Revolutionary Family
Inside the cardboard shack, Qingcheng patted the stubble-faced man a few times. He remained in that half-open, dazed look. She chuckled dryly and teased Sister Ying, saying the young man had a strong will to live. However, with the police chasing them fiercely outside, she worried the young man wouldn't make it to the hospital and would be arrested on the way.
Sister Ying had heard about the recent crackdown by the police in the concessions. She sighed deeply. The world is in a bad state now. Farmers who have lost their land are forced to leave their homes by war and banditry.
Who would willingly leave their hometown and venture into an unfamiliar environment? However, in order to survive and provide a better life for their families, everyone flocked to Shanghai. Unfortunately, not everyone could find a job there, and not everyone's wages could afford the high rents in Shanghai.
If they fall ill or lose their jobs, they have no choice but to sell their dignity and become part of the begging army. Even so, the police in the concession still don't give them a way to survive.
Kiyosumi picked up the thread, saying that the fundamental problem was that the country was too chaotic. Chaos prevented development, stagnation led to backwardness, and backwardness meant vulnerability to attack.
"Hey, sir, where did you hear that?" Sister Ying asked in disbelief, seemingly unable to believe that an old beggar could say such a thing.
"I used to work odd jobs in a factory. There was a night school, and I shamelessly mingled with the younger guys to listen in and broaden my horizons," Qingcheng replied, feigning maturity.
The two exchanged a smile. Ying, as if remembering something, tugged at Qingcheng's clothes, insisting on washing them for her. She even mimicked Qingcheng's tone, saying that the hospital wouldn't let them in looking so sloppy. The wind was strong under the bridge, and the clothes dried quickly.
If she took off her clothes, she would be exposed. Qingcheng declined Ying's enthusiasm, saying that she was used to being dirty and that being too clean would make her sick. If she disliked the smell, she could go wash in the river herself, and that Ying should help the young man wash first. The little Li kid probably thought Qingcheng was embarrassed and joined his mother in teasing her.
During the shoving, Qingcheng suddenly cried out, "Ouch!" She clutched her waist, her face contorted in pain.
Sister Ying was stunned for a moment, but immediately realized that it was normal for the old man to accidentally strain his back. She called to the children to lay Qingcheng flat in the corner to rest for a while.
The two children from the Li family each helped her up on one side. Qingcheng, whose steps were unsteady, glanced at the bearded man and deliberately leaned all her weight on the little boy. Instantly, all three of them lost their balance, and she took the opportunity to trip them...
ah--
A piercing scream came not from the Li family children, but from the stubble-faced man pinned down by the three men. Veins bulged on the man's forehead, and his eyes were bloodshot with pain.
However, being pressed down like that actually sobered him up. The young man finally woke up, and Sister Ying's joy vanished in an instant. Her worried gaze focused on Qingcheng. Qingcheng was so flustered that her hands trembled. She preemptively shouted, "No, no, don't hit me. I didn't mean to."
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, no one will hit you." Sister Ying's eyes showed a hint of sympathy as she gently comforted Qingcheng. Qingcheng grinned as if she wanted to say something but couldn't utter a word. She quickly crawled to the side and curled herself up like a potato.
"It's...it's nothing, I'm fine," the bearded man weakly squeezed out through clenched teeth.
The youngest son of the Li family, who was sleeping nearby, groggily got up. Suddenly seeing two strangers in the house, he was so frightened that he started crying. Sister Ying hurriedly picked up her youngest son, covered his mouth, and whispered a few words in his ear. The child calmed down in no time.
The cardboard house was unusually lively, with everyone chattering about what would happen next. The bearded man glanced around indifferently, thanked everyone, and was about to get up and leave. However, he probably forgot that his wound was severely festering, and after taking only a few steps, his legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground.
Qingcheng saw all of this. She muttered under her breath that she wouldn't bother the old man anymore, and that the young man could go to the doctor together.
The bearded man nodded, offering no objection, but as soon as he stood up, Qingcheng cried out and bent over again. The two could only help each other out of the cardboard house.
A cool breeze blew under the bridge, and she couldn't help but shiver.
"Wait a moment."
