Page 136 - updated on July

Yu Jihui: “A Stinking Old Ninth – A Tale of the Coal Capital” (updated on July 2020)

They saw me and shout loudly, “Stop Soapy! Stop

Soapy!”

I ran straight on, torwards them. They tried to

catch me and ran torwards me too. In a split second,

when both sides nearly collided I gave Squint a

punch right on his nose. He uttered a cry and

squatted down. Elephant stretched her arms, trying to

get hold of me. I dodged them and passed her. But

she pursued relentlessly. I turned over and slapped

her hard across one of her cheeks. She was shocked

and stood there gaping at me. Then I ran into the

darkness.

I had one idea in my mind – to go and see Black

Peony. She could prove my innocence. I ran straight

to the train station. But when I got to it, I was at a

loss as to what to do. I had no money to buy ticket. I

had become a teacher and could earn a salary. As a

university graduate, my salary, comparatively

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