War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 2030, Fourth Stop: Yearning for a New Life.

When the budget airline's flight landed in Kazan on time and ahead of schedule once again, Wei Ran had just stepped out of the airport when he saw Lyubov, who had come to pick him up with a pink-clad young woman.

"The teacher said we need a hug, and you'd better hug me and spin me around half a circle."

As Liu Bofu opened her arms to Wei Ran, she smiled and whispered.

With a silent sigh, Wei Ran hugged the girl, who was ten years younger than him and had been a dance student, and easily spun her around halfway.

"Will Sister Aurora kill me?"

Liu Bofu whispered in Wei Ran's ear, revealing that she was genuinely afraid of this matter.

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

Wei Ran smiled, gently released her, and let her walk out of the airport with a happy and sweet expression, holding his arm, and get into a civilian armored vehicle that was waiting for them.

"Have you encountered any danger these past few days?"

After the pink-clad girls outside closed the car door, Wei Ran asked.

"The bar next door opened, and a few women who recruit women are trying to sneak in at night."

Lyubov, who was sitting with only half her buttocks on the chair, replied with a hint of respect, "After interrogation, they seem to be related to the nuclear spy that was discovered when Sister Aurora was murdered in the Arctic."

"Tell me, what did you find out?" Wei Ran continued the topic with great interest.

"They want to know what your relationship is with Aurora and the arms dealer who used a hammer to kill that female spy."

Lyubov replied, "In addition, there was another group of them who tried to kidnap Aurora's parents, but they were stopped by the teacher's friends."

Neither Aunt Zhou nor Uncle Alexei were injured; they were unaware they had narrowly escaped being kidnapped.

After a brief pause, Lyubov continued, "I also found out information about their families, and Hela has already taken action."

The families of these individuals have already been secretly transported to banana plantations in Papua New Guinea via a money-free transit route.

"Well done"

Wei Ran nodded. "What about those two women and the people who attacked Professor Alexei and my aunt?"

"There were four women among them, one of whom was even a Chinese immigrant who had already been recruited; she was preparing to pose as a client and..."

"Tell me the results," Wei Ran reminded him.

"One of them was borrowed by Mr. Culp, who planned to have several children for him and Mrs. Anna."

My teacher also borrowed one to do the same thing.

Lyubov explained, "I overheard that he seemed to be keeping some frozen embryos."

"continue"

After a moment of silence, Wei Ran said that he had a feeling that someone was going to ask him to be their godfather again.

"Aunt Dalia also borrowed one, but didn't say what she was going to do with it."

Liu Bofu continued to explain the information she had gathered, explaining that these past few days were the internship period Wei Ran had given her when he decided to retire.

"The remaining two, along with a few others I picked out from their families, are currently being held in separate cells. I'm worried that others might come and borrow them."

"Without any moral compass or ethical restraint"

"Thank you for the compliment. So, boss, did I pass?" Liu Bofu boldly asked, switching to Chao Xianyu.

Find the answer yourself.

Wei Ran ultimately did not try to manipulate the other person's life, "including the present and future life that is destined to be hidden in the sunlight."

Lyubov, no one will force or encourage you to make a choice, not even your teacher.

So don't force yourself, lest you regret it in the future.

"So now I can take revenge on our enemies in an even more ruthless way?" Lyubov asked excitedly and earnestly.

"Even"

Wei Ran paused for a moment, then shook his head. "Let's pretend I didn't say anything. You need to find the answers and balance yourself."

"I understand"

Lyubov nodded vigorously, her eyes shining.

What exactly did you understand about monkeys?
Wei Ran shook his head inwardly but didn't say much. He was used to letting these people, who he didn't know whether they should be considered subordinates, run wild.

Moreover, he believed that Apoli would guide the young girl so that she wouldn't stray too far down the wrong path.

"Let's change the subject. Who's waiting for me at home?" Wei Ran decided to pretend that the conversation had never happened.