Sister Ying chased after them, carrying her youngest son. After hesitating for a moment, she made a very bold decision: the old man would stay with the children and watch the house while she went to borrow a cart or a donkey to have someone take them to the hospital.
As soon as she finished speaking, she shoved her younger son into her older son's hands and hurried off along the road to find someone to help. Qingcheng hadn't expected Sister Ying to have such a quick temper, but she quickly came to terms with it.
In a sense, Sister Ying was under far more psychological pressure than Comrade Li and the others, even though, as far as she knew, Sister Ying was not a Party member.
As a mother, she must have longed for a peaceful and stable life, watching her children grow up healthy. But as the wife of a revolutionary, she had to muster all her courage to face those days of fear and anxiety, even at the cost of causing her children to suffer, in order to support her husband's cause.
Because she knew that what her husband was doing was beneficial both in the present and in the future, benefiting not only their own children but also children all over the country. Comrade Li had praised his wife more than once in front of all the comrades in the Deep Blue Group, saying that she shared his ideals and was a true Bolshevik.
Therefore, those who can inherit the Bolshevik spirit are not necessarily party members, and party members are not necessarily able to uphold the Bolshevik spirit. This is the current state of underground work in Shanghai.
Watching the bearded man walk back to the cardboard house, Qingcheng hid her dissatisfaction. Her gaze happened to fall on the eldest daughter of the Li family, who was washing fruit peels by the river. Her little hands were red from the cold. Qingcheng wanted to show her care immediately, so she leaned closer and said, "Child, thank you for the water."
The girl turned around and smiled at him. Her eyes were very bright, with a warm and piercing light. At such a young age, she was already able to shoulder the burdens of life and was a great help to her mother. That was truly remarkable.
"Why don't you go out begging with your brother on weekdays? More people means more food. You can leave the food at home to Mom to look after." Qingcheng smiled and gave her advice, while helping her sift through the garbage to find leftover food.
The girl paused, then replied defiantly, "Actually, I also went out, but I didn't go to the same place as my brothers."
"Oh, which intersections do you usually go to? I'll go there when I have time." Kiyosumi was happy to get information out of the child.
"Grandpa, don't follow my example. I have to go to the French Concession. A round trip like that would take a whole day," the girl replied earnestly.
"The French Concession was great! I used to beg in front of a church there. There were lots of rich people there. After Mass, you could throw out a lot of money," Qingcheng exclaimed. She noticed the girl's bangs tremble and continued, "What was the name of that church again? It had two spires, it was very grand, it was called Guang, Guang..."
“Guangci Church,” the girl replied reflexively.
"Yes, yes, I remember the priest there was surnamed Tong. I wonder if he's still there? He looks fierce, but he's a very nice person. He would give me bread and milk." Qingcheng paid special attention to the girl's expression as she spoke.
The girl, who had been all smiles, pouted and tears, neither big nor small, started to fall: "I'm sorry, no, not to you, it's just that the relative I'm looking for is never here. I'm so sad, boohoo."
"I only have one relative in Shanghai. Do I have any other relatives?" Qingcheng desperately hoped to get some way out of the girl to contact the organization.
"I don't know. My mom told me to try my luck at a relative's house. If another relative recognizes me, we can go home," the girl sobbed hoarsely.
Seeing the crying girl, Qingcheng couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. She could guess that the eldest daughter of the Li family went to the French Concession to find Father Tong. As long as they found Father Tong, they wouldn't have to wander anymore, and they would have bread and milk.
Unfortunately, Father Tong had been missing for a long time. Kiyosumi asked the question that had been on her mind: "Then how did you tell that he was a relative of yours and not a bad person who kidnapped children?"
“It’s different. My uncle’s eyes and demeanor are different from ordinary people. I can recognize him,” the girl said firmly, wiping away her tears.
"Haha, how is it different? Do I look like it?" Qingcheng lifted her messy bangs and stared straight at the girl. Her sixth sense told her that things might take a turn for the better.
“You… a little…” The girl suddenly lowered her head, her face turning bright red. “Grandpa, don’t joke with me. I’m going to cook.”
Hope and reality are always contradictory. The small figure moved to the fire, set up a small pot, and skillfully poured in vegetable scraps and leftover rice.
