seabed

①

Xu Liwen is someone who is often talked about by men, women and children in Huaihai alleys when they are free.After Lin Nansheng moved in, these people's constant gossip changed from one person to two.

Lin Nansheng and Xu Liwen, one is a senior military officer at the Shanghai station, and the other is a history teacher at a national university, they are both upper-class figures.Even though they could afford a bungalow, they chose to live in this noisy and crowded alley. This alone is enough to make ordinary people curious.What's more, the appearance and temperament of these two people are also one in a million, one is as lonely as a plum blossom, and the other is as elegant as an orchid.Such a character, who has passed the age of [-] and has not yet married, is even more unbearable to discuss.

But Lin Nansheng, who was busy being a spy, and Xu Liwen, who was busy training talents for the country, had no interest or time to understand what the people in the alley were talking about.

Lin Nansheng was rarely off duty today, but he got up early as usual and bought fried dough sticks and soymilk for breakfast at the entrance of the alley as usual.

When Lin Nansheng was walking back, he saw Xu Liwen standing under the plane tree at the corner.This sycamore tree is older than the combined ages of these two people, and it was there before the alley was built.

It’s less than six o’clock now, and this is a rare and quiet time in the alley. The morning breeze rustles through the leaves of the sycamore trees, the housewives in the surrounding houses get up to make breakfast and take pots and pans, and a few dogs bark from nowhere. , This is what can be felt in countless alleys like Huaihai alleys in Shanghai. Hidden in high-rise bungalows, under the feasting and feasting, the smoke and fire of authentic Shanghai residents.

Xu Liwen raised his head, and the leaves of the sycamore tree left mottled light and shadow on his face.His eyes are soft, like the sparkling water surface under the sunlight.His lips were drawn into a straight line, but Lin Nansheng still had the feeling that he was smiling.

Until the sound of a seven or eight-year-old child laughing and running past the entrance of the alley broke the rare tranquility, and the eyes of the two intertwined unexpectedly.Xu Liwen's gown was lifted slightly by the wind, he looked at Lin Nansheng, but Lin Nansheng was facing the light, Xu Zhiwen couldn't see his expression clearly, under the shadow, he could only see Lin Nansheng's eyes as bright as fireflies in the dark night.

"Ms. Xu left the house earlier than usual today?"

Lin Nansheng walked up to Xu Liwen first, and ended their silent staring at each other.

Xu Liwen raised his hand and shook the lesson plan in his hand. He was facing Lin Nansheng, but his eyes were lowered, and they were different from Lin Nansheng's.

"There are classes in the morning, and some materials are left to be consulted in the school library."

"Oh, I don't need breakfast so early, can I have soy milk and fried dough sticks?" Lin Nansheng handed the breakfast in front of Xu Liwen.

Xu Liwen shook his head, "No need, thank you Chief Lin for your kindness, I'm still in a hurry."

After speaking, Xu Liwen took half a step back, bowed slightly to Lin Nansheng, nodded, and walked past Lin Nansheng.He walked quickly, but his steps were steady. A bamboo pole-like arm was exposed from the wide cuffs. The bones in the wrist were very prominent, and his hands were swinging slightly with the steps.

②

"Stationmaster Wang, this is not interesting. Why do I, the deputy stationmaster, know nothing about the actions in the station?"

Lin Nansheng and Wang Shian sat face to face on the sofa.Lin Nansheng crossed his hands, propped his elbows on his open legs, and leaned forward, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Wang Shian tapped his fingers on the sofa a few times, with a consistent smile on his face,

"I also received the information temporarily. I didn't notify you because you had a rare rest today. Hey, yes, aren't you off duty today? Why did you come to the station all of a sudden?"

Lin Nansheng leaned back on the sofa, crossed his outstretched legs,

"Although I didn't go out to take action, I was off duty at home to deal with some of the backlog of documents before, and found that a few were left behind in the station, so I came here."

Wang Shi'an stretched out his index finger and shook his head up and down, and said with an expression I knew: "Look at you, what I said, you are too motivated, it is rare to take a leave of absence, documents and so on, after you come back. It doesn't matter if you deal with it."

Lin Nansheng lowered his head and smiled, then looked at Wang Shi'an again, "It's still Wang Shi'an who knows me well, I really can't be idle, so I request you to participate in tonight's action." After speaking, Lin Nansheng stood up and set a standard military salute.

