Section 3

What a coincidence

Her aspiration is to draw on Western learning to strengthen our China

Mr. Fu, this is just a small business. If you are interested, I can offer you a cinema. If you find it troublesome, you can simply forget my proposal regarding the cinema," the other party responded with a smile, "You should be clear that what I want to do is opium.

Fu Dongwen remained calm and composed, raising his arm by an inch, allowing her hand to rest securely in the crook of his arm

She lit a candle in the kitchen, as the electric light was broken. Encountering such a situation during the New Year is not considered a good omen. Shen Xi originally intended to prepare some milk powder to aid her sleep, but upon discovering the broken light and groping in the dark to find the milk powder canister, she decided to locate the candle and study how to repair the electric light.

The light under the green lampshade is not intense. He dragged the chair to the window, opened it, and let the breeze in

It turns out that the person he truly intends to meet tonight has just appeared

Shen Xi also disregarded how strange it was to applaud at this moment and clapped deliberately. Mr. Ulrich held up his cigar and clapped perfunctorily.

Two advertisements were temporarily placed at the entrance of the cinema. As Shen Xi got into the car, she glanced at the slogans.

In speculation, how would it be described if he were to pursue academic endeavors

It is a pleasure to meet you. Fu Dongwen stood up from his seat

Fu Dongwen's gaze was slightly askew as he also looked out the window

While watching the premiere, Shen Xi looked up at him and said, "You are not in New York, yet you still know about the latest movies?"

not too foolish yet

The tension along the way is no less than that of performing an autopsy on a corpse for the first time

Fu Dongwen turned on the desk lamp.

Fu Dongwen extended his right hand and shook hands with the other party to bid farewell

Three o'clock in the morning

Upon arriving in the United Kingdom, Dongtang, like you, became obsessed with studying medicine. Fu Dongwen lifted his breakfast cup, raised it slightly, and asked her, "May I trouble you for half a cup of milk powder? I am quite thirsty."

The meeting was not pleasant

A brief silence

Fu Dongwen expressed surprise: "This time I went to California to inquire about your professional direction, and my friend also suggested this."

The other party smiled and said, "Mr. Fu, are you trying to make me show greater sincerity? Everyone knows that although your government is enforcing a smoking ban, it cannot intervene in the concessions. Look, the opium trade in the concessions is so thriving; you Chinese cannot do without it. Trust me, it is a necessity."

The atmosphere between the two individuals has improved significantly

Shen Xi nodded and then shook his head: "Six months ago, I followed my teacher's advice and chose an orthopedic mentor"

It is also a reminder for her to focus on the film and not look back

He often observes the myriad aspects of life; how could he not discern her thoughts? Perhaps he is still displeased by the earlier incident

However, his wording and the final destination he chose were truly remarkable

Never has there been a moment when she longed for the conclusion to arrive as she does now, not to witness the fulfillment of love, but to see that detestable merchant disappear

Fu Dongwen appeared to be indifferent, resting his hand on Shen Xi's chair back, his fingers lightly tapping a rhythm, inadvertently brushing against her spine. Shen Xi instinctively turned her head, and he noticed, leaning forward, his breath directly grazing her face: "Look, he has encountered Cinderella."

Isn't it a beautiful love story

Fortunately, it has passed

"Have you never tried to persuade a gentleman in this way?" he asked in Chinese

Thus, she boiled hot water in the candlelight, still feeling cold despite wrapping herself in clothing, so she cupped her hands around the kettle to warm them. When the water came to a boil, she rummaged for a breakfast cup about the size of a bowl and poured in the milk powder

Before departing, Fu Dongwen handed her a new wide-brimmed hat

Shen Xi saw the bandage on his hand, and her words came to an abrupt halt. Before she could ask, Fu Dongwen had already waved his hand, saying, "Do not ask about my hand; let us talk about something else"

She secretly breathed a sigh of relief

The driver bid farewell to the drivers waiting by the roadside, wished them a Happy New Year in English, and opened the car door for them

Shen Xi was greatly frightened, and the milk powder fell to the ground with a thud

It would be more useful, after all, the challenges faced by cardiac surgery are currently unsolvable. If I were an American, I would choose cardiac surgery to tackle these challenges, to find a way to stop the heart from beating during surgery, preventing blood from flowing out. However, at this stage, this is a fantasy. She can choose to stay in the United States and continue in this direction, but when will it be conquered? No one dares to say. She can choose to stay in the United States and continue in this direction, but when will it be conquered? No one dares to say.

