bone, only studied here for three years, all the teachers did not have a good night's sleep with nightmares and they still have the nerve to come back!"
In a flash, time had passed, things had remained the same but people had changed. That year, because of the fight, the problematic students now have a bright future and the gradually aging Principal Yang in his twilight years had to encounter such tragic fate. It was a case of a good man not rewarded with kindness, how can one not sigh?
After hanging up the phone, I still felt upset, *tuk, tuk, tuk* knocking on the tabletop, I waited for the man's call. From nine o'clock to ten o'clock, the phone was quiet, he did not call but my mother's soul-chasing call came through first.
"The son of a Chinese Professor from your Uncle Alan's school is coming to city for a business trip. He will be arriving in two days' time and since he is not fluent in Chinese, you have to meet him."
"Mother, why is a foreigner here without a translator, ah? What has it to do with me?"
"This old lady says you have to receive him, means you have to receive him. Why are you so long-winded?" My mother on the other side started to roar like a lioness. "Besides, who said he is a foreigner. Mother has met him. Obviously, he has black hair, yellow skin, other than having an American accent and he also has Chinese essence. Mother is telling you, this young man has a successful career, good character and is a Princeton graduate. Although he is a bit short but concentrates is the essence and Mother likes him at first sight."
"Since you like him so much, then you can kick my Uncle Alan aside and forget about him. Anyway, my mother, you are still attractive, you can get a few jabs of Botox to smoothen your wrinkles. Who knows.....the American guy may find you attractive too."
"Fang Liang Liang, don't talk back to your mother. Don't think this old lady is thousands of miles away, you are free to do whatever you want. No way! Whether you like it or not, you still have to go!"
"Mother, recently I am busy, cannot spare the time or else I will get a friend to receive him, okay?"
"Fang Liang Liang, are you pretending to be obtuse? Think of this, if the two of you are married, the both of us would not be so far apart. You see, your mother is here in Seattle, this ghostly unfamiliar place which rains all year round and can only make a phone call when I miss you. During the night, I can only shed two drops of tears and your mother is feeling lonely and empty, ah."
"Mother, how can my Uncle Alan tolerate when you say this to me?"
"I don't care whether he can tolerate or not. I ask you, Fang Liang Liang, if you are not going to marry and come over, what do you want your mother to think? Ah? Do you want to throw your mother over to the States to lead a life of miserable old age, ah? Your mother raised you up with such difficulties, are you not going to be filial?"
"Mother, I do not......"
"Ah, no filial piety, ah......you deliberately anger me, ah.....what is the point of raising you up? Why did you crawl out of the operating table? Not filial, ah....such misery during old age. Useless daughter, why did I give birth to you, ah?.....If I had known, I would have thrown you into the dirty ditch......"
My mother on the other end howled like a wolf, made an unreasonable scene which provoked Old Alan to ask with concern. "What's wrong, honey? Are you okay?" I rolled my eyes in frustration and felt myself losing patience with her but was unwilling to let her know that I already have someone.
According to my mother's personality who believed in rumors, as soon as I hang up my phone, she would certainly immediately book her return air ticket to come back because she is so crazy with the thought of having a son-in-law.
I was upset listening to my mother's pretense roar, helplessly surrendered. "Okay, mother, you can rest assured, I, Fang Liang Liang is the most filial, please don't reproach anymore. Be careful, don't let my Uncle Alan find out that you are not an old swan from the Orient but an old shrew from the Orient. I'm going to sleep, bye-bye."
"Ai, ai.....wait, I have not told you Josh's flight......"
Before my mother started a new round of nagging, I decisively hung up the phone and took a long deep breath. Quiet and free, I hid in my small house, switched on a small orange light, put aside all those earthly problems and got instant calm and comfort.
I thought of Jiang Li, Lao Tan, Principal Yang, Dong Zi, all those people's faces flashed one by one in front of my eyes. I had to admit that the restlessness in my heart was not completely suppressed, continuously moving and had the feeling that the next second the calm illusion would fade, replaced by an overwhelming storm.
The phone suddenly rang, destroying the brief calm. I frowned, picked up the call and unable to control myself, I roared. "Mother, can't you let me have some quiet time? I already promised you I will meet him, what more do you want? Not that I cannot be married off, why are you so anxious?"
"Who are you going to meet?" The other end of the phone, a rich, deep resonance voice sounded.
I was surprised for a moment, held the phone with regret and silently gave myself a slap.
"Uh.....no....not meeting anyone, ah." I told a lie with my eyes wide opened. During such dangerous times, I desperately struggled.
Kang Zixian's voice was full of anger and listening to him made me quiver with panic. "Fang Liang Liang, so until now you still have not told your mother about us?"
"What about us?" I dug my ears and pretended I did not understand.
"What about us? .....Okay, you'd rather see someone else and pretend to be confused with me, then I ask you......you cannot do without me, is that correct?"
I was speechless. It seems, Kang Zixian was really angered by me. I was not confused. Anyone would desire a commitment, even if it was verbal, it would give people peace of mind. He was just an ordinary man and a commitment was not only desired by women.
There is a song called 'Loving you in my heart, difficult to confess."
