Chapter 484 Tomorrow Will Be Better

"Sit down." Deputy Commander Chen pointed to the folding stool, his voice hoarse but still powerful, "Don't stand, and don't be polite. Tang City is now in a state of panic, so there is no need for so much formality."

Commander Zheng and several other leaders were asked to sit at the main seats, and Chu Mingzhou and his party also found seats and sat down.

Commander Zheng's eyes fell on the mark of Yuanhe Reservoir on the map: "Deputy Commander Chen, how is the reinforcement progress of the reservoir dam?"

"The pipe burst at the dam has been basically controlled," Deputy Commander Chen tapped the map with a pencil, "but the downstream river channel is seriously blocked by silt, and the engineers are clearing the silt overnight.

The biggest headache is the drinking water problem. The earthquake cracked all the underground water pipes, and now we can only rely on fire trucks and water tankers to deliver water."

He pointed to several red circles on the map and said, "These resettlement sites consume 20 tons of drinking water every day. This is not a solution if it continues."

Chu Mingzhou's fingertips slid across the water supply system mark of Tang City on the map, and suddenly said, "Deputy Commander Chen, I checked the geological data of Tang City during the Panshi military exercise. I remember there is an abandoned underground reservoir fifteen kilometers east of the city. It was an air defense project built in the 1950s. It may come in handy."

Deputy Commander Chen was obviously stunned!

"You even know about abandoned reservoirs?"

Chu Mingzhou nodded and looked at the accompanying Chief of Staff Gao Lei, "Find the coordinates of the reservoir."

Chief of Staff Gao acted quickly and cooperated very well with Chu Mingzhou.

"We've found the coordinates! The reservoir has a capacity of about 5,000 cubic meters. We need to take the engineers to investigate the details. If we can use it, it should be able to withstand aftershocks."

Deputy Commander Chen slammed the table and said, "Okay! I'll immediately have someone take the engineers to investigate. If it can be used, we'll immediately organize the pumping!"

A gleam of light flashed in his eyes. "As long as the reservoir is cleaned out, it can at least solve the water problem of the three resettlement sites for three days."

"......"

Lin Anan only stayed in the command tent for a short while, and then came out with the old guard.

This is no longer her home ground. With Chu Mingzhou here, she doesn't need to worry about anything.

"Uncle, you are tired from driving, let's sit down and take a rest."

"become."

Lin Anan and the old guard were sitting not far from the command center. They each took out a military water bottle from their cloth bag and drank the water.

The old guard was a very introverted person and had always been nice to Lin Anan.

The two of them stayed with Commander Zheng during this period and developed some feelings for each other.

When there was no one around, Lin Anan had changed the way she addressed him to uncle, which made him very happy.

"Uncle, do you think life is hard now?"

Lin Anan found a topic to talk about. She was preparing to write a new book and wanted to hear different people's voices.

After all, different identities and perspectives reflect different social outlooks.

The old guard paused as he twisted the lid of the military water bottle, and looked up at the soldiers who were loading and unloading supplies in the distance.

The setting sun stretched their shadows very long, and they fell on the rubble-strewn ground, like a crumpled silhouette painting.

He took a sip of water, his Adam's apple rolling, his voice carrying the grit of time, "Is it bitter? Compared to chewing tree bark during the Long March, compared to freezing my toes off in the snow during the Korean War, what's this like?"

Lin Anan looked at the ruins in the distance and sighed softly, "But they lost their homes and their loved ones..."

"Girl." The old guard suddenly turned his head, his cloudy eyes gleaming with light, "As long as you're alive and breathing, you can live your life. Whether it's hard or not depends on who you compare yourself with, and more importantly, whether you want to look forward."

The wind blew up the dust on the ground and made the tent canvas rustle.

Lin Anan was slightly startled. "It is said that all people in the world suffer, birth, old age, sickness and death, resentment and hatred, separation from loved ones, failure to obtain, and unwillingness to face..."

The old guard smiled and waved his hands, "We old bones are not well educated and don't understand these things. In my opinion, we are born to shoulder responsibilities, and we should die a worthy death!

The suffering we see now is only temporary, just like it won’t rain every day, it will clear up eventually.”

"Uncle, believe it or not, China will be very good in the future. Mountains will be mountains, waters will be waters, there will be tall buildings, there will be traffic, children will be able to study in bright and clean classrooms, everyone will understand and abide by the law, the country will be strong and the families will be rich! It will be so strong that other countries will not despise it, and there will be no wars..."

The old guard was stunned!

He looked at Lin Anan and his eyes flashed, "I believe it! But I can't quite believe it."

Lin Anan's voice was as light as the wind, but it was full of force. "You have to believe it! From the Long March to the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, from the Jingjiang Flood Diversion to earthquake relief, you ancestors have engraved the word "responsibility" into your bones and paved a smooth road for us. How can it not be good?"

The old guard pondered for a long time, as if imagining the magnificent scene described by Lin Anan.

"On the day of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, I was a guard in Tiananmen Square and watched Chairman Mao press the flag-raising button to announce the founding of the New China. At that time, I thought to myself, even if I have to crawl, I must shoulder this responsibility in this life to ensure that future generations can live a good life."

An old man and a young man were chatting in the sunset, talking about the past, their dreams, and their expectations.

"An An." Chu Mingzhou came out of the command tent.

Seeing that the work inside was about to end, the old guard stood up, straightened his military uniform, and prepared to go and pick up Commander Zheng.

Chu Mingzhou stopped him and whispered something to him.

Lin Anan looked at the two men standing together, with the figures of two generations of soldiers overlapping in the setting sun, and suddenly felt that the so-called "sacrifices of the predecessors" were never an abstract concept - it was the flesh and blood who braved the countless guns and cannons without hesitation, the hearts that were united in the gloomy years, and the courage of countless people who were willing to believe that "tomorrow will be better" in the midst of suffering.

"An An, let's go and eat."

“Here I come.”

Dinner was simple, with each person getting a bowl of clear soup noodles.

"An An, we have to stay here for two days, then we will go back."

"good."

"I will be busy these two days."

"Just do your thing, don't worry about me, I'll take care of it myself when the time comes."

Chu Mingzhou didn't quite agree and was a little worried. "The situation has stabilized, but it's very chaotic outside. Try not to wander around."

"Don't worry, I won't wander around. I want to start a new book, and I want to see the real Tang City."

"I'll go find Gu Yan later and ask him to go with you."

Lin Anan raised her eyebrows slightly.

This person used to call Dr. Gu, but now he calls him Gu Yan.

"Brother Yan is not here to be my little follower. As a representative of the Northwest Military Region General Hospital, he also has his mission."

Chu Mingzhou frowned slightly, "He just came to treat you, he has no mission."

"Um?"