Shanghai morning

On Sunday, Al and Arthur played polo at the racetrack.The racecourse covers an area of ​​466 mu, consisting of a vast field and the horse race hall next to it. There were more than 70 households in the middle of the land acquired when the racecourse was built, but the foreigners demolished these residents with the consent of the Qing government. house, and built this Shanghai racetrack, which is known as the No. [-] in the Far East.

Al is not good at this sport, but Arthur is a good one. After several rounds, Al didn't win a single game.

"Did you come out early in the morning to torture and kill?" Al smiled and reined in the horse. Although the weather was cold and damp, he was sweating all over, and his blond hair was wet when he took off his hat.

"You lack exercise." Arthur turned the horse's head gracefully and trotted around the field again. He has been an excellent rider since he was a child. Although he almost broke his neck when he was 10 years old, his enthusiasm for riding has never diminished. .

"Hey! I don't think so!" Al objected to Arthur's back as he galloped away. He liked football more than polo, a sport that relied on riding skills.He handed the horses over to the groom and stood by the pen to wait.

After trotting around, Arthur returned to Al, reined in the horse and rolled over: "I need your help with something."

"What's the matter?" Al asked, leaning against the fence.

Arthur said with a sullen face: "Wang Yao went to Francis. He didn't want to go back to the foreign company. I really need to find someone to replace him. I hope you can help me with my affairs. The foreign company already has your shares."

Al wasn't too happy: "I said I wouldn't go, I'm not interested in doing business."

Arthur's face was solemn, and his tone became even more serious: "After the fleet sank, the situation of the foreign company was very bad. Although it is getting better now, I can't do it alone."

Al couldn't help laughing and said, "It's unbelievable that this came out of your mouth—you would admit that you can't do it!" He turned and said, "Francis won't come back after this has happened?"

Arthur said disdainfully: "He is a person who gives up halfway in everything. I was worried about letting such a lazy and incompetent person manage the foreign company. Now it is just right for him to quit."

"Although Francis is lazy, he is not incompetent. You know this much better than me." Al vaguely guessed where the problem was.

The big clock on the towering steeple of the racetrack struck twelve, Arthur looked at the clock, and said to Al: "I'm going to have lunch with Antonio and Bellew in a while, you go back first, and think about my suggestion carefully." After that, Arthur left the racetrack quickly.

Obviously, after losing Francis, an important partner, the burden on Arthur's shoulders was even heavier. He had to personally undertake the work that Francis had done for him before, such as currying favor with CA-CI.Al saw all this, but he still didn't want to step into the circle maintained by money and interests.

After leaving the racetrack, Al walked east along the wet roads. These roads are called "malu" by the Chinese, but this is an imported word that is half transliterated. There are many "pidgin" foreign language words popular in Shanghai .Al doesn't like the dampness and coldness of Shanghai. Just like the culture of this country in his eyes, it is ambiguous, inseparable, proud in humbleness, and unyielding in meekness, which he will never understand.

Just like that guy.

As he was walking, Al suddenly realized that the person walking towards him was very familiar. After a closer look, it was Ludwig. Ludwig was also taken aback when he saw Al, as if he was considering what to say.

"Good day, Mr. Beschmidt." Al greeted first.

"Good day, Mr. Jones." Luther replied.

Al had nothing to say to the German, and he was going to walk away.

"Please wait, Mr. Jones." Luther stopped him.

"Is something wrong?" Al asked a little bluntly.

Luther said politely but obviously formulaic: "I'm looking for you: my friend Feliciano is going to hold a solo exhibition, and he asked me to invite you to participate. I went to the Sassoon Building just now, and the front desk told me that you and Kirkland Mr. has gone to the racetrack, so I left him the invitation."

"Feliciano? You mean Mr. Vargas?" Al was very puzzled. He only met Feliciano twice, why did the Italian invite him to the exhibition.

"Yes, Ferry wants me to invite you to come, otherwise he will be very disappointed." Luther said, "The time is set on the first of next month. I hope you will show me your face."

Al didn't know what Feliciano's disappointment had to do with him, but he guessed it was a way for the rich German to expand his social circle and influence: "Dare to ask: who else has been invited? Was your cousin Arthur among them?"

"We have also invited Mr. Kirkland, and his invitations have been sent to Jardine Matheson," Luther said, "and other celebrities in Shanghai have also been invited—I just sent out all the invitations yesterday, today you The last one, of course, is not the least important one." Luther did not hide his purpose, but also emphasized the importance of Al.

