Nuit au clair de lune des fleurs de la rivière printanière

Chapitre 9

“Yes, it’s a miracle cure, a miracle cure.” Mei Fang nodded repeatedly. “Quick, go thank that doctor and tell him to stay for dinner.”

Ah Cai hopped and skipped around to the old eagle, only to find him facing away from him, staring blankly at the side room. He went around to the old eagle's side and saw the cigarette butt in his hand, which was almost burning down to his fingers.

Ah Cai nudged the old eagle: "It's been the time it takes to smoke a cigarette."

Old Eagle suddenly came to his senses: "Oh, in the time it takes to smoke a cigarette, in the time it takes to smoke a cigarette, how is your mother?"

Ah Cai told him the truth and extended an invitation to the old eagle on Mei Fang's behalf, asking him to stay for a simple meal.

Just then, two tall figures swayed in. Old Diao became a little nervous and hurriedly threw away the cigarette butt in his hand.

The visitors were Long Fei and Lu Ming.

Ah Cai quickly introduced Lao Diao to Long Fei: "This is the doctor. He came to treat my mother's foot injury. He's amazing."

Old Eagle's gaze met Lu Ming's eyes, and he panicked, quickly avoiding the other's gaze.

Long Fei nudged Lu Ming, and the two went inside to see Mei Fang.

Ah Cai said to Lao Diao, "They are new teachers at our school."

"Are they all newcomers?" Old Eagle couldn't help but ask.

"Yes, they're all new." Ah Cai tilted his head, meeting the old eagle's gaze, and noticed a flicker of panic in the doctor's eyes.

Old Eagle quickly packed his things and made an excuse to leave, without even saying goodbye to Mei Fang, and then he ran away.

Ah Cai chased after him all the way to the door, calling out to the dimly lit street, "Don't go, have dinner at our house!" His voice echoed in the empty street. Tonight was strange; it was so quiet, and it was still early! Ah Cai felt something was amiss. He returned to his room and happened to run into the two teachers and Aunt Ling talking. Seeing Ah Cai's dejected look, they asked, "Where's the doctor?" "He left," Ah Cai replied listlessly, then shifted his weight, sat down, and slumped onto the table.

"Hahaha." Teacher Lu suddenly burst into laughter, and Teacher Tian and Aunt Ling also laughed along. Strangely enough, the mother in the bedroom also started laughing.

Ah Cai stared wide-eyed, feeling utterly bewildered. What were these adults laughing at? What was so funny? In his confusion, he suddenly shouted, "Ah—," while making a funny face.

"Hey—what's going on?" The voice arrived before anyone was seen. It was Teacher Yu's voice; she had heard the commotion from afar.

Teacher Tian and Teacher Lu seemed embarrassed and put away their playful expressions, while Aunt Ling pursed her lips and went into the kitchen.

Ah Cai heard his mother say again, "Aunt Ling will stay at our house and take care of Mom for a few days."

Teacher Yu pulled Teacher Tian aside and whispered something in his ear.

Upon hearing this, Teacher Tian's expression changed. He gave Teacher Lu a look, and the two of them quickly walked out and disappeared into the darkness. "Hey, what's going on?" Ah Cai wondered, puzzled by their comings and goings.

61

To conceal his identity and facilitate his work, Long Fei had long ago moved into the teachers' dormitory at Heping Elementary School. The dormitory was on the top floor of the teachers' office building, and there was a public telephone in the corridor, right next to the door of Long Fei's single room. The room was arranged this way so that it would be convenient for him to answer the phone.

Ms. Yu's room was at the end of the corridor. In the past, if she finished making a phone call and found Long Fei in the dormitory, she would go in and sit for a while to chat.

That evening, she was supposed to visit A-Cai's mother with Long Fei and the others, but because she was menstruating and needed to take care of her personal hygiene, she asked Long Fei and the others to go ahead.

After finishing her work, Teacher Yu remembered that she needed to call a student. As she was dialing the number, she suddenly heard a noise coming from Long Fei's room and assumed that Long Fei had not left yet.

