Chapter 67
Qiao Fei
I left the house and walked by myself in the street.
It was already spring. The weather was warm,the snow had melted, as a gentle and humid sea breeze was blew on my face. It made me feel happy.
I passed the pet market and tried to buy something for the little turtle. The owner of the shop said, “Are you feeding the turtle? Buy little pieces of crucian carp and loach, they love it.”
“That’s right. Right now, it’s spring so the turtle can eat and drink and will grow so quickly.”
“That’s great. Give me half a kilo.”
I took the fish home and put them into the fish tank.The small turtle was suddenly excited, and began to kill in the fishtank, with bloodshed in the water from the killing. I could not bear to watch. I went to watch TV, waited a while and then cleaned up the fish tank.
At this time, someone called me. I saw the number, it was my senior sister. From her tone, she seemed almost on the verge of collapse.”Feifei, if you do not come back, I will die.”
“What the hell?” I said, “I am on suspension.”
“Haven’t you received a phone call from the Personnel Department? They will soon be calling for you. You and Jia Yang are both absent, and now the department is shorthanded.Even the department head and the section chief have lots of work.”
“Ok,” I said, “I will be right over to help.”
As soon as I put down the phone, the Personnel Department called up. Not only did they inform me to report back to work immediately, but they also told me that I had now graduated from a trainee and would soon be formally an official of the civil service.
This seemed to suddenly come as a gift. Needless to say, Jia Yang’s parents were behind this and thus made me feel as if the situation was somewhat unreal.
I sat down and drank a glass of water. I was thinking, what was I supposed to do?
I was a human being, I remembered everything. I was not accustomed to being dismissed. But now I had to accept this gift. It bothered me that I had to be grateful for it .
However, another thought came to my mind. Such decisions were made in an instant. I put on the coat and left home to go the Department. Along the way, the spring breeze blew. My pace of walking got faster and faster, as if I was going to fly.
It wasn’t just for Jia Yang, I did not want to let him continue in this dilemma; it was hard work.More importantly, for years, I had worked hard for my own ideals. On this arduous road, I had felt wrong many times and I had shed my blood, sweat and tears. So I had to cherish the achievements.This time, no matter what the reason, I could not give up.
Cheng Jiayang
We took the plane to Kinshasa. The Congolese Foreign Minister took the opportunity to pick up the ambassador to the country and accompanied my father to meet the president.
During the meeting, my father was tough and solemnly asked the authorities to reinforce the security measures for the engineering and technical personnel of the railway.
The President, on the one hand, mourned and regretted the death of the personnel, but on the other hand, began to come up with all sorts of pretexts and refused to increase the budget and the security measures.
My father said, “You have to be clear about who your friends are and fulfil your obligations towards them. If you refuse to do these things for your friends, you will eventually become unpopular.”
I translated my father’s words to the other side, and the president gave a slight concession by increasing the police security to ensure that our safety was a bit more reinforced, but the price was huge. After the talks, the officials of the Congolese Ministry of Commerce talked to my father about additional interest-free loans.
My father said to me in Chinese: “Jia Yang, you see, fighting with foreigners is simpler than a child’s game. Ask them, how much money can buy my people’s life back?”
After the talks, the Congolese had arranged a simple meal, but my father refused. He asked if we could quickly receive the body of our compatriots.
We received the bodies in the Capital Hospital. The local sergeant carried the coffins to the car. My father had brought gloves, he personally covered the coffin with the flag.
We drove from the hospital to the airport on a bumpy road. On both sides, of the road we could see the West African desert. In the sunset, a pink light diffused from the ground; it was a strange scene.
Accompanying us as security personnel were two armed police officers of the Public Security Bureau. They were discharging their duty with due diligence. Now the task was about to end, but the two did not exhibit the slightest degree of relaxation to an outside observer.I thought that in every industry there were respectable professional people.
My father said, “You were pretty good.”
“Thank you . When I was a kid”, I said, “I may not have been as good as you, but now that I am in this profession , I am also quite good.”
He looked at me, his eyes were smiling: “Who says you are not as good as me? Times are different. If I had such a beautiful voice, back in the day, I could have become a minister.”
“That’s right . When I was in Paris, you were listening to a recording of King Sihanouk’s speech to practice,” I said, “So, father, it is not surprising. You don’t have the slightest Chinese accent no matter what you think.”
“Now it’s your turn to praise me ?”
I smiled , looking back at my stern father.
Suddenly..
Gunfire.
The front and rear guards were blown up and the black driver turned back to us and said, “It’s the guerrillas.” Before he could finish speaking, he was shot in the head.
