War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1767: Serenade, Coffee, and Gunfire

At the hotel entrance, Wei Ran came to his senses and subconsciously looked around.

Is this the Shanghai Stock Exchange? Which year is this Shanghai Stock Exchange?

Wei Ran took a deep breath to calm down, and looked at his clothes slowly.

He seriously suspected that Metal Book was being lazy, and he was still wearing the same brown flannel suit, gray trench coat, and brown cowhide country boots that the French tailor Vanessa wore when she fled to England.

In addition, he not only wore the top hat, scarf and sheepskin gloves he had worn before, but also a gold watch chain was hanging out of his coat pocket.

Pulling the watch chain to take it out of his pocket, Wei Ran burst out laughing. This was a metal replica of the gold-cased hunting watch used by the queen.

Not only that, there was also a key in the pocket with a small tag hanging on it, with "Kinmen Hotel" written on one side and "Room 502" written on the other side.

After opening the lid of the pocket watch and taking a look at it, Wei Ran put it and the key back into his pocket. It was now 4:30 in the afternoon, which was the time to start the nightlife in this era.

It was not until this time that he had time to look down at the retro brown leather suitcase at his feet. It was still filled with the stuff in the metal notebook, and there was a copy of "Continental News" pinned on the handle.

I opened the newspaper and saw that it was published on January 1941, 1. One of the news items was about a Japanese soldier named Takahashi Katsuharu who was shot and injured in Jiangwan.

After rolling up the newspaper and putting it back on the handle of the suitcase, Wei Ran finally felt in his pocket and unexpectedly took out a not-so-big wallet.

The wallet contained a few silver dollars, a stack of French currency and a document.

There was silver dollars and legal tender, of course, but the document was actually a Japanese passport with his own photo on it and a name that could attract attention, "Ryunosuke Matsui," written next to it.

So this is who I am now?

Wei Ran was thinking secretly while putting the documents back into his wallet, and at the same time he was wondering why that living dad started to fool around this time?

According to their previous tradition of loving father and filial son, shouldn't he be given a new role after Bai Guang?

Putting aside these doubts, Wei Ran finally picked up the suitcase at his feet and walked into the Golden Gate Hotel.

"Hello sir, may I ask you?"

Before the doorman, who had been staring at him, finished speaking, Wei Ran handed the box he was carrying to the other party and said in Japanese in a blank expression, "Go to the fifth floor."

Without waiting for the doorman to say anything, he took out the key again and shook the tag hanging on it.

"Please come with me"

The doorman became much more respectful after discovering that Wei Ran was a "devil". After seeing the key, he immediately and politely took him into the hotel elevator and helped press the button for the 5th floor.

Wei Ran walked to the door of Room 502 with an arrogant look as if he had a dick on his forehead. He opened the door with his key, then took the suitcase handed to him by the doorman, got in, and closed the door with a "bang".

"Your mother's dog."

The doorman muttered something in a voice that only he could hear, then turned and walked towards the elevator not far away.

Inside the room, Wei Ran took a quick look around the room. Seeing that there was no one else there, he immediately took out everything he could from the metal book and checked them one by one.

Fortunately, all three pistols were loaded with bullets, and the Rollei twin-lens reflex camera was loaded with film.

After trying to put the suitcase into the metal book without success, Wei Ran immediately opened the three locks of the suitcase.

Inside was a complete set of clothes, including the Zhongshan suit and tweed windbreaker that my cousin Meixiang from Xuqing Bookstore had prepared for me, as well as three small gold bars and a dozen silver dollars.

All in all, except for the umbrella fixed on the outside of the box, the flashlight, the bottle of brandy and the magazine of the PPK pistol, the contents of the box were intact, not even a pair of pants were missing.

But why should I live here as a Japanese soldier?

Wei Ran couldn't help but fall into confusion. He knew that he would definitely meet Clement and Armani here, but where were they? Or how should he find them? Should he just wait here?

I also promised Yu Yanlin that I would help him build a Jingguan by the Huangpu River. I don't know if I will have the chance.

While Wei Ran was thinking, he walked to the window, looked out, and then pulled the heavy curtains.

After turning on the light and checking the room again, Wei Ran found a flyer under the pillow at the head of the bed.

"The eighth floor cafe opened for business, and we have hired Italian barista Mr. Colemin and French pianist Ms. Emmanuel. Colemin? Emmanuel? Clement and Armani?!"

Who gave them this Chinese name? Are you really not going to deduct money for the homophonic pun?

Wei Ran muttered to himself, but in fact he just wanted to relieve his excitement or anxiety.

Putting the flyer under the pillow again, Wei Ran took off his windbreaker and top hat and hung them on the hanger. Then he put on the pair of Oxford boots in the suitcase, lifted the curtains and wiped them carefully, then carefully adjusted his collar, tie and even the gold-cased hunting pocket watch.

