War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1777 Go forward, don't look back

On the flight to China, the four tired people lay in pairs in the expensive first-class cabin.

"That grandma said that you look a lot like an internationalist fighter." Sui Sui let Wei Ran cover her with a blanket and said as she put on a blindfold.

"How can I compare with them?" Wei Ran said gently.

"If the world needs to organize another international brigade, will you participate?" Sui Sui suddenly took off the blindfold she had just put on and asked.

"Would you like to hear the truth?" Wei Ran asked after a moment's silence.

"Of course," said Sui Sui.

"No," Wei Ran, who also lay down, held the other person in his arms and replied, "I won't participate."

"Why?" asked Sui Sui.

"It's enough to do romantic things only once," Wei Ran replied vaguely, "I'm a selfish person, I'm not that great, and I don't want my adopted daughter-in-law to wait for me all her life."

"Who is your adopted daughter-in-law?"

Sui Sui glared at Wei Ran, then put on the eye mask happily, "Then I feel relieved."

"What about you? Will you participate?" Wei Ran asked the girl in his arms.

“I won’t participate either.”

Sui Sui said proudly and confidently, "I can't do anything at the front line, but I can definitely help them in other ways."

"For example?" Wei Ran asked with interest.

"I don't know either"

Sui Sui leaned into Wei Ran's arms and muttered incoherently, "But I'm a businessman, and businessmen don't consider the bottom line when they decide to go all in.

In other words, when businessmen decide to go all in, they will only consider the most unscrupulous approach.

The best example is the late Mr. Dominic, who offered $5000 in exchange for a black brother’s criminal certificate, which was considered a very gentle method.”

Before Wei Ran could say anything else, Sui Sui had already fallen asleep peacefully in his arms.

"If the world needs to organize another international brigade, will we participate?" In another group of cabins not far away, Anfia, who was half lying down, whispered almost the same question.

"We won't" Anfisa replied without a second thought as she put on her blindfold.

"Why?" Anfia asked subconsciously.

"Why else?"

Anfisa replied as a matter of course, "We are sharp swords in the dark. The boss won't be stupid enough to let us fight in the sun. So give up. We won't join the International Brigade, and the boss won't either."

"Go to sleep," Anfia said, "I'll wake you up in four hours."

"Thank you," Anfisa said, and fell asleep hugging her pillow with peace of mind.

After a long and tiring flight, Wei Ran and others finally returned to Shencheng again.

As the four of them walked out of the airport entrance, they saw Teacher Ge and some people holding cameras from afar. Of course, they also saw Xia Shushi and Qin Qi standing behind them.

Not only them, but also Mr. Yu Guangfu, his son Yu Jinjiang, and even a lady who looked quite exotic standing next to Yu Jinjiang came here to pick them up.

Next to the two people who seemed to be a couple, there stood a man in a suit and tie, who looked to be about thirty years old, a woman holding his arm, and even a little boy.

It is obvious that all members of the Yu family should have been out, and the proof that they are a family is undoubtedly the white flowers on their chests and the black veils on their arms.

"Mr. Yu, I have accomplished your mission."

Wei Ran, holding Yu Yanlin's ashes in his arms, said solemnly that he had already informed Teacher Ge when he was changing planes. Now that Mr. Yu had come to pick him up at the airport, he must have known who Wei Ran had brought back.

At the same time, the Kajianka sisters had already pushed their suitcases past them and joined Marta and Lucinda who also came to pick them up at the airport.

"My teacher Wei, how can I thank you?"

Old Master Yu looked at the jar in Wei Ran's arms and spoke incoherently.

"Then. Please buy me a cup of tea." Wei Ran sighed.

What he held in his arms were the ashes of Yu Yanlin, the unfaithful man that Chuncai had waited for her whole life, and the regret that this old child felt for his aunt. Just like the regret that the child named Estelle felt in her heart.

"Have a cup of tea?" Old Master Yu didn't expect that Wei Ran would ask for this.

"That's right"

As Wei Ran spoke, he had already stuffed Yu Yanlin's urn into the other party's hands, "Old man, go and bury Comrade Yu Yanlin first. He has waited for this day for too long. Let's talk about our business after the funeral."

"That's good too." Old Master Yu nodded and held the silver jar tightly in his hand.

"Mr. Yu," Wei Ran called out to the other party again.

