"In the year 2046, a vast rail network spans the globe." "A mysterious train leaves for 2046 every once in a while." "Every passenger going to 2046 has the same intention:" "They want to recapture lost memories." "Because nothing ever changes in 2046." "Nobody really knows if that's true because nobody's ever come back except me." "998." "997." "If someone wants to leave 2046 how long will it take?" "Some people get away fairly easily others find that it takes them much longer." "I forget how long I've been on this train." "I'm starting to feel very lonely." "As I recall, many have gone to 2046." "You're the first to come back." "May I ask why you left 2046?" "Whenever anyone asked why I left 2046 I gave them some vague answer." "Before  when people had secrets they didn't want to share  they'd climb a mountain find a tree and carve a hole in it and whisper the secret into the hole  then cover it over with mud." "That way, nobody else would ever discover it." "I once fell in love with someone." "After a while, she wasn't there." "I went to 2046." "I thought she might be waiting for me there." "But I couldn't find her." "I can't stop wondering if she loved me or not." "But I never found out." "Maybe her answer was like a secret  that no one else would ever know." "ALL MEMORIES ARE TRACES OF TEARS" "Didn't you promise not to come back?" "I came to see you." "Why?" "I have no prospects here." "So I'II see how things are in Hong Kong." "When are you leaving?" "The boat sails in two days." "Why are you telling me?" "I thought we might go together." "You know nothing about my past, do you?" "If you'd rather not tell me, I don't mind." "If you win, I'II join you." "She found an indirect way of rejecting me." "As I recall that was the very last time we saw each other." "Right after that, I left Singapore." "I got back to Hong Kong at the end of 1 966." "It was the time of the riots." "I wasn't sure how long I'd be staying so I took a room in a small hotel in Wanchai." "I wrote columns for newspapers." "They paid HK$ 1 0 per thousand words." "It was pretty tough at first." "As long as I could make ends meet it made no difference what kind of stuff I wrote." ""Diary of the Bazooka Hero." "The new star at club Luk Kwok is Fei Fei a knockout beauty with amazing bazookas." "A smash hit with tit lovers!" "."" "Hang on." "Of course I exaggerate." "I can't say her tits are fake, can I?" "I soon got used to this kind of life." "I became an expert ladies' man." "Lots of one-night stands." "But nothing lasts forever anyway." "24-DEC-66" "Is that really true?" "Why would I lie to you?" "You really know me?" "Weren't you in a show in Singapore in '64?" "Yes." "You're Lulu." "I was then." "Not anymore." "What's your name now?" "Why should I tell you?" "On Christmas Eve, 1966 I ran into a friend from Singapore in a nightclub." "We'd been rather close." "But that night she'd apparently forgotten me." "Have we really met before?" "How could you forget?" "You said I Iooked like your late boyfriend." "You taught me the cha-cha." "Go on." "You were always dragging me to the casino." "You'd hit a losing streak." "You owed a fortune." "My friends and I paid for your passage to Hong Kong." "You talked a Iot about your late boyfriend." "A Chinese Filipino from a rich family." "You planned to marry him." "But he died young." "You said he was the love of your life." "I shouldn't bring back sad memories at this time of year." "But do you remember that Christmas night we went drinking?" "We talked a lot." "Was she just pretending she'd forgotten me?" "I took her back to her hotel." "She was dead to the world." "She'd had too much to drink so I left quickly." "2046" "On my way out, I noticed a very familiar number." "If I hadn't run into her that night, I wouldn't have seen that number and I wouldn't have written 2046." "Can I help you?" "Is Miss Lulu in?" "Lulu?" "There's no Miss Lulu here." "There was a Mimi, but she moved out." "But I was here two days ago." "Do you know where she's gone?" "No." "What do you want with her?" "Nothing, really." "I have her key." "I wanted to return it." "You can give it to me." "Thanks." "You want to rent the room?" "I'm just back from abroad." "I don't have my own place yet." "If the room's vacant, I could take a look." "This is just a small hotel but our residents are all decent people." "What's your line of work?" "I write for newspapers." "Great!" "A fellow artist." "I haven't always done this." "I used to be an artist too." "Really?" "I took singing lessons, in Harbin." "Back then, I was a tenor." "It'II be a pleasure to have you here." "When will you move in?" "As soon as possible." "But 2046 has to be redecorated." "2047 is vacant." "Take a look at it." "Never mind." "I'II