Chapter Four: The Rolling Red Dust

The flames in the fireplace licked the firewood, crackling and making a reddish hue on Chen Kan's profile.

Little Chen Nian sat on his lap. The little girl had two pigtails and was clutching a small embroidered ball that Chen Kan had made from red silk. She was giggling and trying to snuggle into his arms.

Chen Kan pinched the tip of her nose, his voice full of affection: "Slow down, don't fall."

The sound of the door being pushed open interrupted the father and daughter's playful banter. Lin Tang walked in, wrapped in a dark gray wool coat, her shoulders still covered in unmelted snow. She took off her hat, her hair dripping water, and the tip of her nose was red from the cold.

Upon seeing her, Chen Nian immediately jumped off Chen Kan's lap and rushed over to hug her leg: "Mother!"

Lin Tang bent down and picked up her daughter, pressing her icy face against her forehead, and coaxed her with a smile, "Nian'er, be good, Mommy is cold, don't let you get cold."

Chen Kan stood up, took the coat from her hand, hung it on the coat rack by the door, then turned around, picked up the hand warmer from the fireplace, and stuffed it into her hand: "Is it snowing so heavily?"

Lin Tang, holding a hand warmer, sat on the wicker chair where Chen Kan had just been sitting. She watched Chen Nian run to the window to peek through the curtains at the snow before whispering, "I just went to the tavern and saw Qiao Yuan."

Chen Kan paused, picked up the copper kettle by the fireplace, and poured a cup of hot tea into the teacup in front of her. The steam blurred his glasses. "I knew you would go."

He sat down opposite her, his fingers tracing the rim of his teacup. "You didn't tell him the truth?"

Lin Tang looked down at the tea leaves in her teacup, the leaves swirling in the water: "What good would it do to tell him? He just came back, the Crescent Moon Gang has disbanded, Uncle Chen is dead, and I've married you. He's like a wounded wolf now, I'm afraid of him..." She paused, her eyes glistening with tears as she looked up, "But Jiangcheng now is not the Jiangcheng of five years ago. Rather than another one falling here, it's better to let one go."

Chen Kan sighed, reached out and took her hand. Her hand was still cold, and he wrapped it in his own. "Lin Tang, you know Qiao Yuan's personality. If he didn't know the truth, he would just hold his breath and struggle with himself. Back then, he dared to fight the Japanese single-handedly for you. Now that he's back, do you think he'll be willing to leave like this?"

Lin Tang grasped his hand in return: "But things are different now, Chen Kan." Her voice was bitter. "You are the Deputy Minister of Finance of the Japanese puppet government, and I am your wife. If Qiao Yuan finds out, he will only think that we have both betrayed him."

Chen Kan fell silent, gazing at the snow outside the window. The snowflakes were falling rapidly, just like when Qiao Yuan was sent away five years ago.

...

At that time, the government had just moved to Chongqing, and the city was in chaos.

When the Japanese launched the war, the military police patrolled the streets all day long.

When Wang Jingwei established the Japanese puppet government, No. 76 became their assassination weapon.

On the streets of Jiangcheng, agents from the 76th Special Agent Unit, dressed in black uniforms, lurked around like shadows all day long.

He recalled how Ah Chen rushed over years ago, his face filled with panic, and said to him, "Mr. Chen, please save Madam! The Japanese are going to kill her!"

He rushed over with the Chen family, only to find Lin Tang heavily pregnant, being blocked at the factory gate by Sato, who had his military knife pressed against her stomach, saying he wanted to requisition her factory as a military warehouse.

He rushed over, shielding Lin Tang behind him, and roared at Sato, "Who dares to touch my wife and children?"

Sato stared at him, a cold smile creeping onto his lips: "Mr. Chen's wife and children?"

"Yes!" Chen Kan shielded them tightly behind him. "Mr. Sato, we only refrained from announcing it to the outside world because of our status, yet you dare to injure people here?"

Sato laughed, "So it's Miss Lin who's pregnant with Mr. Chen's child. I thought it was my old friend Qiao Yuan's posthumous child! I'm so sorry for offending you." As he said this, his samurai sword swung at Chen Kan without any politeness, brushing off a strand of hair from his forehead. The action was more intimidating than anything else. If it had been pushed forward even a little, Chen Kan's head would have been blown apart.

Sato stepped forward, gritting his teeth and laughing, "Mr. Chen, you should open your eyes and see clearly. Jiangcheng is now under Japanese control. Even if your Chen family still has a few old bastards left, what are they in Jiangcheng?"

Sato's saber was still pointing at Chen Kan, but he hesitated to strike.

Chen Kan remained unmoved, even smiling slightly: "Mr. Sato, please rest assured, I, Chen, have always been pragmatic." He reached out and put his arm around Lin Tang's waist, slowly backing away. "However, I will remember what happened today."

