A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Gui Er also felt that Song Xichen's analysis made sense. She knew where things were headed and that Director Shen wouldn't end up well, so she asked, "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Song Xichen smiled and said, "You've done a lot and done a lot. By the way, our colleagues are waiting in the Shen residence every day for an opportunity. If it's convenient for you, please go there more often. Maybe you can help us when the time comes."

Guier nodded and said, "Okay."

After the conversation, Gui'er returned to the car with two bags of fresh meat dumplings. Sha Lili complained, "Why did you take so long?"

Guier smiled and said, "This Shengjian tastes better when it's freshly made. I wait for him to bring out the freshly baked ones. I don't want those that have been fried a long time ago and left aside. Come and try one." Then she handed her a bag.

Sha Lili took it, reached out to pick one up and put it in her mouth, nodded and said, "It's really good." Then she didn't say anything else.

Back at the Marshal's mansion, Gui'er shared the shengjian (stir-fried dumplings) with Dali and Sha Yanxiao. Speaking of Xu Wenjie, Gui'er mentioned that he and his mother would be returning to Nanjing or their hometown. Sha Yanxiao remarked, "These dandy lads who constantly shout about democracy and freedom are actually useless when the time comes. Once their father dies, they can't even protect their own property."

Guier asked him, "Now that Director Shen has no chance of promotion and he's trying to establish a relationship with our family, will his secret contact with the Japanese affect our family?"

Sha Yanxiao said, "It's hard to say. The people Wu Mingqiang sent in discovered that another group of people were also plotting to get the map. One of the maids was discovered by Director Shen and killed."

Guier was so nervous that she didn't dare to speak.

Dali asked, "Could it be Japanese?"

Sha Yanxiao thought for a moment and said, "It shouldn't be. Now that Manchukuo has been established in Northeast China, Japan has wicked ambitions and will attack us sooner or later. A high-ranking government official who can be bribed is very important to them. He shouldn't offend Director Shen. If it's Chinese, then it will be beneficial to us. Let's observe first."

Gui'er secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The next day, Guier called Miss Shen and said she was bored and wanted to go to her house to play.

Miss Shen was very happy and agreed immediately.

When Gui'er arrived at the Shen residence, she discovered that Director Shen and his wife had gone out. Miss Shen said, "They went to buy my dowry. My father said that although the wedding date hasn't been set yet, it's coming soon, so we need to prepare first. He also told me not to go to work, so I'm very bored now."

Gui Er took the opportunity to say, "Then I'll come over to accompany you. There's an art exhibition on the second floor of the newly opened Daxin Department Store. Let's go take a look."

When Miss Shen heard about the art, she also became interested and asked the driver to drive to Daxin Department Store. When Guier was sitting in the car and driving out of the gate of Shen's house, she looked around and sure enough, she saw Dagang disguised as a homeless man in a dark corner. Guier glanced at the driver and Miss Shen secretly, and seeing that they didn't notice, she winked at Dagang.

Arriving at the second floor of Daxin Department Store, Miss Shen was very happy to see the calligraphy and paintings. She slowly admired them one by one. This was exactly what Gui'er wanted. She wished that Miss Shen could look at them for a longer time. Now her only worry was that Mrs. Shen and Director Shen would go back early.

The two of them slowly browsed the art exhibition area on the second floor. It took them more than two hours to finish. Miss Shen was very satisfied and said to Gui'er with a smile: "It's really good. I'm glad you brought me here to see it. Let's go and have something to eat."

The two went to have dessert before returning home. When they arrived at the Shen residence, Guier took a special look at the corner where Dagang had been squatting before the car entered the door, and found that no one was there.

Back at the Marshal's villa, Gui'er saw nothing. Taking advantage of the fact that Sha Yanxiao and Dali were not around, she sent Dingxiang away and called Song Xichen to ask how things were going and whether she had succeeded.

Song Xichen said to Gui'er happily, "Thanks to you for leading Miss Shen away, our people successfully went in, changed the map, and evacuated safely. You deserve some credit."

Gui'er was overjoyed when she heard this and said happily, "That's good. This matter has been delayed for so long, and it's finally done. I can finally rest assured."

She thought that she could wait leisurely for the New Year, but she didn't expect that this time it would be Miss Shen's turn to look for her and Sha Lili every day.

First, they were asked to accompany him to a Russian barber shop downstairs from the International Hotel to get their hair permed. Director Shen even found a subordinate who could speak Russian to accompany him. In fact, Gui'er couldn't understand why she had to perm her hair. Sha Lili said it was fashionable and trendy. In fact, Miss Shen looked more youthful without a perm. Although she looked good with a perm, she looked older all of a sudden.

Then, I accompanied her to Shanghai's four most famous department stores: Sincere, Daxin, Wing On, and Xinxin. We looked for cheongsam fabric, wool sweaters, cosmetics, and perfume from Paris. We also bought a pair of high heels in gold, silver, black, and coffee. Miss Shen said her family had embroidered shoes made for her. We also went with her to Hongxiang Garment Company, Shanghai's most famous coat maker, to have leather and wool coats made, among other outerwear.

Sha Lili tutted her lips and said, "There are so many things to buy for a wedding. It's so troublesome."

Guier recalled hearing her grandmother tell her before she traveled through time that back then, weddings only involved two sets of clothes and a pair of shoes. Sure enough, only the rich had to go through so much hassle.

Ms. Shen said that she used the selected fabrics to make a honey-colored velvet-lined cheongsam and a bright red velvet-lined cheongsam, which she planned to wear at noon and in the afternoon.

To show their sincerity, the Marshal's Mansion specially found a Western tailor from a fashion company to make a wedding dress and a cheongsam for Miss Shen to wear all year round.

Mrs. Shen and her daughter were delighted. Accompanied by Gui'er and Sha Lili, Miss Shen shyly selected several fabrics and had the dressmaker take her measurements. The dressmaker then made her a pink satin dress with a veil for her head, a silver silk evening gown, and various cheongsams for spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Sha Lili said, "It seems our eldest brother still likes Miss Shen very much."

Soon, the betrothal gifts from the Sha family were delivered to the provincial government. Guier went to see, and there were not many things in it, just a mahogany box with a glazed lid, which contained jade, gold and silver bracelets of various colors, earrings, brooches, pearl flowers, rings, gold bars, and silver ingots. On the top was a list, which the matchmaker hired by the Marshal's Mansion took out and read aloud in front of Mr. and Mrs. Shen: "Five villas and courtyards in Shanghai, one hotel, two farms in Jiangcheng, eight shops, one foreign car, and the land deeds are attached." Director Shen and his wife were grinning from ear to ear as they listened, and everyone present was very envious and congratulated Director Shen and his wife.

Gui'er and Sha Lili were stunned. Gui'er quietly asked Sha Lili, "Isn't your brother engaged? Will he give a big gift when the time comes?"

Sha Lili said, "What are you dreaming of? My mother and her family's wealth is not as high as that."