A Word of Advice

"You look so young!" "Not at all. I'm nearly fifty." "No, no—forty or so at the most. If it weren't impolite, I'd want to call you big sister!" Li Lianjie sat on a little stool, watching his mother flattered until she rocked back and forth, delighted beyond measure. Even so, she found a moment to order him about. "Go wash some fruit. Your boss is here, and you haven't said a word!" "No, no, don't trouble yourself. I'll sit a little and be on my way. Xiao Li is a good kid, and he's done especially well at the company. I made a point of coming before New Year's Day to see him, and to pay you a visit as well!" "You're too kind. I must thank you for looking after him so well." After they had talked a while, Chen Qi said to Li Lianjie, "The Shaolin Temple is set for the Chinese New Year slot in Hong Kong. They're inviting a few of you over to publicize it. The film doesn't have much to do with me, so I won't go. You and Ji Chunhua go. You're experienced. I'm not worried. Just remember to observe discipline." "I know. I've been out plenty of times." "There's another thing today. Tai Chi did exceptionally well, and your acting in Tai Chi 2 has improved too. I've been watching..." In front of his mother, Chen Qi brought out a kraft-paper bag. "It's the end of the year. Call this a bonus!" "Oh my, how can we take this? And you came all the way yourself. You only had to say the word!" His mother was on her feet at once, overwhelmed by the favor, and gave Li Lianjie a nudge. "Hurry up and thank him. Look what a good leader this is, how well he looks after you!" "Thank you, Brother Qi!" Li Lianjie took the bag, his grin stretching to his ears, and thought: Didn't I say Brother Qi wouldn't shortchange me? Sure enough, he's really decent. Chen Qi shook his head to himself. He stayed a little longer, and was just about to take his leave when a voice came suddenly from outside. The door curtain lifted, and Huang Qiuyan came in. "Xiao Li, Auntie, you... Oh! Brother Xiao Chen, what are you doing here?" "Why shouldn't I be here? And what brings you?" "Qiuyan, it's cold outside, isn't it? Look how frozen your face is..." His mother was very warm toward Huang Qiuyan. She took her hand and explained, "This child has a good heart. She often comes over to help me tidy up and do the cleaning... Qiuyan, you haven't eaten, have you? Stay and eat in a little while... Comrade Chen, don't you leave either. I'll start cooking right away!" "No. I have things to do. I won't trouble you!" Chen Qi really did get up to go. He waved. "Xiao Huang, come out with me." Bewildered, Huang Qiuyan followed him out, all the way out of the courtyard. Chen Qi pushed his bicycle, the soles of his shoes crunching over the snow, and asked, "Are you and Xiao Li seeing each other?" "Ah?" She flushed at once and shook her head. "What are you saying? I'm his senior martial sister. We're just close." "Then do you like him?" "..." "Then does he like you?" "..." "This sort of thing has to be clear. You can't muddle through it. You're young and inexperienced. I suggest the two of you have a proper talk. If you're too embarrassed to talk, you can tell his mother what you think, or find a go-between to speak with him. Whatever you do, don't leave it vague." He had said all he meant to say. He got on his bicycle and left. Huang Qiuyan was a good girl. After the two of them divorced, she drifted on her own in the United States, and later remarried an ethnic Chinese man who owned a restaurant. In all those years she never once showed her face or said a word. She and Li Lianjie remained in touch, and she still called Li Lianjie's mother Mom. (The picture shows a reunion of the Kids from Shaolin crew: an aged Li Lianjie and Huang Qiuyan. The year is 2015.) Chen Qi had said a few words more to Huang Qiuyan. But young people do not like being advised, and this was a matter of feelings besides. If she was dead set on following Li Lianjie, there was nothing to be done. Chen Qi left Mahua Courtyard and went on to Beijing Film Studio. The crew of Mama, Love Me Once More had already returned. The whole film had wrapped and entered post-production. Riding through the studio, he ran into Zhang Jinling. Zhang Jinling waved. "Xiao Chen! Come to see Xiao Gong?" "Mm. Are you busy?" "I'm not doing anything. You really ought to go see Xiao Gong. She hasn't been right since she got back from Guangdong. I saw her this morning, her face all gloomy. I didn't dare speak." "Oh. Then I'll head over. See you!" Chen Qi scratched his head, rode to the tongzilou, and went thumping up