While Wei Ran was soundly asleep, the rest of the people in the Xu Qing Letter Apartment were still busy.
In the kitchen, Yang's mother was busy baking pancakes with the help of Jasmine. In the small courtyard, Tao Canhua was also arranged to carry the briquettes delivered yesterday in buckets one by one to the area between the back door of the kitchen and the boiler room used for vegetable selection.
In a small open space.
As for Cao Mute, who had no sense of existence, he had already driven his car alone to nowhere while Wei Ran was taking a bath.
When it got dark and Wei Ran was called up by Yang's mother for dinner, Cao Muba also drove the car back to Xu Qing's apartment, then babbling to Wei Ran for help, he moved out of the car and put a seal on it.
wooden box.
These two wooden boxes are not heavy, but the seals on them are particularly interesting. On the white paper that tightly sealed the mouth of the box with paste, there is only the word "Cao" written on it.
Outside, there are bright red fingerprints one after another.
Obviously, Cao Mute, who cannot speak and cannot read, would not be able to explain the origin of these two boxes even if he wanted to.
What's more, after he asked Wei Ran to help move the box into his room and push it under the bed, he immediately told him to leave and even locked the door, making it clear that he didn't want to explain the origin of the box.
After finishing dinner in silence, Yang's mother immediately called on everyone to help, and moved the hundreds of flatbreads that had been baked all day long and more than 20 hot pots filled with cold water into the basement.
"Before she left, the lady told me that if a fight breaks out, we should all hide in the basement."
Jasmine said while helping to cover the wooden refrigerator full of pancakes with a thick quilt, "Didn't the box say in the morning that the Japanese have begun to attack Peiping? I guess they will attack Jinmen in the next two days."
Already."
"Then do I still have to play the piano for that ghost?" Tao Canhua asked immediately.
“Look first and then talk”
Jasmine glanced at Wei Ran, who was also helping to tie up the quilt, and replied while busy, "If there's a fight, there's no need to go."
"If you put it like that, I don't know whether I should hope for a fight or hope that there won't be a fight." Tao Canhua muttered.
"Let's start taking turns on duty tonight."
Wei Ran suddenly said, "I took a nap in the afternoon. I will be on duty for the first shift later. You all can rest in the basement. It is cool and safe here. I will keep watch on the first floor until midnight."
, if you choose someone to replace me, now that the young lady is not at home, I, the bodyguard, can’t live without food every day.”
Hearing this, the others looked at each other. The mute took the initiative to pat his shoulder, stretched out his hand to make a scissor hand gesture, and then pointed at Tao Canhua and made a three sign.
Finally, he pointed to Yang Ma and Jasmine, and then pointed to the stage in the center of the basement, making a sleeping gesture.
"Just listen to Uncle Mute's arrangements."
Wei Ran was the first to express his agreement, "Yang Ma and Jasmine are staying in the basement. I will be on the first shift, Mute Uncle will be on the second shift, and Canhua will be on the last shift, Mute Uncle. Do I understand everything right?"
Hearing this, Cao Mute immediately nodded and made a thumbs up gesture to express his agreement.
Seeing that Jasmine didn't object, Wei Ran walked upstairs without forgetting to say, "I'll be on duty until half past two on the first shift."
"Everyone, please go and take down your own bedding." Jasmine greeted and joined behind Wei Ran.
After making some preparations, everyone except Wei Ran moved their belongings into the basement and made a floor bunk on the small wooden stage.
That night, the floor of Xu Qing Letter Apartment was rarely lit. Wei Ran also hid in the shadow of the corner, holding a piece of red ginseng in his mouth, staring at the pocket watch in his hand, guarding the German-made
of the radio, patiently waiting for the time.
At two o'clock in the morning, when the clock in the lobby on the first floor started to chime, Wei Ran also heard the clear sound of gunfire!
The fight started!
Wei Ranteng sat up from the recliner, swallowed the red ginseng slices that were almost chewed in his mouth, and then quickly ran to the storage room leading to the basement.
Almost as soon as he opened the door of the storage room, he immediately saw the light coming from the basement. When he stood at the top of the stairs, he also caught a glimpse of Jasmine and Mute who were about to climb up.
"What?" Jasmine shouted while climbing up.
"The sound of artillery is starting." Wei Ran raised his finger and pointed in the direction, "It's coming from over there."
Hearing this, Jasmine immediately quickened her pace, "I'll go upstairs and make a call! Wei Ran, there is a telescope in Miss's study. Run up and see in which direction the war is happening!"
Upon hearing this, Wei Ran immediately turned around and ran up the stairs to the third floor.
However, he did not go to the study room to find any telescope. Instead, he ran directly to the terrace, climbed up to the roof along a wooden ladder in front, lay on the roof and took out the telescope from the metal book.
Thanks to the fact that Jinmen in this era did not have as many high-rise buildings and light pollution as in later generations, he found the direction of the firefight without any effort at all through the guidance of firelight and sound.
Finally, combined with the little historical records he had, Wei Ran went downstairs as quickly as possible and found Jasmine on the second floor, who was talking about something while guarding a phone and a candle.
"Where did the fight start?" Jasmine asked hurriedly, covering the phone with her hand.
"To the northwest, roughly where the Japanese Concession is!"
Wei Ran stood at the top of the stairs and shouted in response, "There is also a location very far to the north, probably across the Haihe River, and I guess it is at the main station."
Hearing this, Jasmine covered her mouth and the microphone with her hands and repeated what she said, and then asked hurriedly, "Where are you going in the direction of Nankai University? Is there anything going on there?"
"I didn't see any fire there just now, I'll go take a look again!"