"Okay, anyway, I know I won't be able to hold you back, so you should prepare first." Wang Shi'an patted Lin Nansheng on the shoulder, and the moment he turned around, the smile that had been hanging on his lips disappeared, and he walked out of Lin Nansheng's room with a gloomy expression. office.

"Station Master! Lin Nansheng doesn't really want to participate in this operation, does he? Don't you suspect that he is not one of us?" Liao Tong deliberately lowered his voice when he spoke the second half of the sentence.

Wang Shi'an gave Liao Tong a cold look, "Is it useful to suspect? Lin Nansheng is not someone who has no backing. We don't have any solid evidence how to touch him. Moreover, he already knew about today's action, not to mention that he is the deputy station manager. This request is also very reasonable, how do you ask me to refuse?"

Liao Tong kept his mouth shut, knowing that he had asked the wrong question, so he forced a dry smile and dared not say anything more.

"In this way, you find someone to do something for me."Wang Shian squinted his eyes, thinking about something.

Wang Shi'an was holding back his anger, while Lin Nansheng was also anxious.

A few days ago, Lin Nansheng handed over a piece of information about the Kuomintang's military deployment to the front line, which had been taken over by the military commander, to his fisherman on the line.He knew that the organization had a radio station in Paramount, which was used to transmit some very important information.Because most of the people who came to Paramount were well-known people from all walks of life, and there were some foreigners, it was difficult for the military commander to carry out large-scale operations in this place.General intelligence will not use this radio station, so this place has been well hidden.

How did Wang Shi'an find out and who gave him the information, Lin Nansheng didn't have time to delve into it for the time being, and now he didn't even have time to inform the comrades involved in the operation.The only way is for him to look for opportunities during night operations and try his best to remind and cover his comrades to evacuate.

Lin Nansheng knew that this was a bad move, and the consequences would probably be exposure and death.He stood in front of the window, holding the pen Zuo Qiuming gave him in his hand. Every time he performed a task, he would take out this pen to have a look.Thinking of Zuo Qiuming's determination to protect the information before his death, Lin Nansheng's heart seemed to be more determined.

Just like at this moment, Lin Nansheng was terribly calm, as if he was not going to perform a mission to escape death, but was just meeting with friends to dance at Paramount.

Lin Nansheng looked at the gradually darkening sky outside the window, and a smile suddenly appeared on his expressionless face.In such a tense situation, what he thought of was actually Xu Liwen who was standing under the plane tree and looked at him today. Those eyes were like the sea surface with no wind in the morning, except for the silence. In his eyes, Lin Nansheng Can't see any other emotions.Since Lin Nansheng took the position of deputy station manager, Xu Liwen was the first person he had been unable to see through how many people he had interrogated.

As night falls, when ordinary people go to the alleys to rest, the lives of the rich and famous in Shanghai have just begun.

Paramount - the city that never sleeps in Shanghai.Here are the best wines, the most beautiful girls and the most lavish gentlemen; this is the playground for the rich, where gold bars and silver tickets are piled up for luxury and luxury.

Colorful neon lights illuminate the entire Xiafei Road, and cars are parked on both sides of the street.

Some drivers also took advantage of their masters' time to have fun, and sneaked into nearby dark alleys, looking for girls who were willing to have fun with you for a little money, and started their fun.

Wang Shi'an and others took off their military uniforms and changed into suits and came to Paramount, and sat down in a dark corner of the ballroom.Lin Nansheng kept his back straight from the moment he sat down, looking back and forth between the dance floor and the gate.

"I said, Xiao Lin, don't be so nervous. This is Paramount. You're sitting so upright that you'll attract attention instead." Wang Shi'an poured a glass of wine and handed it to Lin Nansheng.

Lin Nansheng relaxed his body, took the wine, smiled and said, "Station Master, you know that I don't come to this place often, so I can't get used to it for a while."

"Oh, I'm not saying you, Xiao Lin, it's good to be self-motivated, but there's no need to live like an ascetic. Look at you, you're in your thirties, let alone a family, and even a woman around you No".

While the two were talking, seven or eight people suddenly came in at the door. It was not difficult to tell from their talking and laughing manners that they were professors.Many people in the ballroom, including Wang Shian and others, all looked towards the door at the same time.And Lin Nansheng saw Xu Liwen standing at the end with a single glance.

What's more, Xu Liwen's long gown is really eye-catching in the eyes of a group of people in western clothes, as if he is completely separated from the people around him.

