Chapter Forty: Mutual Holding as Children

Lin Tang looked at Chen Kan's pale face, tapped the table lightly with her fingertips, and the Biluochun tea in the teacup rippled, splashing onto the blue and white porcelain rim.

“I certainly believe what Lao Zhou said.” Her voice was as soft as incense ash falling on the altar in a funeral hall. “But what kind of person is he? A thug from the police station, a regular at the casino, he owes three hundred dollars, and last month he was cornered and beaten by Uncle Chen’s men at the alley entrance. Tell me, why would someone like that testify for you?”

Chen Kan's Adam's apple bobbed. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and frowned at the bitterness of the cold tea. "You investigated?"

Lin Tang picked up her teacup and took a soft sip. "That day at the dock, after we left, I had someone inquire about it the next day. I learned that Old Zhou was dead."

Chen Kan clenched his fist. "Then what makes you think it wasn't Qiao Yuan who killed someone to vent his anger?"

Lin Tang's eyes were cold and clear. "Of course, I've considered two possibilities. Either someone set up this scheme and then killed Lao Zhou to silence him; or Qiao Yuan realized his plan had failed and took his anger out on Lao Zhou, killing him. But if it really was Qiao Yuan, then he would definitely find another opportunity to kill you and me, so why would he make such a big fuss about it? Amu, you don't understand Qiao Yuan. He's not the kind of person who's so calculating."

Chen Kan chuckled, his hands tucked into his pockets, curling up tightly. "You guessed it that day? So you kept Ah Xiu by your side because you were afraid I'd kill her?"

“It’s because you’re afraid the Chen family will kill her. Regardless of whether Qiao Yuan did it or not, in your eyes, A Xiu is Qiao Yuan’s person, and you don’t want her to stay by my side. If she’s taken away, you might not leave any survivors.” Lin Tang looked at him, “A Mu, I don’t want any more people to die.”

Chen Kan looked up at her, his eyes bloodshot. "What about the factory explosion? You know I did it too?"

Lin Tang said, "Amu, you may not know, but when the Japanese were holding back the factory's goods, Qiao Yuan had Achen send over twenty boxes of cotton yarn. If he wanted to blow up the factory, why would he go to all that trouble?" She paused and continued, "Besides, if he really wanted to blow up the factory, why would he rush here and let everyone know he was there? Qiao Yuan wouldn't be that stupid."

Chen Kan looked at her, his Adam's apple bobbing. Suddenly, he gave a bitter smile, the lines at the corners of his mouth filled with indescribable sorrow: "So you've been laughing at me the whole time? Watching me make a fool of myself, thinking you've covered your tracks perfectly?"

Lin Tang's fingertips gently traced the rim of the teacup, the aroma of Biluochun tea filling the air, yet unable to dispel the coldness in her eyes: "Amu, I never thought that way. I tried to believe you, to go back to the way things were. But then I realized I couldn't. Amu, you've changed, and so have I. My only regret is that I held onto that tiny bit of hope for you, so even though I had my doubts, I still believed you wouldn't harm me. But who would have thought you would ultimately use me to lure and kill Qiao Yuan!"

Chen Kan was stunned by the coldness in her eyes.

"Did you manipulate Chen Mo, or was the so-called 'anti-traitor team' a complete sham from beginning to end? Did you just have him meticulously put on this show in front of me, using so-called patriotism to kill the person who loved me the most?"

Chen Kan's head was hanging low, his chin resting on his chest, and his shoulders were trembling incessantly.

“Jintang,” he slowly raised his face, his expression twisted and ferocious, “I don’t want to admit it, but I am indeed too jealous of Qiao Yuan! I hate him, and I hate you too! I hate that he killed me six years ago, and I hate you for loving him, Lin Jintang, even though you knew all this. Tell me why?”

"Amu, I'm pregnant. It's Qiao Yuan's child," she said softly, her voice carrying a tenderness she herself didn't even realize.

Chen Kan's eyes widened suddenly, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints: "You... what did you say?"

Lin Tang stroked her belly, her voice suddenly softening. "I went to see the doctor last month, and the doctor said I'm pregnant." Her fingertips gently touched her stomach, her eyes welling up with tears. "Amu, I never thought I'd ever be a mother..."

"Is the child Qiao Yuan's?"

"Yes." Lin Tang nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks, dripping into the teacup and creating tiny ripples. "When I was pregnant with my first child, he told me that after the child was born, he would teach him to ride a horse, teach him to shoot a gun, and teach him to be a good person." She wiped her tears with her sleeve, looking up at Chen Kan. "Chen Kan, did you win? You killed Qiao Yuan, you threw the Crescent Moon Gang into chaos, but what did you gain?"

