A hundred flavors of life

Chapter 1086: A woman who has appeared in all four famous novels! (Please order the whole set!)

PS: Some brothers asked me to update more in summer, but I really have work to do and my energy is limited. I will try to write more every day in summer and do my best. Today's word count is over 5,500.

Hua Twelve was so worried. He hadn't agreed yet, so how could he arrange for his apprentice to be here?

The girl named Xiao He was very graceful. When she looked at Hua Twelve, her face turned slightly red. She walked over and called softly:

"Master!"

"Oh, don't!"

Hua Shier quickly waved his hands to refuse. It was not so easy to become a disciple. When he was in the world of "Farewell My Concubine", he became a disciple of Master Guan of the Guan Clan of Xifucheng, and he had to cut off a finger for that!

Master Guan: The main thing is that you have six fingers. If I don’t cut them, I’m afraid it will scare the audience!

The deputy head of the group had made up his mind to rely on Hua Twelve. Seeing that he was still trying to refuse, he quickly said:

"Please don't rush to refuse. Let's not talk about whether to become your disciple or not. Can you help me take a look at this girl's aptitude and see if she can become a star?"

The deputy director asked Xiao He to sing a piece of "Garden Visit", the same piece that Hua Twelve had just sung.

Xiao He was a little stage-frightened, but he still started to sing. After just a few lines, Hua Twelve frowned and waved his hand, saying:

"Don't sing anymore, this kid is just learning!"

"Visiting the Garden" is the most popular Kunqu opera, and is also used by most opera learners to lay the foundation. As for Xiao He's two lines, they are not as good as the one sung before.

When the girl saw that Hua Twelve didn't let her sing, her eyes immediately became sad and aggrieved.

The deputy head quickly explained:

"Xiao He is a talented young man that our group just recruited this year. Isn't this the beginning of laying the foundation? Do you think she has the talent?"

Hua Twelve nodded and gave a relatively fair evaluation:

"He has some spirituality and talent. If he has a famous teacher to guide him and is willing to work hard, it won't be difficult for him to become a star."

The leading role he mentioned is different from the one mentioned by the deputy troupe leader. The latter simply refers to the one who plays a leading role in the troupe. The leading role Hua Shier talked about is someone like Yang Xiaolou and Boss Mei, who were famous in Beijing in the past. Don't ask him how he can be sure of it, because he is one!

When the deputy team leader saw that Hua Twelve recognized Xiao He's talent, he smiled and said:

"This child is willing to work hard. All he needs is guidance from a famous teacher like you!"

"To be honest, I entered the industry before the liberation, and I have watched the plays of Boss Mei and Boss Xun, and I can tell the good from the bad. The segment of 'Garden Tour' you just performed is not inferior to those of Boss Mei and Boss Xun. If it were in the past, it would have been a big deal. If you are willing to take the trouble to give him some pointers, this child will definitely be good in the future!"

After hearing what the deputy head of the group said, Xiao He knew that this handsome older brother in front of him was really capable, so he immediately opened his mouth and begged softly:

"Master, please accept me. I can endure hardship!"

Hua Twelve had just felt that Xiao He looked familiar, and now the more he looked at him, the more familiar he became. He asked:

"What's your name?"

When Xiao He saw him looking at her, her face turned red and she lowered her head and said, "My name is He Qing, and I'm fourteen years old!"

Hua Shier suddenly realized who the person in front of him was. No wonder he looked so outstanding. It turned out that he was the only one who had acted in all four great classics.

When the deputy head heard Hua Twelve asking He Qing's name, he said happily: "Look at this matter."

Hua Twelve still shook his head: "To be honest, I am a Peking Opera performer, and it is not appropriate for me to teach Kunqu Opera!"

The deputy head laughed:

"You may be able to fool laymen with this, but there is a saying in our industry: 'Wenwu Kunqu is not a problem'. Peking opera and Kunqu opera are inseparable. Boss Mei, Boss Gou, Boss Cheng, which one of them is not a master of Peking opera and Kunqu opera? The more you say this, the more it shows that you are a master!"

