Dusk had passed, and the last rays of the setting sun had quietly retreated. In the entire hut, there was only a small lamp at the door for illumination. The light was so dim that it was not even as bright as the flickering fire in the iron barrel.
The soldering iron that had been burning in the iron bucket for a long time was taken out and immediately made a "crackling" sound when it was put into water. People couldn't help but imagine what kind of reaction would happen if this red-hot soldering iron was directly printed on human skin.
Presumably hearing the sound, the prisoner with her face pressed into the basin struggled even more violently. The interrogator, who was sitting upright, waved his hand lightly, and the person holding the prisoner's head immediately understood, grabbed the prisoner's hair and pushed her to the ground roughly. The prisoner lay on the ground and vomited several mouthfuls of water. She wanted to get up, but the days of torture - starvation, intimidation, and lynching - had exhausted all her strength. She struggled in vain, grabbing the ground with both hands, but all she grabbed was a handful of air and dust soaked in blood.
Will I die here? She couldn't help but wonder vaguely. She knew what this place was, the Central Bureau of Investigation, which made people shudder. How many people died here every year without knowing why? Here, human life was like grass, like an ant, worthless.
Someone grabbed her hair and forced her to look up. In front of her was a face gloating over someone else's misfortune: "Miss Jing, I advise you to confess. Your father is dead, and you are no longer the daughter of a Legislative Yuan elder. A phoenix without feathers is no better than a chicken. Look at how miserable you are now. How can you still be the third daughter of the Wuhan Jing family? Confess as soon as possible, and maybe there is still a glimmer of hope."
Yes, her father is dead, her family is ruined, and she is now in prison, looking like a ghost and wearing tattered clothes. She is the third daughter of the Jing family. Who in Wuhan didn't know the names of the three daughters of the Jing family? Those days of drinking and feasting are gone forever. In those days, did she ever think that one day she would end up in this situation today? The past has gone with the flow of water, the prosperity has become a cloud of smoke, and even whether she can see the sun tomorrow is unknown.
Confess... Having been tortured in this small dark room for three days, she certainly knew what they wanted her to confess. It was nothing more than fabricating charges to harm Jiang Gubei.
Jiang Gubei... Whenever she thought of this name, her heart would shrink into a small ball. Did Jiang Gubei know she was here? They had originally agreed to meet tomorrow.
The sharp pain on her scalp interrupted her thoughts. She was dragged up and pressed on a chair. The black and cold barrel of a gun was pressed against her forehead: "Are you going to confess or not?"
She stared at the pair of impatient eyes for a while, then smiled softly: "Okay, I admit it."
"Name."
"Jing Mingchen."
"identity."
"Teacher at Leshan Nursery School."
"What is the relationship with Jiang Gubei?"
“…”
What is the relationship between him and himself? Jing Mingchen was stunned. Thinking carefully, they actually had no relationship, but they could have had the closest relationship if he hadn't been so willful back then, if...
However, it is too late to regret.
Jiang Gubei, our fate in this life will continue in the next. This is a heavy promise, you must remember it.
The interrogator didn't care and continued to ask: "How did you know him?"
How did you meet?
Jing Mingchen opened her eyes wide and stared at the small lamp at the door. The light was dim. As she stared at it for a long time, the light became more and more blurred in her vision, and finally blurred into the millions of neon lights at the Ding Mansion Ball in Wuhan that year. And Jiang Gubei's figure walked towards her from behind the brilliant light.
Jing Mingchen originally didn't want to go to that dance.
"I won't go! When the country is in crisis, what's the point of dancing to luxury, corruption, and decadence!"
The war was in full swing at the mouth of the Yangtze River. The Army Hospital received a large number of wounded soldiers from the front every day. What kind of dance party was held at this time? It was simply "the merchant woman knew not the hatred of the lost country, and she still sang the song of the garden across the river"! She didn't want to go. If she had this time, she would rather stay in the hospital to talk to the wounded soldiers and help them write letters home.
What's more, don't think that she doesn't know why her mother forced her to go to this dance. It was for the legendary Mr. Jiang Gubei!
In the past six months, the name "Jiang Gubei" has become more popular in Wuhan than Zhang Zhizhong, the general of the 19th Army. Everyone knows that he is a partner of the Shanghai Lin's Tung Oil Company. He is young and promising. He helped Lin, who had just arrived in Wuhan for half a year, to fight a good battle and beat Jiang's Oil Company, which has been in Wuhan tung oil export for more than 20 years, without any chance of fighting back. There are many rumors, but he has never appeared in public. Today's dance is his first appearance in a social occasion.
Balls have always been a battlefield for hunting beauties and finding good husbands. Jing Mingchen dared to bet that more than half of the ladies waiting to be married tonight would go there for him, considering that he was such a talented new nobleman.
