Dandan and Zhigao hid outside the exit gate, watching intently. Dandan's palms were sweating. She clenched her fists, bit her lip, and prayed, "Hammer, hammer, you must have spirit and soul, don't be pretentious!" She was afraid it would slip up again, and what would happen then? Huaiyu would be utterly defeated.
Huaiyu knew that this was a critical moment of life and death; everyone only had one chance like this. If he had to win this round, he would have no place on this stage. The tension was so intense that his breathing stopped, the rhythm of the world ceased, even the drums stopped. A deathly silence filled the air; if he were to die… it felt like an eternity had passed.
The hammer, it spun once in mid-air, then once more, before plummeting downwards. It was a close call; the hammer in my hand held it back from falling.
This time he didn't fail, and a huge weight was lifted off everyone's shoulders. He was showered with applause from all directions.
Huaiyu steadied herself and performed the rest of the scene well. The young and impetuous Pei Yuanqing was fierce and valiant, not only skilled in double-hammer techniques but also capable of aerial backflips, somersaults, and grappling. Ultimately, his arrogance led to his demise; he was trapped in the enemy's fire and perished. Even in his final moments, he died a stiff, lifeless death. —In short, he used all his skills in one fell swoop. He had given it his all, and was sent backstage by the audience's enthusiastic applause and cheers.
They loved him, truly, it was a "fate" that could not be obtained through seeking.
He spotted Dandan instantly. She stood at the exit, facing him, and the moment their eyes met, she looked away. Taking advantage of his inattention, she stole another glance, like a startled bird. Secretly, no one would suspect that just moments before, she had been so intently watching him. Ah, how tall he was, clad in thick-soled boots—his back adorned with four triangular flags, his entire being, like layers of fish scales, shimmering with a silvery-blue light, like a celestial general, unapproachable. She had to crane her neck to see him, and her admiration grew stronger than ever.
He was triumphant, he wanted her to see his glory. He wanted everyone who tossed him coins across the overpass to see his triumph.
Old Tang came over and patted him hard: "Ah Yu, not bad, not bad, you've got potential, not bad at all!" He didn't know what to say. Seeing his son grow up and finally succeed, his eyes suddenly turned red. He kept saying "not bad".
Zhigao gripped his hand tightly and said, "Good lad, you've got potential!"
Add one more thing: "Don't forget your buddy in the future."
Huaiyu feigned anger: "What future? We haven't even lived to see today."
Thinking of this upcoming performance, before he could even ask his master, he looked around and saw Li Shengtian and the other four rushing back. He only asked:
"Is it alright? No mistakes, right?"
He didn't even focus his attention on Huaiyu; he was only looking after Jinbao in the backstage box.
Seeing that his master seemed preoccupied, Huaiyu, filled with doubts, could only step aside and leave the school. He removed his helmet and armor and was about to wipe his face. Dandan, standing behind him, peered at him in the mirror and exclaimed, "Brother Huaiyu, you're quite skilled!"
She couldn't help but say, "If you perform every day from now on, I'll come to watch, okay?"
"Watch it every day?"
Dandan remained silent, fearing that a single word might reveal the truth.
Suddenly, Jinbao was heard vomiting, throwing up everything he had eaten. Jinbao cried out:
"I don't want to live anymore!"
Everyone at Guanghe Tower knew something was amiss, and the news spread like wildfire. Commander Ma of the Six Doors had always treated Wei Jinbao differently, not only paying for his entertainment but also sending him diamond-encrusted hair ornaments. Jinbao's attire was always more presentable than others. He dared not accept them, nor dared he refuse; under someone else's roof, he always kept his head down and let it pass. —But last night, he couldn't escape it any longer! Commander Ma hosted a banquet and asked Jinbao to accompany him, during which he let slip a hint. Startled, Jinbao quickly declined:
"I appreciate Commander Ma's kindness. But doesn't Commander Ma already have someone?"
Upon hearing this, Commander Ma coldly stood up, drew his pistol, and shot dead a handsome young man sitting at the table. This young man was also an opera singer, playing the role of Liniang in "The Peony Pavilion." With a flick of his water sleeves, he captivated Commander Ma, who then took him in and served him, ceasing his singing. —Jin Bao, seeing this with a raised eyebrow, watched as a living person was stained with blood on his purple robe, his face turning deathly pale.
Commander Ma once doted on him so much, dressing him in fine silks, the flowers on his robes budding in the morning, blossoming into full bloom at noon, and then bursting forth in the evening when he served his master. All the fabrics for this attire were custom-made by Ruiqixiang; sometimes, a single order would bring forth the finest silks from Suzhou for selection… He could nurture him, and he could also destroy him in an instant.
After firing his shot, Commander Ma coldly ordered his men to carry out the woman, whose name he had forgotten. He simply said:
"I'm already gone, aren't I? You're all I have left for the next few nights!"... Jinbao was trapped in Commander Ma's mansion, and he wouldn't let him go. Even though he had lost his performance. Everyone just assumed he had gone to a banquet, and they probably figured he wouldn't escape his fate sooner or later. Under such evil forces, one or two opera singers could easily fall into his hands and become his playthings.
When Jinbao returned, Li Shengtian and the others were nowhere to be found. They discovered he was physically and emotionally wounded, contemplating suicide. Some people tried to comfort him, saying:
"Forget it, just go for it. So many people do that."