As Chen Kan looked at her tears, he suddenly remembered when they were children, Lin Tang would wipe his wounds with similar tears, which would drip onto the back of his hand and burn his heart.

"I didn't win," he said softly. "I've never won." He pulled a gun from his pocket and placed it on the table; the gun was still warm from his body. "Jintang, I'm sorry. If you want to kill me for revenge, then kill me!"

Lin Tang didn't draw her gun; she simply gazed intently at Chen Kan. "Amu, I so wish I could always be Lin Jintang, and you could always be Amu. But we can't go back. Qiao Yuan owed you a life, and now he's paid for it with his. Amu, from now on, you owe me. I want you to repay me!"

Chen Kan was taken aback. "How do you return it?"

Chen Kan froze, his eyes still bloodshot when he looked up, his Adam's apple bobbing: "Jin Tang, you...you want me to do this?"

Lin Tang turned to look at the rain outside the window. Water droplets from the eaves hit the bluestone slabs, splashing up tiny droplets. "The Crescent Moon Gang's dock was defended by Qiao Yuan with his life. I can't let it fall into the hands of the Japanese. Those old fogies in the gang are always trying to capsize because of their seniority. You are the president of the Chamber of Commerce. Their goods have to pass through your gates. You block their documents and cut off their trade routes. Let's see if they dare to jump."

Chen Kan's fingers twisted into his sleeve: "Jin Tang, are you asking me to stand between you and the Chen family?" His voice rang out. The Chen family wanted control of Jiangcheng; if they knew I was helping you…

“The Chen family wants profits.” Lin Tang interrupted him, her fingertips brushing against the incense on the table. In the swirling smoke, her face became a blurry shadow. “The Crescent Moon Gang’s docks can bring them a steady stream of money. As long as you say that protecting the docks is for the Chen family’s business, they won’t object.” She turned around, the coldness in her eyes fading slightly, but replaced by an unyielding determination. “Amu, didn’t you want to make amends? This is how you make amends.”

Chen Kan remained silent.

Chen Kan looked up, his eyes bloodshot. He looked at Lin Tang, his voice filled with despair: "Jin Tang, are you asking me... to be your pawn for the rest of my life?"

"A pawn?" Lin Tang suddenly laughed, a laugh tinged with sorrow. "And what about me? I'm just as much a pawn to you. Chen Kan, Jiangcheng is shrouded in gloom. To gain a foothold in Jiangcheng, who do you think can become the player, and who can avoid becoming a pawn? I just want you to remember that you owe me, and I owe you. In this world... only we can support each other through thick and thin!"

Chen Kan looked at Lin Tang. She was a stranger to him, but he himself was also completely different.

“Okay… Jintang, I promise you…” The rain outside the window was getting heavier and heavier, hitting the windowpane like someone was crying.

Lin Tang got up, walked to the window, and remained motionless for a long time.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Uncle Chen's voice came through: "Madam, the brothers from the gang are all waiting outside. They say they are ready to obey your orders."

Lin Tang wiped away her tears, turned around and walked towards the door.

She opened the door and saw her gang members standing in the rain, guns in their hands, their faces showing determination.

"Madam!" they called out in unison.

Lin Tang smiled; it was the first time she had smiled all day. She walked out, stood in the rain, and raised her head, letting the raindrops hit her face: "Brothers, you just saw it. Our opium trade is controlled by the Japanese, and our other businesses are controlled by the Chamber of Commerce. But I'm not afraid of the Japanese; and I just reached an agreement with Chairman Chen. From now on, I will lead you brothers to make a fortune, but there's only one condition: if anyone dares to betray me, I will kill them without mercy!"

"We will obey the leader's orders!" the brothers shouted in unison, their voices echoing throughout the mourning hall.

Lin Tang looked at them, then at the distant dock, where the Crescent Moon Gang's ships flew black flags embroidered with silver moons.

She turned and walked towards the mourning hall, stepping into the incense-filled space.

The rain was still falling, but the eternal lamps in the mourning hall burned brighter and brighter.

Chen Kan looked at Lin Tang through the row of candlelight, but the smoke and fire made it difficult to see her face clearly.

Chen Kan looked at her through the row of candlelight, and felt that her face was blurred by the smoke and light, like the innocent little girl in the old house in Hongkou back then, and also like the powerful gang leader she is now.

The rain was still falling, but the eternal lamp in the mourning hall burned brighter and brighter, casting her long shadow on the ground like a tree, rooted in the soil, never to fall again.