The Bumpy Road - of mother and daughter; The Rough Road - of mother and daughter

By Qiu Niao

The author is based primarily on mothers and her own personal experience, wrote a Chinese novel and translated it into English. Actually, this book has reflects China's contemporary history. From before and after the beginning of the communist regime, until China's reform and opening -up period.

The tragic experience of mother and daughter

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rushmore Press LLC
• Release date: Nov 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9781956696721

Qiu Niao

1949 year, born somewhere in Jiangsu, China (between Nanjing and Shanghai). After the full moon , arrived in Changsha (the capital of Hunan); In 1953 , Lived in preschool class for three years; In 1956, began to read six years of primary;In 1962, studied in middle school for three years;In September 1965, knowledge youth up the mountain and down countryside, she went to the reservoirs on the mountain to cultivate, raise fish and grazing group of cows;In 1972, entered the factory; 1982, studied medicine;In 1985, she is followed her father to work in Shenzhen Hospital and obtained the qualification of a doctor and carried out medical work;In 1993 Lived and married with a Dutch lawyer, and no children. Divorced in early 2000;Since 2005, she is lived in The Hague.

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ISBN 978-1-956696-70-7 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-956696-71-4 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-956696-72-1 (digital)

Copyright © 2021 by Qiu Niao

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Rushmore Press LLC

1 800 460 9188

www.rushmorepress.com

Printed in the United States of America

This book is dedicated to thousands upon ———

of great, strong and selfless mums!

I’m wish every woman in the world ———

live happy life and have wonderful marriage!

I hope that my mother’s ———

                       soul rest in peace in heaven!

Contents

Preface

Chapter 1.The world is change unpredictable

1.1 Jade Girl of the remote and backward place

1.2 The war, make the family ruptured

1.3 Reorganized family

Chapter 2.Age of rapid change

2.1 The survivor of a great disaster

2.2 A Selfless mother

2.3 Take the lead walk on the way of collectivism

2.4 Innocence 

2.5 A young girl in her high school days

2.6 Under the route of Liu and Deng

2.7 Trumped-up charge

2.8 Unexpected disaster

Chapter 3.The golden age was ruined

3.1 The days’ time of fix the earth

3.2 The cow herding girl

3.3 A Trip to Changsha and Wuhan during in the Cultural Revolution

3.4 Beijing, the elegant demeanor of blood dye

3.5 A trip to fathers’ hometown

3.6 Hazy first love

3.7 The tumultuous years

3.8 Among the quiet mountains

3.9 Mother and daughter’s anxiety

Chapter 4.Lose one’s bearings

4.1 Between the people

4.2 Heavy cross

4.3 Touchstone of love

4.4 Be born at the wrong time

4.5 Returning to the city and my resist

4.6 The future, be enveloped in smoke

4.7 Love, cannot set foot into two boats

4.8 True love falls into Xiang Jiang

Chapter 5.Injured lonely bird

5.1 The counterrevolutionary of implicate all of one’s close relatives.

5.2 The god bird fly to heaven

5.3 Hapless fate

5.4 Resignation and engagement in medicine

5.5 Another married man

Chapter 6.Wander about the ends of the earth

6.1 She lingered at the cape

6.2 Shenzhen SAR Entrepreneurship

6.3 Happiness depends on oneself to create

6.4 The test of life

6.5 People have unpredictable vicissitudes in the life

6.6 Fly far and high

Random Thoughts

Appendix

1. See notes below:

2. Reference:

3. The Kuomintang and The Republic of China -

PREFACE

We always hear people say, Novel and film are fictitious. However, it is not true. What is in this autobiographical novel, it is entirely based on the author’s personal experience and described.

Among so many young people in this contemporary world, hardly understand how several grand political movements, be in China have exerted Chinese people’s life in a profound and direct way.

When I was just one month old and left my birthplace Jiangsu in a small boat, the rough journey seemed to have forecasted a life in turmoil. And that even my life was on the brink three number of times of life death line…

In those years when life is so hard as to make one shed a bitter tear, my mother made it with her perseverance and diligence. She just struggled in a desperate plight. Finally, she was beaten down with diseases and passed away with a belief that death is better than surviving and endless physical pain.

During those changeable and unpredictable times, I also like a lonely bird with injuries covering my whole body struggling to fly in the sky of autumn, longed to find light and warmth, to see a good defeat the evil, and I hope the happiness that would fill the whole world.

This book through a vivid description of the destiny of two generations, the book demonstrates a profound life philosophy if a woman wants to acquire real happiness, she must possess the following three elements,

First, the superior social system is an indispensable prerequisite

Second, your own tenacious efforts are the basic guarantee of seeking happiness.

Third, a trustworthy and reliable good man who can share joys and sorrows with you.

I hope that the novel will exert an educational influence on our society to bring about a better life.

Qiu Niao (Autumn Bird)

The Hague, Netherlands Aug 31,2021

CHAPTER 1

The world is change unpredictable

1.1 Jade Girl of the remote and backward place

Shao Guizhen was born to a poor farmer’s family in Jiangsu, 1923. When she was born, her grandfather who had been live under the same roof had passed away. Grandmother died when Shao Guizhen was barely aware of things and followed by her father’s death, when she turned just seven. Shao Guizhen survived along with her mother, two elder brothers of roughly thirteen and fourteen, and one elder sister not yet ten. It was a time when the countryside was poor, and farming relied heavily on primitive methods. The losses of able-bodied adults in Shao Guizhen’s family made their lives very difficult.

Soon after father died, an opportunity came along when the local temple started recruiting Golden Boy and Jade Maiden – servants who functioned as intermediaries to Buddhist deities. Shao Guizhen’s mother sent her in to see if she might qualify.

When the host of temple saw Shao Guizhen, she took an immediate liking of her, The girl’s skin is as smooch and delicate as a porcelain doll. With that, Shao Guizhen soon became the Jade Maiden of the temple.

