Northern Girls: Life Goes On

by Sheng Keyi

  Cooling down, she picked up a book, hoping it would lull her to sleep. After she had dozed off for a while, there was a knock at the door.

  ‘Dachang?’ She felt a burst of joy. Opening the door, she was startled to see a strange woman standing there, eyes like ice and not a trace of friendliness in her expression.

  Before Xiaohong could speak, the woman marched right in. She spent a full ten seconds staring at Xiaohong’s breasts, then proceeded to inspect the four corners of the room, like a police officer carrying out an investigation of a crime scene.

  ‘You. Who are you?’ Though she had an idea, Xiaohong hoped to buy a little time with her question.

  ‘Who am I? You mean Dachang didn’t tell you? Just like he didn’t tell me who you are?’ The woman had dark skin. Her expression was so awe-inspiring that it caused Xiaohong to stumble over her attempt at using Mandarin.

  ‘You… you’ve got it all wrong. I’ll be moving to the factory dorm soon. Zhu Ge and me, we’re just friends.’ She didn’t know what she could say to make the woman understand.

  ‘Just friends? You take me for an idiot? If not for Ma, I’d still be in the dark!’ The woman said angrily, hands on her hips.

  Ma? What did Ma say? That scumbag! What a bastard! Xiaohong wanted to haul Ma into the room and give him a few good slaps before making him clear up this mess.

  ‘Don’t act innocent with me. I know you’re a trashy little thing. I can see what you are, you slut!’ The woman was like a beast cornering its prey. Even as she changed her position, her hands stayed firmly on her hips. Her eyes swept once more over the room.

  ‘Hey! Have a little respect! You’re supposed to be a teacher. You don’t need to resort to such foul language.’ Xiaohong, barely able to stand anymore, took on the look of a cornered badger.

  ‘What’s being a teacher got to do with it? You think a teacher can’t swear as well as a cheap thing like you?’ The woman’s stance was uncompromising.

  Xiaohong suddenly realised that there was something wrong with the woman. The more you entertained her, the more energetic she became. The more charged her arguments, the more self-righteous she became.

  Burning with anger, Xiaohong lifted her head proudly, stuck out her chest and smiled contemptuously. ‘What is it you want? I’m sleeping with Dachang. So what? Fuck off!’ And with that, she slapped her hands on her hips.

  Shocked to hear this, the woman’s face changed. Plopping herself down on the bed, she began to whimper softly.

  VIII

  Though Xiaohong had added nothing new to her luggage, it seemed heavier than ever as she carried it to work before dawn the next morning. Leaving was like a sudden blast of cold wind in the face, blowing a feeling of uncertainty into her mind. She stretched then shrugged violently, feeling depressed and cold. The curtains were drawn over the window of Dachang’s room, which was shrouded in darkness. All that separated the warmth of the room from the chill she felt was a thin layer of glass. Xiaohong exhaled heavily but she did not cry. Spitting on the ground, she said to herself, ‘A window of opportunity will open somewhere.’

  After tossing her luggage into the guard room, she ate a bowl of noodles at a stall near the factory. She had just clocked in when her stomach began to gurgle. Feeling a little discomfort, she went to the washroom. She made ten more trips to the toilet during her shift, making a bee line there so many times that the flat-chested line manager came to her with a warning. ‘According to the rules, you’re allowed three toilet breaks per shift. It’s obvious you’re just being lazy.’ Runway took a condescending tone, as if she were some VIP and she spoke without an ounce of sympathy.

  Ah Jun spoke up for Xiaohong. ‘Ma’am, she’s got diarrhoea. See how horrible she looks!’

  ‘Diarrhoea? If everyone gets diarrhoea like her, who’s going to keep up production?’ Runway turned on Ah Jun, raising her voice a little. People always mistook Ah Jun for a gentle person. Xiaohong wondered where she had really come from. Runway didn’t quite dare to be too fierce.

  ‘You think I want to have diarrhoea? You think it feels good? How can you be so cold? Didn’t you come out from the assembly line yourself? How can a worker so quickly become an accomplice of the capitalists?’ It took great effort to retaliate in this way. Her body was spent from the day of illness, and she could barely lift a hand. She hardly had sufficient strength to run to the toilet. Finishing her spiel, she could only lie on the work bench.

