Chapter 79

The commander had told Chu Liqiang to consider it, but he didn't mean to go back and think it over for two or three days before giving a reply. The commander had only given him ten minutes. After ten minutes, he had to give him a firm answer, whether he agreed or not.

Chu Liqiang held the confidential document in his hand, but he could not open it, because once he opened it, it meant that he had accepted the task, and then he would have no choice but to go.

There were only the two of them in the office. The division commander sat in a chair, looking at him leisurely. Chu Liqiang remained silent. After about five or six minutes, he raised his head and asked the division commander, "Sir, when do I leave?"

The commander raised an eyebrow and said, "Two o'clock tomorrow morning."

Hearing this answer, Chu Liqiang placed the documents on the division commander's desk, stood at attention, and saluted the division commander. "Thank you, Commander, and the organization for your promotion. I'll go back and pack my things now."

What the division commander liked most about Chu Liqiang was that he didn't talk nonsense, didn't flatter, and didn't ask a bunch of random questions. Regardless of whether he was sincere or not, his attitude of wholeheartedly trusting the organization made people feel very comfortable.

The division commander tapped the document with his chin and said, "Don't you want to take a look at what mission you've accepted?"

Before the soldiers agreed, even the division commander couldn't reveal the mission. Now that Chu Liqiang was on board, he could open the document and take a look. However, Chu Liqiang glanced at the table, smiled slightly, and shook his head, saying, "No need. No matter what the mission is, I will complete it well and not let the organization down."

The commander laughed after hearing this. "Alright, go ahead. Meet at Exit 4 at 1:30. You'll be gone for three years this time. Say goodbye to your son properly. And call your father... too, but don't stay too long."

Chu Liqiang looked very grateful and thanked the commander again. After leaving the division headquarters and heading back to his dormitory, Chu Liqiang's expression remained impeccable. It was not until he entered the dormitory that his facial muscles suddenly relaxed. Looking at this dormitory that was empty except for himself, he felt a little confused and a little scared, but soon these two emotions disappeared, and what followed was infinite enthusiasm.

No one knew better than Chu Liqiang what a great opportunity this was. It was a confidential mission, and no one could interfere. Furthermore, the division commander had said that upon completion, he would be promoted to the next level.

He was already quite old, and if he didn't reach the brigade level before he turned forty, his future would be frozen there. The three years at the May 7th Cadre School had done great damage to his resume. Fortunately, as gold always shines, those three wasted years didn't really push him into hell. He now had another three years to make up for the lost time.

Even so, during these three years, he might have to pay a price that was even more dangerous and difficult than his life in the May 7th Cadre School.

After calming down, Chu Shao packed up all his things. Packing a backpack is a compulsory course for every soldier, and Chu Liqiang is no exception. It only took him half a minute to pack his backpack. He didn't have much stuff in it to begin with. When he lived here, he didn't buy anything except daily necessities and three meals a day. He sent most of the state allowance to Chu Shao, and he kept the rest of the money in the army. He only received a few dollars every month, but he still survived.

After leaving his backpack in the dormitory, Chu Liqiang went to the logistics department first. He took out all the money he had saved over the past year, a total of more than 300 yuan. He took the change and gave the bulk to Nie Bai.

Three hundred yuan, he gave it all to Nie Bai. Part of it was a thank you gift, and the other part was a reward for Nie Bai's hard work, asking him to take good care of Chu Shao and the others.

Although the division commander said the mission would only last three years, Chu Liqiang had been in the army for so long that he had no idea how many times he had seen similar things. At first, it was said to be one year, then the deadline was extended to five years. Then, for some reason, it was extended to ten years. Ten years was nothing. For some special missions, the secrecy level was not high when they entered, but something unexpected happened midway, and the secrecy level was suddenly upgraded. If you were lucky, you might be able to get out in ten or twenty years. If you were unlucky, you would be locked up for life, until you were buried with the secret, and this mission would be considered finally completed.

Chu Liqiang had to consider these issues. He asked Nie Bai to call Chu Shao and others when he had time to ask about the situation. When Chu Shao turned eighteen and became an adult, he would no longer have to do these things.

