Chapter 199: If I Marry, My Wife Must Be Ruolan

“Big Sister, Ruolan and I are just good friends.” Hearing his sister ask that question, Cheng Qianfan unexpectedly revealed a shy expression, scratched the back of his head, and said.

“Childhood sweethearts who are good friends.” His sister revealed a smile like that of an “old mother.”

Cheng Min had an extremely favorable impression of Bai Ruolan.

Back when Cheng Qianfan was at the orphanage, she had secretly gone to see him. At that time, this beautiful, pure, and kind little girl had already left a deep impression on her.

In the twentieth year of the Republic, one month before the great roundup in Shanghai, Cheng Min accompanied Cheng Qianfan to visit the children at the orphanage and met Bai Ruolan again. The little girl from those years had already grown into a beautiful young woman, still as beautiful, pure, and quiet as ever.

Watching her younger brother standing together with Bai Ruolan, the pair unconsciously leaning so close that their heads nearly touched as they whispered to each other, Cheng Min could not help secretly laughing. The satisfaction in her heart was beyond words:

She thought of the phrase childhood sweethearts.

That year, her younger brother Cheng Qianfan was sixteen years old, and Bai Ruolan was fifteen.

After five years apart, she heard Bai Ruolan’s name from her brother’s mouth once again. No, what she had just heard clearly was not “Bai Ruolan,” but “Ruolan.”

Cheng Qianfan was teased by his sister and felt somewhat embarrassed.

“Younger Brother, Ruolan is a good girl. You must know how to cherish her,” Cheng Min said, striking while the iron was hot.

Hearing his sister say this, Cheng Qianfan no longer avoided the subject. He raised his head and said seriously, “Big Sister, I truly love Ruolan deeply.”

Before Cheng Min could speak, he continued.

“It’s just that I don’t want her to be hurt.”

“Ruolan loves only me, and in my heart there is only her. We know each other’s feelings. For me, that is enough.” There was a smile in Cheng Qianfan’s eyes, and light as well. “For the Red cause, for the people, I am willing to sacrifice my head and spill my blood. I may die at any time. If I am gone, then if we become husband and wife, my wife Ruolan will certainly be heartbroken beyond measure.”

Cheng Min looked at her younger brother. In her mind, she imagined the scene of his sacrifice, and it frightened her.

Their parents were martyrs of the Red cause, and she herself was also a Red underground worker. Cheng Min had long resolved to sacrifice herself for the Red cause at any time. Yet this was her most beloved younger brother. Merely imagining the possibility of his sacrifice made her feel unbearably miserable.

Cheng Min quickly cast aside this unpleasant thought.

She pondered her brother’s words and his views toward love and marriage.

“Younger Brother, although I have only met Ruolan a few times, she has left a very deep impression on me.” After thinking for a moment, Cheng Min said, “Ruolan is a good girl. There is only you in her heart. Even if the two of you do not become husband and wife, if anything happens to you, she will still suffer for the rest of her life.”

Cheng Qianfan looked at his sister. He understood what Cheng Min meant.

Since the two of you are like this, deeply in love with each other, then get married.

His heart felt warm.

His sister was urging him to marry.

He was not angry, nor would he ever resent it. A sister like this only made him feel warmth. He would forever feel only happiness and warmth.

To have family, to have a sister who cared about him and urged him to marry, the feeling was very strange.

Very nice.

“Big Sister, the revolutionary situation is extremely severe right now. When circumstances ease somewhat, I will consider it,” Cheng Qianfan said.

“Really?” Cheng Min asked.

She knew about the feelings between her brother and Bai Ruolan and had absolutely no doubts about them.

She was only worried that her brother would continue avoiding marriage forever.

This was not an isolated case. Quite a few revolutionary comrades avoided love and avoided marriage for similar reasons.

This was the purest and most selfless kind of love. They worried that they might die at any moment and thereby ruin the life of the person they loved.

Many revolutionary couples who should have been together did not truly have time to consider their feelings, nor the luxury to express their deep love for one another, until the final moments before they both died, when imminent sacrifice forced them to halt their revolutionary steps.

In the seventeenth year of the Republic, after being captured following the failure of the Guangzhou Uprising, Zhou Wenyong and Chen Tiejun heroically met their deaths at Honghuagang in Guangzhou.

At the execution ground, the two publicly declared themselves husband and wife and held a tragic yet magnificent wedding.

