Chapter 24 Twenty-four, Xintiandi

The calendar flipped to August 15th. After a section of the Japanese national anthem "The Generation of the King" was broadcast on the radio, Emperor Hirohito's sad and old voice sounded: "I tell you and other loyal subjects: I have ordered the imperial government to notify the governments of the United States, Britain, the Soviet Union, and China. Accepting the conditions of their joint declaration..." Japan has surrendered unconditionally! Japan, which was arrogant for a while, occupied Northeast China, established the puppet Manchukuo, and threatened to occupy the entire China and establish the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, surrendered!

The people of Shanghai had waited too long and longed so much that they could hardly believe it for a while.People took to the streets to parade and revel, with the beating of pots and pans amidst the din of gongs and drums, the rich opened champagne, the poor burned cotton-padded jackets, and people from all walks of life expressed their ecstasy in various ways.Shanghai, a city that never sleeps with neon lights and singing and dancing, never sleeps at night because of fireworks and firecrackers.This is not New Year's Eve, but it is more joyful than every New Year's Eve, and it brings people hope and new life!

Those who were welcomed by the Shanghai people earlier than the National Army were the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Marine Corps driving B-29 models. They wore tailor-made straight military uniforms and walked on the streets of Shanghai. Sprinkle crumbs on their heads and bodies, stuff fruits and pastries in their hands and arms, worship them as gods, and welcome them as relatives. So these soldiers who just discovered the beauty of Shanghai immediately fell in love with this city, her kindness and enthusiasm, and her flamboyant and frivolous.Although they have the status of allies of powerful countries and have great achievements in the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, they are actually only from the remote rural areas of Tennessee or Maine, and have never seen a real city.The flashing neon lights on Nanjing Road and the equally flashing Shanghai girls made them dumbfounded and dazzled. They couldn't tell the difference between the upper corner and the lower corner, the Shanghai lady or the Xianshui girl, but they couldn't wait to get acquainted with them first in Shanghai. A girl in , develops a transnational love affair.

The prosperity and chaos in Shanghai was at its peak. The most direct and craziest connection between American culture and Chinese culture.Coca-Cola and Camel cigarettes quickly became popular. Wearing Ray-Ban sunglasses and drinking Coca-Cola became the latest fashion. The game of marriage suddenly became unprecedentedly popular. All the big hotels played wedding marches. Due to the unprecedented shortage of churches and pastors, the streets of Shanghai We had to launch a new thing of collective marriage. Groups of brides in white gauze and grooms in tuxedos walked on the red carpet without marrying the wrong man in the wrong sedan chair. It is amazing.

However, in such a joyous day for the whole world, the Huang Mansion is more desolate and empty than ever. Huang Zhong's in-law's family, Nanjing Biji, was very fond of the marriage at first, but when they heard of Japan's surrender, they knew that Huang Jiafeng was involved, and for fear of being implicated, they immediately sent a letter to Shanghai requesting the dissolution of the engagement.The bridegroom-to-be, Young Master Bi, who was wearing glasses, didn't even have time to return the dowry, so he rushed back to Nanjing overnight, leaving only a text message, saying that he had taken care of him during his stay in Shanghai, and he couldn't return home in time to thank Yunyun, and signed the payment Claiming to be a nephew, never mentioning the word son-in-law.

Huang Lishi was dizzy with anger, but there was nothing she could do, because there was no one in the family to help her make decisions—Huang Jiafeng and Han Kedi walked away as soon as they heard the news, and she didn't even know where they were going.The subordinates also all disbanded.There were only her and Huang Zhong left in the huge Huang's mansion, one was clearly waiting to die, and the other was dying. This day Huang Kun came to bid farewell to Huang Chang. When talking about his father, he wondered, "Even if I don't tell, if I say no, then I disappear—I don't know where it is hidden. Are you afraid that if I find out, I will tell you?"

