Extra Story One: My Husband, Lu
In August, the weather in Italy was stiflingly hot, and it rained often.
Lu Yin came out of the tailor shop and said goodbye to Angelo. She looked up and saw that the sky was overcast, and a fine drizzle had begun to fall again.
She always carried an umbrella with her. She dug it out of her bag and opened it.
Along the way, she passed a small church built during the Renaissance. Its ancient walls were a mottled, weathered blue-gray, the wind and years having gradually worn away the edges of the marble. The church was open to the public year-round, with warm yellow light spilling out from inside. The gentle hymns could put one in an unexpectedly peaceful mood. Scattered among the pews, worshippers sat with their hands clasped, praying devoutly.
In front of the church was a fountain square. Hundreds of white pigeons covered the ground. Every evening, the local residents would bring food here to feed them. At the edge of the square were several little boys with blond hair and blue eyes. Wearing helmets and roller skates, they mischievously darted through the middle, sending a trail of white pigeons fluttering into the air. Accompanied by the sound of the fountain, they wheeled and flapped in circles above the square.
Lu Yin raised her umbrella and looked up at the sky. She smiled as she watched the little boys, forgetting for a moment to keep walking.
Just then, the phone rang. It was Qian Yuanqing calling. Through the receiver, she could hear soft babbling and murmured sounds. Lu Yin's heart melted. She put away her phone, and her footsteps grew hurried.
Halfway there, she detoured to a nearby supermarket. Following Qian Yuanqing's instructions, she picked up two cans of infant formula and some bottle nipples. Many little shops had recently opened in this area. She kept walking, looking along the way, until her gaze suddenly stopped.
It was a Chinese shop. On its black signboard, four simple Chinese characters read: Tianwu Tattoo. Beside them were red English letters, with a simple totem drawn in the corner.
Lu Yin could not help stopping. She remembered how, last year, at a shopping mall in Zhangzhou, Lu Qiang had said he wanted her to get a tattoo of the character ‘Lu’ on her buttocks. Lu Yin bit her lip, her face unconsciously turning red. After hesitating for only two seconds, she turned on her heel and pushed open the shop door.
She got home at seven that evening.
Outside the courtyard, she ran into their neighbor, Mrs. Reid. She stood at the gate and chatted with her for a few moments before opening the courtyard gate.
Auntie was preparing dinner. Qian Yuanqing came out to meet her and took the things from her hands. “What were you talking about just now?”
The two of them went inside. Lu Yin headed straight for the crib beside the sofa. “Mrs. Reid said the neighborhood hasn't been very safe lately. A Korean family living at the foot of the mountain was robbed a few days ago, so she told us to be a little more careful.”
Seeing Lu Yin come over, the little baby waved her chubby hands and feet and began to giggle.
Qian Yuanqing said, “Then remember to lock the courtyard gate and the front door properly from now on.”
“Mm.” Lu Yin nodded and leaned down to kiss the little chubby hand the baby held out to her. She set down the backpack hanging from the crook of her arm and was about to pick her up.
Qian Yuanqing clicked her tongue and slapped her hand away. “Wash up before you hold her.”
“Ow, that hurt!”
“You never learn. Serves you right.” Qian Yuanqing shot her an irritated glance. “I've told you several times already. Don't bring the germs from outside onto my granddaughter.”
Lu Yin rubbed her hand. “...”
***
It was another weekend, and the weather was exceptionally clear.
Lu Yin drew open the curtains and took a deep breath. Her mood was wonderful.
Later, she and Qian Yuanqing carried the crib into the middle of the courtyard. The little baby was especially excited today, babbling and squealing, her laughter echoing through the air.
They had invited Auntie's son and daughter-in-law over for a meal. They had not arrived yet. Qian Yuanqing and Auntie were in the kitchen preparing the ingredients, while a barbecue grill had been set up in the corner of the courtyard, the charcoal already glowing.
