War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1826 Answer, Friend

On the night when Zhang Zhengqi was injured, Wei Ran and others accompanied Hirano Daxiang to drink until very late before they dispersed. However, Hirano Aoi left early, using the excuse of being tired, and returned to the clinic across the street.

They first sent Hirano Daxiang to his foreign home, but Wei Ran and Zhang Taichuan regained consciousness the moment they left the alley.

They did drink a lot tonight, but after they worked together to get Hirano Daisho drunk, the sake in their glasses was replaced with water.

"What's the situation over there now?" Zhang Taichuan, who was sitting in the rickshaw, asked while handing Wei Ran a cigarette.

"She went across the street and is taking care of the young boss."

The rickshaw driver slowed down and whispered, "She jumped out of the window after she left the table. She scared our people and they almost shot her."

"This kid is pretty lucky"

Zhang Taichuan laughed and scolded, "What about over there?"

"I've already agreed. Let's have breakfast together tomorrow."

The rickshaw driver replied in a low voice, "We have already notified them to leave later and escort the troupe."

"Let's stay in the theater tonight?" Zhang Taichuan said to Wei Ran.

"Row"

Wei Ran nodded in agreement. He naturally knew that the other party must have other arrangements.

Riding on the rickshaw pulled by their own people back to Lihua Theatre, Wei Ran and Zhang Taichuan, who were drunk again, shouted and yelled, and went up to the third floor with the help of Lin Qiaoan, who was also drunk.

Not long after, from the third floor, which was not open to the public, there were sounds of clinking glasses, guessing numbers, and Lin Qiaoan's ever-changing toasts.

At the same time, Wei Ran and Zhang Taichuan, who had changed into waiters' clothes, had already returned to the second floor along the stairs hidden in the box. Then, taking advantage of the brief power outage caused by the unstable electricity in the theater, they quietly left and went into the alley opposite.

Almost at the same time when their figures were completely swallowed up by the darkness in the box, the power supply to the theater was restored. However, many diners were used to it and continued to eat and drink as usual, without being affected at all.

At this time, Wei Ran and Zhang Taichuan had already climbed over the window of the bookstore facing the alley and quickly walked up to the second floor.

At this time, in a room on the second floor, Zhang Zhengqi was still lying unconscious on the bed. By the window of the bed, Hirano Aoi curled up on a chair, hugging her knees, staring blankly at the person lying on the bed.

After looking at Wei Ran, Zhang Taichuan turned around and walked downstairs again, finally sitting on the third step of the wooden stairs, leaning against the wall tiredly.

Zhang Taichuan took the cigarette handed to him by Wei Ran and lit it. He took a weak puff. In the swirling smoke, he stared blankly at the flickering cigarette butt and asked to himself, "Wei Ran, what do you say?"

"What?" Wei Ran said as he lit a cigarette.

"Do you think there are any good people among the Japanese?" Zhang Taichuan asked absentmindedly.

"My second uncle went to study abroad."

Wei Ran looked at the heavy rain pouring down outside the window and asked absentmindedly, "Did Second Uncle meet any good people when he was recruiting nuclear weapons?"

"Good guy?"

Zhang Taichuan, who seemed particularly exhausted, shook his head helplessly, "Maybe, after all, our country is not strong enough, and if others are willing to look at us squarely, we are considered good people.

If our country is strong enough, we can stand up straight when we go out. Not only people, but even dogs on the street will wag their tails when they see us.

But if the country is not strong enough, even if we wag our tails like a dog and try to curry their favor, they will only think that the dog understands human nature. "

"Second uncle."

"But if wagging my tail, trying to curry favor and understand human nature can make our country strong enough and make our descendants stand up straight, then I will just be a dog."

"Second uncle."

"Wei Ran, do you think Hirano Aoi is a good person?" Zhang Taichuan asked a new question in a delirious voice.

"she"

"Crack——!"

Wei Ran's answer was just one word, and it was accompanied by a dazzling flash of lightning and a muffled thunder that suddenly broke into everyone's ears, and made Hirano Aoi upstairs subconsciously exclaim.

