"This, it's been a long time indeed," Geng Chaozhong tried hard to capture the information from the peasant woman's mouth, "I remember that there used to be a station here!"
"Where is there any station? Are you not a local? How come you don't even know this!" The peasant woman looked at Geng Chaozhong suspiciously, with a farmer's unique stubbornness on her face, "There is a mule and horse station here, and it's nine years old.
The earliest station was just built there! In the first year of the Showa era, His Majesty succeeded to the throne. The city hall said that people and mules and horses could no longer mix together, so the mule and horse stations were moved here. Don't you know?"
How do I know?!
"Remember it, forget it," Geng Chaozhong was sweating profusely. He quickly bowed to the peasant woman and pulled Xiangzi back quickly. As he walked, he said: "We were not very formal at that time, and the cars were all
It was stopped casually, who knew it would develop so fast now."
"Hehe, mule and horse station, it turns out that when you were a child, you always went to the city with the mules and horses." Xiangzi covered her mouth and snickered.
"Yes, we were still very poor at that time. It would be nice if we could take a ride, so we couldn't be picky." Geng Chaozhong breathed a sigh of relief.
"I think you look like a big mule." Xiangzi glanced at Geng Chaozhong charmingly.
"Hehe..." Geng Chaozhong could only laugh dryly.
"Actually, the empire has developed very fast in recent years. I have never been to Hokkaido, but I have heard that Hokkaido has changed a lot in recent years." Xiangzi nodded, pretending not to see Geng Chaozhong's embarrassment.
"Thank you, but the station shouldn't be far away." Geng Chaozhong was ashamed, but he was also relieved by Xiangzi's "understanding".
Yes, Hokkaido has changed a lot. From the Meiji period, the Japanese population began to explode. A large number of immigrants came to Hokkaido to reclaim land and build cities. It can be said that the appearance of the city here changes every year. This is a good excuse.
But the most important thing is that Xiangzi still trusts herself, but if something goes wrong again, I'm afraid even the gods won't be able to save her.
At that time...
Geng Chaozhong glanced sideways at Xiangzi. Xiangzi was walking on tiptoes, constantly looking at the surrounding scenery, with a pure smile on her face. At this time, she no longer looked like a shrewd and vicious female spy.
, but more like a little girl going home to look for her parents.
Hope you don't find anything...
Geng Chaozhong sighed secretly in his heart.
The two of them walked back for another ten minutes and finally saw a platform with a wooden sign of "Chemachi". There were a few people standing there waiting for the bus. It seemed that this was the so-called platform.
Geng Chaozhong breathed a sigh of relief and quickly pulled Xiangzi to stand under the stop sign. However, the stop sign at this time was very simple and there was no sign of the stop. In front of several locals, Geng Chaozhong did not dare to ask too much for fear of saying anything.
Too much is bound to be lost, and any mistakes will be made.
After waiting for less than half an hour, the sound of a car motor was finally heard in the distance, and there was a commotion nearby. It was obvious that the shuttle bus had arrived. However, when the bus drove closer, Geng Chaozhong discovered that the so-called shuttle bus turned out to be a Mitsubishi truck!
The big truck rolled up dust and suddenly stopped in front of everyone. A rough and bearded driver stuck his head out from the front with a cigarette in his mouth and shouted:
"Put a penny per person in a box. If you don't give money, take it to the police station!"
"Get in the car!"
Amidst the cheers, everyone swarmed up and climbed into the back of the truck with ease. A wooden box was nailed to the top of the front of the truck. Everyone got on the truck, took out a banknote from their pocket, and threw it into the wooden box.
"Look, it's still a penny, and the price hasn't increased in more than ten years." Geng Chaozhong said, pointing to the wooden box on the roof of the car.
"It's so interesting," Xiangzi didn't care about Geng Chaozhong's remedial words. She looked at the truck with bright eyes, grabbed her skirt and high heels, and climbed into the car in two or three steps. Then she took something out of her pocket.
He took out two banknotes and threw them into the wooden box, then reached out and patted the front of the car, loudly reminding the driver in front: "Everyone is here, drive, drive!"
"crazy?"
Geng Chaozhong couldn't understand Xiangzi's crazy behavior, but he saw the driver start the car and hurriedly caught up.
