A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Gui'er was stunned. She hadn't thought of this at all. But if she agreed with Lin Zhidong's statement, it would be the same as not trusting her servants. Besides, they had only met once or twice. She wondered what his purpose was in being so kind.

She smiled politely and said, "Thank you for the reminder, young master. Goodbye."

And so, she returned to the villa, dejected and heartbroken. Wu Mingqiang and Acheng had not yet returned.

Seeing that her expression was off, Dingxiang quickly asked, "Miss, what's wrong? You've been pale ever since you came back from outside. Did something happen?"

Gui'er laughed and said, "Oh, no, it's mainly because I saw that Editor-in-Chief Chen resigned."

Dingxiang listened with a hint of regret and said, "I see. So you lost your job? You could have earned three silver dollars that time."

Gui'er forced a smile and said, "I'll try to build relationships with the other editors at the newspaper. I should still be able to get some part-time work. I'm tired, I'll go upstairs and rest for a bit."

Back in her room, she collapsed onto the bed. Although her body was exhausted, her mind was unusually clear. She wanted to cry but no tears came out; she only felt extremely anxious.

She didn't want to believe the contents of Lin Zhidong's telegram, but she also felt that others had no reason to lie to her.

"Even if it falls, it doesn't necessarily mean something bad will happen. With my brother's skills and intelligence, he's not the type to fight head-on. Maybe he'll retreat with the main force of the National Army, or hide in the mountains to fight as a guerrilla." After thinking it over, Gui'er found a reason that could put her mind at ease. Only when she thought this way did she feel relieved.

Just then, Dingxiang came over to call her down for dinner.

Wu Mingqiang and Acheng had just returned from the pawnshop, both looking excited, saying that business was better than expected on the first day of opening.

“Miss, I’ve thought it all out. Once our business picks up, we’ll probably have to spend some money to bribe the Chinese detective in charge of that street. That way, we can be on the safe side.”

Gui'er had no interest in these matters and simply said, "I don't understand business matters. You and A-Cheng can handle it."

Acheng noticed that she wasn't in a good mood, so he asked, "Miss, you don't seem very enthusiastic today."

Dingxiang chimed in, "Miss, she went to the newspaper office this afternoon. It seems the editor-in-chief who took care of her has left. I wonder if she'll be able to get the job again? Three silver dollars for an article, where can you find such a good job?"

Ah Cheng and Wu Mingqiang mistakenly believed that this was the real reason, and quickly comforted her, saying, "Don't worry, Miss. Now that we have a pawn shop, we will work hard to make money. When the business is successful, we won't have to worry about money anymore."

Gui'er forced a smile and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you two."

Gui'er knew that she could find out the general situation in Jiangcheng by asking Song Xilun, but she didn't dare to, fearing she would receive bad news.

For the next few days, she devoted herself entirely to her studies. Her anatomy books were worn out from being read so many times, and her notebooks were filled with dense annotations.

Professor Chen Muli, Sha Yanxiao's senior, took good care of her. He would always stop her after class to ask about her studies and whether she could keep up with the lessons. He also said, "Your brother and I are very good friends. If you don't understand anything, just tell me. If you need any help in your life, you can also ask. I will definitely help if I can."

Lin Peishan, a classmate I had met before, was cheerful and often lent me her class notes to help her fill in the gaps in her knowledge. Seeing that she was always staring blankly at the textbook, she gave her a piece of almond candy: "Gui'er, you've been frowning a lot lately. Are you having some trouble?"

Gui'er shook her head, but she could sense her kindness. Whenever they had free time, they would go to a dessert shop or coffee shop near the school to sit and chat. This student life greatly relieved her anxiety.

However, the uncertainty surrounding Sha Yanxiao's fate was like a malignant tumor, slowly eroding her mind.

After an anatomy class, Gui'er couldn't help but call out to Chen Muli, who was about to leave.

“Professor Chen,” her voice trembled, “my hometown, Jiangcheng… has fallen.” Sunlight streamed through the laboratory’s glass window, illuminating her pale face. “My brother is still there, and I can’t get in touch with him.”

Chen Muli paused for a moment, put down the specimen box in his hand, and after a moment of silence, took out a handkerchief from the pocket of his white coat and handed it to her: "We are in a chaotic time now, and it is normal for news to be blocked during wartime, but you must believe that Sha Yanxiao is a capable person. He will definitely survive the war. As long as there is no definite bad news coming from Junior Brother Yanxiao, I believe he is alive."

He pointed to the bauhinia flowers outside the window, "Look at them, they still bloom even when the wind and rain are blowing. People are the same; you always have to learn to take root in adversity." He paused, "The most important thing for you now is to learn your skills well, so that you will have the confidence to save people or find your relatives in the future."

Gui'er knew these were just words of comfort, but they were like warm water soothing her heart. She couldn't help but feel that Sha Yanxiao was definitely still alive. She smiled and said, "Thank you, Professor Chen. After hearing your words, I feel much more at ease."

A few days later, Chen Muli appeared at the gate of Gui'er's villa, carrying a small bag of newly arrived medical translations from the bookstore. Liu Jin was taken aback when he opened the door, then announced his arrival and led him through the courtyard. Ding Xiang served tea and, seeing that the professor was dressed in a well-tailored suit, with refined manners and the air of a noble young master, couldn't help but glance at him a few more times.

Gui'er was very surprised: "Why is Professor Chen here?"

“I was a little worried about you the other day. After all, you're my junior's sister, so I just stopped by to visit,” Chen Muli said, placing the books on the table. “These translations cover the latest battlefield first aid techniques; you might find them interesting.” His gaze swept across the living room; the mahogany furniture was polished to a shine, but there were no family photos on the walls. “You live here alone?”

"I also have a few fellow villagers to look after me," Gui'er said vaguely.

Chen Muli didn't press her for details, but instead discussed the knowledge taught in class with her, which was like giving her extra lessons. Gui'er was also eager to learn, and the two became more and more interested as they talked.

Just then, Wu Mingqiang returned from outside, carrying the pawnshop's ledger. Seeing a strange man sitting in the living room, his brows immediately furrowed. He deliberately quickened his pace as he walked over, slamming the ledger onto the coffee table with a "thump": "Miss, I've checked today's accounts at the pawnshop." His gaze swept over Chen Muli twice, carrying a scrutinizing tone.

Gui'er quickly introduced, "Professor Chen, this is our family's butler, Mr. Wu." Then she said to Wu Mingqiang, "Brother Wu, this is my brother's senior from university, and now also my teacher, Professor Chen."