Our guards pushed me and my father down to our seats and used their bodies to block us as they took out their pistols.
I heard the sound of machine guns and explosions. Both of us were panting. There was a smell of smoke and blood.
I had never experienced this kind of scene in my life before. My heart seemed to jump out of my chest; sweat flowed down like blood.
After a long time that seemed like a century to me, the gunfire suddenly stopped.
For a long time, there was no movement. Then the door suddenly opened and a team of heavily armed black soldiers were standing outside.
The government army defending us had been completely wiped out.
Black blood flowed directly near my feet.
We were the only persons living.
The first person to speak was tall and strong, his body muscular , with black lines painted on his face.
He did not intend to kill us. He said to us in French, “Come out.”
The four of us got off , the bodyguards were still standing in front of us.
My father himself stood out and asked him: “Are you the head?”
“Colonel of the guerrillas, Kofi Taigang.”
“I am the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Cheng.”
“I know,” said Taigang, “we came prepared.”
“Ok,” said my father, “keep me here , you can get anything. Let my colleagues go back.”
Taigang put his machine gun on his back and crossed his hands on his chest: “Here, what I say goes.”
“Do you know what is in the back of my car?” Father and Taigang were both proud, standing toe to toe, neither one willing to retreat, “The bodies of my compatriots. We, the Chinese people, do not stay in foreign countries after death. Please let my colleagues send the dead back home “. He looked back at us and said in Chinese:” You must send the coffins safely.”
The two bodyguards said: “Minister … …”
“Shut up,” he interrupted, and there were no ripples in his voice. “What is the purpose of our trip?”
I was shocked. My father would be left here and he wanted us to escort the coffin back.
Our car was yet to start, Taigang’s people stepped aside and my father hurriedly started on his way .
I lifted one foot then put it back on the ground. I said to Taigang, “Keep me here , I am the son of Mr Cheng,you will have more leverage.”
Taigang smiled, revealing white teeth, a trace of cruelty in his smile.”This is hilarious.”
My father was shocked at the change and looked at me. I saw the two bodyguards shut the door, I said: “Comrades,have a safe trip.”
We then went to the truck the guerillas had hidden behind the hills, then through the desert to an unknown destination .
I found that these people, Taigang and his men, were not a bunch of stragglers or a ragtag gang. There black sergeants were strong, well-trained, formal in appearance; no wonder they won so easily
While I watched them, I was being watched by another, my father.
When the car bumped, he helped me. With his chrysanthemum hands on my hand, he looked at my face and suddenly said with deep emotion: “This man ah, really impressive,when did you grow up so much ? You fight with me yet you also come with me to die.”
I laughed: “Suddenly? Are you ok? Did I startle you ?”
“Do you not regret being with your father here?” He asked me.
I thought about it, “A little bit.” I looked at him. “Dad, if I had not come here, I would have got married with her now.
But she was also the one who told me that you wanted to visit alone, and she was the one who told me to accompany you.”
If she were here now, she would do the same thing. ”
My father loosened my hand and looked up and looked at the twilight sky, “Isn’t this the girl who applied for Côte d’Ivoire?
“Yes.” I said.
“Why is she so stubborn ?” He looked at me, “Later, be wary of suffering.”
“I let her suffer too much.”
Father did not laugh, his face softened : “Jia Yang, when we go back, bring her home , we must meet her.”
“Ok dad, sure .” My eyes were wet.
Fei , in a way I am feeling closer and closer to you. What are you doing?
Qiao Fei
I worked overtime with senior sister in the department till 11 o’clock and only after that, I returned home. When I was leaving, I asked Huan who was bending over his desk preparing data for the director: “Do you have any news?”
He looked at me: “If I have news, won’t I tell you ? The minister has left the hospital and is preparing to return.Girl, you go back and rest, and all the people will watch out for you.”
When I returned home, I smelled something off. I ran into the house to see that the culprit was the small turtle . The aquarium was now a killing field , the whole tank was bloody. The carp, loach, everything was dirty and smelly and there were floating corpses in the tank.
The turtles had eaten their fill and were sitting in the fish tank.
I was angry. I came back so late at night, now I had to clean them up.
There is no other way . This Jia Yang was causing me too much trouble.
I held my breath as I poured water, rinsed them and brushed their shells.Their bath time was longer than my own.
Finally finished, I lay in bed, holding a quilt. I carefully smelled the fragrance of Jia Yang.