come back when it's ready." "Why that particular room?" "Maybe it's the number." "It has some significance for you?" "I'm joking." "Tell you what take a quick look at 2047." "If it's okay, you can move in." "Then switch to 2046 when it's ready." "How about it?" "Can I see the room?" "Of course." "please." "Once I moved in I found out what had happened the night before." "Lulu was stabbed by a jealous boyfriend." "A drummer from the club." "She'd really liked him and compared him with a bird that could never land." "For all these years she has been looking for her "legless bird. "" "Most of her affairs ended badly, but she didn't mind sad endings." "No matter what happened at least she was always the leading lady." "Good." "Sure." "Go." "Let's go." "Let's go." "I'II go with you." "Good, I'II go with you." "Sure." "I understand." "You know what I mean?" "I know." "I understand." "I got it." "Can I go?" "I can go." "Sure." "I understand." "Got it." "It didn't take long to finish redecorating 2046." "But by then I was used to 2047." "Sure." "I started hearing a strange voice through the wall." "I thought someone had moved in." "But it was the daughter of the hotel owner, Mr. Wang." "please take me with you." "Definitely." "I'm definitely going." "Okay, Iet's go." "I had no idea what she was saying." "The bellhop told me it was Japanese." "It seems she had a Japanese boyfriend." "T ell the driver 220 Granville Road." "Granville...." "220 Granville Road." "Turn from Humphreys Avenue, near Kimberley Road." "Can you say again?" "Don't turn down Salisbury Road." "slowly, please." "I'II draw you a map." "That's my pen." "I'II repeat it once more." "Turn from Humphreys Avenue, near Kimberley Road." "But don't turn down Salisbury Road." "Understand?" "I'II draw you a map." "Granville Road." "Turn from Humphreys Avenue, don't turn down Salisbury Road." "Remember, don't turn down Salisbury Road." "His company in Japan had sent him to Hong Kong." "When he got here, he checked into this hotel." "The world is full of men!" "Why do you have to choose a Japanese?" "Get rid of him!" "I will never meet him!" "You want my blessing?" "Not while I'm alive!" "It had been going on for ages." "Their family suffered under the Japanese in the war so they had to break up." "Can you tell me what you feel?" "Do you Iike me?" "Or not?" "I'm scared to hear your answer." "But I have to ask anyway." "Leave with me." "Goodbye." "The man finally went back to Japan." "That's when Miss Wang began talking to herself." "Hey, ask your boss to turn it down a bit!" "Mr. Chow, you'd better ask him yourself." "Mr. Chow." "Hasn't he left already?" "Why is he back?" "I will not see him!" "If you won't give him up" "Get out!" "Go away with him!" "I assumed that Mr. Wang played it so loud because he loved his opera." "Actually, he didn't want anyone to overhear the family row." "What are you doing?" "Come back for me when you're a Iittle older." "Wait till you grow up." "I Iike it." "Mr. Wang thought about very little but his two daughters." "The elder one was crazy about her Japanese man." "The younger one was precocious." "She always came in my room for drinks." "Then she ran off with some man." "Another drummer from a club band, I heard." "After she left, her elder sister got into trouble too." "Have a word with your boss for me." "I'm a bit late with the rent." "Anyway, he has my deposit." "Mr. Chow, tell him yourself." "He's in a foul mood these days." "What's eating him?" "First one daughter ran away, now the other one's in the hospital." "That's why he's so angry." "Why is she in the hospital?" "He wouldn't say, he was quite strange." "Steer clear of him." "So that's it?" "Anyhow, give him my invitation." "It's my father's birthday banquet." "He can deduct his gift from the rent I owe." "On May 22, 1967, they imposed a curfew in Hong Kong." "Homemade bombs caused panic." "The economy stopped dead." "I stopped going out." "Some thought I was a reformed character." "Actually, I was writing." "A story called 2046." "All about men and women looking for love risking everything to get to a place called 2046." "What's that?" "Let's go to 2046." "I made it bizarre and erotic, without crossing the line." "The readers liked it." "Some didn't take to the science-fiction angle but all "2046" meant to me was the number of a hotel room." "I made up the whole thing." "But some of my own experiences found their way into it." "People I ran into in the normal course of things turned up in my stories." "I felt more and more at ease in my fictional world." "Around that time, Mr. Wang's music got louder again." "More trouble with his two daughters." "But also, because of the bad state of the economy lots of the rooms were empty." "Then in