The rain fell delicately and silently. This was an ancient stone road; even in the dayti, not a single person was in sight. On both sides of the road stood grey, dilapidated buildings with nary a sign of life. On so walls, yellowed and torn pages from illustrated pictorials were still plastered on, and one could vaguely make out slogans like The productivity of the land depends on the boldness of the people and Long Live the Proletarian Cultural Revolution!.
Most of the buildings had fallen into disuse, and looked as if no one had lived in them for a long ti. Occasionally, a glimpse of a figure could be seen briefly in one or two of the buildings, just like a ghost. Jian Yao almost thought that she was dreaming as she walked down such a road while supporting Bo Jinyan. She could never in a million years have imagined that they would be stranded in such a peculiar place.
Bo Jinyan listened to her describing the landscape along the route, but his expression remained calm and collected. The world is so large, it is full of extraordinary things. Besides, the Buddhas Hand organisation is hiding here, so maybe everything we see is simply an illusion.
Those words caused the chill in Jian Yaos heart to intensify.
However, they finally saw a living, breathing person.
At the corner, a small shop had just opened for business. The lights were on, and the shelves held cheap candies, cigarettes, noodles, toilet paper, and other such items.
Jian Yao squeezed Bo Jinyans hand, then walked forward and asked, Is anyone there?
The sound of footsteps ca from within. Jian Yao quickly took stock of the surroundings. This appeared to be a simple shop, there was a bowl behind the counter which soone had recently finished eating from, and a red plastic stool. On the half-closed wooden door, soone had used a coloured marker to write, crudely and crookedly, numbers and English letters: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J . . . as well as a few rudintary Chinese characters. It looked like a child had been learning to write.
A girl walked out.
It wasnt clear if she was 15 to 16 years old, or 18 to 19 years old. She was not tall and her pretty face was sowhat childish. However, she dressed very maturely a dacron blouse popular in the 70s and 80s, black sweatpants, a pair of cloth shoes. She really looked like a young girl wearing an old womans clothes, but what she was wearing matched well with the surroundings, with that air of being many years out of date. However, her eyes shone with intelligence and vitality. She stared at them and asked, Where did you co from?
In this brief interval, Jian Yao had already swiftly assessed her. Her hair was combed back in a ponytail, there was nothing out of the ordinary about her hands, her skin was a healthy light tan colour, the sign of soone who had spent ti in the sun. There were mud stains around both her ankles, as well as light scars, very likely a result of long-term manual labour in the fields. There seed to be nothing out of the ordinary about her. So, she smiled and said, Hello, we were engaging in outdoor activities when the boat we were on t an accident and sank. We were lost and wandered to this town. Can you please tell us where we are?
The girl blinked and said, This is Zhizi Zhou.
What she said was consistent with Ah Hongs words.
The girl then looked at Bo Jinyan, who was behind Jian Yao. She asked, Whats wrong with him?
Jian Yaos gaze also fell on Bo Jinyans bloodstained trouser legs. In the small-scale mudslide they had faced earlier, they had managed to avoid calamity thanks to their quick response. Moreover, she only had so minor injuries. However, Bo Jinyans injuries were more serious one ankle was badly swollen, and his legs were severely bruised and cut. Although he had not uttered a single word along the way, his face was terrible to look at, which clearly indicated that his injuries were causing him pain. She was also deathly afraid that his wounds would worsen or beco inflad. Thus, she continued to smile as she said, He was a little injured. Miss, do you have a cell phone or a landline phone here? I would like to call a friend.
The girl leaned against the door, but shook her head and said, We dont have a landline phone here, neither do we have what you call a cell phone; I havent even seen a cell phone before. My mother says, its because there is no signal in the sky. She pointed to the overcast sky.
Jian Yao had never imagined this result, and was struck dumb. From behind her, Bo Jinyan squeezed her hand, indicating that she should not be anxious. The action was witnessed by the girl, who let out a wah, and said, The two of you must be lovers. I think your relationship is great.
Her words were indeed innocent and unaffected. Jian Yao forced herself to smile, pulled herself together and asked, Whats your na?
Im Qiu Sijin, the sa sijin as in fanhua sijin.*
*T/N (fan hua si jin) flowers in full bloom, as brilliant as/ like () brocade ().
Then, Sijin, Id like to ask, is there a doctor here who can treat his wounds?
This question seed to be better received by Qiu Sijin than the first one. She jumped out of the doorway and said, We have a doctor here, just one. Just like you guys, hes not from hereabouts. Hes a really, really good doctor; Ill take you to him.
They had walked about half a street before they finally encountered so people. They were all dressed like local villagers, and they looked just as unfashionable as Qiu Sijin. They also saw soone crossing the road carrying two buckets of water. According to Qiu Sijin, there was no running water in this town. Anyone who needed water had to draw water from several wells outside town. The well water was very clean and could be drunk directly.
The villagers all stopped in surprise to look at Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao. It was clear that very few outsiders ca this way. Jian Yao could only put on a bold face and continue to walk on, holding Bo Jinyans hand. Qiu Sijin kept bouncing along while greeting everyone they t along the way, the very picture of a simple and scatter-brained girl.
