A Pair of Beauties

In the end, *Legend of Tianyun Mountain* and *Evening Rain* shared the Best Feature Film award. And nobody thought there was anything wrong with that. Next came the artistic performances. Chen Qi went up and delivered his poetry recitation with the barest minimum of effort, then sat below to watch Gong Xue dance. It was his first time seeing her do it. She hadn't changed clothes: a white long-sleeved shirt, a long white skirt, and only a bamboo hat on her head. She performed a traditional Zhejiang folk song-and-dance, the *Tea-Picking Dance*. "Clear, clear the stream, long, long the stream; on both banks, oh, what lovely scenery..." She had studied dance before, and stopped practicing after an injury, but the basic carriage remained. Her gestures were quite precise, supple and graceful, and that white skirt spun and spun across the stage, carrying off who knows how many hearts in the audience. Especially since she had just won two awards—a powerful confidence buoyed her movements, sweeping and beautiful, brimming with self-assurance. "My sister really is outstanding. Pity I can't see her clearly..." Chen Qi clapped below. The distance was great and the lights dim, so no expression could be made out; he couldn't help snorting softly to himself, "Hmph! When we get back, I'll have her dance just for me! And Li Jianqun can dance with her!" Around ten o'clock, the award ceremony—a great success in everyone's eyes—came to an end, and people drifted back to the guesthouse. The work wasn't over yet: there were still several days of symposia, discussions and research, with some sightseeing thrown in. Reports of the event appeared in the papers one after another. Gong Xue hadn't just won two awards; she had formidable print-run figures to back her up, flowering in both art and commerce—unquestionably number one in the country, overshadowing Liu Xiaoqing and the rest. In the blink of an eye it was the end of May, the day before departure. In the hotel lobby, Chen Qi sat waiting for someone. Before long, plump He Qing arrived first, lugging an enormous travel bag. He got up to take it from her and asked, "Have you settled everything with your troupe? Why didn't your parents see you off?" "I'm seventeen already! I can manage a train ride on my own. But I did tell them—when they heard I'm going to film *Tai Chi 2*, they couldn't wait to shove me out the door!" He Qing sat down on the soft sofa, offhand yet a little cautious. She knew this was the guesthouse for the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers awards, a very high-class place she'd normally never get into. She stole another glance at Chen Qi. He sat with one leg crossed, slouched in a relaxed, natural way, his brows and eyes always seeming to carry a touch of flippancy and mockery—completely unlike those stiff, proper male comrades. There was an indescribable air about him. If she had access to the internet, she'd know this kind of appeal was called "the class beauty got carried off by some delinquent from outside school"! "And he's handsome, and so young..." He Qing sneaked a few more looks, quite satisfied. Men liked looking at pretty women; she liked looking at handsome men just the same—beauty was a feast either way. After another wait, three people came in through the door. Two adults leading a girl in her teens glanced around as they entered, then hurried over. "Sorry, so sorry—the car broke down halfway and took ages to fix." "That's all right, no problem. You weren't comfortable about it before; now that you've escorted her here in person, let's sign the contract." Chen Qi produced a prepared contract and explained, "For the film *Tai Chi 2* only, with the consent of her guardians and the Yue opera troupe, Tao Huimin will appear in cooperation. Her salary at the Yue opera troupe will be paid by us at the same rate during filming, and the additional acting allowance is two yuan a day..." "Both of them get two yuan?" "Right, she gets two yuan as well!" Chen Qi pointed at He Qing. "Is she acting with Li Lianjie and Gong Xue?" "Yes. Gong Xue is right upstairs—shall I take you up to see her?" "No, no, we trust you!" The parents signed the contract, selling their daughter to Chen Qi. Tao Huimin, only fifteen, was shy and bashful, shrinking behind her mother without a word, occasionally stealing a glance. She wasn't as brisk and confident as He Qing; even now she was still dazed. "Minmin, do as the organization tells you. The state values you and has given you a task—don't let down their trust!" "Yes, yes, remember to serve the people!" "We're off now. Be good!" "Mom, Dad..." Tao Huimin reluctantly saw her parents off. When she turned and saw Chen Qi, she immediately became timid again, twisting her fingers over and over. She was from Ru'an in Wenzhou, and her Yue opera troupe was in Ru'an too—the same hometown. Now the girl was out on her own, and it was only natural she'd be frightened. "..." Chen Qi had met her before. Now he sized her up: at such a young age she was already budding into a beauty, with curved brows and lovely eyes, the bearing of a Jiangnan gentlewoman, and a soft, sticky-sweet way of speaking that was quite pleasant to hear. If there was any flaw, it was a big head and a round face and a short neck. Fine while she was slim, but once she filled out she'd look squat and stubby. "Did you bring everything? Just this one bag?" "All of it... Mr.