trct_54

Chapter 54: The Leading Actress

The next morning, Ji Qingzhou followed his plan and went to the shop first, wrapping Shi Xuanman's qipao dress in bamboo-hemp paper and ribbon, then took the wrapped garment and rode the tram toward the Shi household on Avenue Joffre.

Though it was already early July, the plum rain season had not yet ended, and the air inside the tram was damp and humid, carrying the musty smell of something that hadn't seen sunlight in a long while.

After about twenty-some minutes, he reached his stop and hopped off the tram with practiced ease. After walking a short distance along the broad main road, he arrived at Shi Xuanman's home, where a sign reading "Baile Music House" was nailed to the wall by the entrance.

Before heading out that morning, he had specially called the Shi household to confirm that Miss Shi would be home that morning, so he made his way familiarly in through the side door, greeted the gatekeeper, and went up the stairs to the second floor.

Shi Xuanman knew he was coming, so she waited for him downstairs, reading a book in the meantime.

When Ji Qingzhou followed the maid into the sitting room, he saw Miss Shi, dressed in a summer linen robe, quietly waiting in a chair by the round table.

She looked as though she had only just gotten up not long ago and hadn't yet properly washed or dressed for the day—her hair was casually pinned up at the back of her head with a hairpin, and she sat relaxed against the back of the chair, flipping through a book.

"Mr. Ji, you're here!" Hearing footsteps announcing someone had entered, Shi Xuanman closed her book, set it on the round table, and told the maid to bring some tea and refreshments for the guest.

"No need to prepare any tea or refreshments, I'll only be sitting for a short while before I leave. I have other matters to attend to." Ji Qingzhou stopped the maid before she could go.

He then handed the paper-wrapped garment to Shi Xuanman, saying, "This time, both the sleeves and the body of the qipao are cut looser. I used the same pattern as the qipao I made for you last time as the base, just with a bit more ease added, go try it on and see if it fits well."

"All right, I'll go try it on right now." Seeing the familiar wrapping paper and feeling the distinctive softness and weight of the garment, Shi Xuanman couldn't help but smile, she loved this part, trying on new clothes.

Just as she was about to carry the garment upstairs, Ji Qingzhou happened to notice the book she'd left on the table—it turned out to be the very same "Grafting Flowers onto a Tree" he had only just finished reading the night before.

"You're reading this book too?" he asked, picking it up.

"Yes. Could it be that you're reading it as well, Mr. Ji? What a coincidence." Shi Xuanman replied, seeming equally surprised.

"I was reading it just last night. May I take a look?"

"Of course, go right ahead."

With that, Shi Xuanman hurried off to her room to try on the garment, unable to wait.

Listening to the sound of her footsteps fading away, Ji Qingzhou sat down in the chair by the black round table and, having nothing else to do, idly flipped through the book—only to discover, to his surprise, that Shi Xuanman's reading had actually been quite thorough.

Or rather, it seemed she had been reading the book with some particular purpose in mind—wherever he opened to a page, he found it filled with notes.

"This is..." After flipping through a few pages, Ji Qingzhou noticed that the notes Shi Xuanman had made all seemed to be analyses focused on the two female lead characters, and an idea suddenly took shape in his mind.

If he remembered correctly, Shi Xuanman had debuted as a film star at quite a young age—she could be said to belong to the very first generation of women in the country to take part in filmmaking.

And now, the production team behind "Grafting Flowers onto a Tree" happened to be in the middle of casting... could it be that Shi Xuanman had risen to fame precisely through the leading role in this very film?

Honestly, Ji Qingzhou thought that Miss Shi's image really did suit both female leads of "Grafting Flowers onto a Tree" remarkably well.

Whether it was Xiu Die's cleverness and cunning, her spirited boldness, or Li Yunlin's dignified beauty and gentle graciousness, Shi Xuanman's looks and bearing could carry either role convincingly.

With this thought, the female lead who had seemed so hard to picture the day before suddenly took on a vivid, three-dimensional form in his mind.

As he idly turned the pages, his thoughts wandered, absorbed in envisioning the outfit Miss Li would wear for her entrance.

