Chapter 33

Qiu Jin appeared at the entrance of Zhou Yuanxiao's workshop at 9:00 AM on September 8th. The last time she was here was more than three months ago. The street seemed unchanged, with few rickshaws passing by, and they looked quite old. The passersby were still mostly dressed in short clothes. However, the few old ladies sitting idly by the roadside were somewhat different. Qiu Jin remembered that the last time she came here with Chen Ke and others, the old ladies stared at her for a long time. Now, they merely glanced at her and continued their slow, leisurely chat.

Turning into the alley, Qiu Jin saw the familiar gate. A few months ago, Zhou Yuanxiao's workshop was a desolate place, and even though it was a bright summer day in early May, the cold and empty feeling was like that of a rural autumn. Pushing open the gate, the desolate atmosphere of the quiet, empty courtyard made Qiu Jin feel a bit melancholic.

Now it was a cloudy day, with the lingering autumn rain clouds not completely dispersed. The workshop Qiu Jin faced now seemed like a bustling beehive. Even before reaching the door, various noisy sounds came from inside. A sign without any paint hung at the entrance, with the four large characters "Huangpu Book Society" written on the light yellow wooden board. This was definitely not Chen Ke's handwriting, but it was in his style—simple and straightforward. Qiu Jin almost laughed, thinking that if the wooden board were not so large and the characters not so beautiful, it would look like a hastily erected tombstone. The gate was open, and Qiu Jin stood at the entrance, seeing people everywhere in the courtyard.

Just as she was about to enter, she heard the sound of wheels. Turning her head, she saw a large cart coming from the street corner and stopping at the courtyard entrance. Several young men in white coats jumped off the cart and began to unload things with energy and light steps.

Qiu Jin secretly marveled that in just three months, everything had changed so much.

"Mr. Qiu?!" someone called out.

Qiu Jin looked closely and recognized the young man. He was one of the Japanese youths who had returned with Chen Tianhua, the leader among them. He was not wearing the Japanese kimono from their last meeting but a white shirt, gray trousers, black cloth shoes, and a doctor's white coat.

"Ah! Hello," Qiu Jin said with a smile.

"Mr. Qiu, I didn't introduce myself last time. My name is Kuroshima Jinichiro. Please be kind to me," he said, using a peculiar Chinese accent and wearing Chinese-style Western clothing, but still bowing formally in the Japanese manner.

"Mr. Kuroshima, hello," Qiu Jin bowed slightly in return.

"Mr. Qiu, are you here to see Mr. Tianhua?" Kuroshima asked.

"Uh..." Qiu Jin hesitated. She was actually here to see Chen Ke.

"Then you must be here to see Mr. Wenqing," Kuroshima said cleverly. "When I went out to transport things this morning, Mr. Wenqing was still here."

"Kuroshima, come help us," the young men struggling to lift a large box called out.

"Sure," Kuroshima Jinichiro replied, saying apologetically to Qiu Jin, "Mr. Qiu, I have to go work now. Please go in by yourself."

Since she had been recognized, Qiu Jin no longer stood at the entrance. Stepping through the gate, she saw that the once empty courtyard now had several new thatched shelters—strange wooden frames covered with straw, very simple yet quite charming.

Each thatched shelter was filled with people. The outermost one seemed to be used as a classroom, with a blackboard and a neat row of people sitting in front of it. You Gou, whom Qiu Jin hadn't seen in a long time, stood before them, using a pointer to indicate strange symbols above a row of Chinese characters, "ba, ba..."

You Gou's soft Jiang-Zhe accent made the northern dialect sound unique. However, the accents of the students in front of You Gou were even more interesting, ranging from Shaanxi to Huguang, all kinds of dialects. The same pronunciation sounded incredibly varied to Qiu Jin's ears. You Gou was teaching very seriously and didn't notice anyone coming in. Qiu Jin didn't want to disturb her. The few tile-roofed houses on the north side of the courtyard still retained their old appearance, and Chen Ke must still be working inside. Qiu Jin walked towards them.

