亡命土匪与怕死的公安 《女人和土匪》 （英译本）（64）

 

Chapter 64

 

Liu was stuck in his choices when he noticed Cao staring at the pistol at his waist. Cao knew Liu was a devil and a dead shot. They had once competed in firing. Liu shot down an orange off a tree.

Cao was aware that he could not escape now; the escape would incur death to him. He thought he might have to wait and see. He did not want to lose his life and woman so easily. He wanted to enjoy his life. That was his purpose for joining the revolution, wasn’t it?

Cao looked around and saw it was safe here. He said in a trembling voice, “Please don’t shoot, or the soldiers nearby will find you. If I die, you can’t live, either. Let’s make a deal, shall we?”

Liu realized that the man was coward. He put away his pistol and demanded, “Don’t play any trick on me!”

Cao replied, “I won’t. If you don’t kill me, we can make a deal.” Cao was aware of Liu’s cruelty. If Yang had not arrived in time at that time, Director Yan and he would have died. Today, he was unlucky in meeting this devil again.

Liu knew Cao was a man with tricks, but he also realized that he cared about his own life more than anything else. Liu was delighted at this thought. At least he did not need to escape. He could stay near the Zhang’s house for some time.

They came to the sick horse and removed the coal off it. It stood up. Liu took the horse, warning Cao, “Walk before me. If you escaped, you would suffer.”

A plainclothes man came. Cao whispered, “He is a plainclothes policeman. Don’t speak.”

Liu warned, “If you dared to say anything bad, I would kill you.”

The man came to Cao, who cleaned the coal off his hands, and said to Liu, “Dear brother, your horse is ill. I’ll show you the way to a vet for it in a while.”

The plainclothes man cast a glance at Liu, and asked Cao, “Any order from the superiors?”

Cao shook his head. Unexpectedly he said to Liu, “The horse is ill, and your coal has not been sold. It’s lunch time, but you are penniless. I’ll get you to eat something.”

The plainclothes man asked Cao, “I hear that you will go back to the government office after this mission. Right?”

Cao patted him, replying, “I’m not a public security worker. But I’ll tell the others that you’re a competent worker.”

The man echoed at once, “Thanks for the praise. It’s up to you for this mission. But please tell my sister-in-law to arrange a girl for me if possible.”

Cao gave him a pounding on the chest. The plainclothes man left. Cao said to Liu, “Follow me, please.”

Cao walked on towards Wu Simei’s house. The nearer he was to her house, the more nervous he was. He was aware that this might bring trouble to her. But wasn’t it good for him to die with his lover, if it must be so? Cao thought it natural for them to suffer together, as they were one in flesh now. Maybe the woman could help to save him, Cao thought.

Cao also thought Liu might come for Zhang. So, if he could survive, everything would be ok. He did not care about Zhang’s fate. Soon, they came to Wu’s house. Liu tied the sick and thin horse in front of the house.

As Wu appeared with make-ups, Liu could recognize that she was the prostitute he met last time. What a mean man Cao was! He even stayed together with such a woman.

The charming woman found the shabby-looking horse driver following Cao. She stopped him, saying, “Hey, horse-driver, will you please speak outside? Don’t enter my house in this way.”

Cao motioned to Wu, but she did not respond. She shouted, “Hey, horse-driver, will you please stand outside?”

Liu entered the house, pushing Wu away. This was a wooden hut. It was tidy inside. The earth wall had some moss and weed on it. There were some white chrysanthemums beside the wall. There was a kitchen and a store-room in the courtyard. Because of the coal-burning, the room smelled bad.

Liu put his horse-whip on the table, yelling, “I’ll give you a horse and a cart of coal. Can’t I sit down for a while?”

Cao said at once, “True. The horse is outside though it is unwell, and the coal is on the flatland opposite the Zhang’s house.”

Liu wanted to speak without Wu’s presence. Thus, he said, “The horse is lame. You can get a butcher for the sale. But the coal can be brought back home for use.”

Wu stared at the horse-driver, uttering with a sense of distrust, “Why do I pick up such a bargain? What’s the relationship between you?”

Liu said unexpectedly, “I’m a plainclothes policeman, and Cao is my subordinate. I’m here listening to his report. If you don’t get my request settled, you won’t benefit from me.”

Wu screamed at this, “Policeman? Incredible!”

Cao did not want to complicate the matter. Thus, he ordered her, “Just go out and settle the matter. I do have something important to talk with this man.”

Wu left. On the doorway Cao told her, “Don’t tell anyone else that I’m here. Just talk with a butcher about the sale of the horse. As for selling or retaining of the coal, it’s up to you.”