She doesn't want to be a ridiculous person among the crowd!
The words "extravagance, corruption and decadence" instantly angered Mrs. Jing. She narrowed her eyes and was about to explode. Fortunately, Mr. Jing's voice came from the study in time and blocked the gun for his daughter: "Madam, come and help me find the Hu brush that someone gave me last time."
Mrs. Jing glared at Jing Mingchen: "I'll settle the score with you later!"
Why would Jing Mingchen wait for her to find him? As soon as her mother turned around and went upstairs, she grabbed her coat and jumped out of the door, heading straight for the Army Hospital. After returning to Wuhan from Nanjing, she found a job as a reporter at the Zhenshi Daily newspaper, and recently she was following up on the wounded soldiers on the front line of the Army Hospital.
Who would have thought that the Army Hospital was no exception? Gu Nanqiao, a nurse who was on good terms with her, urged her: "Let's go to the dance tonight. I'll introduce my brother to you!"
Jing Mingchen retorted to her angrily and amusedly: "Do all married women regard matchmaking as the fun of their lives? My mother is like this, and so are you, Nan Qiao!"
Nan Qiao was surprised and said, "Is there anything wrong with that? Men should get married when they are old enough, and women should get married when they are old enough. You have the ability to never get married in your life."
Jing Mingchen snorted disapprovingly: "If I don't want to marry, then I won't marry. The emperors of thousands of years are gone. Will I die if I don't marry?"
Nan Qiao looked out the door and whispered, "I don't know if you will die if you don't get married, but if you don't go to the dance, you will definitely die."
Jing Mingchen followed her gaze and looked outside, and saw a familiar middle-aged woman walking in with murderous intent.
Jing Mingchen was carried directly from the Army Hospital to the car by his mother.
As soon as she arrived at the party, Mrs. Jing's eyes darted around the room. Jing Mingchen knew she was looking for Jiang Gubei, and he made a face to mock her: "You are so focused on looking for Jiang Gubei, if you can't find him, then you are lost."
At this moment, a loud shout stopped the noise in the hall.
"Mr. Jiang from Lin's Tung Oil Company has arrived!"
The whole hall fell silent, and everyone held their breath and looked towards the entrance. Under the spotlight, a pair of shiny men's leather shoes stepped into the room, followed by slender legs wrapped in straight trousers, and a well-ironed black shiny suit. One hand held the hat in front of him, and the other hand was in his pocket. The sapphire cufflinks on his cuffs sparkled with a dazzling but not frivolous light. A pointed corner of the silk white pocket handkerchief was exposed, and a Windsor knot was tied under the collar of his shirt.
Further up was his well-defined jawline, and a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. Seeing his face, Mrs. Jing couldn't help but let out a low cry and grabbed her little daughter's arm. She had lived in Suzhou when she was a child, and now she was over fifty, she still spoke with a Wu dialect accent: "Nannan, look!"
Her reaction was not unique. Later, Jing Mingchen thought about it and felt that from that moment on, at least half of the ladies present listed him as the model of an ideal son-in-law.
With slender eyebrows and sharp eyes, this young talent who emerged out of nowhere has a handsome face that is as handsome as his business talent.
But Jing Mingchen preferred to haggle over every penny. Perhaps because he rejected this ball, he also rejected the star that everyone expected at the ball. She felt uncomfortable watching Jiang Gubei's smile, as if he was mocking these guests who coveted him.
Humph, you came to the dance just to show off and hunt for beauties, so what qualifications do you have to look down on others, Jing Mingchen thought secretly.
The host, Mr. Ding, immediately went to greet him: "Mr. Jiang, what a rare guest."
The spell of silence in Sleeping Beauty Castle was finally broken, and the hall became noisy again. Mr. Ding led Jiang Gubei to chat with others. Mrs. Jing, as a veteran of the ball, had her own plans. She had already set her eyes on Jiang Gubei, but she was not in a hurry to make a move. Instead, she chatted with Mrs. Ding while observing him coldly. Jing Mingchen had already made up his mind to "meditate" at the ball, so he just sat aside and watched others.
She saw several celebrities approach Jiang Gubei one after another, but they all left after only saying a few words. Jing Mingchen found it interesting and couldn't help but lift his chin. Mr. Jiang repeatedly rejected the celebrities tonight. Maybe he was trying to raise his own status and make himself more valuable? So that everyone would know how high his standards were and wait for his favor with tears of gratitude.
He really is worthy of being a businessman. Jing Mingchen couldn't help but sneer.
As if he heard the sneer, Jiang Gubei, who was standing not far away, suddenly turned around, his eyes fell on her, and then looked away after a moment.
