Book signing event
The thin mist from last night hadn't yet dissipated, but this morning's dawn had already pierced through the clouds and spilled onto the black asphalt road, making the sky even bluer after the typhoon. By the window, Gao Junxiao read his old friend's reply, which refuted each of his reasons for not wanting to marry.
Sigh! That's just how society is. No matter how outstanding you are or how high your status is, just the fact that you don't want to get married can erase all your contributions to society. He has been asked by his family more than once whether he has a mental problem or a physical problem.
Of course, there's no problem! According to his mother, anyone who doesn't get married even if there's no problem should be thrown in jail.
Fortunately, his father was quite open-minded and didn't just find him a wife to keep as a decorative object in their hometown; otherwise, he would have ended up in the same tragic situation as Chen Yao. The sofa behind him creaked; it turned out Chen Yao had rolled over.
"Hehe." Chen Yao was still hungover. After talking in his sleep, he slumped to one side on the sofa and fell asleep again.
"You good-for-nothing," Gao Junxiao gave Chen Yao a disdainful look, but unfortunately, Chen Yao couldn't see it. When it came to relationships, Chen Yao was the epitome of indecisiveness. He dared not divorce his wife nor pursue the girl he liked, and only dared to drown his sorrows in alcohol.
His gaze swept over his old friend's letter, then fell on the pearlescent white fountain pen on the table. Gao Junxiao decisively wrote on a new piece of paper: "I have found a suitable target. Do not rush me."
Whether you get married or not, you'll regret it eventually. He's sending the letter now, leaving himself no chance to regret it.
When Gao Junxiao returned from the post office, he had just opened the door when an unidentified object collapsed heavily onto the floor. Upon closer inspection, he saw a sleepy-eyed Chen Yao, wearing a suit jacket over his pajama bottoms, with one foot bare and the other wearing only a half-sock.
His disheveled appearance almost made me laugh. Is this kid having a fit?
After the fall, Chen Yao seemed to have sobered up a bit. He shook his head blankly and groped on the floor as if looking for his shoes. Gao Junxiao was disgusted but still wanted to help Chen Yao up. However, he was overwhelmed by the smell of alcohol on Chen Yao as soon as he got close.
How much did this silly boy drink last night? Did he soak in alcohol? Ugh, this smell is enough to sting my eyes. After finally getting Chen Yao to the sofa, I wrung out a cold towel and threw it in his face.
Finally, Chen Yao was pulled back to reality from her dazed state. When she saw that it was Gao Junxiao, she blinked and grinned at him: "Ah Xiao, you're back, hehe. I... I have to go out for a bit, see you later."
"Go out my ass, you can't even walk straight." Gao Junxiao shoved Chen Yao onto the sofa.
"No, I have to go. It's been three years, I've waited for three years." Chen Yao said, her voice trembling with tears, and gestured three with her hand.
"Since we've already waited three years, what's another half day? Who told you to drink so much yesterday?" Gao Junxiao complained as he handed Chen Yao a cup of hot water.
"Stop talking, I'm never drinking with Shandong people again, they're too good at pressuring people to drink." Chen Yao started crying aggrievedly as he spoke, cursing as he cried, "Gao Junxiao, you're not a true brother, you left me to drink with those Shandong big guys by myself and went home first."
"Why blame others? Blame yourself for being greedy for the Baotu Spring water they brought, and insisting on tasting it." Gao Junxiao took a moment to wring out a towel for Chen Yao.
Chen Yao sniffed a few times on the sofa and said, "You know what, that wine was really... damn good. Smooth and refreshing, a perfect drink. Oh, my three years of wine!"
Speechless, Gao Junxiao rubbed his temples vigorously at Chen Yao, this drunkard: "Alright, alright, stop reminiscing. What do you need to do? I'll take care of it for you."
"Really? Then I won't be polite." Chen Yao wiped his face with a towel. "Could you go to the Zhonghua Book Company on Nanjing Road for me? Today is Jin Xiaoyin's book signing. Could you bring back her new book, 'Qing Ping Le,' and it would be best if you could also get me a message and sign it?"
Upon hearing that it was Qingcheng's autograph session, Gao Junxiao was overjoyed, but he kept a straight face and complained, "So much trouble, just wait."
"Ah Xiao, you're so kind. If only you were a woman," Chen Yao said with tears in her eyes.
"Get lost!" Gao Junxiao fiddled with his hair in front of the mirror, no longer caring about Chen Yao's offensive words, and happily thinking about what he should say to Qingcheng when he saw her later.
Although everyone on Nanjing Road was dressed exquisitely and fashionably, they couldn't hide the weariness on their faces. One black car after another whizzed past, showing that even the so-called "upper class" had to give it their all in Shanghai.
