War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1815 The reception banquet

At the Shencheng Wharf, Wei Ran looked at the merchant ships and warships that seemed to have no end in sight, and sighed helplessly. The Shencheng of this era was the Shencheng of foreigners. There were some warships and merchant ships with Chinese characters written on them, but they were pitifully few.

Just like this busy dock, the foreigners and the devils were showing off their might, but the Chinese were mostly doing the servile service to the foreigners, or arrogantly enslaving their compatriots to do the heaviest hard labor.

Who said this era is romantic? His whole family deserves to be forced to carry heavy bags and pull rickshaws as prostitutes!

While Wei Ran was secretly cursing those freaks in the future who finally had the chance to emerge because the toilet had access to the internet and electricity, the rickshaw pulling him also stopped.

"It will probably take a while for the Koa Maru to dock."

Zhang Taichuan took out his pocket watch and took a look at it, then asked, "Have you packed everything?"

"Do not worry"

Zhao Jingrong answered as he distributed cigarettes to them, "I arranged for someone to clean out Dongyi Photo Studio last night."

"Mr. Hirano is not coming today?" Zhang Taichuan continued to ask.

"Come, they will definitely come." Before Zhao Jingrong finished speaking, a Japanese car drove over.

The three of them knew this car, it was the one owned by Musashino Photo Agency. They also knew the driver, it was Hirano Daisho.

"Mr. Hirano, you are here." Zhang Taichuan respectfully and enthusiastically helped Hirano Daisho open the door of the driver's cab.

"Mr. Hirano, Happy New Year." Wei Ran and Zhao Jingrong greeted each other in Japanese.

"Happy New Year to you too"

Hirano Daito responded absentmindedly, but the expression on his face was a little distracted.

"Mr. Hirano, you seem to be worried about something?" Zhang Taichuan asked as he handed the other person a cigarette and lit it.

"nothing"

Hirano Daisho smiled and said, "I just haven't seen my sister for a long time. I'm worried about whether she got seasick during the trip and whether she can adapt to life in Shencheng."

"So you, a beast, would also consider these things?"

Wei Ran and Zhao Jingrong looked at each other, and they both saw the same words in each other's eyes.

"With your care, Miss Hirano will definitely be able to adapt to life in Shencheng."

Zhang Taichuan smiled and consoled, "Besides, we are here too. Ryunosuke vacated his Dongyi Photo Studio yesterday, and Feng Rongjun has arranged for someone to do a thorough cleaning. Miss Hirano will be able to move in when she arrives today."

"Ryunosuke, thank you for your hard work." Hirano Daisho said with satisfaction.

"It's nothing," Wei Ran said, nodding his head. "It's my honor to help Mr. Hirano."

"in addition"

Zhang Taichuan moved a little closer and whispered something into Hirano Daisho's ear.

"what?!"

Hirano Daisho exclaimed, "You, are you telling the truth?!"

"of course it's true!"

Zhang Taichuan said, "It was discovered by accident when Mr. Mu of Lihua Opera Club sent Manager Qi to Hangzhou to select the cast for his troupe."

At this point, Zhang Taichuan added, "Boss Mu spent eight large yellow croakers to buy her. Last night I begged Captain Jin for help and asked Deputy Captain Yan to personally bring people to pick her up."

"Kawaguchi, you are very good! Boss Mu is also very good!" Hirano Daxiang said with satisfaction, "I will remember your kindness!"

"Mr. Hirano"

Zhang Taichuan said with some embarrassment, "Eight large yellow croakers is not a small amount. Besides, renting that house cost two large yellow croakers. Look at this..."

"You have helped me so much, I will thank you very much." Hirano Daisho said, motioning Zhang Taichuan to come over and whispered something into his ear.

"Thank you Mr. Hirano! Thank you Mr. Hirano!"

After listening to this, Zhang Taichuan bowed repeatedly in excitement, and Hirano Daisho's face showed an expression mixed with pride and expectation.

Next, Zhang Taichuan and Hirano Daxiang took the initiative to talk about other topics, and even asked Wei Ran, who came with a camera, to take a photo of them with the pier as the background.

During this patient wait, the Koa Maru passenger ship docked with the sound of the whistle. Hirano Daisho also stopped chatting with Zhang Taichuan, bent down, took out a bouquet of flowers, which were quite rare at this time of year, from the car, and walked over quickly.

"Ryunosuke, be sure to take a few more photos later." Zhang Taichuan called out loudly in Japanese.

"Don't worry, Kawaguchi-senpai!"

Wei Ran responded loudly in Japanese, as if he really didn't notice the flash of sarcasm on Hirano Daisho's face.

