War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1977 Guarding the Bridge
When the white light faded, he returned to the farm in Clara's dream, just as the biting horse turned and walked away into the distance.

Wei Ran glanced habitually at Clara in the house, then turned his gaze back to the metal notebook, quietly watching the metal quill pen write line after line of text:
Act Three

Character identity: Wei Ran, owner of Xifeng Photo Studio
Return mission: Defend the bridge, kill at least 5 invaders with firearms, kill at least 5 invaders with melee weapons, and take a group photo.

Another photo studio? Which photo studio? Guarding the bridge? Guarding which bridge?
In just a moment, place names popped into Wei Ran's mind.

Which bridge could it be?
As he waited, a white light gradually appeared, and in this increasingly intense white light, he saw the things that could be used this time.

The items included an anti-Japanese broadsword, a long march carrying pole with a Mauser pistol, a camera case, a Rolleiflex twin-lens reflex camera, a personal wine flask, a suitcase filled with clothes, and a pistol-style camera from the last line of defense at Lake Ladoga.

Which bridge is it? Could it be that bridge?
As Wei Ran waited with anticipation, the white light gradually faded, and he felt the humid heat rushing towards him, while also smelling the unique odor of the bathhouse.

"What are you looking for?"

Just then, the sound of sorghum stalks came from beside him, and at the same time, a hand nudged his shoulder.

"Pfft!"

Wei Ran lost his balance and fell into the bathhouse, splashing a large amount of water.

"This is the first rinse of water today. Take a good soak, and once you're all comfortable, I'll take you to have breakfast."

Just then, Wen Laoga's voice reached their ears.

"Uncle, would you like me to rub your back?" a young voice asked. Wei Ran recognized the voice as Zhao Shouxian's.

"No, no, I'll do it myself."

Wei Ran vigorously wiped his face, and then saw that there were only three other people besides himself in the pool of water.

Sorghum stalks covered in scars, and Wen Laoga, who was also covered in scars.

There was also Zhao Shouxian, who had grown much stronger and taller, and was handing over a white towel, waiting for his turn. He was also wearing a string of five-emperor coins that had been polished to a patina.

"It's only been a few years? I didn't realize you'd gotten so strong!"

As Wei Ran took the towel, he jokingly asked, "Time really flies these days!"

“Who says it’s not?”

The sorghum stalk leaned against the edge of the pond and sighed with a self-deprecating tone, "Time really flies. Our General Zhang has been called a traitor."

"Four years"

Wen Laoga sighed, "Four years and four months have passed. Time really flies."

"It's been four years."

Wei Ran and Gao Lianggan were both taken aback. The former had now determined what time it was and was certain that the bridge was indeed the same bridge, while the latter thought of something else.

"Brother Wei, do you still remember the bet we made back then?" Gao Lianggan murmured, looking at the rooftop shrouded in misty steam.

"Remember"

Wei Ran also looked at the hazy rooftop, "There are still 8 years left."

"Yes, there are still eight years left," Gao Lianggan sighed.

"What? Eight more years?" Wen Laoga asked.

"Back then at Xifengkou"

"I bet Brother Wei how many more years it will take to drive the Japanese away," said Gao Lianggan.

"Year 12?"

Brother Wei said back then that it would only take twelve years.

Sorghum Stalk sighed, "I gambled with my old Mauser pistols, but unfortunately, I traded them for a mule cart in order to save those wounded soldiers."

"At least you didn't lose your camera, otherwise your photo studio wouldn't be able to open," Zhao Shouxian said from the side.

"The statement about upholding the constitution is correct."

Wen Laoga asked, "Where have you two been all these years?"

"After I recovered from my injury, I went back to Chahar."

Gao Lianggan said, "Two years ago, when the Japanese occupied Chahar, I killed a few Japanese soldiers. After that, I fled westward for more than half a year before I came back."

At this point, Gaolianggan pointed at Wei Ran, "He went to Tongliao and visited our brother Guo Guanggun's house. They had no descendants; the Japanese had killed them all."

"Speaking of this"

Wen Laoga said, "Back then, you asked us to find this female classmate of Guo Guanggun, and we found her family."

"What about her?"

The sorghum stalk, who had just been feeling a bit down, suddenly sat up straight. "Where is that girl? Does she have any news about Guo Guanggun?"

“In the autumn of 33, I went to the school you told me about and found Brother Guo’s teacher.”

