Couple of Mirrors – Chapter 55: Waiting for You to Come Home (Part One)
Yan Wei sits by a fountain in a city square, idly snapping photographs.
A girl on a bicycle rides past, wobbling unsteadily.
Yan Wei reaches out, catches hold of the handlebars, and steadies the bicycle.
‘Thank you, jiejie!’ the girl tells her, smiling. Yan Wei looks unsmilingly back.
She returns to her seat by the fountain just as Jiang Bin walks up to her. What is Miss Yan really like, deep down inside? he wonders.
Jiang Bin sits down next to her. ‘You helped stop that thief earlier, didn’t you? You’re very athletic.’
‘What do you want?’ Yan Wei demands. ‘Spit it out.’
‘Can’t we just have a chat?’ asks Jiang Bin.
Yan Wei gets up and starts to walk away. ‘I don’t have time.’
Jiang Bin calls after her. ‘If I promise to investigate Hongmei’s death, and make sure justice is served, will you turn yourself in?’
Yan Wei pauses.
Then she looks back at him. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
Jiang Bin stands up as well. ‘I spent all night thinking about what being a good police officer means. It was sunrise by the time I had an answer. I believe a good police officer can only do what is just within the framework of the law. I’m sorry, but I hope you can turn yourself in. Only then will I be able to help you to the best of my ability.’
Yan Wei glances at him again over her shoulder, then walks away.
At the studio, Xu Youyi holds up a cake while Yan Wei holds up the baby. ‘Happy full moon celebration!’ says Xu Youyi.
She reaches out and straightens the baby’s hat. ‘Oh, look, his little hat is crooked.’
Then she holds out her arms. ‘Let me hold him so you can take a photograph of us.’
‘Yes,’ says Yan Wei.
With the baby in her arms, Xu Youyi walks over to his crib and picks up a rabbit soft toy. ‘Look at the little bunny, baby,’ she coos. ‘Look.’
‘Come,’ says Yan Wei, taking up her position behind the camera.
She ducks under the dark cloth…
…and is shocked to see two white roses between the rabbit soft toy’s paws.
Her head jerks up.
‘What is it, Weiwei?’ asks Xu Youyi.
‘No… nothing,’ says Yan Wei.
She pulls herself together. ‘Are we ready?’
‘Yes, we are!’ says Xu Youyi.
Yan Wei counts down. ‘Three… two… one…’
The camera clicks, capturing the image of a smiling Xu Youyi with the baby in her lap.
Later that day, Yan Wei develops the photograph in her darkroom.
If this goes on, she muses, looking at the photograph, not only will I be in danger, I’ll put them at risk as well…
That night, Yan Wei lies awake as Xu Youyi and the baby slumber peacefully.
Xu Youyi is snoring.
Yan Wei looks over at her, then leans over to cup her cheek. Look at you, snoring again. But this time, I can’t wake you up.
She kisses Xu Youyi on the forehead, leaving a single tear behind.
Then she leans down and kisses the top of the baby’s head. Be a good boy, Yan Xu. Protect your mother.
She slips out of bed and steps out of the room.
The next morning, Xu Youyi is awakened by the sound of the baby crying.
She stirs. ‘Mm… Weiwei… the baby’s hungry…’
‘Weiwei…’ she murmurs again, then realises that Yan Wei’s side of the bed is empty. She sits up abruptly. ‘Weiwei?’
She leans down and picks up the fussing baby. ‘Oh, don’t cry, baby,’ she says, unbuttoning her nightdress.
She puts the baby to her breast, and calls out to Yan Wei again. ‘Weiwei, I don’t have enough breast milk, could you make up some formula?’
There’s no response.
‘Weiwei?’ Xu Youyi calls again.
She wanders downstairs. ‘Weiwei?’
***
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douqi 随笔 