Chapter Fifteen

  On a spring morning, lively sparrows flit about on the green branches, and the gentle breeze carries the breath of spring, making people keenly feel that spring has arrived. Behind the Red Building of Peking University, on the large playground, facing the rising sun in the east, groups of young students are gathering here one after another. After "9-18", the nationwide patriotic movement against Japan was brutally suppressed by the reactionary Kuomintang. The grand scene of large-scale student petitions could no longer appear; instead, only small-scale gatherings convened under various non-political names could take place.

  On the vast and empty playground, young men and women dressed in various attire gradually gathered. A row of weeping willows by the low wall of the playground were swaying gently in the breeze, their tender green shoots dancing in the wind. Under one of these willow trees, Luo Dafang was strolling back and forth. His broad shoulders sometimes faced away from the dawn, and sometimes he walked towards it with strength. His face wore a thoughtful expression, occasionally furrowing his thick eyebrows. When he looked up to gaze at the increasingly numerous crowd calling out to him, his face couldn't help but reveal a childlike joyful smile.

  Yesterday evening, he ran into Bai Libing on the street. She floated lightly and grasped his big hand, smiling and scolding him: "Old Luo, you rascal! You haven't paid attention to me for a long time. Have you forgotten about the past?... I didn't change my heart towards you!"

  Lu Da Fang shook his head, suppressing the excitement in his heart, and changed the subject: "Xiao Bai, are you going to participate in the 'March 18th' memorial tomorrow? How's your life now? Are you still active?"

  Bai Liying smiled. Her eyebrows were almost touching her temples, she opened wide her charming eyes: "Old Luo, my good friend, I'm extremely busy! Rehearsing and performing plays - do you know that I'm starring in 'The Young Fan'? ... And you don't know, I'm going to Shanghai soon to film a movie, so busy that I can't take care of anything. March 18th? You go! You substitute for me, dear! ..." She tightly grasped Old Luo's hand again, smiling so sweetly.

  "A bright star!" Old Luo shook his head with a bitter smile and turned around to leave.

  Lu Dafang wrapped his arms around the rough trunk of the willow tree, spat loudly, and looked up at the excited crowd. A song came from afar...

  Go back home!

  Go back home!

  Down with Japanese imperialism!

  ……

  The majestic singing slightly calmed the depression in his heart. He clenched his fist and muttered to himself, "That old Lu is going to send me to a nursing home!"

  Lu Jiaquan was in charge of leading the Northern University Party's work at this time. He repeatedly instructed Luo Dafang not to take things lightly, telling him to be good at accumulating strength and hiding his work in the severe "white terror" situation. At today's March 18th memorial rally, he again ordered him not to speak at the mass meeting, saying that he would speak himself. Because he had already left Northern University, his work did not have a fixed location, making it easier for him to hide. However, Luo Dafang felt depressed and suffocated, feeling like he couldn't breathe. His robust body contained boundless energy and a fierce passion to destroy everything, but he was unable to exert himself or display his abilities... He looked at the several hundred people on the drill ground, recalling the heroic scene of thousands of young people rushing into the Nanjing Central Party Department, smashing the Central Daily News Office, and storming the Garrison Command during their journey south. He couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

  "The Party's discipline - obedience, absolute obedience!..." He muttered to himself, then pondered for a moment before striding into the crowd.

  Dào Jìng walked on the big "exercise" field behind the Red Building. She looked for Xǔ Níng, Lú Jiāchuān and Luó Dàfāng in the crowd, but couldn't find anyone. Seeing no familiar faces, she could only stand outside a group of people, feeling excited yet a bit disappointed. As more and more people arrived, there were about three to four hundred people, but she still stood alone at the back of the crowd. Suddenly, loud and clear slogans rose up one after another, making her feel thrilled and happy all at once.

  "Oppose the aggression of Japanese imperialism!"

  "Oppose the KMT's pursuit of glory! Establish a people's government!"

  "Commemorating 'March 18', young students spontaneously organized and overthrow Japanese imperialism!"

  The voice was so 'fierce', so indignant, and so powerful that it shook people's hearts. Dao Jing stood outside the somewhat disorganized crowd, really wanting to follow the people in shouting slogans, but for some reason, she couldn't shout out loud. She wiped the sweat on her forehead with a small white handkerchief. At this time, standing next to her was a young female student, small and thin, wearing a worn-out blue cotton jacket, with short hair. She saw that she was not panicked, but shouted loudly and powerfully along with the crowd's voices, and seemed to be leading people in shouting. Dao Jing looked at her, secretly admiring her, "She is really brave!"

  Just then, the 'female' student noticed her awkward expression and nodded to her: "Is this your first time? Are you alone?"

