第二章 月夜访情俦重来永巷 绮宴招腻友双款幽斋 (Chapter Two: A Moonlit Visit to the Beloved, Revisiting Falling Flowers Lane; A Sumptuous Feast Beckons Intimate Friends, A Twin Invitation to the Secluded Study Room)

After a good laugh, Jin Yanxi returned to his study room, found his hat, and went out. His home was in Sparrow Alley, not far from Falling Flowers Lane. He didn’t take a rickshaw but strolled leisurely in that direction. Jin Rong had told him the Leng Residence was at the west end, but he took a long detour and entered from the east. Keeping close to the houses, he walked slowly, counting his steps, and paid more attention as he neared the west end. The lane was almost at its end when, on the south side, he saw a small black door with a plaque reading ‘Leng Residence.’ Yanxi thought this must be the place. But the double doors were shut tight, offering nothing but the nameplate. After hesitating, he had to walk on. Beyond Falling Flowers Lane was a small street. At the corner, he bought a pack of cigarettes at a tobacco shop. Then he turned back and approached from the west again, but the black doors remained closed. ‘What’s the point of just staring at these doors?’ he wondered. In front of the door, four or five teenagers were noisily playing with coins, tussling together. Seizing the chance, Jin Yanxi stood aside with his hands behind his back, cane in hand, idly watching them while stealing glances at the door. He had stood there for nearly an hour when suddenly he heard a jingle of bells-the door had opened. At that moment, a youthful Beijing accent called out selling flowers. Yanxi’s heart stirred. Could this be her? Afraid of seeming rude by turning abruptly, he pretended to leave, turned around, and stole a sidelong glance. He couldn’t help but laugh at himself-it was an old maidservant with a topknot, surely in her forties. But since he had turned to go, stopping suddenly might arouse suspicion, so he strode toward the east end of the alley. He had just passed three or five houses when he saw a female student in a blue top and black skirt coming from the opposite direction, smiling in his direction. This was the very one he had met in Haidian. Seeing her smile, Yanxi felt his heart pound. Did she recognize him? He raised his hand to adjust his hat brim, intending to return a slight salute and smile. But as she drew nearer, her gaze fixed ahead, it was clear her smile wasn’t for him. Then he heard someone call from behind, ‘Young lady, you’re back late today.’ The female student nodded with another slight smile. Eighty percent of Yanxi’s smile had already spread across his face. Blushing, he immediately wiped it away. The closer she came, the more embarrassed he felt to look directly at her. He lowered his head slightly and walked a few steps. When he looked up, a flash of blue passed by his right side, followed by a faint fragrance of powder-she had already walked past. He wanted to look back but felt too shy. In that moment of hesitation, he passed two more houses. Suddenly, he stopped, touching his collar as if remembering something. He immediately turned back, feigning an urgent need to return. When he reached the door, he saw her entering, her graceful figure disappearing in a flash. Yanxi walked slowly, feeling a sense of lingering attachment. Just then, the children playing with coins burst into loud laughter. Were they laughing at me? Yanxi thought. He immediately straightened his chest and walked past. Once out of Falling Flowers Lane, Jin Yanxi paused. He had seen it with his own eyes-she lived there, confirmed. But so what? What could he do? Wasn’t it foolish to linger and watch? He returned home and sat alone in his study room, lost in thought. That faint smile of hers at the lane entrance-who’s to say it wasn’t meant for me? It’s a pity I was too reserved. Would it have mattered if I had smiled back? I was so serious. Wouldn’t she think me dull? If she thinks I’m dull, that’s one thing; but if she thinks I was pretending to be prim, then I’ve misunderstood her. Thinking this, he seemed to see a perfectly oval face with sparkling eyes that darted a glance, cheeks flushed with a faint blush from which emerged two barely perceptible dimples. At this thought, Yanxi lowered his gaze slightly and couldn’t help but smile faintly.