Just one glance and Jing Mingchen suddenly felt uncomfortable. The man's eyes were cold. Being looked at by him was as if being locked by a gun and would be turned into ashes in the next second.
This person is so dangerous, Jing Mingchen thought secretly.
The person who had been chatting with Jiang Gubei finally left. Mrs. Ding said to Mrs. Jing, "It's time." Mrs. Jing grabbed Jing Mingchen's hand and lifted her up, and followed Mrs. Ding to Jiang Gubei. Mrs. Ding introduced her in front, "Mr. Jiang, let me introduce you to my good friend Mrs. Jing. The Jing family is a famous family in Wuhan. They have been a family of scholars for generations, and three generations have passed the imperial examinations. Mr. Jing was an aide to Zhang Xiangshuai in the Qing Dynasty and a revolutionary veteran. He just retired from the Legislative Yuan a few years ago. This is Miss Jing..."
Jing Mingchen felt so embarrassed by these words that her ears started to burn. She stared at her toes nervously, wishing there was a hole in the ground she could crawl into. Finally, Mrs. Ding revealed her purpose: "Won't Mr. Jiang ask Miss Jing to dance with you?"
Before Jiang Gubei could speak, Jing Mingchen took the lead and said, "No, I have a dance partner."
Mrs. Jing was surprised: "What dance partner?"
Jing Mingchen suddenly thought of Gu Nanqiao, and he made up a story: "My friend's brother."
Jiang Gubei raised his eyebrows in surprise. Perhaps he didn't expect to be rejected tonight. He quickly replied, "That's right. I don't want to dance either."
Don't you want to dance, or don't you want to dance with Miss Jing? This made people think a lot, and Mrs. Jing's face turned pale.
Jiang Gubei looked at Jing Mingchen and said, "Miss Jing has a beautiful figure, and she must be very pleasing to the eye when she dances. Since we have no chance to dance together, Jiang will just stand here and watch Miss Jing dance."
His eyes were playful, as if he was waiting to see her laugh: "Okay, didn't you say you had a partner? Then where is your partner? Are you afraid of being rejected by me, so you're making up a lie first?"
Jing Mingchen looked around anxiously, and in a blink of an eye, she happened to see Gu Nanqiao walking towards her. She took a big step and grabbed Gu Nanqiao's hand: "Why are you here just now? Didn't you agree to introduce me to your brother? Let's go and find your brother."
Gu Nanqiao looked at Jing Mingchen and then at Jiang Gubei, and grabbed Jiang Gubei's hand with a bewildered look on her face: "This is my brother."
Jing Mingchen's face suddenly turned red. She looked at Gu Nanqiao hatefully and said, "Your surname is Gu, why is your brother's surname Jiang!"
Gu Nanqiao put the two hands she was holding together and said, "What a coincidence, you two met first, so there's no need for me to introduce you."
Jiang Gubei chuckled and said, "Since my sister has spoken, please go in, Miss Jing."
He made a beautiful invitation gesture and stretched out his hand to her, and Jing Mingchen had no choice but to let him hold his hand and lead him into the dance floor.
The music started playing. It was the Por Una Cabeza, which was very popular in the dance hall recently. Although Jing Mingchen had been making excuses during the day, she couldn't help but feel excited when she heard the music. She was an active member when she was studying at Jinling Women's University. At that time, the world was peaceful. She didn't have the burden of "rich people are feasting and drinking, while people are freezing to death on the road". She attended two or three dances every week and was elected "Dance Queen" several times.
As they danced cheek to cheek, Jiang Gubei's voice rang in her ears: "Just now I saw Miss Jing with a bitter and resentful look on her face, and I thought she was different from ordinary people like us. I didn't expect that she would be just as free and easy when dancing."
He was mocking her for being hypocritical. Jing Mingchen was furious and replied, "No, no, I just go with the flow. I can't compare to Mr. Jiang who plans and plans every step of the way, waits for the price to rise and hoards goods at a high price. He is really a born businessman."
She threw down a series of four-character idioms, and Jiang Gubei laughed dumbly: "From the tone of your voice, Miss Jing is very dismissive of us businessmen. However, the government's slogan of saving the country through industry is very loud. If there were no businessmen, not to mention the food, clothing and ammunition for the soldiers, where would the ladies' fine clothes, lipstick and perfume come from?"
Jing Mingchen was speechless and could only hum. Turning around, her braid brushed Jiang Gubei's nose. Jiang Gubei said, "Miss Jing's perfume smells very special."
