A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

The next day, when Gui'er went to Zhenxiufang, she told Manager Zhang about the situation.

Shopkeeper Zhang said angrily, "We should have gotten rid of this traitor right away, but now he's causing trouble."

Gui'er said to her, "Let's tell Brother Xichen first. I believe he will make arrangements."

After returning to the Marshal's Mansion, Gui'er also consciously began to monitor Director Shen. After Miss Shen married Sha Yanyao, she moved to the same courtyard as Sha Yanyao and his wife. Now there are only Director Shen and Mrs. Shen in the small courtyard. Gui'er can no longer find an excuse to ask Miss Shen to go in, so she can only ask Dingxiang from time to time what's going on.

After a while, Ding Xiang also felt strange and said with a smile: "Why are you curious about Director Shen and his wife?"

Gui'er smiled and said, "It's nothing. I just feel that Director Shen is a capable person. My father flatters him so much, so he must have some outstanding qualities. There's no harm in paying attention to him."

Ding Xiang didn't seem suspicious after hearing this. She shook her head and said, "That's true. Director Shen has only been here for a few months, but he's already made friends with all the local celebrities and gentlemen. And it's others who beg him to do this, not him. This ability is something many people can't match."

When Gui'er heard this, she felt like she had missed something and quickly asked, "What did the other person ask him for?"

Ding Xiang frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "It's said that he has connections in both governments, which will make it easier for him to act when the time comes."

"What two governments? Which two sides?"

"It's China and Japan. It's said that Director Shen has a wide network of contacts. So, although there's a ceasefire now, everyone knows that the Japanese might start fighting again at any time. By then, having these connections will give us a way out."

Gui'er was shocked. Was it already common knowledge that Director Shen was collaborating with the enemy? "This is a serious matter. Where did you hear it? Did you hear it from Director Shen himself? Or did Mrs. Shen or Miss Shen mention it?"

Dingxiang said, "That's not the case. It's just that everyone says so."

Gui'er asked a few more questions, but couldn't get to the bottom of it, so she could only give up.

A few days later, Director Shen and the four concubine's two brothers, and the people they sent to Shanghai to inquire about the situation, came back one after another. They all said that the Shanghai market was relatively stable now, but for some reason, there were many more Japanese walking on the streets. Ordinary people had to give way when they saw them, and there were occasional conflicts. If they wanted to mediate with women on the street, the patrol police probably would not care.

Everyone fell into deep thought after hearing this, but Director Shen said nonchalantly, "What's the big deal? Wasn't the Green Gang like this in the past? Well, we can finally go home. Let's go, let's go, let's pack our bags and return to Shanghai."

After hearing this, the fourth concubine's brothers discussed it hesitantly, and finally decided to pack their luggage and say goodbye to the Marshal.

The Marshal was extremely concerned about his reputation, so he immediately held a grand banquet and offered to take them to Fengcheng Railway Station in a special car. They naturally agreed and said a few nice words. The Marshal was very pleased to hear that and was grinning from ear to ear.

Gui'er saw that Miss Shen was very disappointed. When Mr. and Mrs. Shen were leaving, Miss Shen held her hand reluctantly. Mrs. Shen was also reluctant to let her go. However, Mr. Shen kept urging her, saying, "Girls should get married when they grow up. Live well in your husband's family in the future and don't miss home all the time."

Life seemed to return to normal after that, though the Marshal would occasionally brag about those days, saying, "Back then, they fled from Shanghai, all thanks to my support. Back then, the Marshal's residence was filled with high-ranking officials who had fled from nearby Shanghai. It was truly glorious."

But in Guier's opinion, whether it was Director Shen or the fourth concubine's brother, who had been living and eating here for free for such a long time and seemed to have no news after leaving, they still looked down on Marshal Sha, a small warlord. Of course, she didn't dare to say this out loud.

