Shanghai morning

In the new year, Jardine Matheson's business improved slightly, but Arthur was busier than ever.Since the New Year of the Western Calendar, Francis has not shown up in the foreign firm again. He has submitted his resignation letter to Arthur, but Arthur has not approved it.Without Francis, Arthur had to do many things by himself. He wanted to get Alla to help, but Al was determined not to intervene in the affairs of the foreign firm.Wang Yao's work is also much more arduous than before, because of fatigue, he always looks bad.Ferry also discovered this when he was painting. He didn't tell Wang Yao, but mentioned it to Luther: "It seems that I moved the color on his face to the painting, and he has no color."

Wang Yao was also worried about other things. Al appeared in the foreign firm uncharacteristically that day. Wang Yao happily wanted to talk to him. Unexpectedly, Al just argued with Arthur and then left without looking back. He didn't look at him from the beginning to the end Wang Yao took a look.Wang Yao was very disappointed, but he couldn't tell where this sense of loss came from.Since Christmas, he and Al haven't been able to get along well, and he can't figure out what Al is thinking, although Al doesn't seem to be a complicated person.

When things get busy, days go by so quickly.The Chinese New Year is approaching. For the Chinese, no matter how difficult life is, the New Year must be lived. This is a kind of persistence.Although Shanghai has a large area of ​​concessions, the Chinese living in Shanghai have not forgotten their old calendar year. Even though the Western calendar has become the legal way of counting years stipulated by the government, the folks still follow the traditional way to continue this national inheritance. Thousands of years of life.

No matter how busy he is at work, Wang Yao is also thinking about buying things for the New Year. It is said that he has to prepare New Year's money for Wanwan and buy new clothes for her, but he can't afford enough money now, so he can only reduce it.I feel sorry for Wanwan, for letting her suffer along with me all these years, and not allowing her to live happily even for a year.There is another thing that Wang Yao cares about. There is a saying that "every festive season misses relatives". His younger brother Wang Gang is alone in the UK. During the Chinese New Year, he must miss his family, right?

But if you want to know the situation of Wang Gang, you can only ask Arthur. Wang Gang will write to Arthur regularly, explaining his situation in England, and at the same time conveying his greetings to his brother and sister.And he didn't write to Wang Yao directly, on the one hand because Wang Yao moved several times after he left, and the most important reason was that Arthur didn't allow it.So Wang Yao could only ask Arthur, but Arthur never showed him the letter, and only explained to him the content of the letter that was related to him. Of course, it was also selected by Arthur.Arthur would not tell Wang Yao that Wang Gang was bullied when he first arrived in England because of his Chinese face; he would not tell Wang Yao that Wang Gang had begged his brother to let him go back; Arthur would not Tell Wang Gang how Wang Yao misses his younger brother and how he hopes to see him.Arthur just told Wang Yao that everything is fine in Wang Gang and his studies are going well.Arthur also told Wang Gang that Wang Yao was busy with his livelihood and asked him to take care of himself outside.So what Wang Yao learned was only the most vague news about his younger brother, but what Wang Gang could know was that his elder brother had long since ignored him.Arthur's method was very effective. The difficult situation stimulated Wang Gang's potential. He grew up rapidly and became more and more excellent. Although the British students around him still couldn't understand this Chinese boy, his talent made them shut up. Their aloof attitude and bold style made them from noble families jealous, but there was nothing they could do.Now Wang Gang is a student that Arthur is satisfied with, and Arthur's meaning to Wang Gang has already surpassed Wang Yao.

Wang Yao, who didn't know all this, still asked Arthur as usual: "Mr. Kirkland, has Xiaoxiang sent you a letter?"

Arthur took time out of his busy schedule to answer him: "Yes."

"How is he now?" Wang Yao asked with concern.

"Pretty good, he never disappoints me." Speaking of Wang Gang, Arthur was quite proud.

"Is he doing well? Chinese New Year is coming soon, will he be homesick?" Wang Yao imagined Wang Gang's lonely appearance outside, and felt a little distressed.

"It's not the first time for him to celebrate the New Year outside, why are you still worried?" Arthur frowned his thick eyebrows.

Wang Yao whispered: "After all, he is still young..."

"Him, Wang Yao." Arthur interrupted him.

"I know, I can't even imagine what Xiaoxiang will look like when she grows up." Wang Yao smiled wryly, "So, did Xiaoxiang mention me and Wanwan?"

"He said he was fine, so you don't have to worry about him," Arthur rolled his green eyes, "He also said, Happy Chinese New Year."

"This child..." Wang Yao stretched out a warm smile on his face, "Tell him 'Happy Chinese New Year' too, as long as he is doing well, don't worry about me and Wanwan!"

"I'll let you know." Arthur nodded.

In fact, Wang Gang's letter did not mention his elder brother a single word.

It was New Year's Eve soon, and Wang Yao was busy preparing New Year's goods in his spare time. He spent money to weigh a piece of meat, and bought some ingredients that he was usually reluctant to buy.The pair has been written long ago, and it is only waiting to be posted on New Year's Eve.Ivan was watching the fun, showing curiosity about this strange Chinese festival, asking what this one is for and what that one is about.

Xiaofei was not very happy: "Oh, business is so difficult recently, it really makes people don't celebrate the New Year!"

