Only by uncovering the scars can there be new life.
Since you like calling me "Dad" so much, why don't you just take my surname?
Huh? That voice sounds familiar. Qingcheng had been deprived of oxygen for too long, and she couldn't remember who that abrupt voice belonged to. Her mind was still blank. Suddenly, she realized she could breathe freely and couldn't help but greedily inhale the fresh air.
As the oxygen saturated, the blurriness in her vision gradually disappeared, and Qingcheng found herself leaning against Gao Junxiao's chest. Suddenly, the grievances in her heart overflowed like a surging tide, pouring out with her tears.
"Waaah~ Why did you take so long to get here!" Trembling all over, Qingcheng clung to Gao Junxiao like a madwoman, her arms tightening around him inch by inch. Her Xiao-gege had always been a resolute yet gentle person!
Sensing Qingcheng's emotions, Gao Junxiao carefully smoothed Qingcheng's hair and took out a handkerchief to wipe the blood and grime from her face.
From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a man's corpse, his eyes wide open in death, with a pool of red and white blood beneath his head. She was so frightened that she quickly closed her eyes.
The suffocating feeling of near-death was deeply etched into Qingcheng's heart. Although she was saved by Gao Junxiao again, the fear of not being able to breathe had not faded. She couldn't even look directly at the murderer's corpse. She wanted to muster up the courage to open her eyes again, but Gao Junxiao covered her eyes and gently told her not to look.
Once it was confirmed that everything was alright, the police officers finally arrived late to take charge of the scene. Medical staff on duty, some carrying mops and others holding medical equipment trays to their chests, cautiously peeked out from behind the police officers. In addition to the medical staff, there were also several disguised agents craning their necks to watch the commotion in the corridor.
Upon seeing the gentle expression on Agent Gao Junxiao's face freeze instantly, he didn't even glance at the corpse, uttering the words "One bandit killed," before calmly carrying Qingcheng back to the ward. It was better to first characterize the incident as a revenge killing that he had been implicated in.
After Gao Junxiao saw them leave, a man in a white coat wearing a mask walked out from the crowd of onlookers and skillfully turned the corpse over, ignoring the whispers around him.
After pausing for a moment upon discovering the missing little finger on the corpse, the doctor in the white coat immediately lifted the corpse's sleeve, only to find a bloody, mangled wound on the forearm. He then looked meaningfully in the direction Gao Junxiao had left.
In the ward, Qingcheng, wearing an oxygen mask, seemed to have fallen into a dark cellar. She tightly gripped her sleeve, her eyes devoid of joy or sorrow.
Looking at the somewhat forlorn He Qingcheng, Gao Junxiao felt no sense of accomplishment after saving her; instead, he felt heartbroken. Sigh, even the best body can't withstand repeated torment. Gao Junxiao would rather she jump up and argue with him with full vigor than see her so haggard.
He had initially thought that keeping her obediently in the hospital would allow her to avoid trouble. But... he misjudged the situation. The people Qingcheng had provoked were a hundred times more ruthless than he had anticipated. It seemed this matter could not be resolved peacefully.
Just as Gao Junxiao was at his wit's end, he felt a chill in his palm. It turned out that He Qingcheng had grasped his hand. Qingcheng sat up and took off her oxygen mask, but she couldn't make a sound for a long time. Gao Junxiao quickly piled up pillows so that Qingcheng could lean against them.
"Don't talk. I wanted to pick you up from the hospital, but the train back to Xuzhou was delayed. I'm sorry." Gao Junxiao poured Qingcheng a glass of water and watched her drink it before he felt at ease.
Kiyosumi shook her head and wrote in his palm: "Visiting hours are over."
"It's just the second floor," Gao Junxiao said nonchalantly, thinking that climbing through a window was no big deal. No, climbing through a window was too vulgar; only bad people climb through windows. He was climbing through a balcony, which sounded more romantic.
But who would have thought that Qingcheng's little mouth would suddenly twitch, and tears would stream down her face uncontrollably. Qingcheng's thoughts jumped so quickly that Gao Junxiao was caught off guard. Why would she react like this? Was he stunned?
Gao Junxiao immediately changed the subject: "That was a bandit. It's my fault for dragging you into this. There won't be a next time."
