Operation Red Book

"At this time, Shuyang rushed out and said that it was all his fault. He led the gangsters into the Chinese wharf and burned, killed and looted here. The reason was that he wanted to kill the group of people who hurt his sister."

"Shuyang was taken away by them. I later learned that you had been picked up by SCO for treatment."

Mr. Zhu finished the whole story in one breath and drank several sips of tea.

"That's why I said this place is a mess. I need someone like you who can speak both Chinese and English to go and negotiate. As for Shuyun, I have buried her with honor. I have also checked and found that most of the people who bullied her died that day."

"As for Shuyang, I'm trying to find the best lawyer and the best connections."

Mr. Zhu looked up at Ivy's expression while drinking his tea.

Ivy frowned, her eyes full of self-blame and sadness.

"It's not your fault. It's fate. I will arrange it..."

"I'll find a way, too."

Ivy's determined look actually scared Mr. Zhu.

"You are immorally kidnapping me!" Mr. Zhu teased.

"I've learned from you, Mr. Zhu, that I should talk less and do more. It's true that the older you are, the more experience you have."

Ivy picked up her suitcase, ignored the pipe that Mr. Zhu raised as if to hit her, and walked to the front desk of Muyunzhai with a happy face.

Ivy's work is done in Muyunzhai and the small courtyard at the back.

Muyunzhai is indeed not a place for prostitution. The guests received here are all beautiful girls.

They acted as personal waiters, serving the guests who came and went, allowing them to rest, meet guests, drink tea... and smoke.

If they are harassed by guests, several muscular men will be ready to carry the guests out together and warn them that they are never allowed to enter Muyunzhai again.

Ivy manages the bills at the front desk of Muyunzhai. Every Monday, she would follow Mr. Zhu excitedly to report the bill, and Mr. Zhu would just nod perfunctorily every time.

At the same time, she would use her fluent English to negotiate with some British guests, especially the police officers from Scotland Yard, trying to get some information out of them from time to time, but unfortunately, all her words were choked back by Ivy.

There was nothing wrong with Mr. Zhu's house. The stove only burned a piece of floor and a nearby rattan chair.

When Ivy came for the first time, the damaged areas had already been repaired, without any trace of the burns left.

Mr. Zhu's house has a special cleaning staff. All Ivy needs to do is help Mr. Zhu deal with letters and official documents, grind ink, make tea, and cook from time to time.

If it weren't for the quarrel with Mr. Zhu, this job would be pretty good, Ivy thought.

The number of people in the Chinese market suffered heavy losses and the houses were severely damaged. Although it was announced to the outside world that it was the result of robbery by bandits, the gradually fermenting public opinion also made the British outside terrified of this place.

This also gave the Chinese market an opportunity to renovate its streets. Mr. Zhu spent a large sum of money and hired several architects and workers to renovate the entire street in just one month.

Especially in Shisanfang, in addition to puppet shows, some Western operas were added. The combination of East and West is much more luxurious than before.

Nearly a month had passed since that night, and the Chinese market had returned to its former prosperity, with the number of British people coming to Shisanfang at night increasing.

Ivy was thankful that the noodle shop on the street was not affected. She went to her aunt's house every few days to eat noodles and help out, and had a lot of fun playing with the two children in the noodle shop.

She also secretly went to the Florence Orphanage and stuffed some cakes and leftovers from Thirteen Square into Henry's arms.

Ivy also did not forget the questions in the red book. She asked Mr. Zhu each one:

"Why does the Shuyun doll move?"

"Shuyang doesn't know why, how should I know?"

“Is there a Grim Reaper in the Chinese Docks?”

"There are the Ox-Headed and Horse-Faced Gods, the Black and White Impermanence, and the King of Hell."

"What's your family background?"

"You're going to marry me, why are you asking such private questions?"

"I do not want……"

"Then shut up and don't ask about things you shouldn't ask about."

Ivy did keep her mouth shut after that, and it seems there is still a long way to go to answer these questions.

While the two were busy with their work, the red book was blown to a brand new page by the wind, and the following words appeared on it:

"Dalton escapes, and Death arrives."