Chinese Stories in English
1. Always Waiting
2. Caregiver
3. Caught
4. Complaints
5. Dog's Love, A
1. Always Waiting
"No way! This is the third time this week you've stood me up! I'm gunna totally kill you when I get back tonight!"
Furious, she slammed down the lid of her cell phone.
Her classmates were collecting their things beside her. "Hey, guys," she said, "let's have lunch together. I'm going to the can. Wait'll I get back."
She quietly put her book in her book bag and mumbled softly, "Always waiting…."
【Always waiting】 (Story #89)
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2. Caregiver
She spent her whole life giving care.
Every day they yelled, talked, were trouble. All she got in return was, "You're a real pain."
In the end she was tired. She decided to go to sleep.
When she was going to sleep, she didn't forget to say, "Remember, tomorrow you'll…."
She went to sleep.
Sleeping, continuously peaceful.
【This kind of person, you too have had in your life】 (Story #29-1)
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3. Caught
"Hey, where are you?"
He answered casually, looking at the girl at the side of the table, who was pretty as a flower. "I'm nesting in the dorm, doing homework. Why, you miss me?"
Through the restaurant window, with tears in her eyes, she watched the two beautiful people flirting with each other. Through it all, though, there was a smile on her face.
"No, I just had this sudden thought that you really look good when you're eating."
【Starting to understand】 (Story #99)
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4. Complaints
After 50 years of marriage, their grievances seemed to be engraved on their bones. Almost every day, as soon as they opened their eyes, the sound of their complaints about one another would start to fill the air. Their sons and daughters didn't dare go visit them alone, because it would be a calamity for their ears every time.
Then there was one morning, when he started complaining that she was late getting up, he suddenly noticed that she'd gone. After a long moment of silence, he uttered his last complaint: "Why didn't you wait and go together with me…."
【If I don't say it, that doesn't mean I don't love you.)】 (Story #73)
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5. A Dog's Love
In the war-torn 30s, the boy escaped overseas with his parents. Before he left he told his dog, "Wait for me at home. I'll come back for you for sure!"
Sixty years later, during the government's urban renewal project, that house was the only one that couldn't be torn down. It was said to be haunted and they were afraid to mess with it.
A few days later a white-haired old man, an overseas Chinese who had returned to his homeland, ignored the warnings and went in the house alone. He was crying in torrents when he came out.
Clutching a worn-out old dog collar, he said, "OK, tear it down! I came home for him!"
【A promise, the most sincere….】 (Story #35)
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6. Fifty Day Itch
They'd been together 50 days when he said he wanted to split up. He said he'd fallen for another co-ed. He was going to declare his love that evening.
Even though he'd only seen that other girl from behind for 30 days.
8:00 p.m.
"Hi. I like you. Let's get together."
He'd found the co-ed he'd seen only from behind for 30 days.
She turned around.
It was the girlfriend he'd just broken up with.
【What makes us feel isn't appearance. It's those familiar actions and behaviors.】 (Story #1)
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7. Getting Rich
A family was at the dinner table talking about what they'd do after they got rich.
"When I can afford it," the father said with a laugh, "I'm going to trade your mom in for a new model."
The mother took exception to that.
Recovering his composure, the father said, "No, I wouldn't do that. Your mom would spend several days working with me just to make a couple of bucks when we were starting out and were poor. My whole life, I'll never turn my back on her."
The mother looked at him and smiled knowingly.
【The good life. It's just the everyday sharing of whatever you have.)】 (Story #63)
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8. Good Enough
She finished packing up whatever belonged to her and said, "Should I really leave?" She was making a conscious effort to sound calm.
The man, seeming not to care, continued to play around with his phone. He gestured for the woman to pick up something she'd forgotten and leave.
"I must've been crazy to take up with you!" She was crying as she slammed the door behind her.
The man threw down his phone and walked stiffly into the next room. The screen on the phone he'd thrown down flashed with an attention-grabbing light: "If I was good enough, I sure wouldn't let you go."
【If I were good enough】 (Story #92)
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9. Guess
"Hey, bro', you like me?" He had a thumb-his-nose-at-the-world look as he glanced askance at the fellow whose teary eyes were filled with expectation.
He smiled. "Take a guess?" The fellow was depressed.
Seeing his disdainful attitude, he hung his head and turned to go. "OK, I get it, you don't like me."
As he started to take a step, he was caught off guard and fell into a warm embrace. He looked up and saw a face filled with a doting smile.
"Take another guess?"
【You guess】 (Story #91)
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10. Her Choice
My good buddy moved on up to a new house, and a bunch of us friends went over for the housewarming. While we were admiring the elegant interior decorating job, everyone kept asking questions.
"Who chose these speakers?"
"My wife."
"Who picked out this sofa-set?"
"My wife"
"Who settled on this mural?"
"My wife"
One of our friends had to ask, "Is there anything in this place that you selected?"
"My wife," my buddy said with satisfaction.
【You, my only choice in this life】 (Story #82)
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11. Jealousy
He saw him with a girl, hugging.
He was jealous. He felt hatred.
He put poison in his drink to kill him.
At the moment he started to drink, the girl called him "brother".
That's when he drank it down.
【Hard to understand – it's a "gay" story – he truly loves him deeply】 (Story #29)
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12. Kitty
My girlfriend stood in front of a cardboard box with a cat that someone had abandoned in it. She was thinking of carrying it home to raise.