Wen Laoga said, "Through that lady, we found the girl he was so fond of, but she went to Nanjing with her family back then."

"Wow!"

Wei Ran sat up straight as if electrified by the pool. "What?! What did you just say?!"

"Jin Jinling, what's wrong?" Wen Laoga asked, looking at Wei Ran.

Do you know where she is in Jinling?

Wei Ran felt a chill that plunged him into despair travel from the soles of his feet all the way to the top of his head.

"Sigh! I'm still asking around." After Wen Laoga finished speaking, Wei Ran also sat back down in the pool in despair.

It's already 1937. If the "4 years and 4 months" mentioned earlier is accurate, then the fact that they still have the mind to soak in bathhouses means that the Japanese haven't "lost face" yet.

But compared to the urgency of this moment, the Tusha in Jinling will begin at the end of the year. The girl Guo Guanggun secretly loves... can she avoid it?
You absolutely must get away from it!
"I did manage to find Wang Bingchu's home in Ji County."

Wen Laoga sighed, "They're practically extinct. When I found him, his parents had both died of illness, and his brother had long since joined the army and his fate was unknown. His sister-in-law was begging for food on the streets with a teenage girl."

My sister-in-law entrusted that girl to me and left that very night.

"That girl."

“He works at the herbal medicine shop that Shouxian and I run.”

Wen Laoga sighed, "That child is 13 this year. I plan to wait two more years and let her marry Shouxian. That way, she will have a home."

"Little Sister Wang is still young, why bring this up?"

Zhao Shouxian blushed and said, "I have no interest in starting a family; I'm busy fighting the Japanese."

"What are you fighting for?"

Wen Laoga sighed, saying with despair, "How can we possibly win? I think the Japanese devils will take over the whole country sooner or later."

"We have to fight even if we can't figure it out," Zhao Shouxian said with a tense expression.

"Sigh! Let's not talk about this!"

Wen Laoga sighed, "Let's soak a little longer, then I'll take you to have breakfast. From now on, our two businesses are across the street from each other, but not in the same industry, so let's look out for each other if needed."

At this point, Wen Laoga seemed to remember something and winked at Zhao Shouxian beside him.

Having received the hint, Zhao Shouxian stood up and walked to the entrance of the bathhouse, where he sat on the bamboo bed used for scrubbing backs.

"You two brothers come to my place later, I'll give you some good stuff!" Wen Laoga said in a low voice. "You can do your photography business with Nie Ying or not, but from now on, follow me. I have a good 'accumulated good karma' kind of robbery business here!"

"What deal?"

Gao Lianggan suddenly became interested, "Can robbing a road accumulating good karma?"

"That depends on who you rob."

Wen Laoga lowered his voice even further, "There are often Japanese merchants traveling between Beijing and Tianjin. I've sent out a few spies to keep an eye on several of their businesses."

If we rob them every few days, it's like going three months without business, but then making enough to live on for half a year!

“I’ll do it!” Gao Lianggan agreed almost without hesitation.

"Why isn't Brother Wen going back to the 29th Army?" Wei Ran asked abruptly.

"Didn't you guys not go back either?" Wen Laoga asked after a moment of silence.

"How dare I go back?"

Sorghum Stalk sighed, "Entire platoons, even entire companies died at Fengkou. What kind of story is it if we come back alive? We deserve to die on the Great Wall, sigh!"

"yes"

Wen Laoga sighed, "We should just die on the Great Wall, rather than bear the scorn of these traitors!"

"Forget it! I'm not going to go for a soak!"

Gao Lianggan stood up as he spoke, "Come on, let's find somewhere else to talk and discuss some good deeds that will bring good karma!"

"Come to my herbal medicine shop."

As Wen Laoga spoke, he stood up and added in a low voice, "I also have a stake in this bathhouse, and the other owner is also in business with me."

If you ever run into trouble, run this way and slip out the back door.

"Okay!" Gaolianggan nodded vigorously.

After quickly drying themselves off, the four changed into summer trousers and undershirts, then put on round-toed cloth shoes. Before dawn, led by Wen Laoga and Zhao Shouxian, they slipped into a nearby shop filled with the aroma of herbs.

At this time, the herbal medicine shop had already removed its door panels and started operating. A girl who looked to be about thirteen or fourteen years old was busy wiping tables and sweeping the floor.