Gao Junxiao drove around alone on unfamiliar roads, wondering if this was the scenery of the Far East's "Paris". He had been holed up in the garrison command and hadn't had a chance to properly appreciate the scenery. It was a waste to have such good eyes.
From afar, he could see a large crowd gathered at the entrance of Zhonghua Book Company. The long queue stretched out onto the street and around a corner. The readers were even more enthusiastic than he had imagined. The queue was so long that it might take until lunchtime to get a sign-in.
Through the bookstore's glass window, Gao Junxiao accurately spotted Qingcheng, who was writing at her desk. Given his relationship with Miss He, there was no need for him to wait in line.
Unfortunately, once inside, he found that Qingcheng was surrounded by a red velvet fence, and there were three rings of enthusiastic readers outside. Gao Junxiao couldn't squeeze in even though it was only a few steps away, and he paced back and forth in the bookstore in a hurry.
A scalper nearby seized the opportunity to strike up a conversation, waving a new book in his hand and asking in Shanghainese, "Hey buddy, wanna get a signed copy?"
There are always middlemen everywhere. Gao Junxiao wanted to refuse, but then he thought that middlemen have their uses, so he asked with a smile, "Do you do other businesses? Like passing notes?"
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Holding the freshly printed book, Gao Junxiao was caught in a dilemma. Would it be too abrupt to suddenly invite her to the coffee shop? She'd been signing papers all morning; her hand must be sore. Maybe he should make the brat wait a few more days. Just as he was thinking this, a soft female voice from behind him completely disrupted his thoughts.
"Ah Xiao." Qingcheng tilted her head and smiled sweetly at him.
"Here you are, what would you like to drink?" Gao Junxiao hurriedly hid the book behind his back.
"No need, I've already had three cups of coffee this morning. Just bring me a glass of lemonade." Qingcheng closed the menu and said to the waiter beside her, then turned to ask Gao Junxiao why he was here.
"I just happened to see you, so I said hello. You can go ahead and do what you're busy." Gao Ju's palms, which were tightly clutching the new book, were sweaty. He felt like his brain was boiling water, gurgling and he couldn't think straight.
"I just got here, and you're already kicking me out," Kiyosumi complained, pouting.
"That's not what I meant. You can stay as long as you want." Gao Junxiao felt so embarrassed he wanted to bite his tongue off.
"That won't work either, there's a book signing event this afternoon. I slipped out under the pretense of taking a break." Kiyosumi suddenly changed the subject, "Have you eaten yet?"
"No," Gao Junxiao answered honestly. With limited time, he didn't have time to think about eating.
Upon hearing this, Qingcheng immediately handed over a cardboard box and said, "Don't forget to eat while you're out on business. I just asked the organizer for an extra boxed lunch, which I haven't touched. If you don't mind."
"I don't mind." Before Qingcheng could finish speaking, the man immediately reached out and took the box, and the new book appeared listlessly between the two of them.
"Haha, you should have said so earlier if you wanted to cut in line. What do you want me to write?" Qingcheng took the new book with a good temper, turned the title page, and her skill was so practiced it was almost heartbreaking.
Seeing that the pen Qingcheng had opened was the one he had given her, he felt the floor beneath his feet become soft and light, and he felt a little lightheaded: "No rush, no rush, you must be very tired today, I'm available anytime."
"What nonsense are you talking about? Everyone knows that Inspector Gao is a very busy man," Qingcheng teased with a smile. "I just wrote whatever came to mind since there were no requirements."
"Wait a minute, actually I bought this book for a friend. Just wish him a successful career in his official career." Gao Junxiao said loudly as if he had made up his mind, his voice so loud that it attracted the attention of the other guests.
He Qingcheng raised an eyebrow in confusion, paused for a moment, and then agreed, "Okay."
"Oh no, Miss He must think I'm an idiot," Gao Junxiao thought, momentarily speechless. He took a tactical sip of coffee, looked out the window at the pedestrians, and reorganized his thoughts.
After a while, Qingcheng finished writing and joked, "Ah Xiao, make sure you hold onto your book well, or I won't compensate you if it gets blown away by the wind."
After being teased by Miss He, Gao Junxiao's tense mood eased considerably, and he said sincerely, "No need to compensate, I'll just buy ten more copies and ask you to sign them."
"You're so mean, you want to kill me with exhaustion!" Kiyosumi said in a sweet voice. "You don't need to come to the autograph session to join in the fun. You can just come to me at other times. The autograph session is too tiring for my hands, I need several days to recover. Let's skip it this time."
"I'm sorry, you must be tired." Gao Junxiao said in a hoarse voice, staring intently at Qingcheng. "I have to make it up to you. Is there a movie you'd like to see?"
"You... want to invite me to a movie, is that what you mean literally?" Qingcheng stared directly at Gao Junxiao, as if trying to see something out of him. Gao Junxiao felt like a commodity for sale, suppressing his anxiety and obediently nodding.