Once a character that had until now existed only in the abstract took on a specific presence and face, inspiration came flooding in...

Ji Qingzhou recalled the sight of Miss Shi wearing that chinaberry blossom qipao—slender and radiant, dignified and classical, the kind of look that left no one in doubt, at first glance, of her status as a young lady from a good family.

At this thought, he immediately closed the book, took out the sketchbook he always carried with him, and flipped to a blank page, laying it on the round table. He fished out his fountain pen, uncapped it, and quickly sketched a figure with exaggerated proportions on the page.

With a few simple, fluid lines, he outlined a fitted, waist-cinching long slip dress, its overall silhouette borrowing the graceful lines of the qipao, with a low side slit designed into the skirt.

At the chest of the slip dress, he added a decorative touch of romantic wave-shaped lace trim, and paired it with a wide-sleeved silk cape jacket, the cuffs of which he also drew with lace trim spanning half the width of the forearm. The blending of Chinese and Western elements made for something exquisite and elegant, highlighting the distinctive modernity and extravagance of the era.

As for the color and pattern of the garment, the first thing that flashed through his mind was still the pale purple of chinaberry blossoms, but since he had already used that once, he set it aside and didn't consider it further.

Beyond that, although this commission hadn't been confirmed yet, since it was a film costume, he also had to take into account the film quality of the era.

It would be a black-and-white silent film, and the picture quality wouldn't be very sharp—no matter how elaborate or colorful the fabric design was, it would be hard for it to come through clearly on screen.

Just as he was considering what pattern and color scheme to use, the sound of footsteps on the stairs interrupted his train of thought.

Shi Xuanman came walking briskly down the stairs in the newly made qipao dress. As she moved, the jade-green chiffon fluttered lightly with each step, like an evening breeze drifting through the shaded groves of high summer, giving off a serene, crisp feeling.

Ji Qingzhou put his sketchbook and pen away in his bag and stood up to look at his customer trying on her new garment.

Compared to the last fitting of the chinaberry blossom qipao, when she had gone to the trouble of changing her hairstyle and putting on a bit of light makeup, this time Shi Xuanman was rather more casual, having made no such adjustments.

But being young with naturally good coloring, her hair simply pinned up, she looked lovely even bare-faced. Earlier, in the plain summer linen robe, this hadn't been especially noticeable, but once she changed into this fresh, elegant Chinese-style dress, she suddenly seemed far more clean and refined—even standing perfectly still, there was a cool, quiet air about her, like green bamboo in a temple courtyard, carrying an indescribable sense of Zen stillness.

"Well, are you happy with it?" Ji Qingzhou asked.

"Mr. Ji, your craftsmanship truly leaves me speechless. It's so comfortable, and so beautiful!" Shi Xuanman's lips curved into a smile as she turned a full circle in front of Ji Qingzhou.

The cicada-wing-thin gauze skirt fluttered lightly with her movement, and the beaded buttons on the front placket caught the light with a faint, crystalline shimmer—lively and natural, elegant and utterly refined.

"In a while, I'm planning to go to Hangzhou with my family for a few days of travel. I'll wear this one then, it's both fashionable and cool."

Shi Xuanman said this while holding back her excitement, glancing out at the overcast sky outside, silently hoping the plum rain season would end soon, so she could wear this beautiful dress out as soon as possible and enjoy a good trip with her family.

Summer in Hangzhou, huh... Ji Qingzhou quietly said a small prayer for her, hoping the weather wouldn't turn too scorching.

A little while later, Shi Xuanman paid the remaining eleven yuan balance she had already prepared.

Ji Qingzhou took the money and put it away in his bag. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the book on the table again, and, remembering the matter of the film, asked directly, "I noticed you've made quite a lot of notes analyzing the female leads in this book. Are you preparing for something in particular?"

At this question, Shi Xuanman hesitated at first, glancing toward the kitchen to make sure the maid wasn't there, and only then pulled out a chair and sat down to speak. "I do have something in mind. I'll tell you, but please don't repeat it. A while back, I saw in the newspaper that Dengli Film Company was recruiting for casting—for this very book, "Grafting Flowers onto a Tree"—they're planning to make it into a film, and they're currently selecting the leading actress.

