Chapter 83: Seven Smoke from the Kitchen
After entering the theater, everyone suddenly showed great interest in her regardless of friend or foe.
Someone asked, "Where does Miss Lin study?"
She said: "I graduated and now I am working."
Everyone's enthusiasm for her suddenly waned by 30%. She could even imagine their ridicule: Not only did she not want to study abroad, but her family actually wanted her to earn money to support the family?
"Where is your job?"
“Building a road across the border.”
"American company or Japanese company?"
"British Institute."
Nowadays, China values liberal arts over science. Female university students are rare, and even fewer major in science. However, graduates of science colleges often go on to become highly paid engineers in foreign firms. So, unless the family is truly broke, or the daughter truly loves the subject, who would let her study science?
Just when the ladies had lost interest, a beautiful lady walked down the red carpeted steps under the dim light. Her every move was elegant and graceful, and her elegant appearance and figure matched her clothes and demeanor - an appearance that was unforgettable.
As soon as they saw her coming down, Zhenzhen and Shen Yueying both smiled and went to greet her; but Shen Yueying's steps were faster than Zhenzhen's. She went forward before her and took the young lady's hand, saying incomparably affectionately: "Xu Si!"
Fourth Miss Xu also smiled and took her arm, "Yueying, I've been waiting for you for a long time."
Zhenzhen paused, a cold smile on her face as she whispered into Chu Wang's ear, "You're born to be a servile slave."
Fourth Miss Xu, holding Miss Shen's hand, hurried over. "First time here, right? This way, please." She ushered everyone through a nondescript wooden door, down a dark corridor, and opened a door to a spacious auditorium. A bright, wide stage, covered with red silk, held thirty or forty seats.
Everyone exclaimed in amazement: "What a hidden place!"
Fourth Miss Xu smiled with some pride and said, "I heard that my friend was visiting, so I specially added an extra show for us today!"
Shen Yueying also chatted and said with a smile: "Want to book the whole place?"
"The whole place is reserved." She winked and invited everyone to take a seat.
Chu Wangben was following Zhenzhen. When she was about to enter the auditorium, Miss Xu suddenly pulled her gently and asked in a low voice, "Miss Lin San?"
She was stunned: "I am."
Fourth Miss Xu nodded. After everyone was seated, she invited Chu Wang to sit down, then sat down beside her. She then introduced herself, "I'm your brother's... ex-fiancée."
She thought about it for a moment and then remembered. After thinking about it, she couldn't help but feel a little surprised: "Why is it 'before'?"
"We have different paths," she chuckled softly. "He and I have already reached a private agreement. We will just have to wait for your father to return home in March, and then the two families will discuss and cancel the engagement."
Hearing the word "your mother," Chu Wang lowered his head and smiled, then asked, "Your paths are different, how can you say that?"
The stage gradually became brighter. No one was seen, but the sound of a woman reading aloud could be heard first.
Fourth Miss Xu stared at the stage. "Years ago, I went to Japan with my father and had the good fortune to meet Mr. Dingtang of the Creation Society, the author of this play. He has had a profound influence on me since childhood. Before April of last year, your eldest brother and I exchanged letters frequently. We had a heated argument on the eve of April, and it was then that we realized our ideals and ambitions were so diametrically opposed that there was no hope for us to walk hand in hand. After we cooled down, he chose to respect my personal wishes and so chose to peacefully dissolve the engagement."
The first half of Miss Xu's speech was like a foreign language; but as the play "Wang Zhaojun" progressed, she began to see the uniqueness of the play. Combined with Miss Xu's words, "ideals and aspirations run counter to each other," it suddenly dawned on her: Miss Xu was a glorious and dignified member of our Party.
Miss Xu's words and the play really made her feel ashamed.
If she wasn't bad at liberal arts, I would have wanted to recite a few lines of Marx's Theory and Mao's General Opinions in front of her every minute, so that I could appear to be a progressive and knowledgeable person.
