Narrator: Huang Yongjin
1982 was my seventh year as a soldier and the second year I was promoted to platoon commander. I didn't expect to meet a woman here and tie the knot with her.
In 1957, I was born in an ordinary small village in northern Guangxi, I have an older brother and two younger sisters, and my parents are honest farmers who have been dealing with the land all their lives.
My eldest brother didn't continue to study after graduating from junior high school, and like his parents, he was also a farmer, and I liked to read since I was a child. It's a pity that I haven't resumed the college entrance examination since I graduated from high school, and I don't know when it will resume.
After graduating from high school, I wanted to join the military. I first told my brother what I thought, and my brother was also very supportive of me, thinking that I was a good learner and would be more suitable for me when I joined the army, and he did not want me to become a farmer like him in the future.
After I told my parents about my idea, they were reluctant at first, mainly because they felt that being a soldier would have to endure a lot of hardship, and they would not see each other for many years, and they could accept poverty, but they didn't want me to be too far away from them. After repeated persuasion, my parents agreed.
In 1975, I successfully passed the physical examination, political examination, home visit and other links, and was honorably enlisted. My parents didn't agree with me to be a soldier at first, but when they saw me put on a military uniform and wear a big red flower on my chest, and the whole team came to see me off, they felt that I was their pride and told me to perform well in the army.
After a day and a night of trains, transfers, and walking, we finally got to the road station for a three-month recruit training, and the recruit training was really hard, no matter the wind or rain, we had to train. It was winter when the recruits were trained, it was very cold, the exercise intensity was high, and many of them developed frostbite.
There was an incident that happened during the training of recruits that had a big impact on me. I joined the army after graduating from high school, and although I was born in a rural area, I grew up helping my parents with farm work, but most of the time I studied in school. The days of recruit training were too hard, and I was a southerner, so it was difficult for me to adapt to the cold.
One day I woke up and saw that it was too cold to be windy and rainy outside, and I was already sore from the previous period of training, and I couldn't get up to train at all. So I played a little clever and told the squad leader that I was dizzy and a little feverish and couldn't participate in the training. Actually, I was pretending to be sick and didn't want to train in these harsh conditions.
In fact, at that time, a few more recruits would fall down in the recruit company every day, and they could ask for leave to rest in the dormitory, I thought that there was not much more of me, plus my back was sore, I was really uncomfortable, and I thought that no one would suspect that I was pretending to be sick.
When I was lying in bed for about an hour, I saw someone come to our dormitory, it turned out to be Company Commander Zhang of the recruit company, who heard that I was sick and came to visit me in the dormitory.
Seeing Company Commander Zhang walking towards me, I quickly closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. Company Commander Zhang touched the forehead of ** and asked, "Are you tired?" ”
I pretended to be weak and replied, "I'm a little tired." ”
The company commander yelled at me: "If you are tired, go home and rest." What did you come to the army for? ”
Seeing the company commander yelling, I quickly got up and immediately stood in front of the company commander. In the morning, I also told the squad leader that I had a fever, and just now Company Commander Zhang *** found out that I didn't have a fever at all, so he must have found out that I was pretending.
Company Commander Zhang scolded again: "The army is not a place to enjoy, everyone who is a soldier has to go through three months of recruit training, this is just the beginning, do you feel bitter, don't others feel bitter?" What others can do, you have to reflect on why you can't do it. Remember, sometimes being smart is being mistaken by being smart. ”
I hurriedly said, "Company Commander Zhang, I was wrong, you can punish me." ”
Company Commander Zhang said: "Since you already know that you are wrong, I will give you a chance, and you will go out and run five kilometers now." ”
I saluted the company commander, quickly packed up the housework, and went out for a run, the rain outside has not stopped, I am running alone in the rain, I saw the whole recruit company watching me run, at first I felt too embarrassed, my face was hot, but after running for two or three kilometers, I felt more and more relaxed to run, and I was not as tired as I thought.
I also realized that since I had chosen to be a soldier, I had to be prepared to endure hardships, and I could also endure what others could bear. After this incident, my whole person has changed a lot, everything has become positive, and I have always been more diligent than others in training.