  Dào Jìng saw her and was overjoyed, so he quickly approached her and replied: "A person. Haven't found an acquaintance yet... Which school are you from?"

  "PKU." The female student held onto Daojing's hand, with a warm and natural expression, "I was also afraid at first, but later on, when I shouted together with everyone else, I wasn't scared anymore. Come on, come join us!"

  Many young and passionate eyes were cast on Dao Jing's face and body, so close, so ardent, as if hoping that this strange girl could join their ranks and become one with them. Dao Jing suddenly became bolder and more courageous. She grabbed the hand of the female student from Beida and rushed to the front of a podium where a short young man wearing glasses was speaking passionately: "Comrades! Comrades! The Nationalist Party will soon collapse, the high tide is coming, we must arm ourselves and overthrow Japanese imperialism! Overthrow the Nationalist Party! Support the Chinese Communist Party! Support the Soviet Union! Support the Chinese Soviet Government!..."

  His slogans echoed with the fluttering red and green flyers. The clear, crisp, and fervent shouts also shook along with the majestic and stirring calls of the crowd in the ancient city on this spring day. She shouted whatever the female student from Peking University next to her was shouting, and at that moment, her eyes were so bright, her heart was racing with excitement. For the first time, she felt the immense power of the masses. She was no longer alone, no longer timid; she had become one of this vast crowd...

  Just as Dao Jing was excitedly and wildly thinking, the police sirens suddenly went off. The person who was speaking and shouting slogans was slightly stunned and immediately jumped down from the stage. Then another person quickly jumped up. Suddenly, Dao Jing's eyes widened, and wasn't the person wearing a black cotton robe, with an air of calmness and composure, getting on the stage to speak, Lu Jia-chuan? She quickly shook hands with the Beida female student and whispered: "Look, my friend - also my teacher is going up to speak!"

  "Who... Lu..." The 'female' student seemed to know him, and she gripped Daojing's hand even tighter.

  With the warm breeze of "spring" gently blowing through Lu Jia-chuan's neat short hair, he stood on a stool, and in the increasingly loud wailing of police sirens, he scanned the crowd with his bright and spirited eyes, beginning to speak in a low, rhythmic voice: "Fellow students! Comrades! Open your eyes and take a look at this bloody reality!"

  His words had just begun, and immediately attracted the attention of the whole audience. The noisy hum of voices suddenly subsided, and hundreds of people stood still, looking up at him with rapt attention. "We young people all have lofty ideals, we all hope for our country's prosperity and a bright future... How many martyrs have shed their blood for these very things! The martyrs of March 18th were just such people who shed their blood! We are working diligently, we are studying hard, we are striving tirelessly to create a beautiful society in China! But let us take a look at our rulers - they are corrupt and shameless, they fawn on foreign powers, seeking wealth and glory; domestically, they put on airs of superiority, arresting, jailing, enslaving... The people's lives are filled with suffering; and since the Nationalist Party came to power, tens of thousands of young people have been persecuted, harmed. Tens of thousands! If we lined them up, how many stadiums like this one would be needed to hold them all?! This is how they treat us domestically - so brave and yet so cruel. But let us look at how they deal with foreign powers: Right now, the Japanese invaders are intensifying their attacks on Longkou, Xifengkou, Gubeikou... The local troops, driven by patriotic fervor, have risen up to resist, fighting against the Japanese. But look at what our Commander-in-Chief Chiang Kai-shek is doing, listen to what he is saying. He has ordered the 30-40 divisions stationed between Tianjin and Beijing not to resist the Japanese, but to monitor the anti-Japanese troops; he has issued a decree to the entire nation's anti-Japanese military and civilians, threatening: 'Those who dare speak of resisting Japan will be killed without pardon!'"

  "Down with Japanese bandits!"

  "Down with the Nationalist Party that betrays its country and recognizes the enemy as its father!"

  A furious, majestic cry had just interrupted Lu Jia-chuan's speech when a sudden burst of gunfire rang out. The sound was like a thunderclap on a clear day, and people began to look around in alarm.

  "Comrades, fellow students, the reactionary rule is about to collapse! Our people are about to rise up!" Lu Jia-chuan stood proudly on the bench, as if he hadn't heard the shouting guns, and calmly prepared to finish his speech: "The poet Shelley once said: 'Winter has come, can Spring be far behind?'"

  "Spring is far away?" The crowd responded with another wave of enthusiasm.

  "Winter has arrived, will 'spring' be far behind?" Dao Jing's eyes were filled with tears of excitement as she whispered softly.

