Chapter 106: Night 22
When Mr. Jiang approached, the benches were already dotted with more than a dozen girls of various nationalities and skin colors. He glanced at them, and his deep eyes only focused on his wife, who was taller than him.
"Who is the profit-seeking profiteer?" Mr. Jiang pretended to be unhappy, and acted very authentically.
Mia blinked and smiled innocently at him while sitting among a group of girls.
Mr. Jiang was serious for a moment, then he smiled with his eyes narrowed, and said, "Come with me to meet Mr. Du and Mr. Huang."
Miya stood up, and the two of them held hands. However, Mr. Jiang did not leave. He said to Chu Wang, "Miss San, come and see him together?"
Mr. Jiang never introduced meaningless people to each other. Chu Wang nodded immediately and walked a few steps to the back with the two men. She saw two imposing gentlemen in their early fifties. Even if they only mentioned their surnames and not their given names, she immediately understood: these two names were very famous in Shanghai.
After the introductions, whatever they said was in keeping with social etiquette. Mr. Jiang concluded by saying, "Today's first dance will follow the British tradition of forty or fifty years ago. Mr. Huang and Mr. Du will only dance the first dance, and we're still short of a partner. Miya, you will dance with Mr. Du."
Miya nodded and smiled at Mr. Du, while Chu Wang also smiled politely at Mr. Huang. As soon as the three of them left, someone else came to visit Mr. Huang and Mr. Du.
Miya asked, "What about Zhenzhen?"
Mr. Jiang raised his chin. On the bench, a British man who looked like a soldier was politely inviting Zhenzhen. Zhenzhen smiled and nodded, looking like she wanted to hesitate, but she couldn't refuse.
At this time, the crowd was noisy, gradually drowning out the high and clear piano part.
Mr. Jiang walked Miya and Chu Wang back to their seats. As they turned back through the crowd, Xie Zeyi happened to pass through the crowd and met him. As the two chatted, they both looked in the direction of Chu Wang and Miya. Mr. Jiang said something to him, and he stared at Chu Wang, nodded, and turned back.
A German researcher from Group C of the Institute had invited Bao Rong, while Bao Li Lan Xi and Shu Ya had both been invited before her. However, neither sounded particularly pleased, otherwise they wouldn't have said, "I won't dance more than one dance with him." Perhaps it was simply because their partners were so good, and the girls were legitimately exercising their right to be coquettish. Yun Yan frowned and glanced around, finally deflated when she saw the door closed. Soon after, two Japanese officers politely invited her to dance with Miss Wei for the first dance.
Gradually, Chu Wang could no longer hear the noise of the six British ladies beside her. She looked around for the place where the Japanese officers were gathered, hoping to find Major Fujima, and also to pay attention to the figures of the two ladies who "came voluntarily" as Miss Xu mentioned. At this moment, most of the guests were standing and talking to each other. The visibility was not good when sitting, and she could not stand up. After struggling to find it for a while, someone suddenly patted her from behind. When she turned around, Sakuma was standing behind her with his hands behind his back, smiling and asking, "Our little beauty... No, there is more than one little beauty today. Our female scientist, no one asked you to dance, so you are impatiently looking for someone?"
Chu Wang didn't answer him, nor did he turn his head. When another taller Japanese officer came towards him, he was followed by two beautiful Asian ladies.
When Zhen Zhen saw Sakuma, she almost immediately said in English: "Please go away, she already has a dance partner."
Sakuma's smile widened when he saw her. "Oh, really?" Another officer and two women approached. One of them immediately took Sakuma's arm as they passed by, and they all smiled at the crowd. Sakuma added, "That's good... because I have a partner, too."
Then, a piano piece began, followed by the melody of a violin. The gentlemen, somewhat acquainted with etiquette, had already found their dance partners. A long line of people moved to the center of the dance floor, the ladies standing in one row, the gentlemen in another, facing each other. Because they had been so close together earlier, the two couples from Sakuma were now lined up next to Zhenzhen and her partner. Chu Wang smiled at Mr. Huang, but he could hardly stop himself from glancing behind Zhenzhen.
The sound of the violin gradually became faster, and the two couples saluted, with the men holding the women's hands; Mr. Huang and Mr. Du were both short - as if men with serious sins of killing were not allowed to be too tall - and they had a little difficulty facing Miya and Chu Wang; Zhenzhen and the British were much more relaxed, and in comparison, they danced in a coordinated and light manner.
This dance was so easy to perform, no wonder Mr. Huang and Mr. Du could do it, and only this one. Chu Wang had only a moment to ponder this question. Soon, amidst the sounds of the violin, Mr. Huang began to talk non-stop.
"Miss San is very beautiful." said Mr. Huang.
"Thank you, Mr. Huang," she replied.
"Of all the ladies present, you, Miss Six, and your friend are the most beautiful among the Oriental beauties."
