Chapter 132: 131, Classmate Visits To Recount Old Times, Sixth Sister’s Teacher Joins With Unclear Loyalties
Hearing his wife’s shouts, Fang Wen woke up in a daze.
Min Bangren.
His own high school classmate.
Back then, when going from Nanyuan Aviation to Shanghai, he had once tried to find him.
But at that time he was a flight commissioner at China Airlines, always at the airport every day, and with no connections in Shanghai, he never managed to contact him.
Later, during the January 28th Incident, after bombing the Japanese Army’s warships, there was even less chance to go to the urban area.
It was only a month ago that he finally made contact, but he had been busy with bomb factory matters and never had time.
He hadn’t expected the man to come visit in person.
For an old classmate, he couldn’t skimp on etiquette, so Fang Wen got up immediately.
“Where is he now?”
“In the living room. You wash up and change first; Chun Cao and Qiu Ju are handling things outside.”
Fang Wen nodded, got up and took the towel his wife handed him, wiped his face, then picked up the toothbrush and toothpaste.
The toothpaste was Three Star Toothpaste produced by China Company, also currently the star of domestic goods. Its producing company, China Chemical Industry Company, attacked on multiple fronts with toothpaste, mosquito coils, and soap, defeating foreign goods with low prices and high quality, becoming currently the largest national chemical enterprise domestically.
Of course Fang Wen wanted to support domestic goods, so the brands used at home were all “affordable” goods produced by China Company.
How affordable? Take toothpaste for example: Three Star Toothpaste cost 2 jiao silver dollars, while American Ribbon Toothpaste cost 7 jiao silver dollars, yet the quality and flavor were about the same.
After brushing his teeth, Fang Wen took off his pajamas and put on his jacket, leaving the bedroom.
As soon as he entered the living room door, he saw a young man sitting upright.
“Min Bangren.”
The man looked up at the sound, saw Fang Wen, and stood up joyfully: “Fang Wen, long time no see, you still look the same.”
“You too. Come on, let’s go out and chat.” Fang Wen replied with a smile.
The two went out and came to that small tavern they often went to, sitting at the old spot by the window.
They ordered some dishes and a pot of warmed Shaoxing yellow wine.
After downing a cup of wine, the conversation naturally flowed more freely.
Min Bangren sighed: “That year we left home from Jiaxing together to study abroad. I was seventeen, you were eighteen. We had agreed to go north together, but I got cold feet at the last minute and went to Shanghai instead. You won’t hold it against me, right?”
“What’s there to hold against? We’re both doing well now.” Fang Wen laughed.
“Yeah. But thinking about where you are now makes me regret it. If I’d gone with you back then, I’d probably be a pilot too.” Min Bangren drained his cup and sighed.
Fang Wen poured wine for Min Bangren, “I got lucky too. By the way, what do you do now?”
“I work at Shanghai Commercial Savings Bank.” Min Bangren replied.
“Bank’s not bad, good job.”
Fang Wen nodded; he had heard from Shopkeeper Liu about the current operations of money houses and banks.
These days there was no bank regulatory agency either; as long as you had some startup capital to open, then got some big merchants to deposit funds, and loaned to familiar enterprises, you could form a cash flow and earn interest spreads.
And this Shanghai Commercial Savings Bank was even more of a model for small bank development.
He had heard Shopkeeper Liu say that 18 years ago, this bank’s capital was only 70,000; from boss to employees, they were busy with business day and night, pulling deposits, running to shops and factories, finding people to lend to.
It had grown to this scale because it didn’t compete with foreign big banks, specializing in small-amount bank savings deposit business that big banks looked down on.
It was precisely this kind of bank dealing with citizens that allowed it to accumulate a large number of stable savings clients and gradually grow big and strong.
Therefore, Fang Wen saying it was a good job wasn’t just polite talk.
Min Bangren smiled: “It’s alright. I’ve been doing it since graduation until now. In these times, having a job with decent income to support a family is pretty good.”
“True.” Fang Wen nodded: “If there’s anything I can help with at work, just say.”
“There actually is. Our bank is launching a new type of current check deposit account. Old classmate, if you’re interested, you could help out.”
So that was the reason Min Bangren came; Fang Wen said he was willing to hear the details and would definitely help if possible.
Simply put, it was a method of withdrawing notes based on depositors’ deposits, without needing to go to the bank in person.
For example: Fang Wen deposits a sum of money at Shanghai Commercial Savings Bank and gets a checkbook.
With this checkbook, Fang Wen just needs to sign a special signature on it, fill in the withdrawal amount, tear off that page, and give it to anyone.
The person holding the check page can go to Shanghai Commercial Savings Bank to withdraw cash.
But in this process, there must be anti-counterfeiting and prevention of check theft and fund misappropriation.