When Hua Twelve heard this, he knew that the other party was really an insider and could not fool him, so he found another excuse:

"Isn't your group in Hangzhou? I have a job and a family in Jinling, so it's impossible for me to go to Hangzhou with you. To accept a disciple, I have to teach him in person. It's unrealistic to be so far away!"

Upon hearing this, the deputy head clapped his hands and said:

"That's nothing. I have good relationships with Director Jia of the Jinling Kunqu Opera Troupe and Director Liu of the Peking Opera Theater. Our troupe can let Xiao He stay with the Jinling Kunqu Opera Troupe or the Peking Opera Theater for three years. Isn't that the problem?"

Hua Twelve still waved his hands: "The rules of my sect are that if the apprentice does not sing well, he must be beaten with a knife. This is not popular now, and I can't teach well!"

The deputy head of the troupe said hurriedly: "Oh, what you said is true. A strict teacher produces excellent students. Everyone is selected. The one who teaches you must be extraordinary!"

After he finished speaking, he pulled He Qing aside and whispered, "Don't be afraid, you are so smart and beautiful, he will definitely not be willing to beat you!"

Hua Shier heard it seriously and was a little amused.

"Well, I woke up too fast this morning, and you want me to accept you as my apprentice before I even recover. No, I'll go back and take it easy first!"

He said hello and was about to leave.

The deputy head of the group hurried over and grabbed him: "Look, I've said a lot of good things, and I mean it sincerely. You have to nod your head at least, right?"

Seeing that the deputy leader was quite old and kept chatting with him, Hua Shier felt a little guilty. He rolled his eyes and wanted to give him a difficult question so that he would give up:

"I can teach you, but I won't accept any apprentices. Forget about the salary. Just get me a TV ticket and a plane ticket. If you can, that's fine. If not, forget it!"

Hua Shier looked very proud after he finished speaking. This condition was indeed very harsh. Television and air tickets were in short supply and most people could not get them.

Unexpectedly, the deputy head slapped his thigh and said with a pained look:

"Okay, it's just a TV ticket, I agree, now you give me a definite answer, okay?"

Hua Shier was a little dumbfounded. He had originally intended to give the other party a difficult question, but he didn't expect the other party to actually agree to it. This actually caught him off guard.

However, he had made the conditions, and there was no reason to go back on his word, so he said reluctantly:

"Okay! I'm speechless for your straightforwardness. But let me leave you my address. Think about it carefully. I'm not the only one who knows how to act. If you've made up your mind, come find me. It's okay if you regret it!"

Hua Shier left the address of No. 55 Shamao Lane and wrote Qiao Zuwang's name before leaving the Workers' Cultural Palace.

He rode his bike to Xinjiekou Department Store and bought a pair of white sneakers for Qiao Yicheng and Qiao Erqiang, and a new piece of clothing for Qiao Sanli and Qiao Simei, and then went home.

The children were overjoyed when they received the gifts. The two little ones each gave Hua Twelve a kiss, then put on their beautiful new clothes and ran out to have some fun with their two brothers.

There were very few cars in those days, and Hua Shier was not worried about anything happening. He just reminded them to remember to go home on time for dinner.

The elder sister Wu from next door came back from sending Qiqi home. She happened to see the four children of the Qiao family running out wearing new shoes and new clothes. She said with some admiration:

"Oh, Brother Qiao, your life is getting more and more prosperous!"

In the evening, Hua Shier was cooking at home, and Li Heman went to his house to play cards with him.

In the past, Hua Shier didn't let Li Heman enter the hospital because he was afraid that he would have some thoughts about his two daughters, but now it's okay, after all, he performed the surgery himself.

Now Li Heman’s beard is gone, his skin is becoming more and more smooth, and the way he walks has the flavor of Yue Buqun, the castrated man, so I feel more at ease.

Hearing about playing cards, Hua Twelve also felt a little itchy. It wasn't that he loved playing, but the entertainment options in this era were really limited. He agreed immediately, but still asked:

"Where are we going? Is Xu Funian here?"