He could only shake Miss Xu's hand with great humility: "Excuse me, my dear."
Miss Xu was also quite impressed and whispered, "I've always been pretty good at judging people. The moment you came in, I could tell you were different; you're different from them all."
She laughed, expressing her great interest: "What's the difference?"
Miss Xu pondered for a moment, then pouted on stage, "You look a bit like Wang Zhaojun in this play."
The historical Wang Zhaojun was one of the Four Great Beauties, while the Wang Zhaojun in Guo Moruo's play was a rebellious fighter against feudalism; either character was unattainable for her. So she shook her head and smiled, "Miss Xu, you're too kind."
"I know some things about your family, and I know some about you, so please don't underestimate yourself," she said. "The engagement is a matter between two families. I've often heard that your father is a man of his word and values loyalty. But your father broke the engagement in the newspaper without consulting Uncle Si first. Even though he repeatedly blamed himself for not raising his daughter well, it still seems like an excuse and doesn't seem to respect Uncle Si's wishes. Such a hasty break of the engagement will only lead to criticism. In this case, I doubt your father's reputation as a man of his word and value loyalty."
Chu Wang smiled after hearing this. Miss Xu claimed to be "quite good at judging people," and as far as Lin Yu's character was concerned, it had already surpassed many contemporary judges. It was indeed quite accurate.
After a while, Miss Xu asked again, "Which one is that tse?"
"Um?"
"I just heard the British officer who brought you here speaking outside. He was so loud that I'm afraid everyone on this street couldn't hear him."
"He's the son of my aunt's friend, a patrol officer in the concession. I just asked him to look after me."
"But is it Xie Zeyi?"
"It's him." Is this person so famous?
"He's a well-known expert on Britain in Shanghai's Chinese community," Miss Xu thought for a moment and then smiled. "I'm sure he's also a 'China expert' among foreigners."
"It's him."
While they watched the show, Miss Xu kept talking to her in a rambling way. Sometimes she'd ask about family matters, sometimes about Xie Zeyi. What made her uncomfortable was when Miss Xu pretended to be nonchalant and asked her, "Where are you working on the cross-border road construction?"
Fortunately, the play ended, and the actors applauded and bowed. The main character, who knew Miss Xu well, jumped down from the stage and invited Miss Xu to join him on stage to salute. Amid the laughter of the other ladies, Zhenzhen came over and asked, "What did she say to you?"
She smiled and said, "She is my brother's fiancée, so she asked a lot of questions."
"Oh." He pulled her out and said, "Modern opera is boring enough. Dancing is more interesting."
"I..." She looked at her watch, "I won't go."
"Why not?"
"It's too late. There's no car that can take me after ten o'clock."
"Can I have my driver take you first and then me?" Zhenzhen said impatiently. "Lujue is the most upscale dance hall in Shanghai, frequented by gentlemen who speak English and French. That Chen girl, speaking pidgin English and trying to act like a lady, was exposed the moment she got there. The fun has just begun, why leave so early?"
Several others also approached and asked with a fake smile, "Zhenzhen, where is Miss Lin going?"
Zhenzhen said, "Hurry up and stop her, she insists on going home."
One of the people from Miss Shen’s group laughed and teased: “Why are you going back so early? Could it be that Lieutenant Xie has access control?”
She didn't like this kind of teasing, and there was no need to be friendly with her. "Do your elders allow you to enter and leave the dance hall without any restrictions?"
Another Miss Shen said, "I've heard that Hong Kong people learn the conservative British rules from a young age. They are naturally delicate and reserved, which is different from us in Shanghai."
Someone from Zhenzhen's side also smiled and countered, "There are many people from Guangzhou in Hong Kong. Guangzhou opened its port earlier than Shanghai, and Guangdong has its own delicate and reserved style, which is naturally different from Shanghai. Otherwise, why have so many foreigners from Guangzhou come to Shanghai in recent years? It's because Shanghai people and Shanghai girls welcome them with open arms. It's good to learn the reservedness of the Guangzhou people."
