Chapter 47

Generally, when a merchant says, "You've really come to the right place," it means the merchant is confident that the customer has enough money in their pocket to pay. As a shut-in, Chen Ke's shopping experience was not rich. Therefore, he placed great importance on the experiences of others. From his female friends, he learned that no matter what price the boss quoted, one should always start by offering a third of that price. Wu Xingchen had mentioned that the price for a trip from Tianjin to Beijing, even with the best carriage, would not exceed fifteen taels. Ordinary carriages could be negotiated down to ten taels.

It seemed that because of his attire, the boss thought he could take advantage of this unfamiliar customer. Chen Ke was about to quote a price of "five taels" when the sound of a carriage stopping outside suddenly caught his attention.

Soon, a man in silk clothing, who looked like a butler, stormed in angrily. The boss, upon seeing the man, immediately greeted him with a broad smile and quick, small steps. "Lord He, why have you come in person? If you had just given me a heads-up, I would have come to your door to listen to your instructions. What's the matter, Lord He? Did my little ones upset you?"

The butler, surnamed He, was in his forties, but his sudden rush inside made him look like a young boy. He abruptly stopped, and his braid slid from his back to his chest. He grabbed the braid with his fingers, flicked it back, and shouted in a fit of rage, "Boss Yang, our master is taking up a post in Beijing and only hired your carriage because he trusted you. How could your people drop our foreign piano?"

Chen Ke almost burst out laughing at the熟练的甩辫动作.

The carriage shop owner was unmoved. He remained courteous, his tone neither too soft nor too hard. "Oh, Lord He, we made it clear from the start that we only provide the carriage, not the moving service. If your things get dropped, it's not our fault."

The butler sneered, "I knew you'd say that. But your people dropped our foreign piano, and that piano is not just any ordinary one. It's the one our young miss loves the most..."

The boss immediately interrupted the butler, "Lord He, we discussed this from the beginning and even signed a contract. Our people don't move things, and if anything gets dropped, it's not our responsibility. The contract is still here, and you can't blame us for it."

It seemed the contract was real, and the butler became flustered, "That piano is very expensive, it's called... called a pianino."

The butler's passionate words were met with serious attention from the carriage shop owner. Chen Ke, however, couldn't help but laugh. From the moment he saw the butler fiddle with his braid, Chen Ke had wanted to laugh. When the butler seriously said "pianino," Chen Ke guessed it was the English pronunciation of "piano." He couldn't hold back his laughter.

Chen Ke understood that the two were arguing, but their postures seemed somewhat exaggerated, as if they were performing a stage play. As Chen Ke laughed, the two men glared at him.

"Sorry, sorry. I have something to attend to first." Chen Ke suppressed his laughter and, with Chen Tianhua, ran out of the yard.

The two men inside, seeing Chen Ke's state, replaced their anger with curiosity and helplessness. To them, Chen Ke seemed to be mentally unstable. Soon after Chen Ke left, they heard a burst of laughter from a distance. The two, who had been arguing, temporarily forgot their dispute and exchanged surprised glances.

Chen Ke stumbled down the streets of Tianjin, "Xing Tai, did you see that... that braid flicking? Ah ha, ha, hahaha..." Chen Ke laughed as he spoke.

Chen Tianhua glanced at the distance from the carriage shop, thinking the people there probably couldn't hear Chen Ke's outburst.

"What's so funny? You're a literary youth." Chen Tianhua found Chen Ke's behavior truly ridiculous. More and more people on the street looked at Chen Tianhua and Chen Ke, their eyes filled with surprise, curiosity, and a bit of disgust, seeing Chen Ke clutching his stomach and laughing uncontrollably.

Not far ahead was a teahouse. Chen Tianhua thought it was inappropriate to be so exposed to the public, so he dragged Chen Ke inside. The teahouse was quite large, with a row of rickshaws parked at the entrance. The sun was nice, and many people were out walking their birds, resting at tables in the first-floor hall. The birdcages were either covered with blue cloth, partially open, or fully open, with birds like the Chinese bulbul singing inside.

The waiter, seeing Chen Tianhua supporting Chen Ke, thought something had happened. Chen Ke tossed a silver dollar to the waiter, who, despite being surprised, caught it deftly. Chen Ke, in a suppressed voice, said, "Get us a private room upstairs."

"Sure thing! Gentlemen, please follow me upstairs." The waiter called out loudly.

As soon as they entered the private room, the waiter put down the curtain, and Chen Ke, holding his stomach, continued to laugh. Indeed, this was the late Qing Dynasty, a scene that should only appear in TV dramas, but it was real. Chen Ke couldn't help but laugh uncontrollably, feeling no other emotions.

Since returning to this era, Chen Ke had been living in a state of high tension, under great pressure. Chen Ke was not a deeply scheming person or someone enthusiastic about learning Southern dialects. But in the past five months, he had to diligently do these two things. He had to carefully gather comrades, earn money, and even start a party. If this were in the future, such actions would be considered acting. When he left Shanghai, Chen Ke was worried about what the comrades would do, but a sense of relief also emerged.