But Xu Liwen didn't see Lin Nansheng, his gaze was always on one spot, as if there was no one or anything worth looking at.

It wasn't until a group of people went up to the second floor that everyone looked away.

"Officer Lin, long time no see, would you like to do a dance?"

A plain white cheongsam embellished with tassels is well tailored, which outlines Lan Xinjiejiao's figure more unevenly, coupled with exquisite makeup, it is hard not to be attracted to her.

Lin Nansheng nodded lightly, "Sorry, Miss Lan, it may not be convenient today."

"Why is it inconvenient, Xiao Lin, we came to Paramount today just to have fun, Miss Renlan invited you personally, it's not a gentleman for you to refuse him like this."

"Since the station master has said so, then I will dance with Miss Lan, Miss Lan please."Lin Nansheng took Lan Xinjie's hand and walked slowly onto the dance floor.

Lin Nansheng and Lan Xinjie danced and went upstairs after a while.In addition to private rooms on the second floor, Paramount also specially prepared rooms for guests to "rest".

Liao Tong on the side stared at Lin Nansheng who entered the room with disdain, turned his head and said to Wang Shi'an: "Station Master, you are still smart, this hero who is surrounded by beauties, let's see how he can perform the task."

Wang Shi'an shook his wine glass, and said with a sneer, "It's impossible for a man to have no desires. The longer he suppresses it, the more he can't stand the teasing. From spying on the Japanese before to Lin Nansheng begging me to find a way to send Lan Xinjie to Chongqing, I don't believe that these two people are not tricky."

"But..." Liao Tong frowned, and asked hesitantly: "Since Lan Xinjie and Lin Nansheng have that kind of relationship, will Lan Xinjie..."

"Huh, the so-called feelings of these Paramount dancers are like the promises foreigners made to us. Do you think it is credible? This kind of world, as long as you give enough money, there is nothing you can't give up."

But Lin Nansheng and Lan Xinjie in their mouths were not as they expected. Instead, they distanced themselves after entering the room. One sat by the bed and lit a cigarette, while the other opened the balcony door and watched. surrounding terrain.

Lin Nansheng retreated into the room after observing, and said to Lan Xinjie who was puffing, "Thank you, Miss Lan, you helped me a lot."

"You don't need to thank me, you've helped me so much, and if Wang Shi'an didn't send someone to find me as you expected, I'd be powerless even if I wanted to help you."Lan Xinjie leaned against the head of the bed, slowly exhaled the smoke from her mouth, and said with a smile: "Wang Shi'an actually thinks that I can take you down, the gentleman opposite, can you satisfy my curiosity, tell me, Is there anyone in this world who can make you lose control?"

Lin Nansheng pursed his lips, not knowing how to answer this question.He looked down at his watch and said instead: "The estimated time is coming, I have to go, please ask Miss Lan to stay here and cover for me."

Lan Xinjie didn't speak, but nodded, the expression on her face was covered by the smoke.

Lin Nansheng came to the balcony and swiftly flipped onto the balcony next door.The fisherman told him that the radio station is hidden in this room.

Lin Nansheng slowly pushed open the balcony door, and just as he took a step forward, a gun was pressed against his back.

"Single Fire"

"It can start a prairie fire"

Amu withdrew his gun, "In special times, be careful, I offended you."

Lin Nansheng shook his head first, then quickly turned around and said to Amu eagerly: "This place has been exposed, you must evacuate immediately"!

"We already know that someone in the organization has defected to the military commander, but it has been resolved by our comrades, so you don't have to worry."

"What about the radio station? Has the information been sent out?"

"Already let other comrades send it out through another radio station".

Lin Nansheng nodded, then suddenly thought of something, grabbed Amu's arm suddenly,

"Now that you know, why do you still come here? The time is up soon. Wang Shi'an will bring someone up in a while, so hurry up and follow me!"

Amu patted Lin Nansheng's hand that was holding his arm, and then replied, "There are still some documents here that need to be destroyed. I just finished cleaning them up. Don't worry, the forces here are complicated. They don't dare to do anything to me without evidence."

"Even if nothing can be found, according to Wang Shi'an's style, he will definitely arrest you and go back, no, you must follow me"!

"Comrade postman, it's you who should go! So many comrades in the organization put their lives into the nails of the military order. If they are exposed, their sacrifices will be in vain! And if I don't stay here, Wang Shi'an will immediately realize the intelligence It has already been passed on, and I will stay here to make the most of this information, do you understand?"