Huang Chang also sighed with emotion, after all, Huang Jiafeng was so troubled that he was about to flee.She couldn't help thinking of Zhuo Wen again.How is he now?There are also radios in the countryside, right?Even if not, it is impossible not to know about such a big matter.When he was sent away at Wusongkou, Hu Qiang said: "The time for the Japanese will not be long, we will come back soon, you can rest assured." Now the Japanese really surrendered, but Zhuo Wen, he can come back what?Now the whole country is catching traitors, and the wave of reckoning has risen one after another. When Yoshiko Kawashima was in public trial in Beijing, the court building was crowded with angry crowds, so that another trial had to be postponed.Cai Zhuowen has been in the Wang government for so long, there is no guarantee that some account will be turned over, it is just a good liquidation.The national government is hunting down the remnants of the Wang government everywhere, and Zhuo Wen will also be on their roster, right?

Seeing that she hadn't spoken for a long time, Huang Kun pushed her and said, "Hey, what's the matter with you, I'm leaving, I don't know if I will see you in the future, and you won't let me stay." Huang Chang woke up like a dream, and asked in surprise: "You want to go? Where are you going? You don't belong to any party, and you don't do politics. Are you going to flee?" Huang Kun let out a "bah": "Curse me so well!" But after a pause, she sighed and said, "Actually, it's almost like fleeing, worse than fleeing! Let me tell you, I decided to go to Dalian."

"Going to Dalian?" Huang Chang was startled, feeling unimaginable. "I heard that Dalian is very chaotic these days, and the traffic is blocked. If you go to Dalian at this time, isn't that like a sheep entering the tiger's mouth?" However, Huang Kun said: "With his vast network, merchants who have made a fortune in the country will always find a way to find benefits in troubled times. Wars, and wars also have to eat. Those merchants smuggled boatloads of food and ammunition to make huge profits. I am They are going to smuggle to Lushunkou on their grain smuggling boat, we have already contacted them, and we will leave in a day or two."

Huang Chang couldn't help admiring: "It's no wonder that you can bridge this line of heaven and earth...Does Chen Yanhua know about this? What did he say?" "Don't mention him!" Huang Kun's eyes revealed disgust, "We're about to get divorced. I can't stay in this Shanghai anymore." "Divorce?" Huang Chang was taken aback again, "You and Chen Yanhua are having a good time, could it be that he..." "He's fine, he didn't have a terminal illness, and he didn't have sex. It's me, something went wrong with me—there was news from Dalian that the man who died had his whole family full of traitors, and his whole family should be shot. My father-in-law died, my mother-in-law died of illness, my brother-in-law went to prison, and my sister-in-law left him... This letter was written to me by my sister-in-law. The letter was sent to Shanghai and was seen by Chen Yanhua. Arguing with me? I was impatient, so I told him to divorce. What's the big deal? I'm just a stinky painter. Now it's not the same as it was back then, everything is politically in command, and the beauties of the month card are no longer popular. Remember the last art exhibition? I painted Some sketches, I asked you to help me with the text, the effect is very good, it covered Chen Yanhua as the protagonist. Anyway, following him is not a big deal, and he pinched this handle, and he will treat me well in the future ? Just leave!"

