On September 14, 1931, a young man in a black suit walked in front of a three-story foreign-style building at No. 132 Xu Street in the Japanese Concession in Tianjin. I saw that he had thick eyebrows and big eyes, a high nose bridge, and his habitually pursed lips were slightly raised, revealing his outstanding temperament.
He looked at the golden characters of Yongjin Bank on the front of the building, then walked through the door with his head held high. After entering the door, I didn't see any movement from him. He just stood upright and silently in the middle of the hall, looking around with a scrutinizing gaze.
At this time, it was already afternoon, and there were not many customers in the business lobby. The staff at the counter all noticed this handsome and upright young man. A plump and beautiful woman in her thirties who looked like a supervisor and was dressed in professional attire walked out of the side door of the counter window, walked quickly to the young man, smiled, bowed and said in Japanese: "Excuse me, sir. Please need me." Help?"
The young man looked at her and smiled, his smile was gentle and charming, which made the beautiful woman moved: "You are so handsome - so graceful!"
The young man reached out from his suit jacket pocket and held a business card between his two fingers. He gently handed it to the woman, bowed slightly, and then said in Japanese: "Excuse me, I, Takeda Kaede, have been entrusted by my family to go to your bank to handle the matter." It’s just a business, so please take care of me.”
"Family? Takeda?" The woman thought of Takeda Kaede's pure Kyoto accent and immediately guessed something. He quickly stretched his smile a little wider, bowed again and took Takeda Kaede's business card, saying: "Mr. Takeda is so polite, please call me Chieko, I am the lobby manager and I am very happy to serve you. .”
Chieko invited Takeda Kaede to sit on a row of sofas on the right side of the lobby, and after having someone serve tea, she sat beside him and asked tentatively: "I wonder what business Mr. Takeda needs to handle? As long as we can do it , I will definitely try my best.”
Takeda Kaede still had a gentle and drizzle-like smile on her face, and whispered: "I received a telegram from home. I need to go to your bank to handle a business of exchanging gold bars for cash in the near future. Since the amount is a bit large, I went to your bank in advance. We will discuss with the bank, and at the same time, we need your bank to prepare enough cash after the transaction date is confirmed. This may involve US dollars and pounds. I don’t know your bank..."
When Takeda Kaede said this, he looked meaningfully at Chieko's beautiful face without saying a word. Chieko immediately understood and quickly replied: "Of course there is no problem. Yongjin Bank has dealings with banks in the British and French Concessions. As long as Mr. Takeda notifies him in advance. , you can exchange for any amount. If the amount is too large, I will ask our manager to discuss it directly with you."
"What? Doesn't Chieko, a lobby manager, still say that it doesn't matter? I don't want to have too troublesome procedures. Shouldn't the transaction be a simple matter? Then I will recognize you, Miss Chieko, and there is no need to bother other managers. Yes." Takeda Kaede frowned and said displeased.
Chieko felt very comfortable after hearing this, and quickly explained: "Thank you Mr. Takeda for your care, but the bank's business has regulations. If the transaction amount exceeds 50,000 yen, it must be discussed and decided by the manager. I don't have it." I have this right, so please forgive me.”
After hearing this, Takeda Kaede suddenly realized: "Oh... So that's it, that's such a pity. I have been in China for almost two years, and I have never seen such a considerate Japanese woman as Miss Chieko in Shanghai or Peking, let alone you. With such a beautiful face, it must be a pleasure to work with someone like Miss Chieko!"
After Takeda finished speaking, he glanced at Chieko admiringly. Although Chieko blushed with embarrassment after being praised by a handsome man, her heart felt sweet. He also secretly complained: "This guy is really bold in what he says. He probably has been in China for a long time and misses women."
But for some reason, he didn't want to end the topic right away, so he continued with a blushing face: "Mr. Takeda is from Kyoto. He must have missed his hometown after being away for two years."
Takeda Kaede's smile gradually faded, and there was a trace of sadness in his deep eyes. He sighed melancholy and said: "Yes! It should be raining in Kyoto now. This season is the rainiest time in Kyoto. If you can go to Pontocho, How pleasant it would be to have a drink in the pub and listen to the sound of rain outside!”
Looking at Takeda Kaede's sad eyes, Chieko felt an inexplicable sadness rising in her heart, and even had the idea of holding the mysterious and handsome man in front of her in her arms to comfort her. I couldn't help but blurt out: "Mr. Takeda, I know there is a very good tavern on Fukushima Street. It is a place that people from Kyoto in Tianjin like to go to. Maybe you can relieve a little homesickness by going there."
"Oh..., if Miss Chieko is willing to appreciate it, I can treat you to a drink after get off work."
Facing Takeda Kaede's sincere invitation, Chieko's face turned even redder, and she said a little panicked: "No, those pubs are not suitable for me to go to. It's better for Mr. Takeda to go by himself, I can lead the way for you."
