War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1776: Questions and Answers on the Suicide Note

"On a personal note, I am very grateful for your generosity."

Wei Ran said apologetically to the wrestler Miguel, "But I think you should talk to Mrs. Hanika about this matter. At this moment, I am at most a postman, and I have no right to help them make such a decision."

"Of course, as long as you don't mind."

Miguel said through the beautiful translator, "I will find a chance to have a good talk with Mrs. Hanika."

Before Wei Ran could say anything, Hanika had already hung up the phone. "Comrade Wei Ran, my mother is very happy to hear the news. She will be here soon. She wants to see the flag. She will also bring a suicide note."

"Suicide note?"

Wei Ran was stunned for a moment, "Whose suicide note is this?"

"Comrade Amani"

Hanica said very formally, "Mrs. Armani Domingo, the wife of Comrade Clement Domingo, and also his revolutionary partner, the suicide note of the internationalist fighter Comrade Armani Domingo."

Her suicide note?

Reacting, Wei Ran quickly said, "I am very honored to have the opportunity to advance this matter."

“We will go to China.”

Hanika sat down again, took a sip of the tea that Wei Ran had just made for her, and said, "Before that, you can take Comrade Yu Yanlin's ashes back with you."

After saying that, Hanika raised the cup and looked at the tea leaves floating in it. "Chinese tea is very delicious. I remember my father said that those great warriors once agreed that after the war, they would drink coffee and pasta together, and also drink Chinese tea together."

"So is there any meaning?"

Wei Ran asked abruptly, bluntly and matter-of-factly, "It took us almost 15 hours to get here, Mrs. Hanika, can we have some delicious pasta?"

"Yes! Of course I can!"

Mrs. Hanika smiled happily and said, "Don't worry, even though this is Barcelona, ​​I will let you eat the most authentic pasta."

“Maybe we’ll leave after we finish our pasta.”

Wei Ran apologized and said in advance, "I want to bring Comrade Yu Yanlin back to China as soon as possible."

"It doesn't matter. I believe we will meet again."

Mrs. Hanika, who had just sat down, stood up confidently and left the cafe alone. "I'll go prepare pasta for you now."

"Are you Mr. Victor?"

It was only then that the young man named Clermont came up and asked in French, "The historian who holds the United States and the pink lace panties that are torn by the chair?"

"If those two pairs of pink lace panties are covered with shit and urine," Wei Ran said with a self-deprecating smile, "then it should be me."

"Mr. Victor, how did you find this place?"

Clemont asked curiously, "Also, are those beautiful girls really your girlfriends?"

"It's a secret," Wei Ran said with a smile, "Both questions are secrets."

“I knew this would be the answer.”

Clemont was not surprised at all, and said, "Mr. Victor, can you teach me how to find so many girlfriends at the same time?"

"You want it too?" Wei Ran asked with a smile.

"Of course, of course!"

Clemont said as a matter of course, "If you are willing to teach me, I would like to introduce my sister to you. Ouch!"

He had hardly finished his foolish words when the lazy girl named Armani had picked up a silver bean measuring spoon and hit him on the forehead.

"If you say one more letter of stupidity, I'll put you in a grinder and spin you around all day." Armani taught Clemont a lesson by hitting him on the head with a spoon.

"How old are you two this year?" Wei Ran asked curiously.

"19 years old"

Armani threw the measuring spoon into the sink and leaned back on the bar, turning the hand-cranked coffee grinder intermittently while saying, "Also, don't try to hit on me."

"My good reputation is completely ruined," Wei Ran muttered helplessly.

"hey-hey"

Sui Sui, who had just been listening to the translation and watching the fun, just smiled smugly. At least 80% of Wei Ran's good reputation was thanks to her, and now this scene was what she wanted to see. Isn't it? One less potential competitor.

"Didn't you go to college?" Wei Ran asked a new question curiously.

