War Photographer's Notebook

On the night of the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, Uncle Meng, who had a shaved head, sat in the shadow of the foyer, holding a dry pipe in his mouth and silently looking out the window at the small courtyard under the moon.

Not far behind him, Ma Yang was also sitting at the table on the side of the locked storage room door. Using the light of the desk lamp, she was stitching stitch by stitch on a thousand-layer bottom for someone to wear. cloth shoes.

In the brightly lit basement, Wei Ran, Tao Canhua, Jasmine and Qiushi, accompanied by Andy, Mei Xiang and the three girls who stayed in the printing room, sat around the large round table next to the basement stage.

The meals on this big round table were more sumptuous than the dinners previously prepared for the members of the troupe, and just looking at the greedy looks of Andy and the three girls gobbling them down, one could tell that these meals were prepared for their lovers. Food and cooking.

After three drinks and five dishes, Andy and the four of them, who were full after eating, wiped their mouths with handkerchiefs without any image. One of the girls even let out a long burp, which caused the whole table to laugh. laugh.

"Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. The theater troupe has a whole day off. Do you want to go up and have a rest?" Mei Xiang asked while pouring wine for Andy.

"I won't take the risk." Andy also burped, "Drink a few more drinks with me tonight, and let's have a good sleep tomorrow."

Hearing this, Wei Ran couldn't help but sigh secretly, and had a good sleep. It sounded relaxing, but in the printing room that never saw the light of day and was always filled with the smell of ink, it was their only pastime and way to relieve loneliness. way.

Meixiang obviously thought of this too, but unfortunately, she knew better that the risk of letting Andy and others come out to see the sun was too great.

Andy also knew this, so after picking up the wine glass and drinking down the red wine he had just poured in, he simply stood up and said, "Okay, I'm going back to rest. Let's ask Mother Yang to make dumplings for us tomorrow. , I want to eat pure meat filling, don’t put cabbage in it, I don’t like cabbage.”

"Okay, okay, pure meat stuffing, not even a shred of cabbage."

Meixiang made a promise as if coaxing a child, and then looked at the three girls who stood up, "What about you? What do you three want to eat?"

"I want to eat big candies, candied melons, and candied haws," said a girl still holding a chicken bone in her hand.

"I want to eat honey hemp leaves and glutinous rice sticks." Another girl who had just drank a glass of red wine because she followed the trend said dizzy.

"I want to eat oven cakes, and I also want to eat fried cakes." The girl swallowed, "I also want to eat fried cakes."

"Jasmine, ask Mother Yang to make oven cakes tomorrow morning, and then buy some snacks that the three of them want to eat." Mei Xiang said with a smile, "At noon, we will make dumplings filled with pure meat for them. "

"I'll remember it," Jasmine responded.

“New Year’s Eve dinner tonight.”

"We can eat whatever you want for New Year's Eve dinner."

The drunk Andy put his hand on Mei Xiang's shoulder and said with a smile, "Remember to bring me a bottle of liquor, a few packs of cigarettes, and newspapers."

“good good”

Mei Xiang agreed angrily, while Andy hooked Mei Xiang's chin frivolously, and led the three girls into the small door leading to the printing room with a smile.

"Cousin, Canhua, you two go up and rest, we will clean up." Meixiang said with a yawn.

"Let's go together"

As Wei Ran spoke, he had already put a few leftovers into the food box, while Tao Canhua quickly took the task of cleaning up the garbage from Qiushi's hands.

After clearing the dining table, everyone carried the food boxes and the big round table upstairs.

However, when Wei Ran, Tao Canhua and others went back to their rooms and lay down, Yang's mother quietly returned to the basement with a candle light and gently pushed open the big mirror.

"This is the telegram received tonight"

In the open door, Andy, who smelled of alcohol, handed a cigarette to Yang's mother as he spoke.

Taking the cigarette and stuffing it into her cigarette case, Yang's mother whispered, "Don't worry, I'll deliver it out early tomorrow morning."

"Sorry for bothering Ma Yang."

