May 1950, Spring Breeze Teahouse, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
"Teacher Chen, you said that troops have been increasing on the border recently. Are we going to have a war?"
On the second floor, near the window, on a square table, there were some exquisite fruit snacks and a few large covered tea cups.
On the long bench next to the square table, a middle-aged man in a sweatshirt spoke with a slightly worried look on his face to a middle-aged man on the other side of the square table who was wearing black-framed glasses, had a gentle face and was wearing a short-sleeved shirt.
Hearing what the man in the sweatshirt said, the middle-aged man called Teacher Chen picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip. He then grabbed a handful of peanuts from the table, peeled a peanut and put it in his mouth, while slowly speaking:
“It’s really hard to say. The news these days has been saying that Argentina next door is very restless and creates friction on the border from time to time.
The Ministry of National Defense had to send troops to the border for security. I heard that a military exercise will be held at the border in the next two days!"
As soon as the voice fell, someone at another table next to him took over the conversation:
"Yes! Yes! I also heard that the navy also sent a warship across Uruguay to the South Atlantic to warn Argentina!"
...
...
Hearing this, the man in the sweatshirt said with a distressed look on his face:
"We have finally had a few days of peace and stability. Life is getting better and better, but the situation in Brazil is starting to get tense. I just hope everyone can exercise restraint and not start a fight."
"Yes! We came here to escape the war in our hometown. If a war breaks out here, we will be dead."
A middle-aged man with a Tianjin accent not far away answered.
Seeing that everyone seemed a little pessimistic, the middle-aged man called Teacher Chen couldn't help but stand up and say:
"You don't have to worry too much. From what I've learned, Argentina's strength is still no match for Brazil. Not only is their military numbers not comparable, but in terms of actual combat experience alone, our Brazilian army is far superior to theirs.
After all, Brazil fought the Germans together with the Americans.”
"I've heard about this, too. Argentina's navy doesn't even have an aircraft carrier. If a war really breaks out, they may not be able to defeat Brazil."
"Whether we can win or not, it's better not to fight. We have all experienced war and have a deep understanding of the pain of this kind of thing. Once the war starts, everyone will start to be displaced again."
The middle-aged man in the sweatshirt who spoke first felt a little embarrassed when he saw that everyone was feeling down because of what he said, so he quickly changed the subject:
"Okay, okay, this kind of thing is not something we can worry about now. I heard that Mr. Fang is now the Deputy Minister of the Navy of Brazil. Is it true?
Lao Liu, didn't your second son join the army last year? Have you heard any news from him?"
The man called Lao Liu was a short, stocky middle-aged man. After hearing what the man in the sweatshirt said, he couldn't help but glared at him and said:
"Cao Erlunzi, what are you talking about! My second son is just a soldier. How can he discuss Mr. Fang's affairs? Even if he knows something, he can't tell me, a commoner!"
The man in the sweatshirt who was called Cao Erlangzi could only smile awkwardly when he heard this, and he was not angry.
On the other hand, Mr. Chen, who was wearing a shirt and had a gentle and refined face, took the initiative to speak:
“In fact, this is not a secret. Young Master Fang is now the Deputy Minister of the Navy, and his office has moved from Natal to Rio de Janeiro.
This incident was reported in detail in the Chinese newspapers a few days ago.”
When the people around heard this, they all started talking about it.
Cao Erlengzi couldn't help but speak first again:
"Teacher Chen, you are the most educated among us, and you are also a Chinese teacher in the community elementary school. You can learn the latest news from the newspaper. Please tell us how high of an official this Deputy Minister of the Navy is!"
Hearing Cao Erlangzi's flattery of him, Teacher Chen felt a little smug. Most of the people drinking tea in the Chunfeng Teahouse were ordinary workers who came from their hometowns through labor dispatch, and some of them were simply coolie laborers.
It is true that many of them are not well educated, but after two years in Brazil, they have more money in hand, and during this rest time, since they don’t have much to do, they like to sit in this teahouse, drink tea and chat, and it doesn’t cost much.