Al noticed another piece of information: it seemed that he was the only one invited by Luther himself, and he was probably not in Luther's original plan. Feliciano's request allowed his name to be added to the list.

"Why did Mr. Vargas invite you so kindly?" Al asked his question.

"He didn't say." Luther was also very puzzled, "He said that you will not be disappointed."

Al didn't like this kind of teasing: "I'm afraid I can only disappoint Mr. Vargas—I have no appreciation for art, and I never go to art exhibitions."

Luther hesitated for a moment, then saluted: "I will tell you the truth, goodbye, Mr. Jones."

"Goodbye." Al strode away.

In a famous French restaurant in the concession area, Wang Yao sat by the window and waited. He casually looked out the window, and suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure walking by.

"Al?" Wang Yao said to himself, he looked out carefully, but felt that it didn't look like Al—probably wrong, there are many foreigners in the concession, and there will always be some who are similar to Al in appearance and body.

"Wang Sang." A familiar cold voice pulled back Wang Yao's thoughts.

As soon as Wang Yao turned around, he saw Honda Ju calmly sitting opposite him, and he tried his best to be friendly: "Mr. Honda."

"I didn't expect Wang Sang to arrive so early." Honda Ju said with a smile.

"Mr. Honda, whom I have an appointment with, of course can't be late." Wang Yao said politely.

"What if I asked Wang Sang?" Honda Ju raised the corners of his mouth slightly, showing a dangerous smile, "Can Wang Sang be late?"

Wang Yao's heart was blocked for a while, he just felt nauseated, but he couldn't refute. This annoying man, Honda Ju, obviously humiliated him on purpose, and didn't miss any loopholes in his words.

"How dare?" Wang Yaoqiang suppressed his anger, "If Mr. Honda meets, I will definitely be more punctual."

Honda Chrysanthemum was a little surprised, but smiled immediately, his eagle-like eyes were fixed on Wang Yao's face all the time: "Wang Sang's temper is much better, I hope this is a good start."

"I hope so too." Wang Yao said against his will.

The waiter came to let the two order. Wang Yao wanted to hand over this power to Honda Ju: "Mr. Honda, please order your favorite food."

Honda Chrysanthemum took the menu calmly, glanced at it briefly, ordered a few dishes without hesitation, and said: "The beef should be well-cooked, my friend has a bad stomach."

Wang Yao was startled: "How do you know..." He suddenly stopped in the middle of speaking, he realized that Honda Ju knew him beyond imagination, which was a very scary thing.

"I have always cared about Wang Sang." Honda Ju said in a warm but warm tone.

"In this case, Mr. Honda must also know the purpose of my appointment with you," Wang Yao said, "We didn't talk very well last time. I don't know if we can reach a consensus this time——As you know, I am representing Jardine Mr. Arthur Kirkland of the foreign firm has come to discuss cooperation with you."

"I am willing to cooperate with Jardine Matheson," Honda Ju changed the subject, "but only as your friend."

"My friend?" Wang Yao felt ridiculous, "It's unimaginable that you want to be friends with an inferior person."

Honda Ju said with a smile: "I said before, you are outstanding and deserve my special attention."

"You really flattered me." Wang Yao suppressed his anger, "No matter what, Mr. Kirkland would be willing to make you his friend."

Honda Ju smiled meaningfully: "So what about you? Does Wang Sang regard me as a friend?"

Wang Yao avoided Honda Ju's cold eyes: "If Mr. Honda solves the urgent need of the foreign company, I will definitely respect you."

Honda Ju seemed dissatisfied with this answer, but he didn't intend to press too hard for now, he leaned back on the chair back: "Wang Sang can report to Mr. Kirkland."

"Thank you, Mr. Honda." Wang Yao felt relieved.

The waiter brought the dishes ordered by the two of them. The food eased the tense atmosphere a bit. During the meal, the two of them didn't talk anymore. At least eating can keep people's mouths from idling.

After the meal, Wang Yao asked for the bill, but Honda Ju stopped him: "Wang Sang, I know you are struggling. It would be too unreasonable for Mr. Kirkland to ask you to spend money to socialize for him."

Wang Yao was speechless. Although his invitation to Honda Ju was a personal act, it was indeed carried out under Arthur's instructions, and Arthur did not provide him with funds.

