Yes, Brother Dai!

Fang Jibai was somewhat surprised when Dai Peilin suddenly brought up his past at Whampoa. Following Dai Peilin's lead, he could only venture, "If I may be so bold as to guess, Chief Dai and that officer must have become friends through that brawl." "Indeed, no fight, no friendship." Dai Peilin nodded and sighed softly. "Thinking back, countless revolutionary youths gathered at Whampoa, following Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People. What high spirits, what magnificent times!" "It is precisely because Chief Dai and the other senior Whampoa officers cleared the path through brambles and briars, forged ahead through hardship, and stepped forward as others fell that our glorious Party-State stands where it is today." Fang Jibai rose to his feet at once, giving Dai Peilin a salute filled with deep respect. "Salute to Chief Dai!" Dai Peilin rose as well, returned the salute, and looked at Fang Jibai. "You should address me as Senior." "Yes, Senior Dai!" Fang Jibai snapped his heels together and saluted at attention once more. "Did your second brother never mention his time at Whampoa to you?" Dai Peilin asked abruptly. "Hardly ever." Fang Jibai shook his head. "In the eighteenth year of the Republic, Second Brother graduated from Whampoa. After that, he campaigned across the battlefields, returning home only once in several years. Even letters home amounted to no more than a few. "In the twentieth year of the Republic, his unit coordinated with friendly forces in Northeastern Jiangxi to attack Fang Huisheng's Red Party forces. He fought bravely and took a bullet wound, but he kept it completely from the family. Only after he recovered did he mention it in passing in a letter." Speaking of his second brother, who had died for his country during the Defense of the Great Wall, Fang Jibai's expression turned desolate and his voice laced with sorrow. "Later, in the twenty-second year of the Republic, during the National Revolutionary Army's Twenty-Fifth Division's Defense of the Great Wall... Second Brother gave his life for the nation." "Your second brother was a model soldier of the Party-State. He made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. When a revolutionary soldier falls on the battlefield defending home and nation, he dies a worthy death!" Dai Peilin said gravely. "Do not indulge in womanish sentimentality." "Yes, Sir!" Fang Jibai wiped the corners of his eyes, snapped to attention, and called out loudly, "A revolutionary soldier defends home and nation, falling in battle—a worthy death!" "Very good!" Dai Peilin nodded. "Brother Huaicheng's spirit in heaven, knowing you are now a revolutionary soldier and cutting such a fine, heroic figure, will surely find immense comfort." ... "Chief Dai?!" Fang Jibai stared at Dai Peilin, his eyes brimming with shock and bewilderment. His second brother was Fang Jiyan, and Huaicheng was his courtesy name. "Just a moment ago I praised you for being quick-witted, yet now you've gone dim." Dai Peilin looked at Fang Jibai. "Which class was your second brother in at Whampoa?" "Reporting to Chief Dai, Second Brother belonged to the Party-State's Whampoa Military Academy Sixth Class..." Fang Jibai said. He paused, staring blankly at Dai Peilin, his voice dropping as he asked in an uncertain tone, "Is Chief Dai also from Whampoa's Sixth Class?" "Indeed, the Sixth Class." Dai Peilin nodded. "The man who traded blows with me outside the Whampoa gates back then was surnamed Fang, given name Jiyan, courtesy name Huaicheng—precisely that second brother of yours." "Chief Dai!" "Hmm?" "Senior Dai!" Fang Jibai hurriedly corrected himself, visibly moved. "Is that truly so?" Dai Peilin chuckled and shook his head. Fang Jibai instantly realized he had asked a foolish question in his emotional state. Given Dai Peilin's standing, why would he ever stoop to deception? "Senior Dai, I didn't mean that. I... I..." Fang Jibai stammered nervously. "All right, think nothing of it." Dai Peilin waved his hand and looked at Fang Jibai. "I have nine years on Huaicheng. Just as you said, we became friends through our fight. He viewed me as an elder brother, and