48

A month later, Zhou Di noticed a significant surge in the presence of the Wasoku soldiers in Yucheng. Even some wounded soldiers were being sent to the local hospital, prompting the establishment of a temporary military medical station to handle the influx of the casualties. At that moment, Zhou Di couldn't ignore the possibility that the person who had once paraded the street shouting that day: "The Yang family's armies are on their way to here soon." might have been right. Although he often listened to the radio, its broadcasting mainly glorified the Wasoku's victories and their supposed protection of ancient culture in the Midlands. However, the current state of affairs, combined with reports of heavy casualties on the Yang family's side, made him believe that the Yang family's army was indeed advancing. Even Guan Yunkai seemed to share the same feeling, evidenced by his simultaneous singing while painting. Despite their growing excitement, Guan Yunkai's cautionary words cast a shadow of worry:

"A cornered dog will do something desperate. The current situation with the Wasoku people is akin to that of a cornered dog. Be careful! The Wasoku people may resort to more underhanded tactics."

Naturally, this instilled great concern in them, as many others in Yucheng also considered Guan Yunkai's assessment to be accurate. Although their work repairing antiques for An Yuanxi was not yet complete, they had received no new fragments from An Yuanxi's adjutant because the escalating warfare had drawn everyone's sight, the lack of focus on their tasks. Now Zhou Di began crafting some jewelry from low-value stones while Guan Yunkai resumed his calligraphy and painting after a long hiatus. However, the increased number of the Wasoku soldiers in Yucheng brought a surge in robberies. Zhou Di's shop became a prime target. This made him seriously consider closing his shop until conditions improved to be safe and peace. Yet, the Wasoku authorities mandated that all shops remain open daily to maintain the facade of prosperity and stability in the captured city to the public. This left Zhou Di in a dilemma, forcing him to leave the shop open but empty the shelve, hiding all valuable items in the hiding place. Of course the utmost concern for Zhou Di was for the two children, especially Yang Zichun, the son of Yang Chen. The first time when the Wasoku soldiers armed with weapons broke into his shop to loot, he immediately realized the danger two children faced. This prompted him to make a decisive and protective so he spoke to Yang Zichun:

"Chun'er, listen to me, you have seen how chaotic it is outside with the Wasoku soldiers constantly barging in to plunder. Aichen and you are the most important persons to Pa. Your safety, especially yours, means everything to. If anything were to happen to you, I would never forgive myself nor could I face your father. That's why I've decided to have both of you stay in the hiding place every day. But Aichen is too young and I can't stay there with you. Can you take care of him?" Seeing Yang Zichun nod sensibly, Zhou Di continued, "I will prepare some food and drink for you inside and lay out the quilts on the ground. If you want, Aichen and you can sleep there. If you hear any noise, shut this small door immediately. No matter what happens, don't come out. I will call for you when I come back."

Yang Zichun asked anxiously:

"But what if you can't come back? what should we do?"

Zhou Di fell silent for a moment. If he couldn't come back, it would mean that he had .... and the two children would become orphans. Feeling a pang in his heart, he said after a deep breath:

"If I can't come back, Zichun, I need you to take care of Aichen for me. Wait for your Dad to come back. Can you do that?"

Yang Zichun threw his arms around Zhou Di's neck tightly, tears brimming in his eyes, and said:

"Pa, don't worry. I will take care of Chen'er forever because I have grown up. But ... do you think my Dad will come back?"

Zhou Di said firmly:

"Yes, I do. He promised me and I trust him."

"Do you and Dad have a good relationship? Are you Dad's best friend? You know he doesn't have friends, only subordinates."

Zhou Di's face turned red but admitted:

"Yes, your Dad means a lot to me. He's my dearest friend. We miss each other and worry for each other."

"So I also want you to come back every day too. And then we will never be separated again. Okay?"

Zhou Di hugged Yang Zichun tightly, nodding:

"I promise you I will come back every day if I can. We will never be apart again."

