War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1833 She has never killed anyone
In Mr. Hirano's stable, or rather, in the home of Esther Leibovich Elizaveta Goldstein.

After a short rest, Hirano Aoi asked, "Can anyone take me back to the clinic? I have some nutritional supplements that she might need. Anyway, her child is innocent."

"I'll go"

Zhang Taichuan said, "Wei Ran, you stay here. If anything happens to the mother and child, there is no need to call a doctor."

"Okay," Wei Ran nodded, "Be careful on the road."

"Don't worry, nothing will go wrong." Zhang Taichuan obviously heard Wei Ran's subtext, "We will be back soon."

Watching Zhang Taichuan, Hirano Aoi and the bouncing little yellow dog leave, Wei Ran looked up at the wall clock. It was already past eight o'clock in the evening.

"Mr. Wei, please eat something."

The mother who was specially invited from the Venus Dance Hall to look after the Jewish woman Esther said this with particular politeness and gratitude.

"Alright"

Wei Ran followed the other party to the room on the side of the living hall, and at the same time reminded him, "Keep an eye on the children and Es Mieko at all times."

"Please rest assured, I will personally watch over it." The mother in charge said quickly, "I have also been a midwife and have delivered many babies for women."

"Has Mieko learned Japanese?"

Wei Ran asked as he sat at the table. On the table was a pot of chicken soup and a bowl of rice porridge, as well as a few easily digestible side dishes.

“I have learned a lot over the years.”

The old woman helped Wei Ran fill a bowl of rice porridge while saying, "Normally speaking, there is no problem. This girl listens to advice and doesn't dare to have any inappropriate thoughts."

"Is she still smoking opium?" Wei Ran asked as he took the rice porridge.

"You smoke less and less now. Every day, you smoke one pot when you wake up and one pot before going to bed." The old woman said with relief, but then she noticed that Wei Ran was frowning.

"Mr. Wei, is there something wrong?" the old maid asked immediately.

"Please ask Mom to keep an eye on them now."

Wei Ran said, "If Mieko wakes up, let her hold the baby and feed her immediately. I'm worried that the baby won't live long."

"What?" The old woman seemed a little unconvinced.

"Go and keep an eye on him. That kid is either a fool or a born smoker."

Wei Ran sighed. He was sure enough that the child would not survive. Even if he survived, he would most likely be a fool. Not to mention the distant past, wasn't Lola's genius sister Korava missing something in her brain because her mother took too much drugs when she was pregnant with her?

For Korava to become a genius in some sense or in some fields, the price she paid was too high, and the probability of her becoming a genius was too low.

Perhaps if her mother had had one gram more or one gram less when she was pregnant with her, the life she would have faced would have been completely different.

It was for this reason that when Wei Ran learned about the child's situation, he looked up relevant information out of curiosity.

Moreover, he was almost 99% sure that the baby in the next room at this moment was absolutely not normal.

The only uncertainty now is when this bomb will explode.

Of course, compared to this child who was destined to take an unusual path, Wei Ran, who was eating voraciously, was more worried about Zhang Zhengqi, who was responsible for the assassination of Aoi and others.

He couldn't say what the dangers were of this assassination, which was covered by a hundred or so members of the Recruiting Team. But just now, when the mother who disciplined him left, he felt vaguely uneasy.

Whether it was intuition or premonition, he increasingly felt the need to go over and take a look.

Finally, he put down the bowl of porridge from which he had only taken a few sips, stood up and walked out of the room towards the main door.

However, before he could pass through the living room, the black lacquered door was knocked from outside.

"Someone is home, please wait."

Another middle-aged maid in the house responded enthusiastically in Japanese with an Osaka accent, but she waited until Wei Ran nodded at her before she quickly walked over and opened the door - it was Zhao Jingrong.

"Why are you here?" Wei Ran breathed a sigh of relief.

"Come and take a look, and by the way, avoid arousing suspicion." Zhao Jingrong asked as he walked in, "Is the baby born? Is the big horse still alive?"

"It's a boy, both mother and child are safe."

As soon as Wei Ran finished saying this, Zhao Jingrong immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Whether it was the child or the Polish mare, they would all be bargaining chips with Hirano Daxiang at the critical moment.

However, before he could take another breath into his lungs, he heard Wei Ran say, "It's safe for now, but it won't last long."

"What's wrong?" Zhao Jingrong immediately became nervous.

"That child won't live long," Wei Ran said, briefly stating his speculation and basis.

