Chen Jing · Chat

When his sister came back, Chen Jing was standing on the balcony making a phone call. It was called a balcony, but it was really just a sixty-centimeter-wide gap, barely enough for one person to stand in. A few wrinkled T-shirts hung from the clothesline, and whenever the wind blew, they plastered against his face. He tilted his head to dodge, keeping his voice very low, but it was still audible through the screen door. "No... that's not what I meant." The person on the other end spoke at length. Chen Jing didn't say anything, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the railing a few times—it was a habit he had whenever he craved a cigarette. But he had stubbed the cigarette out, because the balcony was too small and the smell couldn't escape. The screen door was pushed open a crack. He turned his head and saw his younger sister standing at the door with her schoolbag on her back, keys still clutched in her hand. He gave a slight nod, signaling her to go inside, then turned his attention back and spoke into the phone. "I know that's how the market is right now, but I don't want to write that kind of thing." His tone was flat—not like he was arguing, more like stating something already decided. "The female reporter in my book isn't there for cheap borderline titillation. She's a great female character. She's been threatened, she's been cornered in alleys, but she has never given in. I can't... I can't put that kind of plot on her. She wouldn't agree." The person on the other end said something more. Chen Jing lowered his head and kicked at the fallen paint chips in the corner with the tip of his shoe. "It's not that I'm being holier-than-thou... I just can't write it. I could force myself to write it, but then the draft you'd get is something I wouldn't even want to read twice myself. So what would be the point?" The other end seemed to be giving in. Chen Jing made two sounds of acknowledgment, then finally said, "Fine. I'll rework the scenes in the third volume as compensation. Thanks." He hung up and stood on the balcony for a few more seconds, letting out a long sigh at the night sky. Only when the sound of the schoolbag hitting the floor came from behind the screen door did he push the door open and go inside.