Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Don’t Look Back (Nine)

[Shanghai, Winter]

There was just one week left before the Lunar New Year, and the workers at the printing factory gradually stopped working. The other departments at the Commercial Press also began to slack off—despite the tough times, the New Year was still coming.

In the transmission room at the entrance of the press, where people came and went, an elderly man in a cotton jacket sat drowsily. His fatigue quickly disappeared when he saw a young woman approaching, and it was replaced with genuine concern.

"Miss Yu, why are you dressed so lightly? It's winter," he asked, leaning out from the window.

"Uncle Qi, I'm not cold," the young woman replied, her expression calm, with a polite and eternal smile.

Uncle Qi continued to lean out, watching as Yu Manyi entered the building, wearing only a coat and a silk scarf. He couldn't help but sigh.

It had been a year and a half since that autumn.

Liu Fengyan's death caused a sensation, but he was just an outsider. During the six months he spent in the Yu family’s compound, he terrorized the villagers, bullying both men and women. Not a single person in the village spoke in his defense. Furthermore, no one had passed by the Prime Minister's tomb that morning, and his sudden death was left unresolved.

Thus, the compound, which had served three generations of the Yu family and Liu Fengyan, was completely abandoned. The servants looted the estate, leaving only an empty courtyard. Eventually, a government official from the town arrived, locking the gate with iron chains and seals, effectively sealing the place.

The others had left, but what about Uncle Qi? He had lived in the gatehouse of the compound since he was 17, witnessing the rise and fall of three generations of the Yu family. Without a wife or children, and with no other skills, he was at a loss. Just when he was about to give up, a young postal worker from the town arrived, delivering a letter from Shanghai along with a train ticket and a remittance slip to be exchanged at the post office.

It was from Miss Yu!

Her handwriting was so beautiful, and the letter was carefully worded. She mentioned that there was a vacancy at the transmission room where she worked at the Commercial Press in Shanghai. If Uncle Qi was willing, he could go to Shanghai, and she would help him with the procedures. If he didn’t want to leave his hometown, she would send him monthly remittances to support his retirement.

Uncle Qi was overjoyed: even in his old age, he could still go to Shanghai to work, and at such a respectable company, in such a relaxed position. The young postal worker also mentioned that working in such an institution for several years would qualify him for a pension, giving him more dignity than those elderly people in the village who had many children but still had to wait for scraps of food.Thus, Uncle Qi immediately packed up and set off.

He got off at the train station, where Su Wen came to pick him up. Su Wen led him to a rickshaw and took him to the front door of the Commercial Press. Miss Yu was standing at the entrance waiting for him—she had become thinner, more composed, and quieter. She wore a black, form-fitting, slender qipao, her face adorned with a gentle smile as she waited for him.

This was Uncle Qi's first time seeing such an impressive large company. The printing factory’s machines roared as they operated, and the employees, both male and female, all wore long robes or qipaos, with the women having their hair styled. He cautiously followed behind Yu Manyi, completing the onboarding procedures. For the first time in his life, he felt a sense of ambition, driven by the desire not to disgrace Miss Yu.

From that day on, he began to watch Yu Manyi go to work, finish work, go out to eat, and then return. Sometimes, a woman, probably under forty, would arrive in a sedan to pick her up along with her teacher. The woman had an air of heroism about her, and although Uncle Qi found her somewhat familiar, he couldn't place who she resembled.

Having stayed in Shanghai for some time, Uncle Qi gradually learned the way of life of the old gentlemen in this city. He began to use his modest salary to buy tea, make Western hats, purchase radios, and even went to the square to dance. He met some fellow villagers from Shaoxing—there were quite a few Shaoxing people in Shanghai, with their own association, favorite Shaoxing restaurants, and often-visited Shaoxing teahouses.

One day at the local association, he overheard a newcomer saying—

“It’s truly tragic. That once-grand Yu family, now so desolate. The third young master, once so prosperous, was beaten to death in the street just for stealing a mattress that was hung out to dry.”

Uncle Qi calmly took a sip of tea, not saying a word, but perked up his ears—this was a skill he had perfected in his life. He then heard someone else add—

“Why didn’t he just let go? But he wouldn’t. He kept holding on while shouting that it was something Liu Boss had promised him... it’s crazy, who doesn’t know that Liu Boss died tragically at the Prime Minister’s tomb? They say his face was torn off by the ghost of the young lady’s tomb!”

"Hey, you’re here now, let’s talk science, not these feudal superstitions."

