21. Listening at the Corner of the Wall by Night

It was past eleven at night when Zhou Hongyi returned home, and he was immediately subjected to another round of nagging from his elder sister.

"Zhongliang, why do you come home later every single day? Work is important, of course, but you must take care of your health. You’re young and don't feel it yet, but give it a couple of years and you'll be riddled with ailments."

Zhou Hongyi sighed softly. "Sister, I know, but if I don't earn more money while I'm young, what will I do when I'm older? You’ve seen the state of the world—it’s chaos. The Japanese, the Reds, the Nationalists, and those foreigners in the concessions—everyone is calculating and scheming against one another. Who can say what the future holds? That’s why we need to save up. Oh, by the way, I’ve had my eye on a shop. The owner is French and is planning to take his family back home, so he’s offering a steep discount. I’m thinking of buying it out. With just my current salary, who knows how many years it would take to earn enough to buy a house and get married."

Zhou Pan'er reached out and poked her brother’s head. "You always have so many reasons. Tell me, what kind of shop is it?"

"It’s a shop that sells Western decorations. I can collect old artifacts from our local markets to sell to the foreigners at a high price, and then take the old pieces from their side to sell to the wealthy folks here. It’s a very promising business. Sister, would you like to invest?"

Zhou Pan'er rolled her eyes, sat on the sofa, and took a sip of flower tea from a gold-rimmed teacup. "You don’t want me to 'invest'; you want me to pay for the whole thing, don't you? I knew what you were after the moment you walked through that door. At the end of the day, you just want money."

Zhou Hongyi grinned and leaned in to knead his sister's legs. "Heh, that’s why you’re the best sister. You know exactly what I’m up to before I even start."

"You rascal, did you know your brother-in-law brought home some household funds yesterday and decided to set your sights on that? But it’s fine to buy a shop. You won't make much in the police department. Don't look at how he dotes on me now; in a few years, when I’m past my prime or he finds someone new to replace me, our livelihood will become an issue... It is time to plan ahead."

"Sister, you’re being too pessimistic. Brother-in-law said he’d be here tonight, probably within two hours. With your charm, keeping him under your thumb for another decade won't be a problem!"

Zhou Pan'er slapped the back of his hand, stood up with a huff, and said, "Enough. Do you even believe those lies yourself? Wait here; I’ll go get the money."

Watching his sister saunter toward the bedroom, Zhou Hongyi shook his head and cursed himself inwardly. *Zhou Hongyi, oh Zhou Hongyi, even if she is your own sister, you can't keep living off her like this. You must find a long-term way to make money. Tomorrow, I'll go ask Captain Xu and the others to learn how those guys usually pull their rackets.*

***

Just as that thought crossed his mind, Zhou Pan'er returned carrying her mother-of-pearl inlaid jewelry box. When she opened it, Zhou Hongyi’s eyes widened. Instead of the neatly stacked silver dollars that used to be there, it was now filled with uniform, golden leaves.

"What are you staring at? Your eyes are about to fall out. Your brother-in-law said that in times of prosperity, one should collect antiques, but in times of chaos, one should hoard gold. He had me exchange all the money for gold. He brought some over from his side, too. If you're going to buy the shop, remember to convert any paper currency into gold or silver dollars whenever possible. I’ve heard that the legal tender in the concessions is devaluing rapidly, and the paper money issued by the puppet government is as worthless as toilet paper. Don't touch it if you can help it."

As she gave these instructions, she took several gold leaves from the box and placed them in Zhou Hongyi’s hand. "Zhongliang, we are brother and sister. If anything happens, promise me you won't keep it from me. I will always be on your side, understand?"

Zhou Hongyi felt deeply moved. He rested his head on his sister's shoulder and rubbed against it affectionately. "I understand, Sister. Even if I kept secrets from the whole world, I wouldn't dare hide anything from you."

"Alright, alright. You're a grown man; don't let the servants see you acting like a child. Go wash up and get some sleep if there's nothing else. I’m going to wait a bit longer for your brother-in-law."

"Alright, Sister. Just don't wait too long; Brother-in-law’s work is unpredictable."

