On August 1, 1937, sporadic exchanges of fire could still be heard from time to time in and outside Jinmen City.
When Wei Ran, wearing a newsboy cap and Chinese tunic suit, drove out of the British Concession in the Japanese sedan sent by Someya, he also saw the ruins still smoking on the roadside, as well as the ruins covered with flies.
Bodies disposed of by people, and even refugees displaced by the war.
Compared with these tragic scenes, he also saw the Japanese and traitors who were posting Japanese-favoring posters and slogans on the streets. He also saw the traitors who were waiting for the Japanese to tear off the slogans and ball them up before stepping on them as soon as they left.
Two-legged people and even gangsters.
“Review it one last time”
Weiran slowed down the car slightly, "Why did I drive the Osaka Asahi Shimbun car to see you off?"
"The night before yesterday, a couple of men and women came over and drove away my aunt's car and stopped the car they were driving."
Tao Canhua, who was sitting in the back row, immediately said, "I don't know who those two are, and no one is willing to explain to me, but Cao Duba pushed the car into the yard. He didn't even eat anything that night, so he surrounded the car.
The car is messing around."
"Is your aunt back?" Wei Ran continued to light a cigarette and asked.
"No"
Tao Canhua rubbed his thighs, then shivered again, "I'm not back."
"Didn't Wei Ran go find your aunt?" Wei Ran took a puff of cigarette and asked in a cold tone.
"No"
Tao Canhua shook his head, "He didn't want to go, and he didn't allow anyone else to go. He also kept control of the car keys. He always thought that if something unexpected happened, he could drive out of Tianjin immediately."
"Hit you?"
"No, no!" Tao Canhua immediately subconsciously covered the outside of his thigh and shook his head.
"Really?" Wei Ran asked again.
"Yes...he, he beat me with a feather duster!"
After Tao Canhua finished speaking, he grinned and replied with a silly smile, "But I also hit him hard on the head with an ashtray."
"Does it hurt?" Wei Ran asked in a gentle tone.
"It doesn't hurt." Tao Canhua shook his head again, then showed a silly smile, "Actually, it hurts a little."
"We have to do a full play," Wei Ran said apologetically, "I've made you suffer."
"It's okay, it's really okay." Tao Canhua quickly waved his hand.
His thighs near his buttocks were indeed slapped twice with a feather duster, but the person who did it was not Wei Ran but his aunt Jasmine.
The reason is simply that the Japanese servant came yesterday to warn Wei Ran not to defraud Tao Canhua again.
In order to create an image for Wei Ran as a soft-boiled man who bullies the weak and fears the strong, and also to create an increasingly irresolvable conflict between Wei Ran and Tao Canhua.
Yesterday, Tao Canhua could only bite the towel and endure the pain, and let Jasmine slap him twice, causing two bruises that could be twenty or thirty centimeters long.
"I know you hate the Japanese, and I hate the Japanese too."
Wei Ran turned to look at Tao Canhua and said in a more serious tone, "No matter how much hate you have in your heart, you have to suppress those emotions when you play music. If Zhitian notices, all of us will be in trouble.
"
"I know, don't worry."
Tao Canhua clenched his fists and responded. His eyes also subconsciously looked at the suffering people of Jinmen outside the car window, and asked with some confusion, "Can I really help them if I do this?"
"Most definitely"
Wei Ran replied in a positive tone, "You don't need to be too proactive, and you don't need to do anything to try to gain Ueda's favor and trust. What you need to do is be inconspicuous."
Having said this, Wei Ran raised his chin and said, "Look at the roof of the rice store on the left."
"I saw it, what's wrong?" Tao Canhua asked blankly, holding the car window open.
"Did you see those pigeons landing on it?" Wei Ran further pointed out the target, and then slightly reduced the speed again.
"I saw it, there are quite a few." Although Tao Canhua didn't know why Wei Ran wanted him to see those pigeons, he took the initiative to count the number of pigeons. "There are more than twenty, and there seem to be two wearing
Where’s the pigeon whistle?”
