Hidden Radiance

Just as Lu Minghui's hand touched the door handle of the Ford sedan, the door on the first floor of the Confidential Office was pushed open.

Nanzo Yunzi, dressed in a well-tailored black evening gown and draped with a velvet shawl, descended the steps in high heels. The night breeze stirred her skirt.

Lu Minghui glanced at her makeup. The lines at the corners of her eyes had just been drawn, and the color of her lipstick had been changed. The window of the adjacent suite faced the parking space; she must have heard the engine starting.

"Minghui-kun, why didn't you invite me to the banquet?" Nanzo Yunzi walked to the car, her gaze passing over Lu Minghui and landing on Gu Yunqiu in the driver's seat. "Secretary Gu did a great job at the docks today, and the section chief has ordered her reinstatement as her confidential secretary. Now that she's back in her position, it's probably not appropriate for her to be someone's driver again, is it?"

Nanzo Yunzi extended her hand, clad in a black lace glove, and gently pressed it against the edge of the driver's side window. "How about I drive for Akira-kun tonight?"

Gu Yunqiu kept her hands on the steering wheel, not letting go. She raised her eyelids to meet Nanzo Yunzi's gaze.

"Miss Yunzi may have forgotten, but Commander Lu's left arm is still in a cast." Gu Yunqiu's voice was calm, and she enunciated each word clearly. "When I was the confidential secretary, I was also in charge of driving. The South Manchuria Railway Company's rule is that the commander's safety is paramount. I'm used to driving, and I don't trust anyone else to do it."

Nanzo Yunzi's hand paused at the edge of the car window, her fingertips lightly tapping the glass. "I witnessed Secretary Gu's driving skills at the docks today; they are indeed formidable. However, going to the banquet at Xianles is not about charging into battle; such a fierce aura is unnecessary."

"Wherever Commander Lu goes, it becomes a battleground." Gu Yunqiu did not back down.

Inside the car, Gu Yunqiu's fingers remained firmly gripping the steering wheel. Outside the window, Nanzo Yunzi's fingertips rested on the edge of the glass.

Lu Minghui stood by the car door, his left arm draped across his chest, his right hand reaching into his pocket to pull out a pack of Lao Dao brand cigarettes. He took one out and put it in his mouth. He flicked the lighter a couple of times, and a flame leaped up, the cigarette butt turning red.

He put the lighter back in his pocket.

"Alright." Lu Minghui exhaled a smoke ring, interrupting the tug-of-war. "Since Yunzi also wants to get some fresh air, let's go together. There's plenty of room in the car."

He opened the back door and got in.

Nanzo Yunzi glanced at Gu Yunqiu and smiled. The curve of her lips was perfect, and her eyes were completely empty. She turned around, opened the passenger door, gathered her skirt with one hand, and sat down, casually adjusting the tassels on her shawl.

Gu Yunqiu didn't say anything, but pressed the clutch and shifted gears.

The Ford sedan drove out of the No. 76 compound and disappeared into the night. The streetlights cast long streaks of light on the wet pavement.

Cinque de la Cerroir.

Neon lights flashed, and the melody of a saxophone drifted up the stairs. Crystal chandeliers illuminated the hall, and the waxed floor reflected the swirling dance steps. In the most luxurious private room on the second floor, She Aizhen sat on a genuine leather sofa.

Tonight, she specially changed into a dark green cheongsam embroidered with Suzhou embroidery, her hair was permed into fashionable waves, and she wore a priceless pearl necklace around her neck.

The doorman pushed open the door to the private room.

"Director Lu, you've finally arrived." She Aizhen stood up with a big smile on her face, but just as she was about to go to greet him, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Lu Minghui walked in the middle, with Gu Yunqiu on his left and Nanzao Yunzi on his right.

Gu Yunqiu wore a minimalist gray trench coat over a fitted black suit, her steps steady and her gaze unwavering.

Nanzo Yunzi, dressed in a black evening gown, walked with her chin slightly raised, her gaze sweeping over the furnishings in the private room without pausing.

She Aizhen's gaze swept quickly over the two women.

Her fingers fiddled with the buttons on her cheongsam, then loosened them. The smile on her face remained unchanged, but she stopped in her tracks and waited.

"Sister She, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." Lu Minghui walked to the sofa and sat down, naturally crossing his legs.

"Not at all, it's my honor to have Director Lu grace us with his presence." She Aizhen personally poured three glasses of foreign liquor and pushed them in front of the three of them. "It's truly an honor to have Miss Yunzi and Secretary Gu grace us with their presence tonight."

Nanzo Yunzi picked up her wine glass, took a small sip, and her gaze lingered for a moment on She Aizhen's pearl necklace. "Captain She, you've clearly put a lot of thought into your outfit tonight. It seems you have something important to discuss with Minghui-kun."

She Aizhen tapped her wine glass on her knee. She glanced at Gu Yunqiu's expressionless face, then at Nanzao Yunzi's unhurried smile, and swallowed back the opening remarks she had prepared.

