“I don’t mind staying,” Lian said. “Peking is home now.”

Her mother put a hand over hers. “Your father always wanted to see the Library of Legends for himself. He would’ve been so proud. I’m so proud.”

BUT ALL THIS time, the authorities had known. Had been keeping an eye on them. The truth didn’t matter since official accounts claimed her father had been a Japanese spy. Lian didn’t want to give in to Mr. Lee’s demands. But how could she face Shao and Meirong if they thought her father had been spying for the Japanese? Would they even give her a chance to explain?

She had thought herself indifferent to Meirong but now realized she was not. Meirong’s sunny, uncritical friendship suddenly mattered very much. And as for Shao, she shuddered when she remembered the hatred in his voice whenever he spoke about the Japanese.

She had to do as Mr. Lee ordered. And all the while she had to behave normally. Pretend nothing was wrong, that she enjoyed the company of her classmates. The best way to act busy was to throw herself into her studies. Opening her rucksack, Lian pulled out Tales of Celestial Deities and began reading.

The Willow Star and the Prince

There was a prince, just a minor one. The Willow Star was only a maidservant in the heavenly court. But the plainest servant girl in heaven is still more beautiful than the loveliest mortal and when the Willow Star descended to visit the mortal world, they met and fell in love. But their happiness didn’t last. The heir to the throne decided to purge the court of potential rivals and the Willow Star’s Prince was executed along with other sons of the royal household.

The Star returned to her home constellation, crying so hard the stardust of her tears flooded the skies, obscuring both moonlight and starlight, making celestial navigation difficult for mortals. The Queen Mother of Heaven demanded she cease her crying. The Willow Star begged the Queen Mother to let her reunite with her lover. The Queen Mother agreed, with conditions. The Willow Star could join the Prince during each of his reincarnations, but she couldn’t tell the Prince about their past. If she could make him remember their love, she could bring him home to the heavens.

As far as we know, the Willow Star has yet to succeed in this quest.

Chapter 12

Under a full moon, fears of enemy aircraft were never far away from Shao’s thoughts. They were on the road again, bound for a fishing village called Zhongmiao near the city of Hefei. There, inside the borders of Anhui Province, they would be safe. However, by now, Minghua 123 knew “safe” was a relative term. Reports of battles moving south and west meant they would soon be within reach of Japanese bombers again.