Winter Begonia Chapter 6: Like Moon light

A few days later, as usual, rich people gather together to eat, drink and play mahjong.

Cheng Fengtai told Fan Lian about the incident at the Huibin Building and how he was scolded by Second Lady.

Fan Lian clapped his hands and said, "My sister is always straight forward! Actually I want to scold you, but I don't dare. In the end, it's still my sister who wins!"

Cheng Fengtai laughed. "You dare to scold me! That's because I'm very grateful to your sister. Who do you think you are?"

"You didn't talk like this before, when we discussed about the dowry of my sister," Fan Lian replied.

"What is dowry? more precisely the separation of assets. It's to take away so much gold, silver and antiques, leaving the empty shell for me. Have I ever complained? This is also a form of my affection for my brother in law! You have to talk nicely to me"

Cheng Fengtai hit Fan Lian's back hard. "You are my mistress, what can you say? Nobody cares about you"

Fan Lian hit Cheng Fengtai in return. 

"I'm your mistress? You still dare to make fun of me!"

Today's gathering is held in the old Chinese style house. The former official residence for court officials prior to the Qing dynasty, now bought by a new wealthy merchant.

Both were very impressed and walked on the veranda. Cheng Fengtai turned his head and saw a young man in a long white gown sitting in a flower garden across the pond.

Cheng Fengtai asked, "Who is that student? Why...he looks like a little boy"

Fan Lian pushed his glasses up his nose. "That's not a little boy! Brother in law, do I have to lend you my glasses?"

"You just told me about the person, now you don't recognize him?"

Cheng Fengtai still did not understand, Fan Lian tapped his shoulder. "That's Shang Xirui!"

Cheng Fengtai frowned, looked carefully then shook his head, "Is that him? He's different, completely different"

"What's the difference?"

"When i saw him that day, every movement and gaze in his eyes was like a woman's. He was like Yang Guifei who came to life again. Today, he's like a little student"

Fan Lian nodded. "That's what an actor is like"

Cheng Fengtai stood in the corridor and looked once more at Shang Xirui.

After dinner, the host begins the card game. In three connected guest halls, mahjong and beige cards are played. Inside the garden, there is a dance hall and various kinds of lively entertainment.

Cheng Fengtai was playing bridge when he was dragged by Fan Lian to play mahjong.

Shang Xirui was sitting with the owner of the house listening to Dagu, a big drum art. He hummed to the rhythm and tempo of the drum. He likes all types of art.

The owner of the house, Mr Huang is an old man in his sixties living in an inner courtyard filled with Western style furnitures. He wears Western clothes and eats Western food like a foreigner. He was similar to Cheng Fengtai.

Mr Huang is very old. His eyes are brittle, his face no longer glorious. Shang Xirui was young and handsome, both of them sitting together, they looked like father and son.

Mr Huang patted Shang Xirui's hand and smiled. "What if Shang Boss also sang with the Dagu for us?"

"I don't understand Dagu. How can I sing with it?" Shang Xirui answered.

The girl who played Dagu tilted her head and looked at them. Mr Huang shook his head. "You don't know him? This is Shang Xirui."

The girl was surprised. She looked at Shang Xirui, her eyes shining "How could I not know. I'm a fan of Shang Boss!" 

Then she stomped and complained. "Oh, Mr Huang you made fun of me today. Let me show my ugliness in front of Jiao er!"

Everyone laughed, Shang Xirui also smiled, pulled his hand away from Mr Huang and pinched the girl, "Don't say that, all line of art are the same. You are also an expert in the field of playing Dagu."

Shang Xirui rarely hangs out on weekdays to protect his throat. He rarely attends events like this. Therefore, some people only knew the name Shang Xirui but never saw him.

Shang Xirui stood up slowly. "What do you want to hear? How about Peach Blossom Fan?"

There is no objection. Shang Xirui started singing. His voice drifted into the house, the sound of dance music in the park was covered by his voice. 

Everyone stopped dancing and searched for the origin of the sound.

The chatter in the card room slowly died down as everyone listened to Shang Xirui's singing. His voice was too clear, the midst of cigarette smoke in the room seemed to be blown away.