September, the rioting ended." "Life went back to normal." "Soon, someone moved into 2046." "Have you nearly finished?" "It's too early in the day for that!" "Some of us are trying to sleep!" "Peeking?" "The woman next door is quite a dish." "What are my chances?" "You're off your head." "A father-to-be shouldn't have that on his mind." "Now she's pregnant, my wife won't let me touch her." "Come on, put in a word for me." "Okay." "How much?" "How much have you got?" "Only $1 00." "Wait for my call." "Mr. Chow!" "Mr. Chow!" "Mr. Chow, a call for you!" "Bright and early, huh?" "She's not up yet." "Why come over?" "I told you, it has to be arranged." "She's not some streetwalker." "A fellow artist like you, show her a Iittle respect, will you?" "Yes, I'II tell you right away." "Miss Bai, your key." "You're back, Miss Bai." "Who is it?" "Who are you looking for?" "Mr." "Chow suggested I come by." "You're back, Mr. Chow." "Did you win on the dogs?" "I lost." "I won a Iittle." "Looking for me?" "I think you know this person." "What are you doing in that room?" "You said you'd arrange it." "I paid you!" "I said that room." "I said this one." "Your girl's in that room!" "How embarrassing." "please excuse him." "I told you, the room on the Ieft." "I said I wanted that one!" "Shut up." "Who is it?" "Oh, you again." "I just wanted to apologize for last night." "Forget it." "Go away." "Ping, my editor, was out of line." "But he's not really so bad." "Just a bit stingy." "Never pays his way." "always says he's broke when the check arrives." "So I played a trick on him." "At my expense?" "Didn't you go a bit far?" "He only fell for it because you're so beautiful." "You're quite a flirt." "Just stating the fact." "A small token of apology." "please accept it." "I don't want it." "You're still cross, aren't you?" "please accept it." "No." "Come on, it's just a token" "No." "Don't make fun of me." "I mean what I say!" "Now, get out." "That's good." "Let it all out." "slap me again if you want." "Think I wouldn't dare?" "Come closer." "Bastard!" "Don't be so petty." "That's enough." "I'm courteous enough not to slap you again." "That doesn't mean you can take advantage." "This time, I'II give you face." "If there's ever a next time, I'II be less polite." "It won't happen again." "My face is still numb." "Accept it." "They're just a token of my regard." "I chose them myself." "See if you Iike them." "If you don't, just throw them away." "Good." "I'II leave now." "Calm down!" "It's none of your business who I dated last night." "Who?" "Dabao?" "Which Dabao?" "The fat one or the skinny one?" "From Shanghai or from Shandong?" "The trouble is I know so many men named Dabao." "How should I know which one you mean?" "Yes, I did." "What are you going to do about it?" "Fine." "I'II be waiting!" "Let me just say" "Get out!" "You think I can accept this?" "Her or me." "You'd better choose!" "Now, get out!" "24-DEC-67" "You're back early." "It's Christmas." "Shouldn't you be having dinner with your boyfriend?" "What boyfriend?" "Then let's have supper." "Come on you have so many girlfriends." "You need company?" "Go out with them." "They all want to be with me, but I can't choose." "The fairest thing is to see none of them." "Come on, no point in staying cooped up in your room." "I'm not in a good mood tonight." "I might get drunk and slap you again." "That's okay." "I'm used to it." "If slapping me would make you happy, take that as my Christmas present." "Come on." "Come with me." "Let go!" "I didn't expect to spend Christmas like this." "What did you expect?" "We'd made plans." "He was taking me to Singapore." "He says it's warm there at Christmas." "So I didn't even pack winter clothes." "What I'm wearing now is for summer." "Have you been to Singapore?" "I worked there for several years." "What kind of work?" "On a newspaper." "Is it fun there?" "It's okay." "Tell me more." "I won't be going so I'II just have to imagine it." "What do you want to know?" "How's the climate?" "Pretty warm." "AII year round." "Sometimes you can't tell what season it is." "The food stalls are great." "Ping and I ate there after work." "We'd eat and drink till dawn." "Our landlord was a funny man." "Short and fat, and he always wore a skirt." "What the Malays call a "sarong."" "But when you're away from home it sometimes gets boring." "That was a dull meal." "Another drink somewhere else?" "You really like to drink?" "It makes things easy." "When I'm drunk, I have no worries." "Won't your girlfriends be missing you tonight?" "They're not stuck to me." "They see other men too." "We just have fun together." "They still need to make a living." "I don't get it." "Where does all that fun get you?" "If you find the right person, why waste