Translated by miumiu
Edited by tranzgeek
Chapter 67
Qiao Fei
I left the house and walked by myself in the street.
It was already spring. The weather was warm,the snow had melted, as a gentle and humid sea breeze was blew on my face. It made me feel happy.
I passed the pet market and tried to buy something for the little turtle. The owner of the shop said, “Are you feeding the turtle? Buy little pieces of crucian carp and loach, they love it.”
“That’s right. Right now, it’s spring so the turtle can eat and drink and will grow so quickly.”
“That’s great. Give me half a kilo.”
I took the fish home and put them into the fish tank.The small turtle was suddenly excited, and began to kill in the fishtank, with bloodshed in the water from the killing. I could not bear to watch. I went to watch TV, waited a while and then cleaned up the fish tank.
At this time, someone called me. I saw the number, it was my senior sister. From her tone, she seemed almost on the verge of collapse.”Feifei, if you do not come back, I will die.”
“What the hell?” I said, “I am on suspension.”
“Haven’t you received a phone call from the Personnel Department? They will soon be calling for you. You and Jia Yang are both absent, and now the department is shorthanded.Even the department head and the section chief have lots of work.”
“Ok,” I said, “I will be right over to help.”
As soon as I put down the phone, the Personnel Department called up. Not only did they inform me to report back to work immediately, but they also told me that I had now graduated from a trainee and would soon be formally an official of the civil service.
This seemed to suddenly come as a gift. Needless to say, Jia Yang’s parents were behind this and thus made me feel as if the situation was somewhat unreal.
I sat down and drank a glass of water. I was thinking, what was I supposed to do?
I was a human being, I remembered everything. I was not accustomed to being dismissed. But now I had to accept this gift. It bothered me that I had to be grateful for it .
However, another thought came to my mind. Such decisions were made in an instant. I put on the coat and left home to go the Department. Along the way, the spring breeze blew. My pace of walking got faster and faster, as if I was going to fly.
It wasn’t just for Jia Yang, I did not want to let him continue in this dilemma; it was hard work.More importantly, for years, I had worked hard for my own ideals. On this arduous road, I had felt wrong many times and I had shed my blood, sweat and tears. So I had to cherish the achievements.This time, no matter what the reason, I could not give up.
Cheng Jiayang
We took the plane to Kinshasa. The Congolese Foreign Minister took the opportunity to pick up the ambassador to the country and accompanied my father to meet the president.
During the meeting, my father was tough and solemnly asked the authorities to reinforce the security measures for the engineering and technical personnel of the railway.
The President, on the one hand, mourned and regretted the death of the personnel, but on the other hand, began to come up with all sorts of pretexts and refused to increase the budget and the security measures.
My father said, “You have to be clear about who your friends are and fulfil your obligations towards them. If you refuse to do these things for your friends, you will eventually become unpopular.”
I translated my father’s words to the other side, and the president gave a slight concession by increasing the police security to ensure that our safety was a bit more reinforced, but the price was huge. After the talks, the officials of the Congolese Ministry of Commerce talked to my father about additional interest-free loans.
My father said to me in Chinese: “Jia Yang, you see, fighting with foreigners is simpler than a child’s game. Ask them, how much money can buy my people’s life back?”
After the talks, the Congolese had arranged a simple meal, but my father refused. He asked if we could quickly receive the body of our compatriots.
We received the bodies in the Capital Hospital. The local sergeant carried the coffins to the car. My father had brought gloves, he personally covered the coffin with the flag.
We drove from the hospital to the airport on a bumpy road. On both sides, of the road we could see the West African desert. In the sunset, a pink light diffused from the ground; it was a strange scene.
Accompanying us as security personnel were two armed police officers of the Public Security Bureau. They were discharging their duty with due diligence. Now the task was about to end, but the two did not exhibit the slightest degree of relaxation to an outside observer.I thought that in every industry there were respectable professional people.
My father said, “You were pretty good.”
“Thank you . When I was a kid”, I said, “I may not have been as good as you, but now that I am in this profession , I am also quite good.”
He looked at me, his eyes were smiling: “Who says you are not as good as me? Times are different. If I had such a beautiful voice, back in the day, I could have become a minister.”
“That’s right . When I was in Paris, you were listening to a recording of King Sihanouk’s speech to practice,” I said, “So, father, it is not surprising. You don’t have the slightest Chinese accent no matter what you think.”
“Now it’s your turn to praise me ?”
I smiled , looking back at my stern father.
Suddenly..
Gunfire.
The front and rear guards were blown up and the black driver turned back to us and said, “It’s the guerrillas.” Before he could finish speaking, he was shot in the head.