I thought that as soon as I came, I would make the company commander unhappy because of pretending to be sick, and that my life in the army would definitely not be easy to mix in the future, and the company commanders, platoon commanders, and squad leaders would definitely have opinions about me. But I didn't expect Company Commander Zhang to hate me because I pretended to be sick, and the platoon leader often talked to me.
I didn't expect that by the end of the recruit training, I would be rated as an "excellent recruit". When I pretended to be sick, I was scolded by Company Commander Zhang, and I didn't blame him, but I wanted to thank Company Commander Zhang. Because he woke me up and didn't let me go far on the wrong path, he pulled me back, re-corrected my attitude, and set my own goals. Because I don't want to waste my time.
Thanks to my efforts, in 1980, I was successfully promoted to the rank of the third platoon commander. I finally lived up to my parents' expectations in the army to give myself a good future, I also got a salary of 52 yuan per month, the eldest sister of the family did not study after graduating from junior high school, the second sister is still in high school, I save my monthly salary, and send it home every other time, which can reduce a lot of burden on the family.
In 1982, I had been a platoon commander for three years, and the army sent a county town in my south to recruit new soldiers, which was the first time I went to recruit new soldiers, and I was a little excited. I was also born in the south, although this time I am not going back to my hometown, but after all, it is the south, the climate is similar to my hometown, the environment is similar, and the culture is similar, and I am very happy.
We finally arrived at the county People's Armed Forces Department, where Minister Zhao of the People's Armed Forces Department received us and arranged for us to be assisted by two officers from the People's Armed Forces Department. One of the officers was a female comrade, named Zhao Qinglian, because she looked very young, only about 20 years old, so we all called her Comrade Xiao Zhao.
Picking up recruits has tight working hours and heavy tasks, and there is a lot of work to be done. In order to complete the work tasks arranged by the leaders of the unit with quality and quantity, Comrade Xiao Zhao and I and other comrades-in-arms often worked overtime during that time, and sometimes even worked overtime until one or two o'clock in the middle of the night.
Xiao Zhao's home is also nearby, she can occasionally go home, and I and other comrades-in-arms live directly in the dormitory of the People's Armed Forces Department, and the place where I work and sleep is very close, which can also save a lot of time.
Because she often works overtime until late, Comrade Xiao Zhao will also go home for dinner at night, but whenever she works overtime, she will go home and cook some porridge for us and send it to us for supper, sometimes mustard porridge, sometimes green onion porridge. Anyone who stays up late knows that often in the middle of the night, people will be very hungry. We are all very grateful to Xiao Zhao, if it weren't for her, we would have been hungry in the middle of the night.
This day happened to be a weekend, and the original arrangement was that there was no need to work overtime. After everyone got off work, I was busy in the office, and I packed up my things and prepared to go back to the dormitory, at this time it was already more than 9 o'clock in the evening, and as the person in charge of this recruitment work, I was under more pressure than others, and I always wanted to do things more perfectly. So when everyone is resting, I am reluctant to rest.
When I passed by Xiao Zhao's office, I saw that the lights in her office were still on, so I went in and said hello: "Xiao Zhao, it's late, why don't you go home yet." ”
Xiao Zhao looked up and saw that it was me and said, "Platoon Leader Huang, I still have a little bit of work to do, and I'll go back after I'm done with the work at hand." When I heard her say this, I felt that she was a little tired and could not bear to disturb her, so that she could hurry home when she was done. I told her that I had just finished my work and was about to go back to the dormitory.
Back in the dormitory, after I washed up, I was about to go to bed, when I suddenly thought that there was still my work diary left in the office, I have the habit of recording work casually, so I thought about going back to the office to get a notebook.
