A Flower’s Shade by Ye Zhaoyan Page B

and gestured to Huaifu to continue blowing the smoke for her. She closed her eyes and spoke in a desultory fashion, "Liangzhong, why don't you have a puff or two?" Having spoken, she opened her eyes, and stared directly at Zha. Her intent gaze made him feel deeply ill at ease. Miss Yu laughed and remarked, "I know this thing scares you. Wasn't that the reason that the Zhas didn't want me as a daughter-in-law, because of my opium habit?"
    Zha Liangzhong chuckled in embarrassment.
    Miss Yu did not let up, saying, "What's so funny?"
    Liangzhong changed the subject. "Where were you this morning, Miss Yu? You know, I've already been here once today, and was surprised to hear that you'd gone out."
    "What's it to you, if I go out or not?" said Miss Yu, preventing him from changing the subject, and now fixing him with an unswerving stare, "You tell me. Was it or was it not on account of my opium habit that you Zhas dislike me?"
    Liangzhong shook his head and said, "That's all in the past now. Anything you like, but don't let's bring all that up again."
    Miss Yu glared at him, saying, "Why shouldn't I talk about it? You Zhas broke off the engagement, didn't you? Why shouldn't I bring it up again? Why ever not?"
    Huaifu was listening carefully, but only half-understood. Even back at Yaoshan Village he had known that Miss Yu had been engaged to a man of comparable rank, and that the man or his family had broken the engagement, so that she had become an unmarriageable spinster. Everyone in Yaoshan knew this, and spoke of it as a good joke. Preoccupied with their conversation, Miss Yu had already forgotten all about the opium he was supposed to be blowing for her. For many years, she had awaited such an opportunity to blow off some steam. The Zhas and Zhens were very different families, although both were the great clans of the little town. Liangzhong's father cared a great deal about reputation, and just as the Zhen Estate began gradually to fall apart and go downhill, the Zhas were acquiring a distinguished reputation, and the entire family had moved to the provincial capital. For a time, Liangzhong's father had come into money due to his position as a high official, which apparently was only a little short of being governor. But before long, he had lost his ceremonial cap, and even his family property had been confiscated.
    Liangzhong said sadly, "Don't let's talk about my family. In those days, it turned my dad's head, too. I'm afraid you already know that after my father lost his position, we Zhas have suffered an unspeakable fall."
    Long before, when the Zha Family's fall had first reached her ears, Miss Yu had prepared a few choice words. For years, she had been awaiting the opportunity to speak them. But they had been kept inside too long, and the proud and angry Miss Yu had bitterly endured the wait for the moment of vengeance. Now Liangzhong had become the author of his own downfall, setting himself up for humiliation. Miss Yu deliberately pretended not to have really understood what he had said, although it could be seen at a glance that she was pretending: "You mean you Zhas have suffered a fall too? That's strange, since no one in your family smokes opium, and you're not like my father and my brother, with all their wives and concubines. Aren't you Zhas so different? So why should your family decline?"

8
    A large ceramic bathtub was being unloaded from the ship. The docks were empty, no one was about. There was a sudden downpour and the two workers unloading the bathtub were soaked in the blink of an eye, the sopping clothing sticking to their strong bodies, and delineating the firm muscles beneath. The old-fashioned bathtub was really very heavy, and only sturdy men could have lifted it. In the downpour, the boatmen lifted the tub under Huaifu's direction and carried it to the Estate. The rain was very hard, and outside the Estate gates the boatmen were compelled to rest a minute, placing the tub on its side and pouring out