The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 458 College Student Recruit——Zhong Xingguo
This year, the reform and opening up officially kicked off. Xiaogang Village began to implement the household contract responsibility system, and the capital also implemented related policies, and many ordinary people got some land.

When the people first received the land, they didn't know what cash crops to grow, so the most they grew was watermelons.

Unexpectedly, since you and I planted watermelons together, the price of watermelons was brought down that year.

This year is extremely important for the Xia Kingdom, and it is also decisive for the two brothers of the Zhong family.

Zhong Xingwang has been the "genius" of the family since he was young. He has been the teacher's favorite since elementary school and the pride of the village elders.

Although the eldest brother Zhong Xingguo studied hard, his test scores, compared with his younger brother's talent, were like a small grass growing quietly beside a towering tree.

Although their parents don't say it, they know in their hearts that they are lucky to have one child in the family admitted to college. Supporting two children? Haha, that's too much.

After the college entrance examination, the loudspeaker at the entrance of the village finally announced the exciting news - the second son of the Zhong family, Zhong Xingwang, was admitted to Peking University!
The whole village was in an uproar, with firecrackers deafening. Zhong Xingguo looked at his younger brother being surrounded and praised by the villagers. Although he was happy, he felt a little unwilling.

Zhong Xingguo was actually not bad either. His scores were just enough to get into a junior college, but his family could not afford to continue supporting him in school.

When Zhong Xingguo was hesitating, the village party secretary patted him on the shoulder and said, "How about joining the army? It's a good way out!"

This sentence touched the blood in Zhong Xingguo's heart, and he chose to join the army, so that he could contribute to the country and reduce the burden on his family.

Last winter, with the restoration of the college entrance examination system, countless young people with dreams flocked to the registration points, eager to change their destiny through this exam.

Therefore, the conscription activities originally scheduled for winter had to give way to this and were temporarily cancelled.

In the blink of an eye, this year's spring has arrived quietly, all things have revived, and conscription activities have also been restarted.

In this season full of hope, many aspiring young people are ready to contribute their strength to the country's security.

Zhong Xingguo is one of them.

Not only does he have excellent physical fitness, but also through his own efforts, he successfully entered a junior college and became a cultured and skilled person.

Such conditions are undoubtedly very popular in the army.

After all, the army needs not only brave and fearless soldiers, but also knowledgeable and intelligent modern soldiers.

On March 3, good news finally came: Zhong Xingguo passed the military inspection and was officially drafted into the army.

At that time, more than a dozen people from their team signed up, but in the end only Zhong Xingguo and six others passed.

Zhong Xingguo was very excited to finally be able to leave the rural area where he had lived for 18 years, and he was full of longing for the outside world.

The few young people who were selected often got together during those days to have heated discussions about their future military life.

The weather in the north in March was still very cold. Zhong Xing's family had limited conditions and no money to buy luggage.

His mother took apart several old cotton-padded jackets, sewed a half-new cotton-padded coat, and bought a pair of yellow rubber shoes.

I heard from the person who was recruiting the soldiers that the army would provide everything and they didn't need to bring anything. I didn't have much at home anyway, so I set off with light luggage.

Around 5 p.m., after having some food at home, Zhong Xingguo and his team set off.

After three or four hours' walking, we finally arrived at the railway station in the county town and gathered there. People from other communes also arrived one after another, and the yard next to the platform square was in chaos.

The waiting time in the yard was unbearable. After a while, the staff called out names, and there were fewer and fewer people. The seven or eight people who came with the same team had already been called away, and it was not Zhong Xingguo's turn yet. He was also waiting anxiously.

Fortunately, they were provided with a meal on the way, which was a big pot of cabbage soup and two cornmeal steamed buns. If it was not enough, they could ask for more steamed buns.

In fact, they were all young men, and they were already hungry after waiting for several hours. Two was not enough. But they were young and had rarely been out, so they were too embarrassed to ask for more.

Around midnight, it was finally Zhong Xingguo's turn. He was grouped together with Zhong Shankui from the same village.

After boarding the sealed train in the dark night, Zhong Xingguo had no idea where the train would go or whether there would be any way out in the future.

It was Zhong Xingguo’s first time taking a train, so it was quite novel for him.

But this sense of novelty was soon lost due to the harsh environment.

The vehicle that Zhong Xingguo and his companions were riding on was previously used to transport livestock, and was filled with the smell of feces and urine from cattle and horses.

The air was not circulating and the light was dim inside. There was a straw mat on the ground and a small iron stove in the middle with water boiling inside.