"Li Ying".
"Why."
A gust of wind rose, shaking the campfire. The flames stretched out a long tongue of fire, reflecting the girl's surprised expression. She opened her mouth, unable to utter a word for a long time.
Slowly, Kiyosumi walked to the girl's side and said in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Children with backbone cannot bow to evil and difficulties, because you are the future of the revolution."
This was a phrase Comrade Li often used, but the girl bit her lip and took a half step back, asking warily, "Who are you? Why didn't you tell your mother, but instead came to me?"
“Because you can recognize us. Do you know Xiangxiang?” After receiving an affirmative answer from the girl, Qingcheng said, “Your sister Xiangxiang is waiting for us in the alley at the edge of the concession.”
"Are you... from my maternal grandmother's family? Where is my father?" The girl choked up.
"I'm sorry, I don't know where Comrade Li Shifa is, and I don't have any token to prove my identity. I'm afraid Sister Ying won't believe me." Qingcheng sighed. "As long as you're willing to come with me, you'll understand when you see Xiangxiang."
"I believe you!" The girl gripped Qingcheng's arm tightly, her words earnest. "When Mom comes back, we'll go together."
"Well, there's a problem now. The one inside is a bad uncle who's mean to Grandma. I'll take him away in a bit, and you need to remember the address. Don't forget it." Qingcheng whispered the meeting address and Xiangxiang's license plate number in the child's ear.
The eldest daughter of the Li family was about to answer...
Bang! Bang!
The piercing sound of gunfire ripped through the night sky, followed by the chaotic whistles of the police. Qingcheng almost jumped up and snatched the youngest son of the Li family from the cardboard house. The two older children of the Li family pulled the bearded man along and ran forward.
Qingcheng was anxious and kept looking back; Sister Ying hadn't returned yet. If she fell into the hands of the police, all her efforts would have been in vain.
This delay allowed the police to catch up. Before helping others, she couldn't afford to be arrested herself. With that thought in mind, Qingcheng carried the child on her back and moved with incredible speed. Ordinary police officers were no match for her, and the gap widened again.
Seeing that Qingcheng was running slowly, the girl turned back and pulled her towards a small alley. After spinning around several times, Qingcheng had lost her sense of direction and could only let the girl pull her forward.
After running for an unknown amount of time, the girl led Qingcheng into a small courtyard. She whispered that no one had lived there for a long time, and she always hid there because it was relatively safe.
Catching her breath, Qingcheng came to her senses and realized that there were still many beggars squatting in the corner of the courtyard. After catching her breath, she asked the Li family girl where they were.
"It's probably near Park Road, very close to Sister Xiangxiang," the girl said happily. She had specifically chosen this road. As for her brother and the bearded man, they couldn't have run far; they should be in one of the sewers where they usually hide. Her mother was also familiar with the nearby hiding places. They would come out once things calmed down.
Looking around, there were people everywhere. Qingcheng felt that the sewers were safer than here. If someone reported it, they would all be arrested.
Born in hardship, die in comfort. Qingcheng analyzed the police officers' movements in her mind. They were chasing from east to west and had even fired shots, seemingly intending to arrest her. However, she did not see any police cars or prison vans. When the police arrest people, they are usually accompanied by prison vans.
The police didn't seem to be making arrests; they seemed to be chasing people away, and the direction they were heading was the French Concession. It turned out that tonight was the public concession's cleaning day.
This is bad! A jolt of electricity ran down Qingcheng's spine, and the youngest son of the Li family in her arms burst into tears.
Beep—
The police whistle blared again, and the sudden crying immediately attracted the attention of the police. Li Ying hurriedly covered her younger brother's mouth, but she was only a teenager herself and couldn't soothe her crying brother at all. She was so anxious that her eyes welled up with tears.
It's not easy to live these days, and the other beggars won't tolerate them. The three of them were forcefully thrown out of the door by several male beggars.
With a police whistle on one side and a crying child on the other, Qingcheng felt her head was about to explode from being squeezed between the two. For the first time, she felt that children were the most terrifying creatures in the world. Before her patience ran out, she shouted, "Stop crying!"