Right at that moment, someone said, ‘Seventh Master, do you believe me now? Was I wrong?’ Yanxi looked up and saw Jin Rong standing beside him, also wearing a slight smile. Yanxi said, ‘Believe you about what?’ Jin Rong replied, ‘You’re still keeping it from me. Otherwise, didn’t you go out today? This outing, with no one along, must have been to Falling Flowers Lane. I bet you even saw that young lady. Otherwise, why were you just smiling to yourself?’ Jin Yanxi retorted, ‘Nonsense. Can’t I even smile? Does smiling have to be about that?’ Jin Rong said, ‘Every time you come back lately, you seem preoccupied. And now you’re smiling. I think there must be some connection.’ Yanxi said, ‘If you can guess what’s on my mind, that would be great.’ Jin Rong laughed, ‘Can’t I guess? Alright, let’s not mention this again.’ Yanxi smiled and said, ‘You’re right about everything. But we don’t even know her. What use is knowing her name and address?’ Jin Rong smiled, ‘There’s no hurry. If you pass by there once a day, you might gradually get to know her. Weren’t you just telling a story the other day? About a male student who met a female student on the road every day, and later they became friends?’ Yanxi said, ‘That’s from fiction. It’s made up. How could it be true? Besides, their daily meetings were accidental. If I went out of my way to walk there every day for this purpose, what would that mean?’ Jin Rong laughed, ‘It’s a pity there are no acquaintances of ours around that house. If there were, maybe we could get introduced through a neighbor and slowly get to know her.’ This casual remark sparked an idea in him. He slapped the table and exclaimed, ‘I have a plan!’ Jin Rong, standing beside him, was startled by the sudden loud slap. He said, ‘It could be done that way, but there are no acquaintances of ours in that alley.’ Jin Yanxi ignored him, took out a box of cigars from a drawer, selected one, struck a match, and lit it. He reclined on a velvet sofa, crossed his right leg over his left, and couldn’t stop smiling. Jin Rong had no idea what scheme he was brewing and dared not ask. He quietly left. Lying on the chair, Yanxi thought for a while and felt the plan was quite good. However, he needed to arrange for a sum of money in advance.

This Sunday, their social club would surely be gambling. Why not join in? If I win, I’ll have spending money. Thinking this, he felt the plan was sound. After resting in his study room for a while, he couldn’t contain himself and felt the urge to go out again. So he put on his hat and went out once more. Arriving at the main gate, he saw a dozen or so automobiles parked along both sides of the whitewashed wall. He asked the gatekeeper, ‘Who’s here again? Holding a meeting at our place?’ The gatekeeper replied, ‘No. The Madam is hosting guests today. Didn’t you know, Seventh Master?’ Yanxi asked, ‘Has Second Madam Liu arrived?’ The gatekeeper said, ‘Yes, she has. The two young ladies from the Wu family are also here.’ Hearing this, Yanxi wanted to go and talk to Second Madam Liu. He immediately turned back inside. But reaching the inner gate, he thought again. She might be too busy at the moment. Better go about my own business. With that thought, he ran back outside. By now, it was getting dark. The street lights were already shining brightly. Since he was walking and not taking a carriage or riding a horse, he felt embarrassed to run into acquaintances. So he deliberately wound his way through small alleys. Wandering aimlessly, he entered a narrow alley. It was less than ten feet wide, with no sky visible above and no clear view at either end. Moreover, it was a quiet place without electric lights. A wire was strung across between the house walls, from which hung a glass lampshade. Inside the lampshade, a small kerosene lamp emitted a dim, yellowish light, barely illuminating the shadows of people. The houses on both sides were so low one could reach out and touch the eaves. Seeing the dark, hulking shapes of the rooftops, he already felt somewhat afraid. Growing panicky, he dared not look up. Stumbling, he hurried forward. The more panicked he was, the more he couldn’t seem to find his way out of the narrow alley. He suddenly felt a large, dark mass crouching before him. Looking up, he saw it was a collapsed earthen wall. Realizing this, he felt slightly relieved. But then a shaggy, dark shadow appeared on the wall, with two beams of black light shooting from it. He couldn’t help but feel his hair stand on end. A wave of hot sweat broke out, and his heart seemed ready to leap into his mouth. He didn’t know whether to go forward or stop. Just then, the shaggy shadow suddenly leaped upward with a ‘meow.’ Jin Yanxi finally understood. It was just a cat. He patted his chest, then pulled a handkerchief from his trouser pocket to wipe the sweat from his forehead. He hurried forward. Finally emerging from the lane entrance, a large, lion-like stray dog darted out from under the eaves of a house next to him. It stretched its head upward and dashed past, startling him again. Now, looking up, he found himself in a vast, open space. The previous alley had been so narrow it was like viewing the sky from the bottom of a well. Coming out here, the ground was bathed in snowy whiteness under a flood of moonlight. Raising his head, he saw a nearly full moon hanging right overhead. The surrounding houses were silent in the moonlight. Only the distant cries of street vendors could still be heard. Yanxi had never seen such a scene before. He thought to himself, so there really are such quiet places in the city. Treading on the water-like moonlight, he skirted the open ground and found a policeman on duty. Only then did he learn this was the western end of Falling Flowers Lane. Remembering the house number, he passed just a few houses before reaching the Leng Residence. Yanxi stood for a while in front of the house, observing the shadow of a cluster of trees behind the building in the hazy moonlight. It matched his previous guess exactly. He couldn’t help but smile to himself. My plan, he thought, is surely halfway to success. Approaching the gatehouse, his foot suddenly caught on a stone, almost tripping him. Looking down, he saw it was a boundary marker. He didn’t pay attention to what was written on it. But he remembered, during the day, when that person stood here talking to the old maidservant, she seemed to be leaning on something. Wasn’t it a boundary marker? This led him to think further. Her simple dress and elegant, pleasing manner were utterly unlike those heavily made-up women he usually saw. The spot where he stood now was precisely where she had stood during the day. How wonderful it would be to stand side by side with her here under the moonlight, whispering sweet nothings! Thinking this, he almost lost all sense of where he was. He stood there dazed for a long time until a rickshaw, its bell jingling all the way, approached and snapped him out of his reverie. After the rickshaw passed, taking advantage of the empty alley, he carefully examined the cluster of trees beside the house. He saw the branches stretched all the way over to the eastern side of the house. The eastern side seemed to be a courtyard. The earthen wall next to the main gate was probably the back of that courtyard. This investigation made him feel even more that it suited his plan perfectly. Overjoyed, he left the alley, hailed a rickshaw, and rode straight home.

Upon reaching home, he saw the electric lights were brightly lit from the main gate all the way to the inner chambers, along the verandas and halls. He knew the female guests had not yet dispersed. He slowly walked inside. Peering through a marble screen, he looked into the room. Inside, his mother and his elder sister-in-law, Peifang, were entertaining the guests. In the center was a large dining table lavishly decorated with vases, fruit dishes, and an array of bright and delicate colors. The guests seated separately were all acquaintances. Particularly noticeable were two young ladies in Western suits, their four snow-white arms exposed from below the sleeves, adding a distinctive charm. Yanxi thought, the gatekeeper said ‘young ladies from the Wu family.’ I thought it was Miss Ruth and Miss Mary, but it’s the Wu sisters. As he was watching with interest, he heard footsteps behind him. Turning, he saw a kitchen hand from the Western kitchen carrying a tray of food. Yanxi quickly beckoned him to stop. At the same time, he pulled out his diary from his person, tore off a small half-page, wrote a few lines with his fountain pen, and handed it to the cook. ‘Do you know the second young lady in a Western suit at that table?’ The cook said, ‘That’s Second Miss Wu.’ Yanxi smiled, ‘Right. When you serve the dishes, find a way to show her this note.’ The cook said, ‘Seventh Master, that’s no joke. If something goes wrong…’ Yanxi casually reached into his pocket, pulled out a roll of banknotes, took out a one-yuan note, stuffed it into the cook’s hand, and lightly scolded with a laugh, ‘Go on, can’t you think of a way?’ The cook, holding the tray, gave a slight crouch as a bow of acknowledgment and left smiling. Yanxi continued to watch from behind the screen. He saw the cook serve the dishes but didn’t approach Second Miss Wu. He thought resentfully, this clumsy fool is truly useless. A moment later, the cook came out. Yanxi went straight up to him on the veranda and asked, ‘Is that how you fulfill your task?’ The cook smiled, ‘Seventh Master, don’t be impatient. I’ll get it done for you.’ Yanxi said, ‘How will you do it? Tell me.’ The cook looked around, saw no one, then whispered to Yanxi. He asked with a smile, ‘Seventh Master, is this way good?’ Yanxi also smiled and nodded. The cook served two more courses, then came the coffee. When the coffee was served to Second Miss Wu’s place, the cook extended the sugar bowl in his hand right in front of her, his wrist almost level with her eyes. Seeing something brought so close to her face, Second Miss Wu was slightly displeased. Just as she was about to say she didn’t want sugar, her glance flickered. She saw his palm facing inward with a note stuck to it. A few words were written: ‘I’m waiting for you outside. You must come! Yanxi.’ Second Miss Wu lifted her eyelids slightly, a smile on her face, and gave the cook a faint nod. Understanding, the cook left. Second Miss Wu, while drinking her coffee, said to Yanxi’s mother, Mrs. Jin, ‘Auntie, I heard from your Fifth Young Lady that your Seventh Master is learning to play the ancient Chinese zither. Has he learned it now?’ Mrs. Jin said, ‘Oh! My seventh son is just being mischievous. What could he possibly learn? He likes to try everything, but after less than three days, he gets bored.’ Second Miss Wu said, ‘I’ve only heard this ancient instrument at a concert once. I remember the tune was called something like *Mistaken for Wild Geese Alighting on the Sandy Shore*.’ The elder sister-in-law, Peifang, said, ‘Was it *Wild Geese Alighting on the Sandy Shore*?’ Second Miss Wu smiled, ‘Yes, that’s it. According to those who play it, it’s so and so…’ Then, turning to First Miss Wu, she said, ‘Sister, didn’t you go to that concert too? Sitting quietly for three or four hours, I was truly bored stiff.’ First Miss Wu replied, ‘Indeed. That was the day of the horse races at Nanyuan. I missed them because of it.’ Sitting opposite First Miss Wu was Second Madam Liu. She wore a close-fitting silk dress of apricot-yellow Indian satin embroidered with a delicate pattern of silver flowers, the most striking attire among all present. Leaning her arm on the table, she pinched a small teaspoon with three fingers, scooped half a teaspoon of coffee, brought it to her lips for a sip. She raised her ring finger and little finger, revealing a sparkling diamond ring on her ring finger. She shrugged her shoulders, twisted her body, smiled, and said, ‘You two enjoy betting on horse races, so you like watching them. But my temperament is different. I can’t be bothered with any kind of sports meet.’ Sitting next to Second Madam Liu was Miss Qiu Xizhen, also a fashionable young lady. All her hair was permed into curls. A pale blue silk ribbon was wrapped around her forehead, tied into a small butterfly knot below her bun. She wore a tight-fitting woolen bodice, over which was a begonia-red soft kudzu single-layer gown. Her slender figure was accentuated. The gown had a heart-shaped neckline without a collar, leaving her entire snow-white neck exposed. Strangely, she wore a string of pearls around her chest-a style neither Chinese nor Western. Hearing Second Madam Liu’s words, she said, ‘Like me, Mrs. Liu enjoys watching movies. So, unconsciously, her whole posture has taken on the style of a movie star.’ Second Madam Liu casually reached out a hand to stroke her head, saying, ‘You look very much like Davis!’ Xizhen said, ‘And who do you look like?’ As she spoke, she put a finger in her mouth, tilted her head, and looked at Second Madam Liu with a sidelong glance. Second Madam Liu laughed, ‘Look at you. Isn’t this like acting in a movie?’ Miss Qiu said, ‘I think you resemble Constance very much. Do you admit it?’ Second Madam Liu said, ‘How could I possibly compare?’ Miss Qiu said, ‘Aren’t movie stars human too? It’s a pity I’m not in America. If I were, I’d definitely go to Hollywood to try my luck.’ Second Miss Wu smiled, ‘Miss Qiu truly lives up to being a movie fan. Every word she says is straight from the trade.’ Peifang chimed in, ‘Since Miss Qiu loves movies so much, why not buy a projector and show films at home for fun?’ Miss Qiu replied, ‘That won’t do. Watching movies isn’t like listening to a phonograph, where you can play a record endlessly. A film is good for viewing at most twice; a third time is boring. If you buy a projector to show films at home, a set of reels can only be watched once or twice. Moreover, the films available for sale are hardly any good-just bits and pieces suitable for children’s amusement. Think about it, good films cost cinemas thousands of dollars to rent for a screening. Nowadays, you can buy a set of reels for seven, eight, or ten dollars. Are those worth watching? If you talk about renting films to show yourself, it costs more, and you have to wait until the cinema finishes its run. That’s even less cost-effective. So, buying a movie projector for home use is not feasible.’ Second Miss Wu smiled, ‘A true insider, explaining everything clearly and logically.’ She then said to Peifang, ‘Your Seventh Master enjoys reading novels and magazines. Does he also have film magazines?’ Peifang said, ‘Probably. We sometimes ask him for a novel or two to read, but we haven’t looked at those magazines.’ Miss Qiu quickly said, ‘If there are English ones, I’d like to borrow a couple.’ Second Miss Wu asked, ‘Does Miss Qiu know their Seventh Master?’ Miss Qiu said, ‘No, I don’t.’ Second Miss Wu said, ‘I can introduce you. In a little while, let’s go to his study room and borrow them directly from him.’ Xizhen thought to herself, their Yanxi is quite famous among female friends, but she had no chance to get close. Second Miss Wu’s words were exactly what she wished for. So she said, ‘Very well. Please do introduce us.’