These words angered everyone in the room, especially Zhao Honglin, who had been working hard these past few days.
He held his frostbitten hands up to Huang Qiufen, saying, "What do you mean by 'don't care if he lives or dies'! If it weren't for rescuing him, would my hands be frozen like this? And my feet, do you want me to take off my socks to show you?"
Huang Qiufen looked embarrassed and couldn't say a word.
She could complain about others, but she had nothing to say to Zhao Honglin, who came up the mountain to meet her.
Wen Xiumei's heart skipped a beat, and she seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire: "Honglin, since you're putting in so much effort and getting nothing in return, why don't you just not go to the deep mountains? What will happen to me, Daya, and Erya if something happens to you?"
"Shut up, isn't this chaotic enough already!" Yang Chunhua snapped at her second daughter-in-law, then turned to soothe her second son, "Honglin, don't listen to her..."
Wen Xiumei muttered to herself, "I didn't say anything wrong."
Regardless of Huang Qiufen's attitude, Zhao Hongfei is a genuine member of the Zhao family. Even if Zhao Honglin, as the second brother, has grievances, he cannot actually go on strike as his wife said.
He could only sulk and prepare the items he needed to take up the mountain.
The sound of a car came from outside the educated youth compound, and Xie Yuyao knew that Zhao Honghui had returned.
She got out of bed, put on her coat, and went out to open the door for him. "Why are you alone? Where's the driver? Please invite him in and have a seat."
"No need, he left first." Zhao Honghui glanced at Yao Yao, who was wearing coral fleece pajamas under her overcoat, and scolded, "Why did you come out without wearing cotton pants? Don't catch a cold."
"It's just a few steps away, it's fine."
Upon entering the main room, Xie Yuyao poured him a cup of warm hot spring water. "Did you see Ye Xingchang?"
Zhao Honghui had already told her about finding Ye Xingchang in the morning, so she didn't wait for him to come back and have dinner together.
"Yes, he has a new mission and won't be returning to the capital for now." Zhao Honghui didn't mention the treasure, so as not to worry Yao Yao.
However, I must mention the rescue: "Yaoyao, I plan to go up the mountain tomorrow to search for the hunting team, along with Ye Xingchang's three helpers. Don't worry, I'll be fine."
Xie Yuyao's expression changed upon hearing this. "The captain organized a ten-person rescue team this evening to search the mountain tomorrow. You don't need to go, do you?"
Zhao Honghui was surprised that a rescue team had already been formed, but he still insisted: "Daqingshan is vast and continuous, and I'm afraid those people will get lost in the mountains and won't be able to find the hunting team."
"Do we really have to go?" Xie Yuyao asked, frowning.
Zhao Honghui said apologetically, "Yaoyao, my brother is also in the hunting team. I have to find him."
"Okay, I'll go too."
As soon as Xie Yuyao finished speaking, Zhao Honghui objected: "No! Yaoyao, I promise you I will come back safely. Just wait for me here."
Xie Yuyao knew his good intentions, so she didn't insist. Instead, she took out the outdoor survival gear she had stored in her space and let him choose.
Tents, sleeping bags, guns, knives, outdoor clothing, and more were spread out all over the large kang (heated brick bed).
Zhao Honghui looked at these high-quality, high-performance supplies and raised his eyebrows in surprise, but he didn't ask any questions and instead began to sort them out.
He was most interested in guns. When he saw a pistol and a submachine gun, he immediately started disassembling and assembling them, and found that they were much better than the guns available at the time.
Now was not the time for research, so he suppressed his interest and put it aside. "I've already borrowed a pistol from Ye Xingchang, so I don't need it."
Xie Yuyao advised, "Take this pistol as a spare, along with box magazines and a dagger."
Zhao Honghui agreed and shifted his gaze to the tent and sleeping bag.
There are no smart tents like this yet. Some troops stationed in frigid regions do use sleeping bags, but they don't have this high technology.
He thought for a moment and then selected a sleeping bag, suitable warm clothes, and a dagger, among other items.
Of course, medicine was also essential. Xie Yuyao specially found a first-aid kit and filled it with various homemade pills and first-aid supplies.
As for food, Xie Yuyao found a lot of white steamed buns, compressed biscuits, beef jerky, chocolate, etc., and also filled a jar with spiritual spring water for him.
Fortunately, the two have been honest with each other; otherwise, they wouldn't know how to move so many things out to use.
Zhao Honghui brought the selected supplies home, making people mistakenly believe that he had found them outside.
Back home, Zhao Honghui had just put down the supplies when Yang Chunhua, who was making pancakes in the kitchen, came over and said, "Honghui, Honglin is joining the rescue team tomorrow. Can you lend him some warm clothes?"
"Mom, Honglin doesn't need to go. I've found three outside helpers to go up the mountain for the search and rescue tomorrow."
Yang Chunhua wouldn't let him go, but when she couldn't persuade him, he went out to find his own man.
Even when Zhao Laoda arrived, it was no use. Zhao Honghui's mind was made up, and even Xie Yuyao couldn't persuade him, let alone the others.
Seeing his resolute attitude, Zhao Laoda and Yang Chunhua could only repeatedly tell him that if he couldn't handle it, he should come back first and not try to be brave.
That night, many families in Qingshan Village stayed up late preparing food and supplies for the search and rescue team.
*
The next morning, the heavy snow had stopped, and a thick layer of snow covered the ground, turning the earth into a world of white jade.
Xie Yuyao quickly finished her meal and rushed to the brigade headquarters to deliver several packs of hand warmers to Zhao Honghui.
The courtyard of the brigade headquarters was bustling with activity. Everyone welcomed Zhao Honghui's arrival and strongly recommended him as the captain of the rescue team.
Zhao Honghui did not refuse and said to everyone, "Everyone should bring a quilt and pack it up to carry on their backs."
The family members who spontaneously organized to join the rescue team were persuaded to return by the team leader.
Just as everyone was organizing the supplies, Zhao Guangliang's father ran over, pulled the brigade leader outside, and said awkwardly behind everyone's back, "Brigade leader, my mother caught a cold last night and can't get out of bed today. She insists that Guangliang take care of her. What should we do?"
The brigade leader understood that Zhao Guangliang's grandmother was afraid that her grandson would leave and never return, just like her late husband.
More than 20 years ago, Zhao Guangliang's grandfather was a barefoot doctor in Qingshan Village. Because he often went up the mountain to collect medicinal herbs and took care of himself, he was stronger than the average person and often joined the winter hunting team.
One winter, the hunting team encountered bears and suffered heavy casualties. Zhao Guangliang's grandfather fell off a cliff and lost his life.
From then on, Zhao Guangliang's grandmother never allowed her family to enter the deep mountains of Qingshantun again.
Upon hearing that her beloved grandson was going to the mountains, she threw a tantrum, threatening to hang herself, refusing to let him go no matter what.
Zhao Guangliang was so full of enthusiasm yesterday that he forgot about this.
Faced with the old woman's worries, he could only say, "Grandma, I'll take the medicine I brought back last night to the brigade headquarters. Even if I don't go there, I have to tell the brigade leader in person."
"What are you talking about! Just have your dad come over, you're not allowed to leave my sight!" The old lady stubbornly grabbed Zhao Guangliang's hand, refusing to let him go.
Zhao Guangliang had no choice but to ask his father to go in his place.
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