After turning 10, I went to the entertainment parlor. While I recognized that the entertainment parlor was not a healthy environment for women, it was still far better than doing labor work all day.

10岁后，我去了歌伎坊，因为我很清楚，歌伎坊虽然不是良家女子该呆的地方，可是至少比终日操劳着干体力活，脏活，累活要好很多。

Moreover, the entertainment parlor is much better than the prostitute's house. At least we are selling skills rather than our bodies.

更何况歌伎坊比风月场所还是要好得多，至少我们是卖艺不卖身。

The girls from the entertainment parlor all come from low-income families.

歌伎坊的姑娘们都是穷苦人家的孩子。

We can't bear the hardships and hopelessness of people experiencing poverty; there is no better choice. That's why we are here to learn how to sing and dance.

我们都是因为吃不了穷苦的苦和贫穷所带来的绝望，而又没有其它更好的选择，才来这学唱歌跳舞的。

Who wouldn't want a clean background if we had any choices? It would be better if we were elegant ladies from renowned families.

若人生有选择，谁不愿意自己是清清白白的身世？最好是大家闺秀，名门淑媛。

But I have nothing to do with something like this in this lifetime.

可是这些东西与我今生无缘。

I am struggling with the need for food and clothing because I was born into a low-income family. Starving is a horrible memory for me. I must live a good life in the future.

我出身贫寒，正在温饱边缘徘徊，饥饿对于我来说是一段可怕的回忆，未来我一定要过上好日子。

How does a girl like me make a good living?

像我这样的姑娘如何过上好日子？

Through family love, romantic love is even more ridiculous to someone like me. I like to attach myself to those in power and rise to the top of the world so that all the hard work in my life will not be in vain.

亲情早已看破，爱情对于我这种人来说更觉可笑，我这辈子就喜欢攀龙附凤必踏青云上天梯，如此我这辈子所吃的苦才不白费。

My income was better after I came to the entertainment parlor, and I was finally allowed to study.

也正是进入了歌伎坊，我有了相对高点的收入，并且得到了自己梦寐以求的学习的机会。

My skills are better since I worked harder and sweated more than others. As a result, I continued to mature every day.

我学的技艺都比一般人要好，我背后付出了比别人更多的汗水，更多的泪水和辛劳，就这样我一天天地长大。

I began studying dancing and singing when I was ten, which was too late.

10岁那年初学艺，已经很大了。

It would be best to start learning the zither when you are five and the dance when you are six or earlier to be the leading dancer.

如果你想要成为领舞，你必须五岁习琴六岁习舞或者更早

You have to painstakingly practice throughout the days and the seasons without stopping.

朝夕苦练寒暑不辍。

Because being the leading dancer, your beauty must be extraordinary, and your dance must be outstanding.

因为作为领舞，你必须美貌出众舞技绝伦。

It's impossible to be the leading dancer for someone like me, but I have refused to accept my fate since childhood. As I grew older, I had to yield to fate unwillingly.

对我来说，当领舞是不可能的，但是我从小就不认命，可是随着年龄的增长，我越来越只能认命。

Now that I'm in this industry, I'll do my best.

既然我进入了这个行业，那么我会尽我自己所能做到最好。

As the days went by, when I was fifteen, I did pretty well for myself.

日子一天天过去，当我十五岁的时候，我已经过得很好了。

I am an excellent dance girl at the entertainment parlor. I can live a good life.

我在歌伎坊已经成为一个出色的歌伎，我可以拥有一个很好的生活了

But despite my fantastic talent and appearance, I was not as good as the daughters of wealthy families because of my humble background.

但我身世贫寒，即使容貌出众，才艺无双也比不得那些有背景，有家室的名门千金。

I could support myself financially and even be able to finance my whole family to live a good life, but I will never be noble in this life. The ill-fated girl has an unfortunate appearance. The days went by like this.

虽然我有能力赚钱，赚的钱也足够养活我自己，甚至能让我一家人都过上好日子，但是这一生我永远也不能真正地金尊玉贵，薄命女生了副薄命相，日子就这样过着。