“Mr. Kalp and my teacher are both here, as is Mr. Kajik.”

Lyubov immediately replied, "In addition, Miss Marlene and Miss Coco arrived yesterday as well."

"that's it?"

“That’s all,” Lyubov nodded.

"I see"

As Wei Ran spoke, he lowered the back of his chair a little, and said casually, "Liu Bofu, I don't care how you behave in the future, but there's no need for you to be so respectful to me."

Upon hearing this, Lyubov, who had been sitting very dignifiedly, immediately breathed a sigh of relief and slumped back in her airline seat.

"So where does this feigned respect come from?" Wei Ran asked with great interest.

"I thought that if I acted more respectfully, I would also create more distance, so that Sister Aurora wouldn't misunderstand that we really had something going on and that she would kill me."

Lyubov said truthfully and frankly, "Although the script was given to me by Sister Aurora, I don't want to be suspected by her."

Upon hearing this, Wei Ran shook his head helplessly and wisely ended the topic without asking any further questions.

Escorted by the pink-clad delinquents, Wei Ran returned home and went straight into the library after getting out of the car.

"You've finally arrived," Culp said with a smile and waved to him. The library was still closed today.

"How long have you been waiting?" Wei Ran sat down opposite the three of them.

“Ever since you decided to return to China, we’ve come here every day to sit for a while,” Kajik said first, pushing a file folder toward Wei Ran.

"What's this?" Wei Ran asked curiously as he took the file bag.

Your Candidate of Sciences degree certificate

Kajik said, "Check the school's official website yourself, and don't show it off before this year's graduation season."

"thank you boss"

As Wei Ran spoke, he didn't even open the bulging file folder, but simply stuffed it into his briefcase.

That's all I have to say.

As Kajik spoke, he stood up and walked out, saying, "Victor, I hope you will make some contributions in the field of history in the future. Never mind, I heard you foolishly opened a photo studio that only operates one day a month, so I'd better take back my blessing."

Goodbye, Victor.

"Goodbye, Mr. Kajik, I will be your best student."

Wei Ran stood up and said with a smile. He even gave a slight bow in a serious manner. In any case, the other party was still his mentor in name.

“It better be this way”

After Kajik finished speaking, he walked out of the library and got into his car. "Now it's my turn."

Kalp picked up his coffee and took a sip. "Anna should have told you that we're married and will soon be having a child."

"I've mentioned it before."

"If all goes well, we will have a boy and a girl."

Kalp said bluntly, "When we're too old to take care of them, Victor, how about you take care of them?"

“Of course,” Wei Ran promised, “they will live in the sunshine.”

"That would be perfect."

Culp nodded. "You're still a shareholder and advisor at the studio, so remember to provide scripts regularly."

"Don't worry," Wei Ran replied, knowing he would have plenty of scripts to use in the future.

That's all I wanted to say.

As he spoke, Culp stood up and walked out, saying, "May your new life always be filled with sunshine."

“You too”

Wei Ran stood up again and bowed slightly. This person was indeed his teacher, and from any perspective, he had to give him the necessary respect.

"My turn next."

After Apoli and Culp left the library, he also got up and said as they walked out, "Let's talk somewhere else."

"it is good"

Wei Ran nodded, picked up his briefcase, and followed the other person out of the library, climbing into the living compartment of the tracked transport vehicle parked not far away.

Please have a seat.

As Apoli spoke, he opened the cabinet door and then the safe.

He then opened the lining of the safe and took out the disc containing all the data from the "Spark" scientific research project from the hidden compartment.

Finally, Apoli took a portable hard drive out of the safe and sat down opposite Wei Ran.

Under Wei Ran's quiet gaze, Apoli reluctantly stroked the disc in front of them. After a moment, he pushed the disc, along with the external hard drive, over.

"The contents of the disc are what I risked my life to protect on that tundra you discovered back then."

