Chapter Twenty-Four: Sharing a Bed

Cheng Qing curled up beside Lin Tang's pillow, her fingertips twirling the worn lotus pattern on the quilt. When she heard "Should we send a message to Qiao Yuan?", she abruptly turned her head, her eyes red with tears: "Send what message? He spends every night at the casino, fooling around with other women. He... he doesn't care about me at all. He has no feelings for me..."

Lin Tang paused, her hand adjusting the blanket. Her throat tightened, but she still softened her voice: "Perhaps it's a social engagement, Manqing. He keeps thinking about you..."

"Think of me?" Cheng Qing scoffed, her voice dripping with icy coldness. "Why would you lie to me, sister? If you were to say you remember me, that would be somewhat true, but I..."

Lin Tang reached out and put her arm around Manqing's thin shoulders: "Manqing, if you are really unhappy, listen to your sister and leave him. You can have a new life, wouldn't that be better?"

Lin Tang suddenly remembered that when she left the Qiao residence, she had vaguely heard about Cheng Qing's experience of being abducted. After going through so many things, such as divorce and starting a factory, she had long forgotten about this incident. But now she suddenly remembered it, and her heart tightened.

Cheng Qing, oblivious to the danger, continued, "Sister, I was only twelve when I got lost. I was kidnapped and taken to a brothel outside the Great Wall. They forced me to eat moldy cornbread. I cried until my voice was hoarse, calling for my mother and sister, but all I got in return was a whip. Later, I was sold to the 'Rouge Cave' in Fengtian. The madam tied me up in the woodshed and poured ice water on me in the dead of winter..." She trembled all over, like a withered leaf in the cold wind. "It wasn't until I followed Mr. Qiao that I had the life I have now. Sister, my life before was so poor and miserable. I never want to go back to that kind of life!"

Lin Tang was taken aback, her hand that had been patting her paused, a voice in her heart saying: She was saying... she really was... But all she could say was, "It's all in the past!"

"I can't get through this!" Cheng Qing suddenly looked up, tears dangling from her eyelashes, threatening to fall. "Sister, I cherish the life Mr. Qiao gave me, but when I see those agreements he signed with the Japanese, they're all things that harm the Chinese people. I'm scared... I can't persuade him, but he won't listen. Last time, he almost suspected me and even hit me! Sister, what should I do?"

Cheng Qing's tears fell onto Lin Tang's hand. She grabbed Lin Tang's wrist, her eyes so earnest: "If... if he really collaborated with the Japanese and really did something heinous, sister, would you kill him or forgive him?"

Lin Tang was somewhat flustered. She recalled those kisses, those intimate memories, but she still firmly said, "No. If he has committed any serious offense, if he has let down the country, if he has let down the people who have been bullied by the Japanese, I, Lin Tang, will never forgive him. I will personally..." She paused, her voice carrying a hint of ruthlessness, "...personally take care of him."

Cheng Qing smiled. "Sister, you're still the same as before, you can't tolerate anything wrong with your eyes." She curled back into bed, buried her face in Lin Tang's neck, and said softly, "But I love this kind of fierceness from you, sister. When we were little, you helped me chase away the bad kids who bullied me, saying, 'Manqing, with your sister here, no one can bully you,' and it's the same now, isn't it?"

Lin Tang patted her back without saying a word. The moon outside the window hid behind the clouds, and the room was so quiet that they could hear each other breathing.

...

The next day, Lin Tang was awakened by the morning dew dripping onto the back of her hand from the window frame. She rubbed her eyes and turned her head to see Cheng Qing still curled up on the pillow, her eyelashes still damp from the previous night's tears, like two rows of willow branches glistening with morning dew. The morning light filtered through the gaps in the curtains, shining softly on the top of her hair, making her look just like the little girl who used to chase butterflies.

"Manqing, it's time to get up," Lin Tang called softly, reaching out to tuck the blanket around her. Cheng Qing responded groggily, turned over, and unconsciously put her arm around Lin Tang's waist, snuggling into her arms like she did when she was a child: "Sister, sleep a little longer."

Lin Tang smiled and patted her back, then got up, put on a moon-white nightgown, and walked to the dressing table to pick up a wooden comb.

When she turned back, Cheng Qing had already sat up, rubbing her eyes and smiling: "Sister, are you going to comb my hair?"

"Mmm." Lin Tang responded, making her sit up straight. The teeth of the wooden comb brushed against her black hair, making a soft "shush" sound. "Today I'll style your hair into a lily bun, just like when you were little, the one you said you liked the most."

Cheng Qing's body stiffened for a moment, then softened again, letting Lin Tang comb her hair: "Sister still remembers."

“How could I not remember?” Lin Tang said with a smile, “When you were little, you always complained that you had too little hair and insisted that I comb your hair into a lily bun, saying it looked like the clouds in the sky.”

