uninvited guest
That morning, You Jiale had barely opened her eyes when the phone rang urgently. She picked up the receiver and asked lazily, "Hello, who is this?"
A slightly deep male voice came from the other end of the phone, tinged with caution: "Is this Comrade You Jiale? This is Zhao Jianguo. There's a rickshaw driver who's one of our comrades right now, downstairs at your house. He has some important information that needs to be handed over to you in person, so it's not convenient to say more over the phone."
You Jiale's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained impassive. He said in a deep voice, "I understand, wait a moment." After hanging up the phone, his gaze quickly swept out the window and saw an ordinary rickshaw parked downstairs. The driver was wearing a straw hat pulled low and was casually wiping the handlebars.
He quickly got up, tidied his clothes, and went downstairs. Reaching the rickshaw, he pretended to be going to work and said to the driver, "Sir, to 'Lok Kee Delivery'."
"Alright, please sit tight." The driver's voice was deep. You Jiale got into the rickshaw, and the driver steadily pulled it up.
On the bumpy rickshaw, surrounded by bustling streets and passersby, the driver casually chatted with You Jiale about trivial matters. Then, during a turn, he quietly slipped a small, folded piece of paper into You Jiale's hand, his voice barely audible: "Everything is in here. Burn it after you've read it. Be careful."
You Jiale's fingers tightened slightly as he discreetly slipped the note into his pocket, his face remaining expressionless, as if nothing had happened. He nodded and softly replied, "Thank you, Master."
Entering the store office, You Jiale quickly ran to the restroom, took out the note from his pocket, and carefully unfolded it. The note had a few lines of simple handwriting in pen: "The front lines are in dire need of penicillin, sulfonamides, and other medicines, as well as a large quantity of disinfectant alcohol. Please deliver this message and request to No. 36, Fulu Street, West City, as soon as possible, to 'Old Wan'."
You Jiale's brows furrowed tightly, a strong sense of responsibility and urgency welling up within him. He knew all too well what medicine and disinfectant alcohol meant on the front lines. This was not merely a simple list of supplies; it concerned the lives of countless soldiers. This was the first official mission he had received as an underground party member, and there was no room for error.
Thinking of this, a clever plan came to mind.
He found a clean bowl, poured in some of the rice water he had prepared beforehand, and carefully wrote down the important information on the back of the order form using a thin bamboo skewer dipped in the rice water. After the rice water dried, the writing became almost completely invisible, barely legible only under certain lighting conditions.
To further confuse potential inspections, he also listed some commonly used food items and daily necessities in detail on the front of the order form, with quantities and types no different from the orders of other partner merchants.
After he finished writing, he poured the rice water in the bowl into the toilet, put the "order form" in his pocket, and walked out of the bathroom.
After everything was prepared, You Jiale tucked this special order into a stack of ordinary orders.
They found Xiao Liu, a deliveryman, busy in the yard. Xiao Liu was an underground member of the Communist Party responsible for deliveries in the western part of the city.
“Brother Liu, this order is very urgent. It’s to be delivered to No. 36 Fulu Street, and the recipient is Lao Wan.” You Jiale handed the order containing the secret information to Xiao Liu, his tone much more serious than usual. “The contents of this package must be delivered to the recipient as quickly and safely as possible, without any delays or errors.”
He nodded solemnly, carefully put away the order, and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, I will deliver it as soon as possible and ensure its safety."
You Jiale watched as Xiao Liu rode his bicycle and disappeared around the street corner. This was his first time carrying out such an important mission, and every step was fraught with unknown risks. He could only silently pray that everything would go smoothly.
In the time that followed, You Jiale had almost no interest in dealing with the shop's daily affairs. She would often walk to the door and look out, hoping to see Xiao Liu return safely as soon as possible.
Time ticked by, each minute feeling incredibly long. The air seemed to freeze, making it hard for him to breathe. He imagined all the possible scenarios Xiao Liu might encounter: would he be questioned? Would something unexpected happen to him? This worry made him restless.
Finally, after a long wait, Xiao Liu appeared at the gate of the courtyard. He looked a little tired, but his face showed relief and excitement.
"The item has been delivered to Lao Wan!" Xiao Liu walked up to You Jiale and reported in a low voice, "After receiving the item, Lao Wan asked me to pass on a message to you, saying, 'The wind chimes have rung, and all is well.'"
Upon hearing this, You Jiale's tense nerves finally relaxed, and a tremendous sense of joy instantly welled up in his heart. They had succeeded! Their first underground mission, so dangerous, had been completed smoothly! The words, "The wind chimes have rung, all is well," echoed in his ears like the most beautiful melody.
Looking at the simple smile on Xiao Liu's face, he was filled with admiration and gratitude. Even in such a dangerous situation, so many unsung comrades were still fighting for a common ideal, braving hardships and risking their lives to pass on the flame of hope.
A strong sense of national pride welled up within him. You Jiale thought of the world he had lived in in his previous life, a prosperous and peaceful era.
That day will surely come, that era without war or oppression, filled with hope and light, will surely descend upon this land that has endured so much suffering. And he, too, is contributing his own small but unwavering strength to that day, building upon it in his own way.
———
"Jiale, after several days of careful investigation by the city administration's investigation team, 'Leji Delivery' has a very standardized operating process and merchant qualifications, and the accounts are clear and there are no problems." He Mingzhou's voice was calm and tinged with a hint of appreciation. "The city administration is very optimistic about 'Leji Delivery' as a convenient and beneficial new model, and hopes that you can continue to maintain it and provide better services to the citizens."
Inside the courtyard of "Leji Delivery," the afternoon sun still shone brightly. He Mingzhou, wearing a navy blue trench coat, stood beside a stack of freshly inventoried documents, a gentle smile on his face, speaking to You Jiale in front of him.
You Jiale breathed a sigh of relief; the past few days of anxiety were finally over. His signature smile spread across his face. "That's good, that's good. Thank you, Brother He, for handling this impartially. We at 'Leji' will certainly remember your teachings and strive to do our best in every delivery, living up to the trust of the people."
Just as the two were about to start an awkward conversation, an angry voice suddenly broke in: "You Jiale! You come out here!"
"Chiye? What are you doing here?" You Jiale frowned.
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