Although Ah Q was always gaining victories after his own manner, it was not until he had received the smack from the Venerable Mr. Chao that his name became well known.
He handed the ti-pao two hundred cash for wine money and lay down, seething with anger. He later thought to himself, "The present condition of the world is unutterable: sons striking their fathers . . ." Thus, it came about that his mind pictured the Venerable Mr. Chao's austere bearing; pictured him for the time being as his son. Blithe and merry he gradually became and, rising from his bed, made his way to the wine shop, singing "The Youthful Widow at Her Husband's Grave." At that particular moment, he felt that the Venerable Mr. Chao was a degree superior to other people.
Thereafter, strange to relate, it actually came about that the people seemed to respect Ah Q all the more. On Ah Q's own part, he thought that this might have been due to the fact that he was the Venerable Mr. Chao's father, but the fact was that he was not.