Yes, from his perspective, he could indeed mock the two Chinese people for calling each other by their Japanese names - and it was for the purpose of recruiting nuclear personnel.

"There are times when you just can't laugh"

Wei Ran fell behind slightly and looked at Hirano Daisho's back as if he was looking at a dead person.

They didn't have to wait long before Ichiro Hoshino, who was over fifty years old, came out with a young and pretty female Japanese soldier.

The old man and the young man were both wearing Western clothes and each of them was carrying two suitcases. Behind them, there was a waiter carrying two extra suitcases for them.

"elder brother!"

Just as Wei Ran raised the camera, the young and beautiful female Japanese soldier put down the suitcase in her hand, ran over and threw herself into Hirano Daxiang's arms.

Just as the brother and sister were hugging each other and spinning around as Wei Ran pressed the shutter from time to time, Zhang Taichuan and Zhao Jingrong immediately stepped forward, greeted the smiling Ichiro Hoshino earnestly, and took the luggage in his hands, as well as the luggage put down by the young girl.

"Mr. Musashi, look here."

Wei Ran greeted him enthusiastically as well, and after Hoshino Ichiro looked over and posed, he pressed the shutter.

"Long time no see, Ryunosuke."

After Wei Ran finished taking the photos, Ichiro Hoshino immediately hugged him enthusiastically.

"Long time no see, Mr. Musashi." Wei Ran suppressed his urge to kill and gave a warm and sincere response.

"Teacher Musashi, let Ryunosuke take a photo for everyone?" Zhang Taichuan suggested.

"It's definitely time to take a picture. This is a day worth remembering."

Ichiro Hoshino agreed, and at the same time secretly glanced at Aoi Hirano who was still chatting excitedly with Daito Hirano.

There's something wrong with this old guy's eyes!

Wei Ran realized something immediately, and inconspicuously exchanged glances with Zhao Jingrong and Zhang Taichuan, then immediately looked away. With an increasingly brilliant smile, he warmly greeted the Hirano siblings and Hoshino Ichiro, and stood side by side next to the car, and took a photo with the pier behind them and the Koa Maru passenger ship as the background.

In this photo, the young and beautiful Aoi Hirano is standing between Daisho Hirano and Ichiro Hoshino.

"Teacher Musashi"

After pressing the shutter, Wei Ran suggested, "I have the last three films in my camera. Why don't I take a photo of Mr. and Miss Hirano, and then take a photo of you and their brother and sister separately." "That's a good suggestion!" Hoshino Ichiro immediately agreed.

After having the three of them take group photos in pairs, Hoshino Ichiro said, "Feng Rong, please drive us to Dongyi Photo Studio first. Ryunosuke, I'll trouble you and Kawaguchi to take care of the luggage."

"Please rest assured, teacher. We will be there later." Wei Ran said as he put away the camera.

"Mr. Hirano, Ms. Hirano, please get in the car."

As Hoshino Ichiro spoke, he opened the rear door of the car like a gentleman for the innocent-looking girl. After she got in, he sat in the passenger seat and gave the remaining seat in the rear to Hirano Daisho.

Respectfully watching Zhao Jingrong drive them away, Zhang Taichuan snorted and said in a low voice, "There's a 99% chance that this old guy has taken a fancy to that young girl."

"At his age, he's old enough to be that girl's father, right?" Wei Ran handed the other person a cigarette while speaking, and then took out a lighter to help him light it.

"Of course," Zhang Taichuan said in a low voice, puffing out smoke, "this old guy is over fifty years old."

"He has no family in Osaka?" Wei Ran asked curiously.

"Not really."

Zhang Taichuan was not in a hurry to leave, and shared the gossip he knew with great interest, "This old man did have a wife before, but she died of illness about ten years ago, leaving him a daughter, who got married early in 37."

"Is this old cow planning to eat young grass?" Wei Ran asked.

"At worst, I can help this old man," Zhang Taichuan said in a joking tone.

"Won't they just start fighting each other?"

Wei Ran smiled, then asked curiously, "What did the beast say to you just now?"

"We can't give this big foreign horse to it for free, right?" Zhang Taichuan rubbed his hands, "This beast agreed to help get some scarce medicines."

"How in short supply?" Wei Ran asked.

Glancing at Wei Ran curiously, Zhang Taichuan whispered in his ear, "He promised to get some sulfa and morphine. In addition, they have a lot of quinine in their inventory, as well as the food that the grain-collecting team brings back every month. He is willing to trade them all."

"Use these to offset."

"Resist?"

Zhang Taichuan sighed tiredly, "Just by agreeing to trade these things, I have already repaid the favor of the big foreign horse. Damn it! What the hell is this world!"

