LC chapter 48

 

Mr. Hua was around fifty years old. He wasn’t tall and always wore a cheerful smile. He had a good temper and was devoted to academics. He was completely clueless about worldly affairs, and his wife managed all the household matters.

Although Mr. Hua taught in Shanghai, his students, like Fang Chengze, who apprenticed under him, were scattered across different places, most not by his side. Lin Ruan was the only student who stayed with him. The Hua family and Lin Ruan supported each other through the turbulent year in Shanghai, during which they formed a deep bond.

Lin Ruan had never met anyone like Mr. Hua before. While Fang Chengze had taught him ideals and ambition, Mr. Hua had subtly taught him how to live.

The older generation knew how to live well. Young people often feel that life is difficult and frustrating, but the older generation has found comfort in life’s trials. Over the years, they learned to make peace with others and themselves, achieving a steadiness and ease that the young could never have.

After dinner, Lin Ruan and Mr. Hua cleared the table while Mr. Hua washed the dishes under Mrs. Hua’s orders. The grand master of architecture was now just like any ordinary man—listening quietly as his wife scolded him. He didn’t dare talk back, only occasionally teasing her with a few playful words that earned him a half-angry laugh. The couple had spent thirty years together, sharing joys and hardships.

Thirty years—that was longer than Lin Ruan had even lived. He wondered if he and Zhan Xi would one day be like that, too.

Mr. Hua told Lin Ruan that marriage required courage. The days ahead could be good or bad, but one must have the courage to face the years to come with their partner in that moment.

Courage—Lin Ruan didn’t lack that. As long as Zhan Xi was the person, Lin Ruan wasn’t afraid of what the future might bring.

“Besides courage, you must also take on responsibility,” Mr. Hua told Lin Ruan. “When you’re young, you’re full of passion and believe that love will never fade. But what if one day it does? Should you just walk away? You can’t, because you promised a lifetime together. You must take responsibility for that promise.”

Lin Ruan furrowed his brows slightly, and Mr. Hua chuckled. “I know this doesn’t sound romantic. You young people don’t like hearing this.”

Lin Ruan thought for a moment and asked, “Are there no exceptions?”

“Of course there are exceptions,” Mr. Hua said, suddenly excited. “Like me and your teacher’s wife. Thirty years already! You don’t know—when I first met her thirty years ago, I was absolutely stunned. I thought, ‘How could a girl be so beautiful?’ I just had to make her my wife!”

Mr. Hua got so excited that he slipped into his hometown dialect. Lin Ruan listened, smiling, but his thoughts drifted to Zhan Xi.

Whenever Zhan Xi wasn’t around, Lin Ruan easily thought of him. He wanted to show Zhan Xi a strangely shaped cloud on the horizon and listen to the waves of the Huangpu River together. Even the wind on his cheek felt like Zhan Xi’s tenderness.

Zhan Xi—Lin Ruan silently repeated the name in his heart.

One of the brokers that Lin Ruan had hired went missing, but another reliable broker managed to get tickets. Lin Ruan traded four small yellow croakers for the tickets. The broker told him that they would depart at dawn and to prepare early.

Lin Ruan shared the news with Mr. Hua, and the Hua family began packing. Lin Ruan returned to his place to pack his belongings. Night quietly fell over Shanghai, the sleepless city now shrouded in the shadow of an approaching war. Only the waters of the Huangpu River remained calm.

Mr. and Mrs. Zhao heard the noise and came upstairs. “You’re leaving?” they asked.

Lin Ruan stopped packing and nodded. After hesitating for a moment, he asked, “Aren’t you leaving, too?”

Both Mr. and Mrs. Zhao shook their heads. “We have to wait for A’Fu to come back.”

A’Fu was their son.

Lin Ruan hadn’t always lived there. When he first arrived in Shanghai, he rented a different place. At that time, he didn’t know much. He was fooled out of his rent and thrown out in the middle of the night.

Later, A’Fu found him on the street. Afterward, he rented a room from the Zhao family.

Lin Ruan knew he was lucky. He had met so many good, kind people.

Mr. and Mrs. Zhao helped him pack. When midnight came and the whole neighborhood fell silent—even the dogs stopped barking—Lin Ruan hid two gold bars under his quilt, grabbed his suitcase, and went downstairs.

In such chaotic times, people often grew closer to each other. Mr. and Mrs. Zhao saw him off at the door. Mrs. Zhao held his hand and said, “You staying under our roof means we’re fated to meet. If you ever come back to Shanghai, remember to visit us again.”

Lin Ruan nodded, and the couple stood by the door and watched him leave.

The wind at the pier was strong. Lin Ruan wasn’t the only one leaving. The place was crowded with people in coats carrying suitcases and hurrying along.

