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

Chapter 531 Stay Behind!!!

"Xiao Wu, how many days can you take off for the New Year?" Dong Ping asked Liu Wu casually, holding the steering wheel and looking straight ahead.

Liu Wu, sitting in the passenger seat, responded with a smile on his face: "I don't plan to take a New Year's holiday. During the New Year, I have to ask some classmates to stay in the college.

But tomorrow is Sunday, so I asked for a day off from school and plan to go home early to have a look..."

Dong Ping nodded thoughtfully. As a retired veteran, he immediately understood Liu Wu's situation: "Xiao Wu, it's great. You've been to the military academy, and your awareness has indeed improved a lot!"

Liu Wu scratched his head shyly: "Hey, as a soldier's son, we can't fall behind others, right?"

"Haha..." Dong Ping smiled at him and then asked, "When are we leaving tomorrow?"

Liu Wu sighed helplessly and said, "I have to go to school tomorrow night!"

"Time is tight. The leader is not at home, so I guess you won't be able to see him!" Dong Ping said with feeling, thinking to himself: "Families of high-ranking officials also have difficulties. Let's put aside other things, just talk about this ordinary reunion..."

The two of them rushed all the way back to the Liu family compound in Liujiazhuang.

It was late at night, and Dong Ping helped Liu Wu unload his luggage.

"Brother Dong, it's too late. You should go back and have some rest!" Liu Wu said apologetically.

"Do you want me to help you move your luggage in?" Dong Ping asked kindly, looking at Liu Wu's bags.

"Really, please go back and see you tomorrow!"

"Okay, see you tomorrow!"

After Dong Ping drove away, Liu Wu exhaled a breath of hot air. It was really cold that day.

Late at night, Liu Wu knocked on the door cymbals on his red-painted door, and the "bang bang bang" sounds broke the silence.

"Here it comes! Here it comes!" Soon, the voice of Grandpa Liu Jingzhai came.

"Grandpa! I'm back!" Liu Wu threw his bag aside and quickly walked forward to give Liu Jingzhai a hug.

Liu Jingzhai was startled at first, then a happy smile appeared on his face: "Xiao Wu, why did you come home at this time?"

"I missed the early bus!" Liu Wu said helplessly.

"Okay, I'm glad you're back. Come inside quickly, it's cold outside!"

As soon as he entered the front yard, Grandpa shouted, "Old lady, look who's back?"

As soon as Liu Wu entered the front yard, he heard his grandfather shouting, "Old woman, look who's back!"

Grandma Deng Ru, mother Gan Ning and eldest brother Liu Wen hurried out of the house.

"Milk!" Liu Wu shouted.

"mom!"

"elder brother!"

"Hey! Xiao Wu is back?" Deng Ru was delighted and reached out to touch Liu Wu's face. "Let grandma see if you have gained weight or lost weight in the past six months!"

Gan Ning smiled and brushed the snow off Liu Wu's body, "Mom, it's cold outside, let's go inside and talk!"

Liu Wenze winked at Liu Wu and said, "Brother, why did you come back just now?"

The family walked into the house happily.

"Xiao Wu, are you hungry? Grandma will make you a bowl of noodles and your favorite braised beef in soy sauce!" Deng Ru said happily as she walked towards the kitchen.

Gan Ning poured Liu Wu a cup of hot tea and said, "Hurry up and drink some hot water to warm yourself up!"

"Oh, thanks, Mom!"

"You little brat, why are you being so polite to your mother?"

"Is my grandfather resting?"

"Well, your grandfather is old and has little energy. He went to bed early. Before going to bed, he was still mumbling about when you would come back!"

"Then I will go to pay my respects to him early tomorrow!"

Liu Wu suddenly realized that his sister Liu Shuxian was missing, and asked in surprise: "Hey! Where is my sister? Why can't I see her?"

Gan Ning frowned when she heard this and said bluntly, "Don't mention your sister. That damn girl hasn't been home for more than a month just to chase some news!"

To be honest, she was full of anger.

Ever since his daughter became a newspaper reporter, she has been away from home every day and is busier than her father.

Not long after, Deng Ru brought out a large bowl of noodles and a plate of evenly cut braised beef.

"Xiao Wu, eat it while it's hot!" Deng Ru said.

"Okay!" Liu Wu responded.

Liu Wu quickly ate up the big bowl of noodles with a few "slurp! slurp!" sounds, and then shouted, "Grandma, I want another bowl!"

"Kid, eat slowly!" Deng Ru said with a smile.

"Hehe! The noodles made by grandma are still delicious. The food at school can't compare to this." Liu Wu praised with a smile.

