War Photographer's Notebook

The morning after Wei Ran and Sui Sui arrived in Paris with the girls, Mrs. Kate from Brighton, England, as a mother, took her daughter and her family, as well as Henry's children, were invited to arrive in St. Heidi's Tailor Shop in Omer.

While everyone was waiting, a silver-haired old lady who looked to be eighty years old but still had a strong body took out a key from her pocket and opened the anti-theft sliding door of Heidi's tailor shop.

"Children, come in."

The old lady introduced as she walked inside, "This is the tailor shop run by my mother Vanessa Binoche and her sister Heidi Binoche.

My mother took me back here after the war and it was in ruins.

My mother spent half a year rebuilding this tailor shop and took me to live there.

From the time I was six, right up until my mother's death, and even until this year, we went to a farm in Liverpool and stayed at the Rhododendron Inn in Edinburgh every year. "

After a short pause, the old lady led everyone through the wooden door under the stairs and continued, "There are many memories of my mother here. Although she never expected my father to appear again in the rest of her life, she missed her all the time. sister."

Having said this, she also stopped in front of the tombstone in the yard next to the air raid shelter, "After she passed away, according to her will, I was supposed to bury her on the farm in Liverpool.

But I knew she never liked the damp and cold weather there, so I buried her here.

Well now, kids, my Aunt Heidi is back at last and we can consider sending the sisters to Liverpool together.

My mother once said that she was looking forward to meeting her sister in Liverpool all the time, and I could finally complete her will. "

"Aunt Heidi"

Mrs. Kate said, "Now let Henry's children read all the suicide notes we found.

Although the truth has been delayed for too long, it is time to resolve all conflicts. No matter how many misfortunes happened before, I think we are still a family. "

Hearing this, the old lady also named Heidi nodded gently and looked at a man in his 30s wearing a black suit, "Read out those suicide notes."

Hearing this, the man who had almost gone to court with Mrs. Kate not long ago nodded, laid out the suicide notes and letters he had brought in advance, and read aloud in French all the contents that had been translated in advance without reservation.

Almost when the man finished reading the last letter, Wei Ran, who was sleeping with Suisui in his arms, shivered and woke up due to the hot burning sensation in the tiger's mouth of his left hand.

"What's wrong?" Suisui asked drowsily.

"Nothing, just keep sleeping, I'm going to the bathroom."

As Wei Ran spoke, he gently took out the arm that was being pillowed by the other person, and helped Suisui cover him with the quilt. Then he picked up the watch on the bedside table and walked softly into the room connected to the guest room. Toilet.

I glanced at the time on the dial and saw that it was only nine o'clock in the morning. For the couple who had a lively night last night and discussed biological knowledge in bed for a long time after the party, they had slept eight times in a row. Even hours are not enough.

Wearing the retro Soviet watch on his wrist, Wei Ran took out the metal book and checked it, only to find that in the newly obtained suitcase containing retro clothing, in addition to the gold-shell hunting machine that had been marked with an hourglass mark on the metal book, In addition to the pocket watch, even the original pocket watch with the name of the Queen of France also appeared.

Along with the pocket watch, there was an unsealed envelope.

After a slight hesitation, he temporarily put the extra pocket watch into his pajamas pocket, then picked up the envelope and pulled out a piece of light yellow letter paper.

“Victor, I am finally reunited with my sister, and the German soldier who took the pocket watch has never appeared again.

My only regret is that my child never got to meet her father, just like the child named Vanessa Spear never had the opportunity to meet her father.

The difference is that the father she has never met is a hero, even if he is a damn Jew.

And the father my children have been waiting for all their lives is a shameful aggressor, even if he is a good person among the aggressors. "

When he finished reading the letter, the letter paper and envelope in his hand turned into dust under his gaze, and fell into the white and clean wash basin without a trace of dust.

After a long silence, Wei Ran put away the suitcase on the toilet lid, then pressed the flush button, then turned on the faucet, silently washing away the dust on his hands and the wash basin.

