Chapter 17 Chapter Sixteen

Floating flames and red sun, red to the extreme, that is when it will set.In the smoky Shili Yangchang, one can faintly feel the thirst and dryness of the times.The order is already being destroyed, and there is still greater destruction to come.The autumn sun in 1944 was bright, and the orange world was seen from afar.Shanghai floats in a cloud of dust and smoke, like a mirage in the desert.Zhang Ailing and Hu Lan set up on the balcony of the apartment, looking side by side at the red sky in the distance, Zhang Ailing suddenly realized, and said: "It is said that the cuckoo is weeping blood! The sky is so bright! There is a strange feeling, as if something It's all over!"

Hu Lancheng also looked at Xiao Suo in the future, and sighed: "The situation is about to turn, and there will be great difficulties in the future." Zhang Ailing was shocked, and Hu Lancheng continued: "I promised Ikeda to go to Wuhan to run "Da Chu Bao", and I thought this was the last chance! I will do it with the spirit of "Bitter Bamboo". There is room for words and deeds!" Zhang Ailing wasn't complaining either, she asked curiously, "You didn't even discuss it with me!" "You won't stop me either!" Eileen Chang thought it was the same, and wanted to imitate ordinary women, so she joked, "Then don't go!"

Hu Lancheng patted her with a smile and said, "It's so unreasonable to say so, you can't be a wife after all!" "Wives always ask their husbands for money, but I have never asked for it! Take the money!" Zhang Ailing stretched out her hand jokingly, but Hu Lancheng took out her pocket seriously, took out a wad of money and said, "It happens to be, Ikeda gave me a sum of travel expenses!" Zhang Ailing was stunned, and did not go to pick it up. She accepted it, and said: "You never count on me for money, and I've never been so easygoing! It's rare for you to speak up, and I have it too. Let's take it easy on my status as a husband! If there is a big disaster in the future"

Zhang Ailing turned her head and said sincerely: "You man! I really wish I could wrap your bag up like a sachet, sewn tightly with stitches, and put it in the suitcase for hiding!" Hu Lancheng had never heard such touching words of love, and never knew that he was so cared for by one person. When a woman said such words of love, the man could only remain silent.Zhang Ailing looked at the distant sky, and the sky was crimson and purple.Hu Lancheng took a sip of the tea that Zhang Ailing made for him, thinking that Xiangle today, everyone should be happy.Thinking about his own future, whether it is like this sky, Yanji will be bleak.

On the night of parting, the moonlight was surprisingly good, and mercury seemed to spill on the table and bed.There was unfinished tea on the table, peeled orange peels, a half-written manuscript, and murmurs on the bed.Hu Lancheng embraced Zhang Ailing.Even if they got married, Zhang Ailing and her aunt lived under the same roof, so it was rare for them to get close.Zhang Ailing caressed Hu Lancheng's eyebrows, and called softly: "I am Lancheng!" Hu Lancheng looked at her and said, "You call me dear! I'm still the person you created, and I need you to teach me everything!"

Zhang Ailing shook her head and smiled: "I learned this from you! You always like to say 'I am from the countryside' and 'I am from the village of Hu'. I feel close to you, and Yanying and I say 'I am Lancheng'!" Hu Lancheng suddenly understood that he didn't feel the special words, but because she was speaking to Zhang Ailing, she had her own taste, so she asked: "Then why did Yanying call me 'Lan you'? Writing to me is also a good idea." Write to you!" "I got it right, it's you! I said I was Lan Cheng, she said you Lan Cheng, and then I became Lan You!"

Hu Lancheng turned over to light a cigarette, the butt of the cigarette turned red in the dark night and said sourly: "I don't think you may be sad when I'm not here, just think I'm going to Nanjing, if Yanying separates from you, you're really alone Already!" Eileen Chang snuggled up to him and murmured: "I can be alone! With you and Yanying, I suddenly saw myself like looking in a mirror, but this person is not me, no I can still be in love with each other, so it is full of surprises! But many people don’t have this kind of surprise, and they live the same way, and have other simpler happiness!”

Hu Lancheng suddenly thought of something important, so she told Zhang Ailing: "I am now making Japanese friends like Ikeda. If the situation turns around, the crime will be worse! I don't care about this, but I have only one thought in my heart, that is, I must not drag Ai Ling down!" If a catastrophe really hits us, even if we are husband and wife, we have to separate ourselves!" Seeing Zhang Ailing's silence, he wanted to comfort her: "But I believe I can escape! Maybe I have to change my surname anonymously for the first two years! Don't worry, I can always find you, even if it's across the Milky Way, I still want to see you!"

