A Secret Farewell

As dusk fell, a thin layer of mist hung over the cement floor. Occasionally, the sounds of dogs barking and wind chimes jingling could be heard from the alleyway, but these sounds went unnoticed.

Inside an unassuming Shikumen (stone gate) building, a group of people sat nervously around a wooden table in the hall, on which sat a badly worn pottery jar.

Kiyosumi, who was in the center, picked up the pottery jar and shook it. The rustling sound broke the silence, as if it were a call from fate.

She had her comrades take out slips of paper from the jar one by one. The numbers on the slips of paper were the order in which they set off and also their only code name on the retreat route. Only when they safely returned to their "hometown" could they resume using their real names.

Once everyone had confirmed their code names, Qingcheng unfolded a hand-drawn map, on which a winding route was marked with a red line.

"Comrades, tonight is the golden time for our retreat. The chief of the secret agents along the Suzhou River is hospitalized, and the junior agents are leaderless and just slacking off. So this time we will split into two routes." Qingcheng traced the red line with her chopsticks.

Route 1: First, take the waterway. Take a boat to Qingpu. Near Qingpu Station, there's a small CC (Security) checkpoint where you might be stopped by one or two agents. But don't worry, because the wanted posters there only have portraits, and they're lucky if they look 70% like the person, not to mention everyone's disguised.

Qingcheng took out a document booklet and explained that everyone's ID card had been stamped with an official seal and was completely legal. As long as everyone insisted on their identity, no one could do anything to them. They should not panic and give themselves away, turning themselves into a Mid-Autumn Festival gift package for the spies.

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone burst into laughter. Qingcheng smiled along with her, but she was on edge. Although Line 1 was slower, it was actually safer.

CC Qingpu Station is notoriously lazy. Without a strict order from above, who would bother to work overtime? After all, the mountains are high and the emperor is far away, so they decide when to work. Moreover, at Qingpu Station, people can take more dispersed trains, avoiding crowding and reducing the probability of encountering secret agents for inspection along the way.

The second route is the most dangerous. Qingcheng pointed to herself and said, "I'll take the bus with her to the North Station and get on the bus directly."

This train from Shanghai to Wuhan only stops at Nanxiang and Jiujiang. It was only after Lao Wang and Jiang Yun thoroughly searched through the train timetable that they found this express train, which only runs once every six months.

There were no spy stations near Nanxiang Station, meaning that as long as the comrades could get on this train, they could ride all the way to Jiujiang, where a courier would meet them and take them back to their "hometown." The downside was that there were a lot of spies near the North Station!

As for which route to choose, the organizer will adjust it according to the latest situation at the station. Of course, if there is a particular route you want to take, you can apply in advance.

"I would like to apply to travel by boat." Qi Kejun raised his hand, holding the number one in his hand, probably wanting to spend a little more time with his daughter.

Qingcheng looked troubled: "I'm sorry, Lao Wang specifically instructed me that only you and Lao Li must come with me to the North Station. We know too many of you spies. The more stops you make, the greater the risk of being exposed, especially in the last few days of the journey when people are tired and it's inevitable that they will reveal their weaknesses."

"Old Qi, take my lot. I have no worries, I'm leaving first." Li Shifa snatched the number one lot without saying a word and exchanged it for his own number twenty lot.

"Old Li, thank you." Qi Kejun's voice choked with emotion as he affectionately patted Qi Xiang's head beside him.

"Everyone, please be quiet. Now that we've explained the route, let's go over the rules for the retreat. Please listen carefully." Qingcheng's tone instantly became serious.

First, apart from clothing and daily necessities, you are not allowed to bring anything extra, especially contraband. You are not allowed to carry anything close to your body, as secret agents may search you at any time.

Secondly, try not to deviate from the planned route. All our routes have been investigated and surveyed by our traffic officers, so they are relatively safe.

If any spies spot them, they should immediately change trains. There are comrades at all the stations along the train route. If anyone encounters difficulties, they should buy a pack of Wuli brand cigarettes from the vendors at the station. We have all memorized the code words for the rendezvous, so we will not repeat them here.

If you encounter a secret agent on the train, go to the dining car and order a plate of asparagus stir-fried with chicken breast, without sauce... Everyone listened intently to every word, nodding frequently, all looking like they were trying hard to remember.

