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Wang Qian leaned in next to the two and, upon hearing Zhang Weiguo’s comment, teasingly remarked, “Uncle, if you’re worried about Grandma, why not hurry up and get married? With a wife, Grandma and Grandpa will have someone for company. You’re not getting any younger, after all.”
Amused, Zhang Weiguo ruffled his niece’s hair, “Little one, finding a wife isn’t as easy as you think. There are rules at our school. We’ll talk about it once your uncle graduates.”
After spending a day playing with them at home, Zhang Weiguo returned to the capital. Geng Lianhua, although reluctant, understood that her son was a soldier and had to follow orders.
With so many children at home, the once quiet courtyard now buzzed with activity. Cong Fei and his friends, used to playing in smaller city courtyards, now roamed freely in the larger space.
Geng Lianhua felt content hearing the children’s laughter, relishing these moments. She would be even happier when her son brought home a wife. This simple life was all she desired, and having these children visit her during lonely times was a blessing.
While they enjoyed carefree days, Zhang Weiguo received orders to deploy. Without revealing this to anyone, he wrote a letter to his sister—a sort of last request, entrusting the care of their parents to her and her husband in case of his demise. Seeing this letter, Zhang Lan was stunned, collapsing to the ground in shock. Wang Zhenhe, unaware of his sudden deployment, felt grateful that his son had studied equipment but worried about his brother-in-law’s safety. War was unpredictable, and bullets had no eyes. It was a perilous journey.
Seeing his wife holding the letter and crying softly, Wang Zhenhe was unsure of what to say, “Dear, don’t worry. Weiguo will be fine. Despite what the letter says, I’m sure he’ll come back safely.”
Even though worried, Zhang Lan knew there was nothing she could do now that her brother had already headed to the frontline. All she could do was silently pray for his safe return.
When the children returned and heard the news, they were taken aback. War seemed distant to them, but Zhang Weiguo going off to battle made them realize that war was closer than they had thought—one of their own was now part of it, with the outcome uncertain.
At this moment, Wang Qian’s emotions were a mix of complexities. She had never experienced the brutality of war firsthand, but from her past life, she had read articles describing its horrors. She dreaded any harm coming to Zhang Weiguo, partly out of concern for her grandparents.
Feeling helpless, Zhang Lan didn’t know what to do. With her brother at the frontline, she felt powerless, with no way to assist. She grappled with a sense of unprecedented dejection and helplessness.
Seeing her mother’s distress, Wang Qian couldn’t bear it, “Mom, don’t worry. Uncle is out there protecting our country. Let’s take good care of Grandma and Grandpa. By managing things well at home, we’ll be providing him with the best support. After serving in the military for so long, I believe he will take good care of himself.”
The words were hard to believe, even for herself. The cruelty of war was something they, born and raised in the New China under the flag of the revolution, would never fully grasp. War meant death, particularly of young lives nurtured by loving parents, and every family would ache if they lost a son.
Clearing his throat, Wang Zhenhe interjected, “You all need to keep this a secret for now. We can’t let your grandparents know about this. Elderly folks can’t bear this kind of news well. Let’s keep it from them for as long as we can, until your uncle returns.”
When school started, Zhang Weiguo sent a letter saying they had just arrived at the frontline, with the troops yet to be deployed. He reassured Zhang Lan and the family not to worry, as he would take care of himself.
Relieved that her brother was safe for the time being, Zhang Lan felt a sense of joy as long as he remained away from the frontline.
For lunch, she prepared a feast to celebrate her brother’s current safety.
At that moment, Wang Qian remembered something, “Mom, this afternoon, could you buy more fabric from the department store? We need to make more underwear and tank tops for Uncle. I doubt they have clean clothes to change into at the frontline. We can’t help with the outer garments, but at least we can provide him with inner layers. Make extra, and we can mail it to him once it’s ready. Don’t skimp on it.”
In reality, she wasn’t entirely truthful. If Zhang Weiguo truly made it to the frontline, the hot climate in the south would make it impossible to wear outer clothes for long. Moreover, in such a damp and warm environment, the issued clothing wouldn’t be enough. Little did many know that at this point, the logistical supply couldn’t keep up, so she felt compelled to do something for her uncle considering these circumstances.
Although Zhang Lan was unaware of the specifics, she was willing to do anything that could benefit her younger brother without hesitation, so she readily agreed.
In the afternoon, Zhang Lan went to the department store and bought a large bundle of blue cotton fabric and plenty of men’s tank tops. Knowing her brother was in the military, she opted for plain blue fabric instead of patterned underwear. She enlisted the help of the elderly women from the Yang and Cong families to assist with sewing, making the process faster.
