Su Province, Xi City, Zuobao Township, and Danyang Village.
Chen Xia didn't say hello to anyone and drove alone to this remote village, which was Zhang Guoqing's hometown.
Two months had passed since the NNN mountain war, and it was already the Spring Festival of 1986. As Chen Xia drove along, he could see that every household was putting up Spring Festival couplets and setting off firecrackers.
When Chen Xia came to the dilapidated farmyard under the guidance of the villagers, he saw a deserted place with no festive atmosphere at all.
"Hello, is anyone there?"
Even during the day, the old house was dark. At this time, an old man walked out. His hunched body looked so fragile.
"Comrade, who are you looking for?"
"Excuse me, is this Zhang Guoqing's home?"
Hearing the name Zhang Guoqing, the old man was obviously shocked, and then his mood quickly became depressed.
"I am Zhang Guoqing's father, and you are..."
Chen Xia quickly showed his work ID, not caring whether the old man could understand it or not, and said with a smile:
"My name is Chen Xia. I was Zhang Guoqing's comrade-in-arms. We were on the front lines together. Before Zhang Guoqing died, he had some relics to give to you."
When the old man heard that it was his son’s last comrade-in-arms, he immediately became excited.
"Okay, okay, Comrade Chen, please come in and sit down first. My wife and grandson live in the city. I'll send someone to call them right away."
Chen Xia heard that there were no buses at the moment, and the round trip would delay things so much. "How about this, old man? I'm driving here. You can take my car and we'll go to the city together."
When Chen Xia arrived at the dormitory area of Xi City Hospital in the urban area under the guidance of the two old men, he was recognized as soon as he got off the car.
"Hey, are you the combat hero Chen Xia?"
As soon as the name Chen Xia was heard, many people in the dormitory area immediately gathered around and shook hands with Chen Xia enthusiastically to express their respect.
Chen Xia awkwardly played the hero once again while looking around at the situation in the hospital's staff quarters.
A total of seven young doctors died in Xi City Hospital this time. The entire hospital was plunged into a sad atmosphere. Who would dare to set off firecrackers? They would be scolded to death by their colleagues.
When Chen Xia arrived at Zhang Guoqing's home, he found that Zhang Guoqing's son was only 2 years old and had just learned to walk.
Zhang Guoqing's wife is an elementary school teacher. Her puffy eyes show that she hasn't had an easy time in the past two months. Being widowed at such a young age, with a small child, is hard...
When the hospital leaders heard that the war hero had arrived, they rushed over immediately.
Because Zhang Guoqing's dormitory was very small, only about 20 square meters, there was not enough space for so many people to sit, so they moved to an open space in the community.
Chen Xia also wanted to tell everyone the heroic deeds of Zhang Guoqing and several other Xi City doctors, so he agreed. After all, he was the last witness of these heroes.
The scene was surrounded tightly with three layers of people inside and outside. Many people heard that the combat hero Chen Xia had arrived and rushed over from their respective units.
People's thoughts these days are too simple, not to mention the worship of heroes.
Chen Xia sat in the middle of the crowd, holding Zhang Guoqing's son in his arms, and told everyone what happened at that time.
From the fact that most medical soldiers sacrificed their lives on the battlefield to the temporary hospital forming a medical suicide squad and going to the front line to rescue soldiers.
Then he talked about how 30 young doctors voluntarily signed up, and when no one withdrew despite repeated inquiries from the leaders, the first round of applause was heard at the scene.
After more than a month of speaking tours, Chen Xia has honed his storytelling skills.
When talking about the scene of artillery fire and flying bullets on the battlefield, everyone's heart was lifted.
When he talked about the last moment, Comrade Zhang Guoqing used all his strength to push a soldier into the trench in order to rescue the soldier despite being shot in the abdomen and having abdominal pain. However, he had no strength left and lay on the battlefield.
Everyone burst into tears, and Zhang Guoqing's wife gritted her teeth, but she couldn't stop crying.
Then Chen Xia took out the Shanghai watch he had polished from his bag and gently placed it in Zhang Guoqing's son's hand, saying:
"Comrade Guoqing gave this to me personally before he died. He said it was the only thing he had with him and asked me to give it to his son personally. He also asked me to tell the baby that his father was a hero."
When Chen Xia said this, he seemed to be back on the battlefield. When Zhang Guoqing was dying, he took off his watch with difficulty and put it in Chen Xia's arms.
"My name is Zhang Guoqing... My family... We live in Danyang Village, Zuobao Township, Xi City... This watch... I always carry with me... Please... give it to my son... and tell him that his father is also... a... hero..."
After saying the last word, Zhang Guoqing's hands fell to the ground and he closed his eyes forever. At that time, he was only 28 years old.
There was another burst of crying at the scene. At this time, no matter whether they were gay or lesbian, their eyes were all filled with tears. Zhang Guoqing's wife and parents were crying like a tearful person.
Even the hospital's secretary and president were crying so hard that they couldn't speak. Everyone was deeply moved.
Only Zhang Guoqing's youngest son, who was still a little kid who knew nothing, took the watch and seemed to recognize it. He even shouted to his mother: "Dad, Dad's watch."
Zhang Guoqing's wife took her son and the watch and held them tightly in her arms...
In this war, there are thousands of heroes like Zhang Guoqing who sacrificed their lives for our country.
The remains of many people did not even have the chance to be transported back to their hometowns, because many of them could not be found, and finally had to be left in the Martyrs' Cemetery in Nanyun Province.
But who will still remember them after a few years?
Except for their families and the heroes' monuments, everyone has long forgotten these heroes.
But life goes on, doesn't it?
Chen Xia completed the task assigned to him by Zhang Guoqing, and the stone that had been weighing on his heart for many days finally fell to the ground.
Before leaving, he left his address and phone number to Zhang Guoqing's wife, telling her that she could contact him if she had any problems in the future.
He and Zhang Guoqing met by chance, but they became his final comrades-in-arms. This was a kind of fate. Chen Xia might not be able to help other heroes' families, but he was very willing to help Zhang Guoqing's family.
When Chen Xia returned to Yuezhou, it was already the Spring Festival of 1986.
Chen Xia is a combat hero and was granted special permission to go home early. However, his father-in-law and other doctors are still working on the front lines and did not go home for the New Year.
This Chinese New Year, Chen Xia prepared generous gifts to send to the homes of those old heroes and doctors who did not return home. Now they are all old friends who have fought together, and the key is extraordinary.
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