  The loud gunfire had already started whizzing over the crowd's heads. The crowd became chaotic, with some people shouting slogans and others running wildly.

  Dao Jing nervously glanced at the "girl" student next to her, then looked at Lu Jia-chuan on the stool - they were both standing still and quietly in their original positions, as if waiting for something. Dao Jing's heart calmed down a bit, and she unconsciously drew closer to them. She looked up at Lu Jia-chuan with a confused mind, thinking: Why isn't he moving yet?

  "Don't be disorderly!" Lu Jia-chuan shouted loudly, waving his hand as the patrol team ran over to report the situation. "Comrades! Fellow students! The bloody tyranny of the reactionary rulers has arrived again, and we are surrounded. But brave warriors are not afraid of threats. We will fight them with stones and fists! Let's charge out and continue the struggle on the streets!"

  The team that had just fallen into disarray was reorganized after Lu Jia-chuan's encouragement.

  Eight people in a row, arm in arm, with stones hidden in their chests, shouting slogans and rushing towards the big 'gate' of the North Big Red Building. The female student from Northern University became the leader of this small team, she calmly directed people to move forward, Dao Jing closely followed her, also striding forward with big steps.

  Arise, slaves, who are oppressed by hunger and cold!

  Arise, ye wretched of the earth!

  Seething with indignation!

  ……

  The singing suddenly burst forth like a mountain torrent, pouring out in grief and indignation over the vast "spring" sky amidst the continuous gunfire. The crowd became even more "fervent", the ranks even more orderly.

  "Halt! Don't move! — Move again, and I'll shoot!" The police, armed to the teeth and dressed in black like a murder of crows, charged at these unarmed young people as if they were facing a million-strong enemy. Some held bayonets, some raised their guns, and others wielded wooden clubs, attacking from all sides. At this moment, Luo Dafang could no longer hold back. He suddenly appeared in front of the crowd, his loud voice ringing out: "Charge! Charge into the streets! Advance on the bloodstains of the March 18th martyrs!"

  The crowd roared in unison, echoing: "Charge ahead, charge into the streets! Advance on the bloodstains of the March 18 martyrs!"

  The front team had not yet rushed to the 'gate', and the military and police were already in a melee with them, shouting, gun handles, bayonets, and stones clashed, and both crowds were in chaos! The military and police could not stop the students, and they opened fire on the students' heads; the students desperately threw stones. The front team fought, and the hidden police constables and other "warriors" also jumped up to start arresting people.

  "Down with the executioners! Down with the Kuomintang!" The students shouted furiously.

  "Seize them! Seize those *** who took the rubles!" The police constables also shouted fiercely.

  In the chaos and fighting, Dao Jing couldn't see Lu Jia Chuan anymore, nor could he see the female student next to her. After throwing the stone, she became panicked. At this time, some police officers were holding guns, while others were holding wooden clubs, chasing and arresting people in all directions.

  Many students were bleeding from the head, and some were being dragged away by police. Dao Jing was hit with a baton, and just as the police were about to grab her, she dodged and ran into another group of people. As soon as she got there, she was shocked! She saw that a female student from Beida was fiercely fighting with a fat man wearing a black woolen sweater. This thin female student suddenly became a brave warrior, agilely grabbing the fat man's collar, desperately scratching his face and biting his hand. The fat man panted like an ox, stumbling around and hitting back at the female student, tearing her old cheongsam to shreds, exposing her arms up to the elbows.

  "You wicked dog Yan Geng! You, the chief of the sixth district! How many good young people have you arrested here!" She shouted hoarsely, as if she wanted to bite this police dog to death. The chief of the sixth district, Yan Geng, was directing his men to capture and beat people, and when he saw this thin 'girl', he thought he could take advantage of her easily, but unexpectedly met with a tough opponent. This thin 'girl' was so powerful that she left this fat chief unable to defend himself. When he found that the people around him had disappeared and those who came running were students with red eyes, he became frightened and shouted loudly: "Come! Come here and catch these people!"

  "You dog thing! What are you yelling about? Let you also taste the iron fist of the masses!" Several students rushed to him, punching and kicking, with powerful fists and feet, and in a few moments, they beat him until his nose was blue and swollen, his mouth crooked and eyes slanted, and he rolled on the ground unable to get up. Immediately, his panicked cries for help were mixed with the loud shouts of beating: "Save me! Someone come! Save me! It's all over!..."

  "Haha!" Some students burst out laughing. Dao Jing jumped up and grabbed the brave "female" student, wanting to take out a handkerchief to wipe away the bloodstains on her face, but a sudden burst of gunfire and a chaotic collision scattered Dao Jing and her again.

