Chapter 235 A true warrior never shows off

Several old comrades cried at the entrance of the hotel. Then it was time for dinner, so they got in the car together and left, ready to go to the restaurant to reminisce.

Liu Zhengqing and Gao Shuyi's car led the way in front, and Li Zhongfa's Shanghai-brand sedan followed behind.

Lu Huaishui pressed the back seat of the Shanghai sedan and said jokingly, “Old company commander, your rank is not high, but your car is very good!

There are many people in Beijing who are higher than you in rank but don’t have cars! Are you in Qingshui County so wealthy?”

Li Zhongfa said carelessly: "It's not that Qingshui County is rich, it's that my unit is rich, otherwise do you think I would be willing to work in the grain system with a high-ranking position and low salary?"

Li Zhongfa said he was proud, but he knew in his heart that this car was made possible by a project of COFCO in Qingshui County last year. Before that, his car, Director Li, was a 212 that broke down three times in half a week.

Besides, it was only because Li Zhongfa had seniority and courage, otherwise the car would have been handed over this morning.

The three cars passed Fuchengmen and continued north, approaching Xizhimen.

"Old company commander, we're going to have some foreign food today," Lu Huaishui said confidently, "This must be for Lao Mo. Our instructor went to Su E to study in the 1950s, and Lao Mo was the first to entertain people like them."

"What foreign food? It's just steak, bread, salad, and Black Sea caviar. It's not like we haven't eaten that before."

"Wow, old captain, you are so generous. I will eat that Black Sea caviar with you today."

"Hmph, as if you can't afford it. Today, you can have as much caviar as you want."

Li Zhongfa said this loudly, then looked at his eldest grandson Li Ye.

By the early 1980s, Moscow restaurants were no longer as fancy as they were in the 1950s and 1960s. Ordinary people could have a meal of Western food for just over a dozen yuan.

But if you want to eat Black Sea caviar, it’s not as simple as just spending a little money.

Li Ye lifted his suit, revealing the thick stack of banknotes inside.

When Li Ye saw Li Zhongfa anxiously changing his clothes yesterday, he knew that he had to save face for his grandfather today, so how could he not bring money with him?

"Grandpa, I brought some dollars with me, so I should be able to eat enough."

"Well, just follow my lead later."

Li Zhongfa felt relieved, as his grandson was both capable and sensible, and could easily do the work of three men at once.

The three cars passed Xizhimen and stopped in front of Lao Mo's door.

A group of people got off the car and walked into the restaurant talking and laughing.

Li Ye casually glanced at this "place where the dream began". From some of the exquisite and luxurious carvings, he could indeed feel the bourgeois taste that had been popular in Beijing for twenty years.

However, it was already 1983, and most of the former chefs and waiters from Su'e had left, otherwise Li Ye would have been able to enjoy the service of Miss Su'e many years in advance.

After they found a place to sit down, Liu Zhengqing said with emotion: "I haven't been here for many years. It has changed a lot. The tableware here used to be silver. I wonder if the taste has changed."

When Moscow restaurants first started, much of the tableware was made of silver.

However, because there were too many young people like "Zhong Yuemin" in that special era, all kinds of tableware were lost seriously. In the end, all valuable items had to be removed and replaced with ordinary tableware, and the overall luxurious atmosphere was lowered a level.

The wait staff started serving napkins and waiting for the order to be taken.

Liu Zhengqing was very open-minded. He ordered borscht first, then grilled fish with cream, braised beef in a can, tuna salad, and steak. He ordered a wide range of dishes and finally asked for caviar.

Li Zhongfa glanced at the menu and then secretly winked at Li Ye.

Li Ye nodded to show that he understood, which meant that he should pay the bill later.

Although Li Zhongfa didn't know Li Ye's real family background, his hemp candy business in Qingshui County had never stopped! All the money he earned was saved for Li Ye at home, so his grandson was much richer than the grandfathers and grandmothers present, so it was nothing to show filial piety, and it was not a loss.

The main course was soon served, and Li Zhongfa began to reminisce and chat with Liu Zhengqing, Gao Shuyi and others.

Li Ye couldn't get a word in, so he lowered his head and started eating his portion.

But while he was eating, he heard Grandma Gao Shuyi asked him with a smile: "Xiao Ye, do you often come here to eat Western food?"

Li Ye was a little surprised and said with a smile: "No! This is my first time to Lao Mo."

Li Ye's uncle Liu Muyang said, "Really? You seem to be very comfortable using the knife and fork. It doesn't look like this is your first time eating Western food."

Only then did Li Ye realize that there were not so many Western restaurants in 1983 and there were few opportunities to eat Western food.

He actually doesn't like Western food, but he ate a lot of it when he was flirting with girls in his previous life, because Western food is the most bourgeois and pretentious.

Many girls just like the style of Western food, but they don’t know that real high-end Chinese food is far better than Western food in terms of taste, price and level.

Li Ye nodded and said, "I have indeed eaten Western food a few times. During the Spring Festival, I went to Hong Kong Island and tried some so-called Western-style meals. Generally speaking, they have a unique flavor, but... our Chinese food is still profound and extensive."

Li Ye was telling the truth. Although Lao Mo was famous, he was not at the same level as the small restaurant in Chaoyang District that Li Ye and Wen Leyu often went to.

"What do you know, kid?"

Li Zhongfa glared at Li Ye, disliking him for being so tactless as to criticize the food as bad in front of the chef.

Then Li Zhongfa changed the subject and asked Liu Zhengqing: "Instructor, I heard Lao Lu say this morning that you have something to ask me. What is it?"

