Chapter 9 Chapter 6 Love in Allure

When Chen Xiangmei's old grandmother was worried about the lack of color of crabapple flowers, the American Chennault had already returned to his hometown in Louisiana to celebrate Christmas. The Mississippi River is still wide and turbid, and there are still thousands of wild ducks and geese in the swamps and bays of his hometown. He and his old friends went hunting or fishing with guns and fish. Afterwards, they lit a bonfire, drank whiskey, and ate Dishes with heavy seasonings from home.Oh, this is peace and serenity. The 77-year-old father is still tough, clamoring to join them. However, he found that in the past two and a half years since leaving the United States for China in May 1937, his wife Nell has changed. She is keen on religious affairs and seems a little indifferent to separation and separation; her body is also like dough. The ground swelled up, loose like a sack of cotton.Chennault didn't like such a woman!Maybe in China these years, most of the women in sight are slim and graceful.

He was also surprised to find that he not only had a group of children, but also a house full of children and grandchildren! The 26-year-old eldest son, Jack, is already a second lieutenant in the Air Force, and his grandson is almost two years old; the 24-year-old Erji Max, whose wife is pregnant with Liujia; the third son, Charles, who has a flat nose, is returning from college; the fourth son, Claire, is just 18 years old He graduated, but he has married a beautiful wife; his fifth son, David, loves living in the swampy river bay forest as he did when he was young; his sixth son, Robert, was born when he was at Luke Airport in Hawaii, and he is now 14 years old. The ambition is to have a car of my own.The eldest daughter, Xiu, has been married for two years. The 14-month-old grandson is the baby of the family. The youngest daughter, Rosemary, is only 11 years old. She is lively, mischievous and very lovable.

At Christmas, the whole family gets together and many old friends come.The fireplace in the living room was blazing, and everyone talked, laughed and sang, but Chennault was thinking about China.He talked about China, about hundreds of incendiary bombs dropped by Japanese planes, causing the whole city to be in flames for three days and three nights; Migrant workers are desperate to repair the airport; they talk about the Chinese pilots flying old-fashioned fighter jets in difficult air battles; they talk about the kind-hearted Chinese peasants struggling in war, famine and hunger... The spacious living room is silent, but his audience is very interested in this Topic not interesting!Their casual eyes told him: what does the war in China have to do with the United States?An old friend said drunkenly: "Claire, why don't you go all the way to help a group of Chinese beat the Japanese." He stood up abruptly, if it wasn't Christmas, and if he wasn't in his own home, he would have yelled "Fuck off!" go out".

He straightened his face and walked out.He spoiled everyone's happiness.He had a premonition that the Japanese would launch a war in the Pacific, and that helping China was for the sake of the United States, but neither the government nor the opposition took it seriously.How lonely.At the same time, he does not deny that he has been inseparable from China for more than two years, and his heart remains in China. He is nearly half a hundred years old, let him guard his wife and children and grandchildren to take care of him?joke.He is smoking Camel cigarettes hard, he is not old!He deeply felt that his second youth, no, his second life, was starting again in the suffering China!The struggle, exploration, understanding, and trust that his motherland and his native land did not give him, China and the Chinese are giving him.

He is going back to China.It's going back, not going. Arrived home in October 1939, left home in a hurry at the end of January 1940.It's not that he doesn't love his family, but China needs him more than his family.The distance between China and the United States, even by air, has to pass through the Philippines, Hawaii, etc. to reach Hong Kong, which takes at least five or six days. On the night of February 13, when he flew to Hong Kong, Song Meiling and Duan Na, who were wearing black wool coats with mink fur collars, were waiting for him at Kai Tak Airport!What a pleasant surprise.Soong Meiling told him in anxiety and confusion: Without advanced aircraft and excellent pilots, Japanese planes are still bombing our cities wantonly, what should we do?He shrugged. He didn't have any good news for her.But this meeting greatly shortened the distance between hearts.The queen in his eyes is also helpless and helpless like an ordinary Chinese woman, she trusts and relies on "my colonel".

Chennault soon returned to Kunming.The principal of Kunming Aviation School was originally Wang Shuming, who was later affectionately called "Wang Tiger" by Americans. In 1940, the aviation school was changed to the Air Force Academy, with Chiang Kai-shek as the principal, Zhou Zhirou, director of the China Aviation Committee, as the dean of education, and Chennault as a consultant and tactical instructor.Many Americans served as instructors.Both Botner Carney and the Swiss Harry Sutter got on well with Chennault.Among the coaches, there were conflicts between Chinese and American instructors, but Chiang Kai-shek and Song Meiling categorically supported Chennault, and Chennault was also frank, and the atmosphere in the school was still very united.When he was in the United States, Chennault had requested to be resumed active duty in the Air Force. At first, he was approved that "retired officers cannot resume active duty due to lack of funds", but then he was ordered to serve as an Air Force instructor at the Artillery School at Fort Monroe, and he was also asked to serve as an Air Force liaison officer in Washington, D.C. Chennault declined.

Japanese planes still bombed Kunming indiscriminately.Chennault gave lessons to the students in the hut next to the rice fields, and had the students conduct aerial training before dawn or dusk.Sometimes he personally drives the Eagle 75 straight up into the sky, and then rolls and flies backwards. When he almost falls to the ground, he will push the reverse rudder, turn to level flight and skim the green rice fields, and finally fly backwards across the runway. An extremely smooth landing amidst the roar of the engine.He is still full of restlessness and vitality, mischievous and wild. Chinese students praised and said: A treasured sword never grows old.

American instructor Carney said: No one flies like a pilot like his old man. He is strict and ruthless in training, but he is easy-going and kind to everyone in normal times.The gang gave him a series of nicknames behind his back: old man, old man, old leather face, bark face.Yes, the wind and rain of the Mississippi River, decades of air career, carved criss-cross wrinkles on his weather-beaten face-this is a face that is shocking to see!But not only is it not ugly or old, but only in this way can it show the charm of a real man.Carney's wife, Rose, a Chinese woman, and Sartre's wife, Cathy, a Chinese-Indian mixed race, these two women are friends of Chennault, and some slim and capable Chinese women often accompany him to attend cocktail parties, play tennis, When playing poker, there is no need to hide, he likes Chinese women.Sometimes he is also a little confused, as if he is looking for something, the black eyes in the dream?

It was at this time that he made the acquaintance of Colonel David Barrett.This middle-sized man, who had already collapsed, was sent to Chongqing as a military attache in May. He came to Kunming to see Chennault, and the two hit it off immediately and talked about everything.Barrett is also a China hand. He can recite Shakespeare's long poems in Chinese, and he can speak a series of Chinese idioms without a pause; this makes the Chinese people dumbfounded. During the "July 7" Marco Polo Bridge Incident, he served as a lieutenant in the U.S. troops stationed in Tianjin, and Stilwell was his battalion commander.However, Barrett did not play any role in the entanglement between Chennault and Stilwell in the future, but played a complicated, delicate and embarrassing role in the relationship between Chennault and the Chinese Communist Party.

