War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 2029 The Secret of the Third Station
“Victor, you don’t mind that ridiculously stupid suggestion, do you?”

On the way to the airport, Olena asked Wei Ran, who was sitting in the back seat, without turning her head.

"certainly"

Wei Ran smiled. He was certain that the foolish idea was not suggested by Olena.

"I can rest assured that"

Olena breathed a sigh of relief and asked bluntly and without any pretense, "Actually, I'm Daria's daughter, right?"

Wei Ran had absolutely no intention of hiding anything from Wei Ran.

Who is my father?

As Olena spoke, she had already parked the car on the side of the road.

"he"

“You know who it is, right?” Olena asked.

"Know"

Wei Ran nodded. "He was a Soviet, and he was killed in Grozny."

"Is he a hero?" Olena asked, staring blankly at the bustling traffic outside the window.

He's not a hero.

Wei Ran shook his head regretfully, "Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, there have been no Soviet heroes."

"That's it"

“But he was definitely a good father, the best father,” Wei Ran sighed.

"Is there anything else you can tell me?" Olena pressed.

Aren't you going to ask?"

“We are trying very hard to maintain a certain understanding,” Olena said.

"You know Karp, right?" Wei Ran asked.

"know"

“He is your uncle, your father’s younger brother,” Wei Ran said.

"Thank you," Olena said with a sigh of relief.

"Do you remember when we went to that abandoned building on that island in Kirov to clear the weeds?" Wei Ran continued to ask.

"I remember, it was still there back then."

Olena realized something halfway through her sentence.

"Your father was among those buried at that time."

Wei Ran sighed. "Alright, Olena, take me to the airport, or... or I'll drive?"

"Let me do it"

Olena started driving again. "Thank you for telling me so much, and thank you for attending my father's funeral."

"We are friends"

Wei Ran looked out the window and muttered to himself. He and Olena were friends, and he was also friends with Olena's father.

"Yes, we are friends."

Olena nodded and changed the subject, "Will you and Aurora go to Kazan or St. Petersburg again in the future?"

"certainly"

Wei Ran nodded, "And you can also come to China to visit us."

"That's a good idea!"

Olena seemed to be in a much better mood, and then asked Wei Ran triumphantly if he was satisfied with her new work.

In this somewhat provocative conversation, Olena took Wei Ran to the airport.

After saying goodbye to the girl who bore at least a 70-80% resemblance to Teacher Dalia in her youth, Wei Ran entered the airport and boarded the plane with Ali once again.

When the private plane landed in Qiuming, there was no one waiting for it.

After a moment's thought, Wei Ran rented a car, drove out of the city, and headed west along the Tula River until he arrived at a small place called Kamianka. He eventually drove to the long-abandoned cemetery outside the city.

Sure enough, in this cemetery, next to that tombstone, there was a Harley-Davidson motorcycle parked, and a tent was also set up.

At this moment, Mr. Nikolai, dressed in overalls and a sailor shirt, was wielding a large scythe, carefully clearing the weeds from the cemetery.

Wei Ran didn't know how long this old guy had been here, but more than half of the cemetery had already been cleared away.

Seeing this, Wei Ran took out an entrenching tool from the trunk of the arriving car and silently helped clear the remaining weeds.

You don't need to do that.

Nikolai said slowly, "These are the people who sacrificed their lives for the Soviet Union."

"I'm just worried that Factory Manager Nikolai might collapse from exhaustion."

While busy working, Wei Ran said, "If Martha's House loses you as the factory manager, it will probably fall into chaos immediately."

"Since that's the case, then forget it."

Old man Nikolai listened to advice and returned to the tent with his large scythe on his back. "I probably won't come here again."

I recently met an old lady.

Wei Ran helped the other person sit in a folding chair, poured her a cup of black tea and said, "She's about your age, but she's very confident."

"Confidence?" Nikolai curiously took the black tea Wei Ran offered. "What confidence?"

"She said she couldn't die; she wanted to wait and see the day when China wiped out the nuclear power plant and then she could defecate and urinate on the nuclear power plant's bed."

Wei Ran continued pouring tea while explaining with a smile.

"So should I find a target like that too?" Nikolai asked with a smile.

"why not?"

Wei Ran countered, "I guess you mean the Soviet Union is reviving?"

"Isn't it too grand?"

"It's not impossible."

Wei Ran shrugged. "Once your dove colleague steps down, and you replace him with a hawk, Eastern Europe will probably soon be subjected to a Soviet-style baptism."

