Vol 1 Chapter 4.4 (1/2)

4. Speech Compet.i.tion

A person admires the beauty of stars. They stretch out their hands to pluck the star and try for a long time but they can’t get it.

People laugh: You’ve overestimated your abilities.

He replies: I’m reaching out to pick stars. Although I didn’t pick a star, I am satisfied with the beautiful view and my hands have not been stained.

The dreary summer holidays came to an end and the new school year began. We moved from the first floor to the second floor and became second year students.

When school started, Teacher Ceng Hong notified me that I was joining the student speech compet.i.tion organised by the city this semester and told me to prepare the speech draft. Any theme was fine as long as the main topic was positive and wholesome. When she said that the main topic had to be positive and wholesome, she couldn’t resist laughing, I also laughed. It was weird, after Teacher Zhang in primary, I treated teachers like they were evil spirits but I had a strange sense of compatibility with Teacher Ceng Hong.

I said, “Why is it me? What happens if I can’t get an award?”

She was impatient, “Why do you always have so many questions? Just do as I say.”

“I feel like I can’t, actually last time when I was on stage, my legs and tummy were wobbling, I couldn’t even smile like a fool.”

Teacher Ceng Hong tapped her cigarette and laughed, “You’re even able to stand on the table tennis tables, I saw that you were smiling pretty well but you’re afraid to go on stage?”

I thought that was true, if my face was as thick as the city’s wall then what is there to be afraid of?

After I finished the draft and Teacher Ceng Hong edited it, she told me to write it again. After editing the draft five times, we finally settled on the draft speech. At the same time, she started to train my speaking by hand. In the beginning, during morning reading in Chinese, she made me stand at my seat and read texts out loud. After I was used to it, she made me stand on the podium and recite poems, any choice of content was okay, as long as it was an ancient poem it was fine.

This was much too easy, due to the child prodigy Chen Jing, I had skimmed through all sorts of poetry. However I never expected to be scolded by Ceng Hong on the first day: “Do you know why Chinese poetry are known as songs? Reciting it like this is a humiliation to the poem.”

I walked off the podium in a serious manner, thinking over how to understand why poetry are known as songs.

After I got home from school. I opened the radio, found a literature station and listened attentively to poem recitals. From poetry recitals to story telling, ballads and appreciating essays, I spent every lunchtime in front of the radio. Every afternoon during cla.s.s recess, I would find a secluded corner and practice alone to the trees or the clouds.

Teacher Ceng didn’t pay attention to what I did and still called me up to recite poems like before. Sometimes she would scold me and sometimes she wouldn’t make a sound, as long as I finished reciting, she would let me leave the podium. As time pa.s.sed, no matter how my cla.s.smates looked at me, I always pretended as if they weren’t there.

Brother Li finished preparations for his dance hall and was getting ready to open business however, the name wasn’t yet decided. Brother Li disliked the suggestions, “Li Li Dance Hall’, ‘Night Rose Dance Hall’ and ‘Milky Way Dance Hall’, so he said to Xiao Bo, “Help me think of a name.” Xiao Bo laughed and thought of a few but before Brother Li gave his opinion, Xiao Bo rejected those himself. He crumpled the sheet of paper beside him into a ball and tossed it at me, “Qi Qi, help think of a name.”

My head was full of poetry so I randomly said, “Across the Water.”

Brother Li wasn’t satisfied, “Why is it across the water? I’d rather pave the road to the guest’s door and let them come everyday.”

Xiao Bo laughed, “The place that people have to go to everyday is home but it’s exactly because they have to go home everyday that the other world has a force of attraction. Across the water, you want to look but you can’t see clearly, you want it but you can’t obtain it.”

Brother Li scoffed, “Enough, I’m getting a headache from listening. Just as well the fortune teller said that I lacked water in my five elements and water can also bring in wealth. Let’s invite in good omen and use this name.”

After Brother Li finished talking business, he looked towards Xiao Bo and said, “Little Six isn’t very satisfied at you, be a bit more careful.”

Xiao Bo said, “Sorry.”

I started to listen attentively, Brother Li saw that I was staring at him with s.h.i.+ning eyes and laughed, “Look at yourself, are you afraid I’ll eat up Xiao Bo? Staring at someone like they’re a target for archery?”

Xiao Bo came between me and Brother Li and apologetically said, “Brother Li……”

Brother Li waved his hand, “Xiao Bo, you don’t need to think so carefully, I’ve pretty much watched her grow up, am I able to argue over general things with her? Plus I reckon that this girl’s horoscope seems to be very compatible with ours, haven’t you seen how our business is growing more and more successful?”

I snorted with laughter, Xiao Bo also laughed. Brother Li said somewhat embarra.s.sed, “Don’t laugh, there are some things I would rather believe exists than not.”

With a few jokes, the tension between the three of us eased. Xiao Bo sat on the sofa laughing, Borther Li looked at us and said, “I’m not afraid of Little Six. When I was out mixing in society, he was still blowing his snot somewhere. However, it’s just that we’re now business, not mixing with the triad. We’re not on the same path as Little Six, they like to flaunt their fighting, we’re talking friendliness gets you riches.”

