Chapter 00217: Rain Beats the Tattered Banana Leaves (1)
# Rain Beats the Tattered Banana Leaves (1)
Chapter 217
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 217: Rain Beats the Tattered Banana Leaves (1)
Pitter-patter, pitter-patter!
Pitter-patter, pitter-patter!
It was a day of scattered showers—light rain that came and went, teasing the pedestrians below while bringing a touch of coolness to the stifling summer heat.
It was just past noon.
Gong Xue had left the film set early, rushing to buy groceries before heading straight to Lechun Lane.
She wore a pink hooded raincoat and red rain boots, riding a delicate women’s bicycle.
The basket in front was filled with a woven container packed with fresh vegetables and fruits she had just bought.
These days, plastic bags were nowhere to be found.
Vegetables were carried in baskets, tofu had to be fetched with a bowl, meat was wrapped in paper, fish had to be tied with straw ropes, and fruits were bundled in mesh bags…
After riding for a while, she stopped.
The vegetables in the basket seemed about to spill, so she pushed them back in, but they still wobbled precariously.
She had no choice but to lean forward, gripping the handlebars with one hand while steadying the basket with the other.
She rode on for a bit longer, her heart lifting as she neared Lechun Lane.
Excited, she sped up—only for the sound of tires splashing through puddles to suddenly roar behind her, followed by a loud:
HONK!
The blaring horn of a bus startled her.
She jerked in surprise, lost her balance, and—
Thud!
She crashed onto the ground.
"Ouch!"
Gritting her teeth against the pain, she took a moment to recover before gingerly moving her limbs.
Nothing seemed broken, so she got up, righted her bike, and gathered the scattered groceries.
A quick glance told her they were now smeared with mud, and some were even ruined.
"What a waste… They were all so fresh."
Gong Xue sighed at the loss but mounted her bike again.
Thankfully, she was nearly there.
When she arrived at Lechun Lane, Chen Qi was waiting in the alley and led her to Courtyard No. 6. For a moment, she barely recognized the place.
It had been a while since her last visit, and she had never seen the courtyard fully renovated.
The old wooden gate was gone, replaced by a grand new entrance—three steps leading up to a pair of vermilion double doors, framed by a wide, imposing gatehouse with ornate beams.
"Come on, I’ll show you around first!"
The two stepped inside, greeted by a screen wall carved with plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums.
A large water vat sat beneath it, while to the right, a moon gate led to a storage room.
Gong Xue had seen traditional courtyard houses before, and so far, this one fit the style perfectly.
But when they turned left, things changed.
In a typical courtyard home, the front yard was small, with just a row of side rooms and an ornate inner gate.
But Chen Qi had skipped the inner gate entirely—he wasn’t fond of traditional layouts, seeing them as a waste of space.
Instead, he had designed two complete courtyards, one behind the other.
The front yard now housed three side rooms, all fitted with large, bright windows.
Inside, desks and chairs were already arranged, making the space open and dignified.
"This’ll be the magazine’s office. It can easily fit over a dozen people."
To the left and right were two more rooms each, plus a separate kitchen.
A few areas were still unfinished, set to be completed by autumn.
"These are staff quarters. Each room can fit four people, but for now, we’ll just have two per room—more space to stretch out."
The main hall in the front yard consisted of three large rooms and two smaller side chambers.
"These three—one is my office with Lao Liang, one is his private room, and the last is his sitting room, which can also double as a reception area."
"Wow! This place is even better than Lao Liang’s old apartment. He’ll be thrilled."
Gong Xue looked around with genuine admiration before pausing.
"Huh? There’s no door here. How do we get to the back courtyard?"
"Like I said, privacy matters. The back courtyard isn’t just for anyone to wander into. Follow me!"
Chen Qi led her out, turning right and skirting past the side chambers before pushing through a narrow passageway.
Another door waited there, and beyond it lay the back courtyard.
"This door locks from the inside. Beyond here is my private space."
The back courtyard’s layout was similar, with two rooms on each side and a small kitchen.
