The War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression Begins in Songhu

Chapter 281 My Cousin Arrives (Two Chapters Combined)

(A new volume starts tomorrow. You can skip this if you don't like slice-of-life stories.)

Time: 5:10 PM, the 22nd day after the time travel.

Location: Terminal 3 of Beijing Capital International Airport.

Annie stood at the arrival gate, occasionally raising her delicate wrist to check the time on her watch, and then couldn't help but mutter to herself:
"Almost all the passengers on the flight have come out, what is Mina still dawdling about for? Why isn't she coming out yet?"

That's right! Annie showed up at the airport to pick her up, muttering this comment from time to time. It was clear that her cousin Mina had finally arrived after standing her up several times.

As her older cousin, Annie naturally needed to pick her up.

Just as Annie was about to take out her phone to call and ask Mina why she hadn't come out yet, she finally saw her cousin.

A tall, stylish, and beautiful girl was being surrounded by several men, walking towards them like a star being fawned over.

The reason for using the phrase "surrounded by stars" is not only because Mina's suitcase was being pulled by someone.

As they walked, the men chatted and laughed, but it was clear that they were all trying to curry favor with Mina.

There was a hint of tension, or perhaps a sense of jealousy, between them.

As Annie stepped forward and gave Mina a warm hug, she whispered something in Mina's ear, in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"You brat, since you came with friends, you didn't even tell me on the phone. Otherwise, I could have driven a bigger car. There's no room for anyone to sit here now."

In response to her older cousin's complaint, the younger cousin replied in a low voice:
"Don't worry about them. They're not friends at all. I just chatted with them for a while when I was bored on the plane, and that's how we got to know each other."

They were just overthinking things; they weren't actually that familiar with each other.

Oh, right! There are startup founders and executives from big companies there; they're all legendary high-quality men. Want me to introduce you to one?

"Get lost~" That was Annie's reply, and at the same time, she was getting a bit of a headache.

What's wrong with my cousin Mina? She's great in every other way; her figure and looks are at least 80% similar to mine, so there's no doubt about her appearance.

He is also very capable, and his grades have been excellent since childhood. He graduated from a prestigious university.

I passed the CPA exam while I was studying, and now I'm the head of finance at a large company in Singapore, earning a very high salary.

Although this large company is actually owned by Annie and Mina's family.

However, Mina's ability to take charge of the finances is essentially due to her inherent capability.

If there's anything not so good about Mina's cousin, it's that her personal relationships are a bit messy.

Or, to use another blunt term: a "scumbag woman".

(Please don't start cursing yet, this character setting was requested by Xiaomei herself.)

Fortunately, even though my cousin is a terrible woman, she still has some bottom lines. She never breaks up other people's families or tries to swindle money from men.

Even during the course of their relationship, they remained completely independent and autonomous in terms of finances, and always split expenses equally.

It just means she changes boyfriends too quickly, and she likes to flirt with men, enjoying the scene of them fighting over her.

And so it happened! During the mere six-hour flight from Singapore to Beijing, she met these men, and they even started to subtly start competing with each other.

After Annie and Mina separated and hugged, one of them was a young man in his thirties, dressed in designer clothes, who looked like he came from a very wealthy family.

While casually flicking his fingertips, revealing a BMW 7 Series touchscreen car key, he greeted Mina and Annie:

"Miss Mina, and this must be my cousin, right? She is indeed very beautiful."

My car happens to be parked at the airport, so how about I give you a ride? Besides, it's almost dinner time, would you mind if I invited you to have dinner with me?

As soon as the young man finished speaking, the others chimed in with their own expressions.

They have a car at the airport, or a company car is waiting at the airport entrance, so they could easily give them a ride. They also hope to have a meal together, etc.

Mina simply declined all the invitations, saying things like, "My cousin drove here, it's no trouble at all, we'll keep in touch later."

When speaking, his attitude was neither cold nor enthusiastic; he appeared quite docile...

