主 角 138（上部53）‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍The Protagonist ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍ 陈 彦 ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍Chen Yan

躍龍

　　“盘盘”，在老艺人那里，就是脸蛋的意思。

In the old folks' parlance, "panpan" means pretty face.

可朱团他们躲着、推着、应付着，还是有人不依不饶地要娶易青娥。整得易青娥和领导都毫无办法。

But no matter how Zhu Tuan and his team tried to avoid, push away, and deal with it, someone still insisted on marrying Yi Qing'e. This left Yi Qing'e and her superiors completely helpless.

　　这里面有一个叫刘红兵的，是行署一个副专员的公子。他刚从部队回来，正给哪个领导开小车着。那时，开大车也是很风光的职业，还别说开铁壳子小车了。全地区，就三四辆伏尔加，其他还都是“帆布篷”。据说，到他家提亲的，把门槛都能踢断了。但这个刘红兵，偏偏看上了易青娥的白娘子，又看了她的杨排风。那种美艳，那种娇嫩，那种飒爽英姿，那种一想起来就令人无法入眠的楚楚动人，让他是怎么都放她不下了。他就在一个公子哥儿们聚会的场合，一口喝干了一瓶高脖子西凤酒后，撂下狠话说：

Among them was a man named Liu Hongbing, the son of a deputy commissioner of the administrative office. He had just returned from the army and was driving a car for some leader. Back then, driving a large truck was a prestigious profession, let alone driving a small, metal-bodied car. In the entire region, there were only three or four Volga trucks; the rest were all canvas-topped vehicles. It was said that suitors flocked to his house, practically breaking the threshold. But this Liu Hongbing had fallen for Yi Qing'e's Bai Niangzi (White Snake), and also for her Yang Paifeng (Yang Paifeng). Her beauty, her delicate charm, her dashing figure, her captivating allure that kept him awake at night—he couldn't let her go. At a gathering of young men, after downing a bottle of strong-necked Xifeng liquor, he declared:

“谁都甭再骚情了，易青娥是我的。不信，都走着瞧。”

"Stop flirting, everyone. Yi Qing'e is mine. Just you wait and see."

　　刘红兵开始是缠着他妈，出面给地区文化局领导的老婆讲。文化局领导的老婆，又找宁州剧团的朱团长讲。说朱团长说了，易青娥还小，跟个虫一样，啥都不懂，等以后娃脑瓜子开窍了，再牵这个线不迟。也算是说说笑笑着，把这事打发了。刘红兵他妈见刘红兵太上心，就劝他说：“唱戏的，那都是化妆化出来的好看，平常大概也跟行署里这些女娃子差不多。”刘红兵就说：“没化妆我也见了，比化了妆还好看呢。行署里哪有这好看的女娃子，咱这都是吊吊沟子，凹凹眼，还厉害得跟生葱一样。跟易青娥就没法比。”

Liu Hongbing initially pestered his mother to speak to the wife of a leader in the regional cultural bureau. The leader's wife then approached Director Zhu of the Ningzhou Opera Troupe. Director Zhu said that Yi Qing'e was still young, like a worm, and didn't understand anything; it wouldn't be too late to make the connection later when the child's mind opened up. They managed to resolve the matter with a few jokes. Seeing how much Liu Hongbing was concerned, his mother advised him, "Opera singers only look good with makeup; normally they're probably just like the girls in the administrative office." Liu Hongbing replied, "I've seen them without makeup, and they're even prettier than with it. There aren't any girls this pretty in the administrative office. We're all hunched over, with sunken eyes, and as fierce as green onions. We can't compare to Yi Qing'e."

