Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Trainee of the Republic of China (1)

The yellow fish wontons were just brought to the table, the fish and soup freshly cooked, steam rising from the bowl in the night air. The fish soup was pale, garnished with snow vegetables and chopped green onions. As she scooped it with a spoon, there were dried bamboo shoots buried at the bottom.

Such a warm hospitality.

Yu Man Yi lowered her head and drank the soup, hearing Song Qi ask, "After you ran away from the Yu family, do you think they will come to Shanghai to look for you?"

"They don't know I came to Shanghai."

They might guess, but they wouldn't be sure. China is so vast. From Shaoxing to Hangzhou, the trains are all connected. She could run anywhere—just like now, she still had no idea where Teacher Su had gone.

After a few spoonfuls of fish soup, the cold sweat from her dream was replaced by warm sweat. This late-night snack chased away the chill that had been swirling in her heart.

She raised her head and asked Song Qi, "How did you start smoking?"

He let out an ambiguous single syllable, then put the cigarette box and lighter he had taken out earlier along with the IOU back into his coat pocket. After securing them, he said, "I rarely smoke in front of others. I didn’t expect you to come out."

He probably wasn’t lying. When she pounced on him earlier in the afternoon, she hadn’t noticed a distinct smell, the kind that seemed to be ingrained with the men from the Yu family. Yu Man Yi didn't ask any further; she felt she had no right to inquire about such details.

Was Song Qi still the same Song Qi? After all, Yu Man Yi was no longer the same Yu Man Yi. Both of them quietly ate the wontons, one by one, eating very slowly.

Finally, when the silence could no longer be covered by the clinking of the porcelain spoon against the bowl, Song Qi spoke.

"If you don't want to use my money, I’ll take you to have dinner with Fang Qian tomorrow. Her family has a textile factory, and many people don’t live in the school dorms anymore. No matter where it is, it’s definitely better than the hostel you're staying in..."

"Tomorrow won’t work. I have an interview tomorrow. I’ll be back very late.""Come back? Where are you going?"

"Not in the concession."

"The security outside the concession is bad."

"But the people inside the concession are better than me. I'm too weak, I can't compare to them. I’ve been looking for over half a month, but still no one wants me."

Song Qi rarely comforted people. He finished the last wonton and said, "You’re not weak. You’re very capable."

"If I’m not weak, why can’t I beat them?"

The jobs she had applied for all ended with no results. The people in line outside the offices either had experience or diplomas from face-to-face education. Only she, wearing a plain skirt, stood there in the crowd like a silly newcomer.

"They didn’t grow up locked inside a house, nor did they have to pull out assignments and class notes from a dog hole," Song Qi said. "After all those years of schooling, they probably still feel nervous competing with you, someone who only studied for a year in a private school and three months in a literacy class."

Song Qi put down his spoon and pretended to be worried. "What’s going on? People with correspondence degrees are here for the interview with me. I’ve been reading poetry for many years—did it all go into a dog's belly?"

"If you stand with them, you’ve already won," Song Qi said as he picked up his spoon again.

She seemed to feel better.

"It’s the diploma that Principal Lu issued that’s useful," she said, feeling a little better but then feeling that Song Qi's comforting words were a bit too high an estimation of her. She attributed her approval to Lu Yueting. "He’s famous. People see it’s from Principal Lu, so they let me into the interview..."

"That Principal Jiang Yu’s reputation has soared in Shanghai in the past six months, and her diploma is even more useful. Maybe I should’ve made up for the tuition and sent you to Jiang Yu’s place.""Have you also heard of Jiang Yu?" Yu Manyi immediately perked up, remembering how Song Qi had no impression of Jiang Yu the last time they talked.

"She’s been in the newspapers a few times, I've heard of her."

"Then do you know..." Finally, finding someone with a connection to the 'Shanghai art scene,' Yu Manyi immediately recounted her experience of being kicked out of Jiang Yu's studio after showing her diploma. However, Song Qi frowned as he listened to her and seemed surprised.

"Are there these kinds of conflicts?" He tried to recall but then raised his eyes, clearly coming up empty. "I haven't heard about this, I only know what’s been published in the newspapers. What you’re saying seems like some insider secret."

Yu Manyi was deeply upset: "I really hate this feeling of not understanding."

"Stop using these words." Song Qi seemed more sensitive to these terms than before and immediately reminded her. After a moment of thought, he continued, "But if you really want to figure it out, then we can go ask these 'art world' people."

"Do you know them?"

"I do know them. You know them too," Song Qi smiled, "We both met them together when I was acting as your brother."

Yu Manyi suddenly realized.

The next day, Yu Manyi stubbornly went to the interview outside the concession. Luckily, they rejected her in the first round, so she returned to the guesthouse before Song Qi finished work, sitting at the table by the door waiting for him. After not waiting long, she saw someone walking down the street, looking irritated and clearly unable to find their way.

