hotmtlnovel Chapter 56 Specialized Discipline
Chapter 56 Specialized Discipline
"You dare to talk back?" Yan Shuo picked up the folder on the table, pretending to hit her, but stopped in mid-air, ultimately unable to bring himself to do it.
Looking at Meng Jia's "good attitude in admitting her mistake but will dare to do it again" expression, he was both angry and helpless. "You spineless coward! If you dare to meddle in this kind of thing again, I'll throw you into the dock warehouse and make you carry rice with the dockworkers for three months. Let's see if you still have the energy to meddle!"
"No, Mr. Liu!" Meng Jia immediately looked up, her eyes wide. "Carrying rice is too tiring! I still prefer learning to shoot and drive with you! I promise, next time I'll put myself first and never act impulsively again!"
"A promise?" Yan Shuo raised an eyebrow. "You caused trouble last time, and you promised you wouldn't act alone again. What happened?"
Meng Jia's eyes darted around, and she flashed a fawning smile. She moved closer to the desk and started tidying up the documents on Yan Shuo's desk: "This time is different! I really remembered this time! Besides, I didn't lose out, did I? I even returned the money to Old Man Zhang, and he even gave me a handful of candy. Want to try some?"
As she spoke, she took out a handful of fruit candies wrapped in brown paper from her pocket and handed them to Yan Shuo. The candy wrappers were still dusty, indicating that they had suffered a lot along with her.
Yan Shuo looked at the dirty candy, then at Meng Jia's face covered in ash but still bright eyes, and his anger subsided by more than half.
He didn't take the candy. Instead, he took a clean handkerchief from the drawer and threw it to her: "Wipe your face clean first. You look like a little kitten. You're embarrassing the people at the foreign company."
Meng Jia took the handkerchief with a grin, wiped her face haphazardly, popped a piece of candy into her mouth, and said indistinctly, "Thank you, Mr. Liu! I knew you were the best!"
"Don't give me that crap." Yan Shuo said sternly, but still added, "Next time you encounter something like this, either go around it, or notify Sister Li Yue first and have her send someone to handle it. If you dare to act like a hero by yourself again, see how I deal with you."
"Okay!" Meng Jia nodded vigorously, her cheeks puffed out like a little squirrel stealing food. "I'll definitely listen to Mr. Liu from now on, not cause trouble, and make more money!"
Yan Shuo shook his head helplessly as he looked at her carefree attitude.
This girl is genuinely kind and mischievous, but her inherent tenacity and sense of justice make it impossible for him to criticize her harshly.
But Shanghai is a place fraught with danger. He can protect her for a while, but not forever. He only hopes that she can truly grow up soon and understand that in chaotic times, survival is the most important thing.
Late at night, in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city, beams of flashlight beams flickered among the mountains of wooden crates.
Yan Shuo and Wang Li were checking the supplies list: "300 boxes of penicillin, 5 rounds of pistol ammunition, 30 small radios, 600 magazines, 8 rounds of rifle ammunition, and 200 boxes of hand grenades." After confirming that everything was correct, both parties signed and sealed the list.
Liu Yu and Huang Xiaoju were busy taking inventory of the supplies, while Meng Jia stood behind Yan Shuo with her hands behind her back and her toes kicking at the pebbles on the ground, looking obedient but secretly observing the wooden crates in the warehouse.
"Brother Wang, the goods have been checked and the quality is the same as before, so you can use them with confidence." Yan Shuo folded the list and handed it to Wang Li. Suddenly remembering something, he smiled helplessly. "Speaking of which, the smooth progress of this transaction is largely thanks to Miss Meng Jia under your command."
Wang Li was taken aback upon hearing this and looked at Meng Jia: "Oh? What's wrong, Meng Jia?"
"It's nothing much, she just stood up for what was right and shot three of Hu Er Kui's men from the Green Gang." Yan Shuo said casually, "It started when those thugs overturned the old man's vegetable stall and robbed him of his money. This girl couldn't stand it, so she stole the money back and then shot him when she was discovered. In the end, she was arrested by Hu Er Kui's men and they gave me my name. I had to go to Taifeng Restaurant to 'ran her out'."
