Chapter Twenty-four
JF THE HORRORS of war could be shown in the eyes of a child they were shown in the eyes of Little Niu Niu.
Because of hunger she could not run and jump and play. Her neck was so thin it seemed very long， and this long thin neck seemed unable to support her head in spite of the fact that there was not much flesh on her face. Her old and worn trousers and coat were too short but were not tight for there were bones only left in her body. It was as though she were already half dead.
When she refused to eat Republic flour her little eyes would seem to say to the family that she had the dignity of her little life: she would not eat what dogs and pigs would not eat. Her determination could not be shaken. No one could force her. And no one， because of this， felt like scolding her. The anger in her eyes seemed to represent the hatred of war for them all.
When her anger was over she would half-open and half-shut her little eyes， and look stealthily at the family as though to apologize， to beg them to forgive her. She could not say， “In time of trouble such as this I should not lose my temper，” but her eyes said it for her. Then slowly she would shut her eyes and bury all her sufferings in her little heart.
Although her eyes were shut she knew that the grown people came often to see her and to sigh for her in secret. She knew that they would give her pity and love so she controlled herself and did not cry out. She must bear the pain in patience. War had taught her how to suffer in patience.
She would doze awhile and then when she again opened her eyes would force herself to smile. blinking her little eyes she cheated herself — she was a good Little Niu Niu that smiled as soon as she woke. And so she made all love her.
If， by good chance， the grown people had something for her to eat， her eyes would open wide; she would think only that that bit of food might help her to live. Her eyes would brighten as though she were about to sing — to praise life.
When she had eaten， her eyes would show a light like sunshine after a long rain， and would seem to say， “How easily life can be satisfied！ With a little food we can continue to live happily.” At such a moment she would even remember the stories her grandmother told her.
But soon the smile in her eyes would disappear. She had not had enough to eat and wanted more. How small that piece of melon had been， or that shaoping. Why should she have so small a piece to eat？ Why？ But she would not ask. She knew that her brother， Little Precious， had not had even a small piece of melon.
Rey Shuan dared not look at his little daughter. The British and American navies were approaching the homeland of Japan. He knew that the war god of the east would before long surrender unconditionally as had Germany and Italy. He should be happy. But of what use to be victorious over Japan and not be able to save his little daughter？ Life once gone could not come back again. What crime had Little Niu Niu committed that she should die like this？
Old Man Chi had lately had no energy to care for anything， but he would force himself to be concerned about Little Niu Niu. The oldest and youngest hearts meet easily. Whenever Yun Mei was able to get something other than Republic flour for him to eat， he would not even look at it， but would say to her， “Give it to Niu Niu. I have already reached the time to die， but Niu Niu— ” and then he would sigh deeply. He knew that even if Niu Niu got that bit of food it was doubtful whether she could become strong and healthy. He also thought of his son who had died， and of the two sons of his son who had disappeared. What if something should happen to the last of the four generations in one house！ In the night when he could not sleep， he often prayed， “Heavenly Old Grandfather， take me back， take me back， but ten thousand， leave Little Niu Niu to the Chi family.”
Yun Mei's maternal eyes had long ago seen the danger， but she could not enlarge upon the small signs and make the old people more worried. She would， on the contrary， often pretend to be unconcerned. “Nothing serious， nothing serious. Niu Niu is a little girl — little girls are hardy.”
Although she talked this way she suffered in her heart more than any. Niu Niu was her child. In her plans for the future Niu Niu was the center of her hopes. If she shut her eyes she could see Niu Niu growing into a beautiful young woman， see her marriage， her sons and daughters — and herself a grandmother， an old woman of dignity and position.
Little Precious was indeed important. From the point of view of the ancestors， he was to carry on the Chi family line， but he was a boy and Yun Mei could not put herself in his place and with her whole heart think and plan for him. Niu Niu was a girl and Yun Mei could use her own experience and think of Niu Niu's future. Mother and daughter are a mutual necessity to each other.