Zhang Ailing was still mischievous when she said the words: "Then you can change your name to Zhang Qian, or Zhang Zhao! I will lead you to recruit you everywhere you go!" After speaking, tears welled up in her eyes. There is only a sense of panic and helplessness in it. Hu Lancheng saw it, twisted the cigarette, turned over and hugged her: "Stop talking! I'm not good! I quit my job and lived a simple life. I thought I was not greedy for money and officials, and I had a life-threatening relationship with Ikeda again. I’m not greedy for my own life anymore! But I still have one greedy thing with you—greedy for you! If you ignore me, I’m probably not here anymore!”

The two embraced each other quietly, Zhang Ailing was lying on her side, just facing the window at the head of the bed, the moon was shining all over the room, and there was a blue moonlight on the ground, and she recited in a low voice: "When the stars sink to the bottom of the sea, I will see you at the window, and the rain will pass through the river. Read it from the other seat! Show me Li Yishan's collection of poems, I remember these two lines!" In the quiet night, when the poem was lingering in the small room, Hu Lancheng was silent for a moment and said: "I remember the last two sentences. If the pearl is bright and fixed, I will grow a pair of crystal plates!"

Zhang Ailing turned around and looked at Hu Lancheng. Only each other could understand what they said, and the meeting of their four eyes was like a whole world, like the bright and fixed eyes of small pearls, illuminating each other's lives. Hu Lancheng was on the way to Nanjing by train, looking at the yellow river below.He suddenly thought that if something happened to him, what would happen to Eileen Chang?If there is no Eileen Chang, he would be alone and have nothing to do with the world.But now, every step I take, there is a call from her in my heart.Hu Lancheng transferred from Nanjing to Wuhan by plane. His fate began with Ikeda, and from the moment he decided to go to Wuhan, he was already closely tied to the soon-to-be-defeated Japan. The breath of the person who has gone away seems to be still in Zhang Ailing's room.The dried clothes were taken down from the roof, and Zhang Ailing put her face on it. In addition to the aftertaste of the sun, there was also reluctance and the familiar lingering concern. Crowded and narrow alleys, sleeping in the quiet afternoon, dreaming dusty dreams of gray and yellow buildings.Soap bubbles flew out from the corner of the family's window, probably a child who refused to take a nap was blowing soap bubbles upstairs, and crystal flowers floated down from the sky.Zhang Ailing's heart was filled with the melancholy of "the yellow magpie is playing, don't cry on the branches". Walking on the quiet street, the wind was blowing, and the yellow leaves on the branches were about to fall. Looking at the sycamore tree, the trembling of the yellow leaves is so vivid.Then it flew down before her eyes and kissed the ground softly. She whispered in her heart: "On the cement floor in the autumn sun, sleep quietly together, it and its love." As soon as Yanying saw Zhang Ailing, she yelled, "Lan, you and Ikeda threw "Bitter Bamboo" to our two poor girls, and you paid for the white paper they called. Now you have to go to the printing factory and be a woman." It’s better to be a man than to work so hard!” Zhang Ailing hastily excused Hu Lancheng and said: "The white newspaper is not only used to print "Bitter Bamboo", I also used it to print books." The magazine is like a bit of flesh and blood left by a man in the old days. Rubbing it, he has a mysterious contact with him. One issue after another, I feel more at ease in my heart. With Yanying by her side, even the most mundane and trivial routine can be full of fun.Mr. Zhu from the printing factory was wearing an apron with sleeves and glasses on his forehead. He and Zhang Ailing were just looking at her "Jade Photo". better!" Zhang Ailing was also not very satisfied in her heart, and said politely: "It's much better than the last time! You know, it's much better! But the two sides of the face seem to be uneven! Also, Mr. Zhu, Look at the lower lip, there seems to be a piece missing for some reason." Yan Ying was much more forthright than Zhang Ailing, she grasped at that point and couldn't let go of her: "This forehead is shiny, it looks like a wooden figure! It is lacquered, so it reflects light." Mr. Zhu's glasses rested on his forehead, a pair of Like a cartoon, he looked at Yan Ying helplessly, he didn't expect that there was another person who would express his opinion. When the two returned home, Eileen Chang was still muttering: "I said I didn't want to put the photo, the last one was such a failure!" She cherished herself so much, because of her usual temperament, and because she couldn't hear what the person used to say, Like an angry child, he tosses himself even more when his parents are away.Even if Yanying was persuading, she said it honestly: "When taking pictures, I said you have too many bones" Zhang Ailing couldn't help it, and retorted: "The bone is mine after all! I would also like to be as plump as you, and this