As if to confirm his guess, at this moment, the rapid cry of a baby was heard from the bedroom.

Soon after, the mother who was in charge of the child ran out with the child in her arms, and said anxiously, "Mr. Wei, Mr. Wei, please take a look at what happened to this child? He...he..."

“He’s addicted to drugs”

Wei Ran sighed, "His breathing is rapid. Feed him some breast milk. It may help. Also--"

Wei Ran put his ear to the little guy's chest and listened, then shook his head helplessly, "His breathing is too rapid, and his heartbeat is also very fast. He only has a short time tonight."

"This this."

"What's this? Go and feed the baby!" Zhao Jingrong urged.

"Mieko has no milk!"

The mother in charge said anxiously, "She drank the crucian carp soup and the milk-inducing herbal soup, but she has no milk!"

"Two options"

As Wei Ran spoke, he had already let the child lie on his arms and lowered his head slightly below his chest, while at the same time covering the child's mouth with his sleeve - as if he was going to suffocate him to death.

"Mr. Wei, don't dare to commit such a murder."

"We need to suppress his breathing, otherwise he will suffer from respiratory alkalosis."

Wei Ran didn't care whether the other party could understand him or not. He held the almost weightless baby and sat down on the cold steps. "Also, he must lie on his stomach with his mouth lower than his chest, otherwise he will be choked to death by saliva. His breathing is too rapid now."

"What are the two options you just mentioned?" Zhao Jingrong asked after a moment of silence.

"Either watch this little guy named Morpheus slowly kill himself like this." Wei Ran paused, "Or, give him a quick death."

"Will he not survive?" Zhao Jingrong asked after a moment's silence.

"I'd be a fool to survive," Wei Ran sighed.

"Give him to me," Zhao Jingrong sighed, "Also, don't tell Mieko yet."

"She hasn't woken up yet," the mother in charge said quickly.

"What are you going to do?" Wei Ran asked.

"What to do? What else can we do?"

Zhao Jingrong replied irritably, "Pingye must have a son, a healthy son. Only by tying him to this house will he be able to concentrate on his business. Give it to me, and I will go find him a son."

"What should we do with this child?" asked the mother who was in charge.

"Drown!"

Zhao Jingrong sighed, "Wei Ran is right. Let's give him a quick death, so that he won't suffer anymore."

“This is retribution.”

The mother who was in charge said that she shouldn't be so kind, but everyone has a heart made of flesh and blood.
"His name is Morpheus"

Wei Ran said seriously, "This name comes from the incubus in Greek mythology. He is in charge of dreams. Both good dreams and nightmares are controlled by him."

"Don't talk about this now," Zhao Jingrong urged, "Give it to me now, this."

"His mother's name is Esther Leibovich Elizaveta Goldstein."

Wei Ran smiled and looked at Zhao Jingrong, "This child has been in this world once, no matter who his father or mother is, no matter what they have done, no matter whether they are innocent or not."

"you"

"Crack!" With the crisp sound of bones breaking, Wei Ran handed the baby who had stopped crying to the frightened Zhao Jingrong.

"I will bear the responsibility for this sin of killing."

Wei Ran stood up, lit a cigarette, and said as he walked out, "I'm worried that something happened to Zhengqi, so I'll go over and take a look first."

"Find an excuse to appease that big foreign horse"

Zhao Jingrong took a deep breath, wrapped the baby who had stopped breathing in his windbreaker, and hurried out of the back door of the house.

At the same time, Wei Ran, who had just saved someone and then killed someone else, was walking towards the entrance of the alley with an expressionless face.

"I am really getting more and more successful."

Wei Ran took a deep puff of his cigarette while muttering to himself, and at the same time, he was relieving the guilt that he had been trying hard to suppress through self-deprecation.

But even so, the touch of that tender and even wrinkled skin still made him unable to help but rub it hard on the hem of the windbreaker again and again, trying in vain to wipe off the remaining touch on his palm.

Finally, he reached the entrance of the alley and found a rickshaw soon after.

While Wei Ran from "Lihua Opera Society" was speaking, he took out a paper ticket from his pocket and handed it to the other party.

"Please sit down!"

The rickshaw driver who was originally smoking opium took two deep puffs, then put away the pipe and put it on his waist. He stood up shakily, and after Wei Ran sat down, he pulled the rickshaw and started running.

Wei Ran, sitting in the rickshaw, sighed. At that time in China, opium was not as expensive as most people in later generations thought.

The rich can afford this thing, the middle class can afford it, and even the poor rickshaw pullers can afford it.