Deng Ru smiled and said, "If you like to eat, grandma will make more delicious food for you during your vacation."

Liu Wu shook his head: "Not this year, I have to go back to school before tomorrow night!"

"What? Leaving tomorrow!" Gan Ning, Deng Ru and Liu Jingzhai were all shocked when they heard this.

Grandpa Liu Jingzhai couldn't help but say, "Didn't they say that the military academy would give us a holiday during the Chinese New Year? What's wrong with you..."

"Yes, yes!" Mom also responded with a frown.

Liu Wu looked at his family with an apologetic look on his face and said, "Grandpa, grandma, mom, I'm really sorry. Our college is indeed on holiday, but there have to be people left behind during the New Year. I volunteered to stay..."

In fact, Liu Wu could have gone home for the New Year.

And he himself was ready to go home.

Liu Wu and other new students came to the Army Command College and didn’t know what to expect during their first holiday.

I heard from some students that when the army’s military academies are on vacation, they have to return to their original units for internship and cannot go home.

The students were discussing whether they could go home during the school holidays.

At this time, there was a student in Liu Wu's district team who was very familiar with the various situations in the academy.

He told Liu Wu and the others: "Don't worry, our command academy is on vacation and you can go straight home instead of returning to your original units, just like the local universities." Everyone finally put their minds at ease.

On the Sunday before the holiday, students all rushed to go out, wanting to bring some local specialties or something else for their brothers and sisters, parents, grandparents. This is human nature, as they can't go home empty-handed.

This was the real thought of every student at that time.

However, just two days ago, just after the evening self-study ended, the team's communicator suddenly came with a list and notified the relevant personnel to attend a meeting. Liu Wu, a probationary party member, was among them.

"What kind of meeting is this all of a sudden?" A classmate from the next class whispered as everyone was walking towards the club on the second floor with their stools.

When we arrived at the club, we saw the squadron instructor Yu Bin sitting in the front with a smile on his face.

After everyone arrived, the communicator began to call out the names according to the list.

At this time, Liu Wu realized that most of the students who came to the meeting were from Beijing, Tianjin, Beihe and other provinces, and a few were from neighboring provinces. He couldn't help but wonder, "The instructor is also from Yanjing. Could this be a "hometown reunion"? "

After the roll call, the instructor began to speak, roughly saying that the academy announced today that the student teams would be responsible for the winter vacation duty this year, with each brigade sending one student team with about 30 people.

After research by the First Brigade, this task would be undertaken by the Second Freshman Squadron, which is Liu Wu's squadron.

In selecting the personnel to stay behind, the squadron drew a circle with a radius of 400 kilometers with the college as the center. Those who came to the meeting today are all students whose home addresses are "inside the circle."

The purpose of the meeting is to inform everyone to write letters or make phone calls to their families to tell them about being left behind, and to see if their families have any special difficulties.
If so, you can report to the instructor individually.

So, Liu Wu asked to go home for a day before the college officially closed for vacation, and the brigade agreed.

"Alas, your father used to be away from home during the New Year, and now you're one of the others..." Grandma Deng Ru felt a little disappointed when she heard this.

Grandfather Liu Jingzhai said: "You old woman, since Xiaowu has chosen to join the army, you can only sacrifice your own family to protect the whole family..."

The next day, Liu Wu got up before dawn. His time in the military academy helped him develop good habits.

He first ran around the yard, then picked up the snow shovel and started cleaning the yard hard.

"Xiao Wu, you finally get home, why don't you sleep a little longer?" Grandma Deng Ru got up early to prepare dinner and saw Liu Wu working hard.

"Hey! I'm used to it!"

After sweeping the snow, the old man got up. As soon as he saw Liu Wu, a smile broke out on his face.

Liu Wu, wearing a military uniform, saluted the old man solemnly.

The old man couldn't help but mutter to himself: "Yes, he looks exactly like your father when he was young!" Time flies, and even though he was reluctant, Liu Wu had to return to school.

Liu Wu bid farewell to his reluctant family and returned to the college that same day.

Winter vacation is coming soon.

What the instructors did not expect was that none of the 32 left-behind students raised any difficulties, and their families also supported them staying behind.

According to the team's plan, Liu Wu and his 32 classmates were divided into two groups to stay behind on duty, with Instructor Yu and Captain Liu each staying with one group.

As the students left the school one after another, the campus suddenly became quiet.

On the morning of New Year's Eve, the instructor led Liu Wu and others to paste couplets, hang lanterns, and pull ribbons, and the student team suddenly felt the festive atmosphere of the New Year.

In the afternoon, in addition to the students on duty, the instructor took Liu Wu and others to the kitchen to help in the kitchen, and they worked together to make dumplings and prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.