Suddenly, Qingcheng covered her mouth and chuckled. Seeing Qingcheng laugh, Junxiao, infected by her laughter, also started to laugh. Just like that fleeting glimpse at the ball, he had taken his first step forward. Would Miss He accept the invitation again this time?
"I only watch thrillers and suspense movies." Qingcheng's crisp and decisive answer instantly dispelled all of Gao Junxiao's worries.
"Understood. I'll come find you again once the tickets are booked." Gao Junxiao touched his wildly beating heart. He found his earlier awkwardness amusing. Miss He was indeed Miss He; she was just different from others.
"I'm pretty good at guessing the murderer. Do you want to have a contest with me to see who can guess the murderer faster?" Kiyosumi proudly pointed to herself.
"Okay." Gao Junxiao looked at Qingcheng's proud little expression, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved upwards.
Just then, a strikingly beautiful woman knocked on the window. Qingcheng gestured to the woman and then took her leave. Gao Junxiao guessed that the woman was probably a staff member of the organizer.
When Gao Junxiao got home, he saw Chen Yao lounging on the sofa with his legs crossed, reading a novel. His eyes were clear, unlike someone who was drunk. He didn't bother arguing with the brat and simply tossed the wrapped-up new book over to him.
"My book!" Chen Yao exclaimed, jumping for joy like a child as he received the book.
"Damn it, it's just a book." Gao Junxiao turned around to heat up his lunchbox, but Chen Yao suddenly attacked him from behind. Gao Junxiao turned around and dodged, causing Chen Yao to miss.
"I fed you too much, you're stuffed, aren't you?" Gao Junxiao had already determined Chen Yao's location from the strange noise behind him.
Chen Yao didn't seem to care much about failing to ambush Gao Junxiao, and still chuckled as he put his arm around Gao Junxiao's shoulder: "I just wanted to see if your skills had deteriorated. Looks like you're still alright."
"Thank you so much. If you have nothing else to do, find something to do and stop being so pretentious," Gao Junxiao warned, stepping aside.
Chen Yao acted as if he hadn't heard, grabbed Gao Junxiao's shoulder and sniffed him intensely. Gao Junxiao couldn't understand what kind of hysteria he was having in broad daylight, so he dodged away while scolding Chen Yao to stay away from him.
The window was still open. What would it look like if the people across the street saw this? Gao Junxiao broke free from Chen Yao and cursed, "How disgusting! Even if you were the reincarnation of the Celestial Dog, don't mistake me for the True Lord. I don't have three eyes."
Chen Yao blinked and teased, "You may not have three eyes, but you do have three legs! After buying me the book, you still have time for a date. Weren't there many people in line today?"
"You're still drunk, aren't you? Get lost." Gao Junxiao assumed Chen Yao was still intoxicated and was spouting vulgarities, so of course he didn't want to answer Chen Yao's question.
"I was wondering why you agreed so readily. Turns out you went to see your sweetheart. The perfume you're wearing now is the same one that was on the mooncake box last time. Do you perhaps have a penchant for wearing women's perfume?" Chen Yao put his arm around Gao Junxiao's shoulder, pretending to be deep in thought.
"Get out of my sight before I hit you." Gao Junxiao coldly swatted away Chen Yao's hand. He hadn't felt this urge in a long time, this strong urge to punch someone.
"Hey, it's not certain who will win if we really fight," Chen Yao said, continuing his antics without fear of death.
"You? Forgot? A defeated opponent, repeatedly defeated." Gao Junxiao glanced at Chen Yao with disdain.
"Same old rules, choose between a literary contest and a physical contest." Chen Yao didn't mince words and directly proposed the competition. This was a rule they established when they were studying at the military academy: the literary contest was a sand table simulation, and the physical contest was hand-to-hand combat or firearms.
"You want to avenge your defeat, huh? Fine, see you at the shooting range tomorrow. Anyone who doesn't come is a coward." Gao Junxiao steered the conversation further and further off course.
"Come on. You have the Type 96, the Mauser C96, the Mauser C96, and the M3 (submachine gun), right?" Chen Yao asked, hands on his hips.
“I can even bring you an M34 (Italian gun),” Gao Junxiao retorted defiantly.
"You're bragging. That thing was brought back from Italy by the young marshal at a high price," Chen Yao questioned.
"I'm afraid you won't dare to use it now that I've brought it here," Gao Junxiao scoffed provocatively.
"Bullshit, did I get the title of 'one shot to decide the fate of the world' for nothing?" Chen Yao patted his chest and began to recount his glorious deeds.
"Hey, I really didn't know you had that nickname," Gao Junxiao retorted, squinting his eyes.
The two were still bickering when the doorbell rang. Gao Junxiao opened the door to find two movers outside. After confirming the address with Gao Junxiao, one of them carried a box as tall as a person into the house.
