'Till Death Do Us Apart 長相守(bxb)

Chapter 26

XXVI

The second time Shen Liangsheng and Ch'in Ching visited a studio for a photograph together was in early spring of the year of liberation . Ch'in Ching didn't want to go but gave in after the other man insisted.

After the war against Japan came a civil war that lasted four years. Ch'in Ching was naturally glad that the fighting was finally coming to an end, but he was still vaguely uneasy.

The apartment in which they resided had always belonged to Ch'in Ching, but last October Shen Liangsheng suddenly wanted to transfer the property. Shen Liangsheng was the one who had made the purchase, and Ch'in Ching had long ago suggested transferring the ownership. However, due to Shen Liangsheng's opposition, he had dropped the matter after a few attempts.

Shen Liangsheng's sudden change in attitude naturally aroused Ch'in Ching's curiosity, but the former only replied "better safe than sorry" suggesting that things would be fine as long as they did as he said.

Ch'in Ching understood Shen Liangsheng better than anyone after having lived together for so many years. Shen Liangsheng had been in charge of all matters small and large in the family, and Ch'in Ching had become used to this. He had a mild temper to begin with and thus did not get into arguments over having his decisions made for him. He didn't ask too many questions about the transfer of ownership, but the issue weighed heavily on his mind.

The truth was that Shen Liangsheng had known the liberation of Tientsin was inevitable. Every cent and every dime in Ch'in Ching's chequebook had clear origins, but this house appeared out of nowhere. For this reason, he thought it best that the property be transferred to his name.

Honestly speaking, he did not anticipate life after liberation being particularly harsh. On the other hand, there were those in Tientsin who became apprehensive and began looking for ways to escape. Most of them were those with a different political agenda than that of the Communist Party. As for the businessmen who did not dabble in politics and even those who ran their own operations, all of which would likely be labelled "capitalist," many were composed - or perhaps they had accepted that there was no use in worrying. It was unbelievably difficult to leave at that point. Running might actually bring trouble where previously there were none, so it proved beneficial to stay put rather than to act.

Human beings eventually acclimate to their environment. Having stayed in Tientsin, Shen Liangsheng's sentiment towards the city grew as time went by, and he also came to regard Ch'in Ching's home as his own. During the war, the notion of leaving had crossed his mind more than once, but no time seemed like a good time to do so. After so many years, he finally had a place he could call home and someone with whom to share each and every day. Once his heart settled, he became more reluctant as well. Compared to venturing out into the unknown, even Shen Liangsheng couldn't help but think, no matter how clichéd, that there was no place like home. Eventually, the chance to leave became more doubtful so that now, even if he were to go all in, it was uncertain whether it was possible. Thus, he opted to stay put and bide his time. Should worst come to worst, he would donate everything he could and give the state what it wanted, not hiding or lying about his assets. The Party was, after all, for the people; it would surely leave them a way out.

However, he did not want to share these thoughts of his with Ch'in Ching under any circumstances. The man had spent most of his life at the school and had a significantly more naive worldview compared to him. And during all these years of being looked after by him, Ch'in Ching never really had to use his head for anything other than for his teaching job. Telling the schoolmaster about all this would only make him uneasy.

Afterwards, Tientsin was besieged. Lao -Chou had leased one of his properties to a general in the Kuomintang and could not get rid of the man. When he was racked with anxiety, Shen Liangsheng in turn comforted him.