Pingping didnโt go to sleep until close to 2 a.m.
Jin Yuebai sat at her side, fanning her gently, and didnโt leave the room until Pingping had fallen asleep. The next morning, after she woke, Pingping practiced her characters a while longer. Afraid sheโd forget them, she grabbed her paper and pen and hurried out, asking Jin Yuebai to quiz her.
Jin Yuebai didnโt expose her little scheme.
In the end, Pingping got three characters wrong, but passed safely.
After a night spent on edge, even dreaming of getting her palm caned, to escape punishment left her so delighted she threw herself into Jin Yuebaiโs arms, voice rising with excitement: โIโm amazing!โ
โCareful,โ Jin Yuebai said, steadying her with a hand.
Feeling the tangible warmth of Jin Yuebai, Pingpingโs thoughts suddenly froze.
She remembered her character setting.
โYesterday, โsheโ didnโt even want to sit on Jin Yuebaiโs bed. How could โsheโ today just throw herself into an embrace without a care?โ Pingpingโs premonition souredโsheโd probably have to answer a character-check question. She tipped her head back, waiting for the question panel to appear.
Ten seconds passedโher vision remained perfectly clear.
Even as Pingping stood up and Jin Yuebai went to the kitchen to fetch breakfast, the panel didnโt appear.
Looking down at her hands, feeling her own responses, Pingping realized that the stiffness sheโd felt the day before had almost entirely faded, though after half a minute it returned somewhat.
In other words, her personaโs feelings toward Jin Yuebai were rapidly improving. But the influence of her parents still held โherโ back. โSheโ wanted to hug Jin Yuebai, wanted to be close, and yet after the embrace, couldnโt help but doubt herself.
At this rate, it wouldnโt be long before โsheโ fully accepted Jin Yuebai, and Pingping could interact with her completely freely.
Realizing this, her expression grew a bit complicated.
After all, the more she merged with the character, the more dangerous things became. It was only the second day, and already her fit with the role was progressing too quickly.
A few minutes later, Jin Yuebai called her for breakfast.
Pingping shook herself, letting the thoughts go.
She ran to the table to help Jin Yuebai ladle out congee, then sat down at her side.
โฆ
The sun rose quickly.
While Pingping was eating, everyone at the theater was already busy.
Yu Renwan, who had to rise at four, was practicing her scales and vocal exercises, working hard to expand her range. Shen Huanhuan, up at five, was being put through the wringer by Liu Shaochun, rolling around the mat over and over. Jiang Yan and Shen Xiaoxiao, who got up at six, were soaking clothes in the laundry room.
Not until eight oโclock did the kitchen call everyone for breakfast.
Having survived a full day, all of them could now be sure this place operated under a strange flow of timeโinside and out.
โThey truly had to live out their days inside this energy field.
After Jiang Yan sat down, she saw Xiao Congye descending the stairs.
Today she wore a purple cheongsam, with brows angled sharply toward her temples. Her hair was pinned to one side with a simple wooden hairpin, one black lock hanging over her chest, her whole bearing crisp and refined.
She took a damp cloth from a servant and wiped down the table again and againโthree times in allโthen started on the bench, first with a wet cloth, then dry, clearly showing obvious signs of OCD.
Thatโs when Jiang Yan noticed Xiao Congyeโs hands.
They were red and swollen, covered on the backs with red scrapes, as if sheโd scrubbed them with something like a wire scourer.
Connecting it with the events of last night, Jiang Yan could guess the reason.
Lin Xiaotang followed her gaze, lowering his voice: โEvery time Old Master Wang leaves, Troupe Leader Xiao scrubs her hands for agesโwonโt stop till the skin nearly breaks.โ
โOld Master Wang is disgusting. I hope he just drops dead one of these days.โ
Jiang Yan glanced at Lin Xiaotangโs angry face.
โThere must be a lot of people in this village who feel that way,โ she said.
