A Life of Attributes Starting as a Nobleman in the Republic of China Era

Zhabei District is a gathering place for small and medium-sized Chinese businesses in Shanghai. It has less of the glitz and glamour of the old Shanghai and more of the vibrant energy of Chinese businesses revitalizing the country.

Li Yu pulled Chen Che across Hengfeng Road Bridge. The three-story independent building of the Central Martial Arts Academy flashed past them, and Chen Che subconsciously pulled up the brim of his hat.

Leaving the bustling downtown area and heading north from the lively Datong Road, the surrounding scenery gradually changes.

The sounds of cars and people that had been crowding around me faded away. The asphalt road had unknowingly turned into a road mixed with gravel and dirt, making a crunching sound underfoot.

The houses along the roadside have also changed. The high-rise buildings are gone, replaced by low bungalows and thatched huts supported by bamboo poles.

At the base of the wall, three or five porters, their skin tanned dark by the sun, squatted in a row, their carrying poles draped over their shoulders. Several bricklayers, having just finished work, had taken off their straw sandals and were leaning against the wall, basking in the sun.

This is what Shanghainese call a "lower corner." It's the shadow behind the prosperity, the indelible mud stains on the hem of Shanghai's elegant cheongsams.

Li Yu parked his rickshaw in front of a dilapidated rickshaw puller's hut and peered inside. It was busy time of day, and the hut was empty.

Chen Che carefully looked around, checked his watch, and asked Li Yu, "Where are your parents?"

"Back in my hometown in northern Jiangsu," Li Yu replied. "I came to Shanghai alone."

"What about your brothers and sisters?"

"I have an older sister who is already married and lives in our hometown in northern Jiangsu."

Chen Che nodded and said, "Let's go to the Paramount Ballroom, and run faster."

Li Yu took off running.

On the way, Chen Che stopped to get his shoes polished and had a simple meal. When he arrived at the Paramount Ballroom, the time was 8:50.

Chen Che got out of the car and said to Li Yu, "Starting tomorrow, I'll hire your car for a month, twenty silver dollars in cash. Is that alright?"

Li Yu was flattered and nodded repeatedly while waving his hands, looking somewhat comical: "No need for twenty yuan, five yuan will do. I only earn four or five yuan a month."

Chen Che waved his hand, indicating to Li Yu that he didn't need to say anything more: "Go to the Peace Hotel now and pick up a set of clothes. From now on, wait for me at the hotel entrance every morning."

Li Yu stood there stunned, not knowing what to say.

Chen Che laughed and said, "Still standing there? Let's go now," and then turned and entered the Paramount Ballroom.

Li Yu stood there, watching Chen Che disappear behind the dazzling door of the Paramount Ballroom, and it took him a long time to come back to his senses.

The doorman helped Chen Che push open the door, and the noisy and bustling atmosphere immediately rushed towards him.

A huge crystal chandelier hangs from the three-story-high ceiling, radiating dazzling light that falls on the shoulders and hair of every guest.

The marble beneath my feet is black and white, so shiny it reflects the image of the chandelier above.

The central dance floor, made of teak flooring, was polished to a high shine and was currently occupied by dozens of couples dancing together.

The men were mostly dressed in suits and ties, their hair meticulously combed with wax. The women were even more so, their cheongsams slit high, revealing their fair thighs encased in sheer stockings, their satin high heels clicking on the floor.

Around the dance floor, a circle of small round tables were scattered, covered with snow-white tablecloths. Sitting around the tables were wealthy men embracing and flirting with dancers, couples whispering among themselves, and strangers drinking alone, their eyes wandering aimlessly.

Waiters in white shirts and black bow ties moved nimbly between tables carrying trays.

Several scents floated in the air, indistinguishable from the fragrance of women's perfume, the aroma of whiskey, or the smoke of cigars. Mixed together, they created a unique, sweet, and languid aroma characteristic of the Paramount Ballroom.

Chen Che took a few steps inside, and a waiter in a long robe came up to him with a perfectly appropriate smile on his face. He bowed slightly, looked at the ticket, and then led him upstairs.

The second floor is the private room area, which is quieter than downstairs. Looking down, you can see the entire dance floor.

There was a third floor above the second floor. The door was ajar, and several men stood at the entrance, dressed in crisp black jackets, their eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.

Chen Che glanced at them once, then looked away and followed the tea server into a private room on the second floor.

Downstairs, in the dim light of the dance floor, men and women in colorful clothes whispered sweet nothings to each other. Chen Che, bored, kept glancing at his watch; finally, it struck ten.

A burst of crisp, rhythmic drumbeats.

Six blonde, blue-eyed foreign women ran into the center of the dance floor to the beat of drums.

They wore extremely short fringed skirts, the hem of which only reached the top of their thighs, their waists were completely exposed, and their navels were covered with sparkling rhinestones.

A louder cheer erupted from the audience.

The music suddenly sped up.

Six women simultaneously raised their thighs, their white legs swaying under the light. Their movements were synchronized, and the tassels on their clothes swayed with their bodies like hundreds of golden raindrops.

As the saxophone and piano melody reached its climax, the backdrop behind the women suddenly parted to the left and right, revealing a graceful figure.

It was Su Yanqing.

She wore a green sequined dress, a fur shawl draped over her shoulders, and a purple feather brooch with crystals pinned to her chest, which complemented the crystal headpiece in the same color.

Su Yanqing's eyes darted around, scanning the guests in the front row one by one. Then, with a charming turn of her head, she stepped to the rhythm of the music and began to sing "Night in Paris."

Chen Che had heard this song many times in Jinling. But none of them were as melodious and pleasant as Su Yanqing's rendition, as if she were telling a story in a gentle, flowing voice. Chen Che listened with pleasure, his fingers lightly tapping on the edge of the coffee table, and he began to tap along with the rhythm.

After singing "Night in Paris," Su Yanqing sang a few more familiar Suzhou and Zhejiang folk songs. Her gaze swept across the second-floor private room and she saw Chen Che leaning against the railing.

Su Yanqing was slightly taken aback, but quickly regained her languid and charming elegance that she should have on stage, with a delicate smile on her face.

She leaned over and gave a few instructions to the band below the stage, then stood up again, and the accompaniment changed to "I Smile When I See You".

Su Yanqing gracefully leaned back slightly, her shawl falling onto the stage, revealing her fair shoulders.

She pointed with her right hand to where Chen Che was sitting, and with her left hand she gripped the microphone and began to sing:

"I smile the moment I see you; your graceful demeanor is so captivating. Being with you, I'm never troubled..."

Chen Che frowned slightly. The lyrics were a bit too explicit, and he didn't want to attract too much unnecessary attention. So he smiled, waved, leaned back in his chair, and left the enclosure.

Su Yanqing's enthusiasm did not diminish. The six dancers on stage, their feathered costumes fluttering, coupled with Su Yanqing's sweet, soft voice, drew applause from the audience.

After singing a few more songs, Su Yanqing covered her chest, gracefully bowed to the guests, glanced at Chen Che, and walked off the stage.

Chen Che stood up and walked downstairs.

After leaving the Paramount Ballroom, Chen Che casually asked one of the doormen, "Where's the back door for actors?"

The doorman pointed in a direction towards the back alley, and Chen Che straightened his clothes and walked over.