wind in the dark night

Chapter 281 Peaceful
It's approaching noon.

Taipingqiao Flea Market.

Lao Kai's grocery store.

Lao Kai was preparing to have lunch, with a plate of pork head, a plate of stir-fried peanuts, half a pound of dumplings stuffed with pork and cabbage, and a two-and-a-half-liang white porcelain wine pot, all placed in a steaming teacup.

Jiang Bin pushed the door open and untied the scarf that covered most of his face. He stretched out his hand to warm the fire on the stove and asked, "Do you have any in stock?"

Lao Kai said in surprise: "I almost didn't recognize you when you saw me so suddenly. Brother, I haven't seen you for just a few days. How come you've become so thin?"

Jiang Bin said: "I want spot goods, the sooner the better."

Lao Kai gritted his teeth and said, "Brother, you know the market situation. If you buy the goods now, the price will be half as high, and I will have to raise the price for others. It's not cost-effective. How about this, at most two days..."

"money is not a problem."

Jiang Bin took out a stack of bills, threw them on the counter without counting them, and said, "This is the amount of money, no more, no less. I want to get the goods today."

Lao Kai glanced at the clock: "It's 11:45... before 3 o'clock."

"Okay, I'll pick it up at 3 o'clock."

Jiang Bin put on a scarf and hat, turned around and walked out of the grocery store. He didn't dare to stay here any longer. People from the Anti-Smuggling Bureau came to the flea market every now and then to "raid" the market. When they encountered someone they considered suspicious, they would either search him or take him back to the Anti-Smuggling Bureau for questioning.

……

at this time.

44 Central Street.

The person at the telephone exchange just answered the call.

Dujuan sorted out and put away various odds and ends.

Qi Yue walked to the terrace and looked around for a while. On the next street was a two-story building, which was the location of Marusu Co., Ltd., the largest refined salt distributor in Binjiang. On the other side was the Madiel Hotel, and across the street was the American Citibank.

Central Street is crowded with merchants and many politicians and celebrities live here. When the provincial governor Wei Huanzhang was the mayor of Binjiang, he also lived here for a period of time. Patrol teams conduct regular inspections day and night, and this area is also a model security area in Binjiang.

Qi Yue stood for a while and went back downstairs.

Du Juan sorted the clothes and put them into the closet: "The kitchen window is missing a hinge. I'm thinking of buying a new one this afternoon."

Qi Yue looked around and said, "When it comes to housework, it has to be women. If it were me, I wouldn't know where to start. Du Juan, it's already noon. Let's go out for lunch."

Du Juan said, "I just ate an apple, and I don't feel hungry at all."

The phone rings.

"Hey?"

"Is that Officer Qi?"

"it's me."

"I'm Lao Kai."

"I heard it. What's the matter?"

"He was here just now."

"Where is he now?"

"He will come to pick up the goods from me at three o'clock in the afternoon."

"okay, I get it."

The call was immediately hung up.

Qi Yue came to the bedroom door and said to Du Juan, "If you help someone move, you have to provide a meal. Don't bother. I'll take care of the rest. Let's go. I'll treat you to a big meal at Madiel."

Du Juan pretended to be serious: "It's strange, I wasn't hungry at first, but when you mentioned going to Madiel for a big meal, I immediately became hungry."

"You're not hungry, you're greedy."

Qi Yue smiled and handed over the coat.

After leaving home, Du Juan took Qi Yue's arm and walked towards the Madiel Hotel. Passing by a toy store, Akiyama Daisuke was squatting at the door, staring at the revolver model in the window without blinking. The maid Sachiko was beside them, carrying a schoolbag.

Qi Yue came closer and said in Japanese: "Nobita, what are you looking at?"

Seeing that the person who came was Officer Qi who gave him a car toy, Akiyama Daxiong said happily: "Hello, Officer Qi, I'm looking at guns." Qi Yue asked: "Do you like guns?"

"Yes, I like it!"

Akiyama Daisuke then said frustratedly: "But Aunt Sachiko has no money..."

Qi Yue glanced at the price tag, took out his wallet, pulled out two bills and handed them to Sachiko: "If Nobita likes it, buy it for him."

Sachiko hurriedly said, "Officer Qi, how can this be possible? If Mrs. Akiyama knew about this, she would definitely blame me."

Qi Yue said: "A toy gun doesn't cost much. Don't worry. If Mrs. Qiushan blames you, I will go and explain to her."

"Thank you."

Sachiko bowed.

Akiyama Nobita's eyes were filled with excitement: "I finally have a gun. I will practice shooting every day. When I grow up, I will become a glorious imperial soldier and kill all those hateful Chinese!"

As he spoke, he bowed to Qi Yue, then jumped into the toy store with Sachiko.

"He is Akiyama Yumi's brother?"

Du Juan asked Qi Yue.

"Yes."

"At such a young age, yet so vicious..."

"It's not his fault."

Du Juan nodded: "I know that years of hate education will inevitably produce distorted evil results. It is normal for Japanese children to have such thoughts."

Qi Yue sighed: "But they think they are right, and that's what's scary. As they grow older, some people will wake up, and most people, instigated by militarism, will eventually become servants of the devil."

"The devil's servant... that's a very apt description."

Dujuan said approvingly.

……

ten minutes later.

Madiel Hotel.

Western restaurant.

"Black pepper steak, modern wreath salad, pan-fried salmon, double baked snails, borscht, and a bottle of champagne. Let's order these first. Oh, and the steak needs to be medium rare."

Qi Yue handed the menu to the waiter.

The waiter bowed and retreated.

Du Juan joked, "Qi Yue, you are too extravagant. This meal will cost at least ten yuan. Do you have enough money? Don't let others laugh at you when you can't pay the bill."

Qi Yue smiled slightly: "The banquet for the celebration of moving to a new house and entertaining relatives and friends must be sumptuous. It would be inappropriate to be too shabby. I know you like Western food, so I came here."

Du Juan said softly, "And you ordered all my favorites. You didn't order anything for yourself."

Qi Yue said, "I seldom eat Western food, so I don't know what's good and what's not. I can only eat according to your taste. By the way, I just asked the waiter, for the modern wreath salad dish, they use tuna, not sea bass."

"A gift for you on your new home."

As if performing a magic trick, Dujuan had a jade token that was completely emerald green in color in his hand.

“Isn’t this expensive?”

Qi Yue played with the jade token.

The jade plaque is exquisitely crafted, with a lifelike cuckoo engraved on the front and four words engraved on the back: peace and safety.

"The jade shop was having a sale, and I saw a cuckoo carved on it, which happened to match my name, so I bought it. It was very cheap."

Dujuan said casually.

Qi Yue looked at it carefully for a while and said, "Du Juan, don't scare me. This is top-quality Hetian jade. It's not cheap. When I was in Peking, I often went to Liulichang and I know a little about jade. This piece of jade of yours should be worth at least..."

Du Juan said softly, "Here comes a big shot, don't look back."

(End of this chapter)