“The junior college we attended”

Clement, who was rinsing the measuring spoon, explained, "We learned how to brew coffee, which can save a lot of unnecessary tuition fees."

“It really saved a lot of tuition fees.”

Armani, who looked like a cat, yawned and stretched lazily, saying, "But we should at least have one person learn business management."

"I'll send you there when we earn enough money." Clemont promised lovingly. It was obvious that they had a very good relationship as siblings.

"Mr. Victor, are you really willing to invite us to visit China?"

Armani asked a silly question with interest, "You really won't sell us out?"

"No, of course not." Wei Ran gave an affirmative answer with a hint of helplessness.

Before the twin brother and sister Clement and Armani could say anything, the door of the cafe was pushed open, and then an old lady who looked to be around 90 years old hurried in.

"That's our great-grandmother, Comrade Estelle."

Clemont emphasized in a low voice, "She likes people to call her comrade, and she knows French and Italian."

"Comrade Estelle"

Wei Ran got up from the high stool again, took the initiative to greet the other party, and stretched out his hand to shake the other party's hand.

"Are you the postman from China that my Hanika mentioned on the phone?"

Estelle asked, holding Wei Ran's hand tightly, and her old but bright eyes glanced at the silver jar in Wei Ran's arms again and again.

"Yes, it's me."

Wei Ran looked directly at the other person and answered seriously, "Sorry, I'm late."

"It's not too late, not at all."

Estelle pulled Wei Ran to sit down at a nearby coffee table, and snapped her fingers in a chic and clear voice, "Armani, good girl, give me a cup of Italian coffee, no sugar, no milk, and no extra water."

"Okay!" Amani responded with a long tone.

"So, Comrade Postman, what would you like to drink?" Estelle asked with a smile.

Asking the sisters Sui Sui and Ka Jianka to help bring the flag and the notebook, as well as his briefcase and suitcase to the table, Wei Ran opened his not-so-big suitcase and said, "I want a cup of coffee too, with enough sugar, enough milk, and some extra hot water."

"OK--!"

Clemont responded in a funny way, imitating the tone of his beloved sister Armani, and as expected, he was hit on the forehead with the freshly washed bean measuring spoon again.

However, the fight between the brother and sister did not attract Estelle's attention as usual. Her eyes were all on the flag.

“I seem to have seen this flag when I was very young”

Estelle said regretfully, “I was too young at the time, probably only four or five years old or even younger, I only vaguely remember it, and I’m not even sure if my memory is true.

But my husband had seen the flag, and he even took a photo with Comrade Clement and Comrade Amani, as well as my mother Hanika, holding the flag. ”

“I just saw that photo over there.”

As Wei Ran spoke, he had already taken out the Super Ikonta camera that he had taken out of the horsehair bag in advance from the suitcase, "I guess he must have used this camera to take the photo."

"Oh! Where did you find it?!"

Estelle asked in surprise, "I remember this camera! I remember this camera! It was brought to us from China by Aunt Amani in Italy! I remember it was Mr. Clement's camera before!"

"That's right"

Wei Ran gently placed the camera in front of the "little guy who survived" and said, "Keep it. I brought it back."

Hearing this, the elderly Estelle was in a trance for a moment.

Just at this moment, Clemont and Armani, brother and sister, also brought two cups of coffee in silver-skinned hammer-patterned eggshell cups and placed them in front of Estelle and Wei Ran respectively.

Just as they each requested, one cup had no sugar, no milk, and no extra water, while the other cup had enough sugar and milk, and a small amount of hot water was added to it according to American custom.

"Postman, do you need any payment?"

Estelle picked up the camera and asked, "Even if this camera is just an ordinary collectible..."

"certainly"

Wei Ran made a request before the other party finished speaking, "A few authentic pastas that can fill all of our stomachs."

"My Hanika has gone to prepare it for you."