He found Mr. and Mrs. Hua but didn’t see Hua Ying.

“Where’s Hua Ying?” Lin Ruan asked.

“There were too many people. We got separated,” Mrs. Hua said anxiously. The crowd jostled them, and someone bumped into Mr. Hua, nearly knocking him over. Lin Ruan supported the couple, then looked around. There were people everywhere, and it was impossible to tell where to start looking.

The two elders were flustered, but Lin Ruan remained calm. He took out two tickets and handed them to the couple. “Wait here. If the ship arrives, get on board. I’ll find Hua Ying and meet you on board.”

He reminded them, “You must board. Don’t wait for us. Once I find her, we’ll come.”

The couple nodded. Lin Ruan made sure they were safe, pulled his coat tighter, and turned into the crowd to search for Hua Ying.

The crowd was noisy, and his shouting was drowned out. The moving tide of people made it difficult for him to take a single step.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang from the pier—the ship had arrived. The crowd surged toward the ship like waves, and Lin Ruan’s heart grew anxious.

“Brother Lin Ruan—!” He faintly heard Hua Ying’s voice. Looking around, he spotted a girl in a red hat waving frantically across the street.

Seeing her, he pushed through the crowd. It was difficult, but he finally reached her.

Hua Ying was disheveled from being pushed around in the crowd. She held onto his arm and said, “My luggage is gone.”

“Was there anything important inside?”

“Just clothes and books,” she said.

“Then let it go. We’ll buy more later.”

He took her hand, and they headed toward the pier again. Ahead, the area was crowded with people. Suddenly, someone shouted, “The soldiers are coming!”

The crowd erupted into a panic instantly—like water splashing into hot oil, the noise was deafening.

The army wasn’t allowing anyone to leave Shanghai, which was why they had planned to board before dawn.

Lin Ruan turned around and saw military trucks arriving. Soldiers jumped down from the trucks, some blocking people from entering and others chasing those near the ships and shouting, “No boarding!”

Pulling Hua Ying along, Lin Ruan forced their way through the panicking crowd.

Amid the chaos, sharp and terrifying gunshots rang out. A man standing next to Hua Ying was hit and fell instantly, blood blooming across his chest.

Hua Ying screamed, but Lin Ruan covered her mouth and pulled her into the crowd.

People scattered, leaving a circle around the fallen man. Seizing the opportunity, Lin Ruan dragged Hua Ying toward the ship.

The pier was chaotic, and the ship was no better. Sailors struggled to maintain order while people pushed toward the deck, ready to rush aboard at any moment.

On the ship, Zhan Xi stood with furrowed brows. A foreigner hurried up and asked, “Sir, it’s chaotic at the pier, and the military is involved. Should we leave?”

“Wait,” Zhan Xi replied, clenching his fists. Another foreigner entered, and when Zhan Xi looked at him, the man shook his head. Zhan Xi closed his eyes tightly. “Keep searching,” he ordered.

The first foreigner said anxiously, “Sir, almost everyone with tickets is already on board. We can’t delay any longer.”

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, gunshots echoed from the pier, one after another without pause.

Zhan Xi said nothing, his expression growing darker.

Then, another foreigner dragged in a chubby man. “Sir, this man says he’s seen the person in the photo.”

Zhan Xi turned sharply to look at him. One of the foreigners held up a photo of Lin Ruan and asked in awkward Chinese, “You saw this man?”

The fat man, frightened, glanced at the photo and quickly replied, “Yes, yes! I did business with him before!”

“Where is he now?” Zhan Xi asked.

“How—how should I know?” the man stammered nervously.

Zhan Xi’s patience was wearing thin. One of the foreigners stepped forward threateningly. The man realized the danger and cried out, “He bought tickets, too!”

Zhan Xi looked up. “He bought four tickets from me,” the man said. “If nothing went wrong, he should be on the ship.”

Zhan Xi stared at him, his voice cold. “You’d better be telling the truth.”

Then he turned and ordered, “Check everyone on board.”

As someone went to do so, more gunfire and screams came from outside. A foreigner said, “There’s no time to check everyone individually. Everyone with tickets is already aboard. We should set sail now and look for him once it’s safe.”

With the gunfire growing closer and louder, Zhan Xi knew they couldn’t wait any longer. He closed his eyes and quietly said, “Set sail.”

A ray of dawn pierced the dark clouds and fell on the earth as the ship slowly began to move, leaving the chaos behind.

At the railing, Lin Ruan and Hua Ying finally reached the deck. Looking toward the morning light on the horizon, Lin Ruan let out a long, relieved breath.

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Acargoreng: Tomorrow’s update will be the final chapter of the main story 💖

 

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