War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 2023 Successful opening

June 6th, Tianjin, at the entrance of the small Western-style building.

Amidst the cheers and popping sounds of balloons being stomped on the ground by the girls led by Sui Sui, Wei Ran forcefully tore off a small piece of red silk cloth hanging on one side of the doorpost, revealing a not-so-large wooden sign hanging on the doorpost.

The sign had three lines of crookedly written characters:
Wanggui Photo Studio

Businesses open on the 15th of the lunar calendar

To schedule a photoshoot, please send a registered letter to this address.

Beneath these three lines of characters that don't look like they're meant to be honest business, a particularly beautiful feather outline is also perforated.

This was the third day after they decided to return home. With the help of Sui Sui and her friends in China, Wei Ran successfully registered the "Wang Gui" photo studio.

Today marks the official opening of this photo studio.

Since it's located in a busy area, setting off firecrackers is out of the question. Instead, these attractive young women happily popped balloons together, creating a lively scene.

Although the ceremony was simple, all the necessary steps were included.

Amidst fairly enthusiastic applause, Qin Ershi, who had been the first to arrive after receiving the news, handed Wei Ran a small gift he had brought—a green, wind-up tin toad.

"May Boss Wei's business prosper!"

Qin Ershi casually uttered an auspicious phrase, and at the same time tossed the iron toad over, "Here's a golden toad for you, wishing you daily wealth."

"Thank you so much. The golden toad you sent even jumps home on its own."

As Wei Ran spoke, he casually wound up the tin toad a few times and tossed it to his feet, letting it hop into the yard on its own.

"Of course."

As Qin Ershi walked into the courtyard, he jokingly asked, "Have you set up a banquet for your opening yet? I came on an empty stomach, my blood sugar is 5.3, I'm going to faint if I don't eat something."

"You are the only one who talks a lot"

As Xia Shushi spoke, he led Qin Qi inside and casually handed over their gift—a plastic lucky cat that was battery-powered and could say "hello," and even featured Doraemon in a cameo role. He was almost certain that this amazing gift was carefully selected.

"Can't you guys send something decent?" Wei Ran reluctantly accepted the lucky cat, which was bigger than his head.

"Just a token gesture is enough."

As Xia Shushi spoke, he bent down to pick up the golden toad that the person in front had brought, blew off the non-existent dust, and placed it in Wei Ran's arms to keep the lucky blue chubby guy company.

"You can shut up now and go inside and find a place to sit."

Before Wei Ran could finish speaking, the third guest who had been watching also came over with her gift—it was Jia Ya.

Grand Opening

As Jia Ya spoke, she also suppressed a smile and handed over the gift she had brought—a flower basket, or rather, plastic flowers.

"No, you did this on purpose, didn't you?"

Amidst the barely suppressed laughter of the girls around him, Wei Ran asked helplessly, "Why are you all so stingy?"

"You're not short of money, here, this is for you."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhong Zhen, wearing a fisherman's hat, mask, and sunglasses, presented his gift—a cake, a classic pink flower basket cake from the 90s, which cost two yuan and fifty cents each back then.

"Where did you find all of this?" Wei Ran took the palm-sized cake and smelled it. To be honest, it really did taste like the cake from his childhood.

"I deliberately asked the cake maker to cut corners to make it, and it cost me several tens of yuan."

As Zhong Zhen spoke, he stepped into the courtyard. He was really not suited to appearing in public in China, but he still came.

Of course, this has nothing to do with the brotherhood between scumbags; it's just that he couldn't figure it out even after thinking about it for three days and two nights. What was wrong with Scholar Wei?

Before he could even open the lousy cake and taste it, Li Yizhong and his girlfriend Lu Yue came over. The gift they brought was barely acceptable—a toy camera that could play slideshows with the push of a button—and it was pink!

"Alright, as long as they're here."

Wei Ran wasn't picky at all. He hung the toy camera around his neck and even pretended to press it against Sui Sui, who was laughing hysterically.

"This is a small gift I brought as a congratulatory present. I hope you will accept it."

The last guest handed over a money tree in a plastic pot with an IKEA label on it. It was only slightly larger than a can of yellow peaches.

The person who delivered the gift was none other than Brother Liu, with whom he had crossed paths a few times before.

