Yesterday, a Japanese major general along with his staff officer were killed by aircraft guns at a temporary front-line command post. The Japanese army suffered heavy casualties and retreated in disarray.

Xie Chi had heard this news in the morning and remained cheerful all day.

By late November, the weather had turned cold. A small heating stove was placed in the shop, and Xie Chi sat beside it calculating the accounts. Though she was supposedly using the shop as a front for intelligence work, she had managed to run it quite successfully, earning considerable money, almost all of which was converted into supplies and sent to the front lines.

Zhang Ya had wiped all the glass inside and outside, shivering as he came in. “It’s really cold lately. The temperature dropped so suddenly – it hasn’t been this cold for several years.”

Xie Chi held up her abacus, resting her chin against its edge. “This month we made half again as much as last month.”

Zhang Ya leaned over to take a look. “That much.”

“Thank you for your hard work.” Xie Chi smiled as she put down the abacus, closed the account book and placed it in the drawer, then took out paper and brush to dip in ink and write a few characters. “Post this at the usual place tomorrow.”

Zhang Ya stood to one side watching her write with her left hand. “I’ll post it when I go out later.”

“That works too. Be careful.” Xie Chi put down the brush and looked at the clock on the wall. “It’s getting late, go home.”

“You go first, I’ll lock up.”

Xie Chi put on her coat and walked home. On the way she encountered an old man and bought three pounds of chestnuts from him.

After more than five months in Shanghai, she had never failed in an assassination, successfully transmitted over twenty pieces of intelligence both large and small, and Fujita Kiyono had made no excessive demands, always treating her with courtesy. Everything had gone so smoothly it seemed almost unbelievable, and she hoped it could continue this smoothly.

She took the two paper bags of chestnuts the old man handed her, didn’t ask for change, and they thanked each other.

The isolated island’s nights were more bustling than its days. Gambling houses, dance halls and other entertainment venues stayed open late, with all sorts of people constantly coming and going. Cars and rickshaws moved in endless streams, carrying various high officials, dignitaries, and fashionable men and women.

Fortunately, her residence was far from the busy districts and relatively quiet.

Xie Chi didn’t call for a car, wanting to walk alone. Usually Fujita Kiyono would come pick her up to go home, but today he was nowhere to be seen all day, probably too busy at military headquarters due to the war’s setbacks to get away.

What a physically and mentally pleasant day it had been.

A rickshaw ran up beside her. Xie Chi, smelling the chestnuts, didn’t look at him. “No need, driver.”

He still followed alongside.

“I’ll walk a bit, no—” Xie Chi turned her face to look at him and immediately stopped in her tracks.

The rickshaw driver wore a wide-brimmed hat that covered most of his face. He raised his head and smiled at her. “Careful, don’t drop the chestnuts.”

It’s him it’s him it’s him!

The honey in her chest kept expanding, about to turn into a sweet bomb that would explode irresistibly. Joy was about to drown her last trace of reason. How she wanted to jump onto him without any restraint, embrace him with all her strength…

But she still controlled herself.

Xie Chi said nothing and got into his rickshaw.

“Hold on tight.” He Feng lifted the handles and ran quickly forward.

Xie Chi didn’t know where he was taking her, turning left and right, but definitely not in the direction of home. But wherever it was – the ends of the earth or heaven and hell – anywhere with him would be fine.

He Feng brought her to the rooftop of a tall building.

The wind was cold at this height. Xie Chi saw the fine sweat on his forehead and raised her sleeve to wipe it for him. “Are you tired?”

“Tired.” He Feng wrapped his arms around her slender waist, actually speaking to her in a coquettish tone. “Really tired, my hands are sore. Quick, massage them for me.”

Xie Chi actually did grasp his hands and began gently pressing them. “How did you come?”

“I missed you.”

“Just that?”

“Isn’t that enough?”

“Fine. When are you leaving?”

“You want me to leave right after I arrived.”

“Just asking.”

He Feng nuzzled her cold nose tip. “I’m not leaving anymore.”

