A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Chen Zhongyu and Lin Peishan comforted Gui'er again. Lin Peishan was still worried, so she rode with Gui'er home and had a cup of tea with her inside. She only left after seeing that Gui'er's emotions had stabilized.

After she left, Acheng and Dingxiang both sensed that something was wrong. Acheng cautiously asked, "Miss, what happened? Were you bullied?"

"Acheng, didn't you just come back with Miss? Don't you know what happened?"

"This...I..."

“No one bullied me. Just now, Brother Chen told me that he received a letter from Brother Song saying that the village where the guerrillas were stationed back home was swept up by the Japanese devils. My brother was shot and wounded, and A-Si was killed by the Japanese devils while covering his comrades.” As Gui’er spoke, a tear slid down her cheek.

Wu Mingqiang and Acheng were both stunned. Dingxiang paused for half a second after hearing this, then burst into tears: "Fourth Brother, I knew I shouldn't have let him go to Guangzhou. He came all the way from his hometown to Hong Kong with all these injuries, and he survived. I never thought he would die after only a few days back."

Gui'er became even more heartbroken upon hearing this, and tears streamed down her face.

Wu Mingqiang quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe Gui'er's tears and said to Dingxiang, "Alright, alright. Miss has cried countless times outside, and you've made her cry again. Now that she's dead, she can't be brought back to life. Besides, Ah Si was so skilled, he must have killed several Japanese soldiers before he died. He died a worthy death. I don't think he lost out. I heard that the revolutionaries don't believe in ghosts and gods, so they probably won't burn gold and silver for Ah Si. I'll go and rent a shop to buy some incense and offerings so we can worship him when we get back."

Dingxiang said, "Brother Si left a few sets of clothes here. Why don't we build a cenotaph for him, so we can burn some offerings for him on the first and fifteenth of each month, and he'll have a place to receive them?"

Gui'er didn't actually believe in ghosts or gods, but this was the only way she could express her grief now.

Wu Mingqiang was efficient; that very evening, he bought offerings from a candle shop: a bundle of white candles, three long incense sticks, tin foil folded into the shape of ingots, and a set of paper clothes, hats, boots, and socks—according to Hong Kong custom, these were for the deceased's journey. He set up a square table in the living room, covered it with a white cloth, and placed a blue cotton jacket left by Ah Si in the center of the table as a memorial tablet.

Gui'er changed into a plain-colored cheongsam, and Dingxiang, her eyes red and swollen from crying, also changed into a homespun long gown without any embroidery. Wu Mingqiang lit a candle, the flame flickering in the wind. He picked up three incense sticks, lit them, and handed them to Gui'er: "Miss, please pay your respects first. He respected you the most when he was alive."

Gui'er held the incense stick and bowed deeply three times to the man in the short jacket, tears dripping onto the blue brick ground: "Brother Si, may you have a safe journey." She suddenly remembered that Si was the first guard to follow her. They first met in Shanghai. At that time, he was very cheerful and talkative. Sha Yanxiao saw that he was quite familiar with him and Dingxiang, so he appointed him as his driver and guard. Later, Acheng was transferred. However, due to various family reasons, his personality had become more calm and introverted in recent years. Gui'er always felt that he was not happy, but in this era, who could live a completely satisfactory life? Gui'er didn't think too much about it.

This time, he asked to go back to Jiangcheng with Sha Yanxiao. Gui'er wanted to dissuade him, but when she thought that he said he preferred to stay with his brothers, and on the other hand, she hoped that there would be one more person to protect Sha Yanxiao, she did not stop him. She did not expect that this would be the last time she saw him. Gui'er couldn't help but feel guilty and remorseful.

At this moment, Dingxiang also stepped forward, placed the paper clothes and hats by the brazier, and murmured as she burned them: "Fourth Brother, do these clothes fit you? It's cold over there, wear more..."

Wu Mingqiang bowed for the last time. He didn't cry, but said in a deep voice to the man in the short jacket, "We remember the hatred you had for killing the Japanese devils. One day we will avenge you." After saying that, he threw the tinfoil into the brazier. The flames suddenly shot up, making his eyes look red.

The next morning, the feng shui master that Wu Mingqiang had invited arrived. The master, wearing a melon-shaped hat and carrying a compass, walked around the Yau Ma Tei cemetery for a long time. He pointed to a sheltered spot and said, "This place faces south, with flowing water in front and a mountain behind. The deceased can rest in peace here, and it can also bless the living."

Acheng and his men had already prepared an empty coffin, placing A-Si's short jacket and everyday belt inside. At the burial, the feng shui master scattered some glutinous rice, chanting, "May you rest in peace in the earth, and may your soul return to its homeland." Wu Mingqiang personally added the first handful of soil, and Gui'er placed a bunch of white chrysanthemums on the grave—a Western-style practice, but one that suited her taste.

A wooden plaque stood before the grave, inscribed with "Tomb of the Righteous Man Zheng Sihe." During the memorial service, Dingxiang placed peanut brittle, a favorite of Zheng Sihe, on the ground, while Gui'er burned some paper money. Watching the ashes drift away in the wind, she suddenly recalled Zheng Sihe's arrival in Hong Kong, ragged but with eyes full of hatred, saying, "As long as I can kill the Japanese devils, it's the same wherever I am." Now, he lies buried on a hillside in a foreign land, truly a testament to those words.

As they descended the mountain, Wu Mingqiang said, "According to custom, we should come back to burn paper money on the seventh day after death. From now on, I'll have the servants come and visit during festivals." Gui'er nodded, glanced back at the new grave, and heard the wind whistling through the woods, like someone sighing softly.

After helping Ah Si with the funeral arrangements, Gui'er felt a little more at ease, but then she started to worry about Sha Yanxiao's safety.

She felt powerless and unable to do anything, a sense of helplessness that kept her tossing and turning every night, unable to sleep.

She inventoried the items in the basement; there were very few gold bars and silver coins left. She took them all out and handed them to Chen Zhongyu.

Looking at the small bag of gold and silver treasures, Chen Zhongyu said worriedly, "Why don't you keep some for yourself? I think Hong Kong will probably fall into war soon too."

Gui'er shook her head and said, "My family runs a pawnshop now, so we can earn some money. I also have some jewelry that my brother gave me before. If things really don't work out, I'll sell some of it. Brother Chen, could you please write a letter for me to ask Brother Song how my brother's injuries are? Has he returned to the unit? He's been shot so many times. If he's just left to be cared for by an ordinary farmer, I'm afraid he won't get enough medical care and medicine, which could lead to an infection and be very dangerous. When we prepare supplies this time, could we prepare more medicine? Maybe my brother can use it." As she spoke, she was about to cry again.

Chen Zhongyu quickly reassured him, "Don't worry, we've prepared a lot of medicine this time, and it will be ready in the next couple of days. Could you talk to Mr. Wu for me and see if we can go to Guangzhou with his smuggled rice this time? The comrades from last time came back and reported that going with their ship was relatively smooth because the puppet troops had been paid. This way, our supplies can reach the base area faster."

Gui'er patted her chest and said, "No problem."