More people were coming in and out of the tile-roofed houses, looking at Qiu Jin with slightly curious eyes but not asking any questions. Outside the door, she heard Chen Ke's distinctive Beijing accent. "No more printing. Haven't you heard that rarity increases value? The sales of the 'Huangpu Review' are still unstable. We're printing 1,500 copies a day. Also, um, Huishen, have you found the place for the training I mentioned last time?"

"It's already confirmed," a voice unfamiliar to Qiu Jin replied.

"Notify everyone to participate in the training the day after tomorrow. As long as it doesn't rain knives, I'll lead everyone myself."

Compared to a few months ago, Chen Ke's voice hadn't changed much, and his tone remained the same even when giving orders.

Qiu Jin stepped into the room and saw that half of it was filled with tables and strange glass instruments, while the other half had a few tables. Chen Ke and a young man were sitting at a table talking.

"Big Sister Qiu?" Chen Ke stood up in surprise when he saw Qiu Jin. Chen Ke hadn't changed much, and his smile was exactly the same as it was a few months ago.

"Mr. Wenqing, how have you been?" Qiu Jin smiled.

Chen Ke moved a stool for Qiu Jin, "Big Sister Qiu, please wait a moment. I'll finish this and talk to you."

After Chen Ke and the young man finished handling a few matters, the young man buried himself in writing some documents. Chen Ke then turned around. "XingTai said Big Sister Qiu would also return to China. I've been waiting for you." He then looked Qiu Jin up and down, "The journey has made you look thinner, Big Sister."

"Mr. Wenqing seems to be in high spirits."

"Sleeping well and eating well, I've probably gained some weight."

After saying this, both of them laughed heartily.

"Where are Zhenglan and XingTai?" Qiu Jin looked around, seeing some young people busy with the experimental instruments, but none of them were familiar.

"Zhenglan is selling medicine outside. XingTai is teaching in the next room."

"It seems everyone is very busy."

"Big Sister Qiu, do you have any plans recently?"

"Does Mr. Wenqing have any instructions?"

"That depends on whether Big Sister Qiu is willing to humble herself."

"What do you mean?"

"If Big Sister Qiu wants to return to Shaoxing, I have some money to send to Brother Baisun. If Big Sister Qiu plans to stay in Shanghai, my nursing school needs a principal."

Qiu Jin had always wanted to start a school in Shanghai and was interested in what Chen Ke said.

"It seems Mr. Wenqing has made a lot of money."

"The more money I make, the faster I spend it," Chen Ke laughed.

Just as they were talking, He Zudao walked in quickly, "Mr. Wenqing, two gentlemen from Fudan University want to see you."

"Big Sister Qiu, please wait a moment. I'll go welcome them." Chen Ke stood up and left.

A moment later, Chen Ke led two people in. Qiu Jin didn't recognize the first one, but the second one was an acquaintance. They almost noticed each other at the same time, "Xuanqing is here too?" the man called out happily.

"Younren, why are you here?"

The one speaking to Qiu Jin was Yu Youren. Both were members of the Guangfu Society and had met last year. After a long time without seeing each other, they met again at Chen Ke's place, feeling both delighted and surprised. Seeing Chen Ke's puzzled smile, Qiu Jin quickly introduced Yu Youren to him.

"Long admired, long admired," Chen Ke said, having heard the name but not remembering his deeds. But anyone who could be in a history book was certainly not an ordinary person.

Yu Youren didn't hesitate and introduced the other person, "This is Mr. Yan Fu."

Chen Ke and Qiu Jin were stunned. Qi Huishen, who was writing a report, heard the name and put down his pen, standing up quickly. Before Chen Ke could speak, Qi Huishen, somewhat stuttering, asked, "Is this Mr. Yan Fu, the author of 'On the Evolution of Species'?" Chen Ke felt Qi Huishen's voice trembling.

"Indeed," Yu Youren replied.

Since reading 'On the Evolution of Species,' Qi Huishen had become a huge fan of Yan Fu. He once considered applying to the Beiyang Naval Academy. Today, seeing the "cool uncle" standing in front of him, whom he had always admired, he couldn't control himself. He said excitedly, "Mr. Yan, hello. I've read your books, and it's an honor to meet you," and extended his right hand. Having spent a lot of time with Chen Ke and others, Qi Huishen was very used to shaking hands. Recently, he had dealt with many British people and was accustomed to shaking hands with wealthy and powerful people. In his excitement, he forgot that he should bow and greet Yan Fu.

Qiu Jin was also excited but not as much as Qi Huishen. She found it interesting to watch Qi Huishen steal the show. According to Chen Tianhua, Chen Ke was the leader of this small group. Qiu Jin looked at Chen Ke to see his reaction. Chen Ke was also delighted and didn't mind Qi Huishen shaking hands first. He saw Yan Fu, slightly embarrassed, extend his hand, which Qi Huishen tightly grasped. Qi Huishen then pulled Yan Fu, stuttering as he expressed his admiration. Chen Ke just smiled broadly, showing no sign of displeasure.

Qiu Jin had some doubts about Chen Ke, thinking he might be a cunning person. But seeing his behavior, he didn't seem like someone who was deeply hidden and crafty. Instead, he acted more like a 25-year-old. This made Qiu Jin even more puzzled.

Yan Fu had seen many fans like Qi Huishen. Seeing Qi Huishen babbling, he became somewhat impatient. He slightly pulled back his arm, and Qi Huishen, not completely confused, quickly let go and apologized. He then turned and left the room.

"Mr. Yan, I'm Chen Ke. I've long admired you. Your visit is a great honor," Chen Ke said, extending his right hand. With Qi Huishen's lead, Yan Fu was more accustomed to it. After shaking hands with Chen Ke, Yan Fu looked around. Chen Ke guessed that Yan Fu wanted a quieter place to talk. Seeing the experimenters looking at them with bright eyes, Chen Ke called out, "Comrades, this is Mr. Yan Fu. Please greet him."

Hearing this, the experimenters greeted Mr. Yan Fu together.

"Continue your experiments. If Mr. Yan is free later, you can come and talk to him." Chen Ke then pulled the curtain in the middle of the room and smiled, "This is our environment. If Mr. Yan finds it inconvenient, we can go somewhere else to talk?"

"Here is fine," Yan Fu replied.

Chen Ke quickly pulled over stools and wiped them with the sleeve of his white lab coat, inviting everyone to sit.

"Mr. Yan, what brings you here?"

Qiu Jin watched the two with interest. Yan Fu, 51 years old, was extremely handsome, a naval officer by training, and had been the principal of the Beiyang Naval Academy. His cultivated and composed demeanor was extraordinary. Even in this ordinary, or rather, somewhat simple environment, he inspired a sense of respect.

Chen Ke, half Yan Fu's age, was wearing a very casual white lab coat. He chose the lowest stool in the room, but his natural and considerate actions, along with his sincere smile, gave him a presence that was not inferior to Yan Fu's.

After a brief silence, Yu Youren spoke first, "Mr. Chen, our school is about to open, and the venue will be in use soon. I wonder how much longer your lectures will continue."

"May I ask what position Mr. You holds at the school?"

"I'm temporarily in charge of academic affairs, and the venue matters are my responsibility."

"Ah, Mr. You, I was negligent. I told the students in my last lecture that the lectures were over. I wrote a letter to Mr. Ma informing him of this, but I forgot to notify the school. Now I formally inform you that the lectures are finished, and I will not use the school's venue. I apologize for the inconvenience caused by my negligence."

"Mr. Chen, you misunderstood. I'm not here to blame you. The school already knows you won't continue teaching. The students are very passionate and want you to finish the course. They sent representatives to Mr. Ma. Mr. Ma sent me to ask how many more lectures are left. If you don't mind, could you come to our school to finish the course?"