After Andy finished speaking, he yawned and watched as Yang Ma took a step back with the candle light, then pulled the photo frame back to its original position and stuck it firmly with a wedge from the inside.

Outside the photo frame, Yang's mother carefully checked until she was sure that the curtains were not stuck by the photo frame. Then she pushed the corner of the stair handrail to jam the photo frame, took out a rag and wiped it, and then left with a candle light. basement.

In the blink of an eye, the next morning, when the sun was just rising, Uncle Meng opened the door of the courtyard early, and with a few young men who also got up early, hung red lanterns at the entrance of the courtyard and the foyer.

At the same time, as usual, Yang’s mother stopped an old man who was still pushing a wheelbarrow and selling tofu even on the last day of the year. He bought half a barrel of soybean tofu and was polite. I gave the old man a cigarette and chatted for a while, then called on a young man who was busy hanging a lantern to help me carry the half bucket of steaming tofu cubes into the kitchen.

The old man who was banging his clapper and shouting to sell tofu also took the cigarette that Yang's mother had just given him from his ear, smelled it, and then stuffed it into his purse full of dry tobacco leaves.

He unhurriedly pulled out the cigarette pot stuck in the collar of the back of his neck. This man who looked like he was about 60 or [-] years old dug out a pot of tobacco from his purse and pressed it with his fingers. Then he took out a pack of matches and lit it. , took two fierce sips and then cleared his throat, in this cold morning, he continued to shout "Tofu-fu-!"

By the time Wei Ran woke up from last night's hangover, a breakfast that was absolutely sumptuous in this era was already placed on the large dining table on the first floor: corn noodle porridge, shredded pickles mixed with tofu, and boiled eggs for each person. .

After Wei Ran brushed his teeth and washed his face and finished his share of breakfast, Yang Ma and Uncle Meng were already busy spreading oven cakes in the kitchen. Jasmine, who came down from upstairs, also greeted Wei Ran and drove her out to buy some. Snacks that the girls in the printing room wanted to eat.

Wei Ran was naturally happy to do this errand work. The two of them drove to Quanyechang, which was still open for business, and bought everything the girls wanted to eat. By the way, he also bought two packs of cigarettes. , and a dozen rolls of film, ready to take some group photos for everyone during the reunion dinner in the evening.

During the day on New Year's Eve, the members of the troupe also had a day off. Almost as soon as Wei Ran and Jasmine left, they were walking around in groups.

Near noon, Mei Xiang personally delivered a large portion of pure meat dumplings to the basement and handed them to Andy and others who had been waiting for a long time.

And in the following afternoon, including Wei Ran, whether it was Jasmine, Qiushi or Mei Xiang, they all became Yang Ma and Uncle Meng's helpers, and everyone worked together to prepare a table full of New Year's Eve dinner.

However, this New Year's Eve dinner was not for them and the members of the troupe. Instead, they were all placed in a pot to keep warm.

At 07:30 in the evening, Tao Canhua drove Wei Ran and Mei Xiang, Qiu Shi and Jasmine to Taihua Building in Sanguo'er.

When the car stopped, the members of the theater troupe who had been off all day had already gathered at the entrance of Taihua Building.

Waiting for Wei Ran to push the door and get out of the car, he helped open the door in the back row. After following Jasmine out of the car wearing elegant and luxurious beauty, she once again showed off the style of a royal sister in working condition. With these, she The boys and girls who had been trained by themselves went to Taihua Building.

"Have the main compartment been arranged for me?" Mei Xiang asked the second shopkeeper who came out with the usual arrogance of a superior.

This Taihua Building is not just a place to listen to operas and music. It can even be said that listening to operas and music is just a casual experience. This place itself is a serious high-end restaurant.

"Don't worry, Miss Meixiang. As soon as we receive Miss Jasmine's letter early in the morning, we will make room for you!"

The second shopkeeper said enthusiastically, "There are three tables in total, and we guarantee that everyone can sit down. We have also prepared all the dishes. Just give your order, and eight large bowls, as well as several of our Taihua Building's signature dishes, will be served like water." It can go up."

"Wait a minute, I still have some guests who haven't arrived yet."

