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Through Time: Vivid Memories of Glory
墨書 Inktalez
The cicadas were chirping outside, and the scorching June sun felt unbearable.
Our homeroom teacher sat quietly at the classroom door, allowing us to study while she repeatedly checked our examination permits.
I drowsily stared at the blackboard, which displayed a countdown: only four days left until the college entrance examination.
Looking at the History Book, I felt increasingly sleepy, my eyelids growing heavy. Amidst the sound of my deskmate scribbling notes, I finally closed my eyes.
Suddenly, there was a loud "bang," as if an earthquake had struck. Startled, I instinctively covered my head with my hands...
1.
I was abruptly yanked by my arm. Before I could see where I was going, I was dragged along. The gravel and dirt crumbled beneath us as I squinted against the dust that choked me, unable to catch my breath or shout. I could only let the blurry figure ahead pull me along as we ran desperately.
I had no idea where we were headed.
Our classroom was on the fifth floor, but I noticed we hadn’t gone down any stairs. After running for a while, we finally stopped. The person released me, and I leaned on my knees, gasping for air.
“Did you get everyone out?” a man’s voice asked.
“Yes, I looked around and he was the only one left. I brought him out!” a girl replied, her voice clear and slightly proud.
As the dust settled, I finally opened my eyes and took in my surroundings. Under the dim yellow light, it looked like we were in a cave made of stone and dirt... Where was this? I glanced at the boy and girl who had just spoken. The boy had a gray-black towel tied around his head, wearing a brown vest and what looked like traditional cloth shoes from Beijing. The girl wore a gray jacket and had two braids that hung messily over her shoulders.
Where am I? Who are you? What just happened?
“Are you okay? That was really close! If it weren't for me, you would have been blown up!” The girl brushed off the dust from her clothes and tossed me a water bottle. “Here, drink some water to calm down. My name is Jiu Feng.” She then turned to the man beside her. “ brother Zhuzi, how much longer do we have to wait? It seems quiet outside now.”
“Just wait a bit longer. Japanese is cunning; we need to be careful of any surprises...”
“Wait!” I glanced at the water bottle. It didn’t look like any ordinary bottle sold in stores; it resembled an old military green canteen that reminded me of something from my great-grandfather’s photos.
What is this Japanese? Why was there an explosion? Did our school experience an earthquake? Everything felt so confusing.
"What happened to our school? Where is this place?"
"School?" Jiu Feng laughed heartily, pointing at me. "Are you scared silly? There’s no school around here. This is a sneak attack by Japanese! I saw you hiding behind the pickled cabbage jar, clutching your head and not daring to move, like a little chick. I pulled you out!"
"Where is this...?"
"You’re really out of it. We’re in Wang Jia Wan!" Jiu Feng looked at me with some suspicion.
"What year is it now...?"
Just as Jiu Feng was about to answer, a man named brother Zhuzi interrupted him. Noticing my anxiety and fear, he came over and patted my shoulder. "Brother, it's okay. It's 1937, and we are in Wang Jia Wan. Don't be afraid; we'll take you home soon."
"Right!"
"Right!"
...
Hearing some people echoing his words, I turned to walk forward and noticed some people lying scattered on the ground, their clothes tattered and stained with blood. They were speaking in disjointed phrases, but all saying the same thing: "We will take you home!"
I couldn't believe I had crossed over. I stammered to explain that I had four days until the college entrance examination, that I was just a bit tired and had leaned on the desk to sleep when suddenly—boom!
Jiu Feng burst out laughing at my words, even holding his stomach. "Hahaha, brother Zhuzi, what is he talking about? What school? What’s a college entrance examination? Is his brain broken...?"
Jiu Feng looked at me like I was a fool.
To prove my identity, I said I could count foreign objects and their transformations.
She shook her head, indicating she had never heard of it...
I said I came from 2024.
She replied that my mind was falling apart...
I fell silent, unable to accept the reality of time travel.
But then a voice came to me, “You’re from 2024? Then tell me, what is 2024 like?”
The voice belonged to a wounded man lying on the ground. Without any bandages, his face was smeared with blood and dirt, yet his eyes shone brightly.
I said, “Countless lights illuminate the homes, and the mountains and rivers are adorned beautifully.”