He used to go to Xu Funian's place to play, but after the sack-slapping incident last time, the two of them have almost stopped communicating, so he specifically asked about it.

Li Heman raised her orchid finger:

"Go to Lao Shen's place. Lao Xu should also go. By the way, don't eat at home tonight. Lao Xu will treat you. I have heard about what happened between the two of you. He was also beaten. Let's just forget about it!"

After he finished speaking, he saw Hua Twelve staring at his orchid finger with a defensive look on his face, so he quickly put it away in embarrassment.

Hua Twelve chuckled: "It wasn't me who beat him, so why would it be unfinished?"

After the children came back, Hua Shier asked them to eat by themselves and stay at home, and then he followed Li Heman out.

Xu Funian's dinner was held in a small pub. There were five people, all of whom were good friends. Before the meal, he toasted Hua Twelve:

"Old Joe, I have let you down in some things. I am here to make amends and let's put our differences behind us!"

Hua Twelve picked up his glass and clinked it with his, saying calmly:

"Come on, do less suspicious things in the future!"

They drank for more than an hour and only left the pub when it was dark and went to Old Shen's house. Because they had drunk a lot, someone couldn't hold it anymore halfway through the walk and didn't even look for a toilet, so he just unzipped his pants and urinated against the wall by the roadside.

When the others saw this, they all went over and discharged the water side by side. Only Li Heman squatted down at the end. The others, including Hua Twelve, all burst out laughing.

It turned out that they were paying attention to Li Heman while they were peeing, wanting to see whether he was squatting or standing since he changed his gender.

Li Heman almost collapsed. "You guys are not human beings. Believe it or not, I will jump up and throw you all over me." Several people ran away laughing. Li Heman almost cried behind them: "What bastards!"

When they got to Old Shen's house and played until midnight, Xu Funian pushed the cards aside:

"No more fighting. I drank a lot just now and now I have a headache. I'm going back first. You guys can have fun slowly!"

After saying this, he walked away staggeringly without waiting for anyone to stop him. However, no one stopped him. After all, there were five of them, and his departure would not affect the game.

Not long after Xu Funian left, Qiao Yicheng came over with a panicked look on his face:

"Dad, let's go back quickly. Sanli has a high fever and is talking nonsense!"

Hua Shier couldn't sit still when he heard this. He said hello and left with Qiao Yicheng.

When he left, there were three of them, one short. Li Heman pushed his cards:

"It's totally impossible to play this time!"

When Hua Twelve got home, he went straight to the east room and reached out to touch Sanli's forehead. Sure enough, she felt hot. He quickly grabbed his daughter's wrist and confirmed that she had caught a cold, probably because she had run around and sweated while playing outside, and caught a cold.

Qiao Yicheng said anxiously: "Dad, send him to the hospital immediately!"

Hua Shiyi waved his hand: "Why go to the hospital? Your father can cure this disease!"

He took out a silver needle and pierced Sanli's Shaoshang point on the thumb, Zhongchong point on the middle finger and Shangyang point on the index finger respectively, then squeezed the needle holes and started bleeding.

At first, the blood squeezed out of the needle hole was purple in color, and he stopped only when the color turned bright red.

I turned Sanli over and massaged her back. Five minutes later, I touched her forehead and found that her fever had successfully subsided.

He said to his eldest son, "Okay, go make Sanli a bowl of sugar water and feed her, and she'll be fine!"

Qiao Yicheng touched Sanli's forehead in disbelief, surprised and delighted:

"Dad, Sanli's fever has really gone down!"

Hua Shier patted Qiao Yicheng on the head and said, "Why are you yelling so loudly? You're just a fool!"

After letting Erqiang and Simei go to bed, Hua Shier washed his face and sat in the yard to smoke and look at the stars.

Qiao Yicheng fed Sanli some sugar water, then walked over to him and stammered, "Dad, Sanli is asleep. I want to learn how to treat illnesses from you!"

Hua Twelve didn't ask why he was talking nonsense, and nodded:

"It's good to learn more, but your father knows a lot of things. Do you want to learn Chinese medicine or Western medicine?"

The next day, Sanli had fully recovered and was full of energy, as if she was not the one who had a high fever last night.

Hua Shier called Qiao Yicheng and Qiao Erqiang to his side, took out a copy of "Tangtou Song" and gave them a copy of it. He taught them both how to herd one sheep and how to release two sheep, so he simply taught both sons together.

Qiao Yicheng was overjoyed, but Qiao Erqiang said awkwardly:

"Dad, I don't want to learn this, I want to learn cooking from you!"

Qiao Yicheng turned around and scolded his brother for being confused and ignorant, saying that if he could be a doctor, who would be a cook?

Hua Shier stopped Qiao Yicheng and said, "Interest is the best teacher, passion is the greatest motivation. If you force someone to do something he doesn't like, he won't get any results. I think Erqiang should learn how to cook. I'll teach you when I get back tonight. From now on, Erqiang will cook for our family!"

Qiao Yicheng rolled his eyes. He seriously suspected that his father was trying to cheat, just like before, when he threw all the cooking tasks to his mother even though his father cooked such delicious dishes.

Hua Shier was riding his bike to work when he was stopped by Li Heman just as he was leaving the alley:

"Old Qiao, guess what? After you left yesterday, the three of us had to break up because we were short of one person. Old Shen fried two eggs and peanuts, and the three of us continued drinking. Not long after, the police came to our house, saying that someone had reported us as a gangster. But when they saw that we were drinking, they left without catching us in the act!"

Li Heman raised her orchid finger with a lingering fear on her face:

"It's all thanks to your family. If he hadn't come to find you, we would have had to go in. Those of you who have jobs would probably know about it. I would say that Old Shen's place is not safe. We would have to go to Old Xu's place in the future!"

Hua Twelve raised his eyebrows and said with a half-smile: "Lao Li, Lao Xu left first yesterday, and then the police came to the door. Don't you think it's strange? I think he wants to trick me."

After he finished speaking, he didn't wait for Li Heman to reply. He kicked off and rode away on his bike. He had already determined in his heart that Xu Funian was trying to trick him and avenge the sack he had been put in years ago.

However, Hua Twelve doesn't have to do this himself. None of these guys are good people. If he makes it clear, Xu Funian will definitely be in trouble.

Sure enough, three days later, when Hua Twelve was on his way to work, Li Heman stopped him again, looking gloating:

"Old Qiao, I don't know who Old Xu offended. He was walking at night and his legs were broken. He was thrown into Xuanwu Lake. If the water wasn't shallow, he might have died now. Do you think we should go to the hospital to see him?"

Hua Shier was immediately happy: "We are friends, of course I have to go, I have to go!"

After get off work that night, they both carried two apples and went to the hospital. When they arrived, they both said with concern:

"I told you to stop doing such immoral things. Last time you were put in a sack, and this time you were thrown into the lake, and one of your legs was broken. How could you be so drunk!"

Xu Funian looked at the two guys who seemed to care but were actually gloating, and couldn't suppress the smiles on their faces, and he fainted from anger.

On the other hand, as for the deputy director of the Kunqu Opera Troupe, after Hua Twelve left that day, he called the Hangzhou troupe directly and reported the matter to the director.

The head of the Kunqu Opera Troupe was in charge of administration, not an insider in the opera industry. He had absolute confidence in the deputy head's vision in terms of business. When he heard that the deputy head had found a big name in the industry to mentor He Qing, he immediately became interested:

"That's fine, it's just a TV ticket, I'll help you find a way, but Lao Zhang, since you think that man is a great man, can you ask him to take on a few more apprentices? If he can train talents for our group, it's not impossible to give him a bonus."

The deputy head smiled and said:

"As for He Qing, he is not willing to accept him, and he doesn't even want to pay him. I think it's hopeless, but don't be anxious. Take it step by step. If he agrees to accept Xiao He, it's a good start!"

The team leader was also frank and told the deputy leader not to bother with getting TV tickets. Since the other person didn't even want a salary, just give him a TV as a gift. This would leave a good impression and help build a closer relationship.

After hanging up the phone, the deputy director was not idle either. He said that Qiao Zuwang was a great Kunqu singer, but he had to find out about his character. After all, little He was as beautiful as a flower. If the other party was a bad person, he would rather not learn from her than let the child suffer.

He asked an acquaintance to inquire about Qiao Zuwang, but when the other party heard it, he immediately laughed:

"Okay, stop asking. I know a lot about this guy. He was even in the newspaper last year."

The deputy captain who hung up the phone was confused. What was going on? He was the descendant of Qiao Feng in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, a martial arts family, known as 'Xiaolong in the South and Zuwang in the North'. He fought against eight people alone and wiped out a gang of thieves by himself?

Is this talking about a decent person?

However, although the deputy team leader could not quite understand such a complicated background, he was reassured about Hua Twelve's character. After all, he was a senior who had been reported in the newspapers, and the J side had even written a letter of thanks. How could his character be bad?

By the next weekend, the deputy head of the group prepared a TV and took He Qing to the teacher's house to become his apprentice.

As soon as they entered the door and saw five children in the house, they were both a little confused. They didn't expect that Qiao Zuwang was so young, like he was in his early twenties, but he already had five children.

As soon as the TV came in, the whole Shamao Lane was in a sensation. In the original plot, the Niu Ye family would not buy a TV until 80. Now, the one in the Qiao family is the first one in the whole alley, and it is a color TV.

Seeing the kids at home circling around the TV, Hua Twelve felt a little surprised:

"There are color TVs now?"

The deputy head of the delegation smiled and said, "This is a gift from a foreign friend to our delegation. Our head of delegation said that you helped our delegation cultivate talents and didn't need TV tickets, so he asked me to send this color TV to you!"

He wanted He Qing to become his disciple, but Hua Twelve stopped him: "We agreed that you can teach opera, but you won't accept disciples!"

The deputy team leader was just trying it out, and seeing that he really didn't want to accept it, he didn't force him.

That day, Hua Twelve cooked a few dishes at home and treated the deputy head and He Qing to a banquet. After tasting his cooking, the two were amazed. They didn't expect that this man was not only a good singer, but also a delicious cook.

A few days later, the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe finished its performance and returned to Hangzhou. He Qing stayed in Jinling and was affiliated with the Jinling Peking Opera Theater.

Logically speaking, since she sang Kunqu opera, it would have been reasonable for her to be affiliated with a Kunqu opera troupe. However, the Jinling Kunqu opera troupe was newly established and the conditions were difficult. The Jiangsu and Zhejiang Kunqu opera troupe didn't want her to suffer, so they let her be affiliated with the Peking Opera Theater.

Hua Shier worked during the week and taught opera at the Peking Opera House on weekends. He impressed the audience several times. One time, in particular, he got addicted to opera and sang both the roles of Concubine Yu and King Xiang Yu in "Farewell My Concubine" by himself.

At that scene, those who knew the matter got goose bumps, and He Qing was full of admiration.

The leaders of the Peking Opera Theater tried several times to get Hua Shier to change his job and work for them, promising him the opportunity to perform abroad, but he refused every time.

Why would he do a job that doesn't allow him to get some sun? Isn't this just a waste of time?

He Qing also often visited the Qiao family, mainly to eat and help Sanli and Simei with washing clothes.

Because He Qing was pretty, the children all liked this older sister, and after a while they got along like a family.

Time passed quickly and it was the end of the year. Hua Shier read the news about reform and opening up at the 11th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in the newspaper. He was moved. It was almost the 1980s, and it was time to save some money for the future of his children.

Thanks to: 08a, Little Tiger of the Demon World, Wandering among People, and God of Death Li Meng for their rewards. Thanks to the brothers who voted for monthly tickets and recommendation tickets. Thank you very much.