In this book, I attempt to use a straightforward story to illustrate how people in China handle matters and their logic of survival: a high school student casually takes a few photos of a leaking school building and posts them online, mocking the principal and venting his dissatisfaction with the school. However, this action triggers a brutal retaliation. The principal, displeased with the student's disrespect, leads a group of teachers and the principal's brother to the student's home, throwing him down the building and causing his death. During this incident, the principal's mistress and other teachers discover valuable paintings and possessions in the student's home, seizing the opportunity to steal them. In the end, the police, to prevent a public scandal and cover up the corruption involved in the school's construction process, falsely declare the student's death a suicide, hunt down those spreading unfavorable comments about the school, and silence the deceased student's parents until the dust settles and "everyone lives happily ever after."
I have divided this book into four parts: "The Ripple," "The Ivory Pendant in the Painting," "Breaking Free," and "A Red Balloon." The first part primarily describes the subconscious of the student lying on the operating table, on the verge of death. The second part is the principal's recollection. The third part details the transformation of the art teacher, both in personality and behavior. The fourth part is the self-narration of the investigating officer. The titles of these four chapters are closely tied to the meanings I wish to convey: "The Ripple" is akin to human life-seen from an individual's perspective, everyone has a grand journey full of turbulence, but from a broader view, it resembles a trivial ripple, even when it involves matters of life and death. "The Ivory Pendant in the Painting" is a metaphor for the principal's behavior-people kill an elephant only for its tusks, and the massive ivory eventually becomes nothing more than meaningless pendants; when these pendants are mere decorative elements in a painting, their significance diminishes further. "Breaking Free" is an analogy for the art teacher's transformation-she begins as a restrained young teacher and, through a series of events, ultimately emerges in her final "perfect" form. The police officer in the last part is like a balloon-humble and fragile, but once adorned in "red," he becomes an idol, seemingly invincible. However, he remains a balloon, needing to proceed cautiously to ensure his own survival.