The group walked out of the Hongkou Theater, chatting with each other. Miss Xu also followed them out and took Chu Wang's hand. "Do you have a car to pick you up? Why don't you take my car to Lu Jue?"
She patted Miss Xu lightly and politely declined: "I have to go home."
Ms. Xu tried to persuade him again and again, "You're new here, please don't spoil our fun."
Zhenzhen also agreed: "It's rare for Miss Xu to treat us, so at least stay and play for a while."
She refused to decline with a firm attitude. The drivers of the other companies had already arrived. She spotted Bian Jieming's car from a distance, waved to him, and turned to Zhenzhen and said, "You should go back early too."
After taking two steps, Miss Xu caught up with him and asked, "Can you give me your phone number?"
She thought she wanted Xie Zeyi's phone number, "I only know the number of the Municipal Council."
"I don't want his, I want yours." Miss Xu chuckled and then took out a piece of paper and pen from her bag and handed it to her. "We get along really well. I didn't have enough fun today, so I'll call you and invite you another day. You won't refuse, will you?"
Chu Wang hurriedly wrote down the number and got into Bian Jieming's car and left. Zhenzhen and the others also got into their respective cars and left first.
Miss Wei, who was standing next to Miss Shen, immediately scoffed, "She almost had her father kicked out of the house for hooking up with a married man, and now she's hooking up with a foreigner in the concession. What Hong Kong upbringing, British manners? She's the one who welcomes the British with open arms. Which high-ranking British officer would marry a yellow-blooded girl? They're just playing with her. If Lieutenant Xie ever marries her, I'll jump headfirst into this frozen Suzhou River."
Only Miss Shen heard these words. Miss Shen knew that Miss Wei was jealous of her because of her extraordinary appearance and behavior, as well as the presence of British officials at her side. However, the jealous words hit home, so she quickly caught up with Miss Xu and asked, "Why do you want her number?"
Miss Xu smiled at her, holding the phone book in her hand. "Nothing. Let's go, get in the car and go to Lujue."
——
Bian Jieming parked his car downstairs and waited until the lights in her house came on before leaving.
Staring at Bian Jieming's car as it slowly drove away from the alley, she recalled everything that had happened at the theater today, and felt a strange unease in her heart. She had just locked the door and taken off her high heels when the phone in the corridor began to ring.
She ran barefoot to the end of the corridor and answered the phone.
"Hello?"
"Yeah. I'm Xie Zeyi."
"What's wrong?"
"Just making sure you're home. Everything's fine."
She was so happy that she made a joke: "Bian Jieming said he could come and pick me up in the morning."
There was silence for a moment, and then the other end asked coldly, "Did you know that Hongkou is under martial law today?"
“Why martial law?”
"Anyway, don't go out."
"...Yeah." She held the receiver, feeling vaguely uneasy.
"What's wrong?"
"My friends are over there."
"where?"
"Lu Jue."
"..." After a while, he said, "I'll be home at four. If you need anything, call the Municipal Council. Don't run around."
She hummed.
After hanging up the phone, I thought of the canary-like ladies at the theater entrance, and for some reason, I felt a little uneasy. Staring at the copper telephone, I only regretted that people in this era didn't carry mobile phones with them. Otherwise, I wouldn't be so worried about someone calling me, but also worried about no one calling me.
Lujue is a high-class dance hall, and only respectable people can go there. They have drivers to pick them up when they go in and out, so they won't lose their sense of propriety, right?
Looking for something to do, she wandered into the kitchen. Mr. Zheng, a refrigerator salesman downstairs, had visited Xie Zeyi the first time he moved in; Xie Zeyi was quick to deliver the refrigerator within a few days. Before she arrived, it had been largely useless. After she arrived, the Cantonese woman would constantly fill it with fruit, peeling and deseeding it, placing it in small glass bowls and refrigerating it, but she never quite finished it.