Lin Xiaotang bit into his mantou, mumbling, โDoesnโt change a thing. He has guns, after all.โ
After breakfast, Xiao Congye called Jiang Yan and Shen Xiaoxiao over:
โI need to go buy things. You two come with me and get your measurements taken, so you can order some work clothes.โ
*
After the meal, Jiang Yan and Shen Xiaoxiao followed Xiao Congye out.
It was nearly nine oโclock.
It hadnโt rained for ages. There were barely any trees left in Lingren Villageโas far as the eye could see, apart from the glaring sun, there were only shopfronts and refugees sitting on the ground, everything else was barren.
Around then, a cartload of vegetables was coming in through the village gate.
Most of the villageโs produce was shipped from the neighboring provinceโhalf for the old masters in the village, the other half to fruit and vegetable vendors, who sold it at high prices to the villagers, with the old masters taking a cut from the profits.
The newcomers stared at the truck as if starving. Their eyes wouldnโt budge.
After several minutes, as the truck was about to pass out of sight, they exchanged glances, stood slowly, drifted toward itโthen, all at once, rushed forward. But before they could reach the truck, the patrol squad clubbed them to the ground.
The sound of batons hitting flesh echoed like balls slamming against earth.
The refugees curled up on the ground, clinging to themselves, their cries one after another.
After the squad clubbed two of them to death as a warning, the rest gave up trying to grab food, shrinking back into themselves at the village gate.
โMove! Get out of the way!โ the squad shouted, herding them off with iron rods.
A middle-aged couple in the crowd shielded their children as they walked, coughing as they shuffled along, their bodies hunched painfully. The patrol captainโs gaze swept the whole groupโlaggardly at first, then suddenly focused.
He gestured.
His men understood immediately and sprang into action.
Two minutes later, a pair of sixteen- or seventeen-year-old fraternal twins were dragged out by the collar. Their parents looked terrified, struggling to go after them, but were beaten down, unable to move.
The patrol captain grabbed the twinsโ chins, looked them over, then shoved them into the squad.
โHow about these?โ Jiang Yan faintly overheard.
โNot bad looking. Old Master Wang will like them,โ one man said.
โSend them over laterโjust say I picked them,โ the captain said.
โBut that boyโโ
โShh, you notice who he resembles?โ
On hearing this, Jiang Yan squinted toward the gate.
The boy being held was clearly underage, his features still soft with youth, cheeks sallow and thin from hungerโbut looking closely, his brows and eyes bore a resemblance to Xi Jueyun: both had pale, chilly features.
Jiang Yan frowned, glancing sidelong at Xiao Congye. Xiaoโs face was now even paler than the boyโs; she started toward him before Jiang Yan gripped her wrist.
โDangerous,โ Jiang Yan said.
Xiao Congye took a steadying breath and stopped.
Their own fates were already precarious enoughโthere was no helping others.
Feigning nonchalance, she turned away, buying two jars of wine at a roadside tavern.
โOld Master Fangโs birthday is coming up, his fiftieth. No idea what to get himโฆโ she muttered.
โAny suggestions?โ
Jiang Yan shook her head.
Xiao Congye only said โmmโ and dropped the subject, heading into a tailorโs and calling them in after her.
โYou two pick out some clothes.โ
Jiang Yan looked about, but before she could notice much, Xiao Congye picked up a royal blue cheongsam.
โThis one looks nice,โ she said.
Her fingertips brushed over a stack of fine clothes, quickly lifting a black robe. โThis oneโs good, too.โ
โAnd this oneโโ
Shen Xiaoxiao quietly reminded her, โDid you forget? Weโre supposed to buy work clothes. These arenโt for workโฆโ
Xiao Congye paused in surprise.
โArenโt I picking out work clothes?โ
She immediately lowered her gaze, looking at what she held. When she realized what sheโd picked out, she stood there silently for a while.