Although there were several small windows in the carriage, they were not allowed to be opened. There were no watches at the time, so it was impossible to tell whether it was day or night outside.

We ate the sour bread given to us before we got on the bus. It seemed okay at first, but we Chinese have "rice stomachs" or "pasta stomachs". Eating only bread always made us feel empty in our stomachs, which was very uncomfortable.

What we drank was half-cooked water boiled on a tin stove. If you have a bad stomach, this kind of diet will definitely cause stomach problems. Fortunately, we were still young at that time and could withstand it.

The most embarrassing thing is that there is no toilet in the carriage.

When urinating, you need to carefully push the big iron door open a crack, hold the "drain pipe" with one hand, and urinate out against the wind, while you have to find something to hold on to with the other hand to prevent the train from shaking and you from shaking with it, which can easily result in peeing all over your hand.

The most embarrassing thing was that I had to go to the bathroom because a comrade in the carriage had a stomachache.

When he went to the bathroom, he had two people from the same team hold his hands from both sides and squat by the door, with the biting cold wind blowing on his butt. Seeing how dangerous and embarrassing this way of going to the bathroom was, Zhong Xingguo didn't dare to eat more even if he was hungry.

Things would be a little better when they arrived at the military station. They got off at a military station near the provincial capital, giving Zhong Xingguo and his companions three hours to rest.

Everyone went to the toilet first to clear their stomachs after being held back for a long time, washed their faces, and finally a delicious big pot meal was arranged for them.

Zhong Xingguo still remembers that meal. The dish was cabbage, tofu and potatoes stewed with some fatty pork slices and vermicelli. It was served in several large pots, all steaming hot.

The military station leader also came out and delivered an enthusiastic speech, but the new recruits like Zhong Xingguo all stared at the pot and didn't pay any attention to the content of the leader's speech.

The leader was also knowledgeable and seeing this situation, he quickly finished his speech and let everyone eat.

The atmosphere suddenly became cheerful. After all, they had eaten bread for several meals, and how could it be as tempting as the steaming hot meal? It was difficult to eat such good food at home. We were all children from poor families, so no one laughed at each other and everyone ate their fill.

After resting, continue the journey.

Some people went down, and some came up. After a good meal, everyone felt more energetic and started chatting happily.

Zhong Xingguo only knew that he was heading north, but no one knew where his final destination was, and everyone could only guess.

We stopped at a few military stations along the way, but the treatment was not as good as before.

Every time I hurriedly went to the toilet, picked up my luggage, changed cars, and then continued on my way. In addition to being "stuffy", the biggest problem with the boxcar is that it is slow. I don't know how many times it stopped along the way.

There were many comrades from Nanhe in the carriage, including a skinny young man named Ma Xiaojun. Zhong Xingguo asked him, "Why did you join the army?"

Ma Xiaojun said with a bit of ruffian tone: "It's boring to stay in my hometown in the countryside. I just earn a few damn centimeters and can't even get enough to eat. I might as well try my luck in the army."

Zhong Xingguo smiled and asked another comrade Liang Shan: "What about you?"

Liang Shan was silent for a while and said, "I want my family to have enough food to eat."

Zhong Xingguo was shocked. At the age of 18, he was thinking more about whether he could give it a try and see if there was a better way out.

But does Liang Shan, his comrade who is only one year older than him, already bear so much responsibility and pressure?
It turns out that Liang Shan came from an old revolutionary area. He has six brothers and sisters and his family is extremely poor.

Liang Shan grew up eating potatoes and didn't eat white flour until he was seven years old.

He is the eldest in the family. He originally had an older brother and an older sister, but unfortunately they both died young.

The reason why Liang Shan joined the army was that he could have enough food to eat in the army and it didn't cost any money. The state also provided him with allowances and subsidies, which he could send back to his hometown to support his family and try to get them out of that barren land.

In their place, the quota for military service was very popular, and he got this quota because his family was a martyr's family. Beijing South Railway Station - the final destination has arrived.

Through his story, Zhong Xingguo also realized that some places are poorer than his hometown.

Although they are also poor, at least the natural environment is not that bad.

Although the family was not well fed, they were not without any food. Zhong Xingguo gained a deeper understanding of being a soldier.

The train headed north, and as a result, Zhong Xingguo, like his brother Zhong Xingwang, was lucky enough to arrive in Beijing.

…………

After joining the army, the gap between ideal and reality gave Zhong Xingguo a slap in the face. He got up on time at five o'clock in the morning, and the five-kilometer morning run made Zhong Xingguo feel that his legs were almost breaking off the ground.