“That man wasn’t a bandit at all. Cutting off a little finger is an initiation ritual for the Japanese underworld. And I noticed a clover-shaped circular tattoo on his forearm, which, if I remember correctly, is the crest of a large Japanese family.” Kiyosumi finally spoke, though his voice was hoarseer than before.
Gao Junxiao was immediately speechless. Qingcheng knew more than he did. In fact, he also had many questions in his mind. He couldn't figure it out for the moment, so he could only go along with her and say, "If the Japanese want to retaliate, you are the chief editor of Shenbao. That's enough."
On the hospital bed, Qingcheng curled up in a ball, burying her head in her knees. A muffled voice came from her knees: "I always analyze others sharply, but when I analyze myself, I find that I am too arrogant. In this world, living is a luxury, and living as a good person is the ultimate luxury."
Gao Junxiao understood Qingcheng's meaning. The truly kind-hearted people had long been eliminated. She finally realized that she could be a good person because she lived in a honey pot, with someone to shield her from the wind and rain.
Kiyosumi has made progress.
“This isn’t just your problem; it’s hard for people to see their own flaws. That’s why Emperor Taizong of Tang said, ‘Use others as a mirror to understand your own gains and losses.’ In the future, listen to other people’s opinions more and look at problems from different perspectives.” Gao Junxiao patted her back, hoping to give her some encouragement.
"It's no use, it's no use. Life doesn't offer that many chances to make mistakes. One wrong step leads to another. I can only watch helplessly as things spiral out of control, and there's nothing I can do." Qingqing hugged herself tightly, feeling utterly helpless.
“It’s like climbing a mountain. Even if you fall countless times during the climb, you can’t always reach the top. It will hurt! But this pain will make us more humble, more cautious, and avoid repeating the same mistakes.” Gao Junxiao gave an example.
"Humans are complex. If it hurts too much, they might be even more afraid of the next mountain," Kiyosumi continued, her voice trembling with tears.
“Some people can, but Qingcheng, you can’t. You don’t need to doubt yourself. You are stronger than you think, and your abilities are far more than this.” Gao Junxiao’s praise came from the bottom of his heart.
"You've misunderstood. I'm not that weak. People like me shouldn't worry about family and country. I'm going back to my Grand View Garden and not causing trouble for others." Qingcheng seemed to be sinking into despair, even willing to give up what she cared about most.
"He Qingcheng!!!" Gao Junxiao suddenly stood up and roared.
The sudden shout echoed in the room. Qingcheng lifted her face from her knees and looked at Gao Junxiao with a wronged expression. Why are you shouting so loudly?
"Anyone can spout high-sounding rhetoric, but can that drive away invaders?" Gao Junxiao adjusted his tone and asked, "Do you know how I dropped out of Peking University?"
Qingcheng wiped away her tears and shook her head, puzzled. He never said how he knew; he wasn't a prophet. She wasn't one to reopen old wounds either. He didn't say anything, and she didn't ask.
"That year, we suffered a diplomatic defeat in Paris, and the five great powers carved up our territory. This was a tremendous humiliation; who could tolerate it?" Gao Junxiao was still somewhat agitated as he spoke.
He was referring to the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, in which China, as the victorious nation, was ceded the Jiaodong Peninsula. Qingcheng felt somewhat ashamed; at that time, she was still back in her hometown, reciting poetry and admiring flowers. However, she did remember that one day, after reading the newspaper, her father was so angry that he tore it to shreds, and then fell seriously ill.
Gao Junxiao continued recounting his history, and for a time, Beiping was shrouded in a frenzied and radical atmosphere, especially in universities, where professors personally led students in marches through the streets to protest imperialist aggression and the traitorous acts of the Beiyang government.
He certainly participated as well, holding up banners and reciting slogans with my classmates. However, the Beiyang government sent troops and police to stop them, further enraging the crowd. Gao Junxiao also went mad, assaulting high-ranking Beiyang officials and burning down their residences, only to be met with even more brutal suppression from the Beiyang military and police.
One by one, the unarmed students fell victim to the massacre by the Beiyang warlords and police. Gao Junxiao's white school uniform was stained with his classmates' blood, getting dirtier and dirtier the more he wiped it. Then, in a daze, he boarded a train heading south, not knowing where he was going or what his future held.
