No.18 Years of Waking of Insects

In December, it was cold and windy.

Now all kinds of news are circulating in the streets and alleys, the Song family is destroyed, the Huo family is gaining momentum, and the reports of major cities outside the border being occupied by the Japanese army come one after another.

Lu Jinghong stood in the corridor on the second floor of the teahouse, with his hands behind his back.Looking at the hurrying people outside the window, listening to the shouting of newspapers coming and going on the street, he finally sighed: "I'm afraid this Rongcheng... will not be peaceful for many days."

"Hey, have you heard that most of the city in the south of Chongqing has been taken by Japan?"

"I heard, I heard."

"Oh, I don't know if Rongcheng is..."

"Who knows... I heard that the general of the Japanese army is very powerful, I'm afraid he's eyeing us..."

"Come on, it's better to go home and pack your things if you have this skill, and go north."

The last middle-aged man sitting next to them interrupted them jokingly, and they chatted about other topics happily.

After Lu Jinghong finished his tea, he walked down and left the teahouse.

The sun was shining outside the teahouse, which was a rare good weather in December in Rongcheng.

He walked along the street with sparse crowds, and suddenly saw a man wearing an old gray overcoat, with two bruises on his face, and a vicissitudes of life. Beside him was a man in a blue cotton skirt. little girl.

"Second Young Master Song." Lu Jinghong stopped Song Yang as usual, but the original teasing was gone in his tone.

"Boss Lu..." Song Yang didn't expect to meet Lu Jinghong here, his tone was a little stiff, and his face looked a bit uneasy.

Lu Jinghong ignored his embarrassment, and said to himself: "It's so cold, why did you bring the child out, why don't you go to 'Fansi' for a while?"

"No need." Song Yang refused with a smile, and suddenly said, "I still have to find a job, so I won't waste time..."

Lu Jinghong looked at him quietly when he heard this, and said calmly: "Aren't you still working? I heard that Tsing Yi She has recently resigned a few servants. Now that the winter is getting colder, go and have a look, maybe you can get a job as a part-timer." Rough work."

He thought in his heart that Yi Songyang used to have a temperament of only eating, drinking and having fun, and he was afraid that he really couldn't bear to do some rough work, otherwise he wouldn't be like this for a few days and couldn't find a job.But if it was Tsing Yi She, because of Liu Meisheng, he might suffer from this.

But Lu Jinghong overestimated Song Yang, he immediately refused: "I will not go to Tsing Yi She, thank you Boss Lu for your kindness."

After finishing speaking, he pulled Song Man's little boy who was gradually freezing to death.

hand, go forward.

"Second Uncle, what's wrong with you..." Song Man realized that Song Yang's expression had changed, and asked softly.

"It's okay, I'm fine." Song Yang smiled and rubbed her cold and stiff little hands, "Whatever Xiaoman wants to eat tonight, Second Uncle will buy it for you."

"I don't want Xiaoman, Xiaoman doesn't want anything..." Song Man's voice became lower and lower, she didn't want to eat delicious food, she only wanted her father.But she knew that her father was gone, just like grandpa, grandma and mother, all of a sudden.

Now she is only accompanied by her second uncle.

The scene two days ago is still deeply imprinted in her mind. She didn't want him to steal and snatch it in order to satisfy her request, but was beaten to the ground severely by others just for two meat buns.

"Okay, Xiaoman don't want it." Song Yang rubbed her hair gently like Song Jue once did, "Then let's go find a job, and when we have money, everything will be fine."

Lu Jinghong watched the thin and frail figures of the two gradually go away, knowing that Song Yang didn't want to show his embarrassed and defeated side in front of Liu Meisheng.Sighing, he turned and went back to 'Fansi'.

At the end of December, the cold wind was bitter, and a few white plum blossoms bloomed in the corner of the courtyard of 'Fansi', and the faint fragrance lingered in the courtyard.