— Boss Chen!" Boss Chen? Hearing that from a minor felt a bit awkward. "You don't need to call me Boss Chen. From now on, just call me Brother!" "You too!" Chen Qi added this to He Qing, then carried the two big bags himself and took them upstairs. Calling in a favor with the organizing committee, he'd gotten them an extra twin room—they were only staying one night anyway. They dropped off the luggage first, then he took them to find Gong Xue. "Hello, Sister Gong Xue!" Seeing the big star, the two of them immediately grew excited. "Hello, you two... Oh my, you're both so pretty. Jiangnan girls really are something else... I hear one of you studies Kunqu and the other Yue opera?" Gong Xue was especially warm, drawing the two of them into small talk until the little stars of adoration in their eyes grew brighter and brighter. "Do you know what you'll be playing?" "Yes, yes—the fairies of the Red Lanterns!" He Qing said. "They're called the Two-Faced Bodhisattva. The two of you are twin-born of one body, second only to the Holy Mother of the Yellow Lotus, there to make a show of spirits and ghosts... It's fine if you don't understand now. You'll come with us to the capital, where you'll have meetings and study sessions, and train in some basic martial arts." "Mm-hm!" Won over by her warm attentions, the two nodded vigorously. Gong Xue chatted a while longer, then sent them back to their room. "Well? They're good girls, aren't they?" Chen Qi said. "I don't know how you managed to pick them out—they really are lovely." Gong Xue nodded. Wang Haowei, who had been watching all along, said, "These two are fine prospects—looks, figures, and a foundation in opera. Give them some training and they'll be two rising stars of the screen. If I had a suitable film, I'd fight you for them!" "Then you'd have to make a martial arts film—how about *Romance on Mount Lu: The Martial Arts Tournament*?" Chen Qi teased Wang Haowei. Gong Xue listened with a smile, but her mind was on those two girls—one fifteen, one seventeen, both still underage, yet they really were well made, with such outstanding bone structure in their features. They'd surely grow into a pair of beauties. ………… Elsewhere. He Qing and Tao Huimin were chattering away in their room. Facing someone her own age, Tao Huimin was less shy and could get some words out. "Sister Gong Xue said we have to train in martial arts and do fight scenes?" "It's a wuxia film, of course there's fighting. Are you scared?" "I'm afraid I won't do it well." "That's true. Look at you—so delicate a puff of wind would knock you over..." He Qing clasped her hands behind her back and circled her once, shaking her head. "You probably couldn't even beat me—how are you going to fight men? But Boss Chen—oh, no, Brother Xiao Chen is so capable, he's bound to have a plan." "You've got such a good attitude. Much better than mine." Tao Huimin envied her state of mind. "He Qing..." "Call me Sister!" "Sister He Qing, when you go far from home, don't you miss your mom and dad?" "Do you?" He Qing saw her nod and said incredulously, "You're fifteen already—how are you still like a little kid? Do you even know what your situation is?" "Situation?" Tao Huimin looked blank. "I don't know about yours, but mine at the Kunqu troupe isn't great—I'd have to grind away twenty years before I got anywhere. When there's an opportunity, you grab it. Isn't making films better than singing opera?" As she spoke, He Qing's hands kept busy, sorting her things and making her bed. Then she hopped onto it, lay back, and crossed her legs. "All we have to do now is keep our minds on one thing: making this film well." "Single-minded, huh..." Tao Huimin sighed and put away her homesick gloom. She supposed that was right—this was a task from the organization; they were even paying her salary and giving her an allowance; she really did have to do it earnestly. Two yuan a day! The thought made her suddenly a little giddy. That was sixty yuan a month! Three months of filming would be 180 yuan! She could never earn that much at the Yue opera troupe. Thinking this way, she began to look forward to it. Money was a thing people were embarrassed to mention in this era, but give it to anyone and they'd be pleased. …… The next day, the group returned to the capital laden with honors. …… Also at the end of May, Madam Song Qingling passed away in the capital at the age of 88. It was said that the mainland had specifically sent Song Meiling an invitation, hoping she would come back for the funeral, and that she had conveyed eight words in reply: "Flesh and blood are dear, but the great cause comes first." And then she lived to 106, leaving behind a piece of lore of dubious authenticity: she had watched *Happy Camp*.