However, this hat is too formal for her dress. Although Shen Xi thought so, upon seeing his deep brown herringbone soft wool coat, she immediately concluded that she still needed a wide-brimmed hat to look the part

Fu Dongwen shook his head: "I have seen opera twice. It was quite dull there; the appearance of women was merely to showcase jewelry, while men—"

Shen Xi nodded slightly, feeling her face flush under his gaze

Finally, you are no longer nervous when speaking to me?" Fu Dongwen observed her.

No need, who told me to take you to watch an extremely boring movie last night, this counts as revenge

Words are forced to the throat, yet one is not allowed to ask

Shen Xi sat up straight, intently staring at the screen

She thought it was a secluded place, but unexpectedly, it was a cinema filled with gentlemen and ladies

At last, the movie is nearing its end, and the lights in the audience area outside the box have been turned on

Tan Qingxiang was well aware of Fu Dongwen's hatred for opium and allowed him to vent his feelings

Fu Dongwen sighed: "It seems that it is not enough"

Heaven and earth apart

Shen Xi smiled slightly, feeling fortunate that she had expressed herself clearly

Mr. Ulrich not only wishes to express sincerity, but also harbors contempt for the Chinese people. Perhaps it is not intentional, but this disdain is wrapped in every word and sentence, impacting her.

He is talking about the movie

Mr. Ulrich is not very interested: "I suppose so"

"One person, one half," Fu Dongwen smiled, taking out another breakfast cup, dividing it in half, and handing it to her. "In medieval Europe, the status of surgeons was extremely low, comparable to that of barbers. At that time, the king's confidants managed all the barbers and surgical associations in the country. This is what Dongtang told me," he said, drinking the milk from the cup. "He also liked surgery, but unfortunately, during the years he went to study, the development of this discipline was not good. Why did you choose orthopedics?" he asked

I remember you mentioned in your letter that you are interested in cardiac surgery

"Yes, anyway, with no one around, she spoke confidently in Chinese, saying, 'Seeing it once is fresh, but seeing it more than that is definitely torment.' She pressed her two fingers against the temples at both ends of her forehead, saying, 'It's all black and white shadows flickering in front of my eyes. My attention gradually drifts away.'

Shen Xi stood in front of the large black-and-white poster in the cinema, noticing that the premiere date was just three days ago, on December 28, 1914. It was still a new film. She wondered where Fu Dongwen had been for the past month, as he seemed to know the screening time of "Cinderella" here. This story had been mentioned by Wan Feng, who expressed her fondness for Cinderella's love story, but it was only shown in the grand cinema that entertained gentlemen and ladies, and she did not have the spare money to watch it

You have all finished drinking

Unconsciously, I recalled the conversation between him and that person in the private room last night

"Sound films?" Fu Dongwen laughed, "A very bold imagination"

After Fu Dongwen finished speaking, he raised his breakfast cup once more, a rich smile on his face: "Good night, Miss Shen"

The private room has two rows of seats. Originally, Fu Dongwen and she were seated in the front row, which offered the best view. After this man entered, they moved to the back row side by side. Although the view there was poorer, it was more suitable for casual conversation. Shen Xi remained seated in her original position. Upon hearing the door of the private room open again, she recognized the voice of the doctor: "The air here is too poor. I have asked the driver to wait outside. We will leave once you finish your conversation."

Shen Xi could hardly read the subtitles, and his entire nervous system was suspended on "opium"

However, Fu Dongwen was waiting for her to continue explaining

The door to the private room was opened. Two tall men walked in.

