Explore Chapter 7 of "八十一梦 五子登科" with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
As the story goes, Ximen De had spent the day at Yang Yanhua's home, had dinner there, and did not return home until after ten o'clock. He walked along, his heart brimming with joy, feeling that he had not wasted his time. Miss Yang had been so warm and affectionate toward him, and had even given him a gold ring-a clear sign that she had some feelings for him. Thinking of this, he could not help slipping the ring off his finger and holding it in his palm. Under the streetlamp, he turned it over and over again, examining it closely. The ring was made of pure gold, shaped like a little dragon, with a tiny pearl held in the dragon's mouth-exquisite and lovely. He thought to himself: The craftsmanship alone must be worth at least a few dozen yuan, yet she was willing to give it to me. This shows that she regards me as no ordinary friend.
As he walked, lost in thought, he soon found himself at his own doorstep. He lived in a Shanghai-style alleyway house. The black lacquered iron gate of the front entrance bore a brass plaque engraved with three characters: "Ximen Residence." He took out his key, unlocked the gate, and stepped into the courtyard. The upstairs and downstairs were plunged in darkness, except for his own room, where the light was still on. He tiptoed upstairs, pushed open the door, and saw his wife Wang Xiuying sitting at the table, holding a newspaper, deeply engrossed in reading it.
When Wang Xiuying saw him come in, she put down the newspaper, pulled a long face, and said, "Fine, aren't you? Out all day long, and not a single care about the house." Ximen De put on a placating smile and said, "But I had business, dear. I was discussing some deals with a few friends and didn't get away until just now." Wang Xiuying snorted. "Business? Since when does business leave lipstick marks on your face?" Ximen De started, and quickly wiped his face with his hand. But he soon realized she was bluffing. He forced a laugh and said, "Where do you see lipstick? Fetch me a mirror and let me see." Wang Xiuying gave him a glare. "Don't try to weasel out of it. I've known all along. You've been to that vixen's home again, haven't you?"
Ximen De knew he could not hide it anymore, so he had to confess: "Yes, I did go to Miss Yang's place. But I wasn't going there for fun. I had a serious matter to discuss. She wants to sublet her apartment and asked me to help find a tenant. I went to look at the house and stayed a little longer while I was at it." Wang Xiuying sneered. "She's good at asking favors, isn't she? Why didn't she ask someone else to help her sublet? Why you? Do you run a real estate company?" Ximen De said, "What's so strange about that? Friends help each other out. It's only natural." Wang Xiuying said, "Help? You're helping so much that you're about to give yourself away to her. Let me ask you-where did you get that gold ring on your hand?"
Ximen De instinctively withdrew his hand, but it was too late. He steeled himself and said, "I bought this ring." Wang Xiuying said, "Bought it? Where did you get so much spare cash? You haven't even given me the full living expenses this month." Ximen De said, "It was a gift from a friend." Wang Xiuying pressed on: "Which friend? That vixen?" Ximen De could deny it no longer and nodded. Wang Xiuying turned pale with anger. She slammed her hand on the table and cried, "Fine! So you've been sneaking around behind my back! Tomorrow I'll go find her and settle accounts. I'll ask her what right she has to give you a ring!"
Ximen De hurriedly stopped her and said, "Don't be ridiculous! Giving me a ring was just a token of good luck. It means nothing else." Wang Xiuying said, "Good luck? Then why didn't she give it to me? It's obvious that the two of you are having an affair. I've seen it for a long time. You've been coming home late recently, always making excuses about business. Now I know-you've been messing around with other women." Saying this, she began to sob. Ximen De feared nothing more than a woman's tears. At a loss, he had no choice but to lower his voice and speak soothingly: "Please don't be suspicious. There's really nothing between us. If you don't believe me, I'll return the ring to her tomorrow."
After crying for a while, Wang Xiuying lifted her head, dried her tears, and said coldly, "You don't have to return it. Since you've taken a fancy to her, I won't stand in your way. But this home is no place for me anymore. Tomorrow I'm going back to my parents' house. You can do whatever you please." Hearing this, Ximen De broke out in a cold sweat. He grabbed her hand and said urgently, "Xiuying, please don't go! I was wrong. I'll never go to her place again. Just forgive me this one time." Seeing him so desperate, Wang Xiuying softened a little, but she still kept up her stern facade. She turned away from him and refused to answer.
Ximen De apologized profusely and said many nice things, and gradually Wang Xiuying let go of her anger. She sighed and said, "I'm not the unreasonable type. But you have to think of me. We've been married for so many years, and I've suffered so much. Now that you've just begun to make something of yourself, you start fooling around outside. How can that not break my heart?" Ximen De said, "I know I've let you down. But you must believe me. I'm not the kind of man who forgets kindness. I was just foolish today, and I'll never do it again." Wang Xiuying said, "I hope you really will change. But you can't keep that ring. You must return it to her tomorrow." Ximen De promised repeatedly. Taking off the ring, he placed it on the table.
