Chapter 00273: Little Ah Zhen
# Little Ah Zhen
Chapter 273
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 273: Little Ah Zhen
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
The sound of rushing water filled the bathroom of the Great Wall Company dormitory as Chen Qi enjoyed a refreshing hot shower.
A newly installed Japanese gas water heater hung on the wall—something that hadn’t been there a few months ago.
It must have been specially installed for him.
The gas supply in Hong Kong was managed by the Hong Kong and China Gas Company, a monopoly under the Li Ka-shing family’s empire.
"Nothing beats a long, hot bath after a tiring journey!"
"Back on the mainland, I’d have to squeeze into a tub with Sister Xue to wash up…"
Chen Qi dried himself off and stepped out bare, swinging his hips as he grabbed a bottle of cola from the fridge and gulped it down.
The fizzy bubbles of the carbonated drink tingled against his slightly fatigued nerves, instantly refreshing him.
He let out a long exhale.
"Ah, feels good to be a modern man again!"
If he could, he’d love to buy a luxurious thousand-square-foot mansion in Hong Kong, a car, and all the modern appliances—a proper toilet, toilet paper, steak whenever he wanted, and even Ah Zhen whenever he fancied…
A general serving the nation deserved to ride in a Maybach, right? After all, the property belonged to the people!
This was the same room he’d stayed in during his last visit.
The average February temperature in Hong Kong hovered around the teens—not exactly warm.
He slipped into a fresh set of underwear and lay on the bed, flipping through the notes he’d compiled, a few books scattered beside him.
Compared to later years, historical records about Japanese internment camps in China were scarce.
Fortunately, many foreign survivors had written memoirs and books after the war, piecing together fragments of this dark chapter.
Chen Qi was after the details—those would be crucial for his script.
"Men and women were crammed together, Chinese and foreigners alike. The only toilet was a crude wooden bucket in the corner, left uncovered, reeking of filth, shared by all… If someone developed boils, the Japanese would inject them with a red mercury-like liquid. Those with infectious diseases were immediately thrown into the crematorium."
"During the day, we had to sit cross-legged without rest, heads bowed toward Tokyo. Sometimes, we were forced to kneel for hours. At night, we could be woken at any moment. Resistance meant beatings—routine abuse."
"Foreigners couldn’t stomach the camp’s food, so they traded their rice to Chinese children in exchange for having lice picked from their clothes. The children turned it into a game, competing to see who could catch the most lice each day."
The author of this account was Powell, an American journalist who suffered brutal treatment in the camp, leaving him permanently disabled.
He later testified against Hideki Tojo at the International Military Tribunal.
After finishing Powell’s account, Chen Qi turned to Xu Guangping’s writings.
Xu Guangping—Lu Xun’s lifelong companion (though they never formally married, as Lu Xun’s legal wife remained Zhu An).
From December 1941 to March 1942, Xu Guangping was imprisoned in a Japanese internment camp.
She endured electric torture over a dozen times.
"The world spun, my bones ached—two horseshoe-shaped iron rings clamped onto my hands, connected to live wires…"
"......"
Chen Qi silently sifted through the accounts, paying special attention to interactions between Chinese and foreign prisoners.
Stories like the rice-for-lice trade were particularly valuable.
After hours of organizing his notes, he abruptly snapped his notebook shut and turned on the TV, tuning into TVB.
He needed to empty his mind, letting trivial entertainment wash over him—otherwise, the weight of it all would crush him.
…………
"Buy Ka Ning shares! Ka Ning is the miracle stock—buy today, sell tomorrow, and you’ll make a fortune!"
"What miracle stock? Tanks roll in, and everything vanishes!"
"Who knows when the negotiations will start? My son’s already in Canada, says he’ll bring me over for a better life. If the Brits can’t hold on, I’ll have to emigrate too!"
That afternoon, by a newspaper stand across from a secondary school, a group of old men idly chatted, flipping through racing forms and gossip rags.
Their topics? The stock market, property prices, horse racing, and Hong Kong’s uncertain future.
Back in January, the mainland had publicly declared: "Hong Kong is China’s! Negotiations must begin immediately!"
Chen Qi stood nearby, engrossed in a copy of *The Rattlesnake* newspaper, listening in with amusement.
After a while, the stall owner turned to him.
"Boss, you’ve been reading for ages. Just buy a copy—it’s cheap! I’ve got *Grand Prix*, *Tonight News*, *Red-Green Daily*—each one spicier than the last. Want one?"
Chen Qi chuckled.
"You’re selling smut right outside a school? No one stops you?"
"Legitimate business—why should they? Besides, I’ve got standards. If students come, I sell discreetly. So, buying or not?"
Before Chen Qi could answer, a voice called out from across the street.
"Shifu!"
He turned to see Qiu Shuzhen, her schoolbag bouncing as she waved excitedly.
Dressed in a bright red jacket, she darted across the road like a cheerful little bird.
"It really is you! I saw the car and knew you’d come! Why didn’t you tell me?"
"I just got here yesterday. Came to see you today."
"Hmph! That’s more like it!"
Chen Qi handed the newspaper back and led Qiu Shuzhen to the car.
The stall owner spat in disgust.
"Tch! Cheap pervert—won’t even buy a paper, but flirts with schoolgirls. Hope they lock you up and shoot you!"
Qiu Shuzhen had just turned fourteen.
At that age, girls grew like bamboo shoots after rain—she was noticeably bigger now.
She chattered away happily.
"Shifu, how long are you staying this time?"
"Same as before—a few months."
"Here to film again? Do I get a part?"
"You do, but not a lead. Just a small role."
"Even a small role’s fine! I’m happy just to be in it… Shifu, I’ve been studying hard like you said. I’m still dumb, but my grades are a little better now. I read every day when I get home—hey!"
She suddenly frowned.
"Were you reading *The Rattlesnake* just now?"
"No!"
"I saw it! My dad loves that trashy paper. Don’t be like him, okay?" She pouted.
Xiao Mo, sitting in the front, perked up. "*The Rattlesnake*? What’s that?"
Chen Qi cleared his throat.
"A despicable rag—no principles, vulgar taste, sexist, feudalistic. I was just… critically analyzing it."
"Ah, better not read that stuff. Hong Kong’s moral decay is serious—we must stay principled!" Xiao Mo nodded sagely.
"Right, right. Stay principled!"
Chen Qi nodded along.
Truth was, *The Rattlesnake* was tame compared to *Dragon-Tiger-Panther*.
Too bad the latter hadn’t launched yet.
They drove to a restaurant—not the steak place.
Couldn’t eat steak every day.
Chen Qi treated Qiu Shuzhen to a meal, casually corrupting Xiao Mo and Xiao Geng along the way.
"My movie hasn’t come out yet. My classmates were curious at first, but now they don’t care. School’s the same as always—except sometimes people ask for autographs."
"Your autograph?"
"As if! They want signatures from Samuel Hui or Adam Cheng. Like I’m some celebrity gatekeeper!"
Qiu Shuzhen took a fierce bite of meat.
"Shifu, what’s my small role?"
"A ghost movie!"
"Ah? You want me to play a little ghost?"
"Yep. You in?"
"Of course! I’ll do whatever you say."
Her eyes sparkled with admiration and joy, lips curled in a smile.
Though still young, there was already a budding charm about her—like a flower just beginning to bloom.
(End of Chapter)