Zhong Dawa exclaimed, “Right now?”
“Yes, right now,” Song Zhaodi replied. “Go get your clothes. Binhai is cold, so bring your thickest cotton-padded jackets and shoes. Just one set of inner clothes will do—there’s a heated brick bed at your grandmother’s place. If your underwear doesn’t dry after washing, you can bake it on the bed.”
Zhong Dawa dropped his schoolbag and rushed to his room, pulling out thick clothes for himself and his younger brothers. He carried them all to Song Zhaodi’s room. “Mom, how do I fold these?”
“I’ll do it.” Song Zhaodi folded the clothes while asking, “Did the teacher give you a lot of homework?”
Zhong Dawa shook his head. “No homework.”
“Sigh, your teacher…” Song Zhaodi held back her opinion. “Then leave the books behind. Dali is also in second grade this year. If you’re worried about forgetting what you’ve learned, you can read his books later.”
Zhong Dawa saw that she was busy and didn’t want to disturb her, but he couldn’t help asking, “Mom, did Dad say why?”
“He said your grand-uncle—your dad’s uncle—is sick and really wants to see you three.” Song Zhaodi stuffed three sets of cotton jackets, pants, and shoes into a large bag, filling it to the brim. She didn’t pack anything for herself, planning to wear her sister’s or mother’s clothes when they arrived. “But I don’t believe a single word your dad said.”
Zhong Dawa was curious. “Then did you ask him?”
“Your dad put on a serious face, acting like he didn’t want to talk about it.” Song Zhaodi recalled Zhong Jianguo’s expression and clicked her tongue. “He’s definitely guilty, afraid that if he talks too much, I’ll figure it out. I blocked him from leaving, but he shoved past me and ran off.”
Zhong Dawa nodded. “Mom, you’re right. Dad is definitely hiding something big from you.” After a pause, he added, “Mom, now that you know, shouldn’t we just not go?”
“We have to go.” Song Zhaodi sighed. “Grandma Liu is coming with us. She said she wants to visit her sister-in-law in Xiao Song Village—your eldest uncle’s mother. I think she might know something. And if she knows, then Grandpa Liu must know too, which means what your dad is hiding from me isn’t small. No matter what, we have to go.”
Zhong Dawa was about to speak when he suddenly realised how quiet the room was. “Where are Erwa and Sanwa?”
“They’re next door.” Song Zhaodi tied the bag tightly, took out 100 yuan, and hid the rest under the bedding. She and Dawa headed downstairs, where she noticed smoke rising from the pot on the stove. She quickly removed it and covered the stove.
Zhong Dawa was puzzled. “Mom, you cooked? But it’s only four o’clock.”
“No.” Song Zhaodi lifted the lid. “I boiled some eggs and salted duck eggs for the trip.”
Zhong Dawa’s eyes widened. “That’s a lot!”
“Not really. Altogether, there are only 30 eggs.” Song Zhaodi said, “With so many of us, and needing food for two days, this won’t even be enough.”
Zhong Dawa worried, “Are we only eating eggs?”
“That unlucky father of yours ran off to find a fishing boat as soon as he told me. He’s probably already found one by now,” Song Zhaodi replied. “With such short notice, I didn’t even have time to make some fried pancakes.”
Zhong Dawa sighed. “Dad is so unreliable.” Slinging his backpack stuffed with eggs, a thermos, milk powder, and candy over his shoulder, he followed Song Zhaodi out of the kitchen to find the house key. “Mom, does Dad have a key?”
“He does.” Song Zhaodi hung the key around Dawa’s neck. “Don’t worry about your dad. Even if he didn’t have a key, he’d find a way to break the lock.” With that, she locked the door.
As they reached the gate, Dawa suddenly remembered something. “Mom, what about the chickens, ducks, and geese?”
“There’s vegetable leaves and wheat bran under the eaves. Your dad will feed them.” Song Zhaodi sighed. “You’re just a kid, but you worry more than I do. Stop looking back and get moving.”
“Yes, Mom.” Dawa responded, then suddenly thought of another question. “Mom, what if Grandma comes?”
Without a word, Song Zhaodi grabbed his arm, pulled him outside, and shut the bamboo gate. “Ask your dad at the dock.”
“Oh, okay.” Dawa wanted to head straight for the dock, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Erwa and Sanwa. He waved at his younger brothers. “Come with me.”
Sanwa thought they were going out to play and ran over excitedly on his short legs. He didn’t even mind the cold, laughing as he ran. “Where’s Brother going?”
“To catch fish at the dock.” Whenever Sanwa didn’t want to go out and demanded to be carried, Dawa used this trick to fool him. But it wasn’t a trick he could use too often.