The life of an active-duty soldier is so unpredictable. One second you're at your base, and the next, you're suddenly sent out on some unknown mission. Nie Bai accepted it well and readily agreed. He also took the three hundred yuan, but he didn't say that he planned to keep it all. If Chu Shao grew up and Chu Liqiang didn't come back, he would give the money to Chu Shao. If Chu Liqiang came back as promised, he would return it to Chu Liqiang in full.

Nie Bai jokingly patted Chu Liqiang on the shoulder and told him to work hard. If he became successful in the future, he must not forget himself. He also wanted to be a soldier under Chu Liqiang again.

After hearing this, Chu Liqiang agreed very seriously. He knew the world was fickle and he had not forgotten any of those who had taken advantage of him when he was in trouble. And he remembered those who had given him help in his time of need even more.

He tried so hard to climb up, not only for himself but also to live up to those who were good to him.

Chu Liqiang raised his arm and shook hands vigorously with Nie Bai, then walked out of his office. It was getting late, so he had to go back quickly to see if he could contact Chu Shao and the others.

It was naturally too late to send a telegram at this time, so he called Feng Ruyi's office directly. This was the first time that Chu Liqiang dialed the phone line here without saying hello in advance. Feng Ruyi picked up the phone. After listening to his reason, she was stunned for a moment, then hurried out to find her apprentice Comrade Xiaoyu, and asked her to ride her bicycle to Qingzhu Village to bring Chu Shao over.

When Comrade Xiaoyu heard it was an urgent matter, she didn't dare to delay and rushed out. Nowadays, bicycles are all 28-inch bicycles, which are a bit difficult for Comrade Xiaoyu's short legs to ride. By the time she arrived at Qingzhu Village, she was almost exhausted. After finally finding out where the Chu family lived, Comrade Xiaoyu shouted through the gate, "Chu Shao! Chu Jiujiu! Come out quickly, your father called, hurry up, it's important!"

In reality, Xiao Yu had no idea what the big deal was; she only knew it was an urgent matter. But in her eyes, an urgent matter must be a big deal. She didn't feel anything when she shouted, but Chu Shao and Chu Jiujiu inside were frightened. Chu Shao ran out and asked Xiao Yu what was going on. Xiao Yu was so tired she almost stuck out her tongue. She couldn't explain clearly, so she simply gave up.

"Don't ask me anymore. Go to the post office and ask your dad. You can ride a bike, right? Here, I'll give you one. Ride over there. I'll rest at your house for a while, and then I'll go straight home. It's almost time to get off work anyway, so tell my driver after you call, or she'll think I went out to play."

After hearing this, Chu Shao didn't waste any time talking to Comrade Xiao Yu. He got on the bike and waited for him to steady himself. Chu Jiujiu quickly jumped on the back seat. Wen Xiuwei also came out and comforted them. "Since it was Uncle Chu who called, it means he didn't get into trouble. Don't worry too much. It might be a good thing. Chu Shao, be careful. Jiujiu, hold on to Chu Shao and don't fall off."

Chu Shao nodded to her silently. After hearing what Wen Xiuwei said, Chu Jiujiu didn't feel much better. This was the disadvantage of having family far away. Once there was any special situation, they couldn't help but think about the bad side, especially since their family had that kind of history. Chu Jiujiu didn't understand it before, but now she understands more and more, so much so that she is now more nervous than Chu Shao.

Neither of them spoke, they just got on their bikes and rode away. Seeing them like this, Wen Xiuwei couldn't help but worry about them. The mountain road was uneven, so Chu Shao should not ride too fast.

Watching the bicycle disappear around the corner and the two of them out of sight, Wen Xiuwei's expression was stained with a hint of worry. The atmosphere became quiet. Comrade Xiao Yu next to her had almost recovered. She scratched her head, feeling that now was not the time to talk, but her matter was also very urgent.

"Comrade, can I come in? I was riding too fast just now and my pants are crooked. I want to go in and adjust them."

Wen Xiuwei: “…”

——

Chu Shao rode his bike at lightning speed, and in just fifteen minutes, they arrived at the post office. After getting off the bike, Chu Shao had to park it, while Chu Jiujiu had already trotted into the post office area. When she arrived at Feng Ruyi's office, she found Feng Ruyi still holding the receiver. She hurried over, took the receiver breathlessly, and asked the person on the other end, "Good news or bad news?!"

