When they got up to leap at him again, Song Fanping shot out his left leg, catching one man in the stomach. The man fell back to the ground with a howl and also dragged down the two men behind him. The men and middle-school students stared at one another in astonishment, trying to absorb what had just happened.
Song Fanping stood facing them with clenched fists. One of the men started hollering that they were going to surround him. The six of them immediately crowded around and started pummeling him. The moment he rushed out of the circle, he would be trapped in the middle again. It became a mêlée. No one could see what they were doing anymore. Sometimes the men seemed squashed together like steamed buns, and at other points they scattered like popped corn.
The two boys, who were about three or four years older than Baldy Li and Song Gang, then took the opportunity to grab the brothers and slap their cheeks, kick their shins, and spit in their faces. At first Baldy Li and Song Gang didn't give an inch and tried to slap, kick, and spit back. But they were short and couldn't reach the faces or the legs of their tormentors, and furthermore they had less spittle to spit out. After a few rounds, Baldy Li and Song Gang realized they were done for and started wailing.
Song Fanping heard their cries, but he was fighting one against six and couldn't get over to help. Baldy Li and Song Gang had to hide behind Li Lan, who at this point was crying even harder than they were. She appealed to Song Fanping's neighbors and to the passersby who had gathered around to watch the show, begging them to help her new husband. She appealed to them one after another, as Baldy Li and Song Gang clutched at her clothing. The two older boys followed behind, continuing to slap, kick, and spit. Baldy Li and Song Gang wailed for Li Lan to help them as Li Lan begged the spectators to help her husband.
Eventually, a few of the neighbors and spectators rushed up and separated Song Fanping and his six tormentors, pulling them off to either side as they themselves stood in the middle. Song Fanping's eyes were swollen, blood was dripping from his mouth and nose, and his clothing was in tatters. The other six were equally bad off, though at least their clothes were still intact.
The peacemakers started to work on both fronts. They reasoned with Song Fanping, explaining that anyone would naturally be upset if they had lost their chickens, and when people are upset they can't help but say ugly things. They also reasoned with the tormentors, explaining that today was not just any day but, rather, was Songs and Li's wedding day, and that they should take that into consideration. The peacemakers pushed Song Fanping into his house and the others back into the street, urging them, "Forget it, forget it. It's easier to make friends than enemies. Song Fanping, go back to your house, and everyone else go home."
Though he was bruised and battered, Song Fanping proudly held his ground, while the others were equally unwilling to leave. They felt that they had strength in numbers and were not about to give in. They said this wasn't over and insisted on getting something before they left: "At the very least we need compensation and apologies."
Eventually, it occurred to one of the peacemakers to propose to the tormentors that they each accept a cigarette from Song Fanping. According to the code of the time, to offer a cigarette after a fight was to admit defeat. The others considered this and agreed that it would be a good way of saving face. They said, "Fine, then we'll let him off the hook."
The peacemaker then walked up to Song Fanping. He didn't say the cigarettes were for admitting defeat but, rather, suggested that Song should pass out some auspicious wedding cigarettes. Song Fanping knew what cigarettes would signify and shook his head. "No cigarettes. All they'll get is my fist."
After saying this, Song Fanping looked over at Li Lan s tear-swollen eyes and at Song Gang and Baldy Li's faces covered with their own tears and other peoples spit. Suddenly he was filled with sadness. He stood for a while, then walked into the house, his head bowed. When he returned, he had a pack of cigarettes. Ripping it open, he walked over to the three men and three middle-school students and took out one cigarette after another, handing one to each of them. After he was finished and turned to walk away, the men called out, "Not so fast! Light them for us."
Song Fanping's sadness was immediately transformed into fury. He threw the cigarettes to the ground and was about to turn back and hurl himself into battle again when Li Lan leapt up and restrained him. She pleaded with him, "Let me do it. Let me go light them."
Li Lan went over to the men. She initially stood there wiping her eyes, then lit the match and used it to light the cigarettes dangling from their mouths. The middle-schooler named Sun Wei took a drag and then deliberately blew smoke into her face.
Song Fanping saw this, but this time he didn't fly into a rage. Instead, he simply lowered his head and walked into the house. Baldy Li saw that his stepfather was weeping as he walked in. This was the first time that Baldy Li saw Song Fanping cry.
After Li Lan lit their cigarettes, she placed the matches back in her pocket and walked over to Baldy Li and Song Gang. She used the corner of her blouse to wipe the tears and spittle off the boys’ faces. Taking them both by the hand, she walked inside, then closed the door behind them.
Though he usually didn't smoke, Song Fanping sat on a bench in the corner of the main room and smoked five cigarettes in a row. His coughing sounded like retching, and he spit blood-tinged saliva and phlegm all over the ground. This terrified the boys as they sat huddled on the bed, their legs trembling as they dangled off the edge of the bed. Li Lan covered her face with her hands and stood by the door. She was still weeping, her tears leaking through her fingers. After he finished smoking the five cigarettes, Song Fanping finally stood up. He removed his tattered clothes, wiped the blood off his face, and then with his sandaled foot he smudged the bloody spittle on the ground and proceeded into the inner room.
After a while Song Fanping emerged looking like a new man. He was wearing a clean white shirt, and although his face was bruised and swollen, he was smiling. He thrust out his fists toward Baldy Li and Song Gang and said, "Guess what I have?"
Both boys shook their heads. Song Fanping opened his hands, and when he had spread his fingers, they saw two hard candies in his palms. They laughed with delight as Song Fanping unwrapped the candies and placed them into their mouths. How sweet they were! The boys had been wanting to sweeten their mouths since this morning, but only now that the sun was almost setting were they finally able to savor the sweetness.
Song Fanping walked up to Li Lan, a smile on his swollen face. He patted her back, caressed her hair, and leaned over and whispered in her ear for a long time. Baldy Li and Song Gang sat on the bed eating the sweet hard candy. They didn't know what Song Fanping said to her, but after a while they saw that Li Lan was smiling, too.
That night the four of them sat together. Song Fanping cooked a fish and stir-fried a plateful of greens, and Li Lan brought out of her bag a bowl of braised pork that she had cooked earlier. Song Fanping got a bottle of yellow rice wine, pouring a cup for himself and another for Li Lan. Li Lan protested that she didn't drink, but Song Fanping replied that he didn't either and that after today no one would drink, but tonight they had to. "This is our auspicious wedding wine."
Song Fanping lifted his wine cup and waited for Li Lan to lift hers. He tapped his cup against hers, and she smiled bashfully. Song Fanping downed the yellow wine in one gulp, and the wounds in his mouth caused his face to contort in pain. He fanned his open mouth as if he had eaten a very hot chili pepper, then told Li Lan to drink up. She also drained her cup, and he waited until she put it down before setting his down as well.