TL: Hua
When Qi Xiaoyu arrived at the Dachong Restaurant, the rickshaw bringing Yang Baosen also happened to stop at the entrance.
Qi Xiaoyu took the initiative to greet him, helped him out of the rickshaw, and walked into the restaurant with him.
“I heard Mr. Yang likes eight-treasure rice. People say their eight-treasure rice is the most authentic, sweet but not cloying. I tried it once, and the taste was indeed good. It’s just a bit out of the way. Please don’t mind, Mr. Yang.”
Yang Baosen laughed heartily. “Xiaoyu, what are you saying? You’re so thoughtful, specially inviting me to eat eight-treasure rice. I’m happy beyond words, and besides, this location isn’t that remote. It only took me over ten minutes by rickshaw.”
Over the past few years, Qi Xiaoyu had been responsible for social engagements on behalf of the Red Moon Troupe and had frequent interactions with Yang Baosen, leading to a good relationship.
Because he was more than ten years younger than Yang Baosen, Yang Baosen, along with the senior members of the Red Moon Troupe, called him Xiaoyu.
“Still, it was hard work for Mr. Yang to make the trip,” Qi Xiaoyu said in a humble tone.
“Besides eating eight-treasure rice, there’s something else I’d like to ask Mr. Yang for help with.”
“Oh, what is it?”
Qi Xiaoyu said, “No rush, let’s order first and then talk.”
The two walked into the restaurant while talking.
Qi Xiaoyu had reserved a private room in advance.
The waiter led them to the room and seated them, then brought over the menu.
This restaurant was located in a deep alley off the Bund. Although the location wasn’t the best, it was quite lively. Many customers came and went. The lower floor, except for a few private rooms, was full, and the noisy sounds from the first-floor lobby drifted up.
After ordering the dishes, Qi Xiaoyu took out the box containing the musical score, went around the square table, and placed it in front of Yang Baosen. “Mr. Yang, please take a look at this.”
Having specifically brought Yang Baosen here, Qi Xiaoyu had naturally done his homework.
Even the box containing the musical score was gilded, showing respect for Yang Baosen in every detail.
Yang Baosen opened the box, then carefully unfolded the yellowed musical score. His eyes immediately lit up. “Is this the score for ‘List of Flowers’?”
“Mr. Yang has a keen eye,” Qi Xiaoyu said slowly.
“This junior recently saw someone selling this score on Urumqi Road. Knowing its preciousness, I immediately bought it.”
Yang Baosen moved the bowls, chopsticks, and teacups in front of him far away, then carefully spread the score flat before his eyes, admiring it.
“Xiaoyu has excellent taste. This opera is enjoyable for both the listener and the performer. I heard someone play this ‘List of Flowers’ many years ago, but unfortunately, I didn’t memorize the score, and I haven’t been able to find the relevant score ever since.”
Qi Xiaoyu sighed. “It’s a pity that this score is incomplete, so I wanted to ask Mr. Yang to take a look and see if you could help fill in the missing parts.”
He watched Yang Baosen’s expression of delight as he spoke. “If Mr. Yang likes it, you might as well take it back to study slowly.”
“Ah.” Yang Baosen clicked his tongue and sighed, glancing at the gilded box containing the score, then said, “That might not be appropriate. This score is precious, and it’s Xiaoyu’s beloved item. How could I possibly take it away? Let’s just look at it here.”
Qi Xiaoyu didn’t say anything more, poured tea into his cup, and drank slowly.
The private room fell silent for a moment, with only the soft sound of his sipping tea mixed with the noisy background of the restaurant.
He had already instructed the waiter that the food could be served slowly. He wasn’t really here to eat; he was waiting for someone.
****
After about half a cup of tea, the person Qi Xiaoyu was waiting for finally arrived.
The sound of a door opening and closing came from the next private room, followed by a raspy male voice asking, “This amount of money isn’t enough. The authorities are cracking down hard now, and things are chaotic down below. The cost of moving opium is much higher than before. Your Yang family wouldn’t be this stingy, would they?”
Qi Xiaoyu listened while continuing to sip his tea with his head lowered.
Yang Baosen, across from him, was still intently looking at the musical score in front of him.
After the first man said that, a young, ingratiating male voice followed, “Well, he is my uncle after all, not my own father. Can’t you give me a bit more money?”
As soon as these words were spoken, Qi Xiaoyu’s eyelids flickered, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yang Baosen’s hand holding the score freeze.
He thought Yang Baosen should immediately recognize his own nephew’s voice.
Yang Haiqin’s voice continued from the next room, “Brother Liu… can’t you be a little more lenient? I sincerely want to work with you guys. There are many in the opera troupe who like this stuff. If you’re willing to let me join in, I guarantee I can sell all the goods that come into my hands cleanly. The commission can be discussed. You can take a higher cut, and I’ll take a lower one; it’s fine.”
Hearing this, Qi Xiaoyu was still drinking his tea, but Yang Baosen clearly stiffened completely.
If Qi Xiaoyu hadn’t followed and investigated, he wouldn’t have known that Yang Haiqin was so audacious that he dared to do such a thing. He actually wanted to use the Yang family’s reputation and network to smuggle opium.
