Section 6

Feng Shizhen was momentarily taken aback, lowering her hands and tilting her ear to listen. The music appeared and disappeared, like an illusion, tempting and calling to her, causing her heartstrings to resonate in response.

The elegant lady said in a soft voice: "Does it look like it? Young girls these days are all so beautiful, each one could grace the cover of a magazine as a star. Just speaking of that girl Fang Lin, the last time I saw her, she was shopping at the department store with her classmates. There were five or six girls, all of them from well-to-do families, yet she was the most striking among them."

When the Feng family house caught fire, Feng Shizhen was still in the dormitory of the residential school, so most of her personal belongings were preserved. In order to support her family, she later sold those fine fabric dresses and qipaos to a ready-to-wear shop, and made do with a few old clothes for herself. Yesterday, when she went for an interview at the Rong family, she wore the only remaining old silk qipao made in the previous year to leave a distinctive impression on Mrs. Rong

The young woman looked at Feng Shizhen with a smile that was not quite a smile, saying, "Miss Feng, you must not only be the top candidate in terms of knowledge, but also in terms of appearance, right? Cousin, don’t you think she resembles that movie star, Lu Xingcai, a bit?"

Feng Shizhen instructed the coachman to stop the carriage in front of the side door she had entered during her last visit. The servant had already received instructions to take her luggage to her room, while she went to the main house to pay her respects to Madam Rong

The next day was another rainy day. Feng Shizhen went to the tutoring center early in the morning to submit her resignation and then returned home to pack her luggage

Mrs. Feng sighed while helping her daughter tidy up, saying, "You should save some of your past earnings to make yourself a few good outfits. When your elder brother returns, you won't have to work so hard anymore"

The Rong family resides at the end of a lane on Gongguan Road in the French Concession, surrounded by Western-style villas, with neighbors who are either wealthy or of high social status. The garden of the Rong family is quite expansive, occupying nearly half of the street.

Mrs. Rong cast a glance at Miss Feng and said, "Miss Feng has been teaching at a tutoring center, where most of her students are boys preparing for university entrance exams. She has quite a wealth of experience in disciplining students."

A maid reported: "The young lady is leading several young ladies in painting in the garden, while the young master is playing football in the backyard. The elder young master said early this morning that he was going to the dock to see off a friend, and left without having breakfast."

The two of them continued to dance the tango in the empty dance floor. The piece of music seemed to have no end, and they danced tirelessly. Their eyes met, silently, as if forgotten in the river of time

Feng Shizhen followed a maid carrying a fruit platter into the living room, standing at the edge of the carpet, and respectfully greeted Mrs. Rong. The ladies' gazes resembled searchlights used by the police, sweeping over Feng Shizhen from head to toe

The stepmother specifically hired a Sichuan chef for him, yet he did not even inform anyone before going out. This Young Master Rong's eccentric temperament has truly become more entrenched. Aside from the young woman with a melon-seed face who coldly remained silent, the other two ladies expressed their sympathy and offered comfort to Mrs. Rong.

Sister Kang remained silent. Several ladies displayed various expressions.

The eldest lady smiled and said, "What a spirited young girl. I heard she is also a high achiever. Shujun, where did you find her?"

She moved to the desk, wrote a notice for a house rental, and took it to post at the gate of the courtyard. After lunch, someone came to inquire about renting the house

Feng Shizhen opened her eyes in a daze, her heart stirred with a tumultuous wave, and her breathing became erratic

The soft moonlight, as delicate as a gossamer veil, enveloped her, transporting her into a realm of dreams

Feng Shizhen is wearing a loose-fitting long qipao made of indigo-dyed silk today, which is quite simple. This garment does not accentuate her figure, yet on her, it still reveals a hint of grace. Her features are bright and striking, exuding a refreshing spirit, with thick black hair, long eyebrows, and almond-shaped eyes, embodying a kind of unadorned youthful beauty.