"Then have you noticed the sparrows standing on the eaves?" When Wei Ran asked a new question, he also slightly increased the speed of the car.
"Is there...is there any?"
Tao Canhua knelt on the back seat and looked through the rear window of the car, trying to find the sparrows Wei Ran mentioned. However, as the car drove further and further away, not to mention the sparrows, even the pigeons could not be seen.
So clear.
“Maybe there is”
Wei Ran said ambiguously, "What you have to do is to be a sparrow on the eaves tiles. What they can see is a lot more than those pigeons can see, and they can steal a lot more rice and wheat from the rice store.
But everyone’s attention is focused on the pigeons wearing whistles, who would notice the sparrows, which are the same color as the tiles?”
"I...I understand." Tao Canhua took a deep breath and responded seriously, obviously realizing something from Wei Ran's metaphor just now.
"Don't rush to prove yourself," Wei Ran continued, "Just play your role well."
"Yes!" Tao Canhua nodded vigorously.
When the topic reached this point, Wei Ran also drove the car to the entrance of the opium den next to the edge of the Japanese Concession, and stopped under the shade of a crabapple tree.
"Go down"
Wei Ran glanced at the balcony window on the second floor of the small building, took off his hat to reveal the small piece of gauze wrapped on his head, unhurriedly lit a Qianmen cigarette again, and lowered the window completely.
I came down and looked aimlessly at the situation in the Japanese Concession in the distance.
It can be seen that in the previous three days of fighting, the Japanese Concession suffered considerable damage, and just across the road, several opium dens were burned down, leaving only a few walls.
But even so, the nearby smoke shops, and even the opium shop run by Xiao Su's mother and her lover Furukawa, have now resumed business, and from time to time, people can't wait to go in, or leave reluctantly.
In addition, at the intersection only a few dozen meters away, there was a stinking corpse that was already covered with flies tied to the street tree.
The skinny and short corpse had its internal organs flowing all over the floor. In such weather, the body had become black and swollen. But even so, Wei Ran could still recognize it at a glance. It was the body that had been sold at the entrance of Quanyechang.
The guy who smoked...
Is he the one Chen Gouyu wanted to save originally, the companion known as Lao Saner Ge?
Maybe...
Wei Ran looked at the corpse in the distance apologetically. He knew very well that no matter whether it was the third brother Chen Gouyu didn't save, he could only watch like this instead of collecting the corpse of that brave child.
.Even if someone comes over, he will make a gesture of disgust.
He secretly pinched the splint hidden in his sleeve at the fracture site, and the dull pain calmed him down little by little.
Almost when the cigarette held between his fingertips was about to burn down to the holder, the guy in overalls who had had a "peach pornographic information transaction" with him at the entrance of Sanjiang's theater also rode a bicycle from directly in front.
I came to the intersection and looked around, obviously looking for the milk-white car of the famous prostitute Meixiang.
"Hey! Who are you looking for for your special code?"
While Wei Ran was cursing and greeting the other person through the car window, he did not forget to pick up the newsboy hat he had just taken off deliberately and put it on his head to cover the wound that was "hit by his cousin with an ashtray."
"Ouch! This master! I'm not just looking for you..."
The overalls showed an expression of surprise immediately after seeing Wei Ran, but then asked in confusion, "Why did you get into the Asahi Shimbun's car? I remember that this car doesn't belong to Mr. Sometani?"
"Want to know?" Wei Ran smiled and stretched out his hand, "The sincere benefit is one hundred and fifty yuan, thank you."
"No, you can't do this." The overalls bowed with a sad face, "Master, you can't come up here..."
"Don't do that, I have no friendship with you."
Wei Ran pinched the butt of the cigarette that was about to burn out from the cigarette holder in his mouth with his left hand, slowly put another cigarette in his mouth and said, "A question costs a hundred and fifty dollars. If you want to ask it, ask it quickly. If you don't guarantee it, it will take two days."
The price has just gone up.”
"And... you also got the price increase?" The overalls looked at Wei Ran with wide eyes.
