Blood Ear (Part 1)
Some people will never understand until their death that dying alone is the demise of the individual.
"Grandma, there's a letter for you."
When that small, blood-soaked ear was laid out on the paper, her mind began to go blank.
Faced with the inevitable pain of separation, the unbearable bitterness spread up to the nose and throat, causing dryness in all seven orifices, and a great sigh was blocked in the nerves.
She could neither faint from crying in anguish nor numbly choose to live in exile.
She feared he would leave without saying goodbye, flowing into the dry, cold, and sorrowful season amidst the constant warfare.
Ultimately, however, she was afraid of prolonged loneliness.
She couldn't care about anything else anymore.
"Go and fetch my coat."
—————————
——————
If there are sentient beings who are excessively lustful.
Even if one resolves to take refuge in the Buddha, one's true nature remains unchanged.
What can be changed is God; what cannot be changed is man.
To put it bluntly, people can endure bloodshed and humiliation to the point of death. The only thing they find hard to resist and that fills them with anxiety is lust—which, you know, is desire.
The body has primal desires that defy reality. Even beasts are prone to lust; wild instincts are hard to resist.
However, people always resist the idea that they are in cahoots with beasts; in the most concrete sense, it's just a matter of adding a few more layers of clothing.
Beneath these few pieces of clothing once lay the bodies of nobles and wealthy men, indulging in wine, meat, and oil; today, they conceal the imposing and arrogant ambitions of prominent figures.
It wasn't until a Japanese-occupied factory was bombed that Li Xiangyan realized the enormity of his actions.
Toda Murakazu sat in the nearest chair to him, leaning slightly forward, and had been silent for a long time.
Li Xiangyan took a drag of his cigarette and stood by the window. The scenery in the thick white smoke overlapped layer upon layer, cascading down, creating a hazy, decadent atmosphere.
"Commander Li, I believe you understand how pleasant our cooperative relationship has always been."
After hearing this, he threw his cigarette on the ground, rubbed his leather shoes, and turned to look at Toda, saying, "What do you mean by this?" His gaze pointed to a stack of photos on the table.
Toda looked up at him and asked, "Do you recognize this woman in the photo?"
A palm-sized photographic sheet, printed with a black and white image of a slender woman.
Staring at the photo, he paused for a few seconds and said, "What, Mr. Toda, are you also interested in my private affairs?"
“Of course I have no right to interfere in your private affairs. However, if it infringes on our interests—we probably won’t need your consent. We strongly suspect that this woman is inextricably linked to the factory explosion.”
Lee Sang-yeon looked at him, slowly leaned back in the chair behind him, his broad back arched back, a smile playing on his lips.
"Oh? I didn't know she had such abilities."
Toda knew that his smile, which resembled a mask being gently pulled at his face, meant that if you took it as a genuine smile, you would be bitten in return.
Therefore, it was inappropriate to continue the argument on the spot. He simply said, "This explosion caused heavy casualties among the Imperial Army, and all the weapons in the factory were rendered useless. What I am saying today is to hope that Commander Li will take this seriously and give us an explanation."
Lee Sang-yeon tapped his finger on the table and said, "Of course, I promised, and I won't go back on my word."
As for these—
He picked up the photo from the table, placed it under a box of matches, and handed it to him, saying, "Mr. Toda doesn't understand. I don't like being suspected."
Toda took the photo, and with a smile on his face, he opened the box of matches, pointed at one match, rubbed it against the side, and placed it at the bottom of the photo.
"Commander, you flatter me. I never doubt a loyal friend."
How long can a piece of paper, like a thin mist, burn? The ashes quickly fell and landed on the table.
"Farewell." Toda bowed slightly to him, put on his hat, and left.
He stood by the window again, watching the shadow gradually disappear into the courtyard. After a moment of silence, he said to the door, "Call Lieutenant Feng in."
When Feng Yi arrived at the sound, he saw him slowly brushing the ashes of the burnt paper scraps onto the ground, and then leaning slightly over to look at the table, as if checking if there were any residues left.
After he had finished all this slowly and methodically, she glanced at him leisurely and said...
"If your only ability is to get those Japanese to threaten me with a photograph, then there's no need to keep you in this position."
Feng Yi lowered his eyes and remained composed, looking quite repentant.
"I'm sorry, Commander, there won't be a next time."
Upon hearing this, Li Xiangyan turned around, lit another cigarette, and tucked it between his fingers.
"Get the car ready, I need to go out."
——————
On a sunny day with a gentle breeze, he knew Yuan Siyuan's favorite teahouse.
As soon as Fang entered the room, the owner rushed over and said eagerly, "Serve the commander the best tea."
Lee Sang-yeon waved his hand slightly, "No need, I'll find someone."
He stopped as soon as he got to the second floor.
When winter arrives, all the trees are clearly dead, and even the most beautiful colors have faded. No matter how gentle the weather, it's all in vain.
But looking through this open window, the human world is not so empty, ethereal, and meaningless.
Behind that utterly simple and natural stillness, the clamor and vibrancy of the masses are reflected. Patches of sound hit the shops at the end of the street, surging like waves.
Although the scenery may no longer be beautiful, the charm of the people remains forever.
"This is a nice place." He chuckled and pushed open the door to the room in front of him.
Yuan Siyuan sat facing the open window, his hands clasped together and resting on his knees. The bronze-colored teapot in front of him was no longer emitting steam.
"The location is nice, but it's about to close. If the commander wants to have tea, perhaps we should do it another day, earlier."
Li Xiangyan sat down next to him and said, "Tea is an elegant art, which I cannot appreciate or drink. I am here to see Third Master today."
Yuan Siyuan took a sip of the now-cold cup, chuckled softly, and asked, "What brings the Commander here in person?"
"I do have something to ask Third Master for help, but I don't know if Third Master is willing to help." He shook the cigarette between his fingers, and the wisps of smoke that fell to the ground were blown by the wind and drifted into the teacup in Yuan Siyuan's hand.
A few clumps of pale white powder swirled slowly in the middle of the emerald yellow tea soup, sinking deeper and deeper until they were almost completely dissolved by the tea.
"Commander, you might as well tell me. I will do my best to help with anything that Yuan San can do."
"Then I shall respectfully comply."
"Have you heard about the explosion at the West Corner factory, Third Master?"
Yuan Siyuan stared intently at the turbid tea in the cup, then slowly placed it on the edge of the table.
"I have heard of this matter, which has caused quite a stir. I wonder how the Commander would like me to assist you?"
Li Xiangyan sighed softly, "These guys bombed so fiercely that I suffered a lot at the hands of the Japanese. They destroyed guns and machinery, so the Japanese won't let it go. I know the Yuan family has always been a centrist, but if this continues, I'm afraid war will break out in Minkou soon. The situation is extremely urgent."
“The commander does not wish for war, then I understand.” Yuan Siyuan said, standing up and tucking his coat, which was hanging on the back of the chair, into his arms.
Lee Sang-yeon also stood up and shook hands with him.
"Then I'll leave it to Third Master."
"You're too kind, Commander."
As soon as they stepped out of the teahouse, they saw Feng Yi standing next to the car.
Seeing him come out, he respectfully greeted him, "Third Master."
Yuan Siyuan nodded to him and then strolled away along the main road.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
