Chapter 3 Part 2: Outing in the Wilderness and Hidden Tensions
When I woke up in the morning, I felt completely fine must be a rare talent! Mother and sister were both getting ready, saying they'd take sister to an important meeting at the company.
Sister, seeing me, mouthed "useless brother" and turned away with a roll of her eyes.
I didn't bother with them. Ling'er called over and over, so I put on a decent, expensive tracksuit, packed a change of clothes, and took a taxi to Ling'er's house.
At Ling'er's villa, a white SUV was parked out front, and five people stood nearby: future mother-in-law Leng Naixiang, girlfriend Shui Ling'er, future sister-in-law Shui Xin'er, future father-in-law Uncle Shui, and unmistakably Xin'er Jiejie's boyfriend, African black man Kaklik.
He was way blacker and fatter than in the photos.
Kaklik in the photos just looked like an average, stocky black man, but in person he was much more intimidating. Then I remembered, Ling'er's phone had a beauty filter so the pictures were touched up.
This black man was shockingly dark, his skin rough and dirty-looking. He was about the same height as Xin'er Jiejie, maybe 175cm, but looked shorter because he was chubby. His face was round and chubby, with thick, unattractive lips and a wide, flat nose. His eyes were small and leering, always roving over the women. His only positive feature was his white teeth.
"Finally, you're here!" Ling'er ran over, pouting.
"Traffic was bad." I lied.
"Everyone's here, let's go!" Uncle Shui smoothed things over.
"Hello, Aunty Leng, Uncle Shui, Sister Xin'er, and this must be Kaklik hello." I greeted politely. Mother and Leng Naixiang were very close, and since she had no son, she wanted me to call her "mom" since I was little. But I couldn't, so I settled on "Aunty Leng."
"Hello, A'tian. Finally we meet. In your language, I'm your 'lian qiao' in Africa, we're brothers." Kaklik's Chinese was good, and he was a smooth talker no wonder he got such a beautiful girl as Xin'er Jiejie. But there was a hint of disdain in his eyes.
"Yes, China and Africa are brothers forever." I replied insincerely, shaking hands. Up close, a blast of cologne mixed with body odor almost made me gag he must've doused himself to mask his stink.
"Alright, let's get going!" Uncle Shui said. "Be safe."
"Okay! Let's go!" Future mother-in-law wore white, skin-tight, sheer workout clothes her underwear was clearly visible. "Tian'er, is your sister not coming?"
"Mom took her to a company meeting. What about you, Uncle Shui?"
"Dad's going to an exhibition. Mom said it'd be inconvenient if he came." Ling'er whispered.
Inconvenient? What's inconvenient? I looked at Aunty Leng, and her eyes seemed to shy away with a hint of apology. Everyone's acting weird.
"Mom's worried about being recognized, so sister and I helped her dress down. Who would guess the dignified governor wears such sexy workout clothes? And to avoid attention, we're going to Savage Valley." Ling'er dragged me into the car.
Ling'er's outfit was very girlish a white cotton tank top and super-short shorts, a white sun hat. If not for her ample chest, she'd look like a middle-schooler.
Xin'er and Kaklik also got in it was cramped in back, so I ended up in the front passenger seat.
Aunty Leng, probably feeling free today, floored the accelerator.
Kaklik kept up the banter, and the car ride was lively. Even the usually dignified aunty Leng laughed out loud at Kaklik's jokes. She was really in a good mood.
I took opportunities to admire Xin'er Jiejie. Today she, like aunty Leng and Ling'er, was also in all white a white mesh bodycon dress. Nothing unusual, but in bright light, everything was visible her curvy figure, long, shapely limbs, just like a Western fashion model!
Kaklik took every chance to grope Xin'er and Ling'er.
We drove for almost two hours to Savage Valley, a new outdoor park not yet open to the public, but already many people were visiting.
Aunty Leng, afraid of being recognized, drove deep into the wilderness where few people went.
On the way, Ling'er pulled out bug spray, and the three women sprayed their exposed skin. As soon as we parked, the mother-daughter trio went off to find a place to pee.
Watching them walk arm-in-arm into the woods, they really looked like three sisters.
"Brother, your girlfriend's legs are so long!" Kaklik leered at the trio's bottoms, especially Ling'er in her tight shorts that showed just enough cheek.
Having a black man praise my girlfriend to my face felt strange. "Well, actually, Ling'er isn't as tall as Xin'er Jiejie."
"Xin'er's a bit taller, but their legs are the same length. I measured." Kaklik made a face.
"How did you measure?" I played along.
"The other night when we went hiking, I measured them on the bed with a ruler." Kaklik showed me his phone. "Look, I took pictures."
Damn it in one photo, Xin'er Jiejie and Ling'er were on a big bed, wearing short nightgowns, pulling up their skirts to expose their panties while Kaklik's big, dirty hands measured their legs.
There were several photos like this Ling'er looked happy and shy, but not embarrassed or resistant.
"Brother, don't mind. I know you Eastern people are conservative, but in our tribal villages, women hardly wear clothes, so everyone's free. No one cares." Kaklik said this, but looked smug like he got off on making me watch him fondle my girlfriend.
"I know about your situation. It's only natural in a place so poor people can't afford clothes. That's why Aunty Leng is always working on aid projects." I couldn't stand his smug face.
"Hey! Brother! You're not being friendly! Are you trying to damage China-Africa relations?" He stepped closer he was taller and stronger than me, looking down into my face, his stinking breath and cologne washing over me, spit flying. "You Chinese men are all weaklings. Every year in our country, we break and maim Chinese men like monkeys. Maybe you want to end up in a hospital too?"