Liu Zhengqing glanced at Lao Lu and Gao Shuyi, then asked Li Zhongfa, "Where did you go after we parted at the fork in the road?"

"Is that all you want to ask? Hi~"

"After the D team's impromptu meeting, I headed northwest alone for reconnaissance. I walked all night holding my breath."

"I wanted to go back and chase you guys several times. But I also wanted to prove that I was right."

Li Ye had heard Li Zhongfa talk about the situation twice, but this time he described it most clearly.

Apparently, at the D Group meeting, no one agreed with the opinion of Company Commander Li Zhongfa and were unwilling to take the fork on the right heading northwest.

The reason why Li Zhongfa chose to go right alone and "go forward to investigate and search for intelligence" was probably because Liu Zhengqing and Gao Shuyi both voted against him at that time.

"My guess was correct. I arrived at Qihewan the next morning. When I asked the local people, I learned that the main force had already passed by for a whole day. I quickly turned around and chased you."

Li Zhongfa became excited as he spoke: "When I arrived at Zhaojiadian in the evening of the next day, I met a group of fellow villagers who were fleeing. They said that a small group of people were killed by Japanese soldiers. I..."

Li Zhongfa paused for a few seconds, wiped his tears and said: "I was crazy at that time, I was really crazy. I was the only one left in the Sixth Company, what was the point of me living, I wanted to kill them.

I chased him all the way, even if I was alone, I would still chase him.

At night, I finally caught up with the enemy in Qianmiao Village. Those beasts were setting fire to the village.

Li Zhongfa was already deeply immersed in his memories, but he did not notice that Liu Zhengqing, Gao Shuyi and Lu Huaishui were all pale with emotion, and Gao Shuyi even started wiping away tears.

Finally, Liu Zhengqing interrupted Li Zhongfa and asked incoherently, "So you took advantage of the night to raid the Japanese search team in Qianmiao Village that night. You were the only one, right?"

"I was not alone. I sneaked over in the cover of night and attacked from behind."

Li Zhongfa realized something was wrong at this time and asked, "No, how do you know about Qianmiao Village? How do you know it was me?"

“We were hiding in the village at the time!”

Gao Shuyi choked up and said: "At that time, the Japanese soldiers surrounded the village and we couldn't get out. We thought it would be better to burn to death than to be beaten to death by them. We set the fire ourselves.

Later, a fight broke out outside the village. We knew it was our own people, but we couldn’t put out the fire and couldn’t go out to help you. Woo woo woo~"

Lu Huaishui continued: "At that time, the instructor said, it must be you, the company commander, who has returned. It must be you who is saving us. We desperately put out the fire, and Hou Xiangui's hands were burned.

But when we finally opened a passage out, we couldn't find you because you had led all the Japanese soldiers away."

Li Zhong listened to his comrades' stories in a daze, muttering to himself, "How come we were just that close? How did we miss it?"

Liu Zhengqing took something out of his pocket, put it on the table, and slowly pushed it in front of Li Zhongfa.

That is the cap of a fountain pen.

"The next day, we searched the surrounding area and only found this pen cap."

Liu Zhengqing said with red eyes: "I have used this fountain pen for many years. I was very reluctant to give it up when you cheated me of it. For so many years, I have always wondered when I could combine it with the pen holder."

Lu Huaishui echoed, "This is the real old company commander. When the instructor found the pen cap, he cried like a newborn baby."

"And me, and you," Gao Shuyi said, wiping her tears. "We all cried at that time. If it weren't for you, the old company commander, how could we still be alive today?"

“.”

Li Zhong was stunned for a long time, then he smacked his lips and said: "That's not easy, I have stuck the pen into the neck of the last Japanese soldier."

"I used up all my bullets at night, and suddenly I didn't want to die anymore. But when I was retreating, I was attacked by a Japanese combat team. Those three idiots wanted to capture me alive, but it was bad luck for them."

"Bang~"

Lu Huaishui slammed the table and shouted, "The company commander is so powerful, you have to obey him."

Gao Shuyi's eyes lit up as she said, "I really regret that I couldn't be there and see the old company commander's demeanor."

"How can I show my style if you guys are here? I will definitely rush over and beat up those bastards! One against three, do you think I am willing to do that?"

“Hahahaha~”

The old men laughed loudly, but Li Ye and Liu Muhan listened with their eyes shining. They thought it was quite interesting to see the old men and women crying just now, but after listening to them, they finally understood what a "brave warrior" meant.

Li Ye knew about Li Zhongfa's one-on-three fight, but Li Zhongfa had never told him in such detail. So a true warrior would never bother to show off his achievements.

Several people were excited for a while before they finally calmed down.

Gao Shuyi said: "We later met people from the 344th Brigade. It happened that one of our instructor's classmates was in the brigade, so we followed them. Later, we didn't give up and looked for you for a long time, but there was no news."

"Hi~"

Li Zhongfa said: "I was stabbed in the back by a Japanese soldier. I was dizzy and lost my sense of direction. Fortunately, I encountered an armed force behind enemy lines."

"I joined the guerrillas, and was not reorganized into the army until 1944. I was assigned to the Seventh Column, so of course you couldn't find me."

"No wonder you, old company commander, are only deputy director now! You..."

Lao Lu finally understood the whole story and couldn't help feeling sorry for Li Zhongfa.

He joined the army in 1937, became a company commander in 1939, and started all over again in 1944.

However, Liu Zhengqing looked at Li Ye and said with a smile: "Things are unpredictable. When you joined the guerrillas, did you meet the girl you liked, and then..."

Li Zhongfa's old face suddenly turned red.

(End of this chapter)