"One of my great pastimes is watching films, so when I saw that recruitment advertisement, I wanted to try for it. But my family would certainly never agree. In my parents' eyes, film stars and the like are all just performers, lowly entertainers, absolutely not the sort of profession a daughter from a proper household ought to pursue. So I'm still torn over the matter, still weighing it in my mind."

Ji Qingzhou could understand her concerns. As far as he knew, in the early days of domestic film in this country, female roles—let alone leading roles—were all played by male actors.

Since it was Dengli Company financing this film, the decision to cast a woman for the leading actress was probably also Mr. Ramos's proposal.

Judging from what that theater owner had said about his requirements for the leading actress's costume, he clearly intended to elevate the country's very first female film star, using this to make her an overnight sensation—securing his own position as a film industry magnate while earning even more money in the process.

"So, what are you planning to do?" Ji Qingzhou asked, his tone gentle. "Given all these notes you've made, I imagine you don't intend to give up so easily, do you?"

"Mm..." Shi Xuanman hesitated for a moment. She hadn't originally meant to be so candid about it, but perhaps it was Ji Qingzhou's unfazed, unsurprised reaction after hearing all this that gave her a bit of courage, and she lowered her voice to say:

"I'm planning to secretly sign up for the audition. If I don't make it through, then so be it. But if I do get through, I'll see whether I can keep it hidden from my parents. If I can't keep it hidden, then I'll just have to lay it all out honestly with them. At least my elder brother is fairly open-minded, maybe he'll help me talk them around."

Ji Qingzhou nodded. So it was true, then—Shi Xuanman genuinely intended to try out for this leading role.

"What a coincidence, really." Ji Qingzhou said with a faint smile. "I won't hide it from you. I was actually invited yesterday to design the costumes for this very film. Though it's only an invitation so far, nothing's confirmed yet."

"Really?" Shi Xuanman's eyes widened suddenly, and only then did she understand why he had brought this up so abruptly.

She felt as though she'd found a fellow traveler on an uncertain road, and the anxious, unsettled feeling in her heart suddenly eased into calm. "So then, if I make it through the casting interview, I could wear the clothes you specially design and perform in the film?"

"On the condition that I also make it through my end, and land the commission."

"I'm sure you will. I believe in you." Shi Xuanman said lightly, then pressed her lips together and gave herself a little pep talk: "Then I really must take this audition more seriously too. Otherwise, if I ever see this film in the theater one day and see the leading lady wearing the beautiful clothes you made, I'd be so upset."

Hearing this, Ji Qingzhou let out a small laugh and encouraged her: "Then we'll just have to work hard together."

.

After leaving Shi Xuanman's house, Ji Qingzhou made a trip to the small Western-style house at No. 6 Baojian Road, spending over an hour carefully recording the large pieces of furniture he needed to buy along with their approximate size ranges.

He had already clearly worked out the functional layout for each room of the house beforehand.

On the ground floor, the entrance hall would remain an entrance hall. As for the open space on the east side, originally designed to serve as a parlor, he decided to arrange part of it as a reception room for greeting customers and selecting fabric samples, while using the rest to display finished garments—in other words, the main area of the studio open to the public.

As for the two rooms on the west side, whose original wiring and plumbing had been laid out for a kitchen and dining room, Ji Qingzhou considered it and decided to keep them for their original purposes after all.

Although he doubted he'd ever have the time or inclination to use the kitchen himself, it seemed plausible enough that he might occasionally bake some bread or brew some coffee there.

Of the four rooms upstairs, the small room in the northeast corner was the one he'd had his eye on from the very start, to serve as his design studio and office.

As for the room on the southeast side with the balcony, which had originally been meant as the master bedroom, he planned to set it up as a small reception room doubling as a fitting room—furnished with a comfortable sofa and chairs, a vanity, a full-length mirror, and the like—reserved specifically for receiving his closer, more established regular customers.

Or for when Jie Yu'an, the owner of this house, or a close friend like Luo Mingxuan, wanted to come by and sit for a while, this small reception room on the second floor would make a perfectly suitable leisure space for entertaining guests of that sort.

