Chapter 7: No Guesses

Han Wei emerged from under the covers, bent down to open the five-drawer cabinet by the bed, and picked out a piece of light blue pajamas that had not been unwrapped, saying: "This one will do, my sister had someone bring it from the UK"

Upon arriving at the Yang family, Yan Sheng was very reserved, not glancing around or making a fuss. Instead, he walked carefully, each step taken with utmost caution and without looking askance.

Those are scattered clusters of peach blossoms, sprinkled around the shoulder blades, intermittently without forming a complete piece, clearly a work still in progress. Yet, this tattoo before him, inked on the fair, smooth, and radiant back, has already left Han Wei astounded.

In the early morning, Han Wei turned over and found the space beside him empty; Yan Sheng was no longer in bed, and his pajamas were neatly folded and placed at the head of the bed

Yan Sheng suddenly came to a realization, threw on his pajamas, and turned around sharply, only to find Han Wei staring at him with a dazed expression.

Yan Sheng turned over and lay on his back, murmuring: "What you see as passion, in our Peking opera circle, this kind of 'flipping the stage' is the most unacceptable. Afterwards, my senior brother gave me a severe lesson, saying that since we are on the same stage performing, we must be worthy of the audience. Even if a partner makes a mistake while singing, we cannot cause a scene by 'flipping the stage' on stage. Fortunately, I was clever enough to salvage the performance; otherwise, I would not have been able to withstand my senior brother's reprimand."

Han Wei said earnestly: "Of course I am full of praise; otherwise, how could you have so easily escaped after hitting Colonel Tong Dayou that day? Although Tong Dayou was somewhat tipsy and lacking in virtue, he is still a dignified colonel. Would he really just endure being publicly slapped without saying a word?"

Han Wei shook him awake and said: "This garment is made of linen; doesn't it feel uncomfortable against your skin? Let me get you a new silk nightgown to change into, it will be more comfortable against your body."

Han Wei pondered the reasoning behind Yan Sheng's words. He thought that while there was some truth to what was said, it also seemed somewhat nonsensical. If Yan Sheng did not slap that bastard, would he not be enduring the humiliation from that bastard on stage?

Wei Yunhan was also amused and instructed Yansheng: "Yansheng, Commander Yang maintains a strict and solemn demeanor, and he imposes very strict discipline on his subordinates. Han Wei is sincerely apologizing to you, and it would be difficult to refuse his kind invitation. Why don't you go out and have some fun with Han Wei? It would not be in vain for his heartfelt intentions."

Han Wei clasped his hands and said, "Boss Wei, it is Han Wei who has come to pay a visit"

Deutsche Presse-Agentur has settled in a courtyard behind the Golden Toad Grand Stage in Longcheng after renting it

Wei Yunhan smiled faintly, clearly feeling that Han Wei was overreacting: "How can you blame yourself? Young Master Yang is unaware of the situation. Commander Yang is being overly courteous."

"What are you doing with the book? Doesn't it hurt?" Han Wei asked with concern

After washing up, Yan Sheng's hair was slightly dry and swept back, giving him a very quiet and obedient appearance. He wore a white linen tunic and a pair of loose sleep pants that reached his knees. Sitting side by side with Han Wei at the head of the bed, he spoke incessantly about how a wild boar fell into a trap covered with white snow, and how it was immobilized by the inverted bamboo spikes set by the hunter. The wall lamp cast a dim yellow light, and Han Wei listened with wide eyes, seemingly tense as if he were experiencing it firsthand.

"Second Brother, there is a guest looking for you," said the girl in the red shirt named Xiao Ju, her voice clear and melodious

Yan blushed and awkwardly said, "What are you... what are you taking off your clothes for?"

"Wouldn't that leave Han Wei with lifelong regrets?" Han Wei said with a shameless smile.

Before Wei Yunhan could even refuse, Han Wei hurriedly said: "Boss Wei certainly does not want Han Wei to be reproached by my elder brother for this matter again. My elder brother has repeatedly complained that Han Wei is too indulgent and reckless in dealing with others. If Yan Sheng were to spend a day at the Yang residence, it would not only give Han Wei a chance to make amends and feel better, but it would also be a good explanation to my elder brother"

After a pause, seeing that Yan Sheng still had no reaction, Han Wei continued, "I have seen many actors with good appearances and great voices throughout my life, but Yan Sheng, your performance in this play is truly outstanding..."

