When the enlistment notice was delivered to Qingshan Village, everyone was surprised except Chengru and Chengjie. Fu Baoer did not expect that the two brothers had quietly registered and were selected.
After graduating from junior high school, Zhaozhao, Chengru and Chengjie were able to continue to attend high school because of their good family background and academic performance. After graduating from high school, Zhaozhao worked in his village winery for a year and was recommended to go to the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University. Chengru and Chengjie did not want to stay in the village to farm, nor did they want to work in the factory. In the end, they chose to secretly sign up for the army without telling their families.
I didn’t expect it to work.
But the most surprised ones were Fu Tianyun and Zhao Li. How could they bear the fact that both of their sons had to join the army!
Zhao Li hugged her two sons tightly, ignoring the congratulations from the surrounding villagers. "Sons! I can't bear to leave you! Why didn't you just sign up without telling your family? You're driving me crazy!"
Cheng Ru patted his mother's back and said, "Mom, what are you doing? It's a good thing for Cheng Jie and I to join the army. The army provides food and accommodation, as well as allowances. Our family is not well off, and we both want to reduce the burden on our family."
Fu Chengru was right. Their family was one of the worst off families in Qingshan Village. Zhao Li and Fu Tianyun had no idea what bad luck they had. Nothing they did went well. Apart from working hard on farming every year to get some food and work points, they didn't get any other benefits at all.
Zhao Li always thought that it was Fu Baoer who was behind all this, but she was honest and upright and did not interfere in anything. It was she who was always caught up in various accidents.
"Son, my son!" Zhao Li couldn't stop crying. Chengru and Chengjie were twins. She suffered a lot when they were born and she could never get pregnant again. How could she accept that both her sons were going to join the army at once?
Cheng Jie was also upset. "Mom, joining the army is my brother and I's dream. There are wars going on in the west and the south right now. The country needs people right now. Don't cry. You should be proud of us!"
Zhao Li slapped her youngest son hard and cried even louder, "Don't mention the war to me! You want to make your mother anxious to death!"
Cheng Ru and Cheng Jie also knew that they had said the wrong thing. Their uncle had died in that battle in the 1950s. "I'm sorry, Mom. Don't worry, we will protect ourselves."
Fu Tianyun squatted on the ground, puffing on his cigarette. His son had grown up and had his own ideas. "Okay, why are you crying? If people knew, they would think we didn't want our son to join the army! This is a great thing, we should set off firecrackers to celebrate!"
"Tianyun is right, this is a good thing! Being a soldier is so glorious. Zhao Li, stop crying! I heard that we have to leave at the end of the month. Why don't you hurry up and prepare things for Chengru and Chengcai!"
Zhao Li twitched. She just didn't want her son to join the army. Farming at home or working in a winery were both better than joining the army. But she didn't dare to say it. She couldn't ruin her son's future for her own selfish reasons.
"I just can't bear to let my two sons go. Both of them are away from me. I...I..." Zhao Li couldn't help crying as she spoke. Now she finally understood her mother's feelings when her brother joined the army.
Cheng Ru and Cheng Jie felt a lump in their throats. They would rather Zhao Li throw a tantrum and scold them than see their own mother cry. Even though this person was not liked in the village, he was always kind to them with all his heart.
Fu Baoer watched silently and suddenly realized that everyone had grown up. Even she was already thirteen years old, and Chengru, Chengjie and Zhaozhao were eighteen years old. The laughter of their childhood was still vivid in her mind, but they were about to be separated in the blink of an eye.
"Little sister..." Cheng Jie saw Fu Baoer. He had never seen such an expression on his little sister's face before. She looked a little sad, a little reluctant, and a little melancholy.
Everyone who was watching turned around to look, and Fu Baoer smiled and said, "Brother, come to grandpa and grandma's house for dinner tonight. My aunt said she wants to give you a farewell party."
Chengru and Chengjie felt a lump in their throats. They thought that when they came back next time, their little sister might have grown taller.
"The grandchildren of the Fu family have a good relationship." The villagers all felt it was a pity. If their son and daughter-in-law were good, their Fu family would be considered a wealthy family in Qingshan Village.
......
Fu Xiuzhi prepared a large table of dishes, filling it up.
The family hadn't eaten together for a long time, and now they were all feeling a little down. Fu Manshan took out a bottle of wine and poured it for Cheng Ru and Cheng Jie. "Grow up now, have a couple of drinks with grandpa tonight."
Cheng Ru quickly took it and filled it up for Grandpa, "Grandpa, you sit down, I'll pour it."
Jiang Fengxia picked up two chicken legs and gave them to Cheng Ru and Cheng Jie: "When you get to the army, you must listen to your leaders and don't be afraid of hardship. Do you understand?"
Chengru and Chengjie nodded vigorously. They would definitely perform well and strive to gain military merits and bring them back to their grandparents. This would be considered as them fulfilling their filial piety on behalf of their father.
"My two children, if I had told you earlier, I could have made you a few more sets of clothes." Fu Xiuzhi has lived with her nephews and nieces for many years and has a deep affection for them. "When you get to the army, I'll make more and send them to you. Remember to write home often, and it would be great if you can call home."
"I heard that the army has family leave," Panpan looked at his two brothers, "Brother, you must come back to see us!"
Cheng Ru and Cheng Jie's eyes were sore and they couldn't help but shed tears. They had never left home since they were little. Although the outside world was vast, it was also full of unknowns. They might have just arrived at the army and then go to the south to fight.
Whether he can come back is still unknown.
"Brother, I made these myself," Fu Baoer took out two small purses containing two amulets, which were given to me by a master during my past life. "You must keep them close to your body, don't let others see them, don't let them get wet, and never leave them."
Cheng Ru and Cheng Jie took it solemnly and put it on their chest. They would definitely keep their little sister's things well.
Fu Manshan drank the wine in his glass with his grandsons, feeling reluctant but also proud. Although none of his sons were good, his grandsons and granddaughters were all excellent. "Good kids, good job. Grandpa is proud of you. You have brought honor to our Fu family."
"Grandpa, only when we achieve military merit can we bring honor to our family," Cheng Jie said seriously. "Joining the army has always been our dream. My brother and I will definitely not let you down!"
Fu Manshan wanted to tell Cheng Ru and Cheng Jie that the family didn't need them to risk their lives for military merit, but he knew he couldn't say that. "Grandpa believes in you, work hard! Strive to become an officer and make us proud in the village!"
When Chengru and Chengjie returned home, Jiang Fengxia took out a small cloth bag and stuffed it into her grandson's hands. There wasn't much money in it. Although food and accommodation were free in the army, there would always be times when you needed it.
There was only so much they could do.
Cheng Ru and Cheng Jie walked away. When they looked back, their grandparents, aunt, and sisters were still standing at the door, looking at them from afar. Under the dim light, their figures were stretched out very long, as long as the road ahead.
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