What else is there to say? When offering advice, there's a hint of disdain, which is hard to explain, given their current state of decline.
Commander Ma did a good job; amidst the commotion, his men brought over a jewelry box filled with unexpected precious items. He placed it on the gold and silver box, only to have it suddenly smashed to pieces.
When Huaiyu heard about this, she thought to herself, "Jinbao is also in the class. He's being bullied like this, and he's even trying to 'buy' her."
With a swift movement, he launched a fierce punch, intending to give the newcomer a good beating. A few moments of fighting ensued backstage, mirrors shattered and weapons were broken, but the situation was not yet serious. Master Li dared not let him act recklessly. Seeing that he was young and naive, unaware of the situation, he quickly restrained him and shouted angrily, "Huaiyu! Don't offend the officials!"
The two henchmen were seasoned veterans; they remained calm and composed, not lashing out, but instead giving Huaiyu a few fierce looks before coldly saying, "Let's see if you can meddle, will you?"
The group backstage, though furious, dared not speak out, knowing that any interaction would lead to dire consequences. Master Hong chased after them to appease them, offering every kind word, hoping to defuse the situation. Back at the troupe, somewhat uneasy, he told Huaiyu, "If you're going to perform in the troupe, don't cause trouble. You can't afford to mess with them!"
The troupe leader, Hong Sheng, was also opportunistic. Seeing Tang Huaiyu's debut and the red curtain rising, he wouldn't chase him away; he still needed to keep him to earn money. So he only told Huaiyu not to cause trouble and not to meddle in anything else. He'd just perform, and the performance fee was inevitable—but not more. He knew Huaiyu was new and knew how to calculate. He had his methods for keeping him around.
Wei Jinbao stood up for Huaiyu, but perhaps he misunderstood: Huaiyu was on his side. Jinbao's special feelings, however, became so uncontrollable; how could he express them? Jinbao suppressed everything in his heart, and thus, he lived his life. —Huaiyu would never know. Jinbao turned his face away from the light, thinking of the past and the future, uncertain and hopeless. He had no hope; he wasn't even worthy of Huaiyu. He only murmured softly:
"Huaiyu, don't worry about it. Really, neither of us can afford to offend them..."
He had to endure, he had to endure. Before Tang Huaiyu gained any reputation, he had no dignity. Street thugs, opera troupe leaders, officials from the Six Doors and the Knife Bureau—he was oppressed at every turn. And then there were foreigners, who oppressed the Chinese, and the Chinese oppressed their own—where could he find a foothold? No, he wanted to grow stronger, to climb higher, not allowing anyone to step on him; he wanted to turn the tables, to stand even more firmly. —How naive, yet it was the only thing he could do. Everyone has their own ambition.
This was the first time Dandan had ever seen such a backstage scene. It was far more dangerous and complicated than her previous life as a performer – some things, it turned out, couldn't be solved with "money," but required the sacrifice of "people."
Someone helped Jinbao gather the jewelry scattered on the ground. The box had been smashed to pieces by Huaiyu, and the fabric of the headdress was valuable. He'd already lost everything; was it possible he wouldn't even accept a little something tangible? That was impossible. He was making things difficult for himself. He had to at least clean up the mess and try to live as usual. —He wouldn't give it up. Who would sacrifice themselves like that for nothing? It's all just feathers and satin covering a chicken coop—beautiful on the outside, but empty inside. In poverty, self-respect is like a broken mirror; once it's shattered, it's shattered.
Just as everyone was busy dealing with him, Dandan caught a glimpse of a thin, dirty hand reaching out from under a box in the corner. The hand trembled as it discreetly moved a gold ring to its side, intending to steal it. His fellow disciples noticed, grabbed him, dragged him out, and began to beat him mercilessly, all the while cursing him:
"You were so hungry yesterday that you stole some of the paste from pasting playbill posters to eat, shameless! And now you're trying to take advantage of me?"
It turned out he was a drug addict, heavily addicted, his face ashen and lifeless, even his voice was ruined and couldn't ring out. This was the young actress who had performed with Wei Jinbao in "The Four or Five Flower Caves" back then. Jinbao became a star, but lost his virginity. He couldn't become a star; instead, he fell ill. Everyone hated him, called him shameless, but his fellow actors beat him up. Seeing blood trickling from his mouth, lying on the ground panting, they felt sorry for him. A perfectly good young man in his twenties, without any backbone. —But what could he do now? They felt sorry for him. Jinbao threw him the gold ring.
For a moment, Zhigao, Dandan, and Huaiyu were stunned. Who had taken over the stage? It turned out that the place was so sordid. Could they tell if it was male thieves and female prostitutes, or female thieves and male prostitutes? In any case, it was a murky mess. A sudden, indescribable burning pain shot through the hearts of the three of them. None of them were living a good life; one slip, and they would be swept away, never to recover.
Summer of 1932, Beiping (Beijing). 3
Dandan sincerely told Huaiyu, her repeated admonitions condensed into one sentence: "Brother Huaiyu, you are not allowed to smoke cigarettes, really. If you learn to smoke cigarettes, you'll end up smoking heroin!"
Huaiyu took these words to heart, but he didn't reply. His gaze remained fixed on the distant future; to become famous, to win, he needed unwavering perseverance and genuine skill. The audience is merciless; even after three thousand excellent performances, a single slip-up can bring down an actor.
He nodded and went over: "Master Li, don't worry! Father, don't worry."