Young master, this cannot be the case; it would make us a laughingstock in front of others

Han Wei gazed at Yan Sheng's handsome cheeks with a proud smile

"My elder brother is not at home, so I can indulge myself. When he is at home, the more I dislike something, the more he insists on putting it in my bowl," Han Wei said indignantly. He leaned forward to the table, sniffing each dish like a little dog, and remarked, "They all smell enticing."

"Go to sleep." Han Wei said as he took off his light yellow silk pajamas.

Last night, he could not bring himself to inquire about the painful past of Xiao Yansheng's tattoo, but he believed that Xiao Yansheng no longer held any grudges against him, and they could converse as if they were good friends. Han Wei thought to himself, how could such a cultured and principled young man be involved with that prostitute Er Meizi, and entangled in a spy case? Could Xiao Yansheng be a spy? If so, for whom would he be working—Xi Jing, Japan, the Red Bandits, or is there something more to it? Han Wei pondered, in just these two days, I must find a good opportunity to extract your words.

Yan Sheng is very quiet and eats very little. Han Wei asked repeatedly but still could not determine what food he actually prefers. He pretended to be confused and said, "Ah, so you are also picky about food. I thought I was the only one. It seems that none of the dishes on this table suit your taste."

Seeing Yan Sheng still looking at him with a startled expression, Han Wei explained: "Since I was young, I have slept without clothes; I wear them to sleep, and at night I kick off the covers, which can lead to catching a cold"

Han Wei's eyes sparkled as he said: "My elder brother has asked me to apologize to Brother Yan Sheng on his behalf. I originally intended to buy some gifts for Yan Sheng, but I was concerned that it might come across as too formal. Therefore, I would like to invite Yan Sheng to spend a day at my humble abode, where I will certainly express my apologies to him."

Han Wei smiled slyly and said, "On the first day of the Daxin News Agency in Longcheng, you played the role of Li Huiniang from 'Hongmei Pavilion', looking handsome and singing well"

The beautiful yet furious face of Yan Sheng froze, slowly shaking her head.

When Han Wei went to speak with Yan Sheng again, he found Yan Sheng fast asleep, breathing evenly and with a serene expression. Han Wei couldn't help but feel regret, as he had intended to extract some information but was unable to do so.

Seeing Han Wei's helpless expression, Yan Sheng's eyes revealed a sorrowful emotion as he turned his back to Han Wei to change into his pajamas, saying: "My parents were very good to me at first, but later our family fell into debt, and life became difficult, so they could only send me to learn acting. My previous master was very fierce..." The vibrant tattoo on Yan Sheng's back vividly caught Han Wei's attention

Han Wei focused his gaze, and in the corner of the wall, Yan Sheng was sitting upright against the wall, his legs spread in a perfect split, aligned with the base of the wall. Han Wei was left speechless; for an ordinary person, achieving a split of ninety degrees is already impressive, yet Yan Sheng managed a full one hundred eighty degrees. How remarkable.

Boss Wei, Han Wei specifically came to apologize to Young Boss Yan Sheng. Last night, it was Han Wei's indiscreet remarks about tattoos that frightened Yan Sheng into fainting. After returning home, my elder brother severely reprimanded Han Wei and instructed him to come and make amends to Yan Sheng

Suddenly, there was a loud "bang" from outside the door, and Han Wei was so startled that he jumped out of bed with a cry of "Ah!"

Your senior brother is not here, and it's hard to have a day of relaxation; yet you are still so foolish

Han Wei entered the courtyard. It was afternoon, and the spacious courtyard was so tranquil that not even the sound of birds could be heard

It is not easy to be the young master of a wealthy family; heaven is always fair. For example, take me: my brother has always had a hobby of using a whip to 'paint' on my body. My mother passed away when I was two years old, and I cannot even remember what she looked like. After that, my sister-in-law raised me by her side. When I was twelve, my father also passed away, and shortly thereafter, my sister-in-law also departed this world, leaving only my elder brother as my relative. No matter what, I have to endure it.