Qian Yuanqing would not let her do a thing. Lu Yin became completely idle, sitting in a rocking chair with a book in her hands. The crib was right beside her. The baby blew bubbles with her mouth, waving all four limbs and going “ah-ah” without anyone knowing what she was saying. Lu Yin did not take in a single word of her book. She simply stared at her in a daze. She looked more like Lu Yin herself, with very large eyes, the irises black and gleaming like a dark pearl, a small, delicate nose, and a very small mouth. Only the shape of her ears was strikingly similar to another person. Gradually, Lu Yin became absorbed in looking at her. She did nothing at all, her heart utterly at peace.
She did not know how much time had passed when she lifted her head toward the sky and suddenly missed someone. She opened the calendar on her phone. On the eighteenth of next month was a special mark. She tapped it with her finger. Thirty-seven days left.
Lu Yin smiled until her eyes narrowed. The clouds in the sky appeared and vanished in an instant, while the gentle sunlight spread across the earth. Perhaps the happiness she wanted was now only a little way away.
In the instant she was lost in thought, Qian Yuanqing suddenly called her name.
Lu Yin answered and slipped her feet into her slippers, running toward the living room.
Outside the courtyard, a dark figure lurked furtively. After finishing a cigarette, he crushed it out. He tossed a travel bag over the wall into the courtyard, then braced both hands against the railing and nimbly climbed over.
The little baby burped. Hearing the noise, she opened her big eyes and looked over curiously, her little legs kicking wildly.
Qian Yuanqing adjusted the temperature of the milk bottle. “Don't let my granddaughter go thirsty.”
Lu Yin smiled and walked outside with the bottle.
The outdoor light was glaring. Beside the crib crouched a large man, his back to the doorway, trying to reach out and pick her up.
Lu Yin was horrified. Suddenly remembering what Mrs. Reid had said that day, she screamed, “Mom—!”
She rushed outside, and in the confusion, one of her slippers was kicked off.
The large man had already awkwardly picked up the little baby. He hunched his shoulders and turned around.
Lu Yin stopped dead.
Five or six meters away, she stared stupidly at the person before her. His skin was dark, his head bald, his eyes black. He wore a sleeveless undershirt and linen trousers, with a pair of old Beijing cloth shoes on his feet, his heels stepped outside the backs of them.
He was covered in sunlight, smiling at her with the corner of his lips tilted upward. Just like when they first met.
Lu Qiang smiled and said slowly, “Lu Yin, your man is back.”
Lu Yin remained unmoved.
He said, “Gone stupid?”
Her vision gradually blurred.
Lu Qiang swallowed, some of the smile fading from his face. He said softly, “Come here. Let me hold you.”
At that moment, she clearly saw the little baby's chubby hand gently touch his chin.
Hearing the cry, Qian Yuanqing was almost scared unconscious. She exchanged a look with the Auntie, and the two of them dropped what they were holding and ran outside.
When they reached the doorway and saw what was happening outside, she stopped the Auntie with one hand, and the two of them stopped together.
A lemon tree grew in the middle of the courtyard. It had been left behind by the previous owner and carefully cultivated, flowering and bearing fruit every year. At this time of year, the branches were covered with unripe lemons between the leaves. When the wind blew through, the branches swayed, sending over a strange, fresh scent that brought the whole little courtyard to life.
Beneath the tree, a man and woman embraced. The man held the back of the woman's head with one hand, while the woman's arms were wrapped tightly around his waist, her head buried against his chest.
A little baby was caught between them. Ever since she was born, the little baby had never been fond of crying. She was sensible and easy to care for. Now, squeezed between them, she was not the least bit shy with strangers. Thinking they were playing with her, she actually began to giggle.
The Auntie looked astonished, then turned toward Qian Yuanqing and froze for a moment.
Sensing the gaze upon her, Qian Yuanqing suddenly turned her face away and wiped the tears spilling from her eyes with the back of her hand.
The Auntie's surname was Yu, and she was two years older than her. Qian Yuanqing smiled. “Yu-jie, that's my son.” As she said this, a rare tenderness appeared on her face.
The Auntie had worked in this household for more than a year and knew something of the situation. Seeing her expression now, then looking at the two people clinging happily to each other, her eyes grew hot, and she became happy for them too.
Qian Yuanqing took a moment to compose herself before stepping down the stairs.
Lu Qiang had his head lowered against the crown of Lu Yin's head, completely unaware of anything around him.
