Chapter 00082: A Shanghai Household
# A Shanghai Household
Chapter 82
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 82: A Shanghai Household
A "longtang" can be understood as a narrow alley.
At the entrance of the longtang, there is usually a large iron gate.
Once inside, you find yourself in a narrow lane lined with rows of Shikumen houses on both sides.
A single Shikumen house typically has seven or eight rooms, including bedrooms, side rooms, a pavilion room, a kitchen, and more.
Much like the courtyard houses in Beijing, Shikumen houses have become lively places where multiple families live together, with people of all ages bustling about.
On this particular morning, a longtang on Chongqing North Road in Shanghai was already bustling with activity.
Neighbors leaned out of their small windows, calling out to a group of people below.
"Your whole family is out so early... Oh, your Xiaoxue is back! It's been a year since we last saw her. She's grown even more beautiful!"
"Yes, we just picked her up... Xiaoxue, this is Auntie Wang!"
"Auntie Wang!"
"Good, good. Come over for a meal sometime."
Under the watchful eyes of the neighbors and the cover of countless clotheslines, Gong Xue, looking travel-weary, was ushered into a Shikumen house by her family.
Although the courtyard houses in Beijing also housed multiple families, each family had their own separate dwelling.
In contrast, the Shikumen was a single building shared by three families, each occupying two rooms.
The kitchen was shared, and there was no private bathroom.
The other two families were colleagues of Gong Xue's father, and they got along reasonably well.
As soon as she entered, she was warmly greeted by the neighbors, and after some small talk, she finally made it to her own room.
The small room instantly felt crowded.
Gong Xue's father was in his fifties, with a lean face and bright eyes.
Her mother, surnamed Zhuang, had delicate features and bore a strong resemblance to Gong Xue.
She had previously worked as a government official and, after retiring, took up a supporting role at the Shanghai People's Fine Arts Publishing House.
Gong Xue's maternal grandfather, Zhuang Xianshi, was from Changzhou.
He had been a minor official during the late Qing dynasty and had studied in Japan around the same time as Lu Xun.
Upon returning to China, he established a women's normal school and became one of the pioneers of modern education in Changzhou.
Later, he worked in the Ministry of Education under the Nationalist government.
During the Japanese invasion, he refused an invitation from the puppet government in Nanjing and instead became a teacher.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he served as a member of the Shanghai Cultural and Historical Museum and was on good terms with figures like Lü Simian and Ba Jin.
Zhuang Xianshi passed away in 1965. Though not a famous figure, he was a respected local scholar, and his contributions are well-documented in historical records.
However, because of his background, Gong Xue's family home was raided, and many of the paintings and calligraphy pieces he had collected were confiscated.
Gong Xue had an older brother and sister.
Her brother worked in the publishing industry as an artist, while her sister worked in a factory.
She also had a younger sister named Gong Ying, who later became an actress and starred in films like The Baos and Ji Gong.
This was the makeup of her family.
With Gong Xue's return, the family had much to catch up on.
They talked, cried, laughed, and then cried again.
After a while, Mother Zhuang got up to prepare a meal.
Today, they were celebrating Gong Xue's homecoming, and the other two families, understanding the occasion, graciously gave up the kitchen for the day.
Her older brother and sister, both married and living on their own, left after the meal.
Gong Ying, still young, lived with their parents.
With Gong Xue back, she would share a bed with her younger sister.
...
Night fell in the blink of an eye.
Gong Xue had spent two days on the train, but the joy of being home had completely washed away her fatigue.
She leaned against the bed, flipping through the manuscript Chen Qi had given her under the dim light.
The contents were strange—apart from the eerie "jar person," there were descriptions of "flowing water murals that you could hear and feel in your mind," "candles in paintings that could be lit with a touch," "flying roasted chickens," and "chicken noodle soup that could be eaten directly from the painting by using your hand as a knife and the painting as a bowl."
This was pure feudal superstition!
On the mainland, this kind of thing would get you shot five times over.
But Gong Xue knew Chen Qi didn't do anything reckless.
There had to be another purpose behind it.