the stairs. He knocked. No sound. He fished out the spare key and opened the door himself. In broad daylight the curtains were drawn, and the room was pitch-dark. Gong Xue lay in bed under a quilt, eyes open. She had clearly seen him come in, and she made no sound. "..." Chen Qi looked around. On the tea table sat a stack of materials, and a notebook. He picked up the notebook, flipped through it, and understood. He went and sat on the edge of the bed and touched her cheek. "Feeling awful?" "Mm!" Gong Xue shifted her head where she lay and said gloomily, "It's all your fault, insisting I study those materials. I read them for a month. By day I shot crying scenes, and at night I read the materials and went on crying. I've cried myself dry. I'm more wretched than Sister Lin." "That's called sinking into it. You've entered the part." "You don't even have a script yet, and I've already gotten into character? Then when it's time for me to shoot, won't I die? I don't want to do it." She turned over, her back to him. Amused, Chen Qi lay down as well, put his arms around her from behind, and coaxed her. "But the reason we're putting this film together is so that more people will know the history. "Treat it as one of those anti-Japanese war films the older generation acted in—to strike at the little Japanese devils, to praise our great victory, to remember the revolutionary martyrs who gave their lives. This is a task the country has given you. A heavy duty rests on your shoulders. You have to carry it out properly..." "..." About half a minute passed before Gong Xue slowly turned and curled into his arms. "Thinking of it that way, I really do feel a little easier. You're right. I'll treat it as a revolutionary task. I can't be weak and back down." Her mood improved a little, and only then did the two of them tell each other how they had missed one another. She told him about the shoot, rubbing her eyes. "I've cried too much. My eyes are ruined. Sometimes everything looks blurry." "Have you seen a doctor?" "I did, in Guangdong. They gave me some eye drops and said I needed to rest." "That's just as well. Go home for Spring Festival and have a proper rest. You've worn yourself out enough this year." Gong Xue counted the days. "Chinese New Year's Eve is January 24, so I'll go home on the 16th. I'll get back just in time for Little New Year in the south... Oh?" She laughed again and put her arms around Chen Qi's neck. "My little fool, we still have half a month to be together!" "Why do you work it out so exactly every time?" "I don't want to be apart from you. Sometimes I really want to just retire." "But even if you retired, I'd still have to keep busy. Would you follow me all over the place?" "I would not. How embarrassing!" Gong Xue sighed. This was a problem with no solution. Chen Qi was right. Even if she stopped making films, he would be just as busy. Better to keep acting, then. At least she would have a career. CCTV. On the small screen, the first two episodes of Justice Bao had finished playing. Ruan Ruolin, deputy station director and director of the Television Drama Center, nodded again and again after watching. "You've made a fine drama. As of now, it can be called the first of the first-rate in the country." "Come off it. Say first-rate, and I'll accept that. Say the first of the first-rate, and I haven't got the face for it." Yang Jie was the same age as she was, and spoke with little restraint. "When do you think it would be best to air it?" "Chinese New Year's Eve! One episode a day, and it'll run right through to the sixth day of the New Year." "All right. I'm off, then!" "Hey, hey, hey—I wasn't finished! You're always in such a rush!" Ruan Ruolin caught hold of her. "The station wants to film the Four Great Classical Novels. They've looked into it for a long time, and lately things have taken shape. They mean to have you shoot Journey to the West. Will you do it?" "Journey to the West? I don't like that demon-and-monster stuff. I want to shoot Dream of the Red Chamber," Yang Jie said. "Dream of the Red Chamber has gone to Wang Fulin!" "What does a man know about the Red Chamber? Can he even tell Lin Daiyu from Xue Baochai? Give it to me. I can certainly shoot it well." "The station has already decided. Just say whether you'll do it or not. If not, I'll find someone else!" "I'll do it! Why wouldn't I?" Thoroughly put out, Yang Jie slapped her thigh. "It's a classic, at any rate. Leave it to me. Once the New Year is over I'll start preparing. I'll round up every pretty girl in the country to play the demons!"