peace lane
shanghai must have at least a hundred peace lanes , some occupy a large area connect two major street , other connect to other longtang , form a vast network of twisted , dirty lane where one can easily get lose .
as confuse as they may be to outsider , each have develop a distinct identity simply through have survive for so many year .
under moonlight , these block of crumble wood and brick look positively serene , like something out of a painting execute with minute brushstroke ; they too hold memory and aspiration .
the ringing bell make they evening round , remind resident to watch they cooking fire , evince a trace of warmth and goodwill from those who live there .
morning , however , begin with night-soil cart , clatter in to collect waste for fertilizer , and the raspy noise of brush scrub out commode .
amid the smoke of coal burner , laundry soaked overnight be take out to be hang , banner-like , on bamboo pole .
every action , every gesture come across to the onlooker as a boastful swagger or perhaps a exaggerated fit of pique ; why , the collective provocation would be enough to darken the rise sun .
each peace lane have a few resident who be as old as the neighborhood .
be history 's witness , they observe newcomer with know eye .
some be not averse to mingle with newcomer , and this create a impression of continuity .
but on the whole they like to keep to themselves , add a air of mystery to the neighborhood .
wang qiyao move into the third floor of 39 peace lane .
different batch of tenant have leave they plant on the balcony .
most have wither , but a few nameless one have sprout new leaf .
insect swim in the stagnant liquid of moldy jar in the kitchen , yet among they be a bottle of perfectly good peanut oil .
on the wall behind the door somebody have write , " buy birthday present on january 10 , " and a child have scrawl " wang gensheng eat shit . "
one could only speculate about the birthday celebrant and the object of the child 's resentment .
rubbish lay , pile up at haphazard — one could make nothing coherent out of all this .
have put she thing down among other people 's debris , wang qiyao decide to make the place she own by hang up she curtain .
the room do seem different with the curtain .
however , with no shade over the light bulb , the object in the room simply look naked rather than illuminate .
outside it be a typical evening in may .
the warm breeze carry with it whiff of grease and swill , which be the basic odor of shanghai , although the typical shanghainese be so steep in it he scarcely notice .
later in the night would come the scent of rice gruel flavor with osmanthus blossom .
the smell be familiar , the curtain be familiar , and the evening outside be familiar , but wang qiyao feel strange .
she need to reattach herself to life here ; fortunately for she , the line where attachment could be make be clearly mark on the fabric .
wang qiyao be grateful to the large flower on the curtain , which , no matter where they be place , remain in full bloom , faithfully retain the glory of bygone day .
the floor and the window frame emit the odiferous warmth of decaying wood .
scurry mouse convey they greeting .
soon , bell remind people to watch they cooking fire begin ring .
wang qiyao undergo three month of training as a nurse in order to be certify to give injection .
she hang out a sign advertising injection outside the entrance to she apartment on peace lane .
similar sign could be see along the entrance of other longtang — follow those sign inside , one could find wang qiyaos of all different shape and size eke out a living .
they all wake up early , put on clean clothes , and straighten up they room .
then they ignite the alcohol burner to disinfect a box of needle .
the sun , reflect from the rooftop across the alley , leave rectangle of light on the wooden floor .
after switch off the burner , they reach for a book to read while they wait for patient .
the patient tend to come in batch , morning and afternoon , but there might be one or two in the evening .
once in a while , when someone request a house call , they hurry off in white cap and surgical mask .
lug a straw bag contain the needle and medicinal cotton , they look very much like professional nurse as they scurry down the street .
wang qiyao always wear a simple cheongsam .
in the 1950s these be become rare on the street of shanghai , a symbol of nostalgia as well as style , at once old-fashioned and modern .
when she cross the street on house call , she be often strike by a sense of déjà vu — the place be familiar , only the role be change .
one day she call on a patient in a dark apartment where the wax floor reflect she shoe and stocking , and be lead into the bedroom .
there , under a green silk blanket , a young woman lay .
wang qiyao have the curious sensation that the woman be herself .
have administer the shot , she put she thing away and left , but she heart seem to tarry in that apartment .
she could almost hear the woman complain to the maid that the shrimp from the market be too small and not fresh enough — do not she know the master would be home for dinner that night ?
at time she stare into the blue flame of the alcohol burner and see a resplendent world in which people sing and dance for all eternity .
once in a while she catch a late movie , one of the one that start at eight , when street lamp be reflect on the face of the silent street .
only the theater lobby would be bustling , as though time have stand still .
she only go to old movie : zhou xuan in street angel , bai yang in crossroads , and other .
although they have no connection to she present situation , they be familiar and they speak to she .
she subscribe to a evening newspaper to fill the hour of dusk .
she read every word in the newspaper , make sense perhaps of half the report .
by the time she finish it , the water would be boiling and it would be dinner time .
there be a exciting element of unpredictability to she work .
hearing footstep on the staircase at night , she would speculate , who could it be ?
she be unusually vivacious on these occasion and often talk a bit too much , ask this or that as she reignite the alcohol burner to sterilize the needle .
