Cai Xu: The Smile of Life (Eight Chapters)
Cai Xu
座 次
No one's name was written on the chairs, yet at the dinner party, no one sat in the wrong seat.
It seems they have a "seat yourself" function.
Although it was a round table, the seating arrangement—who sat in the main seat, who sat opposite, who sat next to whom—was implicitly determined.
Sometimes, when acquaintances get together, as soon as one person sits down, everyone finds their place.
No one is really ranking anyone. Naturally, a certain order is at play.
Life is thus regulated.
Some people are very enthusiastic about these rules, while others really hate them.
Hating it won't help. Everyone else is complying, so you have no choice but to comply too.
Where is there a life without seating arrangements?
No wonder many people like to sit on the grass, forming circles, with laughter and songs freely flowing through the blades of grass.
No need for a seating arrangement. And it's impossible to have one.
Empty chair
This chair has been empty the whole time.
It is both the same and different from the other nine chairs surrounding the large round table.
They are all chairs, but their positions are different.
The large color TV on the wall directly opposite is called the main seat or the chief seat.
Surrounded by many eyes and well wishes, and the longing of all the glasses.
Many people want to sit, but are afraid to.
They are all people of status, no need for arrangements, each took their assigned seats.
Sitting in the wrong seat can be a faux pas.
If you act recklessly without understanding the rules, you might not even have a chair next time.
This chair has been empty the whole time.
It is said that the person who was supposed to sit in this chair has not yet appeared.
It might suddenly arrive at any time, perhaps just waiting there vacant.
There might also be many chairs waiting for him to sit on in rotation.
Until all the dishes were served, almost cold; until all the champagne glasses were finally raised high—
This chair is still empty.
It's been vacant.
借 光
When turning off the lights to sleep, my wife pulls the curtains very, very tight.
Not even a sliver of light from outside is allowed to invade her slumber.
I'm the opposite. I always have to secretly lift the curtains just a little bit.
Even a sliver of hope is crucial.
Not only at night when you get up, it can create a guide.
There must be a glimmer of light—
Illuminate my dreams.
The refrigerator doesn't put salt.
Put in the oysters, chewy shad, and silverfish.
Put in the spare ribs, pig trotters, and pork belly.
Put in the local chicken eggs, sea duck eggs, and quail eggs.
My wife says to put whatever she wants in.
Including, my “best partner” for eating congee, fermented soybean paste...
Of course, don't put the salt in either.
My wife said it won't go bad.
A banquet
When he placed a plastic bag on the dining table, it aroused the curiosity of everyone present.
This is the mayor's welcome dinner, and he is the distinguished guest of this tourist city.
This person, who doesn't use disposable chopsticks, took out their own chopsticks and spoon from a bag.
When I handed him a tissue, he pulled out an old handkerchief.
In a lively atmosphere, people witnessed the unique personality of the environmental expert.
But what treasure is in this plastic bag?
Under everyone's gaze, he revealed the answer without a sound.
The bag is full of trash. He said he collected it from the scenic beach.
The airflow instantly stopped, and the mayor's smile froze.
It is said that the banquet proceeded as usual, so who could say the entire gathering was unhappy?
It was revealed that laughter and joy were still the keynote of the banquet.
Someone with low emotional intelligence?
A highly intelligent person?
A rare person in the world?
A person lacking in the human world?
When I heard this story, I was at a loss for words.
Scrap dealer
A single sentence from a junk company owner brought tears to my eyes.
The scrap company is a small company, and the boss is just a small boss.
But scrap companies aren't scrap, and the people who collect trash aren't trash either.
That day, he drove his small truck to the entrance of the large company where they had agreed to meet, but he couldn't get in.
The big boss of the large company came downstairs, pointed at his feet, and said his dirty sneakers would track dirt into his office.
Yes, he spends all day together with the workers in the landfill and workshop, how can his shoes stay clean?
The big boss asked him to go back and change his shoes before coming back, which made him feel awkward.
It's quite a round trip; his car is going to use so much more gas.
He had no choice but to go out onto the street and buy a pair of shoe covers to put on his shoes before he could come upstairs.
The big boss told him, however, that his wife was in charge of the scrap metal, and since the boss's wife was off today, he should come back next time.
Why didn't you say so earlier?
This thought stays hidden in the junkyard owner's belly. He can't say it out loud.
Can only shake the dust off the shoe covers, carefully put them away, they can be used again next time.
The sentence that brought tears to my eyes, written in his diary:
“Even if life is full of holes, I will still move forward tenaciously.”
Dengcheng comes and goes
A city of lights.
Lights are everywhere. Streets of lights, buildings of lights, halls of lights, shops of lights.
A gathering of lights, an exhibition of lights, a sea of lights, a carnival of lights!
Colorful lights, lights of all shapes, unpredictable lights, overwhelming lights.
Bright as sunshine, blooming like flowers, splashing like a waterfall.
Some stand out alone, some are surrounded by admirers, some are Westernized, and some are antique.
Brilliant lamp! Radiant lamp!
Gleaming lamps! Elegant lamps!
Magnificent lamp! Lamp of riches and glory!
A saleswoman came smiling towards me, so I knew enough to back out.
This is not what I want to buy. This is something I can't afford.
While not without envy.
But I don't regret it either.
A fish's magnificent turn
A plate of tempting fried delicacies, presented on the hotel dining table.
A shining golden light flashed before my eyes, and a fragrant aroma wafted through the air.
Color, aroma, taste, and visually appealing for a feast!
Put it in your mouth, first the crispness of the skin, then the tenderness of the fish.
He quickly asked, "What is this dish called?" The answer was, "Deep-fried sand whiting."
I grew up by the sea and have been eating fish for decades, but I've never heard this name.
Jiudu? Said it a few times in Mandarin, then a few times in Cantonese.
Suddenly I woke up with a start. The dog, vomiting fish, my childhood friend!
A very cheap fish, with soft flesh and soft bones, that melts in your mouth.
Because people don't like to eat it, they say it's a fish that even dogs would vomit after eating.
It has actually made it into high society now.
Just coat it in batter, fry it in oil, and it undergoes a transformation, a grand metamorphosis, its value increasing tenfold or a hundredfold.
It's truly magical how it turns something rotten into something wonderful!
But I also know that all the cheap, overlooked fish, who doesn't have a desire for a stunning transformation?
However, some had a flash of inspiration, while others remained completely still.
Cai Xu, a native of Dianbai, Guangdong, now resides in Zhuhai. He is a member of the Chinese Writers Association, a senior editor, and a recipient of the State Council's special allowance. He has served as the editor-in-chief of the "Haikou Evening News," vice chairman of the Hainan Provincial Writers Association, and vice chairman of the Chinese Prose Poetry Society. He has published 38 collections of prose poetry, 5 collections of short essays, and 5 collections of prose.