　　他妈又说：“唱戏这职业不行，娃看着亲蛋蛋一个，可没文化么。要是放在前些年，搞个宣传队、文工团的啥还行。现在抓经济建设，都不兴这个了。就像你，当兵红火，爸送你去当了兵。开车红火，你从部队回来，又安排你开了车。眼看着，这开车也不行了，你爸说，还得让你赶紧去混个文凭，好安排其他事情呢。”刘红兵气恼地说：“不去，看书我头痛。我就要娶易青娥。要是娶不到易青娥，我就走了。”他妈问：“你走到哪儿去？”刘红兵说：“你管我到哪儿去。”以后的事，就是刘红兵自己出手了。

His mother said again, "Singing in operas won't work. The kid looks so cute, but he's uneducated. A few years ago, he could have joined a propaganda team or a performing arts troupe. But now we're focused on economic development, so that's not the way to go anymore. Like you, being in the army was great, so Dad sent you to the army. Driving was great too, so when you came back from the army, we arranged for you to drive. Now even driving isn't working, and your dad says you need to get a diploma so he can arrange other things for you." Liu Hongbing said angrily, "No, I don't want to go. Studying gives me a headache. I'm going to marry Yi Qing'e. If I can't marry Yi Qing'e, I'm leaving." His mother asked, "Where are you going?" Liu Hongbing said, "It's none of your business where I go." From then on, Liu Hongbing had to take matters into his own hands.

　　其实最让易青娥纠结的，还是封潇潇。不能不说，她已经爱上这个同学了。尤其是一个多月的《白蛇传》演出，虽然白天她是尽量避着他，可每到晚上，他们就要眉目传情数十次，还要搂抱在一起。封潇潇的体温、呼吸、心跳，她都是深切感受到了的。许仙在很多时候，似乎已经不是许仙，而是封潇潇了。是封潇潇紧紧搂抱住易青娥了。虽然很苦，很累，但她每天晚上，都有一种强烈的演出期待。尽管是当着上千观众，在进行一场演戏的恋爱。可这种恋爱，已经让她心满意足。当然，她也在一再告诫自己：到此为止了。

What truly troubled Yi Qing'e was Feng Xiaoxiao. It was undeniable that she had fallen in love with this classmate. Especially during the month-long performance of "The Legend of the White Snake," although she tried to avoid him during the day, every night they would exchange glances dozens of times and embrace. She could deeply feel Feng Xiaoxiao's body temperature, breath, and heartbeat. At times, Xu Xian seemed no longer to be Xu Xian, but rather Feng Xiaoxiao. It was Feng Xiaoxiao tightly embracing Yi Qing'e. Although it was tough and exhausting, she felt a strong anticipation for the performance every night. Even though it was a theatrical romance performed in front of thousands of audience members, this kind of love was already fulfilling. Of course, she repeatedly told herself: this must end here.

　　易青娥知道，为“六匹狼”请她去参加诗歌朗诵会，封潇潇都快气成乌眼鸡了。他一直站在她离开的路口，苦苦守候了她四个多小时。无论哪匹“狼”来，如果封潇潇有猎枪，她觉得，随时都是会擦枪走火的。她也能感到，他是在极力克制自己，可有时，还是克制不住地要给一班同学，留下许多终生难忘的笑柄。尤其是刘红兵的出现，把封潇潇的肺都快气炸了。这个一切都不管不顾的“高干子弟”（当时人都这样叫他），动不动就开一辆铁壳子白车，“日”的一下，停在剧场大门口，或者后台了。管你谁挡不挡，人家端直就进了化妆室。见了朱团长、古导才打声招呼。其余人，一概是眼中看不见的。

Yi Qing'e knew that Feng Xiaoxiao was furious that "Six Wolves" had invited her to the poetry recital. He had stood at the crossroads where she left, waiting for her for over four hours. She felt that if Feng Xiaoxiao had a hunting rifle, any of the "wolves" could easily go off. She could also sense that he was trying his best to control himself, but sometimes he couldn't help but leave his classmates with many unforgettable laughs. Especially the appearance of Liu Hongbing, which nearly made Feng Xiaoxiao explode with rage. This reckless "son of a high-ranking official" (that's what people called him back then) would casually drive his white, metal car and pull up to the theater entrance or backstage. He didn't care who tried to stop him; he'd just walk straight into the dressing room. He'd only greet Director Zhu and Director Gu. Everyone else was completely invisible to him.