At around 6 o'clock in the evening, after everyone gathered outside the hall to set off firecrackers, the New Year's Eve dinner officially began.

The kitchen staff prepared hawthorn juice for everyone, which looked bright red when poured into cups and was very festive.

After the New Year’s Eve dinner, Liu Wu and his friends sat in the cafeteria, waiting to watch this year’s Spring Festival Gala held by CCTV.

"Dear viewers, on this joyful New Year's Eve, all the staff of CCTV wish you and your family happiness, all the best and a happy Spring Festival." Zhao Zongxiang delivered the opening speech and said the first New Year greetings.

This is the first large-scale variety show produced and broadcast by CCTV. It is directed by Huang Yihe and Deng Zaijun. The four hosts tonight are Wang Jingyu, Liu Shaoqing, Ma Li and Jiang Kun.

"Your figure and your singing voice will always be imprinted in my heart!" Li Guyi sang a song "Homesickness".

Li Guyi became the first singer to officially appear on the Spring Festival Gala. She also sang several songs tonight, including "Spring Song", "Hearing the Voice of the Motherland", and "Young Friends"...

There are also crosstalk works by crosstalk artist Ma Li Jiang Kun, such as "This Wrong Step", "Dialogue", and "Song of the Warrior"...

Like most of his classmates, Liu Wu watched the Spring Festival Gala on TV for the first time and found it very interesting.

Before 10 o'clock in the evening, it was Liu Wu's turn to stand guard.

Liu Wu and his classmate Wang Xiang put on their coats and belts and walked towards the guard post at the college's west gate.

After arriving at the guard booth and handing over the work to the students from the previous class, Liu Wu and Wang Xiang stood in the small guard booth.

Listening to the sound of firecrackers ringing in the sky from time to time, Liu Wu couldn't help feeling homesick, thinking that his family must be worried about him at this time.

Liu Wu suddenly felt empty in his heart, and an inexplicable sadness surged in his heart.

As time passed, the heat in my body was lost bit by bit.

Even though we wrapped our coats again and again and tightened our belts again and again, the cold still couldn't be stopped.

Liu Wu looked at his watch and saw that the hour hand was almost pointing to 11 o'clock. He couldn't help but hope that the hour hand would move faster so that they could return to the squadron earlier and celebrate the New Year with their classmates in a lively manner.

At this moment, Liu Wu suddenly heard footsteps on the road in front of the sentry box.

"Isn't the shift handover at 12 o'clock? Who would come here at this time?" They couldn't help but wonder and quickly walked out of the booth to observe.

In the pitch-black night, two figures could be vaguely seen walking towards this side.

"Who is it? Password?" Liu Wu couldn't help but tighten his gun and asked loudly.

"The password is correct. Are you here to check the post?" Liu Wu whispered to Wang Xiang after verifying the password with the person who came. However, they still remained highly vigilant and held their guns tightly.

When the person came closer, they were shocked to see that it was actually Political Commissar Song from the academy, accompanied by an officer in his thirties, who was holding two big gift bags in his hands.

"Hello, Chief!" They saluted quickly.

"Hello! Thank you for your hard work standing guard on New Year's Eve. How is the situation here?" Political Commissar Song asked after returning the greeting.

"Report to the commander, everything is normal!" Liu Wu and the others replied.

"Good! During the winter vacation, most of the comrades in the college went home to celebrate the New Year. You stayed on duty and made contributions to maintaining a safe, stable and normal order in the college. On behalf of the Party Committee of the College and all the faculty and staff of the college, I would like to express my condolences and gratitude to you!" After saying that, Political Commissar Song saluted them both very solemnly.

Liu Wu and the other two were so nervous that they didn't know what to say for a moment, and quickly returned the gift to the political commissar.

"Today is New Year's Eve, I wish you all a happy new year in advance! The academy has also prepared big gift packages for the remaining students. Staff Officer Li, give them some."

"Thank you, Chief, and thank you, Staff Officer Li!" Liu Wu and his companions excitedly accepted the gift packages.

"But I also need to remind you that the commands used when standing guard must be strictly regulated. You shouldn't have said 'Who is it?'" Political Commissar Song said, his kind expression revealing seriousness.

"I will definitely correct it next time!" Liu Wu replied quickly.

"Okay, it's getting late, it's already 11 o'clock." Political Commissar Song looked at his watch and said, "I'm notifying you now to hand over the shift! Staff Officer Li and I will be on duty this shift, and they will pick us up in two hours. You can go back and celebrate the New Year with your classmates."

"Ah? Chief, this is not good?" Liu Wu and the others were stunned.