Xiangzi followed the others' example and sat down on the floor of the carriage, letting the black stains stain her white skirt. Geng Chaozhong glanced at the oily floor, hesitated, and sat side by side with Xiangzi.
.
"Hokkaido is so fun. Now they use trucks to pull people." Xiangzi whispered in Geng Chaozhong's ear.
"Is it weird? It's not like you've never seen soldiers riding in trucks." Geng Chaozhong looked at Xiangzi speechlessly.
"I've seen it, but never ridden one? I've only ridden on trains and trams, but never on a truck." Xiangzi said seriously.
"Okay," Geng Chaozhong could only express his approval. After a pause, he realized something and asked, "Where are you from?"
"You finally thought of asking me this question," Xiangzi looked at Geng Chaozhong resentfully, "I'm from Izu, not too far from Tokyo. This time when I return to China, I haven't visited my hometown yet."
"Oh, we will leave for Izu tomorrow." Geng Chaozhong said.
"Really?" Xiangzi's eyes were shining with joy.
"Really." Geng Chaozhong's eyes were serious.
He didn't dare to stay in Hokkaido any longer. Who knew what might happen if time passed.
"Great, my Aunt Sakurai will be very happy to meet you," Xiangzi said excitedly. "She always said that I will be able to find a good man when I grow up. Also, my cousin Shigeta is also
He should have grown up, he was fat when he was a child, he should be a big fat man now, right?"
The truck rumbled forward. Geng Chaozhong smiled and looked at the excited Xiangzi. From Xiangzi's story, he didn't hear any information about her parents. Some were just aunts, cousins, and some...
.....It seems to be the story of a woman who has fallen into disgrace...
Geng Chaozhong's heart suddenly trembled.
No matter what the position is, in everyone's hometown, they or they are just the ordinary them or them in the eyes of others!
...........
"The iron factory is here, get off the car quickly!"
After stopping several times, the driver finally called out the name of the ironworks. There was only one ironworks in Muroran County, and that was the Hokutanrun Nishiki Railway Works.
"We're here, so fast." Xiangzi seemed to have not yet woken up from her confession. She shook her head vigorously and glanced at Geng Chaozhong apologetically - she was only talking to herself just now, and she never noticed that Geng Chaozhong had not spoken.
.
"It's okay, I like to hear your stories about the past." Geng Chaozhong said with a smile.
"Get out of the car quickly!" Xiangzi swept her bangs from her forehead.
The two of them walked out of the car with their suitcases in hand. Geng Chaozhong walked in with a "familiar" but "aimless" pace, while Xiangzi looked around curiously at the surrounding environment.
Lunxi Iron Works, as the name suggests, is a large ironworks. In front is a tall blast furnace that is still emitting billowing black smoke. In the middle is a large field filled with iron sand and ore. Geng Chaozhong aimed at a trail behind the blast furnace.
, according to common sense, behind the iron factory should be the employee dormitory, which was also the home of "Datenosuke" when he was a child.
Geng Chaozhong no longer had any hatred in his heart for this Japanese spy who took his own life, but only lamented his kind and persistent mother. That kind old Japanese lady would never know that it was he who
The Chinese ended her son's life, but became her son in name only.
This complex feeling lingered throughout Geng Chaozhong's entire journey. For some reason, he felt a faint sense of guilt in his heart - it had nothing to do with right or wrong, it was just out of human instinct.
"You seem very sad." Xiangzi gently shook Geng Chaozhong's arm.
"Yes, I haven't been back for a long time." Geng Chaozhong sighed.
"If you feel unhappy, we will leave tonight." Xiangzi said cautiously.
"Let's go!" Geng Chaozhong didn't say much and continued walking forward.
This time Geng Chaozhong's judgment was correct. After passing through this long and narrow path covered with coal ballast, he found a row of dilapidated bungalows. In front of the bungalows, there were several strong men with half naked bodies squatting.
While eating in front of the bungalow, I occasionally raised my head, but didn't pay the slightest attention to the two men and women in suits and ties in front of me - the heavy physical activity had already wiped out their remaining curiosity.
"This is where you lived when you were a child?" Xiangzi looked at these rough men and the environment full of primitive industrial atmosphere.
"Well, the house in the middle was my childhood home. I haven't been back since my father had an accident in the mine." Geng Chaozhong nodded and stopped.
"Date-kun, would you like to go in and take a look?" Xiangzi was particularly gentle at this time.
