Page 107 - updated on July
P. 107
Yu Jihui: “A Stinking Old Ninth – A Tale of the Coal Capital” (updated on July 2020)
Black Peony felt apologetic after receiving my
eggs. A few days later, she brought me a box of
dumplings. When she gave me the dumplings,
Elephant happened to see it. She advertised
everywhere, “Black Peony cooked dumplings for
Soapy. She is so concerned about him that she treats
him as if she were his wife.”
Rumours appeared more and more and the more
rumours appeared, the more vividly they described
the relationship between Black Peony and me. Black
Peony was as stubborn as a mule. The more people
slandered us, the more intimate she seemed with me.
She was determined to use her actual deeds to fight
back those rumours. She openly washed my clothes.
She sometimes openly cooked a meal for me. To
avoid rumours, I tried my utmost to deny her
hospitality. But the more I refused her offering, the
more she wanted to offer me. Soon, the rumours had
104
