War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1873 Big Knife Stinky Tofu

The next morning after returning to Kazan, Wei Ran, Sui Sui and the Kajianka sisters had breakfast and immediately drove out of the city towards the airport under the escort of Baba Yaga's pink little sister.

However, halfway through the journey, the civilian armored commercial vehicle driven by Wei Ran himself headed towards the Hongqi Forest Farm, while the two pink armored vehicles driven by the little girls arrogantly blocked the Soviet-era road leading to the forest farm.

Just as Wei Ran followed Sui Sui to Hongqi Forest Farm to distribute souvenirs to the two teachers and everyone from the studio, after excavation yesterday and this morning, all the buried entrances and exits of the underground air-raid shelters in their yard had been exposed to the light of day, and a number of high-power ducted fans had been set up.

At the same time, after Greva's recruitment yesterday, hundreds of officially registered unemployed workers rushed to the winery's underground air-raid shelter early this morning. After temporarily handing over all their communication and filming equipment, they divided into groups and began to renovate and maintain every room in the air-raid shelter.

Amid the piercing noise of concrete cutting, the wall leading to the library basement was also cut open behind the blast door.

Amid the busy work of many workers, the main building of the winery that had survived the winter began to be rebuilt based on some old photos preserved by the authorities.

Thanks to the sturdy reinforced concrete skeleton, all the workers had to do was build a beautiful exterior wall using red bricks fired according to Tsarist-era standards.

But having said that, the additional concrete poured in the mezzanine and the steel bars mixed in it made the workers begin to wonder whether they were rebuilding a winery or building a beautiful fortress.

The reason why Sui Sui spared no expense was naturally because the workers were from Greva, and even the supplier of construction materials was from one of Greva's younger brothers.

In other words, only by doing this, sparing no effort and spending every penny, can the originally promised maintenance fund be used up, and by the way, the trouble of frequent maintenance in the future can be avoided.

Of course, Sui Sui didn't know that her economic considerations had inadvertently sent other signals to some people who were watching this place.

"give up"

In an office for rent on the top floor of a building just across a highway, a man said weakly, "We have no chance of getting in."

"We might as well take advantage of the fact that it's still a construction site."

“It’s really a construction site right now.”

The man who had been hiding behind the curtains holding a telescope reminded, “But there are at least three hundred workers working day and night, and there are at least one hundred legally armed gang members supervising them.

Even if we manage to get in, do you think we'll end up being cast in concrete and thrown into the middle of the lake, or built directly into the wall?"

"If disguised as"

"The workers they used were all unemployed people registered in Kazan. Some gang members who were more dedicated than the regular employees would even visit the workers at their homes to learn more about their situation."

"What if we bribe some workers to help install the bug?" another person in the same room asked desperately.

"You can try"

The man who wanted to give up threw the telescope on the table and said, "Someone greeted us recently, but that playboy who hangs out with women is not someone we can afford to mess with.

So give up, and let any idiot who thinks he can eavesdrop here do it himself."

After saying that, the man turned around and walked to the door of the office, opened the door and walked out, "Maybe there is another way."

"What solution?" asked the person who stayed in the room.

"Just find a Chinese restaurant nearby and install a bug in the women's restroom.

Anyway, that playboy has so many women at home, he probably won’t be able to tell the difference.”

“Does this make sense?”

"Do you think it's meaningful for us to waste our time and energy here?" After saying that, the person outside the door walked away again and no one knew where he was going.

"It's not the Cold War anymore. What idiot would build something like this?"

The remaining person in the room sighed helplessly, threw the telescope in his hand away and chose to give up - he was going to the toilet in a nearby Chinese restaurant.

At the same time, Wei Ran and Sui Sui, who had already arrived at the studio, took out the gifts from the car one by one with the help of the Kajianka sisters and gave them to Karp and Anna.

These souvenirs included not only the foot bath tub and silk quilt that Karp also wanted, but also several tubes of various teas from China and other carefully selected gifts in large and small packages - the same number as those given to Mr. Nicholas.

On this sunny morning, after Wei Ran and Sui Sui visited their relatives at the studio, they ran to Ji Ma's home escorted by the little sisters to give him gifts and had a meal with peace of mind.

Unfortunately, Jima and Maya, who had returned much earlier than them, were not at home. They had already rushed to the set to participate in the filming.

Finally, they went to Kazan University to visit Wei Ran's cheap tutor, Mr. Kajik, and had a meal at his wife's Georgian restaurant. After completing all the social activities, Wei Ran and the other three finally returned home before the sun set.

“This day has been so tiring.”