In the year when Shao Guizhen was turning sixteen, a Buddhist nun who was very fond of her told her, The temple is preparing for your entrance into Buddhist nun hood. The formal ceremony will be in a few days. But that means will I remain at the temple for the rest of my life? Shao Guizhen asked. That’s right. On the day of the ceremony, they will shave off every strand of your hair, and burn nine incense marks on your scalp, three on each row. Surely that must hurt? Yes, but it shall hurt only this once. From then on, you will never have to worry about any worldly affairs. Your days will be spent chanting the sacred sutras while knocking on the wooden fish with eyes closed, shutting off the world.

That night, troubled thoughts of what the future would hold for her kept Shao Guizhen wide awake. She remembered how much it had hurt when incense sticks and candles accidentally burned her skin and shivered at the thought of having nine incense marks burned onto her scalp; then she thought of what it would be like spending an eternity at the temple. Finally, she decided, she was going to run away the following night.

The next night, all was quiet at the temple. The moon was bright and clear and somewhat eased Shao Guizhen’s fear of the dark. She had been pondering her escape route. When she was certain that the other Buddhist nuns were sound asleep, she sat up from the bed quietly. Shao Guizhen had wrapped up her belongings in a cotton bundle during the day and took it out from underneath the bed. She ran to the back gate in silence, careful to conceal herself in the shadows. At the back gate, she pulled out the large wooden bolt and softly pushed the gate open.

Once outside, Shao Guizhen scurried towards home along the bank of a stream that stretched on for miles. The riverbank was rank with dew-saturated grass. Shao Guizhen was in such a hurry that she made a misstep and slipped into the river. She struggled in a panic to stay above water and threw about her limbs searching for the bank. At last, her feet felt a pothole in the bank, and she tried bringing herself up. But as soon as she stepped onto the pothole, the soft mud underneath gave, and she once again sank back down. Shao Guizhen had already swallowed some water. She was frightened by the idea of drowning and an instinct to stay alive forced her to keep on fighting for life with every last bit of strength. In her violent struggle, Shao Guizhen thought she saw the image of her deceased grandmother bending down by the bank and extending out an arm trying to grab her. She tried to reach for her grandmother’s hand, but instead found that she had gotten ahold of some long weed growing by the bank. She pulled on the weed and at last brought herself out of the water and carefully climbed onto the bank from a gentle slope. Shao Guizhen’s cotton package had fallen in the river, but she was in no shape or mood to retrieve the package. Despite her soaking wet clothes, she was huddled the body and ran towards home tremblingly.

A loud and urgent knock came at the door in the middle of the night and woke up Shao Guizhen’s mother and her elder brothers and sister. They were shocked to find Shao Guizhen at the doorway. After hearing Shao Guizhen’s brief recount of what had happened, her mother ached for her daughter’s ordeal and held her in her arms. Then, she found some dry clothes for her to change into and told her to rest a bit on her bed.

Lying in bed, Shao Guizhen began to weep. Her feet had been bound in the past though they were later released. Nonetheless, the night’s ordeal had been too much for her feet. The skin on my feet is chafed and they really hurt. I don’t bind my feet, can I? Shao Guizhen pleaded with her mother. If foot binding is too much pain for you, then let’s forget about it. You can the wrap foot cloth untie Her mother said.

Shao Guizhen’s mother hurriedly packed some of her daughter’s clothes and sent her to her uncle’s home before daybreak in the Buddhist nuns came looking for her.

As expected, the abbess came looking for Shao Guizhen. I did not send my daughter to your temple to become a Buddhist nun, Shao Guizhen’s mother said. I can’t let her remain in your temple forever and not get married. Therefore, the matter was left unsettled.

Shao Guizhen’s uncle and aunt had been married for many years, but they had no child of their own. Seeing which, Shao Guizhen’s mother decided to let them adopt Shao Guizhen as their daughter. The couple was fond of the idea and treated Shao Guizhen as their own daughter. Since then, Shao Guizhen settled down at their home and spent two peaceful years. Uncle’s home was at the edge of the town. He had opened a small meat shop in front of his home. Aunt did some needlework on the side to make ends meet. If uncle’s meat shop had bones and meat scraps left over at the end of the day, uncle often brought those back and made soup and dishes with the scraps for aunt. Pork bones were worth practically nothing at the time and very few customers cared for them. Though uncle was not a wealthy man, he never let Shao Guizhen starve. Uncle even sent her to a private tutor house so that she could receive some basic education. One day, uncle gave Shao Guizhen some household items that they didn’t need and asked her to sell them to the pawnshop so that she could pay the tuition for her new school year.

This is a sunny morning in summer. Birds warbled from the branches overhead, producing a melodious harmony. The fields smelled fresh and sweet from last night’s rain. There was a gentle breeze and the stream rippled onwards with golden gleam. In the distance, the sun could be seen half concealed behind the mountains, its rays radiating into the blue sky and tinted the clouds with golden rims. Shao Guizhen walked light-footedly along a well-trodden path by the river. Her pitch-black hair was smooth like silk and swayed gently in the soft breeze from the canal; her rosy cheeks brimmed with the dazzling feminine beauty of youth. When she almost arrived at the pawnshop, she saw some cargo ships unloading salt and other goods.

After Shao Guizhen entered the pawnshop, she saw the shop owner talking to a gentleman of about fifty.

Dressed in a new suit, he looked smart and brimming with health. When the gentleman saw Shao Guizhen, he paused the conversation and cast a long and hard stare at her from head to toe. This made Shao Guizhen rather uncomfortable. She hurriedly sold the items to the shop owner, picked up the copper coins from the counter and rushed back home.

