One O'Clock

Yang Laoliang said Zhang Laifu was a Craftsman, and Zhang Laifu did not deny it. "Boss, how could you tell?"

"Ordinary people don't have talent like yours. As for Old Wang saying you came to him with skills already under your belt, that's pure nonsense. One look at the way you snapped that bamboo just now told me you've never worked in this trade. You could've hurt your hand doing it that way. You can't fake that."

Zhang Laifu cupped his fists. "Boss, are you a Craftsman too?"

Old Liang rubbed his bald head and sighed. "I wanted to be one. I went through a thousand hardships to get my hands on a Craft Spirit. It was a fine-looking fruit, bright red all over except for one small patch of green.

"I ate it, but instead of becoming a Craftsman, I lost a layer of skin. All the flesh and blood underneath was exposed. If I hadn't met a good doctor, this old life of mine would've been over.

"I survived, and my skin grew back, but my hair never did. Not a single strand. I even had an artist paint these eyebrows on."

"Painted on?" Zhang Laifu looked for a long time. He truly could not tell.

Old Liang gave a bitter smile. "Anyway, I never became a Craftsman. It frightened me so badly I didn't dare eat another Craft Spirit.

"I learned to make paper lanterns when I was young. I was an apprentice with a Graduation Certificate. Later, I saved up some money working on boats and opened this paper lantern shop. Then I paid a hefty sum to hire this Master Craftsman.

"I've made plenty of money, and business is good, but I've never been able to swallow my anger. Do you know why?"

"No." Zhang Laifu shook his head. He did not want to know, either.

Yang Laoliang smiled. "You're a bit thick, kid, but I like that about you. I'm angry because I can't stand Old Wang. I told him this morning to teach you how to make frames. What gave him the right to refuse? Whose shop is this?

"Tomorrow I'll force him to teach you again. We'll see whether he does it. Once you've learned the craft, I'll kick him out, and the two of us can run the business together. I'll pay you a hundred and fifty Silver Dollars a month. How does that sound?"

A hundred and fifty Silver Dollars—how much money was that?

Forget wontons. Even if he ate roast chicken at every meal without bothering with rice, thirty Silver Dollars would last him a month.

Zhang Laifu thought for a moment, then looked up at Old Liang. "It'll take three years before I've learned the craft, won't it?"

"Not three years! You think I don't know what Old Wang can do? I'd say you won't even need three months."

"Can it really be that quick?" Zhang Laifu looked astonished. "But what if he refuses to teach me?"

"I'm the boss. If I force him to teach you, how can he refuse? He has to listen to me!"

Zhang Laifu did not think so. "If he really listened to you, you wouldn't be angry, would you? And if you weren't angry, what would you need me for?"

Old Liang said nothing for a long while.

Zhang Laifu watched him without expression.

"Laifu, you don't trust me!" Old Liang picked up a bottle of Ingrid's perfume and sprayed his head twice. "Then I'll give you my word: if you follow me in good faith, I'll see that you learn the craft within three months. I'll even make sure you learn his secret techniques!"

"I trust you, boss. Let's give it three months, then." Zhang Laifu rose to leave.

Old Liang stopped him. "Where are you going?"

"Back to my room to sleep."

"Which room?"

"My old one, of course!"

"That's no place for a Craftsman! I'll arrange a room of your own. You won't have to work your shifts, either. Just stay in your room and study the craft.

"But let's get the ugly part out of the way. Once you've learned it in three months, don't try any tricks on me. I didn't build a business this big without learning a few ways to deal with people. If you betray me, I'll make sure you can't earn a living in Heishakou."

Old Liang had someone arrange a private room for Zhang Laifu. It was the same size as his old room, but with only one bed, it felt much more spacious.

Zhang Laifu bolted the door, opened his bundle, and took out the Alarm Clock.

He had never been able to turn its winding key before. Now that he was a Craftsman, he wanted to try again.

Click, click, click, click, click—

The key was still stiff, but this time it turned.

After two turns, Zhang Laifu had rubbed a layer of skin off his index finger. He let go to rest it and saw the hands on the Alarm Clock move.

The hour hand moved faster than the minute hand, and the minute hand moved faster than the second hand. When all three stopped, the minute hand pointed to twelve and the hour hand to one.

One o'clock.

Old Helmsman had always wanted to set the Alarm Clock to two o'clock. What special function did one o'clock have?

