Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Throw them both out into the street, let...
Shen Rong didn't want to tell her family about the attack, but the newspapers were too well-informed and even published photos of the scene. People who didn't know the truth thought she might be dead.
With no other option, Lu Lin called both sets of elders to let them know he was safe. Both Jiang Yufen and her husband and Lu Xuan and his wife sent telegrams to inquire about the situation, and Lu Lin replied to each one.
Shen Jiashi accompanied his mother to Shanghai. When she learned that Sheng Ruyue had risked her life to save him, she was deeply moved and almost offered her son as a way of repaying her kindness. Unfortunately, her savior didn't take a liking to Shen Jiashi, thinking he was too old.
Madam Shen immediately took a dislike to Shen Jiashi and unleashed a torrent of angry scolding. She couldn't bear to scold Shen Rong, so she vented her anger on him instead.
Shen's mother stayed in Shanghai for about ten days. Before returning, she repeatedly told Lu Lin to take good care of Shen Rong. Lu Lin kept assuring her that this would not happen again, and only then did she feel at ease and get on the car.
After more than two months of recuperation, Sheng Ruyue's injuries had almost healed. One day, when she returned from her morning exercise, she happened to see Lu Chang leaving, which seemed a little strange.
"Why didn't you eat breakfast? Is there some big news in Shanghai again?"
Shen Rong yawned as she came downstairs: "Why are you up so early?"
Sheng Ruyue waved her arms: "I haven't practiced in a long time, so I came out to get some exercise."
Her injury was in her shoulder, and the doctor had advised her against strenuous exercise. Shen Rong was somewhat worried: "Your injury hasn't fully healed yet; you should rest a bit longer."
Sheng Ruyue scratched her head sheepishly: "Aunt Zhang cooks delicious food for me every day, and I've gained weight. Besides, I'm just exercising a little, it's nothing."
"Sister-in-law, why are you here so early too?" Sheng Ruyue kept calling out to people along with Lu Chang, and Shen Rong and the others didn't correct her, letting her follow her.
Shen Rong remembered the important matter she had to attend to that morning and turned to go into the kitchen: "Today is Xiaoming's first day of kindergarten, I'll make him breakfast."
Zhang Ma came out from inside and stopped her: "Madam, I've finished cooking."
She dared not let her wife into the kitchen. Having heard of her wife's plan last night, she got up early this morning to prepare it in advance, just to prevent Shen Rong from having any room to maneuver.
Shen Rong knew what she was worried about and felt a little embarrassed: "Then I'll go wake him up."
She walked back, and Sheng Ruyue also went to change her clothes, so she went with her.
"Is Lu Changhe very busy lately? Has something big happened in Shanghai? I just saw him leave without having breakfast," Sheng Ruyue asked curiously.
You should know that Lu Chang is always the last one to get up at home, and he has never been this proactive at work before.
Even Shen Rong was puzzled: "I haven't heard of that."
However, the two brothers have been acting strangely lately, so Shen Rong decided to question Lu Lin that night.
Lu Zhan is going to kindergarten today. He is quite excited, wearing his new uniform, carrying his little schoolbag, and holding his little water bottle, all ready to go.
"You're not allowed to fight, understand? If you have any problems, you should go to the teacher. You have to be good, okay? Don't cry or make a fuss..."
Hearing his mother's nagging, he became a little impatient and urged, "Mom, let's go quickly."
He thought he was going to play, just like when his parents took him to the children's playground before. But when they arrived at the kindergarten gate, his mother didn't go in with him, and that's when he realized something was wrong.
He reached out to pull his mother, clearly anxious: "Mom, come here too."
Shen Rong squatted down to comfort him: "Mom will pick you up after school. Go inside and have fun, but remember not to fight." He was a bit bossy, and Shen Rong was afraid that he would bully other children.
Xiao Ming pouted, somewhat annoyed: "Then I don't want to go either." He then took off his schoolbag and was about to throw the water bottle.
Shen Rong stopped him and began to coax him in a low voice, "Mom has paid a lot of money. If you don't go in and we don't get a refund, we'll be at a loss. How about this, you go in and play for a day. If you don't like it, we won't come back tomorrow. Mom will wait for you outside, okay?"
Xiao Ming is a child who doesn't like to be taken advantage of. Hearing his mother say this, he bit his lip, made a difficult decision, and asked again, "Then Mom, you're not leaving?"
Shen Rong nodded firmly: "I won't leave. I'll wait for you here after school. There are lots of kids inside, you can find someone to play with, it'll be a lot of fun."
Xiao Ming was eventually persuaded by his mother's sweet talk and finally agreed to hold the teacher's hand and go inside.
