The First Volume: The Empty Spirit Chapter 7: Wandering Outside

  Wang Ya-zu rode his bike out again, this time he was going to a small bank, which was actually the old Shanghai money shop, later renamed as a bank, but its management model and operation mode were far different from those of real foreign banks.

  No matter what, it's still a place that handles money, and since they handle money, troubles are inevitable. Even if you have a powerful backer to rely on, when trouble comes, the backer won't be of any use either. What is needed is someone like Wang Yaowu.

  "Mr. Wang, you've arrived, please come this way, the boss is inside." Under the leadership of the bank manager, Wang Yaowu directly entered the office of the bank's president. As soon as he heard that Wang Yaowu had arrived, the bank's president immediately stood up from his chair and walked over to greet him with a handshake.

  "Boss Zhu, business is still good, right?" Wang Yaowu asked with a bow, opening his mouth to ask about the business situation, and the meaning was very clear.

  "Everything's fine, just some minor troubles from time to time. But it's all manageable. Mr. Wang, please have a seat." Zhu boss led Wang Ya-zu to sit down, then returned to his own desk and took out a red envelope from the drawer.

  "This is the dividend for this month, Mr. Wang has received it. In the future, we will still need to ask Mr. Wang to take care of us more, everyone says that our bank is the richest, but who knows the hardships of our bank? From the money house to the bank, from ancient times to the present, the money in this vault is not ours, they are all being kept by us."

  Wang Yaozu took the red envelope and put it directly into his pocket without even looking at it. In many places, protection fees are no longer called protection fees or tea money, but have been renamed "red benefits". On paper, Wang Yaozu is also one of the shareholders of this bank.

  "If there's any trouble, just let me know. I think with my identity, many things can be negotiated. In this Shanghai, actually everyone is here for the money, and harmony brings wealth. Ah, Old Zhu, today, did a man in his 40s suddenly come to your bank wanting to withdraw all the money from his account? The amount of money he wanted to withdraw should not be small."

  So many people come to Shanghai to make a living, in addition to survival, they also want to stand out, and standing out is of course about money and power.

  "No, if such a person appears, the manager will be the first to tell me. Mr. Wang, you also know that our bank is not comparable to foreign banks, foreign banks have strong capital, we are small and profitable. If such a customer appears, the manager will definitely notify me first."

  In fact, this bank is not small and has a history of over 100 years in Shanghai. However, compared to foreign banks, it is indeed smaller and less profitable. Therefore, some customers who want to withdraw their money all at once will try to communicate with the customer and let them continue to keep their money in the bank.

  "Oh, if that's the case, then for the next few days, those who want to withdraw a large sum of money will have to find ways to make records, figure out where they are from, where they live or other things. In short, if this matter is handled well, Shi Anguo, the head of the Shanghai Investigation Division of the Central Organization Department's Investigation Bureau, will personally thank you."

  In the Shanghai concession, the most powerful person is not the director of the Shanghai Municipal Police Bureau, nor is it the mayor of Shanghai. All citizens know that in Shanghai, the most powerful person is the commander of the Songhu Garrison Command. Next is the Shanghai Investigation Brigade of the Central Organization Department of the Kuomintang, also known as the special agents who catch traitors. Ranked third is the Green Gang.

  How many people in Shanghai want to curry favor with Shi An'guo, making him their patron? The Central Investigation Department is Chiang's favorite, and the Chiang system has already dominated. However, facing numerous gift-givers, bootlickers, and so-called relatives, Shi An'guo uniformly refuses to see them. No matter what they say, it's useless; Shi An'guo doesn't give anyone face. What he cares about are only Communist Party members.

  "Don't worry, Mr. Wang, I'll be paying attention over the next few days. Our bank also has its own security guards, including two who are retired from the military and an Indian man. If we find any suspicious individuals, we will immediately notify you, Mr. Wang, and have the guards apprehend them."

  The boss of the bank, Zhu, would not give up such a good opportunity. He appeased Shi An Guo, who not only had a stronger backing but also could use Shi's connections to do more business with the Nationalist government.

  "If there are suspicious individuals, call our investigation department. But remember, confirm first before calling, don't cry wolf for no reason, this not only concerns your bank's problem but also my reputation!"

  In this world, sometimes for the sake of face, money can be forgotten, women can be forgotten, and even life can be forgotten. All for the sake of arguing over a single breath, arguing over a single face. Regarding Wang Ya Zu's worries, Zhu Boss patted his chest to guarantee that he would absolutely not let Wang Ya Zu lose face.

  After finishing this matter, Wang Yaowu threw his bicycle at the bank entrance. Of course, someone helped him take care of the bicycle to ensure it wouldn't get lost. Then, Wang Yaowu walked out of the bank and waved his hand outside, calling "Rickshaw!" Immediately, a rickshaw driver came over with his vehicle.