Therefore, check withdrawals must be verified by Min Bangren to be completed.
As for how to verify authenticity and whether it’s Fang Wen’s personal signature, there are some little secrets.
The position of the signature and writing characteristics all have particularities.
Min Bangren can tell if it’s forged by specially folding the check in a certain way.
After hearing Min Bangren’s description, Fang Wen nodded.
This was the early primitive check function, already appearing abroad but rare domestically.
It could be done; sometimes paying with checks would be very convenient, but he couldn’t deposit too much.
He agreed: “I’m not convenient to enter the city. Tomorrow I’ll send someone to the bank to deposit a sum; you give me the checkbook first and teach me how to use it, okay?”
“Sure.” Min Bangren took out a checkbook from his leather bag and handed it to Fang Wen: “This one’s unused, ten checks in total, all with consecutive piaohao. If the deposit succeeds, I’ll activate these ten checks. You sign, write the amount, give it to others, and they can withdraw at the bank. As for the anti-counterfeiting handwriting, I’ll teach you how to write it.”
The two sat side by side, discussing the writing of anti-counterfeiting handwriting on the wine table; after a while, Fang Wen learned it.
Next, Min Bangren spoke freely, chatting about bits and pieces of Fang Wen’s high school life.
These were memories Fang Wen didn’t have, and he listened with great interest.
“That year, with the national public discussion on recovering the concession, we went on the streets in demonstration to support. You said talking was useless, foreigners bully the weak and fear the strong, only beating them until they’re afraid would work, and you invited me to go study in Beiping.”
As Min Bangren spoke, he put his hand on Fang Wen’s shoulder, as if back to their student days a few years ago.
“Mm.” Fang Wen responded, poured wine for Min Bangren, and the two clinked glasses and drank it down.
Min Bangren, with the alcohol buzzing strong, continued: “We went to Nanjing together, but I got pickpocketed. You wrestled with the pickpocket, got the money back, but your arm was slashed. I was terrified then, thinking of the thousands of miles northbound with no one to rely on, how to survive, so I showed my cowardice. Sorry, that day I shouldn’t have left you alone and run back to Shanghai.”
As he spoke, Min Bangren actually started crying; under the alcohol’s numbing, he poured out his true feelings sincerely.
Fang Wen lightly patted Min Bangren, comforting: “It’s fine, I forgot about it long ago.”
He had forgotten, because he didn’t have those memories at all. But through Min Bangren’s words, Fang Wen also learned about his past experiences.
An 18-year-old youth, after his companion left, setting out alone on the journey, wasn’t easy.
The thoroughly drunk Min Bangren was finally sent back to the urban area by Fang Wen calling someone.
The next day, Fang Wen sent someone with silver dollars to deposit 3000 silver dollars at Shanghai Commercial Savings Bank.
With that sum deposited, the check pages in hand could be used.
This convenient withdrawal method made it easy to transfer cash to others, very handy in Shanghai.
Now, there was one more person who should be met.
Sixth sister’s teacher.
That middle school teacher who got into a dispute with the Japanese for street resist Japan propaganda.
What was this person’s identity exactly?
If just an ordinary patriot, no big deal.
But if related to the underground party, he could use him to establish contact with that side.
Now was the critical moment of the Kuomintang’s fourth encirclement and suppression; if he could establish contact with the underground party, he could airdrop needed supplies to the Soviet area.
Thinking of this, Fang Wen asked his wife.
“Mingzhu, how is sixth sister’s teacher now?”
“After he was bailed out, he had injuries, was sent to the hospital for treatment; he should be recovered by now.”
“Send someone to the hospital to check; if he’s better, bring him over. I want to talk to him.”
“Okay. Chun Cao, come here.”
Because Fang Shouxin and his son went to Western Hunan, only two maids were left at home to use, so city errands could only be done by them.
Fang Wen was still a bit worried they couldn’t find the way.
The result proved this worry completely unnecessary; the two maids who had followed Kuang Mingzhu since childhood were efficient and often went out, no worse than Shunzi.
Chun Cao went out in the morning and brought the person back by noon.
Sixth sister came back with him.
Clearly, sixth sister had been caring for him in the hospital and developed some feelings.
Fang Wen saw this but didn’t show it; after all, sixth sister was from the second house, not for the third house to manage.
He said softly to Kuang Mingzhu: “You take sixth sister out; I’ll talk to him alone.”
Kuang Mingzhu nodded, smiled and went to sixth sister, inviting her to see the kittens and puppies raised at home; sixth sister went out happily.
Everyone left, leaving just Fang Wen and that man.
Fang Wen asked: “What is teacher’s honorable surname?”
“Common surname Liu, courtesy name Shijie.” Teacher Liu, still with some bruises on his face, replied.
