Chapter 21: The Storm of Wu (8) Flying Kite Net

  "This can't be!" Qin Keqin cried out with a mournful face, looking at Lin Aofeng as if begging him, "You must have another way! Tell me quickly!"

  Lin Ao Feng took a deep breath and suppressed the impulse in his heart, saying: "Ke Qing, I won't deceive you! I am really powerless."

  Qin Keqing slowly calmed down and loosened her grip on Lin Ao Feng's sleeve, hanging her head in shame and saying: "Aofeng, I'm sorry! I was too excited just now."

  "It's okay!" Lin Ao Feng reached out and lifted Qin Keqing's head, saying sincerely: "Keqing, I know you're struggling and suffering inside. Am I not the same?! We were born in this era, so we have to bear the mission entrusted to us by history. I don't know what the future holds, but I will definitely do my best to protect you and care for you!"

  "Ah Feng!" Qin Keqin suddenly rushed into Lin Aofeng's arms and burst into tears.

  "Cry! It'll make you feel better!" Lin Ao Feng comforted Qin Ke Qing with a gentle voice.

  After a whole half hour, Qin Keqing and Lin Aofeng separated and returned to the hall. Zhang Kai, who was about to attend the student union meeting, saw Qin Keqing's red and swollen eyes and curiously asked: "Keqing, what's wrong?! Did Lin Aofeng bully you?!"

  Qin Keqing shook her head and asked: "You want to go out?!"

  Zhang Kai nodded and said: "Yes! Go to the joint opening meeting. I have already arranged everything here. Wait a moment, if you have time, help me count the classmates who are leaving school."

  "Oh!" Qin Keqing responded with a sound, just wanting to say something else, but then heard Zhang Kai say: "Time is running out! I'll go first!" After that, Zhang Kai didn't give Qin Keqing the opportunity to speak and quickly walked out of the hall.

  Watching Zhang Kai's receding back, Qin Keqin involuntarily fell into a daze, and with a distracted look, she walked over to the long bench at the side and sat down.

  Tian Lina, Qin Keqing's best friend, who had just finished her work, looked up and saw Qin Keqing sitting not far away, staring blankly. She frowned slightly and quickly walked to Qin Keqing's side, asking: "Keqing, what's wrong?!"

  "What?! What?!" Qin Keqing snapped back to reality and saw Tian Lina suddenly appearing beside her, asking: "How did you get here?! Everything has already been taken care of?!"

  "Ke Qinger, what's wrong with you?!" Tian Lina sat down opposite Qin Keqin and said: "Are your eyes so swollen because that bastard Lin Aofeng bullied you?!" As she spoke, Tian Lina suddenly became agitated and shouted: "I'll do it! I'll go find that bastard to settle the score!"

  "Lina!" Qin Keqing grabbed Tian Lina and said, "He didn't bully me."

  "And you say I'm not bullying you?!" Tian Lina said coldly, "You don't even know what kind of drug that bastard gave you, and yet you listen to him and help him everywhere."

  Qin Keqing heard her best friend's words and sighed, saying: "Lina, it's not what you think."

  "What's going on?!" Tian Lina pressed step by step, giving Qin Keqing no chance to hesitate.

  Qin Keqing looked around cautiously and pulled Tian Lina to her side, whispering the whole story into Tian Lina's ear.

  "Ah?!" After listening to Qin Keqing's account, Tian Lina showed a surprised expression and looked at Qin Keqing. After about seven or eight minutes, Tian Lina let out a breath and asked: "Keqing, shouldn't we remind Zhang Kai and the others?"

  "How to remind?!" Qin Keqin pouted and said: "Zhang Kai and those people have always been biased against Ah Feng, even if I remind them, they won't listen to me, and they might even laugh at me."

  "That's also true!" Tian Lina's eyebrows furrowed tightly, hesitated for a moment and asked: "What does your father think about our strike?!"

  Qin Keqing said, "You didn't mention it and I had almost forgotten. My dad has the same views as Lin Ao Feng, and he also approved of me and Lin Ao Feng's relationship, even inviting him to dinner at our place tonight." As she spoke, Qin Keqing's face cleared up from its previous gloominess, revealing a faint smile.

  The conference room of the Shanghai Municipal Council's Gongbu Bureau. While workers and students in Shanghai were busy preparing for the memorial service for Zhu Zhixin, all 11 directors of the Gongbu Bureau gathered together.

  Kōbu-kyoku's General Director, Fei Xindun, sat in the central main seat, staring at Kōbu-kyoku's Japanese Director, Sakaki Toshikazu, and said: "Mr. Sakaki, I hope you can give me an explanation for this matter."

  Sakaki Shunichi's mouth corners slightly rose, and he smiled as he said: "General Manager, I don't quite understand what you're saying! Everyone here knows that the price of yarn is constantly rising. To ensure our interests, we should make some adjustments to the workers' wages. What's wrong with that?! Furthermore, if the Chinese can demand a wage increase from us, they can also demand it from you. The situation we're facing now, you'll face in the future too!" As he spoke, Sakaki Shunichi suddenly clapped his hands and smiled, saying: "I almost forgot, as early as 1922, the British encountered this kind of thing in Hong Kong."

