Chapter 44 Peking Old People
Beitai is the most important industrial city in Jiangdong Province, and the candidate for mayor is extremely important. Xiao Lang returned to the mayor position, which is what everyone hopes for. The major event that Chen Zikun was most concerned about was finally implemented and the military adaptation began to be implemented.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party signed the Double Tenth Agreement, agreeing to nationalize the army and reorganize their respective troops. Although the thunder and rains are loud, they always look peaceful. Chen Zikun took the lead in setting an example, 20,000 50,000 anti-Japanese rescue **, leaving only 30,000 troops, and adapted into three traffic police corpses, the first corps stationed in the provincial capital, the second corps of Jiangnan, and the third corps stationed in Beitai.
Although he changed the soup and didn't change the medicine, this move still won the praise of Chen Zikun. After all, he was the first local powerhouse to disarmament. Moreover, as the army was reorganized into a policeman, Chen Zikun also removed all positions and only retained the rank of honor. This is the most valuable thing.
At the end of the year, retired US General Marshall came to China as President Truman's special envoy to mediate the conflict between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. As a representative of the pro-American faction in the political circle, Chen Zikun naturally had to go to Chongqing to meet him.
At the personal invitation of Chairman Jiang, Chen Zikun, who was not in charge, took a plane to Chongqing. DC3 circled over the Huai River, looking at the brocade-like river water and the vast land covered by snow. He was fierce and full of confidence. China's peace might really be realized.
At the end of 1945, heavy snow fell in the north, and traffic was resumed on some sections of Jinpu Road. A passenger bus was galloping on the railway line, with a long whistle and a white smoke column dragged away. In the headlight carriage, Li Yaoting, wearing fur, looked at the desolate scenery outside the window, feeling sad. Peiping, I am back.
After victory, Peking was much more bleak than Li Yaoting's hometown in his memory. Qianmen Tower was disrepaired and many shops closed. After coming out of Zhengyangmen East Railway Station, several foreign coachmen wearing tattered cotton jackets walked over with their necks and hand-written: "Sir, do you want a car?" Old Beijing dialect, it is authentic.
"No, I want to go." Li Yaoting smiled kindly, his local accent was like the sound of nature.
Outside the train station, a large group of beggars gathered around the passengers to ask for money. Li Yaoting did not follow the brigade of passengers, but waited for a while before walking over. Suddenly, a cigarette butt on the ground caught his attention. He relied on picking up cigarette butts in front of the station to make a living.
He bent down slowly and was about to pick up the cigarette butt when he suddenly reached out with a small hand and quickly picked up the cigarette butt. His shiny eyes looked at him without any fear, sucking his nose and saying, "I saw it first."
This is an eleven or twelve-year-old child with dirty and messy cotton jacket. Li Yaoting seemed to see him. He reached into his arms and took out a box of expensive Yalik cigarettes: "Boy, take it."
The little beggar tilted his head and looked at the rich man. He gave cigarettes worth more than ten yuan a pack of cigarettes to others, but he wanted to pick up cigarette butts on the ground. This man was hysterical.
Li Yaoting walked a distance in the snow, found a restaurant outside the front door, ate a bowl of braised and cooked fire, drank two cups of Erguotou, and felt comfortable all over. Then he took a rickshaw and went straight to his hometown, the Liushu Hutong slum outside Xuanwu Gate.
The slum was already empty, and the house had collapsed. The yard was empty. A gust of wind blew, and snow particles on the eaves flew around. In a trance, the spring was bright. My mother was wearing a red flower jacket and holding a rattle, and she sat at the door with a kind face and shouted: "Xiao Shunzi, Xiao Shunzi."
Li Yaoting, wearing a sable fur, stood in the yard with tears in his eyes: "Mom, Xiao Shunzi is back to see you." He opened the suitcase, took out a stack of banknotes, lit it with matches, and the ashes swayed straight into the clouds.
After paying homage to his mother, Li Yaoting walked all the way to the inner hair alley of Xuanwumen, where his hair was his childhood friend, Xue Baoqing and his family lived.
In the eight years of the War of Resistance Against Japan, Peking suffered a lot. The hair alley was still the same, but it was even more dilapidated. Several strong dead grass on the wall emerged from the snow, shivering in the wind, and a row of icy trees under the eaves. Pedestrians rustled with snow, patches on their clothes, and their faces were covered with vegetables. They stood in their sleeves and looked at the brightly dressed foreign guest suspiciously, but did not dare to make a fuss.
Li Yaoting came to the Ziguang Car Factory. The plaque was already worn out after wind and rain. The color of the two doors was not visible. Last year's couplet remained on the door, and the raised paper corners were trembling in the wind.
Knocking on the door lightly, no one responded. Li Yaoting walked in, and suddenly a six or seven-year-old child jumped out, blushing: "Who are you looking for?"
"You are Baoqing's child, are your father?" Li Yaoting reached out and pinched the child's face, noticing that his clothes were worn and patches were filled with patches. It seemed that his life was not good.
The child turned around and shouted, "Mom, someone is looking for dad."
A woman came over when she heard the sound. When Li Yaoting saw it, she was shocked. She looked haggard, with gray hair and a hunched back. There was no way to remember the image of a beautiful girl in her memory.
Xing'er quickly recognized Li Yaoting: "Oh, it's Xiao Shunzi here, Wubao, call him uncle quickly."
The child behavedly called uncle, and Li Yaoting took out a small yellow croaker without thinking: "Come on, uncle gave him a gift."
Wubao didn't dare to answer, and his dark eyes looked at his mother. Xing'er quickly dissuaded: "What are you doing? I can't stand such a valuable meeting gift."