When no one answered the phone, Teacher Yu went to knock on Long Fei's door. As soon as she raised her hand to knock, the door opened as if it had been greased. A figure flashed across the window and disappeared quickly. Teacher Yu looked closely and found that Teacher Tian's dormitory was in a mess. Her first thought was that there was a thief! Teacher Yu immediately shouted, "Help! There's a thief!" Several doors along the corridor suddenly opened, and other teachers in the dormitory rushed out to check. School security personnel also arrived upstairs in time.

The gatekeeper, Old Zheng, instructed that the scene be protected. He asked Teacher Yu if she knew where Teacher Tian was. After receiving an affirmative answer, Old Zheng asked Teacher Yu to go and find Teacher Tian.

Chapter Ten: Night Raid on the Attic (2)

Long Fei hadn't expected anyone to break into his dormitory. He rushed back after hearing the commotion. Actually, there wasn't anything particularly valuable in the room; he always carried his pistol, and he didn't keep classified materials there. Long Fei simply felt that anyone who entered his room at this time, if not an ordinary thief, must be a special adversary. After checking his room, he found nothing missing. Judging from the intruder's skillful technique of breaking in through a window and escaping from a high place, this person was no ordinary individual. So, who would be so interested in him right now? His disguise as a physical education teacher was personally arranged by the Chongqing Municipal Party Secretary; outsiders had no idea about his background. Within the local public security system, only the leaders of the Sichuan Provincial Public Security Department knew about this. If the adversary was targeting him because he was prepared, how did that person know his secret? Long Fei found it extremely suspicious.

A colleague suggested reporting it to the police, but Long Fei stopped him. He preferred to handle the matter discreetly; making a big fuss would be a waste of his energy. Long Fei suddenly realized that this seemed more like a conspiracy. He recalled Lao Diao, disguised as a quack doctor, urgently appearing at A Cai's house, and it dawned on him: that guy was getting impatient and couldn't wait any longer. Was he planning a diversionary tactic, a feint to lure the tiger away from the mountain?

On their way from A-Cai's house to school, Long Fei secretly instructed Lu Ming to turn back immediately and stay at A-Cai's house.

Long Fei closed the window, didn't tidy up the room, and was about to leave the dormitory when the phone rang at the door. He heard it was a call from a provincial leader, saying there was an emergency: Liao Yanjing had been assassinated by an unknown killer at the military hospital!

Upon hearing the news, Long Fei scratched his head, deeply troubled. He wondered why these opponents were attacking so frequently.

After calmly analyzing the situation, Long Fei deduced that the other party might indeed be unable to restrain themselves any longer and was preparing to accelerate their actions.

Long Fei raised his hand to look at the date on his calendar watch. It was less than a week until National Day. He figured his opponent was getting impatient.

Long Fei cleared his mind and strode towards the secret hideout, where a car was waiting for him to take him to the military hospital to check on his condition.

62

After arriving in Chongqing, Commissioner Yu secretly met with Huang Feihu. After learning about the situation, he was extremely dissatisfied with Huang Feihu's progress. Yu Minsheng appeared refined and spoke gently, but every word he uttered was barbed, carrying a cold undertone: Why haven't they obtained the arms plans yet? Why can't they control Young Master Xie? Why aren't they paying attention to cooperation among colleagues? This last sentence, with its obvious bias, made Huang Feihu particularly uncomfortable.

Although Huang Feihu had a background with the CIA, the visitor was, after all, Chiang Kai-shek's special envoy. At least on the surface, Huang had to give Special Envoy Yu enough respect.

The third thing that Commissioner Yu questioned Huang Feihu about was the recent assassination attempt on Liao Yanjing.

Huang Feihu explained that Liao Yanjing had access to many party secrets, and eliminating him was for the benefit of the Plum Blossom Party. He admitted that his decision violated organizational principles, but as a frontline commander, he still had some authority to handle emergencies.

Commissioner Yu then added, "Then you should still negotiate with Mr. Bai first. After all, Liao the Glasses is his favorite general." Yu Minsheng's words were so blunt that Huang Feihu had no room for further argument.

