A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

After a short drive, they arrived at the University of Hong Kong Faculty of Medicine. Tucked away on a hillside, its red brick walls covered in creepers, the main building a classic British-style structure, its arched windows framed by frosted glass. The grounds were dotted with neatly manicured lawns, and the occasional girl in uniform strolled by, clutching heavy medical tomes. The attached hospital, with its Chinese-style arcade columns, filled Gui'er with anticipation at the thought of spending the next few years there.

They asked around and found Sha Yanxiao's senior in the teachers' office. He was a tall, thin man in his 30s with slicked-back hair and a scholarly air. After Gui'er explained their purpose, he took Sha Yanxiao's handwritten letter and said with a smile, "Actually, a few years ago, Junior Yanxiao sent me a photo of you two. You were a little younger than you were then. I was really sorry that I left the medical profession, but I didn't expect his sister to choose that path. He said he was very happy. I suggested you send her to study with me, but he said it was too long and he couldn't bear to let her go. But a few years later, they arranged for you to come over. But now there's fighting in Shanghai, and your place isn't far away. I wonder how the situation is now?"

Gui'er was originally full of joy, but upon hearing this topic, her mood suddenly became heavy. She said, "We only received the news about the fighting in Shanghai after arriving in Guangzhou. Now I don't know what the situation is back home. I'm going to call back and ask."

Seeing Gui'er's uneasy face, Chen Muli quickly comforted her, "You don't have to worry too much about my junior. He's a talented scholar and martial artist. He was very active in sports activities back in school. He always won the sports competitions he was in. Even now, he is still a legend among his classmates. I'm sure nothing serious will happen to him."

One day, Guier asked curiously, "I never knew my brother was good at sports. He didn't play much of these back home. Can Teacher Chen tell me more about it?"

Chen Muli said enthusiastically: "Of course he was a big shot in school back then."

"Miss, it's getting late. Why don't you complete the admission procedures first? We have an appointment with the young master and we need to call him back." Wu Mingqiang suddenly interrupted their conversation.

"Who is this?" Chen Muli raised his eyebrows and asked.

"Oh, this is Wu Mingqiang. Little Brother Wu is the one who is responsible for my safety and daily life in Hong Kong under the orders of my brother." Guier said.

"Oh, it's Mr. Wu. I've heard a lot about you. Mr. Wu looks familiar to me. This shouldn't be your first time in Hong Kong, right?" Chen Muli asked as he extended his hand to shake hands with Wu Mingqiang.

Wu Mingqiang smiled calmly and said, "I have indeed been sent to Hong Kong on business a few times before, but I don't recall ever meeting Mr. Chen. From now on, I'll ask Mr. Chen to take care of our young lady at the school. Should we complete the admission procedures first?"

Chen Muli nodded and quickly helped Gui'er complete the admission procedures. He said to her kindly, "Guier, welcome to our school. I heard from your brother that you study very hard and seriously. I have high hopes for you. Just come to the classroom on the first floor and register next Monday."

After completing the admission procedures, Gui'er finally breathed a sigh of relief and quickly asked Wu Mingqiang to take her to make a phone call.

Wu Mingqiang drove her to the post office, told the operator the city and number, and after more than ten minutes, the call was finally connected.

"Guier, are you okay? I was very worried when I heard about the bombing in Guangzhou."

Hearing Sha Yanxiao's voice on the other end of the phone, Gui'er's eyes suddenly turned red and her nose felt sore. She said to Wu Mingqiang, "Little Wu, could you please wait for me outside for a while? I'm a little embarrassed."

Wu Mingqiang nodded and said, "Okay, Miss, don't be too sad. Haven't you contacted the young master now? Talk to him carefully."

Gui'er watched Wu Mingqiang walk out, then glanced at a stranger next door who was chatting animatedly with his family on the phone. She then said to Sha Yanxiao with relief, "Brother, we're fine. We just happened to be on the boat, so we dodged a disaster. We just went to school to complete the enrollment procedures. Teacher Chen is very kind. He told me about you, and he should be able to take care of me. You don't have to worry about school. How is your hometown doing now? Has it been affected?"

"There are many things that are difficult to discuss over the phone, but we have already started preparing as I told you before."

Sha Yanxiao had told Guier before that he had arranged personnel to patrol Fengcheng, and if they found anything, they would blow up the railway to slow down the enemy's attack. This meant that the situation was already very urgent. Guier had a lot to say to Sha Yanxiao, but compared to some minor problems on her side, Sha Yanxiao's side was a matter of life and death. She suddenly felt embarrassed to mention the little things on her side.

"Brother, you must take good care of yourself. Remember, persistence is victory. As long as there is green mountains, there will be no shortage of firewood."

Sha Yanxiao chuckled over the phone. "Don't worry, sister. Everything's fine here for now. But according to what I've learned, the Japanese will gather intelligence before attacking every city. So don't call me again in the future, lest they take advantage of the situation. Send a telegram. Is there anything else?"

"Brother, I've done everything you asked me to do. I'm very satisfied with the house in Hong Kong. Brother Wu took charge and helped me build a cloakroom in my old study. It's very beautiful and I like it very much. In addition, Brother Wu hired a housekeeper named Chen De. He is said to be the former pawnshop clerk. I heard that he is interested in opening a pawnshop."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Is that so? Well, you guys need capital to make a living in Hong Kong. If you need capital, just give him some. If he doesn't perform well, you can also let him go. Although Ah Cheng's ability is not as strong as his, he is trustworthy. Gui'er, you must take care of yourself. This time, your brother is really beyond your reach."

Gui'er could hear the helplessness in Sha Yanxiao's words, and to stop him from worrying, she quickly said, "Brother, don't overthink it. In fact, Little Wu is very good to me. He even asked the kitchen to make a lot of delicious food, saying that I should get used to it. He also asked Dingxiang to ask the cook to make our Jiangcheng dishes. Besides, I'm an adult now. I have my own judgment, so don't worry."