A few days later, when Shao Guizhen just finished washing the dishes, uncle walked inside from the meat shop and said excitedly, My poor daughter will soon have a change of luck. You will be married off to a wealthy household. Shao Guizhen had no idea what this was about and appeared at a loss. Remember the pawnshop you went to a few days ago? Uncle explained hurriedly. The owner of the pawnshop knows me. Sometimes he comes to my shop to buy pork bones for his dogs. He wondered who you were in the past and asked me about you. When you visited the pawnshop a few days ago, Master Jiang happened to be at the shop. He is the wealthiest and most powerful man in the area, and a regimental commander of the Nationalist Party, and he even has his own salt business. He has a son two years older than you. His son is studying at the Military Academy of the Nationalist Party. Master Jiang found you most suitable to be his daughter-in-law. He has asked the pawnshop owner as the matchmaker. He hopes you can marry his son. As soon as you agree, the ceremony can be held right away. Once you become Master Jiang’s daughter-in-law, you will enjoy a noble and wealthy life for the rest of your life. But I have never met his son before, Shao Guizhen said. I don’t even know what kind of man he is. How could I risk marrying a total stranger? Silly girl, this is the kind of marriage every girl dream of! Think about it, Master Jiang is an important man in the Nationalist Party and owes large business. The pawnshop owner even told me that his son is rather handsome. You will never run into such a wonderful marriage in a million years! You can’t remain unmarried for the rest of your life, so why not take this opportunity? Uncle’s words persuaded Shao Guizhen. She shyly agreed to the marriage.

A few days later, Master Jiang sent over ample presents for the engagement. Uncle gave half the presents to Shao Guizhen’s mother, who was overjoyed and said, from now on, my days in poverty have come to an end! One month later, the Jiang mansion was decorated anew with lanterns and colorful banners in preparation for the wedding. Gongs, drums and fireworks accompanied the wedding procession. In such a merry and cheerful atmosphere, Shao Guizhen was wedded to the most powerful family in the area.

1.2 The war, make the family ruptured

Shao Guizhen’s husband, Jiang Jianming, a good-looking. The young man fair complexion and be refined in manner, studied at the Military Academy of the Nationalist Party.

He returned home every weekend and always rushed to see Shao Guizhen the first thing after extending one’s regards to his parents. The newlyweds held each other in affection and enjoyed their intimacies. While Jiang Jianming was away in school, Shao Guizhen spent most of her days in idleness. To pass the time, she often visited the training ground in the courtyard with her maid where Nationalist soldiers trained with American-made military equipment. Her father-in-law supervised and observed the training. He was often clad in mustard-colored woolen military coat with floral emblems on his shoulders in the shape of plum blossom. Occasionally, he would cast a glance at her and nod with a smile. Shao Guizhen’s in-laws held her very dear, considering that she was the only daughter-in-law to their only son. Every morning, even in winter, if water did not freeze, the soldiers that trained in the courtyard washed their faces and brushed teeth with icy cold tap water. The soldiers had been accustomed to the routine and none appeared to flinch at the coldness. Shao Guizhen had been watching them and followed suit. At first, the frosty water hurt her fingers, but very soon she learned to enjoy the refreshing feel.

Shortly after the marriage, Shao Guizhen began to feel out of sorts, she nauseated at the sight of greasy food, and she had been without her menses for two, three months. When Shao Guizhen told this to her mother-in-law, she was overjoyed and excited and said, Looks like you are pregnant. We must have a doctor look at you. Shao Guizhen’s mother-in-law soon found a renowned doctor for her. The doctor felt her pulse and said, I must congratulate you, Lady Shao, you are pregnant! Father-in-law and mother-in-law were extremely happy to hear this good news, not only added some precious jewelry to her, and add to her another maid. Shao Guizhen gave birth to a baby girl on a very cold winter day. The Jiang household named the girl Xiao-dong, meaning baby girl born in winter. Though a girl, Xiao-dong was the first grandchild to the Jiang household and the apple of their eye.

Six months after Xiao-dong was born, Jiang Jianming began to spend less and less time at home. When he returned from school, he often went out and loitered about to pass the night; sometimes, he would not return until well past midnight. Shao Guizhen began to think this was becoming an issue. Her husband hardly spent any time with her and Xiao-dong and had been lagging on his schoolwork.

One night, Jiang Jianming was not home as usual. Shao Guizhen had one of the maids look after Xiao-dong and went with another maid fetching for him. They headed towards the entertainment quarter in the military camp where Shao Guizhen knew she would find him.

When she arrived at the entryway, she heard somebody calling out to her husband, Jiang Jianming, your wife is here looking for you! When Shao Guizhen walked into the entertainment venue in the barracks, but Jiang Jianming was out of sight. Shao Guizhen wondered where he could have hidden himself in such a short time. Shao Guizhen looked everywhere before she finally caught sight of a few mahjong tables. On one of the tables, a game appeared to be suspended in the middle with mahjong tiles and copper coins tossed about. Three players sat around the table; the fourth seat was empty. As Shao Guizhen was walking towards the table to ask about her husband, she caught sight of a pair of feet half concealed underneath the table. She looked more closely and realized she recognized the feet, the shoes and socks. Shao Guizhen to laughed to oneself at her husband’s silly act. She pulled the empty chair away so that Jiang Jianming had nowhere to hide but crawl out on his feet. This caused a roar of laughter from the other soldiers. Jiang Jianming, isn’t you a bit young to be such a henpeck? Someone said half-jokingly. I’m just playing hide-and-seek with her. Jiang Jianming stood up and spoke. But this only brought out another round of laughter from the other soldiers. So, you have been addicted to gambling. No wonder you are not doing your homework anymore when you come home from school. Wait till your dad and mom hear about this! Shao Guizhen said with displeasure.

Jiang Jianming dreaded the thought of his parents learning about his gambling habits. Honey, could you please look the other way this time? I promise I will never gamble again. Jiang Jianming put on his jacket and hurriedly followed Shao Guizhen home. Since then, Jiang Jianming rarely touched mahjong. When he did, he always made sure to return home early. Jiang Jiaming’s grades improved. Shao Guizhen’s in-laws were very pleased to see her positive influence over their son. For several years, Shao Guizhen enjoyed a close-knit and joyful relationship with her husband and in-laws until life took an unexpected turn in the year Jiang Jianming was to graduate and Xiao-dong ready for school.

After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the Chinese Civil War, also known as the War of Liberation, launched in full scale in July of 1946. The People’s Liberation Army led by the Communist Party and the National Army led by the Kuomintang and the battle for power is getting fiercer and fiercer.

On the one hand of successive Soviet assistance to the Chinese Communist Party. But on the other one hand, in 1948 when U.S. aid was slow in coming, the situation of the Kuomintang troops is already very sinister.