After a long beat, she nodded. โRight, I made a mistake.โ
She looked at the shop assistant. โTake their measurements.โ
Xiao Congye was a regular at the shop. The assistant came forward enthusiastically, quickly measuring the girls. When finished, the assistant volunteered, โIโll bring them over tomorrow night.โ
โTroupe Leader Xi said she found a promising newbie just about her size. Had me make two new sets of clothes to her measurements, so Iโll bring them together.โ
Xiao Congye nodded. โThank you.โ
With their clothes ordered, the three left the shop. More vegetable trucks had arrived from the gate, but the earlier show of force by the patrol meant no more refugees dared rush forward.
A middle-aged man pushing one of the trucks hurried past, slipping a bundle of papers to a vendor at the newsstand, sighing and shaking his head.
The patrol captain caught his look. โWhatโs going on?โ he asked.
The man leaned in, whispering.
Xiao Congyeโs gaze locked onto the manโs lipsโno matter how he moved them, she could instantly mimic the corresponding words, clearly adept at lip-reading.
โThe left sideโs nearly done for,โ Xiao Congye muttered softly as she read.
โForeign soldiers have busted through more than ten villages these past two days. The townsfolk are terrifiedโsome resist, some donโt, but all of them were massacred, wiped out completely. Those beasts didnโt even spare the newborns, threw them in a pot and boiled them for soupโโbaby stewโโeven forced parents to eat it. Itโs just too terrible.โ
โWe canโt hold out much longer. That sideโs still fighting the foreign soldiers, but so many have died. Our cannons canโt compete with theirs, nothing can. I heard our guys will retreat soon; the villagers not yet affected by the battle are trying desperately to flee, but who knows how many can make it out.โ
โThose who canโt will just be left there.โ
โIโm getting ready to run, tooโthis is my last vegetable delivery,โ the man sighed. โYouโd better run, too. The leftโs gone. If the foreign soldiers turn toward the right, theyโll have to pass through here. Lingren Village isnโt safeโtell the old masters to run while thereโs time!โ
The patrol captainโs face grew dark and menacing. After confirming which villages were lost, he went to the newsstand and took every copy of that dayโs newspaper.
The papers hadnโt yet been soldโthey were all he had.
โBurn all of these papers. Leave just fiveโone for each old master. Donโt let word get out!โ
โKeep the gates tight todayโdonโt let any gossipy types in. Once the old masters make a decision, then make arrangements. Watch your mouthsโyouโll be well rewarded for it!โ
Someone hurried away with the papers to carry out the order.
Arrangements made, the patrol captainโs eyes swept the area. Immediately Xiao Congye lowered her head, pretending to talk with Jiang Yan as they ambled toward the theater. Near the theater, she took a sudden turn down a small alley.
Once inside, she clenched her fists, body shaking slightly with rage.
โWhat are they planningโฆ?โ
โWhy block the news? What are they trying to do?!โ
Her expression darkened further. She hurled the wine jug at the wall; it shattered with a crack, the strong aroma of liquor filling the air. After a long while, her emotions finally subsided.
She closed her eyes, then turned back to Jiang Yan and Shen Xiaoxiao.
From her agitated movement, several of her neatly arranged hairs had come loose. She looked exhausted.
โThat boyโฆโ
She spoke coldly, โDonโt let Troupe Leader find out. Do you hear me?โ
Jiang Yan nodded.
โOtherwise sheโll be guilt-ridden. This isnโt her faultโthereโs no reason for her to feel guilty.โ
With that, Xiao Congye walked out of the alley without another word, heading straight for the theater.
Jiang Yan didnโt hurry after her.
She turned, her gaze falling contemplatively on the patrol players, thoughts swirling in her eyes.
Sheโd seen it clearlyโas the captain decided to cover things up, a black blossom bloomed above his head, uncanny and wreathed in mist, with petals that blinked with human eyes, like a cluster of tiny white rice grains lit up with pupils.
He had secretsโhe wanted to bury them.
The old masters had secrets.
This entire village had secrets.