if the patient be a child , she would put out all she charm .
she would feel sad after the patient leave .
ponder over the recent commotion , she would forget to put thing away , and then discover that the pot have boil dry .
such interruption in she tranquil routine give rise to a vague feeling of anticipation .
something be foment , she feel , from which something might just develop .
once , awaken in the middle of the night by urgent and frightened call for help at the door , she throw a jacket over she nightgown and rush downstairs , she heart pound , to find two man from the province carry someone on a stretcher .
the person be critically ill .
they have mistake she for a doctor .
after give they direction to the nearest hospital , she go back upstairs but could not sleep a wink .
all kind of odd thing happen in the night in this city .
under the lamp at the entrance to the longtang , the shingle advertising " injection nurse wang qiyao " look as if it be wait patiently to be notice .
the pass car and the windswept fall leaf hint at conceal activity in the dark night .
people come to wang qiyao in a unending parade .
those who stop come be quickly replace by other .
she would speculate about she patient ' profession and background and be please to find most of she guess correct as , with a few casual remark , she pry the fact out of they .
she best source be nanny accompany little charge — these eagerly volunteer all kind of unflattering information about they employer .
a number of patient have nothing wrong with they , but come for routine health-enhancing shot , such as placenta fluid .
they become so comfortable with she that they would drop by to gossip .
thus , without go out of she house , wang qiyao learn a great deal about the neighborhood .
this hodgepodge of activity be enough to fill up half she day .
sometimes she be so busy she could hardly keep up with all the goings-on .
the hustle-bustle on peace lane be both invasive and highly contagious .
wang qiyao 's tranquility gradually give way to frequent footfall on the stair , door open and shut ; she name be regularly holler by people on the ground with upturned head , they fervent voice carry far and wide on quiet afternoon .
before long , the oleander , plant haphazardly in makeshift planter form from broken brick on balcony , put forth they dazzling flower .
nothing marvelous have happen to wang qiyao , but through careful cultivation she life have also sprout countless little sprig that hold the promise of develop into something .
people at peace lane know wang qiyao as a young widow .
several attempt be make to match she up with man , include a teacher who , though only thirty , be already bald .
arrangement be make for they to meet at a theater to watch a movie about victorious peasant — the kind of thing she detest — but she force herself to sit through it .
whenever there be a lull in the show , she hear a faint whistle sound come from the man as he breathe .
see this be the best she could do , she decline all further matchmaking effort on she behalf .
as she watch the smoky sky above peace lane , she often wonder if anything exciting would ever happen to she again .
to charge of arrogance as well as to praise for be loyal to she late husband , she turn a deaf ear .
she ignore all gossip and advice , remain at once genial and distant .
this be normal on peace lane , where friendship be circumscribe , there be untold number of large fish swim around in the murky water .
underneath all that conviviality , people be lonely , though often they do not know it themselves , merely muddle through from one day to the next .
wang qiyao be rather muddlehead about some thing , while she could not have be more clear-sighted about other ; the former concerned issue of daily living , while the latter be reserve for she private thought .
she be occupy with people and thing during the day .
at night , after she turn off the light and the moonlight light up the big flower on the curtain , she could not help but slip into deep thought .
there be a great deal of think go on around peace lane , but much of it , like sediment , have sink to the bottom of people 's heart , all the juice squeeze out of they , so that they have solidify and could no longer be stir up .
wang qiyao have not reach this stage .
she thought still have stem , leave , and flower , which glimmer in the dark night of peace lane .
a frequent guest
among wang qiyao 's frequent visitor be one madame yan , who come quite regularly .
she live in a townhouse with a private entrance at the end of peace lane .
she must have be thirty-six or thirty-seven year old , as she eldest son , a architecture student at tongji university , be already nineteen .
she husband have own a light bulb factory that , since 1949 , be jointly operate with the state .
he be now the deputy manager — a mere figurehead , accord to madame yan .
madame yan paint she eyebrow and wear lipstick even on day when she do not leave the house .
she favor a short green chinese jacket over a pair of western-style pants make of cheviot wool .
when they see she coming , people stop talk and turn to stare , but she act as if they do not exist .
she child do not play with the other kid , and , since she husband be drive everywhere by a chauffeur , few people really know what he look like .
there be a high turnover among they servant ; in any case , they be not permit to loiter when they go out for errand , so they , too , appear aloof .
every monday and thursday madame yan would come for a shot of import vitamin to help she ward off cold .
the first time she see wang qiyao , she be take aback .
she clothes , the way she eat , she every move and gesture , hint of a splendid past .
madame yan decide they could be friend .
she have always feel peace lane be beneath she .
she husband , a frugal person , have buy the property at a good price .
in response to she complaint , he have , in bed , promise many time to move they to a house with a garden .
now that they asset be control by the government , they feel lucky simply to be allow to keep they house .
still , as long as she live in peace lane , madame yan feel like a crane among chicken .
no one there be she equal and , in she eye , even the neighbor be no better than she servant .
she be therefore delighted to see another woman similarly out of place move into no. 39 .
