War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1829: Sadness in the Opera

On the second day after attending the apprenticeship banquet at the Ji family's old house, the female artists of the Lihua Opera Troupe took the stage again, presenting one drama after another to the surrounding tenants, and won applause again and again.

This morning, whether it was Wei Ran, Hirano Aoi or Zhang Taichuan, they all took a lot of photos with their cameras.

These photos include the female artists on the stage, themselves, and of course, Mr. Ji and Liuzi who became master and apprentice, and even Captain Yan and others who once again came with the firewood-collecting team and the goods prepared by Hirano Daxiang.

It was also this morning that Mr. Ji's butler brought the gifts from the injured patients who had been treated yesterday and asked him to help pass them on to Hirano Aoi.

These simple gifts included a small bag of boiled eggs, crispy and sweet fresh dates, dried bamboo shoots, and even a chubby puppy.

According to the housekeeper, the person who brought the puppies was the eldest son of the woman who had just given birth whom Hirano Aoi rescued yesterday.

Although all these gifts combined probably could not pay for the money that Hirano Aoi spent on medicine for any of them, this simple girl from Zhaohe who was confused and lost inside was happier than ever before. She even held the yellow-skinned, black-mouthed puppy tightly in her arms while eating.

Her somewhat childish behavior also made some people, including Wei Ran, feel relieved. They finally found a poor excuse for themselves - she was just a child.

After lunch, the firewood-collecting team first loaded their mule carts with three large bags of rice with calligraphy and paintings hidden inside, and then piled a full stack of damp firewood on the carts.

These pieces of firewood were cut by refugees hired by Mr. Ji, Mr. Su, and Mr. Wu, three families who were nominally at odds with each other.

For these refugees, two bundles of firewood could be exchanged for a bowl of porridge and a bowl of Wulingsan to treat cholera. This labor-for-relief business was enough to keep them alive.

Of course, Captain Yan did not suffer any loss. He now had a good relationship with several gangs on the dock. On the way here, he had already sold the weapons and ammunition he brought with him to his "friends on the road."

Although a lot of this money had to be distributed to the drivers and Captain Jin, and even if there was a lot left, a lot of it would be used to pay off the debt owed to Zhang Taichuan, even so, he could still make a profit of more than ten dollars after this trip.

If he pays off his debts, he can at least get a small yellow croaker by making this trip next time!
Captain Yan was full of expectations for this, so he was naturally very motivated, and in his heart he called it "I am also fighting against the Japanese."

No matter how greedy Captain Yan was for money, after lunch, Wei Ran and Hirano Aoi came to Zhang Zhengqi's room again.

Unfortunately, Zhang Zhengqi was still unconscious at this time.

Although she felt a little regretful, Hirano Aoi finally raised her camera and took a photo of Zhang Zhengqi after getting permission.

"Mr. Wei, no, Ryunosuke-kun, please help me develop the photos."

Hirano Aoi walked out holding the puppy in her arms while taking out the film from the camera and handing it to Wei Ran.

"it is good"

Wei Ran took the film and accepted the other party's honesty.

With some unspoken tacit understanding, both of them walked out of the room and towards the front yard, as if they really didn't notice that the injured person on the bed behind them had opened his eyes.

On the return journey, Wei Ran was driving, and Zhang Taichuan was sitting in the back seat with Heianno Aoi. Only Zhao Jingrong was still sitting in the passenger seat.

When the car started running along the muddy road and the mule carts of the firewood-collecting team and the opera troupe started moving behind them, Hirano Aoi hesitated for a while and then said, "I want to hear your story."

"What story?" Zhang Taichuan asked absentmindedly.

"I want to know the stories of those people my brother killed."

Hirano Aoi seemed to be asking about something irrelevant. She lowered her head and asked through gritted teeth, "I want to know what they look like, I want to know what kind of relationship they have with you, and I also want to know what I can do for those people."

"Maybe later"

Zhang Taichuan asked, "Wait until we completely trust you, wait until the war is over."

