Plan A
Old Shadows of the Republic of China 15
Invade
Su Xin arrived at the destination, carrying a suitcase, and followed the crowd off the train.
Wei Ting came to pick her up, holding a sign with her name on it. His appearance and height made him look quite conspicuous in the crowd, somewhat silly.
“Brother.”
Su Xin was carrying a suitcase in one hand and waved towards Wei Ting with the other.
Wei Ting looked at his sister, who had gone away for a year and changed somewhat, with some emotion.
Su Xin had grown taller, and her clothing style was influenced by Shen Xiangting, following a cold style.
A scarf, short hair, a camel-colored coat, with a cold expression.
“Grown taller.”
Wei Ting rubbed Su Xin’s hair.
“Mm, how is mother sick?”
Su Xin nodded and directly asked what she wanted to know.
“She fell at the steps, hit her head, and fainted. She only woke up two days ago and has been making a fuss wanting to see you.”
Wei Ting helped Su Xin with her suitcase as they walked towards the car together.
The second concubine caused quite a fuss this time; after waking from a coma, she was in a state of worry and fear as if she felt she might leave this world at any moment.
Wei Ting and Master Wei comforted her, helping her stabilize her emotions. The second concubine insisted on seeing her daughter no matter what.
Master Wei and Wei Ting knew what Su Xin was doing, so they told the second concubine that Su Xin was studying and it wasn’t convenient.
“Is her studying more important than her mother?”
The second concubine raised her voice, and Wei Ting quickly went to send a telegram, which finally calmed her down.
She originally had a steady temperament, but after waking from this illness, she became somewhat willful.
Shen Xiangting’s departure was explained as an illness passing; she was said to have gone just like that. Master Wei casually used a corpse, claiming it was the third concubine, and had it taken away for burial. The people in the mansion didn’t dare to make any noise about it outside.
Wei Ting drove the car while Su Xin sat in the passenger seat.
Wei Ting felt that Su Xin had changed a lot, and Su Xin also felt that her brother had changed quite a bit.
The romantic air between his eyebrows was gone, replaced by complete calmness and steadiness.
Previously, Wei Ting seemed like a romantic person, charming with a smile that won hearts. Now, his smile was faint, gentle yet distant.
“Brother… how are things with him?”
Su Xin tilted her head and looked at Wei Ting. Wei Ting’s hand paused briefly as he drove, then returned to normal.
“What else could it be, we broke up.”
Wei Ting seemed very unconcerned as he held the steering wheel, looking at the road ahead.
“Ah… no problem, there will be better ones.”
Su Xin smiled, also adopting a carefree attitude.
“I actually can’t let go.”
Wei Ting parked the car by the roadside, his hand trembling slightly as he lit a cigarette.
“I don’t dare to tell anyone; after thinking it over, only you know. We separated half a year ago, I was the one who ended it.”
Wei Ting accidentally choked on the smoke and coughed twice.
“I clearly liked him so much, but I still had to leave him. He’s an only son; his family wouldn’t allow it, and our family wouldn’t either.”
Wei Ting’s eyes were filled with sadness as he sneered and extinguished the cigarette in his hand.
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“We can’t live so selfishly. Perhaps us separating might be better.”
“Liking someone doesn’t necessarily mean being together, but I can’t let go.”
Wei Ting looked at Su Xin and sighed deeply.
“I might… have to marry. Mother is urging me strongly, and I have no reason to refuse.”
Su Xin quietly acted as a listener, knowing that Wei Ting didn’t need someone to agree with his opinions right now, but rather someone to quietly listen to him vent his pain.
“Brother.”
“Mm.”
“It will be okay.”
Su Xin patted Wei Ting’s shoulder and, after sitting properly, touched her own neck through her clothes.
She was still wearing the pendant Shen Xiangting gave her, like a talisman.
Wei Ting composed himself and continued to drive.
“So, after being away for so long, did you have any gains?”
“I created two things and had a romance.”
Su Xin squinted her eyes, looking like she was in a good mood.
“Mm? Dating? With whom?”
“Secret.”
Wei Ting wanted to ask more, but Su Xin had already sat up straight.
“We’ve arrived home.”
Wei Ting helped carry her suitcase, and Su Xin walked into the house first.
“Father.”
Master Wei was waiting at the door for Su Xin, and upon seeing her come in, he smiled.
“I’ve heard some things about you. You did very well, and your father is proud of you.”
Master Wei led his daughter inside, and if he didn’t need to keep a low profile and avoid speaking out, he would wish to let everyone know how impressive his daughter is. Hey, she is his daughter.
“Mm, how is mother? I’ll go see her.”
“Her complexion has improved a lot, and she has almost fully recovered, except for a scar left on her forehead.”
With the second concubine’s daily improvement, the initial fear of thinking she was going to die also dissipated.
Su Xin walked into the courtyard and pushed open the second concubine’s room door. A maidservant stood guard there and bowed to her.
“Mother.”
Su Xin called out and quickly walked to the second concubine, holding her hand.
“Zhizhi has returned.”
The second concubine touched her daughter’s hand and showed a pale smile.
