Xia Linbei seemed a little excited when talking about the rescue.
He pointed to a plate of fried tofu with green onions on the table and said:
"At first, we didn't go directly into the city. We helped with the railways and roads outside. The roads were like tofu, completely cracked in some places, with large bulges in others. No transport vehicles could get through, and the engineers had to level the ground bit by bit before we could enter.
Later we also went to the villages outside Tangshan. Almost all the houses collapsed, but there were not many casualties. We basically helped the people to clean up their houses. But it is indeed like what you said, drinking water has become a problem. Some rivers have been changed or flowed backwards due to the development of upstream plates, and the river water is very dirty and turbid.
"Thankfully, I submitted the water filtration method you wrote for me to the logistics department, and they used it to ensure everyone had clean water. Don't underestimate this. Our battalion has fewer cases of diarrhea than other battalions, and Battalion Commander Fang even praised me!"
Yu Sui was puzzled: "You didn't give water purification recipes to other camps?"
"That's not possible. I gave it to them, but they think their original method is right. Most people think that according to normal requirements, boiling it for one minute is enough, without using our filtering method. I can't force other camps to follow our standards."
Xia Lin said this, spreading his hands, feeling helpless.
Yu Sui smiled without commenting, only asking, "So the situation in the city is similar to that in the suburbs?"
Xia Lin: "The difference is huge. The urban area is densely populated, and buildings collapsed severely, so there were always people injured. But the locals were very vigilant. On the day of the earthquake, they all slept outdoors. There was a rumor that gods had descended to earth to guide them. It was so mysterious that nine out of ten people believed it.
There's a local tale about how a deity came to the Earthquake Bureau meeting and struck thunder. At first, no one believed it, but as more and more people told the story, even we soldiers started to believe it a little. After all, an earthquake of this magnitude, at three in the morning, when people are most sound asleep, would have killed many more people if it weren't for those legends and no one was sleeping outdoors. So, we'd rather believe in the existence of deities.
Yu Sui smiled: "Do you believe in gods?"
"A letter." Xia Lin raised his head to look at Yu Sui. He had gotten darker than before due to the tan. When he smiled, his teeth showed even whiter.
"I'll tell you a secret! The last time I went back to my hometown, I had a dream. I dreamt of an old man in red clothes who kept saying to me, 'Little wife, little wife, little wife.' Strangely enough, after I woke up, the same words kept coming to my mind. Later, when I got home, someone slipped a note through my window. Do you remember that time when they said you didn't want to marry me and then hanged yourself?
At first, I was a little angry. But because of that dream, the words in the dream kept running through my mind. Afterwards, I was so angry that I couldn't get angry anymore. I kept thinking, "Little wife, little wife, little wife." Now, my little wife is real!
Xia Lin said proudly, reaching out to touch Yu Sui's face: "Look, isn't this also the gods reminding me?"
Yu Sui slapped his hand away and narrowed her eyes: "You mean, if you hadn't had that dream, you would think I'm not worthy enough to marry you?"
"No, no, no, I dare not. This is wrong. I can't do this! People should still keep their word. You are my engaged daughter-in-law. How can I not marry you?"
"Oh, if you hadn't been engaged long ago, you wouldn't have married."
"You!" Xia Lin picked up a piece of food with chopsticks, but in the end he didn't have time to put it to his mouth. He looked at Yu Sui with grievance:
"Honey, how could you think that of me? Knowing you're my wife, I've been thinking about you when I was away, but after seeing you, I realized you're a little different from how I remembered you, and I felt a little uncomfortable. I don't have any other thoughts, but if you keep saying that to me, I'll be wronged. I just got back, and I haven't even kissed you yet, and you're already accusing me of something that happened a long time ago. It's so unfair!"
The man's eyes showed that he was really aggrieved.
Yu Sui stopped talking: "What do you mean by not kissing me? Who was the one who kissed me on the kang in front of me?"
"That doesn't count. Only the kissing that lasts will count. Wait until I'm done eating before we start."
Xia Linbei ate his meal quickly, finished it soon, and went to settle the bill with his wife in his arms.
That night, Yu Sui personally experienced what it means to be more happy after a short separation.
This man is so restless that I can't even ask him to stop.
In the end, Yu Sui pointed at the weather outside the window and said, "Hey, listen, it sounds like thunder outside, and there's a strong wind. It's going to rain heavily. I'm scared. Let's go to sleep!"
Xia Lin lifted the curtains and looked outside. There were indeed lightning and thunder outside. The rain started to fall quickly, and it could be said to be a torrential downpour. The rain was hitting the windows directly. It sounded like the weather was very bad.
Xia Lin lowered the curtains and hugged his wife to hide in his arms: "Come on, go to sleep, what's going on? It's September, and it's raining so hard. We have to get up early tomorrow to organize the camp and clean up the camp."
Yu Sui: “…” Haha, work is still important.
But in the end, I settled down.
The next morning, Yu Sui couldn't get up.
But when Xia Lin woke up, she was still woken up by Xia Lin's kiss.
Yu Sui refused impatiently: "Well, don't kiss me, I still need to sleep for a while."
Xia Lin kissed her again lovingly, "Hey, no need to kiss, no need to kiss, I just want to tell you that our support team has just returned, and the camp must be very busy, so we may not be back at noon. Go take a look at the house I told you about last time, and then go to the political work department to register. The camp will arrange a job for you when the time comes."
"Arrange work? Oh, damn."
She actually forgot about this matter because a big earthquake happened just a few days after she got married. Everyone lived in earthquake shelters and all work was at a standstill. No one mentioned assigning her a job.
Seeing her dazed look, Xia Lin reluctantly tucked the quilt in for her: "Then I'm going out, go to sleep."
But in fact, not long after Xia Lin left, Yu Sui was awakened by an urgent ringing of the phone.
The ringing sound was similar to the rhythm of a fire alarm, very urgent and harsh.
Yu Sui remembered that Xia Linbei had told her that this was a warning bell that would only sound when the military region entered level one combat readiness.
Yu Sui sat up suddenly and listened carefully to the movements around her.
Is that the Level 1 bell? Is it? Is it? Is it?
I've never heard of it and I have no experience with it, but I guess the Level 1 combat readiness bell can't be rung casually, so what does it mean if this thing keeps ringing?
Yu Sui got up quickly and had just put on her clothes when Xia Lin came back again.
But his face was pale.
Yu Sui: "What happened? Why does the bell keep ringing?"
Xia Lin said: "Comrade Leader is dead!"
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