Estelle put the camera aside and confidently said the bold words Hanika had just said, "Although this is Barcelona, ​​you can eat the most authentic pasta." "I am very much looking forward to it"

Wei Ran said as he took a big gulp of the sweet and rich milky coffee in front of him, then took the initiative to start a new topic, "I heard from your daughter, Mrs. Hanika, that you also brought a suicide note."

"That's true. I almost forgot. Sorry, I'm old, and my memory has declined to the point that I'm afraid of it myself."

"But you still remember them," Wei Ran said almost subconsciously.

“How could I forget them?”

As Estelle spoke, she also picked up the cup and drank the coffee in it. Then she took out an A4-sized wooden photo frame from her bag and handed it to Wei Ran. Then she took out her reading glasses, put them on, and looked at the flag seriously.

At the same time, Wei Ran was also looking carefully at the photo frame handed to him by the other party.

There was a piece of paper that looked torn off at random. He was even sure that it was torn from a blank page in the notebook on the table. On the paper, there were lines of neat French handwriting:

Hello comrades who are preparing to bring Comrade Yu Yanlin back to China:

Excuse me, is there still war in China today?

May I ask, have Comrade Yu Yanlin’s dreams come true?

I would like to ask, is there anyone in your land who still remembers the soldiers of the International Brigade?

May I ask, in the cemetery where you plan to bury Comrade Yu Yanlin, can you still find the tombstones of Comrade "Ke Laimin" and Comrade "Huang Youze"?

If it can still be found, please allow Comrade Ke Laimin and I to be buried in the same grave.

If his grave can no longer be found, I ask you to scatter my ashes in the Huangpu River. He lost his life in that river. I guess he must still be waiting for me by the river.

If all of the above are inconvenient, please make a cup of espresso instead, without sugar, without milk, or anything else, and then pour it into the Huangpu River.

In addition, we also want to taste Chinese tea, tea from China without war.

That's all, leave it at that.

At this moment, I am about to set off for hell to supervise those Fasuis being judged in hell, in the name of an international brigade fighter.

“This is her suicide note.”

When Estelle saw Wei Ran put down the photo frame, she asked very seriously, "Postman, can you answer the questions in the suicide note truthfully?"

"certainly"

Wei Ran cleared his throat and answered seriously in French, "There are no more wars in China today, and no one will dare to invade us anymore.

In general, Comrade Yu Yanlin's dreams have come true.

Our land area exceeds 960 million square kilometers and our population exceeds 14 billion.

Some of these people may never have known about the existence of the International Brigades, but there are still a considerable number of them, at least more than the total population of Spain.

They know about the existence of the International Brigade, and they are even more aware of the efforts and sacrifices they have made for world peace.

Finally, in the family cemetery of Comrade Yu Yanlin, the tomb of Comrade Ke Laimin, or Comrade Clement, is still very well protected.

If Comrade Amani wishes to be buried with Comrade Clermont, I will do my best to facilitate this.

And they will prepare espresso without sugar or milk, and tea from China, where there is no war. "

“I am very satisfied with your answer.”

Estelle breathed a sigh of relief, "Comrade Postman, we will take Armani to China as soon as possible."

"Where is she?" Wei Ran couldn't help but ask, even though he knew the answer.

“She was buried in France.”

Estelle gave the expected answer, "She committed suicide. Like she said, she wanted to go to hell."

"I guess she's been working in hell long enough"

Wei Ran smiled and said, "Let's take her back together."

“I don’t know why”

Estelle smiled and said, "I feel like I've seen you before, and I seem to be very familiar with you."

"is it?"

Wei Ran responded with a smile, but his heart was actually beating fast.

"The temperament and demeanor you showed me are very similar to those great internationalist fighters described by my mother, Uncle Domingo, and my husband."

Estelle sighed, "It's exactly the same."

"I am very honored to receive such high praise," Wei Ran said sincerely.

"I am also very grateful that you sent these while I was still alive"

Estelle stroked the flag and notebook on the table, then before opening the notebook, she carefully folded the flag again and handed it to Wei Ran, "Keep it. I believe you can take good care of it."