Meixiang waved her hand as she spoke, "Canhua, bring a few people and bring in the wine you brought."

"Hey!"

As Tao Canhua spoke, he had already opened the trunk of the car, called on a few strong young men to help, and took out jars of good wine from the trunk.

In restaurants of this era, there is no such thing as not being allowed to drink alcohol. Not only that, the second shopkeeper even called a few waiters to help.

After a lot of busy work, while the crowd of people went to the large box on the second floor, Wei Ran and Tao Canhua stayed at the door of the first floor, waiting for the guests invited by Mei Xiang.

At less than a quarter past eight in the evening, these careless streets and alleys began to set off fireworks and firecrackers impatiently. At the same time, two cars also parked at the entrance of Taihua Building.

When the doors of the two cars opened, Xiao Su's mother and Mr. Tanichuan, as well as the Sometani couple in the other car, also got out one after another.

"Aunt Su, uncle, you are here."

The cigarette butt flew away from the incendiary bomb, and he enthusiastically greeted you like a complete bitch. He stretched out his hand and said with a playful smile, "I'm just waiting for your new year's money."

"You're so old and you still have the nerve to ask for New Year's money?" Xiao Su's mother laughed and cursed angrily.

"How old is he and your nephew?" Wei Ran said and looked at Mr. Furukawa, "Uncle, am I right?"

How can Mr. Furukawa, a skinny monkey with a unique taste, eat this?He immediately nodded innocently, "Wei Ran was right, this new year's money should indeed be given."

"I want to give it to you." Xiao Su's mother rolled her eyes, but then she couldn't help but laugh again, "Meixiang, that girl is here too?"

"It's upstairs"

Wei Ran nodded to Mr. Someya and his wife, and then continued, "My cousin is preparing to serve the dishes. Aunt Su, Uncle Furukawa, brother Someya and sister-in-law Shunzi, let's go up now."

"Go, go."

Sometani Yukio said with a smile, "But let me tell you first, I won't prepare any lucky money for you."

"My sister-in-law must have prepared it for me," Wei Ran said with a playful smile as he led them upstairs, and as expected, Shunzi covered his mouth and laughed.

"This guy is so smooth-talking, it's like he kissed a honeycomb."

Xiao Su's mother shook her head helplessly and said jokingly, "Look, after today's meal, my wallet will be emptied by this money-minded little bastard."

"Thank you Aunt Su for the reward——!"

Wei Ran immediately responded with a long voice, "This is what you said. Give me your wallet later. Brother Rangu, you and your sister-in-law can bear witness."

"Here you go, here you go, this guy is so thick-skinned that even a cannonball can't hit him." Xiao Su's mother laughed and scolded.

"Did he cheat you again?"

While talking, Meixiang also came out of the box surrounded by Qiushi and others, "My cousin just stole two small yellow croakers from me."

"This kid is more affectionate when he sees money than when he sees his biological father," Xiao Su's mother joked with a smile.

"Let him kowtow to you later and wish you a happy New Year. The money will not be wasted." Mei Xiang said as she personally helped Little Su's mother into the box.

At the same time, Wei Ran was also chatting enthusiastically with Somegu and his wife, and from time to time he would say an auspicious saying with homophones that would not deduct money in this era.

In this fairly lively and cheerful atmosphere, there are eight bowls and three large round tables that are necessary for Jinmen during the New Year and festivals, followed closely by several signature Shandong dishes of Taihua House.While the food was being served, Wei Ran, Tao Canhua, and Qiushi each opened a few jars of good wine brought from home, and poured it first for Xiao Su's mother and Furukawa, and then for Somegu, his wife, and Mei Xiang.

When the troupe members, who were divided into men and women, filled two big tables, also filled up their glasses with wine, Meixiang was the first to pick up the cup and said, "For this first cup, let's toast to Xiao Su's mother and Mr. Furukawa first. Let's start the year." , although you two don’t often go to the study apartment, but we all know that you two have helped us prevent a lot of disasters. Come! Let’s toast Mr. Furukawa and Xiao Su’s mother.”

