The tradition of Beijingers playing with crickets dates back to the Ming Dynasty. When I was a child, I often battled crickets with the kids in the hutongs. I can’t say I was an expert, but I did have a good eye for them. The cricket in front of me—whether in build, color, or size—was nearly flawless. It was exactly the one the kid would catch a few days later!

　　Whoosh!

　　The cricket gave a little hop and leapt into the willow tree pit.

　　I quickly squatted down, moving carefully, cupping my hands, and slowly approaching it.

　　Whoosh!

　　Whoosh!

　　It seemed to sense someone was trying to catch it. Before I could get close, it started jumping around aimlessly, with no pattern at all.

　　One person and one insect, one chasing and one fleeing, putting on a show of pursuit and counter-pursuit.

　　I hadn’t caught crickets in two years, so I was out of practice. A few times, I ended up grabbing both the bug and the grass in my palm, only for it to slip right through the cracks between my fingers. The big-headed cricket jumped faster and faster, out of the grass and straight toward the moat.

　　“Hey, Little James, what kind of show are you putting on?” From diagonally across, Emily Walker stood with her arms crossed, looking at me with an expression that was half amused, half embarrassed. “Why are you crawling on the ground instead of walking like a normal person?” She was wearing a dark brown office outfit today, exuding femininity.

　　My face flushed as I pointed ahead and explained, “I’m catching a cricket. This little guy is way too clever. Oh, Aunt Walker, could you help me block it? Please don’t let it jump into the river.”

　　Emily Walker reflexively let out a little yelp, lifting her high heels as she looked down. “Where? Where is it?”

　　“There, right in front of you.”

　　“I’m scared of bugs, you know. Hey, it doesn’t bite, does it?”

　　“It doesn’t bite. Just block it for me.”

　　Emily Walker held down her skirt and squatted, peeking nervously at the cricket. She reached forward and set her LV clutch about a centimeter above the ground. “Is this okay?”

　　“Perfect, perfect.”

　　The next moment, I seized the opportunity and lunged forward.

　　But just then, the cricket escaped again, and after a few more jumps, it landed right on the LV clutch.

　　“Ah!” Emily Walker shuddered violently and landed on the ground with a thud, frantically waving her arms. “It jumped on my hand!”

　　“It’s on the ground! Please don’t move! Don’t move! I’ll catch it right now!”

　　As soon as I finished speaking, I saw clearly: the cricket shook its wings, leapt gracefully into the air, traced an arc, and disappeared into Emily Walker’s office skirt. Sitting on the ground, Aunt Walker let out a shriek, her face turning pale with fright. She kicked her legs and called to me, “Get it out! Oh my god! Hurry up!”

　　“Don’t be scared, don’t be scared.” Looking at the glimpse of Aunt Walker’s skirt, my face burned. “It doesn’t bite, you, you…”

　　“I see it! It’s on my leg!” Emily Walker’s face was as white as a sheet as she dropped her hand and, trembling, pulled her brown skirt up toward her waist. “Don’t just stand there! Get it out!”

　　At this point, I couldn’t care about anything else. Avoiding her gaze, I half-knelt on the ground, one hand on the flesh-colored stockings at the top of her thigh, the other sliding between her two plump legs into the warm skirt. I located the cricket and cupped my hand steadily above it. The stockings were thin and smooth, soft and delicate to the touch.

　　Honestly, this was my first time being so physically close to a woman, and my heart was pounding wildly.

　　The cricket’s leg must have gotten caught in the stockings, because it just wouldn’t come down.

　　Not wanting to hurt it, I pressed gently on the inside of her left thigh, barely moving my palm, which made the soft flesh on Aunt Walker’s leg tremble in waves.

　　You can imagine how awkward our posture was.

　　But I swear to God, I had absolutely no intention of taking advantage of Manager Walker.

　　Seeing Emily Walker’s increasingly strange look, I wished I could just dive into the moat.

　　Luckily, the cricket’s leg soon freed itself from the stockings, and it couldn’t escape my grasp. I pulled my hand out of her skirt, turned my head away, too embarrassed to look at Aunt Walker’s expression, took a hundred-yuan bill from my pocket, rolled it into a tube with one hand, put the cricket inside, and sealed the end.

　　Phew, finally caught it.

　　Treating it like a treasure, I carefully placed the paper tube in the chest pocket of my T-shirt and quietly glanced at Emily Walker’s expression. She was patting her ample hips, brushing off the dirt from her butt. After a moment, Aunt Walker turned to look at me, the corners of her mouth twitching into a smile. “You really put me on the spot. Heh, I have to complain to Sister Green later. In her son’s eyes, I’m not even as important as a cricket.”

　　“No, no, not at all.” I laughed awkwardly, feeling guilty, and touched my nose with my right hand, which still held the warmth of Aunt Walker’s thigh. “This cricket is really good quality. It’d be a shame to kill it. Besides, if I squashed it and its guts got all over your leg, that’d be disgusting.”

　　Emily Walker shot me an exasperated look. “Alright, alright, let me see the jade pendant.”

　　I took it and looked it over, shaking my head slightly. “This is just an ordinary piece of jade. It’s not worth much.”

　　“I thought so. You get what you pay for.” Emily Walker sighed. “Little James, you know your stuff. Help me think of a gift that’s both affordable and presentable, will you?”

　　“Hmm, I have to go to the Guanyuan Bird Market tomorrow to sell crickets. Why don’t you come with me and take a look?”

　　“Sure.”