She smiled and cheered herself up. Although she was talking about the joys and sorrows of life, she had no fear on her face.She is not young anymore, there is a trace of prostitution in her beauty, or a sense of vicissitudes?When the corners of her mouth were pursed, the lines were full of fatigue and indifference, but her eyes were still burning with fire, as if she could destroy anything anytime and anywhere as long as she wanted. "You don't have to worry. Even if I get divorced from Chen Yanhua, I will definitely find a way to live and live well. Let me tell you, I recently met a colonel of the U.S. Air Force, and he said that there is a way to take me to the United States. Wait. I'm done with Dalian, and I'll go with him. Even if I don't succeed, I will always survive. Within two years, I will definitely make a comeback and become a good man again!" Huang Chang had no doubts about this.This Huang Kun, even if he threw her on an isolated island, he would definitely find a way to make a living, and he would still live a colorful life.In fact, she and Huang Kun have quite different personalities. What she admires Huang Kun the most is that no matter how many vicissitudes and tribulations he has experienced, Huang Kun has the ability to forget afterward without leaving a trace; but she can't. The scars are engraved on the heart, Yohiya, will never be erased. Over the years, Huang Kun's relationship with her has always been a little bit of mutual use. She knows it very well, but friends are rare, and there is only accommodation.However, after many years of dating, some true feelings have been accumulated, but Huang Kun is leaving again.She just felt full of reluctance: "But why do you have to go to Dalian? Is it worth taking the risk?" "Why? For my son." "Your son?" This time, Huang Chang didn't even have the energy to be surprised.This Huang Kun brought her too many surprises tonight.How many secrets does she have left unsaid?Behind her forever bright smiling face, how many hidden pains are buried? However, at this moment, Huang Kun's expression dimmed, as if he had suddenly aged a lot.She said: "He hasn't chosen a name yet, so his nickname is Xiaobao. He will be 4 years old this year, and he should learn to call 'Daddy' and 'Mom'. Unfortunately, he has neither father nor mother." This was the first time Huang Kun mentioned her son to Huang Shang.There was a deep sadness in her eyes, always shrewdly critical.On this bleak moonlit night, she finally thought of her responsibility as a mother.She suddenly discovered that her son is actually precious. If the whole world abandons her and is separated from her, there will be at least one thing that cannot be separated, that is, blood and blood. "The letter from Dalian said that the Tao family's property was confiscated and scattered, and I don't know the details. I only know that my son, who is only four years old, has no crime at all and has been sent to an orphanage. My younger brother The daughter-in-law said, for the sake of the sister-in-law, she told me the news. If I want to take it, I will take it. Anyway, the Tao family is almost dead, so I won’t fight for him again. If If I don't want him, it's up to me. But, but I..." She cried. This was the first and only time Huang Kun cried since the death of his first husband.From then on, no matter how many joys and sorrows she experienced, ups and downs, she never cried again.And she and Huang Chang never saw each other again.Many years later, Huang Chang went overseas, and she became the mayor's wife, and she was very popular. Later, she also became the stinky wife of the capitalist roader, fighting in the shackles, but she always faced it with a smile.Laughing is her last female weapon. The era of politics may not tolerate a political speculator, let alone a person who does not work, but there is always an exception, that is, a young beauty who at least looks young. She embraced Huang Chang's pillow, treating it as her own son, pressing her face to her face, and she put tears on the pillow, and smiled confidently and without panic again, and said, "Look at it, son, mommy is the only one who cares about you." Only 24 years old, there is still a long way to go." Huang Chang couldn't help but also laughed, she remembered the night when Huang Kun first came to Shanghai to find her, at that time, she also said that she was 24 years old. The forever 24-year-old Huang Kun! When the news of Yoshiko Kawashima's trial in Beijing was reported, the most terrified person was Huang Jiafeng. No one would have thought that Huang Jiafeng, the most wanted traitor, was hiding under the nose of the Nationalist Government in Beijing, where the call for liquidation was the highest.This cunning old fox believed in the motto "the most insecure place is always the safest place", and brought Han Kedi straight to Beijing as early as the day when the "Emperor Yuyin" sounded. At that time, there was no time for Shanghai traffic to be blocked, and the relevant departments also had no time to liquidate him.And when the "patriotic movie star" Bai Hailun brought the national army to the Huangfu garden to arrest people, the mansion was already empty, leaving only the dying Huang Li and Huang Zhong.Bai Hailun finally fulfilled the oath she made in Huang's house several months