"There's nothing wrong with it. This is the decision of the hospital. We will take up this New Year's Eve post. Let's hand over the shift quickly." Political Commissar Song said.

"Follow the commander's orders!" said Staff Officer Li.

Seeing that Political Commissar Song and Staff Officer Li said so, Liu Wu and his men had no choice but to unload their guns and ammunition bags.

The political commissar very skillfully inspected the gun and the ammunition bag, then stepped into the guard post and said, "Go back quickly. We are on duty now, and you are off duty!"

Liu Wu and his companions returned to the squadron club with the gift packages. They excitedly told the instructor and classmates about how the political commissar came to the post to wish them a happy new year and stood guard for them. They also distributed the food in the gift packages to everyone to taste.

The students were very encouraged. Their chattering drowned out the sound of the Spring Festival Gala on TV. The warm and lively scene alleviated their longing for their hometown and loved ones.

As everyone was still discussing, the New Year was approaching.

As the New Year’s bell rang, the instructor and Liu Wu and others ran downstairs to the squadron building and lit firecrackers and fireworks.

The blooming fireworks illuminate the night sky beautifully.

Liu Wu thought that the political commissar was standing guard for them at the sentry post at this moment, and the emotion in his heart was like the colorful fireworks, illuminating the campus and warming his heart.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, when the instructor went to the college to attend the handover meeting, he learned that on New Year's Eve, all the sentries in the college would be manned by the on-duty college and department leaders and the staff, so that all the remaining students in the college could celebrate the New Year happily together.

Li Erniu forgot to take his coat home when he went home for vacation, so he came to buy it as soon as he got out of the county train station.

"Are you going to buy it or not? Why are you taking so long? There's a queue behind you!" The salesperson shouted at Li Erniu in an unpleasant tone, her voice so shrill that it seemed like it could pierce his eardrums.

Li Erniu was stunned for a moment, holding the army green cotton coat in his hand, and looked hesitantly at the girl next to him.

She lowered her head, holding a wrinkled wallet in her hand. Her red fingers were trembling from the cold, and she seemed to be breathing carefully.

Li Erniu gently put the clothes back on the counter and said, "I don't want this clothes anymore, let her go."

The girl raised her head and glanced at Li Erniu, her eyes filled with daze and a bit of flattered panic.

After a while, she whispered, "Thank you." Her voice was very soft, but Li Erniu still heard it.

Li Erniu turned and left the supply and marketing cooperative, thinking to himself: "If her family was well-off, how could she be so cold?"

After all, Li Erniu was not a generous person. He just felt that the girl might need the dress more than himself.

But Li Erniu didn't expect that by giving in, he would give up the fate of his second half of life.

This winter is unusually cold. The snow on the ground has long been frozen, and we have to be careful every time we take a step.

His family was poor, and when Li Erniu came back from the military academy on winter break, he wanted to buy a cotton coat for his parents.

But life was tight at home, and my mother had complained several times: "With our financial situation, why are you still spending money on new clothes? Can't you just make do with what you have?"

Li Erniu knew that his mother was hard-mouthed but soft-hearted. She complained that he spent money recklessly, but in her heart she hoped that he would not suffer any grievances in the army.

But as a grown man, he couldn't go home shivering in the cold, right? So, while going to the market in town, Li Erniu thought of buying a cheap coat.

But who would have thought that he didn't buy any clothes, and when he got home, his mother scolded him: "You kid, you can't even buy a piece of clothing, what are you going to do if you get frozen? The people in the military academy won't pamper you!"

Li Erniu scratched his head and didn't dare to talk back, but he was thinking in his heart: I'd better not tell my mother about this, or she will nag me again.

His father sat on the kang and smoked a pipe, with a hint of smile on his wrinkled face: "Your mother has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Besides, you are a soldier, it doesn't matter if you get frozen, just exercise!"

After hearing this, the old lady glared at his father and said, "Exercise? Why don't you go and exercise? You're just talking nonsense!"

A few days later, Li Erniu met Lin Cuicui again at the entrance of the village.

She was holding a quilt and talking to a middle-aged woman.

She was still wearing the same thin clothes as that day, her face was blue from the cold, and she was obviously stunned when she saw Li Erniu.

"Why did you come to our village?" Li Erniu asked her.

Lin Cuicui lowered her head and said softly, "My eldest sister married here, and I came to visit my relatives."

Lin Cuicui's voice was low and soft, like a blade of grass in the snow.

Li Erniu didn't think much about it. He just thought that Lin Cuicui was a very honest person. He talked to her for a few words and went home.

But who knows, they would always run into each other in the next few days.

(End of this chapter)