Not knowing if the child was frightened, she hiccuped and stopped crying. Qingcheng glanced at the Li family girl; she seemed frightened as well, and her eyes showed doubt again. This was a matter of life and death, and Qingcheng couldn't worry about the child's feelings. Finding Xiangxiang and reuniting with her was the priority.
In the dark alley, a sudden inspiration struck Qingcheng. She turned on a tap, urging the siblings to quickly wash their faces. Standing behind them, she silently took off her "marinated" coat, revealing a white shirt and overalls underneath...
A short while later, the police officers brushed past the young female factory worker with her child. Even though the woman had a slight odor, the officers simply assumed she was a slovenly worker and didn't bother to question her.
In the end, it all comes down to the higher-ups talking and the lower-ups running themselves ragged. The junior police officer was holding down a row of filthy beggars. He kicked one of them in disgust. How disgusting! It had crawled into the sewer. It really was a rat.
We're just one street away from the French Concession. The young policeman can even see the signs on the other side of the street. Hehe, as long as I drive all the beggars into the French Concession, my mission will be accomplished, and I'll get a twenty-dollar bonus.
But reality is always harsh. Across the street, in addition to the signs, there were temporary roadblocks and barbed wire fences, and several big-nosed foreigners wearing helmets were walking back and forth.
A Chinese man who looked like a translator stood arrogantly behind the foreigners and shouted that a robbery had occurred in the French Concession that night, and they needed to investigate the criminals, so the passage between the two places was temporarily closed. Anyone who tried to force their way through would be treated as an accomplice of the robber.
"Pah!" the junior policeman spat. "Anyone with eyes can see that this is just an excuse from the French Concession. They just want to refuse entry to beggars. What are they pretending to be?"
He refused to believe that you could erect barbed wire along such a long border. The young constable's thoughts spread like a virus to every constable in the International Settlement.
After conducting their reconnaissance, they discovered that the French Concession had gone too far, placing roadblocks at every intersection, clearly indicating they were well-prepared.
"What the hell are you all standing there for? Get to work!" At the captain's command, the junior officers dared not slack off any longer and, without a word, drew their batons and struck the beggar hard on the back.
In an instant, howls and wailing filled the air as the crowd surged toward the border. The sharp steel spikes of the barbed wire tore through the beggars' already tattered clothes. Some begged for the beggars to stop, some angrily cursed the police, and others numbly followed the ebb and flow of the crowd.
The barbed wire was teetering precariously under the powerful force. A male beggar was protecting a child. Upon seeing this, the junior police officer loosened his grip on his baton and replaced it with curses to drive them away; as long as they left his jurisdiction, that was enough.
Bang! Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared blankly at the person who had fired the shot.
The male translator, holding a smoking pistol, said gravely, "This time it was a warning shot into the air; next time it will be aimed at you."
On the side of the International Settlement, the captain's face immediately darkened, and he spat out a mouthful of phlegm: "Heh~ yeah, try it if you dare, you fake foreign devil!"
The junior officer realized that his superior was deliberately provoking the other side, hoping they would shoot and kill the beggar so that they could seek revenge as ghosts. In fact, they could complete the mission just as well by going to the Chinese-controlled area.
"Captain, why don't we head to the Chinese territory? Let's give people a way out. Everyone has difficult times. Let's not cause any more trouble," a patrolman suggested cautiously.
Slap! The patrolman's face was twisted from the slap. The captain cursed angrily: "Damn it, you're the captain, I'm the captain, both the first and second teams are here, get on him or you'll lose your skin."
"Yes!" everyone shouted in unison.
The captain gave a death order, and with the mindset of "better to die than lose," the junior officer hardened his heart and, with his eyes closed, began to frantically beat the beggar beside him. The captain, still not satisfied with the frenzy, puffed on his cigarette and randomly distributed several Mauser pistols to the officers.
Bang bang bang!
As the starting signal for the match, the melee officially began. The beggars' resistance was even more intense than expected. With gunshots, beggars fell one after another. The police officers were on edge, while the officers on the other side, who were bracing themselves against the barbed wire, already had blood on their hands.
