Chapter 20 Chapter Twenty

Looking back, I realize that that conversation with Mameha changed my worldview.I didn't know anything about "Shui Yang" before, and I was a naive girl who didn't know much about the world.But then I started to understand what guys like Dr. Crab spend their time and money in Gion for.Once you know this kind of thing, you won't be confused. That night, I waited until midnight at the art building, and Hatsumomo and Pumpkin didn't come back.Pumpkin was exhausted, but Hatsumomo forced her to drink with him, and finally asked her to go out and buy noodles for him.After the pumpkin went out, I followed up secretly. She was surprised when she saw me and asked me what was the matter.

"It's nothing," I said, "just... I need your help badly." "Oh, Chiyo," she said to me, the only one who still called me that. "I don't have time! I'm looking for noodles for Hatsumomo." "Pumpkin, you are so pitiful," I said, "You are like ice that is about to melt." She looked tired, and I asked her to find a place to sit, and I went to help her buy noodles. But when I returned with the steaming noodles, the pumpkin was already fast asleep on the bench by the Shirakawa stream. I put the noodles next to her and pushed her awake as lightly as possible.I said, "Pumpkin, I need your help so badly, but... I thought you might not like it."

"It's all right," she said, "I can't be happier about anything." "You were in the room when Hatsumomo was talking to the doctor in the evening. Hatsumomo must have made up something about me to the doctor, and now the doctor won't see me." Suddenly a few tears jumped onto Pumpkin's puffy cheeks, as if she had stored them for years, "I didn't know there was such a bad person! I don't understand... She does things to hurt others. The worst thing is that she Thought I adored her and wanted to be like her. But I hate her! I've never hated someone so much."

"Pumpkin, listen to me." I said, "If I had other options, I wouldn't ask you. I don't want to be a maid all my life, but if I let Hatsumomo do whatever I want, I can only be a maid. She won't stop until she tramples me down like a cockroach. I mean, if you don't help me get away, she'll trample me flat." Pumpkin thought the statement was funny, and we laughed together.When she was laughing and crying, I took her handkerchief and tried to smooth out the make-up on her face which was ruined by crying.I saw the pumpkin from before again, and my heart was full of emotions. She used to be my friend.My eye sockets are wet.We finally hug each other.

"I just have a few questions, Pumpkin. Just tell me, how did Hatsumomo find out that I entertained doctors at Shirai Tea House?" "Oh, this," Pumpkin said, "she tried to tease you about the German ambassador a few days ago, but you didn't seem to care. You're so calm, she thought you and Mameha must be up to something. So she Go to Umi Awaji at the registration desk and ask which teahouses you have been to recently. Her face changed when she heard that you went to Shirai. We went to Shirai to see the doctor that night." Shirai didn't have many regular customers, so Hatsumomo immediately thought of Dr. Crab.He is known in Gion as a "mizuyo expert".As soon as Hatsumomo thought of him, he probably guessed what Mameha was up to.

"What did she say that night?" "Hatsumomo told him that there was a young man living near the art hall, and that you and the young man both liked each other. Mom strictly forbids us to have boyfriends, but she doesn't mind helping you hide it, because she also thinks mom is too Stern. She said she even let you meet alone in her room when Mom was out. Later she said, 'Oh, but...doctor, I shouldn't have told you this! What can mom do with her ears? Anyway, I helped a lot!' But the doctor said he was very grateful to Hatsumomo for telling him this, and he would definitely keep it a secret."

I can totally imagine how smug Hatsumomo is about her plot.I thanked Pumpkin repeatedly for her help, saying that I felt sorry for her, because she had been used like a slave by Hatsumomo all these years. "I think there are good things," Pumpkin said. "A few days ago, my mother decided to adopt me. I always dreamed of a place where I could stay for the rest of my life, and now it seems like my dream has come true." I was sad to hear these words, but I said I was really happy for her.I am indeed happy for Pumpkin, but I also know that an important part of Project Mameha is to let my mother adopt me.

The next day, I told Mameha what I had heard.When she heard about the young man, she shook her head in disgust.I also realized long ago that if Hatsumomo said this, the doctor would definitely think that I had lost my virginity to others, and he would never bid for my "Shui Yang". "I think," she said, "we still have a few months before the pumpkins are adopted, Sayuri, which means it's time for your 'Shui Yang'." That week, Mameha Confectionery made a custom sticky rice dessert for me that we called akubo.When an apprentice geisha was about to "mizuyo", she would pack the akubo in a small box and distribute it to her benefactor.Most apprentices give at least a dozen male guests, but I can only give it to Dr. Nobu.I was sad because I couldn't give it to the president, but on the other hand, the whole thing didn't feel right to me, and I wasn't terribly sorry that he was out of it.