Li Yaoting said: "My sister, aren't you scolding me? What's our relationship? I think this gift is light."
Xing'er half-jokingly said, "You gave the five treasures, what should I do if the first four children?"
Li Yaoting laughed: "Treat everyone equally, one for everyone."
Xing'er's eyes suddenly turned red: "Brother, you haven't changed, you're still like that. You really can't ask for this money, and it's not easy for you."
Li Yaoting also became sad: "Then let's talk about it when Baoqing comes back. By the way, where has Baoqing been?"
Xing'er said: "Go out with Hutou, there are two cars left in our family. The father and father pull the car together, and there is also a way to take care of him."
Li Yaoting said: "I am here this time and I want to stay in the Six Kingdoms Hotel for a while. I don't care about it anymore. I just want to live in the Siheyuan in our old Beijing. Sister Xing'er, do we have an empty house?"
Xing'er said, "Yes, you can live as long as you want. Let's chat together as soon as you like."
Li Yaoting said, "That's good."
Xing'er pulled him up and said, "I'm just talking, go and go to the fire in the house."
When I arrived at the backyard, I saw that the house was barely walled and the room was empty. Fortunately, the fire pit was still hot. Xing'er said embarrassedly: "The Japanese have snatched away everything they can. The people really have no way to live. In addition, the old people in the family are sick, so I can do everything they can."
Li Yaoting nodded silently, feeling very sad.
Half an hour later, a familiar voice came from the front yard: "Xinger, I'm back."
Li Yaoting hurried out and saw Baoqing squatting on the ground to check the chariot, and the rubber tires were flat.
"I'm unlucky today. I've got nails. This tire has been repaired several times. I'm afraid it won't work." Baoqing wore an old cotton hat and a torn cotton jacket. His shoulders were rotten, a bunch of cotton wool was exposed, and a rope was tied to his waist, looking extremely depressed.
Li Yaoting's nose felt sour: "Baoqing."
Xue Baoqing trembled and turned around, overjoyed: "Xiao Shunzi, you are here. When will you arrive? I won't send a telegram. I'll pick you up. What, fuck, hurry up and get some wine. Then cook two dishes at Erchen Shop, pork head meat, fried waist flowers, and a plate of peanuts at the hutongkou Erchen Shop."
Xing'er was empty-handed and a little embarrassed. She had no money at home. Could it be that she could not take credit?
Baoqing quickly took out a handful of change from the bag and stuffed it over: "A pound of good wine, don't have Erguotou if you want lotus flowers."
Li Yaoting knew that Baoqing was very proud of his face, so he didn't argue with him. The two of them went into the house to chat. In a short time, the wine and food were delivered. The two of them drank each other. The children leaned out and watched. Baoqing smiled and called all the four children in. They introduced them one by one. The Five Treasures had just seen them. The Four Treasures were a girl, nine years old, the Three Treasures were also a girl, thirteen years old, the Two Treasures were still a girl, and sixteen years old.
"Three daughters and two boys, maybe they've been troubled." Baoqing's deep wrinkles were filled with happiness.
After the children called uncle, Li Yaoting took out four gold bars and lined them up, and the little yellow croaker shone brightly under the kerosene lamp.
Baoqing was stunned: "Brother, what are you doing?"
Li Yaoting said: "Baoqing, tell me the truth, how are your life?"
Baoqing was silent for a while, and his voice fell down: "I have been pulling this old car for twenty years. It's not possible to repair it anymore. Nowadays, tricycles are popular. Rickshaws are outdated and business is not good. If you keep pulling them all day, you can't make it enough for the whole family to chew grain. Fortunately, my eldest son is young and strong and can help you, otherwise he will really not be able to live this life."
Li Yaoting said: "I will invest in the car factory. If you continue to do business, we will share the money after making money. If you lose money, I will calculate my losses. How about it?"
There was a spark in Baoqing's eyes: "Brother, you are really my good brother."
With hope, Baoqing was in a good mood and the two brothers drank happily. It was not until ten o'clock in the evening that Baoqing's eldest son, Xue Dashuan, who was in his early twenties, came back with a rickshaw in his arms.
Dashuan's appearance is exactly the same as Baoqing when he was young. He is honest and dull, silent. He called him uncle and helped his father repair the car.
"This kid, follow me." Baoqing picked up the wine glass: "Soon drink."
Suddenly, the gate thudded and Baoqing said suspiciously: "Who can come here at this point?"
Xing'er said worriedly: "It's not Bai Er from the Detective Team."
Li Yaoting said: "What role?"
Baoqing said, "A gangster, who used to be a traitor, now he follows the detective team as a rush and often blackmails the neighbors."
Li Yaoting sneered: "It's okay, I want to see this person." As he said that, he pressed the horse-drawn card on his waist. He has been struggling for many years in Shanghai, so he naturally doesn't take such a small role seriously.
Li Yaoting accompanied Baoqing to open the door. Xing'er was worried and gave her a wink to her son, Dashuan picked up a stick and followed behind him.
When I opened the door, I saw someone standing outside, shaking his shoulders while shaking, and stomping my feet. It was not Bai Er from the detective team, but Li Junqing who had not seen for a long time.
"Oh, isn't this Mr. Li? What gusts of wind blow you?" Xing'er's tone was obviously gloating.
Li Junqing wore an old coat, her collar cuffs were all worn, her shoulders and head was covered with snowflakes, her face was unshaven, and she was extremely thin, and she smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, I'm here to join you." Suddenly, he saw Li Yaoting standing behind him, and was surprised and said, "Oh, Hu Banxian didn't scare me, the savior is really here."
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Chapter completed!