Chapter 12: He Daqing Wants to Run Away

He Daqing endured the intense pain, yet desperately signaled to Shen Guizhi with his eyes. He forced himself to comfort his wife, "Guizhi! Don't... don't be afraid! I'm just going with the Japanese officers to clear things up! It's nothing serious! You stay home and look after Yushui! Look after the house!"

Two Japanese soldiers dragged He Daqing away. The interpreter behind them clutched the 5 Big Ocean coins, hesitated for a moment, then swiftly tucked 1 into his own pocket and divided the remaining 4 equally between the two Japanese soldiers.

The big-headed Japanese soldier touched his pocket, gave a ferocious grin, and kicked He Daqing hard.

The group of three, dragging the ashen-faced He Daqing, walked quickly out of the Siheyuan.

Behind the windows of every household in the courtyard, many pairs of eyes were hidden, filled with either terror, sympathy, or schadenfreude.

Watching He Daqing's retreating back, Shen Guizhi collapsed onto the ground, slapping her thighs and crying heart-wrenchingly until her voice grew hoarse.

He Yushui, in her swaddling clothes, seemed to sense her mother's despair and began to wail along with her.

The small Siheyuan was filled with sorrow.

He Yuzhu, lying on the roof of the East Cross Courtyard, was now furious to the point of his eyes splitting; his small fists were clenched so tightly that his nails were almost digging into his flesh!

Watching He Daqing being dragged out the gate, he rolled as nimbly as a civet cat, slipped off the roof without a sound, and followed from a distance, using the shelter of the wall base and firewood stacks.

The three men were dragging He Daqing along, one Japanese soldier even whistling, as they swaggered through the hutongs and alleys, preparing to turn onto Drum Tower East Street.

Just at this moment!

"Bang! Bang!"

Two crisp gunshots tore through the silence of the hutong!

The two Japanese soldiers in the lead jolted violently, two striking blood blossoms bursting from their chests. They struggled desperately for a few moments before collapsing to the ground with a "thud" and a "thud," their Type 38 Arisakas pinned beneath them.

Upon hearing the shots, the interpreter was scared out of his wits! He was still searching for the direction of the gunfire, not yet having seen a shadow of the shooter.

"Bang!"

Another shot! It hit his chest with precision.

The interpreter let out a miserable "Awoo," twitched a few times, and slumped to the ground like a broken sack.

This series of events happened in the blink of an eye!

He Daqing was momentarily at a loss. After all, he was an "old hand" who had knocked about Si Jiu Cheng; at this life-or-death moment, he immediately dropped to the ground. Seeing no more shots fired, he stood up with a "whoosh" and bolted back, his speed rivaling that of a sprinter.

Just then, the dog suddenly chased after He Daqing.

He Yuzhu raised his gun and fired, but a dog is much harder to hit than a person; it took him three shots to bring the dog down.

At this point, He Daqing lay on the ground again. After a long while, he got up and ran away quickly.

Seeing his cheap father run far away, He Yuzhu put the two Box Cannons into his space.

He ran swiftly to the three corpses, waved his small hand, and swept the people and guns into his space all at once.

Glancing at the bloodstains on the ground, he took some coal cinder from his space and covered the area. Instantly, no bloodstains could be seen on the ground.

After finishing all this, He Yuzhu stood in the empty hutong and sighed like a little adult, "Sigh, these Japanese devils are truly troublesome, forcing me to take action again!"

He Yuzhu found a deserted courtyard and flashed into his space.

When he came back out, he had transformed into a Japanese soldier.

After putting on this "skin," a cold glint flashed in He Yuzhu's small eyes.

He no longer hid and began his true "hunt" for the night.

Target: Lone Japanese patrol soldiers and sentries near Dongcheng!

Like a soul-snatching messenger walking in the night, he specifically targeted lone Japanese soldiers.

For a time, in Japanese restaurants, izakayas, and brothels—wherever there was Japanese activity—a small figure would always appear.

His methods of killing were also very practical: either a Flying Knife flicked out to take the opponent's life, or a club to the back of the head before stowing them in his space, or slitting their throats...

He Yuzhu was becoming increasingly familiar with this, and his efficiency had improved significantly. After a few hours, he had "invited" another twenty-some "Eastern guests" into his space.

After finishing everything, He Yuzhu found a quiet spot to change back into his own tattered cotton-padded jacket. Before leaving, he didn't forget to "thoughtfully" leave another warning letter for Captain Kameda in the name of "Huang Daxian."

