22. The Cunning Rabbit Has Three Burrows

Zhou Hongyi had heard everything clearly through his cup pressed against the wall. The conversation between the two had ended there, giving way to a second round of what sounded like "collecting public grain."

Zhou Hongyi put away the cup and lay on his bed, pondering the implications of Ding Mocun’s words. That old fellow spoke of various factions, but in truth, he simply couldn't let go of the power in his hands; power is a thing that can possess a man. It seemed that the No. 76 headquarters was not as solid as it appeared. At this stage, Li Shiqun still held the upper hand. However, the mole codenamed "Fireworks" did not seem to be spilling all his intelligence at once, but rather squeezing it out like toothpaste. One had to admit that this was a wise approach; at the very least, it prevented No. 76 from "killing the donkey after the grinding is done," ensuring his own safety for a longer period.

Yet, this meant that this person had to be eliminated as soon as possible. The sooner, the better; otherwise, the Red Party’s deployments around Shanghai would be forced to withdraw, rendering years of lurking useless. But how was he supposed to get in touch with them? Right, he had seen that "Bodhi" at the Paramount last night. He wondered if he would be there again tonight. If all else failed, he would have to go and try his luck.

Zhou Hongyi lay on the bed lost in thought until, at some point, he drifted off to sleep. When he woke up the next morning, he realized he hadn't even taken his clothes off.

After washing up, he headed down to the dining room. His traitorous brother-in-law had already left. After such a late night and such an early start, Ding Mocun was liable to turn into a weak-kneed wretch.

"Zhongliang, you're up? Come quick, I had Auntie Wang buy some fried dough sticks. They’re still hot and crispy. Eat up so you can head to work."

Zhou Pan'er had been glowing these past two days; her skin was so delicate it seemed ready to break at a touch, white with a rosy flush, like a flower bud covered in morning dew.

Zhou Hongyi sat beside her and nudged her, saying, "Sis, you and Brother-in-law were making such a racket last night that you woke me up several times. I’m lodging a formal protest; I need my room moved further away."

"You brat! What are you saying? You dare to eavesdrop on your sister? Besides, there’s a whole room between ours, how could you possibly hear anything?"

"The bathroom in between might as well not be there; it acts like an amplifier."

Zhou Pan'er pinched the soft flesh at her brother's waist, making him dodge and beg for mercy.

"You have no sense of decorum. Look at how old you are—tell me, when will you finally find a proper young lady and settle down? If you don't have time to look, I’ll just have to ask those wealthy socialites to help."

"No, no, no, Sis, leave that to me. I'll take the dough sticks to eat on the road, I'll skip the milk. I’m off!"

Hearing Zhou Pan'er steer the conversation back to the topic of carrying on the family line, Zhou Hongyi grabbed two sticks, threw his coat over his shoulder, and bolted as if fleeing for his life.

"Hey, Zhongliang! Eat before you go! Honestly, so reckless."

***

Zhou Hongyi rode his bicycle with one hand, holding the fried dough stick in the other, and wolfed it down in a few bites.

He didn't head straight to the police station. Instead, he went to the wharf district, found Xiaodao, paid off the debt owed by "Blind Man," and had this scarred member of the Axe Gang fill his gun with ammunition.

"Brother Xiaodao, from now on, we can consider ourselves friends. I, Zhou Hongyi, have always been generous with my friends. In the next few days, I’ll invite you and your brothers out for a drink. Don’t refuse. You choose the place, how’s that?"

Xiaodao, with his long hair and scarred face, cupped his hands and said, "Young Master Zhou is generous, and I, Xiaodao, am no dawdler. But our boss is busy these next two days. Let’s gather at the Deyue Pavilion the night after tomorrow. Young Master Zhou, I’ve decided to make you my friend!"

"It’s a deal then. The night after tomorrow at Deyue Pavilion, my treat!"

After bidding farewell to the Axe Gang, Zhou Hongyi redeemed his watch and finally arrived at the police station.

"Oh! Young Master Zhou is here! Come, come and see. The independent office for your Special Operations Group has been tidied up, and the furniture is all in place. The Chief asked me to check if you need anything else; just let us know and we’ll get it sorted."