A small bowl was brought out, filled with tiny pieces of strawberry. It was strawberry season, rare in mainland China but more common in Hong Kong. They weren't called strawberries, but "strawberries." Suddenly, hearing Xie Zeyi say this, "Give her a glass of strawberry milk," was another kind of fun and interesting experience. As I ate and thought about this, I felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of peace.
I'd devoured a box of strawberries before I knew it. The Bund Park bell chimed. I strained my ears. Twelve. Before the lingering sound had time to fade, the phone rang again; one high, one low, like a duet.
I thought it was Xie Zeyi, but when I picked up the phone, I heard a woman's voice with a sobbing tone. She was sobbing and hiccuping. Chu Wang listened carefully for a long time before he recognized it as Zhenzhen:
"Chu Wang! Chu Wang, please think of a way. I really don't know what to do... Miss Shen and I... Miss Shen gave them..." Before she could finish her words, she suddenly burst into tears with a "wow".
Her heart skipped a beat: "Where is it?"
Zhenzhen burst into tears on the other end of the line. Someone else suddenly picked up the phone and said, "Let me speak." Then Miss Xu's voice rang out, "We ran into some trouble on Fuzhou Road. Miss Shen and Miss Xue were in Fengyuan Lane outside Lujue when they ran into some Japanese Self-Defense Force soldiers. Miss Xue ran out to find me, but Miss Shen didn't. We thought you were the only one familiar with the people in the Municipal Council, so we called you to ask for your help."
Her heart sank at first, but after hearing "Zhenzhen ran out," her heart relaxed a little. She asked again, "Have you called the police?"
Ms. Xu nodded. "The public security police will be here soon. I've asked my driver to pick you up. Once you and the public security police arrive, we'll go in and look for someone."
"Yeah." After a pause, she asked again, "Do you have Lin Zitong's phone number?"
"Yes. I'll call him right now."
After noting down the address Miss Xu had given her, she called the Municipal Police Station. When the line connected, a casual English voice rang out: "Who are you looking for?"
"Call the police."
Hearing her English accent, the man perked up a bit, "Oh. Where?"
"Fuzhou Road, Fengyuan Lane."
"What's up?"
"Two Japanese kidnapped my friend."
"Japanese? Your friend is British?"
"Chinese."
The man sighed, his voice returning to its sarcastic, lazy tone. "Sorry, miss. We only handle cases involving the UK, the US, and stateless individuals."
"Why--"
The phone was hung up.
She grabbed the receiver in anger and dialed the number again.
Still the same tone: "Hello?"
"I'm looking for Xie Zeyi."
The man perked up again, "He's not here."
"I know he's not here. When he comes back, ask him to come to Fengyuan Lane, Fuzhou Road."
Without waiting for the man to finish speaking, she hung up the phone as if in revenge. The car arrived outside, the doorman rang the bell, she put on her clothes, changed into a pair of light shoes, took the elevator downstairs and got in the car.
As soon as she got in the car, she felt restless.
It's like that every time. She's not a police officer, so why does she have to deal with everything? Does she look safe?
Even the Xu family's driver was a little puzzled: "I saw my young lady hurriedly asking me to pick someone up in the middle of the night, and I thought she wanted to ask a gentleman who had made up his mind to come forward."
——
Fuzhou Road, grocery store outside Fengyuan Road.
Only Zhenzhen stood there under the dim yellow light on the street corner. She quickly got out of the car and ran over. "Where's Miss Xu?"
Zhenzhen wiped the tears from her face and said, "She and the police went to look for someone first." Then she gently grasped her cold hand and pulled her inside. "Let's go?"
The Japanese Concession was unlike the British, French, and American concessions. There were no tall buildings like those in the International Architecture Exhibition, but rather low brick buildings and narrow alleyways. It was already dark, and only the outermost shop was lit. As we walked further in, only a few houses had lights, barely enough to illuminate the street.