Chennault knew Stilwell long before Barrett.It was the late autumn of 1939, and the two had dinner together in a restaurant next to Wubaili Dianchi Lake.The two talked about the current situation of the Chinese Air Force very harmoniously and seriously, not without worries.Chennault thought he was a lean, strong man, but Stilwell was a little uncomfortable squinting at people and lakes through his steel spectacles.Perhaps the glasses China Communications is silently thinking: thousands of years of past events, poured into his heart.Lingxu wine, who is the rolling hero?They became a pair of natural enemies in the future, but it was unexpected.

On July 12, 1940, Britain compromised with Japan and closed the only road from Burma to Kunming. Chiang Kai-shek was furious when he heard about it, but what can he do? In August, the Japanese army formally invaded Indochina and attacked Chongqing with 100 to 150 bombers per day. In October, Chiang Kai-shek and his wife called Chennault urgently. When Chennault arrived in Chongqing, the city was in flames and the sky was shrouded in smoke.Chiang Kai-shek hurried back and forth in the official residence anxiously, like a caged animal.He asked Chennault to find ways to get American pilots and American planes to fight in China!Chennault was speechless. He was not President Roosevelt.Only five days after returning to Kunming, Chiang Kai-shek and his wife summoned him urgently! He was suffering from bronchitis and had a persistent high fever, so he had to fly to Chongqing.This time, Chiang Kai-shek ordered indisputably: "You must go to the United States immediately." He also handed him a stack of written orders to take to the United States to report to Song Ziwen in Washington. The task is very simple, you need a plane and a pilot! Chennault coughed painfully.He wanted to make it clear that he was just a retired captain, and his current status was pure folk, and he spoke lightly.Moreover, General Arnold, the U.S. Army Aviation Commander, had always had a prejudice against him, and U.S. Army Chief of Staff George Marshall always dismissed non-West Point graduates.He also wanted to say that the U.S. ruling and opposition parties turned a blind eye to the war in the Far East, and sending him to ask for planes and pilots would be regarded as wishful thinking and an unrealistic myth, otherwise, he would be crazy! However, he didn't say anything, he just coughed violently, his chest felt uncomfortable and excited like it was on fire.He understood: China's war of resistance has reached the most difficult and tense time, the suffering and tenacity of the Chinese people has reached a super-saturation situation, and the already weak Chinese Air Force has also reached the point of collapse after three years of fierce fighting Edge, planes and pilots must be replenished!The eyes of Chiang Kai-shek and his wife were anxious expectations. At this moment, Colonel Barrett's words "Die for the confidant" and "Die for the friend" suddenly sounded in his ears.Although he is deaf, he also knows that everyone calls him an old man behind his back. Yes, he is an old man, and he is even a tough guy. He accepted the order and went to Hong Kong with Mao Bangchu. The streets of Hong Kong are bustling and bustling, full of lights and feasting, Chennault suddenly stopped, crossed his arms and said, "Within a year, this place will be full of gunfire and smoke." Mao Bangchu looked at him in surprise, as if he was listening to a wizard's prophecy. They soon boarded a Pan Am clipper plane across the Pacific. In the China Defense Supply Company on V Street in Washington, Song Ziwen warmly welcomed Chennault. Song Ziwen respected this American in crude adventure suits, and Chennault had the atmosphere of the Chinese battlefield.Chennault did not hide his interest in Song Ziwen, not that Song Ziwen was a contemporary financier who graduated from Harvard University, but that this Chinese man in a suit and leather shoes and wearing glasses was a member of the legendary Charlie Song family. Song Charlie's hometown is Wenchang County, Hainan Island, and the boats there are nicknamed "big-eyed chickens".It was a rare three-masted ship shaped like a banana, with a pair of big eyes painted on the prow and red sails spread out like a cockscomb, hence the nickname.Those big eyes do not look down for fish, but stare at the distant horizon.Nine-year-old Jia Shu, probably tempted by the big-eyed chicken, went to the other side of the ocean alone for ten years!Later, he went to Shanghai to distribute Bibles and work as a salesman, and achieved success; Jiashu was Charlie Song.Today, his daughters Ai Ling, Qing Ling, Mei Ling and son Song Ziwen have all become household names, while his two youngest sons, Zi Liang and Zi An, are less coquettish.But the Song Charlie family is full of too many legends after all.Perhaps it was the inspiration of those big eyes staring at the distant ground trunk?Chennault admitted that he was possessed by the Song family. Maybe regardless of race, he subconsciously stared at the distant horizon? Song Ziwen invited Chennault to dinner, and there were two well-known reporters at the same table: Moller of the "Chicago Daily" and Alsop of the "New York Herald Tribune".Chennault got straight to the point, talking about China's plight and the need to buy planes and recruit pilots in the United States. Moller and Alsop showed extraordinary concern and understanding. Chennault was so moved that he almost choked. feel.Alsop said he was a distant relative of President Roosevelt. Maybe this cousin could influence Roosevelt? Song Ziwen also tried his best to rely on his American friends to achieve his goal.Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau Jr., Navy Secretary Frank Knox and economist Lauren Curie, can they help China? US President Franklin Roosevelt, a politician known as both the bravery of a lion and the cunning of a fox, has various ties to China.He bluntly stated that his family property was related to the opium business in Shanghai. When he was a child, his mother sang him a lullaby: "An American ship, run along the water against the wind! The wind blows and blows, my good man!" The song was learned by my mother when she followed her grandfather to China when she was a girl.Roosevelt was very friendly to the Charles Song family. On his desk, there was a "big-eyed chicken" sailing model, which was solemnly given to him by Song Ziwen. God knows whether it was because of the subtle effects of these intertwined relationships that Chennault's trip showed the dawn of success. In January 1941, Laurent Curie and Mao Bangchu flew to China, and Curie was tasked with investigating the current situation of the Chinese Air Force for Roosevelt.Secretary of the Navy Knox is also doing his best to coordinate. Of course, help is by no means free.Song Ziwen promised money, while Chennault was spinning around like a whipped top.In the gray winter days of Washington, he scribbled at his desk, redrawing long shopping lists for everything a small air force needed, from machine-gun barrels and oxygen masks to paper clips; He ran from the east coast to the west coast, looking for planes; these days, the British urgently need any bombers and fighter jets that the United States can manufacture, and the United States' center of gravity is biased towards Europe.Chennault was indomitable, and he finally took advantage of Wright, his old friend of Curtiss-Wright Aircraft, and persuaded the British to give up the priority of the 100 P-40C aircraft they had ordered, but these aircrafts did not have military radios , Without the installation of sights, bomb racks and auxiliary fuel tanks, even the source of ammunition has to rack its brains and break its legs.But Chennault admitted that something is better than nothing.How do you say that in Chinese?Everything is difficult at the beginning. In early spring and February, these planes were waiting at the pier in New York to be transported to Yangon, but there were unexpected problems.William Pollet, an aircraft salesman of Curtiss in China, made a request: to extract a 10% commission from the purchase of aircraft in China.Finance Minister Morgenthau was furious and resolutely refused to pay, and Pollet was confident and did not back down.Pollet is also known as a China hand. He came to China in 1932 and helped the Chinese government build a repair factory at the Jianqiao Aviation School. The two met when Chennault came to China in 1937. Pollet managed to get some Wuer for China. This is exactly what Chennault needed; in 1938, the China Central Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation moved its equipment and maintenance workshops to Leiyun on the border between China and Burma. Yun and Kunming had a lot of contact with Chennault.Chennault originally thought that Bolet was a friend of the Chinese people, but he didn't expect that Bolai was just a businessman who was ungrateful for profit.As a result, the Chinese government calmed down and paid 250,000 US dollars to Pollet so that the plane could be shipped to China as soon as possible. From spring to summer, Chennault's plan to organize a U.S. Air Force Volunteer Corps was no longer a fantasy in the air. Although there was still great resistance from the Army and Navy departments, Chennault took every opportunity to submit to his original Air Force unit. Friends, familiar or unfamiliar veterans, chattering and agitating!He recounted the scenes of bloody battles in Shanghai, Nanjing, and Wuhan he witnessed with his own eyes, and accused the Japanese planes of bombing Chongqing, Chengdu, and Kunming into a sea of ​​flames. go!He might be crazy, and there are still people who look at him in amazement, but he is sober, he knows that he has a sense of flesh and blood with China, and he is at least half Chinese. Faith will move mountains to open? In short, at the end of April 1941, the first batch of purchased aircraft was carried by Norwegian ship; to the disappointment, the first aircraft was destroyed in New York Harbor because the hook on the ship broke; The P-40C is finally waiting to be shipped to China in Yangon. On April 15, 1941, President Roosevelt finally issued an unpublished order allowing Army and Navy reserve officers and conscripts to join the Air Force Volunteer Corps.Civilian recruitment was carried out vigorously. On June 9, the first batch of American Volunteers departed by transport plane; on June 10, the second batch of more than one hundred volunteers left San Francisco on a Dutch ship. On July 8th, Chennault shook off his exhaustion and still wore a shoddy adventurer's clothing, flew from Washington to San Francisco, and boarded a clipper flight to China at 4:00 p.m. Lattimore, political adviser to