Chapter 32: The Orchid on the Windowsill

Chapter 32: The Orchid on the Windowsill

Song Fuguo assigned Cheng Qianfan a task: secretly investigate Yingzuo Eiichi’s whereabouts.

The police station was the official authority of the French Concession, making it much more convenient to get things done, and providing ample reasons that would not arouse suspicion.

Every constable had their own intelligence channels behind them, and Song Fuguo believed Cheng Qianfan was no exception.

As he took his leave, Cheng Qianfan handed the bread to Tao Weiran.

“Brother Tao, I came in a hurry and didn’t have time to buy a gift for my niece. Take this back and let her have a taste.”

Tao Weiran glanced at it and said in surprise, “A square loaf from Kiessling Café. The little girl has mentioned it several times.”

He happily patted Cheng Qianfan on the shoulder.

“Very thoughtful of you.”

Cheng Qianfan smiled.

It was a square German-style loaf, with a remarkably thick and crisp crust and a slightly moist center, a premium bread among ordinary loaves.

The shop assistant had said that children liked it best and that it was delicious even without butter.

Looking down from the second-floor window, they watched Cheng Qianfan holding a black umbrella as he gradually disappeared into the distance.

Song Fuguo glanced at Xiao Tao, who seemed hesitant to speak, and said irritably, “If you have something to say, then say it.”

“Team Leader, what’s the story with Cheng Qianfan’s parents? I’ve never heard you mention it.”

“Mr. Cheng Wenzao and Ms. Su Zhifu, those two were Cheng Qianfan’s parents and members of our Party.”

Song Fuguo spoke in a subdued tone.

“In the fifteenth year of the Republic, when the Northern Expedition had just begun, the two secretly promoted the expedition in Shanghai and were unfortunately captured and killed by troops under Sun Chuanfang.”

Xiao Tao suddenly understood.

With a background like that, it was no wonder the team leader had decided at the last moment to appear in person today.

“I’ve heard that after Shanghai was recovered, the Party branch of Jiangshan County in Quzhou held a memorial service for the two of them, and even the Principal sent a memorial couplet.”

Song Fuguo spoke slowly.

Xiao Tao was shocked.

“How is that possible?”

“The Cheng family was a scholarly household in Jiangshan County of Quzhou Prefecture and was highly respected locally.”

Song Fuguo glanced at Xiao Tao.

“Have you forgotten where Quzhou is?”

Quzhou Prefecture was in Zhejiang.

Xiao Tao understood.

“Team Leader, Cheng Qianfan is from Jiangshan County, so doesn’t that mean he and the Director...”

Xiao Tao drew the inference immediately.

“Now you understand?”

Song Fuguo chuckled.

“Don’t be fooled by the fact that Cheng Qianfan only joined the Special Service Office today. The boy is talented and he’s from Jiangshan. As long as he doesn’t make mistakes himself, you’ll never catch up to his future achievements no matter how hard you try.”

“Uncle, I’m not that bad either.”

Xiao Tao said with a laugh, pointing at the bread.

“I just didn’t expect Qianfan to remember my little girl.”

Song Fuguo was not his distant cousin-uncle.

He was his actual uncle.

“He’s thoughtful and understands how things work.”

Song Fuguo nodded.

“We can’t come to this restaurant again for the time being.”

Song Fuguo suddenly said.

“Team Leader, do you suspect Cheng Qianfan?”

“It’s not exactly suspicion.”

Song Fuguo’s expression became serious.

“Remember this, Xiao Tao. In our line of work, a person’s heart is hidden behind their belly. Being careful never hurts.”

“Yes.”

Song Fuguo had not lied to Cheng Qianfan.

The restaurant was indeed operated by the Special Service Office.

However, from the owner to the chef to the waiters, all of them were ordinary people with no connection whatsoever to the Special Service Office.

He had naturally made preparations before choosing this place to meet Cheng Qianfan.

If anything happened to the restaurant, it would serve as a warning.

After leaving the restaurant, Cheng Qianfan did not hire a rickshaw.

Holding his umbrella, he strolled through the bustling streets.

Raindrops fell upon the black umbrella, making a steady pattering sound like the ticking of a clock.

Song Fuguo’s mention of his parents, on such a special day as his mother’s birthday, once again shrouded the young man’s heart in sorrow.

Long-buried memories flooded through his mind and ultimately became deep longing for his parents.

When Cheng Wenzao and Su Zhifu were killed, it was still the period of cooperation between the Nationalists and the Communists.