　　他每次来，还都直接走到易青娥跟前，不是拿的整只葫芦鸡，就是拿的整条糖醋松鼠鱼。就连大家都想吃，却又舍不得买的面包、蛋糕、红白酥、沙琪玛，还有各种罐头，人家一拿也是一整箱地撂在那儿，让大家随便吃。易青娥让朱团长把人也赶过好几次，但刘红兵一开口说话，朱团长就吓得连声好好好的，没有下文了。刘红兵动不动就说：“我都给文化局的老丁说了，让他给你们买些练功服。我看你们演员的练功服都太旧了，式样也有些老。”老丁是文化局长。过两天，他又给朱团长说：“我给老吉说了，让弄些大米。给你们粗粮搭配得太多。这么辛苦的，一天还能不保证一顿大米饭？”老吉是粮食局长。

Every time he came, he would go straight to Yi Qing'e, bringing either a whole gourd chicken or a whole sweet and sour squirrel fish. Even the bread, cakes, red and white pastries, sachima, and various canned goods that everyone wanted but couldn't afford to buy, he would just leave whole boxes there for everyone to eat as much as they wanted. Yi Qing'e had asked Director Zhu to kick him out several times, but as soon as Liu Hongbing opened his mouth, Director Zhu would be so frightened that he would just say "okay, okay" and then fall silent. Liu Hongbing would often say, "I've already told Old Ding from the Cultural Bureau to buy you some practice clothes. I think your actors' practice clothes are all too old, and the styles are a bit outdated." Old Ding was the director of the Cultural Bureau. A couple of days later, he would say to Director Zhu, "I told Old Ji to get some rice. Giving you too much coarse grain is bad. You work so hard, can't you at least have a meal of rice a day?" Old Ji was the director of the Grain Bureau.

　　并且他说过的话，还很快都能一一兑现。团上有些人，就觉得刘红兵厉害了。气得封潇潇有一天见刘红兵来，端直给他爱坐的椅子上，撂了一管开了口的大红油彩。刘红兵神神狂狂的，眼睛死盯着易青娥的脸，就没朝椅子上瞅。他一屁股塌下去，一逛荡，起身一看，白西服抹得不仅满屁股是红，而且油彩从管子里飙出来，溅得白皮鞋、白袜子上都是。他手一动，连花领带也抹得见血了一般可怖。气得刘红兵直嚷嚷：“唉，这是哪个挨球的货，你把油彩撂到椅子上，得是准备把哥的沟子也化成孟良呢。”看来，刘红兵近来看戏，也是有大长进了，竟然知道孟良是要化红脸的。

　　And he always kept his word. Some people in the troupe thought Liu Hongbing was formidable. One day, Feng Xiaoxiao was so angry that when Liu Hongbing came in, she straightened up his favorite chair and threw a tube of bright red paint, now with an open end, onto it. Liu Hongbing, looking arrogant, stared intently at Yi Qing'e's face, ignoring the chair. He plopped down, swayed, and when he got up, he saw that his white suit was not only covered in red paint on his backside, but the paint was also splattering from the tube onto his white shoes and socks. With a flick of his wrist, even his floral tie was smeared with paint, looking horribly bloody. Enraged, Liu Hongbing yelled, "Hey, who the hell is this? You threw paint on the chair, are you planning to turn my crotch into Meng Liang's?" It seems Liu Hongbing has learned a lot from watching plays lately, even knowing that Meng Liang's face is painted red.

