The Sing-song Girls of Shanghai

by Bangqing Han

  He frowned. “Though it’s not serious, she should take better care of herself. She gets easily upset if things are just a tiny bit amiss. That being the case, it’s hard to see how she’ll recover.”

  “Well, you know what she’s like, Second Young Master. If she was wise enough to take better care of herself, she wouldn’t be ill at all. This illness all started because she was unhappy. That’s why you have to be the one to speak to her, Second Young Master. She’ll take it better from you.”

  He nodded silently. She then spoke of something else. After that, he took his leave and returned to Water Blossom’s room.

  “What did Mother say to you?” she asked.

  “Nothing really. She asked about the affair at Bright Pearl’s; whether she was hosting the party in honor of the money gods,” he said.

  “That wasn’t it. Mother was talking about me.”

  “Why would Mother talk about you?”

  “Don’t try to fool me. I can guess what it was about.”

  “If that’s the case, why ask me?” he replied with a smile.

  She was silent. River Blossom pulled him over to the bed and made him sit down. She then clambered all over him and asked, “What did Mother really say?”

  “She said you’re no good.”

  “And why am I no good?”

  “She said you won’t listen to your elder sister. That makes your sister unhappy and that’s why she got ill.”

  “What else did she say?”

  “What else? She said your sister is also no good.”

  “Why is Elder Sister no good?”

  “Well, your elder sister won’t listen to Mother. If she had, and had taken some opium to cheer herself up, she wouldn’t have been ill, would she?”

  “You’re talking nonsense! No one would tell Elder Sister to take opium! Once you start taking opium, you’ll only get worse.”

  As they were talking, Water Blossom reached out for tea. Jade Tao hastened to take the teapot and raise it to her lips. After drawing at it twice, she said calmly, “I’m my mother’s only child. When I’m unwell, she may not say anything, but in her heart she’s dead worried. I, too, want to get well as soon as possible, so she’ll be happier. Who’d have thought I’d be ill for so long! When I look at myself in the mirror, I see a face so thin it’s not even human. Seeing a doctor and taking medicine are all very well if they can cure me, but I know this illness won’t be cured! Ever since I got ill last year, Mother, needless to say, has been worried to death, and even you haven’t had a single easy day. If, on top of it all, I’m to see a doctor and take medicine, the whole household will have no peace. The maids and servant girls are run off their feet as it is; how can I make them brew medicine for me all day long? Though they wouldn’t say anything, I’d feel bad about causing all the fuss and not seeing any improvement in my illness. You see what I mean?”

  “Oh, you’re far too sensitive,” he replied. “Who would say anything against you? The way I look at it, it’s all right if you don’t want to take medicine, but it’ll take you longer to get well. With a couple of doses of medicine, you’ll get well sooner. Don’t you think so?”

  “If Mother insists on getting a doctor, I’ll just have to let her have her way. But suppose I don’t get well even after taking medicine, won’t she be more worried than ever? I was thinking, ever since I was a child, Mother has always made much of me. I always get whatever I want, and I’ve never given her anything in return. Instead, I make her worry her heart out. I just haven’t done right by her, have I?”

  “Your mother is worried just because you’re ill. Once you get well, she’ll be fine. It’s not a question of whether you’ve done right by her.”

  “I’m the one who’s ill, so I should know about this illness of mine. It won’t kill me right away, but it won’t be cured easily, either. I never talked about it because I was afraid Mother and the others would be worried, but I guess now I have to. As for you, I’m afraid we’ve known each other in vain. All the promises we’ve made, let’s not mention them anymore. If we meet again in another life, I’ll try to make it up to you. I was thinking, there’s nothing I can’t let go of really; all I worry about is my mother. But even then, I’ve still got a brother, after all, and if you help her a bit, she won’t be too badly off, so I can die with an easy heart. Besides Mother, there’s just her,” she pointed to River Blossom. “Although she’s not my real sister, she’s always been as close to me as any true sister could be. She’ll be the first to suffer when I die. That’s why I have nothing else in my mind except this one thing I want to beg of you. If there’s a place in your heart for me, then promise me this: as soon as I’m dead, you should marry River Blossom; it’ll be just the same as marrying me. In the future, if she remembers that this elder sister had treated her well, she’ll put out some sacrificial food for me, and even as a ghost I’ll belong somewhere. With that taken care of, my business in this life comes to a full conclusion.”