time on the others?" "If I find the right person?" "A man like me has nothing much except free time." "That's why I need company." "So people are just time-fillers to you?" "I wouldn't say that." "Other people can borrow my time too." "And tonight?" "Are you borrowing me, or am I borrowing you?" "No difference." "Maybe I borrowed you earlier..." "...and now you're borrowing me." "Ridiculous." "Don't get me wrong." "I don't intend to take advantage of you." "If that was what I wanted, I had plenty of opportunities." "I just want us to be drinking pals." "Is that okay?" "It's hard, but I'II give it a try." "Okay." "Let's try." "Where to?" "Let's drink." "Mr. Chow, you seem happy tonight." "I certainly am, my friends are buying me dinner." "This way, please." "Ping!" "Is it someone's birthday?" "Better than that." "Chow has a new girlfriend." "Definitely worth celebrating." "What would you Iike to eat tonight?" "Something expensive." "Snake?" "Yes, snake would be good." "Snake isn't cheap." "Can you afford it?" "Sure you'II win the bet?" "Shut up." "Don't mind him." "What'II it be, Mr. Chow?" "Snake." "And a lamb casserole too." "And bring Hoi's whiskey." "Can't let this go to waste." "It's delicious." "Where's your girl, Chow?" "It's already 2 a.m. Is she coming?" "She can't be coming." "I don't think she's coming." "It's all your fault." "You're why this happened." "Why blame me?" "You brought this on yourself." "You said she was gentle and obedient." "Now we know the truth." "I said she was sometimes obedient and sometimes gentle." "But she's full of surprises." "That's part of the fun." "So, what next?" "Yes, what now?" "Whatever you feel like doing." "And then what happened?" "Tell me!" "How are you going to thank me?" "Pervert!" "Open up!" "Who is it?" "Open the door!" "It's late." "You played a fine joke on me tonight." "I finished work late." "Too late to get there." "So I didn't come." "What's this?" "That's your fault too." "How could I know you'd stand me up?" "I thought I'd win a few hundred." "Instead, I lost my mustache." "This is all your fault." "You deserved it." "Who pushed you into the bet?" "I'II tell you something." "Ping asked me not to show up." "Anyhow I wasn't that fond of the mustache." "You look younger now." "Don't you Iike it?" "You're making fun of me!" "You tricked me." "I'II get you for this." "How will you make it up to me?" "At least give me a kiss." "You bit me." "Come and get me." "You're in for it when I catch you." "Don't touch me there!" "Bastard." "You've bruised me." "Think you were any better?" "Look, I'm bleeding." "Maybe it's because winter's coming." "See what happens when I eat lamb?" "Brings out the beast in me." "What?" "Don't move." "What are you doing?" "Shaving you." "Don't!" "Who knows where that shaver's been." "It could bring me bad luck." "Let's go for round two." "No way!" "Why are you dressed?" "I'm going back to my room." "I'm exhausted." "This is all I have, aside from loose change for the bus." "Here's $200." "please take it." "I don't want it." "I wasn't selling." "That's not how I meant it." "I want to pay for your torn dress." "please take it." "I see." "You're afraid I'II cling to you, is that it?" "Fine." "I'II take $1 0." "Think of it as a discount rate." "If you ever want to come over again, I'II charge the same." "I'm going back to my room." "Come here." "Not tonight." "Why not?" "Not in the mood?" "Can't take the strain tonight." "Anyhow, I'm a bit short of cash." "Never mind." "You can owe me." "I don't like being in debt." "The reception's at 6 p.m., dinner at 8 p.m." "I don't mind if you can't make it, just send your gift." "No more than you do." "You hold banquets all year round." "You've had four birthdays this year." "I'II send over some more invitation cards later." "Think of people with money." "Write in their names and send them invitations." "Mr. Chow, holding another banquet?" "You know we have birthdays in different calendars?" "Another of mine's come up." "No doubt." "Here's one for your boss." "AII right." "Tell him that since we're so close he can deduct his gift from the rent I owe." "Make sure he gets it." "Okay." "It's late." "What's so urgent?" "Just got back from Macao." "Chow asked me to bring you a present." "You two went to Macao?" "Yes." "We had some days off, so we went to the casino." "Oh, it's beautiful." "He says he found some money in his pocket." "So before losing it all at the tables he bought you a present." "Where is he?" "Not back yet." "You know what he's like." "Extravagant at the start of the month, and broke well before the end." "He made several thousand holding that party so now he's really enjoying himself." "Is he there alone?" "Of course not." "There's a gang of them." "He