Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle
Chapter 207 - 158 Liang Zhu (Nine)_2

Chapter 207: Chapter 158 Liang Zhu (Nine)_2

In the distance, another bomb was dropped.

This wasn’t the kind of real yet fake bombing seen in movies; this was truly happening right before your eyes, the roaring sound so loud it could deafen someone.

This isn’t a disaster film; this is a real disaster.

Luo Jun was right there in the ruins, leaning against a half-collapsed precarious wall. By the firelight, he stood there calmly, reading a newspaper, as if everything around him was unrelated, his demeanor leisurely as if he were waiting for Liu Tao to finish watching a movie outside a cinema.

Soon, the planes circling above flew away, and Luo Jun still hadn’t finished reading his newspaper. He turned a page, looked up at the sky.

"It’s so annoying, day after day."

After saying that, Luo Jun patted the dust off himself, found a bright spot lit by the fire, and continued reading the newspaper.

Finishing one sheet, he went on to another, moving to a new bright spot when the fire at one place burned out.

Qin Huai found it difficult to comment on this behavior, seemingly akin to drilling holes in walls for light, not knowing what could possibly be read. After all, there was nothing around, not even a living soul, so he simply joined Luo Jun, reading newspapers with him.

The two of them continued reading newspapers until dawn.

Qin Huai, out of boredom, even counted. Luo Jun took out a total of 22 sheets of newspaper folded into small squares from his pocket, clearly prepared and specially coming out to read the newspaper on a night of bombing.

Previously, Luo Jun would generally bring only three or four sheets when he went out.

Luo Jun, unhurriedly, refolded the read newspapers into squares and put them back into his pocket, then headed towards the east.

That was the direction of the sun.

The dim light was barely enough, but enough for Qin Huai to see the scene in the distance. Almost everywhere a bomb fell was reduced to wreckage afterward.

The buildings hadn’t completely collapsed; some low houses showed only broken bricks and charred timber, some partially collapsed walls but the main structure remained intact, those particularly lucky ones were unharmed, only the exteriors stained black by spreading flames.

Luo Jun walked slowly, Qin Huai following behind him, and after several streets, Qin Huai faintly heard cries in the distance.

People who had spent the night in air-raid shelters gradually emerged after confirming the planes had left and dawn had arrived.

Some looked at their homes, now rubble, and collapsed onto it, crying and frantically searching the debris for belongings, snarling like wild dogs at anyone who attempted to approach.

Others sought to take advantage, threatening lone women and frail youths with sticks to surrender their valuables, greedily wanting more despite their pockets already stuffed with ill-gotten goods.

But more people called out for loved ones, rushing to familiar faces asking if they’d seen anyone, if they’d been together.

A chaotic scene.

Luo Jun clearly disliked such crowded and chaotic crowds, constantly avoiding people along the way, until, after passing through several slums, Qin Huai saw a distant western-style house.

Qin Huai had never seen these houses before, indicating Luo Jun had left Shu and arrived somewhere new.

The district of western-style houses clearly hadn’t been directly bombed, only slightly affected, the buildings well preserved, possibly because of the terrain. Qin Huai glanced around and felt this area was indeed not easy to bomb, becoming a wealthy district in such dangerous times for a reason.

Luo Jun headed towards a three-story western-style house deep inside, when Liu Tao, full of anxiety, rushed forward before he reached the door. She scrutinized Luo Jun’s face and, ignoring her dirty, blackened hands, desperately felt his cheeks, ears, and chin, checking for injuries before looking at his neck and arms.

Liu Tao’s hands trembled, her body shaking with fear, looking very disheveled.

Her hair was loose, her clothes wrinkled, hands dirty, and she’d lost a shoe. Large beads of sweat covered her forehead, tear marks lingered at the corners of her eyes and cheeks, and her beautiful silk dress was marred with tiny cuts. On closer inspection, tiny wounds on her hands faintly bled, with sand and small stones embedded in them.

Luo Jun saw Liu Tao’s hand.

"What happened to your hand?" Luo Jun asked, grabbing it.

Liu Tao didn’t respond, large tears falling straight from her eyes, her lips quivering as she choked, "I thought you were dead."

