He refused to speak again.
He sat there for a while, and soon fell into a deep sleep, his soul wandering off somewhere. Even the cat was tired. The small room grew increasingly dark and desolate.
The three of them were at a loss and went back.
Once you step outside, you'll find the real, magnificent world outside.
Not far south, the Longfu Temple fair was in full swing. Longfu Temple holds its fair on the 9th and 10th of every month. Other temple fairs include the Earth God Temple on the 3rd, the Flower Market on the 4th, the White Pagoda Temple on the 5th and 6th, and the Huguo Temple on the 7th and 8th. It was bustling with activity, stalls lining the stalls, tents lining the tents—…
But in this bustling temple fair, there were vendors selling pots and pans, shoe uppers and patterns, and secondhand clothes... In the middle, there was also a stall selling old books. Huaiyu recognized him; it was his teacher from the old school at the temple, where he used to work with woolen thread. Teacher Ding, however, did not recognize him.
Of course, Teacher Ding is getting older. His students have all grown up, changed in appearance, and seen more of the world. They have all been transformed. If the students don't call him first, he can't recognize who is who.
Teacher Ding was selling old books, including some rare and valuable ones in his eyes. It seemed his life had become even more difficult; perhaps he couldn't teach anymore, because many schools had opened in Beiping, including those run by churches, and gradually fewer people attended his classes. To make a living, he had no choice but to lay his collection of books on the ground and ask people to buy them.
There were many people visiting the temple, but no one was really interested in buying thread-bound books. They would just glance at the poor, pedantic scholars and then the noisy crowd would move on.
Huaiyu wanted to call out to him, but then thought that he might not recognize him, and even if he did, there wouldn't be much to say. —So she called out anyway:
"teacher!"
Teacher Ding ignored him, resolutely refusing to acknowledge that he had ever been a "teacher," and kept bowing his head to brush away the light dust stirred up by the feet of passersby, not wanting the rare books to be defiled. He seemed to have made up his mind to only be a bookseller.
Having no other choice, Huaiyu also left.
Zhigao said to him:
"That's Teacher Ding! Didn't he teach you the Thousand Character Classic?"
Huaiyu replied:
"You misread it."
Zhi Gao was puzzled: "I'm not mistaken, he's wearing a round hat, why is he all alone, not even glancing at us?" After a pause, Zhi Gao complained again:
"Damn it, they're all senile! How could this be? Only a few years, and they've developed stranger phobia, they don't recognize anyone. —Look how much they suffer if they don't die in their old age, they'd better hurry up and die—"
Dandan scolded him: "Look, you're being stubborn again! It's almost Chinese New Year, and you're still talking about getting old and dying."
"Even if you don't die, you'll get old. Don't be so heartless when you're old!" Zhigao shouted.
"I won't!" Dandan exclaimed. "Only a fool can't recognize people. I can see right through them with just one glance!"
Yes, with the Lunar New Year approaching, some people have already set up stalls displaying paper-cut flowers with the characters "福" (fortune) and "寿" (longevity) in gold, as well as red fish with gold scale patterns that symbolize "good fortune and abundance."
But Huaiyu's interest in visiting temples had waned. The goldfish, windmills, and diabolo were no longer his playthings. Perhaps the kites made by the kite makers—the Three Rams Bring Prosperity, dragonflies, butterflies, poppies, skinny birds… and even the centipedes several meters long—still caught his eye. He would gaze at them for a while, captivated by their vibrant colors and their eventual soaring flight. Envy was written all over his face.
No sooner had he stopped than two or three passersby, upon seeing Huaiyu, were startled, whispering amongst themselves and peering at him. Taking a couple of steps forward, they turned to look at him, recognized him, and whispered happily. One of them said:
"It's him! It's him!"
One person asked, "Really? Is this Mr. Tang? Are you sure? Wow, he's so young!"
Boss Tang!
Tang Huaiyu was also taken aback. In this bustling temple fair, among the passersby, there were people who recognized him. They hadn't dared to come over to greet him yet, only secretly pointing out: "It's him, it's him!" Ah, soaring and graceful, like a kite soaring in mid-air, the string in his heart gently trembling, swaying far in the wind; a long centipede, layer upon layer, segment upon segment, forming a whole array, fanning the breeze, weaving through the wispy clouds.
