Chapter 58: Are There Hooligans in Movie Theaters Too?

After dinner, Gu Xiaohan took out a small mirror and began to shape her eyebrows and apply makeup, carefully grooming herself. Dong Yanyan, sprawled atop the upper bunk, was already tired from watching her. After finishing her mascara, Gu Xiaohan fluttered her large eyes upward at Yanyan, urging her, "Yanyan, why aren't you getting ready? We'll be late soon."

Dong Yanyan glanced at her watch and smiled, "We still have an hour. Don't worry, I only need ten minutes." Leng Yue sat on her bed hugging a pillow, absorbed in a romance novel, as still as a statue.

"The male protagonists in these stories usually prefer quirky, unkempt girls. Sixth, your makeup is too heavy," she said seriously, closing her book after staring at Xiaohan for a while.

"Really? Is it too much? What should I do?" Gu Xiaohan stared in distress at her reflection in the mirror. Two seconds later, she tossed the mirror aside, grabbed her washbasin, and made for the washroom.

"Sister, aren't you just making things harder for her? She's already nervous enough," Dong Yanyan laughed in mild reproach.

Leng Yue looked innocent, "I'm just being honest."

Yanyan glanced at the book in her hands: The Affair of the Long-Braided Elf.

"TV romance is just a fantasy for naive girls. Most rich and handsome men actually prefer virtuous, homely wives—like you," Dong Yanyan said with a smile.

"Really? That's wonderful, ha ha ha!" Leng Yue let out a sly, owl-like laugh. Dong Yanyan folded her arms and watched her antics, feeling a chill.

"Fifth, Sixth has a date tonight. Why are you tagging along as the third wheel?" Yu Xia laughed.

Dong Yanyan responded gravely, "That's not true. I must go. Without me as her personal backdrop, she might seem too forward, and no boy likes a girl who isn't reserved."

Xinran looked up at her and smiled, "Like you?"

"Shut up! Which eye of yours sees me as unreserved?" Dong Yanyan shot her a look, tossed her hair proudly, put on her headphones, and started listening to music.

*

The cinema was on the side of the Workers' Cultural Palace at People's Square. Before entering, Dong Yanyan bought raisins, preserved plums, and a pile of snacks at the supermarket next to the theater, while Xu Gang got popcorn and drinks. As they entered the second-floor cinema, the atmosphere immediately felt cold and distant, as if cut off from the outside world. She disliked this ambiance—the lighting was bleak, only a single ticket checker stood at the door, and the dim, empty hall had a sinister air that easily conjured thoughts of ghost stories.

Gu Xiaohan and Xu Gang were in high spirits, laughing and chatting intimately. Being the third wheel was not a pleasant feeling.

Inside the screening room, the lights were dim, and the movie had already begun. It was "Comrades: Almost a Love Story" starring Leon Lai and Maggie Cheung—a perfect film for couples to watch together. There weren't many people in the theater, and many seats were empty. Xu Gang and Gu Xiaohan chose seats near the front, and Xiaohan called her over to sit with them.

"You two sit here, I'll go to the row behind. It's quieter there," Dong Yanyan waved at them, carrying her bag of snacks to find a good seat in the back, settling in to watch the movie while munching.

In the row ahead, shadows shifted, and occasionally she could hear faint, suggestive sounds. As a seasoned connoisseur of romance, Dong Yanyan recognized the nature of those whispers. She looked closer—the silhouettes seemed familiar. Was that Leng Haoyang and Yang Ruining? Next to them, Zhang Lei and Du Xinmeng. The others also looked familiar—senior students from the broadcasting class. The girls beside them were hard to see, as they were all lying on the seniors’ laps, each couple paired off. Thankfully, students of this era hadn’t become so open as to do anything outrageous in public—probably just taking advantage of the dim lights and wide seats for some cuddling and kissing.

She withdrew her gaze and squinted, imagining the scene. She chuckled inwardly—there weren't many people here, and all within sight were classmates. Had Guang School booked out the whole place tonight? If she guessed right, some senior had gotten tickets from somewhere and, believing that joy is better shared, distributed them among close friends. This happened often—they’d even crashed several TV station galas before.

Given the circumstances, it was best to quietly enjoy the movie. She’d seen enough in her time, watched countless films, including all kinds of adult movies. There was no need to peep at them from behind; with only a seat-back separating her, if someone happened to glance back, a sudden meeting of eyes would be awkward.

On the screen, Leon Lai, with his crew cut and old jacket, rode a bicycle, carrying Maggie Cheung in black wedge heels through the streets of 1980s Hong Kong, humming Teresa Teng’s "Sweet Honey." Leon’s look was rustic but spot-on, and his casual humming gave a feeling as refreshing as a spring breeze. Dong Yanyan mused—who said Leon’s singing wasn’t good? Even his soft voice could still make girls swoon. At this time, Leon wasn’t exactly a young idol anymore, but he still looked boyish and handsome from every angle. Maggie Cheung had a hint of Cecilia Cheung about her. Thinking of Cecilia Cheung, she suddenly remembered Teacher Chen. Nowadays, even calling someone "Teacher Chen" took courage. Recalling her own homeroom teacher, it seemed he was always caught in the crossfire.

She chewed on raisins, leaning against the seat, her head tilted as she watched the screen. Someone came and sat beside her. She frowned, shifting her things closer, but the person moved closer as well.

She looked up—a man in his thirties, greasy and shifty-eyed, was grinning right at her.

"Uncle, if you keep squeezing, you'll crush my things! There are so many empty seats—why are you sitting so close to me?" she said, clearly annoyed.

"Little girl, why are you watching a movie alone?" he leaned in, smiling slyly.

Dong Yanyan was taken aback—what, there are creeps in the cinema too? Tsk tsk!

"I'm here with friends. Those people in front are all with me," she pointed at the backs of Leng Haoyang and the others, her tone cold.

He scoffed, "Little girl, are you kidding—"

"You’re the one joking! Who’s your little girl?! I don’t know you. Get away from me—far as you can!" Dong Yanyan stood up and shouted at him.

The nearby audience turned to look. The man hadn’t expected her to be so loud; he stood up, embarrassed, and prepared to leave.

"Wait, let me check my bag. Who knows if you stole anything?" Dong Yanyan called after him, relentless.

"Hey, you—"

"What do you mean, 'you'? You dare harass anyone, huh?" Leng Haoyang stood up from the front row, jumped over, and grabbed the man's hand, then turned to Dong Yanyan, "Yanyan, did you lose anything?"

The man was about to protest, but seeing several people stand up in the front, he could only stay silent, his face bitter.

Dong Yanyan rummaged through her bag and smiled, "Nothing’s missing. Forget it, just ignore him—let’s get back to the movie."