War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1878 The Regret of the Violent Person and the Living Father's Extravagant Life
On the afternoon when they first arrived, Wei Ran and others, after temporarily sending the big knife back to the hotel, began to wander aimlessly along the old street where they grew up, led by Li Yi Zhong and Lu Yue.

After holding up the heavy film camera to take photos of Sui Sui and Kajianka sisters separately and as a group photo, Li Yi Zhong and his companion took them into a snack shop again.

There is no doubt that this afternoon was a journey of discovery of delicious food for the girls, and for Li Yi Zhong and Wei Ran, two men who are professional photographers in some sense, it was a practice that required them to keep pressing the shutter.

Of course, this practice is somewhat preferred by Li Yizhong who uses a digital camera.

When the setting sun was gradually blocked by the distant buildings and the slightly old street lamps on the roadside gradually lit up, everyone, who had eaten and drunk enough and taken enough photos, returned to Lu Yue's hotel.

"How many days will we play here?"

When they returned to the room, Sui Sui, who was already full, slumped down on the double sofa and asked Wei Ran.

"Didn't you just get here?" Wei Ran asked back.

"If we have more time, we can consider visiting other cities," Sui Sui said excitedly, "How about Hualien, for example?"

"That's fine with me. I have plenty of time anyway."

Wei Ran thought for a moment, raised his hand and pointed at the big knife on the table and added, "But tomorrow I plan to think about the big knife while I have some ideas, so I may not have time to play with you tomorrow."

"it's okay no problem"

Sui Sui naturally knew that they were not here to play this time. "Ka Mei and the other two are here to accompany us. You can do your thing, but only tomorrow."

"No problem," Wei Ran agreed readily.

That night, because they had been traveling and shopping during the day, and because of the jet lag, everyone slept very comfortably.

The next morning, when Wei Ran and the other three got up and walked out of the bedroom, Lu Yue and Li Yi Zhong had already returned with breakfast.

“Come and have breakfast”

Lu Yue greeted, "We queued for a long time to buy Kelin buns and fish skin soup."

"Where are you taking us today?" Sui Sui asked as she sat down.

"Chihkan Tower," Lu Yue said, adding apologetically, "but Ah Zhong probably doesn't have time."

"I contacted my dad last night and told him about the big knife."

Li Yizhong said to Wei Ran, "He agreed to let you take the sword away, and he also gave me an address."

"Address?" Wei Ran put down the bun he had just picked up, "What address?"

"My father said that the person living at this address was the officer who tortured and chopped off half of Crazy Grandpa's foot after he was arrested when he tried to return to the mainland."

Li Yizhong said apologetically, "My father usually works in Kaohsiung, but he went on a business trip to Feilu Funeral some time ago and has not returned since then, so I can only ask me to take you to that address to have a look."

"Then I'll trouble you."

Wei Ran picked up the bun again, "That person is still alive? I mean the one who tortured the crazy grandpa?"

“This is the first time I’ve heard of this, too.”

Li Yizhong scratched his head. "But my father told us to go quickly. He said that the old man might not live long."

"Where?" Wei Ran asked curiously.

"Outside the city, in a village."

Li Yizhong said, "If you want to go out and play today, we can go in two days. I guess it's unlikely that you will die soon."

“There are so many things that go wrong. Let’s set off after breakfast,” Wei Ran said, and finally took a bite of the bun in his hand.

"Do you need us to go with you?" While asking this question, Sui Sui also took a bite of the bun in her hand.

"no need"

Wei Ran said, "Just go and have fun, I'll talk to you when I come back."

"also"

After saying this, Sui Sui took a second bite of the bun and said, "This is quite delicious."

"It's really delicious," Wei Ran agreed and took a second bite, changing the topic at the table.

After eating a very delicious breakfast, Lu Yue drove the antique Mercedes-Benz that he had seen in Mr. Li’s garage yesterday, and left home first with the sisters Sui Sui and Kajianka.

"Let's go too."

After Li Yi Zhong and Wei Ran took the big knife and put it back into the bag, they took him downstairs and got into his heavily modified off-road vehicle.

