Echo reads

Summary: Lust, Caution by Eileen Chang is a gripping tale of espionage, desire, and deception set against the backdrop of 1940s Shanghai.

 If she doesn’t succeed today, she has to move out from Mrs. Yi house, these Mmes. are like hawks, circling for preying. Perhaps she should come up with an excuse for moving out in the beginning, so he could rent an apartment for her. They met in apartments last two times, two different ones, all belongs to Britons and Americans, who were captured in a concentration camp. But that’s more difficult for her to make a move—she never know when he would come. If he comes, it’s out of blue, even they made an appointment before, he will make excuses for escape. Calling him is risky, his wife is vigilant, and she probably had eyes in every office. It will blow once someone knows, too many people want to flatter Mrs. Yi.

 If she doesn’t invite him, he will not show up once. It’s said something similar happened before-apartments count as a goodbye gift. Too many temptations for this man, she is easily forgotten. She feels like she had to keep a close eye on him— almost she needed to swing her breasts on his face just to lure him back.

 “Two years ago they’re not like this,” he said quietly when he held her breasts and kissed her.

 His head laid against her chest; he hadn’t seen her flushed face.

 Even thinking of it now, she feels like got stung. She could feel the resentment behind their glances—but they all smiled knowingly, even Kuang Yuming.

 Only Liang Runsheng turned blind eyes to her developing breasts. He’s the actor who played more than one scene, but Jiazhi drove him away as soon as he finished.

 It’s a long way before she arrives in Shanghai International Settlement. The rickshaw reaches the Intersection of Jing ‘an Temple Road and Seymour Road, she tells him to stop at another coffee shop in the corner. She’s afraid his car is already there, so she looked up and scanned the street—only a coal-black car sat parked in the distance.

 The store mainly sells takeouts, only a few tables and seats, no mood and dark. Inside there is a glass cabinet with cooler, displaying all kinds of western delicacies. Behind it, a narrow passageway is brightly lit, which shows the lower walls’ surface: uneven texture shined by light, coffee-like brownish color. White garbs are hanging next to a small fridge, above them, near the ceiling, rows of long woolen suits, once wore by waiters, are also in display. It looks like more of a clothes shop.

 She heard from him that the owner of the shop is the top waiter at Tianjin Kiessling Restaurant. She thought the reason he picked this one is for avoiding known people. Even if they meet one, it will not make people suspicious about if they’re hiding something since this place is at the central point of transportation.

Her coffee had gone cold. Still, no car appeared. Last time she was picked up, she waited another hour in the apartment. They said Chinese men were always late—especially government officials. If she is kept waiting like this, the shop they’re going to will be closed.

 That’s what he said before, “Today calls for celebration. Pick a ring—your choice. It’s late now, otherwise I’ll go with you.” That was the first time they met outside.

 The second time was more urgent, so he didn’t mention it. Of course, today was no different. But if he had forgotten, she would have to remind him—subtly, eagerly, and at the cost of her own pride. Other men will buy this, but he’s cunning, he won’t believe that such a young married woman hook up with him- a short man who’s already forty, fifty years old.

 If Mrs. Mai (Jiazhi) is not for money, then for what? And jewelry is always these Mmes. Weakness. She’s out for business; it makes sense if she wants to take advantage from it. He is spy after all-caution is his nature. Even if he’s not suspicious, making others confused is his usual tactics. She needs to earn trust from him, because they’ve been meeting at his specified place, and now vice versa.

 Last time the car that picked her up is on time. Today she has been waiting for so long. She is thinking maybe he will come here by himself. It’s actually better. If they meet at the apartment, it’s hard to invite him to go other places. Only if they prepare to have dinner in other place in advance, even that, he will not leave the apartment until midnight. However, they didn’t eat dinner in another place in the first time. He said naturally we will spend more time in the apartment, after we go out, we will not come back. And now the store is closing soon, but she can’t hurry him. She feels like a whore- can’t rush her client.

 She takes out her foundation and a small mirror, then powders her checks a bit. Being late doesn’t mean he is in the car. Once her expiry is near, she will not be taken seriously. If she fails today, there will be no more chances.

 She checks her watches again. A premonition of failure, like a long tear on the stockings, sneaky climbs on her calves.

 A man in Chinese tunic clothes is sitting at another seat, noticing her. A man alone, watching newspaper. He arrived here earlier, so he can’t be a follower. She thinks he can’t tell what her profession is, or the jewelry she wears is real or not. She doesn’t look like a dancing girl, maybe a movie star-but an unfamiliar face to him. 

 She indeed played a role on the stage before, it’s the same now, but no one will know.