As soon as the gate closed, Shen Rong immediately got into the car to go home. Sheng Ruyue was shocked: "Didn't you say you were going to wait for him?"
Sheng Ruyue was just moved by the deep bond between mother and son.
"Are you stupid? He's going inside to eat and drink well while we're waiting at the door? He can't come out, how would he know if I'm waiting? I'll just come a little earlier after school."
Sheng Ruyue said with admiration, "Old ginger is spicier."
Shen Rong smiled and raised an eyebrow at her: "Let's go shopping."
Sheng Ruyue, who had been cooped up at home for months, couldn't wait any longer and excitedly reached out her hand: "Let's go!"
Sheng Ruyue thought the key to shopping was the act of browsing. She was amazed by Shen Rong's purchasing power for the first time. He practically brought the whole store back with him. If she hadn't firmly refused, she didn't know how much he would have bought.
She knew her sister-in-law was doing this out of gratitude, but she hadn't saved the person for that reason. Besides, the Lu and Shen families had already treated her very well. She was able to recover so quickly because they had used the best medicine, the best doctors, and provided the best food. She wasn't someone who would take advantage of kindness.
These days, she has come to regard the Lu family as her own, except for Lu Chang.
If they continue to be so polite, she will have to consider moving out of the Lu family home or leaving Shanghai.
Hearing her say that, Shen Rong reluctantly agreed to her request, and in the end only bought some clothes, shoes, and some daily necessities.
Sheng Ruyue doesn't plan to go back to her hometown yet; she'll go back during the Spring Festival, by which time she'll have fully recovered.
They brought small cakes for Zhang Ma and Gui Chun, and Sheng Ruyue smiled and said that they could tell her anytime they wanted to eat them.
It turned out that Sheng Ruyue had found a job as a shop assistant at a cake shop.
It was quite a coincidence that the cake shop Shen Rong and she went to today was the very same one where she had fought with Lu Chang before, and she even had to pay a large sum of money in compensation.
During their casual conversation, the proprietress recognized her and, knowing she was looking for a job, offered to help her find a shop assistant. She asked if she would be willing to do the job.
Gui Chun was genuinely happy for her: "Then Miss Sheng can stay in Shanghai for a long time from now on."
Sheng Ruyue smiled, glanced at Chen Rong, and said reservedly, "I'll tell my parents when I go back for the New Year that I'll definitely come back."
She thought to herself that her sister-in-law was right; running away from home was not the solution. She needed to talk to her father properly.
To thank Zhang Ma and Gui Chun for their care, Sheng Ruyue also bought them gifts.
Zhang Ma, always outspoken, teased her, "Does our third young master have one?"
It should be noted that during the time Sheng Ruyue was injured, Lu Chang was the one who took the most effort to take care of her.
Sheng Ruyue said with a mischievous smile, "I bought one for him too." But whether he'll like it or not is another matter.
She bought a book on physical fitness, which also contained many martial arts techniques. When Lu Chang saw it, his face turned pale. He wasn't sure if Sheng Ruyue was mocking him for being a weakling.
But that's a story for another time. Let's get back to the present. As the group was chatting and laughing, Er Mao returned and said that classes were suspended.
There were many students marching and demonstrating in the streets, and the teacher gave them a holiday.
Gui Chun couldn't understand: "Why are students making a fuss instead of studying? They're just being nosy."
Zhang Ma also felt that they should just live a peaceful and stable life, so why make a fuss?
Er Mao had been to school and often heard her teacher talk about the current situation in private. She was furious at their indifferent words: "What do you know? Is life good now? The Japanese devils' actions in the four northeastern provinces were so brutal that they were outrageous. How is it good!"
Zhang's mother didn't expect her son to explode, especially in front of his wife. This made her lose face, so she slapped him across the face: "You think you're so capable? You've only been to school for a few days, do you need to worry about these things?"
Er Mao dodged his mother's bear paw and retorted with a stubborn neck: "Every citizen has a responsibility for the rise and fall of the nation. Why can't I care? When I'm older, I'm going to fight the Japanese devils too!"
Shen Rong smiled and handed him a piece of bread, then winked secretly and said, "Run!"
Er Mao ran off with a grin.
Aunt Zhang couldn't catch up and could only smile wryly: "This brat is getting harder and harder to manage."
Shen Rong advised her, "The child is grown up, he has studied and has his own thoughts, so don't be too restrictive of him."
Zhang Ma said helplessly, "I'm just afraid he'll cause trouble for my husband."
She heard that the police station jail was full of students, saying they were incited by the rebels, and she was afraid that Er Mao would get involved.
Shen Rong comforted her, "Don't worry, it's not that easy for him to cause trouble. Er Mao is still a child."
