Song Gang stood there, his entire body trembling. He could hear countless footsteps on the bridge over his head, as if crowds of people were walking on the roof of his house. He watched the river gradually grow dark as rain pelted the waves, making the river look as though it too was trembling. He felt very anxious waiting there, alternating between excitement and depression, determination and despair. After more than an hour, the sky turned completely dark, and Song Gang finally began to calm down. In his minds eye he saw the sorrowful gaze Li Lan had given him before she passed away, and therefore he again rejected happiness and swore to himself that he wouldn't betray Baldy Li. He told himself that he had not come here for a date with Lin Hong but only to return her handkerchief. In the dark he lifted the handkerchief to look at it, as if he were bidding it farewell, and then resolutely placed it in his pocket. He exhaled and felt much more relaxed.
Lin Hong appeared at eight thirty, walking down the steps with an umbrella. She gazed for a while in the direction of the area under the bridge and eventually made out a tall shadow silently standing there. Having determined that this was indeed Song Gang and not the short and stocky Baldy Li, Lin Hong smiled with relief and approached.
When she reached Song Gangs side, she closed her umbrella and shook it a few times. Then she looked up at Song Gang, but in the dark she couldn't make out his expression. She heard his nervous breathing and sensed him lift his right hand. She then looked down, and her heart missed a beat when she noticed that he was holding her handkerchief. She didn't accept it, because she knew that as soon as she did, this date would be over. Therefore, she turned her head away and saw lights from the streetlamps overhead flickering on the river's surface. She heard Song Gang's increasingly hurried breathing and couldn't help laughing as she said, "Say something. I didn't come here to listen to you breathe."
Song Gang shook his right hand and with a shaky voice said, "This is your handkerchief."
Lin Hong replied angrily, "You came here just to give me this?"
Song Gang nodded. "Yes."
Lin Hong shook her head and laughed bitterly, then looked up at Song Gang in despair and asked, "Song Gang, do you not like me?"
Even in the dark, Song Gang still did not dare look directly at her, so he turned his face away and with a heartbroken voice said, "Baldy Li is my brother."
"Don't bring Baldy Li into this," Lin Hong interrupted him and promptly added, "Even if you and I don't get together, I would never end up with him."
After hearing this, Song Gang again lowered his head and didn't know what to say. When Lin Hong saw his pained expression, she bit her lip and said tenderly, "Song Gang, this is the last time, so please think about it carefully, because there won't be another opportunity."
Lin Hong became increasingly grief-stricken as she added, "Soon I will be someone else's girlfriend." After saying this, she stood there in the dark watching Song Gang expectantly, but all he did was softly repeat the same line, "Baldy Li is my brother."
Distraught, Lin Hong turned away and once again looked at the lights on the river. Song Gang lifted his right hand holding the handkerchief, but she remained silent, as did he. After a while, she asked sorrowfully, "Song Gang, can you swim?"
Song Gang, not knowing what else to say, nodded. "I can."
"I can't," Lin Hong said. She turned her face to look at Song Gang and added, "If I jump into the river, will I drown?"
Song Gang couldn't understand why she was asking this and stared at her, speechless. Lin Hong extended her hand in the darkness and stroked Song Gang's face, and he jumped as if he had received an electric shock. She pointed to the river water and, sounding as if she were taking an oath, asked Song Gang, "I'm asking you for the last time: Do you like me?"
Song Gang opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Lin Hong's finger was still pointing at the river water as she said, "If you say you don't like me, I'll jump in."
Song Gang was stunned, and Lin Hong added urgently, "Answer me!"
Song Gang said in a beseeching tone, "Baldy Li is my brother."
Lin Hong was devastated. She could not believe that Song Gang would stick to repeating that same phrase. She spat out, "I hate you!"
She then proceeded to jump into the river, shattering the lights reflected on the surface. Song Gang watched as her body fell, and the droplets of water struck his face like hailstones. He watched as her body disappeared and then struggled to break back through the water's surface. He immediately jumped into the bone-piercingly cold river after her. He felt that the weight of his body was forcing hers back down even while she was struggling to make her way up. Lin Hong grabbed on to his shirt; Song Gang kicked with his feet and, holding her tightly with both hands, pulled her to the surface. When she emerged, water spurted from her mouth, all over Song Gang's face. He hugged her body to him and, paddling with his feet, swam over to the bank with Lin Hong hugging his neck with both arms.
He lifted her onto the steps and then knelt down and softly called out her name. He saw her open her eyes, and it was only then that he realized he was holding her. In alarm, he released her and stood up. Her body lay sprawled on the steps, and she continued to cough and spit up water. Then she struggled to sit up, lowered her head, and hugged her knees. Completely soaked and shivering in the cold wind, she sat there waiting for Song Gang to come over and embrace her, as he had when they were in the water. However, the similarly soaked Song Gang merely stood there, aware only of his own shivering. Heartbroken, Lin Hong stood and slowly walked up the steps, her body swaying precariously. Song Gang didn't think to follow her and offer his support. Hugging herself and still shivering, Lin Hong continued up the stairs. She sensed that Song Gang was following her, but she didn't turn around and instead kept going until she reached the street. At that point, she could no longer hear his footsteps, yet she still didn't turn around. Her tears mixing with the rain on her face, she walked on.
After Song Gang climbed up to the street he just stood there, feeling as though his heart had been pierced by a knife. He watched Lin Hong walk down the wet street, head bowed and hugging her shoulders. The rain glittered under the streetlamps like snowflakes, and the street itself seemed asleep. Song Gang watched Lin Hong's figure as she gradually disappeared in the distance; then, after lifting his hand to wipe the tears and rain from his face, he set off in the opposite direction.
Baldy Li was in bed when he heard Song Gang walk in the door. He turned on the light and stuck his head out from under the covers, calling out, "Where did you run off to? I waited forever for you."
Baldy Li sat up with his covers wrapped around him and saw the soaking-wet Song Gang sitting on the bench. Not noticing Song Gang's grief-stricken expression, he continued, "You didn't make us dinner. I, Director Li, worked hard all day, only to come home and find nothing to eat, not even leftovers. I waited forever for you, but eventually had no choice but go out and buy some stuffed buns."
After his exclamation, Baldy Li asked Song Gang, "Have you eaten?"
Song Gang stared at Baldy Li in confusion, almost as if he didn't recognize him. Baldy Li roared, "Have you fucking eaten or not?"
Song Gang trembled from head to toe. Finally understanding what Baldy Li was asking him, he shook his head. "No, I haven't."
"I figured you hadn't." Baldy Li proudly pulled a bowl out from under the covers, with two steamed buns inside. Handing the bowl to Song Gang, he said, "Eat them quickly while they're still warm."
With a sigh, Song Gang reached out to accept the bowl and place it on the table, then continued gazing at Baldy Li. Baldy Li pointed at the bun and shouted, "Eat!"