Back to 1942 Page #4

and attack by noon.

Telegram from the Generalissimo, sir.

Leave the room.

What's wrong?

The Generalissimo sent a telegram

from the front in Burma

ordering us to retreat from Henan.

Are you sure?

Why singlehandedly give

Henan to the Japanese?

Sir,

there are so many refugees in Henan.

If we retreat,

we'll be abandoning them to the Japanese.

Maybe that's exactly why

the Generalissimo made his decision.

Our country is poor.

The only way to survive

is to cast off our burdens.

Get away!

Get away!

Back up!

Get away!

Why aren't we moving forward?

It's jammed.

Get away.

Sir!

Sir, did we win or lose?

We won, of course!

Then why are you retreating?

It's a retrograde maneuver!

Everyone back!

Sir! Sir!

You can't take this cart.

We've been risking our lives,

Japanese mortar shells

flying back and forth,

and you're upset about a cart?

Scram!

It's not a cart, sir!

It's a national circuit court!

Then we're doing you a favor!

After we leave, the Japanese will come.

You going to hold court for them?

This court is now an ambulance.

Scram!

There are slightly more troops than

civilians in the crowd.

If the troops are in the majority,

we should bomb them.

Yes, sir!

Three, two, one. Launch!

Get off!

Morn!

Xingxing, this way!

Daddy!

Where is everyone?

Xingxing?

Where are you?

Sir! Sir! My cart!

My money! Sir!

Sir, my food! For pity's sake!

Dad...

Dad...

Sir.

Shuanzhu! Save me!

Let go of me!

Let go!

Xingxing!

Mom, are you all right?

Stay here!

Mommy!

Mommy!

Mommy!

Mommy!

Father Sim!

Ma!

Ma!

Granny?

Mom.

Mother!

She's dead?

Are you happy now?

She's lucky.

We'd be better off dead.

I wish they'd dropped a bomb on me too!

I'll kill you, you stinking b*tch!

This is no time to be fighting.

It's all gone.

I should've lent you some of that millet.

Hurry, now. Dig a hole for her.

Morn!

Morn!

Help!

It's nothing.

Just a scratch.

I never knew you had it in you!

I dare them!

Where's your cat?

Kitty?

Kitty!

Kitty!

Kitty!

Don't worry. It's fine.

Master Fan?

Master Fan?

Are you alright?

I'm not master of anything now.

It's all gone.

Call it fate.

We said this would just be temporary.

Now we're refugees, just

like the rest of them.

No different from anyone else.

Xialu, Xialu.

Wait a moment.

Master Fan?

Can you do me a favor?

What?

You've got a cart

and we don't anymore.

My daughter-in-law is pregnant.

Let her ride on your cart.

If you let her ride,

we'll forget all about

the millet you borrowed.

How does that sound?

We're all neighbors here.

Get on.

Sure then.

Great.

It's a deal.

She can sit.

Shuanzhu, go pull the cart.

Master Fan begging us?

Feels good!

Father Sim,

you did well

to stay with the refugees,

preaching and doing the work of the Lord.

You will certainly make a difference.

Father,

I'm a deserter.

I came back here

on a truck with the defeated soldiers.

You need to rest.

You must not starve to death.

A dead priest cannot preach.

I want to ask you one question.

The Lord knows what's happening here?

Yes.

If He knows,

why doesn't He do anything?

Everything in this world

because of the Lord's wishes.

This is not

the wishes of the Lord.

This is caused by the Devil.

Why?

Why the Devil always win?

If the Lord can't win,

why believe?

Father Sim,

you're tired.

You mustn't doubt the Lord.

Father,

I also feel the Devil has entered my body.

Jesus Christ.

Push harder.

Harder!

I can't, Mommy.

I have to pick it out every day.

I should just let you clog up.

Small wonder she can't poop.

We've had nothing but tree bark to eat.

Makes my breath smell bitter.

My breath used to smell like dumplings.

Hello.

Stop following me.

I want to take a picture though.

Hold on.

Okay.

Give me one.

Stop following.

Hey, look.

A foreigner.

Give me one.

Come here.

Hungry?

Quiet!

Xialu,

you go take his donkey.

Okay.

Shuanzhu,

You keep an eye on him.

Don't wake him up.

Ssssh!

Where should I take it?

Keep going.

Kill it. Cook it. Eat it.

Stop, Stop!

Stop, Stop!

Run!

S'[0p.

The crackers

and the donkey

are yours.

You can't eat the camera.

Give it to me.

OK:

Shuanzhu, stop.

Give it to him.

Here.

Thank you.

Friends.

Brothers.

Brothers.

Sure, sure.

What are you waiting for?

Go find Xialu and the donkey.

Go on!

Xialu!

Xialu!

Shuanzhu!

Where's the donkey?

It ran off.

You moron!

Can't even handle a donkey!

I wanted it to run faster,

so I smacked its rump.

But it got startled.

Which way did it go?

It was too dark.

I couldn't see.

You go that way.

I'll go this way.

Okay?

Okay.

You killed my donkey?

F*** off!

Your donkey?

You're just a refugee.

If you had a donkey,

your eyes wouldn't be caving in.

If you're going to keep it,

at least give me a piece of meat!

You couldn't push him somewhere else?

It's been three days.

We can't keep waiting.

If we don't leave,

we'll starve right here.

Where'd Xialu go?

We've looked everywhere,

but there's no trace of him.

You were going to steal a donkey!

There's no donkey and now no Xialu.

You've got to make it right.

People have been dying

every day on this road.

What's so strange about that?

At least they leave bodies behind.

What about Xialu?

We haven't found a live body or a dead one!

You don't even care!

Xialu!

Xialu!

Where did you go?

We're all alone and

they're taking advantage of us!

Why don't you do anything?

Where are you?

Xialu!

They all lost their parents in the war.

It's a new group,

so they haven't rehearsed yet.

They're good.

Very good.

The girl holding the flag

is the daughter of General Sun Fangwu.

General Sun led Division 96.

He died in Burma last month.

Your father was a great soldier.

You come visit us

at Chinese New Year

and I'll give you a nice present.

All right?

Your fathers

were all great soldiers.

Why is everybody heading west?

Well, habit, I think.

People in Henan always go west to Shaanxi

when there is a disaster.

Just like people in Shandong

go to the Northeast.

How can a drought produce such a disaster,

there are so many displaced people here.

Locusts.

It's mainly because of locusts.

Can't be f***ing locusts.

Get down.

Get down.

Stop it!

F***!

F***!

Now,

Everyone watch for my hand signal!

Be careful

you don't shout too early

or too late.

Wait until the foreigners

are 50 meters away.

Does everyone understand?

Understood.

Louder! Understand?

Understood!

Then let's give it a try and see

if all the factories,

schools,

work units,

and stores

are well-rehearsed!

Attention!

The cars are coming!

Now they are 50 meters away!

Shou.

Welcome!

Together now! Louder!

Welcome!

Together now!

No, this is not acceptable!

They are still not shouting in unison!

Is this what you call organization

here in Chungking?

What if we didn't have

them speaking English?

How about "huanying?"

This isn't about what they shout.

This is a diplomatic issue!

Mr. Gaus. I need to talk to you.

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