The doorbell rang, and Uncle Zhang led in an unexpected person.
Shen Rong was pleasantly surprised and hugged her with some excitement.
"Wenhui, when did you arrive in Shanghai?"
Lin Wenhui looked unwell and exhausted, holding her sleeping child in her arms: "I just arrived in Shanghai."
The two sat down and exchanged pleasantries. Zhang Ma served tea, and Sheng Ruyue, noticing the guests, tactfully went back inside.
Shen Rong held Lin Wenhui's son and teased him, "What's this child's name?"
Lin Wenhui stroked her son's head: "His formal name will be chosen when his father comes back, and his nickname will be Abao."
Shen Rong paused for a moment: "Mr. Dong hasn't gone home yet?"
Based on the timeline, Dong Rongyi should have gone to secretly investigate military weapons. But it doesn't matter, the couple can be reunited in a year or two.
"She'll probably be back soon," Shen Rong reassured her.
Lin Wenhui smiled and said, "I'm not worried at all. He'll come back someday."
Shen Rong asked about Professor Hao and the others, and learned that he had gone to the southwest for an inspection and had not yet returned. It seemed that he was preparing for the relocation of cultural relics.
Just as Lin Wenhui was about to speak, Gui Chun came over to remind Shen Rong that it was almost time for school to end.
Shen Rong looked down at her watch and realized it was true. She pulled Lin Wenhui aside and said, "Stay for dinner tonight. We'll talk after I pick up my little devil. I promised to pick him up after school. If he doesn't see me, he'll definitely make a scene again."
Thinking of the power of Xiaoming's tantrum, Shen Rong had a headache. Fortunately, the kindergarten was not far away, and she would be able to come back soon. In addition, Lin Wenhui was an acquaintance, so she probably wouldn't take this rudeness to heart.
Lin Wenhui needed Lu Lin's help with something, and after asking Shen Rong, she learned that Lu Lin would come back for dinner every day, so she agreed to stay for dinner.
Xiao Ming was very energetic after playing at kindergarten all day, except that he missed his mother.
When he got home, he saw a little brother and was very curious about him. He took out his toys and played with him. Shen Rong repeatedly told him not to bully his little brother.
Xiaoming nodded, but whether he actually listened to what he said is uncertain.
A little while later, he ran over and asked Shen Rong, "Mom, can I play soccer with my little brother?"
Shen Rong put on a stern face and refused decisively. He looked at Lin Wenhui with pleading eyes: "Auntie..."
Lin Wenhui patted his head and said with a smile, "My little brother has only just learned to walk, so he can't play football yet."
Xiao Ming's eyes dimmed instantly, and he said, "Oh, then I'll help him build the house."
Shen Rong could tell that Lin Wenhui was preoccupied, so she asked her.
Lin Wenhui smiled wryly: "There are some things I need your Commander Lu's help with."
When it was time for dinner, Lu Lin did not appear. After waiting for a while, Lu Lin called and said that he would not be coming home for dinner and might not be coming home at all that night.
"Is something urgent on your end? Wenhui is here, and she seems to have something urgent to discuss with you." Shen Rong lowered her voice.
Lu Lin was silent for a moment: "I can't leave here. Here's what I'll do: I'll go home tomorrow morning. If it's urgent, you can let her stay overnight."
Since he had said so, Shen Rong nodded and told Lin Wenhui about it.
Lin Wenhui agreed, and Gui Chun helped tidy up the guest rooms.
After dinner, Shen Rong went to the guest room, and Lin Wenhui then revealed her purpose.
It turned out that her third brother, Lin Wenxuan, had disappeared in Shanghai a few days ago. Her aunt fell ill after learning about it. The Lin family made arrangements everywhere and learned that Lin Wenxuan had been secretly arrested by Lin Shaojie, the head of the military law department.
What!
Shen Rong was shocked: "Is this news confirmed? I haven't heard a single word about it."
Lin Wenhui wiped away her tears and nodded: "It's true."
If she remembered correctly, Lin Wenxuan was a businessman, so why was Lin Shaojie arresting him?
"He was said to be the main contact person for communist spies in Shanghai."
Shen Rong was also taken aback, her voice slightly soft: "Really?"
Lin Wenhui bit her lip and remained silent. She didn't know if it was true, but deep down she felt it was possible. Her third brother... he was different from others.
After learning this news, the Lin family dared not actively attempt a rescue, since these days, anyone associated with the word "communist spy" would be severely punished.
"I want to ask your Commander Lu for a favor. Could I see my third brother just once?" She knew that if this identity was true, she was afraid that the man could not be rescued.
Shen Rong comforted her, "Don't worry, I'll speak to him for you when Lu Lin comes back tomorrow."
