On the morning of December 8th, the military doctor invited by the lieutenant gave Yumi an injection, left some medicines, and then left with the lieutenant. The apartment filled with love letters was filled with a tense atmosphere.

It also fell into an eerie silence.

Obviously, because of the nominal "protection" of the Japs standing guard at the entrance of the courtyard, the people in the study apartment were also imprisoned here in disguise.

For Mei Xiang and others, the dilemma they face is not knowing if someone will come here later and whether they will catch all the people hiding.

But for Wei Ran, in addition to worrying about these problems, he also has to worry about another seemingly insignificant thing - how to go out to buy cigarettes.

In this melancholy, time passed by one minute and one second. Near noon, Yang Ma and Uncle Meng prepared meals with the help of several young men. Someya Yukio also walked into the study apartment carrying a camera.

"How is the situation outside?" Junko Sometani was the first to ask the question that everyone was concerned about.

Hearing this, Yukio Sometani shook his head, put down the camera in his hand and replied in Japanese, "It's very chaotic outside. There are British people protesting, and some have been killed. We are now searching for those resisting bandits in the concession."

Having said this, Someya Yukio walked into the bathroom and washed his hands, and then sat at the edge of the dining table at the invitation of Meixiang and others.

"But don't worry," Yukio Sometani said, "The lieutenant has promised me that he will not disturb this place."

"That's good." Mei Xiang breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"I will be here with you, don't be afraid." Yumi took Meixiang's hand and comforted her, "As long as I am here, those soldiers will not dare to come in and cause trouble."

Someya Junko continued, "Thanks to Ms. Yumi."

"My father told me that he has been friends with Miss Meixiang and you two for many years." Yumi continued in Japanese with a smile, "and I have been taking care of Miss Meixiang these days, so I always have to do something at this time.

Since we are friends, of course we have to help each other."

"Speaking of this, Miss Meixiang, can you ask your cousin and Canhua to do me a favor this afternoon?"

Yukio Sometani asked in Japanese, taking advantage of the topic. At the same time, he also glanced at Wei Ran, who was concentrating on eating and pouring drinks for everyone because he couldn't understand Japanese.

"sure"

Meixiang didn't ask anything, so she agreed happily, "I'm afraid my book apartment won't be able to open for business in the next period of time. My cousin is causing trouble every day. Find something for him to do so as to avoid him.

There was a conflict with the soldiers outside.

As for Canhua... Miss Youmei is still learning piano from him, so I think it’s better to let Miss Youmei make the decision.”

"I'm afraid I don't have the energy to learn to play the piano with Brother Tao in the past two days." Youmi paused and continued, "But I'm not qualified to make decisions for Sister Meixiang, so you should do it."

"In this case, Mr. Someya, my cousin and Canhua will obey your orders." Meixiang said happily.

"Thank you, Miss Meixiang. I won't be polite."

Yukio Sometani picked up the glass and drank it down. "It's so cold here. Although it's convenient to ride on those soldiers' motorcycles, my hands and face are frozen. So I thought about asking Canhua to help me."

I’ll drive for a few days, and Wei Ran’s photography skills are recognized by all the ladies as good, so I want him to be my assistant for a few days.”

"Cousin, in the afternoon you work as an assistant for Mr. Someya. Canhua, you work as a driver for Mr. Someya." Meixiang ordered in her native language.

"ah?"

Wei Ran, who was holding a chicken drumstick in one hand and a small wine glass in the other, raised his head blankly, "Are we going to run?"

"Why are you running?" Mei Xiang shook her head helplessly, her face filled with hatred.

"I'm going out for an interview in the afternoon and need a driver and an assistant who knows how to take pictures."

Somegu switched to Chinese and said in a dumbfounded voice, "I'm not asking you to run away, but where can you run?"

"I don't want to go, let Canhua go by himself."

Wei Ran shook his head without thinking, "There's a lot of war and chaos outside, wouldn't it be a loss if we get shot?"

"Stand up!"

Before Mei Xiang finished speaking, Wei Ran quickly put down the wine glass and chicken drumsticks in his hands and stood up. He begged with a grimace, "Cousin, my cousin, you are a cousin like me, you can't put me there."

Push into the fire pit, if I bump into you, who will protect you in the future?"

"With Mrs. Shunzi and Miss Yumei here, I still need your protection?"

Meixiang asked angrily, "Are you a coward or a man?"

“Not when necessary”

Wei Ran frowned and responded without thinking, and as expected, the Somegu couple laughed out loud.

"Did he say something interesting?" Yumi, who was also holding back her laughter, asked in Japanese with a confused look on her face.