Third, Qingcheng's voice suddenly rose. She meant, in case any comrades were taken away by secret agents, no one in the same carriage or on the same train was allowed to rescue them. If the agents could take one, they could take two or three; there was no need for unnecessary sacrifice. The others must continue forward, they cannot stop, to preserve the flame of the revolution.

"Finally," Kiyosumi's voice softened, "whether we meet again or not, please remember that our faith is more important than our lives. Sacrifice is for a better tomorrow. Goodbye, comrades!"

A few seconds of silence followed, then enthusiastic applause erupted in the room. The lights shone on everyone's faces, their expressions resolute and solemn.

A beam of light pierced the night as a black train roared past, shaking the entire platform before quickly returning to calm amidst the noise.

On the other side, a blue train, parked, hissed like a venomous snake, poised to depart. Qingcheng bought a newspaper from a mobile newsstand, which also contained a yellowed train timetable, indicating that everything was proceeding according to plan.

Not far away were two simply dressed ladies. One of them, a sophisticated woman in an indigo blue cheongsam, was none other than Qi Kejun in disguise.

Qi Xiang tugged at Qi Kejun's sleeve, reluctantly saying, "Dad... Eighth Aunt, remember to write to me when you get there."

Qi Kejun hugged his daughter, whose eyes were red and swollen, and comforted her, "Silly child, I'm just being transferred to a different job. It's not like I'm never coming back. Don't cry, Mom will be sad if she sees your swollen eyes. Your aunt isn't here, so you have to take good care of Mom and your brothers for me."

"Mmm." Qi Xiang nodded hoarsely, tears falling one by one onto her father's shoulder.

"You still have a job, and you've actually chosen an acting career. Your aunt will definitely support you wholeheartedly. It doesn't matter if you become famous or not. I'll love watching whatever you act in. But you should act in more down-to-earth dramas that reflect the real lives of poor people and speak up for them." Qi Kejun patted her daughter's shoulder.

Qi Xiang sniffed, as if remembering something, and took out a brand new glasses case from her handbag: "Auntie, I bought these with my salary from my first movie. I was worried that there wouldn't be anywhere to get them, so I prepared a pair for you in advance."

Qi Kejun was stunned. His lips trembled as he tried to hold back his tears, but his gaze toward his daughter held a hint of relief. He carefully put away his glasses case and said regretfully, "I really want to eat Mom's red bean cake again."

Unfortunately, the secret agents were keeping a close eye on his wife. For her husband's safety, she chose to stay at the hospital and work overtime to share the burden of her daughter's farewell.

“There will be an opportunity.” Qingcheng stepped closer and interjected, “Sister, you go first, and we’ll come to see you once things have settled down.”

"Oh, you must come! I'll cook for you myself." Qi Kejun excitedly squeezed Qingcheng's hand.

During the conversation, two patrolling agents came over. Qingcheng took the opportunity to pull Qi Kejun over, press his head down, and cried out, "Sister, you must eat and drink well while you're out there. I'll take care of things at home."

Qi Kejun, as if on cue, turned her face away and nodded repeatedly: "I know, I know, you take care of yourself too."

The two junior agents glanced at them briefly before continuing on their way, quickly disappearing from sight. Qingcheng then released her grip, wiped away the tears from her eyes, and flashed a bright smile: "Sister, get in the car, have a safe trip."

"Even after a thousand miles of farewell, we must eventually part ways." Qi Xiang bit her lip and stared at her father, tears streaming down her face again. She waved goodbye to her father, and Qi Kejun's eyes also reddened. He waved to the two of them, turned around, and boarded the train, afraid that if he hesitated for even a second, his legs would not be able to move again.

"Good evening, ma'am. You are in carriage number two, compartment number one. Please turn left." The ticket inspector gave a professional smile.

The train whistle sounded, and the wheels slowly turned. Qingcheng stood at the carriage door, her gaze passing through the window, as if she could see her comrades scattered throughout the various carriages. As long as we walk on the same path, we will surely meet again.

She tugged at the reluctant Qi Xiang, tapped her pocket watch, indicating that there was still a group of comrades to see off. As for the train, she had already made arrangements.

Just as the train was about to leave the station, three men in black jumped onto the back of the moving train and suddenly pulled open the doors that had been closed long ago.