"This is Brother Bingchu's niece. Her nickname is Yimo. Her grandfather, a schoolteacher, personally named her."

Wen Laoga called out, "Yimo, come here, greet them. This is your Uncle Gao, and this is your Uncle Wei. They fought the Japanese in the same trench as your second uncle."

"Uncle Gao, Uncle Wei."

The quiet girl named Yimo greeted them respectfully, "Come in and sit down, I'll make you some tea."

"Send it to the back."

Wen Laoga said, "Shouxian, you keep watch up ahead."

"Hey!"

Zhao Shouxian quickly agreed and then helped Yimo light the charcoal stove for boiling medicine on one side of the door.

As Wen Laoga walked past the counter that smelled of herbs, the three of them slipped into a small room behind it. Wen Laoga pulled out a bamboo basket filled with herbs, rummaged through it, and then took out two bundles and pushed them to Wei Ran and Gao Lianggan. "Ever since I knew you two were coming to Wanping City, I've been preparing this gift for you. Open it and take a look!"

They exchanged a glance, and Wei Ran opened the bulging bundle in his hand.

He was taken aback when he saw what was inside. There weren't many items, but they were exceptionally valuable.

A brand new Kowloon belt stuffed full of bullets, and two gun cases with the handles sticking out.

"A genuine German-made shuttle box"

Wen Laoga said in a low voice, "This is what my friend and I found when we went to the east of the city and smashed up a comprador's den. We're giving it to you two for self-defense."

"This is extremely valuable."

Gao Lianggan pulled out the two Mauser pistols and said with great interest, his eyes glued to them.

"Keep it."

Wen Laoga said proudly, "Now, not only myself, but I've even equipped Shouxian with a fancy gadget."

"Since you say so, Brother Wen, I won't stand on ceremony and will shamelessly accept it," Gao Lianggan said.

"Don't mention it!" Old Man Wen waved his hand.

I don't have anything to give in return.

"We'll wait until later," said the sorghum stalk.

"There's a long road ahead," Wen Laoga waved his hand.

Just then, Zhao Shouxian brought in the breakfast he had bought, and he even brought in a pot of warmed wine.

"What are your plans for the future, Brother Wen?"

As Wei Ran spoke, he picked up the wine pot and poured a cup of wine for each of them.

"From now on... sigh!"

Wen Laoga raised his glass and clinked it with Wei Ran's and Gao Lianggan's glasses. "Let's talk about it later."

"I was actually planning to go to Northeast China."

Just as Wei Ran and Gao Lianggan were about to say something, Wen Laoga said, "If Shouxian and Yimo weren't still young, I would love to sprout wings and go to the Northeast."

I heard that the Anti-Japanese United Army over there is still fighting the Japanese. For me now, the only things I have to live for are watching my two children get married and fighting the Japanese until the day I die.

"I was originally planning to go to Northeast China too."

Sorghum Stalk sighed, "I was thinking of coming to Beiping first to see if I could meet Guo Guanggun and the Wang Bingchu brothers."

Unexpectedly, instead of finding him, they ran into Brother Wei. "Speaking of which," they said, "Brother Wei, what are your plans? What are you doing running a photography shop here?"

"I'm also planning to look for Guo Guanggun and Wang Bingchu."

After Wei Ran tried to bring up the recent major events but was rejected by a certain living father, he could only follow up by saying, "I never expected it to be such a coincidence."

What a coincidence!

Wen Laoga sighed, "The 29th Army is lying here, so why don't we, these deserters who can't stand the light of day, gather around here?"

As he spoke, he pointed in the direction of the bathhouse, “The one who runs the bathhouse used to be in the 29th Army. He used to be in the same mess hall as me. He was lucky to survive and was too ashamed to go back, so he secretly followed me here.”

"Aren't we deserters?"

As if possessed, Gaolianggan poured himself a cup of wine and drank it all in one gulp. "We should have died at Xifengkou, so how... how did we survive?"

"Of course. How did we survive?" Old Man Wen sighed, picked up his cup, and downed a cup of bitter wine. "How did we survive?"

"Brother Wen, how many bullets do you have here?" Wei Ran asked as he refilled their glasses.

"Including the seven or eight hundred bullets in your pack, there are still some left."

Wen Laoga keenly sensed something was wrong. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing."

After Wei Ran tried several times to reveal something but was rejected by his father, he finally picked up his cup and drank it all in frustration.

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