"Thank you for spending so much, Brother Liu."

Wei Ran picked up the flowerpot and looked at it, "Wow! I bought it for nine yuan and ninety cents."

"Taking advantage of the special offer during the promotion"

As Liu Ge spoke, he patted Wei Ran on the shoulder with a smile and followed him into the quiet courtyard.

Seeing that only his junior apprentice Chen Luoxiang and his girlfriend Sui Xin remained as guests outside, the two honest men were embarrassed. They had brought a real gift—a Hasselblad camera.

"Silly boy, why waste your money on this thing?"

Wei Ran greeted him warmly, "Don't just stand there, come in quickly."

"Senior brother, what kind of photo studio do you run?"

Chen Luoxiang asked blankly, feeling a sense of absurdity, as if he had just been playing house with a bunch of lunatics.

"It's a photo studio. I'll take your wedding photos when you two get engaged."

As Wei Ran spoke, he called on the girls watching the commotion to help him take all the gifts from his arms.

"You can't take our money then," Sui Xin joked happily, clutching the camera she hadn't been able to give away.

"This cake is quite delicious."

Lu Xinda, that greedy girl, was the first to open the cake she had snatched. Without any regard for her image, she used her finger to scoop out a piece of rough vegetable cream and put it in her mouth to taste it.

"Please go upstairs and sit down."

After Wei Ran finished speaking to Sui Sui, he patted Lu Xinda on the head and said, "Just taste it. This stuff isn't good for your health. Go and make some tea and take it to the basement."

"okay!"

Lu Xinda agreed without thinking, put the dollop of sweet cream she had already scooped out into her mouth, and happily ran into the tea room on the first floor.

When he entered the basement, the people who had just given him the gifts were already gathered around the table, each holding a freshly baked sesame seed cake, and they were casually stuffing various dishes into it and eating.

Naturally, neither Qin Qi nor Lu Yue were present.

"Did you guys come here for a team-building event?"

As Wei Ran spoke, he plopped down between Zhong Zhen and Li Yizhong.

Stop with that fancy stuff.

Qin Ershi took a big bite of the crispy sesame seed cake. "Scholar Wei, what's gotten into you? Why did you set up a photo studio like this?"

I'm planning to return to China to develop my career.

As Wei Ran spoke, he rolled up his sleeves, picked up a sesame seed cake, tore it open, and put a piece of pickled vegetables inside. "Next month, I'll spend a little money to get my associate doctorate degree certificate, and then I'll come back. I need to have a career to support my family by then."

"This crazy photo studio? Also, what kind of trouble have you gotten into? Why are you planning to come back to China?" Xia Shushi asked a series of questions that piqued the curiosity of those around him.

"I'm not short of money. I can just open for business one day a month. Do you really think I'm going to take photos for people every day?" Wei Ran asked matter-of-factly.

"Did you get into trouble outside?" The one who mumbled the question repeatedly was Brother Liu, who was eating a roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) with his mouth full of oil.

"What trouble could I, a law-abiding and honest international student, possibly cause?"

Wei Ran shrugged. "I really just want to graduate with a degree, start my own business, and live a stable life from now on."

"What did you and Miss Sui Sui say? Are you getting married?" Jia Ya asked the most crucial question.

"I don't plan to."

Wei Ran took a big bite of the sesame seed cake, chewing as she mumbled, "We're cousins ​​with no blood relation, how can we get married?"

"You old man, you suddenly remember you're cousins ​​at this point?" Qin Ershi was amused. "What kind of act are you putting on?"

"We can't get married," Wei Ran swallowed the food in his mouth. "That's for the best."

“It seems Miss Sui Sui is very confident,” Jia Ya said with a smile.

"I'm quite confident too," Wei Ran replied with a smile.

"You're not planning to go out anymore?"

As Brother Liu spoke, he picked up the second sesame seed cake, skillfully tore it open, put in a few slices of sausage, sprinkled on some garlic slices, and then poured a spoonful of vinegar over it.

"Brother Liu has quite the appetite."

Wei Ran gave a thumbs up before replying, "I don't plan to go out and mess around anymore. I'll just stay home and live a quiet life."

"Stay put?"

“Even the wildest kid knows to brush the dirt off himself before coming home,” Wei Ran replied with a smile.