Wang Yao was puzzled: "When will your business be different?"

Xiaofei flicked her handkerchief: "You don't understand, Brother Wang. Now, at the end of the year, no one has spare money to have fun! Our sisters in this line of work will have nothing to earn!"

Wang Yao smiled and said: "You can go to foreigners, they are not new year."

Xiaofei made a bitter face: "Oh! Don't mention it! Since the incident at the pier last time, investigations have been strict everywhere! Even girls like us who stand on the street have to be investigated, saying that they are afraid of getting involved in the revolution. Party spies!"

Speaking of the Revolutionary Party, Wang Yao also thought of those workers in prison, and wondered how many of them would get out alive.Thinking of these things, I have to realize that this is a rainy and gloomy time, even in a bustling big city like Shanghai, I can't live peacefully.

Wang Yao didn't want to get in a bad mood because of the New Year's Eve, so Wang Yao tried his best to dispel those thoughts.Taking advantage of the rest day, Wang Yao planned to buy gifts for Wanwan. Although he didn't have the money to buy new clothes for Wanwan, he couldn't let his sister spend this year in a deserted manner, so Wang Yao decided to buy something else.He took a fancy to a hairpin in the shape of a plum blossom. The most beautiful part of Wanwan was his long black and beautiful hair. Who else would wear this hairpin besides Wanwan?Thinking of his younger sister's beautiful appearance, Wang Yao couldn't help but smile proudly.

Unknowingly, I walked to Shigaota Road. It was already late, and the golden red light of the setting sun shone on the sycamore trees on the side of the road. This cross-concession road, which will be renamed "Shanyin Road" in the future, is so quiet and beautiful.Most of the buildings on the roadside are bungalows and new lanes combining Chinese and Western styles. Compared with the tall and large buildings on the Bund, the small houses on this road have a more refined and artistic aesthetic.Due to the good housing conditions, many cultural celebrities have bought houses here.Wang Yao looked at the small courtyards with some envy. Although he didn't like the Western style, he had to admit that this street was indeed clean and beautiful, and it was so peaceful, just like Roderich's piano music—only when he was in a good mood played when.

Will Al love this place?Unknowingly, Wang Yao thought of that young American again. He had reluctantly dragged his sick body to accompany Al to the Bund, but now he suddenly wished to take a walk on Shigaota Road with Al.

However, Wang Yao soon discovered that this tranquility was only superficial. He saw a familiar figure from the back, that was Yun Jian, a Chinese servant of Luther's family.Wang Yao always felt that there was some secret hidden in Yun Jian, but this seemingly docile Chinese had a pair of eyes shining with self-esteem and vitality. He might not be simple.Wang Yao knew that the behavior of stalking was very bad, like a shameless voyeur, but he couldn't restrain his curiosity, and quietly followed Yun Jian, hiding himself by plane trees or building corners from time to time.All the way down, I was so nervous that my heart was pounding.

Yunjian turned into the backyard of a small bungalow, and Wang Yao rationally told himself that he should leave, but he felt that the mystery was about to be revealed, and he also had a little pleasure of doing bad things where the law could not see, So he checked that there was no one around, and quietly climbed over the back wall.Fortunately, there was no one in the courtyard, only a small room like a warehouse. Wang Yao sneaked to the door. The windows and doors of the house were closed, but he could hear the sound when he put his ear on the crack of the door. The voice inside.He heard the voices of at least three people, one of them was Yun Jian, and the other two were also male voices. One was very strange, but the other seemed to have been heard somewhere before. It was a voice with a strong accent.

First came the strange voice: "Anyway, Aji is my brother, I have to ask him!" The man spoke with an Eastern accent.

Then Yun Jian: "Now the security is very strict, if you go to the prison, you will have nothing to return."

The Kanto people became impatient: "Then what do you say? If you wait like this, Aji will only die!"

The man with the thick accent said, "Meng An, it's useless to be anxious. If we can save him, none of us would want to save him?"

Yunjian suddenly complained: "Ziyu, don't say a few words, last time you caused trouble in the Bund Park, didn't you almost go in? How can we people who do this kind of thing be impulsive?"

Ziyu seemed to be the one with the heavy accent: "Okay, okay, don't talk about me, think about how to save Aji."

Yunjian was a little frustrated: "I originally thought that as long as Aji insisted that he was not a revolutionary party, we would have a way to rescue him, but he admitted it when he went in! I asked the policeman named Ajing, and he said that Aji It was admitted in order not to embarrass the workers who were arrested together, but even so, the workers were not released."

"You silly boy! Why are you still so straightforward?" Meng An complained with indescribable pain in his voice.

Wang Yao was already stunned outside the door. Although he was mentally prepared, he didn't expect that what he overheard was such a big secret.The best way is to leave as soon as possible, as if nothing happened.

Just as Wang Yao was about to tiptoe away, suddenly there was a strong force lifting his body into the air, and in an instant he heard the sound of the door being kicked open, and then he felt himself being thrown heavily on his back to the ground.He fell into a coma for a moment, but soon woke up in panic and tension, feeling as if he was in pain all over his body. He kept lying on the ground and looked up. He happened to meet a pair of gray eyes with a steel-like luster. The owner was a tall young man, and this handsome, god-like figure was looking down at him with eyes of divine punishment.