It was easy to give Akubo to Yeon.But Doctor Crab is a different story.A few days later, Mameha said that he had arrived at Yashino Tea House and asked me to go there immediately. Not long after I arrived, Mameha invited Dr. Crab.He stood in the shadow of the passage, looking stern, like an old portrait in a bank lobby.He stared at me from behind his glasses. "I'm going back to the party," he said to Mameha, "I'm sorry." "Doctor, Sayuri has something for you." Mameha said, "Just for a while, if you want." "I'm sorry I haven't seen you for a few days," I said. "It's getting warmer. I think the season is coming to an end."

The doctor didn't answer, just stared at me. "Accept Acupo, Doctor," I said, bowing, and placing the box on the table by his hand.He put his hand on his lap, as if to say he didn't want to touch it at all. "Why did you give me this?" Mameha interjected, "I'm so sorry, doctor. I convinced Sayuri that you probably wanted her Akubo. I hope I'm not mistaken?" "You made a mistake. Maybe you don't know that this girl is not what you thought. Ms. Mameha, I think highly of you, but you recommend her to me. The reward is not very good."

"Doctor, I'm so sorry," she said, "I didn't know you thought that. I always thought you liked Sayuri." "Very well. Now that everything is clear, I'm going back to the banquet." "But may I ask? Did Sayuri offend you? Things took a turn too suddenly." "She did offend me. I told you I hate people who lie to me." "Miss Sayuri, it's shameful that you lied to the doctor!" Mameha said to me, "You must tell the doctor the truth. What's going on?" "I don't know!" I said aggrievedly, "except that a few weeks ago I said the weather was getting warmer, but it didn't..." "This is between you two," said the doctor, "and not about me. Goodbye." "But, doctor, before you go," Mameha said, "is there a misunderstanding? Sayuri is an honest girl, and she never deceives others, especially someone who treats her so well." "I think you should ask her about the boy next door," said the doctor. I was relieved that he finally got it out. "That's right!" Mameha said to him, "You must have talked to Hatsumomo." "I don't know what it has to do with her," said the doctor. "She spread this story all over Gion. It's complete nonsense! Ever since Sayuri was assigned a major stage role in 'Dance of the Ancient Capital,' Hatsumomo has gone out of her way to discredit her." "Dance of the Ancient Capital" is an annual event in Gion.It opens in six weeks. "I don't understand, why did Hatsumomo make up a story when Sayuri took the stage role?" "You must have seen Hatsumomo's sister Pumpkin, right? Hatsumomo wanted Pumpkin to be in the show, but now Sayuri got it, and I got the role Hatsumomo wanted." Mameha's words paid off.Doctor Crab sat silently for a while, and said, "This is the first time I have encountered such a special situation." "Doctor, please accept Akubo, let's ignore Hatsumomo's stupidity, shall we?" "I've often heard that some crooked girls put 'Shui Yang' at that time of the month, and men are easy dupes. You know, I'm a doctor. I'm not that gullible. I'll have people come Check Sayuri." "But no one wants to lie to you!" He sat for a while longer, then stood up, arched his back, propped his elbows, and strode out the door.I bowed and said goodbye in a hurry, and I didn't have time to see if he took Akubo or not.But luckily after he and Mameha left, I looked at the table and the box was gone. When Mameha mentioned my stage role, I thought she was just making it up.But the next day I was amazed to learn that she was telling the truth. In the mid-1930s, there were about 700 to 800 geisha in Gion, but in the end only 60 participated in the "Dance of the Ancient City" every spring.Over the years, many people have turned against each other in order to compete for the role.Just a few days before I gave Acupo to the doctor, a seventeen-year-old apprentice in a solo role fell down the stairs and broke a leg.The poor girl was out, but the rest of the Gion apprentices were more than happy to take the opportunity to fill the void.The role ended up being mine.I was fifteen and had never danced on stage, but I was not unprepared.Most of the apprentices were busy running around in the evenings between parties, but I stayed in the art hall, practicing dancing with my aunt's shamisen.That's why I was able to reach the eleventh level at the age of fifteen, although my dancing talent is no higher than other apprentices. I was assigned the role in mid-March and had just over a month to practice.Fortunately, my dance teacher is very helpful and often gives me individual guidance in the afternoon.Mom got the news with that confused look on her face like seeing her dog "how long" helped her add up the numbers in the ledger. Of course, Hatsumomo was furious, but Mameha didn't care.According to her, it's time for us to throw Hatsumomo out of the ring.