Chapter 32

32

So how did Shen Po finally get home in the end?

He put on a show together with Feng Yun.

Feng Yun had someone paint realistic purplish bruises across his face, making it look as though he had been thoroughly beaten. Then, several men carried him by his arms and legs to the main gate and tossed him out. Shen Po had to keep up the act, crying out in pain, grumbling and cursing under his breath as he limped away, before hailing a rickshaw by the roadside.

As luck would have it, the rickshaw puller was the exact same man who had brought him there.

Knowing full well that this man was no real rickshaw puller but someone sent to keep eyes on him, Shen Po still climbed aboard.

After all, his business with Feng Yun needed a proper conclusion from start to finish.

Sure enough, the “puller” looked utterly astonished the moment he saw him.

“Sir, what happened to you?!”

Shen Po gave him a sidelong glance, maintaining his haughty, arrogant air of a wealthy young master.

“What, never seen someone take a beating before?”

“No, no, no,” the puller replied hastily. “I’m just worried about you. How about I take you to the hospital?”

Shen Po snapped, “Hospital for what? Think I haven’t lost enough face already?”

“Then… home?” the puller asked.

Shen Po said, “Home for what? You want me to get another beating?”

With a troubled look, the puller said, “Then just name a place, and I’ll take you there.”

Shen Po said, “Take me to the Cathay Hotel!”

It was the premier hotel in Shanghai, opened just three years prior and already an iconic local landmark. The puller did not need any directions from Shen Po to know where it was.

Once at the hotel, Shen Po pondered how to get word to Old Du.

【Old Du still doesn’t know two more people are in on this. Feng Yun told me to contact him, but calling him directly like this might not be a good idea, right?】

Wen Yan’s mind was currently operating entirely on spy thriller logic: 【It’s definitely not ideal. Who knows if these phones are tapped? Probably not, though. Picking this hotel was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and you only found out your room number upon arrival. They wouldn’t have had time to plant any bugs, and you’re not that important anyway.】

Shen Po worried, 【I won’t have to deal with being tailed forever, will I?】

Wen Yan replied, 【Probably not. Feng Yun said it himself, you’re just incidental. Once they see you aren’t doing anything for a couple of days, they’ll naturally back off. Where would they get the manpower to tail people all day long? If they won’t even let you off the hook, they might as well put all of Shanghai under surveillance.】

Despite Wen Yan’s reassurance, Shen Po still felt dazed, as if caught in a dream, when he lay in bed that night.

Having never undertaken such a massive endeavor in his life, Young Master Shen could not help fretting over every detail.

More and more people knew about the plan now. What if something went wrong?

Originally, because arson was impossible for him and Wen Yan to pull off on their own, they had been forced to bring Lin Guisheng and Old Du into the fold to use their manpower. Later, in order to stall Zhang Yuanji, they had roped in Zheng Sheng, who in turn called on Old Chen, since the latter managed the library and nothing could escape his eyes.

And now, they had revealed the plan to Feng Yun and Mr. Wang as well.

Even though Shen Po had repeatedly urged them not to leak a single word before leaving, to the point that Feng Yun had grown exasperated and nearly kicked him out, Shen Po still felt uneasy, plagued by the insecure feeling that the whole world knew about the plan now.

Wen Yan was calculating things as well.

He reviewed every potential motive anyone might have to leak the plan.

【None of them have a reason to leak it. When you get right down to it, this plan doesn’t hurt their interests, and it earns them a reputation for preserving our national culture. Why wouldn’t they do it?】

Shen Po grunted, 【That might be true for the others, but Zheng Sheng is the most likely to leak word.】

Wen Yan was puzzled. 【Why?】

Shen Po explained, 【Think about it. He cares about those books way more than I do. Having a chance to take part in such a major event, wouldn’t he be so thrilled that he can’t help sharing it with the people around him? He’s not calm and steady like me!】

Wen Yan did not know whether to laugh or cry. All that buildup was just to boast about himself.

Still, considering how hard it had been for Shen Po to keep his patience this whole time, and the fact that he surprisingly hadn’t messed things up, even with quite a few minor hiccups along the way, things were essentially on track. Feeling that Shen Po genuinely deserved some encouragement, Wen Yan praised, 【Compared to when I first met you, you’ve grown so much. If we ever get the chance to return to modern times, I’m sure you’ll do a great job teaching those kids at my school!】

【Naturally!】 Shen Po puffed up with pride at first, but then realized something was off. 【Wait, why would I teach kids for you? Are you treating me like free labor?】

【If you go back, you’ll still be using my identity, so of course you’ll have to keep volunteering as a teacher. My contract isn’t up yet. Though I don’t even know if I’ll ever be able to return. Sigh, for all I know, I might have to stay in your place for the rest of my life!】

Back when he was volunteer teaching in the countryside, Wen Yan never said it out loud, but he complained inwardly every single day. He had pushed through entirely on a get-by attitude and the policy bonus points awarded upon completion. While he hadn’t slacked off on his work and was quite responsible, to say he had any real passion for the job would be untrue.