"What are you doing?" Yan Sheng exclaimed, quickly retreating to a corner of the bed, which startled Han Wei into stopping his actions. He looked at him in surprise and asked, "What’s wrong?"

"Practicing martial arts." Yan Sheng's natural response

"Oh, Young Master Yang, what a rare visitor. Please come in." Wei Yunhan welcomed Han Wei into the main room.

"Come on, you're not a woman, why make such a fuss? How can you sleep without taking off your clothes?" Han Wei said innocently, "What's wrong? I don't have any sores on my body."

Watching Han Wei explain earnestly, Yan Sheng lay back on the pillow, half-convinced, turning his back to Han Wei. Intentionally, he leaned his body towards the other side of the bed and turned his face to sleep.

In just a few seconds of daze, the character played by Commander Tong, who was portraying Jia Sidao, was at a loss. However, Yan Sheng cleverly altered the lyrics, dancing gracefully with her flowing sleeves, pointed at Commander Tong, and scolded him a few times: "Traitor... traitor! The wronged Hui Niang has come to seek your life."

Han Wei seemed to be immersed in the reminiscence of the past, resting his head on his hands, and remarked to Yan Sheng: "At that time, I truly admired Han Wei. In the world of the pear garden, there were still such spirited men. He dared to provoke that 'Tong Dayou, Tong Wulai' with his big mouth, turning the performance of 'Hongmei Ge' into 'Zhuangfeng'.

Han Wei was rendered speechless

This clearly also contains an element of Wei Yunhan deliberately turning a blind eye to Yan Sheng's behavior, perhaps also to give some face to this young master of the Yang family

Han Wei smiled proudly: "Not entirely, but yesterday I mentioned... I'm sorry, my elder brother scolded me yesterday. I just wanted to hear you continue the story about chasing the badger in the snow; we only got halfway through that day. I've been pondering these days, did that badger fall into the snow hole by itself?"

"Do you know why I noticed you?" Han Wei poked Yan Sheng's back with his finger, but Yan Sheng did not respond, seemingly listening intently.

Colonel Tong insisted on guest-starring as Jia Sidao in "Hongmei Pavilion." His lustful eyes were always fixed on the character Li Huiniang, played by Yan Sheng. He even sought an opportunity to alter the script, foolishly calling out "Beauty—" while reaching out to embrace Yan Sheng and touch her face. Without a moment's hesitation, Yan Sheng retaliated by delivering a resounding slap to the villain portrayed by Colonel Tong, causing an immediate uproar in the audience

"That scared me to death!" Han Wei patted his chest and gasped, "Just as I was talking about the bear falling into the bamboo knife formation, you scared me."

"Ah, don't touch me." Han Wei, startled as if electrocuted, hurriedly wrapped herself in the blanket and said nervously, "Don't scare me, when a man touches me, all the hair on my body stands on end."

That was the first day of the cannon play by the Deutsche Presse-Agentur in Longcheng, where ticket holders usually enthusiastically request to make cameo appearances in the performance, joining in the excitement

The two little brothers looked at each other and laughed, freely bursting into laughter on the bed.

Han Wei had almost forgotten that his purpose in deceiving Xiao Yan to come to the Yang residence was to investigate the secret of his and Er Meizi's deaths

However, Han Wei also found it strange that he was so reckless, yet his curiosity about the case compelled him to push forward through all obstacles at any cost

Wei Yunhan did not express a clear opinion, but called in Yan Sheng and briefly explained Han Wei's intentions to him

Yan Sheng fell silent, her body, concealed within the light blue silk pajamas, appeared so slender as if it could barely bear the fabric. She neatly folded the small garment she had changed out of and placed it at her feet, then gently lay down under the quilt.

Yan Sheng smiled and said, "Slacking off may deceive the eyes of others and even oneself, but it cannot fool the audience. In our profession, we must keep our fists ready and our songs at the ready; a moment's negligence offstage can lead to chaos onstage. When the audience, filled with discontent, boos and jeers, throwing fruit peels and smelly shoes at us, it is better to exercise a little caution in our daily practice, so as to avoid losing face."

Han Wei sincerely nodded in agreement, thinking to himself that Wei Yunhan would not mistakenly believe that he was the kind of debauched man with ulterior motives towards Yan Sheng.

