Then, filled with sorrow and resentment, she boarded the train without looking back. Li Shengtian arrived, along with a group of his classmates, ready to look after him. Master Li had little to say to Huaiyu, only saying:
Shanghai is a 'sea'
Huaiyu quickly replied, "I won't perish at sea. I'll be back in three years. I have a promise with Zhigao."
Li Shengtian felt he had aged considerably, completely unexpectedly. He was listless; if he hadn't come on this trip, he would still be a highly respected master. Suddenly, he had aged ten years! It was now the world of young people. He was no longer able to lend a hand. The train was about to depart.
At first, it was all ready to go, making a whimpering sound. After a long time, it still didn't intend to set off, as if waiting for the passengers to make a decision. Although it was deliberately delaying, it was still time to turn back.
This train has traveled between Shanghai and Beijing countless times. Having weathered many storms, it has long since seen through the ways of the world. How could the train be reluctant to leave? It always acts like it's old and incompetent, expecting the unruly young people to tolerate it, to wait for it to start moving, to wait for it to move forward, to let it carry them along, unable to act on its own.
My mind is heavy with worries. Should I open it or not? Should I leave or not?
A large plume of black smoke was about to roll in, and coal dust was poised to fly. Just as the train was about to depart, Dandan sprang up, her long braid swaying with a hint of swagger and self-sacrifice. The train didn't move, but she did. With a twist of her body, she stayed in Shanghai, refusing to leave!
What good would staying in Shanghai really do? Dandan acted on impulse, her heart breaking, and refused to turn back.
"Is death worse than life? It really is true," she thought.
Yes, since I'm already heartbroken, it's better to try something new than to return to Beiping with no face. I know I have nowhere to settle down anyway; maybe in Shanghai…
However, the jobs women could find in Shanghai, as advertised in the newspapers, were nothing more than "Female teacher, must have a teacher's college degree. Teach Shanghainese and English. Twenty yuan per month. Methurst Road." or "Ice bar waitress, fluent in Chinese and Western languages, serving customers and preparing ice cream." Then there were "clerks," "tutors"...—none of which Dandan could handle.
Renting a small house to live in and make a living, even a tiny room on Father King's Road or Molière Road, is very expensive. Without money on hand, one risks losing everything.
I sat on the Bund for half a day, my only friend being Shen Lifang, who still hadn't arrived. I wonder if her family has told her yet. Maybe she's off auditioning for stardom again.
On both banks of the Huangpu River, ferries mostly rely on sampans. These small boats, with their sterns raised, appear and disappear in the waves, seemingly on the verge of capsizing at any moment. However, thanks to the skilled rowing, no trouble has ever occurred. Wherever they stand, there is a way.
It's alright. Dandan numbly pulled out the theatrical costume photos Huaiyu had given her, tearing them piece by piece, corner by corner, until colorful prints appeared. They drifted silently onto the Huangpu River, lingering on the surface, neither gathering nor scattering, stubbornly refusing to leave. Dandan finally threw away a purse too. Her stitches were meticulous and tight. But ultimately, she couldn't sew up what she wanted. The purse, once wet, adapted to the changing weather, becoming heavy and somber, its color deepening sharply, soon disappearing into the water. Even now, though she regretted it, she could never retrieve it. Let it go. The departure of her soul. Her heart was blank, as if she herself had been thrown into the surging river. Losing everything. This was the final stop on a long journey. From now on, she had to rely on herself. A flower destined to wither should not wither. Only by persisting in this way could a flower that narrowly escape wither bloom even more beautifully.
Shen Lifang rushed over. Dandan told her everything, but Huaiyu's name was never mentioned again, her name buried at the bottom of the river. Was she to be pitiful like an abandoned woman in a play? No.
Shen Lifang was a straightforward person. She patted her chest and said, "I got into Lili Girls' School. I'll take you there and see if it works out. They don't charge tuition and there's accommodation."
Lili Girls' School is not actually a school.
However, like a regular school, it has a school administrator and teachers. There are six classes a day, four "art" classes and two "culture" classes. The teachers will teach these little girls some current events, foreign language conversation, and calligraphy.
However, the main focus was on singing and dancing training.
It does not charge tuition fees and provides room and board.
