Oh, you mean the little book.
However, how did this beautiful woman become such a legend in the world, and how was the legend artificially stopped?
who is she?
Does Mr. Jin have such a person in his life?
These were all things Huaiyu could not comprehend. It was precisely because he had just arrived at this precious place that he was constantly surprised by what he saw, with one character after another appearing on stage, leaving him overwhelmed with surprises.
Even the food is different from that in the north.
After eating the pigeon egg dumplings, I also bought some pear syrup candy. This candy is a local product only found in Shanghai. The various fillings include pine nuts, almonds, ham, dried shrimp, red bean paste, osmanthus, rose petals, etc. It also has a cough-relieving effect, and is made with fritillaria cirrhosa, platycodon grandiflorus, scutellaria baicalensis, and other medicinal herbs, simmered with pears into a syrup. The shop also sells rock sugar cream spiced beans, osmanthus-flavored lotus root, pounded red bean dumplings, cat's ear pastries, three-shredded eyebrow pastries, lard rice cakes, eight-treasure rice…
"If Zhigao came, wouldn't this be his domain?" Seeing the food being thrown into the sea, she couldn't help but think of Zhigao. The two of them devoured a huge meal in one go. No, three people. No—Huaiyu immediately asked Master Li, perking up.
When are we going to do the runway walk tomorrow?
"Go to Le World in the morning, and Lingyu in the afternoon."
The important thing is the Lingyu Grand Stage. He finally managed to step onto Lingxiao's stage carpet. Three days later, he will know whether he will have a place on this stage that can hold two thousand people, in this magnificent and bustling metropolis.
The propaganda article that appeared in the Libao newspaper used the title "Tang Huaiyu, you set fire to the Lingxiao Palace overnight!" to create a huge stir for "Burning Pei Yuanqing".
Lingxiao Grand Stage, located on Sima Road, is a stage that rivals Tianzeng in fame. It is brightly painted and resplendent in gold. The private boxes are decorated with carpets, flowers, and potted plants to entertain guests.
Outside the stage, there were not only bright red playbill posters, but also numerous colorful plaques adorned with silk flowers and red ribbons, displaying the actors' names in large print, visible from across the street. At night, the city was illuminated; the city never sleeps, and the good show never ends.
On the first day, everyone performed their best plays: "Picking Up the Jade," "The Bright Sun Tower," "Burning Pei Yuanqing," "Farewell My Concubine," and so on.
Huaiyu rose above the crowd, onto the glittering golden stage, where he could tumble about as he pleased. When it came time to perform the fork-throwing act, he could usually do seven in a row, but this time, amidst the applause, cheers, the chirping of birds, and the cacophony of bells and drums, he insisted on doing twelve. —The audience's reaction was like a thunderstorm, so intense it actually hurt.
It turned out that it really did "hit me".
The Shanghai audience, especially the young ladies and wives, were so engrossed in the opera that they threw "things" onto the stage. Everyone was throwing them without even knowing what they were.
Full of fighting spirit, Huaiyu was only concerned with securing this dock.
Finally, backstage, Master Hong beamed as he opened one small bag after another. Some contained bills in cash, while others held jewelry wrapped in handkerchiefs—no wonder they were so heavy.
He put one of the rings in his mouth and bit it; wow, it was real gold.
He handed over Huaiyu, who was soaked to the bone:
"This alone is worth many silver dollars!"
Opening another one revealed a piece of linen handkerchief embroidered with a pale purple flower and intertwined vines.
Suddenly, a gasp of surprise was heard:
"Huh, what kind of treasure is this?"
It was a purple jade ring, surrounded by scattered diamonds that accentuated the vibrant, intoxicating stone in the center. The pale purple hue made Huaiyu's eyes dazzle. Who could possibly be so lavish with it?
"Mr. Tang."
Huaiyu turned around at the sound.
He had met this person before, and had also offended him.
Duan Pingting changed her hairstyle tonight, smearing it all over her face to reveal her pretty face, with several unruly stray hairs framing her forehead.
The first time Huaiyu looked directly into her eyes, they were an indescribable brown. But in the dimly lit, flower-filled backstage setting, amidst the soft glow of lights and mirrors, that brown changed, taking on a reddish tinge.
She said:
"So that's how it is. One person can put on a whole show!"
Looking at Duan Pingting's ambiguous smile, Huaiyu felt guilty. Could it be that she held a grudge? Was it because he had said something so blunt and unpleasant that she had come to retaliate?
He couldn't understand his situation.
Yes, this woman became famous too easily; everyone doted on her, showering her with sweet words and making advances towards her. Why should I reciprocate? A person who is content with little naturally possesses noble character. Huaiyu, being easily swayed, thought she was looking for trouble and couldn't stand it, so she retorted with arrogance:
"The stage is certainly not like filming a movie; if you make a mistake, you can't start over."
"You've won quite a bit of applause."
"On stage, I am 'focused on the play and oblivious to everyone else.' Ms. Duan, please give me your guidance."
Sister-in-law Duan extended her delicate hand and shook hands with Huaiyu. Though still light, it was heavier than the first time.
As she released him, her fingers unintentionally lingered on Huaiyu's sweaty palm, and she left with a gentle smile.
He didn't have time for anything.
Before she could respond, before she could laugh, before she could speak, she vanished.
Only the diamond-encrusted purple jade ring remained, smiling sweetly in front of the dressing mirror.
Huaiyu's heart is filled with turmoil.
Miss Mary, the ever-present secretary, always appeared just in time to greet Huaiyu.
"Mr. Tang, Miss Duan would like to invite you for a late-night snack. She's in the car."
Huaiyu panicked and hurriedly picked up the ring:
"Please return this to Miss Duan."