Cheng Fengtai held his cigarette and listened. This time when he listened to Shang Xirui's singing, there was a subtle feeling of meeting an old friend. It was very pleasant.

After a while, a young woman who was dancing in the park, rushed in. She looked at Shang Xirui, then he hugged Mr Huang's neck and said like a spoilt child. "Papa...Papa...lend us this singer for a while, just for a while"

Mr Huang scolded her, "Call Shang Boss!"

"Fine... fine... Shang Boss, Shang Boss. I'll borrow Shang Boss for a while then I'll give him back to you!" Then she stood up after kissing her father's cheek.

The girl and her group of friends pulled Shang Xirui away.

Mr Huang touched the cheek that his daughter kissed then said to everyone around him. "It's strange that young people are interested in hearing Opera!"

Everyone laughed, "I don't hear Opera music because I can't see what's so good about it but Shang Xirui has a beautiful face, his voice sounds great. Who wouldn't love him?"

Cheng Fengtai saw Shang Xirui being pulled by the young people out of the hall. His figure is slim and lighter as moonlight, soft and handsome.

Miss Huang who dragged him here and there looked fat and round like a silly elder sister.

When they passed through the mahjong room, Miss Huang jumped and wrapped her arms around Cheng Fengtai's neck. "Brother Cheng, will you dance with me later?"

Cheng Fengtai was pushed forward because of that. The cigarette butt in his mouth almost burned the back of Miss Huang's hand. He smoked once more and then put his cigarette"Don't want to!"

Miss Huang asked flirtatiously. "Why? Why? Brother Cheng dances well."

Cheng Fengtai forced his lips to smile. "Right, since I'm already good, why should I dance? I want to practice my cars skills now."

The others laughed. "Miss, don't bother Second Master. He didn't bring his sister tonight. Without his lucky star, he has already lost the first round. Those who loose all their red cards cannot leave the table"

Miss Huang grinned. "Then Fan Lian, you go!"

Fan Lian and Cheng Fengtai were sitting face to face again today. Fan Lian looked at the card intensely. It seemed he was the one with the red cards. "I don't want to either"

Miss Huang raised her brows.

"Hey! You!"

The others laughed again. "Brother Lian is lucky today. It looks like he wants to make his brother in law lose all out until only his pants are left. He can't leave the table anymore! Miss, go play outside, there's too much smoke here, you will get chocked"

Miss Huang stared at Fan Lian, let go of Cheng Fengtai and went outside to play. Not long after, the sound of ice and snow by Shang Xirui was heard again. It seemed that this time he was singing Yu Tang Chun.

Cheng Fengtai lit a cigarette and narrowed his eyes at Fan Lian.

"Why don't you go? Afraid that Miss Huang likes you?"

Fan Lian stared back at Cheng Fengtai. "Don't speak carelessly at other people's homes! I didn't go because i wanted to win back all my losses from the other day. How about you? Still holding on to your pride so badly even though you have lost a lot. Really want to go home with just your pants?"

"Me? I don't want to play with children" Cheng Fengtai said.

Mrs Huang at the next table heard this sentence. "That's not true. Our Miss is 17 years old this year. How about Mr Cheng? 22 or 23?"

Cheng Fengtai sighed, "Don't talk about age. I always feel that I am old. I feel I am more suitable to be Miss Huang's father"

Mrs Huang turned around and hit him. "Want to be her father? better die"

Fan Lian sighed. "Because I'm always with you, I also feel old"

Both of them sighed in unison.

Young Cheng Fengtai grew up in the warmth of a family but then he had to fight alone in the business world making him become precorious.

Fan Lian, son of a traditional family who still adheres to customs, he was required to be polite and follow the rules.

Even though they are still in their early twenties, unlike their peers, they mix and socialize among middle aged people.

****

At Ten o'clock that night, the party continues. Shang Xirui still sings while sitting in the garden.

Cheng Fengtai lost 3000 pieces. His buttocks hurt, his brain was tired. He finished the tea in his cup and put out his cigarette then gave a signal to Mrs Huang. "Big nephew, excuse me. I want to go to the bathroom first"

The nephew of the Huang family hit Cheng Fengtai. "What big nephew, I am only three years older than you. You are embarrassing!"