Finally, he hid the gold bars and silver dollars in the suitcase in the gap under the wardrobe. Wei Ran washed his hands carefully, then took the room key and left the room. He clipped an inconspicuous thread pulled from the towel on the door lock, put on his arrogant look again, and took the elevator to the eighth floor of the hotel.

Without even looking for it, he spotted the coffee shop not far away, and also noticed Armani playing the piano in the lobby on this floor.

At this time, Armani was wearing a beautiful dress and light makeup, and she was playing a Schubert serenade.

Back in the trenches of the International Brigade, it's time to join the battle again.

Wei Ran sighed silently, and walked to the piano with a normal look. He handed over a few French francs and said in French, "Beautiful lady, please change to Haydn's serenade. At least that one is not so sad."

When Amani saw Wei Ran, a look of surprise and astonishment appeared on her beautiful face for a moment.

But soon, she suppressed her emotions, glanced at the house number on the key that Wei Ran seemed to accidentally reveal in his hand, and then said reservedly, "Okay sir, I will play Haydn's serenade for you right away."

"Thank you"

Wei Ran bowed slightly in a pretentious manner, then walked into the cafe and sat down in a secluded spot not far from the bar.

"Sir, what would you like to drink?" a waitress came over and asked respectfully.

"Give me a cup of Italian coffee," Wei Ran continued in French.

A trace of confusion suddenly appeared on the waitress's face. Fortunately, when Wei Ran asked Armani to "order a song" before entering the door, Clement who was standing at the bar had already noticed him.

At this time, the waiter did not understand French, so Clermont immediately had an excuse to come over and "entertain the guests."

"Sir, what would you like to order?" Clement, who was wearing a tuxedo, asked with a slight bow as he took the menu.

"One espresso"

Wei Ran smiled and asked in Spanish, which sounded not much different from French, "No one here should understand Spanish, right?"

"Of course not. Even the number of people who can speak French is very small."

Clemont replied respectfully in Spanish, "We finally meet again. What brings you here?"

"For your freedom and ours."

Wei Ran smiled and said, "My current identity is a nuclear recruiter, what about you? Why are you here?"

"This place just opened not long ago. We are here to fight," Clemont said, "for your freedom and ours."

"When can we meet?" Wei Ran asked a new question.

"Amani and I live on the fifth floor," Clement said as he wrote on the menu, "Room 505."

"I'm at No. 502," Wei Ran said, "opposite you."

"How's the evening?" Clemont asked. "We probably won't be back until around 9."

"Will there be trench coffee?"

"Of course," Clemont said, bowing slightly, then turned and walked towards the bar.

After a brief communication and wait, the waiter brought him a small cup of espresso and a piece of brownie.

Picking up the small coffee cup and taking a sip, Wei Ran smiled at Clement at the bar. Then, like a normal man with lustful desires, he fixed his obsessed eyes on Armani who was playing the piano not far away, and enjoyed the Haydn's serenade he had requested with peace of mind.

At the same time, he was also keeping an eye on the guests in this upscale cafe.

This was the most prosperous city in China during the Republic of China, even if it was an abnormal prosperity. Naturally, peddlers and hawkers would not come to such a place to consume, and they might not even have a chance to pass the first-floor doorman.

Foreigners, wealthy businessmen, traitors, the recruiters who walked and bowed like puppets, and even the rich ladies who accompanied the above people, these were the customers of this cafe.

They are all high-value targets.

Although Wei Ran didn't know why Clement came here to be a barista, he couldn't help but wonder how big a trouble it would cause in this metropolis if he killed all the customers in the cafe.

Unfortunately, although the idea was good, the current situation was unclear. Even though he had already set his eyes on the big tumors on the shoulders of several Japanese soldiers, he could only pretend to be indifferent and look away, continuing to taste his coffee and enjoy the piano music played by Armani.

After sitting here for more than half an hour at a leisurely pace, Wei Ran took out a few French francs and put them under the coffee cup. He ignored the enthusiastic farewells of Clement and the waitresses and walked out of the cafe.

He took the elevator back to the fifth floor alone. While taking out his key, he glanced at the thread still stuck in the door. Then he looked around before unlocking the door and walking in.

After checking the room again, Wei Ran took out his pocket watch and looked at the time. It was not yet five o'clock in the afternoon and there were still four hours until the agreed time, which was enough time for him to go out for a walk.

"At least we have to go to the Huangpu River and visit Yanlin's home."

Wei Ran muttered to himself for a while, then put on his windbreaker and top hat, locked the door again, set up a "access control", and left the hotel alone.

There was not much difference between Shanghai and Tianjin at that time, so it was natural for him to adapt to it.

After looking around and getting on a rickshaw, Wei Ran said, "The Bund."

Hearing this, the driver responded and started running briskly with the rickshaw.

It was the middle of winter, and the sky was already much darker than just now. Naturally, the night view of the city was far less prosperous than it would be in later generations.

Looking coldly at everything around him, at the thin, tattered shoes on the driver's feet and the tattered clothes with cotton showing through them, Wei Ran sighed secretly. Even though he came from the future, it was hard for him to imagine.

