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墨書 Inktalez
In the middle of the night, Cheng Mosu suddenly woke up, her heart racing. Her mind went blank, unable to recall what had happened. The space beside her was empty, and when her delicate hand reached out, it felt cold. She couldn't help but cough, and not far away, Mingjing reflected her slightly flushed countenance.
She got out of bed, draping a thin shawl that shimmered like moonlight around her shoulders, blending seamlessly with the moonlight outside. Her steps were slow and graceful, time seemed to swirl around her, and she felt a buzzing in her head from the blankness. Unable to resist, she opened the window and gazed at the clear moonlight illuminating the light green scenery.
She sighed, feeling as if something was stuck in her heart, making her uncomfortable. The evening breeze caressed her frail figure as she walked slowly on the cold ground. Ahead, she saw the Funeral Hall and froze.
The painful moment flashed in her mind; she looked at the black gauze wrapped around her arm and finally remembered why she was there and what had happened, feeling utterly weak. She stumbled towards the Funeral Hall, tears streaming down uncontrollably.
Shen Deputy Officer had passed away, and Xiao Jing had followed suit. In one day, two funerals, two lives lost.
Her vision darkened, and she fell forward; the scars of reality etched deeper in her heart, heavy sorrow suffocating her. A warm force lifted her up, and she regained her senses amidst the faint smell of gunpowder.
Her rose-colored lips trembled lightly, long lashes glistening with moisture. Shangguan Shaoyi looked at her and felt a deeper pain in his heart. Just moments ago Xiao Jing had left, and now Cheng Mosu had fainted; upon waking again, she bore this painful expression.
He quietly watched her; his deep eyes merged with the thick darkness of night, filled with loneliness and stillness. She paused for a moment before raising her water-colored eyes to meet his gaze. This silent moment of staring held so much time in their intertwined lives.
“Xiao Jing…” she uttered those two words, realizing her throat felt stuck; her voice was barely audible.
He took her hand gently; the warmth of his palm carried sadness and resentment. She looked at his chiseled profile and remembered how in their youth his sharp gaze was filled with ambition, but now…
She lowered her beautifully shaped brows as they arrived at the Funeral Hall, where another memorial tablet had been added. She bit down on her rose-colored lips tightly; the flickering candlelight illuminated her pale countenance brightly. The two memorial tablets stood together, making Shen Deputy Officer's name no longer solitary. Leaning against him, tears flowed freely from her eyes amidst desolation and coldness.
“Cheng Mosu…” he softly called to her. Her heart ached deeply; his voice was as cold as the night itself—so mournful.
“Shaoyi.” She held his hand tightly, her Rose-Colored Lips trembling lightly, and her voice shook as well, “Don’t feel lonely; you still have me and Ling Heng...”
His palm tightened, the sadness in his Black as Ink eyes dissipating, replaced by a surge of determination. “Yes, I still have you and Ling Heng.”
She nodded, seeing that he had regained some spirit, and she couldn’t help but stop her tears. He quietly looked at her, lost in the Water-colored whirlpool. He instinctively embraced her, his voice clear, “Cheng Mosu, you should rest well; we’ll return to Shanghai tomorrow.”
“Return to Shanghai?” she asked in confusion.
“Yes, I’ve already sent someone to tidy up your Cheng Family old house. You can take Ling Heng and Feng Yin there first.” His chin rested on the top of her head, holding her tightly in his arms. “General Jiang has assigned me some troops, and along with my former personal guards, I’ve formed the Tax Police Corps to guard the Wusong River area.”
She nodded, feeling a bit relieved, and softly said, “You just focus on training the troops; I will take good care of Ling Heng.”
“Okay.” He replied lightly, watching the beautiful hint of a smile at the corners of her lips. Now that the city was in ruins, the gaze she held for him was filled with gentle longing. In that moment, her eyes were like brilliant colors—sometimes enchanting, sometimes perplexing—but they made him feel an intense affection that he couldn’t tear his gaze away from.
He wrapped his arm around her frail shoulders. She slept on him for a night, and when she woke up again, they took a private plane back to Shanghai. The Concession Area in Shanghai still looked prosperous, showing no signs of war. But she was not someone lacking foresight; witnessing him rise to great heights, hosting guests, and then seeing it all collapse—wasn’t that all part of a family’s fate, a story, a city’s destiny?
Two months passed quickly. The Tax Police Corps, led by Shangguan Shaoyi, set off for the front lines. She gazed out at the changing sky from the window, watching summer fade away and autumn winds rise. She saw the silver candles’ autumn light coldly painting the screen while delicate fans fluttered against fireflies.
“Miss.” Feng Yin, seeing that she wasn’t resting anymore, pushed the door open. The once luxurious Cheng Family Residence was now empty and cold; the grand building was on the verge of collapse. Only she, Feng Yin, and Ling Heng remained in the vast room. Feng Yin sighed and said, “Miss, how can you manage with so little sleep every day?”
Cheng Mosu came back to her senses and smiled faintly. “Has today’s Newspaper arrived? What did they say on the broadcast?”
“It’s still early morning; how could there be any Newspaper for sale? The broadcast is just filled with trivial matters. You should sleep a little longer; when you wake up, these things will still be here,” Feng Yin advised.
She fell silent for a moment, her Water-colored Eyes slightly lowered. "Shaoyi has been deployed to the front lines for so long now; I don't know how things are... I'm really..."
"Miss, there's no need to worry. Son-in-law is a brilliant strategist; he will be fine."
She shot a glare at Feng Yin, surprised that this girl could say such cheesy compliments. Feng Yin's face flushed slightly, and just then, they heard a knock at the door. Her expression brightened again as she said, "Miss, it's the Newsboy delivering the Newspaper. I'll go open the door."
Feeling anxious, she hurried with Feng Yin to the door. Feng Yin took the Newspaper from the Newsboy, and she quickly grabbed it. However, her vision nearly went dark. The white paper with black characters clearly stated that the Tax Police Corps stationed in Soojiang had been unable to withstand the Japanese Army and had been forced to retreat to the South Bank after their flanks were breached by the superior Japanese forces.
"Miss, this... even though we've lost this battle, are there no casualties?"
Listening to Feng Yin's voice, she quickly looked down to search for the names of the fallen, fearing she might see that familiar name she had been worried about.
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