Gu Qingcheng looked into the distance from time to time. She and Xu Siqi had made an appointment early to come to Xue Huali Road in advance to visit the nearby French Park.
"Why haven't you come yet? Did you forget?" Gu Qingcheng murmured to herself.
She was so impatient that she forgot to bring her watch. A man happened to pass by, so she hurriedly asked: "Excuse me, what time is it now?"
Gu Qingcheng didn't hold out much hope either. This man was dressed very ordinary and didn't really look like someone who could afford a watch.
Watches are not necessities of life. For an ordinary family, having a wall clock at home is enough. There is no need to spend money on such luxury goods.
What was quite surprising was that the man took out a delicate pocket watch from his pocket, opened the cover and looked at it for a while, then said: "Five minutes past four."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
Watching the man walk away, Xu Siqi got out of a car, turned around and waved to the people in the car, and the car turned around and sped away.
"What are you looking at?" Xu Siqi said from behind Gu Qingcheng.
Gu Qingcheng stretched out her hand to caress her chest: "You came out of nowhere and scared me..."
Xu Siqi smiled and said: "With the blue sky and white sun, there is nothing to be afraid of."
"I'm not afraid, I'm..."
Gu Qingcheng glanced in the direction of the tram station and said doubtfully: "Siqi, how did you get here?"
Xu Siqi said: "Inspector William happened to be here on business, so I took his car here."
Gu Qingcheng thought for a moment: "William...is that tall, thin foreigner?"
"Yes."
"By the way, I've always wanted to ask you. Other detectives have special cars, and you are also a detective. Why doesn't the patrol office give you a special car?"
"I am Inspector Hua, and there is no precedent for car distribution. Chief Inspector Shi Duhua is communicating with the Ministry of Industry and Industry Bureau, and it is estimated that the approval will be available next month." Xu Siqi explained.
Gu Qingcheng curled his lips: "It's just a car, and it has to be approved next month. It's really troublesome."
Xu Siqi smiled: "That's how the Ministry of Industry and Industry Bureau is. Everything must be voted on. Everything has advantages and disadvantages. Although it seems very popular, it affects work efficiency."
He glanced at the retreating figure of the man, the third child, took out a cigarette, lit one, and said casually: "Qingcheng, what did you say to that man just now?"
"I also said that if you are five minutes late for the date, you should be punished." Gu Qingcheng said coquettishly.
Xu Siqi glanced at his watch, then showed it to Gu Qingcheng, and said with a smile: "It's only four o'clock now, why am I late?"
Gu Qingcheng thought for a while, then covered her mouth and said with a smile: "I understand, that person's watch is five minutes fast, I guess he doesn't know it yet."
"Did you just ask about the time?"
"I forgot to wear my watch, so I had to ask others..."
After buying the tickets, the two entered the park arm in arm.
Looking from a distance, the third child was sitting on a bench by the artificial lake, glancing at his pocket watch from time to time, as if he was waiting for someone.
Xu Siqi took Gu Qingcheng and also came to the artificial lake. He found a bench and sat down, admiring the scenery of the lake and mountains under the warm sun.
The park has a typical European garden style, with flowers, trees, pavilions, mountains and pools, and blond and blue-eyed foreigners everywhere, giving people the feeling of being in a foreign country.
"Siqi, how much do you know about French parks?"
"I knew that there was a rule here back then that Chinese people and dogs were not allowed to enter. This incident caused a storm in the city and almost caused a diplomatic incident."
"Actually, the park regulations strictly prohibit the entry of disheveled Chinese, and bicycles and dogs are not allowed. I don't know how, but it was passed around and changed to "No Chinese and dogs are allowed." Read it separately and read it together. It's completely different.
It means two things."
"So that's it..."
"Because of this incident, the park no longer requires dress code. Anyone can enter the park as long as they buy a ticket."
Xu Siqi shook his head: "Making rigid rules on dress code is itself a kind of discrimination..."
Gu Qingcheng said: "I want to tell you the origin of the park."
"All ears." Xu Siqi said with a smile.
Gu Qingcheng rolled her eyes at him: "Then go and wash your ears first. Don't worry, the water in the lake is very clean."
"No, if I take off my clothes and go into the water, I will definitely be disheveled and easily kicked out by the French." Xu Siqi said pretending to be serious.
Gu Qingcheng covered her mouth and smiled: "You don't need to take off your clothes to wash your ears. I'll hold your feet and you can do it with your head down."
The two chatted and laughed for a while, and Gu Qingcheng continued: "This was originally the back garden of the Gu family's old house. Later, the French built barracks and shooting ranges and paid for the Gu family's old house. Later, it was transformed into a French park.
.”
"It turns out that there is such an allusion. It's really unexpected..."
"Let's go to the front and take a look. When General Xiafei came to Shanghai, he planted a freedom tree there with his own hands."
The two of them got up and walked towards the center of the park. Hua Kezhi, who was dressed in makeup, passed them by.
Xu Siqi thought in his mind that as Hua Kezhi and Lao San, of course they would not come to visit the park, and Lao San had a pocket watch on him, so it seemed more like he had an operational mission.
…
"Siqi, what time is it?"
"Five twenty."
"They've decided to go at six o'clock, so we'd better go earlier."
"good."
Ten minutes later, the two took a rickshaw and arrived near Lao Xia Teahouse.
Gu Qingcheng got out of the car, looked around, turned back to the driver and said, "Excuse me, where is No. 13 Xue Huali Road?"
The coachman pointed and said, "That's the big house opposite."
"Thanks."
Gu Qingcheng thought for a while, stood opposite Xu Siqi with her hands behind her back, and said, "Siqi, am I still decent in my current appearance?"
Xu Siqi took a step back, looked up and down seriously, and said seriously: "Miss Gu's current appearance is enough for her to attend the enthronement ceremony."
"The longer I know you, the more glib and glib you become." Gu Qingcheng pretended to complain, but in her heart she felt very relieved.
Who doesn't want his image to be perfect in the eyes of his sweetheart and evil people?
Xu Siqi glanced at him, and a familiar figure fell into his eyes. Qiao Zhendong was sitting at a street food stall, slowly eating Yangchun noodles.
How did he get here?
Just when he was feeling confused, Hua Kezhi and Lao San also appeared. Lao San was flipping through magazines in front of the newsstand, and Hua Kezhi entered Lao Xia Tea House opposite.
Beep!
A black car drove over and slowly stopped in front of No. 13 Xue Huali Road.
As soon as the car doors on both sides opened, two well-dressed men got out of the car. They exchanged a few words in low voices and walked towards the door of Liu Jianming's house.
Gu Qingcheng also saw it and said quickly: "Siqi, it seems that the guests have arrived. Let's go in too."
Xu Siqi took Gu Qingcheng's hand and said, "Wait a moment, I'm going to buy a pack of cigarettes."