Then, the door closed. Shen Xi clearly heard his own heart beating, coinciding with the instant the door shut, with a soft thud, the door was personally closed by him from the outside

Shen Xi understood, he was asking about the movie: "We Chinese people enjoy liveliness, this is too monotonous and dull. If ... ... " She looked at the screen and softly said, "In the future, when there are sound films, it will be much better"

"Words fail to convey the meaning," Fu Dongwen said with a smile, "but I understand."

Shen Xi thought for a moment, and was also curious about his study abroad experience: "Do you often watch this in London as well?"

Perhaps ten years, twenty years, or perhaps a lifetime

No, Shen Ximing knew he was joking, yet he still explained, "It's not revenge—"

The door of the compartment closed once again

Fu Dongwen got into the car after her, maintaining a distance of two fists between them, and sat side by side in the back seat, completely engulfed in silence

A ticket given by a friend. Fu Dongwen bent his arm, gesturing with his gaze. Shen Xi imitated the young ladies around her, wrapping her hand around his arm. However, her fingers merely hovered, suspended above his sleeve.

Fu Dongwen carried the half cup of milk upstairs, parting ways with Shen Xi at her room's door, and with a gentlemanly demeanor, opened the door for her: "Wishing you a night full of sweet dreams"

Upon reaching the halfway point, I discovered that I could no longer continue. It is best to leave specialized fields to those who are dedicated to them.

"Since you are no longer nervous, answer me a question: do you like this?" He scanned the venue with his gaze

"I want cement factories, cotton yarn factories, and glass factories, yet they still wish to send all the opium in the world to China," Fu Dongwen raised his cup, took a couple of sips to moisten his throat, "The entire nation is banning smoking, yet the number of legally operating opium dens in the concessions is increasing. Where is their God? Where is their hell?"

My sister said she does not like this. It seems that we are not destined to collaborate. You know, in China, this industry is usually controlled by people with a dark background, which is quite troublesome

Shen Xi lightly shook her head. There is no one to try.

A few drops enter the mouth, clean your oral cavity, keep your teeth strong forever, and stay away from unbearable pain, she smiled and recited in English, "Is it completely accurate?"

In the quiet cinema, the black-and-white images of the silent film unfold, occasionally interspersed with subtitles to explain the protagonist's dialogue. Shen Xi finds it difficult to immerse herself in the film. By comparison, listening to an opera is preferable; the singing is full of emotion, and at least there is something lively to watch

Fu Dongwen seems to have many faces, embodying both good and evil, loyalty and treachery, with ninety-nine percent of it being what Shen Xi heard from others. However, over the course of this day and night, she has also witnessed various aspects of him with her own eyes, each one unexpected yet also within the realm of her imagination

In my mind, there are stagnant lights and shadows, the image of him raising his glass to say goodnight lingers for a long time

This is not difficult to understand

"Even if there are ten doctors, they won't be able to save you like this." Tan Qingxiang forcefully shoved a glass of water into his hand and went to close the window

She cannot imagine what Fu Dongwen's expression would be like, but her intuition tells her that he would not be pleased

Fu Dongwen straightened his body and continued to engage the other party in conversation about the opium trade. Even Shen Xi could discern the impatience and restraint in his tone, but this was a foreign land, not Beijing. No matter how irritable he felt, he could only feign politeness and engage in perfunctory social niceties.

1 International Opium Conference: On February 1, 1909, the International Opium Commission convened in Shanghai, China, gathering 41 representatives from 13 countries to discuss the plan for opium prohibition. The International Opium Conference was the first international drug prohibition meeting in the world, leading to the creation of the first international drug prohibition treaty—the Hague Opium Convention, which holds a milestone significance in the history of international drug control

However, although it is quite uncomfortable to watch, there is one good aspect to it

This is merely a couple of sentences from among her hundreds of letters

On the large screen, English subtitles appeared, stating that the prince wished to hold a court ball, as he sought to find his beloved.