Yun Mei dared not think that Niu Niu might die. Indeed， if Niu Niu died， half of Yun Mei would die. To say the most heartless thing — Old Man Chi and Mrs. Tien Yiu could die， but Niu Niu must live. Old people were like autumn leaves — they should drop off when the time comes. But Niu Niu was a fresh flower bud. Yun Mei wanted to take her in her arms as she had when Niu Niu was only two or three months old. She wanted Niu Niu to suck her breasts again while she fondled Niu Niu's little hands and feet.
But Niu Niu was always with her grandmother. These two — the old one and the young one — were always together， like a body and its shadow. The grandmother's life seemed to have no other use but to care for and comfort Niu Niu. Yun Mei could not take Niu Niu from her mother-in-law. Sometimes Yun Mei was almost jealous and wanted to snatch Niu Niu from Mrs. Tien Yiu， but she did not do it. She knew that her mother-in-law had had no daughters; Niu Niu was her granddaughter and also her daughter. And so Yun Mei would comfort her mother-in-law and say， “There is nothing much wrong with Niu Niu. She has no serious illness.” It was as though Niu Niu were not her daughter， but only the granddaughter of her mother-in-law.
While this little life was flickering between life and death， Rey Shuan received fron Old Three so much good news that he could not use it all. The American Third Fleet was attacking Tokyo Bay. Russia， America， and England had made the Potsdam agreement. The first atom bomb had been dropped on Hiroshima.
The weather was hot. Rey Shuan sweated day and night to select and edit， to get and send away the manuscripts. He still pretended to be calm， but his eyes shone and his heart beat fast. He forgot the weakness of his body and felt that he had limitless energy， and refused to be idle a moment. He wanted to sing to celebrate the ending of the greatest tragedy of humankind.
Besides reporting the messages of victory he wanted to write his hopes for the future world. He hoped that no one — after this greatest of all lessons taught in blood—would again try to solve problems by force. But he did not write out these ideas. His underground paper was too small for writing of this kind.
But he told his hopes to the students in the classroom. He saw mankind as slaves of weapons. He looked down on them because they were slaves. But he also felt happy that mankind could be soft and could， after war， make peace. If mankind could be disarmed， and no longer be slaves of weapons， there would be hope for peace.
But when he looked at Niu Niu his heart turned cold. Niu Niu did not allow him to have any hope for tomorrow. In his heart he prayed， “Victory is before us. Niu Niu， you mustn't die！ Live another half year， another month， perhaps only ten days — Little Niu Niu， you will see peace.”
His prayer had not the slightest effect. Victory could not save Niu Niu. Victory was only the ending of the war， and could not bring those who had died to life， or keep those severely wounded from dying.
When Niu Niu had no way but to eat a mouthful of Republic flour she always washed it down with water or soup. The sand and the husks in the flour accumulated in her appendix. She had acute appendicitis.
A spasm of pain — as if the pain of the eight long years of war had all concentrated in one place — made her curl up into a ball. Cold sweat came out over her whole body so that her old worn coat and trousers were wet through. She screamed shrilly a couple of times. Her lips turned blue and her eyeballs rolled upward.
The whole family were around her， and no one knew what to do. Just as in the war， they could think of no good way to act.
Seeing Niu Niu motionless Old Man Chi called loudly， “Niu Niu， dear one， wake up， Niu Niu， wake up.”
Niu Niu's two thin legs， as thin as kaoliang stalks， stretched out. Mrs. Tien Yiu and Yun Mei both rushed to take her up， but Yun Mei let the grandmother take the child. Mrs. Tien Yiu held her granddaughter and called softly， “Niu Niu， Niu Niu.” Little Niu Niu had no strength left and lay gasping for breath.
“I'll go for a doctor.” As if suddenly waking from a dream Rey Shuan rushed out of the room.
There was another spasm of pain and Little Niu Niu writhed in her grandmother's arms with all the strength she had left. Mrs. Tien Yiu could not hold her and let her down again on the bed.
Niu Niu's little undernourished body could not resist the evil within. She writhed a few times， her eyes rolled up， and she did not move again.