Within the Nationalist Party, news that the situation was becoming grim had begun to spread. Shao Guizhen’s father-in-law, Master Jiang, was a keen man and held a key military position in the Nationalist Party. He was aware of corruption within the Party and its grim outlook in the war against the Communists. He gradually shrank his salt business until finally closing it down altogether, so that he could make a speedy escape out of the Chinese mainland as soon as the Nationalist Party was defeated. The situation was getting worse day by day. In the second year of the war, the corrupt and incompetent Nationalist troops suffered a casualty of 1.52 million as it was defeated by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army said to rely on merely millet and rifles. The Communist Party quickly expanded its Liberation Zone while the Nationalist regime tottered.

In the final days of the spring Festival of 1948, Shao Guizhen sensed something was wrong, seeing how for several days in a row her father-in-law had been packing up valuable belongings and the soldiers had been busily. Troubled with anxiety and fear, Shao Guizhen dreamt one night that she was all alone and an enormous cat with bulging eyes was chasing her. She tried running away yet found her feet glued to the ground. Shao Guizhen stirred from her sleep screaming and panting. Jiang Jianming leaned over as he was roused from sleep and asked, Did you have a bad dream? After hearing Shao Guizhen’s recount, Jiang Jianming said, You must be too tired and tense from all the packing and whatnot. Why don’t you take Xiao-dong with you and pay a visit to your uncle tomorrow?

The following day turned out to be a fine day. Early in the morning, Shao Guizhen left for uncle’s home with Xiao-dong and a maid. Yet she arrived at uncle’s home only to learn that uncle might have traveled to nearby villages to buy pigs. Shao Guizhen asked around in the neighborhood without any luck of finding out exactly which village her uncle had left for. Shao Guizhen thought she had n ‘t seen her mother for a long time and might as well pay a visit. She hurriedly bought some of her mother’s favorite food and clothes from shops in the town and rented a boat. The boatman rowed the boat down the river all the way towards her mother’s village.

Arriving at the village a little before noon, Shao Guizhen paid the boatman and paced hurriedly home. Her mother was more than glad to see her and Xiao-dong. Shao Guizhen’s two brothers had been out working; her older sister had been married off a short time ago. Shao Guizhen sipped some tea, rested briefly and helped her mother with house cleaning chores. They had a simple lunch and resumed cleaning afterwards. By the time they were sipping afternoon tea, the sun had begun to set. Shao Guizhen had to rush home for dinner with her husband and in-laws. The villagers helped her found another boat and she parted in a hurry with her mother.

When the boat docked in town, Shao Guizhen stepped ashore with Xiao-dong and her maid and headed toward her uncle’s home, which was at the other end of the town from her own, hoping that she would be able to talk with him briefly. While walking down the street, Shao Guizhen noticed the shops had closed for business earlier than usual; the town appeared to be in a state of disarray. Shao Guizhen feels that the atmosphere is different from usual.

At that moment, she caught sight of a man darting up and down the street making inquiries. She knew the man to be her husband’s best friend Li Anping. When Li Anping spotted Shao Guizhen, he swung his arms at her agitatedly and shouted, Aiyar, Lady Shao, where in the world have you been? It turned out that Li Anping had been looking desperately for Shao Guizhen. Li Anping ran towards Shao Guizhen and said hurriedly, Jiang Jianming came to see me around noon today. He had been looking desperately for you! He thought he’d find you at your uncle’s place, but you weren’t there. He told me his father received a top-secret order from the Combat Division of the Defense Ministry for him to take his infantry division up north; they will join other legion and prepare for a final showdown with the Communists. He told me ‘If we manage to win the war, I will come back for her and Xiao-dong. If not, well, if I manage to survive, I will be on the run. I mustn’t linger any longer --orders are orders. I suppose this means I will have to part with my family.’ I’m sorry you couldn’t leave with Jianming, but I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing. He sounded uncertain about winning the war. You wouldn’t be safe with him.

The devastating news instantly crushed Shao Guizhen. She sank back on the ground and broke down into a wild sob, Good heavens! What am I supposed to do? I must follow my husband even if he is going to the war. A married woman follows his husband despite of what fate holds for him.

Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Shao Guizhen’s maid stared in shock at her lady who was beyond consolation. Xiao-dong nestle up to her mother, looking up at her with fear and confusion in her eyes. Shao Guizhen clutched Xiao-dong tightly and wailed, My family is ruined just like that. What are we supposed to do? Li Anping watched helplessly, failing to find any words of condolence.

He caught sight of a boy of eight or nine that suddenly appeared at the other end of the street. He recognized it was his son and called for him to come over. Don’t be running around at a time like this, it’s not safe! Li Anping scolded and turned to Shao Guizhen. You must not cry on like that, it won’t do you any good. Why don’t you come over to my place for supper?

Shao Guizhen suddenly remembered she and Jianming placed some valuable jewelry in a hidden compartment at the bottom of a large wardrobe in their bedroom. I must go back home at once and pack some necessary things, supper will have to wait. Would you be so kind to take the maid and Xiao-dong with you home? I will be back as soon as I’m finished packing. Shao Guizhen said.

Good heavens! Li Anping said in disbelief, Your home is a targeted military camp! You must be out of your mind going there at this time. When the Liberation Army drops a bomb there is anybody’s guess! Look for yourself, anybody with a bit of fortune has already fled after the Nationalist troops; even the shops have closed early. Look here, Communist troops are swift and unpredictable. The Nationalists don’t even have a plan how to confront them. If the Communists decide to attack your husband military camp, you’d be become involved right into them. I know all of that. But I need to go and pack some clothes at least; it just wouldn’t do otherwise. I will be fast. If you insist on going, all right then. We will be waiting for you right at my home. But you mustn’t linger there longer than you have to!