China. The plane flies through the sea of ​​clouds. Chennault is silent. From the end of October last year to the present, for more than eight months, he has talked too much and done too much, but he has never returned to his hometown, traveled to famous mountains and rivers by the way, and has not even attended a leisurely and relaxed party. Just desperately rushing towards the slim hope, right now, he felt tired and fell asleep drowsily. In his dream, he still struggled towards the red sun. In the red glowing sunset, the Dutch ship carrying the U.S. Air Force Volunteers was sailing westward in the surging South China Sea.The Japanese radio announcer said in a tone of half hatred and half fear: The so-called ship carrying the American Volunteers will never reach China and will be bombed and sunk. Chennault woke up suddenly, the evening clouds rolled in, and the setting sun dyed the sea of ​​clouds into a sea of ​​fire. His criss-crossed old bark face stretched out at this moment, and the corners of his mouth pulled out into a very confident smile. He said to himself confidently: "For the first time, I have confidence in the battle against the Japanese army, because everything I used to defeat the Japanese army has been obtained as I wish." He recalled with gusto the days and nights of the eight months in the United States, and the joys of getting together with old friends and new friends. He met a Chinese friend, Chen Yingrong. The two were about the same age. Air Force training, so there are similar topics.Later, Chen Yingrong told him that his wife had passed away not long ago, and his six daughters were still in Hong Kong. around?Because of the war? A pair of black eyes flickered in front of Chennault's eyes, which were the kind and intelligent eyes of a Chinese girl. It's September in Hong Kong, and the weather is still hot and humid. It had rained at night, and the sun in the morning was baking the wet ground and roof, and the air was filled with chaos that seemed to be fog but not fog. A young Chinese man carried a black leather suitcase in his right hand and walked into this small street with few pedestrians. He stopped in front of this old-style small red brick house.He looked left and right, looked at the sky and the window, as if he was looking for something; he listened carefully, as if he was trying to catch something; he frowned slightly, his face was full of disappointment, but he stood stubbornly, his eyes still full of hope.He seemed to be deliberately ignoring the large iron lock on the door of the small red brick house. If he got closer, he would find that the keyhole had died and rusted due to the erosion of wind and rain.He didn't go any closer, as if waiting for a miracle to happen. He spent an unforgettable night in this red house on Christmas the year before last.No, the beauty of dusk had been seared into his vision.A bamboo pole was picked out from the window on the second floor of the red house, and six colorful thin woolen skirts were hanging on the bamboo pole.The sunset, the lawn, the flower skirt, he was in a daze for a moment, thinking of the Seven Fairies bathing beside the Yaochi.Immediately, the tinkling piano sounded, and a slightly sad voice floated out of the red house, singing "Blue Heaven", the singer was Isabella, the mother of six daughters.At that time, he was an uninvited guest, led by his younger sister Ailian, who broke into the daughter country of the red house.His reckless behavior is all because of Ailian's chirping and quacking love to talk about Xiangmei. He wants to see if this little girl who is the first in speeches and compositions and also writes love letters for her has grown superhuman? He will never forget this night of reunion. He cursed that great iron lock!He did not believe that everything would disappear without a trace. This man, at a glance, is a Confucian student in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.The skin is fair, the face is handsome, and the head is of medium height, but because it is thin, it looks tall and straight.Wearing a white canvas suit, tied with a black tie, and wearing a pair of mesh white leather shoes, in the elegant and suave style of Jiangnan talents, he clearly jumped out of the modern youth's fashion and sophistication. He just stood there, his eyes fixed and absent-minded.In the still scorching sun at noon, the woman in his dream finally came into his vision. She is a petite woman.No longer a little girl.She is dressed in a moon-white short-sleeved cheongsam, and Fengshi's body is soft and elegant. There is no gold, silver or jewelry decoration on her body, but she already knows how to dress herself up. Her neck-length black hair is tied up with a white ribbon and tied into a bun. She has a bow tie and a pair of half-heeled white leather shoes on her feet. Her size is destined to be high-heeled, and she is also very used to high-heeled shoes, even if she travels across mountains and rivers.At this moment, she was carrying a book under her armpit, keeping her eyes fixed on her, and walking with her heart full of thoughts. "Xiao Xiangmei—" the man shouted happily, his voice trembling slightly, unable to hide his excitement. Chen Xiangmei stopped.In an instant, her eyes changed rapidly: confusion, surprise, sadness, and then turned into emptiness and coldness. She forced a few words: "My surname is not Xiao." At