Train, train, and train again!

Zhong Xingguo, a young man from the countryside, thought he was in good health, but after the first week, he was in so much pain that he didn't even want to get out of bed.

However, the most difficult thing is not the physical torture, but the long-lasting torture of homesickness.

The training during the day can temporarily suppress Zhong Xingguo’s longing for his mother, but when it is late at night and everyone is asleep, the big banyan tree at home and the eggs made by his mother will emerge in Zhong Xingguo’s mind. The familiar local accent and smell almost make me cry.

Despite the hardships, Zhong Xingguo gradually adapted to military life.

Zhong Xingguo's best comrade-in-arms is Niu Laifu, a strong man who is half a head taller than him and has a straightforward personality. They are comrades-in-arms on the training ground and brothers who can talk about anything in life.

Whenever Zhong Xingguo missed home, Niu Dafu would pat him on the shoulder and say, "Brother, we are here to defend our country! We can't let our mother down." When he said this, it was as if a fire was rekindled in Zhong Xingguo's heart.

Zhong Xingguo, who joined the army as a college student, quickly became a celebrity among the new recruits of his batch.

Zhong Xingguo trained actively and quickly stood out among the new recruits, becoming the focus of everyone's attention.

In this era, college graduates can become state officials after graduation and are valuable talents that various units and enterprises are competing to introduce.

Not to mention college students, even high school students who choose to join the army are rare, and junior high school students are considered to have a high level of education.

The arrival of Zhong Xingguo undoubtedly added an unusual color to this group of new recruits.

In addition, Zhong Xingguo trained hard and performed outstandingly, which soon attracted the attention of his superiors.

The most tiring part of the training for new recruits is the marching training.

Break down the movement, keep your upper body straight, stand on one leg, kick the other leg off the ground, and press the sole of your foot down.

After standing for a long time, my neck becomes swollen, my waist and legs ache, and I see stars.

Continuous movements, with legs stretched straight and the soles of the feet pressed hard on the ground. The soles of the feet were rubbed so hard that it hurt. After a day of training, my whole body felt like it was falling apart.

They are not afraid of being a little tired, but what the recruits fear most and are most nervous about is the emergency assembly at night.

There was no sign of this beforehand. Everyone was exhausted after a day's training and was sleeping soundly.

Suddenly, a rapid burst of emergency assembly whistle sounded, making Zhong Xingguo and his colleagues extremely nervous for the first time. Their legs were shaking and they dared not speak or even turn on the lights.

In the darkness, the only sounds I could hear were people folding blankets, putting on clothes, and packing backpacks.

After packing their backpacks and taking their belongings, they rushed out. First the squad and platoon gathered, then the entire company gathered, and they ran to the yard to line up and count.

The company commander had been waiting for a long time. He had a sullen face and did not say a word. He just looked at the watch and marked the time.

Then they turned on the lights in the yard and checked row by row. People in the queue kept being lined up to be exposed: some wearing their shoes backwards, some not having time to put on their underwear, some without socks or wearing only one sock, some without buttons or with the wrong buttons, some with hats crookedly worn, some with backpacks falling apart... There were all kinds of things, and they made all kinds of fools of themselves.

Because they were afraid of emergency assemblies, Zhong Xingguo and his colleagues slept in their clothes every night. Later, an experienced veteran told them: "After hearing the whistle, the most important thing is to put on your uniform first and then tie your shoelaces."

Zhong Xingguo and his team suddenly realized that after several rehearsals, they were able to basically arrive at the designated location according to the uniform and at the specified time.

Making quilts is a compulsory course for recruits.

To fold a quilt that is as thick as a tofu block, you must first spend a lot of energy pressing the quilt. The cotton of a newly made quilt is fluffy, and a compacted quilt has plasticity.

The second step is to fold the quilt.

The squad leader taught them to straighten the quilt, fold it in half, and then smooth it into a straight line with their hands.

In order to fix the shape, you need to wet the quilt with a towel dipped in water, and fold it so that the flat surface, vertical surface and corners are clear.

It was a masterpiece that I just couldn't bear to take apart.

The two-month recruit training not only honed my fighting spirit, but also cultivated my spirit of endurance and ability to adapt to the environment, laying a solid foundation for my future military and police career.

The years as a recruit are truly a rare spiritual treasure in life.

Through the recruit training, Zhong Xingguo was transformed from a farmer to a soldier of the People's Liberation Army.

Moving from the countryside to the military camp changed Zhong Xingguo's living environment and allowed him to gradually adapt to the tense, orderly and disciplined military life.