Even after the workers left, Gao Junxiao was still staring blankly at the gramophone in front of him. Where was the promised small furniture? Miss He, your spending is too much!
"Wow, Ah Xiao, you've finally figured it out and know how to enjoy life." Chen Yao tried to touch the gleaming golden megaphone, but Gao Junxiao ruthlessly slapped him away.
"I didn't buy it; it was a housewarming gift from someone else," Gao Junxiao explained, swallowing hard.
"Hehe, did some rich girl take a fancy to you and want to make you her live-in son-in-law?" Chen Yao playfully punched Gao Junxiao, acting like a busybody. If he had a Yunxiang handkerchief, he probably would have swung it around.
"No, I'll only tell you one person. I actually have a godmother. As long as you can act like a grandson, gifts will come knocking on your door," Gao Junxiao said confidently.
"Really? Does your great-aunt still take in grandsons?" Chen Yao asked, staring at the phonograph.
"They should still accept it, right? Try calling out and I'll give you my opinion, you little brat." Gao Junxiao deliberately took advantage of Chen Yao.
"Pah, do you really think I'm stupid? These were all gifts from your little lover, weren't they? Food and a gramophone, and she didn't even introduce them to me, her brother." Chen Yao quickly realized what was going on.
"It's really not a mistress, it's an aunt," Gao Junxiao denied with a smile. He wasn't lying; they weren't officially recognized yet.
"If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. Which of the three records do you want to listen to first?" Chen Yao handed the three vinyl records that were included with the gift to Gao Junxiao. The three records were Tchaikovsky's "Barcarolle in June", Mendelssohn's "Sweet Memories", and Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 5 in G major.
"Listen to this one first." Gao Junxiao put "Sweet Memories" on the record player without hesitation, placed the needle, and the melodious music immediately filled the entire room.
"One...two...three...one...two...three..." Chen Yao counted the beats on his fingers, probably trying to recall the dance steps.
As the music rose and fell, an image flashed through Gao Junxiao's mind of a girl with double braids, lying on the grass, counting ants, her face propped up by one hand.
"Grinning like an idiot again." Chen Yao rolled his eyes at Gao Junxiao, then handed him a crumpled piece of paper and said, "This is my housewarming gift."
The paper was scrawled with the words: "Guarantee: The additional two battalions of troops sent to Jinan to suppress bandits in East China are to be under the full command of Commander Xiong." Below the paper was a fingerprint, not a signature. If I'm not mistaken, that fingerprint belonged to Division Commander Sun from Jinan.
It turns out that Chen Yao had been playing a drinking game with Commander Sun and the others last night. If he won, he would drink; if he lost, he would send reinforcements. Everyone knows that the old Northwest Army is a force that will fight to the death if they are paid enough. When they get serious, they will fight anyone, whether it is the Emperor or foreign powers.
Whether the troops of the last two battalions could actually arrive was not important; what mattered was establishing the necessary relationships. This would make future campaigns to suppress bandits in East China much smoother. After all, besides gold and silver, personal connections were also a universally accepted form of currency.
It wasn't until the streetlights came on that Qingcheng wearily left the bookstore. There was only one rickshaw on the street, driven by an elderly man with white hair, wearing the uniform vest of Wu's Rickshaw Company. He seemed to have been waiting under the lights for a long time.
Upon seeing Qingcheng emerge from the shop, the old driver immediately dusted off the seat with a towel. Qingcheng smiled and nodded to the old man; this was Old Qin, her most frequently used driver. The two remained silent for the rest of the journey. The old man's silhouette gleamed softly in the moonlight, and the companionship brought Qingcheng a sense of peace.
When they arrived at the apartment building, Qingcheng insisted on giving her a larger tip. Old Qin couldn't refuse, so when he gave her the change, he rolled it up carefully before handing it to her. At the same time, he took out a small paper bag from his pocket: "Girls love cleanliness and are most afraid of snakes, insects, and rats. Uncle doesn't have much, so I mixed some rat poison myself. It works really well when I sprinkle it at the door."
"Thank you, Uncle." Kiyosumi took the roll of banknotes and rat poison, her smile somewhat stiff.
Watching Lao Qin's departing figure, Qingcheng could no longer contain herself and ran upstairs in one breath. She closed the windows and drew the curtains in one smooth motion. Only after confirming that the room was sealed did Qingcheng open the roll of banknotes, inside which was a blank piece of paper.
Seeing this, Qingcheng calmly took out a match from her bag, lit it, and heated it under the paper. Gradually, words appeared on the paper: "Tomorrow at two o'clock, meet me at my house. Jade." After receiving the message, Qingcheng lit the paper without hesitation and casually threw it into the ashtray.
The sharp flames licked at the fragile white paper, and soon only a pile of black ash remained in the ashtray.
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