The difference lay in the main hall—it was built with an extra half-level, featuring a loft and a balcony that faced inward.
From the front yard, the view was blocked by the main hall’s roof, ensuring privacy.
Who cared about building codes these days? That was something people worried about decades later.
Even then, two-story courtyard houses still existed within Beijing’s Second Ring Road—owned only by the wealthy and well-connected.
Chen Qi guided her upstairs.
Since the back faced the street, the windows weren’t overly large, but they were sufficient.
With a flourish, he pulled open the curtains.
"Take a look!"
Gong Xue leaned forward—and her eyes widened.
"Shichahai?!"
"Call it a lakeview house. What do you think?"
"I never imagined your place would turn out so beautiful! How many rooms are there in total?"
"Over twenty. Traditional courtyards waste too much space. Mine’s both stylish and practical. The whole plot is 800 square meters, with plenty of yard space. I’m thinking of planting a pomegranate tree first."
"Mm, trees are nice. Oh, I see there’s a small gate in the back too?"
"Yep. Lets you come and go without passing through the front."
Like Yu Xiuli before her, Gong Xue was utterly enchanted.
Chen Qi then showed her the large drafting table in the left chamber of the back courtyard.
"This is the study and library. Check out this desk."
"Wow!"
Gong Xue hurried over, her eyes sparkling as she ran her hands over the smooth surface.
"This… this is…?"
"Bought it for you. Like it?"
"Yes, yes, yes! You know how cramped my place is. When I was a kid learning to paint, I had to kneel on stools. I’ve always wanted a proper space for drawing—a table this big could fit several people!"
Overjoyed, she turned and threw her arms around Chen Qi’s neck.
They shared a warm moment, but when their movements grew a bit too lively, she suddenly winced.
"What’s wrong?"
"My leg hurts a little. I fell on the way here."
"Why didn’t you say so earlier? Let me see!"
Chen Qi had her sit on the daybed and rolled up her pant leg, revealing a dark bruise—clearly from the bike landing on her.
"Does it hurt badly?"
"It’s nothing. Remember when I marched dozens of miles a day during military training?"
Gong Xue rubbed the spot dismissively before pulling her pant leg back down with a smile.
"It’s about time to start cooking. The others will be here soon."
…………
The rain had stopped again.
A little past dusk, Liang Xiaosheng and Jiao Dan arrived on one bicycle, while Jet Li and Ji Chunhua rode in on another.
The moment they saw the courtyard, exclamations of awe erupted.
Ji Chunhua, being a rough-and-tumble sort, didn’t show much emotion, but Jet Li was visibly envious.
Liang Xiaosheng, especially, was pleased—Chen Qi had given him, as the magazine’s editor-in-chief, the respect he deserved.
Friendship was one thing, but benefits were another.
It was important to keep things clear.
Jiao Dan was even more satisfied.
The cramped corridors of the Beijing Film Studio’s dormitory were always packed with people.
Here, he could shut the door and have his own peaceful space—and Lao Liang was the boss here too!
Gong Xue and Jiao Dan prepared a table full of dishes, and the six of them ate and drank merrily.
Naturally, the conversation turned to Chen Qi’s trip to Hong Kong, but he wasn’t keen on discussing it.
Steering the topic back to the magazine, he said, "Since we’re all here, let’s settle on a name. Any ideas?"
"How about Starting Point? Symbolizing the magazine’s beginning—and the start of popular literature?" Liang Xiaosheng suggested.
"Meh. Next!"
"Read Literature? As in, ‘read all the world’s writings’?"
"Nine is the ultimate number, one is the origin—beginning and end in harmony. Why not call it 91?"
All six tossed out suggestions, the discussion lively and chaotic.
In the end, Chen Qi made the final call.
"Someone mentioned ‘the vast world,’ and others said ‘strange tales.’ How about combining them? Let’s call it World’s Strange Tales!"
(Note: Today isn’t a two-chapter day.
The next chapter is still under review…)
(End of Chapter)