is the innate condition! If I grow a big white beard like Tolstoy, how can I take pictures It’s all right! You don’t need to do the kind of victorian atmosphere you asked for! Smile, but don’t laugh too much, just smile a little bit in your eyes.” The cover of Zhang Ailing's collection of essays "Rumors" was printed, and her faceless figure in clear clothes drawn by Yan Ying leaned on the cover page.The finalized photos were printed one by one in light blue ink and spread out on a wooden stand, waiting to be bound into the pages of the book.Zhang Ailing looked excitedly.She meticulously stamped her own seal on the small frame of "Copyright Reprinted" on the back of the bound book pages with her own hands, just as seriously as sharing the fare and coffee bill with Yanying when shopping. The dormitory of "Da Chu Bao" was located on the second floor of Hanyang Hospital, which was taken over by Japan. In addition to a group of people, there were also wounded Japanese soldiers.When the head nurse greeted Hu Lancheng, two nurses walked through the corridor outside the door happily.The head nurse stopped one of them: "Xiao Zhou, this is President Hu of "Da Chu Bao"! I live in this room, so don't laugh like this when you go up to the second floor!" Hu Lancheng quickly explained: "It's actually okay! The hospital can hear A little laughter is good!" Xiao Zhou was a young woman who was still childish, she took a look at Hu Lancheng, and thought that he was a very nice man, without official airs. It was freezing cold at night.Hu Lancheng got into the bed and his teeth were still chattering. When he was about to sleep, he heard movement outside the door. A worker shouted to Xiao Zhou in the corridor: "Someone is going to give birth!" .There was a burst of footsteps, and Xiao Zhou's voice responded: "Which house?" Someone answered: "Heyan Wu's house!" The hurried footsteps went downstairs.Hu Lancheng was curious, and raised her head just to reach the window. The window sills were covered with hoarfrost, and it was pitch black outside.Wild dogs could be heard barking in the distance, Hu Lancheng couldn't help shivering, and wrapped the quilt tighter. Early the next morning, he went out to the newspaper office. Xiao Zhou and some nurses bought steamed stuffed buns and were about to go back to the hospital.She was as energetic as everyone else, and she didn't seem to have gone out in the middle of the night at all. She forced Hu Lancheng to push a hot bun with a newspaper in her hand, and didn't give him a chance to push it.Hu Lancheng was surprised that this naive and coquettish girl was as sharp as gold and jade last night, so she couldn't help but look back at her more. Hu Lancheng's house is leaking and raining, but Zhang Ailing's situation is just like a raging fire.Enthusiastic Ke Ling got in touch with them, and Zhou Jianyun, who was one of the Big Three of the Star Film Company at the time and also presided over the Dazhong Theater Troupe, cooperated with Zhang Ailing to adapt it into a drama.Even though he had seen many big stars, Zhou Jianyun's eyes were obviously a little silly when he saw Zhang Ailing. Zhang Ailing wore an ancient-style knee-length jacket with super wide body and sleeves, water-red silk, and a very wide black It is bordered with satin, and there is a curled wishful flower under the right skirt, pressing down the cheongsam inside.Zhang Ailing reached out to shake hands with Zhou Jianyun. Both of them were a little cautious, but this did not hinder their desire to cooperate. The winter of 1944 was extremely cold, and there was a thin layer of snow in Shanghai, which rarely snowed.However, this did not stop the upsurge of the show.The audience is the general public in Shanghai, men and women of all ages and identities, and everyone is wrapped in coats and cotton clothes to watch Zhang Ailing's play.On the stage, Bai Liusu and Fan Liuyuan were carrying simple suitcases, and they seemed to be sitting in a panic behind a truck. With their heads down, the two occasionally swayed their bodies.Spurred on by the war, they burst out laughing for no apparent reason.He couldn't stop laughing, trembling all over, Bai Liusu burst into tears, and fell on Fan Liuyuan's lap.Under the dark stage, Zhang Ailing looked coldly at the long life that made people laugh. Zhang Maoyuan, who was pulled away by Zhang Ailing, even criticized a few words after complimenting, saying that he is not a paranoid praise.Zhang Ailing knew that her aunt liked her, and that was enough. Perhaps the praises from all over the world were not worth as much as Zhang Maoyuan's words.There are only a handful of people in this world that Eileen Chang is willing to please, and one of them is in the letter in her hand: "Thinking that this is your first stage performance, but I can't sit down and enjoy it with you, I feel itchy." And hate it! My Ailing is good, have you all seen it? How many of those cheers are for the stars, and how many are for me? I want to ask about it!" In the early winter, Shanghai looked even more depressed due to the air defense control lights.The neon lights outside the ballroom swirled and flickered, then suddenly went out.Looking from my aunt's