niftherewasamoon.SomebodywouldreadShelleyaloudandthegirlsheldhandswitheachotherwhentheywerefourofthem,sometimessixbutnevertwo.Themenwerealreadymarried-auniversalpredicament.Practicallyeverybodywasmarriedandhadchildrenbeforeeverhearingoflove.WenandLohadtobecontentwithdiscussingthegirlsinterminablybetweenthemselves,showingeachotherthegirls&rsquocarefullytheircalligraphy,analyzingtheirpersonalitiesfromthehand-writing.LovewassuchanewexperienceinChinathatalittleofitwentalongway.
Thesailedintoapatchofyellowinglotusleaves,thelargegreenplatescrunchingnoisilyagainsttheboat.Thentherewassilence.Theboatmanandhislittledaughterwererestingontheiroars,lettingtheboatdrift.Nowandthenthewatermadeasmallswallowingsoundasifithadapieceofcandyinitsmouth.
&ldquoGoinghomethisweekend?&rdquoMissFanasked.
&ldquoIsupposeIcan&rsquotgetoutofitthistime,&rdquoLoansweredsmiling.&ldquoMymotherhasbeencomplaining.&rdquo
Shesmiled.Thementionofhismotherdidnotalterthefactthathewasgoingbacktohiswife.
LatelyLohadbeenfellingincreasinglyguiltyaboutgoinghome,whileMissFanhadallowedherresentmenttobecomemoremanifestbeforeandaftereachvisit.
&ldquoIhavemadeadecision,&rdquohesaidinalowvoice,lookingather.Then,whenshedidnotaskhimwhatitwas,hesaid,&ldquoMissFan,willyouwaitforme?Itmighttakeyears.&rdquo
Shehadturnedaway,herheadbent.Herhandsplayedwiththelowerleftcornerofherslittedblouse,furlingandunfurlingit.
Actuallyshedidnotagreetohisgettingadivorceuntildayslater.Butthatevening,whenthefourofthemdinedatarestaurantfamousforitslakefish,Loalreadyfeltpledgedanddedicated.Allthewinehedranktastedlikethelastcupbeforesettingoutonalonghardjourneyonacoldnight.
TherestaurantwascalledtheHouseBeyondHouse.Itleanedoverthelakeonthreesides.Despitetheviewanditspoeticnameitwasanonchalantlyuglyplacewithgreasyoldfurniture.Thewaitershoutedorderstothekitcheninasingsongchant.Whentheglassdomewasliftedfromthepl