fifteen
Jiujiang City.
Zong De hurried to Chaoyang Hostel with Qiuping. Entering the door, he said to Qiuping: "In Nanjing, I told you to wait on the boat. Why did you come ashore?"
"I think you haven't come back for so long. I'm afraid you will leave me and won't come back again?" Qiuping said timidly.
"How can it? I will never abandon you." Zongde said firmly. Then solemnly confessed to Qiuping: "You are staying here temporarily. I will come here to pick you up for as little as two days, as many as three or four days. I will prepay for the room and meals to the boss, here I'll give you ten dollars, you just use it. But you must not leave, you must wait for me to come back to pick you up, remember, remember!"
"I won't leave, do you know? I can't live without you now." Qiuping looked at Zongde affectionately with tears in her eyes, and said firmly: "You must come back to pick me up, I am here to die. Wait!"