A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Chen Zhongyu smiled wryly and shook his head, saying, "Alas, everyone has different ideas. If you don't want to write, then don't write. Actually, it's fine if you don't. The bookstore I told you about planning is almost done. I've already submitted my resignation to Editor-in-Chief Zhao, and it's only a few days away. I hope you can continue to work here part-time. The main thing is that you can get some first-hand news, and secondly, you need to build good relationships with the editors here. If there are any colleagues I haven't contacted who come to me, you can be a help."

Gui'er nodded and asked softly, "Where is your bookstore located? How can I find you when the time comes?"

Chen Zhongyu smiled and said, "Just come to me as a book buyer. Besides this newspaper, I know several others and can introduce them to you. You can contact them as a freelance writer so you can learn more about the social situation here."

Guier knew that this meant that she would be a real warrior in the future instead of just a support. She was excited but also felt a little nervous.

"By the way, how are those comrades from last time? Brother Cheng hasn't come back in the past few days, I'm a little worried."

"Logically, it should be almost done. To maintain confidentiality, we can't keep in touch after they leave, so you should wait a little longer." Chen Zhongyu paused and said to Gui'er, "Guier, when I'm not at the newspaper office, you should be careful next time you come. Editor-in-Chief Lao Zhao may be timid, but he does have his limits. But it's hard to say about the others. We have one of our people in this newspaper, but I can't disclose his identity. You've grown up, so you should learn to solve the difficulties you encounter at work on your own. Of course, if you really have any problems, you can tell me."

As soon as Gui'er returned to the villa, Dingxiang ran over and asked, "Miss, how are you? Brother Cheng, when can you come back?"

"Oh, judging by the distance, it should be about the same. It might take some time to get from Guangzhou to the border with Guangxi, so the return time will be a little later. It will only be in the next two days."

After hearing this, Dingxiang was still worried and looked sad.

Suddenly Liu Jin ran in and said, "Miss, you're back, you're back."

Guier looked up and saw Wu Mingqiang and Acheng walking in together.

She said with joy, "We were just talking about you guys. How come you guys came back together?"

Wu Mingqiang said with a smile, "We met at the Guangzhou Ferry Terminal and happened to take the same boat, so we came back together."

Guier saw that Ah Cheng was still wearing the clothes he wore when he went out, and his face looked a little tired and dusty. However, Wu Mingqiang was wearing a brand new suit, and even the two younger brothers following behind him were wearing suits.

He smiled and said, "It seems that Xiao Wu's request must have been completed. Sister Ying, please go to the kitchen and make a few more side dishes. Tonight, I will personally welcome Xiao Wu and A Cheng. You two brothers should go down and have a good rest."

Dingxiang said happily, "I'll go to the kitchen to help too." Then the villa became busy.

Guier took Wu Mingqiang and Ah Cheng to her study. She closed the door and asked, "How's it going? Did you get it done?"

Wu Mingqiang smiled confidently and said, "Let Ah Cheng speak first."

Ah Cheng was stunned for a moment and said, "I'm doing pretty well here, but there's one thing that's strange. Those customers said they were merchants, but I don't think they look like the kind of people who live a life of luxury and are not picky about food. Some of them even have weapons on them and calloused hands, like they're well-traveled people."

"Is that so? Hey, never mind him. As long as you can come back safely, that's good."

"Yes, thanks to the support of Editor-in-Chief Chen and the young lady. I made a little money on this trip." Ah Cheng took out a small stack of silver dollars and placed it on the table. There looked to be more than a dozen of them. "This is the money I made."

Gui'er quickly said, "Of course you should keep the money you earned with so much hardship and risk. Besides, you'll need money to marry Dingxiang."

"Yes, Ah Cheng, if the lady asks you to keep it, then keep it. I have already exchanged the passbooks and banknotes that the lady gave me. I don't need that little money now."

Wu Mingqiang said this with some pride as he opened the rattan box he was carrying with him and took out a square mahogany box from it.

He took the mahogany box to the table and pushed it towards Gui'er: "Miss, open it and take a look."

Guier opened the wooden box. On the far right side, there were two neatly arranged stacks of small gold bars, which looked like there were about thirty or forty of them. In the middle were some silver dollars, stacked one on top of another. On the far left, there were stacks of tied US dollars.

When Gui'er gave the passbooks and banknotes to Wu Mingqiang, she roughly calculated that there were several million in them. Now it seems that the amount they exchanged for is a little less, but it is already very good to be able to exchange so much money at this time.

She said to Wu Mingqiang, "Little Brother Wu, thank you for your hard work. This trip must have been extremely dangerous, right?"

Wu Mingqiang waved his hand and said, "Shanghai is indeed in chaos right now, but I had anticipated this, so I went to the concession. The Japanese don't dare to touch the concession yet. Apart from some foreign bank passbooks, those banknotes are really hard to get rid of. Later, through an introduction, I found a Japanese and finally bought them for a 10% discount, which is already a good price."

"What? You sold it to the Japanese, how could you sell it to the Japanese? Don't you know that Japan is at war with us now? And you let them take advantage of it?" Gui'er was really angry. She was almost killed by a Japanese plane in Guangzhou, and in the end, they took advantage of her with money.

"Miss, please calm down. Brother Qiang has no other choice. If he doesn't do this, these banknotes will just be a pile of waste paper. We have to survive." Ah Cheng had never seen Gui'er so angry, so he hurried to help speak up.

Gui'er tried her best to calm herself down. She knew that Wu Mingqiang was actually risking his life when he went to Shanghai. Although they had different ideas, he was indeed doing things for her. She didn't have many people she could use at the moment, and she couldn't let them down.

At this time, Wu Mingqiang also lowered his head and said somewhat dejectedly, "I also think about how the young lady was almost bombed by Japanese planes in Guangzhou this time. She must hate the Japanese to the core. But if we can't exchange this money, then our funds here will be at least half, which will have a huge impact on our future."

Gui'er coughed and softened her tone, saying, "Well, since it's already been changed, forget it. But from now on, I don't want to deal with the Japanese, and I will never let them take advantage of me."