In order to get a full meal, he fought with beggars, stole chickens and dogs, and engaged in illicit activities, living a muddled and aimless life every day.
Later, Gao Junxiao recovered and wanted to go home, but he didn't know how to face his parents, how to face his former classmates. He had shamelessly deserted, what would people think of him? Would he still have a criminal record? Would he bring disaster to his family? There were just too many problems.
So he stayed in a small hotel in Shijiazhuang and wrote a letter to his father expressing his doubts. But he didn't expect that his father would come to him in person at the address. When the father arrived, he learned that his father had used some of his power to help him get his criminal record cleared.
Qingcheng looked up in surprise. She hadn't expected Gao Junxiao to have such a rebellious period, so different from his current refined and composed demeanor. His family must be well-off to be able to get his criminal record cleared. A noble young master turned out to be a bandit; who knows what he went through?
And his scandals aren't just a few, they're a whole bunch. She's starting to admire her own courage now. How could she have dared to cling to such a "bad guy" and pester him to take her home back then?
“This makes me even more ashamed. My father has been law-abiding for most of his life, but for the sake of his unfilial son, he did the thing he despised the most.” Gao Junxiao continued, stammering, “Moreover, I’m the only one among my classmates who used my connections to cover up the case. Isn’t this like being a slut while pretending to be virtuous?”
But Master Gao slapped him, warning him that victory could not be achieved solely through the patriotic fervor and heroic struggle of students. He had to stand up again with remorse, and only by carrying the burden could he understand the weight on his shoulders. So he changed his name and reapplied to military academy.
A burden? Her clear, relaxed brows furrowed slightly. She was powerless to help the child, but she had done her best. She had no regrets. But could she face her comrades with a clear conscience?
Seemingly sensing her anxiety, Gao Junxiao ruffled Qingcheng's hair and said, "My pride doesn't allow me to tell others about this period of collapse. I'm telling you now to show that I've already tried and failed for you. I'm not saying that fighting is wrong, but that you need to change your approach and fight again."
It wasn't that she didn't want to fight again, but things had already progressed this far, and there was no going back. How could she start over? There was no answer. All that met Qingcheng's eyes was a hazy white mist.
While she was lost in thought, Qingcheng felt a warm compress on her face. It wasn't hot. Gao Junxiao had brought a basin of warm water and bent down to wipe her face.
But when Qingcheng turned her head, she almost bumped into the man's face. This distance reminded her of the teasing they had done in the alley before, when they were so close that she could see his trembling eyelashes and his dark eyes that could light up the night.
And then there was the scent of coffee that brushed past her profile in her memory. Kiyosumi felt her heart pounding so fast she couldn't keep up with her breathing. She immediately grabbed a towel and covered her face, using the warmth of the towel to mask her dazed state. She was going to die; she had almost been trapped in his deep eyes.
Perhaps because his appearance was too ridiculous, Gao Junxiao turned his back and laughed without any restraint. After laughing enough, he sat down to the side and told her to take her time, and that he would stay with her tonight.
"There's no room for you in this single room. Why don't you sleep on the sofa over there? The blanket is in the closet," Qingcheng suggested cautiously. The exhaustion on his face made her heart ache, but the suffocating feeling of being on the verge of drowning also clung to her. She didn't dare to sleep alone.
"Fine, I'm not even married yet and they're making me sleep on the sofa." Gao Junxiao's helpless laughter echoed in my ears.
This sounds a bit strange. After washing up, Qingcheng still couldn't figure out his logic. Since he knew the two of them weren't married, where else would he sleep if not on the sofa? They couldn't possibly sleep together, could they?
"Sleep peacefully, I'm here to keep you safe." Gao Junxiao seemed to sense her fear and patted her through the blanket. His strong hand was as steady and firm as he was. The rhythmic patting finally made her clear eyelids droop and she drifted off to sleep.
On the afternoon of the following day, Qingcheng leaned against the hospital bed, feeling utterly bored. Gao Junxiao had disappeared early this morning without leaving any message. Why did she feel a sense of abandonment and loss?
This thought was quickly dismissed; she needed to find something to do to keep herself occupied and not let her mind wander. She wondered if the Japanese corpse from yesterday was in the morgue, and she wanted to go and check on it.