  When Wang Yaowu did things, he rode a bicycle by himself. He rarely took the bus and couldn't afford to take a taxi. In the past, he had taken military jeeps and troop trucks. When he was free, Wang Yaowu liked to sit in a rickshaw, letting the driver pull it while he relaxed and enjoyed the scenery on both sides. When they arrived at their destination, he would give an extra dollar as a tip.

  "To Ah Man Coffee House." Wang Ya-zu sat steadily in the rickshaw, with his legs crossed. Due to the sweltering weather, the rickshaw puller was wearing only a vest, and his robust muscles were dazzling in the sunlight; unfortunately, all his strength could only be used to pull the rickshaw.

  The weather wasn't very good, originally there were no clouds in the sky, but halfway through Wang Ya's journey it started raining, fortunately it wasn't a heavy rain, just a moderate one, Wang Ya felt much cooler, but the rickshaw puller was having a tough time.

  The weather is sweltering, and after pulling a rickshaw, I'm drenched in sweat. The sweat can't dry, and my whole body feels uncomfortable. When the rain comes down, it's not hot anymore, but my whole body gets soaked through, making me feel even more miserable. If I'm not careful, I'll catch a cold, and as a rickshaw puller, I can't afford Western medicine. Taking Chinese medicine means resting for several days, which means my family will have no income for several days, and even eating becomes a problem.

  There was a rain cover on the rickshaw, so the rain wouldn't drip onto Wang Ya-zu's body. If he pulled his feet in, there would be no problem. It was much slower than expected when they finally arrived at the entrance of Orman Coffee Shop. By this time, the rain had stopped.

  "This is the carriage fare, and these two coins are the tip. First go to the bathhouse to take a hot bath, then drink some ginger soup. If you catch a cold, it will be troublesome." Wang Yaizu handed over both the carriage fare and the tip to the driver's hand.

  "Thank you, sir. You are indeed a kind person." Wang Yaowu listened to the driver's praise and smiled coldly to himself, thinking that sometimes he was really hypocritical. But he, Wang Yaowu, was also human, always knowing how to kill people and harm them, like a beast.

  "Welcome!" As soon as Wang Ya-zu entered the door, a female servant wearing a foreign maid's uniform at the entrance of Orman Coffee Shop helped Wang Ya-zu open the door and welcomed his arrival. Then the male servant led Wang Ya-zu to an empty seat and handed him the menu.

  "A cup of hot coffee, and a sandwich to go with it, that's all for now." Wang Ya Zu was a regular here, so he didn't need to look at the menu to order his usual. The male waiter immediately went to prepare it, as the coffee here was made from freshly ground beans. Wang Ya Zu usually drank tea at home and in the office, but while in France, he had also developed a habit of drinking coffee, and when he was feeling lazy, he would come here to have three cups.

  The coffee and sandwiches here are very authentic, but they don't bake cookies. More importantly, this foreign-named coffee shop is not run by foreigners, but by a couple who also returned from studying abroad. The real foreign coffee shops are all in the concession area and only serve foreigners, "Chinese and dogs are not allowed to enter!"

  The decoration of this coffee shop is actually problematic. Wang Ya-zu, who studied abroad for many years, commented: "A hybrid of a coffee house, bar and restaurant." Many people come here to follow the trend, wanting to taste the Western flavor, and then go interact with foreigners in Shanghai. But for Wang Ya-zu, drinking authentic coffee and listening to European music from the phonograph is a great way to relax.

  Three cups, Wang Ya Zu only drank three cups of coffee and ate only one sandwich. But this took up an hour of Wang Ya Zu's time. There is no limit to meal times here. At the back of the cafe, there was a clean bathroom, after using it, Wang Ya Zu paid the bill and left.

  Took a taxi back to the bank, then rode my bike back to the office. Calculated that it was almost time to get off work, returned to the office at this time, and left with signature half an hour later as scheduled.

  Wang Yaoyu parked his bicycle outside, humming the Western tune he had heard before entering the office. As soon as he pushed open the door, he heard Shi Ankui's angry roar: "All of you in Group 2, stay overtime tonight and don't go home! Don't contact outsiders either! When Wang Yaoyu comes back, let him come find me!"

  It's clear that Shi An Guo's short temper has flared up again. It seems that the group of people outside, led by Mao Zi, had been pounding on something a bit too much, and someone called to report them, adding fuel to the fire with Tie Tou's instigation, Shi An Guo, who was already in a bad mood, blew his top. And Wang Yao Zu, who went out with Mao Zi and the others, seems to be in for some bad luck as well. Smokeless Powder Volume 1: Empty Spirit Chapter 7: Wandering Outside