 In school, she only played in patriotic historic shows. Before Guangzhou fell, Lingnan University moved to Hong Kong, she did a public play just once, but it was unexpectedly popular. After coming down from the stage, she was full of excitement, everyone left until midnight snack party is over, but she refused to leave and took a double-decker tram with two other girls, watching the driving cars passing by. The passengers were few, and the tram walked wobbly on the wide road of center. Neon billboards shines in the dark, dim and fuzzy, fascinating her. All feels like the cool breeze on your face after you got drunk.

 They were learning in a borrowed classroom from Hong Kong university.  All students pushed each other when on and off the classes. It took a long time to pass through. The inconvenience manifested a feeling of living under others’ roof. Hongkongers’ behaviors of turning a blind eye towards war also irritates people. Although many students had homes in nearby cities, they were still in the exile. Several students who get along became a small group. Wang Jingwei and his wife, Chen Gongbo and other followers came to Hong Kong, they were all Cantonese. One adjutant was from Kuang Yuming’s hometown. So Kuang Yuming went to talk with him for getting close so to gather a lot of information. Everyone was talking after he came back. Ultimately, they came with this beauty trap-let a girl approach Mrs. Yi first. They were cautious about students, who were likely to be patriots. A business wife was the best option, who were lack of patriotism, especially in Hong Kong. The role belonged to the prima donna of school, of course.
 Only Huang Lei was rich in this group, so it’s him to rent a house, borrow a car and suits. And he can drive, so naturally he became the driver.

 Oyang Linwen became Mr. Mai. Kuang Yuming became his cousin who accompanies Mrs. Mai.  The first time was the adjutant introduced them to Mrs. Yi for going shopping. Kuang Yuming had never left the car during the shopping. At last, the car sent him and the adjutant to their homes first-the adjutant was sitting in the front seat- then sent Mrs. Yi and Mrs. Mai (Jiazhi) to the central.

 Mr. Yi only saw her occasionally, just nodded. One day, they all sat down to play mahjong for the first time. Jiazhi knew he noticed her, but didn’t have the courage. She had pursuers since twelve, she knew what’s going on. Mr. Yi was cautious, a little too much back then. He locked himself in home, alone and had too many thoughts. He also refused to drink alcohol, in case Wang Jingwei would call him. Other couples who were working with them lived in the same old building. And they only dare to play Mahjong in the home for the leisure.

 Once on the table Mrs. Yi said she wanted to buy two suits for Mr. Yi. So Jiazhi seized this opportunity and recommended one tailor to her, said, “The tailor was a friend of mine. However, now it’s peak season, he’s busy at tourists’ requests, sometimes he will delay for months. How about this? Mrs. Yi, you call me when Mr. Yi is available, I’ll bring him to the tailor. I’m an old patron. He will do me a favor.” She left there with her phone number. She knew when Mrs. Yi sent her out, he would peek and remember that. Maybe in two days he would call her when he thought Mr. Mai was in the office, away from home.

 That night was drizzling, Huang Lei drove her back, they went upstairs together, and were waiting for the call. A play with great success. She had stepped down the stage, but the makeup is still on, she felt glamorous. She couldn’t let other roles leave and couldn’t wait to be back on the stage again. It has past midnight, and Kuang Yuming and others didn’t dance. So, they found a restaurant open for the whole night. She ate a bowl of porridge. Walking in a fuzzy rain, they were playing all night.

 But after their parties and discussions about future plans, everyone went silent. Once in a while some of them were whispering to each other, and chuckling.

 The chuckles were familiar to her. They weren’t the first time, she knew they had discussed it behind her back.

 “They said…Liang Runsheng is the only one who had sex experiences.”

 Nai Xioujin told her. Apart from Jiazhi, she is the only other girl in this group.

 Of all people, it happens to be Liang Runsheng! Of course it’s him. He was the only one who whored.

 Since she was going to whore herself out, she couldn’t let him take advantage of her so easily.

 Tonight, bathing in the lights of stage, Liang Runsheng was less annoying than before. All of them acknowledged this, all left, just Liang Runsheng. And the play kept going.

 Not just tonight.

 But Mr. Yi didn’t call her in the next few days. She called Mrs. Yi, but she sounded tired suddenly. She said they were busy these days, not going to buy anything now. She would call her after a few days.

Did she suspect her? Found out Mr. Yi had her number? Or they got bad news from Japan? It was torturing her for two weeks. At last, Mrs. Yi called her and merrily said they had to leave, and feel so sorry for abrupt, and there was no time for meeting again. Then she welcomed her and Mr. Mai come to Shanghai, she would make time for chatting, and take them to travel around Nanjing. Jiazhi supposed that Nanjing government’s plan was delayed, that’s why they were hiding before.

 Huang Lei ended up a lot of debts. His family heard the rumor that he was living with a dancer, then cut off his income, making him miserable.

 The relationship between her and Liang Runsheng was also tense. Everyone knew she regretted now, no comfort words but avoided her. When they had a meeting, they didn’t look at her directly.