"This is not nonsense"
Wei Ran lit up his cigarette again, took a puff, and waved his hand impatiently, "I'm in a bad mood today. If you want to ask, just ask immediately. If you don't want to ask, just get out."
"Yes, ask, I'll ask."
The overalls had no temper at all for Wei Ran's unlucky behavior. After looking around, he opened his purse and handed it to Wei Ran, "Two questions. The first question is the question just now.
What's going on with this car?
Let me say it first, you can't fool me like last time. If you still can't explain clearly like this, I won't come to you next time."
Hearing this, a trace of panic immediately appeared on Wei Ran's face, and then he arbitrarily grabbed the small bag in the opponent's hand and weighed it. This time, he did not open it for inspection. Instead, he pretended to be heroic and said, "
You seem to be quite honest. This place is full of people and smelly, so I won’t waste time counting them. But I can warn you, if you are missing a big one, next time you just have to let..."
"You killed me with one shot," the overalls said with a smile, "please tell me, what's going on with this car?"
"The day before yesterday when it was dark, that Japanese reporter named Someya came to our door."
Wei Ran pretended to be mysterious and lowered his voice, and said with a proud face, "He seemed to be in a hurry to interview someone, and then his car broke down, so he came to us to borrow the car temporarily. There is a mute in our study apartment, you know
Bar?"
"I know, I know, Mute Cao, that person is not easy to deal with." The overalls nodded and said.
"Don't look at that mute who can't kick him out, but he is very good at repairing cars." Wei Ran said and raised his thumb, "This mute repaired the car that night."
At this point, Wei Ran endured the faint pain and pointed with his broken right hand at the two passes stuck on the passenger side glass, "I'm not bragging, these two pieces of paper are real special codes!
The two patrolling Japs who just passed by stood at attention and saluted me! What's wrong? Do you want to buy it?"
"Are you willing to sell me these two passes?" the overalls asked in surprise.
"Aren't you afraid Mr. Someya..."
"Look what you said!"
The expression on Wei Ran's face became more and more proud and greedy, "To tell you the truth, I have channels to get the passes, and I have two more at home. If you want them, as long as the price is right, I can't sell them to you.
"
"You didn't lie?" the overalls asked.
"Did you see that small building?"
Wei Ran pointed to the small building next to the opium den on the roadside and said with an arrogant look, "Mr. Furukawa, who runs the opium den, is my semi-uncle. He has already given me two passes.
"
"How much...how much is one piece?" the overalls asked excitedly.
"Five...no! A thousand!"
Weiran Lion turned his hands back and forth with his mouth wide open, and said in a puff of smoke, "A thousand oceans, but this time I will only accept big and small yellow croakers."
"Isn't this too dark for you?" The overalls' eyes widened, and the adjustment was too high.
"black?!"
Wei Ran immediately became unhappy and pointed towards the Japanese Concession, "Those Japs and bitches standing over there, are you going to buy a pass from them?"
"I..."
Overalls gritted his teeth, "I'll go back and discuss it with the owner of our newspaper. You still have one more question for me."
"I asked you for your special code," Wei Ran said in a puff of smoke, the expression on his face also revealed the disappointment of not being able to sell the pass.
"Is Miss Meixiang back? If she doesn't come back, when does she plan to come back?" the overalls asked immediately.
"Your special code is a thief." Wei Ran stretched out his hand again, "There are two problems with this special code. You have to pay me another 150 yuan."
"That's it," overalls said in a different tone, "When does Miss Meixiang plan to come back?"
"I don't know." Wei Ran spread his hands and replied before the other party could speak, "But I guess she will definitely have to come back by the 6th."
"You can't estimate it," said the overalls, rubbing his hands, "I spent money, you can't estimate it."
"Don't worry, she will definitely come back on the 6th." Wei Ran's tone was much more affirmative this time.
"How did you know..."
"I bought her the car myself..."
Wei Ran seemed to realize that he had let something slip in the middle of his sentence. He waved the hand holding the cigarette arrogantly and said, "Gungungun, if you don't tell me any tricks, you can pay me if you want to ask."
