Chapter 54

Tang found that four people came. They were Comrade Xiao, Comrade Zhong and two superiors of these two persons.

The arrival of the four public security workers alarmed Madame Wang and Dai, who were worried about Tang. What would these people say to Tang? They stayed nearby and listened.

Madame Wang brought tea to the people. Then, Zhang said, “My wife has been ill recently and is receiving medical care at home. She did not go to the public security office as required. She did not mean to escape. Please understand us!”

A public security worker replied, “This is not a matter of understanding. What matters is your wife’s support to our work. She does not give us any face in dealing with this small matter. This is a dangerous signal of pushing her to the hostile position.”

Yang had a sip of tea, and said, “If it is a small matter, why do you ask my sister-in-law to go to the public security office every day? That would make a weak woman suffer a lot. I hear you are named Yang, so am I. Let us be reasonable…”

Tang found Yang begging the public security workers for mercy. She shouted, “Brother!”

Yang stopped speaking at the shout. He knew begging was an insult to her. She had not asked him to beg for mercy. Yang thought himself weaker than Tang on this issue. Yang’s gaze met the public security worker’s, which seemed to say, “Look! She is hostile to us!”

Zhang was shocked at Tang’s strict requirement with Yang. Then he saw Comrade Yang write something with tea on the desk. It was “confession for better treatment.” Zhang was puzzled. Why should the people trace their past in this way? Was there anything wrong with faith?

Zhang was disappointed with this society. His wife was rebelling against this evil force. She never yielded to them. She even did not care about her husband’s imploring. Zhang felt that his wife loved God more than anything else.

Comrade Yang looked at Tang, saying, “It seems that Mrs. Zhang is much better now. I think you had better come to the public security office either from this afternoon or tomorrow on. You should have the matter settled.”

Unexpectedly, Tang answered, “I must serve God. I can’t leave Him. Tell you the truth: I won’t go to the public security office. If you think that I am evil, you can question me here. Then, the others could judge for me.” She stared at Jesus on the cross for a while, and remarked, “Before Lord, I have no sense of fear. Let me tell you: If you found me guilty of killing the babies with the American priests, I would go to the public security office. I am a Christian but bold enough to face the reality.”

Comrade Yang replied, “This doesn’t work. You must go to the public security office. How could we listen to you at your home?”

Tang closed her eyes, replying, “”Then get the evidence against me and send me to prison.”

Comrade Yang was annoyed, remarking, “What an arrogant woman! Do you think we dare not arrest you?”

A leader stood up and said, “Have you decided not to go to the public security office?”

Tang replied, “Yes.”

The man went on, “Is that sure?”

“Sure.”

Comrade Yang pointed at Tang, uttering, “What an arrogant woman! Let’s wait and see!”

These people left the Zhang’s house. Madame Wang closed the gate.

Everybody in the house sat still. Dai sat on a chair, staring at her sister-in-law and wondering why she was so courageous. Tang conflicted with the public security workers for religious faith only. If the Zhang’s collapsed, where would Dai and her sons live?

Even Yang was puzzled with Tang’s behavior. Tang should be aware of the present situation, where those connected with imperialists or foreign religions would be punished. In Yang’s eyes, Tang should have refrained from direct conflicts with those public security workers for the good of the whole family. Yang cast a glance at Zhang, who was upset and frustrated facing the situation. Yang had a sense of sadness. He felt like crying outside. He moved and was about to go out when Tang called, “Dear brother!”

Yang turned back, and found Tang looking at him with a smile. She said, “Dear brother, I have to ask you for help.”

Yang’s tears rolled down. He said sadly, “Dear sister-in-law, it is we who have brought trouble to you. Just tell me what I can do for you.”

Seeing Yang crying, Tang was upset. She calmed down and stretched a smile. Only Zhang and Wang knew what she was going to say. Wang’s face turned rd and was about to leave, when Tang called, “Wang, please stay.”

The four people looked at Tang, who got calmer than before. She seemed like an angel of God, with wings and happy smiles. A long time passed before Tang said:

“Dear brother, I think we owe you much. In 1944, when Zhang Yan was not born yet, my husband and I mentioned your marriage, and you refused to consider it at that time. Today, I’d like you to get married for my family’s sake.” Tang got up and faced Yang, remarking, “If God allowed me to kowtow, I’d like to do that to you.”

Yang stood up at once, saying, “Please don’t do that. I am not worthy of it.”

