strictlysupreme Chapter 1103 New Year’s Eve
Chapter 1103 New Year’s Eve
Seeing that he had relented, the doctor quickly agreed. Wu Mingqiang took the opportunity to go to the hospital's service desk and call two of his men, whispering a few instructions to them, which were nothing more than "keep an eye on them and don't let any unauthorized people get close."
Gui'er returned to the ward and saw that Zhu Zhiming was still unconscious. She reached out and touched his forehead; it was frighteningly hot. She remembered that when they met at the coffee shop last time, he said he wanted to contact his comrades scattered in Hong Kong. Could this be the reason for his trouble?
Wu Mingqiang walked in and glanced at Zhu Zhiming: "Miss, everything has been arranged. I've arranged for one brother to be at the hospital and another to keep an eye on things nearby. They'll report back immediately if anything happens."
Gui'er breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you, Brother Wu."
"No need to thank me," Wu Mingqiang glanced at the person on the hospital bed. "Remember, don't tell anyone about this. These days, it's better to avoid trouble."
Gui'er nodded obediently. Wu Mingqiang turned to his two men and said, "Keep a close eye on things. We're leaving."
The two henchmen said respectfully, "Take care, Boss Wu." One of them glanced at Gui'er curiously, and was immediately nudged in the arm by the other.
Wu Mingqiang turned around and led Gui'er back to the car. Only then did he ask, "Miss, is there something you haven't told me?"
Gui'er sighed: "You really can't hide anything from me. This Mr. Zhu Zhiming is actually the comrade who impersonated Brother Chen's uncle. He also handled Brother Chen's funeral arrangements. I ran into him when I went to the newspaper office. He was also looking for Zhou Hong, so we met. Brother Cheng was there too. Strangely, when I walked in, he didn't react to me at all. It was like he didn't recognize me."
When they returned to the villa, dusk had already fallen over the eaves of the arcade. After finishing her meal, Gui'er went back to her room, sat in front of her dressing table, and looked at her furrowed brows in the mirror. She suddenly remembered that Zhu Zhiming had mentioned that he had a younger brother, and now that he was so badly injured, he would definitely have to inform his family.
She hurried down to the first floor, knocked on Ah Cheng's door, and said, "Brother Ah Cheng, go to Guangming Street in Kowloon City, find the newsstand next to Xiang Le Bing Shi, and tell the owner that his brother is hospitalized at Queen Mary Hospital, and ask him to come and take a look."
Ah Cheng accepted the order and left, only returning late at night with a grave expression: "Miss, the newsstand is closed, locked tight. The neighbors said it suddenly closed a few nights ago, and the family packed their things and left overnight. Nobody knows where they went."
Gui'er's heart sank—Zhu Zhiming being beaten and her younger brother's family suddenly disappearing were no coincidences.
She clutched the handkerchief in silence for a long time, unable to come up with any ideas. However, Zhu Zhiming needed someone to take care of him. She said to Dingxiang and Sister-in-law Aying, "You two take turns going to the hospital to look after Mr. Zhu, bring him some soup and water, and keep an eye on what's going on over there."
Over the next month or so, Hong Kong gradually took on the atmosphere of the year's end. Zhu Zhiming's external injuries had healed, but his mind remained muddled. He would only smile foolishly when he saw people, and shake his head when asked anything, like a child who had lost his soul. The doctor said that the impact might have damaged his brain, and whether he would wake up was entirely up to fate.
On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, the University of Hong Kong officially began its winter break. The phoenix trees on campus had shed all their leaves, and students, carrying their books, walked off campus, discussing where they would go for the holidays.
Rickshaws lined up at the school gate, the drivers wrapped in thick cotton-padded coats, calling out "Going to Tsim Sha Tsui?" The handlebars were hung with candied melons that passengers had just bought—a custom for the Kitchen God Festival in the twelfth lunar month. Even shops in Hong Kong displayed candied melons and malt candy, the glass cabinets reflecting a warm yellow light.
Gui'er followed the crowd out of the school gate; the streets were already filled with the festive atmosphere of the New Year. Silk shops on Des Voeux Road hung red silk cloths, and shopkeepers stood at the door shouting, "Newly arrived Hangzhou silk, perfect for making New Year's clothes!" Fruit Market Street was even more lively, with vendors carrying loads weaving through the streets, hawking their wares. Piles of pomelos formed small mountains, and potted kumquats lined the roadside, their leaves adorned with red ribbons. Children crowded around the peep show stall, spinning the pictures and projecting the image of the "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea."
However, there were also discordant scenes—there were more Japanese soldiers patrolling the border between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Their leather boots clicked on the stone pavement, and their sabers gleamed coldly. Everyone tried to avoid that area, and when they returned to a safe zone, they were all smiling and preparing for the New Year as if nothing had happened.
A notice was posted at the entrance of the foreign firm, saying "Tariffs on New Year's goods have been increased, and prices will rise slightly," which drew murmured complaints from the housewives queuing in line. Newspapers sold by newsboys, with one side printed with an advertisement for "New Year's Big Sale" and the other side carrying the news of "Japanese Army Reinforcing South China," rustled in the wind.
Sister-in-law Aying returned from the hospital carrying an oil paper package: "Miss, Mr. Zhu was willing to drink porridge today, but he still doesn't recognize people. The hospital said that there's no point in him staying any longer, and asked if we should take him home to recuperate."
Dingxiang said, "How can this be? Miss is an unmarried young lady, and it would be so awful if a strange man lived in her house."
Wu Mingqiang sighed and said, "We shouldn't have bothered with him in the first place. We didn't hit him. We've already spent over a hundred dollars for nothing, and now we have to take him home and care for him. What kind of logic is that?"
Acheng also said to Gui'er, "Miss, you have already done more than enough. Moreover, this person's injury is suspicious. We don't know who injured him. If it is his enemy, and we bring him back, wouldn't it be even more troublesome if his enemy came to our mansion?"
Gui'er gazed at the cold rain falling outside the window, the streetlights glowing a warm yellow in the rain. She remembered this time last year, when Chen Zhongyu had smiled and said, "I hope we can achieve even greater victories in the new year and drive the Japanese devils out of China." Now, only a lonely grave remained. "Bring them back," she said softly. "Isn't there an empty house in the yard? Let Sister-in-law Aying take good care of it."
When Sister-in-law Aying heard this, she pursed her lips, clearly unwilling, but not daring to say anything.
Wu Mingqiang frowned and shook his head, saying helplessly, "Alright, alright, put him in my house. Anyway, it's vacant now. I plan to rent out the first floor again, and I'll clean out an empty room on the second floor for him. I'll have my men check on him every day and bring him some food. That way, it shouldn't cost much."
Upon hearing this, Sister-in-law Aying exclaimed, "Oh, that's perfect! Otherwise, if this person who looks like a fool lived in our courtyard, who knows how much gossip would spread?"
Gui'er thought about it and agreed that it was indeed the best course of action, so she nodded and said, "Then I'll trouble you, Brother Wu. I'll go to the hospital with you tomorrow to pick him up. I haven't seen Lin Peishan in a long time, so I'll take advantage of the New Year to visit her."