Rebirth of Bloody Romance

The first ray of sunlight in the early morning shines on Yanjing Railway Station, giving this ancient station a golden coat.

An international train that has traveled thousands of miles, like a messenger traveling through time and space, slowly pulls into this city where ancient and modern things interweave.

On the platform, Zhong Yuemin, who usually shows a cynical attitude, put away his unruly attitude. He put his hands in his trouser pockets, stared through the bustling crowd, and stared at the door that was about to open. In his eyes, there was both the expectation of a long-awaited reunion and a hint of indescribable curiosity and exploration.

As the car door creaked, a scent from a foreign country blew in. It was a mixture of a faint perfume, fatigue from a long journey, and a vision of future life.

Passengers walked out of the carriages, some with excitement on their faces, while others looked exhausted. Among this group of faces, Zhang Haiyang and Li Ting finally appeared in Zhong Yuemin's sight.

Zhang Haiyang, a man who has always been known for his calmness and self-control, now has an imperceptible smile on his face, and his eyes are shining with a gentle light. This expression makes people feel very unfamiliar.

Li Ting, once a capable and heroic woman, now has a little more tenderness and shyness. She gently holds Zhang Haiyang's arm, and the two of them walk in such a tacit understanding that it seems as if the whole world has stopped moving for them.

Seeing this scene, Zhong Yuemin frowned slightly, but soon relaxed again, with a playful smile on his face. He thought to himself, "When did these two guys secretly create a spark? It really fits the old saying, 'A hard tree blooms'. It's really rare to see this once in a million years!"

Zhong Yuemin deliberately slowed down his pace, and when Zhang Haiyang and Li Ting approached, he pretended to be surprised and shouted, "Hey, our great hero Zhang and the beautiful agent are back! Looking at the situation, do they have to treat me to a wedding banquet?" He had a sly smile on his lips and a teasing look in his eyes.

Zhang Haiyang blushed when he heard this, but soon returned to normal. He smiled and patted Zhong Yuemin on the shoulder. "Zhong Yuemin, you are always so unforgiving. However, this incident did make us understand each other better and made us understand a lot."

There was a hint of emotion in Zhang Haiyang's voice, and he seemed to have a deep understanding of this experience.

Li Ting smiled gently, with a happy light in her eyes. She looked at Zhang Haiyang tenderly and said softly, "Yes, after going through so much, I found that I am really lucky to have such a person to rely on." Her tone was full of gratitude and satisfaction, as if telling everyone that the relationship between them has become deeper.

Zhong Yuemin was surprised when he saw this, but he was more happy for the two. He patted Zhang Haiyang on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Okay, stop showing off your affection here, go back and have a rest. I'll go to Zui Xiang Lou tonight to celebrate for you, and then we can talk about your 'cross-border love' slowly!"

Li Ting smiled softly, that smile was a bit tired but also hard to hide the determination. "Rest? Now is not the time, I have to report the situation of this mission to the higher-ups."

Hearing this, Zhong Yuemin raised a bitter smile and said jokingly, "I'm not saying anything, Li Ting, you're trying to outdo the donkeys in the production team! At least they still have time to rest."

Hearing this, Li Ting frowned slightly and retorted in pretended anger, "Zhong Yuemin, you are the donkey! You just know how to talk nonsense." As she spoke, the corners of Li Ting's mouth rose inadvertently, and it was obvious that she was not really angry.

At this time, Zhang Haiyang stepped forward, protected Li Ting behind him, and said to Zhong Yuemin with a smile, "Yuemin, you are joking too much. If you talk about my wife, I will be angry with you." There was some joking in Zhang Haiyang's words, but more of it was to protect Li Ting.

Seeing this, Zhong Yuemin patted his chest in an exaggerated manner and laughed, "Fuck, do you think you are united as husband and wife? You haven't even done anything yet, and you're already teaming up to fight me."

After hearing this, Li Ting's face flushed, but she pretended to be arrogant and said, "I don't want to bother with you. I'm leaving." After that, Li Ting turned around and left quickly, leaving behind a series of crisp footsteps echoing in the empty platform.

Seeing this, Zhang Haiyang hurriedly chased after them, shouting as he ran, "Li Ting, wait for me." The two figures quickly blended into the night, leaving behind only a string of laughter and gradually fading backs.

Zhong Yuemin stood there, looking at the direction they were going, with mixed emotions in his heart. He shook his head and said self-deprecatingly: "Oh my god, I'm so lonely here. But it's good to see them like this." As he said that, he smiled again and turned around and walked out of the train station.

