Chapter 72 End of Text Time is frozen in 1980...
Jiang Xueyi laughed: "No matter what, this nickname is too ugly."
He Chengze laughed and said, "Then you haven't heard of the others. There are Black Bear, Little Cannon, Motor, Tall Guy, and all kinds of them."
When he said this, his face was full of reminiscence.
Jiang Xueyi couldn't help but hold his hand. It seemed that he missed that time very much.
The friendship between comrades-in-arms lasts for many years and remains unchanged throughout life. Our family often receives special products sent by He Chengze’s comrades-in-arms from all over the country. They are all very good people.
The army is like a piece of blazing red soil, where everyone takes root with sincere faith. It is also like a blazing furnace, tempering youthfulness and tenderness into iron-willed strength, and forging laxity and fragility into indomitable spirit.
On the morning of February 13, 1980, He Chengze called home and told He Yuan and Wang Aiping that they would take the train back the next day.
The Spring Festival travel rush was crowded, and He Chengze repeatedly reminded the two elderly people not to come to pick them up at the station.
He Yuan nodded repeatedly in agreement.
On February 16, the day of the Spring Festival, the train had just arrived at the station. He Chengze and Jiang Xueyi, holding their little baby and carrying their bags, got off the train and saw He Yuan and Wang Aiping standing at the station waiting for them, wearing conspicuous bright red clothes.
He Chengze complained: "Didn't I tell you not to come to pick me up?"
Having said that, his face was full of smiles.
Wang Aiping scolded him: "You think we are here to pick you up, we are here to pick up the little bun."
She took the little boy's hand and said with a smile, "Do you remember grandma?"
The little bun tilted his face up, his beautiful big eyes curved into crescents, and he said in a loud voice, "Remember!"
Xiao Wang, the orderly following behind He Yuan, took the luggage and said, "Mr. He, let's go home first. There are too many people here."
As soon as I exited the train station, I saw a green military jeep parked at the door.
Jiang Xueyi took a look at it. The style was similar to the ones in Nanping City, but it was shinier. It must have been carefully maintained every day.
The little boy followed He Chengze and had ridden the military jeep many times. When he got in the car, he was not panicked at all. He pointed at the scenery passing by outside the window and kept asking Wang Aiping what it was.
Wang Aiping told him with a smile that the car was filled with the voices of an old man and a young man asking and answering each other.
He Yuan coughed and said, "You must have worked hard to come here by train from so far away."
"It wasn't hard." Jiang Xueyi smiled. "It was a three-day and two-night journey, and we slept in a soft sleeper."
When cadres go on business trips, they must reach administrative level 14 or deputy division level or above, and can only buy soft sleeper tickets at the ticket window with a letter of introduction issued by their unit. It can be said that these tickets are specially prepared for cadres, and the conditions are naturally better than ordinary hard sleeper tickets, and there is almost no hassle.
We arrived at the place around five o'clock.
There were also sentries guarding the gate of the compound where He Yuan and Wang Aiping lived. They were allowed in only after carefully checking the identities of the people to make sure they were correct.
He Yuan walked all the way to Building 8. Just as he was about to use his key to open the door, the door opened and a girl with two braids smiled brightly: "Dad, Mom, you just came back. The meal is ready."
Wang Aiping turned around and introduced to Jiang Xueyi: "This is Chengya, Chengze's sister."
Jiang Xueyi smiled and said, "I recognize him. I've seen his photo."
He Chengya smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, that was a photo of me when I was seventeen. I should be different now."
Jiang Xueyi: "Well, it's different, more beautiful."
He Chengya smiled from ear to ear, and then looked at the little bun, his eyes shining: "This must be my nephew." He added, "Not bad, not bad, he really looks like me."
The little bun said crisply: "Auntie!"
"Hey." He Chengya responded with a smile, "You're so good."
He Chengze laughed and scolded: "What do you mean by look like you? It means look like me, okay?"
He Yuan: "Okay, stop talking at the door, let's go in."
Xiao Wang helped carry the luggage in, and Wang Aiping invited him to have dinner together.
Xiao Wang wisely took his leave.
It gets dark early in winter. The sound of firecrackers can be heard in the distance, and fireworks light up most of the night sky.
Jiang Xueyi and He Chengze went to help He Chengya bring out the food, while He Yuan and Wang Aiping took the little bun to the balcony to watch the fireworks.
He Yuan pointed to a blooming firework in the distance and said, "Look, isn't that firework beautiful?"
"Beautiful!" said the little bun with a smile.
Another string of fireworks shot up into the night sky, first exploding into a silver band of light, and then scattering red dots all over the sky, as if shaking off all the pomegranate flowers in the sky.
The little bun pointed at the fireworks and said, "Grandpa, look!"
He Yuan: "Hey."
Jiang Xueyi shouted from inside the house: "Dinner is ready."
The family ate around a round table. On the table were sweet and sour fish, symbolizing abundance every year, braised pork, symbolizing prosperity, fresh abalone with scallion oil, symbolizing wealth and fortune, blanched prawns, symbolizing good luck, and a large plate of dumplings stuffed with pork and cabbage.
He Chengya smiled and said, "I put a coin in the dumplings this year. Whoever eats it will have a smooth new year."
He Chengze laughed: "Aren't you afraid of choking us to death?"
He Chengya said angrily, "Do you think everyone is like you, swallowing a dumpling in one bite and not finishing it? We eat dumplings in half, so you can eat a coin in one bite."
Everyone was watching the Spring Festival Gala on TV, chatting, laughing and toasting each other.
"Ah!" The little bun suddenly shouted.
"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Wang Aiping looked over quickly.
The little bun pointed at the dumplings, and Wang Aiping's eyes lit up: "Oh, our little bun ate a coin." She added, "This is a good omen. The new year will surely bring good luck and prosperity."
The little bun nodded: "Yeah, with lucky money, no wonder the money keeps coming in."
Wang Aiping patted his head with a smile: "You little rascal." She took out the red envelope she had prepared long ago from her pocket and said, "Here."
He Yuan and He Chengya also gave red envelopes.
The little boy received so many red envelopes that the small pockets on his clothes were almost full.
After dinner, He Chengya took the little bun out to set off firecrackers.
He Yuan and Wang Aiping were writing the word "Fu" in the study.
He Chengze hugged Jiang Xueyi, stood on the balcony, and looked at the fireworks rising in the night sky. He smiled and said, "Another year."
Jiang Xueyi smiled and said, "Yes, another year has passed."
He Chengya brought Xiao Baozi back, both of them smelling of firecrackers, and Xiao Wang followed behind them, shouting, "Dad, Mom, brother, sister-in-law, come take a picture."
He Chengze pulled over a bench, He Yuan sat on the left, Wang Aiping sat on the right, and Xiao Baozi sat between them.
He Chengze, Jiang Xueyi and He Chengya stood behind them.
Xiao Wang fiddled with the camera and asked, "Are you all ready?"
Everyone shouted, "Ready."
Xiao Wang: "Come on, three, two, one, eggplant!"
"Cheese——" Everyone smiled brightly.
"Click——" time froze in 1980.
(End of full text)
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