"Okay, I'll come back to you next time." The overalls seemed quite satisfied with the clues they had just obtained, and smiled happily, implying that there was still a chance for a second transaction.
"Wait a minute" Wei Ran waved to stop the other party, "What's your name?"
"My surname is Ding, Ding Rongfu." The overalls nodded and bowed in reply.
"Remember to ask your boss if he wants to buy a pass."
Wei Ran reminded him rather unwillingly, "If you buy it, it will still be at this time tomorrow, under this tree. I can tell you, there won't be a store like this after passing this village."
"Okay, I'll definitely ask." Ding Rongfu said, he got back on his bicycle and disappeared at the intersection where the front of the car was heading.
At the same time, Wei Ran, who was sitting in the car, immediately took off the hat that was covering his wounds. He raised the windows and locked the doors in this hot weather. He greedily opened the small bag he had just received and put those things in his hands.
He opened all the silver coins and inspected them with a smile on his face. He seemed not to realize that someone was looking at him through binoculars on the second floor of a opium den across the road.
After he had done enough acting, Wei Ran, who was already sweating, hid his leather bag again, opened the car door, lit a cigarette again, and fanned himself with the hat he had just taken off.
About an hour later, Tao Canhua, who was carrying a piano bag and an erhu, walked out of the small building. Behind him, he was followed by the maid in kimono who had visited yesterday.
"This is your performance fee"
The maid handed two French coins to Tao Canhua in front of Wei Ran, "Mr. Zhida asked me to remind you that Mr. Tao is a performer he respects very much. If you insult him again, he will chop off your hands.
"
"How can I? How can I bully my nephew!" Wei Ran said with a smile.
“Better not”
The maid said and handed a bundle to Wei Ran, "This is the kimono Mr. Ueda prepared for Miss Meixiang. He hopes that Miss Meixiang can wear this kimono when she attends the dance on the 6th."
"When my cousin comes back, I will hand it over to her." Wei Ran happily took the baggage handed to her.
"If Miss Meixiang fails to attend the dance on the 6th, you will definitely not be able to survive until the next day." The maid left the last warning, turned around and walked towards the small building, leaving only the residue on her face.
Wei Ran with a look of panic.
"Get in, get in the car!"
Wei Ran stammered and shouted to Tao Canhua, then got into the car with the baggage and threw it into the passenger seat. Before Tao Canhua could close the door tightly, he started the car and stepped on the accelerator.
"What should we do?" Tao Canhua asked immediately after the car started running.
"What should I do?" Wei Ran asked nonchalantly.
"If I ask my aunt to change into Japanese clothes and go out, she will definitely be scolded to death." Tao Canhua said worriedly.
"She must be troubled by this matter," Wei Ran asked while increasing the speed of the car, "What did I ask you today?"
"I asked what everyone was doing during the past few days of the war. I also asked my aunt if she had contacted anyone in the study apartment. I also asked if you bullied me."
Tao Canhua paused, then continued with a blushing face, "And... I even asked a Japanese girl to apply some swelling-reducing lotion on my buttocks."
"Hey! Isn't she pretty?" Wei Ran joked with joy, "Is that Japanese girl good-looking? Isn't she the old girl just now?"
"Stop making fun of me." Tao Canhua, who was blushing, waved his hands in embarrassment, "It's not her, it's another one. She only looks three or four years older than me."
"Does it look good?" Wei Ran asked with interest.
"I...I didn't look," Tao Canhua responded stammering.
"Don't be fooled by the Japanese bitch." Wei Ran's tone was more serious this time, but it was still mostly joking.
"What did you say!"
Tao Canhua immediately became anxious, "Who do you think I am? How could I be dazzled by Japanese women! I wish I could kill them with a knife!"
"I said something wrong, and I apologize to you." Wei Ran secretly breathed a sigh of relief as he responded.
"Alas..." Tao Canhua sighed, "I really want to kill them all."
"Don't worry, there will definitely be a chance." Wei Ran's tone this time was filled with only seriousness.