Something's not right! Something must have happened to my cousin Annie recently that I don't know about, which is why she seems so strange.

These are Mina's truest feelings after riding in Annie's car from the airport.

This led her to make the above judgments, not only because she noticed a significant change in Annie's style of dress on the way to the parking lot.

She wore almost no jewelry, except for a watch and a gold necklace around her neck.

It's one thing for a gold necklace to be tacky, but my cousin still manages to wear it with a unique flair and a sense of style. The problem is that it's too thin and too light, giving it a cheap feel.

My cousin has so many different kinds of jewelry, why is she wearing this?

Although the clothes she was wearing were designer brands, they were all obscure brands that her older cousin would never have worn before.

More importantly, on the way to the parking lot, my cousin was chatting with someone on her phone, and the expression on her face was indescribably strange.

Her face seemed to be glowing, and her complexion was so good that even she was jealous.

In short, even though it had only been less than half a year since she last saw her, she felt like she didn't recognize her cousin anymore, and something must have happened to her.

Unfortunately, before Mina could even ask a question, Annie, while driving, preemptively asked:

"Mina, how long are you planning to stay this time?"

Upon hearing this, Mina revealed her main purpose for visiting the capital: "About half a month! I've already registered at a flying club in Miyun District to learn how to fly a simple propeller plane."

In the meantime, I had already completed 35 hours of theoretical courses online.

This time, after completing 30 hours of flight training, I can get a sport pilot's license and then fly a plane.

During this time, I'll go to class during the day and meet some handsome male instructors; then I'll come see you at night, and we'll go to bars together to flirt with men. Just thinking about it makes me happy.

After hearing Mina's introduction, he forgot that he hadn't been to a bar for a while.

Anne couldn't help but think, "If I had known learning to fly a plane was so easy, I would have gone to learn too."

Since the planes during World War II were all propeller planes, theoretically, having a sport pilot's license would allow you to fly them.

If we can get our hands on an airplane then, maybe, probably, possibly it will be able to fly, and it could play a huge role in combat..."

Mina's suspicions about her cousin's strange behavior quickly grew stronger.

At that moment, she was still asking with great interest, "Cousin, what delicious food are you taking me to eat tonight? I'm telling you, according to our agreement, it has to be a special feast from the capital city!"

Upon hearing Mina's request, Annie couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Given their close sisterly bond, whenever one of them visited the other's city, the other would take them out for a local specialty meal.

The problem is that Beijing has a plethora of local delicacies, such as Quanjude and Donglaishun, and almost none of them are cheap.

But Mina has a big appetite, and each meal can cost her a lot of money.

What are Singapore's signature dishes? Hai Nan chicken rice, Bak Kut Teh, Laksa, etc. They're all cheap stuff, so how much can you eat at most?

Thinking about it, I really feel like I'm losing out by treating each other to lavish meals like this.

Without thinking, he blurted out, "Don't worry! I'll make sure you have a satisfying meal tonight."

If the above situation still seemed normal to Mina, then everything that happened next made her feel even more uneasy.

It took Anne quite a while to reach the outskirts of the capital.

After parking his Bentley Continental in a roadside parking space, he surprisingly took off his wristwatch and changed his already understated coat into an even cheaper, no-name brand.

Finally, I changed to a generic brand bag and carried it in my hand before getting off the bus.

After getting off the bus, I solemnly gave her a piece of advice:
"Remember this! Don't let it slip later. I not only don't own a car, but I also rent that apartment in the East Third Ring Road. I'm just a small-time model and actress who looks glamorous but actually doesn't have much money."

After saying that, he led the way into an alley.

It was already dark, and several food stalls had appeared in the alley, creating a lively scene with mouthwatering aromas. Seeing this, Mina couldn't help but complain:

"I only treated you to a few meals of Hainanese chicken rice, is it really worth holding a grudge for so long, and deliberately driving all this way today to treat me to street food?"

However, what shocked her even more was that this was only the beginning.