The performance of the two men in the carriage shop, their use of both Chinese and foreign terms, their Tianjin dialect, their braids, and their mannerisms, would have been considered acting in the 21st century. But Chen Ke knew this was his reality. Chen Ke, from the 21st century, suddenly felt as if he was in a living historical drama. "It's not that you are in a dream, but that you are in a play!" Far from the Shanghai party organization and free from the heavy pressure, this absurd realization triggered Chen Ke's hysterical laughter.

Chen Tianhua watched helplessly as Chen Ke laughed, stopped, then cried and laughed again, even kneeling on one knee and retching. After a long while, Chen Ke asked the waiter outside to bring a basin of water, and he washed his face while still laughing, finally regaining some composure.

His flushed face gradually turned to a light red, then to a normal complexion. Chen Ke's bright eyes regained their usual sharp and focused look. "I haven't seen these things in a long time, and I couldn't help it," Chen Ke said to Chen Tianhua.

At this point, Chen Tianhua could accept anything Chen Ke said. The waiter had secretly called Chen Tianhua out earlier, asking if he needed to find a doctor. Chen Ke, in his laughter, hadn't even noticed. "Literary youth, no rush. Let's have some tea first," Chen Tianhua advised.

"Not staying at an inn? I've been here for so long. If we don't stay, we might not find one. Besides, after days on the boat, I want to take a bath."

"Since we've been here for so long, a little more rest won't matter."

Hearing this, Chen Ke nodded. As they rested, they heard the sound of a song being sung outside. The second floor was divided into private rooms, and as long as the guests didn't get too out of hand, the teahouse generally didn't interfere. The girl's voice was pleasant, and the erhu's sound was low and melodious. In the afternoon, there weren't many people on the second floor, and listening to the song was quite enjoyable. Chen Ke noticed that Chen Tianhua's fingers tapped the table to the melody. Chen Tianhua was skilled in storytelling and often sang to people in Shanghai, with content about foreign invasions and corrupt officials. It seemed Chen Tianhua was not only proficient in storytelling but also had a keen interest in Northern Peking Opera.

After such a good laugh, Chen Ke felt quite spirited and even a bit heroic. When the song outside ended, he asked, "Xing Tai, do you want to hear me sing a piece?"

"Can a literary youth sing?"

"I can't sing well, but I can sing randomly."

Chen Tianhua knew Chen Ke wasn't a liar, and he had greatly admired the song "My Motherland" after hearing it. Since Chen Ke was interested, Chen Tianhua didn't want to dampen his spirits.

Tapping the table with his fingers, Chen Ke sang "Flower Field Mistake," a Chinese-style song with lyrics that didn't involve love.

"The night is deep, why is the paper window still bright? Is that the candle you lit for me, waiting all night?

It was just a chance encounter in the Red Mansion, a dream. My mountains and rivers have faded, washed away by a heavy rain.

The scene in the cup is ghostly, I've forgotten who I am. My mood is as cool as the night, holding a butterfly cup, I won't return until I'm drunk.

I made a mistake in the flower field, promising to forget before dawn.

I made a mistake in the flower field, the embrace has become a torment.

I made a mistake in the flower field, a mistake, like being infatuated with a mirage.

I made a mistake in the flower field, please, forgive my unwelcome disturbance."

The song borrowed heavily from Peking Opera tunes, with other parts straightforward and refreshing. Chen Tianhua had heard the storytelling version of "Flower Field Mistake" and knew the story. Hearing Chen Ke sing it so directly, it felt like a breath of fresh air.

After Chen Ke finished, Chen Tianhua couldn't help but laugh, "Truly a literary youth's style. Such a delicate story, you can sing it with such confidence. I'm impressed."

The two laughed for a while when they heard a middle-aged man's voice from outside the curtain, "Sir, excuse me. Would you like to hear a song?"

"No," Chen Ke firmly refused.

The man outside hesitated, "Sir, even a little bit would be fine."

"We're about to leave, no song."

The curtain was lifted, and a middle-aged man with a erhu entered. He was not tall, quite thin, with deep wrinkles on his face, looking much older than his voice suggested. Seeing the two, he showed a look of surprise, but it quickly disappeared. He bowed deeply, "I heard you singing just now, and I was very impressed. I have a request."

"Since it's a request, there's no need to say it," Chen Ke replied.

The man's face showed disappointment, and he bowed again, "I apologize." He was about to leave.

Chen Tianhua had never seen Chen Ke so straightforwardly refuse someone, and his attitude was quite arrogant. He showed a slightly surprised look. Chen Ke noticed this and, after a moment's thought, said, "Wait."

The man was unsure of Chen Ke's intentions and looked somewhat anxious.

"As the saying goes, 'what goes around comes around.' Sir, we want to go to Beijing. There are no train tickets, but is there any other way?"

The man was surprised. He looked Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua up and down, "You two want to take the train to Beijing?"

"The train is fast," Chen Ke said without much feeling.

"I know someone at the station. There's a train to Beijing today, and perhaps I can get you on. But the ticket money..."

"How much for the ticket?"