"That's fine then. Let's talk privately later."

As Liu spoke, he took a big bite of the sesame seed cake. "You chat with them first, I'll eat for a while. By the way, do you have any soupy dishes?"

"I've been simmering that thermos of salted tofu soup for hours," Wei Ran said, pointing to the thermos on the table by the wall.

"Who wants to go first?" Jia Ya said, picking up a piece of sausage and chewing it slowly.

"Respect the elderly and care for the young, you go first."

Qin Ershi made a sarcastic remark and beckoned Xia Shushi and the other two to go to the wall and serve themselves some soup.

"Is Mr. Wei planning to shirk his responsibilities or hand over the reins to his subordinates?" Jia Ya asked a question that seemed to have forgotten to be specific to a particular matter.

“The reins are already tied tight, you can’t run away,” Wei Ran replied calmly.

Are there opportunities for future cooperation?

"It depends on what it is." "Fighting the Japanese?"

“I’m ready to go all in on this at any time,” Wei Ran answered almost instinctively.

I am increasingly certain.

Jia Ya shook her head, both amused and exasperated. "I absolutely cannot let you meet my boss."

"Am I still so dangerous in Miss Jia Ya's eyes?" Wei Ran asked with a smile.

"You're a lunatic, just like my boss."

Jia Ya said, "Kings don't meet, and neither do madmen. Two madmen together will be a disaster."

"Alright," Wei Ran readily agreed. "You're welcome to visit my photo studio in the future."

I'll come often.

Jia Ya put down her chopsticks as she spoke, "Alright, I should go now. I wish Mr. Wei a prosperous business."

"Thank you"

Wei Ran smiled and stood up, watching Jia Ya go upstairs alone and leave.

"My turn next."

As Qin Ershi spoke, he had already sat back down in his original seat with a bowl of thick, salty, and fragrant salted tofu soup. "Just two things: making movies and investing."

"Upstairs, go talk to our queen."

"okay!"

Qin Er Shi decisively picked up the bowl of soup and went upstairs.

“Scholar, I just want to ask about the future of the training program for comics and mine clearance schools.” As Zhong Zhen sat back down, he also served Wei Ran a bowl of soup.

"Nothing changes"

Wei Ran's answer this time was incredibly clear and unambiguous: "Take Marta to handle these two matters; she's in charge of the other things."

"I'm fine now, as long as I know you didn't back down."

As Zhong Zhen spoke, he picked up a sesame seed cake that had just been filled with stewed meat and went upstairs.

"Brother Wei, what I want to know is about the veterans I've collected this time. I'm at a loss and don't know what to do next."

Li Yizhong walked over and said that the others hadn't hidden anything from him during their conversation, but to be honest, he hadn't understood a single thing.

"If you need to find Xia Shushi after this, he can help you."

Wei Ran thought for a moment and added, "I have a way to make him able to help you."

"I feel relieved to hear Brother Wei's words."

Li Yizhong breathed a sigh of relief and carried a plate of sesame seed cakes filled with various vegetables upstairs. Lu Yue hadn't had lunch yet, so this was perfect to take over.

"Tell me, what can I do to help Xiao Li?" Xia Shushi, who was carrying a bowl of soup, sat down and asked while slurping the piping hot tofu soup.

"You'll be in the spotlight while I'll be behind the scenes. From now on, you'll be the glamorous and accomplished scholar, Xia."

Wei Ran said, "Also, we've found out about the kettle incident. You'll be with me tomorrow."

"Pfft! Cough cough cough cough! What the hell did you just say?"

Xia Shushi grabbed a few tissues and asked while wiping the tofu soup spraying from his nostrils and coughing.

"How old are you? Why are you still spitting up milk?" Wei Ran teased with a smile.

How did you find it?

Xia Shushi blew his nose forcefully and asked incredulously, "This is so weird, when did you start investigating?"

"I started my investigation as soon as Li Yizhong handed me the kettle."

Wei Ran said, "Let's get started first. Once we've made sure the bar is inseparable from food, then we can talk about how to build a big business."

I'll try it next time.

Xia Shushi didn't ask about the investigation process; instead, he asked, "What did you find out?"

"An address and recipient were found."

Wei Ran said, "I'll send it to you later. See if you can find it. If you can, we'll set off to send the message tomorrow."