She walked over and put on a stern face. “All right, you two.”
Only then did Lu Qiang raise his eyes. “Mom.”
She hummed. “You're back.”
Qian Yuanqing did not look at him. She hurried only to take the baby from his arms. A big, rough man like him had no sense of how much force to use. A baby's bones were fragile. If he accidentally wrenched her neck, it would be no joke.
He really had dared to do it. Qian Yuanqing glanced at him, wanting to lecture him a little, but after holding herself back for a moment, she ultimately said nothing.
The two had already separated. Lu Yin lowered her head and wiped her tears.
The Auntie came over as well.
Lu Yin lifted her eyes. Her nose was a little stuffy as she introduced them. “This is Auntie Yu.”
“He's my husband, Lu Qiang. He just came from China.”
The Auntie looked him over a few times without asking anything more, then smiled. “It's good that you came. It's good that you're here.”
Lu Qiang pressed his lips together. After a long while, he finally said, “Thank you for taking care of her.”
There was a brief silence. No one responded, yet they all understood what he meant.
Lu Yin hooked her little finger around his. “You came like this?”
Lu Qiang gave a slight lift of his chin toward the gate. A black travel bag lay on the grass, limp and nearly empty, with only a few changes of clothes inside. After getting out, he had only had time to go home and pack a few things before Xing Weixin and the others escorted him through the border.
The Auntie went to the gate to pick up the backpack. Qian Yuanqing gave her a few instructions, then carried the baby inside first.
Lu Yin took two steps forward and tipped her head up at him. “Weren't you not supposed to get out until next month?”
Lu Qiang held her hand. “Good behavior. I was released early.”
“Why didn't you tell me? I would've come to get you.”
Lu Qiang said, “I wanted to surprise you.”
Lu Yin's eyes were still wet. She complained, “There's a gate right there and you didn't use it. You had to climb over the wall. I thought someone was trying to steal the baby.” She squeezed his fingers in punishment. “There was no surprise. You scared me half to death.”
Lu Qiang pulled her forward. Her palm pressed against his hard chest. In a hoarse voice, he said, “Really no surprise?”
His gaze was direct, so intense it seemed impossible to dissolve, looking at her openly and without reserve.
After a moment, Lu Yin still lost the battle. She turned her eyes away and pressed her lips tightly together.
Later that evening, Lu Qiang came downstairs after taking a shower, changed into comfortable house clothes and slippers. The Auntie's son and daughter-in-law had already arrived. The corner of the courtyard was filled with ingredients, the charcoal fire burning even hotter, a restless haze of smoke drifting through the surrounding air.
After a brief round of introductions, Lu Qiang really did exchange a few pleasantries with them. They already knew each other, so before long, the atmosphere became lively.
Skewered meat and vegetables were placed on the grill according to type, sizzling loudly. Before long, the charred, savory aroma spread through the air. Several bottles of beer were opened, and everyone raised their glasses, clinking them together in celebration of this unexpected reunion.
Lu Qiang swallowed his mouthful in one go, lowered his eyes, and let his gaze fall on the woman across from him. There were too many people today, and they had not yet had a proper chance to say more than a few words to each other.
He leaned back against his chair. “Lu Yin.”
“Mm?” Their eyes met unexpectedly.
Lu Qiang tilted his gaze toward the living room. “Go get a few plates.”
His voice was slow and low, carrying a hint of a smile. His eyelids were half lowered as he looked at her lazily. He had only taken a few drags of his cigarette before crushing it out on the corner of the table.
Lu Yin licked her lips. The voices around her all became blank, muffled noise. All she could hear was the thunderous pounding in her own heart. Her cheeks suddenly burned. She put down her chopsticks and gave a delayed little “oh,” then ran back to the kitchen to get the bowls and plates.
A moment later, Lu Qiang stood up. “I'm going to the bathroom.”
No one noticed them. Qian Yuanqing and the Auntie were smiling and playing with the baby, while the other two were busy grilling the meat and dividing up the seasonings.
He followed her into the room.
