Chapter 7: Live a Happy Life

Although some people in our industry indulge in this extravagant fantastic life, others do it with tears in their eyes, and I''m the lucky one. I am the one who sells skills rather than our bodies in our industry. I sell my skill and make money through my craft and intelligence.

虽然我们这个行业有的人也醉生梦死地卖笑卖唱，但是也有人是含着泪来卖笑卖唱，而我属于那种幸运的，至少在我们这个行业，我是卖技不卖身，是清清白白地靠手艺和头脑去赚钱的。

But not every girl is as lucky as I am. Some lack some beauty, and some lack some intelligence. It''s rare to preserve our honor as I do in our industry.

但是不是每个女孩子都如我这般幸运，有的缺了点美貌，有的缺了点聪明，总之在我们这个行业能有我这样的结果的少之又少。

Some praise my beauty and say I am the same as the divine beauty in their dreams. My beauty saved me from poverty so that I could be reborn and be able to study music, chess, poem, painting, read and write, but it also harms me now.

别人夸我天资国色，如同梦里的仙子那般漂亮，这副容貌既救了我，让我得以脱离贫穷，脱胎换骨、习得琴棋诗画、读书识字，可是现在于我又何尝不是一害呢？

If my looks were ordinary, I could find a beautiful place to live the rest of my life with the money I have now, but a beauty like myself, even if I left the entertainment parlor with no one there to protect me, I am just a weak woman, no matter how intelligent I am, and too beautiful. A beautiful face can bring forth misfortune, and beauty can harm us.

Trouble will find you even if you don''t create any problems. I must have the ability to protect myself before I leave. Otherwise, everything is empty talk.

若我生得普通，以我现在手上的金钱，完全可以找一处山水如画之地过完此生。可是我这样的相貌即使离了这风尘之地，无人相护，哪怕我再聪明，我也不过是一介弱女子，而且太过漂亮，红颜招惹是非，美貌带来祸害。即使你不去招惹麻烦，麻烦也会来找你，离开之前自己必须要有保护自己的能力，否则一切都是空谈。

I never thought I''d marry someone, though I was surrounded by these young masters every day, singing and dancing to please them. There are countless examples like Du Shiniang Sinks the Hundred Treasure Boxes in our industry, but many are less famous than her. That''s why their stories are not well-known.

虽然我每日都周旋在那些富贵公子们身边卖笑卖唱，但是我从来没有奢想过从这些公子哥儿们中选一人托付终身，杜十娘怒沉百宝箱这样的例子在我们这个行业数不胜数