 I’m a fool. Just a silly fool. she said to herself

 Now she realizes this time when they were pushing her to be Mrs. Mai again, someone has already been particularly intentional about it.

 Back to the consequences of Hong Kong assassination, not only liang Runsheng, she distanced herself from the whole group, feeling they were all judging her with curious yet strange glances. After the pearl harbor incident happened, the sea road opened again, all students were transferred to Shanghai. Of the same enemy-occupied areas, Shanghai still have rooms for study. She left alone, no communication with them in shanghai after.

 For a long time, she wasn’t sure if she got sexual diseases or not.

 In shanghai, they somehow connected with an underground worker. A man named Wu-she supposed it’s a fake name. He heard they had a way of like this, naturally he encouraged them to make the most use of it. They had no choice but came to her again, and she accepted it, out of duty, she thought.

 The truth is, every time she was with Mr. Yi, she felt like having a hot shower, washing away all her accumulated depression, because everything suddenly has a purpose.

 Someone is definitely waiting near the door, as soon as he saw him in the car, he will inform everyone. But she didn’t see anyone lingering around when she entered the coffee shop. Ping An theater, just sits across the street, is an ideal spot. You can hide in the shadow below the pillars. It also makes senses that if someone asks, you can just say you’re waiting for someone at the theater. However, the front ground is far away from the road, making it hard to see who’s inside the car.

 A delivery bicycle, parking at the door of a leather store opened by foreigners, is repairing. It seems broken. A man with crew cut, around 30, whose face can’t be seen clearly because of shadow. She doesn’t think she knows him. And she doesn’t think that’s the pickup car, either. They don’t tell her everything and she also doesn’t ask, but she supposes the contact group is them-Kuang Yuming, Liang Runsheng, Nai Xioujin, Huang Lei -With the help of Wu, they probably get a car. If that car is still parking there, maybe it’s them, the driver must be Huang lei. When she arrived, the car was behind her back, so she can’t see the driver.

 She thinks that Wu still has some doubts about them. Wu is afraid they’re too reckless, that will cause troubles. Wu is not alone in Shanghai, but he is the only one who has been connecting with Kaung Yuming.

 He maybe promised them that they will be accepted by the underground organization. This assassination is like a final test for them.

 “They only fire when the gun is near against people, unlike movies, you shot them far away.” Kuang Yuming told her once, smiling, trying to calm her down.

 Comforting words-no innocents will die in the gun fight. But there will be more maimed, who would rather to die. She thought.

 And now it’s the final act, the arrow is on the string. She doesn’t have the expected feelings after all.

Panics only occurs downstage, once you’re on the stage, it will be swept away.

 Waiting is the hardest. Men can smoke it away, but not for women. Smoking makes you float in the air, have no clue for direction. She opens her purse and takes out a bottle of perfume. The glass stopper is attached to a small glass rod, dipped in perfume. She is applying it lightly behind her earlobes, which is cold but tangible. However, now only this little touch exists among this heavy mist. And then she applies again under the ears, a little gardenia scent diffuses at last after a while.

 She takes off her coat, her elbow crook is also sprayed with perfume. Then she sees a car is approaching, through the window of displaying white three-layers wooden wedding cakes model, so she puts the coat back on. She knows it’s his car, because it doesn’t carry the ugly coal crates on the back like others.

 She picks up her handbag and hangs it on left shoulder. When she walks out, the driving has already stepped out first to open the door for her. Mr. Yi is sitting inside.

 “Sorry, too late! Too late!” He hunches and makes an apology for her.

 She only gives him a look. After she gets in the car, the driver returns to his front seat. Mr. Yi tells him, “Route Ferguson.” So, it is the apartment that they went last time.

 “Here first, there is a store nearby.” She lowers her voice, “My earrings dropped a small diamond. I need to repair them. The store is not far. I was about to walk towards there. But I was worried that you couldn’t find me, so I just sat in the coffee shop, waiting for you.”

 He smiles, “Sorry, sorry, I’m late-I was out of the office already, but two men came to visit. I had to turn back.” He is moving forward when saying, “Back to the place before.” The car has already driven through a street.

 She pouts, “See you for once is so difficult. I live in your place and can’t say a word-I should go back to Hong Kong and ask you for a better boat ticket!”

 “You want to go back? Are you missing Mr. Mai?”
 “What are you talking about?! I’m mad at him!”

 She said that she did this is to revenge her husband for cheating with another woman.

 Once she sat down, he is holding her arm. His elbow is just below her growing breasts. It’s his usual techniques-you are sitting serenely, but your head is becoming dizzy, a sexual sensation with the waves of numbness.

Disclaimer: This is an original English translation of a Chinese literary work, rendered by the site owner for cultural appreciation and academic interest. All rights to the original text remain with the respective author or copyright holder.