How could it not be special? She was dragged from the Army Hospital to the dance, and she only had time to change her dress in the car. The strong smell of Lysol still remained on her skin. How could Jiang Gubei not smell that it was Lysol? He was deliberately making fun of her. Jing Mingchen snorted coldly: "Of course, Liquor Cresoli Saponatus (Lysol), compared to Chanel or the Beijing Ballet Twins, is fresh and refined with a unique flavor. It is the easiest to dispel decadent air, and most importantly, it can kill bacteria, especially those self-righteous bacteria."
To her surprise, after hearing this, Jiang Gubei just smiled faintly and did not refute. Instead, he began to dance seriously.
Turning her attention back to the dance, Jing Mingchen discovered that this elegant Mr. Jiang was actually a novice at dancing. He only knew the basic dance steps, as if he had just learned them on a whim. His movements were stiff and cautious, like a large wooden man. Jing Mingchen lowered her head and looked at her feet cautiously, only showing the back of her neck to Jiang Gubei, who was two heads taller than her, for fear that Jiang Gubei would step on her feet.
How interesting! Mr. Jiang Gubei, who is said to be handsome and capable of handling the business world, is actually a ballroom dancing idiot!
Thinking of what happened just now, she suddenly became mischievous and asked Jiang Gubei: "Mr. Jiang, you rejected so many beautiful ladies just now, is it because you can't dance at all?"
The music was loud and the crowd was bustling. There was a height difference of more than 20 centimeters between Jiang Gubei and her. He did not hear her words clearly. When the woman leaned back in her dance steps, he put his arm around Jing Mingchen's waist, leaned over slightly and whispered in her ear: "What?"
Jing Mingchen stood on tiptoe and said loudly in his ear: "I say, you didn't dance with me just now, is it because you don't know how to dance?"
Jing Mingchen was surprised to find that the tips of Jiang Gubei's ears suddenly turned red.
He didn't answer for a long time before he said defensively, "No, I'm just not good at it."
His ears turned even redder.
Jing Mingchen dragged out a meaningful "Oh" after a while, and then added: "I just learned it. No one taught me in the past."
Jing Mingchen interrupted him with an "Ouch!" Unfortunately, Jiang Gubei still stepped on her.
Fortunately, she was wearing a pair of satin high heels that covered her feet today, so Jiang Gubei's leather shoes only left a shallow footprint on her shoe surface. Jiang Gubei was a little at a loss: "I'm sorry, does it hurt? Otherwise, can you step on it and come back?"
Jing Mingchen didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Before she could say anything, she suddenly felt her whole body lighten. Jiang Gubei stretched out his arms to wrap around her waist and lifted her up with one hand. She let out a scream, but before she could completely swallow it, he was gently put down again. Her heel just landed on his leather shoe, leaving a small heel mark on it.
Jiang Gubei looked at her innocently: "Now we are even."
Jing Mingchen was speechless. What kind of magical logic was this!
The song just ended, Jing Mingchen said "goodbye" and turned to leave, but unfortunately, her braid got caught on Jiang Gubei's suit button, and she was pulled back, almost stumbling to the ground. Fortunately, Jiang Gubei reached out to help her, and she was brought into his arms, with her head against his chest.
This stumble attracted the attention of the whole audience. Jing Mingchen felt as if a spotlight was shining on her, making her look like a clown in a stage play. She lowered her head and pulled her hair in anger, only to hear Jiang Gubei say, "Miss Jing's hair is so fine, please don't tear it."
How dare he say that! He was probably so angry about the failed argument just now that he did something when she wasn't paying attention! Jing Mingchen thought angrily.
The hair was finally untied, and Jing Mingchen ran away quickly, covering his head with messy braids.
Jiang Gubei stared at her back for a long time and couldn't help but burst out laughing.
The next day was Monday. Jing Mingchen walked out of the house and took a deep breath of the moist, fresh air. It was August in Wuhan.
A month ago, the sound of gunfire rang out on the Marco Polo Bridge in Beijing. Now, the Ninth Army in Shanghai and the Japanese Marine Corps stationed in Shanghai are fighting fiercely. Since the war began, a large number of refugees have appeared on the streets of Wuhan.
Jing Mingchen's task today was to interview refugees. She noticed that there were many orphans who had lost their parents among the refugees, so she planned to do a special report on these orphans.
She found the interviewee in a small alley. A group of skinny, poorly clothed children were sitting along the wall, looking up at her with longing on their faces.
Jing Mingchen felt sad and for a moment she even forgot that she was here for an interview. She felt her pocket and found some change, so she took it out and planned to give it to the refugees. When they saw her taking out the money, the children understood what she meant and swarmed over her, surrounding her tightly in an instant.
Jing Mingchen was pushed and shoved by pairs of small hands. Their chattering made her dizzy. She had no choice but to comfort the children loudly: "Don't push or fight. Everyone has a share..."