After a few more words of trivial talk, they went to bed for the night. But Ximen De tossed and turned, unable to sleep a wink. He thought of Yang Yanhua's charming looks, recalled the tenderness with which she had given him the ring, and his heart felt like a bucket with fifteen scoops-rising and falling in turmoil. He thought to himself: If I return the ring to her, she will be very hurt and probably never talk to me again. But if I don't, I can't get past Xiuying. I'm caught between two fires. After much deliberation, he could not bear to part with the ring. He secretly made up his mind not to return it tomorrow, but to wait until Xiuying's anger had subsided.
The next morning, Wang Xiuying pressed him to return the ring. Ximen De mumbled his assent but hesitated to go. Wang Xiuying grew suspicious again at his behavior and sneered, "Since you refuse to go, I'll handle it myself. I'll go find her and return the ring in person. And while I'm at it, I'll get a look at this Miss Yang." Ximen De panicked at once and cried, "No, don't! I'll go. I'm going now." He snatched up the ring, tucked it into his pocket, and rushed out the door.
Once outside the alley, he did not head for Yang Yanhua's house. Instead, he sat down in a small teahouse, ordered a pot of tea, and slowly sipped it. He thought: If I return the ring to her, won't that cut off our connection? But if I don't, the house will be in an uproar. After turning it over in his mind, he finally hit upon a plan: He could sell the ring, pocket the money, and then tell Xiuying that he had returned it. She would never know. Having made up his mind, he went to a jewelry shop and sold the ring for thirty yuan. He put the money in his pocket, feeling much more at ease.
In the afternoon, he returned home and told Wang Xiuying, "I've returned the ring to her." Wang Xiuying asked, "Did she say anything?" Ximen De replied, "She didn't say much, just looked a little embarrassed." Wang Xiuying snorted and said, "At least she knows where she stands." From then on, Ximen De indeed dared not go to Yang Yanhua's place again. But he could not forget her. He often sat alone, staring blankly into space. Wang Xiuying noticed but said nothing-only sighed quietly to herself.
A few days later, Ximen De received a letter. He opened it and found it was from Yang Yanhua. It read: "Brother De: Since you left, I've been missing you terribly. You left in such a hurry that day. I had so much to say but no chance. The ring I gave you was a token of my feelings. Why did you return it? Could you be so heartless? I know you are a married man, so I dare not ask for much. I only hope you will come to see me once in a while-that would be enough for me. If you have time, come to our old place at two tomorrow afternoon. Please do come. Yanhua." Ximen De read the letter, his heart bitter and sweet. He sat in a daze for a long time.
He had intended not to go. But the next afternoon, as if by some whim of fate, he found himself once again standing outside Yang Yanhua's door. He hesitated for a moment, then finally knocked. When Yang Yanhua opened the door and saw him, her face broke into a big smile. She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside, saying, "I knew you would come." Seeing her so happy, his heart was stirred again. After they had exchanged a few words, Yang Yanhua suddenly asked, "Why did you return the ring to me?" Ximen De said, "It wasn't my idea. My wife forced me to." Yang Yanhua said, "So that's how it is. Then I'll give you another one. Hide it away and don't let her know." So saying, she slipped another gold ring off her finger and pressed it into Ximen De's hand.
Ximen De hesitated and tried to refuse, but Yang Yanhua insisted. In the end, he accepted it. He hid the ring in an inner pocket, his heart a mix of joy and fear-joy that Yang Yanhua was so fond of him, and fear that his wife would find out again. He did not dare stay long. After a short while, he took his leave and went home. Once home, he secretly hid the ring in an old trunk, planning to wear it only after the storm had blown over.
But Wang Xiuying was an observant woman. She noticed that Ximen De had been restless lately and grew suspicious. One day, while Ximen De was away, she ransacked the house and found the ring. The ring looked very much like the previous one, and she immediately understood everything. Trembling with rage, she clenched the ring in her hand, waiting for Ximen De to return and settle accounts.
When Ximen De came home and saw the murderous look on Wang Xiuying's face, his heart quailed. Wang Xiuying flung the ring onto the table and sneered, "You're quite clever, aren't you? Return one ring, get another. Now tell me truthfully-where did this one come from?" Ximen De knew he could not hide it and again confessed Yang Yanhua's name. Wang Xiuying flew into a towering rage. She wept and screamed, throwing everything in the house onto the floor. Ximen De apologized and swore oaths until the small hours of the night before peace was temporarily restored.
But from then on, Wang Xiuying kept a tighter rein on Ximen De. Every time he left the house, she interrogated him at length. When he returned, she searched his pockets. Under her strict control, he dared not even breathe freely. Although he still yearned for Yang Yanhua, he did not dare go to her again. As for the ring, Wang Xiuying never returned it to him, and he never knew what she did with it. Whenever he thought of this affair, he felt as though he owed a debt-a nagging discomfort that he couldn't shake off.