With money in hand, Zhou Hongyi’s mind immediately began to race, and he lay in bed mapping out his plan.

First, go to the docks tomorrow to pay off the debt owed to the blind man and use that to establish a connection with the Axe Gang. Use every opportunity to drink with that fellow, Xiaodao, and build a rapport.

Second, purchase the shop and have Agui watch over it; it can serve as a contact point and a safe house.

Finally, find a way to contact the Red Party liaison and leak the identity of the traitor, "Firework." After that, it’s back to his own business—head to the Paramount Club at night and see if there’s a chance to sneak into Miss Manyu’s private dressing room.

As he was thinking, he heard the barking of dogs downstairs, followed by the sound of a car engine. It seemed his traitor brother-in-law, Ding Mocun, had arrived.

Zhou Hongyi didn't get up. He pretended to be asleep. Once the notorious traitor had finished washing up and returned to the bedroom with Zhou Pan'er, he crept out of bed, pressed a glass against the wall, and leaned his ear in, hoping to eavesdrop on their pillow talk.

***

It wasn't that Zhou Hongyi was a pervert; he just wanted to hear if Ding Mocun would reveal any useful information once his guard was down.

Ignoring the initial phase of Zhou Pan'er collecting her "grain tax" from her husband, Ding Mocun leaned against the headboard, smoking a cigarette, looking thoughtful.

Zhou Pan'er curled up in his arms, tracing circles on his chest with her finger, and pouted, "Darling, Zhongliang’s suggestion actually makes sense. The world is so chaotic, and how much can he really earn at the police station? It’s only natural he wants to open a shop. He’s my brother, which makes him your brother, too. You must help him."

Ding Mocun blew a puff of smoke, stroked Zhou Pan'er’s long hair affectionately, and smiled. "Help? Of course I’ll help. Zhongliang is a smart lad and handles things with maturity. If he wants to buy a shop, he can just go ahead and do it. Don't worry about the money—didn't I bring you some gold just yesterday? Give that to him for now, and I’ll replenish it later. Besides, don't underestimate the police at the station; they have plenty of ways to line their pockets. Zhongliang is just new and hasn't learned the ropes yet. The more chaotic the place, the more loopholes there are—and the easier it is to make money. Like I always say, the bold eat until they burst, while the timid starve."

"You’re a department head, at least. If nothing else, why not transfer my brother to work under you? That way you can look after him, and I can rest easy."

"Transfer him to me? Oh, my dear, you don't understand. Zhongliang is much safer at the police station than he would be at our 76th Branch. You must have heard about the shootout on Suzhou Road a few days ago—seven of my men were killed. That’s a life of licking blood off the edge of a blade, a road of no return. Are you really willing to let your brother follow me into that?"

"Is it that dangerous? Then, never mind... But couldn't you at least get him a clerical position, like a government employee or something?"

"Didn't I try to get him into a bank at the start? But the kid insisted on the police station. Actually, his choice was the right one. Banks aren't necessarily as safe as they appear, and the police aren't necessarily as dangerous. The current situation is delicate, with all parties fighting in the shadows. Staying away from the core will keep him from becoming a sacrificial lamb in the power struggle. Zhongliang is quite clever with this move."

Zhou Pan'er sat up and stared intently at the man before her. "Darling, if it’s that dangerous, why do you still hold this position? Why don't we save up enough money and hide somewhere else? Far away from this chaotic world. When the time comes, I’ll bear you several children, we’ll buy some land, hire some workers, and live as wealthy country squires. Wouldn't that be better?"

Ding Mocun pinched the tip of her nose and chuckled. "Naive. Women are so naive. How could I just leave my position? There are too many forces tied to my back... Besides, this is the moment for me to truly spread my wings. I have a defecting Red Party liaison under my control, and I’ve already secured one of their internal escape routes. Once I capture the core members of the guerrillas, I’ll be the one calling all the shots at the 76th Branch. Even Li Shiqun won't be able to order me around anymore."

"My man, Zhou Pan'er’s man, will definitely be able to do it."