Chu Liqiang: "..."

It was the first time Chu Liqiang heard Chu Jiujiu sound so anxious. He was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Don't worry, it's good news."

After hearing these three words, Chu Jiujiu's tense mood finally relaxed. Seeing Chu Shao coming in, Chu Jiujiu sighed with relief and handed the receiver to him.

Chu Jiujiu said happily: "It's good news, please answer it quickly."

Chu Shao wasn't as excited as Chu Jiujiu, and his face showed all his emotions. When he was nervous, he kept silent, and when he was relaxed, he still kept silent. Even if he was extremely happy, his face showed it, that is, his facial muscles were not as tense. If you were not familiar with him, you would not be able to tell the difference.

Putting the receiver to his ear, he called out "Dad". After hearing this, Chu Liqiang told Chu Shao about the three-year mission he had accepted.

Chu Jiujiu listened from the side, and when she heard the word "three years", she opened her mouth in surprise.

He couldn't come out for three years. Similarly, he couldn't write or receive letters, and he couldn't have any contact with the outside world. In other words, during these three years, Chu Liqiang disappeared from the face of the earth. To put it bluntly, even if he died in there, no one outside would know.

Chu Liqiang didn't mention any of this. He only spoke positively, like how he'd be promoted once he got out, and that during the three years he was on duty, he'd been living and eating in the army, so he wouldn't have to pay for anything. So, all his allowances and benefits would go to Chu Shao. He urged Chu Shao to study hard and not to think that studying was useless just because universities were closed. Knowledge was the best weapon, no matter where you went. He also had no objection to Chu Shao taking classes with the teachers in the cowshed, but when they were old enough, Chu Shao would have to enroll in high school, and so would Chu Jiujiu. When she turned twelve, she would also go to junior high school.

Chu Liqiang said that if he had been released at that time, he would have registered the two children and brought them to live with him. If he had not been released, the two children would have to fend for themselves and not have to wait for him.

They go to school when they should go to school, and live their lives when they should live their lives. They live a good life, and he can perform his mission with peace of mind here.

The news was so sudden that even Chu Shao was stunned for a long time before he reacted.

Even though they had never met, the regular correspondence and phone calls were a great comfort to them. It was easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality. Suddenly returning to the state of uncertainty about his life and death was difficult for Chu Shao to accept.

He wanted to ask what the mission was, but before he asked, he knew that this matter could not be told to anyone else, and it would be useless for him to ask. In the end, he could only listen in silence until Chu Liqiang finished speaking, and then he spoke.

"Dad, I don't want to be an orphan."

His voice was very low, and he lowered his eyes so that people could not see his expression, but just looking at his thin figure, Chu Jiujiu felt a sour feeling in her heart.

Standing beside Chu Shao, she slowly lowered her head and placed her hands in front of her. She slowly moved her fingers and stared at her hands. Chu Jiujiu said nothing. She didn't cry because she was already a big child. Besides, this was a matter between Chu Shao and Chu Liqiang, father and son. It was normal for her to have emotions, but she couldn't let her emotions burst out at this time.

This time the call was exceptionally long, and Feng Ruyi also heard it. Chu Liqiang was going to carry out a mission for three years, and the two children would have to return to the previous state of being left unattended. Feng Ruyi felt bad about it, so even though she had already gotten off work, she didn't say anything and just waited quietly by the side.

After talking to Chu Shao, Chu Liqiang asked Chu Shao to pass the microphone to Chu Jiujiu. When talking to Chu Jiujiu, he spoke much more simply. Chu Shao was the eldest son in the family and the slightly older pillar of the family, while Chu Jiujiu was just a child, so Chu Liqiang didn't need to give her so many instructions.

It was just asking her to be more obedient, not to run around, and to protect herself. Chu Jiujiu listened obediently. After a while, when Chu Liqiang paused, she asked, "Is your cough completely gone?"

Chu Liqiang was stunned for a moment. The days when he coughed so hard that his internal organs ached seemed like a long time ago. He had never told his two children about his previous poor health. Unexpectedly, Chu Jiujiu had always remembered it.