Considering the time it took for Miss Chen to run away from Zhenzhen, find Miss Xu, call the police, and then go in together to find the person, it is hard to imagine what Miss Chen has experienced.
As she walked, she became more and more angry: "What are you and her doing in a place like this in the middle of the night?"
"She insisted on asking me to come," Zhenzhen trembled. "She embarrassed herself at the dance floor and asked me to go alone with her, hoping to save some face. She said she was going to end things with me today. She goaded me, saying that if I didn't dare to come, she would never give up. I came with her in a rage. After I came in, I suddenly remembered that her father was doing maritime trade with the Japanese and must know a lot of Japanese. Maybe he was ambushing someone ahead, waiting for me. So when I saw two Japanese soldiers coming towards me, I immediately turned around and ran... I really didn't know that she had just arrived in Shanghai and didn't understand the power of foreigners. I heard her screaming for help from behind, but I didn't dare go back." She covered her face. "At least one of us had to run away."
Miss Shen had just arrived in Shanghai and had been staying at home for a long time, so she naturally didn't know about the diverse population and the multitude of demons and monsters in Shanghai.
She had a terrible headache and walked forward with a sigh.
Zhenzhen followed her, sobbing even more. Before long, five people were standing outside a lighted teishoku restaurant. Miss Xu was supporting Miss Shen, whose face was pale and her clothes were stained and torn. Next to them was a tall Chinese patrol officer. Three of them were confronting two Japanese Self-Defense Force soldiers.
Seeing Chu Wang and Zhenzhen coming over, the two self-guards stared at her intently, smiled, and spoke a few words in Japanese.
She didn't quite understand what was said, but she knew it was definitely not something good.
The Chinese inspector asked, "What did they say?"
Miss Xu frowned and refused to translate. Zhenzhen also understood and snapped, "Open your eyes! Who's the dancer?"
The Japanese soldier grinned and said in funny Chinese: "Huh? I don't understand, I don't understand, speak Japanese."
Miss Shen's lips were covered in dried blood scabs, leaving her completely pale, her expression a bit resolute. Miss Xu put her arm around her shoulders and encouraged her, "Tell them your father is the Deputy Director of Shipping. Tell him to get their superiors out. They'll have a good death."
The Chinese patrol officer's expression suddenly changed. "Please don't say that."
"Why not?" Miss Xu glared at him and then said to the Japanese soldier, "Please... "
Before she finished her words, the curtain of the set meal restaurant was lifted, and a Japanese major, about the same height as Chu Wang, with delicate features and a sinister expression, walked out. He smiled and said in beautiful American English, "I'm their superior. I'm right here." He turned and winked at Zhenzhen and Chu Wang. "Why, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Chu Wang said: "Your soldiers have committed a crime."
The major turned to the two non-commissioned officers and asked, "Oh, what did you do?"
The Japanese soldier tightened his belt and said, "We met this Chinese lady here. Usually when we meet Lujue's dancers here, we take them home to sleep with us and pay them, and they are all very happy."
After Miss Xu understood, she flew into a rage: "What dancer? Her father is the deputy director of the Maritime Bureau!"
"Who?" The Major turned his head and glanced at the girls, finally landing on Miss Shen. "I'd like to hear more."
Miss Shen didn't dare look at him, her eyes dodging and her words carefully chosen: "My friend and I came here for the first time. I had a feud with my friend, so I asked her to come to this alley alone, and then we met these two non-commissioned officers. They dragged me into the bushes outside the noodle shop -"
She sobbed violently, "No matter how much I tell them I'm not a dancer—"
After listening to this, the major turned his gaze back to the Japanese non-commissioned officer.
One of the NCOs retorted in pidgin English: "We are friends with her, and we often joke around with each other, really."
The major looked at the Chinese inspector again, as if expecting him to say something.
