Chapter 44
A guest came to the Zhang’s. He was Mr. Song Zhang Yan’s tutor.
Mr. Song was a respectable person in the family. Mr. Song was from the same place as Zhang’s daddy. He liked paintings and handwritings. When Zhang’s father came to
In 1948, Zhang Yan was three years old and his grandpa was seriously ill. Mr. Song found the grandfather doted on his grandson, and thought it improper. He offered to teach the child something. Thus, they became teacher and student. Later, the address of “Mr. Song” came into being.
Mr. Song was good at teaching children. He was serious with Zhang Yan, but never beat him. He would hold a stick in his hands; when Zhang Yan sat improperly, he would beat the stick on a chair as a warning. Thus, Zhang Yan wrote and studied in a proper way.
In the years after liberation, Mr. Song continued to teach Zhang Yan. This boy could then recite many classics. One day in 1951, Zhang Yan was reciting “The Book of Poems” when some people came to the Zhang’s. Mr. Song was known to be an underground Communist. It was he who helped Zhang to do the uprising!
Mr. Song was a man with achievements. He had to go to the government. He could no longer teach Zhang Yan and stay in the Zhang’s house.
Now, Mr. Song was back with a fashionable leadership dress!
Zhang and Tang were amazed at Mr. Song’s identity. They realized that Mr. Song played a big role in their transformation in politics and military strategies. Somehow, they had a sense of being deceived.
Mr. Song told the Zhang’s about his identity. That surprised them. They were amazed that Mr. Song should have disguised him so well in the Zhang’s. The Song’s lived a good life because of the care of the Zhang’s.
Mr. Song was a sophisticated man. He knew how to manipulate the relationships between him and the Zhang’s. He got the tips that Zhang was promoted in the army, so he took a lead in persuading him to take the uprising for the Communists. He even offered to protect the Zhang’s house.
Even the Kuomintang leadership was not aware that Mr. Song hid in the Zhang’s as a Communist. They were aware that some Communist acted in the army but did not know who. Thus, Zhang had a sense of being deceived by Mr. Song.
Mr. Song came into the courtyard. He coughed and spat. Dai Min saw that, and shouted, “Mr. Song, why did you spit here? That’s unhealthy, you know. That’s against the government’s policy of healthy habits.”
Mr. Song felt insulted. He calmed down, and remarked, “Why did you yell, Dai? You’re a landlady. What’s the point of your blaming me as a Communist?” He glared at Dai for a while.
Dai was aware of her stigma. She had stayed with Mr. Song for a few months and did not know his personality. She thought Mr. Song was an acquaintance, and that was why she had talked with him in such a casual way. Now, she realized that there was big difference between them in position and status. Mr. Song was a Communist leader now.
Madame Wang was happy to meet Mr. Song again. She got a cup of nice tea and some favorite ice cream for him.
Mr. Song looked at her with thanks, saying, “I’m coughing. I can’t have ice cream.”
There came the music of organ from upstairs. It was played by Tang in praise of God. Madame Wang said, “Let me ask them to come out.”
Mr. Song waved his hands, replying, “Don’t interrupt them! Oh, the ice cream is really good. It’s hard to get it outside. Where is Zhang Yan? Is he doing well in his study?”
Madame Wang patted Mr. Song on the back, replying, “He is doing well under your guide. But he doesn’t like brush handwriting now.”
“How come? He must practice it. That’s important for him later.”
“But it’s troublesome. It’s inconvenient to take handwriting brushes and ink with him. That could make his schoolbags dirty. But the teachers…”
Mr. Song heaved a sigh, remarking, “Handwriting brushes have been important throughout the Chinese history. I am afraid Zhang Yan has even forgotten the classics. It’s better for you to urge him to study hard in these aspects.” Mr. Song cast a glance at the study room.
Madame Wang was convinced that Mr. Song’s word was right. He was now a famous person in
Tang came out and greeted Mr. Song. Zhang also came out, saying, “Dear Tang, why not continue your music playing? Let me talk with Mr. Song first.”
Mr. Song sat in the sitting-room. He greeted Zhang with a bow. That was different from those aggressive Communist leaders, Zhang thought. Thus, Zhang greeted Song in a similar way.
Zhang asked, “What do you come for today, sir?”
“You’re really a smart man. I come here for personal and public affairs. You know you are in an important leading position as President of the Provincial Commerce Chamber. You should think more about national interests!”
“Let me make my position clear. I have to resign so as to reflect on what I have been doing. I know I do this for the good of the Communists and the government.”
Mr. Song remarked, “That’s a wrong decision. You know you are an important person for our united front work. You’re not a common person.”
Zhang said in a serious way, “I feel thankful for your visit. But if you came for the examination on my wrong-doing, I am afraid I could do nothing.
Mr. Song cast a glance at the clock on the wall, saying with his beard trembling, “Dear nephew, I’m telling you the truth. Please don’t move away from the present position as a non-Communist leader. That’s unwise and would hurt you and your wife.”
Zhang replied at once, “Please tell me frankly.”
“Dear nephew, you should be aware of Tang’s situation in the church.”
Zhang was puzzled, replying, “The understanding of religious belief and the support for the Communist work are two matters. One is private, the other is public. Is there any political problem involved in the former?”
Mr. Song replied, “It’s a political problem.”
Zhang was angry, asking, “How come?”
Mr. Song took out a handkerchief and wiped his tears on the forehead. He said patiently, “Dear nephew, the government judge things according to class positions. Tang had a lot of contacts with foreign priests. It’s better for her to realize that today is different from yesterday. This is the Communist power. Don’t get stuck in the dilemma.”
Zhang stared at Mr. Song, who looked very political to him. He felt that Mr. Song should have told him everything frankly, and anyway, was there anything wrong with Zhang’s wife’s faith? Zhang felt puzzled.
Mr. Song was different from Yan, who had experienced a lot of internal conflicts and dangerous situations on the battlefields. His understanding of Communism was worse than that by Mr. Yan. And he had somehow “cheated” the Zhang’s during those years.
“Do you mean I have been trapped by the Kuomintang and American tricks?” Zhang asked angrily. He went on while walking up and down in the room, “Did I listen to the Voice of America? Let me tell you I actually just wanted to live an ordinary life when I took the uprising. Is that also a way of getting associated with Jiang Jieshi and Americans? Is there anything wrong with a private life?”
“Dear nephew, allow me to point out that this is wrong from both public and private perspectives.”
“Please tell me more about that.”
“The government makes an investigation of those people who used to have a lot of contacts with foreign priests, so as to tell those bad people from good people. Ever since the foreign priests were ousted, Tang has been resisting cooperating with the government. This is not good for her.”
Zhang realized that Mr. Song had been trembling both physically and mentally. He had been worrying about the safety of the Zhang’s. Maybe that was a way for him to pay back the care and kindness the Zhang’s had given to him.
Zhang gave a kind smile to Mr. Song, who then said seriously, “Dear nephew, don’t be rash at such a moment. Tang just tells the public security workers what she should say. Maybe she should go to the public security office by herself. That would be better than she is required to. What do you think of that? And dear nephew, I think you had better go back to your office.”
Zhang was moved at Mr. Song’s sincerity and said he would consider his proposal seriously and carefully.
The clock on the wall struck ten. Mr. Song stood up and said, “I had better leave. I must go to see the Chinese medicine doctor.” Then, he went out.
Zhang watched Mr. Song leave the house, and heaved a long sigh, “It’s really hard to deal with the other people in these years!”