that time, the stage names of many actors were Xiao Mudan, Xiao Fengxian, Xiao Shuiting, etc. Maybe he accidentally hurt the girl's extremely sensitive nerves?He smiled like a big brother: "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Miss Chen Xiangmei, you have really grown up, you don't know, I haven't seen you for a year and a half, you look exactly like your mother!" Her cold black eyes flicked across the storm, her whole body was trembling, the book under her arm had been clenched tightly to her chest, she wanted to say something but couldn't, she turned her head, Staggered forward. The man froze in memory.What did he say wrong again? Could it be that she has already forgotten him?Treat him as an irrelevant stranger?What's worse, treat him as a ulterior motive to dismantle the White Party?In a hurry, he didn't care too much, and while chasing her, he said eagerly: "Miss Chen Xiangmei, you may have forgotten me, I am my sister's brother, oh, no, yes, my sister is Wu Ailian, your true light girl My classmate, she took me to your red house on Christmas the year before last, we became acquainted when we met, and we talked endlessly..." Chen Xiangmei ran wildly as if escaping from pursuit, and he also ran wildly, not daring to hold her, not daring to overtake her, and kept saying something, he had lost his mind, and suddenly stopped drinking, a man in black The old nun in a black hat stood in front of him, with wrinkled face and green eyes, like an old cat, he stopped his steps and stopped talking—it was the gate of St. Paul's Girls' College!He tried to explain a few words to the foreign nanny, but this nanny got excited and shouted for another nanny to ring the bell. He could only run away dumbfounded, otherwise today's local news would be him! Chen Xiangmei had already rushed back to the dormitory, and threw herself on the narrow single bed.The bedspread is sky blue, the quilt pillowcase is sky blue, and the walls and ceiling are all sky blue.It is said that blue symbolizes happiness, but she only feels that she is a lonely boat, floating in the boundless and silent sea, full of trauma and murder, where is the return journey? It has been almost a year since my mother passed away. When my mother fell ill, she had already become the head of the family. With only HK$300 a month, she was barely able to meet the end of the month.Both she and Xianglan are obsessed with the piano, but her family is so poor that she has no choice but to give up learning.Soon, Li Ma's relatives invited Li Ma to go to Shanghai together. Li Ma said that even if she went to Shanghai to search from house to house, she had to find Mr. Liao; let him come to pick up your sisters, and the sisters couldn't help crying. Doesn't father care about them? ?Later, my father sent a letter, asking my eldest sister to finish nursing school and the other five sisters to live in St. Paul's Girls' College, so that they can continue their studies without worrying about board and lodging. He will definitely come to pick them up after he has made arrangements. Chen Xiangmei smiled wryly.Even family affection, she also felt the piercing cold sorrow.She is facing high school graduation at True Light Girls High School, but she also has to live in a girls' school because she is the guarantor for her younger sisters.Oh, even without this article, she will move in consciously, and she will never forget her mother's entrustment: "Baby, baby, Mom depends on you to help take care of this family." Every Sunday, she went to the church to watch mass, and then she walked alone to the grave of her mother in Happy Valley, presented a bouquet of flowers, and stood silently.Her heart talks to her mother's soul.In the most painful days, she did not neglect her studies and was admitted to the Chinese Department of Lingnan University with excellent grades. She still boarded and boarded in St. Paul's Girls' College, and she could not leave her sisters in the indifference and sorrow of being homeless.Standing silently, the teeth of tenacious belief are growing stubbornly. She believes that she will make up for the regrets of her mother in this life, and her mother's dream can be realized by her. Right now, she came back from her mother's cemetery, and met this man unexpectedly in front of the empty, overgrown red house, but she treated him so unreasonably, why? She has not forgotten him.Ailian's older brother, Wu Yaowei, is a student of the Civil Engineering Department of Tangshan Jiaotong University.Although they only met once at Christmas, they knew each other well; although he was ten years older than her, there was no age barrier between them.He said she was Thumbelina in foreign fairy tales, and when she grew up, her mother said happily: The most accurate.The whole family called him Bill, whether by his nickname or his Christian name, no one bothered to find out. At the moment of meeting, she wanted to throw herself on his shoulder and cry loudly, but how could everything become like this?Because the state of the world is hot and the world is cold and warm, so the spark of friendship burns the wounded heart? But soon she calmed down, washed her face and went to look after her sisters again.She can only apologize for Wu Jun's embarrassment, she thought, in fact, they are not close friends, and they can't expect others to help you, they have to walk out the road by