When the old man raised his head, Wei Ran lied, "When I was going through security at the Spanish airport, the machine showed that there were some things in the jar that looked like letters. If it's convenient, take it out and have a look before burying it."

"Okay, I'll open it and take a look." Old Man Yu nodded.

"Go forward, don't look back."

Wei Ran gave a final instruction, reached out and pulled Sui Sui away from the camera, and joined Xia Shushi and Qin Qi who had been waiting nearby.

"You don't plan to become famous this time?" Xia Shushi asked.

“I’m not the protagonist”

After Wei Ran finished speaking, he politely greeted Teacher Ge and briefly introduced Sui Sui. Then he said nonchalantly, "My wish has been fulfilled if she can be sent back. Let Yu Yanlin's descendants tell the story of Yu Yanlin."

"That being said, I think you still need to be interviewed." Teacher Ge reminded him, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, "Especially the flag. You have to let them take a few photos."

"no problem"

Wei Ran agreed nonchalantly, "Teacher Ge, have you told Mr. Yu about the fact that someone from Spain will come to bury Armani and Clement together in a while?"

"I did. After you told me about it during the flight transfer, I immediately went to talk to Mr. Yu."

Teacher Ge said, "Mr. Yu and the others fully agree to this. I have given Mr. Yu the contact information of Comrade Estelle and her daughter Hanika, and the authorities will also facilitate this matter."

"That's good." Wei Ran breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you planning to go back to the hotel to rest or attend the funeral ceremony?"

Xia Shushi asked, "Mr. Yu doesn't plan to make a big fuss about this matter. He just wants to fulfill his aunt's wish as soon as possible."

"Can you still hold on?" Wei Ran asked Sui Sui beside him.

"Yes, I'm not tired." Sui Sui answered defiantly, "and I also want to witness this."

"In that case, let's go to the funeral ceremony." Wei Ran said.

“Then get in our car.”

Qin Qi, who had been listening, called out and took them into a spacious business car.

Driving behind the two cars in front of us and slowly leaving the airport, Sui Sui asked curiously, "Why are you hiding so far away?" "Just a soldier going home"

Wei Ran sighed as he looked at the bustling street scene outside the window, "He probably doesn't want to be interviewed right now. He just wants to see his spring color as soon as possible."

At this point, Wei Ran smiled, hugged Sui Sui who was leaning on him and said, "I have a very clear self-positioning this time. I am at best a postman, just a postman. There is really no need to use them as stepping stones to flatter myself."

"What do you think about that flag?" asked Sui Sui.

"I have some ideas," Wei Ran smiled, "We'll talk about it later."

Hearing this, Su Su wisely stopped asking any more questions. But after a while, she fell asleep again leaning on Wei Ran's arms.

"Are you guys exhausted from the journey?" asked Qin Qi, who was sitting in the last row.

"Can't"

Wei Ran, who had a rather untidy beard, shook his head. "We flew for more than ten hours to get there, and only stayed there for a few hours before flying back. The flight back was not a direct flight. Fortunately, the first-class cabin had good conditions and we could lie down, otherwise we really couldn't bear it."

"Is it worth it?" asked Xia Shushi, who was driving.

"What do you think?"

"I'm asking you," Xia Shushi kicked the question back.

"Will they think it's worth it?" Wei Ran said, looking at the car in front carrying the Yu family.

“It’s not something that’s worth it or not.”

Teacher Ge, who was sitting in the co-pilot seat, said, "Many things cannot be measured by whether they are worth it or not. Many people like Yu Yanlin abandon the seemingly rational question of whether it is worth it, and only then can they do such romantic things."

“But for me, it’s really worth it.”

Wei Ran said as if he was cheating, "I have time, money, clues, and a beautiful girl to accompany me, so I am willing to take him home and see him reunited with his Chuncai. This will make me happy for several days."

"You are cheating"

Qin Qi, who was sitting behind him, said with a smile, "But it is indeed worth being happy about."

"If an insignificant historian can spend some time and money to send them home, why not do it?" Wei Ran asked.

"If you don't have enough money, tell me"

Sui Sui muttered, "If I could accomplish these things just by spending money, I would have plenty of money."

"The Queen is the one who is really cheating," Xia Shushi said with a helpless smile.

"But there are still many people who cannot go home no matter how much money and energy they spend." Wei Ran sighed.

