黄雀记

To keep his legacy “fresh”, grandfather took a legacy photo every year. One day, teenager Bao Run accidentally took the wrong photo for his grandfather and saw the angry face of a young girl. He didnt know who she was but remembered that face.

Grandfather was a yearly burden, always taking his legacy photos. His daughter-in-law disliked him for being poor and was unwilling to see him. Eventually, grandfather lost his soul and reportedly turned into blue smoke and vanished during his last photo session. He went crazy and started digging up other peoples roots to find a flashlight that contained ancestral bones.

With the daughter-in-law refusing to care for him and his son not competing to do so, grandfather was left to be taken care of by the hospital. Grandfather began “destroying” the hospital's trees. Everyone was driven mad by grandfather, and Bao Run was left to take care of him. To tame the unruly old man, Bao Run invented his unique technique - braiding various knots adroitly - and used it to bind grandfather. Grandfather became obedient, and Bao Run became famous in the hospital, always requested to tame unruly patients.

One day, he saw the unknown girl from the photo in the hospital.

The girl had no name and had been abandoned by her parents and taken in by a hospital gardener; she was called the fairy. Though young and proud, she obeyed only a man named Liu Sheng. Bao Run couldnt resist the temptation and made a deal with Liu Sheng. Later, he found out that the fairy, who had been cheated by Liu Sheng, didnt like Bao Run. The two parted ways at the skating rink.

Bao Run was resentful, so Liu Sheng convinced the two of them to attend a ball and waltz; the event was held at the hospital's water tower. The fairy refused, so Bao Run used his knot-tying skill to tie her up in the water tank before leaving. However, a police car was waiting for him. Liu Sheng appeared, and Bao Run was left in prison for ten years with a false conviction, wasting ten years of his life.

During these ten years, the fairy was considered a "jinx" and left town, while Bao Runs family had already fallen apart. Liu Sheng felt guilty and took over caring for grandfather and ran a legitimate business. Unexpectedly, the fairy came back and changed her name to Bai Zhen. Liu Sheng fell in love with the prettier Bai Zhen. However, the past crime couldnt be erased, and Bai Zhen left once again.

Bao Run got out of prison, and Liu Sheng welcomed him. The two became close friends as if they had never owed each other anything. However, Bai Zhen came back with a baby in her belly, making it impossible for the three of them to not face the pain of the past. For Bao Run, dancing a waltz in the water tank with Bai Zhen was to "balance the books" with her. He thought his past with Liu Sheng was gone, but fate forced him to realize that debts have to be paid back. On Liu Sheng's wedding night, he "balanced the books" with him as well.

Bai Zhen left, leaving behind a blushing baby. He was lying in grandfather's arms, the one who lived longer and more immortal than anyone else.

作者简介

苏童，生于1963年，江苏苏州人，毕业于北京师范大学中文系，当过教师、编辑，现为江苏省作协专业作家。从1983年开始发表文学作品，主要代表作为中篇小说《妻妾成群》《红粉》《罂粟之家》《三盏灯》，长篇小说《米》《我的帝王生涯》《城北地带》《碧奴》《河岸》。