“There are many things in this world that science can’t explain, and in the end, they still turn to the superstitions you look down upon.”

The conversation ended there. Uncle Qi slowly put down his cup of tea, letting out a long breath of old, stale air.

In any case, he continued to work as a new doorman at the Commercial Press for over a year. Aside from the occasional nap, he did his best. Because he always greeted the employees with a smile, he earned a bonus halfway through the year as a reward for his old age yet still spirited nature.His smile was most apparent when he saw Yu Manyi come to work in the morning, and it was most comforting when he saw her leaving work in the evening. Uncle Qi's only concern was that Yu Manyi seemed too calm, too reliable.

She ate her three meals without fail, and her sleep was also ample. Her complexion was never pale or haggard. When Uncle Qi first arrived in Shanghai, she wore a black qipao for about a month, and then she began to buy new clothes—one after another, constantly purchasing. She must have earned quite a bit, for besides her salary at the Commercial Press, she also had her calendar and comic series. Merchants came to her, lining up in droves.

When the middle-aged woman came to pick her up after work, Yu Manyi would already be smiling as soon as she approached the door. She often bought food, scarves, clothes, and imported fresh goods from abroad for that woman. She would store these things in Uncle Qi's reception room and take them out when the woman came, making her face light up with satisfaction and joy.

Yu Manyi appeared emotionally stable, living healthily, flawless—yet Uncle Qi was worried about her lack of apparent flaws.

Today was January 28th, 1932, just before the New Year.

Recently, Uncle Qi had been researching Shanghai's local New Year's steamed cake, and today he finally succeeded. He placed a small steaming bucket over the crackling stove and the boiling water, sprinkled rice flour over it, and successfully steamed a piece of cake, cutting it into a size about half that of a playing card, with red dates on top.

He cut the steamed cake into three layers, taking the one in the middle and wrapping it in a handkerchief, waiting to give it to Yu Manyi after work. Soon, the employees began to move in groups toward the door, and Uncle Qi, holding the steamed cake, stood at the entrance. From the crowd, he immediately spotted Yu Manyi walking ahead with her roommate, You Hong.

He overheard You Hong saying, "Aren’t you going to have dinner with me tonight?"

"Mm, I’ve made plans with Sister Shi Wen," Yu Manyi replied.

"It’s been a while since you heard from her. Why does she suddenly want to see you?"

Uncle Qi had already recognized everyone around Yu Manyi, but he hadn’t heard of Shi Wen before. So, he hurried over and presented the steamed cake to her, proudly saying, “Miss Yu, New Year’s steamed cake.”

The fragrant rice cake, hot and steaming, made Yu Manyi’s face break into a genuine smile. After thanking him, she took the cake but, after holding it for a while, thought it was inconvenient and handed it to You Hong.

"I’m afraid it’ll cool down on the way. You Hong, can you take it home for me? This way, it’ll keep your hands warm," she said.

"Sure, then I’ll thank Uncle Qi as well."Uncle Qi was very satisfied.

The elderly man and the young woman watched as Yu Manyi walked out of the gate. Then, they hailed a rickshaw and headed toward the concession area. Uncle Qi couldn’t help but sigh, and to his surprise, You Hong also sighed.

"Miss You," Uncle Qi asked, "You are her good friend. Tell me, does our Miss Yu really seem as perfect as she looks?"

However, You Hong just shook her head and said, "Uncle Qi, I can't say. I really can't say. She seems too good, but a person can't be this good. People have to have cracks. The last person I saw who didn’t have any cracks was the one she’s going to meet—Huo Shiwen."

"Miss You, what do you mean by cracks?"

"I can’t explain it clearly, but if a person doesn’t have cracks, they’ll have big problems."

Huo Shiwen arranged to meet Yu Manyi at a very small café. The shop was extremely narrow, with only three tables, serving simple but exquisite dishes. The owner had a dog that ran around the shop. When it saw Yu Manyi walk in, it sniffed her and then left after familiarizing itself with her scent.

Huo Shiwen was sitting in the farthest corner, reading a foreign language book. It wasn’t until Yu Manyi had already sat down opposite her that she realized.

"Sister Shiwen," Yu Manyi put down her bag and smiled at her, "Why choose a place so far from the newsroom? Is it convenient for you to come home?"

Huo Shiwen hesitated for a moment and reminded her, "Manyi, I’ve resigned a long time ago. I... I’ve told you twice."

Yu Manyi froze for a moment and then realized.

"Right, you mentioned it," she smiled self-deprecatingly, "My memory's been bad lately. I’m always distracted. This time, I’ll definitely remember."

