Chapter 31: Plum Blossom's Shadow

  Rui Xuan returned home, anxious and restless like ants on a hot pot. Xiao Lin was still outside collecting grain, and there wasn't even one person to discuss countermeasures or share her feelings with. Rui Xuan felt unsettled in her heart. The lunch hour had long passed, but Lu Shu considerately prepared some light and delicious food, sending it to Rui Xuan's rear house.

  But Rui Xuan didn't have the slightest appetite, and she hadn't even moved her chopsticks. She was worried about the fate of Rui Hua and her mother, thinking that Inukawa Jiro might use despicable means to deal with them, and wondering if there was any way to rescue them. Just as she was lost in thought, suddenly, the steward Lu Ning rushed into the inner hall without regard for etiquette, shouting at Rui Xuan: "Madam, Miss is back!"

  Rui Xuan couldn't believe her ears and hastily followed Lu Ning as they ran out, catching sight of Mei Xia in the front yard at a glance. However, behind her was also a translator and two armed devils.

  Mei Xia saw Rui Xuan and shouted "Dàniáng", rushed over and hugged Rui Xuan tightly.

  Rui Xuan held Mei Xia tightly in her arms, fearing she would lose her again.

  The two girls hugged each other tightly. After a while, Rui Xuan gently let go of Mei Xia and looked her up and down from head to toe, saying with some concern: "Child, are you okay?"

  Mei Xia spread her arms open in front of Rui Xuan, made a graceful turn, and smiled, saying, "Big sister, nothing's wrong! You see, I haven't even lost a single hair!"

  Rui Xuan continued to ask: "How's your mother?"

  Mei Xia replied: "It's fine, I'm still talking with 'Haitai Jun'!"

  What's going on here? What kind of trick is this 'Haita Jun' trying to pull? Rui Xuan was even more perplexed.

  Mei Xia said with a pout: "Auntie, from this morning till now I haven't eaten yet! My stomach is almost starving to death."

  "Hurry up and eat, all the dishes are ready!"

  Mei Xia turned around and said to the translator who came with her: "Sorry, can you wait for a while? I'll have dinner, change my clothes, and then follow you back."

  Rui Xuan's face was covered with sweat, and she hastily told Lu Ning, "Quickly go get 300 yuan, to give to these three bosses."

  Without his usual arrogance, the translator politely said to Mei Xia: "Miss, please take your time, we can wait patiently!"

  Rui Xuan ordered Lu Shu to immediately heat up the dishes in the inner hall and specially cooked a few of Mei Xia's favorite small dishes that she usually loved to eat.

  The dishes were served quickly, and Mei Xia was like she had been hungry for several days, eagerly holding her bowl, not caring that Rui Xuan was present, and eating with big mouthfuls.

  According to common sense, young girls are afraid of eating too much and getting fat, which would affect their beautiful figure. So they all intentionally or unintentionally control their diet. Mei Xia was also like this, when she came to Rui Xuan's house for dinner, she would only have a small bowl, plus some vegetarian dishes. Every time Rui Xuan felt sorry for her and would put some fish, meat and other non-vegetarian dishes into her bowl, but every time Mei Xia would push them away while being coy: "Auntie, don't! If I eat like this, I'll become a little piggy and won't be able to get married!"

  Due to the war, every Chinese family's dinner table in the occupied area was very frugal. Even Rui Xuan's family could no longer serve large dishes of chicken, duck, and fish. At most, they only added a little more vegetable oil to the vegetarian dishes. Although there wasn't much good food, this time Mei Xia ate two big bowls of rice. Moreover, she didn't care about her elegant eating manners at all, wolfing down the food until she was stuffed.

  Rui Xuan thought to herself: "Mei Xia must be starving and scared by the devils!" But she always felt that something was fishy, yet looking at Mei Xia's wolfish appetite, she swallowed her doubts.

  "Alright, I'm full, the food at home is really delicious!" Mei Xia said contentedly, putting down her rice bowl with a lingering tone.

  "Then I'll have Lu Shu make it for you every day!" Rui Xuan said comfortingly to Mei Xia, his heart aching as he looked at her.

  Lu had already prepared mouthwash and hot towels.

  Mei Xia washed her hair and said: "Auntie, I'm going to change into some clean clothes!"

