Chapter 57: Mr. Han (2)

  Liu Laogen stumbled upon the secret unintentionally. He had originally planned to go to Mr. Han's house to borrow a pen, in order to make marks on the various objects that were being compiled. Following Mr. Han to the entrance of the Japanese devils' place, Liu Laogen was shocked in his heart. Could it be that Mr. Han and the Japanese devils were in cahoots? No way, this Mr. Han was the one who hated the Japanese devils the most, always telling everyone that whoever resisted Japan was a good fellow, and talking about some anti-Japanese heroes. Liu Laogen leaned in to listen carefully, and suddenly understood in his heart. It turned out that Mr. Han had said something that he had overheard: "I know you're not Japanese devils, I also know why you've come here. Let me go inside, I have what your superior wants."

  That ghostly gatekeeper was clearly taken aback, looked up and down at Mr. Han, smiled: "Okay, just because you can understand our identity, I'll give you a report. Follow me to talk."

  Liu Laogen was thrilled to hear and see this, it turned out that these people were not devils! They were the people of Da Guizi! No wonder they deliberately dropped money for themselves to pick up. Mr. Han is really awesome, he can actually see through this mystery, what does he have to give to others? He's a loner, all his money has been donated to the poor villagers, and he eats melons and vegetables every day, could it be that Mr. Han is also one of those communists he mentioned?

  If all Communist Party members were like Mr. Han, wouldn't life be better?!

  Back home, Liu Laogen was still muttering to himself. Liu Dama asked him three times, but he didn't seem to hear her. Anxious, Liu Dama grabbed his ear and said, "I'm asking you, where's the borrowed pen?"

  "Don't make a fuss." Liu Laogen understood and quietly closed the front door, pulling in Liu Dama into the inner room. After closing the outer room's door and extinguishing the lights, he sat on the kang and nervously shared his experience. Finally, Liu Laogen looked in Liu Dama's direction, "Do you think our Guizi has also joined the Eighth Route Army? I really miss him. If it weren't for Mr. Han that year, who knows if Guizi would have been ruined by Liu Dama already. Hopefully Guizi can live a good life and become someone."

  Mentioning her son, Old Lady Liu also became teary-eyed. "Alas, in this world, where can poor people like us find justice? The little devils are evil, but people like Liu Dama are even more evil than the little devils! Is it true that the Communist Party will reason with us poor people?"

  "What Mr. Han meant was that only the Communist Party could make him feel at ease, and that year he went to the south and saw the Communist Party's army, where officers and soldiers were truly equal, with no airs about them, and he even secretly took a look at the chairman of the Red Army, who was a very gentle person." Liu Lao Gen seemed as if he had seen it himself, excitedly telling the story.

  "When will the Communist Party come to our place?" Liu Dama gazed out at the starry night sky outside the window and said helplessly.

  "This bunch of people must be communists! Look at that pot of ours, it's been taken away for money. I heard that Zhang Lao Er's family's pot was also taken away, and they lost a big silver dollar too. Isn't this intentional? And what about Bao Sheng's child, wasn't he given medicine and recovered quickly?" Liu Lao Gen listed out all the strange things he had heard, astonishing himself so much that he couldn't even take it in, this kind of team was truly one he had never seen before.

  "No, I have to go tell Bao Sheng about it, otherwise he'll just keep saying that the Japanese are good...” Liu Lao Gen said as he looked for his shoes and prepared to get off the kang. “Let's talk about it tomorrow, what time is it now?!” Liu Da Ma stopped him.

  "I couldn't sleep, so I went out for a stroll and felt relieved. Liu Laogen got down from the kang, put on his shoes and headed towards the door, 'Sigh, you stay home and wait for good news, maybe we can even get some news about Kuizi.'"

  Liu Laogen went out the door and headed straight to Mr. Han's house, he wanted to ask Mr. Han to help him inquire about his son's news in the army, when his son left, Mr. Han repeatedly instructed him to find the Eighth Route Army to fight against the devils, and come back to deal with Liu Dama.

  Knock knock, Liu Laogen shrank to one side, the sky was a bit cold, he wasn't wearing thick clothes, originally when talking in the house his heart was warm and his body was warm, but now he felt the chill. Mr. Han didn't respond, the room was dark and empty. Liu Laogen sighed, heading towards Bao Sheng's home, but after walking a few steps, he turned back and squatted at Mr. Han's door, huddled together like a stone statue guarding the door.

  Mr. Han had not returned home, the chickens began to crow, and Liu Laogen could no longer bear the cold, hugging his shoulders and jumping up and down. He stood up and was about to head back when he suddenly heard the sound of a rifle bolt being pulled from behind him. A voice he couldn't understand followed, and a bayonet was pressed against his shoulder, conveying a hint to move forward in the chilly air. Liu Laogen roughly understood that it was Japanese, having heard the devils speak at the collection point before. His heart skipped a beat, "Does this guy speak Japanese? Could he really be a devil? Didn't Mr. Han say the devils were locked up?"

  Liu Laogen was pushed to the entrance of the Japanese army's barracks, and the two men guarding the door were still there. Their guns didn't seem to have bayonets, and they weren't the Japanese Type 38 rifles either. Another voice spoke in Japanese, probably saying something like "come in". Liu Laogen took a step forward and suddenly felt his legs go soft, collapsing onto the ground. The Japanese soldiers inside the courtyard were sharpening their knives, so many of them, all sharpening those dagger-like things, some were even sharpening bayonets and others were sharpening beheading swords.

  Liu Lao Gen sat paralyzed on the ground, but surprisingly no one came to kick him. The devils behind actually pulled him up and pushed him into a nearby house, closing the door and locking it.

  Liu Laogen suddenly felt a stir in his heart, and he blurted out, "I know you are the Eighth Route Army. I just want to ask about my son's news. He is also with the Eighth Route." Liu Laogen was not beaten, so he became bolder, grasping the door frame with both hands and speaking loudly.

  Just then, a man dressed in a Japanese military uniform came out and, upon hearing the conversation, burst out laughing: "It seems we don't need to pretend anymore. Even this old peasant can tell us apart. I think we should go back and tell our captain that this is too easy to expose. Let him go." Li Baoguo said as he sat down on a low stool in the courtyard, waiting for Liu Laogen to come over. "Sit down and talk. Go get something for Uncle to eat. He's frozen stiff. Little Wu, bring that big coat over here so he doesn't catch cold. You say your son is also with the Eighth Route Army?"

  Li Baoguo looked at Liu Laogen's weathered face, a very typical northern farmer image, I've seen it in movies, didn't expect to meet someone like this. He was delighted, "What's your son's name? When I have time, I'll look him up for you."

  Liu Laogen wrapped his coat tightly around him and said, "Call Liu Kuihua, afraid of not being able to raise her, called the woman's name." He took over the noodles handed over by the soldier, took a deep breath, and smiled, "You are really the Eighth Route Army? Mr. Han was right, the Eighth Route Army is indeed good people, and officials have no airs at all. Now I believe it, my son joined the Eighth Route Army, I'm at ease."