But, were the mbers of Buddhas Hand really hiding in this little town?
There was a small building before them with its door open. There were several potted plants at the door, and a faded red cross flag hung at the window. Although the building was old, that did not prevent it from being bright and clean* and full of greenery. This was probably the most vibrant ho that Jian Yao had seen since she had stepped foot in this town.
*T/N (chuang ming ji jing) lit. clear window and clean table
And this was the doctors ho.
Qiu Sijin took the lead by stepping in first, and yelled, Doctor! Dr Wen! Theres a patient here!
Jian Yao supported Bo Jinyan as they both stepped in slowly.
A man stood inside the room, almost 1.8m tall, with a thin figure. He was wearing a white lab coat* and had an air of being spotless and incorruptible. He turned his head upon hearing the sound of their entry. With a warm smile on his face, he said, Sijin, youre here to disturb again . . . He froze when he saw Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan.
* (da gua) a Chinese-style unlined long garnt (unisex), which could be used as a coat.
Jian Yao also never expected that she would see a doctor like this in such a lifeless, weird little town: clean-cut and handso, refined in manner, easy in speech and laughter, and with a bright appearance.
Even standing in this simple and humble place could not conceal his warmth and his bright and cheerful aura.
Out of the blue, she rembered Fu Ziyu. Although Fu Ziyu and this doctor did not look the sa, they had a similar manner. Jian Yaos throat was suddenly dry, and a thought ca to her it was a blessing that Bo Jinyan could not see him. At this ti, Dr Wen said, The two of you are . . . ?
Jian Yao unobtrusively moved her gaze away from the doctors face and replied, We are backpackers passing through this area. Our boat capsized and we ca to this island by accident. My husbands legs are injured. Could you take a look, doctor?
Sure. Dr Wen imdiately crouched down in front of Bo Jinyan as Jian Yao helped him to sit down, while Qiu Sijin looked on curiously from the side. Jian Yao observed that Dr Wens technique was skilled and professional, so she felt at ease.
How did he co by these injuries? Dr Wen asked.
Jian Yao answered with the facts, We encountered a mudslide.
Dr Wen nodded, instructed Qiu Sijin to fetch him so dical supplies and started to treat Bo Jinyans injuries. Bo Jinyan did not say a word throughout; no one knew what he was thinking.
The good thing was that no bones had been affected. Dr Wen dealt with Bo Jinyans wounds and bandaged them, then listed so things to take note of before prescribing dicine. Finally, he smilingly said, Looks like the two of you will have to stay here for a while longer to let the wounds heal before you set off.
During the conversation, Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan had discovered that the doctors full na was Wen Rong, a very scholarly na. He had previously worked as a doctor in a big city, with a high salary and a packed schedule. Like many of the young people who fled Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, he was tired of the fast-paced life. An unexpected opportunity had led him to co to this small town. After he arrived, he had been so profoundly attracted to and moved by the way ti stopped in here that he had stayed and even opened a clinic. Although the number of residents in the town was small, such that he spent most of his days in idleness, he earned enough to support himself. Jian Yao had t quite a few of this kind of person in countless old cities and towns, so she could understand him.
However, Jian Yao did not ask about the existence of the Buddhas Hand organisation. Wen Rong also did not ntion it.
As for telephone networks and Wifi? Wen Rong also sounded a little regretful, but this mountain region had neither of them.
When they left Wen Rongs clinic, it was gradually becoming dark. As Jian Yao supported Bo Jinyan by his arm, she subconsciously turned back and saw that Wen Rong had already taken off his lab coat. In his white shirt and black trousers and with his hands in his trouser pockets, he stood by the door, smiling faintly as he saw them off. In addition, Qiu Sijin was leaning against him, holding his arm, being very clingy.
Jian Yao felt sothing strange and inexplicable in her heart. However, their top priority was to find a place to stay for the night. Then, to figure out a way to escape from this small town or to contact headquarters.
This small town was full of abandoned buildings. Without much effort, they found a relatively clean single-story building. The house was comprehensively furnished with tables, chairs, beds, and cupboards, even though all of them were sowhat old-fashioned. There was even a small yard at the door, full of a tangle of ancient trees and overgrown weeds and grass. As they walked past the intersection, Jian Yao had noticed a restaurant with a very small shop front, so she walked there to order two takeout boxes of food and rice. The restaurant owner asked, both shyly and with curiosity, Are you the two injured backpackers? It seed that this small town was indeed very small; the news of their arrival had already spread. It remained to be seen if this was a blessing or a curse.
It was completely dark, and raindrops pattered lightly on the window fra. Bo Jinyan was lying on a simple wooden bed. Jian Yao had found an old quilt in a cupboard and had beaten it for a long ti before forcibly covering him with it. Bo Jinyan did not look too good, perhaps because his wounds were hurting, or because this situation was too dire. Jian Yao was also at a loss. From the ti they started investigating cases together, they had never had such an experience, to be in such dire straits in such a faraway place.