likes company." "Was he always like this?" "Let's not talk about him." "Let's have a drink." "But I should warn you." "I know you Iike Chow a Iot." "Don't waste your time on him." "He's not serious." "Guess who." "There's only one possibility." "Let me have a bite first." "What are you doing here?" "What am I doing here?" "What do you think?" "I thought I was pretty wild." "But you're much wilder." "Pay up." "I haven't seen you for ages." "I've been busy." "Liar." "Tell me the truth." "I am." "Who was that woman the other day?" "What woman?" "Don't pretend." "I saw her leaving your room." "Who is she?" "A friend." "A friend?" "What was she doing in your room?" "Don't be nosy, all right?" "Go back to your room." "I have work to do." "I won't." "I'm sleeping here tonight." "An overnight stay is expensive." "No problem." "Name your price." "I'd pay anything to be with you." "Every day." "Retail is fine." "Wholesale is out of the question." "Why?" "I just don't like it." "Could you make an exception for me?" "No." "You treat all women like this?" "Except one." "Who?" "My mother." "I'm serious." "I don't mind you having other women." "But I won't be treated the same as them." "I don't care if you love me or not." "I'II love you anyway." "Since we got together, I haven't brought other men back." "I hoped you'd think the same way." "Will you promise me that?" "No." "I see." "Then we're through." "I'II never bother you." "And I never want you in my room again!" "Here, $1 0." "Tonight, I'm paying!" "Thank you." "If you're ever in the mood, feel free to come over." "I'II charge you the same." "Having fun?" "What do you care?" "You were rather loud last night." "I meant to be." "You bring back women, why shouldn't I have men?" "I want to see if you really don't mind." "I won't go." "Why don't you come here instead." "Forget it!" "Don't come!" "After Bai Ling moved out, she started dating Dabao." "And I saw other women too." "If our paths ever crossed, we'd pretend not to see each other." "Rather pathetic, I know." "But it was better for us to end it this way." "I've never seen her since." "But sometimes she pops up in my stories." "Your change." "please check it." "Thank you." "Are you going out later?" "Why?" "Could you post this letter for me?" "Sure." "Then Miss Wang came back." "I knew from the familiar sound through the wall." "please take me with you." "Good." "What are you doing?" "Wasn't I clear?" "Don't contact that Japanese man!" "Why are you writing to him in secret?" "Aren't you ashamed?" "Return his letter!" "No?" "What are you reading?" "A martial-arts novel." "You like them?" "If your friend wants to send you more letters and you don't want your dad to know tell him to send them to my room." "I'II pass them on to you." "She looked happier when she came back this time." "We talked more often." "Mr. Chow, another letter for you." "Another." "Those Japanese girls get so carried away." "Let's see each other again." "Then if you still think we shouldn't be together tell me so, frankly." "That day, six years ago a rainbow appeared in my heart." "It's still there like a flame burning inside me." "But what are your real feelings for me?" "Are they like a rainbow after the rain?" "Or did that rainbow fade away long ago?" "I'm waiting for your answer." "Why do you write all that stuff about sex?" "So I won't starve." "Don't you worry about your reputation?" "Maybe I'm not such a nice guy." "Why not try writing something else?" "Who'd read it?" "How about a martial-arts novel?" "People love them." "That's too hard." "I tried once, cowriting it with someone." "We locked ourselves away for months." "Just got sore heads." "Those were good times." "I Iike writing too." "It's hard to make a living by writing." "I just do it for fun." "I'II show you some of my stuff." "please do." "Here you are, read this first." "Wow, you're prolific." "When you've read it, tell me what you think." "And don't forget to return it." "Sure." "Have you read my story yet?" "I have." "What did you think?" "I think you should never write another word." "Why not?" "You're so good, you could put me out of work." "The Spider Sage thrusts out his fist." "Two chopsticks take off like rockets." "They land with explosive force." "The mountain splits apart." "slow down, I can't keep up." "Come on, they're waiting for it." "AII right, all right." "Caught up?" "Go on." "Where was I?" ""The mountain splits apart."" "Right." "The mountain splits apart smashing Iron Abacus to the ground." "Iron Abacus?" "Isn't he dead?" "Is he?" "Then make it Iron Head." "Where did Iron Head come from all of a sudden?" "Hey, anything goes in martial-arts novels." "Why don't you get some rest." "I'II finish it for you." "Okay." "It felt like