Upon hearing this, Xia Shushi, Qin Qi, and even Teacher Ge fell silent. They had worked together to investigate the Red Army soldiers of the Long March both in front of and behind the scenes, and had also searched for the veterans of the Anti-Japanese United Army together.

So they all knew clearly that what Wei Ran said was the truth. There were too many people who left only their names behind, or even no names at all.

In this slightly sad silence, Sui Sui's breathing became more even, while the others fell into silence.

After a long wait, the car finally drove into the cemetery. Fortunately, it was a sunny day.

As they watched from afar, Old Man Yu led their entire family in a pious worship before opening Chuncai's tomb and the silver-skinned, hammer-patterned jar containing Yu Yanlin's ashes.

On the inner cover of the jar, Grandpa Yu also saw the last gift that Yu Yanlin left to the world, a photo of him and Chuncai, and a party membership card.

Looking at Wei Ran who was holding hands with Su Su and watching here from afar, Grandpa Yu took out the photo and the party membership card and handed them to his grandson. Then he carefully closed the lid of the silver jar, put it in the tomb and sealed it again.

After the Yu family’s pious worship, Old Man Yu waved to Wei Ran.

Seeing this, Wei Ran took the bouquet that Su Su was holding and walked over.

"Let your girlfriend come over too," said Mr. Yu.

Hearing this, although Wei Ran didn't understand what was going on, he still waved at Sui Sui and said apologetically, "We haven't had time to change into proper clothes yet. Sorry for the rudeness."

"Hey, how can I choose this gift from you?"

Old Master Yu waited until Su Su, who was confused, approached with a bouquet of flowers, then he took out a small wooden box from his arms and opened it. The box contained Chun Cai and Yu Yanlin's token of love, the lotus pendant, and the koi pendant.

"My aunt has waited for my second uncle for her entire life, and her lifelong wish is placed on this lotus pendant. This lotus has waited for this carp for a lifetime."

At this point, Mr. Yu sighed and said, "If you don't mind, I'll give this pair of pendants to you two young lovers. This will allow the lotus and the carp to stay together for the rest of their lives."

"This"

Wei Ran and Sui Sui looked at each other, then smiled and picked up the carp pendant and hung it around his neck. "I will take a good look at the China in Senior Yu Yanlin's dream for him."

"The days they dream of, I will live for them."

As Sui Sui spoke, she also picked up the small lotus pendant and hung it around her neck, then she crossed one of Wei Ran's arms.

"When my aunt was young, and when my second uncle was young, they must have been like you."

Old Master Yu sighed, and after Wei Ran and the others had laid flowers and paid tribute, he said, "My grandson Jianxing has already contacted the relatives in Spain. They will be able to bring Armani's ashes here before the New Year. You two should also come then."

“We’re definitely coming”

Wei Ran patted his backpack and said, "Ms. Estelle asked me to bring the coffee pot they used before. I promised her that I would personally make a pot of coffee for them when the time comes."

"My grandson Jianxing told me that he wants you to investigate historical mysteries, but it's not cheap."

Mr. Yu smiled and said, "Young man, you have to give me some time to prepare in advance."

“A pot of tea is enough”

Wei Ran picked up the pendant hanging around his neck and shook it, "This already satisfies me, but I still want to drink a pot of tea.

It doesn't have to be very good, just the kind of tea that ordinary people can afford. How about making it on the day when Armani's ashes are buried with Comrade Ke Laimin?"

"He usually doesn't charge for investigating domestic historical mysteries," Sui Sui said proudly, "He won't break his rules."

"Do we have this rule?" Wei Ran asked jokingly.

"Yes, it just started." Sui Sui said proudly.

"That's right, you can't break my rules." Wei Ran nodded seriously.

"Mr. Yu"

Xia Shushi came over at this time and said, "Don't worry about it. Senior Yu Yanlin has his own persistence. We, the younger generation, are not talented, but we also have our own persistence and mission."

"Just think of me as a postman."

Wei Ran smiled and said, "As a postman, the letter has been delivered and the postage has been paid. All I need is a cup of tea."

"Alright"

Old Master Yu sighed, and couldn't help but stroke the tombstone and sighed, "You young people are so similar to these young people."

"Grandpa, you were a young man once too." Sui Sui reminded with a smile.

(End of this chapter)