The couple held hands. They both cherished this marriage very much. They were both in their late thirties, and married for the second time. Their remarried life, however, was about as sweet as their first marriages. They both thanked god for giving them the chance to love each other. He had an eight-year-old son, and she had a seven year-old daughter. They treated each other’s child as their own. The couple enjoyed the sunbeam of life and many wonderful things in the world. They lived years being courteous to each other and watching their children grow. They were never seen bickering. Even their children proudly remarked: “Our parents have never gotten mad at each other.” 

In fact, they had their share of unpleasant experiences. Life is all about chores and trifles, and it is quite normal to be at odds. However, they tried to dissolve any barrier and hide any displeasure between them from others. After all, they each had a failed marriage before and knew what forgiveness and appreciation of each other meant. Once, he did something wrong. She continued to think about it and almost lost her temper. However, she ultimately held it back. Later, she wrote him a note on a slip of paper and placed it on the bedside table in their bedroom. The note read: Did you do this today without much forethought? Soon, he saw the slip of paper and began to blame himself. He immediately took his pen and replied on the back of the paper: So sorry, it’s my fault. 

After this first time, communicating via a slip of paper gradually became a habit between them. 

“My mom is careless in her life. If she does something wrong, you can tell me. I will pass your words on to her. If you tell her yourself, she will be embarrassed.” She understood this message. Her mother-in-law, who had lived in the countryside, was now temporarily living with them. Once, in good faith, she reminded her mother-in law about some of her bad living habits, which had perhaps upset the mother-in-law. Thus, she immediately replied on the back of the note: Alright, I will be careful next time. 

Increasingly, they felt that this method was quite effective. Writing a message on a slip of paper could convey what is inappropriate to say directly, save the face and self esteem of the other, and avoid embarrassing the other. 

“Why did you secretly give your sister money? I’m not stingy!” It was not necessary to reply to some notes as some were meant only to ask the other to be careful or to correct something the next time. Yet, they tried to reply every time to show that they were serious and respected each other. “I’m to blame! You give it to her yourself next time.” 

Later, for a period of time, they stopped communicating through slips of paper. After a few years, once the initial novelty of marriage had worn off, they didn’t care much about communication as before. However, they soon resumed the ritual, which had been their habit, of reading a note first and then calming down for a moment before replying with a pen and paper. After all, face-to-face reminders and explanations were less considerate and less calm. Sometimes, angry words spoken only made them unhappy. Thus, they continued to use slips of paper. 

“How could you glare at me in front of so many people?” 

“My eyes are small, but look bigger when they glare.” 

At first, they ceremoniously remained serious in asking and careful in replying. However, bit by bit, they became less serious and learned to be humorous. Humor could reduce the anger of the other by half. They both came to appreciate their own sense of humor, which hadn’t been inspired in the past. Time flies. More than 30 years passed. Immediately after her 70th birthday, she passed away. The two children worried about him living alone, and asked him to come live with them. He refused, saying he would maintain his same life in the old house that kept the memory of their mom. 

He missed her all the time, and his eyes always teared up. Those slips of paper, of different sizes, colors, and ages, had all been carefully kept and tied into several bundles by rubber bands. He took them all out and began to read them, again. He didn’t read a lot at one time. Instead, he ‘chewed on’ two or three slips every day like delicious food. He nibbled on them with pleasure, trying to prolong their delicacy in his mouth. 

When reading a slip of paper, he always began to recall the year, season, and reason for writing it. After reading the front, or back, of each slip, he would try to guess what was written on the other side. If he guessed correctly, he would smile happily. If he couldn’t remember what was written, or misremembered, he would shake his head slightly, smile, and say to himself: “I’m too old to remember all this clearly.” 

“Did you do this today without much forethought?” 

“So sorry, it’s my fault.” 

As he read the notes, his heart began to get warm. “I’m getting so old. Who could treasure me other than you?” He couldn’t immediately remember why she had said this. He racked his brain about it, but had only a vague recollection. It was 20 years ago, when a bald, old man surnamed Tao, who wore a torn tie all year, wanted to make advances to her, making him jealous. Turning over the slip of paper, he saw the correct answer: If Mr. Tao teaches you sword practice again, don’t let him lean against you. It will be laughable. He sheepishly chuckled. 

In the evenings, as he re-read the slips of paper, he burned them in front of her portrait. He did this so she could relive, together with him from another world, the softness and happiness of the years they had shared. Their children knew they communicated using slips of paper. Since their father was relieving his loneliness by re-reading them, they didn’t worry about him nearly as much. He passed away, peacefully, after burning the last slip of paper. The children were in tears. The son, choking up, said: “This way of communicating had nothing to do with whether they were deaf, dumb, or neither!” “Of course,” said the daughter. “It was their unique way of keeping love alive.”  

Selected from A World Away from Fairy Tales, compiled by China Flash Fiction Society, and published by New World Press.