War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 2022 The East Is Red

As the white light flashed and disappeared once more, the timeline jumped to August 25, 1949, and the surrounding scenery changed again, transforming into a battlefield filled with the sounds of gunfire.

Soon, he found Wang Cheng waiting with his comrades in the muddy trench.

It was a dawn that seemed to have good weather. Wang Cheng, holding a gun, took out a raw potato from his pocket, rinsed it in the rainwater that had accumulated beside him, and then put it to his mouth and took a bite. He chewed it with a crunching sound, as if it tasted exceptionally delicious—but it was just a raw potato.

Platoon Leader Li

In the muddy, cold trench, a soldier who looked even younger than Wang Cheng asked in a low voice, "After this battle is over, where do you think we'll go?"

"How would I know?" Wang Cheng absentmindedly took a bite of raw potato. "Where do you want to go?"

I want to go home.

The young soldier put a small handful of raw beans into his mouth, chewing them with a crunching sound. "My family is from Rehe. I came here before the Japanese surrendered. I hope I can be transferred back to Rehe after the war is over."

Is anyone else at home?

"It's gone, it's long gone."

The young soldier smiled and said, "My family was all killed by the Japanese. Before my father died, he told me to go to Shandong to seek refuge with my second grandfather. I went, but I couldn't find him."

"Then are you going back?"

"Go back, we must go back."

The young soldier swallowed the raw beans he had chewed a few times. "If I don't go back, my family will really be gone. Platoon leader, what about you? Where do you want to go?"

I want to go to Yan'an.

"Are you from Yan'an?" the young soldier asked.

"No"

Wang Cheng shook his head. "My family is from Dengfeng, Henan Province."

"So you're not going home?"

"There's no one left in my family either."

Wang Cheng took another bite of raw potato. "There was a disaster in 42, and my family line ended up extinct."

"Then aren't you going back?"

I want to go to Yan'an.

Wang Cheng looked up at the dawn sky and said, "When I was fleeing, I met my fourth uncle who saved me. He told me that if I followed the Yellow River, I would reach Yan'an. Once I got to Yan'an, I wouldn't have to worry about going hungry. He said there were no Japanese devils, no traitors, and no puppet troops there."

Ever since then, I've wanted to go to Yan'an. Fourth Uncle also talks to us every day about how great Yan'an is. It's a pity I've never been there—I want to go to Yan'an and see if it's near the Yellow River.

After I've finished looking around, I'll tie a raft and drift downstream on the Yellow River. If I reach Dengfeng, I'll go back; if not, I'll settle wherever I end up. Anyway, there are no Japanese devils anywhere anymore.”

"You're quite bold, I wouldn't dare."

The young soldier said, "I'm afraid of water. What if I fall in while drifting along?"

"If you fall in, swim back up," Wang Cheng said, having already finished the last bite of potato.

“Then I’ll go with you!” the young soldier said. “I just don’t know how long this battle will last.”

"It won't be long," Wang Cheng said, but before he could finish, the sound of artillery fire suddenly rang out. Wang Cheng and the young soldier quickly grabbed their guns, picked up their explosive packs, and began their charge.

This is the Battle of Shenjialing.
Wei Ran followed outside the trench, filming as he watched Wang Cheng and the young soldier throw the lit explosive charge onto the edge of the enemy position, which was almost overhead.

"Boom! Boom!"

Amidst a series of explosions, the outer edge of the enemy's trenches collapsed, and ladders were immediately erected. Soldiers, using the ladders and under the cover of those around them, began their charge.

"boom!"

Just then, a series of bullets struck Wang Cheng and the young soldier, and Wei Ran watched helplessly as they both fell to the ground.

The battle was still ongoing, and Wang Cheng, who had been shot in both legs, lay on his back and continued to pull the trigger at the enemy above him.

Finally, as the three-flower signal flare soared into the sky, various artillery pieces followed the signal and crashed into the enemy's position.

"Li Li Pai"

The young soldier grabbed Wang Cheng's clothes; he had been shot in the chest and abdomen, and his fate was almost sealed.

"I want to go with you to Yan'an to take a look, and then..."

"Grain storage? Grain storage? Zhao Grain Storage! Wake up!"

Wang Cheng grabbed the other man's collar and roared, but the young soldier named Zhao Cunliang had already fallen forever.

That's it.
Wei Ran plopped down next to the two men, looking at Wang Cheng who was holding the corpse, and at the excessively young body, as if he were seeing that child eating tree bark by the roadside in that despairing autumn of 1942.

