Chapter 26

Less than a meter into the room stood a large wooden board covered with movie posters of various sizes, the largest one featuring Joey Wong. To the left of the board was an empty passage, providing access, but only after purchasing tickets at the small table on the board's right. Behind the small table sat a tall, thin woman in her early thirties, wearing a red tank top and jeans. The low neckline of her top revealed a butterfly tattoo on her collarbone. At that moment, she held a cigarette in her left hand and pressed a pager with her right, asking without looking up, "How many people?"

"Four people, Sister Mei. Haven't seen you in a while, you've gotten even prettier."

"Sister Mei, isn't Brother-in-law here? Are you running the place alone today?"

Pan Zi and Lei Zi paid for their tickets, complimenting her and trying to get on her good side. They weren't actually close with Sister Mei, but being young and shrewd, they knew that with some flattery and good timing, they could brazenly stay and watch an extra movie or two for free when business was slow, after paying for just one. Sister Mei put the money in the drawer, produced four tickets, and, blowing smoke rings, cursed:

"Who knows where that bastard ran off to today!"

Sister Mei's husband, nicknamed 'Leopard,' was a well-known hooligan in that part of town, referred to as Brother Leopard. Without such a background, a woman like Sister Mei wouldn't be suited to run this kind of video hall. After getting their tickets, Li Zhuiyuan and Runsheng followed Pan Zi and Lei Zi, entering through the left passage. The wooden board not only created the passage but also blocked the light from the door.

The space inside was quite large, with a circle of low, long benches in the middle, resembling a makeshift cinema. Previously, rural town cinemas could maintain popularity by relying on group tickets from local state-owned factories and units and by serving as temporary event stages. Now, having gradually shed their public ownership, they were inevitably declining. This gave private video halls like Sister Mei's room for rapid, wild growth and widespread popularity. Against the north wall was a long cabinet, with an old color television on top and a VCR below it. Runsheng excitedly leaned into Li Zhuiyuan's ear and whispered, "Xiao Yuan, this TV is much bigger than the one Great-Grandpa bought yesterday!"

Li Zhuiyuan smiled and replied, "No matter how big this one is, everyone watches it together. No matter how small the one at home is, you get to watch it by yourself."

Runsheng nodded, "That's true. But after nightfall, all the channels show a fixed, unmoving screen with a 'beep' sound. I almost thought I broke the new TV right after we bought it; it scared me to death! Good thing the channels came back in the morning."

"Brother Runsheng, maybe the TV station staff also need to rest at night."

"Hmm," Runsheng said regretfully, "What a shame, can't they just work in shifts?"

"Brother Runsheng, let's sit down."

Although it was afternoon, some people were already seated inside. The movie currently playing was 'Prison on Fire,' starring Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung Ka-fai. Currently, the movie was only halfway through. If nothing major unexpected happened, the screening times were generally fixed, so Pan Zi and the others had deliberately timed their arrival to catch half a movie for free. It wasn't easy for the boys to get their hands on pocket money, so naturally, they learned how to make every penny count, spending the least amount to maximize their entertainment. Li Zhuiyuan also noticed a deep, small door with a curtain in the southeast corner of the video hall, which looked very mysterious. It didn't seem to be for cooking, as there was no smell of cooking oil.

Although they joined halfway, it didn't stop everyone from quickly getting immersed in the movie's plot. The viewing time passed quickly. Accompanied by the melancholic and wistful cinematic language characteristic of Hong Kong films of that era, the movie ended. Actually, even before it ended, Sister Mei had come in and stood by the TV, waiting. Ignoring the interruption to the atmosphere, she announced that the next film would be 'A Better Tomorrow' and told those who wanted to stay for the extra screening to get ready. After it ended, a few people left because they had errands, but most chose to pay for the next screening. Sister Mei's gaze swept over Pan Zi and the others, but she said nothing, tacitly acknowledging that they had paid for this screening. 'A Better Tomorrow' began playing.

Hong Kong cinema was in its heyday at this time, not only dominating the entire Chinese cultural sphere but also holding immense influence in Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. The videotapes in the video hall were also mainly Hong Kong films. Occasionally, there would be foreign films, but their covers were very explicit. However, having just watched one Chow Yun-fat movie and immediately starting another, Li Zhuiyuan found it a bit hard to get into. This feeling was very much like when his older brothers at the family compound, to thank him for helping with their homework, insisted on dragging him to watch 'Ultraman Leo' all day. They watched episode after episode, fast-forwarding through the opening and closing credits. Originally, watching one episode a day was an indescribable joy, but after an overdose, only aesthetic fatigue from the same pattern remained. Lei Zi had stepped out earlier when the tape was changed and returned with four bottles of soda from the convenience store next door, one for each of them. The money they earned from moving bricks at the kiln factory wasn't much. Half of it was taken by their parents, leaving just enough for this kind of entertainment.