  During Water Blossom’s long monologue, River Blossom, who had been standing beside them, had at first listened in a daze. But as she heard Water Blossom’s final words, she burst out crying uncontrollably. Jade Tao rushed to soothe her, but she pulled her hand free and ran weeping all the way to Fair Sister Li’s room, calling, “Mother, Elder Sister is in a bad way!”

  Startled, Fair Sister blurted out, “What’s the matter?” River Blossom couldn’t put anything into words; she just pointed, “Mother, you go and see for yourself!”

  Just as Fair Sister was about to go, Jade came over to reassure her, saying repeatedly, “It’s nothing, don’t worry.” He gave a brief account of what Water Blossom had said and chided River Blossom for getting worked up.

  Fair Sister also told the girl off. “How is it you have no sense at all? Your elder sister said those things just because she’s not well. How could you say she was in a bad way?” Thereupon she took River Blossom by the hand, and all three of them went back to the front room and stood in front of Water Blossom’s bed. Seeing that Water Blossom looked all right, everybody felt relieved.

  “The little silly,” Fair Sister said laughingly, “She’s naturally worried sick to hear you sound so miserable, and she certainly gave me a fright, too!”

  Water Blossom saw that River Blossom’s face was still wet with tears. She smiled at her and said, “If you want to cry, you can cry all you like when I’m dead. What’s the hurry?”

  “Oh, do stop talking like that. If you go on, she’s sure to have another outburst,” said Fair Sister. She then took a look at the black marble clock on the dressing table. “It’s midnight already. Come and sleep in my room.” So saying, she made to go, taking River Blossom by the hand.

  But the girl did not want to go. “I’ll just sleep in the rattan chair here.”

  “How can you sleep in a rattan chair? Come on.”

  Feeling desperate, River Blossom was again on the verge of tears when Jade Tao intervened. “Let her sleep here with us. This bed will accommodate three quite comfortably.”

  Fair Sister gave in and, after telling River Blossom not to cry, left the room. Then Big Goldie and Beckon came in to help them prepare for bed. Before the two women withdrew, they blew out the lamp, closed the door, and called out “Good night.” Jade Tao told River Blossom to go to bed first. She took off her outer garments and went and curled up at one end of the bed, next to Water Blossom’s feet. Jade Tao, in his tight undershirt and underpants, sat side by side with Water Blossom for a long time before they both lay down.

  Worried about Water Blossom’s illness, he was unable to sleep. She, though, fell sound asleep fairly quickly. He felt a bit hot and would have liked to turn over. But she was sleeping with one arm across his chest, and in order not to disturb her, he just reached a hand out to peel off some clothes that he had draped over his body and flung them toward the inside of the bed where River Blossom was lying. River Blossom showed no sign of movement and made no noise, so she, too, must have fallen soundly aslee
p. Jade Tao looked around: seen through the bed curtains, the lamplight on the dressing table was weak and shadowy. He figured that it was around two in the morning. All was quiet in the neighborhood except for the occasional sound of passing carriage wheels coming from the main road. He felt calmer and was finally ready for sleep.

  Just as sleepiness was overcoming Jade Tao, Water Blossom suddenly called out: “I’m not going! I’m not going!” As she shouted, she clutched at his undershirt as if holding on for dear life and tried to bury her head in it.

  He was wide awake at once and comforted her, “I’m here, don’t be frightened.” He sat up hastily and held her in his arms and rocked and patted her. Only then did she wake up, still maintaining the grip on his undershirt, staring at him, panting.

  “Was it a dream?” he asked.

  She said after a long pause, “Two foreigners were trying to drag me away!”