“Teacher Liu, I was in Europe when the incident happened, only returned last month, so I’m not too clear on your matters. Could you explain?”
“Sure. That day we went on the street for resist Japan propaganda; the students were preparing a grand chorus performance when that Japanese businessman rushed over and tore down the propaganda banners. We argued with him, but as soon as people gathered around, he fell to the ground claiming we hit him.”
After hearing Teacher Liu’s words, Fang Wen said: “The Japanese even use such despicable tactics, truly hateful. Teacher Liu, now that you’re out, what do you plan to do?”
“The school has already dismissed me; I plan to find another job.”
At this point in the talk, Fang Wen felt conflicted inside.
How to ask?
Couldn’t just directly say, hey, are you underground party?
In today’s Shanghai, the Kuomintang’s arrests of underground party had reached open levels; those three words could make one’s face change color at the mention.
If Teacher Liu wasn’t underground party or had no relation, asking would give away a pretext.
Once accused of colluding with communists, Taishan Airlines this family business couldn’t be kept; plenty of people wanted to carve up this cake, and all his plans would go down the drain.
While Fang Wen was conflicted, the other side took the initiative.
“General Manager Fang, I admire your resist Japan actions and am willing to work for you. May I?”
“You want to come to Taishan Airlines?” Fang Wen was surprised.
“Yes, fifth brother. Teacher Liu lost his school job; help him out.” Sixth sister, who had come in from outside, also pleaded.
Arranging a person to work at Taishan Airlines was very simple.
Fang Wen thought for a moment and agreed: “Alright then, start work tomorrow. You go to the ticketing company; I’ll have someone take you. The work there is simple.”
Liu Shijie shook his head: “General manager doesn’t need to take care of me; I can work at the airport, anything is fine.”
“You don’t want to go to the ticketing company?”
Fang Wen felt surprised again; the ticketing company was so easy, yet he didn’t want it and wanted airport work.
Airport work had only some manual labor that could start directly, like refueler and security guard.
Others required training; Fang Wen also wasn’t comfortable letting a novice do them.
At this time, sixth sister chimed in from the side: “Fifth brother, isn’t it better that Teacher Liu is willing to endure hardship? He definitely doesn’t want to see Shanghai’s corrupt life, that’s why he made this choice. Right, Teacher Liu?”
“Right. That’s exactly what I think.” Liu Shijie stated very seriously.
For this somewhat abnormal behavior, Fang Wen became vigilant.
He wasn’t like sixth sister’s lovestruck type, where whatever the liked one says is right, even helping to make up explanations.
What was the other’s real purpose in wanting to enter Taishan Airlines?
What was his identity? Kuomintang, underground party, Japanese, or ordinary patriot.
Fang Wen was suspicious inside but agreed calmly on the surface.
After agreeing to Liu Shijie’s job, Fang Wen directly arranged for him to live in Taishan Airlines staff dormitory; sixth sister stayed at home with her sister-in-law.
The next day, Fang Wen brought Liu Shijie to the company.
In the general manager’s office, Fang Wen had Liu Shijie wait, went out and called the administrative center’s deputy director.
With Fang Shouxin away, the administrative center was currently managed by him.
Fang Wen had him enter the office and asked in front of Liu Shijie: “Besides the ticketing company, what positions are currently vacant?”
The administrative center’s deputy director replied: “Taishan Airlines currently has vacancies for radio dispatcher at Wuhan Airport, and night shift security guard and refueler at Nanchang Airport…”
After the deputy director finished, Fang Wen looked at Liu Shijie: “What work do you want to do?”
“Can I stay at Shanghai Airport?” Liu Shijie asked.
“That works too.” Fang Wen thought then said: “Then you do airport inspection. Go back to the dormitory first; once arranged, I’ll have someone take you on duty.”
Airport inspection sounded like a good job; Liu Shijie left happily.
After he left, the administrative center deputy director asked puzzled: “General manager, we don’t have an airport inspection position?”
“It’s checking airport hygiene and environment. You go arrange it; externally call it airport inspection, got it?”
“Got it. I’ll arrange it now.”
The deputy director left.
But Fang Wen pondered in the office.
Because of the bomb factory matters, Fang Shouxin, Fang Shun, and Sun Debiao had all gone there.
Shopkeeper Sun was also running between Wuhan and Beiping for the penicillin laboratory matters.
Pan Jiafeng had to run flight paths and manage flight scheduling.
Shao Sishen was fully dedicated to teaching and had mobility issues.
The only person he could use was Howard.
He left the office, went to the maintenance hangar at the airport, found Howard, gave low-voice instructions, and handed him a note.
Immediately after, Howard took the airport shuttle bus to the SH urban area.