As for the two rooms on the west side, the one in the northwest corner would serve as storage space, for keeping fabric, pattern paper, clothes racks, wrapping paper, and other everyday supplies on hand.

The room in the southwest corner was spacious and well-lit, and its purpose was correspondingly simple—a few cutting tables and pressing tables set up, along with a sewing machine, of course—in other words, the workroom where design sketches would be turned into finished garments.

Once he'd finished listing out the soft furnishings he needed, Ji Qingzhou locked up the house and headed to the corner to catch a tram back to the Jie residence.

By the time he'd made a big loop through the French Concession and gotten home, it was already just past twelve.

By this hour, lunch was already over, but when Ji Qingzhou walked into the main dining room, he found Jie Yu'an still sitting at the table drinking tea—and, at the young master's earlier instructions, the kitchen had kept his lunch warm for him.

Seeing Ji Qingzhou had returned, the maid who usually tended to the dining room brought the food out.

Lunch today was simple as usual—two dishes and a soup, including one of Ji Qingzhou's favorites, tomato-potato stew with beef short ribs.

As he spooned up the tender, well-stewed beef and potatoes over his rice, he glanced a couple of times at Jie Yu'an's expression and asked, "Why do you look so unhappy? Don't feel like going out?"

"Annoying." Jie Yu'an's lips moved slightly as he uttered the single word, utterly toneless.

"Annoying, how?"

"You'll find out in a bit."

Ji Qingzhou had no idea what he meant. At first, he wondered if he'd come home too late, and Jie Yu'an had simply grown impatient from waiting too long—but from the tone of the reply, it didn't sound like it was aimed at him specifically.

A little while later, just as he'd quickly finished his first bowl of rice and was about to serve himself a second, a familiar loud, high-pitched voice suddenly rang out at the entrance.

"Brother Yuan, Brother Qingzhou! I'm here! Are you two ready to head out yet?"

Perhaps because of the cool weather, Luo Mingxuan had once again put on that leather jacket of his, his hair swept back flamboyantly and fixed in place with hair oil, a brown leather satchel in hand, as he strode into the dining room with an air of swagger, looking every bit the nouveau riche.

"Head out? Where to?" Ji Qingzhou asked, puzzled.

"Didn't Brother Yuan say you two were going furniture shopping?"

Luo Mingxuan pulled out the chair across from them and sat down. "Originally I wanted to invite Brother Yuan along to Brother Xin's place, to have some coffee and chat. But when I called to ask, he said he didn't have time. When I pressed him about why, that's when I found out Brother Qingzhou here is actually opening a studio! With excitement like this going on, I simply had to join in. In a bit, hop in my car, I'll drive you two to go shopping!"

"......" Ji Qingzhou glanced at Jie Yu'an's silent expression and finally understood why he'd said "annoying" earlier.

Bringing along such a chatterbox really was rather annoying.

Still, Ji Qingzhou had a fairly good impression of Luo Mingxuan. The kid was scatterbrained at times, but he was quite the talker—with him around, there was never an awkward moment where no one had anything to say.

Unlike Jie Yu'an, who, out of every ten sentences in a conversation, had nine laced with thorns and the tenth a silent sulk.

"Sure, then, you can be the driver," Ji Qingzhou readily agreed. "Which furniture shop should we go to first?"

"If you don't mind waiting a few months, there's Woodware Street in the southern city. It's a bit far, and being in the Chinese-administered district, it might be a little chaotic, but the carpenters there have excellent craftsmanship. Traditional style, Shanghai style, whatever style of furniture you want, you can just have it custom-made, and the prices are reasonable too."

Luo Mingxuan offered the suggestion, "Of course, if you don't want to wait, then there's Changfeng Furniture House, that's the Jie family's own business. You can generally find any furniture you need there."

"Keeping the profits in the family, is that it?" Ji Qingzhou said with a smile, and seeing that the one footing the bill had no objections, he settled the matter with a final word: "All right, let's go to Changfeng first, then."

Previous | TOC | Next