When Shao Guizhen returned to the Jiang household, she found the front gate had not been latched. She entered the gate and saw the abandoned living quarter and the empty courtyard in a state of disarray. Dusk approached. There was no bird tweeting and not a dog and cat around. The silence gave Shao Guizhen an eerie chill. Heart fluttering with fear, she quickly headed towards the bulky yet exquisitely carved wardrobe in her bedroom. She knelt, prostrated her upper body and reached underneath the wardrobe until her left cheek almost touched the ground. Finally, she felt a lacquered jewelry box sitting undisturbed in a hidden compartment. Shao Guizhen was relieved and pulled the box out. It was a fine jewelry box carved with flowers and birds. She opened the box and saw all her jewelry safely in place. Furthermore, husband had placed a handful of silver pieces and a few gold bricks the size of mahjong tile wrapped in a piece of red silk. She found a short note with cursive writing along with the valuables and began reading,

The money I left for you will be used of raising Xiao Dong to adulthood, you must not use the money for anything else! Originally, we thought that with the victory of the war against Japan, our family would be able to live a happier and more secure life. To our surprise, the Communists party, with the assistance of the Soviet Union, treated the KMT as the enemy, launched an even fiercer battle against the Kuomintang. At this juncture, the U.S. stopped aiding us. This home is a nest for the Kuomintang, you are absolute mustn’t live here anymore. Take Xiao-dong with you and find a place to hide. I’m a soldier so I must obey orders. I must leave you and Xiao-dong for the moment. If we can defeat military of the Communist, I will go and find you and we will all go to Nanjing. Jianming.

Shao Guizhen put the note away in her pocket and thrown open the wardrobe doors. Jiang Jianming had taken most of his clothes but left hers and Xiaodong’s untouched. She hurriedly took out some of their garments, threw them on the bed and wrapped them with the bed sheet. Then she slung the bundle of clothes and valuables over her shoulder and scurried back as fast as she could before it was totally dark.

She was completely out of breath when she saw Xiao-dong standing at the front door of Li Anping’s home, anxiously waiting for her. Li Anping’s wife ushered her to the supper table hospitably, You really had us worried. Why don’t you have something to eat first and take it easy.

While eating, Shao Guizhen asked Li’s wife, Aren’t you going to leave this town? Other merchants had already begun to leave. To which Li’s wife said, I couldn’t bear to leave this home. Li and I worked hard for years to get where we are today. I’m not going nowhere. Did you not hear what the Nationalists said? When the Communists get here, they will take away your properties and give them to the people. Aren’t you afraid of that? Li Anping teased. "Ai, that’s nonsense. Our shop sells nothing but everyday goods like salt, soy sauce, vinegar and cooking oil. We barely make our ends meet. What is there for them to take away?

No matter who holds the power, peoples have to use oil, salt, soy sauce and vinegar to eat, we do this way our own small business. Common folks like us ask for nothing, but we just want to live a peaceful life."

At this point, Shao Guizhen said, Jianming left some money for me and Xiao-dong. I will be extremely grateful if Mr. Li could help me find an affordable lodging nearby for us to settle down.

Li’s wife said hospitably, We have an extra room we use for storage. You and Xiao-dong can stay with us for now if you’d like to. Shao Guizhen said, My father-in-law’s troops march day and night. I have not the least idea where to go looking for them. There is no telling how long I will have to wait for them in this town. I mustn’t trouble you with extended stay. Besides, you need that room to store goods. Li’s wife said, In that, you don’t need to worry about finding lodging yourself. Li will make the necessary arrangements. He knows all the inn owners in town. Li Anping hurriedly finished his supper and left to find a rent affordable inn for Shao Guizhen and Xiao-dong.

One hour later, he returned and said cheerfully, I managed to find a great deal. Business is slow for inns, so the inn owner I found agreed to let you live there with a very affordable monthly rent, not much more expensive than living in a regular household and paying a fee. Besides, the room is furnished and has all the necessary household items. So, you don’t need to spend money buying them. Shao Guizhen was relieved to hear the good news. That night, she insisted on giving some money to Li and his wife and moved with Xiao-dong and the maid to the inn Li Anping had found for her in the center of the town. The next day, Shao Guizhen paid the maid a full month’s wage and traveling expense and let her go.

Shao Guizhen had wanted to run to Nanjing to find her husband. However, she took a daughter who was six-or-seven-year-old, the road will be very difficult. Helpless, she can only stay in the hotel every day with Xiaodong. As for whether her husband died in the war or fled to Taiwan, In the chaotic situation of the civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, she could not inquire at all.

1.3 Reorganized family

There was a rumor that the infantry division led by Jiang Jiaming’s father went north. The Nationalist Army of the Kuomintang is preparing for a final battle with the People’s Liberation Army of the Communist Party.

At first, Shao Guizhen attempted to go to Nanjing with Xiaodong and look for Jiang’s family member. But the hotel owner said, Are you risking your life? Everyone wants to get away from the war, except soldiers, who have no other option. It is said that the fifth army corps of Kuomintang have been heavily defeated in the North. How can you take a six-or-seven-year-old daughter who is and rush to the battlefield, not knowing your husband is still alive? Besides, how can you get to know where Kuomintang soldiers live from ordinary people? Hearing that, Shao had to give up her plan. Disappointedly, she stayed in the hotel with Xiaodong as usual.

The spring festival had passed of 1948 year, and the spring was coming. Then Kuomintang troops were badly beaten by the People’s Liberation Army and the battle has failed one after another. In the days of armistice between battles, people still ran their businesses. Sometimes hotel guests were large in number, sometimes small. One day the hotel owner came to Shao Guizhen and said, Some guests offered to pay for washing clothes. What do you think of the job? At that time Shao was pondering, Sit idle and you will eat away your fortune. I cannot maintain this life with Xiaodong in the hotel, doing nothing but sleep and eat. So as soon as she heard the offer, she accepted it without hesitation. In less than a month since she began the washing, her hands, with tender skin, was peeling. Later, the dirty water mixed with soap foam and washing soda, made her hands inflamed and rotten. They hurt so severely that she could not sleep all night. Having no choice, she continued her toil, one tub and another.

