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Xiao Li and his team had not informed anyone except a few people around them about their transfer. They even spent a peaceful New Year in the regiment, toasting with the soldiers to celebrate the arrival of the 61st year, wishing the new year good weather and a successful end to the disaster.
New Year's later, Xiao Li met an officer who was nearly forty years old in the regiment. The man was of medium build, with a dark face, thick hair and black eyebrows. Under the thick black eyebrows were a pair of small eyes. Although the squinting eyes were not big, they concealed a sharp edge and revealed an alert look, which made him look very majestic and spirited.
Xiao Li, with a kind face, personally welcomed the people in from the military gate. "Hello, Captain Zhou, welcome."
Zhou Zuojie saluted the sky and said, "Hello, Captain Xiao."
Although Xiao Li and his colleagues had received transfer orders, they had not yet officially taken up their posts, so Xiao Li was still the commander of the 8147th Regiment.
Xiao Li led Zhou Zuojie as he walked while introducing the situation of the regiment, carefully and in detail. Zhou Zuojie, as the person who succeeded Xiao Li as the new leader of the 8147th Regiment, listened very carefully and attentively, occasionally asking questions when he didn't understand something. There was no conflict of interest between the two of them and they had a pleasant chat.
The soldiers in the regiment only knew that several people had come to the regiment in the past few days and were being led around by the regiment commander and the political commissar. Although everyone was curious about what they were doing, they all kept quiet based on the principle of not asking. They just felt that the clerks in the regiment seemed to be very busy recently, coming and going in a hurry and sneaking around, and no one knew what they were doing.
After Xiao Li and the others had finished their handovers, Xiao Li took out his own family's food and gave it to the kitchen team, telling them, "For the new leader's first meal, you must give 200% of your ability. I've provided you with the ingredients, so don't embarrass me."
New leader? Where does the new leader come from?
The kitchen staff looked confused but still prepared the meal very carefully. At the same time, what Xiao Li said also spread in the army. Some people thought about how Xiao Li and others had been taking them around in the past few days, and coupled with Zhou Zuojie's rank of colonel, they suddenly thought of something.
The possibility of Xiao Li being transferred was a mixed bag within the regiment. Those who disliked Xiao Li rushed to contact Zhou Zuojie, trying to leave a good impression on the new leader. Those who liked Xiao Li, like Wang Tiezhu and Wang Dahai, rushed to Xiao Li's office to verify the matter. "Captain, the rumor is spreading throughout the regiment that you're being transferred. We'd like to know if this is true."
Seeing the two people's anxious faces, Xiao Li felt a little happy in his heart. He still had some popularity. The thought made him feel a little better. He smiled and nodded at them, "Yes, I have been transferred. Captain Zhou will take my place as the new captain of the 8147th Regiment. From now on, no one will bother you for no reason. How are you happy and surprised?"
People with bad sides exist in every society, and intrigue is the norm in the workplace. Xiao Li doesn't like being schemed against. As he's seen more, he's drawn to simple, single-minded people. Wang Tiezhu and Wang Dahai, though a bit silly, are very straightforward and honest, so compared to the other guys in the group, Xiao Li truly loves them.
He likes to cause trouble for the two of them whenever he has nothing to do, and making them run and carry heavy loads as punishment is commonplace. The two of them never bear grudges and often run to Xiaoli's house with their own rations to eat for free. They are quite shameless.
Wang Dahai's dark, square face was filled with sadness. "Captain, why didn't you tell us earlier? Where are we going to eat after you leave?"
Wang Tiezhu nodded frantically, agreeing, "Yes, yes. Captain, your cooking is delicious. I love it."
The words spoken by the two of them in unison almost made Xiao Li so angry that he vomited blood. So his role was just to be eaten for free?
"Get lost! I'm annoyed just by the sight of you." How could Xiao Li's cooking not be delicious? In this age where people are reluctant to use oil, salt, sauce and vinegar, Xiao Li makes sure to include everything. Even if his cooking skills aren't very good, the dishes he makes are still more delicious than those at other restaurants. He clutched his chest as if he was pissed. "I was thinking of taking you guys with me, but since you only like our food, I can't take you with me just to save on oil and salt."
Every leader has his own team. When he makes a transfer, he will also find ways to take away the people he trusts. Xiao Li is no exception. The D Province Military Region is a large military region. This time, he and Dong Shiyi were afraid that they would not have their own people. As early as the transfer order came down, the two began to discuss who they would take with them, and then submitted an application after the discussion.
It was easy to lead soldiers without any official positions, but it was difficult to lead officers. Wang Tiezhu and the other man happened to be officers in the army. Except for their family members, all other applications were rejected. Now that Xiaoli and the others still wanted the two of them, they could only go there and gain a foothold before finding a way.
"No, Captain, take us with you." Wang Tiezhu and the other man really wanted to follow Xiao Li. Xiao Li was Wang Tiezhu's old company commander. Both of them came from the battlefield and their relationship was very deep. As for Wang Dahai, he simply admired the strong and liked Xiao Li's character. The two of them came here this time to ask if they could be transferred together.
Xiao Li shook his head helplessly, "I want to take you away too, but I don't have the final say. After I leave, you should work hard and strive to move up. We will meet again in the future."
The two men saluted Xiao seriously for once: "Yes!"
Xiao Li was a little uncomfortable with his serious expression.