After an unknown amount of time, more and more soldiers rushed onto the enemy's position and began to fight. Wang Cheng was also carried to the rear by a stretcher team.

Then, the white light swept in once again, and the feather-shaped timeline moved rapidly, finally stopping on a particularly special day—October 1, 1949.

When the white light faded, the first thing he saw was a figure sitting on a donkey cart, which was parked on the bank of the Yellow River.

Beside the donkey cart stood Wu Chunian, his head wrapped in a white towel, and He Mancang, who had also grown up, and his wife Pan Maimiao.

At this moment, He Mancang and Pan Maimiao were no longer the emaciated people they were in 1942. Their complexions were rosy and healthy, and they did not look hungry. In particular, Maimiao had a little child who looked to be three or four years old in her arms.

Just as Wei Ran was still in a daze, a loudspeaker in the distance broadcast a message that sent shivers down his spine: "Fellow countrymen—the People's Republic of China, the Central People's Government, is established today!"

As the announcement echoed through the loudspeaker across the Loess Plateau, Wang Cheng, with his back to Wei Ran, pulled out the suona (a traditional Chinese wind instrument) from his belt, faced the Yellow River, and, with all his might, played "The East Is Red."

In that energetic melody, Wei Ran heard so many emotions: those who starved to death, those who died in battle, and those who fell before dawn. They were like every note in the song, leaping with the suona in the fields and along the riverbanks, celebrating the great news broadcast.

Finally, Wang Cheng, who was already in tears, put down his suona and said, "Uncle Chunian, please help me and throw this kettle into the Yellow River."

"This is."

That's Li De Nian.

Wang Cheng stroked the original name engraved on the water bottle, "The other water bottle contains some of the ashes of one of my comrades-in-arms. I promised him... I promised him we'd come to Yan'an together to take a look."

Let's take another raft and see how far we can drift down the Yellow River. It doesn't matter where we drift.

Uncle Chun Nian, please help me send them on their way.

"Hey! Hey!"

Uncle Chunian readily agreed, took the two water bottles, and threw them forcefully into the Yellow River.

At the same time, Wang Cheng picked up the suona again and played "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" once more.

This time, He Mancang, who was standing by the donkey cart, also took out the suona (a traditional Chinese wind instrument) from his waist and started blowing it hard along with him.

Amidst the loud suona horn music, the two kettles disappeared into the yellowish-brown waves as they rose and fell.

"Brother Wang Cheng, what are your plans for the future?"

After He Mancang finished playing the piece, he asked, "Why don't you stay here with us?"

"I'll go back to my unit once I've recovered from my injuries."

Wang Cheng said with a smile, "Now that we have established our own country, we must protect it well."

"Brother Wang, are you still planning to leave?"

Pan Maimiao asked, "I was also planning to introduce Hongyan from my neighborhood to you."

"This isn't urgent."

"What's the rush! I think we should let him meet Hongyan while he's still unable to move and on this joyous occasion!"

As Uncle Chun Nian spoke, he was already sitting on the cart shaft. "Your whole family, get on the cart too, we're heading back now!" After he finished speaking, He Mancang and Mai Miao'er, who was holding the child, also got on the donkey cart. They chatted about "Red Swallow" while asking Wang Cheng about his future plans.

Finally, over the loudspeaker in the distance, amidst Wei Ran's deep reluctance, the white light once again sent him back to the farm in Clara's dream.

This time, there was a donkey cart next to the coffee table, and sitting on it were Wang Cheng and the young soldier named Zhao Cunliang.

Food was also placed in the middle of the donkey cart, but it was just white rice porridge in the Japanese soldiers' lunchboxes.

“I couldn’t just drift along the Yellow River on a raft and go wherever it took me,” Wang Cheng said apologetically, “but I went to Yan’an.”

"I know"

As Zhao Cunliang slurped up his thick white rice porridge, he asked, "Where did you go after that?"

"In 51, we went into battle."

Wang Cheng also picked up a lunchbox filled with white rice porridge, saying, "I was honored during the Battle of Tieyuan."

At this point, Wang Cheng turned to look at Wei Ran standing by the donkey cart. “Brother Wei, I married Hongyan in the first month of 50. Before I entered the tide, she gave birth to a big, fat son for me! I named him Li Weihe, Li Weihe who protects the Yellow River.”