“Hmm?”

“Luo Lingshu came.” He added, “My mother.”

“What did she come to do?”

“She came to accompany Koike Ryoji.”

Xie Chi immediately understood. “So your whole family came to work on Shanghai’s economy.”

“They’re their family, we’re our family. They do their thing, we do ours.”

Xie Chi sighed softly.

“What are you sighing about?”

“Being together makes it hard to resist meeting, and meeting increases the possibility of exposure.”

“Then we won’t meet?”

Xie Chi smiled until her eyes curved. “It would be good if you could resist.”

“I can’t resist.” He Feng kissed her brow bone, eyes, nose, and when he reached her mouth, he whispered softly, “I love you. Let’s get married.”

“So sudden.” Xie Chi pushed him away, deliberately saying, “When confessing you should kneel down, and when proposing you should kneel down even more. There’s never been a proper one before – I just followed you in a muddle.”

He Feng laughed, said nothing, took her hand and knelt on one knee.

Seeing his serious expression, Xie Chi quickly pulled him up again. “I was just joking, you really knelt?”

He Feng didn’t move, taking out a small box from his chest. “For you.”

Xie Chi took it. “A ring?”

“You guessed it.”

“It’s obvious.”

“Won’t you open it and look?”

Xie Chi reached into the pocket inside her clothes and pulled out the grass ring He Feng had woven for her. “I like this one.”

He Feng looked at the dried grass ring. “You still kept it.”

“Mm.” She put it on her hand. “I just like this one.”

“Wasted money saving up.”

“You’re doing economics and still need to save money to buy a ring?”

“I didn’t use the devils’ money. This is from the government, saved up for a long time.”

“How pitiful.”

“Yes, so won’t you let me get up? My leg is going numb.”

Xie Chi laughingly pulled him up. He Feng took the opportunity to embrace her. “I love you.”

“You already said that.”

“I’ll say it again.” He Feng lifted her and swayed. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The chestnuts in her arms pressed between the two of them, so warm. He set Xie Chi down and looked down at them, smelling the aroma and taking a deep breath. “Smells so good.”

“Want to eat some?”

He Feng released her and hefted the bag. “You bought so many.”

“I saw them on the roadside and suddenly really wanted to eat them.” She stuffed the bag into his hands. “You peel them for me.”

He Feng looked around and found a sheltered compartment. “Let’s go over there.”

“Mm.”

Xie Chi sat on the ground, leaning against his shoulder. He Feng peeled one and she ate one.

His strength was great, always effortlessly cracking open the shells. Xie Chi’s eating speed could never keep up with his peeling speed. With several accumulated in her palm, she took advantage of when he wasn’t paying attention to stuff them all into his mouth at once.

He Feng’s mouth was stuffed so he couldn’t speak, his cheeks bulging as he pinched her face.

Xie Chi smiled with delight, hugging his neck and shaking him. “Swallow quickly.”

Too dry – He Feng swallowed with difficulty. “Are you trying to choke me to death?”

“Then at least you’d be a well-fed ghost.”

“That’s called a choked ghost.”

“Is it?”

“Yes.”

“…”

The two of them chatted back and forth, soon finishing both bags of chestnuts. Xie Chi lay contentedly in his arms. He Feng took off his outer coat to cover her. “After not seeing you for months, how did you become such a big eater?”

“My appetite has been quite good lately. Maybe because winter’s coming, I suddenly want to eat lots of things.” After saying this, Xie Chi grabbed his hand and bit it lightly.

He Feng grasped her chin. “Want to eat me.”

Xie Chi bit down slightly harder, her sharp little teeth leaving two rows of marks. “Where should I start eating?”

He Feng bent his legs. “The toes.”

Xie Chi pushed him away. “No.”

He Feng pulled her up to sit on his lap. “What else do you want to eat?”

“Watermelon, lychees – I’ve wanted them for so long.” As she spoke, she actually began to salivate with longing. “I really want to eat a big watermelon, but I haven’t seen any for sale nearby.”

