Chapter Twenty-Five: The White-Clothed General

  That night, the three of them got drunk and said a lot of things. Lin Xiaotang couldn't remember much, but he did recall that Da Tou had been hitting on him with a drunken slur, his eyes hazy as he asked if he was really Lin Xiaoqi or not. Why was his personality completely different from before? And where did this body come from?

  Lin Xiaotang pointed to his own nose and said: "I am the real Lin Xiaotang, you just need to remember that I am your good brother, that's enough. Don't ask me anything else, I don't know either?"

  Big Head and Little Fart closed their eyes and grinned foolishly, saying who should they ask after all?

  Lin Xiaotang pointed at the sky with a serious face and said "Ask the heavens!"

  Partings always occur unexpectedly in people's imaginations. On the day Lin Xiaotang and Da Tou set off, it was drizzling, and the early summer weather seemed to have a hint of chill due to their separation.

  Early in the morning, Lin Xiaotang and Da Tou each carried a rattan suitcase out of the training class. Da Tou's affairs were simple, and they were quickly agreed upon. All their files were swiftly destroyed, and only a few high-ranking military officials knew their secrets. A few days ago, they had moved out of the dormitory to follow Shen Zui for final pre-job training.

  When Lin Xiaotang met Shen Zui, he expressed his gratitude to him. Shen Zui smiled wryly and waved his hand, "Alright, since you've chosen this most difficult path, I can only wish you good luck." Both of them were clever people with subtle minds, and many things were left unspoken between them.

  In the last few days, Shen Zui explained to Lin Xiaotang and Da Tou the matters needing attention for their external work, including the contact persons and methods after they arrived in Shanghai, as well as the departmental setup of the Shanghai Military Intelligence Station.

  On the day of departure, Shen Zui didn't see them off, but stood by the window watching their backs, muttering to himself: "Kid, I really do wish you good luck, hope you haven't made a mistake!"

  Xiao Pi led Yan Xun, Deng Yi Fu, Li Bao Chu and Liu Ben Qin to the entrance of the training class. Da Tou stopped them and said to Xiao Pi: "From now on, I and Lao Qi can't accompany you anymore. Whoever bullies you will have a life-and-death struggle with him. Don't lose face for your brothers, got it?"

  Lin Xiaotang punched him in the chest and said with a smile: "If we two are unlucky and die in Shanghai, don't forget to collect our bodies for us. We're both people without families, so there's no need to bury us. Just scatter our ashes in the Yangtze River at Nanjing's Jiangmen Gate."

  A fart, a nose wipe, and a tear. "Pfft! What unlucky words to say so early in the morning! You two listen up, going to Shanghai is for you to have fun, just drink some wine, flirt with girls, don't be stupid and work yourself to death for others!"

  Lin Xiaotang and Da Tou looked at each other, smiled and nodded.

  Yan Xun had been silent all along, watching as the two were about to turn and leave, suddenly shouting: "Attention!"

  Deng Yifu, Li Baichu and Liu Benqin stood up straight and raised their right hands in unison.

  Lin Xiaotang turned her head to look, and at the door and window of a nearby classroom, there were people's shadows, several hundred refugee students gazed at the two, making military salutes in unison.

  Lin Xiaotang smiled and suddenly felt a sourness in her eyes. She had intended to return the courtesy, but after thinking about it, she put her hand down and just bowed to everyone.

  Xiao Pi watched as the two familiar figures gradually disappeared into the rain and fog, and he couldn't help but feel a deep sadness wash over him. A strong sense of loneliness surged up in his heart, and he shouted loudly towards the distance: "Lin Xiaoqi, Da Tou, you must come back alive, I'll be waiting for you in Chongqing!"

  Yan Xiu and others shouted together: "Seventh brother, take care!"

  The vague figure seemed to stretch out its hand and waved it back without looking back.

  Lin Xiaotang and Da Tou came straight to the foot of the mountain outside Linping County. The rain had subsided a lot, turning into layers of mist floating in the air, and the tomb at the foot of the mountain still stood tall in a green area, looking not so desolate.