Outside, it grew quiet. I was taken to a place filled with rows of dilapidated houses.
Jiu Feng said this was Qixia Village, their gathering place.
And the so-called “they” were merely about two hundred people of all ages—men, women, and children.
Everyone greeted me warmly, and as we passed by, someone gave Jiu Feng a thumbs-up: “Awesome, girl! You saved another one!”
Jiu Feng stood proudly with her hands on her hips. I finally understood where her sense of pride came from. Brother Zhuzi mentioned that despite being a girl, Jiu Feng had already saved around ten people from the Japanese, including me.
I settled into this place.
In Qixia Village, there were mostly women, children, and the wounded. It felt like a transit station—wounded individuals were brought in, treated, sent off, and then new ones arrived.
Old Woman Qi was responsible for washing the dirty clothes of these wounded. Although many people were reluctant to let her do the laundry out of concern for her well-being, Old Woman Qi looked at them as if they were her own children. What parent wouldn’t want their child to leave looking clean?
“A clean outfit gives you strength on the battlefield!” Old Woman Qi said as she handed me clothes to help dry. “The Third Company Commander wore clothes I washed and went into battle to achieve victory; that fool also recovered here and stabbed several Japanese while wearing my washed clothes—he made quite a contribution!”
“Mama Qi is really impressive!” I fumbled for words, unable to compliment her properly. “She’s even washed clothes for the Company Commander. By now, he might not even be the Third Company Commander anymore; he should be a Regiment Commander, right?”
I chuckled awkwardly when suddenly something hit my head, causing a sharp pain. I turned around to see it was Jiu Feng. She quickly pulled me away and gave me several more taps on the head, which made me a bit angry.
“Stop saying nonsense!” Jiu Feng warned me.
“I’m not saying anything wrong!”
“The Third Company Commander is dead! He was blown up! In Qixia Village, we shouldn’t talk about the dead.”
I was momentarily speechless. “I’m sorry.”
Seeing my apology, Jiu Feng felt a bit embarrassed. “It’s not your fault; I should have told you beforehand. All the men in this village are gone, and the children have lost their fathers. It’s all because of the Japanese!” Jiu Feng's eyes were red as she gritted her teeth. “Brother Zhuzi always stops me, saying women shouldn’t go to the battlefield. Otherwise, I would have slaughtered those beasts!”
After saying that, Jiu Feng ran off.
I stood by and watched Old Woman Qi in the cold water, tirelessly washing clothes in the basin, one piece at a time.
---
The village seemed calm on the surface, yet everyone was filled with constant fear.
At night, it got quite cold. Some of the wounded who were recovering would go into the nearby mountains to gather firewood or food to thank the villagers for their care.
That day, I sat on the ground, unwilling to accept the reality of my situation. There was hardly any food left in the village; just a little bit of broken rice remained. Everyone pooled their rice together and cooked it in hot water until it became very thin, distributing it to infants or elderly women and children while others had to eat tree bark.
The tree bark tasted like chewing on sugarcane skin—at least sugarcane skin has a bittersweet flavor, but tree bark was not only rough but also dry and hard to swallow.
Jiu Feng said, “Hurry up and eat. After a while, when it gets colder, there won’t even be tree bark left to eat.”
Sitting on the ground, I missed my KFC, hot pot, and barbecue. Holding onto the piece of tree bark that I had been chewing for quite some time, I ultimately couldn’t bring myself to swallow it.
A sudden, loud explosion echoed from an unknown direction. Before I could react, everyone immediately dropped what they were doing, their eyes flickering with anxiety and fear as they all ran toward the same place.
I quickly got up and joined them in their frantic escape.
Perhaps due to my usual focus on studying and lack of physical activity, I quickly found myself out of breath after just a few steps, my pace noticeably slowing. But in order to survive, I pushed myself to run harder.
“Keep up!” A deep, powerful voice rang in my ear as someone grabbed my arm and pulled me forward.
This time, I clearly saw where we were heading—a refuge resembling a cellar. The space was small, filled with people who were huddled together, holding their breaths in fear. Many trembled, and I could see small children on the verge of tears, their mouths seemingly covered by those nearby. The cellar was eerily quiet and dark.
