Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 - 2017 | Page 445

A New Story from Old Shanghai
Stewards Pooi Kei College, Lam, Enoch - 13
I
n my history lesson, the teacher is talking about the Second Sino-Japanese war. Almost all of my classmates loudly blame the
Japanese in a malicious way. Except for me, I keep quiet. Why? Because I’m Japanese. However, I’m not angry when I
remember what my great grandfather did, when I remember the new story from Old Shanghai.
In 1935, the evening sun in Old Shanghai was blazing. The Dong Hai was completely azure, as blue as the ineffably beautiful
sky. Beside the sea, people were selling things inside the small shops. They yelled and shouted towards the people on the streets,
trying to attract them. Beside these small shops, you could also find a pier. But it was prob ably not a good place to go. There, you
could always see the coolies fighting for the heaviest things to carry.
A man took out a Chinese flute and played. Gentle breezes blew onshore. And the mellifluous sound of the flute wafted over
the scene.
Children ran beside the sea boisterously, yelling and screaming energetically. Women talked loudly. But Lin, didn’t hear any of
these voices as he was concentrating on thinking of a plan. His head was bowed down, his forehead crinkled. His brain span as
fast as a windmill. He paced along the shore, back and forth, back and forth…… As night fell, he was still pacing and thinking.
A Chinese woman obscured by the dark, tapped on Lin’s back. Lin looked behind him. “I’m here to bring you some good
news,” said Yang. Excitement shone on her face. “What good news?”
“I’m pregnant!” said Lin’s wife excitedly. For a moment, he was stunned and then jumped up and down like a happy child. He
was over the moon.
In 1936, the baby was born. Lin was happy but his work did not decrease, even a bit. He was still often to be found finalizing
his plans beside the sea. Sometimes, he would even pretend to be a Chinese worker and sneak into the Chinese military campus.
But what job needed him to sneak into the Chinese military campus? And also, what was he actually planning? Well! Let me
tell you.
Lin was an agent working for the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). His duty was to start a battle in Shanghai and to complete in
depth research into the strengths and weaknesses of the Chinese troops. He and his wife were both Japanese and he was also my
great grandfather.
By April, 1937, everything was ready. Lin gave a big yawn, stretched and went out into the streets of Old Shanghai for a walk.
He looked at the buildings. He looked at the small shops inside the city. He looked at the crowds inside the market. Everything
seemed to be bright and beautiful. Lin had already lived there for three years. He really loved the ancient atmosphere of Old
Shanghai.
He slowly started to realize that if his plan succeeded, the Old Shanghai he had grown to love, might still be there, damaged,
but that many people would be killed. But what would happen if he didn’t submit his plan? He would be treated as a traitor and
killed.
He didn’t want Old Shanghai to be destroyed, but he didn’t want to die either!
He trembled. He struggled. He hesitated. And at last, he decided to put himself first; he decided to sacrifice a million Chinese
people’s lives so that he would live.
He gave his plans to the Imperial Japanese Army.
The IJA started to use Lin’s plans in the August of 1936. The Oyama Incident was created. According to Lin’s plan, Lieutenant
Isao Oyama stormed into the Hongqiao Military Airport. The Chinese guards then shot him to death. Because of that, the
Japanese government had an excuse to attack Shanghai. Therefore, they started to attack a few days after the Oyama Incident
happened.