Chapter 8

"My name is Qi Huishen. Ouch." Under the oil lamp, the young man winced and said. Chen Ke looked at the young man under the oil lamp. He was about twenty-two or twenty-three years old, with no particularly distinctive features, and had a middle part hairstyle, looking like a student. At this moment, Qi Huishen unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a slender figure. From his fair and smooth skin, it was clear that he was from a wealthy family.

Hua Xiongmeng, who had a martial arts background, also knew some basic treatments for injuries. At this moment, he was feeling and rubbing Qi Huishen's body. Earlier, You Gou had hit Qi Huishen under the ribs with a stick. Hua Xiongmeng and Chen Ke had carried the unconscious Qi Huishen back to the workshop. Seeing Qi Huishen in such pain that he couldn't even speak, Hua Xiongmeng volunteered to check for any fatal injuries.

Suddenly, You Gou turned on her flashlight, and the beam of light shone directly on Qi Huishen's face. Qi Huishen instinctively raised his arm, which pulled at his injured area, causing him to cry out in pain. You Gou had no sympathy, "Why did you run?" she asked fiercely, "I heard someone tell you not to run in the courtyard. You still ran. If you're not a criminal, who is?"

"Ouch!" Qi Huishen cried out again. Hua Xiongmeng finally let go of Qi Huishen, "You're lucky, your ribs aren't broken. You'll recover in a bit." After saying that, he picked up a flyer on the table and glanced at it. After reading a few lines, Hua Xiongmeng smiled, "A literary youth, this person is like you, he's also a revolutionary."

"Eh? Is Brother Chen a revolutionary?" You Gou asked in surprise.

"These days, there are as many self-proclaimed revolutionaries as there are cattle. I'm just self-proclaimed too. But Mr. Qi, are people going to see the flyers you post in such a place?" Chen Ke asked curiously.

Qi Huishen put on his shirt, puffed up with anger, "Of course, people will see them. Not only will they see them, but they will also hit me."

Hearing this resentful remark, Chen Ke and Hua Xiongmeng grinned, and You Gou's face showed a hint of embarrassment. Zhou Yuanxiao, however, remained expressionless.

After carrying Qi Huishen back to the workshop, Chen Ke had picked up all the flyers. Now he picked one up and looked at it. It was a handwritten flyer, criticizing imperialism and the Qing government. Chen Ke brushed off the dirt on the paper and picked up a few more. Although they were handwritten, the content and handwriting were identical, as if they were printed. This showed that the owner of the flyers had put a lot of effort and thought into them.

Chen Ke organized the flyers, trying to clean the dirty ones as much as possible. He neatly stacked the flyers on the table. "Mr. Qi, this was a misunderstanding. I apologize to you." After saying that, Chen Ke deliberately added, "Mr. Qi, you really put a lot of effort into writing these flyers. It's admirable and touching."

After being beaten, Qi Huishen felt that things had gone wrong. This area was mostly inhabited by ordinary Shanghai residents, and he had never posted revolutionary flyers here before. He didn't expect to be suddenly confronted by a few people with flashlights as soon as he entered the alley. This really scared Qi Huishen. Anyone who could use such convenient lighting tools must be someone important. Qi Huishen had been arrested several times by the police when posting revolutionary posters and gathering revolutionary comrades. Being caught in a place where the police never appeared was not a good sign.

Unexpectedly, after being carried into the courtyard, he found that it was actually a dyeing workshop. The four people in the courtyard were all wearing strange dark blue robes with buttons down the front. Upon closer inspection, these loose robes were actually worn over their outer clothes. The girl who had beaten him had completely mistaken him for a criminal.

Then, the few people who came over treated him with great care. From their conversation, he learned that the tall young man from the north was also a revolutionary. This sudden change left Qi Huishen at a loss. However, seeing that the few people, though strong, had no ill intentions towards him, he felt relieved.

When the northern young man carefully organized the flyers he had written with great effort and apologized, Qi Huishen's resentment was reduced by half. Unexpectedly, the northern young man's last strange remark piqued Qi Huishen's curiosity.