The two had worked under the public identities of teachers at Meixi Primary School.

Even when they died, they died as Nationalist Party members, never exposing their secret identities as Communist Party members.

After his parents’ deaths, Comrade Farmer, entrusted by Comrade Xiangwu, temporarily placed the then eleven-year-old Cheng Qianfan in the orphanage of Saint Peter’s Church.

After Comrade Farmer left Shanghai, Comrade Zhulin, who secretly looked after him, arranged for someone to send him back to his grandfather in his ancestral home in Jiangshan, where he stayed for a period of time.

The faces and smiles of his parents, Comrade Zhulin, Aunt Luo Huijun, Old Liao, and the others flashed through his mind like scenes from a film.

The wind picked up.

Cheng Qianfan adjusted the scarf around his neck to keep himself warmer.

His pace quickened.

Never before had he so desperately wanted to return home.

Even though the house stood empty with only himself inside, it was still his home, the place that held his happiest childhood memories.

Cheng Qianfan returned to his home in Yande Lane.

He cooked a pot of spring bamboo shoot noodles, the noodles his father always personally prepared whenever his mother celebrated her birthday.

On the round table he arranged three bowls of noodles and three sets of chopsticks and bowls.

He then brought out a plate of fermented edamame beans from the kitchen.

This had been Cheng Wenzao’s favorite dish to accompany wine.

He poured a cup of wine.

Cheng Wenzao was never a heavy drinker; a light drink was enough.

He fetched a small dish of shrimp roe chili sauce.

This was Su Zhifu’s favorite addition to noodles.

Using a spoon, he scooped out a generous portion and placed it into the bowl decorated with lotus flowers.

Carefully, he transferred two fried eggs from his parents’ bowls into his own.

Muttering “Thank you, Dad and Mom,” he took a bite.

After eating a couple of mouthfuls of the eggs, Cheng Qianfan raised his head and smiled.

“Mom, I forgot to say it. Happy birthday.”

“Dad, when I grow up, I’ll drink with you.”

Everything felt just like ten years ago, the last time the entire family had celebrated his mother’s birthday in his memory.

Cheng Qianfan ate the noodles in large mouthfuls.

The tears could no longer be held back and fell into the bowl.

The next morning.

A rare sunny day.

The residents of Yande Lane busied themselves with washing and drying clothes.

The alley, quiet throughout the night, was now filled with the atmosphere of everyday life.

Cheng Qianfan pushed open the window.

He lowered a basket tied to a rope, with money already placed inside.

“Liu Ada, one bowl of wontons.”

“Right away, Officer Cheng. Good morning.”

Cheng Qianfan glanced at the bowl.

There were fifteen wontons inside, two more than what other customers received.

This was the treatment afforded to Constable Cheng Qianfan at Liu Ada’s stall.

After finishing the wontons, he lowered the empty bowl back down in the basket.

Then he heard Granny Ma arguing with Liu Ada again, claiming the wontons had been overcooked and demanding an extra bowl of wonton soup as compensation.

After carefully inspecting and cleaning his Browning service pistol, Cheng Qianfan changed into his police uniform.

He pushed open the window and placed a pot of orchids on the windowsill.

To prevent the flowerpot from falling, he deliberately tied a red cloth strip horizontally around it in a secure knot.

After checking again to ensure it would not fall, he closed and latched the window.

This was both a signal to the Organization that he was safe and a request for the Organization to contact him.

He had lost contact with the Organization and could only send a signal in this manner.

It was a clumsy method.

Perhaps the Organization would contact him tomorrow.

Perhaps no one would contact him for six months or even a year.

“Brother Fan, save me!”

Cheng Qianfan pressed down skillfully.

Amid the half-grown boy’s screams, Cheng Qianfan left Yande Lane.

The Central Police Station would probably be quite lively today.

At the same time, Fan Laosan, the owner of the Sanweiheng restaurant on Route Père Robert, was worrying.

The previous night, one of his waiters, Lai Xiaowu, had gotten into a conflict with a drunken street thug and had been beaten until his face was bruised and swollen.

Fan Laosan had gone to see him.

There was no chance the man would be able to return to work within three to five days.

This gave Fan Laosan a headache.

His establishment had only two employees, Lai Xiaowu and Limping Luo.

The two took turns serving tables and delivering takeout orders.

Now that Lai Xiaowu was injured and needed three to five days of rest, it wasn’t worth hiring someone else for such a short period.

Most importantly, he hated spending what he considered “wasted money.”