"Sis!"
Gong Ying, fresh from washing up, jumped onto the bed.
Gong Xue lifted the blanket and pulled her in.
The two sisters looked strikingly alike, a pair of beautiful siblings.
"What are you looking at? Huh, what's this jar person? It looks so weird!"
"I don't know either. A friend asked me to draw it for him."
"He asked, and you just agreed? Aren't you afraid of getting caught? You'd be in big trouble!"
"I kept it hidden in the army. I only brought it home to work on it."
Gong Xue put down the manuscript and hugged her younger sister, laughing.
"When I was filming Romance on Lushan Mountain, this friend helped me a lot. Now he's asking for a small favor. How can I not repay him? I'm just worried I won't do a good job and mess things up for him. I'll ask Mom and Dad for advice tomorrow."
"Hmm..."
Gong Ying gave her a teasing look and shook her head.
"You're different. You're not the same as last year."
"What do you mean, different?"
"You're just... different. I can't put it into words."
"You're just a kid. What do you know? Stop talking nonsense."
"Ugh, you're like a flower blooming. I've never seen you care so much about anyone before. Asking Mom and Dad for advice? Who are you trying to impress?"
"Keep talking, and I'll hit you!"
Gong Xue suddenly blushed with embarrassment, and the two sisters started playfully wrestling, laughing and rolling around on the bed.
Their noise must have been a bit too loud because their father's voice came from the next room.
"Xiaoxue, are you still awake?"
"Yes, I'm not sleepy yet."
"Your mom's still up too. Come over and chat for a bit?"
"..."
Gong Xue shot her sister a look, then wrapped herself in a coat and went to the other room.
Her father was already sitting in a chair, and her mother reached out with a smile.
"Come here, don't catch a cold!"
"Ha!"
In front of her parents, Gong Xue reverted to her childlike self, slipping into the room with a grin.
"Dad, what did you want to talk about?"
"Your mother and I have been discussing the letter you sent us. We didn't reply because we wanted to wait until you came home to have a proper conversation. After all, this is a big decision that will affect your life."
Gong Xue's father spoke in a refined manner, continuing, "Our family knows some people at the Shanghai Film Studio, and your Auntie Zhang Ruifang has put in a good word for you. But the studio is a crowded place, and it's not just one person's decision. Getting you transferred there won't be easy."
Zhang Ruifang was an actress at the Shanghai Film Studio, known for her roles in The South Campaign and Li Shuangshuang.
She was also one of the 22 Great Film Stars of New China.
"The main issue is that you haven't worked on any Shanghai Film Studio productions before. The leadership doesn't know you, so they won't just transfer you in without reason. Didn't you say Romance on Lushan Mountain was coming along well? Will it be released this year?"
Her mother asked.
"If everything goes smoothly, it should be out by summer."
"Then let's wait until Romance on Lushan Mountain is released. After that, we'll try to pull some strings and see if we can get you into the Shanghai Film Studio. If that doesn't work out, we suggest you consider the Beijing Film Studio. They seem quite interested in you, don't they?"
"But I want to stay close to you!"
Gong Xue pursed her lips.
"Silly child, your main goal is to become a professional actress. To do that, you need to join a film studio first. It doesn't matter which one. Once you're in the Beijing Film Studio, your schedule will be more flexible. When you have work, you can film, and when you don't, you can come back to visit us. It's the same either way."
It had to be said, her parents were quite perceptive.
Joining a studio was the first step into the film industry, and only then could she climb higher.
Gong Xue had been stubborn, insisting on returning home.
But now, hearing her parents' reasoning, she felt there was some truth to it.
"Alright, I'll listen to you. I'll go wherever I can. I'll be able to do the dubbing for Romance on Lushan Mountain when I go back after the Spring Festival."
"Good. Make sure to let us know when it's released!"
Her mother ruffled her hair, and after a bit more small talk, Gong Xue returned to her room.
Gong Ying was already asleep.
Gong Xue climbed into bed quietly, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts.
In the end, it all boiled down to one thing: she needed to finish the painting first.
(End of Chapter)