Fan Lian anxiously hit the table and shouted. "Brother in law must not go. You pretend you want to pee when in reality, you want to run away"

Cheng Fengtai took two pieces of mahjong stones and threw them at Fan Lian's head.

The garden is covered with lanterns. The group of young people no longer danced around. Cheng Fengtai glanced at them and saw that their eyes already looked drunk. Oftentimes, watching people seems much more interesting than watching dramas.

Shang Xirui's long white gown was very eye catching with a bright red plum blossom pinned to the gown. It was like a red dot in the snow, like a brooch with matching colors. Singing at events like these was more tiring than singing in the theater because he could not rest.

"Miss Huang, I can't sing anymore"

Miss Huang pulled Shang Xirui's hand. "Then let's dance!"

Shang Xirui was stunned, unwilling to accept Miss Huang's invitation. Instead of dancing, he would rather sing.

"I..will sing one more song for you"

Cheng Fengtai felt strange seeing her like this. A modern student girl but her attitude was so shameless, Shang Xirui could die from exhaustion because of her so Cheng Fengtai decided to do a good deed by saving this beauty.

He walked toward the crowd laughing. "Mr Huang has been waiting for Shang Boss for a long time. Are you still holding him here? Go to the theater if you want to hear Shang Boss sing."

In order to avoid an argument with Miss Huang, Cheng Fengtai quickly grabbed Shang Xirui by the hand and pulled him away. Miss Huang who did not have time to hold Shang Xirui finally only stomped her feet with a frown.

Shang Xirui's wrist which was in Cheng Fengtai's hand was rather thin, slightly cold like Jade. His facial expression is also cold sometimes absent minded. He also doesn't talk much. There was no such charm in him that people gossipped about. He was even more like a quiet, serious student.

Cheng Fengtai took him through the park, crossing a small bridge to a hidden place beside the pool. He smiled. "Shang Boss really obeyed their wishes singing for less more an hour. I who only heard it felt tired too."

Shang Xirui smiled and wanted to say something but he could not speak after forcing his throat to sing. He frowned.

Cheng Fengtai waved his hand, "Hey! Hey! Shhhh... don't talk. I also ran away. Let's just rest here for a while"

It so happened that a servant girl passed by. Cheng Fengtai called out to her, "Please bring hot tea"

Not long, the waiter brought a pot of hot tea. Cheng Fengtai poured it into a cup and handed it to Shang Xirui.

Shang Xirui never eats or drinks outside his house. He was afraid that someone might poison his throat. 

This is not because he has a suspicious and paranoid nature. Ning Juilang, his teacher and friend was treated by people who were jealous of him with this method. Being in a world like this, he must be careful.

But seeing the tea offered by Cheng Fengtai today, he felt relieved for no reason. He sat on a stone bench and drank his tea slowly, his throat feeling more comfortable.

Cheng Fengtai took a handful of gravel and stood on the edge of the pond to toss them into the water. He throws to the moon's shadow reflected like a white jade plate on the surface of the pond.

Neither of them spoke, the sound of amusement was heard from afar. Accompanied by the gentle breeze from the lotus pond, their feelings were very calm, like being in a dream.

Sheng Xirui looked at Cheng Fengtai's silhouette under the moonlight and secretly thought, This Cheng Meixin's brother was different from his sister.

His heart is kind, warm, caring and polite, better than Cheng Meixin... much better.

Cheng Fengtai suddenly turned his head and looked at Shang Xirui. He smiled while holding the gravel in his hand.

After being silent for a while, someone came. The person patted Cheng Fengtai's shoulder and laughed loudly. "Ah! Brother Cheng is apparently hiding here! Your brother in law told everyone to look for you!"

Cheng Fengtai raised his eye brows and smiled bitterly. "I must go back inside. Apparently, I will loose until I only have pants today. How about you?"

"I'm also the same as you. I have caused a lot of hassle for Mr Huang, I must accompany him to the end today." Shang Xirui answered.

Cheng Fengtai smiled. "In that case, you just sit beside me. I guarantee that nobody will bother you anymore"

Shang Xirui nodded.

Winter Begonia Chapters