Three Souls by Janie Chang

Author:Janie Chang [Chang, Janie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Historical
ISBN: 9780062293190
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2013-08-20T04:00:00+00:00

16

We returned to Pinghu the next day on the early train. It was a long and tiring trip in third class, the only seats available. The train overflowed with refugees, some continuing eastward, most getting off in Shanghai to try their luck in the foreign concessions. We sat on hard benches, legs hanging over our luggage protectively, as did our neighbours in the compartment, who eyed us as suspiciously as we did them. Baizhen and I said very little to each other. I was still overwhelmed by Father’s death and dozed fitfully against my husband’s shoulder, thinking that all I wanted was to see my daughter.

At the station, Old Ming’s grandson, the rickshaw puller, met us on the platform. It was just before suppertime and the streets were noisy with vendors hawking their food and wares before the last shoppers returned home. I leaned back in my seat and moved closer to Baizhen. He gave my hand a comforting squeeze and then cleared his throat.

“I never realized, I mean, now that I’ve seen your home—it’s grander than anything I ever imagined. And you’re so close to your sisters. You must miss them terribly. If you ever want to visit . . .”

“It’s all right. I’m quite content living in Pinghu.” I found I meant those words.

“Pinghu is such a small, backward place compared to Changchow.”

“Husband, this is my home now.” I clasped his hand tightly. “But please, don’t say anything to your parents about the education fund. Not yet.”

“Why not?” he asked, puzzled.

I leaned closer to him, suddenly exhausted from the past several weeks, Father’s death, the sight of my home. Sueyin.

“I don’t want your father to know. If we really need money, I’ll write to Changyin. But our children’s education matters more than anything. If they can’t earn their own living, they won’t have a future. Please. Promise me.”

I saw that I didn’t need to say anything more.

He gave me a sad smile. “You’re right as always, Wife.”

***

“Weilan wanted to stay up,” Little Ming said. “But she was so excited she ran around the gardens all day and fell asleep before dinner.”

As soon as we paid our respects to Gong Gong and Jia Po, we went to the nursery. I removed Weilan’s thumb from her mouth and put my head down on the pillow beside hers. The scent of her clean skin and hair, which usually filled me with contentment, made me shudder at what might have happened if we had been living in Changchow. What if she’d been forced to hide somewhere, terrified, or to watch her grandfather being beaten to death? At least she was safe in Pinghu, a place that mattered to neither side. I’d never long for the excitement of a big city again. My daughter’s well-being outweighed all else.

***

The final consequence of Father’s death came several weeks after our return. Changyin mailed us a terse note to say Sueyin was no longer a daughter of either the Liu or the Song family. He gave

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