Suddenly, he felt something light in his pocket. A little kid pushed through the crowd and ran away. Jing Mingchen's heart sank. There was a thief!
She threw the change in her hand onto the ground and ran after the thief.
The thief was a boy of twelve or thirteen years old. He seemed to be familiar with this kind of business, and he ran very fast. But Jing Mingchen was not a pushover. She was a long-distance runner in the sports meet when she was in college. The distance between the two people was getting shorter and shorter. It seemed that he was about to be caught. The thief was anxious and kept looking back, but he didn't notice that a car was coming out of the horizontal alley.
Jing Mingchen was quick-eyed and shouted "Get out of the way" and flew towards him, pushing him out of the danger zone. However, she herself was hit by the front of the car and fell to the ground.
好在汽车及时刹住，景明琛挣扎着抬起上半身回头看，那车头就停在她眼前，再开一步，她就要被碾碎在这车轮底下了。
车门打开，一个男人走下来：“小姐您没事吧？”
他看上去应该是司机，景明琛想要站起来，脚下却一个趔趄，她扭到脚踝了。
司机匆匆回到车旁，对车里的人说了两句话，他拉开车门，一个人走出来，走到景明琛身边：“上车吧，送你去医院。”
景明琛抬起头看，咦，竟然是蒋固北。
他居高临下地看着她，蹙着眉，一脸遇到麻烦的不耐烦，想到昨晚，景明琛有些来气：“不用了，伤得不严重，我自己能走。”
蒋固北却没有给她更多说话的机会，他直接蹲下身来，一只手穿过她的肋下将她架起来，让她倚靠在自己身上，半挟持般地扶着她上了车。
他将她安置在后座上，自己也在她身边坐下来，然后吩咐司机道：“开车，去陆军医院。”
景明琛问他：“你问都没问我，怎么知道我要去陆军医院？”
蒋固北嘴角带着若有若无的笑，嘲讽她一般地回答：“是我要去陆军医院。”
原来她就是个搭顺风车的！景明琛气呼呼地往座椅上一靠，明明是他的车撞了自己，这人态度怎么那么恶劣，全武汉的名媛都瞎了眼吧！
左手摩挲着右手腕上被擦破的皮，突然间景明琛惊叫一声：“我的镯子！”
今天出门她戴了镯子，那是她几年前在上海买到的，一直很珍惜，都没戴过几次，回武汉后这还是第一次戴，肯定是刚才摔在地上的时候摔碎了。
蒋固北问她：“什么样的镯子？”
景明琛着急地比画着形容：“样式很普通的玉镯子，淡青色，带一点血沁，摔断过一次，断口的包金是牡丹纹。”
蒋固北听后，表情一怔，旋即命令司机：“掉头回去。”
回到出事的地点，景明琛要下车，蒋固北制止了她，自己下了车。
景明琛扒在窗边看着他，他走到刚才景明琛摔倒的地方，弯下腰来找了好半天，才举着两截碎镯子回来：“是这个吗？”
可不是！景明琛伸手去接，蒋固北却反手把镯子揣进了怀里：“镯子摔碎责任在我，修补好后再还给小姐。”
景明琛只得缩回了手。
车继续向陆军医院的方向开，蒋固北突然开口：“扭伤可大可小，如果不及时医治，恐怕会有后患。陆军医院总归比小诊所妥帖可靠。”
景明琛惊讶地看着他，他的口吻突然变得好温和，全然不像之前那个语带讥讽的蒋固北了。
她琢磨着要回句什么话，蒋固北却不再说话，开始闭目养神。
景明琛用余光偷觑他，虽然在闭目养神，但他坐得非常端正，脊背直挺，阳光从玻璃窗里照进来给他的轮廓镶了一层金边。客观地讲，他确实很英俊，尤其是侧脸，令人想起《诗经》里那句“有匪君子，如切如磋，如琢如磨”。
但是他仿佛很疲累，长睫覆盖着眼下一片乌青，想必他昨晚很晚才睡。今天的他和昨晚的他很不一样。
景明琛正偷偷观察得起劲，他突然开口，吓了她一跳：“阿大，今天有什么工作安排，你再和我复述一遍。”
阿大熟练地回答：“下午两点要去拜访威尔逊洋行的金大班，五点去见林先生，七点去和威尔逊洋行签正式合同……对了。”
他顿了顿，回过头来：“今天早晨收到一封拜帖，是蒋氏油号蒋老板的，邀请您过段时间去蒋公馆做客。”