In this era of foreign-style business, Sanxin Company, co-founded by Du Yuesheng and Huang Jinrong, seemed to have monopolized the duck slice business in Shanghai, but in fact, it was just a low-end distributor in the eyes of foreigners. Whether they were foreigners, Japanese invaders, or traitors, under the efforts of these people, imported duck slices were packaged as high-end goods to harm the rich, while local products from all over China were exploiting the wealth of the poor and taking away their health, which was the last thing they could rely on.

Look at these poor people.

Wei Ran became more and more angry, to the point that his heart was gradually filled with murderous intent due to the guilt of killing a baby.

Do they want to smoke this opium paste?

In the dead of winter, late at night, these rickshaw drivers are still wearing patched clothes and trousers, and only a pair of cloth shoes with their big toes exposed.

It's nothing more than taking a puff of deadly opium, mustering up one's strength, and fighting for a way to survive. Some do it for the country, some for the family.

Just as I was daydreaming, a pair of glaring headlights suddenly lit up from the front, and then the car belonging to the photo agency actually drove towards me!
"Driver! Go back!" Wei Ran shouted immediately after he realized what was happening, "I forgot to take my things!"

"Please sit tight!"

The rickshaw driver didn't take it seriously. He immediately slowed down and jogged a few steps, then skillfully turned around and ran in the direction he came from.

"Sir, would you like me to wait for you?" asked the rickshaw driver.

"No, but hurry up, I'm worried that my things might be stolen." Wei Ran urged.

"Okay!" The rickshaw driver immediately quickened his pace.

At the same time, Wei Ran also vaguely saw that the car stopped at the entrance of the alley, and saw a man who looked like Zhang Taichuan carrying something and running into the alley with Miss Hirano behind him.

He recognized Miss Hirano at a glance, and the energetic little yellow dog was following her.

“Stop right here.”

When Wei Ran was less than 20 meters away from the car, he stopped the rickshaw driver, stuffed an extra banknote into his hand, and quickly ran towards the car.

The car didn't even have time to be turned off, let alone lock the doors.

"Click"

Wei Ran gently opened the half-open door of the rear compartment, and then saw that there seemed to be something on the white leather seat.

He took out a match, lit it and looked around. There was a pool of blood, dark red blood.

Taking off his scarf to wipe off the blood, Wei Ran walked to the trunk, opened it, found a bucket of fuel, poured it against the scarf, then fastened the lid, got back into the back compartment, wiped the seat carefully, and also wiped the door handle.

After finishing the mess here, Wei Ran turned off the engine and locked the car, then quickly chased after him, and met Zhang Taichuan who was running back halfway.

"What's wrong?" Wei Ran asked from a distance.

"Zhengqi was shot," Zhang Taichuan replied while suppressing his panic.

"What did you say?" Wei Ran was stunned.

"Zhengqi was shot"

Zhang Taichuan took a few deep breaths and said, "The Japanese soldier following Aoi is very dangerous. He hit Zhengqi."

"Is the other party dead?" Wei Ran said, having already handed the car keys to the other party, "Where are you going now?"

"He's dead. Xiaowu beat him to death. I was just about to go get rid of the car."

"Drive and take the big horse to the hospital immediately."

Wei Ran reminded, "No matter who asks, they will say that Dayang Ma is dying and they need to rush her to the hospital for emergency treatment."

"Yes, yes! That's right!" Zhang Taichuan immediately understood Wei Ran's plan, turned around and ran back.

"Where is Zhengqi?"

"The Middle Courtyard"

Zhang Taichuan walked back quickly while whispering, "Miss Hirano is saving him. Everyone who can get a blood transfusion has gone there."

"Remember, when you get to the hospital, if someone asks you about a recent birth, heavy bleeding, coma, and blood transfusion," Wei Ran reminded.

"Okay." Zhang Taichuan paused, "Save Zhengqi."

"I tried my best," Wei Ran asked at last, "Are all the enemies dead?"

"Aoi is dead"

Zhang Taichuan said, "The devils around him are dead, and the traitor who pulled the strings is dead. Captain Yan asked Wang Fu and Wang Gui to cover him and escape. He will take the blame and be buried tonight."

"Take care of yourself"

As Wei Ran spoke, he had already walked into the building between the homes of Zhang Taichuan and the Polish woman Esther - Xiao Wu was guarding the door.

"Barge the door and lock it."

After Wei Ran finished speaking, he quickly walked into a wing room connected to the living room, which was also the only room with the light on.