I was terrified too; everyone was. In the darkness, we couldn’t see each other’s faces, but we could hear the frantic beating of hearts driven by fear. Yet being packed together somehow provided a strange sense of courage.
I realized that more than the darkness, I feared being alone.
The explosion had occurred because two Wounded had gone up the mountain to gather firewood and unwittingly fell into an ambush set by Japanese. Upon spotting the Wounded, Japanese knew there must be nearby residents and forced them to lead the way.
Japanese hadn’t anticipated that these two Wounded were fiercely resilient; after enduring torment, they seized an opportunity when Japanese was distracted and detonated a grenade from his pocket, resulting in mutual destruction.
brother Zhuzi didn’t elaborate much; he simply took two bowls filled with water that night and poured them onto the ground.
Later that evening, brother Zhuzi sat on the steps of a tile-roofed house with the man who had pulled me away during the last explosion, his brow furrowed tightly.
“It seems we have to leave again,” Jiu Feng said, equally concerned. “ Japanese is determined to find us if he believes there are people nearby. I’m not afraid for myself, but it’s tough for everyone else. With so many of us moving together, we become a huge target…”
“Who is that man beside brother Zhuzi? He helped me escape last time; I didn’t get a chance to thank him.”
“Fang Jiu. He’s the only literate person in Qixia Village. brother Zhuzi relies on him to translate any instructions he receives.”
“How long have you all been here?”
"Three months, we've been fighting for three months. There were nearly 500 people in the village before; those who went to the battlefield haven't returned." Jiu Feng fell silent, gazing up at the sky.
I glanced at brother Zhuzi and Fang Jiu, who were not far from me, and lifted my head as well.
The night sky was devoid of stars.
brother Zhuzi stepped out again.
I thought to myself that I was a man, and I wanted to contribute in some way. However, since I often claimed to have come from another world, they believed my mind must have been affected by the shock. In the village, I was regarded on the same level as the elderly, women, and children.
During the day, I would casually find a step to sit on, ready to lend a hand whenever someone needed it.
From a distance, I saw Fang Jiu walking towards me. He sat down beside me; he was quite robust, but at that moment, his face was as red as an apple.
"Can you read?" he asked with a hint of skepticism but still holding onto a glimmer of hope. "I heard Jiu Feng say... uh... anyway, he said you claim to be quite knowledgeable. So I wanted to ask if you can read."
"I can read," I replied, knowing that Jiu Feng must have told him I was a bit off in the head.
"That's good." Fang Jiu pulled out a piece of paper from his chest pocket. It had been folded several times and was wrinkled. He handed it to me. "Look at this; I found it by chance. I think it's well-written but incomplete. I want to know what comes next; see if you recognize it."
It looked like a page torn from a book, with the words written on it: ...there should be no hatred; why does it always seem full when parting? People experience joy and sorrow...
And that was where it ended.
"It's Su Shi's 'Shui Diao Ge Tou,'" I said as I returned the paper to Fang Jiu. This was not difficult for me.
He was thrilled. "You know?! Then what's the next line?"
"People experience joy and sorrow; the moon has its phases of fullness and emptiness. This has been difficult since ancient times. May we all live long and share the beauty of the moon even if we are miles apart." I answered honestly.
"May we all live long and share the beauty of the moon even if we are miles apart..." he murmured to himself.
"Yes, it roughly means that people experience joy and sorrow, parting and reunion, while the moon undergoes changes of fullness and emptiness. Such matters have been difficult to reconcile since ancient times. I only hope that all the loved ones in this world can be safe and healthy, even if separated by a thousand miles, they can still share this beautiful moonlight."
Fang Jiu stood up excitedly, brushed off his clothes, and carefully placed the page back into his chest pocket. "Kid, thanks a lot." As he was leaving, he turned back and said, "Why don't you teach those kids in the village to recognize characters? At least let them know their own names and each other's names..."
I had to thank Fang Jiu for giving me a new perspective.
I told Jiu Feng that I wanted to teach writing and asked her to help me arrange it with the villagers.
"What time is it now? We don't even have enough food; who would want to learn characters?" Jiu Feng muttered under her breath, thinking I couldn't hear her. "Besides, who knows if you even have any real skills."
"I just want them to recognize their own names and the names of others."
"What good is that? Will it fill their stomachs?! Will it help them fend off Japanese?!"