ago. At one point, she was desperate because she hadn't received a movie for a long time and she didn't have enough calculations to spend extravagantly. Huang Jiafeng, who had sworn to her, listened to her concubine's instigation and closed the door without even seeing her. This hatred, this hatred, was never forgotten in her heart. Now that the tide has turned, she has gained power again, and she has transformed into the first batch of patriotic movie stars. He climbed up to the head of the new army again, feeling proud.She was somewhat aware of Huang Jiafeng's traitorous behavior back then, and at this time a general report came, and the first thing she did was to lead the army to wash Huang's mansion with blood.It's a pity that Huang Jiafeng and Han Kedi have already run away, leaving only two serious masters, Huang Lishi and Huang Zhong, one is exhausted, and the other is only half-lived due to illness. It's very unsatisfactory, as if a good show has been performed but no audience appreciates it. But if he wanted to violate the Huang family style, he had already arrived in Beijing safely, and gave Sun Peilan a small amount of money to clean a clean room for her to come out, and he and Kedi lived in the Huang family ancestral hall without anyone noticing. When the car passed the court garden, he saw with his own eyes how the out-of-control people vented their hatred by throwing stones and rotten eggs, and he couldn't help being deeply grateful—fortunately, Huang Gan was not forced to marry Kawashima Yoshiko's sister, fortunately, he saw the opportunity Fast, fortunately escaped. He held Kedi's hand and knelt together in front of the tablet table of the ancestors of the Huang family, praying devoutly, just as Kedi did before God: "The ancestors of the Huang family are above, and the unfilial son Huang Jiafeng is below. Ancestors, The family tradition is in misfortune today, and I have fled to this place. I pray for the protection of my ancestors, so that I can escape this catastrophe. He looked at Kedi and said, "Brother, when I married you that day, I didn't bring you back to Beijing to pay homage to my ancestors because of my poor health. Today I just made up for it. You come to pay homage to the ancestors of our Huang family." , you are truly a member of our Huang family, let the ancestors bless you, and you will surely escape this disaster with me, and we still have decades of good life to live." Kedi didn't answer, but knelt down obediently and kowtowed three times and bowed nine times, but if the ancestors of the Huang family really had spirits in the sky and could see them, they would find that her eyes were blazing with anger and hatred . But Huang Jiafeng couldn't see this, he looked around the ancestral hall and grinned.Here is his root, where his ancestors shaded.The ancestors of their Huang family will protect him from this disaster.He thought of the glorious past that happened here, and thought about the glory of their Huang family ancestors and their double prosperity in the future. Maybe others would think the ancestral hall is gloomy and terrifying, but in his eyes, this place is the most intimate and safest place. The most reliable, warmest and most hopeful place.He said to Kedi: "Brother, today is our first night in Beijing, we will not go anywhere tonight, just live in this ancestral hall and be with our ancestors, what do you think?" Kedi nodded calmly: "You can do whatever you say." The subtext is: "You will soon be with your ancestors forever." But on the surface, her attitude was so submissive and gentle that Huang Jiafeng couldn't think of anything else. He just showed off his scheming and plans to her mysteriously and proudly: "Brother, do you know how many things I have brought?" Money coming? Although I left in a hurry, I have already prepared for this event. I have been guarding against this day for a long time. The gold and silver at home are delicate, and most of them are exchanged for silver notes and hidden next to my body. Now I brought it all out, enough for us to live for the rest of our lives. I will never go back to Shanghai. My eldest wife only thinks about my property, so I will give it all to her, an empty house, and let her guard it. Die. All the real money is in my hands. She thinks I'm a fool and only knows how to take morphine, and I don't know anything, huh, she's underestimated me, who can I trust?" He laughed "hehe" , In front of the gloomy ancestral hall, it is creepy. Kedi still just looked at him calmly, and said softly: "You are tired too, why don't you take a rest." He sat on the reclining chair, while she sat on the small stool on his right hand and gently massaged him.The fluffy and greasy skin disgusted her from the bottom of her heart, but she held back and kept it quiet.It's all coming to an end.If she endured it for a few more days, she would have her revenge. Evil is rewarded with evil, and good is rewarded with good. It's not that there is no reward, the time has not yet come.When the time comes, revenge must be avenged. Now, the time has come, she wants revenge, she wants to do justice for the sky, and seek justice for the Yellow Emperor!She looked at those memorial tablets, all the ancestors of the Huang family, just watch, how this unfilial son who carried the ancestral tablets