"Xiao Ju, have the guests arrived?" As the door to the main hall opened, Wei Yunhan, dressed in a long gown, stepped into the corridor

The audience should also consider the actors' immersion in their roles and accept the altered script, continuing to watch as if nothing has gone wrong

This fellow, did he leave without saying goodbye early in the morning? Han Wei felt a sense of regret as he sat up abruptly like a carp leaping out of the water. In the dark corner of the bedroom, a voice filled with charm came through: "You are awake?"

Yan Sheng looked at Han Wei, a serene smile appearing on his fair face as he said, "As long as I can fill my stomach, any food will do."

Yan Sheng swallowed the latter half of his sentence, meaning that it does not matter even if you offend a performer like me

Wei Yunhan walked over to Yan Sheng, leaned him against his embrace, and untied the rope that was around Yan Sheng's ankle, saying: "Come down, let's go outside to practice kicking, loosen up, hurry up!"

Yan Sheng responded with a fist salute to Han Wei as a form of greeting, then kicked his legs and exited the room

Han Wei teased him, saying: "Why are you not talking or smiling today? The other night during supper, weren't you speaking quite well?"

Watching Han Wei, who suddenly dove into the quilt like a bare fish, Yan Sheng was filled with astonishment and tension

Yan Sheng speculated: "Did you ask Commander Yang to save me? Second Brother said it was hetushu.com. Commander Yang made a statement, and it was only then that Commander Tong swallowed his pride and falsely claimed to have been drunk, unable to remember what he had sung."

Yan Sheng slowly turned around, and with a gaze that seemed to repel anyone from a thousand miles away, he glanced at Han Wei and asked, "Is this young master praising Yan Sheng, or is he mocking Yan Sheng?"

"You invited me to play at the Yang family because you felt guilty for scaring me last night, didn't you?" Yan Sheng finally asked, clearly unconvinced

Wei Yunhan released Yan Sheng and lightly tapped the small bamboo stick in his hand against Yan Sheng's thigh

"Who are you looking for?" A girl in a red blouse with long braids and straight bangs looked Han Wei up and down.

Yan Sheng glanced at Han Wei and said calmly: "Yan Sheng does not blame Young Master Yang, and Young Master Yang need not take it to heart. Yan Sheng's own body is uncooperative, so it is not to be blamed on others. The Dexin Society will set off back to Beiping the day after tomorrow"

I can only admire your courage, Han Wei said

Yan Sheng's gaze, however, lingered on the back of Han Wei, who was bent over the bed to retrieve his pajamas, where the scars of varying depths ran from his back to his thighs. These scars were too conspicuous, leaving Yan Sheng utterly astonished, and he couldn't help but reach out to touch them.

Changbai Mountain, Songhua River, the mountains and waters of Northeast China

This Xiaoyan Sheng is quite unique. Han Wei remembered that he praised it at the time

A rope loop hung down from the main beam in the room, and Xiaoyan was raising one foot high within the suspended loop, balancing like a golden rooster while sweating profusely as she practiced her skills.

"Does Commander Yang mean this?" Wei Yunhan asked

Yan Sheng stared blankly at Han Wei, as if recalling the events that transpired that day

During dinner, Mother Xue specially prepared a table of dishes that Han Wei usually enjoys, and also praised Yan Sheng for his excellent performance in the play

Han Wei listened intently to Yan Sheng's vivid storytelling, captivated by the unrestrained life of hunting. As Yan Sheng described how to hunt elk and how to set traps for wild boars, Han Wei felt a chill run down his spine. The two moved from the dining table to the bedroom, and from the sofa in the bedroom to the bed.

"Does it hurt?" Before Yan Sheng could speak, Han Wei interrupted with a question, his clear starry eyes filled with tears

Hearing Han Wei still reminiscing about that night by the Huanglong River in the bamboo house, he casually recounted the story of hunting in the depths of Changbai Mountain with his father. Yan Sheng thought to herself that the young masters from wealthy families are indeed capricious; after all the effort to find him, it was merely to hear that somewhat suspenseful story

The door slowly opened a crack, and Xiao Heizi poked his head in, saying with a hint of regret: "Young master, I originally brought you a plate of dim sum, but I accidentally dropped it all on the floor. I will go back to the kitchen and get some more."