Zhong Yuemin walked into the busy street corner, where the aroma of pancakes filled the air and Li Hongxia's pancake stall was crowded with people. He walked to the stall with familiarity, rolled up his sleeves, and prepared to help.

"Yuemin, you're here!" Li Hongxia looked up and saw Zhong Yuemin, with a warm smile on her face, full of surprise and gratitude. She flipped the pancakes skillfully while greeting customers.

"Sister Li, how are you feeling? Business is pretty good today, right?" Zhong Yuemin took the spatula she handed over and began to help make pancakes skillfully.

"It's pretty good, much better than selling roasted sweet potatoes." Li Hongxia smiled from ear to ear, with a satisfied light in her eyes. "Standing on the street to sell roasted sweet potatoes is like standing there, and I can't make much money. Now I sell pancakes, I am busy every day, and my wallet is fatter."

Hearing this, Zhong Yuemin joked, "Sister Li, you better take it easy and don't overwork yourself. If Lao Liu comes to settle accounts with me, he'll say that I've exhausted his beloved wife, and I won't be able to bear that."

Upon hearing this, Li Hongxia pretended to be angry and glared at Zhong Yuemin, but there was a hint of smile on her lips. "How dare he! I am the breadwinner of the family now, and I earn more than him. At home, what I say is what counts, and he has to listen to me now."

At this point, the two smiled at each other, and the air was filled with a warm and slightly teasing atmosphere.

Zhong Yuemin couldn't help but sigh in his heart, this world is really full of surprises, those who make missiles are not as good as those who sell tea eggs. Although this statement is a bit joking, it also reveals the reality and helplessness of life.

"Sister Li, this is a typical example of 'small business, big wisdom'!" Zhong Yuemin praised sincerely.

Li Hongxia smiled even more brightly, because she knew that Zhong Yuemin was sincerely praising her. In front of this small pancake stall, she found her own value and dignity.

The afternoon sun shone obliquely on the streets of Yanjing, covering this ancient city with a golden coat. Zhang Haiyang walked briskly to the pancake cart where Zhong Yuemin was, with a playful smile on his face.

"Comrade, give me a portion of pancakes made with eight-generation-old craftsmanship!" He raised his voice deliberately, causing laughter from the people around him.

Zhong Yuemin looked up when he heard the voice and saw that it was Zhang Haiyang. He immediately laughed and scolded, "Zhang Haiyang, why are you here to join in the fun when you are not at home sleeping?"

Zhang Haiyang was not annoyed, but laughed even more happily. "I heard that you are selling pancakes, how can I not come to support you? Besides, the pancakes made by Badan Chuan's craftsmanship sound mouth-watering, I have to try them to see if they are really that amazing."

Zhong Yuemin naturally knew that Zhang Haiyang was joking. He knew very well that Zhang Haiyang would not come to him unless he had something important to do.

Then, Zhong Yuemin turned to Li Hongxia and said, "Sister Li, I have something to do, so I'll leave first!"

Li Hongxia agreed with a smile. "Okay, Yuemin, you go ahead and do your work. I can handle it by myself."

Zhong Yuemin nodded, and after a brief explanation to Li Hongxia, he took Zhang Haiyang to the side. The two stood side by side, their eyes flashing with tacit understanding and friendship that only each other could understand.

"Tell me, what do you want to talk to me about?" Zhong Yuemin asked straight to the point. He knew that Zhang Haiyang's purpose of this trip was definitely not just to eat a pancake.

Zhang Haiyang stopped smiling and looked serious. "Yuemin, I do have something I want to discuss with you. After coming back this time, I feel it is necessary to make a detailed plan for my life. In addition, I have some ideas about the future and would like to hear your opinions."

Zhong Yuemin frowned slightly when he heard this, but soon regained his composure. "Let's go find a place and have a good chat."

Inside Zui Xiang Lou, the private room was elegant and the aroma of tea was wafting in the air. Zhong Yuemin and Zhang Haiyang sat opposite each other and talked, the atmosphere was both serious and somewhat secretive.

Outside the window is a bustling city, while inside the window, two men are having a profound exchange about the country, the future and personal destiny.

Zhong Yuemin gently filled Zhang Haiyang's cup of tea. Although the tea was not of top quality, at this moment, it seemed to carry the deep friendship and trust between the two.

"Haiyang, what do you think of your trip to the Soviet Union this time?" Zhong Yuemin's words were filled with curiosity and expectation.