"Mr. Huang, you're too kind." Her smile faltered. Coming from a man who had seen the world for fifty years, this compliment was simply too much, and she felt a little overwhelmed. Fortunately, Mr. Huang changed the subject quickly, talking about the weather and telling some old jokes.
When she passed a few ladies and returned to Mr. Huang, he said again: "Miss San, do you know what socializing is?"
She tried to define it as, "A group of people chatting without doing anything serious, yet accomplished the greatest thing."
"Studying under Mrs. Ge is truly extraordinary. But dancing is essential for socializing. Do you know why? You can't say harsh words when socializing. Saying things like 'What a nice day!' or 'You're so beautiful!' or something like that will give you away. So dancing is the only way to communicate through your body and avoid exchanging thoughts."
Before Mr. Huang could finish his sermon, she had already danced around circle after circle of people, and the couples around her changed three times. Once, when she passed by Xie Zeyi, she happened to see that his dance partner was a white lady, who seemed to be the wife of a diplomat.
Returning to Mr. Huang's side, the violin solo was almost over. "Today's first dance is mostly a couple's first social event, often with some people hoping to move on to further communication. For example, the top British soldiers are all betrothed to prominent British families, either to marry their daughters or for superiors to win over diplomats. Others, the appeal is simple: a beautiful lady and a gentleman... However, Miss San, you need to look further afield and not always focus on officers from other countries. Aren't there more talented young Chinese people here?"
Chu Wang knew Mr. Huang was chastising her for dancing absentmindedly while watching the Japanese. She smiled awkwardly and was about to apologize, but Mr. Huang, like the others, took her hand and escorted her back to her seat. He said, "It's not a big deal. Instead, I want to thank Miss San for graciously dancing with me. I hope to see you and your aunt often in the future."
Mr. Du also sent Miya back to her side and went upstairs with Mr. Huang. When the British man took Zhenzhen back to her seat, Miya stared at the white man staring at Zhenzhen and couldn't help but sigh, "I really want to dance with a young man."
Zhenzhen declined the British man's second invitation and finally felt like teasing her, "Then go ahead and dance. If you're worried that Mr. Jiang won't have anyone to accompany him, there's still Chu Wang and me."
Mia chuckled.
Lan Xi also sat down and said to Bao Li with emotion, "It's so boring to bring out such antiques." After a pause, a Japanese woman's laughter came from the distance, and she said meaningfully, "Most people who think Coca-Cola is funny have never seen the world."
The three of them looked at each other, smiled, and said nothing. Then the white man who had invited Lancey came toward them. Baoli patted Lancey and said, "Look, he's here to dance with you again." Lancey rolled his eyes and whispered, "I'm not going to dance with him again."
At this time, the British man in the tuxedo walked forward and stopped in front of Miya. He suddenly said with a stutter: "I saw you just now, you have a dance partner. Next song, can you..."
Although Lan Xi's expression could not be seen, the women's voices next door immediately quieted down.
Mia leaned back slightly, staring at the Englishman, pausing for at least five minutes before saying, "Sorry, I already have an appointment."
Seeing the Englishman walking away with his face flushed, Zhenzhen said, "Since you're not dancing with him, why bother teasing him?"
In the intervening time, two men had already come to invite Zhenzhen. Miya whispered to Chu Wang, "I'm afraid Zhenzhen will truly outshine the others tonight—it must be her recent gloomy demeanor that's making her look more sophisticated."
Chu Wang and Miya laughed for a moment, then immediately glanced for the two Chinese women, but this time they couldn't find them. The band struck up another tune, this one refreshingly original: a classic American jazz with a twist, but not everyone could dance to it. The crowd cheered, their gazes directed to the center of the dance floor—there, a white man and woman, dancing alone. The woman, in a red dress, her eyes blazing, her steps quick and graceful. The man, in a black suit, moved with labored fatigue, like a vampire just emerged from his coffin at night, his limbs stiff from a night's sleep. As they moved, the woman's gaze provoked him, and gradually, the man's steps became more animated, as if he had come alive because of her. Finally, his entire being rekindled, he pursued her. The once seductive teaser, now successful, now possessed the haughtiness of a cat in every gesture, every frown, every smile...
The incredibly beautiful dance, paired with the fast-paced jazz, had an uncanny, dazzling beauty that constantly stimulated the audience's vision and hearing. Even Chu Wang, who had been absent-minded the entire show, was momentarily drawn in. However, she had barely begun to tune into the music when someone pulled her, and then another person pushed her from behind. As if by some mischief, she was immediately ushered into the center of the dance floor.
Seeing Oppenheimer's smile, she turned around and saw Fermi, the instigator of that gentle push, standing in the shadow behind her stool, waving at them with a prank. The stunning couple beside them immediately made room for them, and the crowd once again paid them more attention, some even applauding.