"Is Boss Wei testing me?"

Xia Shushi wasn't stupid. He knew that Wei Ran was testing him, seeing if he could find the right person in such a short time. This was related to how many people he could mobilize, or rather, who he could mobilize to help him investigate.

"It's not really a test for you."

Wei Ran slurped up a mouthful of hot soup. "With the relationship between us brothers, even if you were a lump of mud, I could stick you to the wall and you wouldn't be able to pry you off."

"Cough, cough, cough!"

After he finished speaking, the person coughing became Brother Liu, who was obviously listening in. Of course, this was also a test, to see if Wei Ran was willing to let him listen in on his and the others' "secrets". Wei Ran's attitude would determine how deep their relationship would become.

Brother Liu knew about this, and Wei Ran was also aware of it. The two of them were perfectly clear about this test, knowing each other perfectly well.

"If you've said that, then send me your address."

As Xia Shushi spoke, he picked up a plate of pre-prepared flatbread with vegetables and went upstairs—how could he let Li Yizhong, this island motorbike driver, outdo him?
When only Wei Ran and Brother Liu remained in the basement filled with the aroma of food, the latter came over with a bowl of soup that was only half full and sat down, saying bluntly, "Now that you've eaten and drunk your fill, let's get down to business?"

"OK"

Wei Ran put the last bite of food, along with some sesame seeds, into his mouth, then took out a few wet wipes and carefully wiped his hands and mouth before handing a few more to the other person.

"Is that online organization yours?"

"Which one?"

"there's a few?"

How many do you know?

"So it's yours?"

"Yes," Wei Ran readily admitted.

"I received all the negatives you sent last time," Brother Liu said almost bluntly. "What do you want?"

"How about some tax exemption policy?" Wei Ran asked with a smile.

You mean Sui Sui is small?

"My photo studio"

"Your small business doesn't need to pay taxes, didn't anyone tell you that?"

"No ah"

Wei Ran spread his hands blankly, "Then I don't want anything."

"How about I offer you a job?" Brother Liu asked abruptly.

"What job?"

Wei Ran immediately pressed on, "Let's get this straight, a 9-to-5 job is out of the question. I have a lot of people I'm flirting with, and I don't have enough time."

Upon hearing this, Brother Liu shook his head, both amused and exasperated. "I need a history consultant by my side. You don't need to work nine to five."

"Is this an attempt to tie me down?"

"Why not lend you an east wind? A fire needs the wind to spread."

“That makes sense. I don’t want to be a dog on a leash either, but being a wildfire is pretty good. I’ve been wanting to try burning something for a while now.”

How do you plan to cook it?

"Give birth to a little boy like the one in Kyoto," Wei Ran said more subtly this time.

"Think long-term"

Brother Liu picked up a piece of pickled vegetable that had fallen on the table and shook it. "They're no longer a decent opponent."

"Before villages go to war, they even kill a chicken as a sacrifice to the heavens."

Wei Ran also picked up a shredded pickled vegetable and put it in his mouth. "How about we use this chicken to test if the fire is wild enough, and also to test if the east wind is strong enough?"

"This didn't happen overnight."

"I'm retired now. Retirement doesn't make me old. I have a good back and kidneys, and I have plenty of time."

"A retired man who isn't old?" Brother Liu was speechless. "What are your salary and benefits requirements?"

"Forget about the salary, at least provide social security benefits, right?"

Wei Ran jokingly pointed upstairs, "Those pretty Russian girls will be working part-time as models in my photo studio from now on. Shouldn't I give them a work visa or something?"

"That's it?"

That's enough.

Wei Ran paused, looked up at the bright window and added, "If the original owner comes back, let me know in advance and I'll make room for them."

Brother Liu paused for a moment upon hearing this, then readily nodded, "Okay, I agree to all of that."

“Then it’s settled,” Wei Ran said, extending his hand to the other person.

"It's a pleasure to cooperate with you," Brother Liu said, shaking hands with Wei Ran with his hands that he had just carefully wiped clean.

"Of course, please take good care of me, boss," Wei Ran said with a smile as he entered the workforce.

"Please take good care of me, scholars of Wei University," Brother Liu said, standing up as well and walking decisively out the door.