  "The armed police rushed to the scene, and the fat man pointed at a group of students with a hoarse voice, shouting: 'Catch her first! Catch her first! That little stinker is so fierce!'"

  That slender 'girl' student 'mixed' in a group of male and female students ran away. She ran very fast, but the police chased after her quickly too. Dao Jing ran while glancing at her with anxiety and fear in his heart, thinking that the girl student was about to be caught. Just as he thought so, unexpectedly, the girl student turned around and collided forcefully with a policeman who was running towards her, knocking him down, and then she quickly turned around and ran away again. She cleverly and hastily ran forward, advancing in a zigzag pattern through the crowd, while the police and the fat district head chased after her together. Because they had to chase the person who hit the district head, these policemen didn't even bother to catch anyone else. Dao Jing kept running behind the girl student, watching as she ran towards the red building, watching as the police were about to catch up to her...

  "Stop her! Stop her!" The female student had just run into the entrance of the Red Building when a policeman's large hand grabbed hold of her. Dao Jing was shocked and forgot to run away. At this critical moment, the policeman who caught the female student was suddenly kicked far away by someone. Dao Jing rushed forward and saw that the person who kicked the policeman was Lu Jia-chuan. In an instant, she felt incredibly happy and forgot about the danger in front of her, running up to him and calling out: "Brother Lu! Brother Lu!" She wanted to say something to him, but Lu Jia-chuan ignored her, glancing around quickly before pushing her, the female student, and two male students towards a wooden door, urging them in a low voice: "Quickly! Go through this door, down to the basement, turn right - there are people hiding you in the printing house."

  She didn't dare to say anything, and the female student pulled her along, walking in the direction that Lu Jia-chuan had said, feeling her way through the darkness into the underground room beneath the Red Building of Peking University.

  The lamps were few, and the streets were 'dark' and gloomy. As they turned to the right, a young printer intercepted them in low tones saying: "Hide yourselves for a little while, it will soon be over."

  "Thank you!" The 'female' student grasped the worker's hand with ease, and they walked together towards a small hut piled with junk. The worker led the 'female' student and Dao Jing into this small hut, then turned off the light, locked the door, and took the other two male students elsewhere.

  Although Dao Jing was relieved that she and the "female" student had escaped danger, she was worried about Lu Jia-chuan and also worried about Luo Da-fang who was leading the shouting. The police were just about to catch up with them, could they escape? In the darkness, she felt the "female" student's hand and said: "Do you think he - Lu, and that Luo Da-fang will be okay?"

  "Don't worry!" the female student whispered, holding onto Daojing's hand. "Most of the ones who came today are just local policemen from the inner six districts, they're all idiots. Old Lu is clever and resourceful, he'll be able to escape. Hmm! Do you know Luo Dafang too?" She seemed a bit surprised.

  "Understood." Dao Jing's heart was even more "chaotic" than before. She sat silently on a large wooden box, thinking about the intense struggle scene earlier, her heart surging with an unprecedented "ardent" passion; for the first time in her life, she saw the reactionary rulers using cruel means to treat these pure and patriotic young people, Lu Jia-chuan, Luo Da-fang, and those bleeding people, how brave they were, they put their lives at stake without any worries, but what about herself? She thought of her own evasive behavior, and involuntarily glanced at the female student beside her - although she couldn't see her face in the darkness, her determined and courageous eyes, her small hands that had fiercely scratched the district chief's face seemed to be shining like jewels before her eyes. Her heart was filled with a heavy sense of unease and shame...

  "What's your name?" The soft voice of the female student broke into the quiet and chaotic thoughts.

  She replied to her; then she also asked what the 'female' student was called.

  Xu Hui.

  "Xu Hui?" Dao Jing said with surprise and joy, "I know you! When you went south to *** at that time, you led..."

  "Keep your voice down, don't get too excited! ...... " Xu Hui covered Dao Jing's mouth and said in a low voice, "Listen to what Xu Ning said? I've known you for a long time."

  They both fell silent. But after the two of them tore open the window paper that separated them, they seemed like old friends who had known each other for years, and in the darkness, their hands gripped each other even tighter.

  Two hours later, it was probably past noon. The worker opened the "door", turned on the light, and Dao Jing saw Lu Jia-chuan standing beside the "door" wearing a set of work clothes. She was so excited that she grabbed him and said: "Brother Lu, are you okay?..."

  Lu Jia-chuan smiled, his expression still calm and composed. He shook hands with Dao Jing: "Come on out, the police officers have returned triumphantly."

  Xu Hui also jumped beside Lu Jia-chuan and asked in a low voice: "How is it? Is the sacrifice great?"

