Arthur said, "That's everything. With the breakfast shop, sixty thousand at most. How much do you have?"
I said, "Around ten thousand. Can't scrape much more together either."
Arthur said, "You call yourself a grandpa, Leo?"
Lily was in the guard booth doing her homework. She looked up and asked, "Grandpa Leo, what's 300,000 about?"
I patted her head and said, "Nothing. Just playing mahjong with the old coot online. Keep doing your homework."
I stepped out of the guard booth, lit a cigarette, sat on the edge of the flower bed, and hung my head.
I needed 300,000. Where could I get 300,000? At my age, nobody'd buy me even if I tried to sell myself. Word was you could get a decent price for a kidney, but between Arthur and me we only had four, nowhere near 300,000. Throw in heart, liver, spleen, lungs?
My mind was a mess. Rob a bank, damn it. If it could save Lily's life, even getting shot for it would be fine by me.
---
7
I went looking for Arthur. He was at that rundown breakfast shop of his, wearing an apron, kneading dough.
He said, "Have you lost your mind?"
I said, "Besides robbing a bank, where am I getting 300,000?"
He said, "Try the lottery."
I sneered and said, "If you win 300,000, I'll hand you my head on a platter."
He said, "Leo, you said it yourself."
I said, "Get a pen. I'll write you a contract."
He got annoyed, waving his flour-covered hands. "Alright, alright, stop acting like a shrew. I'll figure out the money. Lily is my granddaughter, I'm more anxious than you."
I dragged over a chair and sat down.
I grabbed my head and said, "Lily's only eight. Damn."
Then I seemed to remember something and asked, "You old coot, always gambling — have you ever bet on underground fights?"
He said, "I have."
I said, "Give me the number."
He said, "What are you going to do?"
I didn't answer him. Just told him to pick Lily up from school today, and rushed off.
---
8
Baji.
First train raw force, second train yielding force.
Third train inch power, fourth train open form.
Fifth train cannon hammer, sweep the six directions.
I always remembered these verses. I also remembered asking my father, "Baji has eight stages, why only teach me six?"
Father said, "With six stages, your training is complete. The final two stages aren't taught by a master — you learn them yourself."
These two stages, Arthur and I had puzzled over for most of our lives, without result. But six stages was enough. Though I was an old man nearing death, beating a few underground fighters would be more than manageable.
The contact brought me to a basement. Wide space, smelling of long-dried blood.
I said, "How much for a win?"
He glanced at me and said, "Sir, we don't get many like you. You said you wanted to bet, that's the only reason I brought you."
I said, "How much?"
He said, "Forget it. I'm afraid you'll die in there."
I reached out, patted his shoulder, and gave a forceful shove. He went down quite neatly.
He froze for a few seconds. "What was that for?"
I said, "Tell me the price."
He said, "Did you buy insurance?"
I stepped forward. He backed up rapidly, stammering, "No, no, no, sir, prices vary. Beginner level, five thousand. Mid-level and up goes higher. Death match, five hundred thousand."
I said, "Death match."
He said, "Then you'll have to wait. We don't stop anyone seeking death. Death matches are at month's end. Fill out a declaration, go home, and wait for our notice."
---
9
I filled out the form and left my number. He told me death matches weren't something you could just walk into. After a match, the winner takes five hundred thousand, and the dead get a hundred thousand for funeral expenses.
So plenty of people were lined up for it.
He slotted me into the intermission. During the event, they'd bring in beginners for me to fight alongside two death match contestants.
If I survived, they'd pay me two hundred thousand.
What a joke. I could beat the crap out of them.
I leaned against the neighborhood gate, lit a cigarette, and leisurely surveyed the grounds. A few pedestrians here and there, some young folks walking dogs, further off a couple strolling hand in hand. I'd lived eighty years and watched two changes of dynasty. What a good era this was. Happiness — once the swallow before the nobleman's hall, now flown into ordinary homes. If only I were young again.
But I still had Lily. As long as I could keep her alive, this life wouldn't have been for nothing.
Then I heard commotion behind me. I turned and saw a young man running frantically toward the complex, chased by a group of burly men shouting, "Beat him to death!"
The young man pounded on my gate and said, "Help me!"
