At the entrance of Quanyechang, Tao Canhua, who was about to walk in when he saw Wei Ran stopped in his tracks, immediately turned back and looked at the newspaper in Wei Ran's hand.
Unfortunately, the most eye-catching headline in this crudely printed Fengyue tabloid is just a headline that takes up almost a quarter of the page: "Special Effects Cure Flower and Willow Disease."
"What interesting news can there be in this?"
Wei Ran randomly folded the newspaper in his hand twice and stuffed it into his pants pocket, then lit a cigarette and urged Tao Canhua into Quanyechang.
"What should we buy first?" Wei Ran asked with a puff of smoke. In this era, no one cares about such a trivial matter as smoking indoors.
"Let's go shopping for leather shoes with you first."
Tao Canhua pointed to a shop not far away and said, "Their leather shoes are pretty good. They are affordable and can be worn for a long time. I bought my pair there."
"Let's just take a stroll, I don't want to buy cheap stuff like that." Wei Ran muttered in disgust and wandered around the Quanyechang leisurely.
It has to be said that this is a relatively prosperous shopping mall in Tianjin in this era, and the items sold in it are also dazzling.
Food, drink, clothing, various daily necessities and even cigarette creams, basically anything you need for life in this era can be found here.
He asked Tao Canhua to treat him to a bottle of sweet and bitter soda, and Wei Ran also treated him to a popsicle with an overly milky flavor. After wandering around for a while, the two nominal uncles and nephews finally bought all Wei Ran.
Wei Ran nominally needed new leather shoes, and nominally needed light bulbs for his study apartment. By the way, Wei Ran also bought a large box of film.
"I'm going to a hut, do you want to go?" Tao Canhua asked as he was about to go out, holding a cloth bag in his hand.
"Let's go together"
Wei Ran, who was empty-handed, nodded casually and followed Tao Canhua into the public toilet on the first floor of Quanyechang.
This public toilet is not much different from that of later generations. There are cubicles, squat pits for flushing, a sink with a row of faucets and a smelly urinal. Of course, there is also an old man cleaning the toilet.
"Cousin, help me get it. I'll take it for you when I'm done."
At the door of the toilet, Tao Canhua said as he handed the two full cloth bags to Wei Ran.
"Hurry up"
Wei Ran urged, then he took the two cloth bags and held them with his elbows, then lit a cigarette and stood at the door of the public toilet. While observing the surroundings, he also distractedly paid attention to the situation inside the public toilet.
At the same time, Tao Canhua who walked into the public toilet and the old man who was cleaning the toilet looked at each other. When the latter shook his head, Tao Canhua immediately whispered something into his ear, and then the old man followed suit.
She whispered something into his ear.
Then, as if nothing happened, the two of them unbuttoned their belts and stood at the edge of the urinal, while the other carried a tin bucket half filled with water and slowly left the public toilet and went to nowhere.
She's pretty good at choosing a place... Wei Ran couldn't help but mutter in his heart.
After a while, Tao Canhua walked out of the toilet after urinating and washed his hands, and reached out to take the two cloth bags from Wei Ran's hand.
Slowly walking into the toilet, Wei Ran peeed symbolically, and then washed his hands seriously. Then he walked out refreshed, and together with Tao Canhua left Quanyechang, which was still shrouded in heavy rain, and got into
into their car.
"Has the news spread?" Wei Ran asked in a low voice after waiting for the other party to put away his umbrella and close the car door.
"It's been passed on." Tao Canhua nodded incomprehensibly, "Don't worry, it will be delivered to the mute uncle in less than half an hour."
“I don’t know how Xiaoguan is doing now.”
Wei Ran sighed as he started the car and drove away from Quanyechang. Although he learned from the pseudo-policeman Wang Guier that Guan Bingwen had not been arrested, he did not know the details of the other party at all.
He even didn't know whether Guan Bingwen could survive the difficult half-month ahead and whether he could wait until the Japanese surrender in Tianjin in October.
"Brother Guan is in good condition."
Tao Canhua answered, "He just told me that Brother Guan was only slightly injured and is now hiding."
"That's good." Wei Ran breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this. If Guan Bingwen also had an accident, it would be too cruel.
After this brief exchange, both of them fell into silence, and in the car, there was only the white noise caused by the heavy rain beating on the roof and windows.