Our guards pushed me and my father down to our seats and used their bodies to block us as they took out their pistols.
I heard the sound of machine guns and explosions. Both of us were panting. There was a smell of smoke and blood.
I had never experienced this kind of scene in my life before. My heart seemed to jump out of my chest; sweat flowed down like blood.
After a long time that seemed like a century to me, the gunfire suddenly stopped.
For a long time, there was no movement. Then the door suddenly opened and a team of heavily armed black soldiers were standing outside.
The government army defending us had been completely wiped out.
Black blood flowed directly near my feet.
We were the only persons living.
The first person to speak was tall and strong, his body muscular , with black lines painted on his face.
He did not intend to kill us. He said to us in French, “Come out.”
The four of us got off , the bodyguards were still standing in front of us.
My father himself stood out and asked him: “Are you the head?”
“Colonel of the guerrillas, Kofi Taigang.”
“I am the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Cheng.”
“I know,” said Taigang, “we came prepared.”
“Ok,” said my father, “keep me here , you can get anything. Let my colleagues go back.”
Taigang put his machine gun on his back and crossed his hands on his chest: “Here, what I say goes.”
“Do you know what is in the back of my car?” Father and Taigang were both proud, standing toe to toe, neither one willing to retreat, “The bodies of my compatriots. We, the Chinese people, do not stay in foreign countries after death. Please let my colleagues send the dead back home “. He looked back at us and said in Chinese:” You must send the coffins safely.”
The two bodyguards said: “Minister … …”
“Shut up,” he interrupted, and there were no ripples in his voice. “What is the purpose of our trip?”
I was shocked. My father would be left here and he wanted us to escort the coffin back.
Our car was yet to start, Taigang’s people stepped aside and my father hurriedly started on his way .
I lifted one foot then put it back on the ground. I said to Taigang, “Keep me here , I am the son of Mr Cheng,you will have more leverage.”
Taigang smiled, revealing white teeth, a trace of cruelty in his smile.”This is hilarious.”
My father was shocked at the change and looked at me. I saw the two bodyguards shut the door, I said: “Comrades,have a safe trip.”
We then went to the truck the guerillas had hidden behind the hills, then through the desert to an unknown destination .
I found that these people, Taigang and his men, were not a bunch of stragglers or a ragtag gang. There black sergeants were strong, well-trained, formal in appearance; no wonder they won so easily
While I watched them, I was being watched by another, my father.
When the car bumped, he helped me. With his chrysanthemum hands on my hand, he looked at my face and suddenly said with deep emotion: “This man ah, really impressive,when did you grow up so much ? You fight with me yet you also come with me to die.”
I laughed: “Suddenly? Are you ok? Did I startle you ?”
“Do you not regret being with your father here?” He asked me.
I thought about it, “A little bit.” I looked at him. “Dad, if I had not come here, I would have got married with her now.
But she was also the one who told me that you wanted to visit alone, and she was the one who told me to accompany you.”
If she were here now, she would do the same thing. ”
My father loosened my hand and looked up and looked at the twilight sky, “Isn’t this the girl who applied for Côte d’Ivoire?
“Yes.” I said.
“Why is she so stubborn ?” He looked at me, “Later, be wary of suffering.”
“I let her suffer too much.”
Father did not laugh, his face softened : “Jia Yang, when we go back, bring her home , we must meet her.”
“Ok dad, sure .” My eyes were wet.
Fei , in a way I am feeling closer and closer to you. What are you doing?
Qiao Fei
I worked overtime with senior sister in the department till 11 o’clock and only after that, I returned home. When I was leaving, I asked Huan who was bending over his desk preparing data for the director: “Do you have any news?”
He looked at me: “If I have news, won’t I tell you ? The minister has left the hospital and is preparing to return.Girl, you go back and rest, and all the people will watch out for you.”
When I returned home, I smelled something off. I ran into the house to see that the culprit was the small turtle . The aquarium was now a killing field , the whole tank was bloody. The carp, loach, everything was dirty and smelly and there were floating corpses in the tank.
The turtles had eaten their fill and were sitting in the fish tank.
I was angry. I came back so late at night, now I had to clean them up.
There is no other way . This Jia Yang was causing me too much trouble.
I held my breath as I poured water, rinsed them and brushed their shells.Their bath time was longer than my own.
Finally finished, I lay in bed, holding a quilt. I carefully smelled the fragrance of Jia Yang.
Translated by miumiu
Edited by tranzgeek
