Scarring Jasmine-Chapter Forty Eight Resolution

02/07/2025 Friday 26-44F Cloudy

It was a sunny spring day. After taking the blankets to the balcony to air in the sun, Jasmine sat on a chair by the table and started to read newspapers.

The headline on the front page was: The union of the “Big Three”. A photo under the caption caught Jasmine’s eyes, in which there were three sitting men, all their faces were familiar to her: One was Wang, one was Qian, and another one was Zhao. She fixed her eyes on Zhao—He was grinning, in the same way he used to grin at her; and he still wore a grey gown with his sleeves rolling up to show the stylish white silk lining, which was his favorite fashion look. It seemed that nothing had changed about him, he was locked in time.

However, how could they three get together? With this question, Jasmine continued to read the report: “After losing Shanghai and Nanjing, the central government decided to build our own arms factories and update the equipment of our military. Xuesong Wang, as the chief administration officer in Jiangsu province, represented the government to take charge of this project and opened the door to the whole society, looking for potential joint investors and partners. 

Maolin Qian, who was reputed to be the richest man in Wuxi and whose investments were all over the country, was very interested in this project. He told the public that his youngest son had died during the war as a pilot, thus he thought that he should do something as well to support the military and our country, so fewer or even no young men like his son would die.

Then the last important figure, Li Zhao, appeared. His background was a mystery. Only one thing for sure was, he arrived on the scene of weapons business eight years ago in Tianjin; two years later he went to Suzhou and emerged from there. He had a business partner in the beginning, whose name was very well-known as Pox-Faced A San in the weapon industry; but A San disappeared mysteriously one year after their partnership began. Since then Zhao took over the business. In less than five years, he monopolized the arms business in the whole Yangtze River area. His joining this project had been deemed to be significant and a big forward leap. He told the journalists that he had been dreaming about building his own arms factories for six years; he knew the business; he had a strong confidence that with Wang and Qian’s help, his factories would produce first-rate weapons and achieve the government’s goal of arms’ self-sufficiency.

The ‘Big Three’ just held a meeting yesterday in Zhao’s villa which was located at Peach Blossom Dock, surrounded by thirty acres of peach trees. According to what they said, the three had never contacted each other before, so this meeting definitely was their first encounter. We learned that they reached general agreement on this project during the meeting, and the details would be implemented later. Based on their conservative estimate, the first phase of this project would start from this Autumn and be finished next June.

Zhao is considered as a new rising star in politics; he also doesn’t deny his ambition about it. We all believe that this partnership with Wang and Qian will be a guarantee for his future.

Postscript: To liven up the atmosphere of the meeting, the journalists also asked Zhao where the hostess of this beautiful villa was. Zhao said that she left him six years ago and he was still waiting for her to come back He definitely was a remarkable man! The interesting thing was that, when Zhao was answering that question, our journalists coincidentally noticed that Qian, who sat next to Zhao, darted a few meaningful glances at him.”

A baby cry came from the cradle. Jasmine put down the newspapers and picked up the baby. It was a baby boy, about one and a half years old, who just woke from his snooze. The baby saw his mother and burst out in a smile. She carried the baby and walked into the bedroom, where Yu was still sleeping. Considering he worked late last night, she was hesitant to wake him up. She examined his face lovingly, then looked at the baby on her arm. “When my son grows up, he will be a wonderful man like his father,” she thought, and used her other hand to stroke her pregnant belly. “I hope this one will be a beautiful baby girl—She will go to college and build an independent soul; someone will cherish her; if not, she will cherish herself, and never lose the courage to pursue her happiness.”

Then she moved her eyes back to Yu and couldn’t help caressing his face. He still looked so young, like an innocent kid. This was the man whom she loved so much, wholeheartedly; everything in this apartment knew that she loved him: The plates, the curtains, the pillows, thus they loved him too; and he deserved their love—Because he gave them a home, and two lovely babies.

Yu opened his eyes, saw Jasmine, and smiled. “Jasmine, please don’t look at me like that, every time you make me want to do bad things to you.” Then he sat up, took the baby from her and played with him in his arms. “Is there anything interesting in today’s newspapers?” Yu asked while he was scratching the baby’s armpits. The baby giggled. 

“No, nothing really. Father-in-law is on the front page; it says that he is in charge of a governmental arms project.” Yu didn't answer but continued to play with the baby. “Shanyuan’s family will come for dinner today. I figure that perhaps we should ask Aunt Lee to buy one more chicken so we can have six dishes in total.” 

“It is up to you Jasmine. It’s all fine with me. Today I shall have a good drink with Shanyuan; last time in his house I didn’t drink at all because I had to drive later.” 

Then Yu stopped and squeezed the baby’s plump cheeks, “You are absolutely cute!” He claimed.

At dinner, Shanyuan sat next to Yu; Jasmine and Jasmy were opposite them. The men were talking and drinking cheerfully, while the women were busy serving Shanyuan’s twin daughters food and taking care of Jasmine’s son. Aunt Lee brought the chicken broth to the table, then asked with a broad smile: “How is the dinner?” 

“The dishes are great! The cane sugar pear beef in particular!” Everyone praised and asked, “Thanks aunt Lee, please take a seat and join us!”

Among the white steam of the chicken broth, Jasmine fancied that she saw her father: How wonderful life would be if her father were here, and what a happy look he would give had he seen this lovely family gathering scene—He loved Jasmine, loved Shanyuan, loved Yu and Mumei; he hoped that they could find their happiness, and they all did.

Perhaps except for Zhao, who was sitting alone in his Peach Blossom Dock house, watching the blooming flowers.