"You went to Liu’s shop last night; they said the place was nearly flattened by the bombardment, so many died. Even people in the air-raid shelter were trampled and crushed to death. Early at dawn, I wanted to find you; Uncle Zhang wouldn’t let me out, and with Li Ping, I searched for you at dawn, and you never returned. I thought you..."

Liu Tao couldn’t continue, hugging Luo Jun and bursting into tears.

"Let’s stop searching. I’m not looking for my parents anymore. Let’s return to Shanghai, or even further south, it’s too dangerous here."

"Chuntao from Secretary Liu’s home didn’t manage to escape while going out to buy groceries the day before yesterday morning, got her leg blown off, and now can only lie at home waiting to die. While in the air-raid shelter last night, I heard Mrs. Cao say that the bombings will only increase in frequency, that the enemy wants to force us to do something, about some materials and things. I couldn’t understand what they were saying, I just know Mrs. Cao wants to leave here and return to her hometown."

"She wants to leave, surely it won’t be safe. Bo Yan, I know you still have business here, but now the air-raid siren sounds every three to five days, and you’re usually not home when it does. Last night in the air-raid shelter, I heard Mrs. Liu say that some government workers have been killed by bombings. Perhaps it’s unsafe there as well, maybe we should..."

Luo Jun didn’t speak. He only held Liu Tao’s hand to comfort her, sorting her hair until her voice stopped trembling, and her body ceased its unstoppable shaking.

"Let’s first go back home and put on your shoes. There are many small stones on the ground, and walking barefoot can cut your feet."

Liu Tao followed Luo Jun home.

Compared to the western-style house they stayed in Shu before, the one they reside in now is noticeably larger and more luxurious, with more furnishings within. The living room lacked newspapers, likely stored upstairs.

Luo Jun had Liu Tao sit on the sofa and went to fetch her a pair of shoes, helping her change, and also fetched a clean towel to wet with water, wiping Liu Tao’s face and hands.

Throughout, Liu Tao sat dazedly like a doll, seeming stunned post-trauma.

"You don’t need to worry too much about me." Luo Jun sat beside Liu Tao, "I won’t be in any danger."

The doll’s switch was flipped, and Liu Tao was pulled back to reality by Luo Jun’s voice, shuddering as if determining whether what had happened was illusion or reality.

Liu Tao looked at Luo Jun like this, unable to restrain her tears once again.

"You’re crying again. You never cried before. I remember you telling me that when you were young, practicing positions in the theater troupe, even when the Class Leader beat you with a stick, breaking it, you wouldn’t cry." Luo Jun said helplessly.

"It’s different." Liu Tao whispered, blinking, shedding two more tears, "I also don’t want to, but I can’t control myself."

"Let’s go back, okay? Last year, Sister A hong sent me a letter saying the concessions are currently very safe. Although prices are high, grain prices changing daily, but since you found her a house, no rent is needed, and she and her man earn enough to support the family."

"What about Master Liu?" Luo Jun asked.

Liu Tao fell silent.

"The Class Leader... has not been heard from for a long time." Liu Tao said with her head down, "Since he wrote three years ago saying the troupe was relocating south, I haven’t received a letter from him."

"Along the way, there are many bandits, some armed. Master Liu definitely wouldn’t take a train to save money, so they might..."

Luo Jun denied Liu Tao an escape, "They should already be dead."

"I still have business here, and I promised to help you find your parents."

"Is it safer outside than here?"

"The concessions in Shanghai aren’t safe either, and areas outside the concessions are bombed frequently. There’s war in the north, war in Central China, and even the south is overrun by bandits. The cities aren’t safe, nor are the countryside—it’s chaotic times; where can you find a safe place?"

Liu Tao looked at Luo Jun, bewildered.

"At least this is a capital city, and all the air-raid shelters are specifically dug. As long as you stay at home like Mrs. Cao every day, there’s nowhere safer. Don’t listen to what Mrs. Cao says, watch what she does. As long as she hasn’t left, this place is still safe."

"Don’t worry about me; whether doing business with Minister Cao or finding people, I’ll be fine."

Liu Tao clearly couldn’t understand the implication of this statement, nor was she meant to understand; she just stared dumbfoundedly at Luo Jun.

"When we got married, I promised to find your parents."

"I keep my promises."