The poster is quite special? Do we need to look at it for so long? Fu Dongwen stood behind her, also examining the promotional poster on the wall

She is inexplicably anxious, how deep is the wound? How did it come about? Wasn't she fine when she returned?

Fu Dongwen and this guest began to converse in English with familiarity

This is easy, it's just that such high-end places do not sell it, probably... She thinks it should be available at the place where the circus is being held

I knew you couldn't let it go, this surge of malevolence has finally erupted. Tan Qingxiang was unsure whether to feel relieved or angry. He paid no attention to the shards of glass and hurried to fetch the medicine box to tend to his wounds

After the show, they left the cinema

The two individuals arrived late, but fortunately it was a private box, so they would not disturb unrelated parties

I give you mine? '' Shen Xi pointed to her breakfast cup.

"Is there enough left for a second cup?" A weary voice came from behind her. Fu Dongwen leaned his arm against the door frame, watching her empty the kitchen cabinets like a mouse.

He recounts the past, while she envisions it in her heart

Fu Dongwen relaxed her brows and eyes, thus fulfilling her intention: "When I first arrived, I couldn't speak a word of English; how did I manage to get by?"

Fu Dongwen pondered for a moment and said, "You can buy me a portion of popcorn."

Suddenly, a shattering sound was heard as the glass cup's wall was unexpectedly crushed in Fu Dongwen's hand

She is more eager to apply what she learns and return to her home country as soon as possible. Those endeavors that benefit humanity are better left to those who wish to stay in the United States, such as Chen Linguan, whose ambition is the medical cause for all humanity

The short heels of her high-heeled shoes sank into the carpet, soft and plush. She gently tapped the heels on the carpet, finding a bit of amusement in it

Thinking of the events of the evening still made her feel guilty: "Is there anything you haven't tried? I wish I could take you there. " Consider it your New Year gift

"Bei," Shen Xi was very happy, diverting his attention elsewhere, "Whatever he sees, he memorizes; he memorizes from the dictionary, he memorizes from the newspaper, he memorizes from the menu, as if possessed."

Shen Xi was taken aback, while the smile on Fu Dongwen's face became even more pronounced: "This movie is over fifty minutes long, and Mr. Ulrich has already missed half an hour."

In the black and white scene, the ball begins, and the prince embraces his beloved, dancing in a whirl...

Fu Dongwen spoke as he stood up and shook hands with the other party

Shen Xi feigned nonchalance and asked, "What do you think left the deepest impression on me after watching this movie?"

Four o'clock in the morning

However, Shen Xi did not dare to speak these words to Fu Dongwen, as she feared that expressing such thoughts would seem too immature for her current self

Just like that, Shen Xi struggled to find the right words and said softly, "Our top priority is to build the railway, not to purchase luxury trains." After finishing, Shen Xi, fearing that her explanation might not be clear, provided another example, "Or rather, we first need to ensure that everyone has enough to eat, rather than teaching everyone to drink red wine and vodka."

My first visit to London was a great shock to me. He suddenly seemed to be filled with emotion and began to talk to her about distant matters, starting from his journey to London with Fourth Master, recounting many experiences and observations.

Without a response from Fu Dongwen, Shen Xi speculated that he had answered with gestures

At this moment, he, with his injured hand, under the faint light of a candle, resembled an ordinary international student who had drifted in a foreign land for many years. If he were not the third master of the Fu family, perhaps upon returning to his homeland, he would be employed at a university, seated at a four-foot desk in a rattan chair as a university professor. In the upper right corner of his desk, there would surely be a crystal inkwell, one filled with red ink and the other with blue.

Fu Dongwen suddenly smiled, reaching out to tap the brim of her hat. The wide-brimmed hat tilted forward, completely blocking the light in front of her.

Fu Dongwen asked her with a smile: "Is it like being punished?"

The International Anti-Smoking Association has not been established for many years; this is likely not a good business. Fu Dongwen is practicing Tai Chi

This is the first sentence he has spoken since leaving the apartment