apartment, the whole of Shanghai is dark and dead, with few lights.Zhang Ailing sat at the table and wrote a letter with a candle: "You said that Hanyang is very cold, and if someone sends you 50,000 yuan, you will give it to your colleagues to make padded gowns. I am anxious after hearing this! How many days will it take for the money to arrive here?" At this time, the siren suddenly sounded for a long time, which was a warning of the coming air raid.The trembling candlelight in Zhang Ailing's hand flickered in the dark, and she faintly heard the plane engine approaching from a distance like thunder. Zhang Ailing came to her aunt's house and saw her reading tabloids by candlelight. She looked all right and asked worriedly, "If we really bomb Shanghai, won't we escape?" My aunt said calmly, "Whether it's different to escape! Now the boat ticket is worth more than your life!" Zhang Ailing asked again worriedly: "We live in such a high place, and it's okay without electricity. What if the water is also cut off?" The aunt flipped through her tabloid and said calmly, "Let's wait until it's over! It's not a problem for our family. We all have to live. Of course someone can figure out a way!" Zhang Ailing walked back to her own room in the dark.The candle was lit in a yellow porcelain vat, flickering like a dream. The plane didn't know whether it was a hallucination or flew to the other side. The sound of the engine disappeared, and the room was so quiet that the ticking of the small alarm clock could be heard walking hurriedly.A little farther away, even the dripping water from the faucet in the bathtub can be heard. Water drops on the rusty yellow water stains of the bathtub, passing, passing.Zhang Ailing felt small and helpless. On the same night, in the kitchen of Hanyang Hospital, a few bachelors and a group of nurses ate around a big table, talking and laughing, amusing and lively, looking at it all, it was nothing more than the joy of flirting between men and women .After dinner, they climbed up the embankment by the river in the dark.There was a bang bang bang bang across the river, and there was a red light in the sky from time to time.The plane passed through the clouds, and the sound of bombing and bombing could be heard in a short while.Hu Lancheng had already stood on the embankment and watched, listening to the nurses chirping like sparrows, and everyone stood beside the starlight and water shadows.Xiao Zhou shouted that she was pretty, but the other nurses scolded her for being heartless.The head nurse Mingli blamed Xiao Zhou, but he was actually talking to Hu Lancheng: "Look, President Hu heard it, and I will send you a report tomorrow—Xiao Zhou is the most cunning among these people!" Xiao Zhou had seen Hu Lanjian standing next to the head nurse, and she didn't care what she said just now. She just rubbed her frozen red nose, jumped over playfully and said, "I'm not newsworthy, and I won't post photos. No one wants to buy your newspaper!" While talking, the bomb was thrown into the river, and the water splashed, and everyone quickly squatted down and hid under the embankment.Hu Lancheng came back to look for Xiao Zhou, and Xiao Zhou stood up from the ground. In the night, Hu Lancheng looked at her with bright eyes, full of fear, and the strong mouth just now was fake. "President Hu! It's retribution for me!" Xiao Zhou's voice was short of breath, and Hu Lancheng suddenly felt pity for Xiao Zhou and himself.He was drawn here by a dark destiny, did he come here to seek retribution?What about Zhang Ailing, is this also a tortuous punishment for her? The situation became more and more critical. Bombs often fell near Hanyang Hospital, and wounded soldiers and nurses in the hospital escaped one after another.Hu Lancheng was going to the newspaper office. Just as he walked out of the street outside the hospital, there was a burst of bombs and another burst of machine gun fire. He subconsciously yelled "Ailing" and fell to the ground with his head in his arms.Just like the letter he wrote to Zhang Ailing after the robbery: "A few times in the air raids, I ran away with the crowd in a hurry. When I fell to the ground, I could only shout "Ailing". The airstrike made me see my life directly, know what is suffering, what is joy, what is the true color, and what is prosperity. You have enlightened me like this, but I, a stubborn son, still need a ruthless airstrike Come to whip." However, that day he was covered in dust, pushed open the door of the dormitory, and saw Xiao Zhou standing up from the chair. No one is stopping you!" Hu Lancheng was stunned, his life and death were at the limit, all his feelings were vibrating violently in his internal organs, he needed a pair of hands and a warm hug too much.He stretched out his hand to pull Xiao Zhou. At this time, there were still sporadic gunfire and flames outside the window. The sound of the cannon went straight into the night in Shanghai and into Zhang Ailing's room.Zhang Ailing looked straight at the blue night light outside the window, and the jingling trams were lining up to go home. She opened her eyes in a daze, but what she heard was the sound of gunfire in Hankou, rumbling. can hear.