without seek wang qiyao 's permission , she make herself a regular visitor .
madame yan usually show up in the afternoon sometime after two o'clock , herald by the fragrance of scented powder and she sandalwood fan .
most of wang qiyao 's patient come between three and four o'clock , so they have a hour to kill .
sit across from each other in the lazy summer afternoon , they would stifle they yawn and chatter on without fully realize what they be talk about , as cicada drone in the parasol tree at the entrance to the longtang .
wang qiyao would ladle out some of she chill plum soup , which they sip absentmindedly while exchange gossip .
then , have throw off they afternoon sluggishness and cool off , they would perk up .
madame yan do most of the talk while wang qiyao listen , but both be equally absorb in the conversation .
madame yan would go on and on , pass from story about she parent to gossip about she in-law ; actually , all she want be to hear herself talk .
as for wang qiyao , she listen with she heart and eventually make all business concern the yan family she own .
when , once in a while , madame yan inquire about wang qiyao 's family , she always answer in the vaguest term .
she suspect madame yan do not believe most of what she say , but that be fine — she be free to speculate .
wang qiyao would much rather that madame yan guess the truth but leave thing discreetly unsaid ; but madame yan , who have to some extent figure out the situation , insist on ask question pointblank .
it be she way of testing wang qiyao 's sincerity .
wang qiyao , for she part , want to be sincere , but there be some thing that simply could not be speak aloud .
so they go around in circle , one chasing and the other evading , and before they know it , a grudge have grow up between they .
fortunately , grudge be no impediment to friendship between woman .
the friendship of woman be make of grudge : the deeper the grudge , the deeper the friendship .
sometimes they part acrimoniously , but would resume they friendship the very next day with a deeper understanding of each other .
one day madame yan announce that she want to set wang qiyao up with someone , but wang qiyao decline with a good-humored laugh .
when madame yan inquire into the reason , wang qiyao simply recount the scene at the movie theater with the schoolteacher .
madame yan laugh out loud but then continue with a straight face , " i 'll promise you three thing about the guy i want to introduce you to .
one , i 'll make sure he be not a teacher ; two , that he be still get a head of hair ; and three , that he do not have asthma . "
they both collapse in laughter , but that be the last time madame yan bring up the topic of matchmaking .
they come to a tacit understanding that the subject would not be broach and they would simply let nature take its course .
both be still young and bright , they sensitivity have not yet be ground down by time , and they quickly understand how each other feel .
although there be a ten-year difference between they , madame yan act a bit young for she age and wang qiyao be more mature , so they be well-suited .
people like they , who become friend at mid-life , tend to keep part of themselves hide away .
even madame yan , who usually wear she heart on she sleeve , retain certain secret that she herself might not have understand .
it be not necessary for they to know everything there be to know about each other — a little sympathy go a long way .
and even though madame yan be not satisfied , she could bear it and still treat wang qiyao as a true friend .
what madame yan have be time on she hand .
she husband leave early every morning and do not get home until late at night .
two of she child be grow , while the third be care for by a nanny .
she socialize with the wife of other industrialist and businessman , but this hardly take up all she time .
drop by to see wang qiyao become part of she daily routine ; she sometimes even stay for dinner , insist that they simply eat what be already on hand rather than do anything fancy .
consequently , they often have leftover rice , heat up again with just a dish of mud snail to go with it .
wang qiyao 's near-ascetic lifestyle remind madame yan of she own simple , quiet life before marriage , which seem so long ago .
if a patient come while they be talk , madame yan would help by bring over a chair , get the medicine out , and collect the money .
more than once the patient think the well-dressed woman be wang qiyao 's younger sister , which cause she to blush with pleasure , as if she be a child be pat on the head by a adult .
afterward she would in a self-deprecating tone urge wang qiyao to get some new clothes and have she hair perm .
she speak eloquently about how a woman must treasure she youth and beauty , which would disappear before she know it .
this never fail to touch wang qiyao , who , at twenty-five , be indeed watch she youth slip by .
madame yan 's outfit be always new and fashionable , but that be all she could do to hold on to the tail end of she youth .
at time she appearance startle and touch wang qiyao .
there be a innocence about she heavy makeup and also a certain world-weariness , blended together to create a desolate kind of beauty .
eventually , unable to withstand madame yan 's blandishments , wang qiyao go out and get herself a perm .
the smell of shampoo , lotion , and burn hair be intimately familiar to wang qiyao , as be the image of a woman sit under the hair dryer , one hand hold a magazine , the other extend to be pampered by a manicurist .
the routine of wash , cut , roll , perm , dry , and setting have long be imprint on she mind .
she feel like she have be there just the day before , surround by face she know .
when the process be complete , the old wang qiyao emerge in the mirror — the intervene three year seem to have be snip off along with she split end .
look into the mirror , she note madame yan 's face , on which be a mixture of astonishment and envy .
as the stylist give she hair a last-minute adjustment with a hand blower , the expression on wang qiyao 's face , turn slightly to avoid the hot air with just a soupçon of the spoil child , belong to yesteryear .