After saying that, Zhang Taichuan flicked away the cigarette butt and waved to Wang Gui who was sitting on a mule cart not far away.

"After we drive away the Japanese, we will be able to produce these things. By then, everyone will be able to afford these medicines and have enough food to eat."

Wei Ran moved the suitcase onto the cart and whispered, "We don't have to suffer this injustice anymore."

"That's good."

Although Zhang Taichuan is young, his tone reveals the vicissitudes of life. "It would be a great life if we could have enough food to eat and be able to afford medical treatment for our injuries."

"That day will definitely come," Wei Ran said more and more confidently.

"If I can live to see that day, it's okay if I don't."

Halfway through the conversation, Zhang Taichuan smiled, changed the subject and asked, "Agui, have you arranged everything?"

"arranged"

Wang Gui, who had been silent just moving the luggage, responded in a low voice, "Someone at the photo studio is listening day and night, and the same is true at Dayangma."

"When will Boss Mu come back?" Zhang Taichuan asked a new question.

"I came back in the morning"

Wang Gui whispered, "I was invited by the Third Master right after I came back, but the theater is already open, and there will be an opening show tonight."

"How's things going at the bathhouse?" Zhang Taichuan asked a new question.

"I don't know. Now, except the Japanese, no one is allowed to enter but leave." Wang Gui replied in a low voice, "It's not good for our people to get too close."

"Let everyone be more careful"

After Zhang Taichuan finished speaking, he deliberately switched to Japanese and started chatting about a random topic.

By the time the two of them arrived at Dongyi Photo Studio on a mule cart, the studio's sign had been taken down. Not only was the fire burning brightly on the first floor, but there were also several sets of empty medicine cabinets.

"Mr. Qin, Boss Wei!"

Before they got off the car, a familiar-looking waiter greeted them warmly, "Mr. Musashi and Captain Jin have already gone to the second-floor box of our Lihua Opera Club. Everyone, look up."

Turning his head to look at the box on the second floor of the theater facing the street, Ichiro Hoshino waved at them enthusiastically, "Let the servants put the luggage in the clinic first, you two come up quickly."

"We'll go up right away!"

Zhang Taichuan waved enthusiastically in response, and walked into the Lihua Opera House with Wei Ran. Then he saw Zhang Zhengqi standing on the inside of the door.

"You two, please come upstairs with me!" Zhang Zhengqi greeted them warmly and took them to the second floor.

"Manager Qi, why is this box sealed?" Zhang Taichuan asked his nephew Zhang Zhengqi curiously. The box he pointed to was already locked, and there was a piece of red paper pasted on it.

"Hey! The window of this box faces the window of the clinic opposite!"

Zhang Zhengqi said loudly, "Miss Hirano is moving in as our neighbor, so we have to take care of her, right?"

"You still know how to do things!"

Zhang Taichuan praised her and walked towards the box, while instructing Manager Qi to take good care of Miss Hirano in the future.

After entering the private room where food and wine were already served, Zhang Taichuan seamlessly switched to Japanese, picked up the wine jug, and poured a glass of wine for everyone present.

It was while pouring the wine that Wei Ran noticed that Hirano Aoi, who was sitting between Hirano Daisho and Hoshino Ichiro, would secretly glance at Zhang Taichuan from time to time.

Are you interested in this?

Wei Ran exchanged a glance with Zhao Jingrong who was sitting next to him. Judging from the aesthetics of this era, Zhang Taichuan, who had an elegant appearance and a rather creamy temperament, was indeed more popular with girls - at least he was much more pleasing to the eye than that old coffin-like guy, Ichiro Hoshino.

Of course, Wei Ran, Zhao Jingrong, and even Zhang Taichuan, all turned a blind eye tacitly, and even more tacitly raised their glasses to start toasting, welcoming Mr. Musashi who returned to Shencheng, and also welcoming Miss Hirano who came for the first time.

Amid the atmosphere constantly stirred up by these three traitorous young men, this welcoming banquet, although with not a large number of people, was exceptionally lively.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Hirano Aoi, who was not very drunk, left the table first. Under the guidance of Zhang Taichuan, she allowed her brother Hirano Daisho to help her leave the box and go downstairs to the new home opposite.

At the same time, in the messy box, Ichiro Hoshino also personally filled Zhao Jingrong's glass with wine from the wine jug, "Mr. Feng Rong, we should talk about this year's business."

"Mr. Musashi, please speak." Zhao Jingrong raised his glass and clinked it with the other party.

"I need antiques, lots of antiques."

Hoshino Ichiro drank the wine in the glass and whispered ambitiously, "For this, I will provide any goods you need."

"Any?" Zhao Jingrong also drank the wine in the glass.

"Any" Ichiro Hoshino said this with particular finality.