A Slipper

By Wang Luyan

To send his nephew A-Bao, Uncle Guoliang came to Shanghai to visit his cousin brother Li Guocai, who was an officer. Beginning from the moment he was about to step in Li Mansion, the author wrote until he left Shanghai. Coming to Li Mansion, Uncle Guoliang dared not enter it. He decided to buy a pair of shoes. After strolling around several stores, the salesman sold him a pair of leather shoes. Afterwards, he planned to visit A-Xin, who lived in Garden Street, with his leather shoes. On the way, he was stopped by the soldiers who took away one of his slippers. He wore the other to come to the tea shop. On the third day, when he was about to leave Shanghai, he came across a troop of soldiers in the street. They let him go after search him and checking his ID.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Great Wall Publishing
• Release date: Feb 26, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224462360

Book preview

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

A SLIPPER

First edition. February 26, 2024.

Copyright © 2024 Wang Luyan.

Written by Wang Luyan.

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A Slipper

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A Slipper

Right when Uncle Guoliang extended his right foot into the living room, he withdrew astonishingly, went back, leaned himself against the wall, with a flushed face dumbstruck.

What kind of floor that is!

Not only clean, beautiful, but noble. It is not seemingly made of ordinary fir; instead, it is paved by some new kind of wood several times better than red wood. No cohesion traceable, smooth and delicate like jade, painted by red paint and almost able to look one’s shadow on it.

Even tables, he never saw by making use of that good woods, although he was in his forties now.

He lowered his head shamefully, looking at his own feet:

They are terrible, customary to walk on mountain paths, broad and big, tough and dirty; they wore a pair of straw sandals as rotten as only several grains stayed; on their bottom, there are yellow soil and black mud, crushed stone and coal slag.

How can I enter? Although it is the house of Li Guocai, his cousin brother, although the sister-in-law relied on him largely when in village, at this time when he stopped autumn harvest, over hills and crests discarding the heat, he finally sent Li Guocai’s twelve-year-old son back here in the mid-night yesterday. This kind of feet on that kind of floor, the floor could probably be broken down, couldn’t it?

He lifted his head, staring blankly on that floor and highered his eyesight a little.

That kind of chairs were never seen by him before too: they were not made from bamboo or wood, they were made of decorative rind. Big and broad, containable by two or three persons; the other two were almost beds, for its length; like vehicles, they had four wheels; guess what, lying on them was like a celestial being, comfortable and cool.

Both the tables and teapoys were made of rosewood, with new pattern of carvings, painted with beautiful figures on them. Between two glass cabinets lies enough of odd porcelains and antiques. On the long table, there were silver shield, porcelain bottle, golden cup and silver clock. Colorful lamps were hanging on a carved red wood shelf. The wall was golden, with flowers on it. There were also character couplets