In the mid-19th century, Shanghai's good port advantages and location advantages gradually became prominent, and world powers began to covet it. After the signing of the Sino-British Treaty of Nanjing in 1842, Shanghai became one of China's open ports for foreign trade.

World powers have successively established concessions in Shanghai. The huge commercial interests are like magnets that continuously attract investment from all over the world, driving the rapid construction and development of Shanghai. In the 1930s, Shanghai has developed into a hub for dumping, trade transfer and exchanges between countries.

It has become the most prosperous economic, financial, trade and shipping center in the Asia-Pacific region and is known as the "Paris of the East". Shanghai has therefore become the only international metropolis in Asia.

The outbreak of the "July 7th Incident" triggered a domestic refugee wave. Foreign nationals and Chinese refugees from Pingjin, Dagu, Yantai, and Qingdao went south to escape the war. In Shanghai, there are many world powers with intertwined interests. Foreigners and many Chinese who went south

Refugees took the world powers here as a protective umbrella and poured into Shanghai one after another, bringing more people to the streets of Shanghai and adding a bit of "prosperity".

After the "July 7th Incident", in order to protect the security of Nanjing, the capital, the Supreme Command of the Nationalist Government began to strengthen the defense of the Yangtze River Estuary and Shanghai as early as mid-to-late July of the 26th year of the Republic of China. It planned to concentrate the army's elite forces to prepare to annihilate the troops stationed in Hongkou, Shanghai.

3,000 Japanese Marines and Chinese Navy shipwrecks blocked Jiangyin and cooperated with the annihilation of the Japanese Yangtze Fleet to eliminate hidden dangers in the rear and ensure the security of the rear. Due to leaks of the military plan, the Japanese Yangtze Fleet escaped from the Yangtze Estuary. The Nationalist Government planned to concentrate military forces to open up the sea in Shanghai.

The battlefield also had the intention of attracting and dispersing Japanese troops in an attempt to prevent the Japanese troops from moving south from North China.

At around 5 p.m. on August 9, the 26th year of the Republic of China, Japanese Marine Corps Lieutenant Oyama Isamu and First Class Sailor Kaname Kaizo drove a military vehicle along the Hongqiao Road from east to west and rushed straight to the gate of Hongqiao Airport to provoke.

The warning from the First Regiment of the Shanghai Security Regiment was ineffective, so they opened fire on the incoming car, killing two people one after another. At this point, the dark clouds of war began to hang over Shanghai.

On this day, under the leadership of Uncle Fu, 17-year-old Yang An and 16-year-old Lin Xiaohe came to the home of elder brother Lin Xiaocheng in Shanghai. This trip was specially arranged by Mr. Lin after Yang An ran away from home for more than a year and was found.

They went to Shanghai to relax, which was a comfort to Yang An, and also to let the children have a long experience in Shanghai.

Lin Xiaocheng studied Chinese medicine with his father since he was a child, and later went to Germany to study Western medicine. He met Zhao Jianmei, and the two got married and opened a Lin Clinic in Shanghai. This is a house with a small courtyard. People live on the second floor and one on the first floor.

The building above is a clinic, which has become somewhat famous in the few years since it opened. Zhao Jianmei's mother passed away early, and his father, Zhao Yiqing, is an interesting university professor who would come to the clinic whenever he has nothing to do.

Lin Xiaocheng and his wife were standing on the platform with their son Lin Hai, waiting for the train to arrive. Lin Xiaocheng was wearing a straight dress and spotless leather shoes, looking smart. Zhao Jianmei was wearing a light green floral short-sleeved cheongsam with a white background and a big wave style.

The jet black hair makes this typical Shanghai woman more pretty, fresh, gentle and dignified.

After getting off the train, Uncle Fu and his party quickly saw Lin Xiaocheng's family on the platform. As they walked, they waved and shouted, "Master, Young Mistress." Lin Xiaocheng and his wife came up with their son and greeted them cordially: "Uncle Fu,

It's been a hard journey." Lin Xiaocheng took the rattan suitcase from Uncle Fu's hand. Lin Hai didn't recognize strangers at all and called out "uncle, aunt" cutely. Lin Xiaohe jumped forward like a deer and shouted "Xiao Haizi"

"He bent down and touched the little guy's cute face, called "big brother", and suddenly took Zhao Jianmei's arm and shouted affectionately: "Sister Jianmei, sister Jianmei, you are getting more and more beautiful." Yang

An was carrying a small rattan suitcase, and did not forget her mother's instructions. She held the strap of the small rattan suitcase with one hand and timidly followed Xiaohe and said hello, "Brother, Sister Jianmei." Lin Xiaocheng smiled and said to Yang An

He said: "Xiao An, you have grown taller and more handsome." Yang An smiled lightly.

Three or four-year-old nephew Lin Hai is acquainted with her. He has been happily attached to Yang An and Lin Xiaohe since they met. His childishness quickly melted away Yang An's coldness and restraint. Yang An had a brisk smile on his face.

Sometimes he had to be held, sometimes he had to hold him, sometimes he had to hold him up. Yang An talked to the little guy from time to time. Seeing Yang An's changes, Lin Xiaocheng, Lin Xiaohe's brother and sister and Uncle Fu smiled knowingly.