Lin Nansheng paced back and forth, and finally made up his mind, "Okay, I will evacuate, but when Wang Shian brings people in later, don't resist, let them bring you back to the station, and I will definitely find a way to get you out." .

There were hurried footsteps going up the stairs at the door, and Amu pushed and pushed Lin Nansheng, "Don't worry, I have a sense of proportion, you go, go!"

Lin Nansheng was half pushed back to the balcony, and Amu closed the door and drew the curtains.Lin Nansheng turned back to the balcony and entered the room.

"Has everything been resolved?"Seeing Lin Nansheng coming in from the balcony, Lan Xinjie hurriedly got up and asked.

Lin Nansheng loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt while nodding to Lan Xinjie.

Suddenly several gunshots were heard from the next door, Lin Nansheng turned his head abruptly, and rushed forward to open the door with a stride. Lan Xinjie followed him out of the room.

Standing at the door, Lin Nansheng saw Amu lying in a pool of blood in the corridor, holding the gun that Lin Nansheng pointed at just now.He squinted his eyes and opened his mouth slightly as if he wanted to say something...

"Station.....Station Master, we didn't expect this guy to shoot suddenly, this...this..." Liao Tong stuttered when he spoke, obviously afraid that Wang Shi'an would blame them for not doing things well.

Wang Shi'an's face was a little pale, and he seemed a little frightened, "Have you found the radio station?"

Liao Tong quickly shook his head, "I didn't find it".

"If we didn't find it, it means that the one who turned to us had already taken the radio station away in advance. This person was afraid that we would take him back, so he chose to commit suicide. Well, it's all like this, like a group of lunatics like".

Wang Shi'an's voice was a little breathless, apparently he hadn't fully recovered from the almost shot just now.Then he turned his head, and Wang Shi'an saw Lin Nansheng who was standing at the door in disheveled clothes, with Lan Xinjie holding his arm.

Wang Shian adjusted his breathing and walked towards Lin Nansheng. "Xiao Lin, did you take a break because of the noise? Oh, I didn't expect to shoot suddenly, you said this..."

"It's fine for the station master to be fine, for such a person, death is not a pity."Lin Nansheng smiled, and casually glanced at Amu's body, as if it was just a cat or a dog.Perhaps only Lan Xinjie, who was holding his arm, could feel his real inner fluctuations at this moment from his slightly trembling arms.

③

Lin Nansheng drove in the direction of Huaihe Road.His hand holding the steering wheel was shaking all the time, his eyes were red as if he had been up for several nights, but no tears fell.

Gu Shenyan, Zuo Qiuming, Chen Moqun, Amu... As these familiar people fell in front of him one after another, his mood seemed to become calmer and calmer, although at this moment his mind was full of Amu lying in a pool of blood It looked like his heart was being suffocated like a blocked water pipe, but he just couldn't cry. He seemed to be getting used to death more and more. Lin Nansheng even began to wonder when and where he would collapse...

It was already late at night when Lin Nansheng got home, but he didn't feel sleepy at all.

Taking out the key to open the door, Lin Nansheng turned on the switch only to find that the alley had lost power.He found the candle in the drawer by moonlight, but found that he didn't have any matches or lighters at home.

The door was still open, Lin Nansheng looked at the opposite door, thinking of Xu Liwen who was also at Paramount today, wondered if he had returned home at this moment.

As if thinking of something, Lin Nansheng stood up, walked to Xu Liwen's door and knocked, then as the footsteps inside got closer, the door opened.

"Mr. Lin? What's the matter?"

Lin Nansheng looked at Xu Liwen in his pajamas, he must have been home for a while.

"There's a power outage, no candles, can I go in"?The preamble did not match the aftermath, and Lin Nansheng said such a sentence without beginning or end.

A few seconds later, Xu Liwen turned to the side to signal Nan Sheng to enter the room.

It was pitch black all around, and after entering the room, the two sat face to face on the sofa and remained silent for an unknown amount of time.

It wasn't until Lin Nansheng spoke first, "Why didn't you come to me because you were afraid of the dark, the sound insulation here is not good, you can definitely hear me when I come back."

It was rare for Xu Liwen to have a strange expression of surprise on his face, but the room was too dark, so Lin Nansheng didn't see it.

It is no wonder that Xu Liwen was surprised. Many colleagues, friends, and even the uncle who brought him to the university didn't notice it, but the first person who discovered his secret was living opposite him, and he didn't say a few words for half a year. Lin Nansheng who spoke.