Ever since I met this man, from unfamiliar to familiar, I gradually understood the meaning of strength in tenderness. He was always forcefully giving me pressure in every step, with a high profile stance like a cat catching a mouse. He would wait for me to admit defeat, wait for me to fall into his trap willingly. I had tried to run away, tried to create trouble and even tried to refuse him and later I even lost my heart. Although I felt awkward gradually I had accepted the fact that I could not escape him.
But now he wanted me to personally admit that there was only him, those simple words only and in my heart, I had clearly admitted. Yes, I cannot do without you but these awkward words were stuck in my throat, for in my heart, I wanted to retain a little self-esteem and could not say aloud those words.
For a long time, unable to get a satisfactory answer, when I had gathered my thoughts, the man had already hung up his phone. Listening to the busy tone in the late night, my heart felt void, then felt regretful. Obviously, it was at my fingertips but l had let it slipped away. It was only a few words, it was only lowering one's self-esteem, what of it?
Actually, it was nothing but for two people to be together, the first to bow his head would always be the one to bow down first.
I could not help but sighed, after all, I was not resigned to it.
Three days passed by, Kang Zixian did not call over and I did not know what he meant. Perhaps it was that meaning, I could not help but be worried and became restless. Several times I picked up the phone and put it down again. On hearing the phone ring, I would quickly pick up the call and my heart would jump intensely but often I would be disappointed. The voice on the other end was not the rich, deep resonance voice that I was longing for.
There were a lot of people who called me.
My mother said. "Daughter, ah.....Josh had seen your photo and mother is pleased. Do you know what he said after he saw the photo? This young American guy's Chinese is very good, he used two idioms.....hiding the moon, shaming the flowers* (Female beauty exceeding the natural world), and fish sinks goose swoops* (Female beauty captivating the birds and beasts).....of course. Mother knows that these two idioms used on my daughter are a grievance to the idioms, but mother accepted it. Mother is looking forward to meeting you in Seattle and it is good here in Seattle. Here there is the big ocean, sandy beaches, handsome guys, simple folks, the most important thing here is your dear Mommy. Liang Liang, I know you miss mother, quickly follow Josh and come over. Regard it as I am begging you, ah?"
Fei Ge said. "Liang Liang, that Fang Yi Heng, the fool went to C-city to waylay me. Damn, that girlfriend of his also came with him, making it as if catching us in the act of illicit sexual relations. She scolded me for 'prying' off her man, I *pei*, this aging mother 'pry' fart. For a decade, this aging mother did not even 'pry' Fang Yi Heng that nerd, it was already a grievance to me. In the end, I also had to bear with the arrogant woman's temper, I am going mad. I have decided I want to break off with him, completely break off and this is the truth. If I were to be involved with him again, this aging mother will change my surname to his surname. I am so mad, I am so mad, really want to look for a piece of tofu to hit......."
Dong Zi said. "Senior Sister, Jiang Li, that boy is very good. But perhaps he had guessed that the two of us are a group and he does not look at me in the eye. He should do well in the college entrance examination scheduled a week later and his final trial exam results are better than his previous result. He had obtained first-grade third season. Probably he is not affected and put all his effort into studying but only that he has grown thinner......"
Li Fang said. "Liang Liang, strange....Middle School Principal Yang's son seems to have disappeared like he has evaporated from this world. His trading company is empty. I heard that he loves to gamble and now the debt collectors are converging to Principal Yang's home but they are unable to see anyone. I heard from the school guard that the old school principal simply did not return home. He is hiding from the debt collectors in a small room in the experimental building. No wonder people say.....parents owed their children from the previous life and they will have to repay the debt in this life, now I understand.......Oh, Liang Liang, this is my private thoughts, could this old man's son be hiding in Thailand? It seems that your Principal Yang is an overseas emigrant and earlier, he had stayed in Thailand for more than ten years. He still has relatives in Thailand......could it be, his son is hiding there?"
My heart argued over this point and faintly felt that something was not right but could not pinpoint the flaw. I put down the phone and thought it over. I felt my headache getting worse, and decided to visit the old principal with Fei Ge one of these days. Even if I could not help him, at least I could check on him and see how he was doing. My heart also felt at ease. It was said that one day as a teacher, a father for life. The old principal, during the most confused period of my life, had lead me out of the maze and was my most respected elder.
Another day passed by, Lao Tan did not give me any specific task but just let me be on standby. Li Fang said that Lao Tan was not able to take note of me because recently he had to be on alert. The Bureau Chief had several times during the meetings criticized that those under him were not performing well. The situation in the bureau seemed to be in a new situation and the Bureau Chief had said that the municipal committee was hopeless. The Mayor's meaning could be to let the Chief stay another term again and it seems that Lao Tan's hope would be dashed.
A mountain cannot keep two tigers*...... Li Fang said that Lao Tan may have to go since he still had superiors above him. With his abilities and background, he would be able to prosper wherever he goes.
(A mountain cannot keep two tigers means a place cannot have two strong personalities which will lead to conflicts)
The big supporting mountain was going to leave and we, the small subordinates rolled our big eyes and stared into small eyes........could not help but sigh.