Sanwa, being just over three years old, couldn’t tell if his brother was lying. His face lit up with excitement as he spread his arms. “Big fish?”
“Yes, big fish.” Zhong Dawa took his hand and offered the other to Erwa.
Erwa whispered, “Brother, I don’t want to go to Grandma’s house.”
Dawa turned to him. “Why?”
“It’s cold,” Erwa said. “Dad said so.”
Dawa thought to himself, But Dad is the one making us go. “There’s a heated bed at Grandma’s place. Mom says it won’t be cold.”
“What did you say, Brother?” Sanwa piped up. “Speak louder, I didn’t hear you.”
Dawa smirked to himself. I didn’t want you to hear. “I said, we’re almost at the dock. Hurry up, Sanwa.”
“I’ll run!” Sanwa let go of Dawa’s hand and sprinted toward the dock.
Wengzhou Island was big for children, but kids had boundless energy. Over summer vacation, they had explored the island countless times, so even three-year-old Sanwa knew where the dock was.
Watching Sanwa run ahead, Song Zhaodi thought for a moment, then knocked on a fisherman’s door and borrowed a rope.
“What do you need the rope for?” Duan dasao asked curiously.
Song Zhaodi replied, “Why don’t you tell me why you’re coming with us to Xiao Song Village?”
Duan dasao’s breath caught. She forced an awkward smile. “Forget I asked.”
“So you’re all hiding something from me.” Song Zhaodi wasn’t angry. If Zhong Jianguo was letting her take the kids, it couldn’t be anything dangerous. But if he wasn’t telling her, it couldn’t be good either.
At the dock, seeing that Zhong Jianguo was still there, Song Zhaodi smiled at him, though her eyes carried a hint of amusement. “Still not going to tell me?”
“Just get on the boat,” Zhong Jianguo avoided her gaze, urging them. “We’ll take a car from Yongcheng to Hangcheng.”
Song Zhaodi nodded slightly. “Impressive, Zhong Jianguo.”
“Xiao Song, Xiao Song, I’ll tell you later.” Duan dasao grabbed her arm. “Just get on the boat first, or we’ll miss the train to Shanghai.”
Two adults, leading three children, arrived at Hangcheng Train Station. The sky was already so dark that one couldn’t see their own hand in front of them.
The train departed at nine o’clock. As soon as they boarded, Song Zhaodi took off the children’s shoes and replaced their sweat-soaked socks with thick cotton ones. She reminded them, “Take off your cotton socks when you go to the bathroom.”
Zhong Dawa replied, “Got it.”
It was winter, and their home had neither a heated kang bed nor central heating. To keep the children warm while playing indoors, Song Zhaodi made several pairs of cotton socks for them.
Duan dasao sighed when she saw this. “I was worried they’d be too cold on the train, that they wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
“I was worried too,” Song Zhaodi admitted. “That’s why I brought them cotton-padded clothes. When we transfer trains in Shencheng, I’ll wrap their hands and feet in them.” She paused. “Auntie, can you tell me now?”
Duan dasao chuckled. “I thought you’d forgotten. Honestly, I only just found out myself—your Uncle Liu called to tell me.”
“What happened?” Song Zhaodi asked urgently.
As it was close to the New Year, few people were travelling long distances. Their train car held only about a dozen passengers, half of whom were in their group.
With the other passengers sitting far away, Duan dasao didn’t lower her voice. “Your Uncle Liu didn’t go into detail, but two children need to be taken in.
“Since your Uncle Liu is the division commander, he’s too conspicuous to do it himself. He’s hoping you’ll take them in. But don’t worry, Xiao Song—I’ll help you look after them. Your Uncle Liu also said the commander will provide for their food, clothing, and essentials. It’s basically like they’re just lodging at your home.”
Song Zhaodi immediately understood. “I remember Jianguo mentioning before—Uncle Liu has followed the commander since he first enlisted. He’s the commander’s trusted aide. Meanwhile, our neighbour, Regiment Commander Lin, is Vice Commander Wu’s confidant.
“So these children likely have no direct connection to Uncle Liu. Are they the commander’s relatives? No, that’s not right. If they were, he could have just sent them back to his hometown. Are they the children of a comrade-in-arms or a superior?”
“I really don’t know,” Duan dasao said, waving her hand. “Once we meet the kids or when we return and see Jianguo, you can ask him. But from Uncle Liu’s tone, he seemed pretty anxious.”
Song Zhaodi asked, “Where are the children now?”
“In Shencheng,” Duan dasao replied. “Your Uncle Liu said that after we get off the train, we should go straight to Nanjing Road. We’ll find two kids about the same height as Dawa.”
