China Town

Cecilia Fofiu
Say, why did you insist so much on the councilors giving you that patch of land by the water, asks the godson, sticking close to the mayor. I'll tell you, he says putting an arm around his shoulders. It's a matter of vision, you get it? With his crooked figure, he goes on with a low voice, primo, we build a neighbourhood for the Chinese, that's to say, we'll be a metropolis, other funds come in, you see. Secundo, girls we've got, cause they breed like crazy, in a few years we're set for a new batch of voters. I end up a deputy and you, dimwit, get a permit for a restaurant, cause there are plenty of fish and frogs in the river.
 
 Cristian Dumitru
I sometimes go to the casino. I like the agitation of those losing and the astounded expression of those winning. I usually sit at the black jack table. I play smart. At the roulette I only watch the players: the fat woman in a mantle and a kilo of jewels that loses, disappears, then comes back with a big box of casino chips, but no mantle or jewels. Well, they've got a pawn shop in the basement, whispers the croupier. The hypnotic and discreet music is shattered by the sound of screams, simian screeches, blades flashing. These are the nobles from out china town, smiled the croupier.
 
 Dan Banu
She got up on her toes to open the door, sneaking a glance towards Shī Yún. The woman shook her head. Beyond the edge of the door the world split into two equally bitter halves. On the one side, the foreigners whose country she lived in. She couldn't understand their language, customs or joys. On the other were her own, closed off like a poppy cup. She knew, though, that if she were to come their way, the two halves would come together, and the bitterness would grow. No matter how much she hid him, the round eyes betrayed the baby.

(Translated by Andreea Grințescu / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year II / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)