“You want out-of-season things.” He Feng leaned back against the wall, his hand reaching inside her clothes. “Then you should eat me first.”

Xie Chi leaned over him. “You’ve been thinking about this the whole time, haven’t you? Holding it in all evening, finally speaking up.”

He Feng laughed lazily. “After feeding you full, it’s my turn.”

…

Koike Ryoji had always been in poor health. Though he held great economic power, he rarely appeared in public, conducting almost all business at home with assistance from Luo Lingshu and He Feng. Military, political, and economic officials of ordinary rank could not even get an audience with him.

He Feng had been given the position of President of the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce. Having just returned from business outside to his residence, he saw Fujita Kiyono drinking tea with Luo Lingshu.

Fujita Kiyono greeted him: “Ryuji.”

He Feng changed his shoes and came in. “Kiyono, when did you arrive?”

“A while ago.”

Luo Lingshu poured him a cup of tea. “It’s quite cold outside, isn’t it?”

“A bit.”

He Feng drained the cup of hot tea in one gulp.

Luo Lingshu said: “Slowly.”

He Feng set down the cup and she refilled it for him. “Where’s father?”

“Just went to sleep.”

Fujita Kiyono said: “It’s getting late, so I won’t disturb you any longer. I’ll visit again another day.”

Luo Lingshu rose with him but didn’t move. “Ryuji, see him out.”

He Feng saw Fujita Kiyono to the door. Outside was gloomy, with faint snowflakes beginning to fall.

Fujita Kiyono stood under the eaves, looking at the gray, overcast sky. “It’s snowing.”

“Stay a bit longer?”

Fujita Kiyono smiled. “No, I’m taking Wanzhi to dinner tonight. Today is her birthday.”

He Feng’s heart skipped a beat, sighing to himself: “The twenty-second already.”

“How strange – Shanghai’s first snow this year came so early. I heard in previous years it was always after New Year, at least late December before you could see any.” Fujita Kiyono let out a long breath. “I haven’t been back to Japan in so long. I really miss the snow in my hometown.”

He Feng looked at the falling fine snow particles, also feeling somewhat nostalgic for Shandong’s snow. He hadn’t been back for nine years.

“When the weather warms up a bit, I must go back, and bring Wanzhi to meet mother.”

He Feng didn’t want to hear him say such things. “Go on, don’t keep her waiting.”

Fujita Kiyono had just taken two steps when he turned back. “Wait a moment.” He went to the back seat of his car and took out a package, removing a box to show He Feng. “It’s a gift for Wanzhi. Help me see how it looks.” He carefully opened the box and displayed its contents to He Feng – a very large square pink diamond with the four sides set full of smaller diamonds.

“I don’t know if she’ll like it. Do you think it looks good?”

“You’re asking me?”

“Yes.”

“Too big. Her hands are so delicate.”

With this reminder, Fujita Kiyono also found it very reasonable. “I spent a long time selecting this, never thought of that problem.”

“It’s just a birthday, giving this is too valuable.”

“Then what should I do?”

He Feng didn’t want to give him advice, casually saying, “Flowers would be fine.”

“Flowers are definitely necessary, but I should add something else.”

“Give money – that’s most practical.” He Feng’s mouth curved up, thinking of what Xie Chi had told him the night before about raising funds. He said seriously to Fujita Kiyono, “No one dislikes money. Give gold bars – get her dozens of them.”

“Wouldn’t gold be too vulgar?” Fujita Kiyono thought for a moment. “Doesn’t seem quite right.”

“You decide for yourself. I’m going inside, won’t see you out.” As soon as he finished speaking, he went into the house.

The tea service had already been cleared away. He Feng went upstairs and saw Luo Lingshu standing by the window in the breeze. “Don’t catch cold.”

Luo Lingshu looked down at Fujita Kiyono’s car driving out the gate. “When are you getting married?”

He Feng was startled. “Why ask that suddenly?”

“I’ve never pressured you before, but you’re not young anymore. A normal person your age would already have grown children.”