The Chinese inspector asked again: "What did they say just now?"
Zhenzhen translated, "They said they were friends with Miss Shen."
The Chinese inspector was listening when he suddenly slapped Zhenzhen hard in the face, knocking her to the ground. He yelled, "You are friends with them, why are you calling us here?"
Miss Shen’s eyes reddened: “She was just translating what they said!”
Then, he pointed at Miss Shen's nose and cursed: "How much money did they give you to let you do these shameful things in broad daylight on the street?"
The major said "Oh" with a hint of regret, and the two non-commissioned officers burst into laughter.
Chu Wang was completely stunned. He reached out and grabbed the Chinese inspector's collar fiercely: "Do you understand what you are doing?! The Japanese raped the daughter of the Chinese Deputy Director of Shipping, and you helped them beat the Chinese?"
The Chinese inspector was so frightened by her that he pushed her away and was about to kick her, but Zhenzhen hugged his legs and bit them hard.
Miss Xu supported Miss Shen, who was standing unsteadily, and she couldn't free her hands. Miss Shen in her arms saw this scene and burst into tears, almost fainting.
The Chinese inspector felt pain in his foot and screamed, about to slap Zhenzhen in the face. Chu Wang took two steps forward and slapped him first:
“Snap—”
The world is quiet.
The Chinese inspector rubbed his face, stared at her in disbelief, and said, "Deputy Director of Shipping, or not? You're just working like a slave for the Japanese. If you have the guts, go fight the Japanese. Why would you fight me?"
The major clapped his hands and asked with a smile, "Was that a wrong slap? Should it have been me?"
He took a few steps forward and pulled Chu Wang's hand towards his face. She pulled her hand away in disgust and said in English through gritted teeth, "I hate dirtying my hands."
The major chuckled with considerable enjoyment, moved closer, and whispered in English into her ear, "You know what? If I had been the one who raped your friend, she definitely wouldn't have dared to say a word."
She sneered in her heart and spat in his face.
When the major felt the sticky liquid on her face, his expression suddenly changed. He clamped her jaw with two fingers and turned her face towards him. With his other hand, he pulled out a gun and put it against her forehead.
Ms. Xu gasped and shouted in Japanese, "She's a scientist, protected by British extraterritoriality!"
The Major listened intently and burst into laughter. "Chinese? Scientists? Still nothing but lost dogs!" He flicked the safety pin with a click and poked her head with the muzzle of his gun, grinning. "Did you know? A few months ago, a self-proclaimed 'Chinese scientist' was paralyzed from interrogation." He paused, then poked her temple hard again, grinning. "Do you want to be next?"
Chu Wang somehow remembered a German phrase and stared at him and said, "dubloedkopp! hauab!"
He tilted his head: "What did you say?"
She said in English, "Want to know? Go home and ask your mother."
After saying that, he smiled grimly at him.
This smile perhaps angered the Major, reminded him of her extraterritorial protection, or perhaps piqued his interest in something else. After a moment's thought, he loosened her hand and said with a smile, "Let's do it next time. I'll let you live longer and make it more fun."
She remained motionless, speaking word by word, "Next time, I'll make sure you see me in court."
The gun was reloaded, and the gun barrel patted the Chinese inspector on the buttocks and said, "Well done, dog. Wear a document next time and ask your superior to reward you."
After saying that, he waved his hand, asked people to follow him, and turned to walk out.
While the Chinese inspector was watching the Japanese troops go away, Zhenzhen didn't care about the injury on her face, picked up a broken and rusty pot at the door of the set meal restaurant, and hit the Chinese inspector on the head.
When the inspector covered his head and screamed in pain, Miss Xu supported Miss Shen and walked forward, kicking him in the calf with her high heels.
…
Accompanied by the inspector's wailing, Chu Wang roared at the departing Japanese officer, "Just wait. One day, your descendants will kneel before us and kowtow to admit their mistakes!" (m.)138TXT
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