Hearing his name, Zhong Dawa curiously asked, “Grandma, Mom, what are you talking about?”
Thinking about having two more children in the house, Song Zhaodi felt a bit weary. But she knew that if the commander had any other options, he wouldn’t ask Zhong Jianguo, who already had three children, to take them in.
Hangcheng was close to Shencheng; they’d arrive soon. So Song Zhaodi didn’t try to hide it from Dawa. “We’re going to have two little brothers at home. Do you welcome them?”
“Mom, what do you mean by ‘going to have’?” Zhong Dawa was used to his parents playing word games. “You need to be clear.”
Song Zhaodi massaged her forehead. “I mean two older boys will be living with us. They’ll sleep in your room, and they won’t be leaving.”
“Are they noisy?” Zhong Dawa asked.
Song Zhaodi almost laughed. That was his first concern? “They’re not noisy, about the same as Dali.”
“Then I agree—they can sleep on the bottom bunk.” After saying that, Zhong Dawa suddenly thought of something. “Mom, why are they coming to our house?”
Song Zhaodi answered, “Their father is dead, and their mother is gone. No one wants them. Your dad thinks that if we don’t take them in, they’ll freeze to death in this cold weather.”
“Huh?” Zhong Dawa hadn’t expected that. “That’s so pitiful.”
Song Zhaodi nodded. “Yes, very pitiful.” Then, realising something was off, she turned to Duan dasao. “Dasao you must at least know their names, right?”
“I really don’t,” Duan dasao admitted. “Uncle Liu probably thought Jianguo would tell you.”
Song Zhaodi snorted. “That unlucky fool not only didn’t tell me but even told you not to tell me until we got on the train? Does he really see me that way?”
“Of course not,” Duan dasao quickly reassured her. “He probably feels guilty about making you take in two more kids and didn’t know how to bring it up.”
Song Zhaodi scoffed. “If he actually felt guilty, you wouldn’t have to use his uncle as an excuse.”
“Xiao Song, your Uncle Liu said we need to go to Binhai,” Duan dasao suddenly remembered.
Song Zhaodi nodded. “I know.”
When they arrived in Shencheng, Duan dasao took the children to the guesthouse while Song Zhaodi grabbed a large stone brick and headed to Nanjing Road.
At exactly midnight, she reached the entrance of the Peace Hotel. The streets had been eerily empty, making her sigh in relief, though she still didn’t put down the brick—she had to return, after all.
At the front entrance stood three people: one tall figure and two shorter ones.
Song Zhaodi hurried over and saw that the tall person was a woman—fair-skinned, neatly dressed. She looked well-off, making Song Zhaodi suspicious. This woman didn’t look like someone who couldn’t afford to raise two children. “Excuse me, are you waiting for someone?”
“Who are you?” The woman studied Song Zhaodi but couldn’t make out her face due to the poor lighting. “Are you here for these two children?”
Song Zhaodi nodded slightly. “Yes.” Then she hesitated. “Who are you to them?”
“You’re finally here.” The woman’s face lit up with relief. “I’ve been waiting here for three or four hours. Why did you take so long? Hurry, take them away.” She pushed the two children toward Song Zhaodi.
That’s when Song Zhaodi realised something was wrong. The children had been silent the whole time, their hands empty, dressed in thin clothing. Meanwhile, the woman turned to leave without a second glance.
Without thinking, Song Zhaodi grabbed her. “Where’s their luggage?”
“What luggage?” The woman was momentarily stunned and asked instinctively.
Song Zhaodi grew even more suspicious. “You’re handing them over without packing their things?”
“They have no luggage,” the woman said.
A chill ran down Song Zhaodi’s spine. She gripped the woman’s arm tighter. “Then tell me—who are you to them?”
“I—I only took care of them for a few days. I have no relation to them,” the woman stammered, trying to pry Song Zhaodi’s fingers off. “Let go of me. I’ve given you the kids—I need to go home.”
Glancing around, Song Zhaodi saw that the street was completely deserted. She raised her brick slightly. “Believe it or not, I’ll smash your head in right here.”
The woman shivered violently, her face turning pale. “You—you wouldn’t dare!”
“The hotel guests are all asleep,” Song Zhaodi said quietly. “It’s so dark that if I kill you and take the children, even if someone sees, they won’t be able to catch me.” Before the woman could react, she added, “I’d advise you not to scream—my hands are faster than your voice. Now, tell me—who are you really?”
“She is the one who raised us.”
A voice came from behind, but Song Zhaodi didn’t turn around. Instead, she stared at the woman and asked, “Why didn’t you raise them?”