"No," Geng Chaozhong shook his head, "I'll just stand here and watch for a while."
The two people stared silently at the low bungalow in front of them. Under the fiery red sunset, there were shirtless miners, men and women in suits and ties, as well as the towering blast furnace and cinders as high as a hill not far away, forming a strange scene.
scenery.
"Let's go!"
After a long time, Geng Chaozhong suddenly turned around.
"Don't look at it anymore?" Xiangzi asked softly.
"No," Geng Chaozhong stepped out and said, "Just go to my mother's grave and pay homage."
The grave of old Mrs. Ida is at the back of the mine, where there is a hill. Geng Chaozhong saw the photos taken by Sato a few years ago.
It was getting dark. Geng Chaozhong took out a flashlight from his suitcase. The two of them walked in, one foot deep and one foot shallow. Xiangzi was wearing high heels and it was very inconvenient to walk, so she simply took off her shoes.
, walking on the ground barefoot.
Geng Chaozhong moved his mouth, but still did not speak.
"Date-kun, do you have no other relatives here?" Xiangzi broke the silence.
"I also have a few relatives, but I went to China when I was very young and I am not very familiar with them." Geng Chaozhong replied.
"Oh." Xiangzi agreed.
I walked for more than half an hour, passing countless graves along the way. Most of them had no tombstones, just a hastily piled mound.
Japan has followed Chinese culture, and large-scale cremation has been a thing since World War II. At this time, most people still use burial. Similar to Chinese customs, rich people will erect tombstones, while most civilians will erect tombstones.
Tombstone has no ability, and these miners are even less so.
In view of Geng Chaozhong's current status, the local civil affairs department under the supervision of the Special Higher Education Department erected a tombstone for old Mrs. Ida, so Geng Chaozhong found the grave of old Mrs. Ida without much effort.
On the blue-gray stone slab, the names of Date and his wife were engraved, followed by the name of Datenosuke. Geng Chaozhong stared at the tombstone silently, then took out a bottle of sake from his suitcase, and lit a few cigarettes.
at the grave, and then poured sake on the grave.
A gust of dark wind blew by, and Geng Chaozhong's eyes were a little glazed over.
Death is a big deal.
Geng Chaozhong recited silently, knelt down and kowtowed three times.
The wind stopped, the moon rose, and the cold moonlight splashed in front of the grave. Xiangzi stood aside, quietly watching Geng Chaozhong's behavior - Geng Chaozhong's behavior was very strange, a bit inconsistent with the traditional Japanese funeral rituals.
But, it seems understandable.
"Old Mrs. Ida, I apologize to you, but I don't regret it."
Geng Chaozhong lowered his head and thought silently in his heart.
"Your son has committed countless crimes. Although this may not be his original intention, nor your original intention, there is a saying in China: When you do something, you should not judge your deeds but your heart. If you make a mistake, you will always have to pay the price, no matter what.
Are you unable to control yourself?"
"As a final reward, I will bring your son's ashes back after the war and bury them with you as my last apology."
"Of course, if I live to see that day."
After a long time, Geng Chaozhong stood up.
"Date-kun, let's go!" Xiangzi walked to Geng Chaozhong's side.
"Okay, let's go."
Geng Chaozhong nodded, turned around, looked back at the grave of old Mrs. Ida, and then walked forward quickly.
Geng Chaozhong nodded, turned around, looked back at the grave of old Mrs. Ida, and then walked forward quickly.
"Date-kun, where are we going?"
For some reason, Xiangzi was a little scared and leaned closely to Geng Chaozhong.
"Go back." Geng Chaozhong's answer was brief.
"Aren't you going to visit those relatives?" Xiangzi asked.
"No." Geng Chaozhong replied.
"oh."
There was another moment of silence.
"Actually, I have no father, and I don't know who my mother is," Xiangzi said. "I was picked up by my aunt, who is a dancer from Izu."
"Your singing is very beautiful. When I was in Nanjing, I even bought a record of yours." Geng Chaozhong put his arm around Xiangzi's shoulders.
"Really? I grew up in Kabuchō, so I'm good at dancing and singing. In fact, I sing better in Japan." Xiangzi nestled her head on Geng Chaozhong's shoulder.
"Then sing a Japanese song to me!" Geng Chaozhong said.
"Okay," Xiangzi nodded slightly, tilted her head and thought for a while, then sang: