When Wang He Di leaves the small village he grew up in, to find work in the streets of glamourous and dangerous Shanghai, the first thing that catches his eye is the beautiful Shen Yue, a young woman also trying to make her fortunes in the "Paris of...
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1928
He Di sits on the back of the horse drawn cart watching the orphanage he grew up in, become smaller and smaller. Goodbye and good riddance, he smirks, chewing on a piece of grass. Turning eighteen has been the best thing that's happened to him so far in his young life, as it has given him his freedom from the rigid rules of orphanage life. He will of course always be grateful to the monks for teaching him how to read and write, and to the resident English man Mr Emmet Smith, who taught him English and how to play the piano, the only western instrument in the orphanage. It is through reading and his lessons with Mr Smith, that he has discovered a whole world out there, bigger than the little town in Sichuan he grew up in. And now he is off to Shanghai to seek his fortune... to be a man of substance... to become something more than a village boy destined for a life of poverty.
He has managed to save enough money from odd jobs around the village, for a train ticket to Shanghai and three days' worth of food and accommodation. Some people say he is a fool that will starve to death the minute he lands in Shanghai, while others think he is brave for following his dreams. He Di learnt a long time ago not to concern himself with what other people think. He has no interest in placing their limitations onto himself. He arrives at the train station and finds his seat easily...there are not a lot of people waiting to catch the train, in this small town of his. He can't help but smile as the excitement builds up in him... his first time on a train... his first time leaving the Sichuan province... his first time being in charge of his own destiny!
After a few days of travel, He Di finally reaches the port of Shanghai, exhausted from the long journey. The minute he steps out of the train station his eyes pop wide open, his senses becoming awakened at the many sights and smells Shanghai has to offer. The place is teeming with people selling their wares, offering their services, pickpocketing, or standing around gazing in awe at everything around them. He Di walks around looking for cheap lodgings. He has decided that once he finds somewhere to stay, he will start looking for a job. He smiles as he takes in the city, he is ready for whatever Shanghai throws his way!
As he turns the corner, his catches a glimpse of red. He looks towards it direction and witnesses the most beautiful girl he has ever seen, coming out of a rickshaw wearing a beautiful red cheongsam with a golden shawl around her shoulders. She is the height of sophistication in his eyes, with her black hair parted on the side and slicked back into a bun. She is sporting a juicy red lip, decorated by two attractive moles, one above her lip, the other below. In her hand, she is carrying a red parasol with gold detail, to shield her from the sun, and a matching fan whose string is tied to her wrist.
He Di cannot stop gawking at her, as she enters the silk market with a confident air about her. She has taken his breath away, for where he is from, he has never seen a woman look so splendid. Overwhelmed by this all consuming desire to know her, he unthinkingly decides to follow her into the market, almost being run over by one of those fancy motor vehicles, as he attempts to cross the busy street. It is all in vain however, as he cannot find her amongst the rich fine silks and the painted women who wear them. Some of the ladies smile at him, acknowledging his beautiful face and eye-catching height, while others sneer at him, focusing on his worn threads and poor man's shoes. He searches and searches until he realizes that the sun will be setting in an hour... it is important to find somewhere to sleep before dark.