Mrs. Rong put on quite a show and then said to Feng Shizhen, who had been watching the performance for most of the day: "Once Fang Lin starts painting, she can't put down her brush. Miss Feng might as well follow Sister Kang to the garden to look for them, and also get familiar with the courtyard."

They stood once again in that dazzling dance floor, where the moonlight, like a white ribbon, swirled around them.

She closed her eyes, a subtle and gentle smile gracing her lips, gliding, crossing, and spinning in rhythm

Ma Dagui pinched the edge of his duckbill cap with his fingers, which were yellowed from cigarette smoke, and said, "Seventh Master has instructed me, Miss Feng can rest assured"

Mrs. Rong is playing mahjong with three visiting ladies. Upon hearing that the new teacher hired for the eldest young master has arrived, the ladies, sharing a tacit understanding, rise together to wash their hands after winning a round, not in a hurry to return.

A woman with an oval face and heart-shaped bangs chuckled: "Such a young lady, I wonder if you can keep your young master in check. My younger brother is about the same age and still plays pranks on the teachers with his classmates"

Feng Shizhen displayed a sympathetic smile, politely bidding farewell to several ladies before following Sister Kang out.

Ma Dagui resembled a black bear as he swaggered into the village, striding through the courtyard with a confident gait, the holster for his shotgun visible beneath the flapping hem of his coat. The elderly women in the courtyard, who were busy making shoe soles, turned pale with fright, while a group of young men, who usually enjoyed smoking and loitering at the entrance, discreetly dispersed.

Feng Shizhen would naturally not disclose the reasons behind her entering the Rong family to her mother. She said, "Since the Rong family is going to make clothes for the tutor, why should I spend this extra money"

This flattery is truly both crisp and fragrant, audible within a radius of ten miles. Mrs. Rong is quite pleased and continues the conversation, saying: "Speaking of which, we should invite Fang Lin and the other children to meet the teacher."

The young man, dressed in white as snow, with features as picturesque as a painting, lowered his head and gazed at her, his lips pressed together in silence. A faint, subtle fragrance reminiscent of green bamboo emanated from him, permeating Feng Shizhen's heart and mind.

Feng Shizhen felt very reassured and was grateful that Meng Xu'an was indeed reliable in handling matters

Feng Shizhen escorted the tenant out. When there was no one around, Feng Shizhen quietly said to him: "Thank you, Seventh Master and Big Brother, I will trouble you in the future."

The towel was casually draped over the back of the chair. Feng Shizhen gently raised her hand, as if to embrace an invisible shoulder, and slowly lifted her foot, taking the first step

"Jia Shang, this child," Mrs. Rong displayed a concerned maternal expression, "why are you not eating breakfast again? Is it because you do not like the new Sichuan chef?"

The next day, Feng Shizhen was awakened by the warm sunlight shining on her face. She felt a bit sore in her arms, as if she had truly danced the entire night.

He was a burly man who claimed to be a porter at a tobacco company, named Ma Dagui. His gaze was fierce, yet he was generous with his money, not minding the cramped conditions of the room, and he paid half a year's rent in one go. Mrs. Feng was somewhat intimidated by this man, but for the sake of the money, she had no choice but to accept and allowed him to move in the next day

At the moment she turned back to her position, an arm wrapped around her waist, the solid and warm body pressed closely against her

Mrs. Rong proudly said: "I asked people all over Shanghai to find about ten candidates, and she stood out the most, even able to answer a whole set of math problems in English correctly. Everyone is worried that hiring her to teach the children would be a bit of an overuse of her talents; she should be teaching at a university instead."

The dance music gradually became clearer

Feng Shizhen, having received Mrs. Rong's hint, also concurred, saying: "Madam, please do not worry. As educators, we should win people over with virtue and knowledge. Relying on age to suppress students will only have the opposite effect"

After nightfall, the rain ceased, and the moonlight outside illuminated the room, casting a grid on the floor. Feng Shizhen had washed her hair, was drying it, and stood barefoot within the patches of light, as the faint echoes of that melodious tune resonated in her ears again