Driving the car slowly back to his apartment despite the heavy rain, Tao Canhua looked at the rain outside the car window and couldn't help but sigh, "I don't know when it will clear up today."
"Soon, soon." Wei Ran said firmly while driving the car into the garage.
"I think so," Tao Canhua muttered confidently. After Weiran stopped the car, he immediately opened the door and said, "I'll bolt the door."
"sorry to bother you"
As he spoke, Wei Ran also opened the car door and walked into the lobby on the first floor carrying two bags filled with various purchased small items and a pair of leather shoes.
After returning to his room and changing into comfortable and clean clothes, Wei Ran saw that there was nothing to do with him in the study apartment, so he simply did not leave the room again, but just lay on the bed and thought about it secretly.
There are indeed many things that he needs to think about carefully. In addition to whether Guan Bingwen can survive and whether he will encounter danger again, the more pressing question is how Miss Linglu was exposed, who discovered her, and
In other words, who betrayed her.
In addition, he has another more worrying issue. He clearly remembers that entering this historical segment this time, one of the return tasks is to join the Anti-Japanese Killing Group and assist Tao Canhua in completing the assassination mission.
For the time being, assisting Tao Canhua in completing the assassination mission was not mentioned. Joining the Anti-Japanese Killing Corps, it seemed that there was no chance. It was already August 1945. Based on his understanding of this period of history, the Anti-Japanese Killing Corps would be here.
This year, after the Japanese surrendered, they decided to disband. Those members of the Killing Corps who had been passionate about killing the enemy and serving the country would also go their separate ways after the Corps was disbanded.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! So this return mission cannot be completed? If the return mission cannot be completed, can you still return to that familiar world?
Amid these complicated thoughts, time passed by noon, and the heavy rain outside the window that had been raging for a long time finally subsided.
Squatting on the steps outside the foyer and eating a large bowl of braised noodles made by Yang Ma and Uncle Meng, Wei Ran saw that he really had nothing to do, so he simply went into the underground printing room while the troupe members were taking a nap.
.
Nowadays, the printing room is becoming more and more crowded. Papers waiting to be printed and barrels of ink can be seen everywhere, occupying almost half of the space in the basement passage.
As he passed through the layers of cotton curtains, he gradually heard Andy humming children's songs in a low voice.
Carefully opening the last curtain, Wei Ran immediately saw Andy sitting by the bed, and the little guy sleeping on the bed with his mouth drooling.
"Have you fed her?" Wei Ran asked in a low voice.
"Shh-"
Andy motioned to Wei Ran to keep his voice down, and said tiredly, "After eating, I ate a boiled egg, half a bowl of porridge, and just ate a small corner of watermelon. This little ancestor has fallen asleep. She woke up."
I was crying all the time, as if Monk Tang was reciting a tight spell."
"It's inevitable that the wound will hurt." Wei Ran lowered his voice, "She's too young, so we can't give her too many painkillers. I can only let her hold on for a while these two days."
"I know"
Andy sighed softly, then waved to a little girl to help look after the children who had the same hatred, then gently patted Wei Ran on the shoulder, indicating that he should follow him to leave the room and get into the passage.
After passing through an extra thick quilt curtain, Andy, who was only wearing pajamas, sat cross-legged on a wooden refrigerator, lit a cigarette and took a sip, then asked in German, "What's the news outside?"
?"
"have..."
Wei Ran was silent for a moment, and finally told each other the news that the Guan family's father and daughter were dead, that Guan Bingwen had not been arrested yet, and that he and Tao Canhua had spread the news before lunch.
After shaking his head, Andy wiped the corners of his eyes and said, "I...I know, there is news about Xiaoguan. Remember, remember to tell me."
"Yeah." Wei Ran, who didn't know what to say at all, nodded and responded vaguely.
"Go up." Andy waved his hand, "Don't stay here for too long."
"you..."
"I'm fine, don't worry."
Andy forced a smile and wiped the corners of his eyes again, "I've thought of it for a long time. I guessed it would be like this last night. It's okay. I'm okay. Come up quickly."
Sighing secretly, Wei Ran turned around and walked through the thick cotton curtains, leaving this underground printing room filled with only grief amid Andy's increasingly faint and finally inaudible sobs.
In the afternoon that followed, Wei Ran hid in his room and hardly went anywhere. When it was dusk in the evening, the sky outside finally cleared up, and cars or rickshaws stopped one after another at the door of the study apartment.