  Lu Jia-chuan's voice was heavy: "More than 40 were arrested, two died... the injured have not been counted yet - Luo Da-fang was also arrested..."

  "Lu Da Fang!" Lu Jia Chuan, Gong Ren, and Xu Hui all lowered their heads in silence; Dao Jing also bowed her head. The robust figure of Luo Da Fang suddenly flashed clearly before her eyes.

  "Struggle - struggle is bloody, it's a matter of life and death...". The theory she had read was now confirmed by reality.

  Others had left first, and after a while, Lu Jia-chuan led Dao Jing out of the north gate of Peking University. They walked through several alleys around Di'anmen and headed west. At first, both of them were walking quickly without saying a word; later, when they were far away from Peking University, Lu Jia-chuan approached Dao Jing and asked her: "Did you come here alone today?"

  "Hmm!" Dao Jing nodded with a hint of embarrassment, "Xu Ning called for many to take action, but... none of them participated."

  "Why not join?"

  "As soon as I mention 'ism' and supporting the Soviet Union, they fall behind, are timid and dare not come."

  Lu Jia Chuan fell silent, as if he had sunk into a state of deep contemplation, his eyes fixed on one spot, intensely thinking about something. Dao Jing gazed at him quietly, unsure if she had said something wrong.

  "Kobayashi, you reminded me!" Walking to the Xichenghai, Lu Jia-chuan led Dao Jing to the desolate and bleak beach - actually a smelly mud flat, walking slowly and saying: "Some of our slogans are often unacceptable. Every memorial day there is a rally***, every time many people are captured and sacrificed, what is the reason for this?……" He seemed to have forgotten that Dao Jing was by his side, muttering softly to himself. Dao Jing looked at him in shock, not understanding what he was saying.

  "What are your thoughts on today's events?" After a moment of contemplation, Lu Jia-chuan calmly continued his conversation with Dao Jing.

  "What do you think? It's great!" Dao Jing lowered her voice, "I feel that it's better than reading many books and listening to your talks. I've gained more from this. It's as if I suddenly grew wings and flew so high, seeing so far..." She smiled, with a very innocent smile. After a pause, she suddenly asked: "Why didn't Xu Ning attend today? He said he would."

  Lu Jiachuan smiled lightly and said, "Growing wings to fly up to the sky is not as good as tempering oneself in the midst of the people's fervent struggle. How about you, Xu Ning? Probably went with Little White. He might have gotten scared. Xiao Lin, aren't you afraid? Are you still willing to participate if there are more actions like this?"

  Dào Jìng became a little 'girl' in front of her respected teacher, and she seemed to be wronged as she pouted.

  "Brother Lu, you should believe me, understand me... I'm not a person without backbone. I often command myself in my heart - I must learn from you brave ***ers... In these two months, I've learned a lot; today, I've learned even more... You know how grateful I am for the happiness you've given me." Tears sparkled on her beautiful eyelashes, and her words were choked with emotion, unable to continue.

  Lu Jia-chuan drew near her, and involuntarily grasped her hand. The girl's passion, boldness, and sincere enthusiasm deeply moved him. He gazed at her face, unable to speak for a moment.

  "Kobayashi, I still have things to do, let's part ways here!" Lu Jia-chuan restrained himself and said softly. He found this 'girl's' emotions truly moving. "You hurry back, Old Yu must be worried sick."

  Dào Jìng's face turned red, and she muttered awkwardly: "Lú brother, why are you joking? This is a painful thing..." She fell silent for a moment, then said, "Don't go yet, ask you, how was Lǎo Luó captured? Just a while ago, I still saw him leading people to loudly sing the 'Internationale'."

  "There were several police officers about to catch two 'female' classmates, he rushed up and knocked them down with his big fist. The police's target was all focused on him alone, the two 'female' classmates escaped, but he - was caught." Lu Jia-chuan's voice was still calm, but Dao Jing could clearly feel the deep sadness hidden inside. Before she could open her mouth again, Lu Jia-chuan hastily said: "Goodbye, I have something to do."

  "Alright, goodbye. But you must come find me someday!"

  She really didn't want to part with Lu Jia-chuan. Being with someone like him made her feel at ease, gave her courage and strength. But they had to part ways. Lu Jia-chuan turned back to look at Dao Jing's silent and melancholic face, smiled slightly and said: "Alright! I'll definitely come find you. However..." He didn't finish what he was going to say before quickly walking away. Today, many people were arrested***, many were injured, and he had a lot of urgent work that needed to be done as soon as possible, so after accompanying Dao Jing for a while, he hurriedly left.

  Dao Jing gazed at his back, standing still under a weeping willow tree until his shadow was out of sight, and she remained there.