"Because the fish's fins were gone, it couldn't control its balance, so it sank to the bottom."
"Where did the fins go?"
"You used it to rinse your mouth."
Zhao Hui stopped asking questions and stared at Liu Ziguang for thirty seconds. He suddenly laughed and said: "Now that we have arrived in the capital, don't stay in a hotel, stay at my house!"
I thought Zhao Hui's home was a military compound or a high-rise mansion, but I didn't know it was a small courtyard house in an alley near Shichahai. It was an authentic old Beijing courtyard house, with clean tiles, polished brick walls, and two black-painted accelerator pedals.
The bright copper door cymbals are decorated with couplets on both sides. The small courtyard is paved with blue bricks and planted with flowers, plants and trees. There are three rooms in the north and three rooms in the east and west. The courtyard walls are connected by moon gates. It is the time of the lunar calendar.
In August, the fragrance of sweet-scented osmanthus fills the courtyard, which is refreshing. A group of pigeons fly in the sky, and the pigeon whistles make a buzzing sound. This is complemented by the cries of candied haws in the distance, and the old Beijing style emerges spontaneously.
"You're welcome, come in and sit." Zhao Hui got off the car and knocked on the courtyard door. A capable middle-aged man came to open the door. He was wearing a double-breasted coat and thousand-layer cloth shoes. He spoke in authentic Beijing dialect: "Master, come back.
Already."
In the 1900s, this kind of small courtyard house would probably have been the target of shanty town reconstruction, but now, it is a high-end mansion that even the rich can't buy. In the capital city where land is at a premium, and in the central area of Houhai,
Whether it is in terms of architectural art, geographical environment or style, the value of this house will not be less than eight figures. It is really surprising that Zhao Hui, a military officer with a third-level military background, can own such an expensive property.
Surprised, but not surprising considering his other identity.
As for the red aristocrats, the world was conquered by their ancestors, so having more resources than ordinary people is nothing special.
The three of them entered the courtyard, and the housekeeper enthusiastically helped take the luggage. In the courtyard, a well-trained purebred German blackback saw the guest coming in with its owner. It did not bark, but first jumped on Zhao Hui's leg and licked it.
After a while, he sniffed everyone's pants.
"You just stay in the wing room and treat this as your own home. Don't be polite. There is always someone at home, so I won't give you a key. Tell Ma Wu what you want to eat. If you need anything, ask Lao Li. I'll excuse you first.
Take a shower and change clothes, there will be a place to go later."
The venue for the meeting is Ma Fengfeng's banquet for Zhao Hui. It is said that four crew members will also be present, as well as Zhao Hui's gang of teenagers in the capital. Geng Zhi does not like to deal with such people, but
Liu Ziguang was different. Zhao Huiman thought he would go with him, but unexpectedly he didn't make this request.
"Old Liu, the people drinking together today are all the masters who stomp their feet and tremble in the capital. Are you not interested in getting to know them?"
"Not interested." Liu Ziguang shook his head indifferently.
"I have a buddy who has a very good relationship with the chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission. Don't you have a company at home that you want to IPO? You can definitely get it done by asking him." Zhao Hui further seduced.
"I don't want to get involved in this circle yet." Liu Ziguang decisively decided.
"I have to say, I can't see through you anymore." Zhao Hui shrugged helplessly and left.
…
The exterior of the wing room is an ancient house, but the interior decoration is a combination of ancient and modern, with a full set of rosewood furniture from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, an LCD TV, air conditioning, and a silk handmade carpet from Iran on the floor. Liu Ziguang is very adaptable to this decoration style, and the Da Ma Jin Dao's Xiang Taishi chair
I sat down, picked up the remote control and turned on the TV.
The news was reporting that officials from the Ministry of Commerce of the State Council met with a delegation from the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore. The woman in black who looked like a translator standing next to the Singaporean Minister of Trade and Industry was the one on the plane. Now Liu Ziguang had remembered her name.
It seems to be an English name, called Olivia. I thought she was the daughter of a wealthy family, but I didn't expect that she was an attaché of a high-ranking government official.
Outside, Wu Ma called for dinner, so Liu Ziguang put down the remote control and went out to eat. On the TV screen, the Minister of Trade and Industry formally introduced the woman in black behind him to the Chinese Minister of Commerce. The two shook hands cordially and had a pleasant conversation.
, it’s a pity that Liu Ziguang didn’t see this scene.
…
In the middle of the night, Zhao Hui came back drunk, with two young and beautiful long-legged girls supporting him on the left and right, and carrying an exquisite food box packed by the hotel, which contained untouched shark fin soup.
Zhao Hui drank too much, so he knocked on the door and asked Liu Ziguang and Geng Zhi to come out and drink some more. Liu Ziguang came out with his clothes on, but no one in Geng Zhi's room agreed. When he opened the door and went in, he found that Geng Zhi had quietly left, leaving only a
note.
After reading the note in silence, Zhao Hui seemed to have woken up from the alcohol. He waved his hands to let the two weak girls leave. The two girls looked at each other, not knowing where they had offended the financial owner, and finally said timidly.
: "Mr. Zhao, what did we do wrong?"