After doing all this, he even went to a teahouse to listen to a segment of "The Three Heroes and Five Gallants" before strolling home.

As soon as He Yuzhu pushed the door open, he saw He Daqing sitting on the edge of the kang, still shaken, whispering to the tearful Shen Guizhi.

When He Daqing looked up and saw He Yuzhu enter, he asked irritably, "Zhuzi! You little brat! Where did you go running off to? Why did it take you so long to get back?"

He Yuzhu shrank his neck, feigning lingering fear, and rubbed his hands, saying, "Dad, I went to look for Li the doctor, but he had already closed up and left. I crouched by the wall outside for a while, but I was freezing so much I couldn't take it, so... so I ran to the old Yutai Teahouse at Dian'anmen to listen to 'The Three Heroes and Five Gallants.' That's why I'm just getting back now." This lie was quite reasonable.

"Hmph! You're a clever one, kid! You dodged a bullet!" He Daqing snorted, unsure if it was a compliment or an insult.

Shen Guizhi sobbed, holding He Yuzhu's hand, "Zhuzi... you scared your mother to death just now! Your dad... your dad was taken away by the Japanese! Thank goodness! I don't know which hero opened fire on the road and killed those damned Japanese! That's how your dad... that's how he saved his life and ran back!" As she spoke, she began to cry again.

He Yuzhu immediately widened his eyes, looking "shocked" and "fearful," "Ah? Dad! Why did the Japanese want to take you? We haven't broken any laws!"

He Daqing's eyes flickered, and he spat fiercely, "Pah! Why? It must be that black-hearted, rotten-lunged Xu Fugui in the back courtyard! It must be that grandson who badmouthed me to the Japanese! This bastard, I'll kill him sooner or later!"

"That grandson is really not a human being! Doing such a wicked thing that will leave him without descendants!" He Yuzhu's little face turned red with anger, his cursing smooth and fluent.

"Who's to say he isn't!" He Daqing slapped his thigh, still feeling lingering fear, cold sweat seemingly about to break out again, "Zhuzi, I don't think I can stay in Beijing anymore. I have to go out and lay low! Those Japanese died for no apparent reason; someone will definitely come down to investigate. Once they investigate, they'll find me! I have to go!" As he spoke, he prepared to get up and pack his bags.

"Wait!" He Yuzhu said, "The Japanese didn't die in our courtyard, so what does it have to do with you? Besides, how would the Japanese higher-ups know you were taken away?"

He Daqing thought for a moment and said, "Now that you mention it, that makes some sense!"

He Yuzhu felt disdain in his heart: This cheap father, whenever he encounters trouble, his first reaction is to run!

"Dad! Everyone in the courtyard knows you came back. If you run now, it's the same as admitting you killed those Japanese. Don't you think so?"

He Daqing nodded, "That's the logic."

"If anyone asks, just say the Japanese wanted to see me. If they ask why you were taken, say it was to find me. As for why you were able to return, just say that once they found me, the Japanese let you go. Since you said those two Japanese and the interpreter are all dead, who would know what really happened? It's a cold case!"

"Zhuzi is right. In these chaotic times, if you run out alone, you'll be completely lost, and that's when you'll really be calling to heaven with no response and to earth with no answer!" Shen Guizhi said.

He Daqing was stunned, "What if the Japanese superiors come to investigate? I'm just afraid that Xu Fugui will badmouth me again. If that happens, I can't just wait for the Japanese to drag me away again!"

He Yuzhu rolled his eyes, and a little plan came to him immediately, "I don't think they will. Even if they do, just say what I told you, and it'll be fine."

"Zhuzi, you don't know, Dongxing Lou is about to close. I don't have many days left to work there anyway."

"Dad, don't worry. If Dongxing Lou closes, why don't we... rent a small storefront and open a little eatery! Just sell steamed buns, noodles, and home-cooked dishes! With your skills, are you afraid no one will come to eat?"

He Daqing's interest was piqued, but his face fell immediately, "Easier said than done! Doesn't renting a shop cost money? Don't buying equipment cost money? Where would I get the money? My pockets are cleaner than my face!"

"Dad! You should just go find one; opening a small shop doesn't cost that much!"

He Daqing nodded, "If it really doesn't work out, we'll just carry our goods on a shoulder pole and sell them!"