Liu saw Wu leave. Cao closed the door. Liu sat on a stool by the fireplace, saying, “Cao, don’t play tricks with me, or you’ll suffer.”

Cao replied, “No, I won’t. Please be calm. If you didn’t meet me today but someone else, you would be in trouble.”

Liu refuted, “Don’t threaten me this way.”

Cao said calmly, “Dear Liu, you may not know much about the situation. Did you enter the Zhang’s house that night?”

“Yes.”

“And you left an American grenade there?”

“Right.”

“And you killed a public security worker under a honey locust tree near the soccer stadium?”

“Yes.”

“But why didn’t you kill Zhang that night?”

Liu gave a smile of contempt.

“Then why did you enter the house? For Yang who exposed you? I don’t think so. For whom?”

Liu asked, “Are you examining me?”

“No. I just want to know something about what happened. To tell you the truth, the Zhang’s house has been under strict supervision since that night.”

Liu was relieved at this. Dai’s signal of warning was good to him, or he would have died. He recalled that he escaped that night by uttering “Commander Cao” as a password, and felt life was a game.

Liu smiled and thought Cao a card worth playing with. Didn’t he want to survive? Why not do a transaction with him? Maybe he could ask Cao to take Dai out for a meeting. But how could he have the matter settled?

He asked Cao, “What deal can be done between us?”

“I can send you out of the city safely.”

“What? That is trivial!”

“Mr. Liu, I have never done anything bad against you. Please have mercy on me.”

Liu asked, “If I wanted to take out my wife and kids out, what’s the best means?”

Cao was puzzled. He knew Liu was single. Then he answered, “You should have a government decree, a letter of proof and a pass. But they can’t be bought.”

Liu gave a cold laugh, “That means you must die.”

Cao looked at Liu in a pitiful way. He gave a cup of tea to Liu respectfully, saying, “You’re a smart man. It does you no good to kill me. If you let me live, probably I can help you.”

Liu thought it might be good to take away his lover and her kids away. Cao was a mean man, but he cared about his own life. He might sacrifice the party’s benefits for his own benefits, though that was dangerous.

He realized that Cao stayed together with his lover. Thus, he asked, “Do you have old uniforms like what you wear now?”

Cao replied, “Yes.”

Liu ordered, “Get me one.”

Cao entered the room inside and got one for Liu.

Liu put his pistol and grenade beside and changed his clothes. Cao found Liu had a thick belt around his waist. That must be gold and silver. If he could get some from him!

Liu asked, “Can you cut hair?”

Cao replied, “Yes.” He thought he might be able to kill Liu with a razor.

Liu put some bullets into his pistol and pointed at Cao, warning, “Take care. I know you are cunning.”

Cao was frightened, uttering, “How can I?” He cut hair for Liu fearfully. After the haircut, Liu shaved beard by himself. He looked at himself in the mirror, saying, “Not too bad.”

Then, Liu ate the noodles and egg that Cao cooked for him. Liu pointed at the uniform and asked Cao, “Do you know you have harbored a criminal?”

Cao replied in a pleasing way, “More than that. Connections with enemies and serving as an accomplice…”

Liu thought he should tell Cao his plan now. Then, he said mildly:

“Cao, we got to know each other some time ago. I once almost killed you and Yan. And today I met you again. You know me, and I know you, too. How did you sleep with this woman? I know it very well. Do you want me to expose your affairs?”

Cao asked, “Tell me how.”

Liu replied, “She is a prostitute. That night you checked her house and caught a man. Should I continue the account?”

Cao was aware that the prostitution was known by everyone. Did Liu have anything new? So, Cao said, “Go on.”

Unexpectedly Liu said, “If my account is true, will you be a bandit and listen to me?”

Cao thought Liu was just guessing. So, he replied, “If your account is true, I’ll be at your mercy. If not, let’s settle the matter at once by not hurting each other.”

Liu asked, “If my account is true but you don’t keep your promise, what will I do?”

Cao was nervous. The cold air made him uneasy. Sweat dropped down his cheeks. How could he follow a bandit? That would be punishment to him. But how could he survive?

Liu had a sip of tea, rubbed his hands and said, “If I were you, I would agree to the deal. You could be peaceful if you won. If you lost, your life would still be safe.”

Cao seemed to smell the fragrance of his lover. If he agreed to Liu, he could still stay with his lover. Or he had to die!

With this thought, Cao said:

“I won’t break my promise. If you won, I would do anything for you.”

“True?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Let me continue the account of the story. The woman dragged you and begged you for mercy, and promised to…”

Cao stared at Liu, asking, “Where did you see that?”