The Many Faces of the Neighborhood (continued)

By the time Song Tianyao returned to the dilapidated, crowded Squatter Area, the people who had been shouting noisily in the street fell silent as soon as they spotted him. One pair of eyes after another fixed on him as he walked toward his home.

Only after Song Tianyao had gone a long way did the men and women of the slum point at him and whisper among themselves:

"What a pity about Tian, the smartest young man on this street."

"Exactly. I was hoping A-Yao would look after me once he got into the police."

"Even if that bastard became a cop, he wouldn't look after you. With his parents around, you think you can get something for nothing? Dream on."

Song Tianyao made his way through the alleys, and before he reached his own door, he heard his mother arguing loudly with someone. He frowned and slowly walked over. A group of neighborhood women were blocking the entrance to his home, outside its battered wooden door, while his mother stood in the doorway, one hand on her hip and the other pointing an accusing finger. Spittle flew as she shouted back at them, looking every bit like a scholar debating a host of learned rivals.

"Auntie Zhen! No matter how you put it, A-Yao didn't get into the police, so the money has to be paid back. I really need it urgently!" a middle-aged woman said to Zhao Meizhen in a shrill voice. "Paying your debts is only right and proper!"

Zhao Meizhen immediately raised her voice to drown her out. "Small-Eyed Ling! Which busybody came into my house of her own accord yesterday, put down two hundred dollars, and said I didn't need to pay it back because it was a gift from the neighbors? Wow, your goodwill really lasts. Not even a day and a night have passed, and you're already ready to take it back?"

"Auntie Zhen, Small-Eyed Ling gave hers willingly, but I didn't. I only lent you the money because you asked. Now my husband is seriously ill, and I need the money to buy medicine." Seeing Small-Eyed Ling silenced, another woman spoke up.

"Sister Ru, when I borrowed the money, we agreed I'd pay you back in six months, with three percent interest. And now you're at my door demanding payment? Shall I give you a calendar so you can get a good look at the date? Your husband is seriously ill? What's wrong with him? Did he have a stroke in bed? I just saw him flirting with Three-Flavor Chicken, his arm around her. Your money's safer with me than with your man to spend on his philandering!"

"My grandson needs his school fees paid..." An old woman squeezed to the front and spoke to Zhao Meizhen with a miserable expression.

Even with an elderly woman, Zhao Meizhen's tone was no less fierce. "Your grandson's been studying for two years and still can't write his own name. School fees? Go buy a watermelon knife and chop his teacher to death instead!"

"Then give me my money back so I can buy a watermelon knife!" The old woman was nearly knocked off her feet by Zhao Meizhen's words, but she immediately struck back, still demanding her money.

Zhao Meizhen was hardly going to be frightened by that. She slapped her chest. "Wow, Auntie Cheng, you can actually say something like that? Fine!"

She snatched a cleaver from behind the door and slapped it into the old woman's hand. "Go on, chop someone first. Once you're done, come back and ask for your money!"

Song Tianyao stood near the door, watching the neighbors press his family for repayment with a cold gaze. A large part of the three thousand Hong Kong dollars in his pocket had been given to him by these neighborhood busybodies when they heard he was taking the police exam. Every one of them had thumped their chests and said he didn't need to pay them back when they gave him the money, but now that they knew he had failed, they had immediately turned their backs on him.

Even if they hadn't come knocking, Song Tianyao had never intended to default on the debts. They were all poor people, and scraping together a little savings wasn't easy. But the way they turned on him faster than a prostitute taking off her clothes left him thoroughly annoyed.

"The money—I'll pay you back in three days, every last cent. Now, all of you, get the hell out of here." Seeing the women preparing to shove his mother aside and storm into the house, Song Tianyao rushed over, snatched the cleaver from the old woman's hand, and hacked it into the wooden door. The blade sank a good half inch into the wood!

Song Tianyao's words, together with the cleaver lodged in the door, left the neighbors stunned for a moment. Some recovered and wanted to speak again, but a sweep of Song Tianyao's dark gaze silenced them at once.

"In three days, you neighbors won't need to come to my house asking for your money. I'll personally bring it back to each of you. If you still want to make trouble at my house, I may not have passed the police exam, but today I made a few friends at the police school who did. Do you want me to bring them around to make trouble for you in six months?" After saying this, Song Tianyao took a cigarette from his pocket, held it between his lips, and lit it. He shook out the match. "Hmm?"

"Now that you've said that, I'm relieved, Yao. I really do need the money urgently. You said it yourself, three days. I trust you more than anyone."

"Auntie Zhen, Yao said three days. We trust him."

The neighbors exchanged a noisy jumble of pleasantries, then drifted away in twos and threes. Once they had all gone, Zhao Meizhen leaned against the wooden door and let out a heavy breath. She turned to look at her son with the cigarette in his mouth, then suddenly reached out and knocked it flying. Grabbing Song Tianyao by the collar, she dragged him inside and secured the wooden door with its bolt.

"Other people take the police exam, and so do you! They all pass, so why couldn't you?" Once the door was shut, Zhao Meizhen unleashed a barrage of shouts at Song Tianyao. "Now the whole Squatter Area is laughing at your mother! Just how did you take that exam?"

Song Tianyao straightened his collar. "I took it like that. The interviewer was targeting me. What could I do?"

"Give him more money! Whatever he wants, give it to him! Your dad even went to work at the docks today, but as soon as A-Yip got back there, your dad was sent home. They said you hadn't passed, so now I've sent him back to his shoe-repair stall at the end of the street, and he's got a face like thunder. I didn't go to work all day. I was hoping to hear your good news and show off to those busybodies. If I'd known, I'd have gone on washing dishes at the teahouse and earned a day's wages."

"Three thousand dollars wasn't enough. How much more were you going to give him? So I didn't become a cop. Is it the end of the world? At worst, I'll get a job." Song Tianyao sat down on Dad's bed and flexed his ankle as he spoke.

Zhao Meizhen held out her hand to Song Tianyao. "Where's the money?"

"I gave it to the interviewer."

"What kind of bastard interviewer takes the money and still won't let you pass?" On hearing Song Tianyao's answer, Zhao Meizhen was so angry she nearly fainted. "How did I give birth to an idiot like you? If he wouldn't let you pass, couldn't you ask for the money back? What are we going to use to pay back those neighborhood busybodies now?"

"I told them I'd pay them back in three days, and I will. You don't need to worry about it." As Song Tianyao spoke, he took the cigarettes from his pocket, intending to light another one.