  Runway had not expected this outburst from Xiaohong. Recovering from the initial shock, she said, ‘I’ll report this situation to the director!’ She turned, her rump swaying as she marched to the office.

  ‘Ah Hong, you need to get some medicine.’ Touching her forehead, Ah Jun let out a cry, ‘You’ve got a fever.’

  ‘Have I?’ Xiaohong felt her own head.

  ‘Maybe you just haven’t quite adapted to the water here yet. What’d you eat this morning?’

  ‘A bowl of noodles from the stall next door.’

  ‘How could you eat there? It’s filthy!’ Ah Jun’s eyes enlarged to occupy her whole face. Xiaohong didn’t have energy even to shake her head in response, much less to speak.

  Just then, Runway came back.

  ‘Ma’am, Ah Hong’s got a high fever. Feel it,’ Ah Jun said anxiously.

  ‘Fine. Ah Jun, take her to the hospital. Go straight there and come straight back. Xiaohong, you take half-day sick leave. Go on!’ Runway jotted down a few notes on Xiaohong’s work card.

  ‘Ma’am, can you arrange a bed in the dorm for me? I don’t have a place to stay. I’ve put my luggage in the guard house.’

  ‘Seems there might be a free bed. Go and see a doctor first, and we’ll see what we can do when you get back.’

  Not wanting to go to the hospital, Xiaohong stopped at a nearby shop and picked up some medicine, then went back to Ah Jun’s bed in the dorm to rest. The diarrhoea stopped but the fever had not yet subsided. She fell into a fitful sleep. Her whole body was so hot she was afraid the quilt would burst into flames. She was dizzy, feeling like her system was an irrigation ditch through which waters rapidly rolled. Just as she finally fell into a deeper sleep, through the haze she felt someone pushing her. ‘Ah Hong… Ah Hong, someone’s here to see you.’

  Groggily, she opened her eyes to see Ah Jun’s grinning face.

  ‘Hey, Ah Hong! It’s me!’ Suddenly a head leaned in so close that Xiaohong could only see a dark shadow.

  ‘Me! Li Sijiang! I came to see you after work.’ Seeing the familiar smile on that apple-shaped face, Xiaohong felt a flood of affection.

  ‘So, Sijiang, you worked out how to get here, huh?’

  ‘Bud gave me a lift. I wanted to see your workplace. No fever now,’ Sijiang said, feeling her forehead.

  ‘Where is Bud? Why didn’t he come in?’

  ‘He’s outside waiting for me. For a while there, I was afraid I wouldn’t find you. Lucky for me I bumped into her,’ Sijiang said, pointing to Ah Jun and giving her a big grin. Ah Jun pulled a chair over to the bed and invited Sijiang to sit down.

  ‘She’s been really nice to me. I felt like I wanted to die today!’ As she spoke, Xiaohong got up from the bed. ‘How the hell are you? How is your new job in the factory?’

  ‘Life in the factory… from morning to night, you stand until your legs are wobbly, without anywhere to sit your arse down even for a minute.’

  ‘Ha! Sijiang, all I do all day is sit until I think my arse is glued to the chair! Bloody hell, it’s unfair!’

  ‘Xiaohong, are you alright?’ Runway came in, bringing the smell of perfume into the cramped quarters.

  ‘Yeah, I’m much better, Ma’am. Is my bed ready?’

  ‘Yes. Next door, upper bunk. Tomorrow you report for your shift as per usual.’ Runway finished her account and left. She never talked unnecessarily to the assembly line workers, as if attempting to maintain the dignity of her post.

  ‘Phew! What is that crap?’ Xiaohong spat through the heavy fragrance l
ingering in the room, provoking peals of laughter from Sijiang and Ah Jun.

  After Sijiang left, Ah Jun went with Xiaohong to buy a quilt, pillow and wash basin. Ah Jun bargained for her, making the shopkeeper unhappy to see his prices slashed. Still, profit was profit, and he had no choice but to sell. After spending just a little money, she had everything she needed. They walked back to the dorm, both girls wobbling under the weight as they lugged their burdens along.

  When they returned, Xiaohong saw a familiar motorcycle parked outside the dorm. Hearing someone call her name, she turned round to see Zhu Dachang standing there casually, a strange smile on his face. She hesitated a moment, wrinkling her nose and trying not to cry. She wanted to smile but didn’t manage to.

