Zero and Other Fictions

by Huang Fan

  After a short distance, Lian Lian took his hand and sat with him on an iron bench beside the road.

  “It’s a beautiful night,” she said. “There are quite a few people out for strolls.”

  Xi De grew quiet. This place was totally unlike Central City, which was so cold and forbidding. Couples and groups of chatting young people sat under the bright streetlights. There was scarcely ever anyone on the streets of Central City after dark; everyone was busy with their own affairs in their own little spaces. The night’s activities were on the television screens courtesy of Central Television: all you had to do was get comfortable on the sofa and you could participate in any sort of game or televised discussion. If you felt like taking a break or drinking, the rooftop garden or ground-floor bar could be reached by elevator. But here, owing to a lack of electronic equipment, most people spent their time with other people.

  “Xi De, can I ask you something?”

  “Go ahead.”

  “How did you end up here?”

  “I had some problems with my job efficiency.”

  Xi De’s frankness left her a bit embarrassed.

  “I’ve never been to Central City, but I hear that it’s paradise.”

  “Perhaps.” Xi De shrugged his shoulders.

  “I hear you can get anything you want there,” she added.

  This time, Xi De did not answer. They stood up and headed toward Lian Lian’s place.

  It was a square, orderly apartment complex. At the door, she asked:

  “Would you like to come up and sit a while?”

  “Thanks,” said Xi De, “but it’s late.”

  It was a month before Xi De received another invitation from her. That night he slept with her.

  “Xi De, am I good?” asked Lian Lian, lying next to him.

  “Yes,” replied Xi De gloomily. A moment before he had been thinking about Zhen in Situmare.

  “Compared with the girls of Central City?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I don’t believe you,” said Lian Lian, becoming pettish. “I don’t believe you, I don’t believe you.”

  “Really, I don’t know.”

  “I hear the girls there are like snakes and they take drugs.”

  “Says who?”

  “The people in my office. They say that high-ranking cadres have access to aphrodisiacs.”

  “How do they know?”

  “They heard it from other people.”

  Xi De was somewhat surprised. There were so many rumors about Central City here. Many of his co-workers had asked him about them but had always been skeptical about his answers. The cadres in industrial cities were only allowed to visit Central City on official business. It was difficult to get permission to visit family there.

  “They said you were sent here as punishment for some offense and that sooner or later you’ll be sent back. Right?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I’d really like to go to Central City.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m bored here,” sighed Lian Lian, turning her naked back to Xi De. “It’s always the same old thing; I really want to get out of here.…”

  18

  Three months passed before Xi De was allowed to leave the Administrative District and go to the Steel Factory District due to computer problems there. The memory had become corrupted, and he was ordered to go and oversee repairs.

  At the entrance to the factory district, Xi De showed his pass. Then he was escorted to the security office, where a middle-aged man in blue work clothes was waiting for him.

  “Hello, Mr. Xi. I am the assistant director of the production statistics office. Welcome.”

  They took their seats in a small electric cart.

  “Security here is very strict,” observed Xi De.

  “Something happened recently,” replied the assistant director.

  Xi De didn’t pursue the matter. The cart passed among a number of tall buildings, from some of which ear-splitting banging was heard, from some of which fiery light was seen.

  The cart slowed in front of a burned-out building where a group of people were gesticulating.

  “Look at that,” said the assistant director. “They’ve been at it again.”

  “Who?”

  “The Defend the Earth Army.”

  “Defend the Earth Army,” Xi De said, astonished. “What’s that?”

  “You’ve never heard of them?” he asked incredulously. “How can you people in administration not know?”

  “I’m new here.”

  “No wonder. The Defend the Earth Army is probably composed of a bunch of workers with mental problems. Their favorite thing to do is burn down buildings. At least they don’t hurt people.”

  “Why did they choose such a strange name?”

  “Who knows?”

  At a building covered in gray sheet metal, they got out of the cart.

  “They’ll never be able to burn this building,” said the assistant director in the elevator.

  When the elevator door opened, they stepped into the statistics office.

  It was a big, bustling office, with many people moving to and fro; the walls were covered with charts and graphs. Instruments for analysis, fax machines, and computers were everywhere. Each and every machine emitted its own sound. The air was filled with an atmosphere of anxiety and efficiency. A woman stood up from a table where an electric typewriter sat—she was the assistant to the assistant director. She proceeded to lead the way.

  Three or four people were standing around the computer that was having problems.

  “The guy from administration is here,” said the assistant director. “How’s it coming?”

  “More than one place has been corrupted,” replied one of them, without lifting his head.

  “Before the office closes,” said the assistant director, “I’ll contact administration and ask them to let you stay another day. You can sleep at my place.”

  Dusk fell quickly. With the others getting off work, they left the statistics office.

  “The residential district is next to the factory. It’s only a ten-minute walk from here,” said the assistant director. “You’d better not show that pass so as to avoid trouble with security.”