Zhang Laifu watched the Alarm Clock closely. Suddenly, both bells trembled.

Please don't ring. Zhang Laifu did not want anyone to know about the Alarm Clock.

It did not ring. Instead, a puff of green smoke drifted out from beneath the bells.

What was the green smoke for?

Zhang Laifu quickly held his breath. He remembered Old Helmsman saying the Alarm Clock was poisonous. Perhaps this was how it released its poison.

The green smoke curled around him. Zhang Laifu was running out of breath and wanted to step outside for some air, but he feared the smoke would follow him out and harm someone else.

How could he get the smoke back inside?

The green smoke drifted around the room for nearly a minute before slipping back beneath the bells.

Zhang Laifu had no time to think. He ran outside, braced his hands on his knees, and gulped down air.

Once his breathing and his nerves had steadied, he checked himself over. Certain he had not been poisoned, Zhang Laifu returned to the room and continued studying the Alarm Clock.

He tried winding it again, but no matter how hard he turned, the key would not budge.

What was going on now?

Had I done something wrong just now? Or did the Alarm Clock need a rest?

Zhang Laifu stared at its face for a long time.

All three hands had returned to twelve o'clock.

At half past three, work began at the lantern shop. Master Wang walked among the apprentices but did not see Zhang Laifu.

"Chen Xiaowang, where's Zhang Laifu? Go get him!"

Chen Xiaowang looked blank. He had slept too soundly at noon to know where Zhang Laifu had gone.

Deng Yuechuan came over of his own accord. After glancing around, he leaned close to Master Wang's ear and whispered, "The boss sent Zhang Laifu on an errand. He called him away at one this afternoon."

Master Wang was embarrassed. He stared at Deng Yuechuan for quite a while.

Zhang Laifu running an errand for the boss was hardly a secret. Why not just say so?

Yet in front of everyone, Deng Yuechuan had insisted on whispering in his ear, as though he were afraid people might not realize he was Master Wang's confidant.

For three days straight, Zhang Laifu did not come to work. At mealtimes, he asked Xiao Chu, one of the shop hands, to bring him food.

Whenever Wang Tiaodeng asked, Deng Yuechuan said Zhang Laifu was running errands for the boss.

Errands every day?

Master Wang called Deng Yuechuan into the storeroom alone. "Yuechuan, is Zhang Laifu still living with you?"

Deng Yuechuan nodded. "Yes. His bed's still in our room."

"Does he come back to sleep there at night?"

"No. He hasn't come back since he left that day."

"What about his luggage?"

"He only had one bundle, and he took it with him."

Wang Tiaodeng slapped Deng Yuechuan. "You useless fool! He and his luggage are both gone. Doesn't that tell you he's moved out?"

Deng Yuechuan covered his cheek, tears spilling down his face.

Wang Tiaodeng asked around and learned that Zhang Laifu had caught the boss's favor. He now had a room to himself and did not have to work.

"Yang Laoliang has figured it out!" Wang Tiaodeng smiled and muttered to himself, "Looks like I'd better act fast."

That evening, Wang Tiaodeng called Deng Yuechuan to his room again to drink with him.

"Yuechuan, I was wrong to hit you today. Don't take it to heart."

Deng Yuechuan hurried to admit his fault. "I didn't do my job properly. I failed to keep an eye on Zhang Laifu and made you angry, Master."

Old Wang sighed. "You can't be blamed for that. Zhang Laifu is no ordinary man. He's a Craftsman, and he's come for our livelihood.

"Yuechuan, I see things clearly now. After all these years with Yang Laoliang, he has no loyalty to us at all! I'm done working for him. I plan to set up on my own. Will you come with me?"

"Of course I will! I'll pack my things and go with you tomorrow!" Deng Yuechuan wished they could leave that very night. He was Master Wang's confidant. If he helped Master Wang start a new shop, he would be its second-in-command!

"No rush!" Old Wang refilled Deng Yuechuan's cup. "If we're leaving, we'll leave with our heads held high. We can't let that bastard Zhang Laifu laugh at us. So there's one more thing I need you to do."

Deng Yuechuan drained his cup. "Just say the word, Master!"

Old Wang took an oilcloth bundle from a cabinet and opened it. Inside lay a jet-black Revolver.

"Yuechuan, do you know what this is?"

P.S. Surely it hasn't come to this? How deep is this grudge?