all day long and was full of benevolence and morality died in the Huang family's ancestral hall! The night was completely dark, and in the darkness, only the incense heads on the desk flickered slightly, like ghost eyes.But when those ghost eyes met Kedi's eyes, they suddenly dimmed, and then went out with a "poof". No one knew exactly which morning Zhao Yifan lost his voice suddenly. Yifan's pursuit in life is nothing more than "freedom" and "romantic".Marrying Huang Jiaqi is free love, divorce is also freedom of choice, going to Europe to study alone is more romantic and free, falling in love with a photographer is for romance, sending him to the battlefield in person is also romantic and fighting for freedom—more The tragic and thorough romance is particularly thrilling because of the banner of "fighting for freedom". However, the photographer and his camera were reduced to ashes in the artillery fire, and there was no body left, and Zhao Yifan's romance was also shattered.Since then, her heart was buried deep under the gravel of the wilderness, and she died before her body.Her skin was no longer tight and crystal clear, her smile was no longer bright and bright, and even her voice was no longer sweet and crisp, but became hoarse, and then she lost her voice altogether. Jiaxiu and Huang Chang didn't notice this change at first, they had been accustomed to Yifan's silence for a long time, and had long since given up the desire to talk to her.It wasn't until Ke Lai visited them one day that Cui's mother helped Yi Fan out as usual, and Ke Yi said in surprise: "She can't hear me!" Huang Chang was taken aback for a moment, tears streaming down uncontrollably.She remembered that when she was a child, her mother always liked to dress up the most, and was picky. Although she didn’t go back to China much, she would always find time to teach her daughter how to walk, sit and stand, make fun of her bad English pronunciation, and teach her a lesson. Don't stare straight at people when you talk, don't keep your legs too far apart when you walk, it's better to wear light green and pink clothes, it doesn't matter if it's colorful, but it can't be vulgar, matching is the primary knowledge... But now this kind of knowledge is of no use to her , Zhao Yifan sat there like a wax figure, unable to see any traces of the past.The demeanor that has gone away has become an old shadow, and a desolate frame in memory will eventually fade away with the passage of time. At that time, who will remember Ms. Zhao's thousands of amorous feelings? Jiaxiu's face was ashen, she stood there blankly holding Yifan's shoulders, as if she was already half dead.Cui's mother didn't give up, she still waved a finger in front of Yifan, calling repeatedly: "Second Grandma, Second Grandma." Yifan sat silently for a while, then suddenly grinned dryly, and Ke Yidun felt terrified.He couldn't believe that the specimen-like woman in front of him was really the Zhao Yifan he knew.From the day they met, Yifan was not a talkative person, because beauties never need to be talkative, only people who are clumsy on the outside and wise on the inside need excuses to make up for their innate lack of appearance.For Ms. Yifan, bright eyes and kindness are already the best words, and the color of clothing is also a language style. Even every gesture, frown and smile is full of witty words. But now she is speechless, not only her mouth is silent, but also her eyes, clothes, and posture are all silent, covered with a layer of gray, lifeless.In the past, I only thought that a beautiful woman was the saddest when she was old, but now I know that a wooden beauty is truly the tragedy of tragedies, especially when the beauty is still there but the fragrance is exhausted, which is even more frightening. Ke Yi couldn't sit still any longer, and stood up for a while, then got up and said goodbye. But after a few days, he came again, saying that he asked friends in Europe to find out that there is a famous psychiatrist in the United States who has cured no less than three patients like Ifan, and suggested that Huang Shang accompany Ifan to the United States Seek medical attention. Huang Chang was overjoyed at first, as if he heard a camel bell in the desert, but immediately said sadly: "That fee must be huge..." Jiaxiu also thought about it quickly, and said hesitantly: "If I clear all the valuables on hand at once, it may not be enough to make up for the expenses. It's just that I have to sleep in the open air tomorrow." Ke Yi said sternly: "At this time, it is the time when you need a friend—you pay half here, and I will help you raise the other half. After this difficulty, you will never be left without a tile to cover your head. It's just that this foreign apartment can no longer be lived in. Besides, the current situation is unstable. Our Communist Party will definitely unify China. By then, the apartment people will not be able to live anyway. It is better to plan as soon as possible and buy a house in a civilian area. Live in the mountains without dew, sell some furniture, quit all the workers, and find another job. In this way, it is enough to be frugal. Even if it is divided into parts in the future, it will be cheaper to have this preparation.” After hearing his analysis, Jiaxiu Huangshang thought it