"We only have enough money to feed the two of us," I said.
"So I'll get rid of you," she said, "and take the cat home."
"Hope you find a new master –" She quit talking and went home with the cat.
Left there alone, all I could do was crawl disappointed into the box.
【This is an award-winning Japanese mini-story. I don't understand it. Do you guys?】 (Story #32)
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13. Long Distance Call
In the middle of the night, he snuck out of bed and went around his parents' bedroom into the living room. He picked up his cell phone and called her.
"Hi! You asleep? My parents have been watching me pretty close. They still don't like me calling you. Don't worry, though. I can still call you on the sly. Good night, my dearest."
He finished the call and, feeling self-satisfied, went back into the den to sleep. In his room, his parents were putting his wife's bequests into a box.
【Your love isn't here any longer, but the parents who love you are】 (Story #86)
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14. Muddy
I'm watching the little guys playing in the puddle, with mud all over them.
Then I look at myself, in my school uniform.
I feel like I'm dirtier than they are.
【A childhood playing in the mud with your clothes on is something that, once gone, never comes back】 (Story #28)
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15. No Change
When I found out he was sick, I took my daughter with me to see him one last time. In the bleached white hospital room, he held my daughter's hand tightly and reminisced vaguely about trivial incidents from when he'd been with me.
My daughter was puzzled when we came out. She asked me, "Mom, didn't you say that man was your first love? So how come he doesn't recognize you at all?"
I held back my tears and smiled as I looked at my daughter's face. She looks exactly like I did back then. "Because, in love, how could anything change?"
【Because of love】 (Story #88)
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16. No Matter
It was a birthday party and they were joyously drunk. The man asked the woman, "Why did you choose me?"
She laughed. "Because you've got money."
The man thought it over.
After they'd sobered up, the woman began to realize what she'd said and hurried to ask the man, "Didn't you ask me something last night?"
"I asked why you chose me."
"And how did I answer," the woman continued.
The man laughed. "You said it was because you love me."
The woman thought it over….
【I love you, and we're together, and it doesn't matter why】 (Story #84)
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17. A Scrap of Paper
"Mama, Mama, what's this?"
My son came running over, his whole body covered with dirt. He was holding a scrap of paper in his hand. I knew he must have gotten into the storage room on what they call a treasure hunt.
I smiled and took the paper, and my heart skipped a beat. I knew this handwriting all too well, so well that I was afraid of ever coming across it again – "Hey, girl, can we get together?"
Looking at the black and white photo on the wall, I lightly rubbed our boy's head. "Your dad says he misses us."
【Girl, let's get together】 (Story #93)
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18. Secrets
On graduation day, our section leader suggested that all us students sit in a circle. We should each write a secret of ours on a piece of paper and pass it to the person on our left. That way we would each share one of our own secrets and, at the same time, keep another's secret.
I sat on his left side on purpose. I'd loved him from afar for four years and hadn't the courage to tell him. It would be good to know one of his secrets, though, I consoled myself.
Three words were written on the piece of paper I received: "I love you."
【My secret, our secret….】 (Story #59)
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19. Ten Years
Ten years ago, he held my hand and told me, "I'll love you my whole life. That being so, I'll marry you."
Ten years later, he held her hand and told her, "I'll love you my whole life. My dearest."
【Ten years, parting doesn't mean splitting up.】 (Story #31)
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20. Today's Son
As the sun was setting, the old man sat in his wheelchair, self-satisfied, telling him stories about the days of his youth. He listened quietly.
When the old man finished, he laughed and asked, "Son, are you busy at work?"
He laughed, too. "No, not busy."
"Heh, heh! It's better to be busy."
He got up to escort the old man back to his room. The old man didn't want to let go of him.
As they passed the Medical Office, the charge nurse said, "Tomorrow it's Little Li's turn to be his son. Here's his medicine for tomorrow."
【Two ways to understand this: one, that his son is dead; or two, that his son abandoned him】 (Story #85)
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21. Warmth
She asks me why I'm always the first to shower. I tell her it's because I'm tired and like to go first. She's not happy and feels I don't treat her as well as I used to.
Truth is, it's because we've moved into a small apartment with one bathroom. In the winter it's freezing. But I've found that if I shower first, the bathroom gets warmer, so I always hurry to get in there first. I figure that it'll be at least a degree or two warmer when she goes in.
【A love you don't get】 (Story #79)
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22. Wrong Number
In the phone: A voice says in English, "This is a wrong number. Please check up and take the telephone number again...."
Outside the phone: "My child, why do you speak a foreign language every day when I call? I don't understand it. But I'm thinking of you…."
【The purest and most foolish love in the world!】 (Story #36)
To get Chinese text by return email, send name of story to jimmahler1@yahoo.com
6. Fifty Day Itch
7. Getting Rich
8. Good Enough
9. Guess
10. Her Choice
11. Jealousy
Selections from Mini-Stories that Move the Heart, Page 4 (触动心脏的微小说)
All stories by anonymous; titles added by translator; comments in original; published on several web sites including http://blog.qq.com/qzone/80796072/1357217814.htm
and http://blog.renren.com/share/179004304/13519474530
18. Secrets
19. Ten Years
20. Today's Son
21. Warmth
22. Wrong Number
12. Kitty
13. Long Distance Call
14. Muddy
15. No Change
16. No Matter
17. Scrap of Paper, A