"Miss Yunzi speaks her mind." She Aizhen decided to be frank. She looked at Lu Minghui and said, "Director Lu, it's windy and rainy outside right now. Director Ding's cars, used for arresting people, have almost filled the courtyard of No. 76. I can't stay on Li Shiqun's ship any longer."

"How do you want to jump?" Lu Minghui leaned back on the sofa, looking at her.

"Of the four companies in the guard battalion, Zhang Dingbang and Sun Fuquan are my men, and I can keep them firmly under my control," She Aizhen said in a low voice. "Zhou Alai from the third company is a loyal follower of Li Shiqun, and I've already found an excuse to transfer him to guard the warehouse in Zhabei. With just one word from Director Lu, the guard battalion is ready to be dispatched by the Confidential Office at any time."

Lu Minghui didn't reply, his fingers tapping lightly on the rim of his wine glass.

She Aizhen knew she didn't have enough leverage. She paused, holding her wine glass, gritted her teeth, and dropped another bombshell: "Furthermore, I know that Li Shiqun also has an underground bank in the International Settlement, which is his last resort for laundering smuggled money. Even Ding Mocun doesn't know about it."

Lu Minghui's fingers, which were tapping the wine glass, stopped.

Nanzo Yunzi placed the wine glass back on the coffee table, a little heavier than before. She didn't look at Lu Minghui, but stared at She Aizhen, her gaze moving from She Aizhen's eyes to her lips, then to the hands clasped on her knees. In her mind, she re-evaluated this woman.

Lu Minghui turned his head and glanced at Nanzo Yunzi.

Nanzo Yunzi's gaze shifted from She Aizhen to Lu Minghui's face, pausing for a moment. She reached for a wine glass on the coffee table, and as she brought it to her lips, her wrist tilted slightly—the rim of the glass didn't touch her lips.

lay down.

He nodded.

Lu Minghui turned back, his gaze landing on She Aizhen's face. "The address?"

"Once we have the ledger, the address will naturally come out," She Aizhen said calmly.

"I believe Sister She is well-informed." Lu Minghui picked up his wine glass, but didn't drink. He paused for a moment, then put it to his lips. "But did you see Li Shiqun's money shop with your own eyes, or did you hear about it from someone else?"

She Aizhen looked at him.

"Last March, Li Shiqun had Sibao escort a shipment," She Aizhen said, lowering her voice slightly. "It was a whole chest of gold, from Zhabei to Ningbo Road in the International Settlement. I was in the car when it was being escorted in."

Lu Minghui took a sip of wine.

"Sister She is a straightforward person." Lu Minghui put down his wine glass. "This glass is for you. Tomorrow morning, I want to see the ledgers of that money exchange."

"It's a deal." She Aizhen picked up her wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Jisfield Road, Deputy Director's Office.

Li Shiqun sat alone in the dark, without turning on the light. The ashtray on his desk was overflowing with cigarette butts.

The door was flung open, and Lin Zhijiang rushed in, panting. "Director! She Aizhen... She Aizhen went to Xianlesi! Lu Minghui, Nanzao Yunzi, and that Gu Yunqiu were all there!"

Li Shiqun's hand holding the cigarette jerked violently, and a piece of scalding hot ash fell onto the back of his hand, leaving a red mark, but he seemed not to feel the pain.

"She won't even pretend to be sick for another day," Li Shiqun said, his voice dry and low. "The guard battalion is doomed too."

"Director, Ding Mocun has already taken Yang Jie and the others into the interrogation room and subjected them to severe torture. If this continues, and they start making baseless accusations, the fire will eventually reach you!" Lin Zhijiang was pacing anxiously. "What do we do now? Should we call all the brothers outside back and fight them to the death!"

"Fight? What are we going to fight with?" Li Shiqun sneered. "Ono from the military police is watching from outside, and Nakajima from the Mei Agency is pressing down on me from above. Lu Minghui is trying to corner me, make me deserted by everyone, and leave me with nothing but bones!"

He stood up and walked to the window.

The night rain started again, hitting the glass with a dense and rapid sound.

Li Shiqun stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette on the windowsill. He turned around, strode to his desk, opened a drawer, and took out the business card with its edges curled up.

On the back of the business card was a confidential hotline number for Nanjing.

Li Shiqun picked up the telephone receiver and his fingers moved quickly across the dial pad.

The phone rang for a long time before it was finally answered.

"Feed." A deep, authoritative voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Mr. Zhou, it's me, Shiqun." Li Shiqun's back hunched involuntarily. "A major upheaval has occurred in Shanghai. Lu Minghui and Ding Mocun have joined forces, with the Mei Agency backing them up. I'm about to collapse. You have to help me out."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

"Come see me in Nanjing tomorrow afternoon." Zhou Fohai's voice was completely calm.

Click. The call ended.

Li Shiqun listened to the dial tone and slowly put down the phone. He stared at the ashtray on the table, which was full of cigarette butts, and his fingers lingered on the rolled edge of the business card for a long time, flattening it before rolling it back up.

"Lin Zhijiang, prepare the car." Li Shiqun grabbed his coat from the table. "Leave the city tonight, head to Nanjing!"

The phone number on the business card is not the number to be dialed.