First of all I want to take this opportunity to thank my editor for the patient and excellent works. This is the story I always want to write but couldn't without his help. You know who you are! Thanks!!
This is a long story. It is not your typical lit story: exhibitionists/voyeurs, slower build up, and subtle. Please be warned.
Lastly, comments are very much welcome, either positive or constructive criticism (no personal attack please) :-)
(1) Intro
My name is Lily. I'm in my late 30's. I'm pretty energetic, I like swimming and jogging. The exercise keeps me in shape. I'm friendly but it takes time for me to warm up to people I don't know. Even so, I enjoy getting admiring looks, and try to keep up my appearance. I'm about 5'6" and have shoulder-length straight black hair, a slender figure, and smooth skin. People say I have a pretty smile.
My husband Tom used to work for a company in Taipei. He was transferred to Suzhou in mainland China a few years ago. Due to other family commitments I couldn't move there with him, so we visit each other a few times a year.
This was my third visit to Suzhou. Tom was living in an apartment building catering to expats. There was a gym, sauna, ping pong table, and a swimming pool on the main floor of the building. There were a few stores in the lobby too -- a convenience store, one cafe, and a small restaurant.
My last two visits to Suzhou were in the fall and winter - this was my first visit in summer. The weather was getting warmer and wetter. My days here are quite relaxing. In the morning I make Tom's breakfast before he leaves for work, then I have my daily morning swim at the pool. I usually prepare a light lunch and spend most of the afternoon either watching TV, reading books, shopping, or taking naps. Evenings are less predictable as it depends on how late Tom works.
(2) Meeting Wei
One day I stopped by the convenience store after my morning swim. I just wanted to get orange juice, so I walked right to the back of the store where the fridges were. As I was checking the expiry date on the orange juice, I heard a man talking - he was coughing really badly. It sounded like he had just walked into the store and was on the phone to someone. I was amazed to hear him speaking in Hokkien, my mother tongue. Hearing my native language gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling - I guess I felt isolated so far from home with my husband at work all day.
I verified the expiry date on the orange juice carton and walked to the front counter to pay. That's when I saw the man who had been coughing. He was tall and physically fit in appearance, and was still talking on the phone. From what I could hear, he was talking about cough medicine. He walked up beside me, waiting in line. We exchanged eye contact. He coughed again, covering his mouth with his hand, then gave me a what-to-do sort of sorry smile. I smiled back. I could hear a woman's voice on his phone.
As I was putting the change in my purse, he hung up and asked the storekeeper about a cough medicine that's very popular back home in Taiwan. The storekeeper said they didn't carry it.
It happened that I had some of the cough medicine he asked about in our apartment. I had noticed that my husband had a cough when I talked to him on the phone while planning this visit, and decided to bring him the cough medicine sold in Taipei. It's very effective. I brought two bottles to Suzhou, but when I arrived I learned that his cough had gone away.
I spoke to the man in Mandarin. "I have the medicine in my apartment. Do you live in this building?"
He looked at me, surprised. "I live in block B. Are you from Taiwan?"
I figured he could tell from my accent. "Yes, are you?"
"Yes. This cough is killing me. My wife asked me to get the cough medicine we use at home, but they don't have it here."
"I have an extra bottle in my apartment."
"Oh, that would be great! Are you sure you don't need it? I will pay you."
"It's not necessary. Just wait in the lobby a moment and I'll bring it down."
"You live in block B too?"
"No. I'm in block A." The lobby was shared by four apartment buildings.
"Wonderful, thanks!" He smiled at me. He had a cute smile, like an excited little boy.
I took the elevator back to our apartment. I thought I knew all the Taiwanese people in this area, but I must have been wrong. Knowing people from your hometown while abroad provides some sort of comfort, you don't have to feel like you're alone among strange people.
I found the medicine in the bathroom cabinet and headed back. When I reached the lobby I saw him pacing back and forth, coughing. "Here it is," I said, offering him the bottle.
He took it from me hesitantly, like he wasn't sure if he should accept it. "Thank you so much. I have to pay you back."
"It's no big deal."
"Are you here with your husband?" He probably noticed my wedding ring.
"Yes."
"Is he also from Taiwan?"
"Yes, we're from Taipei."
"I want to invite you two to dinner," he said, "how about tomorrow night?"
"You're very kind. Unfortunately, I never know what time my husband will be coming home from work."
"Why don't you give me your number so we can make arrangements?"
