Zhao Dahai's annual leave has ended. After arranging things at home, he will take the train to rush to Zhengzhou for work.

  The next morning, Zhao Dahai got up early and exercised in the yard. His wife was busy making pancakes and boiling eggs in the kitchen. From Beijing to Zhengzhou, the train ride would take several days, so they had to prepare some dry provisions.

  The mother carefully packed her son's luggage, a bundle wrapped up, inside were new jacket and pants, and a pair of cloth shoes, with dense needlework, every thread contained the mother's loving care.

  Zhao Ziming was woken up, and he lay on the bedhead watching his grandma packing her luggage. He propped himself up with his elbows and asked: "Grandma, when will Dad come back?"

  "By next New Year's your dad will be back." Grandma gently stroked her grandson's head.

  It's getting late, Zhao Dahai went back to the house to have breakfast, changed his clothes, and under the escort of his family members, he left the big mixed courtyard. To his surprise, there were four rickshaws parked at the gate, Chen Zikun and three drivers had been waiting here early.

  "Goodbye, Hai Ge, we'll send you off." The drivers chimed in unison as they helped load the luggage onto the vehicle. The entire Hai family got on board and headed straight for Zhengyangmen West Station.

  Zhao Dahan was a worker on the Beijing-Hankou Railway, and he rode for free. Chen Zikun bought several platform tickets and together with everyone else saw him off onto the platform. The whistle blew loudly, white mist swirled around, and feelings of parting and longing overflowed beyond words.

  "Come, let Daddy hold you." Zhao Dahi stretched out his hand to take over his son, and nibbled on his cheek. Little Zhao Ziming was scratched by his father's beard and cried loudly. Zhao Dahi laughed happily and put down his son, then took something out of his pocket and handed it to Chen Zikun.

  "Take it and look at the time," he said.

  Chen Zikun took a look and it turned out to be the Hamilton silver-cased railroad pocket watch that Zhan Tianyou had given him.

  "Brother Hai, how can this be?" He hastily declined.

  "Take it, and don't be such a nagging old woman!" Zhao Dahai said in mock anger.

  "Alright, I'll take it." Chen Zikun didn't pretend to be polite and put the pocket watch into his pocket. Zhao Dahai helped him adjust the chain when suddenly, Chen Zikun saw a familiar figure beside him - a tall and thin person wearing a long gown with a white scarf, looking elegant and refined. It was none other than Assistant Mao from the Peking University Library, accompanied by a young girl.

  "Assistant Mao, you're driving today and didn't even notify me." Chen Zikun walked over and shook his hand.

  Mao's assistant was saying goodbye to Kaihui, and was slightly surprised to see Chen Zikong appear. He immediately smiled and said: "I wanted to inform you, but you were nowhere to be found, so I couldn't notify you. By the way, congratulations are in order, you've won a victory."

  Chen Zikong smiled and said, "I had forgotten about this. If I hadn't gone to the library, you wouldn't have been able to contact me. Luckily, heaven has eyes, and we met at the train station. Let me introduce him to you - this is my elder brother, Zhao Dahi, a worker on the Beijing-Hankou Railway."

  Assistant Mao shook hands with Zhao Dahan and exchanged a few pleasantries. Assistant Mao smiled and said, "I was worried that there would be no one to talk to on the road. It seems that Brother Zhao is a good conversationalist, but I'm not sure if he can understand my Hunan accent."

  Zhao Dahai smiled and said: "I've been in Changsha for a while, can't say, but listening is no problem."

  Chen Zikong said: "That's great, you guys take care of each other on the road, and we can rest assured too."

  The train conductor blew the whistle and was about to depart, Assistant Mao and Zhao Dahai finally boarded the train, standing at the door waving goodbye to their loved ones with reluctance.

  On the platform, everyone waved goodbye. Suddenly, Zhao Ziming broke free from his mother's arms and ran after the train, shouting "Dad!!" as he went.

  ……

  The bicycle was still standing alone in the middle of the courtyard. The lady had spoken, and no one was allowed to move the bike until things were clear.