Whoosh! A powerful gust of air blew the hat off Li Shifa's face. His heart skipped a beat. He slowly bent down to pick up the hat, while glancing at the open car door out of the corner of his eye.

Three black-clad agents flashed past him menacingly, and then the car door slammed shut with a loud bang.

Thank goodness it wasn't aimed at him! Li Shifa was about to breathe a sigh of relief, but the next second his heart tightened again. If it wasn't aimed at him, then it must be aimed at someone else!

What to do? His carriage number fourteen was at the very back of the train, far from the comrades in front. There was no time to notify them to move, and he didn't know anyone's exact seat number, let alone which comrade the secret agents wanted to arrest.

Curses and screams erupted from passengers ahead from time to time, and Li Shifa's heart ached terribly. If he were to pass by the secret agent immediately, it would definitely arouse suspicion. However, the dining area was in the central carriage number seven.

In a flash, he caught sight of a "Do Not Touch" sign outside the open car door, below which was a locked, somewhat rusty iron box, the purpose of which he had no idea.

Ignoring everything else, Li Shifa took advantage of everyone's attention being on the front, lit a cigarette, quietly moved to the back of the car, closed the back door, and pretended to go out for a smoke.

The dim overhead light flickered, and Li Shifa's fingers trembled uncontrollably as he unlocked the car. He took a deep breath and silently told himself to stay calm. He had to stay calm. The organization had arranged for him to sit at the back of the car so that he could cover their retreat.

"Click," Li Shifa eagerly opened the box. There was a red handbrake and a green button. There was no lightning bolt symbol next to the handbrake, so it was not an electric switch, but an emergency handbrake.

"It won't work," Li Shifa shook his head, focusing his gaze on the green button. This was probably some kind of activation device. He pressed it as a last resort.

The green light on the button flashed once, but after a few seconds, nothing changed in the carriage. Could it be a communication device? Like a bell. Li Shifa's eyes darted around, and he immediately pressed the button a few more times, using a coded message to warn of spies.

Immediately afterwards, Li Shifa quickly restored the iron box to its original state, returned to his seat as if nothing had happened, and waited one more minute before going to the dining car, otherwise he himself would be in danger.

In the train's control center, the bell rang once, then fell like a bomb, causing a major headache. The train conductor stormed out, cursing, "Xiaoshan! Did you forget to close the emergency brake switch again?"

A short man in overalls hurriedly jumped out to explain, "No, I'm sure I closed it properly. Besides, there are words on the box."

"Damn it, what if he's illiterate, a complete idiot? Why doesn't he check which lazy passenger messed things up? Tell them that if they broke it, they have to pay for it. Damn it!" The train conductor, who had a short temper, cursed as he urged the man in overalls to check.

The initially angry train conductor turned around and saw an elegant lady looking at him from the open compartment next to him. She blushed and smoothed her thinning hair, saying, "I'm sorry, ma'am, I disturbed your rest. Good night."

After saying that, she disappeared like the wind. The lady in the private room was none other than Qi Kejun. She had just heard the coded message. Although it wasn't very clear because of the door, it was definitely a warning from one of her comrades. Something bad happened afterward.

"Hurry to the dining car!" That was the only thought in Qi Kejun's mind. Time was of the essence, and he wished he could have wheels on his feet and fly to carriage number seven in an instant. However, he had to keep a calm and collected expression to avoid attracting attention.

As he approached carriage number seven, he straightened his clothes and slowly walked towards the dining car. Several people were sitting in the carriage, some reading newspapers and some chatting. Old Qi randomly found an empty seat near a corner and rang the bell on the table.

The train attendant respectfully handed over the menu. Qi Kejun quickly flipped through a few pages and said, "I'd like an asparagus and chicken breast stir-fry, without sauce, thank you."

"Okay, ma'am, please wait a moment." The waiter took back the menu, smiled, and left.

A wave of disappointment washed over Qi Kejun, who felt a surge of anxiety and gripped the dangling napkin. "This waiter isn't one of ours! Where is he?"

"You eat so healthily. Asparagus stir-fried with chicken breast doesn't have much flavor to begin with, you don't even need any sauce. No wonder you maintain such a good figure." A standard Mandarin accent came from the side.