The living room of this house was spacious, simply and plainly furnished. The furniture was all an ivory white, and had been left behind by the previous owner. The living room and dining room were on either side of the entryway. Beside the living room were two bedrooms, occupied by Qian Yuanqing and the Auntie. Farther inside was a spiral staircase leading upstairs.
The kitchen was directly opposite.
Lu Yin rose onto her tiptoes to take some new plates from the upper cabinet. Today she was wearing a simple white T-shirt and shorts, and because of the movement, a small strip of her lower back was exposed.
Suddenly, there was a soft click behind her as the door gently locked.
The hairs on the back of her neck instantly stood on end. Her thoughts became chaotic, her heart beating extraordinarily fast. As though she had already sensed it coming, she bit her lower lip and turned around. Lu Qiang stood with his back to the door, staring darkly at the small of her back.
Her voice was airy. “How did you get in here?”
Outside the window, weeds grew thickly. Through the fence, one could see the kitchen of Mrs. Reid's house. Lu Yin stood by the window with the light behind her, making her expression impossible to see clearly.
Lu Qiang walked over.
The air grew tight and ambiguous. He urgently and directly seized her around the waist. “Yinyin...” he called hoarsely. “Did you miss me?”
As he spoke, he was already breathing heavily.
Lu Yin's heels were forced off the ground. Her eyes held two parts timidity, two parts anticipation, and everything left was longing. She opened her mouth. “I did...”
Before she could even finish the single word, her breath was stolen away. Lu Qiang's longing was even deeper. Throughout this past year, he could only sketch her image in his mind, like some pitiful wretch trying to satisfy his hunger by staring at a painted cake, enduring day after day inside the dark, cramped prison.
Lu Yin placed both hands on his shoulders and said indistinctly, “We should go back outside.”
Lu Qiang leaned forward, almost pressing her against the kitchen counter. Their breaths mingled. His thumb stroked the skin of her forehead near the roots of her hair. Her hair had already grown back, thick and black, just reaching her shoulders.
There was an unevenness beneath Lu Qiang's hand. It was the scar left by her surgery.
Lu Yin pushed at him. “There's someone outside.”
“Who cares?” Lu Qiang kissed her lips again, gathering her small, slender body into his arms. His large hand was far from well behaved, following the hem of her clothes and covering her lower back.
Lu Yin’s waistband was elastic. He lingered for a moment, then pulled it open and reached inside. The familiar slickness beneath his hand had been long absent, two rounded cheeks, just as firm and taut as before. He spread all five fingers, tightened his grip, and squeezed and kneaded them so fiercely that they changed shape.
Lu Yin was kissed until she could hardly breathe, her head swimming. It felt as though the entire kitchen had caught fire and was about to burn up.
Her buttocks were sore and numb, and his rough fingers slid down through the gap.
Alarm bells rang in Lu Yin's mind, and she regained much of her clarity. She bit hard into his lower lip.
Lu Qiang stopped with a rough breath and finally pulled apart.
Lu Yin's lips were flushed red. She knitted her brows tightly. “Lu Qiang, you're so annoying.”
His hand was still inside her, his lips brushing haphazardly against the back of her ear and along her neck. His voice was low and hoarse. “There are so many people. Want to go upstairs and let me love you a little?”
Lu Yin's heart jumped. She hunched her shoulders and pushed him away. “You only think about this.”
He took it for granted. “That’s right. Every day I think about getting out and how I’m going to sleep with my wife.”
Lu Yin's cheeks were bright red, yet his last two words moved her so deeply that she wanted to cry. How long had it been since he had called her that? His grip around her waist was almost breaking her in two, and she arched backward, leaning her body away. Lu Qiang lowered his head slightly and bit her on the chest through her clothes. She spread her five fingers and gently covered the side of his face, her thumb slowly rubbing it twice. The sensation beneath her hand was so real.
Lu Yin sniffed, distractedly holding him back. “Everyone's outside. Can't you be a little more careful?”
Lu Qiang did not move. He lowered his head and looked at her. Lu Yin no longer acted coy either. In a quiet voice, she said, “...Tonight.”
He brought his nose close and took a deep breath of the top of her head, then loosened his hold. He had not actually intended to do anything. He pulled her hand over and rubbed it against his crotch a couple of times. Finally, he put some distance between them.
