Chapter One Leaving Home (Part 2)

  When everyone had hummed the graduation song for the fifth time, the two team leaders, Zhou Ju and Fang Guoqiang, finally returned. They brought back a piece of good news and a piece of bad news at the same time.

  Good news is that the next stop Ping'an Zhai is a big station, and the train master promised to help borrow the waiting hall of the station for everyone to promote anti-Japanese activities.

  The bad news is that the railway ahead has been damaged and it's unclear when it can be repaired. Therefore, the train will stop at Ping'an Village, and we need to wait for further notice on when it can depart again.

  "No way!" The crowd immediately erupted. This train, although it had been stopping and starting within Shandong province, was still moving forward. How could it have completely broken down just after entering Hebei province?!

  "I reckon the train master is timid and afraid of being held back by us, so he's making excuses to kick us off!" Long pointed at Lu Ming, who was a conspiracy theorist and immediately sensed that something fishy was going on with the stop.

  "We advocate anti-Japanese resistance, what can they do to us? Is this still China's land?! Even speaking has to consider the Japanese face!"

  "Hebei has not yet declared independence, and they are already trying to curry favor with the new master. If they really declare independence, won't they immediately turn their guns around and fight against the Chinese?"

  Several other classmates were also indignant. Especially the two girls in the team, Liu Jing and Han Qiu, thought that they would have to solve their personal problems in the wilderness from now on, and hated it so much that they gritted their teeth.

  "Everyone, quiet down! Listen to me first!" As the team leader, Zhou Ju, being a few years older and more experienced, had a more comprehensive perspective on the issue. "This road problem didn't just start today, it's been happening frequently before. And in recent years, the Japanese have been pressing in step by step, leaving both the central and local governments overwhelmed and without the energy or resources to repair the railways. So when problems arise today, it's inevitable. But this also highlights how difficult the living environment is for the 29th Army soldiers. We need to go to the front lines even more, to bring the support and comfort of all Shandong students to them. I believe our anti-Japanese footsteps won't be blocked by these minor setbacks!"

  "Right!" Fang Guoqiang waved his arm and added loudly, "We are going to the front line to face the hail of bullets, what's a little trouble like this?! Even if we have to carry our luggage on our backs, we must get to Beiping!"

  "Go to Beiping, go to Beiping!"

  "Marching forward while awakening fellow countrymen! Spreading the truth of resisting Japan and saving the nation!"

  After all, they are still young, and everyone's emotions suddenly surged again. They waved their arms and shouted loudly. The passengers in the same carriage heard it, lifted their heads one after another, and smiled encouragingly at the young people. These student kids were noisy, but their words and deeds also showed a hint of youthfulness. After all, they are still young, full of vitality and energy from head to toe. Being with them makes you feel that life is full of hope.

  "He won't really carry the luggage himself, will he?!" Zhang Songling stood behind everyone, muttering to himself in his belly. He was a mid-journey addition to the propaganda team and had made no preparations beforehand. Among the two suitcases he brought with him, one was completely filled with books. If he really had to carry it on his shoulders, forget about walking all the way to Beiping, he'd probably be crushed to death by the luggage before even reaching Hejian!

  Two girls in the team, Liu Jing and Han Qiu, are also frowning like Zhang Songling at this moment. Before departure, they had imagined countless possible difficulties they might encounter. Including being killed by shells or machine guns after joining the army, being surrounded by the enemy after a bloody battle, heroically unyielding, pulling the last hand grenade on their body and perishing together with the Japanese devils. They would still smile before death to awaken countless numb souls. But they had never thought that they would be exhausted to death like stray dogs in the march, nameless and unknown.

  "If everyone has no objection, then it's settled. After passing Ping'an Village, we will hike to Beiping. We'll walk along the highway and propagate anti-Japanese reasoning to the masses while walking!" Fang Guoqiang didn't notice the pale faces of the two girls at all, waving his arm loudly as he spoke.

  "The girls' luggage is divided into several parts, and we boys help carry it. If there are things that don't need to be brought or aren't urgently needed, send them to the post office in Ping'an Village and mail them to Beiping! I have a classmate at Beida who can help receive them first." Zhou Ju's consideration is relatively more comprehensive, continuing Fang Guoqiang's words.

  If you send luggage by post, it can indeed save a lot of effort. But these days trains are all cancelled, when will the luggage arrive at its destination?! Besides, boys' luggage is very simple, just bring a lunch box and a few pairs of shoes and socks to hit the road. As for girls, they can't go without changing their underwear for over ten days, right?!

  Thinking of the possible troubles, the slogans from the crowd gradually weakened. In fact, everyone knew that the two leaders had thought things too simple, but no one dared to take the lead in speaking out. They were afraid of being misunderstood as not having a firm attitude against Japan and shrinking their heads when they saw difficulties.

  Just as they were worrying, Lu Ming suddenly jumped up and pointed at Tian Qingyu's nose, shouting, "Tian Baozi, didn't you always say that you have friends all over the world? Can't we find acquaintances in Ping'an Village? Let's borrow a few horse-drawn carriages from them and hire drivers to take our luggage to Beiping!"