"Okay, then let's wait until the war is over."

Hirano Aoi chose to give up, but she still said with hope, "You...you have to live until the war is over."

"You too"

Zhang Taichuan said with a smile, but his eyes were looking at the green tent outside the car window.

In the following time, the car and mule cart drove slowly and arduously on the muddy dirt road. In the stuffy carriage, everyone remained in an unspeakable silence.

"Wait until we get back to town"

Hirano Aoi asked once again without warning, "Is there anything I can do for you? Anything, except... except killing people."

"Please keep it a secret for us first."

Zhao Jingrong, who was sitting in the co-pilot seat, said, "For the rest, we will ask you for help when we need it."

"Okay, okay." Hirano Aoi fell silent again.

In fact, the four people in the car knew what Hirano Aoi was worried about, just as Hirano Aoi also knew what they were worried about.

It is inevitable that one cannot gain trust and is afraid to trust easily, but it is also something that both parties must resolve. Obviously, the time it takes to return to the city is far from enough.

At around four o'clock in the afternoon, Wei Ran drove into the city and then into the concession, and finally parked the car steadily in front of the gate of Lihua Theater.

Without waiting for the car to be turned off, Daisho Hirano helped Aoi Hirano open the car door.

"How was your fun?"

Hirano Daisho asked with concern, and also noticed the puppy in Hirano Aoi's arms.

“It’s lively and the food is delicious.”

Hirano Aoi cheered herself up and said, "Besides, I saved someone!"

"Saved someone? What happened?" Hirano Daisho frowned subconsciously.

"It's Qi, the manager of the theater."

Zhang Taichuan, who came out from the other side, said, "Manager Qi fell down while inspecting the stage and was injured by the roots of a tree in the flower bed. Thanks to Miss Hirano's timely help, otherwise there would have been a bloody scene at Mr. Ji's disciple-taking banquet."

"My sister is so amazing," Hirano Daito immediately smiled and praised with a doting look on his face.

"What happened to Manager Qi?"

Lin Qiaoan, who was also waiting nearby, immediately became nervous, "Is he okay? Did he cause any trouble to Mr. Ji?"

"He's fine. My master said to keep him here."

Zhao Jingrong said, "It just so happens that I need a trustworthy person to help Mr. Hirano prepare the goods recently. Just think of it as my master asking Boss Mu to borrow someone."

"Mr. Ji, you are too polite. I am afraid of causing trouble for you." Lin Qiaoan said apologetically, "Well, I will prepare the car tomorrow and take care of Qi."

"Instead of letting Manager Qi take over, Boss Mu should thank Miss Hirano."

Zhang Taichuan generously praised in Japanese, "Ms. Hirano's medical skills are very good. Not only did she save Manager Qi, she also treated Mr. Ji."

"Am I very powerful?" Hirano Aoi asked her brother Hirano Aoi in a proud manner, and at the same time showed off the puppy she had been holding in her arms to divert the other party's attention.

"Xiao Kui is the best!" Hirano Daisho praised more and more dotingly.

"Mr. Hirano"

As Zhao Jingrong spoke, he opened the trunk of the car, took out a suitcase and said, "This is the return gift my master asked me to give you. Take a look."

"Let's go upstairs! Let's go upstairs and talk!" Hirano Daisho couldn't wait to make the invitation.

“I’m not going.”

Hirano Aoi said apologetically, "I'm a little tired, I want to go back and rest first, brother, can you let Mr. Kawaguchi and Mr. Musashi help me move my things back?"

"this is what we are supposed to do"

Wei Ran and Zhang Taichuan spoke quickly, and then one of them helped carry the suitcase while the other took out the thank-you gifts from the wounded people she had rescued yesterday from the trunk.

"Those are the snacks my master gave her."

As Zhao Jingrong followed Hirano Daisho into the theater, he explained, "My master likes Miss Hirano very much." "She has always been liked by the elders," Hirano Daisho said proudly.