As for how Lin Nansheng discovered this secret, one day about two months ago, Lin Nansheng came home from get off work and walked into the alley, and saw Xu Liwen from a distance, he didn't go upstairs or go out, just stood there.

Usually Xu Liwen would be home before five o'clock, but like today it was almost nine o'clock and he was not home, never before.

Lin Nansheng and Xu Liwen lived in the innermost building on the left at the corner of the alley.The building has two floors, and two families live on the first floor.There are no lights in the corridors. At six o'clock, the alleys with poor lighting are completely darkened. Once you go upstairs after seven o'clock, you have to be careful groping, otherwise it is easy to step on the air.

"Is Mr. Xu standing here waiting for someone?"

"No, I'm going upstairs."Xu Liwen looked at Lin Nansheng with the same emotionless eyes as usual, and his voice was still calm, with no ups and downs.

So the two walked upstairs together, the stairs were not too narrow, and Lin Nansheng and Xu Liwen were both thin, so even if they walked side by side, they wouldn't be crowded.

But at this moment, the two were so close that their arms were almost touching each other, Lin Nansheng could even hear Xu Liwen's very slight breathing and feel the slight dampness on Xu Liwen's clothes.

If I hadn't stood downstairs for a while, the clothes wouldn't be taken

With this moisture.So is he standing downstairs waiting for someone?There are only the two of them on this floor, so the person Xu Liwen has been waiting for is him, waiting to go home with him, why should he wait for himself?With Xu Liwen's personality, he would always keep a little distance when in contact with people... Thinking of this, Lin Nansheng already guessed why, but until Xu Liwen went upstairs and returned to the room, Lin Nansheng didn't ask anything, didn't ask anything. explain.

Lin Nansheng's words solidified the atmosphere in the already silent room.After several minutes, Xu Liwen's cold voice sounded in the room.

"When I was eight years old, the Japanese raided, and my mother put me in a very narrow and small cellar. When my mother covered the wooden boards, it was completely dark around me. I couldn't see anything, only heard very messy noises. The footsteps, the screams of my father and mother, and the voices of those people. Until the outside was completely silent, I wanted to open the wooden board, but it seemed to be stuck, and I couldn't open it anyway. I don't know how long, I Thirsty and hungry, and a rotten smell rising from the

The gap floats in.I don't know whether it was tired or hungry, I passed out.When I woke up, I was rescued by the passing Eighth Route Army, and then I had this problem.”

Xu Liwen's voice was still very flat, as if he was telling a very ordinary story.In fact, it was just that I woke up from the same nightmare countless times, and my heart gradually became numb.

Suddenly a car drove by outside the window, the room suddenly brightened and then quickly darkened.But Lin Nansheng still saw that Xu Liwen didn't have time to hide his eyes in the light at that moment.

He bent his body, embraced his legs with his hands, and looked at Lin Nansheng intently. His skin, which was already white, now, together with his lips, was even paler without a trace of blood.

His eyes were dazed, unfocused, and fragile like the eyes of a puppy abandoned by its owner on the side of the road.She lost her usual silence and indifference, and was exposed directly in front of Lin Nansheng like this.Lin Nansheng felt as if his heart was tightly squeezed by someone's hand, it was stuffy and congested, and he couldn't breathe.seems to have to

How can he vent it out, or he feels like his heart is about to explode.

"Is there anyone in this world who can make you lose control"?Lan Xinjie's words rang in his ears again, at this moment, Lin Nansheng found the answer.

So suddenly, Xu Liwen felt his shoulders suddenly sink, and was caught off guard by Lin Nansheng's whole body pressing him down on the sofa.He was wrapped in Lin Nansheng's arms...

Lin Nansheng let go of Xu Liwen from his arms, straightened up, lit the candle that had just been dug out of the drawer from the bag with the match Xu Liwen put on the table, and fixed the candle with hot oil. After Lin Nansheng finished all these, Xu Liwen Still maintaining the posture just now, he lay on the sofa and looked at Lin Nansheng without saying a word.

The light of the candle shone on Xu Liwen's face, and the □ just now made his bloodless lips seem to be dyed a bright red, like a red rose with dew hanging on it.

"If there is a power outage in the future, I will be on the opposite side."

After saying this, Lin Nansheng left.

The night tonight seems to be extraordinarily long, the more silent it is, the more everything in people's hearts will be infinitely magnified, the two rooms are the same two people who can't sleep.