"Fang Jiu gave you the name Jiu Feng."
"Yes, so what?"
"Jiu Feng, with a flute low and colorful mist high. Under the chariot of phoenixes and cranes, reaching the lower heavens. Heaven teaches assistance to the Emperor of Longevity; the treasure hall serves in crimson robes for a thousand autumns. Swiftly summoned, hasten back at dawn. The sandy road is steady for delicate hooves. Achievements are painted on the orchid platform; Kuai’s painting is revisited with imperial praise."
"What does that mean?" Jiu Feng asked curiously.
"The origin of your name holds significance."
"What significance?" she pressed on with curiosity.
I smiled without answering, having hooked her interest.
In the first class, a few people still came to listen to my lesson, and Fang Jiu and Jiu Feng were among them.
Without a blackboard, I found a wooden board and pieced together a makeshift one, using burnt wood as chalk.
I carefully wrote my name on the board: Zhou Jingshuo.
“Jingshuo means grand and beautiful in poetry. My parents gave me this name hoping for a bright future ahead.”
I paused for a moment, looking at the eager eyes below, and suddenly felt a sting in my throat.
Clearing my throat, I turned back to everyone. “I hope you remember my name. Later, I will write it down on a piece of paper and keep it in my pocket.”
“If something happens to me in the future and you see my name in my pocket, I hope you can bring me home...” I finished with a smile, but my eyes were already misty.
Silence enveloped the room.
One second, two seconds, three seconds...
“Brother Jingshuo, my name is Xiao Peng. How do you write it...”
“I’m Ye Shihua...”
“I, Li Ergou...”
“Chen Huahua...”
...
“I!” A bright and proud voice rang out. “My name is Jiu Feng!”
Before class started, while I was preparing, Fang Jiu suddenly approached me and handed me a blood-stained note with the name Zhang Yuzhu written on it.
He said Brother Zhuzi had gone home...
In Qixia Village, returning home felt like losing oneself, like a handful of sand scattered by the wind.
"Do you know, Jiu Feng?"
"Leaving the village means stepping onto the battlefield. On the battlefield, life and death are in the hands of fate. Brother, do you believe in destiny?"
"I believe in destiny, but I don't obey it."
Fang Jiu was momentarily taken aback by my words, then burst into hearty laughter. "What a statement—believing in destiny but not obeying it."
He thought he could mask his tears with laughter.
I saw through it all.
"I need to find nine Company and send some people to escort our villagers away quickly; the battle is approaching."
Fang Jiu told me that there were some knives and an Earth Gun in his Tile Stove.
"In case—I'm saying in case," Fang Jiu raised his trembling hand, struggling to suppress something. Finally, he placed his hand on my shoulder. "You must try your best to take everyone... away."
It felt like a farewell.
The sky that day was a deep blue, as if the moon had fallen and would never rise again.
"Alright," I replied.
I never understood why I had crossed over to this place, to this time—1937, 1937...
What war was being fought in 1937? I desperately tried to remember but could not grasp it.
In addition to teaching everyone to recognize their own names and the names of others, I also share with them the stories from my time in 2024.
My classroom is filled with many people.
The Old Woman Qi no longer washes clothes, as there are none left for her to wash. When I tell my stories, everyone listens intently, seemingly convinced that I have traveled through time. In my tales, suffering is absent; everyone is well-fed and warmly dressed, living in abundance. After hearing my stories, their faces are filled with anticipation and hope.
Since there are many children in the classroom, I also teach them to sing.
I don’t know many songs, but one that suddenly comes to mind is "Farewell."
Some people sit together, and in the gentle breeze, the clear voices of children rise: “Outside the long pavilion, beside the ancient road, fragrant grass stretches to the sky. The evening wind brushes the willows as the flute's sound lingers; mountains lie beyond mountains at sunset. At the ends of the earth and corners of the land, dear friends are half scattered. A pot of murky wine ends our joy; tonight’s farewell dreams are cold…”
Though we sing of parting, our hearts are filled with hope.
One day, Japanese suddenly launched an air raid on this area. Many people were unable to escape in time, and some even returned home.
When class resumed, there were fewer students, and some had bruises on their faces.
Today, I am going to tell the story of Hua Mulan.