The man who was reading the newspaper put it down. He had a bulbous nose, wore black-rimmed glasses, and smiled kindly at Qi Kejun.

This person looks so familiar, where have I seen him before? Oh, isn't he Xiao He's fiancé in disguise? Qi Kejun suppressed his inner joy: "Sir, you really know how to talk. The doctor said I have high cholesterol and I need to pay more attention to it. Prices are so high these days, I can't afford to get sick."

“That’s right, who can afford to get sick these days?” Gao Junxiao smiled and moved closer. “My surname is Bai, may I ask how I should address you?”

“You look younger than me, call me Sister Ge.” Qi Kejun couldn’t wait to share, “This train is really good, there aren’t even any third-class seats, the last one is still second-class. As for other trains, let’s not talk about them, I’m just afraid that some shady people will sneak on the train and you’ll have no one to complain to if something is missing.”

"Then you can really relax this time. I happen to be a policeman." Gao Junxiao said, taking out a police officer's ID card.

"I didn't realize you were a detective. My apologies for not recognizing you sooner. But since we're here today, let me buy you a drink, and we can become friends," Qi Kejun said warmly.

"Thank you for your hospitality. I just had coffee and I'm quite full. But you've reminded me; I'll go check the second-class carriage now, just in case any shady characters have snuck in. Ms. Ge, please enjoy your meal." Gao Junxiao's smile was reassuring.

Gao Junxiao stood up, showed his ID to the waiter, then took a megaphone from the service counter and strode away. Qi Kejun watched his retreating figure and prayed silently.

"Dear passengers, please take good care of your belongings. Please keep valuables close to your body to prevent loss or theft," Gao Junxiao called out while observing the passengers' reactions.

After his reminder, most passengers tightened their grip on their bags or checked their pockets. Only a few remained unmoved, presumably because these people either had no money or didn't think money was important.

"Officer, officer, there are some fare evaders behind us who are assaulting the train attendant!" A passenger ran over in a panic.

"Which carriage?" Gao Junxiao's eyes lit up.

"Between carriages 9 and 10. Oh dear, they're quite aggressive, and they have guns," a passenger kindly warned.

Hehe, I'm not afraid of making things big, I'm afraid of making things small. Led by the passengers, Gao Junxiao saw the crowd of onlookers. After passing through the crowd, he saw three men in black fiercely beating a short man in work clothes. The short man was wearing an orange work uniform and looked like a maintenance worker on the train.

"Stop!" Gao Junxiao shouted, pulling out his identification.

The black-clad agents paused for a moment, then quickly reacted. They exchanged glances, and one of them, right in front of Gao Junxiao, lifted the short man up and, without regard for others, struck him hard in the stomach with his elbow. The short man groaned and passed out, then taunted, "Mind your own business. Otherwise, this will be your fate."

"Haha, the world is going to the dogs. Even fare evaders are this arrogant." Gao Junxiao put his hands on his hips, his tone full of pity in addition to disdain. "If you buy three tickets now, I can pretend nothing happened."

"What are you laughing at?" The black-clad agent suddenly pulled a sharp dagger from his waist and lunged at Gao Junxiao, while another agent followed up with a punch.

With a crisp crack, the dagger fell to the ground. The agent holding the knife clutched his wrist in pain. Gao Junxiao gave him no chance to catch his breath, slapping his chin with his palm. Gulp, the agent spat out a mouthful of foam, his eyes rolling back.

Before the other person could even react in alarm, Gao Junxiao had already closed in on him, smiled slightly, and the spy's body flew out like a kite with a broken string. The crowd gasped and retreated, letting him be kicked back into carriage number ten. With a series of thuds, the spy's head hit four or five rows of chairs before finally stopping, leaving a trail of blood on the ground.

Gao Junxiao turned around and saw the last agent trembling as he drew his gun. Too slow. He easily dismantled the agent's magazine like snatching a lollipop from a child, took out a bullet and played with it in his palm: "Oh, it's a real one, not a blank. Confiscated."

He could have just grabbed the gun directly, but he chose the most humiliating way.

"Watch out! There's one more."

In the nick of time, Gao Junxiao slammed violently onto the seat, and almost simultaneously, bang! A bullet grazed his clothes and shattered the car window.