“I… I have four children of my own. I can’t afford to raise so many,” the woman said.
“Uncle Zhao gave you money.”
Song Zhaodi’s eyelid twitched. These two kids were definitely the commander’s people. She also noticed that the two voices speaking earlier weren’t from the same child. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that, so she continued asking, “How much did he give you?”
“Five hundred.”
Song Zhaodi sneered, “Five hundred yuan? That’s enough for two kids until they reach adulthood. How long did she take care of you?”
“Five or six months.”
Song Zhaodi: “Where’s your luggage?”
“She hid it.”
Song Zhaodi never turned her head. She kept staring at the woman, grabbed her arm with one hand, and raised a brick with the other. “I’ll ask you one last time—where did you hide the kids’ luggage? I’ll count to three. If you don’t answer, I’ll smash—”
“I-I’ll tell you!” The woman was just an ordinary housewife. She usually just bickered with her neighbours and gossiped about others. The biggest event she had ever witnessed in her life was when the ‘black category’ people were paraded through the streets.
Now, in the dead of night, confronted by such a ruthless woman, she was already scared out of her wits. If Song Zhaodi hadn’t been holding onto her, she would have collapsed on the ground. It never even crossed her mind that if she simply shouted and woke up the people in the restaurant, Song Zhaodi and the two children wouldn’t stand a chance of escaping.
Song Zhaodi didn’t let go of her. Instead, she brought the brick closer to the woman’s head. “Where is it?”
The woman trembled violently, her teeth chattering. She pointed south with a shaking hand. “By… by the river.”
“Take me there.” The Peace Hotel was close to the riverbank. Song Zhaodi grabbed her arm tighter, moving the brick to her neck, then shouted behind her, “You two, follow me.”
The two boys instinctively lifted their feet and followed.
As she pushed the woman forward, Song Zhaodi kept questioning her. “Do these kids know where you hid their things?”
“N-no, they don’t.” The woman answered honestly. “I told them I was going to the bathroom when I went to hide their stuff.”
A gust of cold wind blew past, making Song Zhaodi shiver. Thinking about how thinly dressed the two kids were, she quickened her pace. “Did they ask you for their things?”
“I told them that if they dared to ask for their stuff, they could forget about meeting the person coming to pick them up.”
Hearing this, Song Zhaodi suddenly tightened her grip on the woman’s arm, making her yelp in pain. “We’re here, we’re here!” she hurriedly said.
Song Zhaodi scoffed, “You two, go get your things.”
As the two boys ran toward a stone pier, she turned back and asked, “Where’s the money?”
“There… there’s no money,” the woman stammered.
Song Zhaodi let out a cold laugh. “Then let me take a guess.” After a pause, she continued, “Your husband is either a relative or a friend of the ‘Uncle Zhao’ these kids mentioned, isn’t he?”
The woman’s entire body went stiff.
Song Zhaodi was surprised. She figured that Commander Zhao spent all his time in meetings or at the military camp, meaning he mostly interacted with men rather than women. She had just taken a shot in the dark, but she had guessed correctly.
She went on, “Your husband promised the kids’ uncle that he’d take care of them. That’s why their uncle gave you five hundred yuan. Later, you found it too difficult to take care of a bunch of kids by yourself, so you started arguing with your husband.
“Your husband, unable to deal with your nagging, had no choice but to call the kids’ uncle. But the uncle was too busy to come himself, so he sent me to pick them up. Am I right?
“You’re staying silent—that means I guessed correctly. Your husband told you to pack the kids’ things, and you didn’t dare refuse. But you also didn’t want to give them their belongings, so you hid everything and scared them into silence.
“Your husband originally agreed to take care of them, and their uncle trusted him. That means your husband must be a decent person. He wouldn’t have pocketed the remaining money after failing to keep his promise. So, that money—isn’t it on you?”
The two boys, carrying a large bundle of their belongings, were completely stunned.
The woman’s face turned deathly pale, her body shaking like a leaf. She deeply regretted volunteering to send the two kids off.
Song Zhaodi chuckled lightly. The woman trembled even more violently.
“I’ll count to three,” Song Zhaodi said coldly. “If you don’t tell me where the money is, I’ll kick you into the river. Even if you don’t drown, you’ll freeze to death.”
“I-I’ll tell you!” the woman blurted out in terror. “It’s in my pocket.”
Song Zhaodi turned to the two kids. “Take it out.”
The taller boy quickly put the bundle down and reached into the woman’s pockets with both hands.
When Song Zhaodi saw him pull out a rolled-up wad of cash, she finally released the woman’s arm. Raising the brick, she snapped, “Get lost!”
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