Chapter 227 Chapter 227

After October, the weather in the black market became colder and colder, and soon the first snow fell. Children were carefree, and no matter where they were, they all had a special longing for the first snow.

The four children in the family stood in the yard, shouting with joy, opening their mouths and tilting their necks to welcome the snow that was falling from the sky. Lin Yue sat in the house and could still hear their chattering.

"When the snow gets thicker, let's ask our mother to make us some candy!"

"No, have you forgotten? If the first snow is not clean, you have to wait for the second snow before you can eat it!"

Lin Yue found this funny and lowered her head to mend their clothes. She felt more relaxed than ever before, because this period of time was a rare peaceful time.

At this time, a thin layer of ice had just begun to form on the surface of the river, making it unsafe for people to walk on it and hindering the navigation of boats. The Russians on the other side of the river could not get across, and the friction between the two sides suddenly decreased a lot. It was a relatively stable time on the border.

Zhang Yuandong was also able to return at this time.

He was not in a hurry to come back this time. He originally wanted to bring some gifts for his wife and children, but after a round of shopping in the mall, he only bought a pair of lambskin boots for Lin Yue and a pair of cotton shoes for each of the children.

Cotton shoes are very expensive, and Zhang Yuandong was reluctant to buy the right shoes for his children, so he bought them a little bigger. His idea was very simple, such expensive things cannot be worn only this winter, it would be best if they can be worn next winter as well.

Lin Yue complained in his heart that he was fanciful, but he couldn't discourage the enthusiasm of this father. He had to put thick socks on the children and put insoles on them before they could barely fit their feet.

Cotton shoes are a rare commodity in this season. They are too hot to wear in autumn and too cold to wear in winter. They are only suitable for wearing in the past ten days or so. Few parents are willing to buy them for their children. Some children were so eager to buy them that they only wore them for one night. Before dawn the next day, they put on their new shoes and went out to show off.

The weather has been getting colder these days, and the chickens at home are no longer suitable for free-range breeding. With the help of Zhang Yuandong, the two of them worked together to drive the chickens into the chicken coop. The chicken coop is a simple small room covered with straw and with several chicken nests under the wall. These chickens will spend nearly half a year of severe winter here.

Lin Yue has been very busy these days. There are several large vats lined up in the cellar, all used to pickle vegetables. It is not easy to store food in winter, and most vegetables need to be pickled. The people in her family eat a lot, so the workload is particularly heavy.

Zhang Yuandong didn't seem too busy this time. While working, Lin Yue asked him, "How many days can you stay this time? You won't leave again soon, will you?"

Zhang Yuandong calculated in his mind and said, "At the earliest, it will be the end of this month, and at the latest, it will be before the heavy snow blocks the road. But at least I will have to stay at home for ten days or half a month."

Well, after hearing him say that, Lin Yue knew that he must have come back with a mission again. She simply changed the subject and talked about Lingling and Wanli, "When the weather gets cold, it will be inconvenient for the two children to go there. I wanted to invite him to live here, but he didn't agree."

The two children's martial arts master comes from a family of martial arts. Lingling said before that almost everyone in their village knows martial arts, and that is not an exaggeration, because the people in that village are basically from the same clan. Their ancestors were bodyguards, and when the government was taken over, they took their families and clansmen to hide in the mountains to avoid disasters.

If it weren't for the fact that some villagers happened to work with Zhang Yuandong, no one would have thought that there was such a group of people hiding so close to the troops.

However, the village is secluded, which also shows that the mountain road is difficult to travel. In winter, the mountain is blocked by heavy snow, making it very difficult to go there.

The problem now is that Lingling and Wanli still need to go to school, so they can only stay there for one or two days a week and cannot live there for a long time. Lin Yue originally wanted to rent a house in a nearby village so that the martial arts master could occasionally stay here for a period of time and guide the two children, but he was rejected.

