Explore Chapter 39 of 'Moment in Peking' with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
Mulan's hometown was in Hangzhou, which had already fallen into Japanese occupation. She brought Afei, Anxiang, and her two grandsons, fleeing to Shanghai and settling in the French Concession. Sunya stayed behind in Beijing to look after the Zeng family properties, while Atung and Huan'er had gone to the rear to join the resistance. Although Shanghai was temporarily safe, prices were soaring and life was hard. Mulan sold the jewelry she had brought to support the family. Every day she followed the war news, her heart filled with anxiety.
One day, Mulan received a letter from Chongqing, written by Atung. He said he had joined the Nationalist army and would be sent to the front after training. As Mulan read the letter, tears blurred her eyes. She was both proud of her son and worried for him. Sunya wrote that Beijing had fallen, and the Zeng ancestral home had been requisitioned by the Japanese army. He had to move to the Yao family's old residence. Mulan wrote back, urging him to take care of himself and wait for the war to end so they could reunite.
In the concession, Mulan met many relatives and friends who had fled. Mochou and Lifu had also come to Shanghai, staying on Xiafei Road. Lifu was teaching at a university in Chongqing and had come to Shanghai to discuss publishing matters. The sisters Mulan and Mochou reunited, embracing and weeping. Mochou told Mulan that Tiren had died in the defense of Nanjing. After hearing this, Mulan was silent for a long time. Although her elder brother had behaved improperly in life, he was still her own flesh and blood.
When the Japanese attacked Shanghai, the sound of artillery could often be heard even in the concession. Mulan took the children to hide in the basement, listening to the bombs falling outside, remembering the scenes of fleeing in the past. Afei, now fourteen, acted like an adult, taking care of his younger brother. Anxiang had also become more sensible, helping Mulan with the housework. One day, on the street, Mulan saw a group of Chinese youths shouting anti-Japanese slogans. Warm blood surged in her heart. She decided to send Afei to Chongqing as well, to contribute to the nation's effort.
Before Afei left, Mulan sewed a cotton-padded jacket for him and tucked some silver dollars into his pocket. She instructed him to listen to his aunt Mochou and uncle Lifu when he arrived in Chongqing. Afei hugged his mother and cried, saying he would not disappoint her expectations. Mulan held back her tears as she watched her son board the steamer. As the ship left the shore, Mulan waved goodbye, offering a silent prayer in her heart.
After that, Mulan worked even harder. She opened a small grocery store in the concession, selling daily necessities. Anxiang helped mind the store, and the two grandsons learned to keep accounts. Although life was austere, Mulan felt fulfilled. She often thought of her father's words: One must learn to bend and stretch to survive in turbulent times. She wrote down her reflections on life, planning to show them to her children and grandchildren in the future.
Late one night, Mulan was keeping accounts under the lamp when she suddenly heard a knock on the door. She opened it and saw a young man in rags. His accent sounded like a Shandong native. He claimed to be from Tai'an and was looking for the Zeng family. Upon questioning, Mulan learned that he was Manniang's son. It turned out that Pingya had died in the early days of the war, and Manniang had fled with her son, but they had become separated during the flight. Hearing this, Mulan felt a mix of sadness and joy. She quickly invited him in. She cooked a meal for him and found some clothes for him to change into. The young man said his name was Abao, and he had been searching for his mother for three months. Mulan comforted him, promising to help him find Manniang.
The next day, Mulan sent someone to inquire about Manniang's whereabouts. A few days later, word came that Manniang was in a refugee shelter in Nanjing. Mulan immediately told Abao to go to Nanjing. Before he left, Mulan gave him travel money and the address. Abao kowtowed in gratitude, but Mulan helped him up and said, "Your mother is my sworn sister. It is only right that I help you." After Abao left, Mulan thought of Manniang again, wondering how she had managed all these years.
The war grew increasingly fierce. The Japanese army occupied the Shanghai concession, and Mulan had to flee again. She brought Anxiang and her two grandsons, making their way to Chongqing. There she met Mochou's family and also saw Afei. Afei had joined the air force and was in training. When Mulan saw her son's dashing figure, she felt both pride and worry. Soon news came that Atung had been killed in action. Mulan wept at her son's grave, but soon pulled herself together. She understood that in this war, countless mothers had lost their sons. She would turn her grief into strength and do more for the war effort.
During the Great Bombing of Chongqing, Mulan and Mochou's family huddled in an air-raid shelter. The bombs were deafening, and Mulan held her two grandsons tightly. She remembered her father's words: Life is like a dream. Fortune and misfortune are unpredictable. But as long as one has inner strength, one can endure all hardships. After the bombing, she walked out of the shelter and saw the mountain city in ruins. She silently resolved: She must survive and live to see the day of restoration.
After the war ended, Mulan returned to Beijing. The Yao family's old house was dilapidated, but the jujube tree was still there. She remembered the scene when her father buried the bronze vessels long ago; now those bronzes were lost without a trace. She renovated the house and planted the two pots of crabapple flowers she had brought back from Chongqing in the courtyard. When Sunya returned from Xi'an, the couple reunited with mixed emotions. They talked about gathering the descendants of the Zeng and Yao families to rebuild their home.
Mulan stood in the courtyard, gazing at the city of Beijing under the setting sun. Although the gate tower still bore bullet scars, there were already pedestrians on the streets. She took a deep breath, feeling that life was full of hope again. She knew that though autumn was bleak, spring would always come. Just as her father said, the Great Way cycles on, endlessly regenerating.