That was until he went back a century into the past, to 1932 Shanghai.

After witnessing the extravagant, decadent lifestyle of a wealthy young master, Wen Yan instead found himself yearning intensely for a hundred years in the future. He no longer had any complaints about the harsh village conditions, waking up early every day, or staying up late preparing lesson plans.

If he could go back, he would even be willing to stay in the countryside and teach for the rest of his life.

After all, the countryside would not stay impoverished forever; it would develop in the future. But in 1932 Shanghai, even the tiniest effort demanded a hundredfold exertion. Someone of Shen Po’s elite status still found it excruciatingly difficult to accomplish anything, having to win over multiple factions with no guarantee of success. If one were just an ordinary civilian in 1932, what could they possibly do?

Wen Yan knew he was just an ordinary person, nowhere near ready to make heroic sacrifices for his country and people, but within his power, he still wanted to do something that would leave him with a clear conscience.

Shen Po sensed his dejection.

Although he could not fully understand Wen Yan’s feelings, he completely understood his desire to go back.

Life a hundred years in the future was so much fun. Even in that little rural village, life had never been dull. Shen Po hadn’t even figured out all the functions of a smartphone yet: spending money on mobile games, food delivery, express parcels, playing cards and mahjong with people from all across the country. He hadn’t gotten to experience any of it!

The experiences of those few days felt like an illusion, and only Wen Yan’s presence made him feel it wasn’t just a dream.

【Who doesn’t want to go back? I haven’t even had the chance to check the replies since I posted that thread. I bet a ton of people commented. It’s so much fun when they start arguing.】

【I think I must have lost my mind, actually craving the taste of instant noodles.】

【Sigh!】

Both of them let out a sigh at the same time.

He had school the next day. Shen Po had originally intended to go, but Wen Yan stopped him. After all, he was supposed to be a bruised and battered victim who didn’t even dare go home, let alone show his face outside to be humiliated. Going to school would make no sense.

Shen Po realized that made sense. He slacked off and lay around in the hotel, taking the opportunity to call Old Du and ask him to send over a reliable person.

Before long, a young man knocked on the door. Introducing himself with the surname Zhao, he was one of Old Du’s subordinates and brought news from him.

“Young Master Shen, you don’t need to worry. Mr. Feng contacted our Master Du yesterday, so the people watching you will leave soon.”

This Xiao Zhao had an ordinary face, the kind that would instantly blend into a crowd, but he spoke briskly and got straight to the point without beating around the bush.

Shen Po let out an “Ah”: “There are still people keeping watch outside the hotel right now?”

Xiao Zhao gave a slight nod. “Yes, but only two are left, and they should withdraw soon. After Master Du discussed things with Mr. Feng, they refined the plan a bit. Master Du said that since you’re the initiator, Young Master Shen, you need to be informed. If you feel anything is amiss, we can make further adjustments.”

Shen Po asked, “What plan?”

Xiao Zhao said, “Master Du originally planned to store the transported books in a riverside warehouse temporarily. But Mr. Feng said the riverside is too damp, and if the Japanese really target the library, then the whole of Shanghai won’t be safe sooner or later. Keeping the books in Shanghai would remain a risk. It’s better to transport them directly to Sichuan. Mr. Feng has cargo ships and a foothold in Sichuan, so he can handle the arrangements. But pulling this off won’t be quick, and we still need approval from both you and Old Mr. Zhang. So the books will still be stored in the riverside warehouse for now until we find a chance for long-distance transport.”

Feng Yun had already mentioned this yesterday. Shen Po nodded. “We definitely need to ask the old gentleman. Otherwise, if he found out his books were hauled off without a word, he would hit the roof.”

Xiao Zhao added, “There’s one more thing. Master Du wants you to stay at the hotel for the next few days and not go home. It’s best if you act just like you used to: indulging in worldly pleasures, wining and dining, and having fun. You can even go to school.”

What did he mean, “just like you used to”?

Shen Po rolled his eyes, magnanimously letting the phrasing slide.

“Why?”

Xiao Zhao replied, “The Japanese targeted you solely because of your connection to Old Mr. Zhang’s library. They’re bound to keep an even tighter watch over Old Mr. Zhang. If you want to shake off their surveillance, we can only divert their attention with something else.”

Feng Yun had brought this up too, but Xiao Zhao adamantly refused to reveal any specifics. Having failed with both threats and bribes, Shen Po had no choice but to let him leave.

Before leaving, Xiao Zhao said, “There will be news in the next day or two at the latest. However, Master Du and Mr. Feng have a slight disagreement regarding moving the books. Master Du hopes to move as many as possible, taking whatever we can, while Mr. Feng believes that’s unrealistic. There are too many books in the library, and at most we can only move a portion of the rare editions. What do you think, Young Master Shen?”

