Agents of the Republic of China

"Start?" Da Tou asked Lin Xiaotang.

Lin Xiaotang nodded.

"It's too much, can it be done by the two of us?"

Lin Xiaotang nodded again.

"Damn it, I have to fight, anyway, my hands are almost useless! At worst, I will lose my feet!"

Lin Xiaotang nodded again with a solemn face.

Both of them were sweating.

In the alley on the back street of the cafe, Lin Xiaotang and Datou each wore a glossy white uniform with the words "Cafe Santos" printed on it, staring blankly at the two large basins piled up like a hill in front of them. tablecloth.

Later, the two rolled up their trouser legs, took off their shoes, picked up a few tablecloths and threw them into the wooden basin next to them, added some saponin powder, jumped into the wooden basin and laughed, and began to step on the tablecloths, splashing water everywhere.

Lin Xiaotang and Datou came to this Santos Cafe to work four days ago.Only when they arrived in the International Settlement did they know how difficult it is to make a living here.

After the Japanese occupied Nanjing and Shanghai, the public concession and the French concession became a rare paradise in the occupied areas because they had not yet declared war on Britain, the United States and France.Lin Xiaotang and Datou originally wanted to rent a small house to live temporarily, but they didn't expect that even if they only rent one room in today's house, they would still need a small yellow croaker for half a year.

Later, the two wandered here aimlessly and found that this cafe was recruiting handymen, but they couldn't figure out why there were still vacancies. You must know that as long as there is a job here in the concession, there will be countless people vying for it.

The owner of the cafe, surnamed Shen, is in his thirties, dressed in a suit and leather shoes, white and fat, with hair combed back and pomade, so shiny that it can be used as a mirror.It's just that my eyesight is not very good, and there is always a lens stuck on my right eye.

After talking about the conditions, I found out why he can’t find people here. The conditions are so fucking harsh: foreigner not local, must be male, no parents, no wife, no children, monthly salary of 15 yuan, One holiday per month, but the boss can only take a nod to rest.

Just kidding, the cheapest cup of coffee in a coffee shop costs 15 yuan, which is only enough for two days of meals in the concession where prices are soaring.

The boss, Fatty Shen, probably saw that Lin Xiaotang and Lin Xiaotang were foreigners who had just arrived in Shanghai, so he simply offered another condition, that is, the store would provide food and lodging, and Lin Xiaotang and the two of them could help look after the store at night. Living in the shop with a strong man can give him a lot of peace of mind, but his salary will be reduced by two yuan.

This is what attracts the two of them the most.

After staying for only two days, Fatty Shen came to find two people, saying that the patrol room in the concession was tightly checked, and he wanted them to apply for identification. He promised with all his mouth, but who knew that he was cheated out of 20 yuan by the mean fat man. Later, he found out that there were hundreds of thousands of refugees in the concession, and the patrol room would not have time to check them one by one, but the identity certificate was finally obtained, so forget it I've got something on my mind.

From then on, Lin Xiaotang and Datou were considered to be proper Shanghainese. Lin Xiaotang was called Lin Qi, and Datou was called Cai Da.

Apart from a few waiters and three cooks in the cafe, Lin Xiaotang and Datou are the only two handymen.Therefore, the two of them became the targets of heavy exploitation by the fat man, and they were also labeled as omnipotent. They cleaned up every day, cleaned the toilet, cleaned the tableware and tablecloths, and lost a lot of weight within a few days.

But there is no way, who makes it so difficult to make a living in the concession now, for the three meals a day, Lin Xiaotang and Datou can only hold their noses and continue to work, besides cursing Fatty Shen every day.

Lin Xiaotang stepped on the tablecloth and handed Datou a cigarette, "Save your cigarettes, the stock is running out."

The big head took it with a murmur, "I was so fucking ambitious to pretend to be a human, but I didn't expect to turn into a miserable mess like this."

Lin Xiaotang glanced at him with a cigarette in his hand, "Come on, life is hard, just keep a low profile when you first arrive in Shanghai Maritime, you will have a chance in the end."

Just as the big head was about to answer, a sinister voice came from behind the two of them, "I said why the tablecloth has always smelled like stinky feet these days. It's because you two boys cut corners after doing it for a long time!"

Lin Xiaotang and Datou jumped out of the tub quickly, putting on a smiley look, "Boss, we are not speeding up, the store is still waiting to be used, so we can hang it up after washing it earlier."

"Hmph!" With a nasty voice, Fatty Shen squeezed out through the narrow back door, "Fart!"

Fatty Shen pointed at the two of them with his fingers as thick as small radishes, "You are the only ones who have read books. Besides being lazy and talking, do you know anything else? Be smart, you two, this is not your home. This is Shanghai Beach, here is a tiger, you have to lie down for me, and a dragon, you have to coil up for me. Since you work, you have to look like you are working. You are deliberately disrupting the situation for me, so that the guests can see If you are like this, who will come to the store to patronize!"

"Yes, yes, there will never be a next time!" Lin Xiaotang and Da Tou hurriedly said yes.

Fatty Shen waved his hand angrily, then pointed at Lin Xiaotang, "Xiaoqi, come with me."

Pointing at the big head again, "You, then give me a good job, remember, wash it with your hands, and let me catch it, just get out!"

Lin Xiaotang agreed, and followed Fatty Shen into the shop, not forgetting to turn around and give the angry big head a schadenfreude smile.