  Lin Wenjing went to school early, Mr. Lin quarreled with his wife for a long time last night, and spat out some blood while washing his face in the morning, his condition became more serious, and his wife personally invited a Japanese doctor to come and treat him.

  Japanese doctor's name is Ono Jiro, introduced by Mr. Zhou Shuren of the Ministry of Education, a graduate of Sendai Medical Specialized School, a genuine Western medicine practitioner, has been practicing in China for many years and can be considered an experienced famous doctor.

  Dr. Ono used a stethoscope to listen to Lin's lungs and then, without hesitation, took out a bottle of medicine from the medicine box and said to Mrs. Lin: "Take this three times a day, it will be very effective."

  Mrs. Lin hastily expressed her gratitude: "Thank you, Mr. Ono. How much does this cost?"

  "It's just ten bucks."

  Mrs. Lin paid ten dollars and also helped Dr. Xiao call a car, personally sending him out, and after returning, she fed Mr. with a spoonful of medicine.

  Lin Zhi Min took a sip and furrowed his brow: "The taste is so bitter, it's not right."

  Mrs. Lin said: "You're still a cultured person, don't you understand that good medicine tastes bitter?"

  Lin Zhi Min coughed a few times and said: "I didn't mean that, this medicine is very different from the medicinal water I used to take, I'm afraid of making a mistake."

  Mrs. Lin was furious: "Wrong? How could a famous Japanese doctor be wrong? Do you know how much it costs to see a doctor once? Five yuan for the consultation fee, two yuan for car fare, and ten yuan for medicine. If this continues, we won't have a good life! You can drink or not!"

  After finishing speaking, she slammed the medicine bowl and went away in a huff.

  Lin's wife, a Shanghai native from a small business family, originally had a bad temper. Recently, the Ministry of Education hasn't been able to pay salaries and she's contracted a serious illness. Her daughter somehow got her hands on an unlicensed bicycle, putting immense pressure on her alone, so it's no wonder she blew up.

  "Alright, I'll drink it." Lin Zhimin pinched his nose and drank the medicine all at once. He wiped his mouth with a towel and said to his son standing in the doorway of the bedroom: "Wenlong, come here and let your father take a look."

  Lin Wenlong was just about to come over, when he suddenly saw his father's face change, and with a "pu" sound, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Next came big drops of sweat rolling down, and the whole person began convulsing on the bed. Lin Wenlong was so scared that he wailed loudly: "Mom, mom, come quickly!"

  "Who dares to shout loudly." Mrs. Lin walked over with a furious face, saw the scene and panicked, while shouting for Lin Ma Zhang Bo to come and help, she went up to help her husband press the person's acupuncture point.

  Lin Zhi's convulsions stopped, and he lay still. White foam and red blood flowed from the corners of his mouth. His eyes were wide open. His wife was stunned for a moment before reaching out to feel her husband's breath, but it was completely gone.

  "Madam, the rickshaw has arrived." Suddenly seeing this scene, he was stunned.

  Mrs. Lin was surprisingly calm, giving orders: "Zhang Bo, go to the Ministry of Education to report the death, just say that Mr. has passed away. Lin Ma, you call Dr. Xiao Ye to come over, I need to ask him what medicine he prescribed."

  The two servants went away with worried hearts, leaving only Mrs. Lin and her young son who didn't understand what was going on in the house.

  "Mom, why isn't Dad talking?" Lin Wenlong asked, raising his little head.

  Mrs. Lin's thin face had two lines of tears flowing down, and she hugged her son and choked: "Wenlong, Dad is gone."

  ……

  Today, the Peking University campus is still discussing yesterday's events. As one of the winners in the gamble, Lin Wenjing has received attention from her classmates. Some people asked her to tell them about Che Fu's background, while others asked her to treat them to a meal. The lively atmosphere on campus has alleviated her worries, and the day passed by like this. At 4 pm, after school, she followed Wang Yueqi's bicycle all the way home. When they reached the entrance of the alley, she felt something was off.

  There was a car parked at the entrance, not the one Aunt Mei rented. A white paper was posted on our own gate, I don't know what it means. Zhang Bo wasn't sitting in the gatehouse as usual. With a nervous heart, I walked into the yard and saw many unfamiliar and familiar faces, probably my father's colleagues.