Mrs. Tien Yiu placed her hand on Niu Niu's lips. There was no breath. Niu Niu did not open her eyes to look at her grandmother， did not call， “Mother，” in her sweet voice.
Mrs. Tien Yiu's whole body was covered with cold sweat. Her hand was still stretched out， and she could neither move nor weep. She stood before the little bed in a daze and her mind was blank. This great sorrow had made her forget how to weep.
Seeing that Niu Niu did not move Yun Mei fell over her little daughter's body， embracing that motionless form still wet from tears and sweat. She also forgot how to weep and could only put her mouth on little Niu Niu's chest and call wildly， “Niu Niu， my flesh， my Niu Niu.” Little Precious wept aloud.
Old Man Chi， shaking and groping， sat on a chair and hung his head. In the room there was only the sound of Yun Mei's cries and the weeping of Little Precious.
The old man sat with his head hanging for a long time， and then he suddenly stood up. Slowly but with determination he walked toward the little bed. He took hold of Yun Mei's shoulder and tried to pull her away.
Yun Mei held Niu Niu all the tighter. Niu Niu had been born of her， and now it seemed as if she wanted again to be one body with her little daughter.
Old Man Chi， half-angry and half-pleading， said， “Get away， get away.”
Yun Mei heard her grandfather's voice and cried wildly， “What do you want？”
The old man pulled again and Yun Mei sat on the ground. The old man picked up Little Niu Niu， and calling， “Niu Niu，” he walked toward the door. “Niu Niu， come with your great-grand-father.” Niu Niu's only answer was the slight movement of her legs as they swung.
Staggering， the old man carried Niu Niu into the courtyard. Sweat ran from his forehead. Only one or two of the buttons on his short coat were fastened so a piece of his hard dry chest showed. He stood still below the steps. He was gasping as if he were afraid he would forget what he was to do. He held Niu Niu more tightly and still called in a low voice， “Niu Niu， come with me， come.”
The old man's low calls brought Mrs. Tien Yiu out. She looked straight ahead and moving rigidly followed the old man like an automaton， as if the old man were not calling Niu Niu but calling her.
By this time Yun Mei's cries and the weeping of Little Precious had brought quite a few of the neighbors.
John Ting because of his position as Head of the Li stood in front of the group. His expression showed that if there were anything to be said he must be the one to say it.
Fourth Mistress Li was now almost blind， but her warmhearted helpfulness and sincerity were as in the old days. Walking with a stick she still busied herself helping others， as if after the “Old Thing” had died she must alone be responsibe for helping the neighbors.
Cheng Chang Shun， with Little Victory in his arms， stood behind Fourth Mistress Li. He was now like a middle-aged man， but Little Victory was a handsome boy， though not very plump.
Old Widow Ma had not come in. Although she was greatly concerned that such weeping should come from the Chi home， she stood outside the gate and waited patiently for Chang Shun to come and tell her everything.
The storyteller Fang the Sixth and many others stood silently in the courtyard.
Old Man Chi walked with determination but still he walked very slowly. To keep from falling his feet thrust to the left and to the right and so he could not walk quickly.
Rey Shuan with the doctor rushed into the courtyard. When he had rounded the spirit screen and saw the neighbors in the courtyard he pushed through them and came face to face with his grandfather.
The doctor came over and took hold of Niu Niu's wrist which was already stiffening.
Old Man Chi suddenly stood still and lifted his head. He saw the doctor. “What do you want？” he shouted angrily.
The doctor paid no attention to the old man's anger but said quietly to Rey Shuan， “The child is dead.”
Rey Shuan did not seem to hear the doctor but with tears in his eyes went over and took his grandfather's arm. The doctor went away.
“Grandfather， where are you taking Niu Niu？ She is already— ” The word “dead” seemed to stick in Rey Shuan's throat.
“Stand aside！” The old man's legs could scarcely move but he still wanted to go forward. “I am going to let the Japanese devils in house Number Three see this. They took away our grain. Their children have grain to eat， but they have starved my great-grand-daughter. I am going to show them. Stand aside！”