Although he didn't know why the pocket watch and Vanessa's letter suddenly appeared in the suitcase this early morning, Wei Ran lost sleep after receiving the letter and gift.

After changing his clothes lightly, Wei Ran walked out of the bedroom and closed the door for Suisui, who had fallen asleep again. Then he happened to see Taxi walking in from outside.

"Are you awake?" Taxi took the initiative to say hello to Wei Ran.

"Why don't you sleep a little longer?" Wei Ran smiled and asked the question the other party was planning to ask.

"I just sent Matthew to school"

Tassie explained gently, "That little parent is not like Monica and I who can skip class at any time. Speaking of which, Victor, are you interested in going to my studio? Matthew has a gift for me. Pass it over to you, it’s sitting in my studio.”

"Now?"

"Of course, do you have time?" Taxi asked expectantly.

"Then let's go"

Wei Ran agreed happily, and at the same time squeezed the pocket watch in his pocket. This Taxi used to be a watchmaker. He could just ask about the origin of the gold watch in his pocket and see if the other party could See something.

Following Tassie out of the luxury apartment, the two took the special elevator downstairs and got into a Citroën sedan.

"Why don't you ask Matthew what gift he is going to give you?" Tassie asked curiously as she started the car.

"We'll find out later?" Wei Ran replied with a smile.

"I hope you will still be so calm then"

As Taxi spoke, he stepped on the accelerator and drove the car out of the underground parking lot.

What the other party said aroused Wei Ran's curiosity. Unfortunately, when he took the initiative to ask, Taxi changed the subject and stopped talking about it at all.

However, as the city street scene outside the window continued to recede, Wei Ran felt that the surrounding scenery became more and more familiar. When the car stopped at a parking space on the roadside, what was directly facing the car window turned out to be the Parade Jewelry Store!

"Is your studio here?"

Wei Ran asked in surprise. To be honest, if Taxi hadn't brought him here, he would have almost forgotten that he had invested in such a jewelry store - after all, he didn't spend his own money, right?

"certainly"

Taxi had already opened the car door as she spoke, "Koko lent it to me. I usually live here. Although the security here is not very good, at least I can learn from the two designers in the jewelry store. Less stuff.”

Following the other party out of the carriage, Wei Ran also noticed that it had only been a year. With the investment from the Elk Foundation, the parade jewelry store that once had only one store had expanded to an entire building.

And according to Taxi's introduction, what is now sold here is not only jewelry, but also watches made by Taxi, as well as various reliable or unreliable fashions designed by Aniya, and of course, Kou Kou designs. Or some cheap jewelry made by practicing.

The changes don't stop there. Alan, the designer who was so fat when he bought the store that he could hardly go out, has now lost more than half of his weight and has become much more handsome.

In addition, Wei Ran also met in this store a Hela girl who had lived in the Aurora Tavern in the polar town of Tula - now this girl who had undergone plastic surgery seemed to be the sales director of the parade jewelry store.

Out of some kind of tacit understanding, neither Wei Ran nor the beautiful girl with decent manners showed anything unusual.

Under the leadership of Taxi, Wei Ran followed him along an employee staircase that required swiping a card to enter, climbed to the top of the building that was not open to the public, and got into a room with an area of ​​​​50 square meters, and could be seen through the window at a glance. Room not far from Place de la Repubblica.

"This is my studio"

Taxi kicked open a cardboard box containing sundries, then picked up a few clothes on the sofa and threw them into the washing machine in the corner. While asking Wei Ran to sit down casually, she explained, "Originally, Matthew wanted to get that share yesterday. It’s a gift for you, but he forgot to pick it up. On the way to school, he asked me to pick up the gift.”

"What on earth is it?"

Wei Ran sat down on the not-so-clean sofa, opened the small refrigerator next to the sofa as if he were familiar with it, took out a bottle of Coke, opened it and took a sip, observing the studio at the same time.