"Boss, you said that the Huo family's life is not too much. Originally, the Qinghuanmen collapsed, and everyone ran to Weixiang Pavilion, but in the end they were always bullied by the Huo family."

Cai Hua placed a plate of warm osmanthus cake on the stone table under the sycamore tree in the courtyard, and complained to Lu Jinghong who was quietly reading the painting with a bamboo slip.

After a long time, Lu Jinghong replied calmly: "You actually fooled around in Weixiang Pavilion behind my back."

"No, I wouldn't dare." Cai Hua immediately retorted with a smile, explaining, "It's Erzhuzi from the next door who always goes to the newly opened brothel with a few guys from the nearby teahouse to try something new. I just want to hear about it."

"It seems that I wronged you." Lu Jinghong chuckled.

Cai Hua continued to shake her head: "No, no, I still want to take care of the shop for you, boss, brothels are boring..."

Lu Jinghong put down the bamboo slips, rolled them up, wrapped them in a white cloth beside him, and said, "I'm just worried that your kidneys, mind, and body will be hurt. When you get old, you'll understand."

Cai Hua found out that her boss is always complaining and sentimental recently. Could it be that the fortune-teller who asked her a few days ago counted that her tenth day is not long?

Ignoring his examining eyes, Lu Jinghong asked, "Where is Weixiang Pavilion?"

"Oh, it was newly opened half a month ago, on the same street where Qinghuanmen used to be. I heard that the big bosses behind the scene are the Huo family." After a pause, he continued, "No wonder they are rampant. Don't tell me the price is high during the bidding." , Two days ago, he cheated a man and spent all his money, and finally cut off one of his arms and threw him out."

Lu Jinghong listened, thinking that he was indeed bored recently, and the whole city of Rong seemed lifeless, if he didn't find some fun by himself, he would really lie here and wait to die.

He raised his hand to pick up a gradually cooling sweet-scented osmanthus cake, tasted it, and said to Cai Hua, "Help me get a hat, the navy blue one by the bed will be fine."

Cai Hua immediately went upstairs to take it out, put it on the stone table, and said: "Boss, I see that the government has been very strict recently. Two days ago, a man who didn't cut his braid was caught kneeling in the city hall. He was tortured on the steps in front of the government hall." After finishing speaking, he handed him a mahogany comb.

"You know a lot of gossip recently." Lu Jinghong slowly took the wooden comb, combed the black hair hanging behind his shoulders, and there was already a little white hair on it, sighed and said half-jokingly, "I It’s not braids, what are they afraid of doing? It’s a pity that the three thousand hairs used to be white, but now they are gradually growing gray.”

"You can't say that. After all, long hair is not allowed in the new policies and regulations. And... who told the boss that you always like to meddle in other people's business, don't you want to live your life with peace of mind..."

After taking care of things, she still pretends to be a little noble, and it's no wonder that her hair doesn't grow gray when she's tired.

Lu Jinghong saw Cai Hua's expression and knew that he must be slandering himself in his heart, and he didn't bother to continue to tangle with him.

After pulling up his long hair, he put on his hat, got up and stretched, and said, "I'm going to Weixiang Pavilion to join in the fun, do you want to go?"

"I want..." Cai Hua opened her mouth excitedly, but suddenly closed her mouth again, and said slowly, "I still don't want it, my little salary is not enough."

"Are you protesting my lack of money?" Lu Jinghong glared at him, waved his hand, and said, "That's all, I'll take you there this time, after all..."

After all, in the future, I can only count on you to burn incense and paper money for me on Qingming Festival, and honor me...

"Boss, what is it after all?" Cai Hua asked curiously.

Lu Jinghong smiled and shook his head: "It's nothing, let's change clothes and go."

Dongning Street, Weixiang Pavilion.

"Hey, please, please." In front of the gate of the attic stood a few girls in powder blue short cheongsams holding handkerchiefs, greeting the coming and going guests.

The two young men in suits in front walked into the Weixiang Pavilion smiling one after the other.

"Boss, why do I feel so cold?"

