Wei Jinbao, the boy who grew up with Huaiyu, specialized in female roles after they separated. Jinbao is a few years older than him, now in his early twenties, in the prime of his life, and has become a star in the class. Back then, he was just one of the real and fake Pan Jinlian in "The Four or Five Flower Caves"; after seven years of hard work, he finally became the only Sun Yujiao in "Picking Up the Jade Tin," which was truly not easy.
Perhaps from acting so much, he's forgotten who he really is. He always raises his delicate fingers, dips a small toothbrush in toothpaste, and carefully, meticulously brushes the jewelry in his box, with boundless affection. The dazzling array of items—bubbles, earrings, sunflowers, jeweled ornaments, phoenix hairpins, decorative patterns, ear picks, double-sided tubes, ten-tube ornaments, bubble strips—is like a fantastical fairyland, a place where such things reside.
Jinbao cherished his voice, speaking softly and quietly without using his true energy. Huaiyu, on the other hand, was a martial arts performer, unlike Jinbao. Jinbao, however, took a liking to him; whenever someone mocked his effeminate manner, he would always run to Huaiyu's side. Although Huaiyu was also a minor character, his quiet and reserved nature kept him from gossip, and they lived in relative peace.
Jinbao asked with concern, "What's wrong? Are you upset because you think you don't have enough screen time?"
"You have great potential. You've learned your craft entirely through hard work, and your master is your guide. Just keep at it for a while, and you'll be good enough. When that time comes, I'll perform with you."
"No." Only Huaiyu knew what was on her mind. —It was unpleasant, but…
"Tell me, don't keep it to yourself." Jinbao stared at him. "If it's that kid Zhigao—"
Huaiyu thought to herself, why does everyone have to listen to what he really thinks? Does he even have anything to say? It's just a simple matter, a family matter, what's the big deal? Everyone in the world likes to make a mountain out of a molehill. Huaiyu wasn't one to blindly follow others over trivial matters, so she simply declined Jinbao's offer.
"Brother Jinbao, I'm fine."
Wei Jinbao glanced at Huaiyu as she left Guanghe Tower.
Zhigao did give him a lecture:
"Of course you offended her! She's angry that you treated her badly, but she won't say a word. So what if you're an extra? Who hasn't been an extra? Some people are extras their whole lives. Go apologize first thing tomorrow morning!"
In the morning, before the sun had even risen, Zhigao escorted Huaiyu to Dandan's place—the Yang Family Compound.
This large courtyard had more than ten rooms, housing many families. The people living along the riverbank were all itinerant merchants and traders. There were cloth sellers, junk collectors, secondhand clothing sellers, magicians, and monkey trainers. As soon as they entered, a monkey somersaulted and bowed to them. Zhigao, seemingly in agreement, returned the bow and greeted it, "Good morning, brother!"
Those practicing martial arts went out to Taoranting Park. The vendors selling mung bean juice also began to take the mung bean juice that had been stored in large vats for a day and a night, let it settle, skim off the liquid, put it into a clay pot and boil it. After it had boiled for a while and reached the right balance of sweet and sour, they picked it out to sell.
Everyone in every household was busy. Master Nan and several other wrestling heroes were preparing to leave. "No one for Dandan?" they wondered. Zhigao asked.
Where is Dandan?
The Miao people didn't recognize the two of them, but simply stopped.
Huaiyu has a slight lisp:
"We need to talk to Dandan."
One of the female students who practiced diabolo remembered: one day, these two boys had greeted Dandan, saying they were all in the same trade. The little one first glanced at the two boys, exchanged knowing smiles, then ran to the eaves of the north house and laughed again, "Dandan!"
Oh, so she washed her hair early this morning. Her braids were loose, hanging down her back, and she was turning her head to the side, drying it with a towel. The two of them were startled by the sight of a piece of black satin.
Black satin.
Huaiyu was utterly awestruck by Dandan's long hair. He had never imagined that it would look like this when she let her braids down. Thick and flowing freely, shimmering and reflecting a sense of wandering. It almost touched the ground, obscuring her true appearance. It was a feeling of being in another world, of strangers, an extraordinary feeling.
Indeed, Huaiyu didn't have time to look at her closely; he actually refused to meet her gaze openly. In the morning breeze, despite the thousand kinds of warmth, this strange flowing light made his young heart pound.
In Huaiyu's simple life, for the first time in nineteen years, he couldn't see Zhigao at all, only Dandan. Confused, adrift—yet ashamed. His heart pounded and pounded.
All that could be heard was Zhigao saying to Dandan's junior sister:
"We came to see a doctor because we heard that Dandan is sick."
"She's not sick."
"Yes. She was suffering from the plague and was very ill. She couldn't recognize people, not even the two of us."
"Hmph, who said I couldn't recognize you?" Dan Dan retorted.
"The medicine has been delivered, don't be stubborn." Zhigao took out a small octagonal tin box with the three characters "Changchuntang" written on it, and insisted on showing it to Dandan, while reciting a rhyme: "In the sweltering heat of midsummer, don't panic, quickly buy Changchuntang inhalation medicine, put it in your nose to clear your lungs, relieve the heat and keep you healthy!"
Singing as he opened the box, he dipped his index finger in a little bit of the earth-red plague-preventing powder, rubbed it between his thumb and index finger, then rubbed it into his nostrils, closed his mouth, and took a deep breath.
The girl from Tianjin had no idea about Changchuntang's plague-avoiding powder at the north entrance of Xianyu Kou Changxiang Alley outside Qianmen. The junior sister quickly imitated Zhigao and took a sip. Dandan, curious, also dipped her finger in.
But a cool sensation entered through her nose and permeated her lungs. When Dan Danling's eyes were closed, her long eyelashes curled outward playfully as she smelled the medicine with such seriousness, as if she were about to experience pain and could never escape it.
Zhigao teased, "You said it was a plague, and it really was. Now you're feeling a bit better, aren't you? —Here you go."
"It's not cheap, is it?"
"A few copper coins can save a life, which is better than building a six-story pagoda. If you see the two of us, especially Brother Huaiyu, and turn around and leave, you're being ungrateful."
"Hmph," Dandan glared at Huaiyu again, "This person is the one who doesn't know what's good for him. If you need anything in the future, see if I'll ask you or not? I won't bother you. We're not even close."
Sure enough, she turned and left. With a twirl, her black hair billowed and gathered like an umbrella. Huaiyu panicked and grabbed it, causing Dandan to wince in pain.
Huaiyu said, "Dandan, don't go, I'll tell you—"
"I won't listen, let go!" Dandan shouted.
Huaiyu withdrew her hand, her remorse deepening. Staring blankly at her hands, her face flushed. Her hands, which weren't originally rough, had developed calluses from excessive training. The feeling of those soft, long hair brushing against them was something she would always remember, no matter when.
Zhigao stood aside resentfully. Just when things seemed to be settled, another violent struggle ensued. What would be the outcome?
Then he hurriedly began massaging Dandan. Question:
Does it hurt?
"It hurts! My head often aches from wearing my hair in braids like this. When I get angry, it feels like a needle is drilling straight into my bones," Dandan complained.
“…I’ll let you beat me up to vent your anger,” Huaiyu said awkwardly. She had absolutely no experience in making peace.
"Well, that's great, you delivered yourself right to my door—" Before she could finish speaking, Dandan slapped Huaiyu across the face. It was loud, not too painful, but not entirely painless either. Huaiyu was caught off guard and at a loss for words. Dandan hadn't expected her to hit him so suddenly, and with such force, so she tried to smooth things over:
"Okay, I've gotten my revenge. I'm not angry anymore."