Seeing that everyone around him was looking at him, Teacher Chen stopped being polite and coughed twice, saying:
"Speaking of the Deputy Minister of the Navy! He is a very important official. Let's put it this way! In the entire Brazilian Navy, except for the Minister of the Navy, he is the most important one."
"Oh my god! Isn't that second to none? Master Fang is so powerful at such a young age? Won't he be the president in a few years?
It would be great if he really became president, then life for us Chinese might be better.”
"What's so good about the president? Don't you know how powerful the Fang family is now? Even the president wants to curry favor with them."
Suddenly everyone started talking again, and the topic went further and further, and they began to discuss how powerful the Fang family was.
Mr. Chen, a primary school teacher, also felt a pang of pain about this. These guys are good in every way except that they often go off topic when talking. They were originally talking about one thing and were preparing to express their own views to show their level.
But these guys often talk to each other and can digress the topic without even giving themselves a chance to show off.
But he couldn't say much on this topic today. After all, the Fang family's strength in Brazil was too strong. If he accidentally said something wrong and offended the Fang family, he would have no place to stay in Brazil.
Especially when he saw that the topic was getting more and more off topic and was about to start discussing the Fang family's private life, he couldn't help but glare at Cao Erlangzi next to him. It was all this guy's fault. Why did he bring up the Fang family's affairs for no reason?
I have ended up getting involved in this, so I have to find a way to change the topic, otherwise it would be bad if I offended the Fang family.
Soon, he thought of something and interrupted the discussion with two coughs:
"Ahem, okay, okay, the Fang family is the owner of most of the people here. We have them to thank for the life we have today! You guys should stop discussing this.
In addition to talking about Argentina, the newspapers have been reporting on another incident for a long time. I wonder if you have heard about it. "
As soon as Teacher Chen said this, everyone stopped talking.
"I know, Teacher Chen is talking about the harmful effects of opium that are reported in the newspapers every day!"
Hearing someone answering the call, Teacher Chen quickly said:
"Yes! This brother is right. To be precise, it should be the harm of drugs."
Before Teacher Chen could continue, someone started talking:
"Need I say this? There was a neighbor in my hometown who ended up with his family broken up because of smoking opium. He even sold his wife and children to buy opium.
Finally, when he had nothing left to sell, he lay down at the door of a tobacco shop, asking people for cigarettes. He was later beaten to death by the people in the tobacco shop.
"That's nothing! There was a big landlord in my hometown. Just because the male owner smoked opium, he bought all the land in less than five years. Later, when the family members saw that they couldn't stop him, they simply divided the family property and ran away.
This guy was later thrown out of his ancestral home by a debt collector, and in the middle of winter, he froze to death right outside the door of his ancestral home."
"What you said is nothing. Have you ever seen someone die from smoking opium? I have seen it, and it was really scary. There was only skin and bones left on his body. At that time, his family asked us to collect his body.
That weight can be lifted up easily with just a hug. It’s about the same weight as a six or seven-year-old child.”
As Chinese compatriots who have been deeply harmed by opium, we are naturally very clear about the harm of opium, so everyone can tell many tragic cases that have happened around us.
Seeing everyone discussing the harm of opium, Teacher Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief.
When Cao Erlangzi saw Teacher Chen bring up this topic, he couldn't help but speak up:
"Teacher Chen, why are the newspapers suddenly reporting on the harm of drugs?"
After hearing Cao Erlangzi's question, the discussion among the crowd gradually died down, and they all turned their eyes to Teacher Chen. Everyone was very clear about the harm of drugs.
But at the same time, everyone has become accustomed to the existence of this thing, so when they suddenly hear Teacher Chen bring up this topic, they are naturally a little curious.
One of them even said:
"I remember I told you when I was recruiting! We don't want people who smoke opium. There are no opium dens in Porto Alegre now! Why is this suddenly mentioned in the newspaper?"
In order to avoid the topic from going off track again, Teacher Chen quickly said:
"We were used to seeing the newspapers reporting on the harm of drugs. When I was back home, newspapers had reported on it before. So, I didn't pay much attention to it at first.