“I don’t want to start a family for now.”

Luo Lingshu looked at him. “If you don’t like Fujita Michi, then find someone else.”

He Feng was somewhat surprised she would say such a thing.

“I don’t like that little girl either – her appearance and personality are both lacking. She’s far from qualified to be my daughter-in-law.” Luo Lingshu sipped her tea lightly, leaning against the window frame. “Although the Fujita family has power and influence, we’re not lacking either. If you really can’t stand her, there’s no need to wrong yourself.”

“You saw through it.”

“Love or no love – even if you don’t say it with your mouth, it’s written in your eyes.”

“Then do you love father?”

Luo Lingshu was silent for a long time, then gave a low laugh. “Of course I love him. If I didn’t love him, how could I abandon my homeland and family to be with him?”

“What about He—”

Luo Lingshu didn’t give him a chance to continue. “Don’t mention that name again.”

He Feng swallowed the rest of his words.

“That’s the stain of my life. Your father doesn’t know about those things and has never asked me about them, so don’t bring it up again either.” Luo Lingshu carried her cup as she left, slowly walking down the stairs. “Close the window, don’t let the snow blow in.”

He Feng stood alone for a while, then walked to the window to look at the small snowflakes drifting in. He gave a self-mocking laugh and forcefully shut the window.

…

Xie Chi often brought tulips to Fujita Kiyono. He thought she really liked this type of flower, so he bought an enormous bouquet and brought it to Xie Chi’s cheongsam shop.

Xie Chi had been quite busy lately. When Fujita Kiyono arrived, she wasn’t in the shop. He sat waiting for over half an hour before she returned.

Fujita Kiyono was dressed very formally – a new suit, new shirt, new shoes, even his tie and pin were brand new. This setup made it seem like it was his birthday.

But Xie Chi didn’t want to dress up. She didn’t even want to change clothes, and just followed Fujita Kiyono to the restaurant.

Fujita Kiyono had taken He Feng’s advice and didn’t give Xie Chi the diamond ring. On the way over, he had stopped at a jewelry store and bought a pair of jade pendant earrings.

Xie Chi looked at them for a long time, remembering the ones He Feng had bought for her before, and smiled knowingly.

Fujita Kiyono thought she really liked them and was also happy. “After we eat, let’s go see a movie.”

“All right.”

“What do you want to see?”

“Anything is fine.”

“I ordered a cake. Should we eat it now or take it home?”

“I can’t eat anymore, let’s take it.”

“Good.”

“Thank you, you’ve spent too much.”

“Don’t say that.”

…

Xie Chi rarely refused him – eating, shopping, watching movies, she cooperated with everything. But their communication was always dry, and after several months their progress had only reached the stage of kissing her forehead.

After the movie, they walked by the river and went to eat some late-night snacks.

After this whole outing, it was very late, and Fujita Kiyono drove Xie Chi straight home.

Xie Chi didn’t let him come upstairs, afraid of waking A’Ru and the others.

The two said goodbye downstairs with a hug. Xie Chi watched Fujita Kiyono’s car leave before going upstairs.

She set the cake on the floor, listlessly pulling the key from her bag to unlock the door. Before she could insert it into the lock, a ghostly voice suddenly emerged from the dark stairwell.

“A’Zhi.”

Xie Chi spun around sharply to see a dark figure sitting on the high stairs, half-hidden by the wall.

She walked closer two steps, looking up at the man before her.

Xie Chi inexplicably felt tearful. His changes over the years were visible to the naked eye – not just in appearance, but his personality had changed too much. Even when he sometimes still acted carefree and casual, the depth in his eyes often couldn’t be hidden, especially when he was with her. She often saw him secretly sitting outside in the dark smoking, or hanging his head in a daze…

But at this moment, holding a large watermelon in one hand, his face bore a proud yet gentle smile, looking somewhat foolish even.

It was as if time had flowed backward, suddenly returning to nine years ago, meeting again that youth who always came carrying chickens, ducks, and fish to see her.

Wild, unrestrained, vivid.