Xiao Bo immediately said, “I understand.”

Brother Li continued, “Xiao Bo, when we became sworn brothers, I told you about my thoughts. During youth, which guy doesn’t have courage? Who doesn’t f.u.c.king want to be the boss? But where is my boss? Where are my brothers who wanted to be bosses? If they aren’t f.u.c.king disabled then they’re maimed. On the contrary, those who were spiritless have now peacefully found wives and gave birth to children. Zhi Gang who follows me now was also a well known person back in the day, but do you guys know what he used to do before he followed me?”

We both didn’t make a sound. Xiao Bo knew but he didn’t want to disrupt Brother Li’s talking spirit. I really didn’t know, only faintly remembering that there was a cripple by Brother Li’s side called Zhi Gang.

Brother Li smoked his cigarette, “A pedicab driver! It’s for your own good that I’m keeping you under control for now.”

Xiao Bo said, “I won’t make Little Six unhappy again in the future.”

Brother Li nodded and asked, “Do you want to continue helping in the karaoke bar? Or do you want to go to the dance hall?”

Xiao Bo said, “Karaoke bar.”

Brother Li laughed, “That’s fine, especially since you’re in second year of high school now and you want to go to university. Study hard and strive to be the first university student among us. As long as you’re able to get in, I’ll pay your school fees.”

Xiao Bo said in a low voice, “Thanks Brother Li.”

Brother Li stood up and walked towards the door, when he pa.s.sed by the sofa, he abruptly reached his hand out and took my gla.s.ses. I shrieked and chased him. He held my gla.s.ses high up in the air, teasing me, “Your temper has been growing with your height. A few years ago you were still dutifully calling me ‘Brother Li’, if it wasn’t for me, you would’ve took a life already yet now you dare to glare at me.”

I jumped up to reach but I still couldn’t reach it, Brother Li said, “Call me big brother and I’ll have mercy on you.”

The people in the hall all watched us laughing. Wu Zei also teased, “Four Eyed Panda, call big brother.”

Xiao Bo folded his arms and leaned against the door smiling.

I went around Brother Li, jumping to the left and right but yet still unable to grab my gla.s.ses. Although I was laughing whilst jumping, I refused to call him big brother thus he refused to give it to me. I was getting a bit impatient so I yanked at his suit, wanting to take it by foce.

Wu Zei loudly shouted, “Four Eyed Panda is being brutish again, Brother Li, don’t just be on guard against her hand, her mouth is deadlier than her hands.”

Don’t hit the face and don’t tear off scabs! Wu Zei this jerk is using whichever kettle that hasn’t boiled yet! I was so angry I couldn’t be bothered getting my gla.s.ses back, I took a plastic apple from the plate used for decorations in the hallway and threw it at Wu Zei. I occupied a commanding position so he was unable to defend himself from it.

Brother Li and Xiao Bo both leaned on the staircase watching while giving out sarcastic remarks. Wu Zei started cursing angrily.

The four of us used to play around together often, playing poker whilst sharing jokes but as Brother Li’s business grew bigger and bigger, everyone was busy and even when meeting, it was always to discuss business. It had been a long time since we had messed around like this so we laughed and shouted, half crazy and half insane, half for the sake of being happy and half because we wanted to cling to the happy times.

Wu Zei covered his head, dodging left and right, not expecting a few people to come in just at that moment. My apple whirled towards them and I watched as the apple was about to smash into the person at the front. One of the people among them ran out and jumped, catching the apple.

Although it was blurred, my short eye sight wasn’t too bad, his silhouette seemed very familiar and I immediately recognized the person who caught the apple was Zhang Jun. I also realized who the apple nearly smashed into and couldn’t help but be dumbfounded.

Brother Li slapped my back, he was using a hollow palm with the five fingers joined together and the middle of the palm shrinking back so when it landed, because there was air inside the palm, there was a loud smack sound but it didn’t actually hurt.

“You’ve caused trouble? Quickly apologize to Little Six and thank Little Brother Jun.”

As Brother Li was talking, he walked down the stairs and warmly pa.s.sed Little Six a cigarette, getting him to sit down.

Xiao Bo pulled me into a room and put my gla.s.ses back on my face, exhorting, “Stay in the room and don’t come out, when you want to go home, if they still haven’t left, go down from the balcony.”

He turned to leave but I held his arm and said, “Don’t go out, Little Six will definitely call people to pour you alcohol again.”

He smiled, “It’s fine, my alcohol intake is good.”

I could only let him go. I sat in the room for a while, I wanted to read but I couldn’t read it in so I decided to leave by flipping down the balcony. I gripped the railing with my hands, my body hanging in mid air, swaying to and fro, as I pondered whether to press my luck and just jump down or to try and grab on to the drain pipe on the side of the wall and slide down it.