After discussing it with Wen Yan, Shen Po said, “Mr. Feng makes sense. Our time is limited. Moving everything would be ideal, of course, but it’s just not realistic. Besides, if the library is completely emptied out, my grand-uncle will notice. We can only move the most precious volumes first, then gradually move the rest as the situation allows. I’ll do my best to persuade my grand-uncle when the time comes.”

Xiao Zhao said, “I will pass that along to Master Du. Take care, Young Master Shen, and be safe.”

After Xiao Zhao left, Shen Po spaced out for a good while.

Wen Yan: 【What’s wrong?】

Shen Po: 【I’m just thinking about how Xiao Zhao told me to take care before he left.】

Wen Yan: 【Why? Is there something wrong with Xiao Zhao?】

Shen Po: 【No, not that. I just suddenly thought of my eldest brother.】

Wen Yan had heard Shen Po talk about Shen Chong later on.

Even now, Shen Po didn’t know his brother’s true identity, what he had been doing, or why he died. Aside from Shen Po and his mother, everyone else in the Shen family probably wished the matter would remain a secret forever.

【I think I understand my eldest brother a little now,】 Shen Po said. 【I don’t know why, but even though you guys are the ones planning the book transport, now that it’s come to this, I feel like I’m shouldering a responsibility too, like I have to see this through properly.】

Wen Yan fell silent. Wasn’t he feeling the exact same way?

The eldest young master Shen’s sentimental streak lasted ten seconds at most.

The matter of being followed had to be dealt with properly from start to finish. He called home and asked Xiao Wu to request leave from school on his behalf, using the excuse that he had gotten drunk, taken a fall, and needed a couple of days to rest.

Because of this, he inevitably got an earful from Madam Shen, who insisted he go to the hospital and wanted to visit him at the hotel. Shen Po spent considerable effort talking her down before cutting off her tearful fretting on the other end of the line.

Next, he phoned Zheng Sheng, intending to ask whether Zhang Yuanji had relented and agreed to close the library for repairs. As it turned out, things were moving unexpectedly fast.

“Your call came at just the right time! I was about to look for you. Grandfather has decided to close the library temporarily for a month to clean and repaint the warehouse and reinforce the back door. The books originally stored in the warehouse need to be moved to the front. I volunteered to take charge of this and told Grandfather that you’d come help. When are you free?”

Talk about someone handing you a pillow just as you dozed off. Shen Po was overjoyed.

“The old gentleman actually came around? He’s finally willing to close up temporarily?”

Zheng Sheng said, “Yes, the closure notice has already been posted. I convinced Grandfather to take this opportunity to repair the library’s shelves and walls too, which means we have to sort and pack all the books by category first, so they’ll be easy to put back a month later.”

He put heavy emphasis on “sort and pack by category,” as if afraid Shen Po would miss the underlying meaning.

Shen Po understood immediately. This was preparation for transporting the books.

“Tomorrow! I’ll head over tomorrow!”

After all, the bruises painted onto his face last night couldn’t just vanish overnight.

Shen Po briefly explained how several of them were being followed and watched, and Zheng Sheng grew tense, just as expected.

“So you’re saying I’m being watched too?”

“Right, but whatever you do, don’t show it. Act just like you normally do, stay calm and composed. Neither of us is their target.”

“No wonder Grandfather had someone send a calligraphy copybook to Hayashishita today.”

Shen Po asked, “What copybook? Is Great-Uncle really planning to cooperate with them?”

Zheng Sheng said, “It’s a Qing dynasty copy of Huang Tingjian’s calligraphy from the Jiaqing era. It barely qualifies as an antique, and the calligrapher isn’t famous either. Grandfather just couldn’t bring himself to give anything better, but he had to make some gesture, so he sent a copybook to Hayashishita first. That way, they won’t have the nerve to keep pushing while the library is undergoing repairs.”

Shen Po asked, “What about Asai Sui?”

Zheng Sheng said, “He sent a Qing dynasty collection of notebook stories^[1] as well, though it wasn’t a unique copy. Still, I haven’t told Grandfather about our plan. I’m afraid he won’t dare go against the Japanese. We’ll wait until we’ve moved the books to a safe place. By then, the wood will already be turned into a boat^[2], so he won’t be able to say anything.”

Shen Po said, “Not bad, Xiao Sheng. I originally thought you weren’t very brave, but I didn’t expect you to have this kind of guts.”

Zheng Sheng said, “Cut the crap. You think you’re the only real man here? You have to come help tomorrow. Even with Uncle Chen helping sort the books, the two of us can’t handle it alone.”

Hanging up the phone, Shen Po rolled around on the bed a few times.

【I’m really curious, what exactly was the thing Mr. Wang mentioned yesterday that could help divert their attention?】

He asked Wen Yan.

By evening, Shen Po had his answer.

A match factory in the Yangshupu area caught fire and exploded.

The cause of the fire was strangely fascinating, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the blaze at the back door of the Commercial Press the night before, as it had also been triggered by a car accident.

Yet Shen Po knew this was no coincidence. It was undoubtedly the handiwork of Mr. Wang and Feng Yun.