"Since God won't let me say it, then I won't say it."

Zhang Taichuan stood up and said, "Let's go check on Zhengqi. If everything is ok, we'll go back."

"Are you assured?" Wei Ran stood up and pointed upstairs with the cigarette in his hand.

This time, Zhang Taichuan did not answer. He just held on to the wall and walked up to the second floor step by step in the heavy rain outside the window.

At this time, a kerosene lamp had been lit and placed on the floor in Zhang Zhengqi's room. Hirano Aoi, who was frightened by the thunder, huddled in the gap between the head of the bed and the wall - like a child.

It was obvious that when Hirano Aoi saw Wei Ran and Zhang Taichuan pushing the door and walking in, her nerves tensed up at first, but then she breathed a sigh of relief.

"How is he?" Zhang Taichuan asked bluntly, without thanking him or talking about anything else.

"Still alive," Hirano Aoi gave a very vague answer, but at least it was good news.

"We will gather and set out at dawn tomorrow"

Zhang Taichuan pointed to the next door and said, "Miss Hirano, if you really want to follow me, just go back to your clinic before dawn and the people next door will help you."

"Will he go with us?" Hirano Aoi asked, looking up.

"Yes," Zhang Taichuan replied.

"Let me get in the same car with him and I'll take care of him," said Hirano Aoi.

"it is good"

Zhang Taichuan simply agreed.

"Thank you"

Hirano Aoi said abruptly.

"What?" Zhang Taichuan, who was about to leave, stopped.

"I said, thank you." Hirano Aoi said again, her voice much louder and more determined.

"Thanks?"

"Ok!"

Hirano Aoi nodded vigorously, "I have accepted the fact that my brother Hirano Daisho did those evil things, and I have also accepted the fact that Zhaohe did those evil things on your land.

I accept these facts, but that doesn't mean I agree with everything they do. I don't want to say that I am different from them, but I thank you for letting me do something, whether it is to atone for my sins or to pay off my debts, whether it is right or wrong, thank you for letting me do something.

I still can't explain why I did all this, and I don't know whether what I did was right or wrong, but if I pretend nothing happened, or find an opportunity for my brother to arrest you.

I can’t do that, and I can’t accept myself like that. So thank you.”

Staring blankly at Hirano Aoi who bowed to him, Zhang Taichuan glanced at Wei Ran who had dodged to the side and seemed not to accept the bow. In the end, he said nothing, but just left a sentence "Go to bed early", and hurriedly left the room filled with the smell of disinfectant.

"Longzhi. No, Mr. Wei."

Hirano Aoi straightened up and looked frankly at Wei Ran who was standing at the door, "I want to ask you a few questions, and I want to get your honest answers."

"ask"

"if."

Hirano Aoi hesitated for a moment, "If you have the chance, will you seek revenge on my brother?"

"What do you want me to say?"

Wei Ran looked at the other party and walked over step by step, "Or, Hirano Aoi, are you negotiating with me now?"

“I just want a real answer.”

"Yes" Wei Ran gave the truthful answer. He hoped that the other party would turn against him.

"What if my brother got a fair trial for what he did and paid the price for it?" Hirano Aoi asked.

"If you like to make assumptions so much, why don't you make an assumption? If I slaughtered your entire family and continued to carry out meaningless killings in your country, wantonly abusing women and children, what would you do?" Wei Ran asked back, "If you have an answer, then that's the answer I give you."

"I understand. Thank you, Mr. Wei."

Hirano Aoi bowed again and watched Wei Ran leave. She watched the sound of his footsteps gradually swallowed up by the rain, and finally she huddled in the corner again.

Taking advantage of the cover of the heavy rain, Wei Ran followed Zhang Taichuan around to the back door of the theater, climbed over the window of the kitchen, and went directly to a room next door that was specially used to boil water to take a hot bath.

When the two of them had rested enough in the room, the diners and fans outside finally dispersed, and the Lihua Opera House finally became quiet.