having an assistant." "When I was late with my copy, I asked her to ghost it for me." "She was just a girl but she could write as raunchily as the best of us." "We got along very well." "That was my happiest summer ever." "But it didn't last." "I encouraged her to face up to her father but she didn't dare." "She wanted to pay her own way so I got her a job in the cloakroom at a club." "Thanks." "She told her father she was going out with me." "Sometimes I found an excuse to pick her up after work." "You're here late." "If you're ready to go I have a taxi waiting." "I can give you a lift back." "No, thanks." "Then I won't wait." "Feelings can creep up on you unawares." "I knew that, but did she?" "She was always asking if there was anything at all that never changed." "I could see what was on her mind." "I promised to write a story for her, based on my observation." "Something to show her what her boyfriend was thinking." "As a joke  we thought of calling it 2047." "But maybe I was being too oblique." "I'd begun to feel that it wasn't about her boyfriend at all." "Rather, it was more about me." "So I began imagining myself as a Japanese man on a train for 2046 falling for an android with delayed reaction." "If someone wants to leave 2046, how long will it take?" "No one can say." "Some people get away fairly easily." "Others find that it takes them much longer." "It takes great strength, and it can hurt terribly." "I forget how long I've been on this train." "I start to feel very lonely." "It's rather boring at first, but slowly you get used to it." "We have a range of cabin attendants." "They can satisfy your every need." "They will serve you devotedly, Iike an intimate friend." "But you must never fall in love with them." "Who'd ever fall for an android?" "Who can say?" "Events can creep up on you without you ever noticing." "It can happen to anyone." "Paragraph 201 in the Passengers' Guide warns that Area 1224- 1225 is especially cold." "The train heating won't be strong enough." "Passengers are advised to hug each other to keep warm." "Since I'm the only passenger I hug my android cabin attendant." "I wonder if it's her mechanism or just my imagination but I sense some responsive warmth in her artificial body." "Why do you want to leave 2046?" "Do you know what people did in the old days when they had secrets they didn't want to share?" "They'd climb a mountain find a tree carve a hole in it whisper the secret into the hole and cover it up with mud." "That way nobody else would ever learn the secret." "I'll be your tree." "Tell me, and nobody else will ever know." "I always" "I always" "I always" "Very funny." "I always" "I always" "Whenever anyone asked why I left 2046 I gave them some vague answer." "I always" "I once fell in love with someone." "I couldn't stop wondering whether she loved me or not." "I found an android which looked just like her." "I thought the android might give me the answer." "1 0 HOURS LATER" "I have a secret to tell you." "Leave with me." "I have a secret to tell you." "Leave with me." "I kept on asking." "But she never answered." "I began dreaming up excuses for her silence." "Do you know the Buddhist canon?" "The five decays of celestial beings?" "The five decays of celestial beings." "It's all about the gods and how they go through this process too." "Our cabin attendants are superbly designed." "But there's one problem:" "When they've served on so many long journeys fatigue begins to set in." "For example  they might want to laugh, but the smile would be slow to come." "They might want to cry but the tear wouldn't well up till the next day." "This one is failing fast." "I think you'd better give up." "I grew desperate." "I felt like giving up." "But I was soon trying again." "I have a secret to tell you." "Will you leave with me?" "I have a secret to tell you." "Will you leave with me?" "Do you know what people did in the old days when they had secrets?" "They'd climb a mountain, find a tree carve a hole in it...." "Whisper the secret in the hole." "990." "991." "992." "993." "994." "995." "I slowly began to doubt myself." "Maybe the reason she didn't answer  was not that her reactions were delayed but simply that she didn't love me." "So at last, I got it." "It's entirely beyond my control." "The only thing left for me  was to give up." "24-DEC-68" "Why are you inviting me to Christmas dinner?" "You know how much I'II lose in tips by not working?" "Wouldn't it be awful to be alone tonight?" "I need company." "That means me?" "Your boyfriend hasn't written in a while." "I told him not to." "Anyway, it's hopeless." "No point waiting for me." "Why is it hopeless?" "Go and look for him." "If you don't, it really will be hopeless." "My dad will never