"You just said that you just knew about this person's existence?" Wei Ran, who was sitting in the back seat, asked after the car started moving.

"That's right"

Li Yizhong nodded and replied, "My father never mentioned this to me before. Of course, I also didn't tell him that I stole my grandfather's camera and asked you for help."

"The father is kind and the son is filial," Wei Ran joked with a smile.

"It's true that he is a loving father and a filial son, but in fact, he and my mother are both busy and have no time to take care of me. We rarely communicate with each other."

Li Yi Zhong, who was driving, took out a pack of cigarettes, took out a cigarette and lit it, then handed the cigarette box and lighter to Wei Ran who was behind him.

Amid the smoke-filled chatter, the off-road van drove out of the city and headed towards the distant mountains, finally entering a small village and stopping in front of a small shop.

The storefront is exceptionally low, with the words "Ayong Grocery Store" vaguely visible on the mottled signboard.

"Is this the place?" Wei Ran asked curiously, "The place selling fruits?"

"A grocery store, similar to a small store in a rural area on the mainland."

Li Yizhong pulled the handbrake and explained, "The word ganzaidian comes from the Minnan dialect."

"You seem to know a lot about the mainland," Wei Ran said with a smile as he opened the car door.

"Didn't I just say that?"

Li Yizhong also opened the car door and said, "When I was a kid, my grandpa took me to the mainland every summer vacation."

"Have you also been to the countryside?" Wei Ran continued the topic they had just chatted about on the road.

"Of course I have been there." As he spoke, Li Yi Zhong had already entered the slightly dim shop.

Just like he said, this is a country grocery store. Needles, thread, snacks, seasonings, and even sundries like rain boots and raincoats.

Next to the freezer that serves as the counter in this shop, on an old bamboo recliner, sat an old man who was sleeping soundly with a remote control in his hand.

He looked to be around eighty years old, with a lean figure dotted with age spots.

But after just one glance, Wei Ran and Li Yi Zhong both raised their eyebrows.

One of the old man's legs was gone from the knee down, and next to the recliner were two wooden crutches.

But his injuries were not limited to this. On both of his hands, he was missing the middle finger on his left hand, and the thumb and index finger on his right hand.

Not only that, on the old shelves behind him, you can also see some medicines for treating diabetes, and of course, the Goddess Mazu who is being worshipped earnestly.

After exchanging a glance with Li Yi Zhong again, Wei Ran gave him a wink, and the two of them left the store quietly again.

"Don't ask anymore?" Li Yi Zhong asked curiously as he handed Wei Ran another cigarette.

"Go ask around to find out what's wrong with that old guy's injuries first," Wei Ran said as he lit a cigarette. "After you find out, we can go in and ask."

"also"

Li Yizhong nodded, holding a cigarette in his mouth and walked towards another small fruit shop not far away.

Not long after, he came back and explained in a low voice, "The old man's name is Lin Ayong. It is said that when he was young, he offended a gang by cheating in the casino and had three fingers chopped off."

"Where are the legs?" Wei Ran asked.

"Not long after he got into trouble with the gang, he was in a car accident and his leg was crushed."

Li Yizhong said strangely, "I heard that the driver who hit him has not been found yet. He even begged for a few years after that.

It was not until about 30 years ago that I received assistance and returned to the village, barely opening a small shop like this.”

"Does he have any family?" Wei Ran asked.

"no"

Li Yizhong shook his head. "Who would be interested in such a crippled gambler?"

"Let's go in and talk."

Wei Ran said this, and walked into the store again, reaching out and knocking on the lid of the freezer.

"What do you want to buy?" the old man asked in a slurred and sleepy dialect.

"Ask us what we want to buy?" Li Yizhong helped translate.

"Talk to him and answer a few questions. All the money will be his." Wei Ran said as he took out some banknotes he had exchanged at the airport from his pocket.

"What do you want to ask? I understand."

The old man switched to speaking Mandarin with a slight accent, but it sounded surprisingly close to the Beijing accent.

"Where did you learn that accent?"

Wei Ran said this and took out a two-thousand-dollar bill and placed it on the lid of the freezer.

