A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

“The Japanese…” Acheng leaned closer to look, his brows furrowed. “No wonder Brother Qiang has been searching for so long without any news. I’m afraid they’re in grave danger.”

Gui'er folded the note and tucked it into her bosom, her gaze sweeping across the empty room. Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting dappled patterns of light on the floor. Dust motes danced in the light, leaving no trace. Zhu Zhiming was like that dust mote, arriving silently and leaving without a sound, leaving only this note, like a stone thrown into water, sending ripples of chill through her heart.

"Let's go." She turned and walked towards the door, her voice a little hoarse. "Don't tell anyone about this yet."

Back home, Gui'er held the note left by Zhu Zhiming, her heart filled with anxiety. She really didn't know how to find and rescue him. If Zhu Zhiming had really found out something, he should have shown up long ago. The fact that he hadn't shown up meant that he was probably in danger, or even that he might have already perished.

Just then, Dingxiang pushed the door open and came in. Seeing Gui'er's worried face, she said, "Miss, you barely ate anything for dinner. I made some rice cakes for you to have a little something to eat."

Gui'er replied absentmindedly, "Okay, you can put it down."

Seeing that she still couldn't muster any enthusiasm, Dingxiang said, "Miss, why don't you talk to Brother Qiang? He knows quite a few people on the ground."

Gui'er didn't really have much hope, but thinking that she had no other choice, she said, "Is he back? If he is, call him... Never mind, I'll go down and find him myself."

When Gui'er arrived on the first floor, Wu Mingqiang was sitting on the sofa in the living room, playing with a jade thumb ring in his hand. The light cast a shadow on his profile. Hearing footsteps, he looked up, a smile on his lips: "Miss, why did you come down? Did you like the rice cake that Dingxiang gave you? If not, have her make something else."

“Brother Wu,” Gui’er sat down opposite him, her fingertips clutching the piece of straw paper, the edges of which were frayed, “Brother Wu, what do you think about Zhu Zhiming’s disappearance?”

Wu Mingqiang's smile faded slightly, and he nodded: "He's an amnesiac, he might have gotten lost on his own. Hong Kong is so big, it won't be easy to find him."

“He didn’t get lost.” Gui’er handed over the note, her voice tense. “He left this. We found it today. He said he found out that Chen Zhongyu’s death was related to the Japanese and went to investigate himself.”

Wu Mingqiang unfolded the note, his brows furrowing slightly. After reading it, he placed the note on the table and tapped it with his fingertips: "A Japanese? What could a mere accountant possibly find out? He probably just remembers some bits and pieces and is scaring himself."

“But he is Brother Chen’s man after all,” Gui’er leaned forward. “No matter how much they find out, he’s missing now, so something must have happened to him. Brother Wu, you have a lot of connections in Hong Kong, could you… could you send someone to look for him?”

Wu Mingqiang was silent for a moment, then picked up the iced tea on the table and took a sip. The curve of his Adam's apple was particularly clear under the light. "Gui'er," he put down the teacup, his tone becoming more serious, "you should know how troublesome things are when you get involved with the Japanese. Our pawnshop has just opened a branch, and we haven't had a few days of peace. There's no need to wade into this mess."

"But he was investigating Brother Chen's matter..."

“Chen Zhongyu is already dead. Even if Zhu Zhiming finds the truth, what can he do?” Wu Mingqiang interrupted her. “Revenge? Revenge against the Japanese? Isn’t that like throwing an egg against a rock?” He looked at Gui’er’s reddened eyes and softened his tone. “I know you value loyalty, but in this chaotic world, taking care of yourself is more important than anything else.”

Gui'er bit her lip and didn't speak. She pinched her knee with her fingertips, leaving several red marks. So many comrades had sacrificed their lives, and she was completely powerless to help. Her heart felt like it was burning with anger.

"I'm begging you, Brother Wu." She raised her head, her voice trembling slightly, "Even if you find him, just tell him to stop investigating. It's too dangerous for him to be alone."

Looking at the earnestness in her eyes, Wu Mingqiang remained silent for a long time before finally sighing, "Fine, I'll have the brothers at the docks and border keep an eye out. If he's still in Hong Kong, we'll get some news. But let me make this clear: if he really gets involved with the Japanese, there's not much we can do."

Gui'er nodded quickly: "I know, thank you."

Wu Mingqiang put the note away and stuffed it into his pocket: "Don't be too anxious, maybe he'll come back on his own in a couple of days." He got up and walked towards the door, but turned back at the door. "Don't tell anyone else about this. Too many people will gossip, and it'll get you into trouble."

Gui'er agreed, watching his figure disappear into the night. She was left alone in the living room. The sofa still held the warmth of Wu Mingqiang's presence, but her heart felt cold—she knew that Wu Mingqiang's agreement was reluctant, and she couldn't have too much hope.

Two days later, school started again, and the students were still full of enthusiasm for the New Year, discussing the events that had happened in their families during the holiday.

This person said, "Our family went to Macau for the New Year holiday. There are so many people there now. We also bought a house there, just in case."

The person said, "Our family is still the same as always, going to horse races, Western-style banquets, dances, and gatherings at the hillside mansion. However, this year there have been more disruptions due to air raid drills and blackout regulations, so the duration of gatherings has been shortened and we go out less at night. My father has even had someone make simple air raid shelters at home."

As soon as he said this, others chimed in, with some saying, "My father has already transferred some of his Hong Kong dollars and foreign exchange to Southeast Asia, and my uncle has transferred them to banks in the mainland concessions. They have also moved their valuable jewelry, antiques, and core corporate funds out of Hong Kong. I heard that later they will move their factory equipment and raw materials to a safe area to avoid being controlled by the Japanese army."

Others said, "My father has already sent my grandparents, my younger brother and sister to Macau, and my mother went there to take care of them too. Now it's just my father and me in Hong Kong managing the business. But he can't stay idle. A few days ago, he went out and messed around with that dancer Jasmine. I caught him. He even said he wanted to marry Jasmine. Otherwise, he wouldn't have anyone to take care of him. Nobody would believe him. But Jasmine has a sugar daddy behind her, so she didn't agree to his proposal, haha."

Liu Lanfang also said, "My father often goes back to the mainland, but now he has reduced his land travel via the Shenzhen River and simply bought a private yacht. This is more convenient, and he can also transport some goods back with him."

She turned to Gui'er and asked, "Doesn't your family have any measures in place? I heard that your family's pawnshop has opened a branch in Macau. It must be in preparation for the war, right?"