"I invited Mr. Honda, how can I ask the guest to pay for it?" Wang Yao insisted.

"Wang Sang, don't care about face in front of me." Honda Ju said and settled the bill a little domineeringly.

Wang Yao's heart was extremely uncomfortable, and a depressed emotion was smoldering in his chest and could not be released.

Wang Yao and Honda Ju walked out of the hotel together and said goodbye on the steps at the door.

"I'm looking forward to meeting you again, Wang Sang." Honda Ju's tone was somewhat sincere, but the usual coldness could not be ignored.

"I will convey your wishes to Mr. Kirkland." Wang Yao deliberately avoided Honda Ju's meaning.

Suddenly, a third voice intervened in the conversation between the two: "Yao? Why are you here?"

Wang Yao turned his head to look, and was a little surprised: "Al?" He subconsciously turned his head to look at Honda Ju, who maintained a consistent smile. Wang Yao was inexplicably embarrassed, and he didn't know why he felt guilty: "I Invite Mr. Honda to lunch and discuss cooperation with him."

"Arthur's order?" Al's tone was bad.

Honda Chrysanthemum glanced back and forth between the two of them, as if he understood something, he immediately stepped forward to smooth things over: "It seems that you two still have something to discuss, so I will take my leave first." Then he stepped down the steps and left.

Only Wang Yao and Al were left, Wang Yao felt a lot more relaxed, but soon became more embarrassed.The two walked along the Huangpu River, and the river breeze blows away the hem of Al's windbreaker, revealing the riding clothes he hasn't changed.

"Long time no see, Al." Wang Yao greeted with a pidgin English sentence. This simple and improved English sentence is very popular in Shanghai. Although Wang Yao can speak fluent English, he also likes to use words that are more in line with Chinese language habits expression, and the foreigners in Shanghai have long accepted Pidgin English, and even use it frequently.

"I went to your house on New Year's Eve and you weren't there," Al said.

Speaking of New Year's Eve, Wang Yao once again felt guilty for his family, but at the same time, he felt warm because of Al's attention: "I went to see Francis that day, and he was in a bad state of mind. I chatted with him all night."

"About Arthur?" Al said suddenly.

"How do you know?" Wang Yao was surprised.

"Only Arthur doesn't know." Al said with some disdain.

Wang Yao smiled bitterly: "I don't want to know too much about them, I only care about whether the foreign bank can continue to operate."

Al laughed and said, "I didn't expect you to be so loyal to Arthur."

Wang Yao shook his head: "What I'm afraid of is that I don't have money to support my family."

"This is a real problem." Al turned around and saw a few Chinese servants walking behind the foreign master, humble and wretched, always bent over like a shrimp.

Wang Yao glanced at Al's breeches exposed under his windbreaker and the mud on his boots, and couldn't help asking, "Al, did you go to the racetrack with Arthur?"

Al looked at Wang Yao in surprise: "Your observation skills are amazing."

Wang Yao smiled: "I know this little thing about working for Arthur for so long. He often rides horses—and apart from the racecourse, there is no place in the concession where there is so much mud."

"Good logic," Al said.

Wang Yao thought for a while, and then asked, "Did Arthur persuade you to work in the foreign firm again?"

Al smiled helplessly: "Yes, he still hasn't given up."

"Then what do you think?" Wang Yao asked.

"I refused." Al didn't hesitate.

Wang Yao suddenly felt disappointed, but he didn't want to give up just like that. He paused and carefully considered his words: "Al, if I beg you as a friend to come to the foreign firm for help, would you consider it?"

Al stopped, frowned and looked at Wang Yao: "Why do you even say that?"

Wang Yao didn't want to upset Al, but he always had to say what he had to say: "The foreign company is really bad these days. If it doesn't get better, Arthur can only withdraw from Shanghai and go back to England." He thought for a while, and then said : "I admit, I'm begging you for my own sake, but the foreign firm is not just the property of the Kirkland family. Francis has devoted half his life to it. If the foreign firm goes bankrupt, he will be the most sad one."

"But he doesn't want to come back." Al pointed out mercilessly.

Wang Yao sighed: "The problem between him and Arthur has not been resolved, but he doesn't really want to destroy the company."

Al didn't want to talk about this topic anymore: "Yao, let's stop talking about them, I'll take you home."

Wang Yao couldn't persuade him anymore, so he had to stop.