I said that Hua Mulan disguised herself as a man to take her elderly father’s place in the army. In the military, she was brave and fearless, achieving numerous victories through her wisdom and courage over many years of battle. After the war ended, Hua Mulan refused high positions and wealth, returning home to don women’s clothing once more. Her story has been passed down through generations, embodying the spirit of filial piety, loyalty, and bravery.
As I turned to write "Jiji fu jiji" on the blackboard, I noticed Jiu Feng leaning against the doorframe.
After class, she pulled me aside and asked, “Is the story of Hua Mulan true?”
I nodded.
I also told Jiu Feng about Liu Hulan's story, about Zhao Yiman's story, and about Zhou Yongnan's story.
I said, “Since ancient times, women have never been inferior to men.”
I said, "Do not say that there is no courage in the boudoir; how many men can be compared to us?"
Jiu Feng looked at me with bright eyes and said, "I’m starting to believe you really came from 2024."
"I have a question for you," Jiu Feng said seriously. "Since you came from 2024, did we win?"
I stood up, facing the sun, straightened my posture, one hand firmly resting on my pants seam while the other stretched forward. "On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong solemnly declared from the Tiananmen Tower: 'The People's Government of the People's Republic of China has been established!'"
Jiu Feng covered his mouth in disbelief, tears streaming down his face. "1949?"
I nodded. "We won. The Five-Star Red Flag is flying high; we have risen."
"No more hard days?"
"None."
"No more wars?"
"The country is peaceful and the people are safe."
---
Fang Jiu said he was going out to seek support from the Nine Company. Just as I was preparing to go to class, Fang Jiu suddenly ran back, carrying someone on his back, shouting at me, "Jingshuo, come help me!"
He was carrying a Foreigner.
It seemed to be the first time a Foreigner appeared in the village, and everyone gathered curiously around.
Fang Jiu said he had already contacted the Nine Company and that someone would come tomorrow afternoon to escort everyone to Dayang Village. They would leave quietly tomorrow night. This Foreigner was someone they encountered on the way back and had collapsed by the river for unknown reasons.
Jiu Feng was taking care of the Foreigner while I stood outside watching the fiery clouds.
Suddenly, a cry from Jiu Feng echoed through the room. I rushed in, and Fang Jiu followed closely behind.
The Foreigner had awakened, gripping Jiu Feng's shoulders tightly and babbling in a foreign language.
Fang Jiu quickly swatted the Foreigner's hands away from Jiu Feng's shoulders, frowning as he exclaimed, "What the hell is he saying!"
As a student preparing for the upcoming college entrance exams, I understood a bit of what was happening. I approached the Foreigner, gesturing with my hands to indicate he should calm down. I didn’t care if it was correct or not; I just needed to get him to slow down. "Slowly, slowly..."
I signaled for him to relax.
Fang Jiu and Jiu Feng looked at me in surprise, clearly not expecting that I could communicate with the Foreigner!
The Foreigner continued to rattle off a stream of English until it dawned on me just how simple the listening section of English exams could be.
Piecing together a few words I understood, I translated for Fang Jiu and Jiu Feng, "He says he’s a journalist who took some photos intending to publish them in a newspaper, but he was chased by Japanese on the way."
I nodded at the Foreigner, who then launched into another barrage of speech.
"He says he’s a patriot."
After I finished translating, the Foreigner looked around anxiously, searching for something while muttering, "Camera, camera..."
"Bag or camera—Fang Jiu, did you see if he had any bag when you met him?"
Prompted by my question, Fang Jiu hurried outside and soon returned with a bag in hand.
The Foreigner snatched the bag from him and pulled out a camera, pointing it at me.
I took it from him while Fang Jiu and Jiu Feng leaned in closer. After fiddling with it for a moment, I managed to turn it on. The sudden appearance of a photo made all three of us gasp: what kind of hellish scene was this? The dead were piled together like garbage, forming a "Corpse Mountain," with men, women, and children—living people who had met their untimely end.
"Damn it!" Fang Jiu shouted angrily as he stood up, venting his frustration by kicking the bed frame. Jiu Feng clenched his fists tightly while I hesitated to scroll further through the images.