I hope he doesn't wake up.
Dandan heard someone calling Huaiyu in a low voice, and even respectfully addressing him as "boss." What a novel and noble title!
Huaiyu, however, didn't notice the reactions of those around him. His face flushed slightly, and he suppressed his joy. A sudden surge of vanity overwhelmed him. —Yi Zhigao appeared dejected.
Huaiyu hurried past. Her reputation was enough to inspire gossip and judgment, leaving her bewildered and hesitant to linger. Her haste caused her to leave Dandan and Zhigao a few steps behind.
The spring breeze blows and the plum blossoms burst into bloom, like a sea of snow, and the end of the year is approaching.
In the past, sometimes the end of the year was tough. Old Tang and some other impoverished street performers, unable to pay their debts of grain, coal, firewood, or rent, would gather at the Deshengju teahouse on New Year's Eve to "drink tea" and avoid creditors. They would sit in silence, and as the night deepened, they would fall asleep at their desks. Only when firecrackers went off and dawn broke would they breathe a sigh of relief, bow to each other, and head home. If they encountered creditors on their way home, they would greet them with "Congratulations," to which the creditors could only return the greeting with wry smiles. This went on for several years.
This year, because Huaiyu's play was finally completed, he received a gift of money, and the smile on his old face finally deepened.
As night fell over the ancient city, the villagers in the Yang family compound began their preparations for the New Year. The children dressed in slightly different clothes and hats, and lit fireworks and set off firecrackers in the courtyard. The firecrackers roared and exploded, and the fireworks rained down like droplets of blood, causing everyone to scramble for cover. The sounds of chopping dumpling filling mingled with the crackling of chopping, hastening the passing of the old year.
Master Miao said to everyone, "Alright, it's finally the New Year. You've all grown up. Although you're not my biological children, you've followed me around for many years, making a living in the martial arts world. This year's New Year's money isn't much, just enough to mark the occasion. Consider it a family gathering to celebrate the New Year together..."
Dandan also stays up all night on New Year's Eve. Every New Year's Eve, she stays up all night. The place she stays up seems to be different every year, different towns, different neighbors, different eaves and kang beds.
Often, you could hear Grandma Shi nearby advising the kids against putting up New Year's pictures of "Havoc in Heaven," where Sun Wukong, clad in golden armor, was locked in a fierce battle with heavenly soldiers and generals… After a long explanation, the kids would cry, and Grandma, unable to scold them, would only painstakingly explain, "Didn't you see? Uncle Zhang's family put up a picture like that last year, and the whole family fought for a year!" He didn't understand what "killing intent" meant and continued to cry. —Dandan only longed for an adult who could scold her until she cried, and then comfort and pamper her in the end.
But she didn't. Strangely, she didn't cry either; she's always so strong-willed. What a waste of her reputation—is it really "tearful disorder"?
Dandan puts up New Year pictures of "The Mouse Wedding," with many little mice dressed in red and green, carrying sedan chairs, playing trumpets, and keeping her company all night.
She added another touch of red to the "Nine-Nine Cold-Dispelling Chart".
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the first day of the Spring Festival, there are no night performances. In addition to the "three-way" ceremony and "flag-pulling" ceremony, there is also the "Linggong Dance". A copper brazier, symbolizing a treasure basin, is placed in the center of the stage. Yellow paper money and ingots and a string of firecrackers are placed inside. After the Linggong Dance, the firecrackers are lit and set off, and the stage is set off in a lively and colorful manner.
During the Lunar New Year, auspicious plays are performed, such as "Celebrating the New Year in Reverse", "The Skill of Playing Gold", and "The Joy of the Golden List".
Tang Huaiyu, who played the role in "Qingshi Mountain".
Zhigao, dressed neatly in his new jacket, arrived backstage first, beaming with joy, and bowed to Huaiyu.
"Congratulations, congratulations on your promotion! May you always speak out against injustice and punish evil, and may you have many sons!"
Huaiyu was applying paint, not daring to laugh, but stiffly staring at Zhigao in the mirror, and said:
"You're at least wearing a hat and clothes today—you're at least trying to look like a human being."