“It’s all taking longer than planned,” Mr. Lee announced. “We’ll meet the other Minghua groups in Changsha and stay a couple of months. We can celebrate the New Year there.”

The students in the dining hall erupted in wild cheers at the prospect of reuniting with the rest of their classmates.

“There’s more, there’s more,” he called over the noise. “We’re going by train to Changsha. Courtesy of the military. Boxcars for ourselves and our belongings.”

They cheered even more, quieting down when Mr. Lee waved his hands for silence.

“One more thing. A family on the train has very generously offered to let our female students and older staff members ride in their private car.” He cleared his throat. “Let me assure our young ladies it’s perfectly safe. You’ll ride in compartments with the women of the family.”

Meirong gave Lian a nudge. “At this point, I’m willing to compromise my virtue if it means sitting on soft benches for the next hundred miles.”

The bustling atmosphere in Wuhan had been good for Meirong. She’d made new friends from other universities and spent so many hours chatting with journalists that her classmates now teased her about changing her major to journalism.

“I just might,” Meirong said, looking superior. “Once our school is all together again, I just may transfer to Professor Mah’s Journalism Department.”

Lian took comfort in Meirong’s improved mood. And in the memory of Shao’s warm hand over hers. But would she ever shed her guilt over Jenmei? Or the fear that clenched her heart every time she saw Mr. Lee, and now, Cook Tam? Or her dread of an assassin so mysterious even the two men she feared didn’t know where that danger lay?

THE WUHAN RAILWAY station was mobbed. Lian and the other girls were able to get on board their train only because an army officer took them through the cordon of soldiers. When they finally climbed aboard the private railcar, a young woman their own age greeted them, her smile one of genuine delight. She wore a stylish wool suit, long hair twisted up in a knot. Her face was bare of makeup but her brows were carefully shaped, her nails buffed to a shine.

“My name is Wei Fanling. Please make yourselves comfortable,” she said. “We’re all family and we already know everything about one another. We’ve been dying for new companions.”

Lian, Meirong, and Ying-Ying shared a compartment with Fanling and three other girls, all cousins. They were fresh and neatly dressed, making the Minghua students self-conscious of their shabby clothing and blunt-cut hair, the straw sandals tied over their shoes.

“Don’t apologize,” one of the Wei girls said. “You’re so much braver than we are, enduring so much to continue your education while we ride in comfort.”