Rose Lock - Chapter 39

In a room that was neither too big nor too small, Hua Manyi emerged from the bathroom and sat on the sofa. On the table was a box of cigarettes. She had suddenly intensely wanted a smoke two days ago, but realizing she had never bought cigarettes before, she asked Xiaoxiao to go out and buy a box, instructing her to get one that was expensive, but not too expensive.

In the end, it cost almost three silver dollars, which was the most expensive thing she had bought since her family was raided, and it was a box of luxury cigarettes.

However, smoking it was indeed mesmerizing. Hua Manyi rested her head on one end of the sofa, her smooth, bare ankles crossed and resting on the other end of the leather sofa. She wore a silk nightgown that clung smoothly to her body, outlining her curves.

She had turned off the gramophone. It was deep into the night, and everyone was asleep. Only she was in the room, lonely, smoking a costly cigarette and staring at the ceiling. An indescribable loneliness surged from all around her, like a rising tide.

She was actually very afraid of loneliness. Since she was a child, her bed would always be piled high with all kinds of dolls, and she had worn out several music boxes brought back from the West. She would occasionally squeeze onto the bed with her parents, which always managed to drive away some of the loneliness.

But now, she was no longer afraid of loneliness. The helplessness when her house was searched, the despair when she was left homeless on the streets, the first sense of stability she found after coming to Fenghai, and that ridiculous pipe dream – which of these wasn’t more terrifying than loneliness?

Hua Manyi’s left hand hung down over the side of the sofa, suspended in the air. The cigarette clasped between her fingers emitted wisps of smoke as she slowly exhaled a plume of ephemeral white mist from her plain lips.

How nice.

She thought.

The sound of a suona (Chinese horn) drifted in from the street outside, rising and falling, a farewell to the deceased on their final journey.

She wondered if it was the funeral for someone from the Huo family or the funeral for that songstress.

…

The next day, Hua Manyi went to the police station. From what she had gathered from those young masters, the relatives of those incarcerated generally had the right to visit, and if the circumstances weren’t too severe and they had money, bribing those in charge might even secure their release.

Nearly half a year had passed since the day her family was raided. No one in Fenghai could earn money faster than her. She now had a bit of savings, and she figured visiting her parents in prison wouldn’t be too difficult for her.

“Hua Qi’an and Li Zhi?” The police officer in charge of the archives repeated the names while flipping through the files. “What are you to them?”

Hua Manyi looked at the ledger and said softly, “I am their daughter, Hua Manyi.”

“Where are they being held now, and can I visit them?”

The officer gave her a sidelong glance, an expression of disdain showing at her worldly attire. He flipped to the two names, took a look, and sneered, “So it’s the Hua family that was raided half a year ago, tsk. Miss, if you visit in that outfit, your parents might die of anger right then and there.”

Hua Manyi gripped the handkerchief in her hand, listening to the barrage of mockery without changing her expression. Only after he had finished his taunting did he inform her of Hua Qi’an and Li Zhi’s place of detention.

“There you go, in the largest Wuguan Prison in the South City,” the officer sized her up. “I doubt you have the money to go to South City. Visit them? Go scratch some more silver dollars from men, then you can go!”

Having obtained the information, Hua Manyi said “thank you” and left with a cold expression, choking the police officer’s remaining mockery in his throat, unable to vent it. He sheepishly rubbed his nose.

Back in Fenghai, Hua Manyi asked Fang Yu about her schedule for the coming week and calculated if she could take some time off. Knowing the situation, Fang Yu unhesitatingly promised to cover for her, urging her to go to the prison visit with peace of mind.

“Regarding the leave, I’ll talk to Mother Gong about it later.” Fang Yu stood at the pier and hugged Hua Manyi. “Be careful on the road. You can give me a call when you get there, or send a telegram if there’s no phone.”

“I understand, Sister Fang Yu. I’ll take care of myself, thank you.” Hua Manyi tucked the few strands of curly hair, messed up by the sea wind, behind her ear. She was holding a small leather suitcase containing a few clothes. “Then, I’ll have to trouble you to speak with Mother Gong.”

“Don’t worry, be safe!” Fang Yu waved, watching her board the deck. She wondered how smoothly this visit to the prison in Haicheng would go.

Hua Manyi didn’t know how smoothly it would go. Initially, the sea on the ship was clear, the sky was blue, the sea breeze was warm, and the ship sailed smoothly on the sea surface. Everything was comfortable. Until the ship reached the next pier, probably a pier of a nearby town, where many more passengers gradually boarded. When the ship set sail again, a storm erupted. Turbulent waves slapped against the ship as if trying to swallow it whole. The deck was deserted, and all the passengers huddled in their respective cabins.

She had booked a mid-range single cabin, neither too big nor too small, but fully equipped. There was a table and chairs, just like in a cafe, next to the window. The ship rocked on the waves, but thanks to what must have been the captain’s good skills, a vase of flowers on the table hadn’t fallen over and stood firmly in place.

However, this level of swaying was enough to make her stomach churn and make her nauseous. There was nothing in the room for her to use, so she had to endure the discomfort, open the door, and stagger along the corridor toward the public restroom.

She hadn’t walked far when the door of a room diagonally opposite opened. The person inside must have opened it because they heard the sounds of many people throwing up outside. The woman standing at the doorway looked completely normal, showing no sign of discomfort.

Hua Manyi only managed a fleeting glance: a stylish English look, neat gray tailored trousers, black leather boots, a black waistcoat over a long-sleeved shirt, a French white bow tie at the chest with two somewhat long ribbons, finger-waved curly hair, and small white pearl earrings.

There were about five or six people in the corridor who were seasick like her, all anxiously rushing out to find a place to vomit. Hua Manyi was also afraid that there wouldn’t be enough space, and if she vomited on the floor, the crew would demand compensation from her.

Thinking this, Hua Manyi struggled to move forward. Who knew that someone running too fast behind her, combined with the ship swaying from a wave, caused her to feel someone crash into her? She tumbled forward with the momentum, falling onto the woman standing at the doorway.

“I, I’m sorry…” Hua Manyi crashed completely onto the other person. Even through the high-quality vest, she could feel the woman’s softness. As soon as her apology left her lips, an uncontrollable wave of nausea surged up from her abdomen.

“Ugh—”

A foul, acrid smell drifted from the woman in front of her, making Hua Manyi feel even more nauseous. She clung to the woman’s slender waist and threw up again.

Lu Nian, who had nowhere to escape: “…”

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