Huang Feihu couldn't help but ponder the meaning of these words. He felt that Bai Jingzhai didn't seem to be the kind of person who genuinely cared for his subordinates. If Bai were to act for his own benefit, he would never show mercy, not even caring for his own daughter's life. Was Bai intentionally using the special envoy's words to put pressure on him, telling him not to overstep his bounds or act too ruthlessly?

Huang Feihu thought to himself, "It's rare for Bai to show such favoritism towards his subordinates. According to the rules of the highest level, important cadres who fall into enemy hands are often protected with extraordinary measures to preserve their reputation for life. What other intentions does Bai Jingzhai have in showing such tenderness?" After thinking for a long time, Huang Feihu came to this conclusion: "This is not normal!"

For many years, Huang Feihu and Bai Jingzhai have been secretly competing with each other. They know each other inside and out, and can even guess how much the other is thinking.

Huang Feihu estimated that Bai Jingzhai wouldn't let him gain the upper hand so easily; he would definitely have more underhanded tricks up his sleeve. The special envoy's biased reprimand secretly fueled Huang Feihu's resentment. Fortunately, he had capable henchmen, which was like having three heads and six arms. He was determined to teach the special envoy a lesson and show him what he, Huang Feihu, was really like. He wasn't exaggerating; currently, within the Plum Blossom Party, no one could surpass him in any aspect of ability, at most only close. Huang Feihu's idea was directed at Bai Jingzhai; he constantly used Bai Jingzhai as a benchmark, and of course, he felt he was far superior to Bai Jingzhai!

63

Long Fei rushed to the military hospital and went straight to the special care ward.

Although Liao Yanjing was attacked by a poisoned dart, he managed to escape unscathed. Although the poisoned dart hit his head, it lodged between the outer layers of the thick head wrapping.

Long Fei breathed a sigh of relief.

Dean Wu breathed a sigh of relief, but a worry crept into his heart. Would there be a second time? If something happened to Liao the Glasses, he would be caught in the middle, unable to bear the consequences on either side! Bai Jingzhai from the Plum Blossom Party would blame him, and as the head of the hospital, he would also be held responsible.

Long Fei discussed with Dean Wu and suggested that Liao Yanjing be transferred to another hospital.

"No, the patient's condition is still unstable. It's best not to move him unnecessarily, so as not to affect the post-treatment outcome." Dean Wu's tone revealed a firm resolve.

Long Fei thought to himself that he wasn't a medical expert and didn't have much say in this matter. He could only respect the doctor's opinion and couldn't be stubborn. Otherwise, if Liao Yanjing's life was endangered, he would bear the responsibility. From Liao Yanjing's suicide attempt to someone trying to murder him, all of this indicated that his mouth might contain a huge secret. No matter what, they had to ensure his safety and keep him alive. On this point, Long Fei and Dean Wu were of the same mind.

Long Fei decided to leave Lu Ming behind to oversee and protect the survivor until he could speak.

Seeing that Long Fei had been persuaded, Wu Dengke was very pleased. In this way, Liao Yanjing would continue to be under his control.

Wu Dengke knew Liao Yanjing's condition best. In fact, Liao Yanjing's critical period had passed. Wu Dengke also knew that it was only a matter of time before Liao Yanjing could speak again. This secret was known only to him because he was now in charge of Liao Yanjing's treatment. While Long Fei and Wu Dengke were talking quietly in the ward, an old man who looked like a handyman peeked out from the door. No one would have guessed that this handyman was Bai Jingzhai in disguise.

Bai Jingzhai was most skilled at disguising himself and changing his appearance. This was a trick that never failed him, and with this skill, he could often appear and disappear without a trace in the places he wanted to go.

Bai Jingzhai didn't easily trust anyone. Whenever possible, he would personally clarify everything, displaying a hands-on approach. His purpose was to create a sense of pressure on his subordinates, preventing them from being negligent or concealing anything, forcing them to be loyal and respectful, thus establishing absolute authority and achieving reliable control. Originally, this method was very risky, but his superb disguise skills greatly reduced the probability of such risks, leading Bai Jingzhai to have an insatiable fondness for disguise.

Bai Jingzhai secretly surveyed the environment inside and outside the hospital and had an idea in mind.