  The residential district hugged the shore of the lake, and by the light of the setting sun the buildings cast long reflections on the lake’s surface.

  “Our residences can’t compare with those in the Administrative District, but our houses, which are made out of synthetic materials, have their good points—they look a little more alive.”

  On both sides of the wide street stood neat rows of colorful two-story houses, each with a small lawn and a few bushes in front.

  “There are several thousand residences here in the Factory District,” said the assistant director. “Everyone is allocated a house, but the higher your position, the bigger the house and the better the facilities.”

  “These two-story houses look plenty comfortable,” commented Xi De. “Sometimes I don’t like to take the elevator.”

  “We’re almost there. It’s still early. Let’s go get a drink first.”

  “Do you live alone?”

  “No. I have a wife. We’ve been married for twenty years. She works in the commissary.”

  “Do you have any kids?”

  “No. We’ve never been authorized.”

  They chatted as they walked. The street was full of people who had just gotten off work. Some, arms around each other’s shoulders, sang.

  A pretty girl approached from the opposite direction. They both fixed their eyes on her at the same time.

  “It’ll be even livelier later; just wait and see,” said the assistant director. “Ah, here’s the bar.”

  The bar was filled with workers just off work. The assistant director frowned and pushed his way toward the bar with Xi De.

  “My wife and I really hope to live in the Administrative District,” said the assistant director, raising
a glass.

  Xi De took a sip. It was a bitter, low-quality wine.

  “Is there any green liquor?”

  “Goodness!” said the assistant director. “I’ve only had that a few times in my life, and that was at the factory director’s house.”

  “What are those people doing?”

  “They’re playing computer games. Lousy punks, I can’t stand ‘em. Let’s finish our drinks and get out of here.”

  As they were leaving, a worker started singing that popular song in a loud voice:

  There is no past, there is no future,

  There is nothing but the present for us.

  There is no sadness, there is no happiness,

  There is nothing but indifference for us.

  There is no argument, there is no splitting,

  There is nothing but work for us.

  At the assistant director’s lovely acrylic table, Xi De sat chewing a steak.

  “The steak is from New Zealand. Have some more,” said the hostess in all politeness. She was a plump, middle-aged woman with small eyes.

  “Hemei is very happy,” said the host. “We so rarely have the opportunity to entertain a guest from the Administrative District.”

  After dinner, his host took Xi De out. His wife begged off, claiming a headache.

  Night had already fallen, but the streets were lit as bright as day as people came and went. Filled with curiosity, Xi De stared wide-eyed, taking in everything around him.

  To him, the lives of the lowest stratum of people in the new society were so true that they seemed almost unreal. Although he had seen snippets from news broadcasts on television about a celebration or something, he had never seen life firsthand for himself. The impression was quite different—the infectious excitement, the hubbub or an unexpected shout, seemed to have a physicality all their own that struck you, willing or not.

  “These people don’t know how to use their heads,” said the assistant director, dodging a young fellow who tried to butt him with his shoulder. “All they know how to do is cause trouble.”

  “Do they just roam the streets when they get off work?”

  “Yes! What else are they supposed to do?”

  This made sense to Xi De. The life of a worker had been so simplified that it consisted of only two important parts (the life of a farmer was a different story).

  The first part consisted of professional training. As children, they had been assigned by the Ministry of Education to study at one of the many vocational schools until they grew up. These schools imparted a single, limited curriculum; the training received by the students amounted to nothing more than the continuing of a technical skill. For a newly graduated electrician from one of these schools, a comprehensive knowledge of all the electronic devices in the new world was sufficient to occupy him for a lifetime. Of course, there was no way to acquire the knowledge of any other field, if he had the will to do so. The second part consisted of private life after work. The most important thing here was the indulgence of one’s instincts. The workers could amuse themselves in satisfying their desires and hopes in a richly varied material life. As to spiritual life, the workers lacked the basic concepts and vocabulary to be aware of their emptiness. They were allowed to paint and perform music, but they were limited to the simple smearing of pigments and strumming an instrument. The workers could not partake of a higher artistic realm, nor did they have the least interest in doing so.

  Xi De and his host stood listening to a street performance. The four musicians played simple quartets. The many spectators applauded at each pause in the music.

  “Their greatest hope is to be able to perform on television in Central City,” said the assistant director to Xi De. “We hold a musical competition every year.”

  “Do they write their own songs?”

  “No, the music is distributed by the Ministry of Education.”

  As they exited the crowd, several people eyed the pass on Xi De’s lapel with curiosity, but that was as far as it went. They entered another bar for a drink and played a pinball-like computer game, but because of Xi De’s lack of skill, they only played half a game, the assistant director finding it boring.

  “Let’s go someplace else,” said the assistant director, already a bit tipsy. “You have to experience everything to the fullest.”

  “What sort of place?”

  “It’s a high-class place, a real high-class place.”

  As they turned down a different street, a huge neon sign suddenly appeared before them.