Dandan was like fifteen girls in their late teens and early twenties, from different families, but all for the same reason: to find a place to settle down. At that time, none of them thought about their future or their life path. They were simply happy and content because they had food and shelter there. Youth was something they could afford to pay the price for.
Perhaps the most far-sighted of them all was Dandan. — She was someone who survived by being put in a life-or-death situation.
This Lili, in Xiaodongmen, China, is an old-fashioned three-story building with narrow and steep stairs. Two people have to turn sideways to go up or down the stairs at the same time.
Downstairs were offices, the second floor was a rehearsal room, and the third floor was crammed with beds, one next to another. Lying there at night were mostly homeless young women, and not one of them could say what their future held—whether they would become a star or spend their lives as a supporting cast member behind a star. Who would rise above the crowd and stand out? It was all too early to say.
Each girl attended classes for half a day, received her meal, and then ate in her dormitory. Today's meal was rice, plus a braised lion's head, a small lion, and lots of brown sauce. As Shen Lifang ate, she daydreamed:
"The rehearsals are almost done, and we can perform now. I want to change my name to Shen Lili, okay? A female star named 'Lili' is sure to become famous!"
From then on, she always referred to herself as "Shen Lili".
What are they learning and rehearsing?
It's a "butterfly dance." Three butterflies—red, yellow, and white—flew into a chrysanthemum thicket to take shelter from the rain. However, the chrysanthemums only accept butterflies of the same color. The three butterflies couldn't bear to be separated and fought bravely against the raging wind and rain...
"A Stroll in the Garden," seven women dressed in new clothes go to the garden to admire the flowers and sing... "Peach and Plum Blossoms Competing for Spring," "Fairy Sisters," "The Shepherdess," "Peach Blossom River"...
Of course, how could we forget the most representative "drizzle"? Dandan is the female lead in "drizzle".
The reason Dandan caught Ling Jianfei's eye at Lili Girls' School was, of course, because of her mystery—she was homeless, she had no surname, and she was wandering alone in a foreign land for some unspoken purpose. Few people knew the secrets of this big-eyed girl, who always appeared defiant and unwilling to be outdone.
Her greatest skill was her exceptional physical abilities. Even with the most difficult moves like backbends and splits, while other girls could only manage to tilt their heads back to their waists or split their legs into a straight line, Dandan's limbs moved entirely at her own will, as supple as if boneless, and her jumping ability and courage surpassed everyone else's. As for her skill in hanging her braids, no one could match her.
Two days before her official stage performance, she made up her mind and cut off her braids.
Cut it off. Solemnly and tragically.
She once said, "If I never cut it, it will grow even longer, and I don't know how long it will grow."
I'd never used a knife or scissors before, but I don't know for whom they were left, they were cut off in an instant.
She also got her hair permed.
In the barbershop, they heated an iron rod over a fire, the heat like hell, and then used clamps to curl her hair, section by section, into waves. The freshly curled short hair was smoking, because it was burnt; its original black and thick color had inevitably changed, turning yellow. Like a black and white photograph with insufficient paint, a photograph slowly fading.
After three months of training, Ling Jianfei's "Lili Girls' Song and Dance Troupe" was officially established, securing a venue in the music world for performances. He was a musician in his thirties, with half his hair already gray. He originally planned to make a name for himself in the music industry, but in the bustling metropolis, who would listen to him introduce Western instruments such as trumpets and violins and compose new melodies for them?
He made a bold decision, a sudden inspiration, and began to accompany Western music with song and dance, forging a new path and becoming a pioneer. His most beloved peony, Song Peony, made its debut. —In the world of music, she was sure to make a name for herself.
A light drizzle, falling incessantly.
A gentle breeze keeps blowing.
A light drizzle falls, and the willows are green.
Oh dear! Liu Qingqing.
However, Dandan, holding a bright yellow umbrella, stood by the stage, looking extremely embarrassed.
Normally, rehearsals are all with girls, and it doesn't seem like much. Short skirts and short dresses, carefree, they sing and dance like little birds. But today, they dressed her in formal dance costumes. Every girl, regardless of the performance, wore flesh-colored stockings—practically nothing at all. Then came different colored bodysuits, adorned with shimmering sequins and gold and silver threads. Their arms, and in front of the audience, heavily made-up girls, exposing their thighs, looked at each other awkwardly. The thought of actually showing off their legs in front of a room full of men made them hesitant.
My darling! I don't want your gold.