It was mid-summer back then , the sprouting friendship between Xing and Sylvia convinced me that days were getting better ; I had no idea about the chaos beyond the Longtang , nor that China would soon be haunted by its worst nightmare .
3
“ Xing , pack your things by tomorrow , we ’ re moving .” “ Where to ?” “ Kunming . Shanghai isn ’ t safe anymore .”
1937 marked the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War ; people who lived through the eight years would rather erase every piece of memory of it from their heads . The Fans had left Shanghai behind and moved away as Mr . Fan , who worked in the Central Mint , requested to work in one of its branches in Kunming .
* * *
On the night before they departed , Sylvia came over to Xing . “ Be careful .” She said , hugging Xing tightly , “ Will we ever see each other again ?” “ Of course .” Xing tried to sound reassuring , “ You ’ re the one who should be careful , this city has fallen into chaos .”
“ I need to show you something .” Sylvia was holding an elongated case in her hand , it was made of rosewood , with two tiny figures carved on the lid ; the inside of it has two empty spaces that roughly took the shapes of a brush and a quill . “ See this ? I made it for Bamboo and Feather .” She said solemnly , “ I will bury this under the tree at the end of this alleyway . Write to me before you come back to Shanghai , alright ? I ’ ll then dig this case up and put Feather here .” She pointed the space that looked like a quill , “ I ’ ll put the case back again . If you see Feather there when you come back , that means I ’ m fine , we ’ ll be able to meet up soon , understand ?”
“ Okay .” Xing touched the figures on the lid , “ Who are they ?” “ You and me , can ’ t you tell ?” “ Not very talented at crafting , are you ?” Xing giggled .
“ Well , that ’ s the best I can do !” Sylvia slapped Xing ’ s shoulder playfully and swung her arms around Xing , “ Promise to keep in touch , Xing .”
“ Promise .” Xing grinned with tears emerging from her eyes . “ So , it ’ s a goodbye then ?” I said to Feather as we parted . “ Yes . Hope I could see you again , Bamboo .” Feather swayed her soft , pearl-white feather and bid farewell to me .
Xing went to the City God Temple of Shanghai afterwards , she didn ’ t pray for good fortune like most people did , but only for the safety of her family and Sylvia , who was to remain in the city .
* * *
The Fans lived in the safe haven of Kunming for 8 years , where Xing got married and had children .
Xing had lost touch with Sylvia Wood in 1941 . The vision of the two of them strolling up and down the Longtang on a summer evening more than 10 years ago have faded completely , but Xing couldn ’ t have forgotten the girl who constantly travelled from the International Settlement to the Old City to see her when everyone else thought she was lunatic . As the grueling war of blood and anguish ceased in 1945 , Xing went back to Shanghai and brought me along .
She returned to Tongfuli Longtang and walked along the alleyway , where so many memories are buried . When she reached the end , a promise she made years ago came back to her .