Lin Wanjun took a sip of wine and smiled faintly.
"No rush."
She said, "After the New Year, I'm going to the provincial capital's medical school to study. It'll take at least three years. As for Zhanjin..."
Lin Wanjun looked at Song Zhanjin with burning eyes.
"He has already applied to his superiors and is going to fight on the front lines in southern Xinjiang."
As soon as these words were spoken, people's attention immediately focused on Song Zhanjin's face.
The smile on Li Yuetang's lips froze, and she looked at her son in disbelief. After a moment, her expression changed from shock to anger. She raised her hand and slapped Song Zhanjin hard.
"Who told you to sign up on your own? Your dad has already gone to the front without telling me, so why did you still want to go? Don't you know it's a life-or-death situation?"
Song Zhanjin turned his head away after being slapped by his mother. After a long time, he stood up and knelt heavily in front of Li Yuetang.
"Mom, I'm sorry!"
He kowtowed three times and said in a hoarse voice, "My son is a soldier. From the day I put on the uniform, I have been prepared to sacrifice my life for my country."
"The country is in trouble, the people are in trouble. I cannot stand idly by. I cannot watch our land being trampled by the enemy's iron hoofs, and I cannot watch our people being slaughtered by the enemy!"
"Mom, my father, my comrades, my brothers, they are all fighting bloody battles in southern Xinjiang. I can't and dare not hide behind them!"
Li Yuetang's lips trembled and tears welled up in her eyes.
"But your father has already gone to the front! Haven't you ever thought about me?"
She screamed uncontrollably, demanding, "What if your father dies? What if you die? Are you going to make me lose my husband and my son? Ah? Tell me, what should I do?"
After a moment, she wiped away her tears and her tone became firm and resolute.
"No! I don't agree with you going to the front lines! I'm going to call Lao Yan from the military district right now, and I'm going to have him expel you from the army. I'm going to make sure you never even think about going to the battlefield again!"
Li Yuetang said as he stood up and walked out.
Song Zhanjin knelt on the ground motionless, his eyes red and his voice resolute.
"Even if Uncle Yan expelled me from the army, even if I were an ordinary citizen, Mom, I would still take up my hoe and go to the front lines to kill the enemy! Unless I die, no one can stop me."
Li Yuetang paused and turned to look at her own son.
"No one can stop you? Not even Jun-jun? Can't your beloved wife let you stay behind?"
These words made Song Zhanjin's expression even more painful.
He looked up at Lin Wanjun, his eyes filled with tears.
He smiled at her, with an apologetic and helpless look, took a deep breath, and finally gave the answer.
"Yes! No one can stop me, not even Jun-kun!"
Lin Wanjun smiled, her voice still calm.
"It doesn't matter. I will remarry after you die. I will live my life well and will never be immersed in the sorrow of losing my husband."
It was a cruel remark, but Song Zhanjin grinned.
He strode forward and hugged Lin Wanjun tightly.
"That's why I love you so much, Lin Wanjun. There is no woman in the world who understands me better than you."
Lin Wanjun pushed Song Zhanjin away and instead took Li Yuetang's arm.
"Mom, you can't stop him, just like you couldn't stop my dad from going to the front. Rather than letting him leave with sadness and guilt, it's better to support him."
"He has concerns and worries in his heart. Even in desperate situations, he will do his utmost to survive, even if he has to crawl, to get home."
Li Yuetang cried so hard that she leaned on Lin Wanjun's shoulder, feeling extremely distressed.
"Why...why are you still speaking up for him? Are you stupid? If he dies, you'll be a widow!"
"You have no idea how painful waiting is. Fear, resentment, hope. Every time they go to the battlefield, I feel like I'm seriously ill."
…
Li Yuetang was muttering to herself, she was crying, and she held Lin Wanjun tightly without letting go.
After a long time, Qin Sijun took a few steps forward, looked at Li Yuetang who was still crying, and spoke carefully.
"Before Old Song left, he left a few words, saying that if Zhan Jin ever went to the battlefield, he wanted you not to stop him."
Li Yuetang choked up, her tone filled with resentment.
"He still has the nerve to ask you to deliver a message? He left without saying goodbye when I was seriously ill, and I... I haven't even settled accounts with him yet, and you still dare to order me around?"
Li Yuetang wiped away her tears casually, her tone stiff.
"Why should I listen to him? I've always been the one making the decisions in this family!"
Qin Sijun smiled.
"Yes, yes, of course you're the one who makes the decision. Otherwise, Old Song wouldn't have dared to sneak away. He's afraid of you, like a mouse is afraid of a cat!"
"He's such a high-ranking official, when did his pocket money ever exceed five yuan? He hid some private money, and you confiscated it all. No one is more cowardly and henpecked than him!"
Li Yuetang was amused by Qin Sijun's words and was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
"Don't listen to his nonsense. Although I'm the financial manager of our family, when he asked for money, have I ever failed to give it to him? Just last year, he spent three months' salary out of his own pocket on nutritional supplements for wounded soldiers."
"What did I say? I bought him the best nutritional supplements and went with him to visit wounded soldiers."
Qin Sijun nodded repeatedly.
"Yes, yes, your awareness is definitely the highest among military wives, so Old Song trusts you. He believes that you will definitely consider the overall situation and send a capable and skilled warrior like Zhan Jin to the front line."
Having said that, what else can Li Yuetang say?
She sniffed, took the hot towel handed to her by Xue Lin and wiped her face.
"According to you, if I don't agree with Zhan Jin going to the battlefield, I am low-minded, I don't consider the overall situation, and I am ignorant?"
Qin Sijun waved his hands hurriedly.
"No, no! Even if you disagree, I'm still a good military wife who's highly aware and considerate of the overall situation!"
On the side, Lin Wanjun kicked Song Zhanjin on the butt.
"What are you still standing there for? Go tell Mom you'll protect yourself and come back alive!"
Song Zhanjin was almost knocked down by a kick from his own daughter-in-law.
He managed to steady himself, walked to his mother, and half-knelt to support Li Yuetang's knees.
"Mom, when I go to the battlefield, I will fight bravely, I will not bring shame to you, I will defend the borders and the country, I will..."
Song Zhanjin couldn't bring himself to say the words "I will definitely come back alive".
He had experienced the cruelty of the battlefield and knew that no one could guarantee that they would be able to return home alive.
As a soldier, fighting to the end and not deserting is every soldier's most firm belief.
Li Yuetang closed her eyes slightly, leaned over and hugged her son tightly.
"Be brave in battle. A man should shed sweat and blood, not tears. As always, returning alive is enough."
She doesn't care even if she is missing limbs or her face is disfigured and unrecognizable.
She just wants her son to be alive!
Song Zhanjin nodded gently and said in a hoarse voice, "Mom, if I die, you will treat Junjun as your own daughter and marry her off in a grand ceremony!"
"You have to be her mother and support her. Don't let anyone bully her!"
These words made Li Yuetang's heart ache.
She patted her son's back and choked up, saying, "If you're so worried about her, then don't let her be a widow. Come back alive and protect your own wife!"
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