Return to Shanghai

That winter was bitterly cold, and the days spent together as a family always seemed to fly by. After the Spring Festival of 1934, Tan Yang would leave Shanghai to return to her studies in Germany. Before her departure, she and Bi Qingtang made a trip back to Tongli. From the thirteenth year of the Republic to the twenty-third, it had been an entire decade since Tan Yang’s beloved father had passed away.

The misty water town guarded its own quiet dignity, gentle as flowing water, whose accumulation of days and years had turned silence into eternity. At dawn, Bi Qingtang and Tan Yang, accompanied by two attendants and carrying offerings, went to the cemetery where Tan Yang’s parents rested. On the way, Bi Qingtang advised her, “Try not to let the scenery stir up your feelings—don’t be too sad. When we get there, I’ll explain our situation to your parents, so you don’t have to speak. Otherwise, you’ll end up crying, just like that year, and fall ill again, which shouldn’t happen.”

Arriving at the site, they were surprised to see several bowls placed before the tombstone, containing dried red-stained steamed buns and wrinkled fruit, with a jar of wine beside them—Tan Yang’s father’s favorite, Jining Golden Wave Wine. “Someone recently came to pay respects to Father—who could it be?” Tan Yang squatted down, gently touching the tombstone and speaking to herself. “Could it be some relatives or friends here in Tongli?” Bi Qingtang reminded her. Tan Yang shook her head, “Father kept very much to himself in Tongli, had few friends, and our relatives were from Mother’s side, distant and rarely visited. Uncle Ma is still in Tianjin—I really can’t think who it could be.”

Bi Qingtang said nothing more, moved the wine jar aside, and arranged their own offerings. His gaze lingered on the five characters on the wine jar—Jining Golden Wave Wine—his brow twitching unconsciously, lost in thought. Tan Yang began telling her parents of her life over the past two years, and as she spoke, sorrow crept in. After all, her own small family, her progress, her happiness—her loved ones could not witness or share them, and that was a deep regret of life. When Tan Yang had almost finished, Bi Qingtang suddenly realized he’d forgotten everything he had promised to say on her behalf.

Walking back from the cemetery through Tongli’s streets, Tan Yang looked at a large storefront and murmured, “That used to be a small pharmacy. When Father was ill, I often went there for medicine. I never expected it to grow so big.” Bi Qingtang’s eyelid twitched imperceptibly, and he responded with a perfunctory “Mm.”

That night, back at the Bi residence, Tan Yang was tired and went upstairs early to rest with her daughter. Bi Qingtang closed the study door tightly, picked up the telephone and dialed, then spoke in a low voice, “Director Zhang? Sorry to disturb you so late! Ha ha, the police station is hardly somewhere I frequent; I’m a law-abiding citizen…”

After Tan Yang returned to Heidelberg, she plunged into her studies. That summer, pressed by academic demands, she didn’t return home; instead, Bi Qingtang brought their five-year-old daughter Yan Qin to Germany to visit her, lingering in Heidelberg for several days before leaving. In August 1935, Hitler, already Chancellor, became President of Germany, merging the two offices into one, taking the title of Führer. The domestic situation in Germany changed accordingly.

At the end of 1935, Tan Yang sent a telegram from Germany, saying she would delay her return to Shanghai by three months. Bi Qingtang, upon reading the first line, was both angry and vexed; but seeing the second line, he broke into a broad smile. She wrote she intended to finish her studies quickly and, once back, would never leave again.

The following year, just after the Spring Festival, at midnight, the Shanghai docks were illuminated by kerosene lamps hanging from tall wooden poles, swaying in the sea breeze. Groups of people stood beneath the lights, some with hands tucked into their sleeves, shifting from foot to foot, gazing out at the black sea. Their occasional conversations, and the white breath rising from their mouths and noses, underscored the chill of Shanghai’s winter nights. Bi Qingtang, wrapped in an overcoat, stood by the car, a cigarette in hand—smoking or not, it was hard to say—while the attendants and driver chatted idly with him.

Suddenly, a steamboat’s whistle sounded, approaching from afar, and the silhouette of the ship gradually emerged on the water. Bi Qingtang dropped his cigarette and strode quickly forward. The crowd’s attention focused on the ship’s railings. The vessel was crowded; with Europe unstable, many students had finished their studies early and returned home. No matter how turbulent the world, returning home remained a fundamental instinct.

Bi Qingtang frowned, scanning the exit, until a figure appeared in his sight. He smiled, and the lines of his face softened. He called out, “Little sister, I’m over here!” He took off his hat and waved, pushing through the crowd toward Tan Yang. She spotted him, her eyes lighting up, and called out cheerfully, “Big brother!” Running toward him, Bi Qingtang slammed his hat onto her head, “You little rascal, finally back from your wild adventures!”

Tan Yang beamed at him. Bi Qingtang, about to put his arm around her, noticed the box she was carrying and took it from her. “So heavy?” “Books, all books!” “Anything else? I’ll send someone to fetch it from the ship.” At this, Tan Yang seemed to remember something. She turned and said, “Oh, big brother, let me introduce someone. Thanks to him, I managed to get my box off the ship!”

Following her gaze, Bi Qingtang saw a man in his thirties, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, pale and refined, standing a few yards away and nodding politely with a courteous smile. Tan Yang walked over, “Mr. Hu, I forgot to introduce you—this is my husband, Bi Qingtang.” Then, linking her arm with Bi Qingtang’s, she said, “Big brother, this is Hu Liancheng, a Doctor of Law from the University of Berlin. He took care of me throughout the journey.”