give his consent." "If you were him what would you be doing tonight?" "Why don't you ask him." "Have you got his phone number?" "I can't hear you!" "Can you speak louder?" "I'm already shouting!" "I felt like Santa Claus that night." "I took her to the newspaper office and let her make a long-distance call to her boyfriend." "I was happy to see her so happy." "In fact, Zone 1 224- 1 225 meant Christmas Eve and Christmas Day." "On the night before Christmas many people need more warmth than usual." "That night I didn't get that." "Maybe that was for the best." "1 0 HOURS LATER" "I realized  the reason the android didn't answer had nothing to do with her mechanism wearing out nor that she didn't like him." "More likely she already loved someone else." "Soon after that, she went to Japan." "I gave her a copy of my story 2047." "I hope she read it." "1 00 HOURS LATER" "1 000 HOURS LATER" "Love is all a matter of timing." "It's no good meeting the right person  too soon or too late." "If I'd lived in another time or place my story might have had a very different ending." "I have to tell you." "Yes?" "I'II be away for a couple of days." "Pay my daughter this month's rent." "She's back?" "Not Jing Wen." "I mean pay my younger girl, Jie Wen." "So your worries are over." "Going on holiday?" "No, I have to go to Japan." "But you hate the Japanese." "Why go to Japan?" "Jing Wen is getting married." "Congratulations." "I wasn't sure whether to go or not." "Now I've decided I just want her to be happy." "When do you leave?" "Can you help me choose a present?" "No need for that." "She wanted me to ask you something." "What is it?" "She read your story 2047." "She likes it a Iot." "But she finds the ending too sad." "She wonders if you can change it." "I'II see what I can do." "AN HOUR LATER" "1 0 HOURS LATER" "1 00 HOURS LATER" "Taxi!" "I'd also like the story to have a happy ending but I don't know how to write it." "Some years back, I had a happy ending in my grasp but I let it slip away." "Don't turn your back on me!" "Has he been here?" "What's it to you?" "While I was depressed, I ran into Lulu again." "She hadn't changed." "Still intensely jealous." "You think he's yours?" "I thought you knew him well." "That's the way he is!" "We've just been amusing ourselves." "So control yourself, missy!" "Watching her taught me something." "When you don't take no for an answer there is still a chance you'll get what you want." "1 8 MONTHS LATER" "Hello, is Mr. Chow there?" "I know I have no right to ask but they say I need a guarantor." "The man who recruits girls for the nightclub says he knows you." "Can you talk to him for me?" "No problem." "I know the man you mean." "I'II see him in a day or two." "Why did you choose Singapore?" "I don't want to stay here any longer." "I've been thinking about it for some time." "I want to take a look at the place." "Don't drink too much." "You don't look well." "Don't worry, it won't kill me." "You know what?" "I came by here at Christmas." "I thought I might run into you." "Why didn't you call me first?" "I don't know." "I came on impulse." "I don't know why." "That night, I suddenly missed you so much." "We're drinking pals." "Of course you'II miss me." "You're right." ""We're drinking pals."" "Let's go." "Waiter." "Yes?" "The check." "Yes." "Where are you staying?" "In a hotel, a rather small room." "But it's not too bad." "I'II see you back." "No, thanks." "I've just moved in." "It's a mess." "I'II invite you once it's cleaned up." "I'II go first." "Seeing how much Bai Ling had changed I was suddenly overcome by a feeling of grief." "Indeed, last Christmas I was not in Hong Kong." "24-DEC-69" "Have you seen Miss Su?" "Miss Su?" "Not for some time." "Any idea where she might be?" "Probably back in Phnom Penh." "I didn't want to spend Christmas 1969 in Hong Kong so I visited Singapore and went back to the casino." "I waited for several days, but Black Spider never turned up." "No one knew where she was." "Some thought she'd gone back to Phnom Penh." "Others thought she was dead." "Ping and I began working in Singapore in 1 963." "When my life lost most of its meaning I started gambling every day." "Those were hard times for me." "Only one person came to my rescue:" "A professional gambler." "Some said she was a cheat." "She always wore black." "They called her Black Spider." "She kept her black glove on for 365 days of the year." "Nobody knew why for sure." "Had her hand been chopped off for cheating?" "Did the glove cover up a fake hand?" "Nobody really knew." "Why do you wear that black glove?" "It's a habit." "You're not from here?" "I'm from Phnom Penh." "What a coincidence." "I was just in Cambodia." "It's in chaos." "Why were you there?" "The newspaper