Yang Zichun said in a nasal voice:

"I know you and Dad are really close. That day when I heard Dad got arrested, I saw how sad you were and you cried so much. I knew you cared about my Dad more than my Mom ever did. My Mom only cared about herself and my Dad focused more on the army. Now, after having searched for her for such a long time, we still don't know where my mother is yet. I miss her ... and I miss my Dad too."

Hearing this, Zhou Di felt a pang of sadness for the boy and tried to comfort him:

"Don't worry, my child, Pa will continue to look for your mom. Maybe she is still alive somewhere." Zhou Di knew that his words were just to comfort Yang Zichun but no one truly believed it. It had been nearly three years but there was no news of Hu Suqiao. The chaos of that night and the driver's death hinted that her fate had likely been grim. Despite his efforts to search everywhere, even including the brothel in Yucheng, there had been no single trace of her. So he continued:

"Chun'er, I will withdraw all my money tomorrow and leave it with you keep in the hiding place. If I don't come back, you could buy some food. Don't buy too much, just enough for two or three days at a time. You have to make sure the street isn't chaotic before you decide to go out. If there are the Wasoku soldiers around, run away as quickly as possible and find somewhere to hide. Once it's safe, you go home and stay hidden. Do you understand?"

Yang Zichun nodded seriously and said:

"If you don't come back, I will take care of Chen'er and wait for Dad to come back."

"Yes, wait for Dad to come back. When you meet your Dad, please give him all the things inside. Okay?"

While speaking, Zhou Di took out a piece of paper from his chest and said:

"This is for you."

The paper was a bit old and crumpled, with deep creases indicating how often it had been unfolded. Yang Zichun opened it and saw a portrait. There was no background, just a person lying on a recliner, sleeping. However, the smearing of colours were applied so that it made the person seem to be enveloped in a layer of golden light. Yang Zichun asked:

"Is this Dad?"

"Yes, I painted it. At that time..."

Yang Zichun interrupted:

"You like Dad, don't you?"

Zhou Di blushed but nodded and admitted:

"Yes, I like him." He looked at Yang Zichun, hugged him lightly to hide his shyness and said, "I like you too."

Yang Zichun held Zhou Di and said with a smile:

"I like you too. From now on, you're also my Dad."

The next day Zhou Di withdrew all his money from his account and told Guan Yunkai that he planned to send the children back to Zhouzhuang village. In fact, he rode his bicycle to Xishan mountain again. He had been visiting the ruined villa almost every week for the past nearly three years. The sight of it, overgrown with weeds and utterly deserted, gave him a strange sense of peace. However, today on his way back to the city, he unexpectedly encountered a group of battered Wasoku soldiers slowly marching towards Yucheng. He was even forced to carry a wounded officer on his bicycle to the city because this officer held a pistol to his head. Zhou Di said calmly:

"Sir, you don't need to threaten me with your pistol. I'll definitely carry you where you need to go. I am a good citizen of Yucheng."

The officer put down his pistol and sneered:

"Good citizen? There are no fucking good citizens in the Midlands. My entire troop was wiped out by that bastard Yang Chen this time. The troop, which originally had over 20,000 soldiers, now only has remnants left."

Hearing Yang Chen's name, Zhou Di couldn't help but feel a sense of joy in his heart, but he remained calm and said:

"Yang Chen? He had been dead for a long time. I even saw him parading on the street that day."

The officer spat bitterly:

"That asshole An Yuanxi was deceived. Yang Chen dead? Bullshit. Tell me who are fighting against us now? Fuck, all of us were deceived by the bastard An Yuanxi."

Zhou Di asked casually:

"How are you so sure it was Yang Chen who fought against you?"

But in his mind: Great! An Yuanxi was deceived.

The officer demanded angrily:

"What the hell are you doing? Why are you asking so many questions?"

Zhou Di smiled disarmingly and replied:

"Since you mentioned it, I'm just engaging in conversation with you. I'm just a craftsman, I don't understand these military matters."

"What the bastard An Yuanxi knows is just how to plunder antiques everywhere. He doesn't know damn anything about fighting."