When I passed by Xiao Zhao's office, I found that her light was still on, it was already more than ten o'clock in the evening, and when I arrived at the door of her office, I heard the painful moaning sound inside, I knocked on the door and asked at the door: "Xiao Zhao, are you okay?" ”
Xiao Zhao said softly: "Please come in." “
I hurriedly opened the door and went in, and saw Xiao Zhao, whose face was pale, with beads of sweat the size of beans on her face, and saw that she was very painful. I asked her, "You're not feeling well." “
Xiao Zhao pointed to his stomach and said that his stomach was uncomfortable, looking at the position where she pointed to his stomach, I suspected that it was appendicitis, because I had a comrade-in-arms who had such an experience before. I said, "I'll have to take you to the hospital." “
Xiao Zhao said: "Then I'm sorry for you, Platoon Leader Huang." Looking at her painful appearance, I said, "Why don't I go and call another female soldier, Xiao Wu, to help." “
Xiao Zhao refused, saying that Xiao Wu was also tired during this time, and it was so late now, and it was not good to wake up others.
Xiao Zhao said that she could still walk, so I helped her to the gate of the Ministry of People's Armed Forces, and asked her which direction the hospital was, she pointed and said, "This is the direction, and there is about a kilometer away." ”
I helped her and walked briskly, and after a few minutes, Xiao Zhao squatted down and said that it hurt too much. I said, "Xiao Zhao, let me carry you on my back." If you're like this, we'll have to walk a long time to get to the hospital. ”
Xiao Zhao said: "Platoon Commander Huang, it's okay for me, I'll slow down and leave." ”
She was embarrassed to let me carry it. I said, "It's a big night, and there's no one on the street, so let me carry you, my body is important." Hurry!”
Xiao Zhao nodded, I quickly picked her up, all the way to the hospital, sure enough, it was acute appendicitis, emergency surgery was needed, I asked Xiao Zhao if he wanted to notify his parents to come, Xiao Zhao said: "Recently, my dad has often worked overtime, and my mother has returned to her hometown." I'm doing this a minor operation, so I don't need to inform them. ”
In this way, I accompanied Xiao Zhao to the hospital to complete the operation, and I had to rest for a few days after the operation, I arranged for a female comrade to take care of Xiao Zhao in the hospital, although Xiao Zhao was sick, but she had been worried about the work of conscription, and she always felt that because of her illness, everyone had to share the work at hand, and she was very unhappy.
Worried that she would not be used to eating things from the hospital, every day at noon, I packed delicious food for her in the canteen of the Ministry of People's Armed Forces and sent it to the hospital for her to eat. Sure enough, she was very satisfied with the food in the canteen of the People's Martial Arts Department, and after resting for a few days, her whole person's spirit was much better.
She came to work on the first day of discharge, and I asked her to rest at home for a few more days, she said: "I have fully recovered, so I don't need to rest anymore, and the recruitment work is the busiest time now. ”
We were busy together for another ten days, and the recruitment of new recruits was nearing completion, and I was about to return to the army. I don't know why, but I think that although everyone is very busy with this recruitment, I feel that time flies too fast, and I want to stay here for a while, it is really too fast.
The Ministry of People's Armed Forces held a dinner for our conscripts, and Minister Zhao of the Ministry of People's Armed Forces also came that day and said: "Everyone has worked hard during this time, and this conscription work is going very smoothly, thank you for your efforts." ”
I also talked a lot with Minister Zhao, saying that the comrades sent by Minister Zhao to assist us in our work are very good and have helped us a lot. In particular, Comrade Zhao Qinglian was still unwilling to rest when she was sick, and she was still working overtime.
Minister Zhao nodded happily when he heard this, and I also saw him look at Xiao Zhao with some distress.
The next day we were going back to the station, Xiao Zhao said that he wanted to invite me to dinner, to thank me for sending me to the hospital that night and saving her life, saying that I was her life-saving benefactor, and wanted to invite me to dinner and thank me.
I said, "In the conscription work, you are still working even when you are sick, so I should have invited you to dinner." ”
Xiao Zhao said: "This time I will invite you first, after all, the grace of saving lives is greater, isn't it?"”
I could only agree, thinking that whether she invited me to dinner or I invited her to dinner today, I would be very happy, after all, I could eat with her.