Hearing this, Someya Junko leaned over and explained something close to her ear. Hearing this, Yumi couldn't help but cover her mouth reservedly.

"What about you?" Mei Xiang looked at Tao Canhua, who was also accompanying her.

"I am a man" Tao Canhua replied subconsciously, and as expected, Junko Sometani and Jasmine who was waiting next to her laughed out loud again.

"Who asked you this!"

Meixiang, who was also laughed out loud, awkwardly asked again, "I'm asking you if you dare to work as a driver for Mr. Someya."

"Dare! Why don't you dare?" Tao Canhua responded as if he was stunned, and at the same time he glanced at Wei Ran provocatively.

"Yeah!"

Wei Ran sat back down in his seat with a playful smile. He poured wine for Mei Xiang and said, "Let him go if he dares. This silly boy is very brave."

"No wonder Miss Yumei looks down on you."

Meixiang said disdainfully, "Don't even raise your head in front of Miss Youmei from now on. I guess you won't even look down on Canhua, Qiushi, and the children in the theater troupe..."

"Go! Just go! Whatever!"

After Wei Ran finished speaking, he picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp, but immediately afterwards, a look of regret appeared on his face, and he turned to Yukio Someya and asked, "Um...Brother Someya, no

Will... won't you encounter any danger?"

This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! "No"

Yukio Sometani suppressed a smile and said, "But if I encounter those resisting bandits, you have to protect me."

"Gudu!" Wei Ran swallowed hard and looked at his cousin Mei Xiang for help.

"Where are you usually so brave and fierce?" Mei Xiang mocked angrily.

"That's not... different." Wei Ran ignored Tao Canhua's deliberately pretended disdain and muttered with a grimace, "Bullets don't have eyes..."

"Don't worry." Yukio Sometani patted Wei Ran on the shoulder, "I won't let you be in danger."

"Really not?" Wei Ran asked suspiciously.

"It really won't happen," Mr. Sometani promised, patting his chest. "The worst case scenario is that you are carrying a gun, and both of you are carrying guns."

"Okay, okay."

Wei Ran grinned and nodded, reluctantly agreeing to the job he wanted so much.

After a table of five people finished their rather sumptuous lunch, Wei Ran went back to his room with a sad face to get his camera. He followed Yukio Sometani out of the study room muttering, and waited until Tao Canhua started the car before he got into the morning.

At that time, Mr. Someya's car was parked at the entrance of the courtyard.

"Where should we go?" Tao Canhua asked after Wei Ran closed the door.

"Let's go to the edge of the Haihe River." Someu pointed in the direction, then turned to Wei Ran and asked, "Who did you learn how to take photos from?"

“I learned it when I was studying in Germany”

After Wei Ran finished speaking, he glanced at the Leica hanging around the other person's neck.

“I also bought this camera in Germany.”

Yukio Sometani looked down at his camera, "I've been using this camera since I decided to become a reporter."

"It's a good camera," Wei Ran replied without any words. He really didn't know whether he should give the other party some trust.

It wasn't until the car drove far away and the love letter apartment behind him was completely invisible that Yukio Sometani suddenly asked, "Wei Ran, Can Hua, do you think I am the recruiter?"

"You are from Ryukyu, my cousin told me."

"yes..."

Yukio Sometani nodded, looked out the window in concentration and murmured, "I grew up in Ryukyu, and the experiences there were actually not much better than here. Many of my childhood playmates were sent to the battlefield and became cannon fodder.

There are many women who have been recruited to serve as playthings for those beasts to vent their oblivion."

"My aunt said that both you and Mrs. Shunzi are half Chinese?" Tao Canhua, who was in charge of driving, couldn't help but join in the conversation.

"My father is a Danmin from Fuzhou. His surname is Ran. My Chinese name is Ran Yifu. It is taken from the phrase 'make the rhythm to leave Yifu' in Shaobian. He hopes that I can become a musician."

I hope I can become a man."

Having said this, Yukio Sometani smiled and asked, "Do you know Danmin?"

"Know"

Wei Ran nodded. He had naturally heard of this term, but in later generations, Dan people only appeared in some documentaries. In other words, he had heard of it, but only just.

"What about you?" Yukio Sometani looked at Tao Canhua who was driving.

"I've never heard of it," Tao Canhua responded, "I didn't even go to school for a few years."

Hearing this, Yukio Sometani did not explain, but started a new topic, "When I was 13 years old, my father's business grew bigger and bigger, and our family moved to the prosperous Osaka.
To be continued...