We exchanged names and phone numbers. His name was Guo Tianwei, though he stressed that he goes by Wei. We chatted for a few more minutes before his phone rang again, which was the end of our conversation. It was a pleasant surprise in a rather uneventful morning.
I told Tom about Wei later that night. I thought he would know him but he didn't. I asked my husband about joining Wei for dinner and he wouldn't say one way or the other. That usually meant he couldn't commit to a time. He had intense pressure from his boss on their current project.
Wei sent me a text the next day asking about dinner. I said no, but we agreed to have coffee at the cafe in the lobby the next day after my morning swim.
I saw him sitting at a table by the window as I walked into the cafe.
"How was the swim?" he asked.
"Just the usual. Are you feeling any better?" He didn't seem to be coughing anymore.
"I got better, thanks to the medicine." He gave me his little-boy smile again, I couldn't help but smile back at him.
"You're not working today?" I asked. He was wearing a white golf shirt with a pair of slacks, and looked very casual.
"I'm getting better. I should be able to go to the office tomorrow. I've been working from home."
I ordered an iced coffee. We started with casual chat and ended up talking about nearly everything. I felt like I was talking to an old friend. He was a good listener and talker. He moved here just a month ago from Taipei. His wife would be joining him in a few weeks. I was really excited about finding new friends from home living nearby. My days here were pleasant, but lonely - and Wei was so easy to talk to. I probably talked more than I should have.
(3) A surprising development
After the meeting for coffee Wei and I started exchanging text and yahoo messages on a daily basis. Once he went back to work we didn't really have a chance to meet again, but soon we were chatting online during his lunch hour and at night before we went to bed.
Our talks began as casual daily stuff, then somehow drifted to more intimate topics. I guess it was because of our situations. Wei had been alone in Taipei for a month, and I - well, ever since Tom took the job in Suzhou I've been alone most of the time. Even when Tom and I were together, he seemed so exhausted from work that our sex life suffered a lot. I had hoped to improve our relations on this trip, but so far that wasn't happening. I guess it wasn't surprising that Wei and I began talking about our substandard sex lives.
The intimate chat conversations first started when Wei learned about Tom's long working hours. He told me he wished his wife were here with him - then said he definitely wouldn't leave a sexy woman like me home alone every night. I put it down to a bit of innocent teasing. Besides, it was fun. It made me realize how bored and lonely I had been in Suzhou.
Tom had not come home earlier than 11 p.m. this week, which gave me an opportunity to chat with Wei every night. Today was no different: Tom had already called and said he had an urgent project deadline and wouldn't be back until very late.
I came out of the shower, wrapped a towel around myself, and checked my laptop. A popup message from Wei was on the screen.
"Hey, pretty!" Wei had been greeting me this way for a few days. I was a little shocked at first, but it felt good to be appreciated. I couldn't see any harm in it.
"Hi," I typed back.
"Where did you go?"
"I was in the shower."
"Have you changed?"
"No." I was still wrapped in the towel.
"Why don't you change into something sexy for Tom tonight?"
"He called, he'll be very late."
"I wish I had a sexy wife like you waiting for me after work every night."
I didn't say anything. I was glad Wei couldn't see the smile on my face. Our conversations had been getting pretty intimate as time went by, but it was just chatting. It wasn't like I was flirting with him.
"What are you planning to wear tonight?"
"My usual sleepwear."
"How about sexy lingerie for Tom?"
"I told you, he will be late."
"How about wearing it for me? I'd love seeing you wearing something sexy."
"Hah! I'm not wearing sexy lingerie outside the apartment."
"Listen, I have a surprise for you. Open the curtain."
"What? . . . Why?"
"Just do it."
I was curious. I opened the curtain and looked out, clutching the towel. All I saw was the familiar view, a few tall buildings with windows facing ours, pretty far away - too far for anyone to see me in the bath towel.
"Okay, I want you to switch your bedroom light off and on a few times until I can see which is your apartment."
"Can you see it this far away?" I asked. I didn't think it was possible, the other buildings were too distant.
"Well, maybe I can. Do it."
I switched the light off and on a few times.
"Do you see me?"
"Yes."
"Yeah, right," I smirked. I didn't believe him.
"I see you right now."
"No way." I still didn't believe him.
"How about this -- go change into your sleepwear and I will tell you what colour it is."
"How can you see me?"
"Are you going to change or not?"
