Although Song Xiaowen was blaming Zhou Shanhuai, anyone with eyes could see that she wasn't really angry but rather blaming him with happiness.
The two went downstairs, and Song Xiaowen quickened her pace toward Chen Ke, which startled Zhou Shanhuai, who quickly followed behind to support her. Chen Ke also went to meet her.
"Why did you take so long?" Song Xiaowen looked Chen Ke up and down with concern. "You've lost so much weight. Did you not eat well while you were away? When you come back, I'll have Aunt Liu give you some good food to help you recover."
Chen Ke didn't eat properly during this trip, but he lost weight because of the long journey. He didn't stay in Shaanxi for long; after finishing his business, he went north to Beijing.
As the Lunar New Year approached, every household put up red banners with slogans like "Welcoming Spring and Receiving Blessings" and "Everything is Renewed." Chen Ke sat on a mule cart, looking into a half-open courtyard gate, as if waiting for someone.
A short while later, a man on New Year's Eve, with a mustache, gold-rimmed glasses, a burly build, and a leather robe, walked out hurriedly. He was carrying a briefcase full of account books, looking like an accountant.
As he got onto the mule cart, he smiled apologetically at Chen Ke and said, "Thank you for your trouble."
Chen Ke, dressed as a rickshaw driver, quickly replied respectfully after hearing the man's words: "Mr. Li, you are too kind. It is my great honor to be able to do something within my power for you."
And so, Chen Ke took this Mr. Li to meet another Mr. Chen who was recently being pursued by the police.
Because Mr. Chen was released on bail, yet he left Beijing without permission to give an academic lecture and went around promoting his "ideology," which was something the head of the Beijing Police Department absolutely could not allow.
Therefore, when Mr. Chen returned from Hubei, the police had already laid a trap to re-arrest him.
So, at Chen Ke's suggestion, the two editors of "New Youth" disguised themselves as merchants and secretly left Beijing in a mule cart driven by him.
Although the mule cart was slow, Chen Ke took secluded paths all the way, successfully evading the police.
Meanwhile, in the secluded wilderness, the crisp sound of mule hooves echoed as a small mule cart carried the "two great stars"—Li from the North and Chen from the South—heading forward with a clear purpose.
This time, their journey would take them from the south to Langfang, then east to Tianjin, a leisurely trip that lasted several days. "Northern Li" and "Southern Chen" had never had so much time to concentrate on their conversation.
"It's time."
"Yes, we should establish our own Bolsheviks in China!"
On this constantly swaying mule cart, "Northern Li" and "Southern Chen" discussed this serious and important matter.
Meanwhile, Chen Ke, the driver, leaned against the carriage shaft, gazing at the clear blue sky above him with a slight smile on his lips, enjoying the rare moment of tranquility and peace.
The two men in the carriage spoke softly, discussing the nature and mission of the new party, and studying how to write its party platform and what it should include.
In that instant, Chen Ke seemed to see the birth of a rising star, which from its very inception represented light and salvation, and would continue to guide countless predecessors like a beacon, leading them firmly onto the right path to embrace... hope.
“I’ll begin preparations for the founding of the Party in Beijing, and you’ll do the same in Shanghai,” Mr. Li said to Mr. Chen as they parted ways in Tianjin.
This was later referred to by historians as "Li Keqiang in the North and Chen Yi in the South, agreeing to establish a party."
But no one knew that a humble coachman witnessed the entire process of this momentous historical event.
After sending the two to Tianjin, Chen Ke returned to Shanghai alone.
But the moment he returned to Shanghai, his mood turned heavy. He wandered through the city, listening to the sounds of drinking games emanating from bars and restaurants, the music drifting from dance halls and theaters, and the clatter of mahjong tiles coming from the shikumen houses…
For a moment, Chen Ke felt like these were just fleeting movie clips, and he had always been a detached outsider observing from the sidelines. Although he could see clearly and knew the course of history, he was powerless to change anything about it.
"Let's go, Master. Our mission is merely to explore a few insignificant fragments within this historical context. We cannot alter the grand historical trajectory and currents."
"I know." Chen Ke has always been a clear-headed person, so even though he met those great figures who had the ability to change history, he only observed silently and did not participate.
Chen Ke wandered aimlessly until it got dark. When he looked up and saw the familiar iron fence, he suddenly realized that he had unintentionally walked back "home".
"Brother, brother?" Chen Zhuo called out several times before Chen Ke came back to his senses.
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
“Chen Ke, are you tired? Then hurry up and wash up and rest at home for the night. Aunt Liu has already prepared the guest room.” Song Xiaowen said, then changed her mind and said, “Or you and your brother can make do for the night. He has missed you a lot while you were gone for the past few months.”
"Right, right, don't go back to your place tonight. Have you eaten yet? Chen Zhuo, haven't you eaten either?"
As soon as Zhou Shanhuai finished asking, Song Xiaowen stood up and said, "Oh, why are you asking? The children definitely haven't eaten yet. They're waiting for me to cook a couple of dishes."
Putting aside the fact that Song Xiaowen had already gone to sleep, she was pregnant, and how could the three men in the house possibly let her go into the kitchen to cook?
Upon hearing her words, they all stood up to stop her:
"No, I'll go."
"No need, Mom."
"I'll go cook noodles."
Looking at the three of them with nervous expressions, Song Xiaowen couldn't help but smile happily again, "Look how nervous you are. It's only been four months, and your bellies aren't even showing yet, and you're already telling me not to do this or that. What will happen when the pregnancy goes on and I can only lie in bed and not move at all?"
"If the doctor says it's okay, then I'll let you lie in bed and not move as much as possible," Zhou Shanhuai said seriously.
Song Xiaowen rolled her eyes at him.
Zhou Shanhuai had no choice but to give Chen Ke and Chen Zhuo a look, so that the two of them would coax Song Xiaowen upstairs to rest. His status at home had plummeted. No matter what he said, whether it was reasonable or not, Song Xiaowen liked to contradict him and argue with him.
The doctor said this was a normal emotional reaction for pregnant women, but Zhou Shanhuai didn't think so. He thought Song Xiaowen was such a reasonable person; it must be the baby in his belly that was contradicting him!
If the baby is a girl, that's fine; he can just coax her a bit. But if it's a boy... hmph! His father will show him that this world isn't so easy to navigate! Going against the grain will get you punished!
Perhaps Zhou Shanhuai's will was too strong, because Song Xiaowen suddenly let out a soft "Ah!" and quickly touched her stomach.
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