Captain Xu saw Zhou Hongyi from afar and hurried out to greet him, his face wreathed in smiles as he led him to the new office on the third floor.

Zhou Hongyi followed him up to the third floor and saw that the former storage room had been cleared out. It was furnished with desks and chairs, a telephone had been installed, and everything from brass desk lamps and file cabinets to potted plants on the balcony was ready.

Zhou Hongyi nodded with satisfaction, pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, and said, "Captain Xu, this is really too much trouble. Here, take this pack of cigarettes for now. Once I get settled in a couple of days, I’ll treat you and the brothers in the squad to a drink. I really must thank you properly."

Xu Guodong tucked the cigarettes away without a trace and waved his hand. "Small matter, small matter. Young Master Zhou, if you ever need anything from me, Xu Guodong, just say the word. Hehe, I won't disturb you any further. However, since the Special Operations Group only has one person right now, it might be hard to get things done. Until you find your own team members, the brothers from the First Squad are at your disposal."

"Many thanks, many thanks. Captain Xu is truly thoughtful. Rest assured, I won't let the brothers help for nothing."

Zhou Hongyi inspected his office and was quite satisfied. He then called Fusheng, and the two headed to the banks of the Huangpu River, near the French Concession.

Many foreigners used to live here, and it wasn't far from the bustling streets of the "Ten-Mile Foreign Market." The storefront Zhou Hongyi had his eye on was right here.

Crucially, this road offered access in all directions: to the west, one could quickly blend into the high-traffic city center; to the east was the International Settlement; and to the south, one could escape via the waterway of the Huangpu River. With numerous ferry crossings and wharfs along the river, there were many routes to choose from should things go wrong. In short, one had to prepare for the worst.

Agui had already paid the deposit to the owner of this accessory shop, and today, Zhou Hongyi personally signed the contract with the other party.

The original owners were a French couple. With the French Concession existing in name only and the Japanese having essentially taken over the area, the couple felt completely insecure. After much consideration, they decided to sell the shop and pack their bags to return to their home country.

***

Zhou Hongyi used a mix of coaxing and intimidation to acquire the shop at a relatively low price, temporarily leaving it for Agui to manage.

Once the shop was sorted, Zhou Hongyi wandered through nearby markets to pick up some decent-looking decorations. There were vintage pieces and Western antiques; in any case, he needed to flesh out the shop. Even if he didn't rely on it for money, he couldn't let anyone suspect anything.

By the time he finished, it was already afternoon. Zhou Hongyi sent Fusheng back to the police station while he went to see "Blind Man" again.

"Brother Zhou, you're here! Please, come in and sit!"

Blind Man saw Zhou Hongyi and, with a face full of smiles, hurriedly ushered him into the house.

Upon hearing that Zhou Hongyi had returned, Blind Man's mother, regardless of her being heavily pregnant, scurried down the stairs with small, hurried steps, her heart thumping at the sight of him.

"Sister Qingxia, slow down, watch your step."

Blind Man's mother reached out her hand to Zhou Hongyi quite naturally, letting him assist her for the final few steps.

"Young Master Zhou, you are the savior of my Blind Man; how could we ever treat you with anything but the utmost respect?"

Zhou Hongyi noticed that the pregnant woman was actually scratching his palm, and he felt a sudden chill.

"Sister Qingxia, take it easy, sit here. Actually, I’m here today because I do have a favor to ask. Not to lie to you, I’m quite interested in the Paramount—don't misunderstand, I don't mean the girls there, but its business model. I’m interested in the dance hall business and wanted to pick up some pointers to see if there’s any room for cooperation."

Blind Man's mother pulled out a handkerchief, gently wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead, and gave it a flick. "Young Master Zhou, no need to explain. A fair maiden is a gentleman's quest—it's human nature. Don't worry, I’ll introduce you inside today. You want to get to know Manyu, don't you? With me as your sister-in-law stepping in, she’ll have to give me some face."

"Then many thanks, Sister Qingxia."