A Flash of the White cat

This book is her new animal concept collection of 12 short stories showing 12 faces of contemporary young people which can be called a “new innovating work of urban literature”. Through the dissection of animal images， Pang Yu reveals the psychological and life situation of the modern – day youth， and discusses the issues of family and life and emotions， which has strong practical significance.

Pang Yu

The Winner of the fourth People’s Literature Star Short Story Award， the sixth Purple Mountain Literature Award， Selected Novels Award， and many other awards. Some novels have been translated into English， German， Russian， and Korean. She has published A Flash of the White Cat， Boxing with One Arm， Our Galloping Sadness， and Nanjing Story Collection： Mr. Wild Hog.

A Flash of the White cat

Pang Yu

Shandong Literature and Art Publishing House

August 2021

42.00 （CNY）

She is the one， Ni Fei thought many times. Not that she is flawless， but the mere fact that she can make spicy mashed potatoes means she has surpassed thousands of women in the world. Yu Youyou put the little Xiuqiu made of wool in the box， with winter quilts and pillows inside. Perhaps one day， Ni Fei will adapt to it. Regarding dreams， life and persistence， just like Yu Youyou， dreams are adjacent to life， and persistence is close to the left of dreams.

Xiuqiu came back less and less， and Ni Fei began to wonder. It didn’t even want to meet him. As soon as it saw Ni Fei， it leaped out of the window screen. Ni Fei couldn’t help but tighten the zipper on the screen. When Ni Fei opened the door， little Xiuqiu jumped out again. Ni Fei didn’t know what had gotten into it. Inquiring to Yu Youyou， she didn’t know either.

He didn’t know why until he checked out the security camera. Yu Youyou disliked Xiuqiu who， in turn， disliked Yu Youyou.

Ni Fei didn’t finish watching the video. Sometimes people had to choose between a person and a cat.

After hesitating for a while， Ni Fei received a call from Ni Tongan.

“Where are you now？” Ni Fei asked.

“I’ve been to a lot of places，” Ni Tongan said. “All places are like my home， but none of them are.” He went to art exhibitions in Italy and went boating on the blue Danube River. He was still uncertain who he was， why he was， and where he was going. From childhood to now， I was afraid that even on the verge of death， he still wouldn’t have an answer.

“What is the point of thinking about this？” Ni Fei was beginning to get angry.

“Dad， you’d better come back.” Ni Fei said， “better to come and live with me.”

“I’m going to Boston.” Ni Tongan said.

Ni Fei and Yu Youyou hugged each other. Yu has a suitcase in one hand and looks like she is about to go on vacation. Yes， it’s a vacation. Ni Fei comforted himself. Xiuqiu never returned home. Yu Youyou rents another house， but the water supply is frequently cut off.

“You are all I’ve got.”Ni Fei said to the abandoned elevator when he went out.

Of course， the elevator didn’t respond. It was unnecessary. The blue bear doll hadn’t come back yet， neither had the halfling woman. Yu might have the company of a bear doll， or the bear doll had been picked up and put together the outline of the whole woman.

Xiuqiu hadn’t come back yet. There was no fishbone in the condo anymore， and the smell of milk on the beard of Xiuqiu was gone.

Ni Fei shouted the name of Xiuqiu， took the elevator up and down， and ran through each floor to look for it. In a trance， he felt like he was in a trench. There was a hail of bullets everywhere. He clutched at his mother’s clothes and hardly dared to speak.

No one had ever seen a white cat in the building.

Ni Fei shook his head at the air. People are always like this. What they can’t see does not exist.

Ni Fei walked to the abandoned elevator which was made of stainless steel. Ni Fei thought it would open. Life was like this， so was death. It was bound to open. The washing machine was there too， like an eraser that could erase traces of things.

Ni Fei never knew that he could open the elevator door all by himself. Maybe that’s why it had been abandoned. The elevator stopped on this floor.

The elevator closed with a snap. Ni Fei turned on the flashlight of his mobile phone and found out that the elevator was leaking. Xiuqiu must be inside.

Ni Fei kept silent in the darkness for a long time. The water marks on the wall climbed up his cheek like small snakes， and nibbled at his heart. He thought of Ni Tongan who Ni Fei was ridiculed for as a child. When he came back alone， he caused a sensation in the whole town. But several years later， even after Ni Fei was born， no one came for Ni Tongan， who might be forgotten. However they certainly didn’t forget the reason Ni Tongan had deserted He came over to the captain and said that he couldn’t stand the leakage of the barracks.

It was pitch dark all around， like being in a casket. Ni Fei stood up and then sat down. Living in the world， some people fight wars， while even more wait around for wars until they die. Some die in battles， some surrender， and some act as stepping-stones for others; but they know all things must pass. He had no idea where Ni Tongan was right now， just as Ni Tongan would never guess that Ni Fei was presently in a dark， shabby old elevator. He assumed there was treasure here. He assumed there was something he wanted.

Ni Fei lay back down. He was breathing. He closed his eyes and felt that he had lost the first half of his life.

Ni Tongan would seek him out in the washing machine. He would have a pair of blue eyes.