　　就在北山的两个多月演出中，省上秦腔剧团突然发榜，要在西北五省招收成熟青年演员。年龄在三十岁以下，需有五年以上坐科经验。楚嘉禾和周玉枝竟然都偷偷报考了。据说，楚嘉禾在报考前，还问了封潇潇，说她想彻底离开宁州剧团，看潇潇是啥意思。结果封潇潇说：“你走了也好，宁州剧团小，漂不起太多的‘油花花’。也许你到了省上，会有更好的发展呢。”气得楚嘉禾端直骂了他一句：“你就死盯着那个让做饭的强奸了的货，人家还未必能看上你呢。哼！”楚嘉禾愤然离开了。去省城考试本来是要请假的，但她没有请，就端直走了。并且还带走了周玉枝。听说，她妈在那边把关系都疏通好了。

　　During the two-month performance in Beishan, the provincial Qinqiang opera troupe suddenly issued a notice recruiting experienced young actors from the five northwestern provinces. Applicants had to be under thirty years old and have at least five years of formal training experience. Chu Jiahe and Zhou Yuzhi both secretly applied. It's said that before applying, Chu Jiahe asked Feng Xiaoxiao what she thought, saying she wanted to leave the Ningzhou troupe completely. Feng Xiaoxiao replied, "It's good you're leaving. The Ningzhou troupe is small and can't afford too many 'slippery flowers' (a euphemism for extravagant entertainment). Maybe you'll have better opportunities in the provincial troupe." This angered Chu Jiahe, who retorted, "You're just fixated on that woman who was raped by the cook; she might not even be interested in you. Humph!" Chu Jiahe stormed off. She was supposed to ask for leave to go to the provincial capital for the exam, but she didn't, and left without asking. She also took Zhou Yuzhi with her. It's said that her mother had smoothed things over there.

在楚嘉禾走后不久，北山地区大街小巷，就传出一股风声来，说易青娥在十四五岁时，就被宁州剧团一个老做饭的，给糟蹋过了。

Not long after Chu Jiahe left, rumors spread throughout the streets and alleys of Beishan that Yi Qing'e had been defiled by an old cook from the Ningzhou Opera Troupe when she was fourteen or fifteen years old.

　　陈彦，1963年生于陕西镇安。一级编剧。中国作家协会会员。曾创作《迟开的玫瑰》《大树西迁》《西京故事》等戏剧作品数十部，三次获“曹禺戏剧文学奖”“文华编剧奖”，作品三度入选国家舞台艺术精品工程“十大精品剧目”。曾创作32集电视剧《大树小树》，获“飞天奖”。著有长篇小说《西京故事》《装台》，其中《装台》被中国小说学会评为“2015小说排行榜”长篇小说榜首，“2015中国好书”，2017年获首届“吴承恩长篇小说奖”。出版有《陈彦剧作选》《陈彦词作选》《陈彦西京三部曲》，散文集《必须抵达》《边走边看》《坚挺的表达》《说秦腔》等著作。

Chen Yan was born in Zhen'an, Shaanxi Province in 1963. He is a first-class screenwriter and a member of the China Writers Association. He has created dozens of theatrical works, including *The Late-Blooming Rose*, *The Great Tree Moves West*, and *The Story of Xi'an*, winning the Cao Yu Drama Literature Award and the Wenhua Screenwriting Award three times. His works have been selected three times as one of the "Top Ten Excellent Plays" in the National Stage Art Masterpiece Project. He also wrote the 32-episode TV series *The Great Tree and the Little Tree*, which won the Feitian Award. He is the author of the novels *The Story of Xi'an* and *Zhuangtai*, with *Zhuangtai* being ranked first on the "2015 Novel Ranking" by the China Novel Society and named one of the "2015 China's Best Books." In 2017, he won the inaugural Wu Cheng'en Novel Award. He has published *Selected Plays by Chen Yan*, *Selected Lyrics by Chen Yan*, *Chen Yan's Xi'an Trilogy*, and essay collections such as *Must Arrive*, *Walking and Observing*, *A Resilient Expression*, and *Talking about Qinqiang Opera*.