  ‘Put your things down and I’ll take you both for dinner,’ he said.

  Ah Jun shook her head several times. ‘You two go ahead, I’ve got a friend from my hometown coming over. I need to wait for him.’ She smirked at Xiaohong.

  ‘I’ll take you for pork chops.’ He liked to say, ‘I’ll take you’. It had a warm, companionable sound to it. Xiaohong swallowed, warmth filling her heart.

  ‘I’m sorry you were treated so badly,’ he said to her, obviously embarrassed by what had happened. ‘She’s often jealous for no good reason.’

  ‘Don’t talk like that. I’ve caused you trouble. I never meant to.’ She hadn’t really stopped to think about how angry that woman might be or the suffering it could cause Dachang.

  ‘Well, I told her there was nothing between the two of us, but she said she’d die before she’d believe that. According to her, you admitted it, so why should I try to hide it? She forced me into saying I’d been to bed with you before she’d finally give it up. Women! Unbelievable!’ he shook his head.

  ‘You mean I’m unbelievable? Anyway, both of us gave the same answer. So, does this mean it’s over for the two of you?’ God, what kind of game is this? Have I got myself into trouble now? She thought and stood up straight, her eyes opened wide, glancing at him from beneath her lashes.

  ‘Actually, it’s really nothing to do with you. She’s always believed every rumour she’s ever heard about me. I don’t know if I can stand her anymore. It’ll never end. Even though I admitted it, she was still sceptical. Anyway, let’s forget it. How about we go and try those pork chops?’

  ‘I’m sorry. I don’t think so.’

  ‘Silly girl. You just work hard, then, and call me if you need anything.’

  IX

  Xiaohong found that the beige jacket she’d hung up was missing. Ah Jun had reminded her not to leave it out. Still, it had to be washed and hung out to dry. She was too lazy to make a complaint. She knew how things worked here and knew that anything of even a little value could grow wings and fly off into someone else’s embrace.

  Her work became even more tedious, an unending line of monotony. She counted it off on her fingers. Twenty days she’d been at it, twenty days on end. Other than the half-day of sick leave, every day was the same and she went through it all in that robotic fashion. Clock in at eight a.m., clock out at eight p.m., without any margin of error. Back to the dorm, eight beds to a room. People were always coming and going, each individual’s smell mixing with the rest. Only the odour coming from the shared toilet was stronger, becoming especially offensive when a queue of women waited to clear their systems. The tap water was always cold but they had so little time for washing their faces that it didn’t matter much. When they did have time for a quick spit bath, they just had to grin and bear it. Factory regulations allowed a fan in the summer and a small space heater in the winter. It was lucky that winters this far south were mild, making it easy to bear. Frostbite and flu, at least, were not major problems. Each day when they came back, they’d dillydally through their cleaning up. At ten-thirty, it was lights out, and they went to bed. They slept till morning, then got up and queued for the toilet. After washing, dressing and running a comb through their hair, they were herded back into their cage on the factory floor where they repeated the previous day’s routine.

  There was about a fortnight left until the Spring Festival holiday. People began to stir, all decked out in festive colours. Clothes and food were plentiful, ready for holiday-makers to purchase in preparation for their celebrations. She went shopping in the evening with Ah Jun, who bought a little of this and a little of that, getting ready to make a trip home for the holiday.

  ‘Ah Jun, how long’s it been since you went home?’ she asked. Ah Jun seemed to want to buy the whole market and take everything back home. Xiaohong wondered where this strong desire to purchase so many things came from.

  ‘Two years! My parents are looking forward to me being home. I want to get some more clothes for my brother and sister.’

  ‘You’re the oldest?’

  ‘Yeah. They’re still at school.’

  ‘Ah Jun, you work so hard. Why don’t you buy some clothes for yourself?’

  ‘I’m in the factory all day every day. I only need my uniform.’

  ‘You’re so generous. If my sister was like you, I’d be so happy I could die. But remember to get something for yourself.’

  When they went for fast food, Ah Jun always bought the cheapest meal, such as tofu or radish. She’d simply say, ‘That’s what I like to eat.’ But Xiaohong didn’t believe it for a minute. How could she like that bland stuff?

  Looking at her friend’s face, Xiaohong saw those eyes light up when they talked about her family and felt a twinge of sadness.

