Chapter 37: 37 Islands 1
A letter from my father arrived at the Qiao residence. It said that because of the university merger ceremony at the end of May, he and Si would return to Shanghai on the 19th. Si Yansang's ferry back from England would arrive on the 20th. He also asked Mrs. Qiao to take Yunyan and Chu Wang back to Shanghai on the 18th.
Mr. Xue had heard about this a long time ago, and he sent a telegram early in the morning asking Mrs. Qiao to bring Zhenzhen along as well.
After Mrs. Qiao announced this at the breakfast table, she only received the three maids' seemingly expressionless cheers.
Mrs. Qiao looked the three of them over and said, "They're all going back to Shanghai to see their fathers and see their new homes. Why is no one so happy?"
Zhenzhen chuckled, "It's because I'm so happy that I'm trying so hard not to laugh."
Yun Yan looked at Chu Wang with a faint smile on his face: "That's right, the 20th day will be here soon."
Chu Wang also smiled and said, "Nowadays, ships can reach Shanghai in three days. For you, the happy day is the 21st."
Mrs. Qiao also said, "Cruise ships are much faster nowadays. Yunyan, Zhenzhen has already changed into her school uniform. What are you still doing? Did you forget you have class today?"
Yunyan went upstairs. Zhenzhen looked at Yunyan and sneered, "Ever since Miss Lin wore a cheongsam, she's started to dislike the outdated school uniform." Then she came over and looked Chu Wang up and down. "Are all the girls who go to college as old-fashioned as you? It won't be long before that Mr. Si returns. You should learn from your sister's love of beauty, or you'll be outdone."
Chu Wang also smiled but did not answer.
It turned out that he arrived in Hong Kong on the 13th, having come secretly. He then took a boat back to Shanghai on the 17th, but told everyone that he would not return home until the 20th.
Chu Wang gradually became busier. In mid-May, Hong Kong was already much hotter and humider than England. He wondered if he had packed the right clothes to avoid getting too hot.
Professor Xu often wore Chinese silk robes, which must have been much cooler than the shirts and vests worn by the gentlemen. Si Yansang always looked much more presentable in them than Ye Wenyu. But for Si Yansang, who had been exposed to new ideas since childhood, he wondered if he would feel that this was a relic of the past and resist it.
She asked Mr. Saumur and Mrs. Ruan if tussah silk shirts were appropriate for men this season. Receiving a positive response, she set to work making a shirt for Si Yansang. Unsure of his size, and with only a blurry black-and-white photo she'd received last year, she relied on her eyeballs to create three different sizes of white shirts.
After making shirts for several days, Mr. Saumier asked Mrs. Ruan with some confusion: "Who are these made for?"
Mrs. Ruan smiled and replied, "Who else could it be? The one who wrote the letter."
Mr. Saumur, rather curiously, asked again, "Will the gentleman who wrote the letter come to Hong Kong? When will he come? Will Mrs. Ruan and I have the honor of meeting him?"
Chu Wang smiled and said, "He'll arrive on the 13th of this month, but I'm not sure if he'll come to Kowloon. If he wants to come to the Peninsula, I'll definitely bring him to Yau Ma Tei."
Aside from a shirt for the weather, Chu Wang struggled to think of another gift for him. Hong Kong's best goods were mostly foreign these days, and she couldn't possibly buy Western pens or pocket watches for Si Yansang, who had just returned from abroad. She'd visited the foreign shops several times, but that only reinforced her belief that she couldn't buy anything here.
There was a carpentry workshop near the foreign company. One day, while passing by, she saw a carpenter making a mechanism for a wooden box. She stopped to watch for a while, and suddenly an idea came to her mind.
Does he smoke?
Chu Wang only vaguely remembered seeing a photo of him smoking in a modern history book, but he didn't know when he started. He didn't know if he smoked now, but since he would have to one day, it was necessary to have a nice and exquisite lighter.
When she got home that day, she recalled the lighter from her previous life and drew more than ten drawings with a pen. The next day, when she took the drawings to the foreign company to inquire, the Indian boss said that they could make it, but it would take three months.
Three months later, he had already returned to England. Chu Wang could not wait any longer and returned to Yau Ma Tei with the blueprints in great frustration. When Mr. Saumur saw them, he showed great interest in her blueprints.
After studying the blueprints for a whole morning, Mr. Saumur told Chu Wang that he knew a Mr. Dupont who made leather goods and was in Hong Kong. He could help her call Mr. Dupont and ask him.
After listening to this, Chu Wang tilted his head back and thought for a long time. Mr. Dupont, is that the Dupont with Tissot in his name?
In the afternoon, Mr. Dupont gave his reply: Because it includes 200 mechanisms, it will take a long time to engrave. However, if it is made of softer gold and palladium, it can be completed within ten days.
Chu Wang agreed without a second thought, not even asking about the purchase and processing prices of the gold and palladium. Seeing her straightforward response, Mr. Saumier simply smiled and shook his head, convinced that she was being completely manipulated by this British gentleman.
Therefore, Mr. Saumur very tactfully raised a little question about her daily dress.
