The next morning, the street was covered with snow. The servant's son was waiting for her in a horse-drawn carriage at the courtyard gate.

The servant was about to return home, and she repeatedly asked me to go to Wuxi, but I firmly refused.

She waved her hand, and the young man walked over.

The servant introduced, "This is my adopted son, Liu Lingxin."

The young man was thin, about fourteen or fifteen years old, and had a stable demeanor, showing that he was dependable.

I smiled and said, "Nice name. Are you studying somewhere?"

Liu Lingxin's face looked embarrassed, and he lowered his head.

The servant quickly explained, "He's not studying. Liu Xingzhi's father said it's better not to read Western books and that there's no need for them in business, so there's no need to go to Wuxi either."

When the white-haired person sends off the black-haired person, one can imagine the impact on Liu Xingzhi's parents. It even led to the current generation completely cutting off the path of going out to seek an education.

The servant saw Liu Lingxin's disappointed expression and couldn't help but sigh, "If Xingzhi were still here, he would definitely say that studying is good. This child's name was left to me by him."

So it was him who chose the name.

The servant's voice continued, "Miss Yu, do you also think it's good to go out and study?"

I came back to my senses and reassured the child, "Not studying is also fine. It's not easy to stay in Wuxi and do business."

It's alright. You don't have to come out, we will come to you.

By giving him this name, Xingzhi firmly believed that the liberating spring breeze would always blow to the south of the Yangtze River.

The next generation will lead China into a new spring.

But neither Liu Xingzhi nor I could see it.

The servant left.

I watched the carriage slowly move away, turn at the intersection, and disappear from my sight.

I turned around, closed the courtyard gate, and returned to the room.

On the table was a thick notebook. I threw it into the kitchen stove, and the fire blazed fiercely.

I started rummaging through cabinets and drawers, finding all the hidden files and documents from the past, and burned them all to ashes.

After making sure that there were no more classified information in the house, I sat on the bed, trying to calm down.

Ever since I returned to Beiping, I had been under constant surveillance by the secret police. They didn't dare to take action easily because they couldn't find concrete evidence.

Now that Liu Xingzhi had an accident, my relationship with him in the early years was going to be exposed.

Liu Xingzhi thought that as long as he didn't betray me, I would be safe.

But he didn't know that I had long been a key target of the secret police.

At this moment, as long as one more straw was added, I could be crushed.

I wasn't sure if I could withstand torture.

The paper files were all destroyed. But in my mind, I still had information about the personnel on the secret frontlines in Nanjing and Shanghai.

My parents and family were still in Beiping.

Liu Xingzhi's true identity, I was afraid, would be revealed from Hangzhou to Nanjing and then from Nanjing to Beiping in the coming days.

I had to thank the servant. She was afraid that I wouldn't make it to Xingzhi's funeral, so she came to me day and night and brought me the news of his death.

It allowed me to gain a slight advantage.

I opened the quilt, lifted the bed board, and took out that box.

Inside was an exquisite handgun.

In 1927, in the Zheng Chapter Laundry, I walked quickly to the door curtain without looking back, and with a commanding tone, I said, "Go quickly."

Liu Xingzhi stopped me, and when I turned around, he handed me the handgun.

I was stunned and said, "I don't know how to use a gun."

Liu Xingzhi hesitated,then said, "You don't need to use it. Just keep it with you for protection. It might come in handy someday."

His words echoed in my mind as I held the handgun in my hands.

I had never imagined that I would be in a situation where I might have to use it. But now, it seemed like a possibility.

The secret police could barge in at any moment, and I had to be prepared to defend myself.

I checked the gun to make sure it was loaded and ready to fire. The weight of it felt heavy in my hands, a stark reminder of the gravity of the situation.

I couldn't afford to make any mistakes. My actions had to be calculated and precise.

I decided to leave Beiping immediately. It was no longer safe for me here.

I packed a small bag with a few essential items and put on a disguise. I would blend in with the crowd and make my way to the train station.

The snow outside had stopped falling, and the streets were bustling with people going about their daily routines.

I walked briskly, keeping my head down and avoiding eye contact.

As I reached the train station, I felt a mixture of fear and determination.

I bought a ticket for the next train to Shanghai, hoping to find some temporary refuge there.

Boarding the train, I found a seat by the window and watched as the familiar landscapes of Beiping disappeared from sight.

I didn't know what lay ahead, but I knew I had to keep moving, keep fighting.

For Liu Xingzhi, for myself, and for the future of our country.

The train picked up speed, and I leaned back in my seat, ready to face whatever challenges awaited me.