Chapter 38: Going to Hangzhou

Chapter 38: Going to Hangzhou

“Kouji, tell me what you think.”

“He acted decisively.”

“Hmm...”

Yingzuo Eiichi waited for a few seconds and glanced at Kouji.

“That’s all?”

“Yes, Yingzuo-kun.”

Kouji nodded.

“Aside from Cheng Qianfan’s decisiveness in striking first, which was done quite well, everything else he did was, in my view, unbelievably foolish.”

“Oh?”

“The White Russians we hired were even more foolish than Cheng Qianfan.”

Kouji shook his head, revealing a look of arrogance.

“Any ordinary soldier of the Empire could have killed a greenhorn like Cheng Qianfan.”

“Those White Russians were merely gang members. How could they possibly be compared with the Empire’s loyal and courageous soldiers?”

Yingzuo Eiichi nodded.

He took a few steps, looked at Kouji, and continued.

“You’re right. From our perspective, Cheng Qianfan’s performance contained many foolish mistakes. However, don’t you think that for an ordinary constable, such a performance is already worthy of being called outstanding?”

“That... is true. I failed to consider that.”

Kouji lowered his head in apology.

“Viewed as an ordinary person, Cheng Qianfan is indeed impressive, it’s just...”

“Just what?”

“Yingzuo-kun, we failed to kill Cheng Qianfan this time. We’ve already alerted him. It won’t be easy to make another move against him in the near future.”

“Who said I wanted to kill Cheng?”

A look of surprise appeared on Yingzuo Eiichi’s face.

“Cheng has always been friendly toward the Empire. The Great Japanese Empire welcomes talented friends like him. How can one go around killing one’s friends?”

“But...”

Seeing the amused look in Yingzuo Eiichi’s eyes, Kouji immediately changed his words.

“Yes, Yingzuo-kun. You’re right. My thinking was too shallow.”

“Soviet Russians openly attacked a constable inside the French Concession. The Soviet Russians’ despicable and foolish actions are a trampling of peace. Since love of peace has always been the Empire’s guiding principle, shouldn’t our media express support for our French friends?”

Yingzuo Eiichi paused and chuckled.

“Our two White Russian friends have always deeply missed their homeland. As their friends, shouldn’t we help fulfill their wishes?”

“Understood.”

Yingzuo Eiichi waved a hand.

Kouji immediately bowed and departed.

“Cheng.”

Yingzuo Eiichi gritted his teeth, forcing a strange smile onto his face.

“I truly want to kill you. If I don’t kill you, I feel extremely uncomfortable. Unfortunately, I am a soldier.”

“Yingzuo Eiichi, for the sake of the Empire’s interests, you’ve endured too much and sacrificed too much.”

Taking a sip of wine, Yingzuo Eiichi shook his head and sighed.

“Everything for the Empire!”

His expression suddenly became solemn as he let out a harsh, bizarre laugh.

The laughter stopped abruptly.

Silence returned.

Yingzuo Eiichi twisted his neck.

Crack.

Expressionless, he walked to the window, pushed it open, and extended a hand outside, feeling the cold rain on his skin.

Then he frowned and withdrew his hand.

He hated Shanghai’s rainy weather.

“I truly miss the snows of Manchuria.”

He had spent less than two years in Manchuria, yet he had already grown fond of it.

Perhaps when the Empire completely occupied Shanghai, he would come to like Shanghai’s rainy days as well.

The fear brought by the morning’s gunfight had not yet faded from people’s minds, yet Yande Lane stubbornly returned to its usual liveliness.

The voices of neighbors chatting in the alley.

The sulfur smell from poorly burning coal briquettes.

The sound of Granny Ma and Zhao Laonian arguing.

Every sound reached his ears.

Knock, knock.

A second-floor window was tapped.

Cheng Qianfan pushed it open and saw a small bowl of sugar-fried beans placed on the windowsill.

Glancing into the distance, he caught sight of the half-grown boy’s monkey-like figure nimbly vaulting across the rooftops.