One day he said, "When that English gentleman comes to Hong Kong, will you take him to the beach?"
Chu Wang thought about it and nodded: "There are too many people in Repulse Bay, maybe we can go to one of the nearby outlying islands."
Mr. Saumur said, "It's very hot on the island. What are you going to wear?"
Before she could reply, Mr. Saumur narrowed his eyes and suggested, "That vest jumpsuit you modified the other day is quite nice. Wear it with a shirt underneath, or a shirt and a pleated skirt. It would go perfectly with that men's silk shirt."
Chu Wang smiled and thanked Mr. Somir.
Since he had come secretly without his father's knowledge, Chu Wang couldn't let anyone he knew see them. Therefore, going to an outlying island with fewer people than Repulse Bay was a good option. May 13th was a Friday. If he went to the outlying island from the 13th to the 17th, he would miss two of Professor Xu's classes.
When she went to ask Xu Shaoqian for leave, she also asked Xu Shaoqian which island would be more interesting to visit.
Xu Shaoqian thought for a moment and said, "I haven't done any special research. If you're just worried about seeing someone you know, Po Toi Island should be a good choice."
The island had been decided for now, but Chu Wang didn't know how to ask Mrs. Qiao for leave. After much deliberation, one day Mrs. Xu said, "I heard you'd like to go to Po Toi Island with your fiancé for a few days. If you haven't figured out how to tell your aunt, just tell her I'm inviting you. If she doesn't believe me, I'll send a telegram to the Qiao Mansion someday to ask for leave on your behalf. Just go and have fun."
Chu Wang had no better solution, so she could only express her gratitude to Mrs. Xu for her thoughtful consideration. Mrs. Xu said, "You don't have to thank me specifically. Before I married your teacher, I always wanted to meet him before the wedding, so I could get a feel for what kind of person he was marrying. Even though we were going to get married, living together before and after is a completely different experience. I can't do that... If you see anything delicious or fun on the island, please bring some back for Wenjun and me."
The travel arrangements were settled so smoothly that Chu Wang even suspected that this was all a trap.
By the 13th, the lighter was finished, having cost Chu Wang a good portion of his savings. Mr. Dupont personally arrived, wanting to see the blueprint's creator. He seemed to refuse to believe Mr. Saumur's claim that it was the work of a girl no older than fourteen.
Seeing Mr. Dupont's repeated hesitation, Chu Wang felt deeply ashamed. This blueprint was actually created by your disciple eighty years later, not by me. To buy that one lighter of your brand, she almost spent three or four months' salary.
I recently heard that China and Japan have long-distance telephone service, and every time they argue, Zhenzhen uses this to tease Yunyan. She often says, "If you feel wronged, just call your fiancé! Tell him you're having a terrible time in Hong Kong and ask him to pick you up and take you to Tokyo. Anyway, we're getting married soon, so six months won't hurt."
This sentence had the effect of a trump card for Yun Yan. However, after a few days, this trump card was no longer effective because Mrs. Qiao heard from somewhere that several European universities had invited Lin Yu to give lectures and might take Chu Wang and Yun Yan with them.
So when Zhenzhen asked her to go to Japan, Yunyan smiled and said, "You don't have to go to Japan. It's the same to go to Europe."
Early in the morning on the 13th, when Chu Wang put on his backpack and prepared to go out, Zhenzhen and Yunyan were arguing about the question of "Will Master Lin take Yunyan to Europe?"
Zhenzhen sneered, "You speak English like that. If you have to talk to Germans, Spanish, and French people in the future, will they understand what you're saying?"
Yun Yan also said, "You speak well, why don't you go?"
Seeing Chu Wang coming downstairs, Zhenzhen said, "You should establish a good relationship with Chu Wang as soon as possible. If you get lost, she will be willing to negotiate terms with the traffickers. A ransom of a few dollars or tens of dollars can save Uncle Lin a lot of money."
Mrs. Qiao scolded Zhenzhen, "What's with all that human trafficker stuff? It's unlucky. There should be a limit to how much you can argue with. Also, we haven't decided to take the Lin sisters to Europe yet. Before that, when you see Uncle Lin, stop talking nonsense."
She looked up and saw Chu Wang coming down the stairs wearing a sun hat, so she asked, "Are we going to the dock soon?"
Chu Wang nodded.
Mrs. Qiao asked again, "How do we get there?"
Chu Wang said: "Take the bus."
Mrs. Qiao uttered an exclamation, and then said rather unhappily, "Mrs. Xu, why don't you find a car to pick us up?"
Yun Yan smiled and said, "Maybe Mrs. Xu is too busy to handle it, so she asked Third Sister to go to the island to help."
Mrs. Qiao nodded and said, "When it comes to caring for others, neither of you can compare to the third girl. Chu Wang, you should carry more money with you when you go out."
Yun Yan added, "She drinks coffee and eats ice cream with Xie Miya every other day. She must be making a lot of money from Mr. Somier."
Zhenzhen smiled and said, "What Chu Wang earned herself and what her aunt gave her are two different things."