"You think it's possible?"

"Thinking about it doesn't cost any money."

Wei Ran smiled and placed the freshly poured teacup next to the tombstone of Mrs. Karenina, the foster mother of the Kadenka sisters. "People should live in beautiful wishes."

"Good child, I will try to take your advice."

Old Master Nikolai was much more amiable than when we first met a few years ago. "Tell me about yourself. I heard you're planning to go back to China?"

"yes"

Wei Ran nodded. "Will doing this disappoint you?"

"No, to be honest, I was actually relieved."

Nikolai spoke with unprecedented sincerity and dejection: "The Soviet Union is gone, Russia can't protect us, much less you."

But China can protect you. As long as you are safe, Kalp and the others can enjoy their retirement in peace.

"An unbreakable alliance?" Wei Ran asked with a self-deprecating smile.

"The example of the Soviet Union shows that no alliance is unbreakable, but blood ties can often serve as a bond to maintain relationships."

That's why I suggested that Olena and you have a child that has nothing to do with love.

"So it was you who suggested it?" Wei Ran's eyes widened.

"This is a very useful method, especially after the rise of in vitro fertilization technology."

Of all the people you've met, the one most enthusiastic about this is your Uncle Chabu with big ears.

That bastard was just like Dima a few years ago; after becoming rich overnight, he was terrified that no one would take care of his wealth, so he bought eggs from many celebrities at high prices to raise his illegitimate children.

As Nikolai spoke, he looked at Karenina's tombstone and asked with a smile, "But he didn't just create illegitimate children for himself."

"Victor, guess whose children the Kazhenka sisters are?"

“Khajchenka is.”

Wei Ran's eyes widened as he turned to look at Karenina's tombstone, then looked at Old Master Nikolai with a shocked expression.

"Take good care of them"

Nikolai said gently, "This is my only request."

"I will treat them like my own sisters," Wei Ran immediately promised.

“It’s a good thing they can come to China with you,” Nikolai said with a smile. “At least it’s safe there.” “They will be safe and free in the future,” Wei Ran immediately added.

"Let this little secret go with me to the grave."

Nikolai said gently, "Victor, do you remember our agreement? The agreement about my funeral."

"I remember"

Wei Ran nodded. "Half of it was scattered on the Don River position, and the other half was sent back to Jima's village to be buried with your wife."

Just remember.

Nikolai downed the tea in his cup in one gulp. "Alright, good boy, you should go to Kazan now. There are people waiting for you there."

"Did you stay here by yourself?" Wei Ran asked.

"I'm just not young anymore, but I'm not old enough to need someone to protect me."

Nikolai pointed to a spot not far away and said with a hint of helplessness, "And those children Greva sent to follow me are all around here."

"We'll meet again in the future, right?" Wei Ran asked.

“Of course,” Nikolai said kindly.

"That's good"

Wei Ran breathed a slight sigh of relief, but before standing up, he abruptly asked, "Mr. Nikolai, I would like to ask you one last question."

"What's the problem?" Nikolai gently tossed the question back.

"If you have a camera, and if you only have one last negative left in the camera."

Wei Ran took a deep breath. "Would you use it to record war or happiness?"

"Is this your problem?" Nikolai confirmed.

“That’s right,” Wei Ran nodded. He actually never had an answer to this question.

"If the Soviet Union hadn't collapsed, if I hadn't retired."

Nikolai replied matter-of-factly and without hesitation, “Of course I will use it to record the war.”

"And happiness?"

“Someone will use their camera to record happiness,” Nikolai’s answer remained remarkably matter-of-fact.

"now what?"

"The Soviet Union has now collapsed, and I have retired."

As Nikola spoke, he took out the camera that Wei Ran had given him years ago from his pocket, took it out of its case, and pointed it at the surrounding tombstones.

But in the end, he pointed the camera at Wei Ran and decisively pressed the shutter, saying, "Now of course I will use it to record happiness."

"Are you talking about me?" Wei Ran asked with a smile.

"My life has changed dramatically ever since I met you, you clueless little rascal who came knocking on my door."

Nikolai put away his camera and said with emotion, "Although you rarely go to Volgograd anymore, Zhou and Alexei still come back to visit me every two weeks."

"Those two little bastards, Dima and Greva, also sent a few professional doctors to their gang. They, along with your friend Zoya, take my blood pressure and heart rate and check the rest of the young men's every day."