Huo Shiwen nodded and put the book back into her bag.The two of them chatted briefly about their recent activities, and then the borscht soup was brought to the table. Yu Manyi ate very carefully, taking one bite at a time, swallowing each bite with great attention.

Huo Shiwen watched her for a while, then asked, "For the New Year, where are you going? Are you going to see Miss Song...?"

She had intended to say Song Qi’s aunt, but then hesitated, avoiding the name and instead asking, "Miss Song's place?"

"Sister Shiwen, your memory’s not too great either," Yu Manyi smiled, "I told you last time, Teacher Jiang decided to go study abroad in France, and she’s going to live there. She wanted to take me with her, but I didn’t want to... that's all."

"Oh, right, I remember now," Huo Shiwen nodded, "Then, do you want to come to my place? I moved to a new house, and it’s boring being by myself."

"Is that okay? I’ll ask You Hong when I get back. Can both of us come?"

"Sure, that sounds great."

After talking about the New Year, the two of them fell silent again. Yu Manyi started eating seriously again. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Huo Shiwen eating slowly, and reminded her, "Sister Shiwen, you’re eating so slowly, the soup’s getting cold, it’s not good for your stomach."

"If it’s cold, I won’t eat it."

"You can’t leave food behind."

"Why do you care so much?" Huo Shiwen laughed, "You’re like a feudal patriarch, even controlling what others eat."

"I’m not feudal," she denied.

With the light clink of the spoon against the bowl, the meal was finally coming to an end. Huo Shiwen signaled to the waiter to clear the dishes, then took out the handbag that had been hanging behind her.

She hesitated as she rummaged through the bag, but her expression was determined. Yu Manyi sensed something was off and withdrew her own utensils, her gaze falling on the arm that was reaching into the bag.Huo Shiwen searched through her bag for a long time before finally pulling out a thick paper envelope, inside which was something hard. She pushed the envelope across the table and softly said:

"When I was moving, I found something. I thought... I should give it to you."

Yu Manyi still wore a proper smile, reaching out to take the envelope in the dim light of the small café. The moment her fingers touched the envelope, she suddenly felt a tingling sensation on her shoulder, as though something had landed on her.

She smiled as she opened the envelope, then smiled again as she pulled out the printed hard card inside. Her eyes settled on the black-and-white photograph in her hand, and her expression didn’t change much in that instant.

Only Huo Shiwen’s voice quietly explained: “That group photo... the one with you and Song Qi from your house. I had it developed but kept forgetting to give it to you. I thought you wouldn’t want others to see it, so I had a friend help me blur the other parts and crop and enlarge it, focusing only on you and Song Qi standing together... Don’t you... have a photo of him?”

Yu Manyi quietly looked at the photograph.

It was indeed a photo of her and Song Qi... at 17 years old and 21 years old, respectively. They were standing under the wisteria in the backyard of the Yu family’s house, with him standing behind her. The photo seemed to suddenly come to life, and a whole wisteria flower fell with the wind, landing with a soft “plop” on her shoulder.

Yu Manyi shifted her gaze, wanting to brush away the fallen flower from her shoulder. But just as her hand reached out, another hand covered her shoulder, also trying to pick up the red flower.

Then, the photograph froze, with their fingertips touching. In her memory, there was only that fleeting moment, but the photo was objectively taken by someone else. In the photo, Song Qi was wearing a black student’s uniform, with handsome features and dark brows. He wasn’t looking at the camera, nor was he looking at her shoulder; instead, he was gazing at her slightly turned face.

Yu Manyi remained very quiet, and Huo Shiwen remained very quiet as well. Song Qi was right; Huo Shiwen always played an unspoken but crucial role, but unfortunately, this friend who helped her remember her importance was no longer here.

Huo Shiwen watched Yu Manyi’s flawless expression and finally showed a slight crack in her composure. Her smile gradually faded, and her eyes, which were always slightly curved, shut. Two lines of tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, falling onto the photo, making a “plop” sound just like the flower had when it fell.

Huo Shiwen slowly pushed a tissue toward her.

"Deceiver..." Yu Manyi closed her eyes and softly complained to Huo Shiwen, "He said he would come back to see me, said that when he returned, I would feel it. But I didn’t, Sister, he never came back. I’ve never felt it..."Her tears flowed more and more, finally shattering that perfect mask. Huo Shiwen looked at Yu Manyi, and her first instinct was to feel heartache, but her second reaction was to let out a sigh of relief.

