A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Upon hearing this, the young master and his wife blushed deeply and said awkwardly, "So the young marshal is still alive! That's wonderful! This, this..."

Gui'er smiled politely and said, "I believe that the fact that the young master did not prescribe medicine this time means that my health is fine. Thank you, young master. I'll be going now."

As soon as she stepped out of the consultation room, she heard He Xiuxiang's voice inside: "What's going on? Didn't you hear that their servant surnamed Wu eloped with that prostitute and might have even taken away their property? How come she says no? That young marshal is still alive?"

"Shh, keep your voice down. They're still outside. Forget it, we don't have that luck. I already said they definitely wouldn't agree. You just had to try."

"Wasn't I doing this for you too? Your family said they would send money, but there's still no sign of it. If I hadn't taken out my dowry and jewelry to exchange for money, plus the typhoon a while ago which brought in more customers, this shop probably wouldn't have been able to survive. And you don't even appreciate it."

"Alright, alright, keep your voice down. Is it any good if people find out?"

Gui'er had no more interest in listening and turned to leave. Acheng and Wu Mingqiang were waiting outside. Seeing her come out, they quickly came up to her and asked, "How is Miss?"

Gui'er smiled and said, "There's no problem, let's go."

Afterwards, Gui'er observed that Wu Mingqiang had indeed not gone to Shitang again. She felt it was necessary to report this to Chen Zhongyu, so she told him.

After hearing this, Chen Zhongyu nodded approvingly and said, "Your decision is right. There are countless people in Hong Kong who want to make a name for themselves, but these days it's difficult to do legitimate business, let alone shady business. However, you are alone in Hong Kong without any family, so it is indeed easy for people to target you. Here's what we'll do: if you can handle it yourself, that's best. If you can't, just tell me and I'll take care of it for you."

Lin Peishan chimed in, "Yes, Gui'er, you're just too independent. You keep everything to yourself, only sharing things you've done that you're willing to help with. You can't do that anymore. You should discuss everything with us. Even if we can't help, it'll be more reassuring to have someone to listen."

Gui'er smiled and nodded, saying, "Okay." But after a while, she felt something was off, so she smiled and said to Chen Zhongyu and Lin Peishan, "Us?"

Chen Zhongyu smiled awkwardly and went to greet other guests. Lin Peishan chuckled and sweetly took Gui'er's hand, saying, "I took Brother Chen to meet my parents, and they like him quite a bit."

Gui'er then realized that she had been so focused on her family matters that she hadn't paid attention to the two of them, and that they had actually started dating.

Gui'er happily took Lin Peishan's hand and said, "That's wonderful, I'm so happy for you."

Lin Peishan smiled and said, "Thank you. I never thought I could find someone who shares my values. I thought I would end up marrying someone arranged by my family. God has been kind to me."

Gui'er was genuinely happy for them. As a revolutionary, Chen Zhongyu was constantly on the move and had to hide his identity, which was quite dangerous. It was already difficult for him to find a partner, let alone find a like-minded comrade. It was truly a rare find.

Now that Chen Zhongyu and Lin Peishan are dating, Gui'er naturally wouldn't be so tactless as to drag Lin Peishan along. Just as she was about to say goodbye, Chen Zhongyu said, "Gui'er, the batch of guns and ammunition we purchased together has been successfully delivered to the troops. Some of them were sent to Jiangcheng. Your letter should have reached your brother by now."

Gui'er was overjoyed and said, "Really? Then can my brother write back?"

Chen Zhongyu said, "Don't rush. His place is a war zone, transportation is not very convenient, and the situation is also very changeable. If there is an opportunity, I believe he will definitely write it. But we can't risk our lives for the sake of communication. Our comrades deliver supplies right under the enemy's nose, risking their lives. Sometimes no news is the best news."

Gui'er was a little disappointed, but she could understand.

The end of the year was fast approaching. This was Gui'er's first New Year since coming to Hong Kong. The school announced a holiday. Gui'er packed up her textbooks and walked out of the school with Lin Peishan, chatting and laughing.

On the streets, shops hung red silk and the character "福" (fortune/blessing) early in the morning. Silk shops displayed brand-new Tang-style cotton-padded jackets in their glass cases. Women picked out bright red hair ties and purses embroidered with the character "吉祥" (auspicious), preparing new clothes for their children for the New Year. Piles of preserved duck and sausages were stacked in front of dried goods shops; the aroma of dried tangerine peel and star anise mingled with the oily fragrance of fried dough sticks from street vendors, wafting across half the street. In the fruit markets of Sai Wan, Shatin pomelos and Chaozhou tangerines were piled high, with vendors packing them in bamboo baskets, calling out "大吉大利" (good fortune and prosperity) for good luck. Buyers, while haggling, would also say "恭喜发财" (congratulations on getting rich).

Although the foreign firms along Victoria Harbour didn't put up Spring Festival couplets, they still displayed holly and colorful balls in their windows. Foreign employees carrying gift boxes hurried by, brushing past passersby carrying New Year's flowers. The Lunar New Year market in Yau Ma Tei was the most lively. Windmills and colorful lanterns hung under bamboo sheds, and the man selling Spring Festival couplets wrote "May your business prosper" and "May you have safe travels" in his calligraphy. Children chased each other with sugar paintings in hand, and were often attracted by the stalls selling incense and candles—where bundles of incense sticks and gold ingot paper were displayed for people to use in ancestral worship.

In the wealthy neighborhoods, every household was busy "sweeping the New Year," wiping windows, washing dishes, and clearing out old items to symbolize "getting rid of the old and welcoming the new." Servants were steaming New Year cakes and making radish cakes in the kitchen, the sweet aroma of rice flour and cane sugar wafting far and wide; while the men went to the ancestral hall to worship, burning paper money and setting off firecrackers (although restricted by the Hong Kong government, there were still sporadic crackling sounds), praying for a smooth year ahead.

But it was wartime, after all. In the shantytowns, refugees who had fled to Hong Kong built makeshift shelters on street corners, silently watching the lights of other people's homes; newsboys hawked extra editions about the war in mainland China, and occasionally, people dressed in plain clothes would hurry by beside red paper New Year's couplets.

But most people are still trying to find warmth in the everyday life, buying a bunch of peach blossoms to put in a vase, hoping for "great success", and cutting a plate of "windfall gains". Even Wu Mingqiang, Acheng and Dingxiang are decorating their villas according to the customs of Jiangcheng.

Dingxiang said excitedly, "Miss, I taught Sister Ying how to make pan-fried buns. She will prepare many different flavors and keep them there. Miss, you can eat whichever one you like."

Gui'er nodded and said with a smile, "Okay." Actually, she didn't feel any excitement about the New Year at all. In the past, Sha Yanxiao would accompany her during the New Year, take her to buy gifts, set off fireworks, give her a red envelope on the first day of the Lunar New Year, and tease her with auspicious words. During festivals, one misses their loved ones even more. At this moment, she missed Sha Yanxiao even more.