  A large patch of green grass had already grown on the tomb, Lin Xiaotang and Da Tou put down their luggage, took out the paper money and incense sticks that had been prepared in advance from their cloth bags, and arranged them neatly in front of the grave. Da Tou also picked a handful of colorful wildflowers from all directions and solemnly placed them in front of the grave. "Xiao Rou, we're leaving now, don't know if we can come back to see you again, you must take good care of yourself, if there's anything you need, just let us know through a dream..."

  Lin Xiaotang seemed to have not heard the endless prayers of Da Tou, he silently lit a cigarette, his eyes fixed on the tomb, as if he saw that delicate figure standing in front of him again.

  "Seventh brother, the big furball next door is bullying me again, are you going to intervene or not?"

  "Seventh brother, I got accepted into university, hehe, it's also Nanjing University. From now on, I'll be your junior sister!"

  "Seventh brother, our home is gone, all the people in our house were bombed to death, what can we do from now on?"

  "Seventh brother, is it really you? I've finally found you!"

  Then there were those big eyes that had never closed, lingering in Lin Xiaotang's mind for a long time. "Seventh brother, I was bullied, why didn't you come to save me?"

  Lin Xiao Tang took a deep drag on his cigarette, his lips trembling as big tears rolled down from the corners of his eyes. "Xiao Rou, don't be afraid, Seventh Brother is here, whoever dares to bully you I will definitely not let them off!" His fists clenched tightly, his entire body's muscles involuntarily trembling slightly.

  Suddenly, a broad palm patted on Lin Xiaotang's shoulder. He looked up to see Da Tou's concerned eyes, "Xiao Rou's spirit in heaven doesn't want to see you so self-blaming and distressed either, relax!"

  Lin Xiaotang took a deep breath, wiped away the tears on her face, and silently said in her heart: "Xiao Rou, Seventh Brother is leaving, Seventh Brother promised you, once I settle down in Shanghai, I will bring you back to Nanjing. Seventh Brother knows that you dream of returning there every day, don't worry, Seventh Brother will definitely keep his promise!"

  Lin Xiaotang's heart skipped a beat, she looked around and finally fixed her gaze on a nearby thicket, "Come out, since you're here to see me off, at least show your face!"

  Dà tóu scared a jump, looked around blankly, suddenly became vigilant, Lín Xiǎo Táng waved his hand at him, indicating no need to be so.

  A figure slowly emerged from the woods, wearing a long shirt, a moon-white sun hat on his head, a pair of round-framed sunglasses perched on his nose, and two neatly trimmed eight-character mustaches on his lips.

  "I thought you weren't coming?" Lin Xiaotang blew a smoke ring at him.

  Bai Qi chuckled and walked to Lin Xiaotang's side, removing his cool hat and bowing towards Xiao Rou's grave. Only then did he say: "I didn't invite you, how did you know I was coming?"

  Lin Xiaotang looked at him with a seemingly smiling yet not quite smiling expression, "Officer, stop fooling me! You brought me here and now I'm being sent to Shanghai. You won't even let out a fart for me, isn't that unreasonable?"

  Bai Qi stroked his mustache and said, "Let me correct you, the one who summoned you is Gong Sun. I'm just a messenger."

  "Yun Gong?" Lin Xiaotang's mind immediately conjured up the image of that extraordinary figure, "What does it mean? What did Yun Gong bring me here for?"

  He raised both hands and said, "What else can I do? It's all for you! You made such a big splash in Nanjing, but now you want to disappear with just a pat on the back. If it weren't for Gongzi witnessing it himself, who would believe that the withdrawal from Yijiangmen was actually written by a college student? If Gongzi hadn't taken action, you would have been snatched up by someone else in no time. Look, you've only been in Changsha for two days and the 57th Division is already trying to get ahead of you. The old man's eyes aren't blind."

  Lin Xiaotang smiled wryly and rubbed her nose, "I'm still worth that much after all!"

  Dàizǐ tīng dé xuàn tóu zhǎng nǎo，bù míng suǒ yǐ rán de kàn zhe liǎng rén.

  Translation:

  The big head listened and became dizzy, looking at the two people in confusion.