Bi Qingtang extended his hand and shook Hu’s. “Mr. Hu, my wife must have troubled you!” Hu Liancheng shook his head with a smile, “Not at all. When away from home, we must look out for each other.” As he spoke, he adjusted his glasses, and a flash of cunning—rare in scholars—appeared in his eyes. “Tan often spoke of you.” Male animals are keenly sensitive to threats; even with eyes closed, their noses can sniff out ambiguous closeness in such words, and Bi Qingtang was particularly irritated. He was about to retort when Tan Yang, slightly displeased, seized his arm and interjected, “Big brother, I mention you to everyone. They’re sick of it, and privately laugh at me.”

At moments like this, his wife’s solidarity gave Bi Qingtang a soaring sense of triumph, and with a lofty humility he replied, “Am I really worth your constant chatter? If you’re not embarrassed, I am!” Hu Liancheng could only smile awkwardly.

Seeing he was out of place, Hu Liancheng set down the box and said to Tan Yang, “Since you have someone to meet you, I’ll take my leave.” He bowed slightly, gentlemanly, and nodded to Bi Qingtang before departing. “Mr. Hu, didn’t your family come to meet you?” Bi Qingtang asked offhandedly. “Oh, I didn’t tell them my exact arrival time.” Bi Qingtang laughed, rubbing his nose, “Come, we’ll take Mr. Hu home.” Without waiting for protest, he ushered Hu Liancheng toward the car, unusually friendly. Tan Yang seemed to have guessed Bi Qingtang’s intention, and cast him a resentful glance.

Having no way to refuse, Hu Liancheng got into the car. As Bi Qingtang opened the rear door, he saw a little girl with a bob haircut sleeping soundly beneath a cashmere blanket on the back seat. Tan Yang hurried in and carefully cradled her daughter. Yan Qin smacked her lips a couple of times and continued to sleep in her mother’s arms. Tan Yang was delighted, and complained to Bi Qingtang, “Big brother, you see, you insist on bringing our girl out so late.” Bi Qingtang turned to Hu Liancheng, feigning grievance, “Look, she doesn’t mention how I’m dragged out at midnight, only cares about our darling daughter.” Hu Liancheng smiled awkwardly, “On the ship Miss Tan said she had a six-year-old daughter—I thought she was joking.” Bi Qingtang wanted to say, “If you don’t want to believe it, you can treat it as a joke,” but thought better of it and withheld the remark.

In the car, Tan Yang only had eyes for her daughter, asking Bi Qingtang about the girl’s life over the past six months, calling him “big brother” again and again. Hu Liancheng, sitting beside Bi Qingtang, felt left out and gazed out the window. Later, Tan Yang realized she’d neglected their guest and said, “Big brother, let’s take Mr. Hu home first. Mr. Hu, where do you live?” Before Hu Liancheng could answer, Bi Qingtang laughed, “My silly wife, he’s our neighbor, also lives on Foch Road. The Hu family’s eldest son, Hu Liancheng—you know nothing.”

Hu Liancheng replied modestly, “Mr. Bi flatters me. I’m hardly worth mentioning, unlike your illustrious name—speak it and half of Shanghai trembles; all circles, high and low, find it useful.” He left it at that. Bi Qingtang gave a cold laugh, “Hardly compares to your esteemed father. Whatever the era, he’s always enjoyed smooth sailing and official success.” He, too, left it at that.

A hint of unease crossed Hu Liancheng’s face, and he changed the topic, “Actually, before I went to study in Germany, I happened to attend Mr. Bi and Miss Tan’s wedding, though I was too far away and it’s been so long. If Miss Tan hadn’t mentioned it on the ship, I wouldn’t have remembered.” Tan Yang tucked the blanket around Yan Qin and smiled at Bi Qingtang, “Big brother, see how small the world is!” Before Bi Qingtang could reply, Hu Liancheng continued, “I hear Miss Tan calls Mr. Bi ‘big brother’—so you must be cousins who married. In fact, old-fashioned marriages can be happy; we shouldn’t judge them all the same.”

Bi Qingtang snorted, “Ours wasn’t arranged—we married freely, according to new customs. Her family objected, and don’t be fooled by her youth at the time; she was very stubborn.” He spoke absent-mindedly, glancing sideways at Tan Yang, whose hair was tousled by the wind. He took off his leather gloves and gently tidied her hair, then withdrew his hand slowly, smiling and leaning back without another word. Hu Liancheng wilted, looking down, saying nothing more.

When they arrived, Hu Liancheng got out, and Bi Qingtang warmly invited him to visit whenever he had time. Hu Liancheng agreed politely. As soon as the car door closed, Bi Qingtang asked Tan Yang, “Do you think he’ll dare come looking for you again?” Tan Yang lowered her head and kissed her daughter’s forehead, “After your display, who would dare?” Bi Qingtang laughed triumphantly. “Big brother, didn’t you always say our marriage was arranged by you, an arranged match? Why the change now?” Tan Yang turned to smile at him. Bi Qingtang laughed heartily, put his arm around her, and whispered in her ear, “I’m not afraid of thieves stealing, just afraid of thieves coveting!” His words tickled her ear, and her heart softened; she grabbed his arm, but he seized the moment and kissed her deeply by her ear…

Standing alone in the cold midnight wind of Shanghai, Hu Liancheng watched the black car drive away, gritting his teeth and muttering, “A petty thug, showing off in front of me! Just a woman—like a flower stuck in manure. Let’s see how long your pride lasts.”

Author’s note: Sigh, it’s been ages since I had a day off. Last week I missed rest because of inspections, this week because the department is taking turns for travel, and next week it’s my turn! But honestly, going out in this exhausted state doesn’t seem much fun, sigh.

After all this, I feel the progress is still too slow. Sorry, everyone, sob.

Bitan Chronicle 4442_Bitan Chronicle Full Free Reading_44 (42) Return to Shanghai update complete!