The cups and saucers were clinking in the restaurant, filled with laughter and conversation. The temperature was at least twenty degrees higher than outside, Lin Wenjing's face suddenly turned bright red, and she quickly took off the long scarf wrapped around her neck.

  Back and forth were blonde-haired, blue-eyed Western women, each wearing an evening gown with a low-cut back, stunning Lin Wenjing who couldn't help but stick out her little tongue. She was still wearing a woolen hat on her head that she had forgotten to take off, with a small red pom-pom on top swaying back and forth, looking especially adorable.

  Chen Zikun handed a cup of drink over to Lin Wenjing: "Miss Lin, try this."

  "Is this wine? Is it spicy?" Lin Wenjing tilted her head and looked at the cup of dark, bubbly liquid.

  "It's not spicy, it's sweet." Chen Zikun said with a smile.

  Lin Wenjing took a sip and found it sweet and numbingly delicious.

  "Hehe, delicious." Lin Wenjing tilted her head and finished the drink, handing the empty cup to Chen Zikun: "Uncle, I want more."

  As they spoke, a strand of hair fell down, and she raised her hand to brush it away. Her pale fingers, rosy egg-shaped face, and unintentional girlish shyness made Chen Zikun feel like his nosebleed was about to burst.

  "Oh, Uncle will get it for you again." Chen Zikun stretched out his hand to take the soda bottle, but in his nervous state, he knocked over a bottle of Douglas fir wine. Just as the bottle was about to shatter on the ground, he quickly kicked it back up with his toes, and his heart was still racing wildly.

  "Calm down, must calm down." Chen Zikun warned himself.

  "Uncle, what's this?" Lin Wenjing asked, suddenly letting out a belch, which scared herself so much that she quickly covered her mouth with her hands and looked around with wide eyes like a startled little deer.

  "This is called Coca-Cola, after drinking it you will hiccup." Chen Zikun said with a smile, as soon as the words came out of his mouth, he was stunned in his heart, how did I know the name of this thing?

  "Ah," Lin Wenjing nodded obediently, she herself also felt puzzled, why in front of this strange man would be so relaxed and casual.

  Suddenly, a voice came from behind: "Sister."

  Lin Wenjing turned around and suddenly beamed with joy: "Hui Yin's sister."

  A little girl with two braids hanging down excitedly pulled Lin Wenjing's hand, turned her head and shouted: "Dad, sister is also here."

  Her father heard the sound and came, it was the middle-aged man who had been stolen by Chen Zikun's invitation. Seeing Lin Wenjing, he said: "Oh, Wenjing is here too, where is your dad?"

  Lin Wenjing thought to herself that this was not good, and it just so happened that she ran into her uncle and cousin. If this got back to her father's ears, she would never be able to have freedom again. She quickly covered: "I... I came with my classmates."

  She said that, Lin Changmin naturally cast his eyes on Chen Zikun beside him, thinking secretly that this person didn't look like a student at all, and his demeanor seemed to be that of a young master from a noble family.

  "Is your brother Lin Changmin of the Foreign Affairs Committee? I haven't had a chance to ask you yet?" asked Lin Changmin.

  "Hello, Mr. Lin. I am Victor Chen, from Paris."

  Lin Changmin's eyes lit up as soon as he heard the two words "Paris".

  "Mr. Chen has come from Paris, so he must have some understanding of the progress of the peace conference. I heard that Gu Weijun's speech on the Shandong issue at the conference was impressive to all the representatives and has enhanced China's international prestige."

  Chen Zikun took a deep breath, what was Gu Weijun, what Shandong problem, he didn't know at all, but still pretended to be calm and said: "Mr. Gu's appearance is definitely a sure thing."

  The grown-ups were talking over there, and Lin Wenjing was also pulling Lin Huiyin's small hand, chattering away, probably telling her to keep the secret and not let out the news that she had been here.

  Lin Huiyin nodded silently, suppressing a smile, while Lin Wenjing's eyes widened in seriousness. Seeing the two girls' expressions, Lin Changmin couldn't help but laugh and asked Chen Zikun: "Do you know my younger brother?"

  Chen Zikun said: "The other day when I went to the Ministry of Education on official business, I had a meeting with Mr. Lin Zemin."

  Lin Changmin nodded, and at this time Lin Huiyin ran over and whispered something in her father's ear. A smile gradually appeared on his face, apparently he had not guessed wrong, his niece was sneaking out to play, and had nothing to do with the young man who had just returned from overseas.

  Just as we were about to discuss more topics on Paris, someone suddenly proposed loudly: "I suggest a toast for the brilliant speech of our country's head delegate, Gu Weijun, at the Paris Conference."

  Everyone's attention was focused on the past, and only one person raised his glass and said: "Gu Weijun's speech received congratulations from US President Wilson, British Prime Minister Lloyd George, Balfour, and others. Wilson said that this speech was an excellent exposition of China's views, so we have reason to toast."

  A round of applause followed, and even Westerners were generous with their applause. Lin Changmin was particularly enthusiastic in his clapping, as the head of the Presidential Palace's diplomatic committee, he had a thorough grasp of every move made at the Paris Peace Conference. This time, Gu Weijun's speech had indeed added luster to the delegation and the Republic of China.