As soon as Sui Sui returned home, she kicked off her shoes and collapsed on the sofa, and hugged the two big-eared foxes in her arms.

"What's the next plan?" Wei Ran also sat down and asked, hugging the dog that jumped onto the sofa.

“Of course it’s work.”

Sui Sui answered as a matter of course, "I've had enough fun, it's time to focus on my life, what about you? What are you going to do next?"

"I still have some work that our Spanish wrestler friend asked me to do," Wei Ran yawned, "but there's no rush. I can still be lazy for two more days."

"How enviable." Sui Sui also yawned.

While the two of them were sitting on the sofa, figuring out their respective work arrangements, Karp and Anna were sitting back in the office on the top floor of the main building of the studio.

"It looks like he passed," Anna said happily while holding a cup of black tea.

"I just didn't redeem the prize," Karp seemed to be in a good mood, "but I got the footbath tub I wanted."

"So you still want to give it a try?" Anna said with a smile.

“It’s always better to be cautious”

"Daria will invite him to Petersburg some day," said Karp.

"There has to be a suitable reason," Anna reminded.

"Of course, there are good reasons."

Culp picked up the cup and took a sip of black tea. "If he can still keep his composure like today, we may really be able to retire."

"That's really good news," Anna said, picking up her teacup and clinking it with Culp's.

That night, although there was no overnight construction in the underground air-raid shelter corridor, the high-power blowers or fans used for air exchange were working all night.

The next morning, Wei Ran took the dog for a jog along the Kaban Lake as usual. The Kajiankas also woke up a few lazy people, led by Sui Sui, and started morning exercises before breakfast.

Just as this famous, playboy historian and the beautiful girls around him returned to their usual peaceful life.

Far away in the capital of China, at the base of an unknown theater troupe located in the south of Beijing, under a noisy airplane route, with the overt and covert efforts of many parties, the three teams of Canhua, Lihua and Mingxiang have been roughly established.

"Manager Chen, what will our troupe's first play be?"

On the spacious stepped small theater stage, the monitor of the Canhua class, who was urgently recruited in the past two days, was nearly fifty years old, but he was particularly polite to the young Chen Luoxiang in his words.

Dingjun Mountain

Chen Luoxiang answered without thinking, "This is a request from the headmaster of our Wuming Troupe. We can be careless about other plays in Canhua Troupe, and it doesn't matter if we don't know how to perform them.

But the Dingjunshan scene is the only one that must be performed well and brilliantly. It requires that the performance can be performed as long as the stage is set up, and even if there is no stage, the performance can be put together at any time when there is a shortage of people. "

"Since the boss has specifically requested it, let's sing Dingjun Mountain." The monitor of the Canhua class simply agreed.

"Xiao Chen, what will our Henan Opera troupe sing in the first show?"

Also sitting on the stage of the small theater, a simple-looking middle-aged man asked. He was Zhao Maisheng, the youngest son of Zhao Fengyou, and also the monitor of the Lihua class that specialized in Henan Opera.

"this."

Chen Luoxiang scratched his head. Wei Ran didn't tell him what the Henan Opera troupe and the first performance of the Henan Opera troupe would perform.

"Uncle Zhao, Manager Chen, why don't we sing the Henan Opera version of Wen Zhaoguan?" Wanqiu suggested. As the director of international performances in this unknown troupe, she naturally had some influence.

"Okay, then let's go to Wenzhao Pass." Chen Luoxiang immediately expressed his attitude.

"Then let's go to Wenzhaoguan," Zhao Maisheng also agreed.

"What about us?"

Immediately afterwards, a charming woman who looked about the same age as Zhao Maisheng asked. She was the monitor of the Mingxiang class that specialized in Yue Opera.

Seeing Chen Luoxiang looking at him, Wanqiu smiled and said, "Butterfly Lovers, what do you think?"

"I have no objection," Chen Luoxiang was the first to express his opinion.

"Then it's Liang Zhu," the monitor of Mingxiang class answered confidently.

"In this case, the three classes should intensify their coordination."

Chen Luoxiang said as he looked at Wanqiu who was sitting not far away, "Miss Wanqiu, when is our first game?"

"When the arrangement is done, whichever class is done first will take the lead."

Wanqiu smiled and said, "Please all the teachers on and off the stage, please step up your cooperation. Although our Wuming Troupe's performances are mainly abroad, I can guarantee that there will be no shortage of performance opportunities throughout the year.

However, whether on stage or behind the scenes, the Wuming Theatre Company does not keep idlers or people with connections. I can guarantee on behalf of the boss that if you put in the effort, you will get something in return.”