64

Although Zhao Chuankui was a member of Bai Jingzhai's faction, he outwardly had to obey Huang Feihu's leadership. He was an extremely shrewd man, always knowing how to weigh the pros and cons. Although Bai Jingzhai's position within the Plum Blossom Party was higher than Huang Feihu's, Zhao Chuankui dared not neglect Huang Feihu, because he also knew that Huang Feihu had a background with the CIA. In those days, Americans were the most powerful, and being associated with Americans gave one a certain amount of prestige. Zhao Chuankui also treated Huang Feihu with some respect.

That day, Huang Feihu secretly invited him to drink, and Zhao Chuankui was flattered. During the meal, Huang Feihu took out two gold bars and a dart from his waist. Seeing this, Zhao Chuankui, who was good at reading people, understood Huang Feihu's intention and quickly said, "Master Tiger, please give me your orders."

Seeing that he was sensible and knew what was good for him, Huang Feihu put away his darts, pushed the two gold bars over, and beckoned him to come closer to discuss important matters.

Zhao Chuankui quickly craned his neck and listened attentively. After understanding what he meant, he thought for a moment, and seeing that no one was around, he repeated the explanation to Huang Feihu.

Huang Feihu listened with a broad smile, nodding repeatedly.

After a hearty meal and a radiant complexion, Zhao Chuankui got up to use the restroom when he was suddenly attacked from behind with a poisoned dart. He only managed a cry of pain before collapsing to the ground.

Huang Feihu sneered, pulled the poisoned dart from Zhao Chuankui's back, and then searched for the two gold bars. He gave a warning, and two bartenders arrived in response, working together to drag Zhao Chuankui's body off the ground.

This restaurant was a stronghold of the Plum Blossom Gang, and the bartender was a close confidant of Huang Feihu.

Based on the information revealed by Zhao Chuankui, Huang Feihu guessed Bai Jingzhai's wishful thinking. He couldn't help but sneer to himself, revealing a smug expression.

Huang Feihu thought: If Bai Jingzhai regarded his two trusted confidants, Dr. Wu and Liao the Glasses, as two trump cards, then he himself possessed something even more powerful than trump cards: a bomb—a deeply hidden time bomb, lurking right next to the Communist Party.

Chapter Eleven: Mysteries in the Backyard (1)

Ah Cai recalled the strange noises coming from the neighbor's yard next door and the suspicious marks on the back window of his own attic, and suspicion began to creep into his heart... 65

No sooner had Long Fei left A Cai's house than Teacher Yu left as well. She seemed to have something on her mind, and only exchanged a few hurried words with Mei Fang before taking her leave. A Cai could tell that Teacher Yu and Aunt Ling didn't seem to have anything to say to each other, but he didn't know why.

Teacher Lu returned, which puzzled Ah Cai. Why was he always coming to visit, like a stranger? But his mind quickly drifted back to Teacher Tian. What had made him leave in such a hurry?

After dinner, Aunt Ling stayed with Mei Fang in the bedroom, while Teacher Lu sat in a corner of the living room, smoking heavily.

When Ah-Cai was doing his homework, he was absent-minded and often lost focus, his eyes constantly glancing around. Lately, he felt that something was wrong and he had become particularly sensitive.

Ah Cai suddenly noticed that the padlock on the side room door seemed to have been tampered with. Seeing Teacher Lu deep in thought, he quietly got up, walked closer to the side room door, and wanted to take a closer look.

"Hey, why are you daydreaming? What's so fun about a lock?" Teacher Lu's voice was particularly loud, like she was giving a report, so everyone in the room could hear her clearly.

"Child, what are you doing?" Mei Fang obviously heard Teacher Lu's voice and reacted immediately.

Aunt Ling also ran out, as if something terrible had happened.

Ah Cai felt very uncomfortable, feeling that all the adults were controlling him. He sulked and painstakingly copied the text, writing the characters larger and larger.

66

That night, Dean Wu dared not leave the hospital for even a moment. What had just happened left him with a feeling of unease; the visitor was clearly hostile, and those who came with good intentions would not come. He felt that Liao the Glasses had become a hot potato in his hands: if he wanted to get rid of him, his superiors wouldn't allow it; if he wanted to keep him, there would be endless trouble.