Late spring in this year, two guests booked in at the hotel and proposed to Shao Guizhen at different times. The first one was a local tradesman on silk business, about thirty years old, 170 centimeters tall, polite in behavior and handsome in looking. He always gave Shao Guizhen tips after she ironed his clothes. He said to Shao, As a single parent with a little kid, you must suffer a lot. Accept that. Once when he earned some good money from business, he eagerly told Shao Guizhen about it. Then he asked in an earnest way, Will you marry me? Shao asked, Aren’t you married? He replied, My wife died in a difficult labor and left me a kid, who is taken care of by my mother. Shao grew very embarrassed and answered, Let me think about it carefully… She told herself, He seems to be a nice man with good temper and personality…Still having no news about Jianming, what shall I do?

Shortly after that, a guest named Qiu Zhongyuan, over thirty years old, about 180 centimeters tall with luminous eyes, checked in, who came across. He looks like a fashionable movie star in his well-cut wool suit and elegant tie. He noticed Shao Guizhen as soon as he entered the hotel, thinking, This woman looks clean, well-cultured and feminine and seems to be a good lady. Why does she actually condescended to wash clothes in the hotel? Two or three days later, he found some clothes, went to Shao and said, Will you wash some extra clothes today? Shao answered, I will at any time. Then Qiu asked, Would you like to have dinner with me in the dining hall this evening? Shao replied, But I had to wash your clothes first. Qiu said, You can do it tomorrow. Shao said, OK, but I have to bring my daughter Xiaodong. Qiu said, Sure.

At dinner, they naturally exchanged their life experiences. Qiu was the first to introduce himself, My name is Qiu Zhongyuan. I’m a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. I came from Caiyuangou Village, Zhengzhou, Henan Province. I was captured by guerrilla forces who wanted me to follow the troops go to north-east and serve as military doctor. Having my mother, my wife and three young daughters at home, I was reluctant to go. One day they troop was marching on a road besides a large corn field, I took the precious opportunity. I crouched, pretending to fasten my shoelaces and lagged. Being unnoticed, I sneaked into the corn field and ran away when they troop went by. I’m not daring to go home; I’ve been living of wandering life witch practicing medicine. I led a vagrant of practices medicine life until I arrived here. It’s a good thing to acquaintance witch you in Jiangsu. The hotel owner told me your husband suddenly left followed his father’s troop and your family fell apart. I guess he might have either lost his life in the battlefield or escaped. It’s said the Eighth Route Army is fierce. That’s why I dare not to serve as a doctor in Kuomintang troops. Now I plan to run a clinic, but I need an assistant for operation. Will you help me? Shao Guizhen said, But I have no medical knowledge. Qiu said, It’s never too late to learn. Shao said, How can I manage that with only two years of education? Qiu said, Medicine is a technique. It doesn’t necessarily need academic background. My education background is no better than yours. I consider you very smart and I’m sure you can manage it. Shao thought, It’s not bad to learn a technique which will set me free from the hard work of washing clothes. Additionally, Qiu’s appearance left her a favorable impression. She thought for a while and gladly accepted the offer.

That silk businessman, noticing the closer relationship between Shao and Qiu, felt jealous and refrained from chatting with Shao. Soon after that, he left the hotel without informing Shao in advance.

One day at dinner, Qiu Zhongyuan, to Shao’s surprise, accidentally talked about his family. He said, My wife, who came from the North, hasn’t given birth for seven or eight years since she bore three girls. I don’t have a boy, isn’t the family without offspring? I brought her a lot of tonics and all my endeavors failed. Will you marry me? Shao asked, You’ve got a wife already. Why are you asking for another wife? Qiu said, It’s an arranged marriage. She is three years older than I. In the North, many women are older than their husband because parents say older women are more capable of doing housework and taking care of their husbands. Furthermore, I’m afraid the lineage of my family will be broken off. At that time, affection had arisen between them. Shao thought his requirement was reasonable and accepted it silently. In old China, allowing the men to find several wives.

So, they slept together in the same room at that night. Qiu did everything to please her and their romantic intercourse continued until midnight. Next day when the sun had not risen, Shao was taken by Xiaodong’s shouting outside and had to bring her to her own room and slept with her for a while. When she got up, the sun was very high in the sky. She washed her face in a hurry and ran to the clinic to help Qiu Zhongyuan to treat patients without even taking her breakfast.

The next day, Qiu said to Shao, I think you don’t need to rent that room anymore. Now you sleep with me and Xiaodong can sleep in the clinic. Why shall we pay for an extra room? Shao agreed. She canceled the renting and lived with Qiu in his room. They also put a little bed in a corner of the clinic and separated it from other parts with a cloth curtain. So Xiaodong got a tolerable place for sleep. Though small in body Xiaodong was very clever. Shao Guizhen had been considering sending her to school shortly before she found her pregnant. The delightful couple decided to pay a few days’ visit to Qiu’s hometown. Meanwhile, they hoped Xiaodong would stay there with Qiu’s mother, wife and children and go to school.

The late autumn of 1948, it was after the Zheng Zhou Battle. Despite the continual defeats, Chiang Kai-shek would not give up his power. At the end of October, he drafted the Xu Bang launch a mass campaign plan in Nanjing (Mainland called Battle of Huaihai).

The Kuomintang army of the Republic of China is in Xuzhou stand ready for the Communist People’s Liberation Army put up a stubborn resistance. Although China’s Anti-Japanese War has achieved victory in the August 15, 1945, but in order to compete for political power, Kuomintang-Communist civil war still results in China was thick with gunpowder fumes … Qiu’s hometown, located in a small valley besides the Yellow River, it isn’t many trees and river view. In the time of turmoil, hire is seemed tranquil without. Maybe it was not an ideal place for soldiers to live or fight. Bathed in warm sunshine every day, the village looked safe in the golden autumn. To Shao’s surprised, Qiu Zhongyuan has a large and strong house, it is made of stones and thick, wood piles. The house standing upright on a plain not far from the ravine, adding a view like oil painting to the barren.

Because Shao Guizhen, being pregnant, felt sick after taking train and horse-drawn carriage. Qiu made bed for her to take a rest as soon as they entered the house. Then he sat with his mother chatting. Qiu’s mother lived with his wife Wan and his three daughters whose ages followed a sequence of two years’ interval. The youngest daughter Weifen was at about the same age with Xiaodong but much taller. Maybe due to this reason, they liked each other at the first sight. Soon they carried vine-made baskets and went out hand in hand to pick sweet potatoes in the field.