That was close! I underestimated him. Gao Junxiao touched his wildly beating chest and spotted the man trying to escape. Before the man could run a few steps, he suddenly tripped and fell flat on his face.

Gao Junxiao didn't have time to think and quickly jumped up, grabbed the man in black by the collar, and handcuffed him.

Seeing that the crisis was over, at Gao Junxiao's command, several young men quickly tied up the three spies like dumplings and put them in sacks, intending to hand them over to the local police station at the next stop.

Perhaps hearing the gunshot, the train conductor arrived late. According to the attendant, several fare-dodging boys were beating up Xiaoshan, but they were subdued by the police on the train. He was so angry that he stomped on the spy several times while cursing in his hometown dialect.

After a while, the train conductor excitedly grasped Gao Junxiao's hand and asked to present him with a banner. Gao Junxiao declined repeatedly, but the conductor then offered to upgrade his carriage for free.

"No need to be polite, I'm getting off at Nanxiang Station. But you can help my friend upgrade to a different compartment; he just helped tie someone up." Gao Junxiao said with a smile, pulling over Li Shifa, who was pretending to be stupid.

Li Shifa looked surprised. Gao Junxiao whispered in his ear, "Say yes quickly. We were planning to upgrade your carriage anyway, but now we can save some money."

Li Shifa's eyes flickered, as if he had many questions to ask, but he still nodded and thanked the train conductor. The train conductor happily called over the attendant to quickly upgrade the passenger's compartment and help the passenger move his luggage to the new compartment.

"Friend, before I get off the bus, may I ask to sit here for a while?" Gao Junxiao said again.

"Okay, okay." As soon as Li Shifa got the new ticket, he expressionlessly dragged Gao Junxiao toward the private room. After a few steps, he stumbled and almost bumped into a passenger, but fortunately the passenger was good-natured and understood.

As they passed the dining car, Gao Junxiao saw Ms. Ge still sitting there in a daze, with the dishes in front of her almost intact. He greeted her generously, and she breathed a long sigh of relief when she saw Li Shifa standing to the side.

"Detective Bai, I heard you subdued three thugs, that's amazing!" Ms. Ge praised.

"Of course, this is my friend, he just helped too." Gao Junxiao patted Li Shifa on the shoulder and laughed.

After a brief exchange, the three quickly took their positions. As soon as the carriage door closed, Gao Junxiao bowed deeply to Li Shifa: "Thank you for speaking up. Otherwise, I would have been seriously injured even if I hadn't died. I was just wondering, I clearly didn't see him cock the magazine, and the magazine was full, so how was the bullet already loaded?"

"Because spies prioritize speed, they load the gun first and then fully load the bullets to increase the efficiency of the arrest. That way, they can fire as soon as they press the safety. You must pay attention to this next time," Li Shifa patiently explained.

"They're ready to kill at any moment," Gao Junxiao frowned and sighed. "Alright, you guys really have it tough."

"What are these difficulties for the sake of the revolution?" Li Shifa said firmly.

Inspired, Gao Junxiao anxiously inquired, "We're not afraid of difficulties, but we need to resolve them as soon as possible. Which of your comrades has been exposed, attracting so many flies? Quickly send him a message to change his identity!"

Li Shi angrily threw a gun: "I've already told that brat, and he still hasn't forgotten to bring his precious gun at a time like this. Isn't he just a sitting duck for the spies? He almost got the whole comrades in the car killed! When we get back to our hometown, I'll make him write a self-criticism."

Oh! The guy who deliberately bumped into you during the wrestling match, Gao Junxiao thought, just as he was about to ask for the gun back when Li Shifa rolled down the car window and threw it away. "Ah, no way! I was planning to take it to my wife to confiscate!" Gao Junxiao was on the verge of tears.

Across from him, Li Shifa calmed himself down and changed the subject, asking, "You just mentioned upgrading my room. Who wants to upgrade my room?"

“My wife specially asked me to upgrade you to a compartment after you get on the train,” Gao Junxiao said proudly. “I almost didn’t recognize you. You’ve lost so much weight, probably almost 40 pounds. When you lose weight, you look at least ten years younger.”

“There’s no other way. The spies have practically worn out my old face photo. I can’t escape their scrutiny without a complete makeover,” Li Shifa said seriously. “Go back and tell Xiao He that she doesn’t need to spend any money, but I’m very grateful for her kindness. The situation in the White Area is getting more and more serious. Tell her to be careful in Shanghai and not to get punished again.”