"crash"

There was a soft sound, and the members of the troupe, including Wei Ran, stood up holding their wine glasses and shouted in unison Wei Ran asked Tao Canhua to teach them "Respect Uncle Furuchuan and Aunt Su", and then put the glasses together. Drink it all in one gulp.

"Okay, okay!" Furukawa, the little devil, was so excited that he almost trembled with excitement. He picked up the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

"For this second cup, we have to serve Mr. Someya and Mrs. Junko."

Meixiang waited for Qiushi to fill herself up with wine and then said with a smile, "Two months ago, thanks to the support of Mr. Someya and Mrs. Junko, our study apartment was not affected by the war. Come! Let's respect Mr. Someya and Mrs. Junko together!"

"Mr. Someya and Mrs. Shunzi!" The boys and girls shouted in unison again, and drank the second glass of wine almost in unison.

"Quick, get some food."

Someya Yukio took Shunzi to drink the glass of wine and complained, "Miss Meixiang, you don't have to be so formal. Let these children eat some food. I have heard from Canhua that they and Wei Ran It’s different, you’re not allowed to smoke or drink alcohol.”

"What Someya said makes sense," Furukawa followed, "Come on, come on, sit down quickly and have something to eat first. Our banquet has just begun."

"Not urgent"

Meixiang smiled, took Qiushi and filled up the third glass of wine and said, "Although Miss Youmei is not here, thanks to her support, there are many girls in our study apartment. If she hadn't supported her sick body, If you block it, many of those girls will be reduced to playthings, so for this third cup, we honor Miss Beauty."

"Miss Youmei!"

The members of the troupe sang together again and drank the third glass of wine with grins on their faces.

"Come on, come on, eat your food quickly."

Xiao Su's mother also complained, "Meixiang, you are so stupid! You stupid girl, why are you doing this?"

Mei Xiang smiled and motioned for the troupe members to sit down. Then she sat down next to Xiao Su's mother and said with a smile, "It's rare that we all have the opportunity to celebrate the New Year together. Let's go here tonight without getting drunk. It can be considered lively and lively." . In addition, I also sincerely thank you, lest Xiao Su’s mother always think that I am a white-eyed wolf. "

"You were also led astray by your dishonest cousin, who spoke in a weird and arrogant way." Xiao Su's mother laughed and scolded angrily.

"Why are you all taking me with you?"

Wei Ran muttered dissatisfiedly, and as expected, the people at the table burst into laughter.

When Xiao Su's mother and Mr. Furukawa moved the first chopsticks, the New Year's Eve dinner for these three tables was about to begin.

Mei Xiang started the toast, followed closely by Wei Ran and Tao Canhua. After drinking the third-rate wine, whether it was Xiao Su's mother, Mr. Furukawa or Mr. Someya, their faces were all slightly red from the alcohol.

At the same time, the outsiders outside the box, the Qinghong gang who used to shout and kill, also showed a rare harmony. From time to time, they set off crackling firecrackers, or invited people to open the windows and endure the cold wind. Looking out at the gorgeous fireworks.

In the warm private room filled with the aroma of food and alcohol, Qiushi also led the girls and said various auspicious words to the Someya couple, Xiao Su's mother and Mr. Furukawa, and started a toasting offensive of one glass for you, one for me, and another for you.

Although these girls were not good at drinking, they could not handle the large number, so after just a few rounds, everything they saw in front of them, whether it was Mr. Sometani or Mr. Furukawa, had been duplicated.What's more, there are those young men waiting to toast behind.

As for Xiao Su's mother, who had a good drinking capacity, she seemed to be drunker than anyone else at this time. She actually dragged her Japanese concubine, Mr. Furukawa, to drink nine glasses of wine in a row with the beautiful meaning of "long and lasting".

Mr. Furukawa was completely stunned by this heavy drinking. On the other side, Wei Ran took his brother Somegu and recalled another deceased brother Abu and Walker. , and took this as an excuse to change into a large glass with one tael and drink a toast.