How much suffering, effort and even sacrifice did it take to transform this deformed city full of foreign privileges, Indian police bullying the indigenous people, and refugees begging and selling their children into the prosperous and clean Magic City of later generations? How much suffering, effort and even sacrifice did it take to transform this deformed city full of foreign privileges, Indian police bullying the indigenous people, and refugees begging and selling their children?

"Sir, we're at the Bund. Which way are we going?"

Just as he was distracted, the driver with a northern accent slowly stopped and spoke breathlessly.

"Here, wait for me."

As Wei Ran spoke, he generously handed the other party a silver dollar and a French franc. This was an absolutely high price, so high that the driver reacted very quickly before he took off his shoes, thanking him profusely, and hid the silver dollar and the French franc in his two cotton shoes respectively.

Facing the cold wind blowing in his face and looking at the river water reflecting spots of light, Wei Ran looked around for his target.

Finally, he gave up helplessly, got back on the rickshaw and said, "Let's go to Xiafeifang."

"Please sit tight!"

The rickshaw driver, who looked to be around 30 years old, became much more enthusiastic. After Wei Ran sat down, he even took the initiative to help him raise the shed, and then he started pulling the rickshaw again.

This section of the road is much longer than the previous one, and as we get further away from the Bund, the sky becomes darker and darker, and even the street lights are not as bright as those behind us.

When the driver stopped panting again, Wei Ran stepped down from the rickshaw and asked, "Where is Xiafeifang?"

"Over there, over there." The rickshaw driver raised his hand and pointed in a direction. "Sir, do you want me to wait for you here?"

"Wait if you want"

Wei Ran said as he walked over. Before the white light, although he did not open Yu Yanlin's letter, he wrote down the address which was still clear.

He walked and asked along the alley filled with the aroma of food, and when he finally stopped, he could see a burned-down building.

"Little brother, are you here to look for the Yu family as well?"

Just as he was staring at the deserted, dilapidated building, a woman who looked to be around forty years old from across the alley asked.

"yes"

Wei Ran came back to his senses and asked politely, "Where are his family members?"

"Alas! They are gone, all gone." The woman sighed, "Some died, some escaped, they disappeared several years ago."

"Has anyone else looked for their family?" Wei Ran continued to ask.

"Who are the relatives in Nongdayila's room?" The woman asked with a little caution, which Wei Ran did not quite understand.

"I am Yu."

"boom!"

Before Wei Ran could finish his sentence, a gunshot was suddenly heard in the distance!

"Bang!"

Across the alley, the woman also reacted quickly and hid inside the door and closed it.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Immediately afterwards, three more gunshots were heard in the distance.

After taking a last look at the dilapidated building, Wei Ran quickly ran towards the direction where the gunshots came from. At the same time, he also heard the sound of police whistles.

Before he ran out of the alley, he noticed that a car had knocked down a lamppost on the street outside. Through the wide open car door, he could vaguely see the bodies of a man and a woman who seemed to be wearing kimonos, as well as a body lying on the steering wheel and twitching.

Not only that, he also saw a man riding a bicycle with one hand rushing into the alley.

"Get out of the way, get out of the way quickly!" the man said immediately when he saw Wei Ran running towards him.

"Get down!"

Wei Ran said suddenly, and at the same time, a box gun appeared in his hand.

Seeing this, the man on the cyclist subconsciously wanted to raise the gun in the hand that was holding the handlebars, but unfortunately, his bike just hit a pothole and he fell to the ground with a scream.

"Da da da!"

Almost at the same time he fell, Wei Ran had already pulled the trigger while walking towards the Baotou guys who were blowing whistles and chasing after him.

Wei Ran didn't know whether the gun or the baton was faster within ten steps, but at least the other party died quickly, and those who didn't die ran quickly too.

Walking all the way to the entrance of the alley, Wei Ran aimed at the still fleeing policemen and continued to pull the trigger, knocking them all to the ground. Then he turned back and helped up the person who seemed to be injured.

"Where are you injured?" Wei Ran asked in a low voice.

"Who are you?" the man in black suit asked warily.

"I'm just passing by. How can I help you?" Wei Ran continued to ask.

"Run quickly, the devils will be here soon."

After he finished speaking, the man picked up his bicycle again, stepped on it, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Seeing this, Wei Ran shook his head helplessly, turned around and ran to the other end of the alley, returning to the place where he got off the bus.

Unfortunately, I don’t know if it was because of the gunshot just now, but the rickshaw driver had disappeared.

“I don’t know who was killed,” Wei Ran muttered to himself, and walked towards the direction he came from without haste.

Soon, a team of armed police officers ran over from a distance and noticed him.

Fortunately, the ID card in his wallet helped him dispel his suspicion. After noticing that he was a Japanese soldier, they even immediately arranged for a rickshaw to take him back to the hotel.

Coincidentally, the rickshaw that was found for him was the same one that had just brought him here.