Chen Liping’s mind was in chaos.
She had mentally prepared herself—after all, she was a Chen by birth, and being sent away she could accept. But her husband and sons were all implicated, with none assured a good ending. That was truly a blow.
“Is there really no way to avoid it?” Chen Liping murmured.
She had been trying to smooth relations these past days, but the revolutionary committee was coming faster than expected.
Seeing her mother so despondent, Qiao Qingqing spoke gently to console her: “Mom, don’t take things too seriously. In at most five years, the opposition group will be pushed out. By then, as long as we have money, going back to the city won’t be difficult. Besides, as long as our family stays united, life will be the same no matter where we live. Being sent away will only be a bit harder, but we’re not without hope.”
Looking at her sensible daughter, Chen Liping felt an unexpected pang of emotion.
“Maybe it won’t even take five years,” she said. “When the Chen family left, I wrote a severance letter. That letter is in your Grandpa Xu’s hands.”
Chen Liping explained the situation to Qiao Qingqing.
Her father, Chen Baiyu, had been a renowned ‘red capitalist’ in Shanghai, serving as chairman of Yinchang Medicine and vice-chairman of the Federation of Industry and Commerce. He had dedicated himself to the revolutionary cause, but had been wounded during the war. His health never fully recovered, and he passed away relatively early.
Unfortunately, his sons lacked his capability and backbone. After his death, they fought over inheritance. Although Chen Liping didn’t live in Shanghai, she had conflicts with her brothers and sisters-in-law, ultimately leading to the severance letter.
When writing it, several elders from the family witnessed the document, dated a year and a half before the family left the country, enough to prove Chen Liping was not part of their faction.
She had also safeguarded a copy with Xu Honghua, her father’s longtime friend. On his suggestion, she had publicized the severance in the newspaper.
Xu Honghua was in Beijing, once her father’s close friend, a man who had built his own reputation and military achievements. But now, Chen Liping could neither reach him by phone nor letter. Inquiries revealed he was gravely ill. She had planned to go to Beijing herself, but Qiao Qingqing had suddenly returned, reporting that the revolutionary committee would come the next day.
Qiao Qingqing, listening to her mother’s explanation, felt the weight of it. The severance letter might have limited effect now, but if Grandpa Xu could intervene, even if the family were sent away, they wouldn’t be sent to the harshest location, Heishui Village.
But fate seemed to align against the Qiao family.
Qiao Qingqing carefully recalled the information about Xu Honghua. He was seriously ill now but, in the last life, he survived another two years before passing. For now, there was nothing to be done—the letters and calls could not get through, indicating problems on the Xu family side too. But in the next two years, she could still try to retrieve the severance letter, at least easing obstacles when returning to the city later.
Chen Liping sighed. “It seems that’s all we can do.”
Qiao Qingqing continued, “Moreover, this isn’t entirely because of the Chen family. Dad must have made enemies at the research institute, with significant people backing them. Otherwise, how could it be that the whole family is sent to the harshest, coldest place, and at a time when Grandpa Xu is unreachable? Do you really think all this is coincidence?”
In her previous life, Qiao Qingqing had considered these thoughts countless times, searching for anomalies. At one point, Lin Chaohai scolded her for being obsessed. But she never listened. Now, she could finally voice it.
“Indeed, it’s possible,” Chen Liping said thoughtfully.
Qiao Yimin’s personality was blunt; he cared only about his research, said whatever came to mind, and confronted anyone. Naturally, someone would take advantage, and things behind the scenes might not be simple.
“I have a power now,” Qiao Qingqing told her mother. “I can store items in a place invisible to everyone and take them out anytime. Like what you saw earlier. If our whole family goes to the northern wastelands together, my space can be used to the fullest. If we avoid this but fail the next time, it will be hard to be sent together. So let’s take this chance—if we must go, we go. Consider it a few years hiding in a remote place, escaping the storms.”
While Chen Liping was anxious, Qiao Qingqing grew more determined.