景明琛惊讶，蒋氏油号，不是刚被蒋固北所在的林氏打得落花流水吗？蒋老板竟然邀请敌人去家里做客？听说他为这场商战的落败，人都给气病了。
蒋固北言简意赅地回答一句“知道了”。车缓缓停下，陆军医院到了。
不等蒋固北开口，景明琛推开门道了声谢便迫不及待地一脚跨出去，她的背影一瘸一拐的，上了阶梯后干脆撑着墙单脚跳着走，像只瘸腿的大兔子。
蒋固北望着她的背影“扑哧”一笑，他吩咐阿大：“你在这儿等着，既然来了，我去看一下大小姐。”
景明琛从药房推拿完出来，经过走廊的时候，不经意地往外一瞥，便看见了正站在树下说话的蒋固北和顾南荞。
两个人的脸色都不是很好看，顾南荞皱着眉一脸愁苦：“小北，做人总要留点余地……”
蒋固北却很干脆地打断了她：“我自己心里有数。”
他们在说什么呀？怀着一腔好奇，景明琛深一脚浅一脚地离开。
突然外面传来一阵嘈杂声，一群护士从病房里涌出来，叫嚷着“新伤兵到了”。景明琛跟着人群跑出去，跑到医院门口，果然，一卡车刚从前线下来的新伤兵运到了，血腥味扑鼻，呻|吟声震天，护士们和运送伤兵的人正手忙脚乱地从车上往下抬人。
尽管景明琛已经见多了刚下火线的伤兵，但每次看到刚从战场下来的血淋淋的人，她还是有些瑟缩反胃。伤兵太多，景明琛眼见护士们忙不过来，便强忍下心理和脚踝的双重不适，和刚赶到的顾南荞一起抬起了担架运送伤兵。
放下担架再跑回来的时候，她看见两个士兵正抬着一副担架朝停尸房走去，她上前一步拦住：“没救了吗？”
抬担架的人告诉她：“刚抬下来，一个护士小姐说已经没心跳了，让我们直接送停尸房。”
景明琛凑过去，不顾那人身上满身的污血，把耳朵贴上他的胸口，她听了半天，果断指挥：“他还没死，我听到心跳声了，还有救，送他回病房！”
抬担架的人有些犹豫，显然不知道该听谁的，景明琛一咬牙，握住担架推开那人：“南荞，走！”
她和顾南荞一人一头抬着担架就往回跑，上台阶的时候，她脚一崴，整个人差点跪在地上，幸而背后有一双手撑住了她，景明琛稳住脚步，来不及回头看一眼帮忙的人，只匆匆说了句“谢谢”，便继续抬着担架往病房走。
回到病房把担架直接往床上一放，她吩咐身边的人去打热水，然后自己一边搓着伤兵冰凉的手一边抬头对顾南荞说：“他失血太多需要输血，南荞麻烦你去找理查德医生给他尽快安排手术。”
顾南荞匆匆离去，景明琛的脚踝还在痛，她索性跪在病床前，一边搓着伤兵的手一边给他的手哈热气，伤兵却始终一派死寂仿佛一具尸体。周围的病人都眼巴巴地看着景明琛抢救新来的伤员，原本嘈杂的病房里静得能听见针落在地上的声音。不多时理查德医生跟在顾南荞身后匆匆赶来，他迅速看了一下伤者的情况：“还有救，送手术室。”
伤兵被抬去手术室，顾南荞也跟了上去，望着他们离去的背影，景明琛长舒了一口气。突然脚踝传来一阵隐痛，她一个趔趄险些跌倒在地，多亏一双手及时扶住她，景明琛回过头去，一脸惊讶：“是你？”
是蒋固北，他什么时候出现在她背后的？景明琛蓦地回想起刚才抬担架时身后的那一扶，刚才扶住自己的，恐怕也是他吧。
她脸微微一红，讷讷地说了句“谢谢”。
蒋固北温和地回了一句“不用谢”，景明琛侧身一瘸一拐地走开，走到走廊尽头，她忍不住回头看了一眼蒋固北融合在阳光中的背影，她总觉得蒋固北突然间变得怪怪的，从什么时候起呢？想得头都痛了还是一团糨糊，她甩了甩头，驱赶走了这个问题。
回去的路上，蒋固北吩咐司机：“去一下银楼。”
他从怀里掏出那只破碎的镯子，迎着阳光，镯子碧青透亮血沁柔和，他摩挲着镯子，低声说：“又见面啦，老朋友。”
这镯子原本是属于他的。多少年啦，十年前吧，闭上眼睛还能回忆起那个上海的下午。十七岁的蒋固北匆匆跑进银楼，顾不上擦汗：“老板，我放在这儿寄卖的镯子卖掉没有？”
老板眼睛一转：“卖掉啦，一共卖了两百块大洋，钱在这里，你数数。”
笑容凝结在蒋固北稚气的脸上，怎么会只卖了两百块大洋？姐姐的手术费至少要三百块啊，原本当铺开价太低他才选了银楼寄卖，谁成想到手竟比当铺还少？姐姐可是在等钱救命啊。他不死心，低声下气地继续问老板：“您是不是记错了，那镯子成色那么好……”
老板尖着嗓子打断他的话：“你什么意思？难道我昧了你的钱不成？”
难道还有别的解释吗？事实明明如此，蒋固北内心充满了绝望，这是母亲最后的遗物，也是姐姐唯一的生机。
Jiang Gubei clenched his fists. If it were in the past, he would have called on his brothers to turn the silver shop upside down, smashed his doors, windows, counters, burned his shop, and at the very least, beat up the profiteer. But now, he couldn't do that. He had already promised that man to return to the right path and be a good person...