"I will take good care of this flag," Wei Ran promised seriously. He didn't even ask the other party why they decided to let him keep the flag.

"I believe you"

Estelle smiled and said, "Okay, young postman, give me some time. I want to read this diary carefully."

Before she finished her words, Estelle had already opened the book of memories written by Clemont and Armani.

Seeing this, Wei Ran and Sui Sui looked at each other, then took out his harmonica again and gently played the accompaniment of the Internationale once again. This was the only way he could comfort this belated child, this lonely survivor of the Spanish Civil War.

As the harmonica music played over and over again, Estelle read the contents written in Spanish and French page by page.

Before she could finish reading the diary, her daughter Hanika brought Clement, a young man who had left at some point, and brought enough pasta and two large bottles of wine to everyone - almost the same as before.

After hurriedly finishing this simple meal with authentic taste, Wei Ran decisively chose to say goodbye. He really planned to go back as soon as possible.

"please wait for a moment"

Estelle turned the diary, which she had not yet finished reading, upside down on the table and said, "Hanika, let them take the coffee pot away as well."

“Bring a can of coffee beans with you.”

As Hanika spoke, she walked into the bar and took out the coffee pot that had been used not long ago from the cabinet. Then she took out a long horsehair bag that Wei Ran was very familiar with, put the coffee pot in it, put four eggshell cups in it, and also put a silver hammer-patterned jar full of coffee beans and the grinder of the same style in it.

"Young postman, take it with you."

Estelle said with assurance, "I hope that by the time we rush to Huaxia Shencheng with Aunt Amani's ashes, you will have learned how to use this antique."

"I will learn it as soon as possible," Wei Ran answered seriously.

“We will get there as soon as possible.”

The elderly Estelle took the initiative to hug Wei Ran gently, "Good boy, let's go quickly. I guess that warrior can't wait to go home."

"Before we leave, can we take a photo with you and your family?" Wei Ran made a final request, "Right in front of your cafe."

"Of course," Estelle nodded in agreement.

Upon hearing this, Wei Ran immediately took out his Rollei twin-lens reflex camera under the cover of his suitcase, turned his head to check the weather outside, adjusted the camera, and handed it to the pretty female translator, "Press here to take a photo. By the way, please invite Mr. Miguel to take a photo with us."

"My pleasure"

As the translator spoke, he translated Wei Ran's invitation to Miguel.

The latter would naturally not refuse such a thing, but would take the initiative to stand at the most marginal position.

Soon, under the direction of the female translator, everyone took a long-delayed group photo at the door of the cafe, with the elderly Estelle and Wei Ran holding the urn as the center.

"Well, goodbye, Comrade Estelle." After putting away the camera, Wei Ran picked up the urn again and said seriously.

"Goodbye, Comrade Postman." Estelle said slowly.

After hurriedly bidding farewell to the family in the cafe, Wei Ran and the others had no plan to stay for a day to rest. They took the car driven by Miguel himself to the airport, and with the other party's help, they boarded the fastest flight to China.

"Give your opinion"

Outside the airport, Miguel got into the car and said.

“We really didn’t help.”

The beautiful translator said, "They can communicate without even our translation."

"That's not what I wanted to say," Miguel sighed.

"What do you want to say?" asked the beautiful translator as we drove out of the airport.

"The International Brigades may have lost the battle in Spain"

Miguel smiled thankfully and said, "But their battle in China must have been successful."

"Why do you say that?" The female translator did not hide her curiosity.

"If the International Brigades' battle in Spain is successful"

Miguel pointed to two groups of naked female gang members fighting each other outside the window, "Then there wouldn't be such stupid things happening on the streets of Spain."

"If there is a chance to organize another international tour, would you like to participate?" the beautiful translator made a hypothesis.

"late"

Miguel sighed, "There is no chance. Neither I, the International Brigade, nor Spain and the Spanish people have this chance anymore."