Lu Qiang asked lazily, “What's that on your lower back?” He had not been able to see clearly from a distance just now.
Lu Yin twisted her body, refusing to let him see.
The more awkwardly she behaved, the more curious he became.
Lu Qiang's gaze darkened. He hooked an arm around her waist from behind, applying a little clever force, bent his knee, and pressed Lu Yin's lower abdomen against his thigh.
Lu Yin cried out in surprise. He yanked her pants open in one motion. Faint, messy red handprints still marked her buttocks. Lu Qiang's gaze shifted and fell on the place where her waist met her hips. The tattoo was completely exposed to his view. His breathing faltered slightly. In that moment, it was impossible to say exactly what emotion he felt.
... ...
A little while later, the two of them returned to the table one after the other. The flush had not yet faded from Lu Yin's face, and she looked somewhat unnatural.
She kept her head down and ate, while Lu Qiang chatted. The two of them did not exchange many more words.
The meal did not end until two in the afternoon. After everything was tidied away, the Auntie went home with her son to stay for a few days, while Qian Yuanqing took the little baby upstairs for a nap.
The weather was beautiful, with a faintly cool breeze.
Lu Qiang had brought nothing with him, so they simply changed their clothes and went outside to buy some things.
Lu Yin held his hand, their fingers interlaced, and only at this moment did she truly feel it. They had been apart for an entire year, separated by a six-hour time difference and more than eight thousand kilometers. This time, Lu Qiang had really come back.
She could not help wanting to cry. She raised her head and opened her eyes wide. The sky was a pure, deep blue, clear and bright as far as the eye could see. Then, suddenly, she laughed.
Lu Qiang looked at her. “What are you laughing at?”
Lu Yin lifted his hand, pressed it lightly to her lips, and gave the back of it a soft peck without saying anything. She looked at him, her eyes curved into smiling crescents.
The back of Lu Qiang's hand was burning hot. His throat tightened. He could see the tears she was holding back in her eyes.
The light ahead was red. Europeans of all kinds stood waiting at the intersection. The buildings in the little town were old, the streets narrow, and the road rose in an uneven slope. Lu Qiang put an arm around her waist and, beneath the traffic light, lowered his head and kissed her without warning.
Lu Yin was startled for an instant and instinctively wanted to push him away. The mixed sounds of foreign languages filled her ears, suddenly bringing her back to the present. Her hand tightened, and she obediently closed her eyes.
His kiss was gentle and tender, merely touching her lips. His large hand cradled her cheek as he kissed her with complete abandon.
The corners of Lu Yin's lips lifted. They kept curving upward until, in the end, a single tear slipped from the corner of her eye.
The light turned green, and the crowd began to stream through.
After a long while, Lu Qiang let her go. He glanced around, then crooked his finger against his forehead. “Doing this right in front of all these foreigners, feeling pretty good about yourself?”
“Hm?” She sniffed.
“Isn’t this what you wished for?”
“……”
They wandered around outside, stopping here and there, and spent the whole afternoon with Lu Yin taking him through the routes and routines of her everyday life.
After they finished shopping, they got home at six in the evening. After dinner, it was not until bedtime that Qian Yuanqing was finally willing to return the baby to them.
After Lu Qiang showered, he came out wearing nothing but a pair of boxer briefs.
She lay on her side on the large bed, one arm propping up her cheek, her eyes lowered as her gaze fell tenderly upon the little baby nestled in the crook of her arm.
Lu Qiang tossed the towel aside and half reclined on the other side.
Lu Yin spoke softly. “Be a little gentler.” The little darling was already asleep.
Lu Qiang half lay there, finally having time to take a careful look at his little princess.
It was truly incredible. This tiny, pink and pudgy little thing had been created by him. She could breathe, she could move, she could blink, she could laugh at him with a big smile, and when she grew up, she would even sweetly call him Daddy. The feeling was quite extraordinary.
The air in Lu Qiang’s chest churned, rushing upward one wave after another. He could not help leaning down to kiss her again and again. He spread his large palm beside her face and compared their sizes, asking with wonder, “So small.”