Because, led by Anne, she entered a small restaurant with a grand sign that read "Deyuelou," but which was actually just a fast food place.

At this point in time, the number of customers in the store was surprisingly high.

What's even more absurd is that after Anne went inside, she visibly relaxed, as if she had returned home.

The atmosphere was just as relaxed as if she were at home; the guests seemed to know Annie very well, greeting her warmly, "The landlady is back..."

"Is this Boss Hu's sister-in-law? She looks just like the boss's wife. What if Hu Biao gets drunk and mistakes her for someone else?"

"You're just spouting nonsense, aren't you? Go ahead and make things worse..."

While Annie was chatting and joking with these people, she went straight to the back of the cashier and sent one of the girls who was working there to the kitchen to help wash the dishes.

First, I took out a pair of cheap but definitely comfortable sneakers from the bottom drawer and put them on.

She then rummaged through other drawers and found a whole bunch of sunflower seeds, candies, snacks, and other treats, telling her to eat whatever she wanted while she rested.

With practiced ease, she began busily taking orders from the customers.

Mina was immediately struck by how radiant she looked as a model and actress under the spotlight, a far cry from the image she remembered.

On the contrary, it was the roadside shop owner who was described as being like Xi Shi (a legendary beauty).

During the process, a man who could be described as having a refined appearance, but reeked of cooking oil and introduced himself as Hu Biao, appeared.

She came out of the kitchen, quickly greeted me, and told me to wait a moment, that we would be able to eat in half an hour. Then she went back to the back kitchen to stir-fry the large ladle.

Instinctively, she grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds, and only after eating most of them did Mina finally realize one thing:
My cousin, who's always been arrogant and indifferent to men, has finally fallen in love. But surprisingly, she didn't date any boss or rich kid; she dated the owner of a small shop.

Or perhaps they concealed their income, assets, and family situation, fearing it would put pressure on the other person.

So here's the crucial question: Was my cousin tricked and brainwashed by this small business owner, Hu Biao, and then she fell for his scheme? No, Mina knows that's absolutely not the case.

Because during this process, my cousin Annie looked so relaxed, you could even describe her as 'happy'.

Especially during breaks from her busy work, she would go to the kitchen to gently wipe Hu Biao's sweat.

While mentioning the Panjiayuan flagship store, the shop sublease contract has already been signed; since only the signboard needs to be changed and other renovations are basically unnecessary, it can be completed in a few days.

Then it will be able to officially open for business, and Deyuelou will definitely become a proper restaurant, etc.

My cousin Annie's face seemed to glow, and she was incredibly radiant—an effect that no amount of cosmetics or beauty treatments could achieve.

"Actually, like my cousin, it's about finding someone you truly like."

Even if the other person has nothing, it's good to start a business together and build a beautiful life together; this kind of simple and pure relationship, uninvolved in any material things, is also quite nice.

Mina was cracking sunflower seeds in her hand when they suddenly felt a strange sourness, and she thought to herself...

Mina's thoughts on the above became even stronger during the subsequent meal.

Although the dining environment was really a bit shabby, with tables made up of two long, simple dining tables pieced together, and staff members cleaning up around us.

But Hu Biao, this cheap brother-in-law, cooked a table full of delicious dishes that were so good they were bursting with flavor and color.

Especially the pork stew with vermicelli, which was particularly appealing to a girl who had only left Northeast China after graduating from university and had previously lived in her hometown there:
It smells so good! It's almost intoxicating.

The only thing that made her feel regretful was that her cousin, who was a heavy drinker, actually told her brother-in-law, Hu Biao, that she, like her, didn't drink alcohol.

It would be a waste not to have some wine with such good food.
This continued until her cousin took out two bottles of mineral water from her cheap, generic bag and handed them to her, giving her a subtle wink as she did so.

Based on the tacit understanding developed between the sisters over a long period of time, Mina opened the bottle, took a small sip, and her eyes immediately lit up:
Wow! This flavor is so strong, it must be at least 52 proof or higher Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor)...