Xiao Li left, packed up all the things in his house, and took his wife and children away from the place where he had dedicated seven years. He was 32 years old that year.
Xiao Li hated parting, so the family left under the cover of night, quietly leaving just as he had come here alone without telling anyone.
The day after they left, when Qian Xiaoyu and her sister went to visit Xiaonuo, they found that the Xiao family had long been deserted. The originally warm home had become a cold, empty room, as if their family had never been there. However, the three sisters knew that they had stayed here for a short time, leaving a touch of warmth in their hearts that would never fade.
Qian Xiaoyi looked at the empty house and couldn't stop crying. She held her sister's hand tightly and said, "Uncle Xiao and Uncle Dong are gone. Will Dad beat us and stop us from going to school?"
Fifteen-year-old Qian Xiaoyu skipped several grades because of her excellent academic performance. Now she's a high school student. She's grown quite a bit because she's had a better diet these past few years. She held one of her younger sisters in each hand and said with a firm look in her eyes, "No, I'm grown up now. I'll protect you from now on."
"Okay..." The voices of three children echoed in the air.
The regiment got a new leader, and new residents moved into Courtyard No. 1 of the family compound. At first, everyone was a little uncomfortable with it, but gradually, as time passed, Leader Xiao and his family completely disappeared from people's minds.
At this time, Xiao Li's family was on the train. Xiao Li used his military officer ID to buy sleeper tickets with his two children. Their destination this time was Beijing. On the one hand, it was because Xiao Li was given a few days of leave for this transfer, and on the other hand, he wanted to take Xiao Yuji to get to know his home.
The train slowly moved along the road. When Xiao Li had free time, he would tell his two children about the past. "Don't be fooled by the fact that the trains are so crowded now that there aren't enough seats. A few years ago, there were very few people on the trains. Back then, people didn't have the awareness of the Spring Festival travel rush. The seats on the trains were usually empty, and the attitude of the train attendants was completely different from today."
In just a few years, the scene at the train station has changed dramatically compared to previous years. The people are no longer sparse but really crowded. There will no longer be empty seats on the train. The waiters no longer organize everyone to perform talents, and their personalities have become a little arrogant, with a look of superiority.
Times are changing, the country is developing, and people are also beginning to change. Xiao Li is experiencing all of this personally, and feeling it deeply.
Along the way, he told the two children a lot of things. When the train arrived in Beijing, the two children got off the train as if they were escaping. They were afraid that their heads would explode if their father continued to talk.
"Let's go home." The car arrived, but Xiao Li didn't move. Wang Xuemei couldn't help urging him with some luggage in her hand.
Xiao Li stood up and picked up the remaining luggage. He smiled at her and then said with emotion, "I almost forgot when was the last time I went home. Was it five years ago or four years ago?"
"Five years ago, the last time I went home was to pick up Guaiguai and me." Wang Xuemei sighed, "Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, Guaiguai is already six years old."
"Yeah, time flies. I wonder how grandpa and grandma are doing."
Mr. and Mrs. Xiao are in good health and very strong. Mr. Xiao is at such a high level that he has a special attending physician who visits him regularly for check-ups. His eyesight and hearing are not blurry and he is in good health. After knowing that Xiao Li and his family were returning to Beijing today, he waited in the living room early. Near noon, he heard the voice of a child outside the door, and they hurried to the door to pick up their precious great-grandson.
"Oh, my dear grandma, you miss me so much, come here quickly and let me have a blind date with you." Li Cuihua ignored her eldest grandson whom she hadn't seen for a long time, and ran over to hug Xiaonuo.
"Grandma, I miss you so much~~" Xiaonuo said 'mua~' to the old lady's wrinkled face, making her laugh.
Xiao Li raised his hand to help the old lady, feeling a little embarrassed and unable to believe that he had fallen out of favor in this family and was no longer the darling of his grandparents.
Fortunately, Old Master Xiao still had a trace of rationality. He looked at Xiao Yuji, who was a little reserved beside him, and said, "You must be Yuji, right? I am Xiao Minguo, your father's grandfather. Since you are included in our Xiao family tree and have the surname of our old Xiao family, you are our child. You can just call me great-grandfather."
There were countless comrades in the army who sacrificed their lives to help their comrades raise their children. Grandpa Xiao was not a pedantic person. Having seen many such things, he accepted Xiao Yuji well and did not feel that his family was wasting food to raise children for others. He even felt that their family had made a profit.
He even took the initiative to ask Xiao Li after the two children rested, "What are you going to let Yu Ji do in the future? Join the army?"
Xiao Yuji is eight years old. Xiao Li had never considered his future before. He frowned and thought carefully before saying, "Grandpa, Yuji's father was once a very successful businessman. He left Yuji a lot of wealth. Even if this child does nothing in the future, he won't have to worry about food and clothing. So no matter what choice he makes in the future, I will respect him. It's just that being a soldier is too hard. I don't want them to follow in our footsteps in the future."
"I'm sorry, Grandpa. I don't want them to go to the army."
"Alas, children and grandchildren will have their own blessings. Who can predict the future?" If Xiao Li had said these words when he was young, he might have received a beating. However, now that he was old and lacked the same drive, what mattered more to them was the safety of their children and grandchildren. After hearing Xiao Li's words, although he still felt a little regretful, he did not force it.
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