Zhang Yuandong said indifferently, "He has a strange temper and doesn't like to socialize with people. If he doesn't want to, don't force him. Let the children go more often during this period. When the road becomes difficult to walk on, they can stop going. You can't rush into martial arts training."

Lin Yue nodded in agreement, and the two of them chatted about recent events.

Lin Yue guessed correctly that Zhang Yuandong did come back with a mission this time. To be exact, he had a mission that he had not completed during this period. He rested at home for two days, and on the third day he hurried to the border barracks.

He hadn't been back for a while, and he felt friendly when he saw Shadan in the camp. He played with Shadan patiently for a while before going to the barracks office.

Shadan has become a frequent visitor here, and almost everyone knows this silly guy. When he saw Zhang Yuandong was about to leave, he pestered him and circled around him, blocking his way. When he saw Zhang Yuandong ignored him, he simply hugged him.

Shadan was taller than Zhang Yuandong, had a good diet in the barracks, and was strong, so he could easily lift a big man. Zhang Yuandong was suddenly lifted up by him, his feet hanging in the air. He was startled, patted his strong and sturdy arms angrily, and said repeatedly: "Shadan, stop it, put me down!"

Shadan didn't listen. He was smart and realized that Zhang Yuandong was different from the others. He didn't need to be trained and on duty. He could play with him. He hugged him tightly and refused to let him go. He said stubbornly, "Play, play with Shadan!"

Maybe he saw the determination in Zhang Yuandong's attitude, but he got a little angry and threw the man out, running away without caring about anything.

Zhang Yuandong finally steadied himself and found that several nearby soldiers were trying to hold back their laughter. He glared at them with a mixture of anger and amusement, but didn't take them too seriously. He chuckled twice and was about to leave.

When Shadan saw that Zhang Yuandong didn't chase him, he froze in his running action and looked back in a strange posture. Zhang Yuandong waved at him and strode towards the office.

The office was filled with dark clouds. Yu Qingfeng sat on a chair, his legs crossed, his back hunched, his arms resting on his knees, smoking. The look on his face made Zhang Yuandong mistakenly believe that his family was ruined.

Zhang Yuandong winked at Deputy Battalion Commander Xu, raised his chin and pointed, and asked in a low voice: "What's going on?"

Deputy Battalion Commander Xu pulled out a box of Combat from his pocket, took out a cigarette and handed it over: "Captain Zhang, I only have special supplies for the troops, you can just take one!"

Zhang Yuandong quickly waved his hand to refuse, "No, I don't smoke, you should keep it for yourself!"

Deputy Battalion Commander Xu knew that he didn't smoke, and it was just a symbolic gesture. He quickly pulled his hand back, put the cigarette behind his ear, and whispered: "Haven't you heard? Captain Yu's lover was arrested. It was said that he was suspected of murder. He has been decadent for a long time."

Zhang Yuandong was speechless for a moment. He had been so preoccupied with his mission that he had forgotten about this. Only now did he remember that Lin Yue had mentioned this to him.

Commander Yu was popular in the army. Although Zhang Yuandong had not had much contact with him, he had a good impression of him. He could not think of any words to comfort him. He just said, "Hasn't it been investigated yet? Maybe there is still room for maneuver."

Captain Yu ruffled his hair in a slovenly manner, raised his head and asked, "You are here for training this time, right? Don't leave tonight, stay here and have a couple of drinks with me!"

Deputy Battalion Commander Xu advised: "Commander, we are still guarding the border, but there are regulations, we can't..."

Before he could finish his words, Yu Qingfeng interrupted him and said, "I know what I'm doing. Nothing will go wrong! I'll drink alone tonight, and you two will keep me company!"

Deputy Battalion Commander Xu was about to persuade him again, but Zhang Yuandong said impatiently, "Why, the punishment hasn't come down yet, so my words don't count?"

After saying this, Deputy Battalion Commander Xu dared not say anything more. Zhang Yuandong patted him on the shoulder and said, "Okay, he's in a bad mood, let him be for now, I'll watch him tonight."