Lu Yin found it amusing. “She was even smaller when she was just born. Her skin was all wrinkled, and she weighed only a little over five jin.”
His fingers contracted slightly. “Was the birth difficult?”
Lu Yin paused. “She was born before full term, a little premature.”
Lu Qiang clenched his fist, his jawline taut. “Were you scared?”
She brushed it off lightly. “What was there to be scared of? Mom was by my side. I could still walk, so we called a car and went to the hospital.”
Lu Qiang said nothing for a long while. He brought the baby’s tiny hand to his lips and gently rubbed against it. The bedroom was utterly quiet, with only the bedside clock ticking rhythmically.
“Did you hate me then?”
Lu Yin smiled, her expression completely relaxed. “Yes, yes. I wanted to kill you.”
Lu Qiang said, “It won’t happen again.”
“What won’t?”
He reached across the space between them and stroked the back of her neck. “When we have another one, I won’t go anywhere. I’ll stay by your side and take good care of you.”
Hearing this, Lu Yin wrinkled her nose. “I’m not having another one. It hurt like hell. You can give birth yourself.”
Lu Qiang thought about it, then said seriously, “If only I had the equipment, I wouldn’t let you suffer through even ten or eight of them.”
Lu Yin burst out laughing and quickly covered her mouth, but Lu Qiang remained completely serious. “You have to give our family a boy.”
She gave a little snort and muttered under her breath, “And you say you’re not favoring boys over girls!”
Lu Qiang said, “I’m not.”
“Liar.”
He raised his eyes, his thumb sliding across her cheek before rubbing her earlobe. “A daughter is meant to be kept around and spoiled. If we have a boy, he can grow up and help me hold this family up.”
Lu Yin froze. Her nose suddenly stung with tears. “You only know how to sweet talk me.”
Lu Qiang said nothing. The bedroom lights were bright, setting off the fairness of her skin until it was almost dazzling. As his hand continued to brush over her, it slid across her shoulder and came to rest on her straight collarbone. The neckline of Lu Yin’s nightdress was slightly loose, and because she was lying on her side, the shape of her breasts was clearly visible.
Lu Qiang’s gaze grew darker and darker, and in an instant, the atmosphere changed.
He swung his long legs over, turned, and pinned her beneath him. He lifted her nightdress from below all the way to her neck. She was wearing nothing underneath, and every rise and fall of her body fell into his eyes.
There was an obvious reaction beneath Lu Qiang, immediately rising hard.
Lu Yin stopped him. “Get up quickly. Don’t bump into the baby.”
“Put her in the crib first?”
Lu Yin bit her lip. After a moment, she nodded.
Lu Qiang got up and, under her instructions, carefully lifted the baby into his arms and placed her in the crib beside them.
He bent down and kissed the little princess on the face, saying softly, “Not suitable for children. You’re not allowed to eavesdrop.”
Lu Yin was annoyed. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
He followed the line of her back and crouched down, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at the tattoo. He had never imagined that such a traditional, demure little woman would leave such a special mark on her body for him.
Tattooed across her back was a stag, taking up most of her narrow waist. Its eyes were as dark as ink, gazing steadily and calmly ahead. Its facial lines were strong and defined, its mouth pressed into a firm line, its expression solemn. Its antlers stretched out to either side, rugged and branching until they reached Lu Yin’s ribs.
And that was not all. On her right buttock, she had delicately tattooed a line of small letters.
Miomarito Lu
Lu Qiang narrowed his eyes and wiped away the water droplets, still recognizing only that one Chinese character.
His voice was hoarse. “What does this mean?”
Lu Yin could only bite her lip and shake her head. No matter what, she refused to tell him.
Lu Qiang knew he would not get an answer from her, so he simply saved his breath and found the answer somewhere else.
At last, everything settled down. In the dead of night, Lu Qiang sat facing the dim glow of the screen. He compared it with the note he had copied down, then pressed each letter on the keyboard one by one with his index finger. He hit Enter. A moment later, five Chinese characters appeared before his eyes.
Although she had not said them herself, he thought these were the most beautiful words of love he would ever see in his life.
My husband, Lu.
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