Zhou Di wisely chose to stay silent and simply listened to the officer cursing in the backseat until they finally arrived at a military medical station. In the end, his bicycle was forcefully confiscated, claimed to be requisitioned.

When Zhou Di finally returned home, he eagerly shared the news with Yang Zichun. Overjoyed, Yang Zichun shouted:

"My Dad is coming back! My Dad is coming back!"

Zhou Aichen also joined in gleefully, shouting:

"Dad, back. Dad, back."

Zhou Di laughed and hugged his son tightly, remarking with amusement:

"You little guy know nothing, yet you're still shouting for 'Dad'"

Then, he planted a deep kiss his son on the cheek. Seeing this, Yang Zichun also kissed Zhou Aichen on the cheek too, and then kissed Zhou Di on the cheek as well. Zhou Di returned the kiss on Yang Zichun's cheek. The three of them engaged in a playful kissing game each other on the bed, exchanging kisses and laughing loudly as they rolled around on the bed. Their laughter filled with the room, making for a rare, joyful night together.

Meanwhile, the defeat of the Wasoku army became increasingly apparent. The first news spread that the military medical station in Yucheng was preparing to evacuate. At the headquarters, the Wasoku soldiers were seen sorting out and burning the documents as well as moving some boxes of supplies and valuables away. At the same time, the Wasoku soldiers continued looting door-to-door with increasing frequency. 

Zhou Di had no choice but left the doors of his shop and home wide open, allowing the soldiers to come in freely and take anything whatever they wanted without resistance, as long as they refrained from harming anyone. For the sake of safety, he also kept the children stayed in the hiding place day and night, repeatedly reminding Zhou Aichen: "Don't cry! Don't make a sound!" Only when it was completely safe, would he allow the children to come out for some fresh air and sit by the window to bask in the sunlight.

Two days passed like in this tense routine and the streets finally quieted down a bit. One morning, before Zhou Di could even open the door, he heard a knocking on the door. He quickly told the children to close the hidden door and stay silent. When he opened the door, he was met with a group of Wasoku soldiers standing outside. Behind them stood Guan Yunkai, his face pale and dejected. One of the Wasoku soldiers barked:

"Are you Zhou Di?"

Zhou Di replied calmly:

"Yes."

"Come with us."

Just as Zhou Di was about to aske where they were being taken, he noticed Guan Yunkai subtly shaking his head slightly at him. Taking the hint, Zhou Di refrained from speaking. They were escorted onto a military vehicle, where besides a few boxes, there were also several wounded soldiers occupied the vehicle's hopper. Zhou Di leaned toward Guan Yunkai and asked in a low voice:

"What's going on? Where are they taking us?"

Guan Yunkai replied, still wearing a sorrowful expression.

"I don't know."

Sensing something amiss, Zhou Di pressed further:

"What happened?"

Guan Yunkai suddenly burst into tears:

"These bastards killed my wife ... just because she wanted to come with me."

Zhou Di was stunned. His shock quickly turned to anger and he muttered through gritted teeth:

"Sons of bitch."

Guan Yunkai wiped his face, his voice trembling with fury and grief, and said:

"They are indeed sons of bitch. This seems to be the last group of Wasoku soldiers evacuating from Yucheng. I really hope that Yang Chen has the ability to wipe out all of these sons of bitches and avenge us, all of the people in Midlands."

Zhou Di said firmly:

"Yes, I believe he has already done."

But his thoughts were consumed by worry for the two children he had left behind. Silently, he prayed and hoped that Yang Chen would enter Yucheng as quickly as possible so that Yang Zichun could have a chance to unit with Yang Chen again.

However, what Zhou Di never expected was that less than half an hour after they left Yucheng, the city was engulfed in flames. An Yuanxi had declared a scorched earth policy, completely destroying Yucheng during the evacuation. By afternoon, the vanguard of the Yang family army entered the burning city. Zhao Dayou immediately dispatched a battalion to assist in firefighting and rescue efforts, while the remaining soldiers strengthened the perimeter of Yucheng to hunt down any remnants of the Wasoku forces still lurking nearby.