Just as she was about to try and get some information from the lovely nurses, she saw a yellow-green figure standing in front of the nurses' station, carrying a fruit basket and asking something.
Qingcheng felt her heart suddenly race, and she ran back to bed, pulled up the covers, picked up "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" from the bedside table, and pretended to be reading.
Knock knock—
The door was already open, but the person still knocked politely.
"Please come in." Qingcheng put down her book and was surprised to find that the person who came was Chen Yao. She quickly suppressed her disappointment and forced a smile.
"Qingcheng, I'm so sorry it took me so long to visit you after you were hospitalized. Are you feeling better? Are you reading by yourself?" Chen Yao said with a smile as he put the fruit basket aside.
Only when one entered Qingcheng did one notice the bloodshot veins in Chen Yao's eyes, indicating that suppressing bandits was indeed a tiring job.
Since the man had come to visit her out of kindness, Qingcheng naturally had to be polite: "I'm so glad that Brother Chen came to see me. I'll just read books to pass the time. But you must be exhausted from fighting bandits in the summer heat. You must be very tired."
After exchanging pleasantries, Chen Yao became a little embarrassed. He scratched his head and said it wasn't hard work. He seemed to have thought of something and immediately offered to wash fruit for Qingcheng. Qingcheng told him not to be so polite, since they were already so familiar with each other and she wasn't paralyzed.
However, seeing that Chen Yao's hand was wrapped in gauze and that he insisted on washing it, Qingcheng let him go; any further politeness would seem hypocritical. Actually, there was only one type of fruit in the fruit basket—apples.
Apples again? Aren't the seasonal fruits watermelons, honeydew melons, white melons, and all sorts of melons? Why did Xiao Li bring her apples when he visited her in the hospital last time? But it's all in good taste, so I can't say anything.
A little while later, Chen Yao returned to the ward after washing the apples. While drying them, he asked Qingcheng to try the Shandong apples, which were large, sweet, and extremely fresh.
Chen Yao is really particular; he even considers the origin of an apple. Qingcheng took the apple, and a faint fragrance wafted towards her—the unique aroma of apples. She took a bite; it was crisp and sweet, just the way she liked it. She couldn't help but praise the apple.
Suddenly Chen Yao exclaimed "Ouch!" and Qingcheng looked at him in confusion.
Chen Yao seemed to be waiting for her reaction before he began to apologize incessantly. He had forgotten A Xiao's reminder that Qingcheng needed to nourish her stomach and couldn't eat cold food; she had to warm it up first before removing the seeds but not the skin.
Upon suddenly hearing Gao Junxiao's name, Qingcheng's smile froze as she stared at Apple. She wasn't even coming, yet he gave her such detailed instructions. Was he doing this on purpose?
Seemingly sensing her mood, Chen Yao coughed a few times and suddenly changed the subject: "You've read 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms,' haven't you? It's a great book; it can give you a lot of inspiration. My favorite is Guan Yu. He's incredibly skilled in martial arts and has extraordinary courage. He didn't even flinch when he had his bone scraped to remove poison. He's a true hero. Which one do you like best, Qingcheng?"
"The Three Kingdoms period was full of heroes, each with a well-developed character and distinct personality. Hmm... if I had to choose one, I would choose Prime Minister Cao. I think calling him a treacherous hero is an oversimplification," Qingcheng replied earnestly after a moment's thought.
Chen Yao stared wide-eyed in disbelief and asked her why.
Under Chen Yao's eager gaze, Qingcheng slowly explained: "Cao Cao's great talent and strategy were not only in military affairs but also in governance. For example, the military-civilian land reclamation system ensured that the army was well-fed and the people were well-fed, while at the same time, the army was eating human flesh and robbing the people of their food."
“What you said makes a lot of sense. The military-agricultural system is still in use by some of our troops stationed on the border for extended periods. Our soldiers are recruited young men from farming families. They farm in peacetime, go to war in times of war, and can also settle their families. It’s really practical.” Chen Yao stroked his chin in agreement.
"However, there are also hidden dangers. The garrison commander has absolute control over the military households, which may foster a new warlord. In the end, 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' is just a novel. The historical Cao Cao also read 'Records of the Three Kingdoms.' He was a person who truly wanted to end the war and restore peace and prosperity to the country." Qingcheng tapped the book on his lap and analyzed seriously.