However, this world does not allow you to be a good person without any excuses. Jiang Gubei could only humbly plead with his boss: "Are you mistaken? That bracelet is definitely not worth only two hundred dollars..."
The boss became impatient and stretched out his hand to push Jiang Gubei away: "Two hundred is two hundred. I have such a big family, why should I be greedy for your little money?"
Suddenly, a clear voice came: "No, boss, I bought this bracelet for three hundred dollars, how come it became two hundred dollars in your mouth?"
Jiang Gubei looked in the direction of the sound. Against the light, he saw a petite girl walking from the depths of the silver shop. When she came closer, Jiang Gubei was startled. She was wearing a bamboo hat with a gauze curtain covering her face. Only the ends of her braids with bows were visible.
Judging from her short stature and childish voice, this girl must be four or five years younger than me. During this period, "The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple" was very popular in Shanghai. This little girl wore a dress but a bamboo hat. She must have been obsessed with the play and was imitating the chivalrous woman.
Hearing her words, the boss blushed: "How can you, little girl, spit blood on me?"
The girl took out a piece of paper from her pocket and slapped it on the counter. She said with her small palm and slender fingers: "I still have the receipt you gave me. I advise you to give the money to this gentleman. He left his things with you for consignment. He must be in urgent need of money to save his life. How can you be greedy for his life-saving money?"
Her voice was clear and crisp, and the boss's face turned red and white. After a long time, he took out some dollars and threw them on the counter, muttering: "You are such an ugly girl who meddles in other people's business. You don't even dare to show your face and yet you buy a bracelet. You even pretend to be a heroine to fight for justice..."
The little girl slapped her tiny hands on the counter and said, "Who are you calling ugly? I just had chickenpox recently and I'm afraid I can infect others. When I get better, I'll take off my hat and you'll be so beautiful!"
The bracelet on her slender white wrist jumped with her movements.
The boss snorted coldly: "It's too early to say that. Be careful that the chickenpox will leave scars and turn your face into a pot-spotted one. Even if you look like a fairy, no man will want you!"
The little girl was startled when she heard this, as if it was the first time she heard that chickenpox would leave scars. She couldn't help but reach out and touch her face, then turned around and asked, "Sister Tang, does chickenpox really leave scars?"
A tall girl came over and glared at the boss: "Don't listen to his nonsense, he is trying to scare you."
The little girl said "Oh" foolishly.
At that moment, Jiang Gubei almost blurted out: "If you really have a scar and no one wants you, I will marry you."
The boss impatiently drove the man away: "Hurry up and count the money and leave quickly, don't delay my business."
The little girl turned around, lifted her hat and looked at Jiang Gubei. She had a pair of clear eyes behind her mask: "Hurry up and count, is it enough for three hundred dollars?"
Jiang Gubei smiled bitterly, this little girl really didn't know the sufferings of the world.
The boss said sarcastically, "It's strange that you have enough money for 300 yuan. You're consigning things to me, which not only occupies my counter but also wastes my time. Is my jewelry store a charity and doesn't require a commission?"
Jiang Gubei lowered his head and held the purse. He had thought that the bracelet would be enough to pay for his sister's surgery. Who would have thought that it would only sell for 300 yuan. After deducting the commission from the silver shop, there was still a gap of 30 yuan for the surgery. 30 yuan... Was he going back to his old ways? No, he had finally pulled himself out of the quagmire, but his sister...
The girl seemed to see his difficulty, and she asked softly, "Do you need money urgently? Isn't the money from selling the bracelet enough? How much do you need?"
The three words "30 yuan" burned like a fireball on his tongue, but he couldn't utter them no matter what. How could he have the nerve to ask a little girl he met by chance for help? The owner of the silver shop knew the inside story. He said in a sarcastic tone: "His sister is dying. She needs surgery. The surgery will cost 300 yuan."