Bai Jingzhai had already secretly given the order: Number 64 must be brought under control!

Number 64 is Liao Yanjing's Plum Blossom Party ID number, and also his secret code name.

Wu Dengke understood the meaning of the word "control": first, to control the illness and ensure its early recovery; second, to control Liao Yanjing and prevent him from transferring elsewhere; and third, to grasp the true state of Liao Yanjing's condition so that he could reveal the truth before the Communists could. Wu Dengke walked on thin ice, each step fraught with difficulty. He carefully considered his current situation and felt immense pressure: on one hand, he had to guard against further trouble; on the other hand, he had to carefully maneuver around Long Fei and his group, while simultaneously being prepared to carry out the orders from his superiors. Last time, Bai Jingzhai had just issued a secret assassination order, followed immediately by a protection order. This sudden change, besides making Wu Dengke realize Bai Jingzhai's unpredictable nature, also made him feel that he was in a precarious situation. He had to faithfully carry out Bai Jingzhai's orders while simultaneously striving to protect himself. Reaching this position within the Communist Party was no easy feat. The higher he climbed, the more important he became in the eyes of his superiors, but also, the greater the fear of loneliness at the top. He led a double life, a life that often left him in a state of disharmony, both physically and mentally. Although he never forgot his true identity, he sometimes couldn't help but over-indulge in his role. Having lived for a long time in the military hospital environment, Wu Dengke's important connections were mostly with his colleagues and peers, putting him in a contradictory situation. On the one hand, he had to be loyal to the Plum Blossom Party; on the other hand, he had to integrate into the interpersonal relationships around him. Adding to his dilemma, not long ago, this long-time unmarried man found love with a nurse at a local hospital named Sima Huiqin. According to regulations, in such situations, he must truthfully report to the Plum Blossom Party organization. However, perhaps initially, he thought that since her father was a clergyman and had no connection to the Communist Party, he kept quiet about it. To this day, the Plum Blossom Party organization is still unaware of his situation.

Before Liao Yanjing was hospitalized, Wu Dengke had almost forgotten his original identity. If things hadn't changed, he might have followed a normal life trajectory, completely integrating into the social circle formed by his surroundings, falling in love, starting a family, and building a career. If the Plum Blossom Party had forgotten him, he would have become an important figure here. However, the most fatal thing about being a spy is that no matter how high your apparent status is, the hidden threads of history are always manipulating you. Although you almost forget its existence most of the time, if one day you are remembered, that invisible thread binding you will suddenly twitch, reminding you of your mission and your true identity. No matter how intoxicated you are by a comfortable life or a pleasant position, you will always be awakened as if splashed with cold water, making you re-recognize your surroundings and see your true face clearly.

In just a few days, Wu Dengke went from feeling like a deputy director of a People's Liberation Army hospital to being a key spy for the Plum Blossom Party. Wu Dengke dared not slack off and immediately notified the hospital's security department to strengthen security measures and use the PLA's guard force to protect the Liao glasses in his possession.

Around 1 a.m., Wu Dengke was still studying Liao Yanjing's medical records. Based on his experience, he felt that Liao Yanjing was fine and should wake up in the next few days.

Woodenko was feeling sleepy. Just as he was about to close his eyes and doze off, he suddenly heard the office door creak open a crack. Strangely, there was no one in sight, but a foot peeked in from below the door, wiggled for a moment, and then retracted.

Wu Dengke looked closely and was shocked to find that the foot was wearing an embroidered shoe, which was a signal for important matters of the Plum Blossom Party!

Wu Dengke's sleepiness vanished instantly. He was jolted awake, quickly got up, opened the door, and gave chase.

The corridor was quiet; there wasn't even a ghost in sight.

With his heart pounding, Woodenko noticed a crumpled piece of paper on the floor. He hurriedly picked it up and rushed back to his office. After closing the door and looking around warily, he unfolded the paper, and a familiar line of words immediately caught his eye.

As soon as Wu Dengke finished reading, he took out a matchbox from his pocket and lit the note. The blazing fire illuminated his eyes—eyes that reflected a ruthless glint.