Cai Hua followed Lu Jinghong, seeing the lights in front of him, the Weixiang Pavilion where singing and dancing were in full swing, she hesitated to take a step.

Lu Jinghong looked at his trembling legs and smiled, "Nothing." Then he ignored him and walked into the gate of Weixiang Pavilion.

Seeing this, Cai Hua had no choice but to quickly follow.

The attic is full of antique buildings, decoration and furnishings.On the central stage, the clouds are misty, and two graceful women are playing the guzheng and pipa, and the melodious melody lingers in the attic.

"Tsk tsk, what a good place." Cai Hua followed Lu Jinghong upstairs, praising and sighing.

Lu Jinghong looked around and went upstairs.

The second floor is a long pavilion with a width of seven or eight meters. One side is leaning against the log-colored wall, and the other side is leaning against the carved wooden railing. On both sides are oil-wood tables for two people.A flickering carved lantern was hung above the wooden railing, and a Western-style crystal chandelier was hung in the center of the aisle, adding some bright colors to the slightly dim attic.

Lu Jinghong sat down at a table for two leaning against the wooden railing, and ordered a pot of tea.

"Boss, it's so hard to come here, why do you only order a pot of tea?" Cai Hua watched the waiter walk away with the menu, and couldn't help complaining.

Lu Jinghong didn't even look at him, he looked around and said, "Why do you really come here to eat, drink and rub yourself? Do I look like such a rich person?"

Cai Hua curled her lips and didn't speak.

"Gentlemen, please take your time." The waiter politely brought a blue and white porcelain tea tray to the table, and then stepped back.

Cai Hua watched Lu Jinghong drinking tea without changing his expression, and then she tasted the Western-style snacks on the table, looking down from time to time.

At this time, there was a commotion from the corridor beside it, mixed with the man's cursing.

"How do you walk, kid? Do you have eyes? Didn't you see Uncle Huo's grandpa standing here majestically!"

At the entrance of the corridor stood a middle-aged man in a suit, the inspector of the police department, Huo Shu.

The entourage at the side pushed the guy in the building in front of him a few times. He bent over, the wine glass at his feet was broken, and the red wine soaked his cotton shoes.

The guy kept bowing his waist and replied humbly: "Yes, I'm sorry...I'm sorry."

The domineering follower immediately became unhappy again: "Hey, what the hell can you spit out besides saying sorry? Will you die if you say a few nice words!"

After he finished speaking, he kicked him hard on the leg, and the clerk let out a muffled grunt, hung his head and said nothing.

He seemed still unfazed and ready to start.Huo Shu at the side raised his hand to signal him to stop, and said coldly: "Forget it, there's no need to make trouble with this servant, I still have to go to the meeting, hurry up and prepare a car for me."

"Yes, I'm going right now, subordinate." The attendant immediately bowed his head in response, and when he passed by the man, he gave him another look, and then went downstairs.

Huo Shu glanced at the person in front of him as if nothing, and was about to go downstairs, but his eyes suddenly stopped on his left hand stained with red wine, and he raised his eyes and asked: "You seem to be new here, have you never done rough work before?"

The clerk replied dully: "Yes, yes... If uncle and grandpa have nothing to do, the little one will go to work first..." After finishing speaking, he walked up the last step, preparing to walk past Huo Shu.

"Slow down." Huo Shu suddenly stopped his footsteps, and said coldly, "Raise your head."

The guy froze and didn't move.

"Don't you understand what I'm saying?" Huo Shu's eyes darkened, and he repeated, "Look up."

The clerk was stunned, and slowly raised his head to look at Huo Shu, with a humble smile on his stiff face as much as possible, and asked respectfully: "Is there any order from uncle?"

"Hey boss, it's the Second Young Master Song."

Cai Hua saw the waiter's face clearly at a glance, and said to Lu Jinghong who was quietly drinking tea.

"En." He uttered a single syllable, but still did not follow Cai Hua's gaze.