Compared with the sterile and dust-free studio he saw on the farm in Italy, the only difference here is that it is not as clean, and there is an extra single bed and a set of sofas.

"You can see for yourself later"

As Taxi spoke, she had already opened the safe in the corner, pulled out a gift box with a bow from it and handed it to Wei Ran.

Putting down the Coke, Wei Ran curiously tore open the wrapping paper on the outside of the gift box, then opened the cardboard box and took out a long wooden box with quite exquisite workmanship.

Before opening the wooden box, Wei Ran raised his head and glanced at Taxi, who was sitting upside down on a swivel chair opposite him, only to find that the other person's face had already put on a look of excitement.

Wei Ran opened the long wooden box in his hand in confusion, but was stunned when he saw the contents inside.

Immediately afterwards, he placed the box in his hand on the table, took out a pair of silk gloves from his pocket, put them on, and then took out the contents of the box.

This is a sword, a sword awarded to naval officers by Germany during World War II. Of course, in Weiran’s words, this is an almost perfect replica of a German naval officer’s sword during World War II, but the wrong material was used. .

The still intact sword tassel is tied with standard and complex beautiful knots on the hilt and silver guard.

On the top of the white ivory hilt is a diamond-encrusted standing eagle with folded wings. Even the scabbard, which seems to be made of silver, is embossed with exquisite and beautiful oak leaf patterns.

Pull out the sword blade gently and forcefully. On the unique forging pattern of Damascus steel, there is also a string of golden German words engraved on it, "Conqueror of the Antarctic Continent".

"Where did you buy this?"

Wei Ran asked subconsciously, "Except for the wrong materials of the guard and scabbard and the engraving on the sword, everything else is perfect."

"Buy? It wasn't bought."

Tassie smiled and asked, "You know what Matthew's parents do, right?"

"certainly"

Wei Ran nodded, "If I remember correctly, they seem to be working in Antarctica? Wait! You mean?"

Seeing that Wei Ran, who seemed to have guessed something, had already stood up, Taxi showed a satisfied smile on his face and explained unhurriedly, "A few months ago, Matthew's parents entered an ice channel during a scientific expedition. The sword was found on the waist of a corpse in that ice crevice, and it was packed in a bag sewn with a tarpaulin."

"So... Matthew's parents smuggled it back?"

Wei Ran asked in astonishment, "Then Matthew secretly took this thing out and gave it to me as a gift?"

"of course not"

Seeing Taxi shaking his head in denial, Wei Ran also breathed a sigh of relief, but then he heard this guy say nonchalantly, "Matthew's parents thought you must like it, so they hid it in their personal belongings and brought it back together. You You know, their scientific expedition team’s belongings will not be inspected in detail even by customs.”

Seemingly satisfied with Wei Ran's wide eyes and dull expression, Taxi continued, "Matthew's parents also asked me to tell you that the body is still buried in the ice crevice, and only the two of them know the location. , if you are interested, you are always welcome to visit Antarctica."

"They. They don't know what it means to find this thing there, right?" Wei Ran reminded in disbelief, "This is"

"In the words of Matthew's father, if the body is released, it will definitely affect the progress of their project. He doesn't care why there is this thing in the ice crevice, but he doesn't want to cause any big trouble because of the body. News affects their scientific projects."

"I"

Wei Ran, who was speechless by the remote attack, almost spit out blood, but could not find any reason to refute.

Finally, he could only ask again, "So this sword was really found in Antarctica?"

"of course it's true"

Tassie spread her hands and said, "Thanks to you, that movie was made. Matthew's parents have been worrying about how to thank you. This sword appeared just in time."

"Do you know, no, do Matthew's parents know how valuable this sword is?" Wei Ran asked feebly.

"Victor, you don't think Matthew's parents are poor people who have to worry about bills every month, do you?" Taxi asked bluntly, and as expected, Wei Ran was hit to the ceiling again.