Sato watched their retreating figures, his cold smile growing deeper. He waved his hand, and the military police behind him immediately withdrew.

Chen Kan didn't turn around, but quickened his pace until he had shoved Lin Tang into the car, then let out a heavy sigh. Lin Tang grabbed his hand, her palms sweaty: "Chen Kan, what you just did..."

“It’s nothing.” Chen Kan interrupted her, took out a handkerchief from his pocket, and wiped the sweat from his face. “I told you before, I would protect you and the child.” He looked out the window at the factory gradually disappearing into the distance, his eyes darkening. “It’s just that Lin Tang, I received orders from my family that I might be serving as the Vice Minister of Finance in the Wang Jingwei government…” A cold smile appeared on his face. “You know, our Chen family never puts all our eggs in one basket, and I’m always the one in the most precarious basket.”

"Don't think about it anymore." Lin Tang reached out and covered his mouth, her fingertips brushing against the coolness of his face. "Thank you this time. I understand. Today is different from before. We need to find a way to survive before we can think about doing anything else."

Chen Kan looked at her for a long time before nodding. He started the car, the engine sound drowned out by the snow, and the snow outside the car window fell heavier and heavier.

...

Lin Tang gave birth to Chen Nian that winter.

Her health was already poor, and medical supplies were scarce at the time. She barely managed to stay alive, leaving Chen Nian behind. However, Chen Nian seemed to have lost half her life and fainted. It was only thanks to Uncle Chen having someone make ginseng soup that she was able to breathe again.

Chen Kan came from the government office, rushing to see Lin Tang.

Lin Tang had just woken up after drinking ginseng soup, his face still pale. He held the little child in his arms, listening to her almost unable to cry. He was so anxious that he tried to find some goat milk and squeezed it for the child drop by drop. Watching the child curled up in his arms, sleeping with her eyes closed, a feeling of tenderness rose in his heart.

"Ah Tang, I'm worried about you like this. Once you've recovered, let's get married and the child will take my surname! At least you and your daughter can wait for Qiao Yuan to return safely."

Lin Tang opened her eyes, wanting to speak, but her breath was too weak to utter a sound.

Uncle Chen also advised her, "Madam, Jiangcheng is too chaotic right now. Even if Xinyue helps me, we'll have to part ways. The master is different. He has status and connections, and he can help you and your child survive in this chaotic world."

Lin Tang looked at the child in Chen Kan's arms, and gently touched the child's little fist with her fingertips. The child frowned and shrank closer to Chen Kan's arms.

Chen Kan lowered his head and rubbed his chin against the child's forehead, his eyes as gentle as melting snow: "A-Tang, after going through so much, the grudges of the past are long gone. I just..." He paused, his voice slightly hoarse, "I just want to protect you. I couldn't do it before, but now I want to make up for it."

Lin Tang's tears fell, landing on the child's hand. She reached out and grabbed Chen Kan's sleeve, saying weakly, "I know... I know everything." She nodded gently, her voice barely a whisper, "Okay."

Lin Tang looked at the child, who was staring at her with open eyes, tears still clinging to his eyelashes. She touched the child's face and whispered, "Alright, let's call him Nian'er."

Chen Kan smiled, stood up, and tucked the blanket around her: "You should rest well. I'll go make you some porridge."

Lin Tang grabbed his sleeve and said, "Chen Kan, thank you."

...

These past five years have become increasingly like an abyss, filled with only bloodshed and death, leaving no hope in sight.

The following year, Uncle Chen couldn't stand the Japanese military police killing people for fun in the streets. His Chinese courage made him draw his gun, and he died tragically at the hands of others.

She hid Uncle Chen and disbanded the Crescent Moon Gang.

As she watched the people around her dwindle and die unexpectedly, she worried about where the country's hope lay and what else she could do.

...

It was late at night, and Lin Tang had just coaxed Chen Nian to sleep when she heard Ah Chen's voice downstairs, tinged with urgency: "Mr. Chen! Something terrible has happened!"

Her heart skipped a beat. She put on her coat and went downstairs. As soon as she got to the living room, she saw Chen Kan standing in front of the fireplace, clutching a piece of paper in his hand, his knuckles white.

"What's wrong?" Lin Tang asked.

Chen Kan turned around and said, "Achen said that one of his brothers saw Qiao Yuan being knocked unconscious by the Axe Gang and taken to No. 76."

Lin Tang's mind went blank, and she almost lost her balance. She grabbed Chen Kan's arm, her nails digging into his flesh: "What did you say? Qiao Yuan has been sent to No. 76?"

"Yes." Chen Kan helped her up, his expression still relatively calm. "Ah Chen's brothers saw it. The Axe Gang members put a sack over him and dragged him into the gate of No. 76."

"We have to go save him!"