Explore Chapter 15 of 'Camel Xiangzi' with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
Xiangzi married Tigress and they lived in a crowded courtyard in Maojiawan. Tigress had money; although Xiangzi went out with his rickshaw every day, he had to hand over all his earnings to her. Tigress was indolent and gluttonous, and after becoming pregnant, she grew even more so. Xiangzi felt as if he were caged, having lost his former freedom and dreams. He often recalled the days when he had pulled his rickshaw and saved to buy his own vehicle-now he was merely Tigress’s slave.
One day, Xiangzi again encountered Old Ma and Little Ma on the street. Seeing their wretched state, his heart grew heavier with sorrow. Old Ma had fallen ill, and Little Ma was caring for him, yet they had no means of livelihood. Xiangzi gave them some money, but he knew it wouldn’t solve the root of their plight. He realized that a rickshaw man’s toil, in the end, amounted to nothing.
Tigress’s belly grew larger and larger, and she ordered Xiangzi about all day long; he dared not resist. Sometimes he thought of running away, but the thought of the money in Tigress’s hands made him endure it. He began to drink, using alcohol to numb himself. Bit by bit, his strength ebbed away.
When pulling his rickshaw, Xiangzi could muster no spirit. Passengers complained about his slow pace, and his earnings dwindled as a result. Tigress scolded him for being useless, and Xiangzi could only bear it in silence. At night, he would drink alone, tears streaming down his face at the memory of what he had lost.