Wan’s first and second daughters were playing around when Qiu, his mother and his wife Wan were chatting. Qiu said to his mother, Mum, she is the new daughter-in-law I found for you. Wan hasn’t given birth for eight years after she bore three daughters. We tried our best but failed. I fear that without a son, the lineage of our family will be broken off. I have no choice but to find another wife in Jiangsu. You will not disagree, will you? Qiu’s mother said, Of course I will since you like her and can afford to feed one’s family. Hearing that, Mrs. Wan felt unhappy but could not say noon the side. Because in old China men were allowed by the government to have two or three or even more wives. Furthermore, boys were regarded as the ones who carry on the family lineage, especially in the North. Qiu Zhongyuan introduced the basic information of Shao Guizhen. After a few minutes, Qiu said to his mother, Mum, I want to visit some old friends who grew up with me. Qiu’s mother said, Fine. I will stay home and chat with Guizhen. Weizhen and Weifen, Qiu’s first two daughters, said at the same time, Daddy, we want to go with you. Qiu said with one leg outside by the door, That is all right. He stepped over the threshold immediately to call on his friends, with his two girls followed gleefully.

Only Qiu Zhong yuan’s mother, Wan and Shao Guizhen were left at home. Shao rested for a while and Qiu’s mother began chat with her. Mrs. née Wan went to cook.

Shao asked first, Mum, I heard from Zhongyuan that he has four sisters and brothers, whose ages follow a sequence of nearly two years’ interval. When his father passed away, he and his younger brother were less than ten years old. His two elder sisters were young as well. How did you manage to feed four children? Qiu’s mother said, Wow! When Zhong yuan’s father passed away, he left me five children. The oldest one was born by his first wife, who died of acute peritonitis when her daughter was three or four years old. The girl was fifteen or sixteen when Zhong yuan’s father died. She lived with me since then until she got married when she was eighteen or nineteen. The 2nd oldest daughter also got married at the age of less than twenty. After the death of Zhong yuan’s father, I had to sell lands to carry out the duty of affording five sons and daughters.

Shao asked, Sell lands? Do you have so many lands to sell? Qiu’s mother said, I used to have, but few of them were left now. But I didn’t worry. Zhongyuan had learned medical skill from his uncle in Xi’an. His brother Zhonglin, ten years younger, also became a doctor. And Zhonglin married the daughter of a Kuomintang official in Hankou. It’s heard that he lived very well. Now I don’t have to worry about anything. Shao felt quite curious and asked, Ten years younger than Zhongyuan? Then he is of the same age with me. I heard the Communist troops are undefeatable and about to take hold of the entire country. Is Zhonglin’s father-in-law still at ease? Isn’t he terrified? Qiu’s mother said, The old man is said to be a little nervous, but not terrified. He said he had never done anything wrong to the public and committed no crime, so he didn’t want to escape.

Shao kept silent for a while after hearing that. She thought, Things might be different in the combating battlefield. Then she asked another question, Why did your family have so many lands in the past? Qiu’s mother said, I heard from Zhong Yuan’s father that Zhong Yuan’s grandpa used to serve as a clerk in the county government since he was young. He was very famous for his good articles even in remote areas, and many people came to ask him to write official complaint for filing a lawsuit. For this reason, he could earn a lot of extra money besides his salary. He didn’t visit prostitute, drug and gambling, rather, he bought land once he had some money and thus owned many lands. Zhong Yuan’s father was also a decent man. What he cared about are lands and children. I didn’t sell land until I became a widow. Now most of the lands are sold. Only two or three of them are left for us to grow vegetables for our own use.

After taking the rest, Shao felt much better. She got up and helped Wan to cook. Qiu Zhongyuan arrived home no sooner than the meal was ready, so did his daughters. The whole family enjoyed the dishes. At the table, Qiu Zhongyuan said, Mum, please come with us to Jiangsu when we leave. I’m busier and busier and Guizhen is pregnant. You can cook for us or provide other help. Hearing that, Qiu’s mother had a wide smile on her face, Sure! I am eager to see the outside world with you. It’s dulled to stay in Caiyuangou. Qiu Zhongyuan said, Mum, we want to leave Xiaodong here to accompany Wan’s daughters. Moreover, she should go to school instead of living with us. We rented the hotel room in Jiangsu only to run our business. Qiu’s mother said, Sure! But she must change her surname, or people here will not know whose daughter she is. Shao Guizhen smiled and accepted the suggestion at once, Of course. It’s quite easy. Just change Jiang Xiaodong into Qiu Xiaodong. They reached the agreement and Xiaodong inherited his stepfather’s surname ever since.

The couple decided to go back to Jiangsu after less than ten days’ stay in hometown because some of his patients had not fully recovered although they did refuse to accept new patients when they left. Qiu Zhongyuan decided to return to the hotel in Jiangsu with his mother and wife on the ninth day. On that day, Qiu’s mother carry some local products like red dates and dried persimmons and together lived in the hotel followed her son and daughter-in-law.

A few months later, Shao Guizhen gave birth to their first girl with Qiu Zhongyuan in the rented room. Qiu Zhongyuan adored the baby despite her gender because she resembled his appearance very much and the little girl is a real delight by everyone who saw her. He later named her Qiu Weiying. Sometimes Qiu Zhongyuan said with pride to his patients, Look, the eyes of my daughter were so brilliant. She must be smart and have a promising future. According to the old belief, parents will benefit from their children if the son resembles his mother or daughter resembles her father.

Due to Qiu’s outstanding medical skills and the couple’s responsible attitude, more and more patients came to them. Now with Qiu’s mother and the new-born daughter, the two rooms they rented became too small for them to live and treat patients. The rooms were narrow, stuffy and especially uncomfortable in the scorching summer. So, the couple decides to move out and trying to find another place to live and practice medicine.

CHAPTER 2

Age of rapid change

2.1 The survivor of a great disaster

One day after Weiying was one-month old, Zhang Yumou, apprentice to Qiu Zhong Yuan’s younger brother--Qiu Zhonglin went to the hotel at the request after taking part in the funeral procession of his father.