themselves. The next afternoon, Chen Xiangmei walked quietly on the mountain road paved with the first-level stone steps of the University of Hong Kong with only a thick patent leather note clip under her armpit. The University of Hong Kong is located on the hillside, surrounded by verdant trees and flowers.Libraries, classrooms, dormitories, and cafeterias are well arranged. Everywhere you have to step up stone steps and turn over the loess, which is really interesting.After the fall of Guangzhou, Lingnan University moved from Pingshiling, Kangle Village, Guangzhou to Hong Kong to take classes, borrowing the classrooms of the University of Hong Kong.Students at the University of Hong Kong attend classes during the day, while those at Lingnan University attend classes in the afternoon and evening.Students of Lingnan University like to drink a cup of strong tea in the tea room of Hong Kong University before class, and chat with each other while drinking tea.Gradually it became a custom: don't drink afternoon tea, don't be a master of Ling University. Of course, Chen Xiangmei was no exception, and even became a hobby, forming an indissoluble bond with tea all her life.Another hobby is to rush to the library of the University of Hong Kong to soak in the morning every morning.Searching in the bookshelves full of books and fragrances, reading excerpts while leaning on the ebony long platform, ancient and modern Chinese and foreign classics enriched her, making her forget the pain and troubles, and in a trance, grandpa's exclamation would ring in her ears: " Reading is a blessing." This morning she made an exception and didn't come to the library because Xiao Xiangtao had a stomachache and was busy with seeing the doctor for injections and taking medicine for a long time, and her little sister needed someone to hurt her. You can't skip afternoon tea.Over the hillside is the simple and elegant tea room of the University of Hong Kong.The hillside is full of hibiscus trees of Nanyang species. In midsummer, the hibiscus flowers are in full bloom, blood-red and enthusiastic, like countless suns of life; now they are withered, as if showing the sadness of life.The weeds growing in the hibiscus bushes and wildflowers of various colors with unknown purpose seize the life of early autumn and bloom like crazy to the final glory.Some time ago, a cobra rose straight out of the dazzling purple and red, scaring the passing girls to abandon their books and run away.Chen Xiangmei is also afraid of snakes. She carefully pays attention to the hillside, subconsciously climbed the stone steps with her feet, and accidentally bumped into a man. It was Wu Junyaowei. He stood at the turn of the mountain road.The vision on the corner suddenly felt wide open, and the sky and the sea seemed to be his background.He took a deep breath and said in an indisputable tone: "Xiao Xiangmei, I still have to call you Xiao Xiangmei because you are really too young. Anyway, you have to listen to my explanation. Yesterday, what did I say?" I don’t know, I just came back from Chongqing, I haven’t entered the house yet, when I passed by your red house, I stopped like a demon, it was the big iron lock and the barren lawn that possessed me, I foolishly Waiting, finally waiting for you, I didn't know that my words touched your heart! After returning home, Eileen told me everything, I can't imagine! I blame Eileen for not writing to me, she said , you have changed, you have become taciturn, withdrawn, lonely and arrogant, you refuse pity and sympathy, you provoke the burden of the whole family, and you only make friends with books. Xiao Xiangmei, you can’t do this! You will be crushed Yes, your heart will be crushed, you should accept friendship and love, and believe that there is true love everywhere in the world—” She looked up at him, the man who was ten years older than her blushed with excitement, he was still telling, he was guarding the library door early in the morning, hoping to see her, eager to see through!All morning, he wandered around the door silly, until noon when the students and teachers left the hall one by one, he didn't wait for her!He believed that Ailian's "information" was correct, so, could something have happened?But he didn't dare to go to St. Paul's Girls' College, he was afraid of the green-eyed nuns ringing the bell indiscriminately.Chen Xiangmei lowered her head, her eyes were wet: this is a mature and childish man, he really wants to help her and protect her. She choked up and said, "I'm sorry, I only think of my own pain... Thank you, Bill." With the sound of Bill, he suddenly regained his chicness, and he took a deep breath: "How can I thank you? Oh, and have a cup of afternoon tea with me." He also knows afternoon tea!Minds think alike. They went to the tea room together. In Xiangmei's eyes, the tea room is brighter and warmer than ever before. She opened up to him and talked about everything. She said that Professor Wu Chonghan, who teaches Chinese literature, looked at her differently and sometimes invited her to his home for a cup of Fuzhou Kung Fu tea.He said: You are not just a teacher-student relationship, you will surely become a year-end friend. She said that the female professor Xian Yuqing was not friendly to her, and if she couldn't afford to offend her, she had to hide and not take her class.He smiled lightly: Same sex repels each