Operation Red Book

One morning in March 1881, the Florence Welfare Home at the end of August Street opened its doors early.

Ms. Grace Coleman walked out of the welfare home carrying cleaning supplies.

She was wearing a thin, plain long skirt, the hem of which was tied up with a thin rope, revealing a part of her calves.

Her golden hair was tied into a bun and fixed with a white cloth. There was not a single strand of hair left in front of her full forehead, and she looked full of energy.

The entire August Street was still shrouded in thick morning fog, and the only sound that could be heard in the dimness was the "ya, ya" sound of passing carriages.

The cold air was floating in London in March, and Grace shivered as soon as she went out.

She hissed, picked up the broom by the wall and began to sweep the space in front of the welfare home.

She worked very diligently, sweeping the floor, painting the walls, and leaving no corner untouched, even if it was covered with cobwebs and old mud.

She was meticulously cleaning the gate of the Florence Orphanage. Her sweat had already soaked through her clothes, leaving large stains on the khaki cloth.

As Grace warmed up, the thick fog dissipated at some point and August Street gradually became bustling.

August Street is located in a remote location and most of the people living here are working class.

Occasionally, there are a few middle-class people with droopy eyelids, going out early and returning late every day, and no one is seen.

There are many vendors on August Street, and even more poor people. The owner of a bakery chases a teenager biting into a freshly baked bread, and passers-by chase a masked man who robbed a wallet...

These are no longer new to the residents of August Street, and the plays performed every day add a lively atmosphere to August Street.

The end of the chase and yelling was always the Florence Welfare Home at the end of the street. Everyone who lived there knew that Miss Grace Coleman would take care of everything.

She is gentle, intelligent and beautiful. She devotes all her heart to the children in the welfare home and is the most loved by the residents of August Street.

Grace finished applying the last coat of paint to the iron door. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with her arm, exhaled heavily, and looked at the shiny black iron door in front of her. A smile gradually appeared on her face.

Just as she was organizing her tools, she heard the familiar footsteps and shouts again.

"Miss Grace, save me!"

You don't need to look to know it's Henry. That guy is robbing people on the street again.

Grace thought helplessly, she put down the tools at hand and adjusted her clothes.

"Don't run! Give me back my purse!"

A clear shout came into Grace's ears, a sound she had never heard before.

Over the years, apart from the tender voices of children, what she heard more often were the rough roars of men and the soft screams of women.

Thinking of this, Grace turned and looked in the direction where Henry was running.

Chasing Henry were a young boy and a young girl.

The person running in front was an oriental woman. Her face was soft and fair, and her straight black hair fell behind her like a waterfall, flying freely as she ran.

She grasped her long skirt with one hand, gritted her teeth and moved her legs forward, even at the risk of exposing her petticoat underneath.

The person chasing behind was a man with a typical Western look, with large black-framed glasses covering most of his face.

His flaxen curly hair swayed rhythmically with his steps, his thin arms and legs ran crookedly, and he was breathing heavily, seeming to be extremely tired.

"Ms. Grace, please save me!"

Henry ran behind Grace, begging for help pitifully, but in fact he was making faces at the two of them.

Ivy became even more annoyed, and regardless of Grace's obstruction, she grabbed Henry's collar as he tried to escape and dragged him out.

"Joshua, get the purse out of him!"

Ivy grabbed Henry's two thin arms with one hand and grabbed his ear with the other.

Henry kicked her in the shin, and she pulled one of his ears up and twisted it.

"Ouch, ouch, it hurts...Miss Grace, please save me!"

Henry's face turned red with pain, and he just wanted to escape Ivy's restraints as quickly as possible, so he tiptoed out.

Ivy followed his steps as Joshua searched Henry's body.

Grace persuaded Ivy, and the four of them circled each other in front of the Florence Orphanage.

This farce was just what the people on August Street wanted to do to escape from their boredom. People nearby stopped what they were doing and watched with anticipation.

Ivy put her hands on her hips, weighing the purse in her hands, and occasionally feeling the coins inside through the cloth.

Joshua blushed and kept bowing to Grace, mumbling apologies.

Grace tried to put on an awkward yet polite smile and kept squatting to indicate that there was no need to apologize.

Henry was touching his ears and sobbing behind Grace, glancing at Ivy from time to time, his eyes full of grievance and dissatisfaction.

"Mr. Williams, there's really no need to apologize. It was Henry who stole your purse first, so I should apologize." Grace said gently.

Then he pushed Henry behind him to the front: “Henry, apologize quickly, you really caused them trouble.”

"There's still one problem that hasn't been solved, kid."

Ivy gritted her teeth and stood up again, her eyes full of anger, which frightened Henry so much that he covered his ears tightly again.

Ivy weighed the purse in her hand and asked, "Two more pennies disappeared. Where did you hide them?"

Henry's whole face wrinkled up, and he shouted, "I didn't take it!"

"How come it disappeared when I didn't take it?"

"I just didn't take it!"

Ivy reached out to grab Henry’s ear again, but Grace quickly stood in front of Henry and said, “Ms. Ivy, calm down first.”

Seeing Grace's face full of apology, Ivy put down her hand, although she still looked angry.

Grace quietly comforted Henry who was holding her, and then said carefully: "I will make up the two pence for you, and I will take care of today's lunch as an apology... Do you think this is okay?"

Ivy took the two pennies from Grace and turned to throw them to Joshua.

Looking at Grace's sincere eyes, Ivy touched her shriveled belly, and her anger gradually subsided. She gladly accepted Grace's invitation, and the four of them entered the Florence Orphanage together.