Wei Ran said, and immediately ran up to the third floor, climbed up the ladder to the roof, took out the telescope again and looked in the direction of Nankai University. At the same time, he also secretly guessed who the person was on the phone with Jasmine.
After searching for a while, he ran down again and shouted, "It's okay to drive in the direction of the university!"
Hearing this, Jasmine immediately responded to the phone, then hung up the phone and said, "Go outside the yard and see how the situation is on the street!"
Knowing that the other party was trying to distract him, Wei Ran decisively turned around and went downstairs to check the situation.
At the same time, Jasmine immediately replaced the original phone line on the phone in her hand, and vigorously shook the power generator handle to make a call to Xiao Su's mother.
When Wei Ran ran to the door of the small courtyard, he found that Cao Mute was already looking out with a box cannon that he didn't know where it came from.
He also took a look at the street outside and the neighbors who were wise enough not to turn on their lights. Wei Ran took out a cigarette case from his pocket, took out a piece of red ginseng and handed it to Cao Yuba, "Take it and eat it, it's for refreshing."
"
Hearing this, Cao Mute took the red ginseng slice from Wei Ran and smelled it before throwing it into his mouth.
Seeing Cao Mute guarding the courtyard gate, Wei Ran waited for a while before walking back. When he entered, he found that Yang Ma and Tao Canhua had also come up. At this time, Yang Ma was holding a
Tao Canhua held a kitchen knife, while Tao Canhua nervously held a jujube wood rolling pin that was more than one meter long.
"Go to the basement"
Wei Ran urged, "You can't help even if you come up. We probably can't help, so get down quickly."
"If there are any Japs coming, I can block it." As Tao Canhua spoke, he also tightened his grip on the rolling pin in his hand.
"Don't worry, this is a British concession, and the Japanese don't dare to come in easily." Wei Ran comforted him with a hint of helplessness.
He was helpless at the harmless rolling pin in Tao Canhua's hand and the small pistol in his hand, which was not much stronger than the rolling pin. He was also helpless that in this land of China, he actually needed the protection of the British.
"Wei Ran is right, Mother Yang, you should go and hide down there first. Canhua, you are a man, so you have to stay."
While talking, Jasmine also walked down the stairs, looked at Wei Ran and asked, "How is the situation?"
"There is no movement outside, and there is no movement from the neighbors around." Wei Ran took out his pocket watch and took a look at it as he spoke. At this time, almost ten minutes had passed since the fight started.
"Yang Ma, you go to the basement first." Jasmine urged, taking the kitchen knife from the other party's hand.
"well!"
Yang Ma sighed, nodded worriedly, and walked into the storage room, turning back three times.
When only Wei Ran, Jasmine and Tao Canhua were left in the room, Jasmine placed the candle lantern she was carrying on the table, sighed and said, "Canhua, it seems you don't have to play the piano for Mr. Ueda tomorrow."
"Are we going to help?" Tao Canhua asked, shaking the rolling pin in his hand, "Go and help fight the Japanese."
"Just you?" Jasmine snorted, "Or the rolling pin in your hand?"
Hearing this, Tao Canhua lowered his head and clenched his fists at the same time. Even his already thin body was shaking uncontrollably.
Sighing slightly, Jasmine looked at the candle lights on the table and murmured to herself, "Let's wait for the news. Even if we want to do anything now, we can't help at all."
"Play a few tunes and listen," Wei Ran suddenly said, "Canhua, play a few tunes and listen, such as Guangling San or something."
"Brother Wei Ran, please don't..."
"At least it will make everyone less nervous, right?" Wei Ran looked at the other party and asked, "And it can also make you less nervous."
Hearing this, Tao Canhua was stunned for a moment, then nodded heavily, put down the rolling pin in his hand, stood up, walked into the room, took out a guqin, and played Guangling San, which was "on demand" by Weiran.
However, before the song ended, the roar of motorcycles came from outside the yard. Perhaps disturbed by the noise, one of the strings of the guqin in Tao Canhua's hand unexpectedly broke with a "bang".
For a moment, Tao Canhua's newly calmed mind and even the atmosphere in the hall, lit by a candle, became tense again.
Soon, the roar of the motorcycle came from far to near, and finally stopped at the door of the small courtyard. The dazzling car lights even penetrated into the room through the ajar door.
Upon seeing this, Wei Ran immediately ran out with his gun. Immediately afterwards, he heard the man on the motorcycle shouting in the night, "Don't shoot, it's me, the manager of Deutsche Bank. Volker! I
I don’t mean any harm, I’m here to borrow the car!”
"Why did Mr. Walker come to borrow the car at this time?" Jasmine asked loudly as she caught up.
"I know Miss Meixiang is not here. In that case, why don't you lend me your car?" As Walker spoke, a man in a black tunic suit also got off the motorcycle he was driving.
The man came to the locked iron gate and whispered, "It's me, Guan Bingwen, Sister Moli. I want to borrow the car and the mute uncle... and... and Brother Wei can use it."
"What are you going to do?" Jasmine came up and asked in a low voice.
"Transporting the wounded, of course! There has been a fight over in the Japanese Concession, and many people on our side have been injured."
Guan Bingwen said anxiously, "We need drivers who can drive and enough cars. Feng first asked me to rent two cars from Volker, and I want to borrow one from Miss Meixiang. In addition, I need two drivers, so.
..”
"Come in first!"
As Jasmine spoke, she gestured towards Cao Mute, who immediately opened the locked courtyard door.
"Wei Ran, please take Volker and Xiao Guan in first to sit down. I'll call Xiao Su's mother for instructions." Jasmine said, and she quickly ran up to the second floor.
"Please come in"
While Wei Ran led the two of them inside, he didn't forget to pick up his watch and check the time. At this time, there were only three or four minutes left before half past two.