Tang sat down, so did Yang. Tang went on, “Dear brother, the situation is developing in a bad way. We don’t know what would happen to us. But what I care most is Zhang Yan, our son. He is still young.”

Dai cried at this, saying, “Dear sister-in-law, please don’t mention this.”

Wang also cried, “Dear Tang, I…”

Yang thought the cries would make Tang even sadder, so he shouted, “Stop crying! What’s the point of crying?”

Tang said, “Please don’t cry. We have this discussion today in order to ask Yang to take care of Zhang Yan later. If someday my husband and I had to leave this world, we would like to ask Yang and Wang to take good care of our son. You know why I am sad.”

Yang said, “That’s easy. Zhang Yan is your child as well as ours. I’ll do my best to protect him all my life.”

Wang said, “Yes, we would.”

At this time, Zhang realized Tang’s worries and was aware that the marriage between Yang and Wang could help them. Zhang knew the family was going to collapse and the best way was how to protect their kid.

“Brother!” Tang broke the ice, and said as if she were going out for a long time and had to entrust her baby to another person, “I hope you can get married. I know my request is selfish, but I do hope you can marry Madame Wang. Our son has been living with your help. Wang knows everything about his habits. You two are the persons my husband and I trust most. If our son could live with you two, we would feel relieved at any time.”

It was two years after liberation. If there was any woman whom Yang liked, it was Fang Meiying who cleaned the streets. Madame Wang was also a nice woman. But Yang preferred Fang, a young, simple woman. Yang was 50 years old. Why should he think of such things? He wondered.

In this society, Yang felt the unease hanging in the family. The common people hated the rich. The society belonged to the poor. Yang had killed two people before, but he was exempted from punishment in this society. Yang got stuck in the middle. The Zhang’s treated him well, but the new society had also done something good for him.

Yang had a strong sense of responsibility for the Zhang’s. He hoped to pay back the Zhang’s care to him. But he could not yet decide whether to marry Wang.

Dai calmed down. She was aware of the consequence of an unsteady life. Thus, she asked:

“Dear brother, I think Wang is a nice woman. You two have no relatives but this family, and both of you love Zhang Yan. I think the marriage is good.”

Yang glared at Dai, thinking that marriage and affections were two different things.

At this time, Tang heaved a sigh, saying, “I am not forcing you to do this. I just think that something bad will happen to us. I have discussed with my husband. We plan to allocate the shops and houses we have to you, Wang and Dai.”

Then, Zhang said, “To tell you the truth, we think disasters may happen to us at any time. Thus, it is better for us to arrange the things in advance. Our son will feel happy only with Yang and Wang. Please consider our request. We have never asked the other people for help before.”

Yang asked in surprise, “Does this mean you’re going to leave us?”

Zhang replied at once, “We’re just arranging things in advance.”

At this time, tears rolled down Tang’s cheeks. She said, “Honey, please don’t force our request to Yang. Find the land deeds, and give them to Yang, Wang and Dai.”

Yang realized that the poor lived an unsteady life before liberation, but it was just opposite in the new society. Poverty seemed a glorious word, but wealth a loathsome one.

Yang thought Tang and Zhang’s worries reasonable. Yang felt that he should take good care of Zhang Yan, and to realize that purpose he should marry Wang. Yang decided that he should do this.

With this thought Yang said, “Dear sister-in-law and brother, don’t worry about that. If Wang agrees to the marriage, I’ll marry her.”

Wang got shy at this word. She was about to move away when Dai stopped her. Dai felt that something bad would happen to her as well. She knelt down and said:

“Dear Yang and Wang, if the Zhang’s could not live on in this society, my sons and I would have trouble, too. I’d like to transfer the allocation from my cousin and sister-in-law to you, and hope that you can take care of my sons.”

Yang was amused at this. He thought Dai too nervous. Were the poor really nice in the new society? Should people try to be poor in the new society? What a funny society!

Dai thought Yang refused to help her, pleading, “Dear brother, just treat my sons as yours, will you?”

Zhang thought Dai smart. He said, “Ok. Since the three kids are good friends now, why not help her?”

Yang helped Dai to get up, thinking that the new society was really funny. It was hard to believe.

That afternoon, Yang and Wang registered their marriage in a civil agency. That night they lived together in the Zhang’s. It was Saturday. The Zhang’s sent the couple a nice antique vase made in the Qing Dynasty as a present. The couple realized that the Zhang’s considered them as their own family members.

That night, the three kids danced for the couple; Dai sang a song of the Buyi nationality; Zhang sang a military song. The wedding was exciting. It lasted until midnight.