It was not until this time that Wei Ran and Zhang Taichuan followed Lin Qiaoan, who had come to pick them up, up to the third floor and moved into a private room with two single beds made from an octagonal table, each of which was covered with a mat and had a straw rope lit.

"Just stay here tonight," Lin Qiaoan said, "I have arranged the rest."

"Ms. Hirano said she wanted to escort the convoy." Zhang Taichuan said as he lay down.

"Then let her escort the convoy."

Lin Qiaoan responded indifferently, "Go to bed early, someone will wake you up tomorrow."

After saying that, he turned and walked out of the box and closed the door for them.

"I heard everything Hirano Aoi said to you at the end." Zhang Taichuan said with his eyes closed while lying on the table.

"Um"

Wei Ran responded to the other party but didn't know what to say. Zhang Taichuan didn't seem to be prepared to say anything either, and soon he began to snore loudly.

That night, Wei Ran tormented for a long time before finally falling asleep amid the sound of rain and snoring.

The heavy rain lasted for most of the night. When it finally stopped, the sky was already turning pale and even the air was cooler and seemed much cleaner. It would be a good day today.

Without waiting for the waiter to knock on the door, Wei Ran and Zhang Taichuan climbed up one after another. By the time they put on their clothes, the female artists who also lived on the third floor had already started their daily routine of warming up their voices.

All this made Wei Ran feel as if he had returned to the love letter house.

I opened the window and looked downstairs. I saw that several mule carts were parked in front of the theater, and the guys were busy loading the theater boxes and other items.

At the entrance of the clinic across the street, the car belonging to the photo agency had just stopped and turned off.

Looking at Hirano Aoi, who had already opened the curtains and was looking downstairs but didn't notice someone looking at him from above, Wei Ran retracted his upper body and said as he walked out, "Who will drive and who will keep an eye on her?"

"Let me drive," Zhang Taichuan said, "and you just keep an eye on Hirano Aoi."

“Okay,” Wei Ran agreed readily.

When the two of them went downstairs together, several breakfast items had already been placed on the table on the first floor. Even Hirano Aoi was already sitting at a table, eating her not-so-rich breakfast with big mouthfuls - it was just a bowl of white porridge mixed with a lot of vegetable leaves and a plate of pickles.

Next to the girl was a suitcase that was not very big, but definitely not small. There was even a small lock on the suitcase, and around her neck was a Leica camera that came from nowhere.

When she saw Wei Ran and Zhang Taichuan coming down, she quickly stood up, swallowed the food in her mouth and asked, "Are we leaving now? I'll go..."

"There's still time. Miss Hirano, you can eat slowly."

Zhang Taichuan said gently, "We still have to pick up your brother Mr. Hirano. Although it is not convenient for him to go with us, he will definitely want to see you off."

"I want to be with"

"Ms. Hirano, you'd better stay in the car," Zhang Taichuan said, "otherwise your brother, Mr. Hirano, will inevitably get suspicious."

"That's fine." Hirano Aoi could only nod in agreement, picked up the spoon and chopsticks again, and started putting breakfast into her mouth.

While she was having breakfast, the mule carts loaded with all the costumes, pulling the troupe members, set off one after another with the shouts of the driver.

Seeing this, Hirano Aoi could no longer sit still. She picked up her suitcase and urged Wei Ran and Zhang Taichuan to set off.

"In this case, let's set off."

Zhang Taichuan nodded, put down the empty bowl of porridge, wiped his mouth slowly, then stood up and took Hirano Aoi and the equally unhurried Wei Ran away from the drama club. With Lin Qiaoan's farewell, he got into the car and drove straight to Hirano Daxiang's stable.

"us."

"Don't worry, let's go pick up your brother."

Zhang Taichuan explained with a smile, driving the car steadily through the streets after the rain, and finally stopped at the entrance of the alley.

Perhaps in order to appease his sister, Hirano Daisho, who had drunk a lot last night, was already waiting at the entrance of the alley.

