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Wen Sheng arrived in the town with a little over a hundred dollars. He wasn't sure if he should be there, but he went anyway. He found himself at the jewelry store he had once visited with Wang Lijuan. Deep down, he hoped that the necklace he had seen before was no longer there, that the Boss had sold it and it was gone from the store. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he approached the counter. The Boss didn’t greet him; to her, this poorly dressed boy didn’t seem like someone who would buy anything worthwhile—he probably just came to look around, and she didn’t even bother to glance his way.
Wen Sheng saw that the necklace was still there, shining brightly and beautifully. He pondered whether to buy it or not. A little over a hundred dollars! What if he bought it for Wang Lijuan and she didn’t want it? Besides, he wasn’t sure how to approach her. His mind was conflicted as he wandered around. A few girls shopping turned to look at him and laughed. His face flushed red, but he finally mustered the courage to ask the Boss, “Can I see that necklace?”
The Boss, a woman in her thirties dressed flamboyantly, glanced at Wen Sheng with disdain. “You mean that one? Do you really want it?”
Wen Sheng pointed shyly, his face still red. “Yes, that one! Can I take a look?”
The Boss replied curtly, “What do you want to see? It’s a hundred and one; no bargaining. If you want it, I’ll take it out for you!”
How humiliating! Even browsing in a jewelry store made him feel looked down upon! Wen Sheng thought to himself as his face grew even hotter. It felt as if all those scornful gazes pierced through his heart! He lifted his head and said to the Boss, “I’ll take it! Can you make it a little cheaper?”
The Boss laughed mockingly. “Alright! You want it? I’ll give you a price of a hundred! Everyone heard him say he wants it!” She pointed at Wen Sheng for everyone around to see. “If he buys it, I guarantee: ten days for returns!”
“Must be money stolen from home; who knows who he’s buying it for! Look at him—such a poor thing trying to impress girls! It’s hilarious!” A few young men and women around his age laughed at him.
Wen Sheng wished he could disappear into the ground. He lowered his head and squeezed through the crowd, hurrying away. He walked quickly, wanting to escape their gazes and find a quiet place for himself. He thought about looking for Gao Liang but decided against it. After Xiang Shu's accident, Gao Liang's motorcycle had been totaled. Gao Liang wanted Wen Sheng's family to compensate him, but Gao Ming stopped him. Usually, Gao Ming listened to Gao Liang; their brotherly bond was strong. But because of Wen Sheng's family issues, Gao Ming almost fought with his brother. In the end, Gao Liang didn’t press for compensation; Gao Ming promised that once he earned money from working, he would pay his brother back. Of course, those were just angry words; Gao Liang wouldn’t actually take money Gao Ming earned from working since they were brothers! Thus, Wen Sheng felt guilty towards Gao Ming and couldn’t bring himself to face him.
Wen Sheng wandered far from town into a forest where he used to chat with Gao Ming and Wang Lijuan often. He stopped and leaned against a tree, tears streaming down his face. The scornful gazes from earlier felt like needles piercing his heart. He didn’t dare ask Wang Lijuan out; he was terrified she would refuse the necklace he wanted to give her. He took out the necklace and held it in his palm; it still sparkled with a greenish glow but was somewhat blinding. He waited there for a long time—Wang Lijuan didn’t come, nor did Gao Ming. As darkness fell and seeing no one around in the quiet surroundings, he squatted down with crossed arms resting on his legs and buried his face in them as he cried. It felt as if all the tears he had accumulated over these days were finally flowing out without anyone knowing or comforting him.
Eventually, night fell; cold moonlight filtered through the gaps in the treetops and illuminated the crying man in the forest. The night felt chilly. Wen Sheng cried for what seemed like an eternity until every last tear seemed spent. Wiping his eyes with his sleeve, he stood up and looked at the moonlight streaming through the branches—it appeared fragmented behind the leaves. Wen Sheng managed a smile; it was forced but soon turned into calmness as if he had never cried at all! A gust of wind blew by, causing him to shiver slightly before quickly regaining composure. Smiling again under the moonlight, his smile looked somewhat bleak and cold.
He walked out of the forest feeling tranquil as if he had never entered or cried there at all—after all, no one had seen him. The streetlights along the road glowed faintly yellow but were enough for him to see that the path was flat—it truly was flat. Yet why did Wen Sheng walk as if the ground were uneven? He walked slowly and heavily; what should have been less than 100 meters from the forest to the public phone booth took him over half an hour—was it because his steps were too heavy or because the road felt so uneven? But everyone could see that this road was indeed flat!
He arrived at the phone booth by the roadside and calmly dialed the number for Wang Lijuan's home. He was anxious about who would answer; if it wasn't Wang Lijuan, he would be disappointed, but if it was her, he felt a strange flutter in his heart. The call connected, and a woman answered, but it wasn't Wang Lijuan. "Hello! Who are you looking for?" she asked.
Wen Sheng felt a pang of disappointment when he realized it wasn't Wang Lijuan on the line, yet his heart raced nonetheless. After a brief pause, the woman said, "Wang Lijuan! I don't know who you're looking for; she isn't here." Then she added, "If you’re not going to say anything, I’ll hang up!"
Wang Lijuan chimed in quickly, "Wait! It might be for me, heh heh!" She took the phone. "Hello! This is Wang Lijuan! Who are you?"
Hearing her voice calmed Wen Sheng slightly. He closed his eyes and steadied himself before replying softly, "It's me! Wang Lijuan! I want to see you!" His voice was low, almost as if he were afraid to speak too loudly.
Wang Lijuan responded cheerfully, "Oh, it's Wen Sheng! What do you need? I can't go out right now; my cousin is here!"
Wen Sheng's voice remained quiet but turned a bit colder. "Alright! No problem, I understand!" She wouldn’t see him after all. With that thought lingering in his mind, he hung up and slowly walked away under the dim streetlights.
Wang Lijuan still held the phone. "Hello! Wen Sheng!" But he had already disconnected.
"What does Wen Sheng want? He didn’t even say," she wondered aloud, shaking her head in confusion at her cousin.
"Wang Lijuan! How much did you pay for this necklace? It's really nice!" Her cousin held up an identical necklace that sparkled with a similar green hue.
"Eighty!" Wang Lijuan replied casually. After a moment of thought, she suddenly furrowed her brow with unease and turned to her cousin. "Sister, I need to step out for a bit; just stay here!" With that, she rushed to the mirror to quickly fix her hair before hurrying out the door.
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