Cheng Qing lowered her head, her fingers gently twisting the hem of Lin Tang's nightgown, her voice tinged with a hint of coquetry: "Sister is the best."

Just then, Ah Xiu's voice came from outside the door, sounding somewhat urgent: "Young Madam, Mr. Qiao has arrived and is waiting for Miss Cheng in the living room."

Lin Tang paused, her gaze falling on Cheng Qing's face.

Cheng Qing lowered her eyes, her tone ambiguous: "Sister, should I...should I go?"

Lin Tang reached out and smoothed the stray hairs on her head, her tone calm: "Don't rush, comb your hair first."

The comb finally brushed against the ends of her hair, and Lin Tang put the silver hairpin in her hair, saying, "All done." Cheng Qing stood up and turned to leave, but Lin Tang grabbed her wrist: "Manqing, no matter what happens, your sister will always be here for you."

Cheng Qing looked up, her eyes brimming with tears, a mixture of emotion and slyness in them. She nodded gently, "I know."

When the two came downstairs, Qiao Yuan was standing in the living room.

Qiao Yuan's eyes were bloodshot. When he saw Cheng Qing come down, he frowned and said, "Cheng Qing, Lin Tang and I are divorced now. You keep bothering others. They are polite and don't find you annoying, but you can't be so shameless."

Cheng Qing lowered her head, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers, and said in a soft voice, "I...I want to talk to my sister a little longer..."

Both were diligently performing their roles, and in just a moment when their eyes met, they saw the mockery and malice in each other's eyes.

Qiao Yuan stopped looking at her and turned to Lin Tang, saying, "Jin Tang, may I have a word with you in private?"

Lin Tang glanced at Cheng Qing, hesitated for a moment, and finally followed him to the old locust tree in the courtyard.

"Jintang, don't get too close to her."

Unexpectedly, Lin Tang said, "Qiao Yuan, have I told you before that I have a lost sister?"

Qiao Yuan was stunned, his voice hoarse, "It's her?"

Lin Tang nodded.

Qiao Yuan narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Cheng Qing who was standing in the distance, and after a long while said, "Jin Tang, you are always too trusting of others. Have you ever thought that maybe this is a lie she told you?"

Lin Tang said, "And what about you? Have you ever lied to me?"

Qiao Yuan was silent for a while, then said, "Jintang, if I lied to you again, it was all for your own good."

Lin Tang retorted, "Qiao Yuan, you always try to manipulate me with your self-righteous words. For example, now that you're cooperating with the Japanese, can you choose to give up?"

"What should I choose? Give up everything I've built up with my life in Jiangcheng over the years?"

Lin Tang looked at him, "You can't bear to part with it?"

"What were these things exchanged for?" Lin Tang asked softly. "Were they from people who choked to death while smoking opium, or from poor people who sold their wives and daughters?"

Qiao Yuan's face stiffened, and he turned his face away, refusing to look into Lin Tang's eyes.

“Mr. Qiao!” Cheng Qing’s voice rang out, tinged with urgency. “Why have you been talking to my sister for so long? I’ve been waiting impatiently.”

Qiao Yuan looked up and saw Cheng Qing standing at the living room door. She had a smile on her lips, but her eyes were cold, as if she were watching a good show.

Qiao Yuan withdrew his hand, straightened his suit, and said to Lin Tang, "I'm leaving now."

Lin Tang watched his retreating figure, the warmth of his wrist still lingering on her fingertips. Cheng Qing walked over, took her arm, and said with a smile, "Sister, did Mr. Qiao say bad things about me again?"

Lin Tang looked into her eyes and said softly, "Manqing, do you really want to walk this path with him?"

Cheng Qing was stunned for a moment, then smiled, "Sister, what can I do? He's my husband."

Ah Xiu's voice came from inside the house: "Young mistress, breakfast is ready. It's your favorite osmanthus cake."

Cheng Qing waved her hand: "Sister, we're leaving."

Lin Tang nodded without saying anything.

The door creaked shut. Lin Tang stood there for a long time before turning around and walking back into the house.

She walked to the bedroom door, pushed it open, and saw traces of Cheng Qing sleeping on the bed.

Lin Tang walked to the window, closed it, and looked out at the sky. Dark clouds filled the sky, as if it was about to rain.

The sound of a car horn came from afar; it was Qiao Yuan's car.

Ah Xiu brought in osmanthus cakes and saw her standing by the window. She said softly, "Young mistress, the osmanthus cakes are cold. I'll go heat them up."

Lin Tang shook her head, took the plate, and the sweet fragrance of osmanthus mixed with the dampness of the rain entered her nose. She picked up a piece of osmanthus cake, took a bite, but couldn't taste anything.

"Miss?" Ah Xiu called softly when she saw her in a daze.

Lin Tang snapped out of her reverie, put down the osmanthus cake, and said, "Ah Xiu, the rain has stopped. Take Miss Cheng's pillow out to air it."

Before he could finish speaking, the rain started falling outside the window.