Mrs. Qiao asked Aunt Zhao to hand the purse to Chu Wang, saying, "This is what your aunt should give you... Of course, if you see some good kelp, you can buy some back."
Chu Wang took the purse with a smile, said goodbye to Mrs. Qiao and the two sisters, and left.
Why refuse money?
Since arriving in Hong Kong three springs ago, this was her second time on the bus to the pier. It was a bright sunny day, and the scenery should have been quite beautiful. However, that first time, she was filled with uncertainty about the world and concerns about her future. Seeing the lake emerging from the red cliffs, she didn't feel anything special. Although the sky was a little gray, Chu Wang hoped it would clear up soon: the Hong Kong he saw should be completely open and bright to welcome him.
Halfway through the journey, the air grew incredibly humid, especially on the enclosed bus. She opened the window, and a light drizzle drifted in—the people sitting by the window refused to open it. Chu Wang, not having a good seat, sweated profusely from the heat. She couldn't help but think, "Luckily, I don't need to wear makeup at this age. Otherwise, by the time we get to the dock, it's going to be smudged and look awful."
The bus passed through the city, and passengers rang the bell one after another to get off. Finally, he found a window seat. The breeze blew through, finally cooling him down a bit, but the rain began to pour down on the elderly man in the back seat. Chu Wang apologized profusely as he rolled the window shut. After a moment of unbearable anxiety, he finally got off at the Central Pier, only to cry out, "Oh no! I forgot my umbrella!"
She entered the platform and saw a cruise ship about to arrive at the port. It would still be some time before disembarkation. People from the previous ship were about to disembark, and a crowd began to push out. Chu Wang had no choice but to follow the crowd out of the dock and buy a black umbrella at a grocery store. When the crowd thinned out, she slowly walked toward the port, umbrella in hand. Two vendors followed her, one from mainland China, the other from Hong Kong.
The mainlander, presumably a gold rush visitor, had a box hanging from his chest filled with various soft drinks. On the box, written in marker: "Dutch Water."
Hong Kong's foreign goods market is far more widespread than in mainland China, and soda is relatively cheap and much more widely available. He didn't know what he was thinking when he came to Hong Kong to sell Dutch water, but he definitely wouldn't make much money. Seeing that he kept pestering her, Chu Wang gave him two dimes and bought two glasses of pink Dutch water.
The other vendor was selling cigarettes. Chu Wang shook his head and said, "Do I look like a smoker?"
After sending the vendor away, she was left holding a bottle of soda in one hand, unable to hold her umbrella. As the port gradually cleared, she headed for the ticket counter—to avoid the rain and ask when the Letan would arrive.
The female ticket seller, presumably having some free time, secretly used the company phone to call her lover. With a smile on her face, she uttered a series of witty remarks in her shrill Cantonese voice, giving Chu Wang goosebumps. After finally waiting for the ticket seller to hang up, she, perhaps feeling that Chu Wang was in a state of disappointment, reluctantly asked, "Where are the tickets going?"
Chu Wang thought for a moment and said, "I want to ask..."
The ticket seller's face changed: "This is not the information center!"
At this moment, someone patted Chu Wang again. She turned around and saw that the person was wearing a straw hat with the brim pulled down low. He lowered his voice and asked, "Ferry tickets to Tap Mun Island are on sale. We have two left. Do you want any?"
Chu Wang was about to shake his head and refuse when the ticket seller behind him suddenly became furious: "What's the matter? Scalpers are so rampant these days. They don't even see where this is and are selling it right in front of me?"
The man ignored the ticket seller and asked Chu Wang directly, "How about the tickets to Dongpingzhou? There are only two left."
Chu Wang just smiled and shook his head, saying, "Thank you, but I don't need any of it."
She turned around and asked the ticket seller, "Excuse me, when will the Letan arrive at the port? I heard it's on the 13th—"
The ticket seller waved his hand impatiently: "The Letan? You arrived early this morning, and now everyone has left. You're too late!"
The man behind him then asked, "Excuse me, do you still want a ferry ticket to Po Toi? I can offer you a cheaper price than they do."
I'm late... Chu Wang thought blankly. Now that I'm here, where else can I go if I don't wait patiently?
The rain outside was getting heavier. She took the Dutch water and went to get an umbrella. The scalper followed her tirelessly. He suddenly took the umbrella from her hand, held it up for her, and asked, "How about a ferry ticket to Po Toi Island?"
Chu Wang shuddered and reached out to lift the brim of the man's straw hat, but he cleverly dodged it. The hat, which was already a bit too big, was blown to the ground by the strong wind outside the platform because of his dodging.
The man wore a light gray wool vest over his shirt, and his trousers were tucked into a pair of low-top black boots. His straw hat blew away, his plan failing. He had no choice but to put his hands in his pockets, lower his head, and smile to himself in the wind. He was a very clean-cut person, but his smile couldn't hide his mischievous fangs—even his smile was clean and unique.
It was indeed him.
Three years have made a boy grow into a man, but his flawless youthful aura remains unchanged.
He walked towards Chu Wang with a smile, holding two boat tickets in his hand, and asked with a smile: "So, you want to take me to Po Toi Island?"
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