The wolves from the east want to eat people, and the wolves from the west want to eat people too. The innocent lambs are caught in the middle, their screams filling the air, but there is nowhere to escape. An atmosphere of despair hangs over the border like smoke.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a huge, bright light flashed, blinding everyone and causing them to close their eyes to shield themselves from the eerie glow. Instantly, the street seemed to freeze in time; the silence was so profound you could hear a pin drop.
When everyone came to their senses, a burly man, eight feet tall and wearing dark sunglasses, got out of the police car and weaved into the crowd. Following closely behind him was a young man of medium height, who was also wearing sunglasses.
Are these two crazy? Wearing sunglasses so late at night!
The young man excitedly introduced to the burly man, "Master Wu, this is the American devils' newly developed flashbang, which can stop the enemy's movements in an instant."
"Haha, this thing is pretty good. I'll order five boxes first. If it works well, I'll place more orders later." Master Wu took off his sunglasses, his face full of smiles.
The other person took off their sunglasses, revealing a delicate face; it was Kiyosumi, who had changed her identity.
"Inspector Wu, what do you mean by this from the French Concession?" the male translator shouted angrily. Qingcheng recognized the translator as her old classmate Fei Ming. Tsk tsk, even clerical staff have to work overtime late at night. The boss of the French Concession is really heartless.
"It's nothing. I'm testing a new weapon in my own territory. So what? What's it to you?" Master Wu glared back arrogantly.
"Oh, Mr. Wu, calm down. We just finished testing the new weapon and we're very happy," Qingcheng replied with a smile, her eyes crinkling.
"Hmph, I'm not angry. You there... come here." Master Wu beckoned to the captain, who hunched over and squeezed in front of Master Wu with an extremely humble attitude.
"They're handling a case in the French Concession, why are you getting involved? Hurry up and drive all the beggars to the Chinese-controlled area," Master Wu ordered, patting the captain's face.
The captain completely lost his temper in front of Master Wu and responded with "uh-huh".
“Wait, Master Wu, I just told you, we have a disobedient young master in our family, and I’m taking him back to play with peaches. This young master is hanging out with beggars.” Qingcheng read out the Green Gang slang smoothly.
"Thank you for your concern, sir." Master Wu clasped his hands in a fist salute to Qingcheng, then turned to the beggars and shouted, "All beggars, listen up, line up and let Mr. Xia find someone."
"It's alright, I've already seen him." Qingcheng walked through the crowd, and the beggars fearfully made way for her. She stopped in front of the bearded man and stretched out her hand. "Come back with me. Our home isn't a place you can come and go as you please."
"Sir, you've mistaken me for someone else." The bearded man shook his head in denial, while the eldest son of the Li family, who was being protected behind him, was bewildered.
"I'm trying to downplay this because you once shielded your brother from a knife. Don't force me to use force." Qingcheng's sinister tone sent chills down one's spine.
"I...I really don't know you." The bearded man was a little confused.
Under everyone's gaze, Qingcheng pretended to be deep in thought, then suddenly punched him in the wound. The stubble-faced man's knees buckled, and he knelt down, clutching his stomach.
Without any pause, she snapped her fingers, and dozens of burly men emerged from the darkness. Qingcheng calmly said, "Brothers, detain him and his nephew. Family scandals should not be aired in public."
Everyone watched the situation unfold silently, knowing it was a gang's internal affair and outsiders shouldn't interfere. At Qingcheng's signal, the child and the bearded man were taken away separately.
Even as the bearded man was being put into the car, he continued to deny his identity. Qingcheng, unable to contain her anger, punched his wound again, saying, "If it weren't for you traitors, would Wang Renyong have disappeared!"
Almost slumped in his seat, the bearded man weakly managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Sir, I really... am not... a member of your gang..."
“I know you’re not a member of the gang, you’re a traitor, Yingqi, former comrade.” Qingcheng exposed his identity, her smile forced and unsettling.
"I, I'm not..." Yingqi's lips trembled, two lines of tears welled up in his eyes, and he tilted his head and lost consciousness once again.
Kiyosumi glanced at him with a cold smile. Was he denying that he wasn't a member of the gang, or that he hadn't betrayed them?
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