I understand the reason for whom I carry a gun and fight for whom. I understand the purpose of being a soldier and improve my political literacy.

After the recruit training was completed, Zhong Xingguo was assigned to the 5th Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Regiment, 2nd Guard Division of the Jingcheng Garrison District with a commendation.

The company is known as a tough company, and the squad is also an honorary collective of the garrison area, known as the "small melting pot".

Here Zhong Xingguo met a noble person who changed his life, but we won’t talk about it for now!
----

Liu Zhiye had just finished inspecting the 1st Guard Division and was seen off by the leaders of the 1st Division before heading to the 2nd Guard Division’s base in Liujiazhuang.

The First Guard Division is mainly responsible for internal security, the security of military organs, military leaders and the leaders' homes. It is responsible for the residential security of some government leaders and major leaders, as well as the absolute security tasks of special departments and special meetings!
The 1st Division was headquartered in Gongzhufen, and its troops were stationed in various places in the capital. They were called the "Imperial Guard" by the outside world.

Compared with the 1st Guard Division, the 2nd Division was a force created by Liu Zhiye himself.

Different from the guard mission of the 1st Guard Division, this unit did not mainly undertake the guard mission like the 1st Guard Division. Instead, it was given more missions - to become the sharp blade of guard and counterattack.

The Second Guard Division has a total strength of approximately 18,000 men, but is actually organized and trained according to the high standards of an army of 100 million men.

Its subordinate units include a well-equipped armored regiment, a heavy artillery regiment with rapid firepower, a highly mechanized engineering regiment, and three well-trained reinforced infantry regiments.

In addition, there are air defense battalions specifically responsible for air defense, electronic reconnaissance battalions, and biological and chemical battalions that deal with special battlefield environments.

It is particularly worth mentioning that the 2nd Guard Division also has the first special forces in the entire army - the Tiger Commando. They are as swift as a tiger descending from the mountain, and are the absolute main force in carrying out high-risk and difficult tasks.

The current commander of the Second Guard Division is Meng Luyu, a long-time comrade-in-arms and former subordinate of Liu Zhiye, who once served as the commander of the Second Guard Division's Armored Regiment.
Lu Yu and Liu Zhiye have a very deep friendship. They have experienced countless ups and downs together, and the tacit understanding and trust between them are irreplaceable.

The political commissar of the 2nd Guard Division is Comrade Yue Jun, the former political commissar of the artillery regiment.

The deputy division commander was Comrade Zeng Changzheng, the former head of the Sixth Regiment, and the division chief of staff was Comrade Peng Guoan, the former head of the training section.

The Second Guard Division, led by many outstanding generals, is undoubtedly a force full of combat effectiveness and cohesion.

In summer, the sun is scorching.

Sweat was dripping down Zhong Xingguo's face, but his posture was straight, like an unshakable pine tree, as he stood firmly on duty at the sentry post at the gate of the 5th Regiment of the 2nd Division.

When he saw the group leaders coming out in groups and standing in neat rows at the gate, Zhong Xingguo's heart couldn't help but be lifted.

He knew that this situation often indicated that a senior leader was about to come to inspect.

Zhong Xingguo is no longer a rookie, so he is naturally accustomed to such scenes. However, every time he encounters one, he will be fully alert and greet the leader in the best condition.

Sure enough, as he expected.

About ten minutes later, there was a rapid roar of a convoy coming from afar. Then, a convoy came rushing in like a storm and stopped in front of the gate in an instant.

With a few crisp door closing sounds of "bang!" and "bang!", a group of senior leaders in neat military uniforms got out of the car.

There is a reason why they are called advanced.

The leaders of the group came forward one after another and saluted them one by one, with a respectful attitude and not daring to be negligent in the slightest.

This scene also made Zhong Xingguo more certain of his judgment—the leadership level of this inspection was definitely not low.

"Hello, Chief! Warmly welcome all the leaders to visit us!" Liu Yuan, the commander of the 5th Regiment of the 2nd Guard Division, stood tall and saluted everyone with a standard military salute.

Liu Zhiye's face was filled with a warm smile. He patted Liu Yuan on the shoulder and praised: "Liu Yuan, you are already the head of the group now. You are really a young man to be feared. You really didn't let me down!"

A trace of excitement flashed in Liu Yuan's eyes. He could hardly believe his ears: "Commander, you... you still remember me?"

Liu Zhiye smiled and nodded, holding Liu Yuan's hand tightly, and introduced him to the other leaders present: "Of course I remember, I saw that you were a rare talent at the beginning."

(End of this chapter)