"Oh my, great minds think alike!" Chen Yao clapped his hands with a laugh. "But not with me, it's with A-Xiao. A-Xiao said the same thing. You two are so in sync."
Only then did Qingcheng belatedly realize that Chen Yao seemed to have come to see her with a mission, and deliberately asked in a nonchalant tone, "Since Gao Junxiao has discussed the Three Kingdoms story with you, what does he think of the late Eastern Han Dynasty compared to the present day?"
This was a tricky question. Chen Yao grimaced for a while before getting up and cautiously closing the door. He lowered his voice and said, "Ah Xiao doesn't allow people around him to discuss current affairs, and he rarely does himself. But I can share my opinion. Let's just have a casual chat, and don't tell anyone else."
After receiving a positive answer from Qingcheng, Chen Yao cleared his throat and began to express his opinion: "The Three Kingdoms period and the present day have similarities and differences. The biggest difference is that the Three Kingdoms period was a pure civil war, while our current major warlords almost all have foreign support, either overt or covert."
"To put it bluntly, Dr. Sun Yat-sen's founding of the Tongmenghui was supported by the Japanese. Chiang Kai-shek was supported by the Germans, and even the Communist Party had the shadow of the Soviet Union. This was a game of power among multiple parties within one country." Qingcheng agreed with Chen Yao's thorough understanding.
However, Chen Yao disliked the forces behind the scenes; they only wanted to divide our territory. "To repel external aggression, one must first secure internal stability" has been a fundamental principle of governance since ancient times, and this was also the purpose of the Northern Expedition.
If China cannot maintain internal stability, it will not only be unable to resist foreign aggression, but may even become a medium for inducing foreign aggression. China cannot be a China for the Chinese people.
While not openly refuting Chen Yao's eloquent and clear speech, he inwardly criticized: "The Nationalist government under President Chiang is half-hearted when it comes to foreign aggression, but ruthless when it comes to internal strife. It neglects the people's livelihood and uses the pretext of internal strife to weaken the power of regional warlords. It's a pity to waste such an idealistic young man as Chen Yao."
“Since the overall situation is so loose, shouldn’t we unite to fight against foreign enemies? You must have heard about what I’ve done.” After receiving Chen Yao’s clear affirmation, Qingcheng continued, “I want to use this to awaken the self-esteem of the Chinese people and unite everyone so that we can at least not let outsiders bully us at will. Although the result was not good, I will continue to fight.”
“Actually, I personally support what you did this time. If you don’t take the high ground of public opinion, the enemy will.” Chen Yao waved his hand and said, “But Xiao also has his reasons for being angry. As a man, he only wants to do his best to protect you for life. You don’t understand his good intentions, so he can only sulk and is helpless against you.”
"Then why hasn't he come to see me for so long?" Kiyosumi said disappointedly, turning to look out the window.
"Haha, it's Xiao's first time being someone's boyfriend, so he must have made some mistakes. Please give him another chance," Chen Yao explained jokingly. "He hasn't been in Xuzhou City lately. He just got back last night. It's not that he didn't want to come see you."
"Hmm, there's a story here." As soon as Chen Yao finished speaking, Qingcheng turned around to wait for the rest of the story.
Chen Yao pressed his advantage, saying, "We were planning to leave the city, but my superiors suddenly transferred me to the front line. The order has been issued, and there's nothing I can do but try my best to salvage the situation."
Huh? Chen Yao is leaving? What about Gao Junxiao? Aren't they the inseparable bandit-fighting duo? Qingcheng stared blankly for a while before finding her voice: "Brother Chen, you're kidding, right?"
"Military orders are absolute, how could I joke about something like this? A special plane will come to pick me up and take me to Luoyang first thing tomorrow morning." Chen Yao calmly stated the most helpless fact.
Perhaps sensing what Qingcheng wanted to ask, Chen Yao slowly said, "Because I was temporarily reassigned, our original plans were completely disrupted. Do you know what the biggest difficulty Ah Xiao is facing is?"
"We don't have enough soldiers, we need to borrow some." Qingcheng's eyes unconsciously glanced at the book "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and he blurted out. There are often scenes of borrowing soldiers in the stories of the Three Kingdoms, but borrowing soldiers always comes at a price, especially in this chaotic world, where military power represents everything.
