May you have peace and safety every year.
That day, it was only early autumn in Beiping, yet a heavy snow fell from the sky, covering up much filth and much conscience.
At the Japanese headquarters, No. 39 Jianye Hutong, Zhou Zhu, dressed in military uniform, stood in the courtyard watching the heavy snow fall.
A few snowflakes landed on my eyelashes, blurring my vision, and through the haze, I saw our first meeting a year ago—
The man was dressed in a dark green military uniform, with a straight posture, sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and distinct features. His cold and stern face was expressionless, and just looking at him made people feel intimidated.
That day, Shanghai experienced a light snowfall, and Zhang Chenglin stood in front of the square window, blocking most of the snow view...
A commotion arose outside, jolting Zhou Zhu back to reality. The cold wind chilled him to the bone, and his voice became hoarse as he murmured:
"Today, the snow in Beiping is falling heavily, burying my old friend from Shanghai whom I have known for a long time."
With Zhang Chenglin already executed, there was no point in keeping Zhou Zhu alive. Without any hesitation, Yamano Jiro immediately ordered Zhou Zhu to be killed.
Zhou Zhu took out the signed and sealed paper and questioned Yamano Jiro: "Yamano-kun, are you going to change your mind?!"
"Change of heart?" Yamano Jiro seemed to have heard an extremely funny joke. He casually waved his hand, took the gun from the person next to him, and mocked as he fired, "Only you Chinese would believe in such nonsense as signing and sealing documents."
Zhou Zhu lay on the ground, his eyes wide open, watching the snowflakes fall one by one, melting into water in moments in the not-so-cold autumn, leaving no trace whatsoever...
*
Not long after Ji Ruqiong's letter was sent out, Fengyue, as usual, was taking a nap in the rocking chair under the corridor.
Not long after, Chai Feixue, who was playing chess with Ji Ruqiong in the room, heard her calling, "Feixue..."
Hearing that her voice sounded off, Chai Feixue quickly put down her chess piece and went outside.
Feng Yue's expression was very unpleasant, and her hands gripping the armrest turned white. Chai Feixue almost immediately realized that she was about to give birth.
Turning to Ji Ruqiong, he said, "Quickly prepare the car! We're going to the hospital!"
"Okay!" Ji Ruqiong paused for a moment, then quickly reacted and went out to make arrangements.
——
The unpleasant smell of disinfectant lingered in the air, and the screams of the woman inside the operating room sent shivers down the spines of those waiting outside.
I don't know how long we waited, or how many times the people inside had walked through the gates of hell.
"Wow--"
Through the operating room door, the cry of a newborn baby finally came.
A short while later, a nurse came out carrying a baby. Chai Feixue and Ji Ruqiong quickly went over. The nurse smiled and said, "Mother and child are safe. It's a little boy, born on October 1, 1937 at 2:01 PM, weighing 7 jin (3.5 catties), and very healthy."
Chai Feixue glanced at the child, and the nurses, having finished looking at him, turned around and took him away.
Seeing that she was about to leave, Ji Ruqiong panicked and grabbed the nurse's sleeve, asking, "Where are you going?"
Seeing the anxiety on her face, the nurse smiled and explained, "The baby was just born and still needs some tests. He'll be taken to his mother's room later."
Upon hearing this, Ji Ruqiong realized she had misunderstood the nurse, blushed, and let go of her hand: "Oh..."
When Feng Yue was brought to the ward, her face was pale, but she still smiled gently and asked Chai Feixue, "How is the baby?"
"It's a little boy, born on October 1, 1937 at 2:01 PM, weighing 7 jin (3.5 catties), and very healthy." Chai Feixue repeated the nurse's words to reassure Fengyue.
Fengyue nodded, feeling a bit too tired to stay awake any longer, and took a nap.
When she woke up again, the child had been brought back and placed beside her bed, sleeping peacefully wrapped in a small blanket.
Fengyue looked down at the child, and her eyes welled up with tears.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, Fengyue quickly composed herself and put on a smile again.
Ji Ruqiong came in from outside: "Oh, my sister-in-law went home to cook for you. I saw that you and your mother were asleep, so I went to get some water."
Ji Ruqiong placed the thermos on the bedside table, smiled, and reached out to poke the child's little cheek, asking Feng Yue, "Should we name the baby first? Or wait until Brother Lin comes back?"
Upon hearing her words, Feng Yue paused for a few seconds. Ji Ruqiong realized that she might have said something wrong and was about to change the subject when Feng Yue spoke up: "Qi Zhong, Zhang Qi Zhong."
It was like an answer that had been swirling in my mind countless times, so much so that when I said it, there was not a trace of panic or hesitation.
"What's the meaning behind it?"
Ji Ruqiong, who always adhered to the principle of "getting to the bottom of things", asked another question.
Feng Yue's eyes were serious, yet gentle as if she were looking at someone, "I pray for peace and prosperity for the land of China."
When Chai Feixue pushed the door open and came in, she happened to hear these words and couldn't help but stop in her tracks.
It's immediately clear who said such a thing.
The moment Feng Yue looked up, she saw Chai Feixue coming in with a lunchbox. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Let's call her Sui Sui as her nickname."
—May he be joyful and safe every year.
As she spoke, just like Ji Ruqiong, she reached out and poked the child's cheek, calling out with a smile, "Sui Sui."
The child seemed to sense something and whimpered, but didn't wake up and slept soundly.