  It was crowded. People were exchanging money everywhere, peeling notes off fat wads of cash, each stack as thick as a roll of toilet paper. They took in a note, handed out a note, everyone seemingly willing to spend every last penny. Workers happily parted with their money. Ah Jun joined the ranks, buying so much that the two of them could hardly carry it all home. Accompanying Ah Jun had its rewards. Halfway home, a small slip of red paper pasted on a wall caught Xiaohong’s eye. She leaned in closer and saw a job advertisement:

  Qianshan Hotel — hiring two front desk attendants

  The paste was still wet, so obviously it had not been there long. Without a word, Xiaohong tore off the address.

  ‘What are you tearing that off for?’ Ah Jun asked in surprise.

  ‘Do you know where the Qianshan Hotel is?’

  ‘Hm. I suppose it must be in Qianshan Town. About three or four miles from here.’

  ‘I’m going to apply tomorrow. You tell Runway that I’m sick to my stomach and went to the hospital. Remember to take leave for me so I don’t lose my hard-earned money!’ Xiaohong put it all so simply, it was as if she’d been planning it for days. Ah Jun was a little dumbfounded.

  Six

  I

  When it came to dressing, Xiaohong had a certain flair. She would mix and match, trying on this blouse with that skirt, and in this way came up with new outfits to remain fashionable. With a dark blue jacket over stone-washed jeans and a simple pair of flats, hair let down and parted on the side, and clothes pressed neatly so as to emphasise her full bust, she decided she made a very good impression. Having squeezed her way onto the bus and jostled along for about ten minutes, she reached Qianshan Town. As soon as she alighted, she saw the sign for the Qianshan Hotel in faded gold letters. A few vehicles were lined up in front of the hotel. It looked pretty quiet. The façade was glass and Xiaohong almost crashed right into it. Flustered, she pushed open the door, feeling a flush of embarrassment. The clothes that had made her feel so satisfied just a little earlier now seemed tawdry and tacky. The wall beside the reception desk was hung with several flashy clocks. The time displayed on each clock was that of a different location, with the names of various cities written on cards under their respective time-pieces. A pretty girl in a dark blue jacket sat smiling at the counter.

  ‘Hello, Miss. Is there anything I can help you with?’ she said. She had long hair, almond-shaped eyes and skin so fair and delicate it almost seemed you could see right through to the blood vessel
s beneath.

  ‘Oh. Um, I’d like to speak to the manager. Which floor is his office on?’ Xiaohong thought the girl, her uniform and her smile very attractive, even though her teeth were not very white.

  ‘May I ask what it is concerning?’ a lady standing nearby, slightly older than the girl, asked.

  ‘Well, I’m here about the desk attendant’s job.’

  ‘Oh?’ The older woman turned to the almond-eyed girl and asked, ‘We’re hiring?’

  ‘I think so. I’ll call and ask the manager.’ The girl punched the buttons on the phone. ‘Hello, Mr Pan? There’s a girl here to apply for the desk attendant’s post… Mm-hm… Mm-hm… OK.’

  Putting down the phone, the almond-eyed girl smiled at Xiaohong and said, ‘The manager’s office is 509. Go on up. The lift is next to the stairs.’

  ‘Thank you, both.’ Xiaohong smiled happily. She already liked this place.

  The carpet was old, its red weave soon to be completely threadbare with age. Walking on it, there was no echo of footsteps, making it seem as if the people floated over the ground like spirits. She knocked on the door of the manager’s office and heard a muffled response, ‘Come in!’

  When she wrenched open the heavy door, she was met with a suite so luxurious it stopped her in her tracks.

  ‘Mr Pan, hello! I’m here to apply.’ She had already finished speaking by the time she finally located the manager’s figure in the vast room.

  ‘Please have a seat. I’ll be with you shortly,’ Mr Pan said, not even bothering to look up at her from his perch behind the desk.

  Xiaohong sat on a sofa, her eyes making a quick tour of the room. She thought to herself, Wow! Stylish, very stylish! The chandelier hanging from the ceiling was made up of numerous small bulbs, layer upon layer, lighting the room brightly. Trophies glistened inside a trophy case, a couple of them even larger than the giant pickle jar in the kitchen back home. There were also rows of books, and a painting hung on the wall. The manager’s oversized desk was as big as a bed.