Chapter 66: 66, Maiden Flight And Reporter Interview, Secret Meeting
Eighteen passengers entered the airport, ten normal passengers carrying luggage, eight reporters holding cameras.
The reporters were at the back, raising Leica card cameras that symbolized their identity, ready to capture every newsworthy shot.
A Taishan Airlines staff member loudly announced in front of the security gate: “Everyone, for everyone’s safety, when boarding the airplane, it is strictly prohibited to carry knives, guns, and other dangerous items. If any passengers are carrying them, please hand them over voluntarily to avoid delaying everyone’s flight.”
The passengers looked at each other, and no one responded.
Seeing no one indicate anything, the staff member stepped aside: “Please enter from here and complete ticket verification.”
The passengers lined up to enter the security gate, verified their tickets on the other side of the security gate, and then boarded.
There were also cases where the security gate alarmed among them.
After accepting inspection, without exception, knives, metal items, as well as valuable items like silver dollars and gold bars were found in their luggage and personal items.
The knives would be temporarily confiscated and handed over to Sun Debiao for safekeeping, to be returned to the owners after landing, while other metal items were not handled after confirming no threat.
This magical inspection method, instead of causing resentment among the passengers, made them feel it truly provided assurance for their own safety, after all, the inspection could confirm no one was carrying dangerous items, making the riding environment much safer.
These scenes were also photographed by the eight reporters at the back, as material for this report.
After all passengers completed security checks, they boarded under guidance.
The Boeing 80 looked much larger than the Detroit passenger aircraft next to it from afar, and those with airplane riding experience couldn’t help but wonder what the interior of the Boeing 80 was like.
As a result, after entering, they saw five rows of neat seats, which looked as spacious as a train carriage.
Sitting down, they discovered they were actually soft seats!
Then the airplane took off, and the elegant and graceful flight attendants in the front row took the initiative to speak: “Hello passengers, this is Taishan Airlines’ direct flight from Shanghai to Fuyang. The airplane will fly in the air for three and a half hours. If you feel thirsty, you can tell me; there is hot coffee, hot tea, and warm sugar water available on the airplane. Since the airplane is in the trial flight stage, airline meals are not yet prepared. Additionally, there is a reading light in front of your seat that can be pulled up; if it feels dim or you want to read, you can use it.”
Xie Yuwen from Juyuanheng Money House was indeed very suitable to be a flight attendant service staff; her articulation was clear and fluent, her demeanor generous, earning the respect of the passengers.
Some asked her for hot drinks, some inquired how to turn on the reading light, and some reporters wanted to take her photo.
At first, Xie Yuwen was a bit nervous and unadapted, but gradually, she handled it with ease.
Meanwhile, Sun Debiao, the flight attendant security sitting in the front row as well, did not dare to be careless at all.
He constantly paid attention to the movements of the passengers on the airplane, exerting his vigilance to the extreme.
And in the pilot seat up front, Fang Wen had an even more comprehensive grasp of the movements inside the aircraft.
With mechanical perception, he had an integrated view of the airplane exterior, and of the airplane interior as well, clearly perceiving the situation everywhere.
Just like understanding the operation of each mechanical component inside the airplane, what the passengers inside the airplane were doing was all within his grasp.
This result was actually a new ability that Fang Wen had not discovered.
With it, it would be better able to prevent the possibility of Japanese people making a move against him on the airplane.
Taishan Airlines’ first flight ended; the ten normal passengers got off in Fuyang, while the other eight reporters returned to Shanghai with the airplane.
After these reporters got off, they all wrote articles and published them in newspapers.
Through the newspapers, people gained more understanding of Taishan Airlines and the Boeing 80.
Some newspapers’ reports were gorgeously complimentary.
Some newspapers’ reports were more pragmatic.
It was precisely those pragmatic reports that made Taishan Airlines appear very valuable in the eyes of all walks of life in Shanghai.
In the reports, the reporters gave an example.
In the past, to go to the Central Plains, the fastest was by train, followed by water route then land route.
The former took about 2 days, the latter three to five days.
No matter which was chosen, the experiences along the way were not pleasant.
One had to guard against this and that, and various consumptions were inevitable.
But now, Fuyang was reached in three and a half hours.
Fuyang had just gone through suppressing bandits, the ground was safe, and as long as one took the newly established local transit vehicles, one could go to surrounding cities.
One could reach the desired place in almost one day.
This new mode of travel greatly saved travel time and was safe.
And the nearly 30 silver dollars for the airplane ticket, under this comparison, did not seem so expensive in the eyes of some people.
Precisely because of this, Taishan Airlines’ business was flourishing; tickets from Shanghai to Fuyang sold out in advance every time, and flights from Fuyang to Shanghai also had over 80% occupancy.
The only regret was that the Japanese did not send anyone to cause trouble on the airplane; if they came, Fang Wen would dare to throw them off the airplane.
May 26, 1932.
The Boeing 80 returned to Shanghai from Fuyang.
Watching the passengers leave, Fang Wen came out of the cockpit.
“Another flight done, let’s go, we’re off work too.”
“Alright, shall we gather tonight?” Sun Debiao asked.
“Sure, the usual place.” Fang Wen replied, looking at Xie Yuwen.
“General Manager, I’m not going, my family is waiting for me at home.” Xie Yuwen showed a sweet smile. During this time, she had become more poised and generous; the more she interacted with people, the more mature she became, but that was only on the airplane; once off the airplane, she turned back into a gentle and elegant traditional young miss.
Fang Wen understood and did not say much more.
Afterward, he returned to his residence outside the airport.
Uncle Fang, who had been waiting at home early, immediately reported.
“Young Master, there is news on the person you asked me to investigate.”
Fang Wen was immediately delighted; the person he asked Uncle Fang to investigate was the one who gave him early warning at Sixteen Wharf Dock. Without his warning, it would have been dangerous at the time.
“Come, sit down and tell me.”
“During this time, Shunzi and I took turns inquiring around Sixteen Wharf Dock. The local rickshaw pullers were wary of us at first, but later someone recognized me and gave a clue. He said that person was not local, but had been seen in Hongkou.”
“What was he doing in the Japanese area?” Fang Wen asked in surprise.
“That’s what I thought too; that day he helped Young Master a lot, how could he be related to the Japanese? To find out, I went to Hongkou to probe. As a result, I didn’t find anything there, but was stopped by a stranger who gave me this.”
Uncle Fang took out a wax ball.
Taking the wax ball, Fang Wen squeezed it hard, cracking the outer wax and revealing the note inside.
Unfolding the note, it read.
“Do not look for me anymore, this is very dangerous. I will come find you, wait for me at the tavern you often go to; if I am there, I will certainly appear before 10 o’clock.”
Fang Wen took out a windproof kerosene lighter and lit the note.
“Uncle Fang, I won’t eat dinner at home tonight.”
After saying that, he changed into a long robe, put on a scarf and wide-brimmed hat, and walked out of the room.