Yu Manyi ran out and called his name. It was only then that Song Qi saw her squeezing out from between two street vendors, the cooking smoke rising and completely covering the guesthouse sign.

"This really doesn't look like a place for people to live," he repeated.

"Hey! How can you talk like that!" The innkeeper happened to be sitting at the door, leaning out and cursing loudly."I’m standing up for you," Song Qi pulled Yu Manyi to his side, his thoughts clear, "They’ve covered your shop’s door, blocking the entrance and fortune. There's a reason why people can't make money."

The shopkeeper was struck by the statement, falling into deep thought.

Yu Manyi felt the subtle changes in Song Qi over the past six months. At times, he had become more composed, but at other moments, he was still the same Song Qi who, back at the You family, used the name of the literacy class to openly lecture and mock feudalism.

His speech skills had been used from the You family to the Jiang family, and now he was using them again at the studio registration. This time, the topic of his lecture was, "My sister studied hard at your school, earned her diploma, but can't find a job—can you solve this for her?"

The manager of Lu Yueting's studio naturally remembered Song Qi and Yu Manyi from their previous visit. A year had passed, and the manager’s communication skills had improved. He brought over a cup of tea, sat beside Song Qi, and spoke kindly:

"Mr. Yu, about your sister’s job search, the school can’t be of much help. You know, the job market this year is especially tough, and it’s very hard to find a job. Even I’m holding my own job cautiously, afraid that one day it will be gone."

"Why has it gotten worse year by year?" Song Qi asked. "I remember that a few years ago, it was easy to find a job with a correspondence diploma."

"The number of people with education is increasing," the manager sighed as he sipped his tea, "The value of degrees has dropped, and talent is oversaturated."

"Brother," Yu Manyi spoke softly from the side, "I don’t want to go to the textile factory. If I do, wouldn’t all that time spent on correspondence classes be wasted?"

"Yeah, my sister still wants to do a job related to her field," Song Qi motioned for her to calm down, then continued asking the manager, "I saw in the newspaper yesterday that Jiang Yu's studio is hiring teaching assistants. What about that position? You’re all in the education field, so could you recommend me?"

"Hey, hey," the manager set down his teacup, his excellent memory recalling their previous conversation, "Mr. Yu, you wanted to register at Jiang Yu’s last time, and now you bring it up again. I’ve told you before, Jiang Yu isn’t a reliable person. Moreover, your sister has our principal Lu’s diploma. Even if she goes there, Jiang Yu wouldn’t take her."

"Why wouldn’t she take her? Is it because she’s competing for students with you? Competing for students is common in every industry. The two principals shouldn’t be so petty..."

"Ah, it’s not a matter of generosity," the manager set down his teacup, "It’s because Jiang Yu learned from others first. Mr. Yu, Miss Yu, you must have heard of the calendar pictures?"

Yu Manyi wasn’t clear on this, but Song Qi had heard of them. Recently, these had become very popular in Shanghai, often accompanying newspapers or products, with colorful pictures printed on the monthly calendar. Initially, these pictures were crude, but over the years, they had become more refined. Now, they had become a prime advertising space for several foreign brands. A popular monthly calendar picture could bring the artist 400 yuan in income, while a factory worker's entire monthly salary would be only 15 yuan. It was a highly successful example of commercial art.Lu Yueting had made his name in the commercial art world in his early years by painting calendar pictures. The program Yu Manyi had enrolled in was also part of his school’s commercial art department. The art world acknowledged that although Principal Lu's painting skills were not as refined as many of his peers, in the field of commercial art, he was an undisputed master and pioneer. All of this was connected to a new technique he developed, called the "blending watercolor technique."

"This blending technique was developed by our Principal Lu. It was based on his early experiences painting portraits at a photography studio. Mr. Yu, you know, most of the calendar pictures feature beautiful women and ladies, and since they’re meant to be hung up, they need to be as lively and three-dimensional as possible. Principal Lu used this blending watercolor technique and became a unique style in Shanghai. Look, there’s one on the wall."

Yu Manyi looked up in the direction he pointed and indeed saw a calendar picture of a lady standing under a plum tree. The colors were vivid and bright, and the figure, unlike simple watercolor or traditional Chinese painting, had a rounded face and a photographic three-dimensional feel.

"I didn’t know that this type of calendar picture was invented by Principal Lu. When I saw them, the streets were full of... blending watercolor paintings."

"Yes, this is a secret. Many people think art is just about coloring paper, but actually, just like running a restaurant, once you dive deeper, each has its own unique skill and technique. In Shanghai, only our Principal Lu knew how to use this blending watercolor technique. His method of painting people is very unique, using charcoal powder... Hey, it’s hard for outsiders to understand. In any case, a large number of customers were attracted to his painting style, and once it was printed, the sales were incomparable to other calendar pictures!"

"However, this Jiang Yu—this Jiang Yu!"