"From Tianjin's Old Dragon Head Station to Beijing's Zhengyang Gate, first-class is 5 yuan, third-class is 1.5 yuan."

"How much does the station person want?"

"He'll take you on the train, and you can pay him. No extra charge."

Another middleman. Chen Ke thought. He looked at Chen Tianhua, who was quite excited. Seeing Chen Tianhua's approval, Chen Ke smiled, "Do you teach us the song first, or do we buy the ticket first?"

Seeing the man's silence, Chen Ke knew his thoughts, "Let's teach the song first."

The man's face lit up. Chen Ke taught him three times and wrote down the lyrics. The man passed the paper to someone outside the curtain. Soon, a clear female voice sang outside. Comparing the two, it was clear. As Chen Tianhua said, the song that Chen Ke sang confidently was sung softly and tenderly by the woman.

"Everyone has their specialty," Chen Ke praised. Being able to sing it almost perfectly after three listens, Chen Ke admitted he couldn't match it. But that wasn't important, "What about the tickets?" Chen Ke asked.

"I'll arrange it. Please wait, and I'll bring you to the station," the man said quickly.

After the man left, Chen Ke called the waiter to settle the bill. They hadn't spent much, and the waiter returned with the change. Chen Tianhua asked, "Literary youth, aren't you worried he'll take the song and run?"

"He can't bring the girl with us to the station." Chen Ke said, but in his heart, he thought if he didn't want to leave a bad impression on Chen Tianhua, he would have chased them away earlier.

After a while, the man returned. They headed towards the station.

The streets of Tianjin were no different from countless old photos. There were many pedestrians, various shops, tobacco stalls, and people watching foreign films. Occasionally, street performers could be seen. The closer they got to the station, the more beggars there were. The ragged, malnourished children tried hard to beg, while the older beggars, with their shifty eyes, didn't beg much but tried to get close to people, looking like pickpockets. Chen Ke took Chen Tianhua's backpack and carried it, following the middle-aged man, with Chen Tianhua behind him, providing a watchful eye.

Outside the station, the man brought a person who looked like a manager. The man looked Chen Ke up and down and said in a condescending tone, "There are still first-class tickets. Pay now."

Chen Ke took out the prepared money and jingled it in his hand. The man's eyes lit up at the sight of the silver dollars. Chen Ke put the money back in his pocket, "Pay on the train."

Seeing Chen Ke's smiling face, the man knew he wouldn't give the money easily, but since he had seen the money, he wasn't too worried. "Follow me."

Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua sat in first-class. Observing the carriage, it wasn't full. Chen Ke wondered why the station didn't sell tickets, guessing they had been withheld and not sold. Two foreigners sat opposite Chen Ke, smoking cigars and looking at him with a mix of surprise and slight disdain. Chen Ke didn't back down, taking out a hard paper box of cigarettes and lighting one for himself and Chen Tianhua. The foreigners, seeing the beautifully printed box and the shiny plastic wrapper in the sunlight, were unsure of Chen Ke's status and reined in their disdain.

The journey was relatively smooth, and they arrived at Beijing Station. Chen Ke quickly bought tickets, and this time, they were lucky and managed to get tickets. In the evening, they boarded a train on the Beijing-Hankou line, heading towards Xingtai.

When they reached Xingtai in the morning, they hired two donkeys at a cheap price and headed towards Nangong County. Hebei is a plain area, and Chen Ke, who grew up in the central plains of Henan, remembered the vast plains divided by rows of poplar or paulownia trees, cutting out fields of grain. On the plains, there were dirt roads lined with poplar or paulownia trees, or dusty asphalt roads connecting the villages. Of course, there were also irrigation ditches along the roads. This simple and endlessly repetitive scenery was his hometown.

In Xingtai, Chen Ke saw patches of sandy land with little grass, only occasional shrubs and trees. This was vastly different from his 21st-century impression of Hebei. The closer they got to Nangong County, the more sandy land they saw. In September, the harvested fields were empty, and Chen Ke remembered what his elders had said: in those days, they only planted one crop a year. Unlike after liberation, when they planted two crops. This poor land only supported one crop, and it was a wonder people could even eat enough.

"Tianhua, after liberation, we will definitely make this land produce two crops a year," Chen Ke said.

Before Chen Tianhua could respond, the donkey driver laughed, "Sir, planting two crops a year, are you joking?"

"Brother, don't you want to plant two crops?" Chen Ke countered.

The donkey driver just laughed and said nothing.

The donkeys were definitely slower than the train. After a day of train travel, the jostling of the donkeys made them feel a bit drowsy. They dozed off as they moved forward. By evening, they finally reached Gaojiazhai in Nangong County.

When they asked for Pang Zi, the locals knew him. They looked at Chen Ke and Chen Tianhua's unusual attire and led them into the street. Just as they reached a courtyard gate, a medium-built young man stood at the door. The familiar face of a child peeking from the courtyard was the same boy Chen Ke had asked earlier. It seemed he had informed the young man.

The young man asked suspiciously, "I am Pang Zi. What do you want with me?"