other. She said proudly that she could figure out the professor's psychology, and her guessing questions were quite accurate before every exam. Isn't this called speculation?He said: Guessing questions is also learning, but more importantly, the foundation of learning should be solid and deep, just like the foundation of a building.He is engaged in construction, and the three words never leave his profession. She said enviously that a few rich female classmates had dazzling outfits.There are different outfits for classrooms, concerts, tea parties, dinner parties, water dancing and other occasions.One day, she said, she will be able to make clothes as she likes without having to spend money.He said: You will do it.It is natural for women to like clothes, but I value your "poetry and book spirit in your belly" more. Sneaking in, they had frequent dates.The Hong Kong Hotel, the Gloucester Hotel, the Wise Man's Restaurant, and the Windsor Dining Room above the Amusement Theater became their frequent hangouts.She commented: The Hong Kong Restaurant is more elegant, the Gloucester Hotel is more comfortable, the Wise Man is more poetic, and the Windsor Restaurant is more hospitality.But he only said one sentence: With you, everything is poetic and picturesque. She was ashamed, could this be her first love?She is only 16 years old. The time for separation has come.After graduating, he worked for a construction company in Chongqing. Now he came back to Hong Kong to run the company and visit his parents. After the business was settled, it was time to go to Chongqing. She cried, and everything became a distant dream again. He said old-fashionedly: "You are too young, and I am only 25 years old. However, in the past few years, the school has moved to other places, attended classes in exile, graduated in turmoil to make a living, experienced wars, and suffered bombing. Suddenly, I feel that I should He is an upright man. My colleague, after a bombing, all he was left with was a piece of rubble and the remains of his relatives. He didn’t cry, he just laughed wildly. He was crazy! Oh, it shouldn’t be like this, he should live, tenaciously Live, live for your loved ones, live for your enemies. Tell people what is evil and what is good. I am an architect, I build, I work against destruction!" He shook her hand tightly to say goodbye, and she felt the strength of the architect's big hand. Their friendship is just a tight handshake. Maybe he was reluctant to let go of her hand so quickly, so he brought up another topic: "Xiao Xiangmei, do you know the American Chennault? In order to help China resist the Japanese, he organized a volunteer team of the US Air Force to fight the aerial bombing I heard that they have come to the dense forest of Yunnan and are training intensely." Chen Xiangmei tilted her head: "I know. He was mentioned in my father's letter. He was chivalrous and said to help China, but he didn't change his name. Xiangtao also said that this American uncle has the same surname as us, so he must identify with Zong." All laughed.All of a sudden, the sadness of parting faded a lot. 陈纳德和他的美国空军志愿队并不在云南的密林里，他们在缅甸境内的东瓜。 东瓜离仰光约160哩，靠近锡唐河，是个破烂不堪的小镇。镇中间仅有一条土路，晴时尘土飞扬，下雨一片泥泞。路两旁有些铁皮屋顶的小店铺，中国商人和印度商人出售皮货、假宝石和腰果什么的，也有小酒店。密密的柚木和丛林包围着小镇，东瓜基地就隐藏在丛林深处。柚木、麻栗木盖成的简易营房没有电灯，也没有铁纱门窗，从七月下旬开始，几批志愿队员陆续抵达。时值雨季，倾盆的季候雨、酷热的高温和恐怖的大雷雨交替着，多年的腐烂草木弥漫着酸臭气，森林中瘴气出没，毒虫毒蛇猖獗，毒蚊臭虫疯狂，营房里都生出了青苔！几百名志愿队员灰心丧气，正义感和冒险精神披恶劣的环境磨损了。随军牧师保罗·弗里尔曼无能为力，虽然他是同第一批飞行员乘船而来的，而且1937年就与陈纳德在汉相识；从昆明派往东瓜的卡尼也束手无策，尽管他是陈纳德的僚属好友，又是经验丰富的教官；托姆·金特里大夫更是回人无术，对付疾病，他有一手，对付情绪，他可没有感召力。 陈纳德驾着双引擎的飞机抵达东瓜基地。五名飞行员和数名地勤人员向他递交了辞职书，所有的志愿队员默默注视着他，士气空前低落。 他仍旧穿着一身粗制滥造的冒险家式的服装：破旧的空军帽、笨重的防蚊鞋、皱巴巴的军官衬衫上别着中国军衔。就像他7月28日在仰光码头上迎接第一批志愿队时那样。目光也是一样：专注地、诚挚地、绝对权威地凝视大家。 丛林静悄悄。人群静悄悄。 What do you say?说他也忧心忡忡、心力交瘁？本来他是这支志愿队理所当然的管理者，但马歇尔偏偏要设置重重障碍；昆明基地迟迟未建好，志愿队无法从东瓜转移到昆明；而志愿队在缅甸训练，这又是英国人感到棘手的事；P—40C机得备齐各式零件，方能起飞能战斗…… 他没有说这些。他面对着一群年轻的美国人，他们富有正义感，更富有冒险精神和浪漫幻想，这该死的难熬的丛林雨季妄图浇熄他们的热情，英雄还没有到用武之时呢。他得以铁一般的意志去铸造他们，以父兄般的宽容去理解他们，以人类的正义感同情心去继续激发他们的热情。 他严峻地扫视一遍人群，尔后轻轻地说话了：“8月8日，我去到重庆。日机正对这座城市进行疯狂的轰炸，接连三次空袭，炸弹、火海，城市比旷野还要荒凉，连条狗都看不见。战争、这就是战争。我独自步行到江边，等了许久，过来了一只小船，船夫渡我过江，索要50元，可我翻遍口袋，只有大洋五元和一些零星的美元及印度卢比。你们知道，我不会说中国话，船夫也不懂英文，争执中，警报解除了，躲警报的人便围了上来，有个懂英文的中国人主动调解，我递上名片，他见了名片，竟无比震惊，说：你就是陈纳德先生？组织美国空军志愿队的陈纳德先生？你是中国人民的朋友！美国空军志愿队是中国人民的朋友！他又对人群发表演说，人群欢呼起来，年轻的中国人几乎要把我举起来，那船夫也不知什么时候悄悄地离开了。朋友们，我们还没为中国做什么，中国人已把我们当成真正的朋友了。雨季总会过去的，而真正的友情是让人永远铭记的。” 丛林中响起了热烈的掌声。 陈纳德用民主作风管理志愿队，他废除敬礼制，谁跟他敬礼，他必回礼；营房何时熄灯，酒吧何时关门，少数服从多数；生活已够艰苦枯躁，还是不拘小节、一家人似的为好。但是对飞行训练，陈纳德一丝不苟，严厉得近于刻板。每天清晨得进行一个半小时的空战训练。陈纳德头戴钢盔、脚穿防蚊鞋，爬上摇摇晃晃的竹子搭成的指挥楼，一手握着望远镜，一手拿着麦克风，对空中飞行进行实地指导，从难以严，容不得半点含糊。谁要是敢嘀咕，他会恶狠狠地说：对飞行员的要求——熟练！战斗机驾驶员不能像快餐的德国肉饼一样做出来，不管需要多么紧急。P—40C笨重、低空飞行时引擎常失灵，因而飞行员一度对它感到恐怖，称为飞行员的“杀手”，但陈纳德不这么看，他充分看到的P—40C的长处，它的笨重给了它令人难以置信的俯冲速度，它的装甲厚、火力强，恰恰能利用这些以强制弱。每天还在丛林小屋中教授战术课，在美国无用武之地的陈纳德的战术思想，在这里得到充分的发挥。他强调协作配合精神高于一切，以两架对付敌机一架，等于四架对付一架，成双成对地打，这也是“以强制弱”！ 他的威严和他的宽容并存，他的执著和他的智慧交融，队员们起初对他很敬畏，恭恭敬敬喊他“上校”或“先生”；时间长了，喊他“老汉子”或“老人”，背地里也喊绰号“树皮脸”“老皮革脸”，但分明透出敬爱和亲切。当然，也有极少数人恼恨他，刻薄地讥诮他是“一个一直躲在中国的被淘汰的前上尉”，这是因为陈纳德要淘汰他们。不是飞行员的料，决不让你驾飞机，更不要说打仗。这是陈纳德的准则。 东瓜基地终于变得生气勃勃又井井有条了。 东瓜基地还来了女人：行政长官格林劳的身材苗条的妻子，金特里大夫的两位女护士：红头发雀斑脸的年轻女护士和头发麻白举止庄重的老护士。有了女人，东瓜基地就有了家园的气息。 罗斯福总统的远房亲戚艾尔索普最早来到东瓜基地。他不再是记者，而是积极地参与了战争，眼下受聘于中央飞机制造公司。他成了陈纳德的挚友和不带军衔的副官。艾尔索普曾自告奋勇去马尼拉找麦克阿瑟将军求援，解决P—40C飞机急需的各种零件，但是，波莱竟假传圣旨，横插一杠子，一误再误，陈纳德对波莱的积怨更深了。艾尔索普是一个与政界、军方及在世界各地转的无数通迅记者有种种关系的通天人物，有了他，东瓜基地的信息量大大增加，一些名记者也来到东瓜采访和看望艾尔索普和陈纳德，寂静的丛林便生出种种热闹。 