“You’ve got four,” Xinxin cried and ran
next door. Unlatching Granduncle’s gate, he
flung it wide.
A white streak shot out. Xinxin gave
chase, yelling, “Piggy, no!”
Baos and outsiders alike jolted as the
two charged in their direction. Then Xinxin
leaped. Dust flew as he tackled the pig a few
meters from the crowd.
An uproar erupted. As boy and pig wres-
tled, Red Guards laughed, holding their sides,
while the villagers made a show of scolding
Xinxin’s incompetence.
Finally, the squad leader snapped over
the din, “Enough. We’ve business here.” He
pointed at two villagers. “You and you.
Get that pig.”
The men hesitated a moment but
then bowed and moved to obey.
Xinxin let go.
The pig bolted, bowling the pair
over. Then it barreled through the
crowd and jumped into the lotus patch.
Mud sprayed everywhere. As Xinxin
scrambled up, the air rang with more
laughter from the Guards mixed with
his relatives’ profuse apologies to the
squad leader. Then through the com-
motion came a boy’s shout. “Xinxin,
you idiot!”A DIN IS A LOT OF
LOUD NOISE! (LIKE THIS!)
37