******
Three days later, on the 25th day after the time travel back, around 4 p.m.

In the Deyuelou shop, everyone, including the owner, the future owner's wife, and even the owner's future sister-in-law, was in an indescribably joyful atmosphere as they busied themselves.

The reason is simple: the 405-square-meter flagship store in Panjiayuan was completely renovated yesterday, and today happens to be the last day of the lease for the store in Majuqiao.

This means that the operations of the two stores were seamlessly integrated, without any disruption.

So after closing at noon today, we don't plan to continue operating in Majuqiao this afternoon. Everyone is busy preparing for tomorrow's grand opening.

Even though a shop for the Majuqiao branch hasn't been found yet, it's not a big deal.

It's simply a matter of packing up the things and putting them away in the yard of Hu Biao's rented house.

The landlord was very easy to talk to, because Hu Biao would bring him some braised food from time to time, and he had already agreed to leave it anywhere he wanted, for as long as he wanted.

So, just thinking about being able to work at the flagship store within the Fourth Ring Road tomorrow made the employees, including Si Yan, incredibly happy.

Even more wonderful, or perhaps magical, is that Hu Biao stepped in dog poop today, having an incredibly lucky day.

Isn't the new store opening tomorrow? He went over early this morning to check if there was anything missing in the kitchen so he could get it replenished as soon as possible.

After watching it, everything was perfect, nothing needed to be added, and there was still plenty of time.

So Hu Biao started to think. He had never been to Panjiayuan, the famous antique market, before. Should he go and take a stroll there, not necessarily to find a bargain, but just to see something new?

While wandering around, I happened to find a Yuan blue-and-white porcelain vase, about 30 centimeters tall, on a newly set up street stall that caught my eye.

I tentatively asked for a price, and the stall owner immediately replied, "28."

After listening, Hu Biao turned to leave, but the stall owner grabbed him and said, "Boss, don't be in such a hurry to leave. Business is all about negotiation. If you think it's too high, you can bargain. Be bold and bargain!"

On instinct, Hu Biao gave a ridiculous price: "800".

"Deal." The stall owner immediately agreed.

Just kidding! Although he's only been in the business for a few days and his professional knowledge isn't extensive enough, he can still recognize that this Yuan blue-and-white porcelain vase he bought for 200 yuan the day before yesterday is an authentic, obviously fake piece.

I held onto it for two days, then sold it after it quadrupled in value. Making 600 was more than enough. What more could I ask for?
Upon hearing the word "deal," Hu Biao felt an urge to slap himself, his mind filled with only one thought: "Damn it! I shouted too high."

Coincidentally, just as Hu Biao was about to resign himself to his bad luck and take the thing back to use as a vase,

I happened to be in Panjiayuan, where a free appraisal event was being held.

Since it was free, and seeing that there were relatively few people queuing up early in the morning, Hu Biao immediately started queuing up with a so-called famous expert in porcelain appraisal.

I should say it! They're experts, after all.

Without even picking up the porcelain bottle, they merely glanced at it from afar and declared it a 'fake'; but just as Hu Biao was about to leave, the other party called him back and began to examine the bottle carefully.

This took several minutes to look at.

Finally, he said, "Young man, this bottle of yours is quite interesting. The body of the bottle looks fake at first glance, but the bottom should be the base of Yuan blue and white porcelain."

The person who made the bottle had a good idea, but their skills were lacking.

Hu Biao didn't understand any of these roundabout explanations, so he simply asked, "Is this thing valuable? How much can it sell for?"

"It's in very good condition and quite valuable, probably around one million."

After a moment's thought, the expert gave this answer and also issued a highly authoritative certificate of authenticity.

Hu Biao was overjoyed to have stumbled upon an antique worth millions—no, it should be half an antique.

When he returned and told everyone in the shop, Four-Eyes and the others were naturally quite happy.

With their boss being so capable, they had even less to worry about regarding their work; however, no one could have predicted what would happen next...

(End of this chapter)