The evening breeze by the river seemed particularly cold. A thin layer of ice formed on the river, making it impossible for ships to sail. The surface of the river was clean and there was not a single boat in sight.

Zhang Yuandong stood by the river and looked far ahead. He could still see the shadowy figures walking on the other side of the river.

Not far from him, there were some young warriors who had just finished fishing. They dragged the fishing nets out from the broken ice, dumped them into a donkey cart parked nearby, and drove the donkey cart in an orderly manner towards the cafeteria.

Some time ago, while the weather was still warm, the unit's mine had already produced the first batch of gold. With this income, this year's winter clothing was distributed early. The soldiers needed to work outside for a long time, so they put on their military coats early.

Among the group of young warriors, there was a figure that looked particularly out of place. The military coat he wore looked very old, dirty, and wrinkled. He was very tall, but his shoulders were hunched and his back was hunched. He did not have the aura of a soldier at all. He shuttled back and forth among the group of warriors like a monkey.

Zhang Yuandong asked Xiao Zhuang beside him: "Is that a fool? It's getting dark soon, why is he still in the barracks?"

"This..." Xiaozhuang didn't think much of it at first, but when Zhang Tuan mentioned it, he suddenly remembered that this matter was against the rules. He stammered for a long time before replying, "He doesn't have a good life in the village, and usually likes to run to the barracks. But although he likes to make a lot of noise, he is diligent and obedient. He can help everyone with a lot of work and doesn't make trouble. He will never run around or mess around in places he is not allowed to go. The cafeteria occasionally makes a good meal and lets him stay for a night."

Zhang Yuandong frowned, but he also knew that these twenty-year-old guys were the most loyal. They got along well with Shadan and could not be strict with him. Moreover, although the army did not allow outsiders to come in and out at will, it was not without taking in fellow villagers who were in trouble. Therefore, no one thought there was anything wrong with Shadan staying here for a day occasionally.

Zhang Yuandong was not an unkind person. He did not intervene too much in this matter. He just took note of it secretly and planned to report it to the political commissar after returning.

At dinner time, Shadan sat with the soldiers to eat. The army had a time limit for eating, and Shadan spent a lot of time with the soldiers. They ate in almost the same way, sitting upright and eating at the same speed. If it weren't for the rice crumbs all over his face and body, no one would have suspected that he was a soldier.

Because Captain Yu wanted to drink, and there were too many people in the cafeteria, it would have a bad impact, so Zhang Yuandong and Deputy Battalion Commander Xu took the food back to the office. Captain Yu took out two bottles of wine from the cabinet, wiped the bottles with his sleeves, and said with a smile: "I don't know who hid these two bottles of wine here. I have been greedy for a long time. This time, I don't care, just let him drink it all!"

Zhang Yuandong smiled and said, "Who else could it be? It's no one else but Old Shen."

"Haha, then we should make him drink it all, so that he won't delay things!"

Seeing that Captain Yu seemed to be in a much better mood, Deputy Battalion Commander Xu also joked a few words and took the initiative to find a few cups and filled them for the three of them. The only difference was that Captain Yu's glass contained wine, while the other two's glasses contained boiled water.

Several people chatted and laughed, and soon the two bottles of wine of Captain Yu were finished. He drank so much that his face turned red and he could not speak clearly. He grabbed Zhang Yuandong's sleeve and cried, "This time you come, don't leave, take my place for two days! I, I want to go back to the army..." Then he lay on the table and cried.

"Xiao Zhang, I felt so sad. She came to me and begged me, saying that she had nowhere else to turn. If she didn't marry me, she would die... She must have been so pitiful at that time. I couldn't bear it..."

This involved other people's privacy. Zhang Yuandong and Deputy Battalion Commander Xu didn't want to listen, but they were grabbed by the arm by the other party. They could only sit obediently at the table and listen to him talking about his past with Tang Sisi. Who knew that Captain Yu's subsequent words were even more powerful, which directly stunned the two of them on the spot.