We laughed.
“
No, I didn’t see that woman,” he replied. “I am a Russian, but I am trilingual. My name’s Ivan.”
“
I ’m Hailing.”
He told me his father was a Chinese traitor and he was on a mission for Russians. I considered him to
be smart. But if he failed, his family would be doomed. I couldn’t let this slipped out of my mouth.
I spotted Madam Fuca talking to the proprietor.
I left Ivan and walked to Madam Fuca.
She exchanged a pile of notes for opium. I noticed all her hairpins were gone. She must have sold
them, the money she got was enough for us to live at least ten years! She couldn’t use the notes to buy opium. I
argued with her.
She ignored me and carried opium to our room. She lit the opium. I coughed and pleaded her to stop.
“
If you don’t like it, get lost!” She roared.
Terror washed over me. My mouth and throat were completely dry, and so were my eyes.
A week after I had lived in the inn for a month, the Qing Empire signed the Treaty of Aigun. A part
of Heilongjiang was given to the Russians. I was living three miles away from the new border.
Madam Fuca looked like a zombie coming out from a coffin with foam covered her mouth and all she
could say was ‘opium’. She would fall into fits if she couldn’t consume opium.
She managed to take me to the proprietor. I thought she was going to say she would be moving. But
turned out, she had other ideas.
Proprietor Niohuru examined me unusually.
“
Are you diligent?” he asked.
I nodded. What did he want from me?
“
I guess she can make a fair price.” He grinned with satisfaction.
Price? Realizing Madam Fuca was going to sell me; I knelt on the ground and cried,
“
Please don’t sell me, Mama!”
“
It’s too late to apologize. You are going away to work in the brothel tomorrow.”
Madam Fuca pushed me aside. Her yellowish index finger aimed straight at me. She hissed and left.
I stood at the front door, panic-stricken. A man came to me and gave me a bit of paper.
Papa failed. Mama was killed. Meet me tonight, at the wall’s entrance. Ivan.
Ivan’s father was discovered, we were in peril. I couldn’t be sold to the brothel, I had to flee.
At midnight, I sneaked out of the inn and ran to the Great Wall’s entrance. I could feel my pulse was
getting slower and my breath was getting shallower. My abdomen was aching and I was frozen and exhausted.
I heard a rustle in the bushes. I flinched.
Ivan tiptoed out from the bushes.
He muttered, “Are you being followed?”
I shrugged.
We opened the gate. The eerie sound frightened me. Ivan handed me a knife. We reached to the top.
I looked at the border of the Russian Empire. I was reluctant to go.
A man rushed towards us. Shouts erupted from the man’s back. They lit up torches.
“
The boy traitor and the girl! Get them!”
I fell into fits and started to panic.
“
Ling-ling, go home.” The man approached me.
It was Gege!
I stumbled forward. The blind impulse covered my consciousness and I impaled him with Ivan’s
knife.
I stepped back, stunned by what I have done. Gege immediately crashed onto the floor.
Everyone looked at me with abhorrence. They slowly walked to me. Ivan stood in front of me and
ordered me to flee. I ran, I accidentally tripped over the Great Wall’s uneven stone. My foot twisted on the
uneven Great Wall’s stones and I heard myself screaming as I fell...
Some whispers rang beside my ears.
“
Thank goodness, she’s alive.”
“
Let’s see will you be alive if we throw you off the Great Wall.”
I woke up and saw Tori standing beside me. I was lying on a bed. Two boys eyed me.
“
Ivan?” all of them asked in disbelieve.
I realized I was in a hut. The hut was unadorned, but quaint Russian crafts were put in everywhere. I
looked through the windows. Markets was bustling with life, joyous smile was on everyone’s face. I gazed at the