When he walked into the room where only a little light came through the crack of the door and the windows were blocked by quilts, he immediately saw Zhang Zhengqi lying on an operating table made of tables. He had been shot in the abdomen, and Hirano Aoi was frantically making preoperative preparations.

"Calm down, you are a medical worker now."

Wei Ran asked while quickly washing his hands, "Tell me about the situation."

"He was shot, he was hit, he's dying, you, hurry up."

"Tell me about his situation," Wei Ran's tone became more serious.

"Snapped!"

Hirano Aoi slapped herself loudly, then forced herself to calm down, took two deep breaths and said, "The bullet hit the abdominal cavity, a penetrating wound. I was anesthetized on the way here. Okay, we can do the surgery."

"Prepare a large amount of saline and set up a blood transfusion."

Wei Ran put on his surgical gown and gloves and began to make arrangements. Hirano Aoi also seemed to have found her backbone and began to get busy.

A moment later, the man guarding the bed began to give Zhang Zhengqi a blood transfusion, and Wei Ran also opened his abdominal cavity.

The news was both good and bad. The bullet had ruptured several sections of the intestines, and digestive juices and even feces were flowing out. Zhang Zhengqi was facing the risk of infection. This was bad news.

The good news is that the bullet only injured the intestines, did not damage any internal organs, and did not hit the spine. It grazed a rib and went out again.

"Will he survive?" asked Hirano Aoi.

"Don't ask such stupid questions"

Wei Ran, who had already started working, had a blank expression on his face and a calm tone as he said, "If you can't help, stay away. If you want to chat, tell me what happened just now."

“We just went back to get our nutrition supplies.”

Hirano Aoi said, "I heard gunshots near the theater before I got off the car. When the car drove over, I saw Manager Qi being shot. I saw him being dragged by the coffin shop manager and running into the alley next to the clinic."

At this point, Hirano Aoi raised her head and tears fell into Zhang Zhengqi's abdomen, "I saw the person who hit Manager Qi. He is my brother's subordinate."

"Clang!" The hemostatic forceps in Wei Ran's hand fell onto the enamel tray. He was sure at this moment that the girl opposite him could no longer help him at all.

"I have seen the photos of him killing people in the album that my brother hid. I remember him and I will not make a mistake."

Hirano Aoi picked up a piece of gauze and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. Her tone became more and more guilty, even though she didn't kill anyone.

"What else did you see?" Wei Ran picked up a new pair of hemostat and asked while continuing to work.

"I quickly went upstairs and jumped out of the window to the other side."

Hirano Aoi replied, "He had already been brought up at that time. I gave him some temporary treatment and then put him in the trunk. I went downstairs again, waited for Translator Qin to drive the car back, got in the car and headed back."

"Are your brother's men dead?" Wei Ran asked without raising his head.

"Dead, he is dead."

Hirano Aoi said quickly, "It should be the manager of the coffin shop who fired the shot. I saw him shot in the eye with my own eyes."

"Hirano Aoi"

Wei Ran did not stop his work when he reminded the other party, "You went back to get the medicine and the medicine box. We have just been treating Mrs. Mieko."

"I...I understand." Hirano Aoi replied in panic.

"The blood in your body also came from Mieko. After she gave birth to the child, you directed Translator Qin to send her to the hospital for emergency treatment."

"I understand, I understand." Hirano Aoi quickly responded.

"If someone knocks on the door, you must go there immediately." Wei Ran finally reminded, "If you want to save him, this is the only way."

"Okay, okay." Hirano Aoi quickly agreed.

"His last name is not Qi"

Wei Ran, who had given up asking the other party for help, continued to work alone while introducing, "His surname is Zhang, Zhang Zhengqi. He is the young master of the Mingxiang Opera Troupe. If there had been no war, he would have been an excellent opera artist."

"sorry"

Hirano Aoi felt more and more guilty, even though she had never killed anyone.

"If there had been no war, you might have become friends, lovers, maybe even started a family."

Wei Ran, who was busy stitching the wound, continued to speak, but every word seemed to be pouring salt on the wound of the uninjured girl.

"I'm sorry," Hirano Aoi repeated almost in collapse, even though she had never killed anyone.

"His name is Zhang Zhengqi, and he is also an innocent man."

Wei Ran finally said, "The war destroyed something that was worth cherishing for all of us for a lifetime."

"sorry"

Hirano Aoi used the wet gauze to wipe away her tears over and over again, even though she had never killed anyone.

(End of this chapter)