Xiao Zhao said he would take me to a restaurant on the outskirts of the county for dinner. In fact, there are also restaurants near the Ministry of People's Armed Forces where you can eat, I don't know why Xiao Zhao wants to come to this restaurant to eat.
I'm so big, this is the first time I've eaten alone with a girl, in fact, I'm a little nervous, because I'm wearing a military uniform, which is quite eye-catching, and I also bring a girl with me, and I feel like someone will see it when I go to **.
On the contrary, Xiao Zhao is generous and has a very cheerful personality, so he doesn't have to worry about being embarrassed if he has nothing to talk about. Xiao Zhao ordered two dishes and one soup. said that she must treat me to a good meal, after all, I am a "life-saving grace" to her.
I said, "Xiao Zhao, this is just a gesture, you don't have to have too much psychological burden." ”
During the meal, I began to see Xiao Zhao's appearance carefully, usually everyone is working, and I am very busy at work, and I haven't been able to take Xiao Zhao seriously. Xiao Zhao ** is white, with a delicate appearance, under the long eyelashes, there are a pair of clear and smart big eyes, the eyes reveal a kind of tenacity and warmth, and a smile makes people feel like a breeze.
Xiao Zhao said: "Platoon Commander Huang, I want to tell you one thing, in fact, Minister Zhao of the People's Armed Forces Department is my father, and I was not familiar with it before, so I didn't tell you about this relationship." My dad didn't allow me to tell anyone about my relationship with him in the unit, I think you'll be back tomorrow, and it's okay to tell you. ”
No wonder when he talked about Xiao Zhao's sick studio in front of Minister Zhao before, Minister Zhao had distressed eyes.
I said, "Comrade Xiao Zhao, thank you for trusting me and treating me as a friend. ”
During the meal, I also talked to Xiao Zhao about a lot of things in the army, and Xiao Zhao listened to me carefully with adoring eyes, and it could be seen that she also admired her relatives.
When we finished eating, the sky gradually darkened, we ate in the north of the county, the People's Armed Forces Department was in the south of the county, and there was still more than half an hour to walk back.
When he walked to a low place, Xiao Zhao suddenly stopped and said that he had something to tell me.
Xiao Zhao said: "Can you not call me Xiao Zhao in the future?" ”
I said, "Isn't it good to call you Xiao Zhao?" I think it's quite kind. ”
Xiao Zhao said: "It's not good at all, I want you to call me Xiaolian, Xiaolian is more kind, and in the future, can I not call you Huang Platoon Leader?" ”
I said, "Of course, Xiaolian." "When I called out Xiaolian, I felt that my face was so hot, but fortunately, now that the night has darkened, I didn't let Xiaolian see my blushing face.
Xiaolian said: "Then I will call you Yongjin, you will return to the army tomorrow, can we still keep in touch in the future?"”
I said, "Of course, I will write to you when I have time when I return to the army." ”
Xiaolian nodded in satisfaction.
On the third day after returning to the army, I wrote the first letter to Xiaolian, telling her about the army, and also about my family, my family is rural, although I like her very much, but I feel the need to explain my family background from the beginning, after all, Xiaolian's father is the minister of the Ministry of People's Armed Forces, and the conditions of her family are much better than mine.
I also received a reply from Xiaolian very quickly, and it can be seen that Xiaolian did not dislike my family at all for being rural, and always encouraged me to work hard in the army. Xiaolian said that I like to read my letters very much, because my handwriting is very good, Xiaolian's handwriting is also very delicate, the words are like their people, and people who write well are serious in their work.
In 1984, we got married, and in the second year after marriage, Xiaolian gave birth to a big fat boy.
Xiaolian took good care of her family, let me behave well in the army, and don't worry about it, I was in the army until the deputy regiment level before I was transferred to my hometown, and later Xiaolian's work was also transferred to my hometown.
Looking back on my youth and military career, I am full of emotion, now I and Xiaolian are retired, my son and daughter-in-law are very filial, and my grandson has grown up. Think about it if I hadn't met Xiaolian, I wouldn't have such a happy life.
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