That evening, inside the special space, Wang Zhenhe helped dig out two of the earliest ginseng roots. Wang Qian mixed honey and royal jelly together, preparing extra for Zhang Weiguo. The plan was to send these items along with the underwear and tank tops.
Concerned about her brother’s diet at the frontline, Zhang Lan prepared a substantial amount of fried noodles at home, packing half a bag. Once the underwear was ready, Wang Zhenhe took charge of sending the parcel.
The postal workers were astonished by the volume of items sent, realizing that this family was quite generous with their postage fees.
Meanwhile, at the frontline, Zhang Weiguo looked at his worn-out underwear, barely covering his backside, and sighed in resignation. Fortunately, his comrades were all male, so there was no embarrassment among them. Everyone’s clothing was in similarly poor condition, and they continued wearing what they had, despite its deteriorated state.
Life in the frontline bunker was far from comfortable. It had been a long time since they had a proper bath; the last time was during a heavy rain when they took turns washing in the downpour. After a recent battle, their clothes were torn and tattered, no longer offering protection against mosquito bites.
Yesterday’s battle resulted in the loss of many comrades, leaving everyone feeling somber. These were brothers who had fought side by side and were now gone. Taking a hard bite of dry rations, Zhang Weiguo wished he was chewing on the enemy’s flesh, determined to avenge his fallen comrades.
“Sergeant, the enemy is launching another attack,” the sentry urgently warned their comrades sheltered in the bunker.
Grabbing his rifle, Zhang Weiguo addressed his comrades, “Comrades, it’s time to avenge our fallen friends. Everyone, get ready to ambush. Follow my orders when we strike.”
Those at home could never truly comprehend the brutality of war, where moments of camaraderie could swiftly turn into tragedy with a fallen comrade lying before you in an instant.
Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of his side, Zhang Weiguo avoided direct confrontation, understanding that staying alive was essential for seeking revenge. He had promised to look after their families as well.
After organizing his soldiers, he assigned two young marksmen with excellent shooting skills to provide cover fire, easing the pressure on the main defensive line.
As the enemy entered their firing range, Zhang Weiguo commanded, “Fire fiercely!” The sound of gunfire erupted in the area.
Meanwhile, Wang Qian felt restless in the classroom. Something didn’t feel right both physically and mentally. Planning to take a walk to clear her mind, a sudden physical discomfort made her realize something. Hastening to ask for permission to leave from the teacher, fortunately, being a female teacher facilitated communication. Upon learning about the situation with the youngest girl in their class, the teacher kindly smiled and allowed her to go home.
Wang Qian wrapped her outer garment around her waist to cover herself and made her way back home, feeling a bit uneasy.
Upon noticing her daughter returning earlier than expected, Zhang Lan hurried out to see what had happened. Wang Qian, somewhat wryly, said, “Mom, can you find me some pants?”
Observing her daughter’s expression and then her backside, Zhang Lan burst into laughter, “Girl, you’re growing up. You’re becoming an adult now.”
Wang Qian wanted to say, “I don’t want to grow up. I don’t like dealing with these things; it’s so troublesome.”
Zhang Lan quickly fetched clean clothes for her daughter and then helped her wash up with warm water in the kitchen.
After changing into fresh clothes and sitting on the warm kang bed, Wang Qian felt much better. Zhang Lan washed the clothes her daughter had changed out of.
Bringing a bowl of brown sugar water over, Zhang Lan said, “Qianqian, drink this and your stomach will feel better. Oh, our little girl has grown up; Mom is getting old.”
Reflecting on the passage of time, Zhang Lan couldn’t help but marvel at how even her youngest daughter had grown up so quickly. She and her husband were aging day by day.
Nestling in her mother’s arms, Wang Qian playfully said, “Mom, you’re not old at all. With me around, you’ll never grow old. Look at your skin after all these years; it’s still so lovely. I don’t see many wrinkles either. And then look at Auntie; you two are only a few years apart. You’re like night and day in comparison.”
Zhang Lan, holding her youngest daughter, said with a smile, “It’s true. I feel like my skin has been improving since I started drinking honey water.”
Receiving the items from his sister at the frontline, Zhang Weiguo was nearly moved to tears. He couldn’t believe how considerate his sister was. Their clothes were in such dire condition that they were on the verge of being practically naked.
Distributing the received clothes to his comrades, one young soldier, holding the new garments, was so touched that he was close to tears. “Captain, your sister is truly a kind person. How did she know we needed this? I was about to run out of clean clothes.”
Others nearby chuckled, “If it shows, let it show. We’re all grown men here; what’s there to be afraid of?”
Gratitude to YY Little Red Riding Hood for the pink vote and to friend lizzie110 for the gift to 99.
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