He also brought a letter of Qiu Zhonglin, which said, …I have bought a relatively large house in Hankou where Guang Feng’s parents live with us. You cannot do with renting and living in the hotel. I have a plan to send our mother to here and you can come along. And I suggest you opening a clinic in Changsha, which may be a good way out, one reason being that it will facilitate us visiting each other since I live in Hubei. And this time Zhang Yumou can pick you all up here. This letter just met the intention of Qiu Zhongyuan and his wife.

Their mother agreed with great pleasure after being told the news, for the two rented rooms, one for treating patients and the other for accommodating the whole family were not enough with more and more patients. Qiu’s mother had always thought that such a living environment was crowded with stale air, much worse than my previous Caiyuangou. Therefore, with the mother’s support, the couple stopped receiving new patients to be operated on and treated old patients immediately. They asked the patients who had almost recovered to go back home and take some medicine that they could cope with by themselves and those who could not leave temporarily to stay for more days. After a few days when all old patients would get recovered, the whole family could leave Jiangsu.

One evening Zang Yumou saw Qiu Zhongyuan checking the account. Suddenly he said to Qiu secretly, Could you borrow some money for me to start up a business? Qiu asked, How do you develop such an idea? Zhang answered, We have spent all of our money on my father’s funeral, and my 50-odd-year-old mother is in bad health so that my younger brother can hardly afford the family just by farming. That’s why I want to borrow some money from you to open a small shop for him. Qiu agreed, Good idea. You are quite filially devoted for your mother. How much do you need? Zhang smiled, I do not need much. Just 200 teals. Qiu said, That’s not a small amount of money. Then Zhang immediately answered, I will pay you back as soon as my brother earns money form the shop or I myself make some by being a doctor. Qiu agreed, OK, I’ll help you out. But I do not have that much at hand. I’ll give it to you together with the ship ticket fees tomorrow morning. Hearing this, Zhang became so glad.

When Zhang Yumou took money from Qiu and went to buy ship tickets after breakfast the next morning, Qiu exhorted him, Buy the ticket of tomorrow afternoon. Though there’s only one ship for Shanghai per week here, few people went to big cities including Nanjing, so we are likely to get tickets. Holding the money in hand, Zhang replied without looking back, I knew that when I was at the dock. The couple then began to wrap up with the last few patients and check accounts with them.

Zhang came back before lunch and took out the tickets and remaining money from his pocket. Confused at the different colors of one ticket that Zhang held aside from the others, Qiu asked, Why is your own ticket different from ours? Zhang answered with a cold smile, This one is in a better position on the ship. It’s the last one but costs a bit more. You better be frugal, for you can get to Hankou anyway, or you must wait until next week. With this, he pressed the three tickets into Qiu’s hand while Qiu staring at his face with a hooknose, got too angry to say a word. However, he did not want to wait for another week; moreover, the family had made preparation for leaving. With no alternative, Qiu borrowed Zhang 200 yuan as he promised. Then Zhang left when Qiu fell into his own thought. Not asking more, Qiu continued to be engaged in the treatment of remaining patients.

After breakfast the next morning, the family began to wrap up medical facilities and daily commodities in their bedroom as well as their baggage. Grandma was also busy with it. In the afternoon, they settled their bills with the hotel and bid farewell to the boss and servants. They left the hotel of Jiangsu province where they had lived for more than one year.

They set out in a hurry. With a bag made of satin embroidered with flowers on her right arm, Shao Guizhen held little Weiying who was still asleep with her head against her mother’s. Grandma Qiu, with a small-sized cloth wrapper, walked alongside the river in the town by her small feet. And Qiu Zhongyuan carried a rattan full of medical articles in one hand and a heavy canvas bag on another shoulder. Zhang Yumou, then, carrying light baggage and his own bamboo pretentiously, frigged about along a narrow path. It had not rained for a long time and there was no breeze over the riverside. With the earth basked in the afternoon sun, it was hot and suffocating. A stray dog beside the street was gasping with its tongue stretched out. Despite clouds above, there was no sign for rain. Zhang saw an empty boat rowed slowly in the river first, and Qiu shouted together with him. The boatman rowed the boat towards them and stopped by the riverside. Zhang and the Qiu family hurried onto the boat and felt relieved. Then the boatman strived to row to the dock where the ship was anchored.

Passers were boarding when they got off the boat and onto the dock. Zhang did not care about the Qiu family at all; instead, he hurried to the ticket examiner and passed the inspection quickly. However, the ticket inspector check tickets suddenly became confused at the tickets handed to him by Qiu Zhongyuan, saying, The three tickets are not for the passenger ship but for the small freighter on that tugboat down there. But how can you spend the whole night on a freighter, which will be more dangerous when the weather changes. Qiu pointed to Zhang, who had then already entered the cabin, It was him who has bought all the tickets. We had no idea at all. So, could we board the ship and pay the rest of the ticket then? The ticket inspector replied, Tickets for both the sleeping cabin and the seats have been sold today. Nevertheless, you may refund your tickets. Qiu was surprised, It would cause great trouble, for we used to live here by renting rooms in a hotel… Then there is no alternative. You mean we have to take the freighter down there? Eh…that’s up to you, the examiner answered in a helpless tone. With vixen whistling, the ship was to leave the dock immediately. Time was so pressing that the family could not turn back and hurry along the slope to board the freighter, full of caused reluctance.

Seeing the goods on board, Qiu Zhongyuan was so angry that he cursed, Shit! How can we sleep here, let alone sit down? Then he touched the parcels of various sizes and realized that they were filled with cotton. A long wooden board, which could be used as a seat was fixed in the middle part of the tugboat. Two biggest parcels were put on each side of the board. Qiu asked his mother and Guizhen to sit on the wooden board and backed on the parcels he had pushed aside. And he himself, finally sitting on the deck behind the parcels, faced the boundless river and thought crossly, Damn it! Why didn’t he tell us the truth about our tickets?

When they got board in the afternoon, it was clear with breeze blowing over the river and waves