  Someone else loudly said: "Looking back at the speech of Japan's representative Makino, his accent was very heavy and unclear, I estimate that the delegates basically didn't understand what he was saying."

  A burst of laughter, Westerners have long been aware of the Japanese people's foreign language level, and news from Paris confirms that Makino's speech is indeed worlds apart from Koo Vijun's speech.

  Suddenly someone shouted loudly: "Is this what you Chinese people use to comfort yourselves?"

  The restaurant suddenly fell silent, and a robust man stood up, wearing a dark blue high-collared short jacket with black whirlpool military badges embroidered on the collar and cuffs, and a European-style command dagger hanging from his waist. He sneered in stiff Chinese: "China participated in the war, but has not achieved any merit, yet you claim to be a victorious nation? Have you lost even a shred of shame? Qingdao and the Jiaoji Railway were won by our Great Japanese Empire's soldiers with blood from the Germans' hands. Do you think you can take them back just because you speak fluent English?"

  At first, some people whispered that the man's Chinese was not standard, but when he finished speaking, the restaurant fell silent. Every Chinese person present felt their face burning as if they had been slapped in the mouth.

  The Great War in Europe has ended, and China had been wavering on the issue of going to war. President Li and Premier Duan quarreled over this until they finally boarded the last train of the Allied Powers. The blind cat bumped into a dead mouse and became a victorious nation for once, which is a rare victory since the late Qing dynasty. The whole country was revitalized, and many scholars believed that China could now embark on the path to prosperity and strength.

  But this Japanese man's remark suddenly awakened them from their self-indulgent beautiful dream. No matter how brilliant Gu Weijun's speech was, no matter how fluent his English was, could he drive away the Japanese army that had already occupied Qingdao and the Jiaoji Railway? Obviously not.

  The fireworks outside broke the awkward atmosphere, and everyone rushed to the window to admire the colorful fireworks. These fireworks were imported from Europe and were far superior to Chinese firecrackers, often producing four or five colors that formed geometric patterns in the sky, filling the air with a kaleidoscope of colors, like a fairy tale world.

  "It's all these tricks that have left China behind." In a string of explosions, Chen Zikun heard a sigh and turned to see Lin Changmin's thin face illuminated by the fiery glow with an eerie light, while Miss Lin Wenjing and Miss Lin Huiyin were completely stunned by this strange scene, looking up at the sky, intoxicated in this dazzling world.

  The wine continued to flow, but everyone's enthusiasm had been ruined by that tactless Japanese man. No one mentioned international politics again; they just whispered to each other about the latest fashionable goods. Several Japanese officers were in high spirits and drank a lot of Western liquor, occasionally shouting loudly, and some even sang military songs.

  When wine warms the ears, music starts, gentlemen rush to their ideal ladies, and the dance begins.

  Lin Wenjing had just finished watching the fireworks and glanced at the wall clock, it was getting late, she was about to go say goodbye to her uncle and sister when suddenly a shrill cry came from the corner.

  Dozens of eyes were cast over, and all that could be seen was a beautiful Chinese girl storming out of her seat in anger, followed by the Japanese military officer who had just spoken.

  "You're refusing me? That's an insult to the Great Empire of Japan! You'll be responsible for this!" The Japanese man shouted loudly, his voice clearly slurred from intoxication.

  The musicians just paused for a moment and then continued to play, men and women flirting with each other, vying for attention, a common occurrence in the social circle of the pleasure quarters, nothing unusual.

  "What makes you think I want to dance with you, you little Japanese dwarf? I just dislike you, so what!" The Chinese girl was sharp-tongued and fierce, and others had already recognized that this feisty young woman was none other than Yao Yire, the daughter of Deputy Minister Yao from the Ministry of Transportation.

  "Bah! You're a Ya!" The Japanese officer bellowed, and actually raised his palm. Although Yao Yire was spoiled and willful, she had always been that way in front of Chinese people who knew how to cherish her or Westerners with chivalrous manners. She had never seen such a barbarian who would hit someone for not obeying him slightly.

  So she was suddenly frightened and forgot to dodge, but the palm did not fall, instead it was tightly grasped by another hand.

  Yao Yile's mouth opened wide as she stared at the hero who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Wow, he was really tall, a whole two heads taller than that Japanese person! His evening attire was immaculate, his leather shoes were polished to a shine, and his hair was neatly combed back, revealing a familiar face. But what was most captivating were his two small mustaches, making him look just like a movie star.

  The Japanese officer was stunned, never expecting anyone to dare block his way, but what happened next left him even more astonished.

  "Bagaya!" The man's roar was several decibels louder than his, and the majestic aura that came with standing tall made him involuntarily stand at attention. Immediately after, two large ear slaps landed on him, sending him stumbling backwards.

  "Ah, yeah!" Although he was beaten until his eyes were dizzy, he still stood up straight with his feet together, because he was actually pretending to be drunk, and in fact, he understood very well that he was just a small army lieutenant, while the person in front of him might be a senior from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, beating him was only natural.

  Yao Yile felt a wave of disappointment, it turned out that the heroic figure who had just risked his life to save her was also Japanese, how unimpressive.

  "I am Lieutenant Fujita Yasushi of the Tianjin Garrison, may I ask your honorable surname and given name?" Lieutenant Fujita asked with utmost respect.

  "Don't try to get close to me, I am a Chinese!" Chen Zikun said proudly.