Apoli stared out the window, lost in thought, and muttered to himself, "It was a grand and romantic space colonization plan, but it ultimately became a casualty of the Soviet Union."

“You also became its sacrificial offering,” Wei Ran said in a daze.

"yes."

Apoli sighed wearily, "I also became its sacrificial lamb. Over the years, I have been self-studying related scientific research projects."

But I really don't have any talent for this kind of thing, so I probably won't have the chance to watch this spark fly to Mars in the future.

"What are you going to do?" Wei Ran asked, looking at the other person.

"Take this spark with you, along with my insignificant research results."

Apoli said nonchalantly, “Let it spread like wildfire across your land, and let your comrades strive to realize that great and romantic space colonization plan in the future.”

Only in this way can this ember, which should have been extinguished long ago, be rekindled.

Aren't you afraid that I, or the person I give it to, will disappoint you?

“I used to have such anxieties, which is why I visited China in 2008.”

“You mentioned this at the Wilderness Rescue Station back then, and I remember it.”

“After that trip, I no longer had such concerns.”

Apoli sighed with bitterness and envy, "That should have been the new world created by the Soviet Union. I once thought that if I didn't manage to rekindle the flame before I died, I should send it to a furnace full of fuel."

"Why now?" Wei Ran asked, looking up.

"Now is the time."

Apoli smiled and stroked the makeshift hospital with his hand. "Kalp and the others have started a new life, an enviable new life. I think it's time for me to start a new life too."

"I heard"

“That’s right,” Apoli nodded. “It was Culp’s suggestion.”

Will your future children also need me to take care of them?

Wei Ran pointed out the window, "At least one football team's children have already asked me to be their godfather. I don't mind having one more. Besides, we have our own kindergarten, and if necessary in the future, we can even have a decent school."

"Then I'm not welcome."

Apoli nodded amiably. "I will help you protect this place, and of course, your nominal secret wife, Lyubov."

"Then I'll leave it to you."

Wei Ran shook his head, both amused and exasperated. He knew very well that after learning of his plans to return to China, everyone was paving the way for it.

He knew even better that this was a good thing for the vast majority of people.

Finally, let's talk about Zhou and Professor Alexei.

Apoli started a new topic, saying, "From now on, someone will be in charge of their safety, so you don't need to worry."

"They will eventually return to China."

Wei Ran said earnestly, "This is not because I don't trust you. They will eventually return to their roots. Besides, the professor has no relatives left here, so he will eventually go to China."

"Will you help you and Aurora take care of the children?"

Apoli asked with great interest, "I've heard that in China, older people often help younger people take care of their children."

"I guess it's a perk exclusive to the elderly," Wei Ran explained casually with a smile.

“Once Lyubov is able to protect herself, I’ll probably go to China again,” Apoli said in advance.

"I might invest in a kindergarten sometime. If you're interested, you can apply for a security manager position there." Wei Ran's smile grew even wider.

I'll take it seriously.

As Apoli spoke, he got up, opened the cabinet, took out two beautiful crystal glasses filled with countless memories, and then took out a bottle of vodka, unscrewed it, and poured the vodka while saying, "Finally, before you go next door to see those two girls waiting for you, why don't you have a drink with me first?"

Would you like some stewed meat?

Wei Ran abruptly asked, "Can I borrow your kitchen? I'll make you a pot of stew."

"if you"

"certainly"

As Wei Ran spoke, he picked up his glass and gently clinked it with the other person's. After gulping down the clear alcohol in the glass, he took off his coat and tossed it onto the sofa. He then rolled up his sleeves and began working with remarkable skill.

“Is there anything I can do for you?” Apoli asked.

"How about we bake some bread and make a pot of borscht?" Wei Ran asked with a smile, adding in his mind, "The kind without wolf hair."

"Of course, this is my specialty."

As Apoli spoke, he also took off his suit jacket, and together they began to work, just like in another time and space back then—this time only with longing for a new life.