At this point, Nikola stretched out his sleeve to show the smartwatch that Wei Ran had given him last time, "and this little thing that I've figured out how to use."

Victor, all of this is thanks to you, and I'm not the only one whose life has changed for the better.

And many others, including the Kachenka sisters, have seen their lives begin to improve because of you and your Aurora.

Nikolai patted Wei Ran on the shoulder one last time, "You, and your Aurora, are the source of happiness for many people."

So at my age, if I only have one negative left...

I'll take a picture of you and proudly show it to my friends, telling them that this young man made my life better.

"You're making me blush," Wei Ran said, both amused and exasperated.

"You Chinese are always reserved, shy, and delicate, but most of the time you are not good at expressing your inner feelings."

Nikolai said, "But the Slavic people are different, so good boy, are you still confused?"

"Maybe," Wei Ran said, his smile revealing a hint of weariness.

Time will tell.

Nikolai reassured him, "Alright, you should continue your journey now. There are many people waiting for you in Kazan."

"Goodbye, Mr. Nikolai." Wei Ran said his farewell respectfully as a student, then got up and left the long-forgotten cemetery.

"You gave him your trump card?"

Shortly after Wei Ran drove away, Nikolai asked without turning his head.

"It was given to him."

Chabu emerged from behind a patch of wild sunflowers in the distance and plopped down in the spot where Wei Ran had been sitting. "Next, my friend and I will be busy cleaning up two nests of rats."

So, to avoid neglecting you all and to prevent myself from being used as cannon fodder, let's give our trusted new generation a trump card.

"You have more guts than that bastard Culp."

Nikolai pointed in the direction where Wei Ran disappeared and said with great satisfaction, "This is my student. I have never encountered such an outstanding student when I was teaching in Frunze."

"Is he such an outstanding madman?" Chabu muttered as he poured himself some tea.

"In short, it's excellent," Nikolai said, squinting his eyes in satisfaction.

"So those twins really are yours."

"If I remember correctly, you were in charge back then?"

“I can’t remember anymore, it was more than 20 years ago.”

Chabu waved his hand, "Even that hospital was destroyed in a fire a long time ago, leaving nothing behind."

Go ahead and do what you're doing!

Nikolai smiled and said, "Together with your friends, turn all those Nazis into mincemeat and feed them to the fish."

"We are happy to help"

Big-eared Chabu held up his cup and thanked them in a proper manner.

Leaving aside their casual conversation in the cemetery, after driving back to Tyumen's airport, Wei Ran immediately bought a Mauritian Airlines ticket for the fastest flight to Kazan.

"Victor will be here soon."

In the Time Library in Kazan, Kalp clinked his cup against Apoli's across from him. "So you've made up your mind?"

"I've made up my mind."

Apoli absentmindedly took a sip of the fruit wine in his glass. "This is probably the best choice, and the wisest choice."

Actually, you don't need to.

"Do you think I did this for you?"

Apoli snorted, "Did you guys feed your brains to that husky as canned food?"

“It’s best if it’s not for us,” Culp said with a smile, taking a sip of the fragrant fruit wine.

“My student has absolutely no interest in extreme environment biology, but she has a morbid fascination with bloodshed and violence.”

Apoli pointed to Lyubov, who was busy behind the bar, and said in German, which Lyubov couldn't understand, "If she hadn't been normal in several tests, I would have even suspected that she had a high-functioning antisocial personality disorder."

"Is it that serious?"

Kalp frowned. "Should we consider replacing Victor?"

"No, no, no, that's not necessary."

Apoli's tone turned somewhat strange, "You probably won't believe it, but perhaps because of her upbringing, her adoration for Victor is almost as pathological as her obsession with bloodshed and violence."

Simply put, Victor was like a mirror image to her.

"The sun? Or... the spark of fire?"

"Snapped!"

Apoli snapped his fingers. "A perfect description."

"In that case, let's keep her."

Kalp's tone was complex, containing both worry and a smug anticipation: "I wonder who will fall for this pretty girl."

"She's more than just a pretty girl."

Apoli muttered to himself, "She'll be a monster. Victor may be a madman, but at least he has some sense."

But Dzerzhinsky knew that the only one who could truly restrain this girl was Viktor.

"How about we send her to some extracurricular classes at the forest farm?"

Kalp smiled and suggested, "The Madman Red Flag Forest Farm loves madmen the most."