Chapter 71: A Familiar Melody (Please Collect)

  A few people sat in the living room, chatting casually at first. Yichun played a piece on her pipa and sang a little ditty, Zhang Zhaowu was extremely enthusiastic, praising her to no end. Huang Li, however, found it somewhat dull, as he had trouble understanding the soft language of Wu dialect that she used in her song. Of course, this was all part of the high-class brothel's etiquette and rules, not like those lower-class brothels where you could just walk in, take off your pants, and get a quick fix.

  During this time, Chun invited Huang Li to sit in her room several times. Huang Li thought it was all the same to be in anyone's room, as long as they were pretending to be elegant and not seeing each other naked or engaging in intimate physical contact. It wasn't until Zhang Zhao whispered a few words into his ear that he realized this wasn't the case. Apparently, for someone like him who was visiting for the first time, if he didn't go to the person's room, it wouldn't be considered an official visit, and therefore it would be impolite to ask for money, which was also a rule of the brothel.

  Huang Li followed Zhang Zhaoyi and left with Hanchun. He also wanted to give Zhang Zhaoyi some convenience, it can be seen that this guy has a crush on Yichun, his temporary departure is also a good thing for adults.

  In a high-class brothel, each prostitute has her own separate room, and the furnishings are quite particular. The earliest were traditional Chinese-style old beds made of red wood, later there were Simmons soft beds, brass bed frames, carved wooden screens; also various decorations that were fashionable at the time, some as exquisite as those in a respectable lady's boudoir. On the walls hung calligraphic works by famous people of the time, all designed to create an atmosphere conducive to seduction.

  Han Chun's room was not as elegant as Yi Chun's, but it was still tastefully decorated. After entering the house, Han Chun poured tea and brought out two plates of fruit before closing the door and chatting with Huang Li in a cheerful manner.

  Huang Li slowly sipped his tea, responding casually. This Huan Chun belonged to the kind of petite and delicate southern woman, not quite reaching the level of stunning beauty that could entice fish to sink or birds to fall from the sky, but rather had very pale skin and a small, upturned mouth with curved corners. What Huang Li appreciated was that when she smiled, it seemed slightly awkward, making her appear less worldly and sophisticated. Of course, Huang Li's aesthetic standards were somewhat different from those of people at the time, just like how modern people might look at a photo of Sai Jinhua, a famous courtesan, and say she wasn't pretty at all.

  After a while, Huan Chun thought of adjusting the atmosphere and said: "Mr. Huang, I'm not as good at singing Jiangnan folk songs as Yichun sister, nor can I play the piano, because I didn't practice hard when I was young, so I had to learn something else in a hurry, that's much worse. Would you like to hear me sing a new song?

  Huang Li nodded and picked up the fruit on the table, using a knife to peel it.

  "I don't know why, sorrow surrounds me. I pray every day to drive away the loneliness of love. That day, you told me that you would love me forever. A thousand words and ten thousand languages, swept away like floating clouds..." Chun Xian saw the yellow calendar and didn't refuse, so she opened her mouth and started singing.

  The originally sharp and stable fruit knife stopped, this melody, these lyrics, why did they give him a sense of déjà vu.

  "Sing it again." The song ended, Huang Li hesitated for a moment before speaking.

  Han Chun was delighted that his singing seemed to have won Huang Li's approval, and he hastily took a sip of tea before continuing to sing.

  Huang Li furrowed his brow in thought, this song was somewhat familiar, as if it evoked some memories in his mind, yet it was elusive and obscure, unable to grasp the thread.

  "Mr. Huang, Mr. Huang." Hanchun's call awakened Huang Li from his brief trance.

  Huang Li gazed at Han Chun, seemingly lost in thought, before breaking into a smile and asking warmly, "This song is sung very well, who did you learn it from?"

  Huan Chun smiled and said: "I learned from a singing machine, there are also several good songs, Mr. Huang wants to listen?"

  Huang Li hesitated for a moment and then asked again: "Who is the original singer after all? Tell me."

  Han Chun nodded and walked to the bedside, took out a magazine from under the pillow, handed it to Huang Li, and pointed to the person on the colorful cover: "It's her, Murong Lingxue, Shanghai's newly rising superstar, with the most momentum, about to surpass Hu Die."

  Huang Li looked at the magazine in his hand, which was a famous Shanghai "Liangyou Pictorial", and felt a sense of strangeness from the cover girl's dress and makeup. At that time, the most popular fashion for women was cheongsam, with big waves, heavy makeup, but this girl's clothes, makeup and posture were all somewhat unconventional. However, they perfectly showed off her long legs, deep cleavage and round buttocks, not only was her figure fiery, but her facial features were also delicate and elegant.

  After turning over the cover, there is even the latest news of this new star. It is said that this rising singing star, who has made a name for himself with songs like "Thousand Words and Ten Thousand Languages", "Small Town Story" and "Smoke Again", has also entered the film industry. His self-directed and self-acted film "This Killer Is Not Too Cold" has been taken over by Star Film Company and is currently in intense production, expected to meet audiences by the end of the year. Moreover, the magazine also published a few photos of Shanghai's most famous actresses, creating momentum for next year's Film Queen election.

  In that era, Hollywood movies were absolutely the most fashionable thing to watch in cinemas across the country. At the end of 1929, Hollywood superstars Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford arrived in Shanghai, a city at the forefront of Chinese cinema, marking the first stop on their world tour. The couple returned again in 1931. The media heavily publicized their visit, sparking a frenzy among film enthusiasts that showed no signs of abating. The "Mingxing Daily" newspaper took advantage of the momentum to organize an election event. The first rule of the election was straightforward: "This newspaper is launching a 'Film Queen Election' in order to increase reader interest, following the example of European and American newspapers."

  During the election, the "Mingxing Daily" published detailed voting numbers and other information daily, attracting widespread attention from the film industry and citizens. The number of voters increased day by day, even affecting major cities such as Beiping, Tianjin, Hankou, Nanjing, and Japanese movie fans. Under the spotlight, the circulation of "Mingxing Daily" rivaled that of the famous "Shenbao" and "News Daily".

  The competition for the queen was concentrated among Chen Yumei, Hu Die and Ruan Lingyu. In the end, Hu Die won the crown, Chen Yumei took second place, and Ruan Lingyu followed closely behind. Having tasted success, Mingxing Daily and Liangyou Pictorial joined hands again to hold a second film queen election next year.

  He flipped through the yellow calendar for a while, and couldn't quite get into it. Murong Lingxue was very beautiful, and compared to old-fashioned movie stars like Hu Die, her image was more vibrant and youthful. But as for Huang Li, he didn't have any special feelings about her. Yet, why did her songs give him that feeling, that faintly nostalgic feeling?

  "Isn't she very pretty?" Chun Hua saw Huang Li's somewhat dazed expression and couldn't help but regret why she had to take out this magazine, shifting the man's interest away from herself.

  Huang Li raised his head, returned the magazine to Hanchun, and smiled: "You sing a few more songs, I like listening."

  …………