A Free Life by Ha Jin

leaves zigzagging down, sinking through the opalescent light. A couple of tufted titmice were busy pecking at the sunflower seeds contained in a glass feeder hanging from a bough of the bulky linden at the center of the yard. Danning ate with a good appetite and kept saying to Nan that it was great to have one's family together. He seemed to respect Pingping a lot and frequently patted Taotao on the head. He spooned some mashed garlic onto his plate and asked Nan, "Have you decided what to do yet?"
    "No, but I've been thinking of doing something that moneyed people can't do. You see how rich the Masefields are. It doesn't make sense for me to dream of getting rich." Nan turned to Pingping, who looked alarmed, a shadow dimming her face.
    "What do you plan to do?" Danning put half a dumpling into his mouth, chewing with his lips closed.
    "Probably I'll write. I want to be a writer."
    "Writing articles for newspapers?"
    "No, poetry."
    "Wow, you're such an idealist, a dreamer! I take off my cap." "Don't be sarcastic. I'm just saying I might try to write some poems. "
    " Still, I admire you for that, for being faithful to your own heart and following your own passion. To be honest, I don't like physics, but I have to finish the dissertation to get the damn degree."
    "What would you do if you were free to choose?"
    " Well, I would write novels, one after another. I know I could be a prolific writer, telling stories about our experiences in America."
    " You would publish them in China?"
    " Of course, where else can you have your readers if you write in Chinese?"
    "I can't think about writing novels. I don't have that kind of long wind."
    "What will you do for money? Poetry won't fetch a salary." " I always can work. "
    Nan was reluctant to talk more about his plan since he hadn't made up his mind yet. His wife put in about him, "He's always rich in the heart."
    "That makes him remarkable, doesn't it?" said Danning.
    "I hope we just live a life similar to others' here, making some money and having our own home, so that every day will be the same as the previous one," she replied thoughtfully.
    "Come now," Nan said to her. "I'll work hard to bring in money, you know that."
    That quieted her. She got up to take a bowl of fruit out of the refrigerator. As they started to eat the dessert, Danning said, " Nan, have you heard anything from the Chinese consulate yet?"
    " No, about what?"
    "They've been investigating your involvement in the planned kidnap."
    "Really? How do you know?" Pingping broke in.
    "Vice Consul Hu asked me last week about Nan 's role in the case. I said I had no idea. It seemed they knew Nan had brought up the suggestion of seizing hostages, and he must be a target of their investigation."
    Nan was so flabbergasted that he couldn't respond for a moment. Then he asked, "What are they going to do to me, do you know?"
    "Don't be scared. They can't do anything to you here. But once you're back in China, that'll be different. So don't fall into their hands."
    "How did they come to know about the plan?" "I don't have the foggiest idea. Somebody must have given you away."
    "Yuming Wang or Manyou Zhou?"
    "It can be any one of those involved, but there's no way to identify the informer. Anybody could turn you in to save his own ass." "You mean I've been singled out as a scapegoat?" "Right."
    Nan turned to Pingping, who looked panic-stricken, her eyes flickering. She placed her hand on Taotao's head, stroking his hair unconsciously.
    " What should I do?" Nan asked his friend.
    "Relax. Don't say anything against the government in front of others, not even in your letters or on the phone when you call home. If those top leaders' children confront you, just say you made a rash remark and never thought others would take it seriously. It won't hurt if you apologize to them."
    " No, never. "
    "I know you won't."
    When Danning was about to leave, Pingping thanked him for letting them know of the official investigation. Danning said, "I