"If there are any injured people who need help in the future, please send them to the room opposite the bathroom window on the second floor."

Hirano Aoi whispered, "This is what I thought of on the way. It's the only thing I can do to help you."

"If necessary, we will ask you for help." Zhang Taichuan replied seriously.

"Mr. Kawaguchi"

Hirano Aoi paused, then asked, "Do you know where my brother's photo album is?"

"It's in the safe in his office at the military station," Zhang Taichuan replied, "and the key is with your brother."

"I I know"

Hirano Aoi, who was still holding the puppy in her arms, nodded and said, "Please help me develop those photos. And take a rest while you're at it."

"Yes, and thank you."

After Zhang Taichuan finished speaking, he followed Wei Ran out of the clinic, got into the car parked opposite and drove to the photo studio.

"What does Second Uncle think?" Wei Ran asked in a low voice.

"Stay alert"

Zhang Taichuan replied in a low voice, "This line is too important. It concerns the lives of many people. The sincerity she has shown now is not enough. It is far from enough."

After a short pause, Zhang Taichuan said, "For safety reasons, Qiao An must be evacuated. Except for the necessary positions along this line, the rest must be evacuated."

"Withdraw. Pretend I didn't ask." Wei Ran decisively ended this overly sensitive topic.

"I plan to have him arrange for someone to re-establish a line independent of us."

Zhang Taichuan said worriedly, "This way, even if we have an accident, at least it won't delay the important matter."

"What if..." Wei Ran thought for a moment, "What if Miss Hirano is trustworthy?"

"Then branch out and develop the two lines simultaneously."

Zhang Taichuan said casually, "It's a good thing to have more friends, especially one from the enemy. Speaking of this, Wei Ran, don't provoke Miss Hirano anymore.

Family feuds can be put aside in the face of national hatred."

Looking at Zhang Taichuan, who was sitting in the passenger seat with a tired face and even had some gray hair at a young age, Wei Ran ended up saying nothing.

How could he have the right to say anything? He was probably the one who suffered the most after Zhang Taichuan said what he just said.

"Did you hear that?" Zhang Taichuan asked with his eyes closed.

"I heard it," Wei Ran answered with difficulty, "Second Uncle, I heard it."

"It's good to hear it"

Zhang Taichuan still didn't open his eyes, but he clapped his hands to the beat and sang a play that Wei Ran had never heard before, and had never heard in the Love Letter House:
A bright moon shines through the window, and my heart is pierced by a worried arrow.

He really hoped to borrow troops from Wu State to turn around, but he didn't expect to be blocked at Zhaoguan.

Fortunately, I met Mr. Donggao who hid me in the back garden.

I have been frowning for days, how can I sleep well at night?
I, Wu Yuan, feel like a stray dog. To whom can I turn for help all the grievances I feel?

I don’t know if it was because Wei Ran just drove the car to the door of the photo agency, but Zhang Taichuan stopped singing with a sigh. He just stretched out his hand to push open the car door, and as he leaned out of the car, he turned into the slicked-back, smug Qin translator again.

"Ugh"

Wei Ran turned off the car with a sigh, opened the door of the photo studio and walked in.

"Take a break, I'll do it."

"Okay, thank you for the film as well." Zhang Taichuan said, taking out a roll of film from his pocket and handing it to Wei Ran.

"Go take a break."

Wei Ran patted the other person's shoulder, took the film and walked into the darkroom of the photo studio alone.

The job of developing photos was a piece of cake for him, and he, Zhang Taichuan, and Hirano Aoi didn't waste much time using the film in their cameras.

However, what he did not expect was that when he hung all the photos on the rope and prepared to go out for some fresh air, he opened the door of the darkroom and found that withered yellow leaves were floating outside the window of the photo studio, and the sky had become much darker.

Looking back, there were still many photos hanging in the darkroom, but the clothes I was wearing had become thicker without me noticing, especially around my waist.
Wei Ran reached his hand behind him, inserted it under the hem of his suit, and then pulled out a pistol from his lower back.

