By Hao Jinhong

HotTea Scalds Lips

By Hao Jinhong

I n 1983,Ai Qing(1910-1996, famous Chinese litterateur and poet)was ill in the hospital.Postman Zhang shared the ward with him.Both being heavy smokers,they’d often sneak off for a smoke when the doctors weren’t around.

One night,Zhang left a pack of cigarettes on the bed when he went to eat at the hospital canteen.Ai Qing left the ward just after Zhang.

After the dinner,Zhang got back to the ward and found the pack of cigarettes gone.He thought that Ai Qing must have taken them.

Soon,Ai Qing returned with a friend who had come to visit him. Skeptically,Zhang asked Ai Qing,“Did you take my cigarettes?”Ai Qing was bewildered and answered,“No,I did not.”

Feeling that Ai Qing was refusing to admit what he had done,Zhang became angrier and said,“There’re only you and me in this ward.My cigarettes disappeared in the few minutes that I was gone,who else would have taken them?”

Ai Qing knew that he couldn’t explain himself,so he picked up a book and started reading,ignoring Zhang’s indignation.

Later,Zhang went out to buy another pack of cigarettes.Ai Qing’s friend asked him,“I know it wasn’t you who took the cigarettes.Why didn’t you clarify the misunderstanding?”

Ai Qing put down the book and brewed a cup of tea for his friend.“Have a taste,”said Ai Qing.

His friend took up the cup and put it down immediately,saying,“It’s too hot to drink now,I have to wait until it cools down.”

Ai Qing smiled and said,“It’s just the same.Zhang’s mood was like the cup of tea.If I dealt with it immediately,I would surely be hurt. It would be no good for either of us. After a while,when both of us calm down,we will have a better chance of making a solution.Only when this cup of tea cools down will you be able to enjoy the taste without getting your lips scalded.”

As expected,Zhang came to Ai Qing and apologized the next day, explaining that a troublesome boy from the ward next door took his cigarettes.Zhang admitted that it was he who had wronged Ai Qing, and hoped that Ai Qing wouldn’t take his offense seriously.

Ai Qing replied jokingly,“Fine, then you’d better give me some cigarettes as amends.”Hearing this, Zhang nodded with a big smile,“No problem,my friend.”

(FromYouth,January 2016.Translation:Yu Lan.）