After the ceasefire, a considerable number of refugees from Jiangcheng returned to Shanghai, so the public security in the city gradually became less chaotic than before.

Gui'er still went to the Zhenxiu Workshop every day after school. One day, when she arrived at the Zhenxiu Workshop, the shopkeeper Zhang suddenly said to her, "Guier, your two brothers want to see you."

Gui'er was surprised and asked, "What's the matter?"

Shopkeeper Zhang sighed and said, "Actually, they've been looking for you for a long time. They came once right at the beginning of the war, saying you were in danger in Shanghai and wanted to go there to find you. I told them you were back and safe in the Marshal's Mansion, so they gave up. I know you hold a grudge against them because you were sold out by your family, but one must always look forward to the future. Besides, they were just children back then, unable to make their own decisions. Now I've been kicked out by my family and have to fend for myself. I see the sleeves and hems of their clothes are too short, so I'm afraid they're not having a good time under their master's thumb."

Gui'er felt bad after hearing this. Thinking about her third brother Wu Dagui, who was already engaged to Taohua, it wouldn't be good for her to continue like this. She took out a silver dollar and said to Shopkeeper Zhang, "Since they want to meet, then go ahead. Shopkeeper Zhang, please tell them. I also want to bring Taohua to meet my third brother when the time comes. I'd like to ask you to use this silver dollar to make me a set of clothes for each of them. I can't meet my fiancée in clothes that don't fit. The material doesn't have to be fine, but it has to be thick and durable. I'm sure their clothes will wear out a lot."

Shopkeeper Zhang smiled and said, "I knew you were a sensible and well-behaved child. I'll do it for you right away and arrange a time for you to meet happily."

Gui'er thanked Zhang the shopkeeper and told Taohua the news when she returned to the general's residence that night. Gui'er expected Taohua to be very happy, but she didn't expect her to burst into tears. Gui'er was startled and quickly comforted her, saying, "Has it been too long since you last saw my brother? There's no need to cry for joy."

Taohua cried and said, "No, I am happy. Ever since the war started, I have been worried about Dafu. Although there is no war here, I heard that there are many refugees outside, public security has deteriorated, and all businesses are depressed. But I can't go out, and you are busy, so I don't want to trouble you. Now that I hear you say he is safe, I am relieved."

Gui'er felt bad after hearing this, thinking that she had been negligent, so she said to Taohua, "I've asked someone to go and ask him out. It might take a few days. You should think of a reason to go out first, so we can go out together when the time comes."

A few days later, Zhang informed Gui'er that they had arranged to meet that Sunday. Gui'er informed Taohua when she returned home. Taohua said happily, "It just so happens that I was anxiously looking for an excuse to go out these past few days. Today, the Third Concubine asked me to go to the orphanage to give alms. I said that things were not peaceful outside and asked you to go with me. She agreed."

Going to the orphanage to donate alms is a good deed. Guier was very surprised. How could the Third Concubine let Taohua do such a prominent thing?

Taohua smiled and said, "It's because some time ago, there was a rumor that a child at the orphanage had tuberculosis, so the Third Concubine didn't dare to go."

Gui'er was furious the next day. She knew the mortality rate from tuberculosis was very high during the Republican era, so she quickly said, "She doesn't want to go herself, so why should she let you go? Besides, she's usually so stingy, how could she suddenly become so generous?"

Taohua glanced around and said, "Sister Sanmei's son has been coughing a lot lately. Third Auntie heard from somewhere that if you take the medicine residue that the child had taken and have other children step on it, the disease will be passed on to them. So she thought of donating some money to the orphanage so that she can take the medicine residue and have those children step on it. There's no other way. If it weren't for this reason, she would never let me go out alone. Then I just need to give the money and the medicine residue to the nuns in the orphanage, and I don't have to see the children in person."

Gui'er was speechless after hearing this, but she didn't believe the ridiculous idea that letting others step on the medicine residue could pass the disease on to others, so she didn't say anything.