between Huaicheng and me, there was not only the fellowship of schoolmates, but also the bond of sworn brothers. "You are Huaicheng's fourth brother, which makes you my younger brother as well." He patted Fang Jibai on the shoulder. "Heaven granted Huaicheng too few years, and he laid down his life for the nation. The country lost a fine commander, your father endured the agony of losing a son, you lost a brother, and I lost a comrade-in-arms. From now on, just call me Brother Dai." "Senior Dai..." Fang Jibai looked at Dai Peilin, shock mingling with intense emotion. "Call me Brother Dai." Dai Peilin feigned annoyance, glaring at him. "Brother Dai." Looking at Dai Peilin, Fang Jibai finally uttered the words. His eyes reddened with swelling emotion, and tears inevitably spilled down his cheeks. In flustered haste, he rubbed them away. "What is it?" Dai Peilin asked. "I remembered Second Brother." Fang Jibai's nose stung, and his voice fell low. "In the sixteenth year of the Republic, Eldest Brother was murdered by the Zhang-Lu warlords, sacrificing his life for the country. Second Brother later tested into Whampoa, and after graduating, he campaigned across battlefields for the nation and never returned home. Right up until he gave his life in the Defense of the Great Wall, I never had the chance to see him again." Tears streamed down his cheeks as Fang Jibai looked at Dai Peilin. "Now, standing before Brother Dai and learning you were Second Brother's classmate and dear comrade-in-arms, seeing you feels just like seeing Second Brother. I lost myself for a moment and couldn't contain my feelings... "I've made a fool of myself before Brother Dai." He wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. "A real man does not shed tears lightly, but longing for kin is no shame, let alone longing for a national martyr. Where is the ridicule in that?" Dai Peilin slowly shook his head. Looking at Fang Jibai with a solemn expression, he held out his handkerchief. "Wipe your tears. The country is in dire peril, and the War of Resistance rages fiercely. Only by turning grief into strength and fighting the Japanese invaders to the bitter end can we comfort the spirits of your two brothers in heaven!" "Yes!" Fang Jibai took Dai Peilin's handkerchief and haphazardly wiped the tears from his eyes and cheeks. Seeing that a bit of snot had stained the cloth, he carefully folded the handkerchief and tucked it into his pocket. "Brother Dai, I will wash it clean before returning it to you." "Keep it yourself." Dai Peilin cast him a look of mild distaste. "Do you think we are a scholar and a maiden exchanging handkerchiefs as tokens of affection?" Fang Jibai's face flushed crimson, an embarrassed look settling over his features. "Qiming, sit down and let us talk," Dai Peilin said. "Yes, Brother Dai," Fang Jibai said. He took his seat, his posture even more upright and proper than before. Dai Peilin took a glance and gave a silent nod of approval. ... "Qiming." "Present." "Sit and talk. You don't need to be so restrained around me from now on. Just make yourself comfortable." "Yes, Brother Dai," Fang Jibai replied solemnly. Yet there was not the slightest trace of flippancy in his demeanor; his expression grew only more dignified, though beneath that upright deference now lay an instinctive hint of warmth and closeness. What kind of man was Dai Peilin? He keenly caught that subtle warmth amid Fang Jibai's deference, and his satisfaction deepened. Capable of showing closeness without arrogance, valuing sentiment while keeping proper bounds—acceptable indeed! "Regarding the assassination attempt at Xiaguan Pier, tell me your thoughts." Dai Peilin looked at Fang Jibai and asked. "Having lived through that harrowing assassination, I've actually been pondering it myself. The enemy was likely after the codebook carried by Secretary Dongfang." Fang Jibai spoke, then looked at Dai Peilin, hesitating as if biting back further words. "In front of me, there is nothing that cannot be said, and it shall remain so in the future," Dai Peilin said in a deep voice. "Remember these words." "Yes, Brother Dai!" Fang Jibai replied earnestly. "Qiming will remember."