To be honest, Fatty Shen is treacherous and stingy, but he can still be stingy with his subordinates. At least three meals a day are never skipped, and there is still a meal every two or three days. Never said anything either.

According to what he said, he also came from a bitter background and knew what it was like to be hungry, so he would never treat the people below badly in terms of eating.In addition, Fatty Shen is extremely defensive, if outsiders bully his subordinates, Fatty Shen will definitely stand out.So Lin Xiaotang has never had any bad feelings towards Fatty Shen.

Fatty Shen brought Lin Xiaotang to his office, closed the door behind him, took out a suit of clothes from the cabinet and handed it to Lin Xiaotang, "Put it on!"

Lin Xiaotang was taken aback.

"What are you doing standing there in a daze? Quickly put on and help me with something later!" Fatty Shen became a little impatient.

Only now did Lin Xiaotang take it over, and it turned out to be a suit, the latest in Shanghai.

Quickly change clothes.Fatty Shen looked up and down, "It's not bad, it's not bad, the figure is not bad, and it's still a bit stylish when you put on this outfit."

Fatty Shen patted Lin Xiaotang on the shoulder, "There is a regular customer in the store who is in trouble today and needs a face to help. After much deliberation, only you are the most suitable. Don't worry, the help will not be in vain. That regular customer will help you." It's very generous, and the benefits must be indispensable to you."

Fatty Shen took Lin Xiaotang to the curtain in the corridor, pointed to a table of customers in the shop and said to him: "See, that table is right, yes, the one next to the wall, that young man's name is Ma Qixiang, he is from the foreign concession Ma Qixiang, the nephew of Chairman Ma of the Chamber of Commerce, is a rich man! You go over now, remember, don’t say anything, just walk over, if he says anything, just nod and smile, you know?"

Lin Xiaotang agreed to open the curtain, walked over, and met the waiters in the shop who looked at him sympathetically along the way, which made Lin Xiaotang extremely puzzled, with a hint of ominous premonition in his heart.

The young man named Ma Qixiang turned his head when he heard footsteps.

In my heart, this Ma Qixiang should be the most beautiful man Lin Xiaotang has ever seen, with skin as white as jade, two sword eyebrows, a straight nose, and a full face.

Ma Qixiang turned his head and saw Lin Xiaotang, and smiled, he was indeed a beautiful man who turned all sentient beings upside down, "Why is it taking so long to go to the bathroom, hurry up, sit here."

As he said that, Ma Qixiang patted the seat next to the sofa, indicating that Lin Xiaotang was sitting beside him.

Lin Xiaotang sat down apprehensively, but still kept a calm smile on his face, which made Ma Qixiang reveal a trace of curiosity.

As soon as he sat down, Ma Qixiang grabbed Lin Xiaotang's left hand naturally. Lin Xiaotang was startled, and just wanted to break free, but immediately saw the eyes of Shen Fatty not far away, and Shen Fatty shook his head coldly at him.

Being grabbed by a big man in such an ambiguous manner and still placed on his knee, this seems to be an action that can only be done by a couple, but now it happened to two men, and the person involved was actually himself, Lin Xiaotang was covered in fine hairs Standing up all of a sudden, there was a feeling of wanting to vomit in my chest.

Perhaps because he noticed that Lin Xiaotang's palm was cold, Ma Qixiang turned his head to look at him with a smile, and patted his hand lightly, signaling Lin Xiaotang not to be so nervous.

Only then did Lin Xiaotang realize that there was a woman sitting across from him, about 27 or [-] years old, with an upper-middle appearance, a graceful young woman, staring at Lin Xiaotang and Ma Qixiang with red phoenix eyes without blinking, her eyes could not be restrained anger.

Ma Qixiang held Lin Xiaotang's left hand with his left hand, but his right hand grabbed Lin Xiaotang's shoulder and hugged him into his arms, which made Lin Xiaotang tremble even more, but the fat man kept staring at him, and he also Don't dare to break free.

Ma Qixiang leaned forward slightly, "Sally, don't you want to see him? This is it."

The young woman looked at Ma Qixiang resentfully, "Ah Xiang, don't lie to me, I know you have me in your heart, you said you only love me, I am willing to give up everything for you, isn't that enough?"

Ma Qixiang sighed, "Sally, you know what kind of person I am. I told you when I was with you that what I hate most in my life is being bound by one person. I yearn for freedom and unfettered freedom. In life, my feelings go with the tide, who I meet and who I fall in love with, I can't make the decision myself!"

Sally stood up, "Just because of this little boy, are you going to abandon me?"

Ma Qixiang turned his head and looked at Lin Xiaotang affectionately, "No way, who made me meet him after you?"

Lin Xiaotang's back was covered in cold sweat, but he couldn't break free.

Ma Qixiang took his shoulders and leaned Lin Xiaotang's head on his own, "Who can explain the relationship?" He said, kissing Lin Xiaotang's hair lightly.

Lin Xiaotang's heart was about to explode, cold sweat dripped from his forehead, and his face turned pale.

Sally stood up abruptly, "Ma Qixiang, you bastard, you actually like men, go to hell!" After finishing speaking, she grabbed a glass of water on the table, splashed it on Ma Qixiang's face, turned around and slammed the door away.

Ma Qixiang watched her back disappear, then let go of Lin Xiaotang, wiped the water off his face, and shouted: "Old Shen, how many times have I told you that the water on the opposite side must be lukewarm water. It's a little hot!"