"I'll go look for it," Wei Ran paused, then tentatively asked, "Have you... gone home?"

"We'll go back eventually."

When Wang Cheng said this, he was exceptionally calm: "Back then, Li Denian gave his life to me. I used his life to fight off the Japanese devils, the Kuomintang, and the American devils. I have no regrets, and I guess he had no regrets either!"

"It's worth it to entrust my life to you."

Just then, Li Denian, still dressed in tattered clothes, walked over and said, "It's really nice, this military uniform looks great."

"Do you...do you have any regrets?" Wei Ran asked after a long silence.

"Please take a picture of us together," Li Denian said. "I've never had my picture taken before."

"Let's take a picture then."

Wei Ran sighed silently. Only after the two people from different times and spaces stood side by side did he take out his Pentax camera, set it up, aim it at them, and solemnly press the shutter.

When he looked up again, the three people and the donkey cart had disappeared, and a canvas satchel with the words "Serve the People" had appeared on the coffee table.

Carefully lifting the tattered canvas bag, riddled with holes and stained with blood, Wei Ran took out a plastic-covered notebook and a pair of sheepskin knee pads.

On the inside of the pair of sheepskin knee pads with bullet holes, the words "Resist America and Aid Chaozhou" and "Defend the Homeland" were written in black calligraphy.

Inside that plastic-covered notebook, besides a Parker fountain pen, was a thick letter with bullet holes, but no seal.

The envelope of the letter also had an address in a village in Ganquan County, Yan'an, and the recipient's name was Gao Hongyan.

I'll deliver this letter for you.

After Wei Ran finished speaking, he put the envelope back into the notebook filled with memories and longing, and carefully put it back into his handbag along with the sheepskin knee pads.

"Did you go to the battlefield again?"

Just then, Edelweiss's voice came from behind.

“Yes,” Wei Ran turned around and nodded frankly, “I witnessed a war.”

"very nice"

"very nice?"

"This time you're talking about being a bystander."

Edelweiss placed the coffee she had brought on the table. "I guess you don't need me as your listener anymore."

"We are friends"

Wei Ran picked up his coffee and said, "I shouldn't have told you these things."

"Aren't we friends?"

That's why I can't tell you.

"We are friends"

Edelweiss stubbornly said, "However, I'm very happy to see that you don't have to take any risks. Will you come again in the future?"

"Probably."

Wei Ran smiled and said, "I guess I'll only be able to be a war photographer from now on."

"You mean, we can only watch the war from the sidelines?"

"Maybe"

Wei Ran gently patted the handbag on the table. "Perhaps it will even become a time-traveling postman."

"Next time you come here, I'll prepare coffee for you."

Edelweiss seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and everything around her returned to reality in another flash of white light.

Looking at the extra canvas bag on the table, Wei Ran took a few deep breaths, packed it along with the water bottle he had dug out into a separate suitcase, carefully locked it, and then walked briskly into the bathroom.

"Where did you go?"

When he returned to the room, Sui Sui immediately turned over and hugged him, asking in a daze.

"I couldn't sleep, so I took a shower."

Wei Ran hugged the other person, and after a moment of silence, said, "I plan to stay in China."

"OK"

Sui Sui nestled her head into the other person's arms, "What are you planning to do after we go back to China? How about just living off a woman?"

When she asked that question, Sui Sui was fully awake, and her tone was filled with a smile of relief, like a snowflake.

"OK"

Wei Ran smiled. "But I still plan to do something."

"Setting up a stall to make sesame seed cakes?"

“It’s not impossible”

Wei Ran simply sat up, letting the other person straddle his lap, and held them in his arms, saying, "But instead of setting up a stall to make pancakes, I plan to open a photo studio."

"Open a photo studio?"

"That's right"

Wei Ran said, "Let's use that little Western-style building in Tianjin as the name. I've already thought of a name."

"what is it call?"

"Longing for Return"

Wei Ran looked at the other person and said, "How about calling it Wanggui Photo Studio?"

"OK"

Sui Sui smiled and agreed, "In that case, let's go back and apply for a business license tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? What about here?" Wei Ran asked in surprise.

"There's no rush here."

Sui Sui said, "It was just a formality and a way to help you relax. It doesn't really matter if it's a day earlier or later, but I bet your scumbag friend is getting impatient waiting for you."

"Then let's go back tomorrow," Wei Ran said, already holding the other person in his arms. This was his only hope for survival.