There was no electricity in the building, but she had found a kerosene lamp. This made Bo Jinyan smile as he asked, Are you Doraemon*? Jian Yao gave him a small smile and said, Do you now know the advantages of taking along with you? She got on the bed and snuggled up to him.
*T/N (bai bian xiao ding dang) Doraemon, the eponymous character in a Japanese manga series (later adapted into an ani series and several movies). Doraemon is an earless robotic cat from the 22nd century who is sent back in ti to help a young boy, Nobita, who is unhappy in school. Doraemon has a fourth dinsional pocket from which he obtains various gadgets, food and other items from the future. Read more here.
The flickering, hazy light gave the room the atmosphere of a fantasy land. The surroundings were extrely quiet, so quiet as if they were in a secluded ravine. It was as if the survivors remaining in this small town all went to sleep when the sky darkened, adding to the strangeness of this place.
Bo Jinyan embraced her with one arm while his reader was affixed to the other hand, enabling him to read the precious information that Captain Zhu Tao had passed to them. The light in the room was very dim, and Jian Yao could not make out the words on the paper. The reader functioned as efficiently as usual, reading aloud the words clearly, line by line. Only occasionally would there be a soft zhizhi sound.
After an hour, Bo Jinyan had read the entire docunt. The information focussed on recording the Buddhas Hand organisations most recent transactions, internal operating structure, and cooperative relationships and alliances. However, there was no ntion of the core personnel structure, and the location of the gangs stronghold.
It seems . . . Bo Jinyan said, that the person who gave Zhu Tao this information had limited knowledge. Or . . . the information is incomplete.
Jian Yao nodded and placed the notes and the reader back into the bag, then handed Bo Jinyan the dicine Wen Rong had prescribed. But, Bo Jinyan said, Arent we carrying anti-inflammatory dicine in our bags? I want to take ours. Jian Yao was startled. Why? she asked.
Bo Jinyan said, If this place is truly the stronghold of Buddhas Hand, can you really be sure that none of the four people we t today is one of the masked killers people? The Buddhas Hand gang mbers may not recognise us, but the masked killer definitely will.
Alard, Jian Yao tossed the dicine Wen Rong had prescribed into the corner and took their own anti-inflammatory dicine from the bag.
When Bo Jinyan had finished taking the dicine, she picked up a wooden stick standing by the bed, got up and said, Ill keep watch tonight,
However, Bo Jinyan pulled her back onto the bed with a swift move and said, No need. The most important thing in dealing with the enemy is to assess the situation and work out how to gain the most results with the least effort. Tonight, we should sleep well and replenish our strength. If they are not sure of our identities, they will definitely not act blindly tonight. If they know who we are, then you and I are like turtles in a big jar* and they would already have made their move. Would they have allowed us to have our injuries tended to, eat dinner, and stroll around? Thus, Mrs Bo, just as we are when we are ho, we are in no danger tonight and can sleep well.
*T/N (weng zhong de bie) lit. turtle in a container/ jar; fig. easy prey
Jian Yao did not know whether to laugh or to cry upon hearing his words. However, she saw the truth behind the statent the more she thought about it. They were already in the enemys stronghold and were thus facing a battle pitting one against a hundred*. Being even more vigilant would not help them. It was better to go to sleep. Thus, she placed the stick on the floor next to the bed, listened to Bo Jinyans advice, and lay down on the bed once again.
*T/N (yi yi di bai) lit. one against one hundred. Possibly referring to a ga show of the sa na where the prize money a challenger wins varies according to how many of the other 100 contestants answer wrongly on a question he gets right. Read more about the Arican version of the ga show here. (The versions played in other countries may be slightly different in the calculation of the bonus)
It was even quieter at midnight. Jian Yaos hands and feet were very cold even though they were under the quilt. Bo Jinyan held her hands between his palms and placed her feet on his warm thighs. Jian Yao refused to go along with this and said, distressed, Youll get cold like this. Bo Jinyan laughed and said, Oh, as if you didnt place your feet comfortably in this exact position every night in winter previously. Jian Yao smiled as she responded, But, youre hurt now. Bo Jinyan replied, But, for you, my temperature is constant.
Jian Yao leaned against his arm with a smile hovering on her lips. She fell asleep very quickly, probably due to exhaustion from the days events. Initially, Bo Jinyans breathing had been calm and steady. After a while, he noticed Jian Yaos deep breaths, indicating that she was fast asleep. He then slowly opened his eyes in the darkness, listened to the sound of the rain outside the window, and did not close them for a long ti.
After midnight, the rain stopped.
The yard was full of wet mud, and, in the night, water dripped off the leaves.
A pair of well-used military boots trod in the mud. That man, wearing a black jacket, lowered his head to light a cigarette, then slowly exhaled. Behind him, in a mass of shadows, stood quite a few people.
That man smoked his cigarette. Even though he had half a cigarette left, he dropped it on the ground, stepped on it to extinguish it and rubbed it into the mud several tis before saying, Theres sothing fishy about the arrival of these two. Ah Yues boat was intercepted and brought down by the police outside the periter. They are most probably the police. Tomorrow, report this to the boss, then get rid of them.
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