The Mysterious Soldier of the Anti-Japanese War

Early the next morning, to build momentum for his operation and divert the Japanese army's attention, Lei Tao hurriedly rode his motorcycle to a newspaper office in the American Concession (Hongkou District). He quickly parked his motorcycle, turned off the engine, jumped out, and ran to the office. Unexpectedly, upon reaching the entrance, he collided head-on with an oncoming person.

With a loud "bang," Lei Tao felt as if he had hit a soft yet somewhat stubborn wall, and was thrown back a step. At the same moment, he heard a flurry of foreign chatter and looked up to see a blonde, blue-eyed foreign woman. It was none other than Ellie. Ellie was also knocked unconscious. The suitcase and camera she was holding clattered to the ground, and the colorful scarf around her neck swayed to one side, like a drunken ribbon.

"Hey! You, are your eyes on top of your head?" Ellie yelled in her foreign-accented Chinese, her blue eyes wide open like copper bells, with a small flame of anger burning inside. As she spoke, she frantically fixed her messed-up hair.

Lei Tao was a little dazed by the sudden collision, but he quickly came to his senses and was about to apologize, but he was stunned when he saw Ai Li's face. Ai Li, who was originally furious, saw that it was Lei Tao, and the anger in her eyes was extinguished instantly, and was replaced by full of surprise.

"It's you! Tao Lei!" Ellie's broken, foreign-accented Chinese suddenly rang through the air, her voice distorted with excitement, her eyes gleaming with surprise, like a child suddenly seeing the candy they'd always dreamed of. She completely ignored her own rage, her heart and eyes focused solely on the man she'd longed for. She felt so excited, as if she wasn't at the bustling newspaper office, but in a world just the two of them.

Lei Tao was initially stunned by the unique pronunciation, then he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He scratched his head helplessly, looking at Ellie's flushed face and sparkling eyes, and jokingly said, "What? When did I become a 'mine digger'? Your shouting makes me wonder if I've acquired a new identity—a specialized mine digger on the battlefield!" As Lei Tao spoke, he exaggeratedly mimed the movements of digging mines, looking like he was performing a farce. Everyone around him couldn't help laughing, and the originally tense atmosphere suddenly became relaxed.

Ellie, however, seemed to have not understood Lei Tao's teasing. She blinked her large, azure eyes and looked at him blankly, her golden eyelashes fluttering like a fan. She tilted her head, her brows furrowed slightly, and said in a questioning tone, "Mine clearing? What is mine clearing? I'm just calling you, Tao Lei." Her innocent and adorable look, like a lost lamb, made Lei Tao laugh even harder. He clutched his stomach, his laughter echoing through the narrow street, drawing the attention of passersby, who looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and a smile of joy.

Lei Tao laughed for a moment, then suddenly realized he was in a place with so many people coming and going. There was no guarantee there might be Japanese spies or other people with bad intentions. It was definitely not a place where he could have a peaceful conversation. He immediately stopped smiling, his eyes sharp as an eagle's. He quickly scanned the surroundings, then lowered his voice and said to Ellie, "Ellie, this is not the place to talk. It's too conspicuous."

After saying that, he quickly walked to the box that Ellie had dropped, first kneeling on one knee, with a slight "bang" sound when his knee touched the ground. He leaned forward slightly, stretched out his right hand, and firmly grasped the handle of the box with his slender and well-defined fingers. At the moment of grasping the handle, he paused for a moment, feeling the weight and balance of the box.

Then, exerting a slight force with his arms, he lifted the box smoothly, without the slightest sway. He stood up and brought the box to eye level, carefully inspecting it for any damage from the collision and fall. His brow furrowed, his gaze focused on every corner of the box. After confirming it was intact, he gently blew away the dust, which fluttered in the sunlight. He then handed the box to Ellie and said, "Come on, let's go to the cafe for some coffee and chat."

Ellie watched Lei Tao's meticulous movements, a warm feeling welling up in her heart. She nodded, her eyes full of trust. Then, amidst the curious gazes of the crowd, the two hurriedly left and headed towards a quiet coffee shop not far away. Along the way, Ellie held the suitcase tightly, her eyes occasionally glancing at Lei Tao, while Lei Tao vigilantly observed the surroundings. The two figures stretched out long in the sunlight...