The trade had long been prohibited, but because so many people were addicted and it brought in quick money, black market transactions were repeatedly banned but never stopped.
Qi Xiaoyu knew that Yang Haiqin was ambitious and eager to make money, but Yang Baosen had to support the opera troupe and also had elderly parents and young children to care for. The family’s finances were not good, and there wasn’t much to leave him.
But for Yang Haiqin to get involved with opium was truly walking down a dead end.
Qi Xiaoyu continued to drink his tea.
The man called Brother Liu scoffed, “Tch, do we even need you to expand this? Others can’t even beg for it. But…”
Brother Liu was quite the tease, pausing for a moment before continuing in a nonchalant tone, “I’ll give you some first. You let your uncle try it. Once he’s hooked, are you still afraid he won’t give you money?”
Tch, vicious.
And Yang Haiqin actually didn’t refuse, seemingly seriously considering the matter.
In this brief silence, Yang Baosen’s expression visibly turned completely cold and stern.
Yang Haiqin’s hesitant voice came through the door panel, somewhat muffled yet unusually clear: “This… my uncle is not easy to coax. He doesn’t even smoke regular cigarettes, let alone this stuff.”
Along with Yang Haiqin’s words, a “crash” sound came from the private room—the sound of a cup shattering.
Yang Baosen stood up abruptly from his chair, cursing angrily, “That damned brat! Disgracing the family name!”
Yang Baosen cursed under his breath, his face flushed red, but his eyes didn’t dare to look in Qi Xiaoyu’s direction.
Qi Xiaoyu lowered his eyes, not responding.
He knew that no one valued face and family reputation more than Yang Baosen.
Before becoming a Qin player, Yang Baosen actually sang male roles, but his voice changed drastically later. Although he still sang male roles, it was never as good as his original level.
Before Yang Baosen switched careers, he had said, “The audience came to hear the opera because of my former voice. Since my voice is gone, I’m not worthy to continue on stage.”
Such a proud and reputable person would not tolerate any flaws and would absolutely not allow a junior like Yang Haiqin in the family.
That’s why Qi Xiaoyu had brought him here.
He only needed Yang Baosen to hear this with his own ears, and Yang Baosen would definitely put family righteousness first and expel the person from the Yang family.
Which troupe would want someone expelled from the Yang family? And without a troupe, he could forget about ever performing on stage again.
He didn’t want Yang Haiqin to affect his relationship with Yang Baosen, so having Yang Baosen personally deal with his nephew was the best way.
Qi Xiaoyu stared at the tea surface and said softly, “Mr. Yang, if you need to handle some matters, then Xiaoyu will take his leave first.”
Yang Baosen’s expression was suppressed, the calm before the storm. “It’s truly embarrassing for Mr. Qi to have witnessed and heard such things. Today’s eight-treasure rice was delicious. I’ll treat Mr. Qi next time.”
Qi Xiaoyu nodded and stood up to say goodbye.
As he came out of the private room and just reached the bottom of the stairs, he heard a scream from upstairs.
And when he reached the ground floor of the Dachong Restaurant, he heard Yang Haiqin crying upstairs.
As he got into the car, Yang Baosen rushed out of the restaurant like a whirlwind. Yang Haiqin followed behind, his right hand covering his forehead, which was bleeding profusely, his face filled with panic.
Qi Xiaoyu was far away and couldn’t hear what Yang Haiqin was saying, but from the expressions of the two men, it was basically what he had expected.
Oh no, judging from the extent of Yang Baosen’s anger and the severity of Yang Haiqin’s injury, the situation seemed to be even worse.
****
“Mr. Qi, where to next? Home?”
After watching a good show, Yang Baosen’s rickshaw sped away, and Qi Xiaoyu also asked the driver to take him home.
Night was falling, and the lights of the Bund were lighting up one after another.
The car drove out of the alley and turned onto a main road.
Qi Xiaoyu turned his head to look out the window. The outside was still bustling, but undercurrents were surging. The banners of student protests hadn’t been taken down yet. The large characters “Oppose Violence, Demand Justice” were written in ink on red paper, fluttering in the sky.
Qi Xiaoyu’s thoughts grew heavy. He didn’t know how Xun Qian was handling things on his end.
In this kind of situation, what should he do with Yamada Ichiro, and how should he give the public an explanation?
Dealing with these things was much more difficult than resolving the issue of someone like Yang Haiqin.
Qi Xiaoyu looked out the window somewhat absentmindedly. On the dimly lit street, a familiar figure suddenly appeared.
Inside was a light green plaid cheongsam, covered by a white fur coat. A white silk flower was pinned to her temple. It was Xue Qingchu.
In a fleeting glance, he could tell that Xue Qingchu’s condition wasn’t good. Her head was lowered, her shoulders slumped, and she walked without looking at the road, listless and soulless.
The car drove past Xue Qingchu. Qi Xiaoyu looked out the window and told the driver to stop.
Jiang Sicheng’s matter must have been a great blow to her. He wanted to go back and say a few words of comfort.
However, before the car even stopped, he suddenly saw a man on the roadside rush out from behind, cover Xue Qingchu’s mouth and nose, and then drag her into a car parked nearby.
