Tang Huaiyu broke out in a cold sweat, his drunkenness instantly vanishing—this woman was going to kill him! She was going to kill him!
Summer of 1933, Beiping
Scattered rumors about Huaiyu traveled north on the wind. It was the wind that made it all seem like mere whispers.
In late spring and early summer, open and deserted fields become favorite spots for children to fly kites—South City, Kiln Terrace, Tangen—… “A thousand years of fame are not as good as the joy of youth.” But that joy of youth is fleeting, carried away by the wind. Watching Mao Tou, holding his homemade black pot-bottom kite, take a running start, pull the line, and launch it into the air, beaming with delight. Sometimes, a sudden tumble, loss of balance, and he plummets down, too late to reel in the line.
All that could be heard was them clapping and singing:
"Black pot bottom, black pot bottom, true love rises, one somersault to the very end."
The rich guys bought expensive kites, like the Nayu, Liu Hai, Heng Ha Erguai, Zhan Yu, and Butterfly—but they didn't know how to fly them themselves, so they asked someone else to fly them for them while they watched.
Two young men walked by in the south of the city. One of them pointed at Liu Hai and said, "I used to sell things for people and made a lot of money."
"What 'from the past'? That makes me sound old!"
Zhigao hurriedly asked:
"Do you recognize what that is?"
Dandan looked up, cupped her hands in front of her forehead, and gazed into the distance. Who knew what that was?
"It's 'Liu Hai' (the character's name), and he later met a deity."
"And then what?"
"Then—oh no, the line broke! The line broke!"
"And then?" she pressed.
Zhi Gao laughed: "And then? I'll tell you two good news. First, Tian Le Theater let me sing."
"real?"
"It was Master Long. He heard me sing at the street stall and thought I was very handsome, with well-defined eyes and a handsome nose—"
"What eyes and nose? We're not casting you as one of the Four Beauties of ancient China!"
Zhi Gao was smug and self-satisfied:
“Teaching a 'rough starter' is the best. I have a good voice, but I have never formally studied opera. Master Long said that it is easy to teach me. Once you have mastered a style, it is difficult to change it. Not only will the singing style be messed up, but it will also be very hard work.”
"Are you a blank? You're so big, are you still a blank?"
Zhigao suddenly realized that he had truly grown up.
"This is equivalent to—a soulless person, whoever they meet is who they are."
Without a soul, whoever you meet becomes whoever you are...
Dandan's heart skipped a beat, and inexplicably, she thought:
"Hey, Cake Bro, didn't we have two pieces of good news?"
"Yes, yes, the other one is: Huaiyu has sent a message."
Letters sent from Shanghai to Beiping were often delayed, sometimes by a month.
Huaiyu's letter only reported his good news. Before any danger could occur, the letter had already been sent. Therefore, the letter was very untimely. Dandan and Zhigao, who only knew a little about writing, read it repeatedly and still got the words: stage, cheers, peace, don't worry, take care, Huaiyu. —Huaiyu.
Dandan was inexplicably annoyed and blamed him:
Why didn't you mention this?
I was panicking, feeling like I was torn between two options, unable to commit to either. My mouth was glued shut; I couldn't speak, yet I didn't know how to tell Zhigao: Master Miao had been waiting in Beiping for a long time, and it was time for him to set off for Shijiazhuang, Zhengzhou, Hankou…
I sat down on the mound of earth and saw ants crawling among the grains of sand. As I watched, the ants began to creep into my heart.
Waiting seems so hopeless, and I have no control over my own life. Waiting is something I have to endure alone, and if I were to simply leave, it seems I would be unwilling to give up. —However, even waiting for a letter can take a long time. If I were to really leave, there would be no hope at all, not even a letter.
Moreover, she had heard a little bit about him and the female celebrity. Newspapers are much faster, more frank, and more ruthless than letters. Because newspapers only talk about other people's affairs.
The marriage was called off.
Zhi Gao learned that they were planning to set off. People from all walks of life naturally throw themselves into the world of martial arts, and perhaps they will soon forget each other.
Zhigao had never hesitated like this before, and hurriedly said, "Why don't you stay?"
Dandan felt like she was deaf and hearing a mosquito buzzing; there was no sound or sound at all. She pressed on, "What did you just say?"
Zhigao breathed a sigh of relief: "I didn't say anything." But then, realizing that he couldn't keep it to himself, he added: "I'll go talk to Master Miao and hope you'll stay."
Once it's out in the open, they become bolder.
Dandan's heart skipped a beat, and for some reason, her face flushed. She couldn't utter a word in defense, only saying:
"Why stay? No way!"
Zhigao, emboldened by his newfound courage, decided to take the plunge:
"As if you're blaming me for not being able to support you?"
Her natural playfulness is back.
"You won't agree? Are you afraid I'll go easy on you? No way, I'll make sure you get seven meals a day."