"I did nothing wrong. I am in a bad mood now. You can go." Zhao Hui unbuttoned his collar, feeling a little irritated.
"But……"
"It's nothing but, I will say hello to Director Zhang. The female lead can't run away, so you can get out now!"
The two girls quickly greased the soles of their feet. Zhao Hui was standing in the yard, holding a bottle of Erguotou. The housekeeper Lao Li and the cook Wu Ma were well aware of his temper and did not come to try to persuade him.
Looking from a distance, the full moon is like a wheel, autumn insects are whispering, and the autumn mood is getting stronger in the small courtyard.
A burst of suppressed sobs came, and Zhao Hui actually cried. Under the moonlight, the tears on his face were very clear. He raised the bottle to Liu Ziguang and said: "Brother, you are the only one to accompany me now. Have a couple of drinks?"
"
"I'm going to prepare some peanuts." Liu Ziguang said.
Under the bright moonlight, the two of them sat on a stone bench in the middle of the courtyard, changing glasses and drinking. The wine was Hongxing Erguotou bought from a street shop for 7.5 yuan, and the dish was fried peanuts left in the kitchen.
But this kind of atmosphere is unmatched by the Abalone Wings Banquet in a big hotel.
Zhao Hui got drunk and talked a lot about what was in his heart. He told Liu Ziguang that he was not the playboy or red aristocrat that most people imagined.
"I grew up in a military compound. When I was eight years old, I organized my friends in the compound. Everyone stole the military uniforms of the adults in the family and put them on themselves. At that time, the new military rank system had not yet been implemented, and everyone's military uniforms were similar.
, I’m special, I’m wearing my grandpa’s 55-style military uniform, with a big gold plate and two gold beans, and I’m a serious founding lieutenant general!”
When telling the story of his childhood, Zhao Hui's eyes were a little blurry, as if he was immersed in those unforgettable happy years, but then his face darkened again, and he rubbed his wine glass and said: "I come from a military family, and my path in life has been to become an adult.
It was determined that in their plan, I should join the army after graduating from junior high school. I should first serve as a soldier for two years to get some training, then go to a military school for further studies, and then come out and hold the rank of lieutenant, and work as a soldier in some big ravine where nothing matters.
A platoon commander, then deputy company commander, company commander, regimental training staff officer, etc., and so on, step by step, they will be promoted step by step, and finally bear the general's shoulder straps, take over their squad, and satisfy their vanity."
"However, I didn't follow the path they set for me. I didn't like an unchanging life. At that time, the reform and opening up had just begun, and domestic video halls often screened foreign films. First Blood and so on were all popular at that time.
, I think it was at that time that I developed my desire for excitement, passion, and fighting. Therefore, I participated in the agent selection of the Second Department without telling my grandfather and father. When they knew about it, my file had been transferred from the grassroots army to
I went to the General Staff. At that time, the atmosphere in the army was not as chaotic as it is now. Even a powerful man like my father did not dare to interfere in the organizational procedures. Therefore, I became a Chinese 007 as I wished, at the cost of my father and me.
break."
"You can probably guess what happened next. It was out of control. As a member of the secret front, Yongchang Company made an indelible contribution to the development of our country's military industry, but..." At this point, Zhao Hui
He smiled helplessly.
"As agents, there is a transparent ceiling above your head. No matter how outstanding your merits are, you can't get promoted, because the work we do is shady. Major general is basically the end of the career. In fact, most people can't even make it to the rank of senior colonel.
superior."
"Despite this, I still have no complaints. Since I have chosen this path, I will go on and do something to keep them quiet. There are no cowards in the Ye family's children!"
Suddenly Zhao Hui smiled apologetically and said, "Sorry, my surname is actually Ye, and Zhao Hui is my pseudonym. I changed my surname to Zhao on the one hand because it is easier to carry out my work, and on the other hand because I have severed ties with the old man."
Liu Ziguang raised his glass: "Understood."
"No, you don't understand me." Zhao Hui shook his head and said.
"You think I just pursue an exciting life and luxurious material enjoyment, but that's not the case. The goals I pursue are beyond your understanding."
Suddenly, Zhao Hui became excited again, stood up and sang a model opera about outsmarting Weihu Mountain.
Let’s drink a celebratory drink together today
Unfulfilled ambitions will never stop
I will show my talents in the future,
Sprinkling blood to write about the Spring and Autumn Period
He drew out the last line of the lyrics, bringing the wise and courageous investigative hero Yang Zirong to life. After singing in a drawn-out voice, Zhao Hui sat down on the stone bench and said:
"The shipment you got from the Philippines was transferred to the Middle East. It was originally intended to be shipped to Gaza, but it was hijacked on the way. It was only yesterday that I figured out that the person who tampered with the plane was not Ah
Abdullah, it's Mossadi, don't be surprised, don't expect to get any money, I didn't intend to ask for that money."
Liu Ziguang was silent.
"Don't want to know why?" Zhao Hui glanced sideways at Liu Ziguang.
"A chaotic Middle East is much more interesting than a stable and united Middle East, and it is also more in line with the interests of certain countries." Liu Ziguang replied.
Zhao Hui smiled: "Congratulations, you got the answer right. Come, have a drink."