This is a TT30 pistol. On the grip patches on the left and right sides, there are still words engraved "The Anti-Japanese United Army has passed through here, and our descendants will continue to do so" and "Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army".

This was the gift that Hirano Daisho gave him. Before entering the darkroom, he had not looked for this weapon, but now, it was pinned on his body.

This inevitably made him subconsciously alert and tense. After observing the situation for a while, he quietly stepped back to the darkroom, gently closed the door and locked it.

Hiding in the corner, Wei Ran first checked the gun chamber. Fortunately, there was no bullet inside. This was good news. He gently removed the magazine, which was full of bullets.

If a gun is present, it is likely to be used.
Wei Ran gently placed the gun on the table, and then took out the box gun from the metal book. The gun's chamber was full of bullets, and the three magazines were full.

Finally, he took out the Rollei twin-lens reflex camera. The camera was already loaded with film, but no photos had been taken. There was also an extra tube of spare film in the horsehair protective case.

After taking a short breath, Wei Ran put away his camera and box gun, put the TT30 pistol back on his waist, and then looked at the drying line in the darkroom.

However, when he saw the photos above, he frowned. These photos were naturally not the ones taken by Hirano Aoi in the old house of the Ji family.

These photos here are of Daito Hirano and his mare, the pregnant one.

In these photos, the big boobed mares belly is already very big.

Perhaps it's because she has adequate nutrition, or perhaps it's because she controls the amount of opium she smokes, the pregnant mare in the photo can be said to have round lips, white teeth, and the expression on her face reveals undisguised happiness.

Continuing to look at the photos one by one, he also saw Hirano Daito and Hirano Aoi wearing kimonos in these photos, and he especially noticed the samurai sword hanging around Hirano Daito's waist.

He gently touched the back of the photo paper with his fingertips, and the damp touch made it easy for him to determine that these photos had just been developed.

So who is outside the door? Hirano Daisho? Hirano Aoi? Or Zhang Taichuan?

Wei Ran picked up a cigarette box on the table that belonged to someone unknown, took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, then picked up a match and lit the cigarette while recalling carefully.

He clearly remembered that when he followed Hirano Aoi to see a foreign horse who had fallen due to low blood pressure, the old woman had said that the baby would probably be born around the beginning of winter.

This means the baby will probably be born in December. Looking at the big mare's belly in the photo, it's estimated that even if she holds it in, she won't be able to hold it in for a few days.

In this case, it should be the end of November or already December. If you can still develop the photos yourself, then it must be safe.

After a moment's thought, he opened the door of the darkroom again and walked out, cigarette in hand.

At this time, the car belonging to the photo agency was still parked outside the door. There was no one in the office, and a layer of dust had fallen on the table. So, Lao Gui had not come back yet?
After a little thought, he went upstairs again and took a look around. The second floor of the photo studio was even darker, and there was no light on. There was also a faint smell of mold.

Only then did he feel completely relieved. He was probably the only one in this photo studio.

Back to the first floor, Wei Ran walked out of the photo studio and walked around the car.

There was still some mud on the tires that had gotten there from somewhere, but the body of the car was exceptionally clean.

When the trunk was opened, in addition to a barrel of fuel, there was also the suitcase containing a full set of Rollei cameras and flashes, as well as a locked suitcase that seemed to belong to Hirano Aoi.

I opened the car door and got in. There was a dark gray tweed windbreaker on the passenger seat, and on top of the windbreaker, there was a Japanese newspaper.

Too lazy to read the business information printed on it, he looked directly at the headline. Sure enough, this newspaper was printed on December 1942, 12. He put it to his nose and smelled it, and there was still a strong scent of ink.

After rolling up the newspaper and throwing it aside, Wei Ran was about to push open the car door when he noticed a rickshaw running towards him from a distance. Sitting on the rickshaw was Aoi Hirano, who was wearing a kimono with a camera hanging around her neck.