Hearing Yu Youren's words, Chen Ke didn't answer directly but looked at Yan Fu, who was just looking at him with a serious expression. Chen Ke couldn't understand why Yan Fu would personally come for this. But since Yan Fu was here, how should he handle it?

Qiu Jin found Chen Ke's actions quite interesting. She also couldn't figure out why Yan Fu was here. But Yan Fu was clearly well-prepared, and it would be wise for Chen Ke to seek his support. Seeing Chen Ke look at Yan Fu, Qiu Jin knew Chen Ke was thinking about how to use Yan Fu. Just as she was pondering, she heard Chen Ke say, "I admire Mr. Ma's care for the students. I don't know what the students said, but the lectures are indeed finished. I told Mr. Ma the same in my letter."

"Already finished?" Yu Youren looked somewhat surprised.

"Indeed, they are finished," Chen Ke nodded with a smile.

Hearing this, Yan Fu spoke, "Mr. Chen, I have read your work and attended your last few lectures. It's clear that they are not finished."

"Mr. Yan, if you don't mind, you can call me Wenqing." Chen Ke wrote the two characters on a piece of paper and handed it to Yan Fu.

Yan Fu glanced at it and put it down.

"Mr. Yan, I originally planned to finish the lectures on objective dialectics and subjective dialectics at Fudan University, which I completed a few days ago. The lectures are finished," Chen Ke said with the familiar honest face.

"Does Wenqing not plan to finish all the content?"

"Indeed, I do not have that plan."

Qiu Jin, listening to this conversation, couldn't tell if Chen Ke was being too serious or too arrogant. She finally understood what was happening. Chen Ke had given a series of lectures at Mr. Ma Xiangbo's school and sent all the manuscripts to Mr. Ma. But he stopped before finishing all the manuscripts. The students were persistent, and Mr. Ma, known for his care for students, naturally wanted Chen Ke to finish the course.

Who was Mr. Ma Xiangbo? He was the teacher of Cai Yuanpei. It would be inappropriate for Mr. Ma to come in person, so he sent Yu Youren to persuade Chen Ke, but he was worried Chen Ke might not give him face. So, he brought Yan Fu along.

If it were someone else, they would happily go to teach. In the Jiang-Zhe literary circle, Mr. Ma Xiangbo was a master. Gaining Mr. Ma's recognition would open the doors of the entire Jiang-Zhe literary world to Chen Ke. But Chen Ke, for some reason, seriously refused.

If this were a trick to play hard to get with a brute, it might work. But playing this trick with Mr. Ma's disciple Yu Youren, especially in front of someone like Yan Fu... Chen Ke was still too young.

"Does Wenqing have any difficulties?" Yan Fu asked.

"Absolutely not. In my plan, I only intended to lecture up to that point. After that, I have other arrangements. I cannot fulfill Mr. Ma's kind wishes, and I feel very uneasy. But since I have made my plan, I must follow it. Mr. Yan and Mr. You, I will write a letter to Mr. Ma to explain this."

Chen Ke's refusal was so clear that there was no room for negotiation. Not only Yan Fu and Yu Youren, but even Qiu Jin's face changed. According to this, Chen Ke would not go to teach until he completed his plan. If Chen Ke changed his mind, it would prove he was a fickle person.

But Chen Ke's refusal was quite shocking. In such a situation, most literati would seize the opportunity. Joining Mr. Ma Xiangbo and Fudan University would provide immense support in the future. If Qiu Jin had this opportunity, she would never let it go. But Chen Ke didn't seem to care. From his words, he only prioritized his own affairs and didn't consider anything else.

"Is Wenqing really a scholar?" Qiu Jin thought. Suddenly, she understood. Chen Ke might be a returnee, and from Chen Tianhua's recommendation and Mr. Ma's attention, he should also be a scholar. But Chen Ke always claimed to be a revolutionary. Between his own cause and his reputation in the Jiang-Zhe literary world, Chen Ke chose his cause.

"Wenqing, can't you find a way to have both?" Qiu Jin was really worried for Chen Ke.