Chen Shen hid himself in the house Xu Bicheng rented in Fuxu Village. He transformed into a refined and gentle man, behaving like a proper household figure. Aside from occasionally drinking kvass or smoking cigarettes, he spent most of his time with Xu Bicheng. Xu cherished these moments deeply, indulging in the fantasy that if the Japanese hadn’t stormed into China like a plague of locusts, and if Wang Jingwei hadn’t established his puppet government, she and Chen Shen could have lived like this every day. But in truth, she knew nothing about Chen’s real life.
That year, on New Year’s Eve, Chen Shen still hadn’t received orders from the organization to leave, so he spent it with Xu Bicheng. They wandered together to the General Hall Orphanage to visit Pipi. As they walked side by side down the long road, their arms kept brushing against each other. Finally, Xu Bicheng slipped her arm around Chen Shen’s, and at that moment, happiness struck her like lightning from the sky, making her nose tingle with the sensation of near tears. That day, the orphanage was serving lamb, cabbage, and glass noodles. Pipi, perhaps having eaten too much, got into a fight with a boy taller than him. As Pipi threw his first punch, Chen Shen and Xu Bicheng were just stepping through the orphanage gate. The caretakers and teachers rushed in to break up the fight, but Chen’s voice rang out, excited, “Let him fight! It’s not often he gets the chance!”
That day, Chen and Xu watched as Pipi got a black eye, while the round-headed boy lay on the ground panting. Xu Bicheng wiped the blood off Pipi’s face, scolding Chen all the while. Chen laughed and said, “A man can’t grow up without bleeding.”
At that moment, Xu Bicheng noticed that Pipi, who had always walked with a limp, seemed much better. His walk now had a spirited, vigorous quality to it. For a long while after, Pipi kept walking around the yard in front of Chen, waving his hands in the air, mimicking the posture of the young soldiers.
Pipi loudly recited a speech by Chairman Chiang: “Once the war begins, there will be no distinction between north and south, young and old. Everyone has the duty to defend the land and resist the invaders. Everyone must be prepared to sacrifice everything…”
As Pipi recited with passion, Xu Bicheng held Chen Shen’s arm, and they quietly left the orphanage.
That New Year’s Eve, punctuated by the sporadic sound of firecrackers, Xu Bicheng heated a pot of Shaoxing yellow wine and made a small dish. When they sat down opposite each other, Xu suddenly blushed and asked, “Do you still have that harmonica?”
Chen Shen smiled, “I still have it.”
“Can you give it to me?”
“No, it’s rusty now.”
“Where is it?”
“In a tree hollow. The hole is sealed with cement.”
After saying this, Chen raised his glass and said, “Just being able to celebrate the New Year is a blessing.”
But Xu Bicheng’s face showed disappointment. She thought of the harmonica she had given him years ago, and it was clear to her now that Chen hadn’t treasured it. As she picked up her chopsticks, a hint of sadness settled over her. Chen noticed her change in mood and reached out to smooth her hair, saying softly, “Silly girl.”
Later that night, Tao Dachun paid them an unexpected visit. When the door opened, Chen Shen instinctively reached for his waist, but Xu Bicheng remained calm, sipping her wine and eating her food. She glanced at Tao and said, “Sit down, have a drink with us.”
Only then did Chen learn that the Bureau of Military Statistics had reassembled the “Whirlwind Team,” tasked with eliminating traitors. Tao Dachun was now its captain. Tao poured himself a cup of wine and raised it to Chen Shen, saying, “Chongqing has called off the order to eliminate you. Our people now know you’re with the Communists.”
Chen smiled and raised his glass too. The two men clinked their glasses with a heavy thud and downed their drinks in one gulp.
Chen asked, “How do you explain the Southern Anhui Incident?”
Tao Dachun replied, “That’s not something for the two of us to worry about. That’s for Chairman Chiang and Chairman Mao to figure out.”
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