“Mom, trust me. This is just a brief darkness before dawn. The turmoil won’t last forever. Later, the country will grow stronger, people’s lives better. A true era of prosperity will come. If we endure, everything will be fine.”
Her gaze was earnest, full of pure reliance. Though her face was youthful, there was a subtle weariness in her eyes and expression, touching Chen Liping deeply.
“My dear girl… what about you? You say we’d die in the north. What happens to you?”
Qiao Qingqing paused, her nose tingling, but her mother’s concern warmed her. She smiled, “I’ll be fine.”
A sincere smile, free of any shadow.
Chen Liping hugged her. “You’re right. Since we can’t avoid it, we endure together, no matter how hard. But tell me now; we’ll keep Dad and the boys in the dark for now.”
Qiao Qingqing hesitated. “But later, living together, if I use my stored items, they’ll notice.”
“Your father is too blunt. I’ll explain when the time is right. As for Fangyu and the others, your brother may not always share your intentions, especially once he marries. Any secret of yours getting out could have disastrous consequences. I won’t risk it,” Chen Liping said firmly.
“For now, keep it hidden. As long as we can, one day at a time. You also need to be careful.”
Qiao Qingqing nodded. “I’ll listen, Mom.”
After agreeing, Qiao Qingqing told her mother everything she knew about what could happen tomorrow, letting her prepare.
Then she said, “I’ll store the furniture in this room first. We can’t give them any advantages.”
All of Chen Liping’s furniture was Huanghuali wood, carved by master craftsmen, with high collectible value.
Chen Liping frowned, “If we do that, the room will be empty. It’ll look fake.”
“No problem.” Qiao Qingqing pulled a desk from her spatial storage—a vintage, solid wood red-lacquered desk from Xu Peiling’s house. It would suffice for disguise.
After talking for a while, Chen Liping, noticing her husband and two sons waiting anxiously outside, went out to inform them.
She calmly told Qiao Yimin, “Our daughter cried back home because she got the news. The revolutionary committee comes first thing tomorrow morning.”
The three men were stunned, as if struck by lightning.
“Tomorrow morning?”
Especially Qiao Junnian, usually lively and carefree, felt the world collapse. “They’re coming for us?”
“Yes,” Chen Liping had prepared the explanation. “The school leaders have relatives in the committee. She heard the news earliest and rode back overnight to tell us.”
Compared to Junnian, Qiao Fangyu’s reaction was more composed. Qiao Yimin had long expected this and was mentally ready.
“So what do we do now?” Fangyu asked.
“Do nothing. Once inside, endure and cooperate where possible to suffer less,” Chen Liping said. “Don’t worry. I’ve contacted Elder Xu. We won’t have no way out. We just need to get through this.”
Married many years, Qiao Yimin trusted his wife’s judgment, and his fear eased.
Chen Liping continued, “Most likely, we’ll be sent away. Don’t pack anything; it can’t be taken anyway. We’ll figure it out when we get there.”
The three men slowly digested this. Fangyu encouraged Junnian, “Don’t look glum. Listen to Mom.”
Junnian nodded, asking, “And little sister? She must be terrified?”
Chen Liping waved him off. “Not terrified, just exhausted. Tonight she sleeps with me. You three share the other rooms.”
This was a university staff dorm: three rooms total. The parents in one, the brothers in another, and Qiao Qingqing alone in the third.
Perhaps because of Chen Liping’s calm, the three men were influenced and went to sleep.
Once the door closed, Chen Liping beckoned Qiao Qingqing inside.
They replaced the valuable furniture with ordinary pieces. Chen Liping retrieved a small safe, filled with her jewelry: gold, jade, South Sea pearls, some ancient books, and 15 gold bars.
The gold bars were ten taels each, leaving her only fifteen.
“These can’t all go. We need to leave some for the committee,” she said, calculating, “or they’ll cause trouble.”
Qiao Qingqing stopped her. “Mom, these are your dowry. Keep them. I have things I don’t need.”