After these soft and hard words were thrown out, the hearts of almost everyone in the small theater tightened. They all knew that this gentle-looking woman was not talking big. In this regard, the treatment they learned during the interview already explained a lot.

"Although the main actors are performing abroad, our boss has said that the three classes must take turns to perform in China every month."

The foreign guy may not be able to tell right from wrong but at least he can make do with it, but the domestic amateurs know it all! You must practice the basic skills well! Don't embarrass yourself at home." The one who said this was Aunt Fu who was seconded by Sui Sui.

This aunt with a bun on her head not only serves as the director of domestic performances, but also has the final say over performance appraisals.

"Aunt Fu, where is our first charity performance in the country?" Sui Xin, who was also sitting on the stage, asked with a smile.

"For the first charity performance, the Canhua troupe will be in Tianjin, the Lihua troupe will be in Shanghai, and the Mingxiang troupe will be in Shenyang."

Aunt Fu said, "This is also what our big boss specifically asked for. Everyone, if you don't want to make a living, you have to fight for your reputation. The big boss said that the best singer will get a mobile helmet."

After saying this, both the three squad leaders on the stage and the opera artists in the audience secretly put in their best efforts.

The so-called mobile helmet was asked by Wei Ran and Sui Sui to be taken from their grandmother's house in Baiyangdian by Aunt Fu before they left, along with the opera boxes and props they had found in the small Western-style building.

To be more specific, this helmet used for portraying Concubine Zhaojun was hidden in the basement of a small Western-style building in Tianjin for more than half a century, waiting to see the light of day again.

Of course, for these artists, this Zhaojun helmet means a 10% increase in salary and bonus for the month!
Of course, although the first troupe meeting in this theater was extremely successful.

But after the meeting, Chen Luoxiang, Sui Xin, and even Aunt Fu were still worried, fearing that the troupe might not even be able to recover its investment.

"Everyone, I know what you are worried about."

Wanqiu pushed Sui Xin and said confidently, "Please rest assured, the Wuming Theater will definitely make money."

Although it was unclear where this Miss Wanqiu, who had come out of nowhere, got her confidence from, but considering Sui Sui's previous "record", Sui Xin felt inexplicably relieved.

Back to Kazan, at noon that day, when Wei Ran was thinking about studying the things sent by his Spanish boxer friend Miguel and his brother-in-law years ago, the photographer Li Yi Zhong, whom he had met once in Shengzhou, suddenly visited the Time Library with his girlfriend Lu Yue.

"Brother Wei, I hope my visit has not caused you any trouble." Li Yi Zhong said while shaking hands with Wei Ran and Sui Sui who came to greet him after hearing the news.

“No trouble, no trouble”

Wei Ran quickly invited the couple to sit down at the table, and Sui Sui also called a little girl who was helping at the bar to bring them some milk tea which was more suitable for young people.

"Why didn't you tell me in advance that you were coming over to play?" Wei Ran asked with a smile.

"We were worried that you hadn't returned yet"

Li Yizhong said honestly, "So I just came here directly. If you haven't come back yet, at least I won't delay your business."

"We two are free people, we have time anytime."

While distributing milk tea, Sui Sui asked, "How long will you be here this time? Lu Yue, is your foot okay?"

“It’s all right now.”

Lu Yue took the milk tea and explained, "We actually just wanted to take a look at these old photos hanging in Brother Wei's library. He has been talking about these since we met in Shengzhou last time, so we just came to take a look."

"Katyusha, go get the largest album."

Wei Ran called out to the gangster leader who was playing games at a table not far away.

"Hold on"

The latter responded, handed the phone to her subordinate, ran to the bar, and took out a set of the largest photo album.

"You came just in time. I just put up those photos the day before yesterday."

When Wei Ran handed the photo album to Li Yizhong, he raised his hand and pointed at the photos hanging above his head, "I can't let you come here for nothing. If you don't mind, I'll give you this album."

"I won't be polite to Brother Wei"

Li Yi Zhong took the album and looked up at the photos hanging above their heads. He also chatted with Wei Ran about the stories in those old photos. Sui Sui pulled the girl named Lu Yue aside and talked about topics that girls were interested in.

After some small talk, Li Yizhong finally revealed his other purpose in the process of laying the groundwork, "Brother Wei, besides wanting to look at these old photos, I actually have something else I want to ask you. See if you can help me."

“I don’t deserve your advice.”

Wei Ran waved his hand, "We are friends, there is no need to be so polite to each other."

"Then I'll be frank. My father has been working on sending the ashes of veterans from military dependents' villages back to their hometowns."

Li Yizhong said, "There has been something that has been weighing on his mind for years, and I thought I'd like to ask Brother Wei if he has any suggestions."