Hearing this, Tao Canhua was stunned, and then nodded vigorously.
Along the way, we were chatting about the highly anticipated topic of how to kill Zhida if we had the opportunity in the future. When Wei Ran drove the car back to the study apartment, he found that Cao Mute was already waiting at the door with an anxious look on his face.
"What's wrong?" Wei Ran, realizing something was wrong, opened the door and asked.
Hearing this, Cao Muba pointed at the small building and signaled Wei Ran to go in quickly.
Seeing this, Wei Ranzhi asked Tao Canhua to help take the small bag containing silver coins and the baggage containing kimonos from the car, and he quickly ran into the small building.
"There is something wrong with the younger brother of the Xu family!" Jasmine said immediately as Wei Ran entered the door.
Hearing this, Wei Ran's heart sank and he immediately ran into the storage room. Following the small door, he entered the hidden basement.
When he passed through the curtain opened by Qiushi who heard the noise, he immediately frowned.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! At this time, the younger brother of the Xu family, the little boy named Xu Kejian, had his teeth clenched and a wry smile on his face.
At the same time, his nerves were tense, and he twisted his thin body uncontrollably, being held down by Mei Xiang and Guan Lingling.
"It's tetanus"
When Andy saw Wei Ran come in, he immediately said in German, his tone was particularly panic, "What should we do?"
Hearing this, Wei Ran did not answer in a hurry. He first checked his wounds, and then sighed secretly.
What he was worried about yesterday was tetanus, so after directing Andy to complete the debridement, he not only deliberately did not suture or bandage the wounds, but also directed Andy to repeatedly rinse the three people's wounds with hydrogen peroxide.
even so...
"What should we do?" Andy asked again anxiously in German.
"anesthetic"
Wei Ran said simply, and then he walked over to the child and took a look. After Andy handed over the syringe with the liquid in it, he first injected the child near the joints of the limbs and the mandible.
A small amount of anesthetic was administered.
Under the puzzled gazes of the people around him, Wei Ran waited for the morphine to take effect and then with difficulty pulled the child's jaw joint open. Then he directed Jasmine, who had come down with him, to help find a wooden board and tie it firmly to the child's jaw.
on Xu Kejian's back.
"Will this work?" Andy asked still in German.
"A dead horse is treated as a living horse doctor"
Wei Ran answered in his native language that everyone could understand, and then turned to look at Uncle Meng and the older brother of the Xu family who had woken up, and then looked at the two injured people, including Feng Maoyun and Guan Bingwen.
Everyone said in a serious tone, "Be prepared in advance. There is a high probability that we will not be able to save him."
After saying that, he squatted beside the iron frame bed shared by Xu Keqin and Chen Gouyu, and looked at the two red-eyed children seriously, "What I say next will be cruel, but you are frugal.
Brother, so I feel that of all the people here, only you have the right to make decisions for your brother.
At the same time, this is also a situation that all the injured here, including me, may face. So I hope everyone is also prepared."
"Brother Wei, you, you go ahead." Chen Gouyu said first, and Xu Keqin wiped away his tears and nodded.
"He has tetanus, and it will be difficult for us to save him if it attacks so quickly. Even if he is saved, his prognosis will be very poor."
Wei Ran paused and continued, "We don't need to consider whether he can be rescued. The situation we are facing now is that no matter whether he can be rescued or not, he will be in great pain next. First, the facial muscles will tighten, and then the body muscles will tighten.
It will become tight, and then it will be difficult to breathe. At that time, I will need to cut his trachea to prevent him from suffocating to death.
But this is not the end. In the late stages of tetanus, he will develop opisthotonus, which is extremely painful torture, and he may even reversely break his spine in extreme pain."
At this point, Wei Ran's voice had become much hoarse, but he still stood up unsteadily, and while walking into the dim passage outside, he said the cruelest urging, "While he is not in so much pain,
, help him make a decision as soon as possible. We have enough morphine, at least... at least I can guarantee that when he leaves... he won't be in pain."
