Second Handshake - [Rewritten Version]

Author: Zhang Yang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: In 1959. Late autumn in Beijing, the wind was biting. The once lush green of Fragrant Hills had suddenly turned to a patchwork of ochre red and purplish-blue. A brownish-red Warsaw car was driving along an asphalt road in the suburbs, heading from the Prince's Tomb area eastward into the city, passing through Xidan intersection and West Chang'an Avenue, turning at Tiananmen Square, driving past the newly completed Great Hall of the People, and passing the freshly painted Zhengyang Gate and arrow towers to the west, heading south along Qianmen Street. The area was bustling with pedestrians and traffic, lined with shops, and neon lights flickered. The Warsaw car slowed down further, driving into a small alley and stopping slowly at an entrance. The area was composed entirely of single-story houses with gray bricks, gray tiles, and gray-paved ground, both desolate and neat. Occasionally, bicycles and pedestrians would glide past. The rear door of the car was opened, and a broad-shouldered, tall middle-aged man stepped out. He combed his grayish-white hair, puffed out his chest, took a deep breath, and stretched his arms and waist. At the same time, a round-faced girl stepped out from the passenger seat and stood before the middle-aged man, smiling warmly: "Teacher Su, you're home." "Time flies," Teacher Su said, looking around with a sense of nostalgia, "It's been a year already!" The middle-aged man had a prominent forehead, a gaunt face, a straight figure, and a bronze complexion. He was dressed in a black suit, a navy silk tie, and a light gray trench coat. He said to the girl, "Little Star, come home and sit for a while. Your mother must miss you." "Your mother misses you even more!" Little Star still smiled brightly. "I often visit her, so I won't bother her today." The driver was a young man. He moved two luggage boxes—a large one and a small one—from the trunk of the car and strode into the alley. He quickly returned to the front of the car: "Deputy Chief Su, your luggage has been placed at your doorstep." "Thank you, Xiao Zhao." Xiao Zhao climbed back into the car, peering out the window: "Deputy Chief Su, when do you start work? I'll pick you up." "Not for a few days," the middle-aged man replied casually. "It's been a year since you've been away. The station must have changed a lot, right?" "Not much has changed at the station," the driver's tone suddenly became odd. "What has changed is our comrade Xing Jinxu." "What do you mean, Zhao Degeng?" The girl grew wary. "By God, there's nothing special." "What has changed about you?" "'Women change more as they grow older.'" "What have I changed?" "If you force me, I'll report to Deputy Chief Su. During the year he was working abroad, his beloved daughter, student, and assistant, Little Star, has undergone pleasing and earth-shattering changes in her spiritual demeanor or emotional life." "You're bad!" The girl grabbed Zhao Degeng's ear. The young man yelled. Deputy Chief Su stood by, smiling silently. "Quick, drive! Quick!" The girl climbed into the car and pummeled Zhao Degeng's shoulder. "Long-tongued,!" "At your service, at your service!" The driver winked at the middle-aged man. "Goodbye, Deputy Chief Su." "Goodbye, Teacher Su!" Xing Jinxu also waved from the car window. "Ask mom for me." "Alright, goodbye." Deputy Chief Su smiled and waved to the two young people. White mist billowed from the rear of the car as it moved slowly. The middle-aged man turned and walked into the alley. The gate towers on both sides had worn stone steps and peeling paint, but their former grandeur was still evident. He crossed a high threshold, and an ordinary siheyuan appeared before him. The courtyard was paved with blue bricks, and several "Xifuhai" trees—tall deciduous small trees that bloom pale red flowers in spring and bear purplish-red fruits in autumn—were planted there. Now that the leaves had fallen completely, round and heavy crabapples hung on the branches like amber or red gemstones. The eaves of the main building were illuminated by indoor lights, casting an apple-green glow on the glass windows and reflecting the layers of orchids arranged beneath the windows. At that moment, a radio broadcast was playing. A female announcer reported: "Capital News: A seven-member Chinese medical expert team led by Professor Su Guanlan, Deputy Director of the Experimental Pharmaceutical Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, has returned to Beijing today after concluding their inspection visit to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam by plane." Professor Su Guanlan was about to knock when he stopped, listening intently. "Deputy Directors from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, as well as officials from the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in China, are at the airport to welcome them." A soft sigh came from inside the house: "The radio has reported it, but why haven't we arrived home yet?" "We're home, we're home!" Professor Su Guanlan called out with a smile. The door was unlocked and easily pulled open. The professor picked up the two luggage boxes and strode inside, quickly turning back to close the door to keep out the cold. "Guanlan, you're back!" The hostess heard the noise and turned around suddenly, calling out. She appeared to be a head shorter than her husband, with a slender figure, pale complexion, and fine wrinkles on her face. Her grayish-yellow hair was mixed with silver strands, but her features were regular, her eyes clear, and she seemed calm and affectionate. Now, her eyes shone with moisture. P1-3