The execution ground became their wedding hall!

The gunshots became their wedding salute!

The kapok blossoms became their wedding flowers!

Her younger brother and Ruolan deeply loved each other and had already chosen each other for life.

If that was the case, then when it was time to love, and time to enjoy love and marriage, they should enjoy that pure love and marriage.

Revolutionaries should also have love and marriage.

“Big Sister, don’t worry.” Cheng Qianfan walked to the window and looked toward the southwest. “If I marry, my wife must be Ruolan.”

To the southwest lay the orphanage where Bai Ruolan worked.

French Concession, Bethune District, orphanage.

Bai Ruolan sat on a stone stool with her chin resting in her hand, watching the children play.

Xiaobao quietly approached from behind and covered Bai Ruolan’s eyes.

“Big Sister Ruolan, guess who I am?” Xiaobao deliberately altered her voice and said.

Bai Ruolan guessed several names before finally saying Xiaobao’s name.

“Ah, I almost fooled Big Sister Ruolan.” Xiaobao spoke with slight disappointment.

However, she quickly forgot this small “trouble.” Nestling in Bai Ruolan’s arms, she whispered, “Big Sister Ruolan, are you going to marry Brother Qianfan in the future?”

“Yes.” Bai Ruolan pinched Xiaobao’s little face and answered softly.

Cheng Qianfan had always wanted to ask about his brother-in-law Xiong Jiahua.

But he had never dared to ask, because he feared hearing bad news.

As their parting drew near, Cheng Qianfan finally could not hold back any longer.

“Big Sister.” He looked into his sister’s eyes. “Where is Brother-in-law?”

Seeing the worried expression on her younger brother’s face, Cheng Min pursed her lips and smiled. This little rascal. Back when she and Xiong Jiahua had just gotten married, he had found fault with Xiong Jiahua no matter how he looked at him.

“Your brother-in-law is fine.” Cheng Min lowered her voice. “The organization previously arranged for me to go from the Soviet-controlled base areas to the Soviet Union. Your brother-in-law remained in the Soviet-controlled base areas. After the victory of the Long March, he stayed in northern Shaanxi to work. Before I came to Shanghai, I saw your brother-in-law. He has always been worried about you as well.”

Hearing that his brother-in-law was safe, Cheng Qianfan was incomparably happy.

This was his sister.

He was willing to use his life to protect her and safeguard her happiness for her entire lifetime.

“Xiao Rui knows he has an uncle and keeps asking where his uncle is. When he meets you in the future, he’ll definitely be happy.” Smiling faintly, Cheng Min spoke.

“Xiao Rui?” Cheng Qianfan was overjoyed. Excitement shone in his eyes. “I’ve become an uncle? How old is he?”

“He’s four years old by traditional reckoning. During the journey from the Soviet-controlled base areas to the Soviet Union, I discovered that I was pregnant. Xiao Rui was born in Moscow.”

“That’s wonderful.” Cheng Qianfan was truly delighted. He rubbed his hands together. “I’ve become an uncle.”

“Yes, you’ve become an uncle.” Cheng Min glanced at her younger brother. “Your sister was hoping to become an aunt soon as well.”

Not only was his sister urging him to marry, she was urging him to have children too.

The moment of parting had arrived.

Cheng Min looked at her younger brother.

His face was young and handsome, full of vitality.

Her younger brother was smiling.

Such a young, cheerful younger brother, yet he had accomplished so many earth-shaking deeds.

Cheng Min felt immeasurably proud of him.

After five years apart, the siblings had finally reunited. Cheng Min felt as though she had countless things she wanted to say. She opened her mouth, then finally bit her lip, straightened her brother’s collar, and softly said, “Younger Brother, stay safe.”

“Mhm, I will. Big Sister, you must stay safe too.” Cheng Qianfan was genuinely happy. Rarely did he reveal such a childlike smile. His sister had actually turned out to be the contact person arranged by the Central authorities. He had seen his sister, learned that his brother-in-law was safe, and only today discovered that he had already been an uncle for four years.

Ha, a little nephew.

A nephew takes after his uncle.

That little fellow must certainly be as handsome as he was.

His heart was filled with joy.

That night, a coded telegram was sent from Shanghai to the northwest.

Upon receiving the coded telegram, Comrade Nongfu was greatly shocked and immediately reported the matter to Comrade Xiangwu.