***
In the dead of night, when all was quiet, a figure climbed over the courtyard wall and quietly opened the door. Several figures quickly slipped inside.
"Something feels off." It's too quiet and too dark. It's impossible for a base to be so laxly defended. Morita felt uneasy and tried to persuade Sachiko to retreat.
"Mr. Morita, you're overthinking it. This is the best opportunity for us to redeem ourselves. According to my intelligence, Lu Lin's secret armory is located here. If we can destroy it, it will be a great achievement."
Lu Lin's recent frequent moves, and his deployment of troops around the Japanese military headquarters, have made the Japanese military leadership somewhat uneasy.
Is your intelligence accurate?
Sachiko smiled and said, "Don't worry, this was said by the Lu family themselves."
Morita was startled, not expecting that she had someone in the Lu family, but she felt a little more at ease.
He made a gesture, and the people waiting outside came in one after another.
"Hurry up."
Sachiko glanced at her watch; they only had three minutes. The next patrol of soldiers would soon discover the anomaly.
In the tense moment, a soft click was heard not far away.
It was the sound of a lighter. Morita and Sachiko looked up alertly.
Whoosh! All the headlights suddenly turned on!
The light was so bright that they couldn't open their eyes, so they shielded their eyes with their hands. Morita reacted quickly and locked onto the person in the attic.
"It's Lu Lin!" Xingzi's face was very ugly. There was nothing she didn't understand. They were trapped like turtles in a jar.
"Sorry, we went to the wrong place." Sachiko threw away the gun, raised her hands, and looked at Lu Lin defiantly.
She didn't bring any military personnel with her on this mission. Apart from herself and Morita, they were all ronin. Even if they were caught, it wouldn't prove that it was a military operation. At most, they would be locked up, or charged with trespassing and robbery.
It's possible for someone to accidentally wander in from a secret outpost without any visible sentries. As long as they don't die, the military will get them out.
Sachiko was full of confidence. She was certain that Lu Lin wouldn't dare to lay a hand on her, and that Jincheng didn't have the guts to declare war on their empire.
Morita hesitated for a moment before putting the gun down, but seeing Sachiko smiling and fearless, he bent down to put the gun down as well.
He glanced furtively at the man out of the corner of his eye and saw a smirk on his lips and a cold gaze, as if he were looking at a dead man. He had a bad feeling and quickly picked up his gun again to aim at the man.
Unfortunately, he was a step too late. The moment Lu Lin threw down his cigarette, a barrage of gunfire erupted.
His body swayed involuntarily. Morita didn't feel any pain, but he knew that his body was riddled with holes.
He spat out a mouthful of blood, the gunfire stopped, and he collapsed to the ground. Not far away, Sachiko lay in a pool of blood, twitching slightly.
Lu Lin went downstairs, his military boots creaking loudly on the wooden stairs. Morita felt as if they were being stepped on his eardrums.
As he passed the cigarette, Lu Lin stomped it out, then stopped in front of him, bowed slightly, and looked at their miserable state with a somewhat satisfied smile.
“You haven’t gone to the wrong place. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time, waiting for you to come and die. Weren’t you looking for the gunpowder depot? Congratulations on finding it!” He was responding to Sachiko’s words just now.
Sachiko's face was covered in blood, and she was spitting out bloody foam. She couldn't speak anymore, but her eyes were staring straight at him, as if asking him how he dared to do that!
Lu Lin scoffed, "You think you can get away with laying a hand on my wife? Where did you get such a big heart?"
He harmed his wife and still wants to live? Does he really think he doesn't know who did it? Does he think everyone in the world is as brainless as them? Lu Lin stood up and glanced at them contemptuously.
"Throw them out into the street and let people identify the bodies. Say there was a shootout, but luckily the police found them in time, but unfortunately... it was too late."
Lu Lin sighed regretfully, shaking his head and remarking, "The security situation in Shanghai has really deteriorated recently; we need to send more people here."
Sachiko breathed her last with her eyes open, her body being roughly dragged away by the soldiers, leaving a deep bloody trail. Someone was pulling Morita's leg.
He was turned over, which hurt a lot, like being dragged a dead dog. Morita felt very cold, and the wind blew in from the gun holes. He felt like his heart was frozen. The sky was bright and dark, and he saw his parents waving to him, just like the day he left Tokyo.
Should he not have left home, Mom and Dad...?
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Author's note: I'm already preparing to wrap this up. I might not be able to keep up with daily updates, but that's okay. If I can't update daily, I'll probably finish writing it all at once and release it all at once. You can bookmark it and wait for me.
I'll try my best to update daily, as much as possible [winking emoji]
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