  Bai Qi clapped his hands, "Alright, now what's the use of saying these things? You were born to eat this bowl of rice. Even if I wasn't here, even if Yuan Gong wasn't here, you would still be walking this path. What's important is that now, you and I, and Yuan Gong are all on the same boat!"

  "Then I'll get off the boat!" Lin Xiaotang said resolutely.

  "Too late", Bai Qi took out three cigars from his pocket and tossed them to Lin Xiaotang and Da Tou. He himself bit off the cigar cap, held the cigar at a 45-degree angle between his fingers, took out a military lighter, slowly lit the end of the cigar, and only then put it in his mouth. The lighter continued to heat the end of the cigar for a while before he finally put it away.

  He raised his cigar with a swaggering air, and puffed out the smoke from his mouth. His eyes had just turned to Lin Xiaotang, but he couldn't help being stunned.

  Lin Xiaotang had already skillfully lit the cigar, and upon seeing his gaze, smiled and nodded at him. He said with a self-deprecating tone, "Too bad there's no snowflake paper to roll it with, the flavor is much worse off without it. Can't help but say, this thing was born for me!"

  The big head bit off a third of the cigar and looked at the two men puffing away, his face turned black, threw away the cigar, and lit up his own cigarette.

  Lin Xiaotang and Bai Qi let out a sigh at the same time, looking at Dahou with disdain and exclaiming: "Good-for-nothing!"

  Bai Qi rushed to Lin Xiaotang's nod of approval, "This is your first lesson, learn the way of life in high society. Shanghai is the economic center of all Asia, after you arrive, you will interact with people of all kinds and familiarize yourself with their ways of life, it's a required course for you!"

  Lin Xiaotang said casually: "We didn't agree to do things for Gong Yubao."

  Bai Qi sneered again, "Do you have a choice? If it wasn't for Gong's intervention this time, do you think you could still stand here and negotiate with me? Don't forget, Zheng Jieming and Pei Zhongwei's older brother Pei Zhongyan can deal with you more easily than crushing two ants!"

  At first hearing, he immediately puffed up with anger and wanted to retort.

  Lin Xiaotang blocked his way, "We don't want to be used by others! Nor do we want to be someone else's pawn!"

  Bai Qi sighed, "Yun Gong just appreciates you, and doesn't have any other ideas, at least for now in his eyes you don't have any value that can be utilized, who knows what will happen in the future? Besides, when we arrive in Shanghai, it's a strange place, isn't it good to have someone to rely on? Also, Wang Tianmu from Shanghai Station is Zheng Jiemin's man, how do you think he'll deal with you? I'm sure Shen will definitely remind you guys, right?"

  Lin Xiaotang nodded silently, "I admit it, what you said is right."

  "Besides," Bai Qi paused for a moment, "at least I won't harm you! Lin Xiao Jun is your elder brother, right?"

  As soon as these words came out, Lin Xiaotang was indeed stunned, "You, you know my older brother?"

  Bai Qi laughed, the arrogance and overbearing attitude from earlier vanished without a trace. "Silly kid, I don't believe your big brother has never mentioned me in front of you?"

  Lin Xiaotang shook her head in puzzlement.

  Bai Qi added, "I used to be called Bai Dingguo, and I was a brother of your elder brother in the 29th Army. After the Battle of Northern Ping, your elder brother left the army and returned to the government for work, and got married in Nanjing. At that time, I had official business and didn't make it, so your elder brother scolded me in letters every now and then, one of which was even written by you!"

  Lin Xiaotang suddenly realized that the name Bai Dingguo was familiar to him, and he had heard it more than once before. His elder brother had mentioned this name many times in the past.

  I heard he was the sworn brother of Big Brother, and they were comrades in arms from the 29th Army's training corps. At first, Bai Dingguo didn't attend Big Brother's wedding, so Big Brother scolded him for half a year. One time when he got drunk, he wanted to write a letter to scold him for being ungrateful, but unfortunately, he was too drunk, so he had Lin Xiaotang, the marksman, write it on his behalf. The next morning after sobering up, Big Brother still solemnly mailed it out.