"Brother, you seem to be Mr. Wenqing. Mr. Wenqing, what did you mean by your last few words?"

"Mr. Qi, this area is inhabited by ordinary people. Who are you trying to reach with these flyers?"

"Of course, the people."

"How many of the people here can read? I'm not saying there's anything wrong with your flyers, but who would spread your message if they can understand it? The people here are just ordinary folks. Will they earn more money or have more to eat because of your flyers?"

Hearing this, Qi Huishen did not react with the anger Chen Ke expected. Instead, he lowered his head and sighed after a moment, "Mr. Wenqing, you're right."

As they were talking, Zhou Yuanxiao, You Gou, and Hua Xiongmeng had already gotten up to continue their work, without inviting Chen Ke to join them. Chen Ke understood that his colleagues were considerate, not wanting to disturb his conversation about the revolution. What good colleagues they were. Chen Ke thought that if he tried to recruit Qi Huishen now, it would be awkward and impossible to have a deep conversation. It would also make his current colleagues unhappy. After weighing the options, Chen Ke said, "Mr. Qi, rest here for a while. When you feel better, go home. Posting flyers here is counterproductive. It would be better to post them in places where posters are often seen."

After saying that, Chen Ke stood up and started working in the courtyard. Qi Huishen, seeing the four people still working so late, felt very curious. Could they be printing something? But the smell in the courtyard was clearly not that of printing ink. Standing at the door, he saw the four people busy around several pots under the light of oil lamps and flashlights, which indeed looked like dyeing. Qi Huishen found it very strange. Why would they work so late at night, even with modern lighting tools, when they could work during the day?

The two tall young men pulled different ropes, putting bolts of cloth into water tanks. The girl with the flashlight moved back and forth between the steamer and the large tanks, frequently inserting a thermometer to measure the temperature. The silent one was doing something Qi Huishen couldn't understand between the large tanks and water troughs. The four people, though busy, spoke little but worked very efficiently. This was clearly a dyeing workshop, but it had a different feel from other factories.

The pain in Qi Huishen's ribs gradually subsided as he watched the four people work. He wanted to leave but found himself reluctant to go. The scene of hard work had a mysterious appeal, and Qi Huishen wanted to understand what was attracting him. Shanghai, as a major city in China, had many workers. Qi Huishen had seen many labor scenes, but there was always something different about the few people he was seeing now.

After watching for a while, Qi Huishen finally realized what made these four people different. Compared to other hardworking people, these four were equally tired but showed no signs of laziness. The workers Qi Huishen had seen before were struggling to get through the day, using all their strength just to finish their work, and the heavy labor had numbed them. This numbness, in a sense, protected them, making them almost unaware of their hardships. The numbed workers looked lifeless, and the heavy labor scene gave a sense of gloom and oppression.

Despite Qi Huishen's presence, the four people paid no attention to him. Their eyes were only on their work, and everything they did was to complete their tasks precisely. The four people were highly focused, and their movements were full of energy. They were working hard to do their best. This proactivity made them fundamentally different from the workers Qi Huishen had seen before. Noticing this, Qi Huishen suddenly felt a deep respect for their work attitude. He was so impressed that he was almost mesmerized.

While Qi Huishen was observing Chen Ke and the others at work, Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin were discussing Chen Ke. These two revolutionary predecessors could not see how hard Chen Ke was working. Apart from Qiu Jin's one visit to the workshop, they had no idea about Chen Ke's current situation.

"Xuanqing, do you think we should take Wenqing to meet Mr. Cai tomorrow?" Xu Xilin asked Qiu Jin, who was sitting opposite him. He had mentioned this to Chen Ke during the day, but Chen Ke and Hua Xiongmeng had not returned to their residence, and Xu Xilin felt that Chen Ke was not very interested in meeting Cai Yuanpei.

Qiu Jin laughed, "Bosun, it's not a bad thing that Wenqing is busy making money. It's better than those who only borrow money everywhere. From what I've seen, Wenqing comes from a wealthy family. According to Miss You Gou, the watch he pawned to me is worth several thousand taels of silver. If he had money, why would he work so hard?"