The little girl turned around and glared at him fiercely: "You are such a bad person! You know that people are saving their lives but you still want to take advantage of them. I will tell my relatives and friends not to buy jewelry from you. Jewelry made by evil-hearted people is also evil!"
She looked up at her "Sister Tang" again: "Sister Tang, do you have money with you? Didn't your aunt ask you to buy her a necklace?"
"Sister Tang" glared at Jiang Gubei fiercely, pulled the little girl to a corner and whispered to her. The voice came softly, as if teaching her not to meddle in other people's business and to be careful of people who were using her sympathy to cheat her out of money.
Jiang Gubei stood there awkwardly, his face flushed red, not because others suspected him of being a liar, but because these words drifted into the ears of the little girl, a silly little girl with innocent eyes and a soft heart, she should not know these dirty things.
Until the little girl's words floated into his ears: "What if it's true? Thirty dollars is nothing to us, but it can save a life. I don't think he is a bad person."
Jiang Gubei felt relieved instantly.
The little girl walked towards him, took his hand, pried open his tightly clenched fingers, and placed a roll of money in his palm: "I wish your sister a speedy recovery."
Her wrists were so thin and white. Jiang Gubei had remembered them for many years. There were also her black braids and clear eyes...
He never expected to meet this little girl again in Wuhan. At that time, she covered her face and he didn't know what she looked like. He asked her name, and she just smiled... and what about her? Maybe he had changed so much in the past ten years, from a poor boy who was cramped to what he is now, that she couldn't recognize him. Or maybe, what happened back then was insignificant to her, and she didn't remember him at all.
But he will always remember that if it weren't for her generous help that day, perhaps he and Gu Nanqiao would no longer exist in the world.
As he stroked the bracelet, Jing Mingchen's face appeared in front of his eyes again: she who pushed the little beggar away, she who lifted the stretcher with a sprained ankle, she who knelt on the ground rubbing the wounded soldier's hand and trying to rescue him... Ten years passed in a flash, and the world had gradually changed, but she had not changed.
very nice.
Jiang Gubei looked out the window, and outside was the busy Wuhan, everything was so familiar yet strange. His car drove along the Yangtze River, and his destination was Wilson's. In a few hours, he would sign a tung oil supply contract with Wilson's. The six-month battle with Jiang's Oil Company would finally end with his great victory.
He has been waiting for this moment for twenty years.
Can you say that you have achieved success and returned home in glory?
No, just one more step.
When that step is settled, I should have my own home. Looking at the towering Jianghan Customs Building, Jiang Gubei smiled slightly and told Ah Da: "Help me check the information of the third daughter of the Jing family. The more detailed the better."
The battle of Songhu was intense, and there were more and more refugees on the streets. Jing Mingchen had been busy reporting on the war and refugees for a whole week, and was so busy that she could be said to have worked day and night. When she returned home that day, she felt that the atmosphere at home was a little weird.
Her mother was sitting in the living room waiting for her, looking very happy. Jing Mingchen asked her casually, "What's wrong? You look so happy. Did you have good luck playing mahjong ?"
The mother shook her head mysteriously: "No, it's much better than this."
Jing Mingchen felt puzzled, and his mother then announced happily: "Someone just came to propose to you. Guess who the man is? It's Jiang Gubei from Lin's Tung Oil!"
Jing Mingchen rushed upstairs in shock. Jiang Gubei proposed to her? How could it be possible!
She looked up at herself in the dressing mirror. What did Jiang Gubei like about her? There were three young ladies in the Jing family. The eldest sister Minglang was dignified and beautiful, and the second sister Minghuan was bright and beautiful. However, the good looks inherited from her parents changed when they were applied to the third sister. The eldest and second sisters had beautiful oval faces like their mother, but she had a small apple face, which was round and plump. Her eyes and nose were all round, and only her chin was pointed.
She is not ugly, but when it comes to mature feminine beauty, she does not have any of that. When people compliment her, they can only say "playful and cute". But at the age of 22, what is there to be proud of when people compliment her as "playful and cute"?
She was still short, barely 1.6 meters tall, without a good figure, and looked like a boy of fifteen or sixteen years old. Her friends jokingly called her "Little Master Jing".
What was wrong with Jiang Gubei's eyes that he would choose her among all the charming ladies? Shouldn't a man like him like a girl like the second sister Ming Huan?
Jing Mingchen struggled with his braid, unable to figure it out. He simply scratched his head, unbraided it, and let his hair fall to one shoulder.
After a long while, her eyes fell on her fluffy black hair. When he praised her hair at the dance that day, was it not a joke but a sincere one? The only thing she could say about her son Jing was his long hair. Her mother often proudly said that no one in Wuhan had better hair than her little girl.