was reasonable, and Jiaxiu asked: "But, I want to find a house with windows facing the street. The kind of house with low roof and dark alley that doesn't see sunlight all the year round, I'm I can't stand it." Ke Yixiao: "I know you like to be bright... The Shikumen houses on Baochang Road are different from the old Shikumen houses. The quality is much higher, and the windows are all facing the street. Why don't you just look there." However, Cui's mother panicked: "Resign from the worker? Then what should I do? Where should I go?" Then she begged Huang Chang: "Miss, I will never leave you. You just let me go with you. You don’t know much about life, how can you take care of Second Mistress? Let me go to America to serve you, I’d rather not be paid.” Huang Chang was in a dilemma: "Mother He, I know better than anyone how you have treated me over the years. I am also reluctant to part with you, mother, but going abroad is a big expense, as you have heard, even if we leave, Teacher Ke will need to fund it. , and after going out, it is not certain when you will find a job, how about this, I will pick you up after we go out and settle down?" Cui's mother burst into tears, hugged Huang Chang and said: "Miss, miss, I have lived my whole life, and I have to call you 'Mother He', and I will die in peace! I have also saved a little money over the years. In case of old age, I am willing to give it all now, Mr. Toko will buy a boat ticket for me, and I will go with the lady no matter what I say." She spoke so earnestly that even Jiaxiu and Ke Yi couldn't help crying.Ke Yi nodded and sighed: "Loyal servant!" Then he thought that the revolution was to eliminate classes, and as soon as the master and servant said that it should be abolished, he stopped talking. Jiaxiu persuaded: "In this case, A Chang, let Mama He go with you, at least the family has a care." Huang Chang stood up, helped Cui's mother to sit on the chair, and suddenly fell to her knees and kowtowed her head.Cui's mother hurriedly supported her in a panic, and in great shock, she grabbed a word: "Miss, you can't beat me!" Jiaxiu and Ke Yi couldn't help laughing. Huang Chang said solemnly: "Mother He, from now on, you will be my second mother. I, Huang Chang, swear to God that no matter how hard or difficult it is, as long as I am here, I will treat you like my own mother, for you I will never violate my promise to retire to the end of my life!" Cui's mother was so excited that she burst into tears, and flowers bloomed from the bottom of her heart. She hugged Huang Chang, crying and laughing, and said, "I'm worth it! Miss Chang, with your few words, I will collapse tomorrow." It's worth dying!" After that, Mama Cui followed Huang Chang all the time, crossing oceans and seas, shared weal and woe, and lived longer than Zhao Yifan.Her only regret is that she has not been able to see her good lady find a good home, and that she has no chance to serve the third generation of the Huang family. As a matter of fact, Ke Yi found a house for Jiaxiu in the Shikumen complex on Baochang Road with a window facing the street, and walked closely with her all the time.In 1949, during the most terrifying period commonly known as "darkness before dawn" in Chinese history, the Kuomintang frantically hunted and killed underground members of the Communist Party, and Jiaxiu even covered his escape.After being liberated, Ke Yi returned to Shanghai and reunited with his family Xiu after the catastrophe. With mixed feelings of joy and sorrow, he tried several times to reconnect with each other.However, Jiaxiu was always hesitant, feeling that she hadn't married him in the past, but now that she was down and out, she would marry him instead, as if she had climbed a high branch.Later, the organization introduced Ke Yi to a like-minded revolutionary comrade. Seeing that the same family show was really impossible, he had to accept the arrangement. Ke Yi's second marriage was a new type of civilized wedding. He only went to the government department to register, and then invited a few like-minded friends to his home for a get-together.Jiaxiu didn't come, she went to Hangzhou that day, saying she wanted to see an important friend.But Ke Yi knew that she wasn't going anywhere, but he refused to expose her.Jiaxiu was not generous in this matter, but it made him feel a little bit of sour joy.At least, he knew that she cared about him and would be unhappy about his wedding. They later became friends for a lifetime, but it was always just a friendship of ice and snow, and no personal relationship was involved.Left leaning, right leaning, Siqing, Cultural Revolution, he has been helping her.The history of her Miss Capitalist has been covered up. According to the files, Huang Jiaxiu is just an innocent cotton factory worker who lives in a simple house in Shikumen, a standard urban commoner.Huang Chang didn't see the founding of New China, but she did, and lived peacefully until old age without getting married. As for Ke Yi, he never told anyone how much he regretted the missed marriage that year.But when he was dying of stomach cancer in 1979, he made a last wish: he hoped that when he died, he could be buried with that 1935 Rolex gold watch. No one knew that that watch was actually the only gift Huang Jiaxiu gave him in his life.