  “You must have seen some foreigners in the daytime and got a fright.”

  Her breathing calmed down gradually, and she let go of him and sighed. “My back aches so!”

  “Shall I massage it for you?”

  “I want to turn over.”

  Jade Tao turned sideways to let her turn to face the wall. She curled up her body under the quilt and laid her head against his chest, telling him to hold her in his arms. Their movement woke River Blossom, who called out, “Brother-in-law.” He answered, and she sat up, rubbing her eyes, and asked, “Where’s Elder Sister?”

  “Elder Sister is sleeping; you go back to sleep. Don’t get up.”

  “Where’s she sleeping?”

  “Here, right here.”

  She did not believe him until she had crawled over and pulled up the quilt to see for herself. After that, he told her to go back to sleep. As she lay down, she again called out, “Brother-in-law, don’t fall asleep yet. Wait till I’ve gone to sleep first.” He promised offhandedly.

  In a moment, all three of them had entered the land of sweet slumber, and they remained soundly asleep till nine o’clock the next morning, when Big Goldie called in a low voice through the bed curtains, “Second Young Master.”

  Both he and Water Blossom woke up. Big Goldie handed him a note. He saw it was his brother’s handwriting. After reading it, he said, “Tell them I’ll be there.”

  Big Goldie went out with the message.

  “What is it?” Water Blossom asked.

  “Script Li received a telegram last night. He said it’s urgent business, and he’s going home today. Brother told me to go with him to see Li off.”

  “Your brother is certainly on his toes,” she said.

  “You stay in bed. I’ll be right back.”

  “You hardly slept at all last night. Come back early so you can get a little more rest.”

  He had just put on his clothes and got off the bed when River Blossom also woke up. She clamored, “Brother-in-law, how is it you’re up? Why didn’t you call me first?” So saying, she climbed out of bed. He hastily took her clothes and draped them over her shoulders.

  “You should put on more clothes, too. It’s windy on the Bund,” Water Blossom said.

  He changed into a padded jacket and also got River Blossom a padded sleeveless jacket. They were barely ready when Cloud Tao arrived in his sedan chair. Jade Tao quickly lowered the bed curtains and invited him into the room.

  CHAPTER 21 :: A prostitute lies about consulting the gods to find a missing article, and a henpecked husband throws a party behind his wife’s back

  Jade Tao invited his brother, Cloud, into Water Blossom’s room. Having inquired after her health, Cloud told Jade to wash his face and braid his hair quickly. After a little dim sum for breakfast, they got on their sedan chairs and left East Prosperity Alley for the Bund. At the wharf of the foreign hongs, they saw a little steamer. A mandarin’s sedan chair and a carriage were already standing alongside it. The Tao brothers sent in their visiting cards and were welcomed by Script Li into the main cabin, where they saw Pragmatic Li and Crane Li, who had also come to bid Script farewell. After the usual greetings, everyone sat down. The conversation was, naturally, about Li’s departure.

  Before long, Old Merit and Amity Zhu arrived together in their sedan chairs. The minute Script Li saw them, he asked, “How did it go?”

  “It’s all settled. The total comes to eight thousand dollars,” Amity Zhu replied.

  Script Li saluted him, saying, “Thanks for your trouble.”

  Pragmatic Li asked what it was about.

  “Oh, I bought a couple of old things,” replied Script Li.

  Old Merit said, “The things look all right, but the price is high enough, too. The five-foot Jingtai porcelain vase alone costs three thousand.”

  Pragmatic Li stuck out his tongue in shock and shook his head. “You shouldn’t have bought it. What d’you want it for?”

  Script Li smiled and said nothing.

  Everyone lingered for a little longer, until the boat was about to sail, when they took their leave and went ashore. Script Li and Old Merit saw them off at the bow. The Tao brothers and Amity Zhu left in their sedan chairs, while Pragmatic and Crane Li got into the carriage in which they had come. The driver knew them well and drove straight to Fourth Avenue, stopping at Generosity Alley. Pragmatic Li knew his nephew was going to Grace Yang’s, so he said he had some business to attend to and declined to go in. Knowing him, Crane Li just bade him good-bye and walked into the alley.