sent me." "You're a journalist?" "Not anymore." "Why's that?" "They made some changes and I'm now a consultant on half pay, with next to nothing to do." "So why are you spending your time in the casino?" "I tried to win enough to pay my way back to Hong Kong." "You lost a Iot?" "A few thousand." "You should never set foot in a casino in a bad mood." "You won't win." "I didn't expect to win." "I just hoped to get back my stake." "If you have any money left I can help you." "On one condition:" "When you've got your money back stop gambling." "Why are you helping me?" "I take a commission." "Ten percent of whatever I win for you." "Think it over." "What good to her were her tiny commissions on my winnings?" "After that, we went back to the casino night after night." "We'd eat at the stall next to the railway station." "She won back all the money I'd lost." "Thank you." "Don't thank me, it's yours." "If you need me again tomorrow I'II be waiting here after dinner." "I still don't know your name." "It's Su." "Su Li Zhen." "A few years ago, I fell in love with another man's wife." "Her name was also Su Li Zhen." "It was because of her that I moved to Singapore." "I never dreamed I'd meet another Su Li Zhen." "I told her a lot about the other Su Li Zhen." "At first, we kept it secret." "But gossip soon spread." "Later, we moved into a hotel." "We had room 2046." "When I think back, the whole thing was like a dream." "You loved her deeply?" "It's history." "Let's change the subject." "You, what did you do before?" "You want to know about me?" "Come on, we'II play high-Iow." "If you win, I'II tell you everything." "It struck me that her past was like the hand she always kept gloved." "A mystery with no solution." "Of all the men I've met you've been the best to me." "I'm already missing you." "Why won't you come with me?" "Didn't you promise not to ask?" "Hold me." "It may be years before we meet again." "The last time we saw each other, I told her:" "Take care." "Maybe one day you'II escape your past." "If you do, look for me." "Now it strikes me that what I told her was actually meant for myself." "In love, you can't bring on a substitute." "I was looking for what I'd felt with the other Su Li Zhen." "I didn't realize that myself." "But I'm sure she did." "WHEN THE PEONY BLOOMS SHE STANDS TALL AND THEN GOES AWAY." "DOES SHE MEAN "NO" OR "YES"?" "AII for me?" "You want to get me drunk?" "I know you're a good drinker." "Let's drink as much as we can." "If there's any left over finish it next time you're here." "One small thing I have to ask you." "Here's some money, please take it." "What for?" "I know you borrowed from a friend for my plane ticket." "Pay him back." "If there's any left, pay my rent for me." "Where did you get so much money?" "An old customer." "He's always been fond of me." "He treats me well." "But he's too old for me, so I never paid him much attention." "I ran into him yesterday while I was shopping." "He insisted on buying me dinner." "I needed money, so I went." "After dinner, I told him I needed money." "He said I could have as much as I wanted." "I told him I needed $5000." "At first, I planned to save it for Singapore." "But I'm using it now." "Don't be silly." "You're still young." "You have great prospects." "I borrowed the money from my friends." "They don't need it back yet." "So keep this for yourself." "Pay me back later." "There's no rush." "Why are you so kind to me?" "Perhaps it's fate." "Too bad it didn't last." "I wish it could have gone on longer." "Don't be like this." "Let me buy you dinner tonight." "Waiter, the check." "Coming." "No, Iet me." "You're too kind." "You've spent enough time and money on me already." "I don't want to owe you too much." "I need to make a phone call." "please settle the check." "I'II be outside." "Will you come in?" "No, thanks." "Get some rest." "I'II see you to the airport tomorrow." "please don't." "I'II be terribly sad if you're there." "Take good care of yourself." "Why can't it be like it was before?" "please don't go." "Stay with me tonight." "Let me borrow you." "Do you remember?" "You once asked me if there was anything I wouldn't lend." "I've given it a Iot of thought." "And now I know there is one thing I'II never lend to anyone." "As I recall, that was the very last time we saw each other." "I haven't seen her since that night." "Why can't it be like it was before?" "HE DIDN'T TURN BACK." "IT WAS AS IF HE'D BOARDED A VERY LONG TRAIN HEADING FOR A DROWSY FUTURE THROUGH THE UNFATHOMABLE NIGHT." "Everyone who goes to 2046 has the same intention:" "They want to recapture lost memories." "Because in 2046 nothing ever changes." "But nobody really knows if that's true or not." "Because nobody has ever come back."