  "I was just thinking the same thing!" Tian Qingyu, also known as Tian Pangzi, stood up and said slowly. "If we send our luggage to the post office, we can't guarantee the time or safety. Moreover..."

  He cautiously looked around and lowered his voice, saying, "The donations we've collected along the way are also inconvenient to carry on our backs! Why not go to the carriage rental place and hire three large carts for the twelve of us? Two can be used for people and one for luggage!"

  "If we charter a large vehicle, won't it be expensive?" Upon hearing Tian Qingyu say this, team leader Zhou Ju also calmed down and asked with furrowed brows.

  "If we rush to the carriage house as soon as we get off the train, it shouldn't be too expensive. But we need to hurry up, or else there will be too many people hiring carriages and we won't be able to get a number!" Tian Qingyu thought for a moment before responding very professionally.

  "Hey, Tian Bao! From Ping'an Village to Beiping is still over 400 li away. Will the carriage driver be willing to go that far?" Han Qiu squeezed forward and asked another question.

  "I'll take the package and go talk to them. At least, let's get the car to send us to Baoding first!" With Han Qiu's bright eyes on him, Tian Qingyu immediately felt a surge of courage. He patted his chest and took the package.

  "Are you okay? Tian Baoer, don't brag!" Liu Jing was naturally cautious and pulled Han Qiu's arm, asking Tian Qingyu again.

  In front of the girl he admired, would Tian Qingyu dare say he couldn't do it? He patted his chest a few more times and responded loudly, "Of course I can! You don't know who I am. If you don't believe me, let's make a bet!"

  "What's the bet?" Liu Jing's eyebrows furrowed slightly as she asked cautiously.

  "Bet, bet...!" Tian Qingyu rummaged through his pockets and really couldn't think of anything that Liu Jing had that was worth winning. "How about this? If I can rent a carriage at a lower price than usual, you'll call me 'brother' from now on. How's that? Are you in?"

  "What's there to be afraid of?!" Although she heard the provocative tone in the other person's words, Liu Jing still raised her palm. Just as she was about to make a vow with Tian Huaizi by slapping palms, she was pulled back by Lu Ming's long fingers, "You mustn't fall for his trick! The largest car dealership in Qingdao is owned by their family. I'm familiar with the inside story!"

  "Hey, hey, hey----" Seeing his own trap being torn apart by his good friend on the spot, Tian Qingyu immediately loudly protested, "I made a bet with Liu Jing, what does it have to do with you?! Bullying people isn't done like this, I've heard of father and son fighting together, but never husband and wife fighting together..."

  "Besides, besides, I was just about to...!" Liu Jing's face turned bright red with embarrassment as she stomped her foot in protest.

  "Then so be it! Just like Brother Lu's one knife, two cuts!" Tian Qingyu sneered with a smile.

  "Tian Bao'er..." Han Qiu couldn't bear to see his good friend embarrassed, and quietly stopped him. Indeed, one thing subdued another, Tian Qingyu, who had been smiling and joking earlier, suddenly became a dignified gentleman, put away his smile, and said seriously: "Let's not talk about it anymore, let's not talk about it anymore. When the train stops later, I'll immediately go to the carriage rental place. I'll rush ahead of these travelers and book the carriages and drivers we need first!"

  "Go ahead and give it to you. We are all waiting for your good news in the waiting room!" Tian Qingyu said with great confidence, and team leader Zhou Ju made a decisive decision to take a taxi instead of walking.

  Tian Qingyu's chubby round face was filled with smiles as he showed off in front of the girl he had a crush on. Liu Jing, who had just lost to him, felt unhappy and furrowed her brow, smiling as she asked: "If Tian Bao goes to rent a horse carriage, what about our performance? Playing the role of a Japanese devil, no one can play it more convincingly than him!"

  In the ace program of the big guys, there is a song and dance drama called. In it, Tian Qingyu plays a Japanese devil, holding a horse knife to chop a group of Chinese civilians. Although this song and dance drama is short, it is the final major play of the Blood Flower Society. Every time they perform on each train station platform, they are enthusiastically pursued by the audience. If Tian Qingyu leaves early to hire a carriage, the song and dance drama will lack an important supporting role and will definitely lose a lot of color.

  "No big deal, I've already found a replacement!" In front of Han Qiu, how could Tian Qingyu be stumped by such a simple question? He looked around and suddenly grabbed Zhang Songling who was about to crawl into the back of the car. "Let him replace me, he's white and chubby, shorter than me too. Perfect for playing the role of a Japanese devil!"

  "Tian, Tian Ge, I, I won't. Really won't!" Zhang Songling pleaded with a bitter face, begging the other party to show mercy.

  "Don't worry, after you go on stage, it's just one line and two actions. I'll start teaching you now, and I guarantee you'll learn it before we get off the car!" Tian Qingyu had finally found a stand-in, so he wasn't about to let him off easily. He immediately grabbed Zhang Songling's hand and began to teach him his most prized skills. "Come on, follow me. Like this, ah-ji-give..."