I glared back. "Earlier you were talking about China-Africa friendship, so why are there so many Chinese men injured then? You're just a dirty, barbaric, lazy bunch, always waiting for aid, never lifting a finger yourselves. I don't know what kind of potion you gave Xin'er Jiejie to make her fall for you!"
He suddenly grabbed me by the throat, big black hand squeezing tight. "Blah blah blah…" A stream of tribal language, then he sneered, "Do you know why even Americans are afraid of black people? Because we don't obey any laws, understand, girly man? I'll fuck your girlfriend Ling'er for sure!"
I felt dizzy, blackness creeping in for the first time, death felt so close. Only then did I realize black people really are lawless.
Thud Cough… Kaklik threw me to the ground. I gasped for air, coughing and retching, glaring up at him with fear and hatred.
"Eww, there were even snakes back there!" Ling'er's voice rang out from the woods.
I quickly stood, dusted myself off, and said quietly, "You'll never succeed!"
"Let's see. I'll show you what this trip is really about." Kaklik grinned, then opened his arms to greet the three ladies. "Oh, my dear angels, did you get scared?"
"Yeah, brother-in-law, but luckily sister is brave and chased the snakes away." Ling'er briefly hugged Kaklik, but I saw his big hand linger on her ass for two extra seconds.
"That's horrible. Xin'er, mother-in-law, are you both okay?" Kaklik asked with concern.
"I'm not your 'mother-in-law sister,' call me 'auntie,' hmph." Aunty Leng didn't like Kaklik, but was still happy to be called "sister."
"Xin'er, look at mother-in-law sister. She's only six years older than me, but she wants me to call her 'auntie.' My god! She looks just a few years older than you and Ling'er." Kaklik hugged Xin'er's shoulders, sounding serious.
"Haha… Kaklik, you're so cute… mwah…" Xin'er smiled sweetly, kissed Kaklik's black face, then said to Aunty Leng's back, "Mom, it's your own fault for looking so young. Even dad didn't object when Kaklik called you 'sister.' Why are you so stuck-up?"
"Don't be silly." Aunty Leng scolded, but didn't seem to mind.
"Aunty Leng, are we camping here tonight?" I went to the car's trunk with her to get supplies.
"Yes, let's camp here. Earlier, we found a little pool from a mountain stream. It's clean, living water. And you, since your mom isn't here, just call me 'mom'!" Aunty Leng looked at me expectantly.
"Huh? We're not married yet…" Ling'er said shyly from the side.
"It's got nothing to do with marriage. I've always wanted a son, but my third pregnancy ended in miscarriage during my aid work in Africa. I've watched you grow up, just like you're my own." Aunty Leng looked sad, remembering her lost child.
After Ling'er was born, Aunty Leng got pregnant again, but she had to go to Africa for work, and there was a miscarriage. When she got back, I was just born, and she mentally claimed me as her future son-in-law and wanted me to call her "mom."
Seeing her mother sad, Ling'er pinched me.
"Aunty Leng, don't be sad. Actually, to me, you're just like my mom. From now on, if my mom isn't here, you're my mother! Mom!" I said quickly.
"Good boy! Haha, I have a son now." Aunty Leng laughed genuinely.
"Haha, now you really are my little brother! Call me 'sister'!" Ling'er put her hands on her hips, acting bossy.
"Okay, okay, from now on you're my second sister. Happy?" I said, humoring her.
"My dear boy, don't worry! Mom will definitely find you a better wife than this girl! Here, help mom with this."
Damn, I was just joking.
Ling'er saw my awkward face, stuck her tongue out, and ran off meaning "deal with it yourself."
Aunty Leng had only brought two tents, clearly intending for me and the black guy, Kaklik, to share one, and the mother-daughter trio to share the other.
The rest of the day was spent hiking, picking fruit, fishing, and gathering flowers. Since we couldn't have an open fire, we ate self-heating meals.
Kaklik's knowledge of outdoor survival edible berries, poisonous insects, how to ward off snakes made him seem reliable, quickly bringing him closer to the women, especially Aunty Leng, who was charmed by his sweet talk and let herself relax, even roughhousing a bit.
So annoying.
By evening, after eating, the three women gathered around Kaklik, listening to him talk.
"It's about time. Let's go wash up at the pool and get ready for bed." Aunty Leng suggested.
"Ah, dear sister-in-law, the water's clear, but there are invisible parasites there they can crawl inside women." Kaklik said earnestly, though it was already getting dark and hard to see his expression.
"What? We can't wash? But we're all sticky from playing all day!" Ling'er sniffed at her own sweat-scented body not unpleasant, but she was definitely sweaty.
"I think brother Kaklik must have a way, right?" Aunty Leng looked at him expectantly, pushing out her ample chest.
"Dear sister, you know me so well. Of course Kaklik has a solution!" Kaklik said proudly.
"What?" Xin'er and Ling'er said in unison.
"In our tribe, there's a very effective way we bathed with our black brothers."
"What?" The three women were shocked.
"Because of our natural body odor, parasites love smelly places. So bathing with a black brother is safest." Kaklik sounded sincere even I almost believed him.
"But…" Aunty Leng hesitated, "You're the only black man here. We can't bathe with you."
"And we can't build a fire to boil water." Xin'er added.
Just as they were "brainstorming," I said, "Mom, Sister Xin'er, Ling'er he is a black man, and it'll be pitch-black soon. You won't be able to see each other." Right after, I wanted to slap myself why open my big mouth now?
After I said this, Ling'er and Aunty Leng both looked at me in surprise, while Kaklik seemed to be holding back laughter.