"Really? She's been disciplined before? Hehe, what kind of discipline? Tell me quickly, and I'll keep an eye on her from now on to make sure she doesn't do it again." Gao Junxiao made a sly promise. If he knew, he would have another handle against He Qingcheng.

Li Shifa pursed his lips: "Oh dear, it's related to you. Last time you were locked up in the headquarters half-dead, and she broke the rules to sneak in and pretended to be a nurse to treat you. Don't do that again. If she acts like this, she'll easily be exposed. When you get back, you should talk to her and tell her to think things through before she acts."

His mind went blank, and Gao Junxiao couldn't hear what Li Shifa said afterward. He felt a pang of sadness at He Qingcheng's punishment for him, but a wave of joy washed over him the next second. The nurse in his dream really was He Qingcheng. But then, she was punished again—would that affect her promotion? His heart ached again…

His emotions kept shifting back and forth until he reached Nanxiang Station. If Li Shifa hadn't reminded him, he would have ended up taking the train all the way to Jiujiang.

Before getting out of the car, Gao Junxiao reminded Li Shifa to open the window immediately, as Qingcheng had prepared a surprise for him.

Under Li Shifa's suspicious gaze, Gao Junxiao got off the car and happened to see three spies being taken away by the local railway police. It was said that there was no spy station here, so no one would come to bail them out. They would just have to sit in jail for half a month.

Oh, right, there's one last task. Taking advantage of his height, Gao Junxiao spotted the woman with three children sitting in the chair at a glance. This must be Sister Ying.

Gao Junxiao extended his hand to the woman: "Sister Ying, hello, I'll take you to see your husband."

The train only stopped for about three minutes, and Sister Ying and the children practically had to run to get a few extra seconds to talk. Fortunately, Li Shifa opened the window in advance.

“Shitou, you’ve lost weight. You look exactly the same as when we got married.” Sister Ying cried as she touched her husband’s cheek.

Li Shifa opened his mouth wide, and after a long while, he shouted, "Yingmei, slap me! Am I dreaming?"

Sister Ying wiped away her tears and pinched his face hard: "Does it hurt? Do you still recognize the child?"

Knowing he wasn't dreaming, Li Shifa's tense expression finally relaxed, and he hugged his wife with tears in his eyes.

"Daddy, Daddy!" The little ones tried their best to stand on tiptoe, but they still couldn't reach the height of the car window.

To hold the child, Li Shifa leaned out of the car window, almost half of his body hanging out of the window, afraid that he would fall out and all his previous work would be wasted. Gao Junxiao reached out and scooped up the youngest child, hoisting him onto his shoulder, and then picked up a slightly older little girl.

Seeing this, Sister Ying also picked up her eldest son. Li Shifa couldn't help but kiss his child's cheek, and warm words flowed from his lips. Gao Junxiao, a grown man, almost cried while listening to him. He thought Li Shifa was very upright, but he didn't expect that appearances can be deceiving.

Before setting off, Li Shifa instructed, "Yingmei, let's not cause any more trouble for the landlady. She doesn't owe us anything."

"That's what I was thinking too. I've already bought the train tickets, and I'll be taking the kids back to my hometown next week. My parents, in-laws, and all the relatives and friends are there. We won't starve," Sister Ying replied.

"Oh, thank you for your hard work. I'll come pick you up once I'm settled." Li Shifa held his wife's hand, reluctant to let go.

However, the train had already started moving, forcing the two to separate. Sister Ying chased after the train, shouting, "Stone! I'll be waiting for you at the old house."

Under the moonlight, the train gradually moved further and further away until it became a tiny dot and could no longer be seen.

By the time Gao Junxiao saw Sister Ying and the others off and went home, it was already dawn. He glanced at his watch and thought, "Oh well, no more sleep. Time to wash my face and go to work. I have to do morning exercises today."

To his surprise, as soon as he opened the door, he saw a bulge on the sofa. It wasn't what he thought, was it? With trepidation, Gao Junxiao tiptoed into the living room.

He walked to the sofa, squatted down, and quietly admired her sleeping face. A warm feeling welled up in his heart. "Good morning, Comrade He Qingcheng."