Wang Li's face instantly darkened, his previously gentle gaze turning serious. He turned to Meng Jia and said solemnly, "Meng Jia, come with me."
Meng Jia's heart skipped a beat, sensing that she was about to be scolded. She reluctantly followed Wang Li to the corner of the warehouse.
Liu Yu and Huang Xiaoju also stopped what they were doing and came over, their eyes full of helplessness, as if to say, "We knew you were going to cause trouble."
"Meng Jia, do you think you did the right thing?" Wang Li's voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.
Meng Jia lowered her head and whispered in defense, "They went too far, bullying ordinary people..."
"I know you're kind-hearted and can't stand the bullying of the weak," Wang Li interrupted her, his tone softening. "But you need to understand, we are intelligence operatives, not street thugs. Our mission is to deliver intelligence and support the war effort, not to expose our identities or cause trouble for the organization for a moment of anger."
He paused, then continued, "You know how ruthless the intelligence network can be. Japanese agents, the Wang Jingwei regime, and gangsters are everywhere. A slight misstep can not only endanger your own life but also implicate your comrades and destroy the entire intelligence network. Fortunately, Mr. Liu was able to handle your impulsive actions this time. If you had fallen into the hands of the Japanese, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
"If you encounter something like this again, immediately write down the appearance, characteristics, and location of those people, and then report it to me. The organization will arrange for someone to handle it." Wang Li's gaze was fixed on Meng Jia. "Remember, our primary task is to survive. Only by surviving can we continue to fight for the revolutionary cause. Personal sentimentality is insignificant in the face of national righteousness."
Meng Jia lowered her head even further, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her clothes, and she didn't say anything more.
"Meng Jia, Meng Jia, you're incredibly audacious!" Liu Yu spoke first, his tone filled with exasperation. "How many times have we told you to think twice before you act? And yet, you went and shot someone, getting caught red-handed! If it weren't for Mr. Liu, you'd be nowhere to be found right now!"
Huang Xiaoju chimed in, "Exactly! You think you can get away with anything just because you've learned a few skills? Shanghai is a place full of hidden talents; there are plenty of people more capable than Hu Erkui. Next time something like this happens, no one can guarantee you'll be so lucky. If something happens to you, how will we explain it to the organization?"
"It's not that we don't want you to meddle, but we need to be mindful of the methods you use," Liu Yu sighed. "Think about it, if you get exposed because of this, our intelligence line will be cut off, so much important information won't be transmitted, and so many comrades will be put in danger. You can't just think about the immediate fairness; you have to think about the bigger picture."
Huang Xiaoju patted Meng Jia on the shoulder: "Little girl, you have a good heart, but you're too impulsive. From now on, you have to listen to your superiors and not act on your own anymore, understand?"
Listening to their back-and-forth chatter, Meng Jia's cheeks flushed red. She whispered, "I know I was wrong... I shouldn't have fired the gun impulsively, and I shouldn't have exposed myself. If I encounter something like this again, I will definitely write down the information first and report it to Team Leader Wang. I will never try to be a hero again."
She raised her head, her eyes filled with a mixture of grievance and seriousness: "I promise that I will abide by organizational discipline from now on, complete my tasks well, and never cause trouble for anyone again."
Seeing her sincere expression, Wang Li's tone softened: "It's good that you know you were wrong. You can't make the same mistake again. The road to revolution is long and arduous. What we need are calm, rational, and responsible fighters, not impulsive and reckless brutes."
Yan Shuo watched this scene from the side, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
He stepped forward and patted Meng Jia on the shoulder: "Alright, if you know you're wrong, then correct it. From now on, work hard with Team Leader Wang and don't make me clean up your messes anymore."
Meng Jia looked up at Yan Shuo and nodded vigorously: "Yes! I will definitely change!"
The beams of flashlights in the warehouse gradually went out, and the truck slowly drove away from the abandoned warehouse, disappearing into the night.