  When Mei Xia came out again, Rui Xuan only felt a bright light in front of her eyes: she saw Mei Xia wearing a plain white cheongsam with plum blossom patterns, the ingenious "double-sided embroidery" fabric making the red plum blossoms, black plum branches and plain background clearly layered. The well-tailored cheongsam showed off her slender figure, accentuating her curves, and her long hair cascading down made her look even more delicate and charming.

  If it were an ordinary day, Rui Xuan would surely have exclaimed sincerely, "My Xia'er is just like the Lotus Fairy!" But today, Rui Xuan couldn't utter a single word, and could only gaze at Mei Xia with puzzled eyes, a sense of foreboding lingering in his heart.

  "Big sister, can you braid my hair for me!" Mei Xia's big watery eyes gazed at Rui Xuan with a sincere expression.

  "Good!" Rui Xuan hastily led her into the inner room and had her sit down in front of her own dressing table.

  In the rhombus mirror, the willow eyebrows are curved, and the delicate face is like a flower. The small nose is like sheep's fat jade, and the small cherry lips seem to be as red as the deep autumn maple leaves. The white teeth are like rows of neatly arranged jade shells. The cheeks have a hint of pink, thin as cicada wings, and fragile as if they would break with a touch. The arms, like jade, are half-exposed, smooth and creamy like snow, and the slender fingers are relaxed, as if bathed in a layer of holy light.

  Rui Xuan slowly combed Mei Xia's silky smooth black hair, but her mind was a mess, with no thread to follow.

  Waiting for her to finish braiding Mei Xia's hair, she couldn't help but exclaim: "Xia'er, you really look like a new bride!"

  Mei Xia leaned gently on her arm and called out softly: "Mom!" A crystal tear rolled out of her half-closed eyes like a pearl.

  Rui Xuan's heart skipped a beat as Mei Xia stopped calling her "Dà Niáng" (older woman) and started calling her "Māma" (mom), according to local customs, that meant she was now the daughter-in-law of the family.

  Rui Xuan tightly hugged Mei Xia in her arms: "Child, quickly tell me, what happened to you and your mother! Your mother, I couldn't save her, but child, you're still young, the days ahead are long, you must live well from now on. This room has a secret passage, you can escape from here right now, go find Xue Er... Wait, I'll prepare some travel money for you."

  Meixia grasped Ruyun, saying helplessly, "Mother, sit down! I've heard Xuehua mention this secret passage before. This passage can only lead to the granary, but it's impossible to get out of the city gate. It's useless... and it will also implicate the entire Lu family. How could I bear that? Besides, half of China has fallen, where can a weak woman like me escape to?" Meixia's words were sorrowful and pitiful.

  Rui Xuan thought for a moment, and seemed to see a glimmer of hope: "Xia Er, what do you think this time when you go back? Otherwise, would you be willing to suffer for a few more days? When my husband comes back, I'll discuss it with him, spend some money to pull strings, and redeem you and your mother?"

  Mei Xia laughed, but her laughter was very miserable, like a plum blossom with snow: "Mom, do you think the Japanese devils are like those corrupt government officials who can be settled with money? They're not human, they're beasts! What the Japanese devils want is all of China, everything on this land - mines, resources, land, cities and women. Giving them money will only arouse their greed, they'll think of ways to squeeze you dry!" Mei Xia became more agitated as she spoke, "Inukawa Jiro was already eyeing me with ill intentions when he was disguised as a young man working at our house, this time I've fallen into his clutches, do you think he'll let me off easily?"

  Mei Xia's words were all reasonable, and Rui Xuan had nothing to say in response. She wanted to comfort Mei Xia, so she said: "Didn't you just say that 'Haitai Jun' was still good to your mother and daughter? Isn't this letting you go back?"

  "Mom! You're silly! He has a firm grasp on me, I won't be able to escape his clutches! You know how sinister and ruthless 'Haita Jun' is. The enemy's plane was shot down in Leijiang, do you think he can get away with it? Will he let things slide? He's being so hypocritical, although I don't know what kind of scheme he has up his sleeve, but I'm sure he'll have even more vicious ideas! Mom, haven't you read 'The Blood and Tears Record of the Fallen Capital'?" Mei Xia suddenly asked.

  Rui Xuan shook her head.