Chen Yao admired Qingcheng's clarity of mind from the bottom of his heart: "Yes, fortunately, the regimental commander stationed in Zaozhuang is one of our senior brothers. He hates evil and has good military discipline. We also have some connections in Jinan. In the end, we negotiated and they were willing to lend us troops."
No matter how easily Chen Yao spoke, Qingcheng knew that the process of borrowing troops would definitely be difficult. Moreover, wars nowadays are not like those fought with cold weapons. Without cannons, guns, or bullets, are you going to lead people to attack a mountain with bare hands?
Most importantly, why was Chen Yao suddenly transferred? Everyone knows Chiang Kai-shek is stingy and never willing to use his trusted subordinates. Could it be related to this drama she staged? If so, she's committed a grave offense.
Qingcheng finally voiced her question, and Chen Yao shook his head to explain that the war in the Central Plains was critical. Originally, the higher-ups planned to transfer Gao Junxiao to the front line, but he didn't want to go. He asked Commissioner Tan to intercede on his behalf, and Commander Xiong went to Nanjing and made a scene again. In any case, the transfer order was not issued before the replacement was made.
As for why Chen Yao was chosen when there were so many division commanders in the Central Army?
The main reason was the power struggle at the Longhua Command, in which Gao Junxiao won. As a result, Chief of Staff Shi in Nanjing was very unhappy. By transferring Chen Yao, he not only tripped up Gao Junxiao, but also dealt a blow to Commander Xiong and annoyed Chen Yao, killing three birds with one stone.
Kiyosumi wondered why being transferred would disgust Chen Yao.
Chen Yao explained that he had offended a petty person surnamed Shi in the past. In the military, in addition to military merit, one also needs seniority to be promoted. According to his military merit, President Chiang Kai-shek was qualified to promote him to division commander, but Chief of the General Staff Shi said that he was not qualified enough and was too young, and insisted that he start from the position of deputy division commander.
He got angry and directly rejected the offer to become deputy division commander. I guess what he said wasn't very pleasant to hear, and from then on, the two became enemies.
The complex factional struggles within the Nationalist government were unprecedented!
Qingcheng knew that Gao Junxiao would face even greater difficulties if he stayed behind, as all weapons and equipment would have to be reapplied for. Moreover, given the fierce fighting in the Central Plains, while light weapons like rifles could still be obtained, heavy weapons like artillery would definitely be prioritized for the front lines.
Chen Yao sighed helplessly, "If the bandit suppression team had heavy weapons, they could have blew Fengshan and Mangshan to smithereens!"
"Ultimately, it's because our military industry is weak; production can't keep up with demand. Even the Hanyang-made rifles have become highly sought-after." Qingcheng couldn't help but interject, "Heavy weapons are basically bought, which has fattened up those big comprador agents."
Chen Yao slapped his thigh in complete agreement. Ah Xiao was truly in a dilemma: the city's defense commander was incompetent, and there were treacherous individuals lurking behind him, just waiting for him to make a mistake. Furthermore, things weren't peaceful within the bandit suppression team either; several bandits they had previously recruited had defected.
"Huh? Defection, that's a very serious matter, isn't it?" For some reason, Kiyosumi kept thinking of Koyama and Umi.
Chen Yao replied affirmatively, "Of course! Deserters should be shot if caught. It's a shame that Xiao even helped that Gou Xiaomao hire a lawyer to fight the case. He's a heartless bastard. I feel sorry for Xiao."
"What lawyer? He's quite nosy." Qingcheng paused for a moment. Why didn't Gao Junxiao tell her anything? Thinking of his tired smile, she felt a dull ache in her heart. He was already so busy, and she was just adding to his troubles.
“Oh, Xiao didn’t tell you. That little cat in their team is the older brother of the child murderer in Xuzhou. It’s a pity that the murderer in the child murder case was still extradited back to China for trial. In a fit of anger, the little cat led a team on the run, vowing never to trust the government again and to go back to his old ways,” Chen Yao said with a sigh.
My goodness, this world is so small.
A short while later, Chen Yao left. No sooner had he left than Qingcheng received a newspaper with a special mark. After deciphering it, she discovered that the signature was actually Old Wang's code name: "Yu Gong".
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