Chu Wang glared at him, and Oppenheimer immediately smiled and bowed. The crowd cheered again, and Oppenheimer began to move to the music. At first, he wiggled his waist and hips awkwardly and childishly, making everyone laugh. Looking down, Chu Wang saw him wink, a deliberate act of cuteness. She immediately copied his movements. He took two steps, she followed. He twisted his hips dramatically, she followed suit. The range of motion remained the same, and his expression remained the same. It was just that one was stiff and clumsy, the other soft and coordinated, like two different solutions to the same problem. Separately, each had its own charm; together, they were a more harmonious beauty.
The third part of the dance music is a variation of the most famous tune, and it is also the first ballroom dance that many people learn since they started learning ballroom dancing; there are two pairs of dancers with exactly the same postures, one side is a mature and charming couple, and the other side is like two childish kids imitating adults to dance, which is interesting and not annoying.
Someone shouted, "Yes! Yes!"
Gradually, people began to feel less shy and began joining in, couples after couples. The crowd sometimes moved in unison and with a flourish, sometimes with a chaotic flow. From time to time, laughter and conversation could be heard. Most people began to warm up, a stark contrast to the awkwardness of the first dance.
"The first dance is 'Hello, ma'am, may I meet you?' and the second dance is 'Would you do me the honor of having dinner with me?'" Orben said.
Chu Wang was thinking the same thing, but it wasn't as funny as he said. As the two of them spun in unison with the crowd, Chu Wang couldn't help but burst out laughing and asked, "What's the third one?"
…
After the second dance began, Xie Zeyi, who finally had some free time, stared at the bright red shadow on the dance floor from afar for a while, then walked towards the bench where she had just sat.
Baoli, unwilling to dance to such low-brow music, politely declined several suitors, leaving herself out in the cold. Five seats to her left were empty, and she was feeling lonely and bored. When she looked up, she saw a tall man in a dark charcoal-gray suit approaching. She perked up immediately, his stature rising three inches. His green eyes gleamed, and she almost reached out to him, inviting him to take her place, but he simply sat down next to her.
“…” Baoli turned her face away with a twisted look.
The two siblings saw the intention and fell silent for a moment. After a while, Miya said, "You're really late."
Xie Zeyi narrowed his eyes and stared at the light. "Isn't she having fun?"
Mia turned to stare at him and smiled, "What about you?"
Xie Zeyi turned around.
"Mrs. Ge's telegram this afternoon said her ex-fiancé's father is still asking Mr. Lin to marry the third daughter to his son," Miya laughed in anger. "Mrs. Ge said that given Mr. Lin's character, he'll have to agree immediately. With the two fathers talking it over, and considering the commotion she made at the Shanghai Hotel on Mr. Si's behalf last time, tomorrow morning, the newspapers might be all over the news about the happy event between the Si and Lin families. Are you sure you want to wait until then?"
Xie Zeyi lowered his eyelids. His dark eyelashes and deep eye sockets gave him a naturally decadent aura in the dark. But he said self-deprecatingly, "Look at her. Does she like me at all?"
"That's not right. I've been hearing about 'you have a charming brother' since I was a kid," Mia turned and stared at him. "When the whole world knows who her fiancée is, how confident are you that you can convince Dad?"
——
As the second dance music faded, the accordion of the third dance music could be heard. Chu Wang held Auben's shoulders and just as he was catching his breath, he heard him say, "The third dance is usually called 'Want to come to my house for a visit?'"
Some people on the dance floor dispersed, and more couples stepped in with smiles. After Auben had danced the tango with her for just a few steps, she turned around and left. Suddenly, she approached the person in front and silently took her from Auben's hands.
The man bowed slightly, took her hand and placed it on his shoulder, supported her waist, and wordlessly led her out to the fast-paced music. "Thank you, Mr. Xie," she called, but there was no response. She still hadn't recovered from the previous commotion, and she needed to concentrate completely to avoid slowing down her steps. The lychee-red light fell dimly on him, and several times when they had to make eye contact, she couldn't quite see his expression when she looked up, only to feel that he was unusually silent today.
Please talk more, like usual, she thought. This silence, for some reason, made her particularly easily distracted today. A strange unease welled up inside her, and the faster she played the accordion, the more irritated she became. "Dancing is a physical exchange that replaces thoughts," she thought, and it didn't seem entirely right. If it were all physical communication, it would make people even more uneasy. She felt the hand holding her waist was burning hot.
There is a long pause at the most intense part, and people who hear it for the first time may easily think that the song has ended abruptly.
Xie Zeyi loosened his hand on her waist. She took the opportunity to say: Mr. Xie, let's stop dancing and let me rest for a while.
She lowered her head and just took two breaths when suddenly, she was pushed out by a force; before she could be surprised, the hand that was tightly holding her pulled her back almost immediately; and she fell heavily into his arms.
She screamed in fright, and in an instant, the sound of the accordion was like a voice-over, like thunder; her heart was still trembling, but Xie Zeyi maintained this posture, naturally, letting her body stick close to him, and stepping out in unison and quickly.
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