As he spoke, Li Yi Zhong took out a tablet computer from his bag, turned it on, pulled out a photo and handed it to Wei Ran.

When he saw the photo, Wei Ran was stunned. This photo showed a typical anti-Japanese sword.

However, the blade of the sword had serious curling and chipping, and there was even a bullet hole on it.

But even so, he could still clearly recognize that the three words "Cheng Guanyin" were engraved on the blade of the sword.

He could even tell from the photo that the three words seemed to have been rubbed so often that there was a noticeable color difference compared to the surrounding rust.

"What is this?" Wei Ran looked up at Li Yi Zhong.

"When the owner of this sword was alive, he was called Crazy Cheng by the people in the military dependents' village."

Li Yizhong sighed, "He died before I was born. No one knows which unit he was from, or what he went through. He has no family."

At this point, Li Yizhong swiped the screen. In this color photo, there was an old man whose foot was missing and who was standing with a wooden bench tied to his calf, with his broken leg kneeling on the bench.

He was wearing a dark blue apron with the words "Dadao Stinky Tofu" written in white letters on it.

When this photo was taken, he had a simple but slightly bitter smile on his face. Next to him was a Daifa SB7 three-wheeled motorcycle that was about the same color as his apron and looked to be in very good condition.

There is no need to ask, this car is 99% likely the equipment left behind by the Japanese invaders during their invasion of China.

However, in the photo, there was a stove on the cargo bed of the three-wheeled motorcycle, and the flames from the stove were still licking the bottom of the oil pot, and in the hot pot, there were a lot of black stinky tofu floating.

In addition, there is a bamboo pole on the edge of the cargo box of the motorcycle with a lamp with a green lampshade hanging on it. At the same time, a white cloth is propped up between the bamboo pole at the rear of the vehicle, which also has a lamp hanging on it. The words "The Taste of Changsha" are written on the cloth.

"My father said that when he was alive, everyone called him Crazy Cheng or Crazy Grandpa."

Li Yizhong said, "No one knows his identity. All we know is that when he was young, his superior accidentally broke his foot when he tried to escape back to the mainland. Since then, he would occasionally act crazy when drunk.

My father said that he had seen it several times when he was a child, the crazy grandpa yelling and crying at the beach, shouting "Sister Bin" and so on over and over again.

Then one day, the crazy grandpa suddenly died while setting up a stall in the military village.

Before he died, he desperately scooped up a piece of stinky tofu from the frying pan and stuffed it into his mouth, but before he could eat it, he died with tears in his eyes, saying that he missed home.

Li Yizhong sighed, "My father had just gotten off work at that time, and I happened to buy some stinky tofu from his stall."

"What happened next?" Wei Ran asked after a moment of silence.

"Later, my great-grandfather paid for his burial in my family's cemetery. The car he left behind was also parked at my house for a long time. The big knife just now was found in his car."

Li Yizhong explained, "My father has been trying to send Crazy Grandpa home since then, but apart from vaguely guessing that he was probably from Changsha, no one knew where his family was. Even in the military dependents' village, not many people knew about his childhood."

"So, you want to send this crazy grandpa home?" Wei Ran asked.

“I just want to send him home.”

Li Yizhong pointed at the old photos above his head and said, "Brother Wei, I also want to know his story and whether his photo can be hung here as well."

At this point, Li Yizhong looked at his girlfriend Lu Yue, who immediately opened the suitcase, took out a small handbag from it, and placed it on the table and opened it.

"I can't afford a lot of money, so if Brother Wei doesn't mind, I'd like to use this camera set to pay the commission."

As Li Yizhong spoke, he had already opened the handbag, took out a set of old cameras from it, and placed them on the table one by one.

“This camera is not cheap”

Wei Ran reminded him that he was right. The machine that Li Yi Zhong took out was indeed not cheap, and could even be called precious.

"This Dongfeng camera was bought by my grandfather at an auction about 30 years ago. It was this camera that I used to press the shutter for the first time in my life."

Li Yizhong explained, "One camera, three lenses and two dark boxes. If these are sent to an auction, they can probably be sold."

"It would be a shame to sell it," Wei Ran said without waiting for the other party to finish.

"Yeah, it would be a shame to sell it."

Li Yizhong followed up by saying, “So instead of selling it, it’s better to use it as commission directly. This way, it won’t be considered a disgrace to the machine.”

"Are you willing to do so?" Wei Ran asked, looking up.

“Not very willing”

Li Yizhong showed a slightly silly smile, "But I want to fulfill my father's wish more."

Your family's honesty is exactly the same.
Wei Ran sighed helplessly in his heart.