Mentioning You Gou, Xu Xilin just grunted. Xu Xilin did not have a good impression of You Gou. Most students of this era did some kind of work, but You Gou, being a woman, was very unusual. Female students were rarely seen in public. You Gou, as a female student, neither did any work nor got married, but instead spent her days drinking. According to Qiu Jin, Chen Ke and You Gou seemed to have hit it off. Xu Xilin was already dissatisfied with both of them, and the idea that they had formed a clique made his dissatisfaction even greater.

"I don't know what they're up to, staying out all night. Even Xiongmeng is hanging around with them. What kind of behavior is this?"

As a native of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, Xu Xilin was not good at making money and had a deep aversion to business. As a revolutionary, Xu Xilin yearned for the feeling of burning oneself completely. He believed that by destroying the hopeless old world, a beautiful new world would rise when the Qing dynasty collapsed.

Perhaps because Xu Xilin was such a person, he felt that Chen Ke had not chosen the same path as him. When he first met Chen Ke, Xu Xilin was impressed by his insights. He wanted to help Chen Ke, and more importantly, Cai Yuanpei had invited Xu Xilin to Shanghai for a meeting. So he brought Chen Ke along. However, Chen Ke did not join the revolutionary movement as Xu Xilin had hoped, but instead went into business. This made Xu Xilin feel that his previous impression of Chen Ke might have been wrong. This self-centered attitude, to put it bluntly, this "milk is mother" mentality, particularly annoyed Xu Xilin.

Seeing Xu Xilin's unhappy expression, Qiu Jin tried to console him, "Bosun, I know you're upset that Wenqing and Xiongmeng are acting on their own. But Wenqing started the dyeing business with just a few people you introduced. I think that's a good thing. From what I've seen, Wenqing is not a heartless person. If he makes money, he won't forget you. You're not the type to do these things, so why trouble yourself?"

"Hmph, of course, I'm upset that they're acting on their own. I thought Wenqing could help me persuade Mr. Cai. But he's only thinking about his own business. At first, he said he needed my help, but I thought he was just being polite. Now they're not back yet, and I don't know where they've been all night. Will they be back early tomorrow?" Xu Xilin was getting angrier as he spoke.

"Ha ha!" Hearing Xu Xilin's complaints, Qiu Jin couldn't help but laugh. "Bosun, I didn't realize you thought so highly of Wenqing. Don't worry, Wenqing is not someone who doesn't know the importance of things. I think they're working in the workshop. If you're worried, I can go and get them."

Since Qiu Jin had said that, Xu Xilin had to give her some face, "No need. I think they'll be back tomorrow. It's late, Xuanqing, you should rest now." After a few more words, Xu Xilin got up and went back to his room.

Chen Ke was unaware of the conversation between Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin about him. Even if he had known, it wouldn't have changed anything. After an hour of hard work, they had completed the planned workload and rested according to the schedule. Zhou Yuanxiao and Hua Xiongmeng lay on the beds in the room and quickly fell asleep. The physical labor of the evening was done, and according to the plan, Zhou Yuanxiao had to get up at two to check the dyeing, while Chen Ke had to stay on duty until two.

Seeing that Qi Huishen had not left, Chen Ke invited him to sit at the table. He whispered, "Mr. Qi, everyone is resting. Let's keep our voices low so we don't disturb them."

You Gou still took her pillow and rested on the table. Chen Ke had tried to persuade You Gou to lie on the bed before, even setting up a new bed for her. You Gou politely thanked him but never used the bed. When she was tired, she always slept on the table. Chen Ke didn't want to ask too many questions and just let You Gou do as she pleased.

"Mr. Wenqing, you seem to be dissatisfied with my flyers. Can you give me some advice?" Qi Huishen asked directly in a low voice, seeing that everyone was settled.

"Mr. Qi, I think the idea of calling the people to rise up in your flyers is good. But why should the people rise up and join you in the revolution? From what I can see, the people can't understand your flyers." Chen Ke said as he poured a cup of tea for Qi Huishen.

"What do you mean? Are you saying I'm not a revolutionary?"