The two walked side by side without saying a word, and before they knew it, there were sporadic snowflakes in the sky.There is very little snowfall in Shanghai, and there is generally no snow in this season.Wang Yao casually looked at the lightly falling snowflakes, these cold little crystals melted immediately when they fell on his face, creating a momentary burning sensation.

"Yao, have you thought about leaving Shanghai?" Al suddenly asked.

Wang Yao thought about it, then shook his head: "I haven't thought about it." If he can't even stay in Shanghai, Wang Yao doesn't know where else in China he can make a living.

"I heard that your younger brother is studying in England. Have you ever thought of living in another country?" Al asked.

Only then did Wang Yao understand Al's meaning, but it was even more difficult for him to answer, do you want to live abroad?He never thought about it.It's not that he didn't envy Xiaoyue and Xiaotai when he sent them to Nanyang, but he couldn't imagine that he also set foot on a boat to a foreign country and stayed away from his homeland ever since.

"I can't go to a foreign country," Wang Yao said, "I still have Wanwan, and I have to let her finish her studies in peace—besides, I can't live outside."

Al was a little disappointed: "You're just afraid of change."

The conversation seemed to be developing in an unpleasant direction again, and the two tacitly stopped chatting.

After sending Wang Yao back to the entrance of the alley, Al was about to say goodbye: "I'm going back." He didn't want to meet that strange Russian who was a neighbor to Wang Yao again.

"The road is slippery, be careful." Wang Yao instructed softly.

"I will." Al nodded.

Unexpectedly, Xiaofei, who was about to start work, twisted all the way out. As soon as she saw Al standing at the entrance of the alley, she immediately rushed towards Al with enthusiasm: "Oh, long time no see, sir!" She said and hugged Al's arm.

Al was inexplicable, and couldn't help frowning and pulled out his arm: "Sorry, ma'am, I don't remember seeing you."

"Sir, you forget things! Don't you want to be accompanied today?" Xiaofei stuck up like a leech, grabbing at Al's sleeve and not letting go.

Al glanced at Wang Yao in embarrassment, and explained to Wang Yao helplessly and anxiously: "I have never seen her before, trust me!"

Wang Yao was not surprised, he tore Xiao Fei off Al's clothes, and turned her petite body to the other side: "Stop pestering others, let's go!"

"Hey, really!" Xiao Fei muttered dissatisfiedly and left.

Al explained to Wang Yao again: "Yao, I never deal with gangsters, don't get me wrong!"

Wang Yao said with a smile: "It has nothing to do with you, she does this to everyone she sees, and it's hard to get rid of her." For some reason, Arte explained to him that he felt quite good.

Al breathed a sigh of relief, and asked with lingering fear: "Does she live in this area?"

"Don't mention it! She just moved into the house that Xiaoyue Xiaotai and the others vacated, and she became neighbors with me!" Wang Yao was also helpless.

Al laughed and said, "It's really lively to have such a neighbor."

"Stop joking, it makes me restless every day." Wang Yao said with a wry smile.

After the two said goodbye, Wang Yao returned home, and Al walked back to the Peace Hotel alone.

Back in the hotel room, Al found Arthur sitting in the only chair with his back straight, waiting for him.

"Why are you here?" Al asked angrily.

Arthur stood up calmly: "I think you have also received an invitation from Ludwig Beschmidt." Arthur raised the piece of paper in his hand.

"Yeah," Al said, "but I'm not going."

Arthur didn't care about Al's refusal: "You want to go with me, this is an important opportunity."

"I don't think it's my chance," Al said emotionlessly, taking off his coat and throwing it on the bed instead of looking at his cousin.

"I haven't told you yet: the protagonist of this exhibition - Ludwig's friend Feliciano Vargas has a very good relationship with Wang Yao. If you pay attention to Wang Yao's life, you might as well get to know him." Arthur said calmly.

"I know," Al was a little awkward, "I've seen Vargas drive to pick up Wang Yao."

"Aren't you curious about what they do?" Arthur elongated his tone deliberately.

Al turned around. "Are you implying something?"

"I'm just telling you, you can go to the art exhibition and ask Feliciano himself, it's up to you whether to go or not." Arthur said as he threw the invitation on the window and walked out the door, his footsteps disappeared in the corridor .

Al picked up the invitation card on the bed and stared at the words on it for a long time, but didn't really read it.

tbc