Flash Fiction: Ying Zi

Text/Liao Dongping

　My mother called and urged me to get married many times, and this time I promised. He said that he must bring a daughter-in-law home during the Spring Festival.

　　Ying Zi and I chartered a taxi from Shenzhen back to my hometown of Shancheng in northern Guangdong.

　　The car was bumping on the mountain road, the light rain was pouring down outside the car window, and Hideko snuggled sweetly in my arms, like a baby sleeping soundly in a cradle.

　　Suddenly, the car, in a sharp turn, flipped down a small hill...

　　The driver had a broken arm and I bruised my scalp. Eiko's face was blue, and she didn't look like a big deal. Just the jade bracelet that was clutched in his hand and ready to give to his mother was broken. Hideko shed two lines of tears with a half-bent bracelet in her hand, and I took her into my arms, wordless comfort.

　　In a small clinic in the countryside, doctors were busy treating the driver and I who were screaming in pain.

　　At this time, Hideko said weakly: "Dong, my stomach hurts...

　　Hideko fell softly into my arms before she finished speaking, and when I reached out and touched it, her stomach swollen like a ball.

　　"Doctor, doctor!" I cried out loud, but it was too late. Eiko was injured internally, and his liver ruptured, causing massive internal bleeding.

　　It was raining harder outside the window.

"Hideko, Hideko!" I hugged her tightly and cried out loudly, "Did you hear you, we're going home, you know?!" ”

Half-bent bracelet, lying quietly in the night when the rain was noisy.