I had actually seen even more horrific photos at the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall and the exhibition hall of the crimes committed by the Japanese Army's Unit 731. Those beasts conducted live experiments on us, and the exhibition even had recordings where they detailed how they mass-produced pathogens for plague, cholera, typhoid, anthrax, and dysentery, then tested them on us to develop biological weapons...
I returned the camera to the Foreigner.
The Foreigner said he wanted to publish these pieces of evidence as soon as possible; there was no time to waste.
To avoid delaying further, the Foreigner took a short break before preparing to leave. Just before he departed, he raised the camera again.
"He wants to take a photo with us; he said he doesn't want his camera filled with bad memories," Jiu Feng explained.
Jiu Feng mentioned that this was her first time taking a photo and her first encounter with a camera.
Old Woman Qi struggled to understand how to use the camera even after several explanations. Finally, I said, "Let me do it."
"No, you come over here," Fang Jiu commanded me to stand beside him, with Jiu Feng on his other side.
In the end, it was the Foreigner who took a picture of the three of us. I awkwardly spoke in broken English, hoping he could send us the photo if he had the chance.
The Foreigner gave an "ok" sign with his hand.
But we all knew this was just a "hope." I had no address, and whether he could safely return to his country remained uncertain.
Yet deep down, we felt that as long as the photo existed, we would be connected in some way.
The road out of the village was winding. Fang Jiu said he wanted to see off the Foreigner while Jiu Feng teased him for not knowing any foreign languages.
Fang Jiu and the Foreigner walked toward the sunset. Fang Jiu raised his hand without looking back and waved goodbye.
The fiery clouds were about to descend.
Fang Jiu did not come back.
The unease grew stronger.
Jiu Feng wanted to go out and search, but I stopped her. Deep down, we both knew that Fang Jiu was in grave danger, and we were already surrounded with no way to escape.
Jiu Feng's eyes were red, but her tone was unusually firm. "You told me that a man may be restrained in body, yet his heart burns fiercer than any man’s."
"You told me not to dismiss women as unworthy of greatness, for every night the dragon spring echoes on the wall."
Jiu Feng turned and forcefully pried my hand away. "Zhou Jingshuo, these are your words!"
I had no reply.
"Jiu Feng, the flute plays low amidst the colorful mist. The phoenix carriage and crane steeds descend from the clouds. Heaven sends aid to the Eternal Emperor, while the treasure hall serves in crimson robes for a thousand autumns. Swiftly summoned, hasten back to court. The sandy path is steady beneath the delicate hooves. Achievements are painted upon the orchid terrace, and the constellation of Kui is praised anew by imperial decree."
"Your name, Jiu Feng, is derived from this verse, symbolizing beauty. Jiu Feng rides the phoenix carriage, descending to the mortal realm; the sandy path is smooth, and accomplishments are fulfilled..."
"And there’s one more line that Fang Jiu wanted me to tell you: May we all live long and share the beauty of the moon even if we are a thousand miles apart."
I recited it all in one breath.
Fang Jiu had never actually said these things to me, but I knew them all too well.
Though I hadn’t experienced early romance during my three years of high school, I could still recognize the budding feelings amidst all the flirtation and the influence of novels and dramas. From how Fang Jiu always laughed and joked with Jiu Feng; from how Fang Jiu asked me about the ending of "Shui Diao Ge Tou"; from how Jiu Feng cried day and night after learning that Brother Zhuzi had returned home—she cried for several nights while he kept watch for several nights...
I didn’t know if Jiu Feng was aware of it.
But I did.
It felt like a farewell, or perhaps I sensed something deeper; if I didn’t share these words with Jiu Feng now, there might never be another chance.
After I finished speaking, Jiu Feng paused for a moment. I saw her lower her head and shrug slightly, but then she straightened up and resolutely walked away.
She left me without a single word.
I stepped out the door and went to Fang Jiu's house. Following his instructions, I dismantled his earthen bed, revealing an Earth Gun, a long knife, a fence, and other items inside.
I had imagined that the final days would resemble the war movies I had seen before—bombings, machine guns, screams, and bloody battles... but I never expected it to be this calm.
I took all the tools out and placed them on the ground, then went from door to door knocking. It seemed everyone had an unspoken understanding; no one asked questions as they picked up the tools from the ground and stood together.
The sun set, leaving a final streak of red along the edge of the clouds.