Takeda Kaede is Japanese, and of course he knows that the status of women in Japan of this era is very low. Places like taverns are exclusive places for men, and except for geishas, women are generally not allowed to enter. But he just needed a reason.
He immediately said: "Of course you can't invite a beautiful and elegant woman like Miss Chieko to a place where drunkards gather. I stayed at the Sakura Hotel on Yamato Street. The food in the hotel restaurant is quite good. At 8 o'clock in the evening, I was in the hotel restaurant Waiting for Miss Chieko’s arrival. That’s it, I’ll take my leave now.”
After Takeda Kaede finished speaking, she no longer gave Chieko a chance to speak. She stood up, bowed slightly in a graceful manner, and strode out of the bank door.
Chieko looked at Takeda Kaede's tall and handsome back in a daze, and said to herself: "He is really a domineering man, but this is the temperament of a man. Looking at his demeanor, he should be a well-educated rich kid. , if I could be a few years younger, I would be very happy to marry such a man. A kid from a rich family is so rich that he actually lives in the most upscale Sakura Hotel in the concession. I have never been to that place a few times. "
Thinking of this, I couldn't help but blush again. In the blink of an eye, I saw several employees at the counter secretly looking at me, especially the subordinate named Morita Shimoyoshi, who usually didn't even have the courage to look at me. He is a useless man who stares at his own breasts secretly.
Immediately, she returned to her usual stern-faced, cold beauty look towards her subordinates. "Ahem!" She coughed lightly, and when she saw her three subordinates sitting upright, she went upstairs to report to the manager Oshima Yoshikura. If what Kaede Takeda said is true, this kind of large transaction business must be reported to the manager, and in the end it can only be operated by the manager himself.
In the manager's office on the third floor, a fat man in his forties with half his head bald was writing something at his desk. Hearing Chieko's report at the door, he raised his head and said with a smile: "It's Chieko, come in. "After saying that, he looked at Chieko who walked in with a smile. This person is Oshima Yoshikura, the manager of Tianjin Yongjin Bank.
After Chieko came in, she told Takeda Kaede about her visit and waited quietly. After listening to Chieko's report, Oshima Yoshikura put away his smile and leaned on the chair to think deeply. He also murmured to himself: "Takeda Kaede...Takeda family...Kyoto..."
Chieko looked at the bald man in front of her with her eyes closed and meditating, but she felt deep contempt and hatred in her heart. I remember that after my husband died of illness, this so-called good friend of her husband's lifetime took advantage of the fact that she had no relatives and was helpless in a foreign country, and took over my body by force. It was not until his wife came to Tianjin from Japan that he finally escaped from his clutches. Chieko defines him as: an ugly man who is impotent and afraid of his wife. Thinking of this, the tall and handsome figure with a smile full of masculine charm quietly rose in my heart...
"Chieko...Chieko, what are you thinking about?"
Chieko quickly came to her senses, couldn't help but blush, and quickly bowed to respond.
Oshima Yoshikura ignored Chieko's absence and said solemnly: "The Takeda family is a famous family in Kyoto. If they really have a big deal, they can't neglect it. Since he invited you to dinner, then go and find out his background. Yes. Then ask him to come back tomorrow to discuss it in detail. Please leave this matter."
After saying that, he looked up and down at Chieko with a squinting look. Then he said: "Chieko, this is your opportunity. If you can be favored by the children of the Takeda family, you will become famous in the future, but you can't forget our friendship."
Chieko endured the goosebumps all over her body from being looked at by this old pervert, and hurriedly said goodbye and went downstairs.
…
At 8 o'clock in the evening, in the beautifully decorated restaurant on the second floor of the Sakura Hotel, Takeda Kaede sat behind a table in a corner and saw Chieko, who had deliberately put on makeup and changed into a light yellow dress, walking under the guidance of the waiter. When she came in, Takeda Kaede stood up with a smile and waved to her...
After nearly two hours of pleasant dinner, Chieko, who was born in a poor family, has been deeply attracted by this handsome man who is knowledgeable, humorous and elegant. At this time, she was as blind and stubborn as a girl in first love. I just feel that my humble status and older age are no longer worthy of this kind of scene and sentiment, but I feel so reluctant and nostalgic in my heart. Everything is like a dream, I just hope that I will never wake up from this sweet dream. At this time, she was already convinced of this man's noble status and background from a famous family. How can ordinary people have the ability to cultivate such a young man full of connotation and grace?
Unknowingly, when Chieko was brought to the door of the room by Takeda Kaede in her dream, her reason told her that she could not go on like this. This beautiful dream did not belong to someone like her, but when she wanted to refuse, a deep And the thick kiss sealed her small mouth that was about to open.
As a result, Chieko fell into another sweet dream...