Crying was a good thing. She had to cry it out. If she had stayed like she was just now, perhaps it wouldn’t have been as simple as shedding a few tears.

The waiter brought over some hot tea, and seeing Yu Manyi crying so badly, he didn’t know what to do. Huo Shiwen waved him off and asked for a hot towel.

Yu Manyi didn’t refuse. She unfolded the hot towel and placed it over her face. She covered her face with both hands, her arms braced on the table, supporting her body.

Her voice came from beneath the towel, muffled and sulky, like a child throwing a tantrum.

"Sister, I really miss him, I really miss him."

"I know." Huo Shiwen gently touched her nose bridge through the towel.

"He just keeps lying to me. He’s lying to me again. I don’t ever want to care about him anymore."

"Then don’t care about him."

Yu Manyi sniffed, finally taking the towel off. Her tears had been absorbed, leaving only her red eyes. She moved her chair to sit beside Huo Shiwen, hugging her arm and resting her head on her shoulder. After a while, it didn’t feel enough, and her thin, soft body pressed closer, almost like a snake wrapping around her.

"Alright, you." Huo Shiwen smiled bitterly.

"I still have to eat properly and go to the end to settle things with him. Big liar."

"Indeed."

"Sister, you also need to eat properly. You eat too little."Huo Shiwen didn’t respond this time.

The two girls stayed a little longer, and Huo Shiwen ordered a cup of hot red wine for her. After drinking it, she felt her nerves relax. The New Year was approaching, and Shanghai was only cold for these few days each year. They put on their coats, and Huo Shiwen wrapped her scarf around Yu Manyi.

"My home is nearby," she said. "You can take a yellow rickshaw back, don’t catch a cold."

"Then let me give you my silk scarf."

"Okay."

They walked side by side out of the nearly closing café. The cold wind swept in, and Huo Shiwen turned around to remind her:

"My friends at the newspaper sent me a message. Something might happen soon. Besides going to the Commercial Press, don’t leave the foreign concession. Your apartment’s location is great, stay there and don’t move."

Yu Manyi hadn’t been paying much attention to the news recently and nodded blankly. She got into a yellow rickshaw, waved goodbye to Huo Shiwen, and then headed towards the apartment where she and You Hong lived in the foreign concession.

It was about 9:30 PM at that time, and the trip home took another half hour. Luckily, Huo Shiwen had lent her the scarf. Yu Manyi walked back, her body almost soaking in the cold night and wind.

Outside the apartment, she could still see many lights on. Some people were asleep, some weren’t. She knocked on the door hurriedly, and when You Hong opened it, she rushed straight into the bathroom, filled the tub with hot water, and sank herself in.

At 10:30, You Hong stood outside the bathroom and asked, "I’m going to make a bowl of noodles, do you want some?"

"Yes!" Yu Manyi quickly climbed out of the bathtub and replied.

You Hong noticed that Yu Manyi seemed much better compared to when they parted in the afternoon. It was a subtle feeling; when someone’s better, they’re just better. She boiled some hot water with an alcohol stove, added two handfuls of noodles, and, at Yu Manyi’s request, cracked an egg into the pot for her.

The noodles were served on the dining table at 11 o’clock.Yu Manyi hadn’t eaten enough in the evening; Western food was just that—expensive for so little. Only Huo Shiwen, who lacked appetite, didn’t think it was too little. She and You Hong ate the noodles while talking, discussing the upcoming intentions of graduating trainees.

“I want to go to the publishing house,” Yu Manyi said.

“The publishing house? The one on Qipan Street?”

"Yes, I heard that when Teacher Jiang graduated, she went to the one on Qipan Street. Not only could she paint, but she could also meet clients directly, discuss collaborations, and experience the bigger world.”

“That’s doable, but... does that mean you’ll be moving? Qipan Street is much farther from here than the main office."

“Maybe, but not necessarily. Shiwen said to avoid moving for now…”

“Why?”

“Because something might happen.”

“What kind of thing?”

“What...” Yu Manyi didn’t know. She hesitated for a moment after being asked and hadn’t finished the second half of her sentence when suddenly, from outside the window, a dense series of gunshots rang out.

The sound of gunfire was so loud in the quiet night that it knocked the chopsticks out of Yu Manyi’s hands and scared You Hong into knocking over the glass cup beside her. The two of them exchanged a glance and quickly got up, rushing to the window to look outside.

In the silent, pitch-black night, in the direction of Shanghai’s Zhabei, sharp white lights flared up like the flashes of a thunderstorm about to break.