A warm smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

About ten minutes later, hearing movement at the door, Cheng Qianfan opened it.

“Hey, why doesn’t my house have any?”

Cheng Qianfan pointed at the bundle of willow branches in the boy’s hands and asked.

“Hmph.”

The boy snorted.

“Every time Dad beats me, Brother Fan never helps me. I’m not giving you any.”

“You little brat.”

Seeing Cheng Qianfan come outside, the neighbors wanted to express their concern, yet were also somewhat afraid.

Everyone had heard that Cheng Qianfan had shot someone dead.

Although the dead man had been an attacking gunman, for ordinary people, killing someone was still a tremendously serious matter.

Finally, Granny Ma called a temporary truce with Zhao Laonian and became the first to bravely come over and ask after him.

When she heard Cheng Qianfan say that a bullet had nearly struck his face,

Granny Ma jumped exaggeratedly and shouted that it was fortunate Heaven had protected him, otherwise such a handsome young man would have been disfigured.

“Is that the main issue?”

Zhao Laonian shouted.

That remark opened the floodgates.

The old neighbors gradually came over one after another to express their concern.

Seeing that Cheng Qianfan was no different from usual, the cheerful atmosphere in the alley became a little more genuine.

“You brat, put willow branches on my doorway too.”

Before leaving, Cheng Qianfan glared at the boy and swore,

“Next time, I’ll definitely help you.”

Everyone burst into laughter.

They knew Cheng Qianfan was merely teasing the foolish boy.

The boy fell for it every time and never seemed to tire of it.

Walking through the alley, Cheng Qianfan looked at the willow branches hanging above every household’s doorway, and an indescribable feeling welled up in his chest.

Tomorrow would be Qingming.

Just after leaving the alley, Cheng Qianfan spotted Boss Tao cycling past the alley entrance.

His expression changed.

Half an hour later, Cheng Qianfan met Song Fuguo and Boss Tao in a small tavern.

“Team Leader, why are you looking for me at a time like this?”

Cheng Qianfan asked quietly.

“What happened?”

Seeing Cheng Qianfan’s serious expression, Song Fuguo immediately asked.

Using concise and straightforward language, Cheng Qianfan recounted the ambush that morning.

“What? You were ambushed by Soviet Russians?”

Song Fuguo was shocked.

However, confusion quickly appeared on his face.

“That doesn’t make sense. Why would Soviet Russians target you?”

“I find it baffling too.”

Cheng Qianfan frowned.

“The police station did arrest a Soviet Russian spy. However, that operation involved constables seconded from the Political Department. I wasn’t among them.”

He paused and shook his head.

“If the Communist Party Special Branch wanted to kill me, that would at least be understandable. After all, I’ve personally arrested Communists before. But Soviet Russians targeting me, I genuinely can’t make sense of it.”

“I’ll investigate the matter.”

Song Fuguo said gravely.

He glanced at Cheng Qianfan and added with concern,

“If I hadn’t seen with my own eyes that you were unharmed, and had learned the news from elsewhere instead, I would have been beside myself with worry.”

“Thank you for your concern, Team Leader.”

A faint smile appeared on Cheng Qianfan’s face.

“There is indeed a reason I summoned you here.”

Song Fuguo’s expression became serious.

“Please give your orders, Team Leader.”

Cheng Qianfan straightened his posture.

“In service to the nation, command me as you wish. I will obey without hesitation.”

“Very good.”

Song Fuguo nodded in satisfaction.

“The Organization needs to establish a file on you. Write a personal statement.”

As he spoke, Song Fuguo wore a smile.

Hidden beneath that smile, however, his eyes remained fixed firmly on Cheng Qianfan’s face.

“All right.”

Cheng Qianfan nodded without the slightest hesitation.

“I can hand it to you tonight.”

“No rush.”

Still smiling, Song Fuguo waved his hand.

“Don’t give it to me. In fact, don’t write it now. Write it after you arrive in Hangzhou and submit it personally to the Organization.”

“Go to Hangzhou?”

A look of astonishment appeared on Cheng Qianfan’s face.