——
The news of Zhang Chenglin's sacrifice reached Ji Yuxing and Jiang Yuanxing almost simultaneously.
Heze, Shandong.
The subordinate stood in front of Ji Yuxing and said, "Mr. Zhang sacrificed himself around 2 p.m. this afternoon. The spies in Beiping were afraid of alarming the Party organization, so they dared not send a message to Shanghai. They only told me and asked you to think of a solution."
Hearing his subordinate's words, Ji Yuxing staggered and almost fell.
His subordinate quickly caught him, then asked hesitantly, "Are you alright?"
“It’s nothing,” Ji Yuxing waved his hand, “You can go out now.”
The subordinate agreed, but as he walked out, he turned back to look at him a few more times, still feeling uneasy.
Ji Yuxing looked up at the sky, but the azure sky became increasingly blurry the more he looked at it.
The increasingly blurry mist was filled with the many, many years they had known each other.
He and Zhang Chenglin had known each other since childhood, for twenty years now. They were brothers, comrades-in-arms, and confidants. Having gone through so many years together, Ji Yuxing could never find a friend more compatible than Zhang Chenglin. But some people, once met, are meant to be remembered for a lifetime...
When Jiang Yuanxing learned of this news, he was playing chess with Jiang Xiaoxiao, and his subordinates didn't try to hide it and told him directly.
Compared to Jiang Xiaoxiao's shock, Jiang Yuanxing remained seated and motionless, appearing remarkably calm.
After his subordinate finished speaking and left, Jiang Yuanxing stared at the chessboard for a long, long time before finally saying, "I knew it all along. Like father, like son. Zhang Deyue is such an ambitious man; Alin won't be content to live such an ordinary life. So be it, so be it..."
After saying these words, Jiang Yuanxing sat there for a long time before calling someone over: "Go to Beiping to find Black Tiger. No matter what, bring Ah Lin back to me."
Later, when Jiang Xiaoxiao talked about this scene, she said, "He always said that he didn't care about my sister and Alin, but when he heard the news, he seemed to age ten years in an instant. He even mobilized his underground forces, which he hadn't touched for five or six years, to retrieve Alin's remains and erect a monument in Shanghai."
Jiang Xuyin, who had prepared soup to deliver to Jiang Yuanxing, stood by the window outside the study and listened to everything.
She suddenly remembered the look Zhang Chenglin gave her at Zhang Deyue's funeral—that inexplicable look that filled her with dread. It truly was the last time the mother and son would see each other again…
Jiang Xu felt a sharp pain in his chest. He couldn't even hold the soup bowl properly, and it fell to the ground with a "crash".
Hearing the noise, Jiang Xiaoxiao in the study was about to get up and go out to see what was happening, but Jiang Yuanxing called out to her, "Let her have some peace and quiet. She's feeling worse than anyone else."
Jiang Xiaoxiao paused and nodded.
*
Three days after receiving news of Zhang Chenglin's sacrifice, Ji Yuxing immediately arranged everything and returned to Zaozhuang and Zhang Chenglin's home.
He was startled by the baby crying as soon as he entered the door. Upon seeing Ji Ruqiong, he immediately asked, "Who's here?"
“My sister-in-law, Fengyue,” Ji Ruqiong said anxiously as she went to give Chai Feixue water to wipe the child’s face, but she still added, “And me.”
“No,” Ji Yuxing frowned, “Where did this child come from crying?”
Those who heard it were deeply shaken.
“Oh, Lin-ge’s child,” Ji Ruqiong said, then asked, “Didn’t I mention it in the letter I wrote to you a few days ago?”
"What letter?" Ji Yuxing was even more confused.
“Just the day before yesterday, the day Fengyue gave birth, I sent you a letter.” Ji Ruqiong said, then suddenly realized, “You didn’t come back because of my letter?”
“No,” Ji Yuxing shook his head, “I didn’t receive your letter.”
"It's been so long, and I haven't received a single reply to the letters I sent to you and Brother Lin." Ji Ruqiong said helplessly, "I almost thought you two were lost."
"Ah-Qiong," Chai Feixue called from inside the room, "Is the water ready?"
"Alright, alright, I'll be right there!" Ji Ruqiong replied, then said to Ji Yuxing, "Okay, you can stand here for a while. It's not convenient for you to come inside. Wait until I'm done!"
After saying that, he ran away quickly, leaving Ji Yuxing standing there alone.
My mind raced with thoughts, and then I suddenly remembered what Ji Ruqiong had just said: "The day before yesterday, the day Fengyue gave birth."
Born the day before yesterday...
That truly means they were destined to meet but not to be together.
Ah Lin, look, this life is so close to the happiness and fulfillment you've always wanted.
But how could it have deviated by just this little bit?
Why?
In the room, Ji Ruqiong watched Chai Feixue and Feng Yue wash Sui Sui's bottom and change her diaper, and watched them coax Sui Sui back to sleep.
She finally found a chance to speak: "Um... my brother is back."
Feng Yue and Chai Feixue both paused, then looked up at her in the same way: "What?"
“I said, my brother is back.” Ji Ruqiong sighed. “He’s standing in the yard.”
Even though she really wanted to see him right away, knowing that Fengyue was worried about Zhang Chenglin, Chai Feixue still looked up at Fengyue first and asked, "Would it be convenient for him to come in and talk to you?"
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