Facing the sunset, I saw everyone standing together with their tools in hand, illuminated by a beam of red light behind them.
Their eyes were like burning torches—fiery and resolute. Each glimmer radiated a determination to face death without fear, showing no signs of retreat; we were afraid but would not back down.
“New China belongs to us!” I shouted loudly, raising the long knife toward the sunset!
“New China belongs to us!”
The roar of cannons echoed; each explosion sounded like thunder crashing down, shaking the earth. Buildings collapsed, bricks and rubble scattered everywhere, flames raged among the ruins, and thick black smoke billowed into the sky.
The figures of those beasts flickered in and out of sight amidst the smoke. The sound of machine gun fire erupted like a torrential downpour of bullets. Just moments ago, someone had shouted “Kill that beast!” but in the next second, they fell to the ground, blood gushing from their chest and staining the rubble beneath them.
At my feet lay a mountain of corpses and rivers of flowing blood.
I saw Old Woman Qi not far from me, struggling to hold on. She spotted me and shouted with all her might, "Today is August 13, 1937! An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth! Return our homeland, defend China..."
A bayonet was swinging toward Old Woman Qi. My mind went blank as I desperately ran toward her...
Suddenly, I saw Brother Zhuzi and Jiu Feng. They raised their Earth Guns and machetes, charging toward the enemy lines with fierce determination...
I noticed Fang Jiu leading the Nine Company rushing to provide support...
They saw me fall and all rushed toward me.
How wonderful it is to see you all!
How wonderful that I have no regrets about crossing over to this place...
We will fight to the end in this war of resistance, unwavering in our resolve, defending the prosperous China!
I am going home...
---
My body felt like it was suddenly weightless, plummeting downward. I struggled to swim upward and finally grasped a point of light. When I opened my eyes, I saw my deskmate grinning mischievously.
"Zhou Jingshuo, school is almost over; you've been sleeping all morning."
I quickly looked around; it was my familiar classroom, my familiar deskmate.
I had no time for banter with him. I swiftly flipped open the History Book that I had pressed under my arm, muttering to myself, "1937, 1937..."
Then I read: On August 13, 1937, fierce battles broke out between Chinese and Japanese forces in Shanghai and its surrounding areas. The Chinese army rose up to resist, deploying a large number of troops. The fighting was exceptionally intense as both sides repeatedly contested urban streets and rural positions. The Chinese army fought valiantly, suffering tremendous losses. This became known in history as the Soochow-Shanghai Campaign. The Soochow-Shanghai Campaign shattered Japan's arrogant plan to "destroy China in three months," showcasing the determination and courage of the Chinese military and civilians to resist foreign invasion and laying the foundation for a prolonged war of resistance.
Beneath this text was a black-and-white photograph.
I raised my hand, my eyes moist, continuously caressing the photograph, the people within it vividly clear in my mind.
Fang Jiu stood in the center, beside him was the bright and determined Jiu Feng.
On Fang Jiu's other side, where I should have been standing, was brother Zhuzi.
Behind the three of them were all the villagers of Qixia Village.
My deskmate noticed I was crying and patted my shoulder.
At that moment, the homeroom teacher stood at the podium. "You will pick up your admission tickets from me when you leave. Remember to read the questions carefully, go to the exam site in advance to familiarize yourself, and don’t forget your admission tickets. I wish you all encounter questions that you can answer!"
"Graduation is not the end but a new beginning. May your paths be smooth, may you find warmth in your encounters, and may all your wishes come true."
"I declare that the last class of Class Five in Senior Year is over!"
On June 7th, I sat in the examination room, waiting for the first subject's exam.
The first subject was Chinese Language. When the papers were distributed, I quickly glanced through all the questions and was surprised to see that the essay topic was: If time could flow backward, what would you do?
In a mysterious way, as if it were fate, I picked up my pen but felt as if a pair of hands were covering mine. I looked up and saw that little girl with braided hair standing there. She pointed at me proudly and said, "So this is what you meant by the college entrance exam! Make sure to answer well for me!" Then she laughed heartily without a care.
Behind her, Fang Jiu blushed as he looked at Jiu Feng.
brother Zhuzi had grown stronger and darker, flashing his white teeth at me with a smile.
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