Just fifteen minutes into the movie, four young men suddenly walked in. The leader, seemingly unfazed by the heat, wore an ill-fitting suit vest, while the other three had their shirts off, draped over their shoulders, exuding a thuggish vibe. They were smoking, speaking loudly, and deliberately laughing exaggeratedly while talking. They had probably seen this movie before, as they were spoiling it while chatting, and habitually added a curse word to the beginning or end of every sentence. Those around them were clearly displeased, but no one said anything, given there were four of them. Pan Zi and Lei Zi quietly introduced the four men to Runsheng and Li Zhuiyuan, mentioning their names and reputations on the streets. Teenagers of this age had a peculiar sense of admiration for these thuggish figures; it seemed like knowing them was a remarkable achievement. However, this generation of the Old Li family valued education greatly due to Li Lan. Pan Zi and Lei Zi were already in high school; if they had dropped out in junior high, they would likely be hanging out with these men now.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't mind the cigarette smoke, as Great-Grandpa Li Weihan and others smoked, but he disliked the loud voices of the four men. Unable to bear it any longer, he got up and moved to the last row by the wall, where there were chairs, significantly higher than the low, long benches in front. Pan Zi and Lei Zi confirmed that Li Zhuiyuan was still there, just sitting at the back. They then turned back and continued watching the movie. Just then, the man in the suit shouted to the back, "Sister Mei, where are they? Where are they? We've been here so long, where are they!" Sister Mei poked her head out from behind the wooden board and cursed, "What's with all the shouting? Are you trying to raise hell? Look at the time! I've called them for you; they'll be here soon!"

"Hehehe," the man in the suit chuckled, unfazed. He whistled at Sister Mei, "Looks like Brother Leopard has been doing too much; you're sagging now."

"Go to hell!"

Sister Mei cursed again, and her figure disappeared behind the wooden board. Soon after, two women walked in, both in their thirties or older, wearing heavy makeup and dresses. After entering, the two women sat down on either side of Li Zhuiyuan, then both lowered their heads and curiously looked at the boy.

"Oh, handsome boy, are you sitting here waiting for your sisters?"

"So fair-skinned and tender, but are you already so knowing at such a young age?"

The two began to tease him. At this point, two of the suit-clad man's associates got up and walked over. They each sat down next to one of the women, and their hands began to wander, exploring. The women didn't resist much, and they interacted with playful banter. Li Zhuiyuan realized that these chairs in the last row were not meant for regular viewers. Just as he was about to leave his seat and return to Runsheng's side, the two pairs of men and women next to him stood up first, pushed aside the curtain, and entered the mysterious passage. Soon, two doors clicked shut, suggesting there were several small private rooms inside. Meanwhile, the man in the suit began to shout, "Sister Mei, Sister Mei, change the tape, change the tape!"

Sister Mei poked her head out and cursed, "It's not even night yet! Change what damn tape!"

The man in the suit said discontentedly, "Come on, spice things up, create some atmosphere! Change the tape!"

A few of the other moviegoers also chimed in, egging her on. Although Sister Mei had Brother Leopard backing her, they were all street thugs; sometimes she could curse at them, but she still had to indulge them. Thus, she walked to the VCR, removed 'A Better Tomorrow,' rummaged through a drawer in the long cabinet for another tape, and put it in. Li Zhuiyuan noticed Pan Zi and Lei Zi's faces lighting up with excitement and anticipation, as if teenagers from an African tribe were about to undergo their most primal coming-of-age ritual. Soon, the new movie began to play; it was a costume drama.

There was no Mandarin dubbing, only Cantonese. Fortunately, there were subtitles, but looking further, one would realize that subtitles made little difference. Initially, the plot seemed quite normal, with a lighthearted, dramatic feel. Li Zhuiyuan saw a short man selling steamed buns and thought it must be a Hong Kong version of 'Water Margin.' Until a man and a woman entered a room to drink, then lay down on a table, and their clothes began to come off. Only then did Li Zhuiyuan realize what kind of movie this was. Pan Zi and Lei Zi's eyes widened, even more engrossed than when watching Chow Yun-fat's films. They seemed afraid to miss any detail, as if trying to imprint every frame into their minds for later recall. Li Zhuiyuan thought that his two older brothers certainly wouldn't be this focused when looking at the blackboard during class. Runsheng, meanwhile, began to blush and lowered his head. He wasn't pretending to be shy; he was genuinely embarrassed to watch. This period was also the golden age of midnight movies in Hong Kong and Taiwan, giving birth to a series of classics that left a significant mark on film history.

Before long, the two men who had gone in earlier came out. They casually pulled out cigarettes and lit them, seemingly trying to use the smoke to cover up some awkwardness.

"That fast?" the man in the suit said, completely disregarding his associates