Chapter 20 18

August 24, 1916 Langham Hotel Central London, Marylebone * The couple Ashley and Yinmozhen stood on the porch.The porter put Ashley's large backpack beside the driver's seat and fixed it with canvas straps.Ashley gave him a coin as a tip, told Yin Mozhen to get on the bus and sit down first, then leaned over to the window and said to the driver: Victoria Station. The taxi driver pressed the red flag on the meter, greeted the hotel concierge with his hand on the brim of his hat, and started the engine. Ashley and Yin Mozhen didn't talk, and they didn't sit close to each other. There was a distance between her skirt and his woolen leggings.Ashley opened the car window and stuck his head out. The cold morning air of Regent Street was blowing on his face, and he wished he would wake up.A bus passed by, and before it stopped, passengers grabbed the brass handrails and walked or jumped off the bus.The lady driver in uniform climbed to the upper deck and shouted to the passengers: Gentlemen, please hold on to the handrails.

On the lower deck of the bus hung a large billboard for Dewar White Label whiskey.After the car passed by, Yin Mozhen wrapped her arms around herself. so cold Ashley said: I close the window. Do not close. Yin Mozhen's eyes were bloodshot, and she stretched out her hand to press on Ashley's chest. Be careful, these buttons have to shine like a mirror. Then let them catch you and go to jail. They would still send me to the front, only from officer to chief. You said that soldiers will live longer than officers. I heard that it is so, but there will always be a time to die. Yin Mozhen shook her head.Don't say such things.

Ashley pursed his lips, silently opened the summoning order for troops to board the ship, and put it back in his pocket after reading it. sorry.Yin Mozhen said: I am not feeling well. No wonder, how much sleep have we had in total this week? I only slept two nights in five nights. Good practice before going to France. The taxi goes through Hyde Park and rounds Wellington Arch.Ashley decided that it would be better not to speak during the journey, and said goodbye to her after reporting at the train station. The train station is crowded.Many returning soldiers got off the troop carrier, wearing steel helmets, with caked soil on their coats and backpacks, and carrying tools for digging trenches. Some were walking towards Victoria Street, and some were queuing for a free buffet. Some have already been offered tea, cake or sandwiches.The soldiers who were going to France were relatively clean, but they also had a lot of luggage, including food wrapped in brown paper and extra clothes.

Ashley took Yin Mozhen's hand, squeezed through the crowd and walked towards the platform, and stopped halfway, as if he had become an island in the crowd.A locomotive waiting on the spot spewed out steam from time to time, making a high-pitched sound.There was so much noise around them that it was hard for them to hear each other. Ashley said: This is really not a good place to say goodbye. Then let's not say goodbye. You know what I want to say, I've said it all.This week is the best week of my life that is it? Ashley shook his head, looking at the dirty glass roof above his head, the sunlight cast down through the iron frame.

I shouldn't have come to the platform.Yin Mozhen said: I swore that I would never do such a thing. It doesn't matter.You'll get my letters before you start thinking about me. I'm already missing you. The train conductor began to patrol the platform, blowing his whistle, urging people to get on the train.Ashley held the ticket and the stamped summoning order in his hand. I have to get in the car. Yin Mozhen took off the silk scarf, folded it and stuffed it into his hand. I know you don't want to take it, but I don't care.You don't believe that I can protect you, but this protection comes from me.

Ashley pushed back the silk scarf. I'll lose it, break it, dirty it He stuffed the silk scarf back into Yin Mozhen's hand. There is a note in your bag, read it after I leave. The two stood there awkwardly, neither touching the other.Yin Mozhen turned her head away, looking at the jet locomotive.Ashley knew that he would regret it if he didn't hug her, but he still didn't do it. He said: goodbye. Yin Mozhen turned her head back, shook her head angrily, and said in a hoarse voice: You can't just stand there like this.You can't leave like this, we're just getting started

Yin Mozhen. You should not go.She said: You should choose me. He kissed her cheek, then backed away.She didn't move, like a piece of wood. She whispered: I don't want to say goodbye. Ashley got into the car, found his seat in the crowded officer's compartment, and greeted three fellow officers in the same seat, two of them were second lieutenants, and the other was a captain of the Royal Army Medical Corps who was reading the newspaper.Ashley touched the captain's leg when he sat down, and the captain shook the newspaper unhappily.Ashley adjusted the position of her legs, and tried her best not to look out. Finally, she couldn't help it, and looked at the platform, but she was not there.

Ashley heard the sound of collisions outside several carriages, and the captain of the medical team lowered the newspaper to look at the source of the sound. Someone yelled: Miss, the train is about to leave. Yin Mozhen walked into this carriage, followed by the conductor.Her eyes were wet and she held a silk scarf in her hand. She said: Take it, you take it.