“Mother, how do you feel? Are you still well?”
“I’m good, see how well my spirit is.”
The second concubine said with a smile, but then coughed twice.
Su Xin frowned inwardly, sensing something was wrong; The second concubine was hiding something from her.
The second concubine said she just felt older, worried more, and when she fell that time, she almost thought she’d never have the chance to open her eyes again. Fortunately… fortunately…
“But now that you’ve returned, do you still want to go back? I asked about your matters, but your father and brother were evasive and wouldn’t tell me where you study or how you’re doing. You also didn’t send me any telegrams.”
Tecond concubine looked at her daughter with reproach, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes showing worry.
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“It is this daughter’s fault.”
Su Xin bowed her head and obediently admitted her fault.
“I won’t return for now.”
“That’s good. In these years, a few young talented men have emerged. Mother saw one that is very suitable for you.”
The second concubine hadn’t stopped thinking about finding a match for her daughter and propped herself up to sit.
“Mother… can’t you forget about this matter?”
Su Xin rubbed her head helplessly.
“How can you forget such things? You’re just like your brother, it’s a lifelong matter and can’t be taken lightly. Your brother also delays and is unwilling to find a partner. Who knows what he’s thinking? He’s quite old now, and others his age already have children who can buy soy sauce.”
The second concubine stared wide-eyed. She always wanted to place someone in Wei Ting’s room, but he rejected them all. If she forcefully placed someone there, he would dare to throw them out. Calling him a rebellious son wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
Over the years, his room has only had one maid, and it seems even his outside romance ended this year. The second concubine was so anxious she considered giving Wei Ting medicine and even suspected her son might not be capable.
The second concubine stopped her actions because Wei Ting gave her harsh words. Wei Ting said he recently had no desire to marry, and if the second concubine pressured him, he would find a man to spend his life with, which made the second concubine furious, but there was nothing she could do.
The second concubine swallowed her pride, not wanting the people on the first wife’s side to laugh.
“Mother, some things will come when they should. Don’t be so anxious.”
Su Xin patted her mother’s hand reassuringly.
“How can I not be anxious? Others already have grandchildren, and I still have none. Don’t even mention grandchildren, I don’t even have a grandson.”
“Mother, it’s better not to arrange these things recently. I’ve received news that the family might not be peaceful.”
Su Xin sighed, as the wheels of history were about to roar forward, bringing those painful and bloody memories.
“What?”
“The invaders are about to attack here.”
“What did you say?”
The second concubine’s face turned even paler as she looked at Su Xin in shock.
At this time, people’s hatred for the invaders and those foreigners was nearly the same.
The Eight-Nation Alliance’s invasion of China cast a shadow over the hearts of the people.
The most detestable event, the Nanjing Massacre, had not yet occurred.
“This is here, not…”
Su Xin’s expression was helpless. Although she had many lives on her hands, she was actually only suited for assassination, not for face-to-face combat and war, which was not her expertise.
She would think about how to hide and conceal herself, then wait for the opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to the enemy.
Going to the battlefield to fight, with a group of people charging forward fearlessly, is something she cannot do.
The second concubine looked at Su Xin’s expression and fell silent, appearing uneasy.
“No problem, we have father and brother. Mother, your most important task now is to take care of your health.”
“Mm, mother knows.”
Su Xin occasionally writes letters to Shen Xiangting, not sparing any ink, describing what she does every day. This might seem like nonsense, but Su Xin knows that Shen Xiangting wants to read these.
Shen Xiangting indeed has a telephone, but Su Xin does not.
Actually, there’s nothing major; the content of the letters is mostly about family matters. Every time Su Xin goes to send a letter, people there look at her with puzzled eyes, because there’s a letter from her every day, and she sends one out without fail every day.
The people at the post office, curious, ask her whom she is writing to today.
Su Xin curved her lips and said three words.
Little sweetheart (小情人).
A gunshot rang out, startling the small town in the evening.
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People panicked, shouted, and faced everything helplessly.
Wei Ting’s former lover, the district leader, had been transferred some time ago, and a middle-aged man with seemingly no ability was newly appointed.
The occupation progressed faster than Su Xin had anticipated, and everyone stayed home, not daring to run outside.
The Japanese entered, seeking the wealthiest person in the area, and the Wei family was the first to bear the brunt.
The Japanese sat in high positions, accompanied by a translator, and surrounded by many Japanese soldiers, all holding bayonets and rifles, pointing at the Wei family members.
The womenfolk did not come out, hiding in the rooms.
The Japanese shouted for all family members to come out, especially the women, or they would bloodbath the place.
Su Xin wiped her gun in the room, while Second Aunt watched her with a complex expression.
“Mother, don’t be afraid. When the time comes, I’ll first control that leader. You all hide far away. I’ve already contacted people outside, wait for them to come.”
“It’s not possible, there are so many of them.”
The second concubine hurriedly shook her head.
“I’ll do it.”
The second concubine unfolded the handkerchief in her hand, her face full of bitterness.
“Anyway, I won’t live long, I haven’t spoken up in many years.”