It's just that neither the Someya couple nor Furukawa knew that except for the three glasses of genuine Lotus liquor that Yu Meixiang took to drink together, the ones Wei Ran and Tao Canhua drank later were already familiar to Qiushi. It was replaced with boiled water and white sugar - just like she had already been familiar with it, and replaced it with lotus white mixed with Laobaigan for these guests.

Because of this, when he drank a large glass of "Chinese Cocktail", Mr. Someya was not surprised to drink himself completely like "sometime back then".

As for the straight
This gentle and virtuous lady had long been easily confused by the "drunk" Xiao Su's mother together with Mei Xiang.

A sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner lasted from 11:30 to [-]:[-]. While the cups and plates were in a mess, everyone was extremely drunk except for Jasmine, who deliberately stayed awake.

Especially Wei Ran and his nominal uncle Mr. Furukawa insisted on going to the statue of Guan Erye on the first floor to cut off the chicken head and drink rice wine to worship him, which made a big joke.

"Treasurer's"

Jasmine couldn't care less about Wei Ran, who was already knocking her head to the ground with Furukawa. She hurriedly supported Mei Xiang, who was unable to sit still, and Qiushi, who was also drinking too much. She threw a small gold bar on the counter, " Arrange your guys to find four boxcars and take the little ones to the study apartment. Send two guys to follow them and don't let any of them get off halfway."

"Don't worry, Sister Jasmine, I will personally escort the car later to ensure that they are all delivered to the door safely." The second shopkeeper who picked up the gold bars was obviously very familiar with Jasmine, and he hurriedly shouted to his men to find the big shed truck.

At the same time, the second shopkeeper also called over two girls who were singing in Taihua Building, and helped Jasmine put Meixiang and Qiushi into the car, and then put Shunzi and Xiao Su's mother into the car respectively. In their respective cars.

But while he was busy here, Wei Ran had already stood in front of the briquette stove in the foyer on the first floor and unbuttoned his belt. He drunkenly said to Furukawa who was also unbuckling his belt, "Brother, brother, let's compete - compete Whoever pees correctly, who-who is accurate, who-who-is the big brother."

"Compare. Compare"

Furukawa, who had long been drunk, took out the faucet without saying a word, intending to urinate first.

"Ouch! You two gentlemen, you can't do that!"

The big shopkeeper who had been watching the excitement behind the counter finally couldn't sit still anymore. He rushed over and grabbed one of his arms, "Two gentlemen, two dear grandfathers, come on, come on, I'll take you to the latrine!" "

"This!"

Wei Ran drunkenly said to the fire, "It's warm here, just - right here!"

"Brother Wei said, you are right!"

As Furukawa spoke, he had already loosened the pants he was holding with both hands, revealing the bright red woolen pants he was wearing underneath.

"I'll take you to a warmer place"

The big shopkeeper helped Furukawa lift his pants with a pale face, and held down Wei Ran's belt that he had not untied several times. "Don't worry, Male Gobi is watching. Come over and help! Put the two gentlemen together." Help me to the hut!"

When the voice was shouted out, several waiters immediately took Wei Ran, Furukawa and Someya who had come to join in the fun, and ran to the latrine amidst the cheers and cheers of many diners in the hall on the first floor.

"vomit--!"

Before even entering the hut, Wei Ran aimed at a table of diners who had finished their meals and let out a retching sound while suppressing the base of his tongue.

"Master! Please don't!"

The waiter who was supporting Wei Ran turned pale with fear. He covered his mouth and sent him out of the hall in three steps at a time.

"vomit--!"

Wei Ran retched again, and at the same time, he secretly used his other hand to press his stomach, which had long been filled with alcohol. Then, he successfully vomited a puddle of vomit on the edge of the pillar outside the door.

With him taking the lead, both Furukawa and Someya, who asked the waiter to help carry the belt, vomited like a reflex.

"Ouch! You three masters, oh!"

The big shopkeeper of Taihua Building smashed his hands and was about to say something, but Jasmine put a pile of silver coins into his hand, "Don't waste your time, big shopkeeper, I remember that your son seems to know how to drive, please." Let them help send Mr. and Mrs. Someya home."