Rich ladies, well-dressed Japanese nationals, even some well-dressed young people, or dancing girls with enchanting faces also went up to the second floor one after another under the guidance of Jasmine and Tao Canhua.
However, what Wei Ran never expected was that at the last moment when the dance was about to start in less than five minutes, an American car stopped at the door, and as the brown door was closed,
The person pushed away from inside, and Mr. Ueda and his so-called daughter Yumi actually got out of it!
Why are these two brats here?
Wei Ran, who was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window on the second floor, muttered to himself, then walked up to Mei Xiang and reminded her before going downstairs to greet her.
"Mr. Tian and Miss Youmei are rare guests in our study apartment," Wei Ran said with a warm expression before anyone came downstairs.
"You are as good at talking as your cousin Miss Meixiang."
The gray-haired Mr. Ueda said with a smile in Chinese with a hint of Fengtian accent, "I forgot to say hello before I came here. I wonder if there is room for me and my little girl at the dance tonight."
"What you said is true! It must be true!"
Before Wei Ran finished speaking, Mei Xiang, who was wearing a formal dress, also walked down from the second floor holding the hem of her skirt, and enthusiastically held Yumi's hand, "Youmei's sister, Mr. Wada, hasn't been here for a while."
"I'm not busy today, so I just wanted to come here to sit for a while."
Ueda pointed behind him as he spoke, "Xiao Su's mother and Mr. Furukawa will also come later. The rickshaw they are taking will set off a little later and the speed will be slower."
"In that case, let me accompany Mr. Tian and sister Youmei upstairs first." Meixiang said and looked at Wei Ran again, "Cousin, please greet Xiao Su's mother and Mr. Furukawa here."
"Leave it to me!" Wei Ran agreed to the job, patting his chest.
"Mr. Tian, Miss Youmei, let's go upstairs." Meixiang, who never let go of Youmei's hand, invited her politely.
"please"
"please"
Ueda and Meixiang were extra polite before going up to the second floor one after another.
"Why are these two foxes here?" Qiushi, who was working as a doorman at the door, asked in a low voice in confusion.
"The weasel is paying New Year greetings to the rooster," Tao Canhua snorted, "It must have bad intentions."
"I'm not afraid that he has bad intentions."
Wei Ran, who also stayed in the foyer on the first floor, sighed and said worriedly, "I just don't know what bad intentions he has."
"It's a pity that Mr. Sometani and Miss Junko have gone home." Qiushi sighed worriedly, "Now there is no one who is really willing to help Miss Junko to cover up."
"Did Mr. Rangu and his wife go home?" Wei Ran couldn't help being stunned, "Where did they go back?"
"Let's call it back"
Qiushi looked at Wei Ran strangely, "It was still dark early yesterday morning. Didn't you drive the couple to the pier? I remember that Canhua bought the tickets with your help."
"Can you?" Tao Canhua nodded, "I bought them a ferry ticket to Nagasaki. I heard that it won't arrive until noon the day after tomorrow at the earliest."
"Wait a minute, where did you just say you bought the ticket?" Wei Ran couldn't help but be surprised.
"Nagasaki?" Tao Canhua looked at Wei Ran strangely, "What's wrong?"
"No, it's nothing."
Wei Ran suppressed the uneasiness in his heart and waved his hand pretending to be casual, "There were so many things yesterday that I forgot about this. I was still thinking about why they haven't come today."
Hearing this, Qiushi took over the conversation, "I heard from Mrs. Shunzi that they are going back to report on their work this time, and it can take as little as a month. If not, I'm afraid they won't be able to come back until almost autumn."
"Autumn..."
Wei Ran couldn't help but shook his head secretly. If Someya and his wife really got on the passenger ship bound for Nagasaki, I'm afraid... I'm afraid they...
Did they still fall before dawn?
Wei Ran couldn't help but clenched his fists when he saw Little Su's mother and Mr. Furukawa getting off the rickshaw at the entrance of the courtyard. He just wished he could buy a ticket for all the little devils in Jinmen to go back to Nagasaki immediately!
No matter how much regret he felt in his heart, when Xiao Su's mother and Mr. Furukawa walked into the courtyard hand in hand, Wei Ran immediately put on a smile and greeted them enthusiastically.
That night, the banquet on the second floor was particularly lively due to the arrival of Xiao Su's mother, Mr. Furukawa, and the Ueda father and daughter, so much so that even the dance time was slightly extended by half an hour.