But recently, as more and more news reports were received, it may have attracted the attention of bigwigs, and a few days ago, a congressman proposed legislation to ban drugs.
Moreover, the intensity of the drug control and the severity of the punishment proposed this time are unprecedented. It is said that it has been made clear that the death penalty must be introduced. "
In fact, Chinese people have long been accustomed to the death penalty and did not feel anything unusual. So when Teacher Chen talked about introducing the death penalty, he thought everyone would be surprised.
Unexpectedly, everyone was surprisingly calm, and Cao Erlangzi even spoke directly:
"These bastards deserve the death penalty, which is too easy for them. I think they should be cut into pieces."
As soon as the voice fell, someone else took over and said:
"That's right. The laws in Brazil are also weird. There's not even the death penalty. They just sentence people to hundreds of years in prison. But because they have money, they can get their sentences reduced after they go to prison. After being in prison for more than ten years, they are actually released. It's a joke."
"Alas! There is nothing I can do. This is to tell you that it doesn't matter what you do. What matters is that you must have money. If you have money, you can bribe even the judge."
In Mr. Chen's opinion, this result had no explosive points at all and did not achieve the effect he wanted at all. He could not help but shake his head helplessly.
Just when everyone was supporting the death penalty, a voice suddenly came from a corner of the teahouse:
"I heard that some Chinese people are smoking opium again. Will these opium smokers be sentenced to death?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire teahouse fell silent. Everyone turned their eyes to the man who spoke. They saw a tall, thin man in a silk robe, looking a little panicked by everyone's gazes.
In fact, after the Republic of China, the habit of wearing long gowns and jackets has gradually disappeared from my hometown. Moreover, in Brazil at this time of year, many ordinary people only wear sweatshirts. Judging from the way he is dressed and his thin figure, he should be a poor old man.
Moreover, the sallow complexion of this old man made it obvious to many people that he was eighty percent a heavy smoker. No wonder he asked such a question.
Seeing this unfamiliar person asking questions, many people did not want to pay attention, but after taking a deep look at him, Teacher Chen slowly opened his mouth and said:
"Most of what the newspapers say is about the crimes of growing and selling drugs. It seems that those who use drugs will also go to jail, but I have no idea how long they will be in jail.
However, I do remember that if a drug addict is already present, he or she can turn himself or herself in to the police station. If he or she turns himself or herself in and applies for voluntary drug rehabilitation, he or she can be exempted from criminal liability.
If you have made meritorious contributions, you can also waive the cost of drug rehabilitation.”
After saying that, he did not forget to give the other person an encouraging look.
After hearing what Teacher Chen said, the man in the long robe was terrified, like a wounded rabbit. He stood up in a panic and bowed to Teacher Chen, saying:
"Thank you sir for your advice, and then he ran out without looking back."
Seeing this, everyone in the teahouse was immediately in an uproar.
"This guy is obviously an opium addict! Weren't they all screened when they came aboard from their hometown? How did this guy get here?"
"Looking at the way this guy is dressed, he probably didn't come here through labor dispatch. Maybe he didn't come through the same channel as us."
"He looks so flustered. Did he smoke opium in Brazil? I haven't seen any opium dens around here."
"You don't understand this! Cats have their own ways, and mice have their own ways. Since these guys are addicted, they will definitely find a place to smoke."
"Should we report him to the police?"
"Big Head Li, doesn't your son work at the police station? Why don't you arrest this guy and give him a credit for his work?"
"Does anyone know this person?"
“It seems I’ve never seen it before?”
"It's a good thing this guy ran fast, otherwise we would have taken him to the police station to get some money for tea."
Everyone was discussing the identity of the man in the robe, but the protagonist of their conversation had already hurriedly run across two blocks.
He was leaning against a corner, breathing heavily, and from time to time he carefully stuck his head out to look back, fearing that someone was chasing him. Only after he saw that there was nothing unusual behind him did he breathe a sigh of relief.
Then, thinking of what everyone had just talked about, he couldn't help but shudder all over again. Everyone was not wrong, he was indeed a heavy smoker. And he was an old smoker who had been smoking for many years.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com