After he got on the car, Zhang Taichuan also said warmly and respectfully, "Mr. Hirano, the troupe has already set off. Shall we go to the military station first?"

"That's right, let's go to the military station." Hirano Daisho said, "Xiao Kui, don't get off the bus later, you all wait outside."

"Okay," Hirano Aoi nodded without asking any more questions.

Just when Zhang Taichuan used the excuse that Hirano Daisho was hungover and prone to motion sickness, and drove the car extraordinarily smoothly but much slower, Captain Yan, who got up earlier than everyone else and arrived at the door of the coffin shop early, finally waited for the person he was waiting for.

"My dear grandpa, why did you come just now?"

Captain Yan anxiously pulled the man to the coffin shop, and took out a set of puppet army uniforms from an unused coffin, "Hurry up and change into them. From now on, your name is Wang Daxixi, my second aunt's cousin.

That's right, you are my cousin, and when the time comes, you will follow me to see the world, and you must especially stay away from our Captain Jin."

"it is good"

The man readily agreed. After he changed into his uniform, Captain Yan was even more generous and took out a side-opening box and handed it to him, "Take this. It only has one bullet. If the boat really capsizes, you'd better shoot yourself. It will be a relief for you and for me."

If I survive the entire journey without any injuries, I will consider this gun as a gift to my cousin."

“No wonder my cousin’s business is so big.”

This man had the box gun slung over his shoulder and complimented sincerely.

"My men and the shop owner will be here soon, so you have to keep your mouth shut." Captain Yan gave some additional instructions out of concern.

He had just finished giving his confession when the team leaders rushed to the coffin shop with their team members, harnessed the mules kept there to the carts already loaded with firewood, and rushed to the military station.

At the same time, Zhang Taichuan also drove the car to the gate of the military station and watched Hirano Daxiang meet Zhao Jingrong who was already waiting for him here, and the two walked into the military station together.

Soon, Captain Yan also walked into the military station with a cart full of firewood from the firewood-collecting team.

About half an hour later, the mule carts of the grain-collecting team came out one after another, and Hirano Daxiang also came out accompanied by Zhao Jingrong.

"You go to the cart," Zhang Taichuan said to Wei Ran.

"it is good"

As Wei Ran spoke, he had already pushed open the passenger door, and then helped Hirano Daisho open the door.

After Zhao Jingrong sat in the passenger seat and Hirano Daxiang sat in the back seat, Wei Ran immediately closed the door for them. He then trotted all the way to catch up with the mule cart of the firewood-collecting team, and sat on the cart that Captain Yan was riding in, amidst the frightened expression on his face - the guest was also in this cart.

While Wei Ran and Captain Yan were chatting idly, the firewood-collecting team met up with the opera troupe's carriage at an intersection, and soon after, they encountered the Japanese army's inspection while leaving the city.

Hirano Daisho, who was sitting in the car, was more nervous than Captain Yan at this time. He lowered the window and said something to the Japanese soldier in charge of the inspection. The firewood-collecting team immediately followed the car through the checkpoint and marched out of the city in a mighty manner. However, the mule cart of the opera troupe was strictly inspected.

"Xiao Kui, I'll take you here."

Hirano Daxiang had already opened the car door when Wei Ran arrived, "I will call the bases along the way and ask you to get to the destination as soon as possible."

"Thank you for your help, brother," Hirano Aoi said quickly, "while also trying her best to suppress the fear deep in her heart. She didn't know what she would face next."

"Kawaguchi, Feng Rongjun, and Ryunosuke, Xiao Kui's safety is in your hands." Hirano Daisho said seriously, "The grain collection team can be abandoned, but she cannot encounter any danger."

"Please rest assured"

Zhao Jingrong made the assurance with a smile, and finally added meaningfully, "My friend."

"Yes, you are right, we are friends."

Hirano Daisho nodded and said, "Let's go. I'll wait for you at the theater."

"We will be back tomorrow at noon," Zhao Jingrong promised again.