"When I was in primary school, I caught up with the Mandarin language movement. I learned it in school. Although I rarely use it afterwards, I can't change it."

As he spoke, Lin Ayong had already taken away the two thousand dollar bill with his crippled hand.

“Remember this big knife?”

Wei Ran directly pulled out the big knife from the bag he brought, and then immediately took out a banknote and placed it on the lid of the freezer.

After a brief moment of confusion, Lin Ayong's eyes widened, and his mutilated hand subconsciously reached out for the big knife.

However, before he could touch it, Wei Ran pulled out the big knife, and Lin Ayong also withdrew his broken hand. This time, he didn't even try to take the banknote.

"I don't know him," Lin Ayong said hoarsely after a long silence.

Wei Ran was more decisive than anyone expected. He put the knife back into his bag, took the second banknote that he had not spent, and turned around and left.

"Hey?"

Li Yi Zhong was stunned for a moment, then quickly followed out.

"Wait, wait a minute!"

After Lin Ayong realized what was happening, he stood up with difficulty, holding on to the freezer and called out to Wei Ran.

"I recognize him," said Lin Ayong.

"Do you need me to pay?" Wei Ran asked calmly.

“No need.” Lin Ayong shook his head. “Come in, let’s talk.”

Hearing this, Wei Ran walked back into the store, took a bench handed to him by Lin Ayong and sat down.

"Can I take another look at the knife?" Lin Ayong asked cautiously.

"Tell me what you know first," Wei Ran said.

"it is good"

Lin Ayong sighed with guilt, "The story starts in the Republic of China. It starts in 1961. I was 23 years old at that time and had been drafted into the army for three years.

That year, Mr. Jiang launched a "one yuan per person" donation campaign for disaster relief.

The owner of the knife was Cheng Guanyin, who donated a lot of money, which was his savings of 12 years since he came to Tai.

"Then what?" Li Yizhong asked.

"Then?"

Lin Ayong's old smile was full of sarcasm. "Then in 63, the donation became the preparation fee for returning the merits. Not a penny was spent on saving lives in the mainland."

At this point, Lin Ayong shook his head and said, "In the summer of 64, Cheng Guanyin got half a gold bar from somewhere, and he bought a sampan from my uncle and prepared to return to the mainland.

After selling the sampan to him, my uncle found me, who was patrolling the docks at the time.

My uncle told me about this and said that the broken end of the half gold bar was very fresh and he was sure that the other party must have another half gold bar. "

"So you caught him?" Wei Ran asked calmly.

"yes"

The old Lin Ayong nodded, "I recognized my uncle's sampan, so I caught him easily, and was rewarded for it. I also found the remaining half of the gold bar in the handle of his big knife."

"What did he say then?" Wei Ran asked.

"He started saying he wanted to go back to work, but we definitely didn't believe him, so we tortured him."

Lin Ayong said, "Later he couldn't bear it anymore and said he just wanted to go home. He was worried about his family members being affected by the disaster and he just wanted to go back to see them."

"Is that all?" Li Yizhong asked.

"that's it"

Lin Ayong said, "I took the half of the gold bar, then used his big knife to cut off half of his foot and threw him in front of the gate of the Veterans Hospital."

"He didn't say where this big knife came from?" Li Yi Zhong asked.

"no"

Lin Ayong shook his head, "I didn't ask, I remember he said he had a younger brother in the mainland, a wife and a son.

I still remember him saying that his parents were dead and he just wanted to go back and see them. He said he promised to come back right away after just one look.”

"Why not kill him?" Wei Ran asked.

"I want to see if he has any more gold bars"

Lin Ayong confessed his greed, "I also wanted to see if he had any accomplices."

"Go on," Wei Ran said.

"Soon after that incident"

Lin Ayong raised his hand and said, "I just lost three fingers in the casino, but I didn't cheat.

But no one believed me, and the gang leader who was guarding the casino reported me to my superiors, and I was kicked out of the army."

Lin Ayong said regretfully, "The next year, still in the summer, my uncle's fishing boat capsized while he was out at sea.