初冬之夜，在茅屋酒吧，三个飞行员摊开他们在仰光弄到的一本杂志《印度画报周刊》，其中有张照片，P—40C在北非利比亚沙漠，那原本单调的草绿色飞机上涂抹成鲨鱼的大嘴和利牙，他们想把基地的P—40C也涂成这样。吸着骆驼牌香烟，喝着威士忌酒的陈纳德当即答应可以试试，或许是个吉兆，狠狠地吃掉日机。说干就干，机械师们兴致勃勃给每架飞机画上鲨鱼的夸张了的嘴和牙齿，还有一双小而锋利的眼，效果不错，陈纳德像孩子般地快乐大笑。 11月，宋子文拍来电报，焦灼询问志愿队训练情况。陈纳德立即复电，志愿队已作好了一切准备。此时陈纳德已从重庆弄到一架千疮百孔的双引擎的山毛榉引飞机，他驾着它往来重庆一昆明一东瓜。 到得11月底，陈纳德将志愿队按作战需要编成三个中队。第一中队命名为“亚当和夏娃队”，第二中队为“熊猫队”，第三中队为“地狱里的天使”。每个中队随心所欲在飞机上涂抹各自标志的漫画：亚当围着大苹果追夏娃、裸体的天使，还有的干脆就是驾驶员自个的漫画像。陈纳德宽容甚至纵容这一切，让美国人浪漫、乐天，还有点玩世不恭的天性尽情发挥吧，他胸有成竹，他们决不是乌合之众，个个都是好样的。如果一切顺利，他们将很快调往昆明，随时痛击来犯的敌机。 夜间，不论星月朗照还是一片漆黑，陈纳德和金特里大夫都要爬上颤巍巍的竹子搭的指挥楼中，黑魃魃的丛林边境，是银白色的哗哗而下的瀑布，直落向泰国那边。他俩默默地坐着，抽着烟斗，凝视着夜空，捕捉非自然的声响。有时是死一般的静默压迫着他们。陈纳德有种强烈预感：更大规模的战争正一天天逼近！莫名其妙会想起夏威夷的单调又热闹的吉他的铮·，他的卢克机场和那难忘的三年。 12月8日中午，陈纳德正走向机场时，一名无线电人员，手中高举着一封电报，飞快地跑过草地，向他冲来：夏威夷！Pearl Harbor!日本偷袭珍珠港！ 电报是从仰光皇家空军司令部发来的。 1941年12月7日，当地时间星期日，清晨，日本未经宣战，突然袭击在珍珠港内的美国海空军，击沉击伤美国主要船只15艘，击毁飞机188架，美国太平洋舰队损失惨重。 英、美对日，德、意对美正式宣战，太平洋战争爆发。 香港冬季的雾··的黏黏的，像泼翻了盛牛奶的天壶，那乳白色的液汁便铺天盖地溶化了一切。 在这样的冬天的清晨，睡在暖暖的被窝里，做的梦也当是香甜的。 陈香梅睡得很沉。昨天星期日，她痛痛快快玩了一整天，因为毕尔来了。说是过年归家探亲，可中国的旧历年早着呢，就是洋人的圣诞也嫌早，她知道，他想她。所以哪怕大考在即，她也陪他玩了一天。先是赶了早场的电影，再喝下午茶，遇上几个朋友，一时兴起，大家就又乘车去大埔玩，最后一班火车回港时，大家说明天再回香港吧，可陈香梅不愿，她还从未有过丢下四个妹妹在外过夜的记录，毕尔便伴着她回了香港，在圣保禄女书院的铁门外，毕尔依依不舍地说：“明天中午，我送你去港大。”她笑了：“是今天，刚过了子夜呢。” 陈香梅正做着好的梦。百花盛开着，依稀仿佛间，是北平外公的老宅，是广州祖母的后花园，是母亲红房子旁的绿草坪，是港大的半山腰，不，是天上人间，毕尔采撷着鲜花，还是鲜花簇拥着毕尔，花海的荡澜，一切是虚飘飘的…… boom!boom!一下一下，剧烈沉重，山摇地动。 飒飒飒飒飒。像骤雨打在荷叶上。 陈香梅惊醒了。翻身而起。睡过头了，她快速地穿衣梳洗，并不以为世界发生了什么惊天动地的事，怕是梦中的感觉吧。 boom!boom!一下一下，是一炮一炮。 飒飒飒飒飒。是机关枪的扫射声流弹的呼啸声。 她正在镜前梳头。手举着梳子僵成立格，镜子里是张莫名惊诧的青春的脸庞。 走廊里已是乱哄哄的一片。 她这才冲了出去。 所有的寄宿生，担任各种角色的修女们全都乱成一团，像被无形的手哄赶着的一群母鸡小鸡。仓皇奔走又急急地发问：“怎么回事？怎么回事？”最后全涌上了楼的窗边。 全香港的人都处于半恐怖半兴奋的状态。 仿佛是大炮和枪弹撕碎了这乳白色的晨雾，天空像条条破棉絮在寒风中簌簌飘动。楼房中、山巅上、高坡旁，几乎全港的居民都向海面上望去，所有的嘴都在说：“开仗了。开仗了。” 这是1941年12月8日香港的清晨。 收音机里有个镇静的男声在宣读着公告：“我们已经面临战争。日本飞机正在轰炸启德机场和停泊在港湾里的船只。我们的地面炮火至少已经击落了一架进袭的飞机。” 但人们很快明白，他们可不只是观众和听众。炮火愈来愈猛烈，流弹网撕碎了人们的神经，飞机营营地在头顶盘旋，轰隆一声巨响，整个世界黑了下来，只剩下火海、废墟和死亡。 修女院长声嘶力竭叫喊着：“快！快！快去地下室！” 陈香梅已和四个妹妹搂成一团，跌跌撞撞来到寒冷阴湿的地下室，漆黑的空间只有天花板上有只昏黄的灯泡，刺鼻的霉味让人窒息，靠着墙壁有两排矮矮的硬板凳，五十多个老老少少的女子便挨挨挤挤于硬板凳上。 修女院长恢复了自信和镇静，要大家祈祷，并断言不出三天，战争就要结束，因为这里是太阳永不落的大英帝国的属地。 然而，炮弹的轰鸣机关枪的扫射声常淹没她的话语，天崩地陷的巨响后，百年灰尘从天花板上纷纷抖落，迷离了人们的视野。 两个女工却表现出异乎寻常的勇敢。她俩送下一些米饭和干面包等吃食后，又冒死上街打听消息。翘首等待她俩归来，似乎成了一室的人静坐冷板凳的精神支柱。她俩也不负众望，绘声绘色某处成了火海，某人被流弹击中，电车、公共汽车还在开，可飞机一来，乱哄哄眨眼人就跑了个精光，天荒地老，到了世界末日，店铺和住家都门户紧闭，抢劫已经发生……等到轰炸停了，才意识到天已黑了，一室的人就又回到各自的宿舍，却多是无眠之夜。陈香梅睁眼于黑夜中，回想昨天与毕尔的假日，竟如同隔世！毕尔怎么样了？大姐静宜呢？ 第二天又禁锢于地下室。第三天仍如此。日子变得漫长难捱。恐怖与无望、寒冷与饥饿压迫着大家，香桃和几个年纪小的女孩都嘤嘤地哭泣起来。这一夜，修女院长不准大家回宿舍，胡乱地盖床毯子躺在阴冷潮湿的青砖地面上，大家冻得直哆嗦，就像古墓地中奄奄一息的活的陪葬者。香梅用毯子裹紧香桃，香桃哽咽着问：“二姐，为什么妈妈死了，爹地也不来管我们？”无限心酸，泪水潸然而下，她什么话也说不出，只是将香桃搂得更紧。 这是寒噤的黎明，瑟缩的黎明，她们姐妹无依无靠，没有了家！也许，她该冒死去玛利医院护士学校找大姐，静宜毕竟比她大四岁。 第四天，炮声较为沉寂，可是确切的消息传来了：九龙已被日军占领，启德机场是在开战的第一天就被占领了。修女院长的预言成了泡影。 昏暗的灯光迷糊着无心绪分辨昼夜的老少女子们，一个女工却悄悄地杵杵陈香梅，陈香梅像攫住了希望似地跟着她悄然出了地下室，出了宿舍楼。 是一个冬天的晴日。天是明净的淡漠的蓝色，太阳是浅浅的稀薄的黄色，女书院后庭院的池塘老树枯藤石凳呈现着原始的荒凉。陈香梅乍到亮处，霎时一切都晕眩起来。 天晕地眩中，一个挺拔的男子身着考花呢大衣，张开双臂急切地走向她。 她在作白日梦。 那男子的一双大手却紧紧握住了她的小手。是毕尔！她却喊不出一个字，泪水哗哗流淌，那泪眼却死死盯住她的毕尔，只怕一眨眼间，他会消逝得无影无踪。 他一遍一遍轻声呼唤她：“小香梅，小香梅、小香梅……”他怕吓着她，也怕声音大了，她会化作一股轻烟飘去。 都似梦似醒。 天地之间，千年万年的太阳无心无肝地照着，千年万年的寒风莽莽地吹着，说什么天长地久，这一刻的双双拥有，才是真正的天长地久。 女工不好意思起来，别过脸看天看地，嘴中念念有词：“陈小姐，这位先生来了好几次，央求着要见见你，可是你知道书院的规矩，又是这样的兵荒马乱，他后来说是你们姐妹的亲人，亲人嘛……” 陈香梅仍说不出话，“亲人”，撼动了她的心魄，她哽咽着只有拚命点头。 老女工却催促了：“见了面还是快走吧，我得锁后门了，院长知道了会丽罚我的。” 毕尔这才赶紧取下肩上的挎包交给香梅：“一点食品，给你的妹妹们吧。” 他谢了老女工，匆匆离去，陈香梅追上，断肠般喊出了声：“毕尔——” 他回身又握住她的手：“你们多多保重，我还会看你的。” “不……不要……”她流着泪摇着头，她的心却在说：一定再来！她的嘴上和心里都是真的，在这种恐怖的日子里，她不能没有他，他是她的依傍，她的亲人。但是，她不能让他冒着炮火流弹的危险来看她，子弹没长眼，万一有个三长两短，她不能饶恕自己！ 这一夜，她们姊妹五个算睡了囫囵觉，因为有了毕尔。 第五天，炮火轰炸空前绝后地猛烈，围城进入了白热化阶段。毕尔信守诺言，在炮火纷飞中又来到了女书院的后庭院，流弹擦着他的脑袋过，一绺头发都灼焦了，他还若无其事。陈香梅抓住他的双手，歇斯底里地哭叫着：“不！不！毕尔，我不能让你死掉！你死了我也没法活了。你不要再来了，我和妹妹们会好好地活下去！活下去！答应我。” 毕尔说：“答应你，每隔一天来看你。” "No!" “好，每隔两天来看你。” "No!" “那好，每隔三天来看你，不能再让步了。” 只是两双手紧紧地相握，没有拥抱，更没有亲吻，战争净化了爱情，这却是名副其实的生死恋。 女书院的食物已断了来源。修女院长得不悲观地宣布：战争不知会延续到哪一天，女书院库存食物已很少，每人每天只能供应两餐：早餐一片面包，晚餐半碗米饭。但很快储粮也完了，五十八人仅仅喝水度日，坐着躺着，伴着肠胃的咕噜声。供给总算及时到了，不过一些杂豆，黄豆、黑豆、红豆、绿豆都有。于是煮豆成了主餐。两位老女工排除万难弄来一些菜，没有油，也用水煮了，大家狼吞虎咽后，都觉得口腔肠胃难受非常，但总比饿肚子好。仗越打越激烈，夜间也只有睡在地下室，香港从来未曾有过这样寒冷的冬天，地下室如同冰窖，小的啼哭、大的啜泣、老的哀叹，幸亏还有一盏昏黄的灯泡，要不，就是一座坟冢！ 陈香梅却寻到了解脱的方法。在寒浸浸的空门，饥寒交迫的她凑着微弱的灯光，吃力地忘情地读着书：、《金色的忘优树》、《四海之内皆兄弟》、《中国制片场传奇》……修女院长有气无力地劝说：你会把眼睛看坏的。她管不了这许多，何以忘忧，唯有读书。而与毕尔每隔三天的约会，是战火纷飞中一出又一出的传奇，出生入死，沉浮于最富色彩的体验中，是这可哀日子中最珍贵的回忆。 围城的第十五天，吃过小半碗煮黄豆，陈香梅翻看第五回：“游幻境指迷十二钗，饮仙醪曲演红楼梦”，也不知是读第几遍了，流弹网的哒哒哒声成了读书时的伴奏。读毕晴雯、袭人、香菱和金陵十二钗的判词，她不由得托腮痴想：厚地高天，哪来这么多的痴男怨女？可谓古今情不尽。而情起情灭皆因一个“缘”字？这“缘”，是因？还是果？她和毕尔只有执手之情，但分明已是恋爱，这是烽火缘围城恋？突然一声巨响，灯灭了，天花板坍了，百年尘土纷纷而下，整个世界漆黑一团。爆炸就在头顶，轰天震地，她们就这样被埋葬在地下室了。没有一个人出声，呐喊呻吟没有，呼吸声也没有，她死死地捂住贴在胸口，就这样被活埋，也够本了。 不知是很快还是很久，由远而近幽幽飘忽来两盏鬼火，有遥远的声音传来：“程姑娘——”是老女工，她在唤着修女院长。尔后修女院长用变了调的声音回答：“我……在这里……”屏声敛息的老少女子这才像决堤洪水，浩浩荡荡哭叫搂抱起来。原来大家都没有死，也没有受伤！炸弹落在圣保禄女书院的楼房上，楼记主坍塌了，水电全被切断了。that is it.香梅和四个妹妹紧紧楼抱着，原来，死，即便是假死，也是安静的；唯有活着，哪怕又累又苦地活着，也还是喧闹的。 围城的第十七天，陈香梅如约在后庭院等毕尔，可直到天黑，也不见毕尔的踪影。随着夜幕降临，不祥的沉寂便笼罩着这座原本华美而今却是死的城市。没有灯光，没有人声，只有呼啸的寒风摇撼着凄迷枯瘦的冬天的树，远点的海上的风，则饿犬般地哀号，这是最不祥的声音。她呆坐在池塘边的石凳上，人已经冻木了，她双手合十，百遍千遍地念着：“毕尔毕尔毕尔……” 一个黑影踉啮着扑向后门的铁栅栏，她飞也似地奔过去，是毕尔！隔着栅栏，手与手紧紧相握。 “毕尔，你，你没事吧？” 他下死力攥紧她的手。 锥心刺骨的寒夜。刻骨铭心的初恋。 好一会他才说：“没事，小香梅。只是处处戒严，不准通行。鬼子已占领了许多地方。但我想，怎么也得来，你会等着我的。” 她泪流满面，哽咽着说：“毕尔，这太危险了。你快回家吧，快走吧，等仗打完了，我们再见面吧。” 可两双手还紧紧攥在一起。 “小香梅，仗会很快打完的。我要告诉你好消息，记得我们说过的美国人陈纳德么，他的志愿队，呵，大家叫他们飞虎队，飞虎队在昆明上空、在缅甸上空，将日机打得落花流水，很多电台都在赞颂飞虎队，全世界都知道了。” “呵，太好了，飞虎队会在香港上空出现吗？我真不懂，这些日本强盗为什么要带给我们这么多的苦难！真是疯狂的野兽，非得狠狠教训他们不可。” 第二天是圣诞节，仗打完了。但是以英国人的投降而告终。围城十作天，香港陷落了。 修女院长在午夜领着她们出了地下室，瑟缩着进小教堂作祷告。夜空冷得发蓝，星星晶莹地闪烁，仿佛间让人觉得这不是星星，是十八天的战火还在炫耀地闪烁。教堂已显得破破烂，墙壁上千疮百孔，藉着摇曳的烛光，五十多个死里沈生的老少女子以阐哑的嗓音唱着赞美诗。 陈香梅思绪茫然：赞美谁？赞美什么？上帝何在？圣母何在？十八天长如一个世纪，如果没有毕尔的爱，她能穿越漫漫的黑暗的隧道吗？她清晰地感觉到，更恐怖更巨大的磨难和屈辱在等着她们。劫后余生将会是怎样的余生呢？她再也唱不下去，她不像是十六岁的花季的少女，而是历尽沧桑的六十岁的老妇。 其实，磨难不过刚开了个头。初恋的