  Pragmatic Li actually had nothing to do. Since it was still early, he wondered where he should go. Perhaps it would be best to get a casual meal at Perfection’s, he thought. So he headed due west for Great Prosperity Alley. As soon as he stepped into the house, he saw an old woman sitting in the parlor. She was none other than the squinting crone he had seen at the House of Floral Rain. What a surprise!

  Third Sister Chu came forward exclaiming loudly, “Aiyo! Mr. Li is here!” So saying, she rushed out into the little courtyard, grabbed him by the sleeve, and dragged him into the parlor. The old woman sensed she was in the way and got up to take her leave. Third Sister did not detain her but just said, “Drop in again when you have time.” The old woman thanked her and left. Having shut the door, Third Sister turned around to say, “Do go upstairs, Mr. Li.”

  He went up to find that there was no one in the room. As she lit a match to light the opium lamp, Third Sister apologized to him, “Sorry, Mr. Li, please sit for a while. Perfection has gone to the temple and will be back soon. Please have a smoke. I’ll go and make tea.”

  Before she could leave, however, he stopped her to ask who the old woman was.

  “She’s called Old Mrs. Filial Guo, a sort of elder sister of mine. D’you know her, Mr. Li?”

  “Not personally, but I’ve seen her a few times at the House of Floral Rain.”

  “Mr. Li, though you don’t know her, when I tell you, you’ll realize you’ve heard of her. She’s the eldest among us seven sisters. There used to be seven of us. We were so close to each other that we became sworn sisters. We worked together and played together, and in Shanghai we were pretty well-known, though I say it myself. Have you seen photographs of the Seven Sisters in the photo studios, Mr. Li? That’s us.”

  “Oh, so you are the Seven Sisters! How come you’ve never mentioned this before?”

  “You see, the minute I spoke of the Seven Sisters, you remembered us. But these days the Seven Sisters aren’t what they used to be. Some are married, some are dead, now there’re just the three of us left. Old Mrs. Guo is the big sister, and she’s come to this. I’m third. Between us comes Second Sister Huang. She’s turned out best among us three; she owns several girls and has her own house. Her business is not bad, either.”

  “What is Old Mrs. Guo doing now?” he asked.

  “Speaking of our big sister, it couldn’t be more unfair. She was the most capable of the lot, but she had no luck. The year before last, she found a new girl for her business, but after just two months she got arrested by the new yamen a
nd was accused of abduction, of all things! She was thrown into prison for over a year and wasn’t let out till the end of last year.”

  He had more questions, but just then the doorbell chimed downstairs.

  “Perfection is back,” she said and hurried downstairs to meet her.

  He looked out the window and saw Perfection had come in, followed by a handsome young man in a lined gown of black crinkled crepe, topped by a padded jacket of pale gray Nanjing silk. He thought it must be a new client she had picked up, so he cocked an ear to listen to them. He heard Third Sister taking them into the downstairs parlor and then whispering to the young man, but he couldn’t make out what was said. After they had spoken, she went to the kitchen to make tea. When she brought the tea upstairs, he took the opportunity to take his leave.

  She grabbed hold of him and whispered, “Don’t go, Mr. Li. Who d’you think that is? That’s her husband. They’ve come back from the temple together. I told him there’s a lady caller upstairs, so he won’t be coming up. He’ll go soon. Please, Mr. Li, sit for a while. Sorry about this.”

  “That’s her husband? No kidding?” He was astonished.

  “There you have it.”

  “What if he insists on coming upstairs?” he asked after a moment of reflection.

  “Don’t worry, Mr. Li, he won’t dare come up. Even if he does, with me here it won’t matter.”

  He returned to his seat in silence. Third Sister went downstairs again to see to things, and after a while the young man did leave. Perfection saw him to the door and then returned to the kitchen and talked in whispers with Third Sister. Only after that did she come upstairs to keep Pragmatic company.