Zhang Haiyang picked up the teacup, took a sip, and then sighed, as if he was organizing his thoughts. "Zhang Jiandang took Li Ting and me to Irkutsk. That place is like a small Chinatown, with our people everywhere. They started doing business very early, in the 80s, with furs, timber, and everything else. They are all very rich."

Zhang Haiyang paused and continued, "What impressed me most were the people who were doing the train car business. All they got in return were fertilizers and cement for the train cars. The money they made was just like the wind blowing in."

A complex emotion flashed across Zhang Haiyang's eyes, including admiration for the hard work and wisdom of his compatriots, as well as emotion for the complex ecology behind border trade.

"Is there no one in charge of the border?" Zhong Yuemin frowned, obviously very concerned about this issue.

Zhang Haiyang smiled slightly, with a bit of cunning and helplessness in his smile. "Hey... I didn't know the ins and outs of this until I went there. Those people who went out were all wearing the name of the Foreign Trade Corporation and the Fishery Consumer Cooperative, but they were actually doing private business. Everyone knows it clearly, and as long as you don't go too far, no one will usually care. But there is a red line that must not be crossed - privately hoarding foreign exchange, especially Swiss francs. Once it's discovered, it will be troublesome. But then again, as long as there is foreign exchange, many things can become simple."

Zhong Yuemin nodded, and he understood Zhang Haiyang's words. He knew that in that era, foreign exchange was hard currency and a bridge connecting domestic and foreign markets. Both Swiss francs and US dollars were highly sought after in China. They not only represented wealth and strength, but also the key to breaking through various institutional restrictions.

Zhong Yuemin was well aware of the reason why third countries chose the Swiss franc as their settlement tool during that particular historical period.

The shadow of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union had not yet dissipated, and the relationship between the two countries was tense, making it impossible to directly use the US dollar for settlement.

As a neutral country, Switzerland's currency, the Swiss franc, naturally became a "safe haven" for international trade. It is not only stable and reliable, but also able to avoid the political disputes between the United States and the Soviet Union, becoming a settlement tool acceptable to both sides.

For the domestic market, both Swiss francs and US dollars are crucial as long as they can be circulated as foreign exchange.

In that era when foreign exchange was scarce, having foreign exchange meant having the key to connect with the international market, breaking through the limitations of domestic resources and technology, introducing advanced equipment and technology, and promoting national development.

Therefore, both the government and the public have great enthusiasm and desire for foreign exchange.

After Gorbachev came to power, the Soviet Union began to adjust its foreign policy and tried to get out of its predicament through reform.

However, this series of policy adjustments failed to completely reverse the Soviet Union's decline, but instead plunged it into a more complex political and economic predicament.

Despite this, the Soviet Union did not take radical actions against China on trade issues, but instead acquiesced to the prosperity of border trade.

With the deepening of peace talks between the two sides and the increasing frequency of trade exchanges, the economic vitality of the border area has been greatly released.

Zhong Yuemin was immersed in his thoughts when Zhang Haiyang's sudden words broke the silence. "Yuemin, my buddy is getting married."

"Ah? So fast?" Zhong Yuemin looked up in surprise, his eyes full of disbelief.

Zhang Haiyang glared at him. "Your daughter is already 6 years old, and I just found a wife. How dare you say I'm fast?"

Zhong Yuemin smiled awkwardly when he heard that, then changed the subject with a bit of curiosity and teasing, "That's not what I meant, buddy. Have you and Li Ting done that already?" Zhong Yuemin looked gossipy.

Zhang Haiyang's cheeks instantly flushed, and he uttered "hmm" in a voice so soft that it was almost inaudible.

Seeing this, Zhong Yuemin couldn't help but laugh out loud, and continued to tease, "Ocean, you won't be pushed back, right?"

"What is reverse reasoning?" Zhang Haiyang looked confused, obviously not understanding this new term.

Zhong Yuemin chuckled and explained, "You were forced at that time. You were down there..." He deliberately dragged out his voice, with a teasing gleam in his eyes.

Before he could finish his words, Zhang Haiyang was already furious and reached out to hit Zhong Yuemin.

Zhong Yuemin dodged flexibly and smiled, still teasing him. "Haiyang, did your buddy guess it right?"

"That's because I drank!" Zhang Haiyang defended himself, but his tone could not hide his shyness.

"Fuck, you're really being pushed back! Is Li Ting that fierce?" Zhong Yuemin shouted in surprise, and the room was suddenly filled with laughter and noise.

The two of them chased each other in the private room, making a lot of noise, as if they had returned to their carefree youth.