  She stepped into the house and was immediately stunned. Her father's body was already covered with a white cloth, and Mi Niang and Wen Long were sitting beside him, wearing mourning clothes and sobbing uncontrollably. In an instant, Lin Wenjing felt her mind go blank, and then she knew nothing else.

  When she woke up, Lin Wenjing was already lying on her own bed, the sky outside was completely dark, she got up in a daze and sat at the desk, looking at the people coming and going in the yard, as well as that bicycle, feeling that all of this was just a dream, a nightmare.

  Father just left like this, leaving in such a hurry, without even leaving a word for himself.

  Taking off the necklace from her neck, she opened the locket box. The three people in the photo were smiling warmly and contentedly. Tears suddenly blurred her eyes.

  "Mom is gone, Dad is also gone, now I'm the only one left."

  ……

  Mr. Lin died suddenly, and the Ministry of Education sent someone to assist with the aftermath. Dr. Ohno, who had mistakenly administered the wrong medicine leading to a patient's death, hid in Dongjiaomin Lane and was said to have taken a train to Tianjin that night and left China by boat.

  The Minister of Education, Fu Zengxiang, came to mourn in person. Friends and relatives in Beijing also came to burn paper. What's worth noting is that Peking University professor Chen Duxiu came alone. There was a rumor that Peking University had removed his position as Dean of the Faculty of Arts, only keeping his title as professor, and giving him a year-long vacation. Chen Duxiu considered this an insult and angrily resigned. He is no longer a member of Peking University.

  Mrs. Lin, accompanied by her two children, wore mourning attire and continuously bowed to the friends who came to pay their respects. Zhang Bo and Lin's mother shook their heads and sighed in the courtyard, thinking that a good family had come to an end like this.

  ……

  When the Lin family encountered a change, Chen Zikun was visiting Xiong Xiling's residence.

  Xiong Xiling said: "Zi Kong, I have received a response to the letters I sent to Foshan and Shanghai through someone."

  Chen Zikun suppressed his excitement and asked: "What's the result?"

  "Huo Yuanjia, the master of Jingwu School in Shanghai, has long passed away. His great apprentice Liu Zhen Sheng replied that Master Huo had never accepted a disciple with the surname Chen. Huang Feihong, the master of Po Chi Lam in Foshan, Guangdong, is still alive and after seeing your photo, he also gave the same reply, saying that he has never accepted such an apprentice."

  Chen Zikun was greatly surprised: "What's going on? Mr. Du Xinwu said that my kung fu is indeed the orthodox transmission of their two families."

  Xiong Xiling said: "Maybe others have unspeakable secrets, I think heroes don't ask about origins. As for your own life story, you don't need to worry too much about it either. For now, there are more important things that require your attention."

  Chen Zikong said: "What instructions does Master Xiong have? I will not hesitate to go through fire and water."

  Xiong Xiling shook his head and said, "I don't want you to grow up to be a martial artist who only knows how to use brute force. Do you know why I took you to the Liu Guo restaurant to meet Lin Changmin last time?"

  Chen Zikong's mind moved: "Is Bear Lao letting me get involved in national affairs?"

  Xiong Xiling said: "That's right, now the north and south are divided, the military is in power, the local warlords are vying for dominance, the people are struggling to survive, the famine is widespread, under such circumstances, Duan Qirui still insists on expanding his military, borrowing billions from Japan, training a new army, humph, using the excuse of participating in the European war to expand his own military, buying Japanese weapons, hiring Japanese instructors, even the horses pulling the artillery are imported from Japan. The 21st article that Yuan Shikai didn't dare to agree to was smoothly passed here with Duan Qirui, what do you call this if not treason?"

  Chen Zikong nodded in agreement and said: "Does Master Xiong have a plan to eliminate this national thief?"

  Xiong Xiling sighed and said, "Assassination cannot solve China's problems. Song Jiaoren was assassinated, Tao Chengzhang was assassinated, Chen Qimei was assassinated, Tang Huayong was assassinated... so many people have died, yet there is no sign of democracy or prosperity in China, but instead it has become more and more chaotic."