  “Ke Ke’s Bar?”

  “Ke Ke is the name of the owner. He is one of the wealthy people here.”

  Xi De found the word “wealthy” very strange. Perhaps only such a place produced such people. In Central City, money conferred very little special power. And after the elimination of the currency system, the most a person could buy with it were articles of daily use, none of which would be lacking to a high-ranking administrator.

  “Wealthy?” he couldn’t help but ask.

  “The guy has more money than you can shake a stick at. His house is fixed up like a palace, and he always has five or six mistresses.”

  “How’d he get so much money?”

  “By opening bars and casinos, among other things.”

  “Oh.” So such places still existed in the Industrial District.

  It was a luxurious bar with thick carpet. Next to the bar was a small dance floor on which several women in hot pants were bumping and grinding. They found a seat near the dance floor. The assistant director tossed a small copper onto the floor and the girls twisted even more vigorously.

  “Tart,” he muttered.

  “Why are you still using money here?”

  “Can you gamble without it?” asked the assistant director. “The committee had to okay it, but only in the Factory District and not in the Administrative District.”

  At that moment a heavy-set fellow in a bright red shirt approached. His laughter could be heard at some distance.

  “Assistant Director, you haven’t forgotten me, have you?

  “Nonsense, Ke Ke. This is Xi De from the Administrative District.”

  “A rare visitor, a rare visitor,” said the portly fellow, stretching out his hand. “Welcome.”

  He sat down as he spoke.

  “Brother Xi, in which department do you work?”

  “Don’t be scheming now,” said the assistant director.

  “I work in resource analysis.”

  “That’s a good place. I have some friends in the commodities section,” said Ke Ke. “Jin Qi, Li Shilin …”

  “I don’t know them,” replied Xi De. “I haven’t been in the Administrative District long.”

  “That’s okay,” said Ke Ke, a bit disappointed, “that’s okay.”

  “Ke Ke,” said the assistant director, “this is Mr. Xi’s first visit here. What have you got to show him?”

  “You needn’t say more,” said the portly fellow. “Let’s go to the box.”

  The curtain to the box moved and Ke Ke entered, holding a bottle of wine, with two women in revealing dress.

  “This is Qing Qing, this is Lu Lu, and this is a bottle of red liquor I got from the Administrative District,” he said. “I have some business to attend to so I can’t stay.”

  After Ke Ke left, the box became quite boisterous. At first Xi De was at a loss, but he soon came around.

  “Assistant Director,” said Xi De, “how did he get his hands on a bottle of this?”

  “He is very resourceful and can bring things in from the Administrative District,” said the assistant director, holding Lu Lu. “Don’t worry about it, Xi De. Let’s drink. Lu Lu, offer him a toast.”

  After half a round they became aware of a disturbance on the other side of the curtain, following which the curtain parted and a drunk and angry young man forced his way in. Ke Ke hurriedly rushed in to block him.

  “Oh! So here you are.”

  “We can talk things over,
Xu,” said the stout fellow, becoming somewhat anxious.

  “So it’s you,” said Xu, looking at the man sitting next to Lu Lu. “Assistant Director, what a pal!”

  “We can talk things over, we can talk things over, we’re all friends here,” Ke Ke kept repeating.

  “Who is he?” Xi De couldn’t help but ask.

  “He’s an officer from the police affairs section,” said the assistant director, frowning, “and he’s drunk. What a pain!”

  The police officer continued to cause a scene for a while before deciding to focus his attention on one of the young ladies right before him. He reached to grab Qing Qing, who was behind Xi De.

  “What are you doing?” asked Xi De, preventing him.

  “Who are you?” The police officer seemed to sober up and paused before pressing his face close to Xi De.

  “He is an official from the Administrative District,” interjected Ke Ke.

  “I don’t care what district he’s from. This is the Factory District, not the Administrative District,” he said, steeling his heart. “Hold out your hand, I want to check your ID.”

  “He is from the Administrative District,” said the assistant director, becoming angry. “You must not have noticed his pass. There is a limit to such jokes.”

  “I don’t care. Hold out your hand. I don’t trust passes.”

  He’s raising hell just to raise hell, thought Xi De. He did stretch out his hand and place it before the young man’s eyes.

  “AH5481,” read the police officer. By the time he reached the last number, he was entirely sober.

  “Good Lord!” shouted the stout fellow.

  “A …” muttered the police officer, frightened. “You’re a central official?”

  Silent, Xi De stood up. He never expected that the ID number on the back of his hand could have such an impact here.

  “It’s okay. There’s been a mistake,” said the assistant director, patting the police officer on the shoulder, all smiles. “Old Xu, I told you that you had too much to drink, but you wouldn’t listen to me. Hurry up and apologize to his honor.”

  The police officer stood stunned for a while before stammering:

  “S-sorry, S-sir …”

  “Forget it.”

  A profoundly unfathomable smile appeared on Xi De’s face.