On the third day after arriving in Shanghai, Lin's Clinic closed. In the morning, Lin Xiaocheng and Zhao Jianmei planned to take Uncle Fu, Yang An, and Lin Xiaohe to visit the department store. Sitting on the tram, Yang An looked like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden.

My eyes kept scanning the scenery on both sides of Nanjing Road, even the hurried people on the road.

After getting off the tram, what came into view was a huge and majestic high-rise building. Yang An hugged Xiao Linhai and looked up at this huge building, and was shocked. Yang An was silently counting how many floors there were.

Sister Jianmei and Xiao He had already seen Yang An's footsteps. Sister Jianmei introduced: "This building is ten stories high. It should be the largest single building on Nanjing Road and even Shanghai. It took Dah Sing Company seven or eight years to build it.

Year. It opened in January last year. It is another large department store after Xianshi, Yongan, and Xinxin. They are all located in the market less than one mile away on this section of Nanjing Road. This building has air conditioning in summer and heating in winter.

, very modern." Yang An looked at the huge glass windows on the first floor of the building, in which products were displayed for commercial promotion.

Yang An lived in Yangzhou and Hankou. Even so, when he saw this building, he felt as if he was from another world. Xiao Haizi grabbed Yang An's ears with his small hands and shouted: "Uncle Xiao An, uncle Xiao An, let's go."

Let's go." Yang An then recovered his thoughts and followed him into Daxin Company. Zhao Jianmei took Yang An and Xiaohe took the escalator specially. After that, he went to Xinxin Company. On the sixth floor of Xinxin, Yang An

He and Xiaohe held on to the glass wall and looked at the "Glass Radio" inside and the young and beautiful female announcer broadcasting advertisements live. They felt that these were all very fresh. Finally, after Sister Jianmei reminded them, the two students

Then he withdrew his gaze.

After lunch at Yong'an's Western Restaurant, Yang An's mille-layer cloth shoes were replaced by lace-up leather shoes, and he was holding a newly bought summer clothes in his hand. What made Yang An most happy was that Sister Jianmei gave him and her

Xiaohe each bought a large canvas schoolbag that can be carried or carried, which is light and elegant and can hold a lot of things.

Walking among the crowd, Yang An saw the spectacular and exquisite appearance of Xianshi Company and asked: "Sister Jianmei, where did the name Xianshi come from?"

Jianmei replied: "Its name comes from the phrase 'Be sincere first' in the Four Books."

"Be sincere first?" Yang An muttered, seeming to understand.

"Sister Jianmei is so knowledgeable. Being sincere first means treating others with sincerity first, right, Sister Jianmei." Lin Xiaohe rushed to say.

Jianmei smiled faintly and said softly: "Yes, that's what I mean. Xianshi Company is the first department store in Shanghai, and it is older than you. This company has seven floors. It was built in the sixth year of the Republic of China. The appearance of the building is European Renaissance.

The style is considered one of the landmark buildings on Nanjing Road. It is said that the Yong'an building was also designed and built based on its style, which is also in the European Renaissance style."

Hearing this, Yang An was thoughtful, and then turned to look at the Yong'an Company Building on the south side of Nanjing Road. The two buildings were really like "sister buildings", with thick waistlines and towers on the roof. First of all,

Shi's tower gradually becomes taller and tapers from square to round, and Yong'an's tower also gradually becomes taller and thinner, but it is square and has about the same height. Yang An has a feeling of déjà vu. The outlines of these two buildings are somewhat similar to those in Hankou.

The Russian Concession and the Five-Nation Concession are somewhat similar. Looking back on the comparison with the Daxin building, Yang An felt that the appearance of Daxin had simple lines, like a white-faced scholar, and had more of a modern flavor, while he had a similar opinion about the Xianshi and Yongan buildings.

There seems to be a sense of elegance and arrogance. Anyway, Yang An seems to prefer the latter.

In the afternoon, the group of six visited Xianshi's company and watched a movie. In the evening, they planned to have dinner at Xianshi's Dongya Restaurant.

That afternoon, Zhao Jianmei's younger brother Zhao Huaiyuan came to Dongya Restaurant early and booked a private room by the window. In the morning, he received a call from his father and found out that an important guest was coming to his brother-in-law's house. He asked him to help order food and eat together.

Also here was Zhang Yipu, a senior from Zhao Huaiyuan University and a student of Professor Zhao Yiqing.

In the evening, Lin Xiaocheng, Zhao Jianmei and a group of six people came to the lobby of the restaurant to inquire about the private room that Zhao Huaiyuan ordered. Accompanied by the waitress, they arrived at the private room. As soon as they met, Zhao Huaiyuan greeted Lin Xiaocheng and shouted: "Sister, we are all waiting for you.

It’s been a long time, have you brought any gifts?”

"Xiao Yuan, you heartless guy, I asked you to do a little favor, just do this or that. I have been hurting you all these years in vain, here you go! This is the belt that my brother-in-law and I chose for you, Yong'an's America

goods."

Zhao Huaiyuan thanked his brother-in-law and sister and happily accepted the small gift box like a child.

Before everyone was seated after saying hello, Professor Zhao Yiqing's voice came from the door: "I also bought a gift for Huaiyuan. Do you have a gift for me, dad?"

"Yes, Dad. We bought you a new style of shirt and will give it to you later, our respected Professor Zhao."

Zhao Yiqing replied: "I'm already a mother, but I haven't fully formed myself yet."
Chapter completed!