Before I could finish their funeral, I got into an accident and was hit by a truck and broke my leg. "

At this point, Lin Ayong shook his head bitterly, "You definitely won't believe it, but after I got into a car accident, it was Cheng Guanyin who drove me to the hospital on his motorcycle.

It was a rainy day and the driver didn’t stop at all. If he hadn’t passed by and stopped to save me, I would have died a long time ago.”

"Do you regret it?" Wei Ran asked with a smile.

“I regret it, but is regret useful?”

Lin Ayong turned his head with difficulty and looked at the Mazu statue behind him, "This is retribution, these are all the retribution for my sins.

I had my fingers chopped off and my legs broken as retribution, and I am still alive today as retribution as well."

"We brought this knife with us. It's a retribution for you, right?" Wei Ran asked.

"yes"

Lin Ayong stared at the big knife in the bag and said, "I can do it."

"Sorry, no."

Wei Ran shook his head, took out all the banknotes from his pocket and put them on the counter, "Buy some nutritional supplements, you must live longer."

"What?" Lin Ayong was a little stunned for a moment.

“Be sure to live longer”

Wei Ran stood up while speaking, and walked out while saying, "Cheng Guanyin will be able to go home soon. Even if you die, you have to wait until he returns home before you die."

After saying that, Wei Ran no longer cared about the old man behind him who was trembling and trying to stand up, and walked towards Li Yi Zhong's van.

For him, it was hard to say whether he hated the dying Lin Ayong.

He had no way of assuming whether he would be able to return home alive or die in the sea if Lin Ayong had not stopped Cheng Guanyin.

He had no way of assuming whether Cheng Guanyin would have been shot directly if it weren't for Lin Ayong's greed.

But he knew that the retribution that Lin Ayong received in the convenience store was most likely not from Mazu.

But all these were meaningless. In comparison, the only gain from this trip was knowing that Cheng Guanyin, or Crazy Grandpa, had a younger brother, a wife, and a son. What he had to do was to find a way to find his family members.

"Brother Wei," Li Yizhong quickly caught up with Wei Ran, "Do you have any clues?"

"Just some ideas," Wei Ran said, opening the door of the off-road van and sitting in.

"This matter won't be made into a big deal, right?" Li Yi Zhong asked as he sat in the driver's seat.

"Any concerns?" Wei Ran asked without comment.

“There are some concerns.”

Li Yizhong was honest enough, "The island and the mainland are surfing the same network. If this matter is not spread widely enough, I guess it will be difficult to find the family of the crazy grandpa."

"But if everyone knows about it, your grandfather might be implicated?" Wei Ran asked.

"He also uses the Internet," Li Yizhong said apologetically, "but he is over 70 years old."

"Don't worry, it won't happen."

Wei Ran smiled and said, "Please send me back to the hotel first. I have some ideas and I need to be alone for a while."

"Okay." Li Yizhong nodded, started the car and drove towards the city.

They returned to Lu Yue's hotel in silence. Wei Ran took the big knife in his bag and walked towards his and Sui Sui's room.

"Brother Wei"

"What's wrong?" Wei Ran stopped.

"I'm downstairs. Just call me if you need me to do anything." Li Yizhong said.

"Okay." Wei Ran nodded, walked upstairs, walked into the room, and then closed the door.

Pulling out the mottled broadsword from his bag, he turned and walked into the separate bathroom in the room. After a careful inspection, he finally took out the metal notebook.

He finally decided to fulfill the innocent wishes of two generations of Li Yi Zhong and his father, or rather, this was the decision he had made before leaving Kazan.

Amid the rustling sound of turning pages, the metal feather pen began to draw on the pale yellow paper.

This time, it depicts two men sitting on a large rock with swords on their backs.

They looked alike, but one of them seemed to be wearing an apron, and the other had a box gun on his waist.

However, the feather pen then wrote a line of blood-red words that he had not expected under the picture:

Special scenario requirements: Master the cooking skills of at least one local traditional snack that can fill your stomach.

"pat"

After writing this sentence, the metal feather pen fell dead on the paper.

"Rough?"

Wei Ran reacted suddenly. He didn't expect that his father would play such a trick on him this time.