But what made Wei Ran extremely concerned was that between several dances, Xiao Su’s mother and Youmei took turns to find Mei Xiang, hiding in the corner and chatting in low voices, and Xiao Su’s mother even pulled Mei Xiang into the second room.
In the darkroom upstairs, the two secretly talked about a piece of music in the darkroom before they came out.
After finally staying up until the dance ended at 9:30 in the evening, Wei Ran accompanied Mei Xiang to see off every guest who had enjoyed themselves. They waited until the last rickshaw disappeared from sight, and waited until Uncle Meng limped into the courtyard.
At the fence gate, Mei Xiang, who had been smiling just now, trembled, and even her face turned a little pale.
"What's wrong?" Wei Ran grabbed Mei Xiang's arm and asked in a low voice.
"Come with me." Mei Xiang breathed hard, "Help me go upstairs, no, help me to the garage."
"good"
Wei Ran responded in a low voice, helped her through the hall on the first floor, then through the small door leading to the garage, and finally put her into the back compartment of the car.
When Wei Ran also sat in, Mei Xiang tremblingly lit a cigarette for herself, took a puff and whispered, "Little Su's mother said it was Youmei, and it was Youmei who killed Ling Lu."
"What did you say?" Wei Ran was startled, then frowned.
"Little Su's mother saw on Yumei's hand the bracelet that Andy gave to Ling Lu when the same enemy was born."
Mei Xiang took a deep breath and continued, "That bracelet was given to me by Xiao Su's mother. However, my wrist was too thin and my hands were small, so it would fall off easily when I wore it, so I later gave the bracelet to Andy."
.”
As if she was afraid that Wei Ran wouldn't believe it, Mei Xiang continued, "Earlier, that bracelet was a gift from my father to my mother before she married her. Later, something happened to my family, and my mother asked Xiao Su's mother to take me out.
At that time, I gave the bracelet to Xiao Su’s mother as a means of payment.”
Meixiang flicked the cigarette in her hand and the gold cigarette holder on it. She hit the back of the seat in front of her with all her strength. She gritted her teeth and said frantically, "She will not admit it, and I will never admit it, either."
I will admit my mistake! That bracelet was just put on Yumi’s wrist! That bitch! She let me see that bracelet on purpose! She did it on purpose!
And, and more! Xiao Su’s mother told me that when she bumped into Yumei in the dark yesterday, she was washing the bracelet and her own blood in the sink. She also saw Uncle Guan on the sink.
The ring finger was stained with blood!
If she hadn't killed him, who would have killed him?"
"When will we take action against Ueda and Yumi?" Wei Ran asked simply.
However, Meixiang did not answer the question immediately. Instead, she said with increasing pain, "Also, Mr. Furukawa plans to take Xiao Su's mother back for a recruitment examination."
"What the hell? Come back, call back?" Wei Ran couldn't help but be stunned, "When?"
"At the end of this month," Mei Xiang closed her eyes and said weakly, "Xiao Su's mother doesn't want to go with him, she plans to run away."
"Where to escape?" Wei Ran paused and asked additionally, "How to escape?"
"Can't escape"
Meixiang shook her head and said with a tearful tone, "Xiao Su's mother said it would be easy for her to run away, but Furukawa will definitely come to us to ask for people. If we can't hand over people, we have to pay with their lives."
For me, for you, for Qiushi and Canhua, for those helpless children to survive, she is not going to run away, she decided to follow Furukawa to recruit. Her life will not be much worse in the future, we are here
You won’t be implicated.”
"There's still time," Wei Ran said abruptly, "There's still time."
"You...what did you say?" Mei Xiang looked at Wei Ran expectantly, as if grasping a life-saving straw.
"If Furukawa plans to leave Tianjin at the end of this month, it's still too late." Wei Ran said firmly, "We might be able to save little Su's mother."
"Really...really?"
Mei Xiang grabbed Wei Ran's arm and asked excitedly, her slightly slender nails almost embedded in Wei Ran's flesh.
"real"
Wei Ran nodded seriously, "Even if we can survive until the middle of the month, we have a chance."
Meixiang was stunned when she heard this, and then she threw herself into his arms, hugged him tightly and started to cry loudly, crying...crying like a child who had suffered all the grievances and injustices in this suffering world.