"Keep your voice down, it's the middle of the night. Don't shout," Chen Ke said.

Qi Huishen grunted and said nothing more.

"People will join the revolution because they want a better life through the revolution. The revolution means overthrowing the Qing dynasty and defeating the foreign invaders. This will cost lives. Why should the people risk their lives for you?"

Chen Ke's voice was very low, almost like a dream, which was completely out of place with the content of his words.

"The country is in such a state, not revolutionizing would truly mean death."

"That's right. You're not wrong, but what's the point of saying that? If the people believe you, will they get an extra bun to eat or an extra piece of clothing to wear? The revolution is to make everyone live better. To build a new world, not just a better life, but where everyone is treated fairly and can live with dignity. So, I think your flyers are useless." Chen Ke finished and pushed the teacup closer to Qi Huishen, "Have some tea first."

To Chen Ke's surprise, Qi Huishen did not get angry. He took a sip of tea and asked, "Brother Chen, what are your thoughts on the revolution?"

"All truths are interconnected. We sell cloth, so we need to know who will buy our cloth and why. If you want a revolution, you need to know why the people need it. Even if they need it, everyone's needs are different. For you, why do you want a revolution? From your flyers, it's to overthrow the Qing dynasty and expel the foreigners. For me, why do I want a revolution? To build a strong new China. To achieve this, we need to overthrow the Qing dynasty and expel the foreigners. Don't ask people to do things that are not worth their effort." After saying this, Chen Ke felt it was insufficient and suddenly quoted a famous saying, "From the masses, to the masses."

Qi Huishen nodded in agreement, looking around at the people who were already asleep, he lowered his voice, "That makes sense. But what should China be like? Can Mr. Wenqing tell me?"

The two of them continued their low conversation. The night was clear, the stars were bright, and the streets were quiet, making it a good time for conversation.

The next morning, Chen Ke and Hua Xiongmeng returned to their residence. They quietly opened the door and entered the courtyard. Chen Ke pulled Hua Xiongmeng to take a shower first. They had been working in the workshop for several days, and the smell of sweat and dye was not pleasant. Cai Yuanpei was not an ordinary person, and Chen Ke did not have the nerve to meet such a great man with a bad smell. For this, Chen Ke specifically took out shampoo and soap.

After the shower, it was 6:30. Both of them changed into clean clothes and went to see Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin. No matter how careful they were, the sound of the shower was still quite loud, and Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin were usually up at this time.

As soon as they sat down, Qiu Jin laughed, "You two smell so good, better than girls."

"Aunt, it wouldn't be right to meet Mr. Cai with a bad smell," Hua Xiongmeng was very satisfied with the fresh scent of the shampoo. Not to mention the effect of the shampoo.

Seeing Chen Ke and Hua Xiongmeng return early and looking refreshed after the shower, Xu Xilin was relatively satisfied. Seeing that everyone was ready, Xu Xilin led the group to set off.

The group finally stopped in front of a courtyard. As a modern person, Chen Ke had one characteristic: a poor sense of direction. After walking through the alleys of Shanghai for a long time, Chen Ke had no idea where he was. The maze-like paths were impossible for him to remember. The group stopped in front of a courtyard with a closed gate. Xu Xilin, who was leading the way, knocked on the door ring. Soon, a small hole in the door opened, and someone peered out. Chen Ke suddenly had a thought: if he shot through the small hole and then broke the door, how would the people inside react, as seen in the movies he had watched?

The door opened, and the person at the door was actually Tao Chengzhang, which surprised Chen Ke. The group did not exchange pleasantries but went straight into the courtyard. Tao Chengzhang closed the door and led Xu Xilin and the others into the living room.

Facing these famous historical figures, Chen Ke did not feel particularly excited, even when he saw Cai Yuanpei. Xu Xilin and Qiu Jin had met Cai Yuanpei before, so Cai Yuanpei's gaze quickly fell on Chen Ke. Chen Ke, who was tall in both Shaoxing and Shanghai, with a square face typical of northerners, stood out among the southerners. Cai Yuanpei asked Xu Xilin, "Is this Mr. Chen Ke?"

Xu Xilin