  The other directors present heard Sakaki Toshiichi's words and began to whisper to each other. Fei Xindu, sitting in the main seat, listened to the discussions of the directors on both sides, his facial muscles twitching unconsciously, narrowing his eyes to remind: "Sakaki Toshiichi, don't think I don't know what you Japanese are up to. Nor do you think I have no way to deal with you. I hope this is the last time something like this happens. If there's a next time, you'll be responsible for it yourself!"

  "Mr. Fei Xinnan, are you trying to intimidate the Great Empire of Japan?!" Sakura Toshikazu roared relentlessly.

  "Fei Xinnu retorted: 'This is just a reminder! If you think it's intimidation, then that's truly regrettable. The Japanese people's comprehension ability is even worse than the Chinese. No wonder the British call you yellow-skinned monkeys. This is indeed too apt!'"

  "Hagane no rou!" Akagi Shunichi let out a loud shout, jumping up and saying: "Chairman, I've got your words! We'll see about that!" With that, Akagi Shunichi stormed out of the conference room with an air of killing intent.

  As soon as the office door closed, Vice Director Lan Mu looked at Fei Xindu, who was leisurely smoking a pipe, and said: "Director, if the Japanese and Chinese continue to make trouble like this, it will not be beneficial for any of us present. Shouldn't we first appease the Chinese?"

  Fei Xun nodded after a moment of contemplation: "It seems that's all we can do."

  It was just past four o'clock in the afternoon when Lin Aofeng walked into the school's auditorium. Seeing Qin Keqin still busy, Lin Aofeng didn't want to disturb him and found a place to sit down, staring at Qin Keqin intently. Perhaps it was really a case of telepathy, not long after, Qin Keqin seemed to have felt someone watching him, raised his head and looked over in the direction where Lin Aofeng was sitting.

  Lin Aofeng smiled and waved at Qin Keqing. Qin Keqing put down the pen in her hand, ran quickly to Lin Aofeng's front, and asked: "How did you come?!"

  Lin Ao Feng replied: "I calculated the time and it should be about right, so I came over to take a look. Are you done yet?!"

  Qin Keqing turned her head and looked back, saying: "There are still some things that haven't been done yet, or should you wait for me for a while?!"

  Lin Ao Feng nodded and said "You don't have to rush, I'll wait for you here! Whenever you finish your business, we'll leave whenever."

  "Oh my! How romantic!" Just then, Tian Lina bounced over to Lin Ao Feng and Qin Ke Qing's side, laughing and asking: "I didn't interrupt your sweet talk, did I?!"

  Qin Keqing gave Tian Lina a cold glance and asked: "Didn't you already leave? Why are you back again?"

  Tian Lina hooked Qin Keqing's arm, smiling and teasing while sizing up Lin Ao Feng: "I'm still worried that you'll be bullied by a certain someone!"

  "What are you talking nonsense?! If you continue to be so crazy, I'll ignore you!" Qin Keqing threatened.

  Tian Lina made a weird face at Qin Keqing and said, "Alright, I won't tease you anymore! I just forgot my stuff here and came back to get it. How come your thing isn't done yet?!"

  "Yes! And just a little bit!" Qin Keqing pouted her mouth and said.

  "Whatever! Good people see things through to the end, escorting Buddha to the West!" Tian Lina made a gesture of stabbing her friends in the back and said: "Your lover is waiting for you, I'll help you with the rest of your affairs!"

  "No need! You can go back earlier!" Qin Keqing declined.

  "Nothing else!" Tian Lina said with a pretended displeasure: "At other times, I can listen to you, now you must listen to me!" Then Tian Lina turned her head and looked at Lin Ao Feng, saying: "Handsome guy, I've handed over my family's Ke Qing to you! If she loses even one hair, I won't let you off the hook."

  Lin Ao Feng smiled and pulled Qin Ke Qing to his side, saying: "Although your words are unpleasant, I know you're doing it for Ke Qing's good. Don't worry, if I do anything to wrong Ke Qing, you can come and take my life at any time."

  After leaving St. John's University, Lin Ao Feng held Qin Keqing's hand and strolled down the street, looking at the desolate streets and the tightly closed shops on the roadside. Qin Keqing asked: "Ao Feng, I thought for a long time this afternoon. What is the mission of our generation that you mentioned?"

  "Our generation's mission is to take the road of national rejuvenation, creating a new society that is comfortable and prosperous for our next generation. This road is filled with hardships and difficulties; filled with blood and tears; filled with life and death separations. Perhaps one day I will fall for my mission, but I won't regret it, because at that time I can proudly say, I am a proud Chinese."

  Before they knew it, Lin Ao Feng and Qin Ke Qing had arrived at the entrance of Qin Ke Qing's home. Looking at the door that was just a stone's throw away, Qin Ke Qing mischievously asked: "Ao Feng, are you fully prepared to deal with my dad?!"

  Lin Ao Feng glanced around cautiously, making sure there were no other bystanders. Taking advantage of Qin Keqing's distraction, he suddenly shot a cold arrow and kissed her face, saying: "From the moment I first saw you, I've been preparing for this. Don't worry, I guarantee that this time I'll pass your father's inspection smoothly!"