Chu Jiujiu not only kept it in mind, she also emphasized it on Chu Liqiang's behalf. Every now and then, she would send Chu Liqiang prepared food, mixed with the necklace water. To this day, Chu Jiujiu almost never took out the necklace anymore, except when she was about to send something to Chu Liqiang, she would take it out and soak it.

"I've been fine for a long time," Chu Liqiang said in a gentle voice, "Don't worry, I've always been in good health."

Chu Jiujiu didn't believe what he said. He was just like Chu Shao, who only reported good news and not bad news on the phone. Unlike her, he was so honest that he even told her that he was ranked last in math.

…

Chu Jiujiu in turn advised Chu Liqiang not to show off, to see a doctor if he was sick, and to come out if he couldn't bear it anymore. No matter what, he was a hero in their hearts.

Chu Jiujiu didn't understand the rules of the army and thought this was the same as the summer camp for children she had attended before. If she didn't want to participate, she could just quit. Chu Liqiang was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, but still agreed.

The call lasted for a full hour, and when they hung up, it was already six o'clock in the evening. Feng Ruyi wanted to take them back to her home and cook dinner for them, but the two children were not in the mood. After saying goodbye to her, they went back to Qingzhu Village.

As for Chu Liqiang, he was sitting in his office. He should have called Chu Xinghua in the northwest as the commander had said, but after thinking for a while, he did not call. Instead, he took out a piece of letter paper and wrote a letter.

The task was assigned on short notice, so Chu Liqiang's originally scheduled vacation was naturally cancelled. However, Chu Liqiang felt okay, as he was not disappointed that he could not see Chu Xinghua.

After all, his family is quite complicated. Chu Liqiang has feelings for his father Chu Xinghua, but his feelings are not that deep. At least, they are definitely not as deep as those for his son Chu Shao.

Chu Liqiang was writing a letter here, Chu Jiujiu and Chu Shao returned home, Wen Xiuwei had already prepared dinner. Han Shengyi heard that they went to the town and was also waiting here. Seeing the two people walking in with depressed mood, he straightened up slightly.

The four of them sat at the octagonal table, one occupying one side. After listening to Chu Jiujiu finish her story, Wen Xiuwei and Han Shengyi looked at each other. In this situation, they didn't know how to comfort each other. After a moment of silence, Wen Xiuwei spoke first.

"Three years isn't too short, but it's not too long either. Look at it this way. If he hadn't taken on this mission, you wouldn't know when you'd be reunited. Now, at least there's something to look forward to, right?"

Han Shengyi: "There's no war right now, and your father is a very experienced soldier. He won't be carrying out missions that are too dangerous. He's probably just a commander in the military tent, planning strategies. He won't be involved in frontline affairs."

Chu Shao hummed, and then said nothing more.

On the other side, Chu Jiujiu was staring at the food on the table with her chin propped up.

The most embarrassing thing was that she thought about words of comfort for a long time, but no one paid attention to her. After a moment of silence, Wen Xiuwei stretched out her hand and waved it in front of Chu Jiujiu.

"What are you thinking about?"

Chu Jiujiu blinked lightly and came back to her senses. She looked at the three people sitting at the dinner table and slowly clenched her fists.

“I have to study hard!”

Chu Shao turned his head to look at her, not understanding why she suddenly said this.

Chu Jiujiu: "The elders are working hard, so I can't fall behind. A family should be together!"

Seeing her so ambitious, Wen Xiuwei coughed lightly, covering her mouth and saying nothing. Han Shengyi smiled slightly, his expression subtle, but he also said nothing. Only Chu Shao, the most straightforward man, looked at Chu Jiujiu and asked in a flat voice, "Oh, so you are willing to do extra math problems?"

Looking at Chu Shao for two seconds, Chu Jiujiu moved her gaze away as if nothing had happened. She stood up and walked out, muttering softly, "I think I forgot to feed the chickens this morning. This won't do. Da Huang and Er Huang are excellent employees of our family. Not giving them a raise is fine, but why are they still withholding their wages? I have to go out and check."

After she said this, she disappeared from everyone's sight. Wen Xiuwei laughed out loud, shook her head, picked up her chopsticks, and prepared to eat.

Chu Shao, who was clearly ignored, said: "..."

I knew you were like this.

snort.