"Hey? Hey! No problem! Don't worry!"

The big shopkeeper immediately became friendly again. He first called two apprentices to clean up the vomit at the door, and then took advantage of Wei Ran, Somegu and Furukawa to compete in the hut to determine the skills of the eldest brother, second brother and third brother. The son called over from the kitchen, and the father and son personally helped Sometani Yukio and Furukawa get into the car, and helped close the car door.

Before he could start the car, Jasmine bribed the second shopkeeper with another pile of silver dollars.

"I remember that you can also drive here. Second shopkeeper, please do me a favor and send Xiao Su's mother and Mr. Furukawa home."

"Sister Jasmine, you're welcome. I'm helping you, isn't it?"

The second shopkeeper agreed to the task with great openness, and at the same time accepted the more than ten silver dollars with great openness.

After a lot of coaxing, Furukawa, who kept shouting "Big brother, second brother, go slow" was stuffed into the car where Xiao Su's mother was sitting. The second shopkeeper of Taihua Building was not in a hurry to set off. Instead, he waited until the waiter found a large cart drawn by two mules. He personally directed the two singing girls and the two waiters, and helped the troupe members, who were also drunk and started talking nonsense, into the cart by men and women, and After sending a boy and a drummer to escort the car, he got into the cab and drove the car, pulling Furukawa and Xiao Su's mother towards the concession.

"rickshaw!"

Jasmine, who was left at the end, was not in a hurry to leave. Instead, she called a rickshaw who had been watching the excitement at the door for a long time. She pointed at Wei Ran, who was trying to put on his belt, and Tao Canhua, who was sitting at the door of Taihua Building, singing the pulley. He said with a disgusted face, "Put them two into your car, follow the two big shed cars, and deliver them to the field. I will give you five yuan. Don't let them fall down in the middle."

"Hey! Don't worry! It's safe for me to pull the car! Even if they stand upside down on the car, they can't fall off!"

The rickshaw driver patted his chest and made a promise. With the help of a waiter, he quickly helped Wei Ran, who was still without a belt, into the car, and then put Wei Ran, who "must insist on singing this play until he gets off the stage," Tao Canhua also helped him to his rickshaw.

Perhaps he was really worried that the two drunkards would fall, so the experienced rickshaw driver untied a piece of cloth rope from the pull bar and added a "safety belt" to Wei Ran and Tao Canhua.

"vomit--"

He just set off, but Meixiang opened the door and spit out a puddle of filth, and said drunkenly, "Go to the Haihe River and blow the wind. Cousin, drive!"

"What a great year!"

Jasmine patted her forehead helplessly, and after helping Mei Xiang close the car door again, she started the car and drove towards Haihe, not caring whether the rickshaw Wei Ran and Tao Canhua were riding in could keep up with the large shed truck in front.

Almost at the same time that the car she was driving left the entrance of Taihua Building, more intensive firecrackers and cheers rang out on the still bustling Sanguanger street on New Year's Eve, followed closely by a lion dance. Dragon dance teams appeared from everywhere and began to parade among the lively crowd.

This is what troubled the puppet and corrupt officials in Japan. Now even in the British Concession, fireworks are not allowed to be set off because of the requirements of the Japanese.

Because of this, no matter the pedestrians on the street, the diners in Taihua House who were still discussing those drunkards, traitors and traitors, or even the little gangster opposite Taihua House who had been watching the excitement for a long time, they were all attracted by the gorgeous fireworks and the Qinghong Gang's past years. The dragon and lion dances and the sound of gongs and drums attracted all the attention.

So much so that no one noticed that when the rickshaw that had just set off just turned around the intersection, Wei Ran and Tao Canhua in the car nimbly jumped out of the car and got into the darkness of the roadside under the cover of night. in the alley.

At the same time, two young men also wearing Chinese tunic suits and woolen coats and scarves of the same style jumped out from the back of the large shed car and sat nimbly on the rickshaw that Wei Ran and Tao Canhua were just sitting on. They didn't even forget Fastened his seat belt.