I opened the door and let him in. He collapsed on the ground. I shut the gate, and the thugs crowded at the entrance, cursing and demanding I open up.
I said, "Let's talk this out. Look, you've frightened the flowers half to death."
The leader shouted, "Get out of the way, old geezer."
I said, "Whatever happened to respecting your elders? I'm still a baby, you know."
One of them swung at me. I thought about it and decided not to dodge, letting the slap land on my face.
I bent down to pick up my hat and asked the young man on the ground, "Do you live in this complex?"
He said, "I—I live in Building 12, 302."
I said, "And them?"
He said, "I don't know them. They don't live here."
I put my hat back on.
First train raw force, second train yielding force.
I grabbed the hand that had struck me. Waist driving shoulder, I pushed into his armpit. He yelped and went flying.
"Beat him to death, damn it!" he bellowed.
The young man behind me called out, "I've called the police!"
The big man glared at me. "I'll remember you. Just you wait."
I said, "You'd better hurry. I might be in the ground tomorrow."
They left in anger. The young man thanked me.
He shook my hand and said, "Sir, you're incredible."
I said, "Who were they?"
He said, "Strangers. Just had a verbal spat."
I said, "Don't get into spats anymore."
He said, "Right, right. From now on, I'll stick to comedy."
I said, "Comedy is an art."
He said, "Yeah, requires speaking, singing, acting, and wit."
I said, "Alright, get going. Put some medicine on those scrapes."
I noticed the calluses on his hands and said, "You've trained?"
He said, "Some firearms. Just for fun."
I nodded. He thanked me again and left.
---
10
In this city, I didn't have many old friends left.
Eddie from the village entrance was still alive. He now worked at an amusement park, maintaining the rides. He'd never learned martial arts, but his body was still tough. He said every day he'd watch those whirling, soaring machines, head tilted back, young people tossed every which way by modern machinery until they were dizzy. Every time, he thought about how he should die — when he could no longer walk, he'd climb onto a roller coaster and unbuckle mid-ride, flying in a parabolic arc from hundreds of feet up, all the way to America.
Arthur and I walked through the amusement park with Lily. Eddie, wearing flowered shorts and dark sunglasses, swinging his legs, led the way.
He turned around and asked, "How about the roller coaster?"
Lily said, "Yes, yes!"
I said, "I'll throw you to America right now. Can we pick something age-appropriate?"
He led us chattering to the carousel. The four of us sat on four horses, and the machine started, slowly rotating.
Lily was right in front of me. She said happily, "Riding horsie!"
I smiled and said, "Ride slowly, don't fall off."
Arthur, behind me, said, "Leo."
I turned my head. "What?"
He said, "Are you really going to fight?"
I said, "The forms are already filled out."
He said, "You're eighty years old."
I said, "That's exactly why. Otherwise, when we're gone, what happens to Lily?"
He said, "Have you thought this through?"
I said, "If I die, the money goes to your account."
He said, "What if I take the money?"
So I smiled and said, "You won't. You're her grandpa."
That afternoon, after we'd had our fill, the carousel stopped.
Arthur, Eddie, and I tottered off, supporting each other, found a corner, and threw up violently. Lily stood a little way off, watching us, nibbling on a cotton candy.
Damn. The carousel was too intense. Nearly killed a few old coots on the spot.
---
11
The end of May, and a fine rain was falling.
It was time for the death match.
Arthur took Lily away and told me to meet at the Drum Tower district when I was done. I still had a little time, so I stood in the complex, watching the young people live their lives. At a time like this, my heart was strangely calm.
A car horn sounded behind me. I hurried to open the gate. The car pulled up, the window rolled down, and a familiar face appeared.
It was the young man from before, the one who'd been chased. A few people sat in the car with him. He had fresh wounds on his neck and greeted me.
I said, "Where are you headed?"
He smiled and said, "Camping with friends."
I said, "It's raining today."
He said, "Camping. A little rain keeps it cool. We're having a barbecue later too."
I nodded. "Take care."
He seemed surprised at how heavy that sounded. He paused, then as the car moved forward, he stuck his head out and called, "You take care too, sir."
I waved my hand.
---
12
Fifth train cannon hammer, sweep the six directions.