Chapter 13 Dancing

Gu Zhiye was trained by Old Yan, who treated him as his own son. His marriage was a matter that needed careful consideration…

As expected, the family quarters were off-limits, and the coachman had to take the two siblings to a nearby guesthouse instead. The small two-story brick-and-cement building had a high counter at the entrance. A woman in her thirties was dozing while fanning herself with a large leaf fan.

Su Niannian placed the letter of introduction from Captain Song on the counter and explained their situation. The woman’s tone was stiff as she said, “A standard room is forty cents per night. Meals aren’t included, and if you want water, you’ll need to fetch it from the courtyard yourself. Room 105 — you can find it yourself.”

Su Jianshan was experiencing his first trip to town and was curious about everything. He carried their luggage and followed Su Niannian down the corridor until they reached the third room from the last. Pushing the door open, he was greeted by peeling walls. Inside were two iron-framed beds separated by a wooden board, with the curtains left wide open. Opposite them was a small table with a worn-down thermos, and near the doorway stood a washstand with a somewhat chipped basin.

Su Jianshan fell directly down on the nearest iron-framed bed, causing it to creak under his weight. Frightened, he jumped up and scratched his head. “Maybe I should just sleep on the floor.” His two dark circles were heavy — after rushing to Lianhua Village upon receiving Su Niannian’s distress call, he hadn’t rested much, even on the train. Thinking of this, Su Niannian felt a rush of guilt. Without further delay, she drew the curtain to separate their spaces and said quietly but firmly, “Rest here. I’ll go buy us something to eat.”

Su Jianshan nodded happily — “Okay”— and fell back down, tugging the quilt up to his chin. The moment the door closed, he began to roll back and forth under the covers.

Walking out of the guesthouse, turning to the right, was the state-owned restaurant. It was already past mealtimes, and there weren’t many choices left. Su Niannian simply bought six large meat buns to bring back.

The town’s streets were quiet, except for a long queue in front of the first department store. The food, oil, and meat department were all packed with people, bags and basins in hand, eager and waiting… The food rations for the new delivery were probably being handed out — no wonder there was a crowd.

Such bustling activity had nothing to do with Su Niannian. She turned and walked in the opposite direction. Among the busy crowd, a voice suddenly called out in disbelief: “Niannian?” “Su Niannian——!”

Su Niannian turned and locked eyes with Principal Chen, whose hair was combed neatly. He was holding a basin, about to step out of the line, when someone pressed him back. “Old Chen, pork’s hard to come by these days — you’re limited to a pound per person. Are you sure you want to miss it just for this…?” Principal Chen smilingly explained, “That’s my student… that’s my student!”

To avoid putting him in a difficult spot, Su Niannian darted forward. As soon as she drew close, everyone fell silent, turning their gaze toward her — skin as smooth as porcelain, eyes glimmering — a rare kind of radiance. Everyone whispered quietly, wondering whose daughter this was. Principal Chen excitedly grabbed her hand. “Where have you been all this time? Your parents couldn’t even tell me! The arts troupe in the capital wrote several letters asking about you. Are you thinking of dropping out?”

Su Niannian’s nose grew a little sour. “Principal… it’s a long story. I can’t go to the capital.”

Teacher Chen seemed to be somewhat distressed by rumors from the Chen family. She turned to look closely at Su Niannian’s thinner face — a face that made her heart ache — and said softly, “Are you staying in Ning County now?”
“That’s kind of the case.”

“The capital is a holy place for all performers. If you’re selected, you start higher than everyone else. You’re the student I trained with my own hands — I know your struggles and your tears. Didn’t you go abroad for this very opportunity? Niannian, do you still want to perform in a troupe…?”

In her previous life, even a broken leg hadn’t kept Su Niannian from following her dream — replaying recordings of her favorite dances over and over at home. At home and abroad, there were many recordings that Jin Chuan had collected for her. So when she learned that it was him who had injured her, causing her eventual downfall, it shattered her. She truly, profoundly liked to dance — both in this life and the last. Thinking about this, her eyes grew moist. “…I do.”

Principal Chen sighed in relief. “I knew I hadn’t been mistaken about you. The county’s arts troupe is currently expanding, and their recruiter, Mr. Fu, is a friend of mine. Come to the Steel Factory’s family quarters tomorrow, and I’ll take you there. You can start from the bottom and work your way up.”

For some strange reason, Su Niannian suddenly thought of Gu Zhiye. Without thinking, she asked, “Principal… do performers have marriage restrictions?”
He gave her a piercing look. “General performers aren’t supposed to get married casually. You either wait until you’re promoted or you’re a wife of a deputy battalion commander or above.”

That seemed a bit restrictive. Su Niannian hurriedly waved her hands. “Just asking… just curious.”
For her own peace of mind, she hadn’t told him about Gu Zhiye. In a way, their marriage hadn’t been finalized — there was no marriage certificate, only their honoring of ancestors in the ancestral hall. So helping him handle his family’s affairs today, and then pursuing her own happiness, was not a violation — even if it were later exposed, with his battalion commander’s power, there would be a way forward. With that newfound confidence, everything fell into place.

When Su Niannian made it back to the guesthouse, a visible happiness glowed in her expression. She placed the boiling water and meat buns on the table and called to Su Jianshan to wake up and eat. Seeing his sister smiling warmly made the worries weighing him down ease. His own worries fell away, and he opened his mouth, stuffing a meat bun in, while mumbling, “Sister… since brother-in-law isn’t in the army… shall we go back to Xiangyang Village? Grandma said she can take care of you for the rest of your life…”

Su Niannian fell silent for a moment before smiling, “Go back… and farm for the rest of our lives? Brother, honestly, I don’t like staying in the countryside. Do you remember what I’m good at?”

Su Jianshan’s dark eyes blinked. “Dancing.”
Having her passion recognized by her brother filled Su Niannian’s heart with happiness. “I’m going to pursue that passion and make a living from it.”

Su Jianshan suddenly fell into a heavy fit of coughing, turning red in the face. After he forced down a piece of food, he said in disbelief, “Dancing… at weddings and funerals?!”