The Dragon's Village: An Autobiographical Novel of Revolutionary China Read Online Free PDF Page A

Daughters
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    I took the magazine out from under my sweater and pushed it through the grill of the gate. He gave a quick glance through it and was gone.
    I spent the night sleepless and troubled. I was appalled at what I might have done to my aunt and uncle. The next morning I came down late to breakfast to find them already at the table.
    â€œYou look nervous.” My uncle peered around the side of his newspaper. “What are you thinking about?”
    The question found me in a daze, and I mumbled, “Nothing, Uncle.”
    Uncle and Aunt exchanged glances.
    â€œWhy did you ask me that?” I asked him, collecting my thoughts.
    â€œYou held up your spoon but you paused and never put your rice gruel in your mouth,” said my uncle’s voice from behind the newspaper.
    I breathed hard. Perhaps I had already gotten them intotrouble. It was impossible not to tell them about it. I couldn’t leave them unprepared for whatever might happen.
    â€œLast night …” I began my confession. Uncle slowly lowered his newspaper, glowering. My aunt could not have looked more astounded if she had seen the legendary bird with nine heads flying by.
    I left my bowl of rice unfinished and rushed to my room, where I hid myself for the whole day. Even by the evening I couldn’t muster enough courage to face the family. Soon after suppertime they sent the maid to ask me to join them with some friends in the drawing room.
    A burst of light and animated chatter flooded out into the hallway as I opened the door of the room. Several of our intimate friends had gathered at the urgent call of my uncle and aunt, and I found them sitting in a semicircle around the fireplace. From the way they turned to smile at me as I entered, the kind of smile that was meant to reassure a wayward child of its parents’ love, I knew this was a tribunal organized for my benefit. I groaned inwardly. My uncle looked solemn although he tried to appear as if nothing unusual was happening. It was my aunt who formally opened the proceedings.
    â€œLing-ling, tonight I invited our very dear, old friends in to give us some helpful advice. They knew your parents before you were born. And they know your uncle and I brought you up as one of our own.” My aunt’s nose became red. “I took on a terrible responsibility when I promised your mother I would always treat you and love you as if you were my own child. I am thankful that our friends have kindly agreed to share my responsibility.”
    Looking around at the gathering, I remembered once when my aunt had taken me along to help the black sheep of a friend’s family to “see the light.” I had sat on her lap happily munching sweets, wondering what that black sheep had done to make his family so bitter. Afterwards I asked my aunt, but she replied, “You are too young to understand. You see, it’s not only his fault, but his parents’ as well. Family upbringing is very important. They spoiled him and now it’s difficult to change him.” Kissing my forehead,my aunt’s face had lit up with affection as if to say, “But you are a good child; you will always be my joy and comfort.” Poor Auntie.
    Mr. Li, because of his age and position, spoke next. “Ling-ling, I know you won’t like what I’m going to tell you. You may think we are interfering in your private affairs. But has it occurred to you that you’ve done something which could very well bring disaster to your family? The secret police are on the lookout for subversives and Communists and it’s clear that the papers your friend gave you were of a most compromising nature. It’s possible nothing may come of this; on the other hand, the danger of your being implicated is great, and that would bring in the whole family.”
    â€œBut Ling-ling didn’t know what those papers were.” Madame Lu was already devising my defense. “If she knew