"I heard that she was a student hired by the Commercial Press’s illustration department in her early years. She studied for three years, worked for four, and when she saved enough money, she went to Europe to further her studies. After returning, she went back to the same place to teach, and it was then that she set her eyes on the original calendar pictures that Principal Lu had sent to the Commercial Press for printing."

"That Jiang Yu, as a teacher earning 80 yuan a month, probably found it too little, so she took Principal Lu’s original pictures and researched them at will. She truly figured out a technique for creating stacked three-dimensional effects. Not only did she keep it to herself, but she also shared it with other calendar artists. Well, now, many people in Shanghai have learned Principal Lu’s blending technique, and how is this different from stealing recipes from another kitchen?"

"I think I’ve heard of this," Song Qi finally recalled, also remembering his hesitation when he first heard Jiang Yu’s name.

"There was a debate in the newspapers back then. Some said that teaching the apprentice would starve the master, and that Principal Lu's reluctance to share his unique technique was natural. Those who learned his techniques then sold the paintings at a low price, ruining the industry standards. But others argued that the commercial art industry could only prosper if more people made money, which would bring about more creativity. The calendar picture industry truly became vibrant only after the blending technique became popular. I was young at the time, and I just read some of it. It seemed like a very heated argument."

"Indeed, that was ten years ago. After Jiang Yu became famous in the calendar picture world, she had enough money to open her school, and now she’s transformed into a well-known educator. Business wars, vicious business wars! Miss Yu, you must never go work for someone like her!" the manager concluded.

Today’s information was overwhelming for Yu Manyi. She tried to organize her thoughts, extracting just one piece of information: "A calendar picture sells for 400 yuan" and another: "Business wars, vicious business wars."

Shanghai was indeed too complicated."What's so complicated about this?"

A year had passed, and Fang Qian's voice was as loud and clear as ever. It was rare for Song Qi to take the initiative to find her, and unexpectedly, when he turned around, he bumped into Yu Manyi. The two girls exchanged pleasantries in front of the school, clarified the situation, and in the end, were led by the one who paid the bill, to a restaurant next to the school that specialized in Huaiyang cuisine.

On the way, Yu Manyi told her about coming to Shanghai, and once they sat down at the restaurant, she started talking about finding a job. Fang Qian was more familiar with the story of Jiang Yu than Song Qi and quickly formed her own opinion:

"Didn't Song Qi mention the public debate in the newspaper at the time? This is definitely not a black-and-white issue. If you ask me from a moral standpoint, I can't really say who was right or wrong. But since it's all about commercial art, then as a businessman, you must fight, snatch, and tear for the immediate benefits. My elders always did it that way. Jiang Yu went from being a student in the illustration department of the Commercial Press to the current principal. She's certainly not an ordinary person."

"The first time I met her, she was so gentle," Yu Manyi said, "I can't imagine her being the type to snatch things away."

"But the important things in life are always taken by force," Fang Qian laughed. "Could it be that when you were in the Yu family, you never had to fight for anything?"

"I didn’t fight for anything back then. It was always Grandfather who divided things among my uncles, then my third uncle would pass them down to Third Aunt and others, and then Third Aunt would give me..." She trailed off, speaking more quietly, as if realizing the absurdity of it all.

"If you wait for others to give you things, of course, you don’t need to fight," Fang Qian said. "But then you can only eat the scraps that fall between their fingers. Do you think Jiang Yu could get a whole school just by waiting for others to hand it to her? Since you've already left the Yu family, you can’t keep playing by their rules. The reason you haven’t found a job might be because you don’t know how to fight for what you want."

Yu Manyi thought for a moment and realized that when she was facing employers, she did seem quite timid and passive, not even knowing how to "fight," let alone "snatch."

"Stop scaring her," Song Qi suddenly spoke from the side. "She heard quite a bit from the manager today, and now you're lecturing her here. Are you so experienced, Miss Fang?"

"Of course I'm experienced. I grew up in the middle of competition," Fang Qian said, finally closing her proud mouth and eating a few bites of the restaurant's food.

"By the way, are those calendar picture artists really getting 400 yuan per painting? My goodness, I make only 40 yuan a month as a translator at the foreign firm. It's even less than if I knelt in front of my dad and said a few nice words."

"If you knelt in front of your dad, he'd probably be scared to death," Song Qi said. "You’ve always gotten your money standing up."Yu Manyi smiled. She could once again see the familiar back-and-forth between Fang Qian and Song Qi. Their presence made her feel strangely at ease, as though in her world, which had turned upside down, they were the last two stable anchor points.

Song Qi had hit the nail on the head, and Fang Qian couldn’t retaliate on this matter. She simply changed the subject. She said, “You want me to help Yu Manyi find a place to stay, right?”

“Yeah, shouldn’t be difficult, right?”

“It’s not difficult,” Fang Qian replied, looking at Yu Manyi, then glancing at Song Qi sitting beside her. A smile suddenly appeared on her face, one that seemed to promise vengeance within five steps, “I think your place is just fine.”