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

Chapter 541: Spring Festival in the mid-s!!!
Spring Festival couplets bid farewell to the old style of poetry, and new sentences reflect the times, such as "The new Long March is in spring, and the golden drums of modernization are beating", which are very popular.

"The spring breeze of reform is blowing everywhere, and the people of Xia are really striving hard!"

The Spring Festival is a time when children are happy.

In the past, although the New Year’s money was small, it was full of warmth.

By this year, some people's families have become better off and the red envelopes have become larger. One, two, or ten yuan are enough to exchange for childhood joy and dreams.

After receiving the New Year's money, the children excitedly ran to the store to buy a string of small firecrackers. However, they were too careful to set off the whole string, and instead carefully disassembled them and enjoyed the fun one by one.

It is common to see children gathering in the alleys, competing to set off firecrackers. Although the loud noise is fraught with danger, children are all immersed in the fun and never get tired of it.

The diet in the early 1980s was not much different from that in the 1970s. There were very few people with an annual income of 10,000 yuan, and most people lived on their salary, and the economy was not well off.

When purchasing New Year’s goods, you need to plan carefully and be thrifty with money.

Food coupons were not abolished in the late 70s and were still in circulation until the early 80s.

Tofu was common in the past but hard to come by with coupons. In 81, most people in northern Yanjing used food coupons to buy it, with a limit of one kilogram.

This year, non-ticket tofu began to appear in grocery stores in Beijing, and the supply gradually became more widespread.

A good life is not achieved overnight, but is the result of the sweat, blood, and even life of generations.

In the past two years, material abundance has allowed people to have no worries about food and clothing. The New Year's Eve dinner has transformed from a feast to satisfy cravings to a celebration of family reunion, with families sitting together, sharing delicious food and enjoying peace and joy.

The 1980s were very different from the 1960s and 1970s. The 1960s and 1970s were when radio was popular, while the 1980s ushered in a new era of popular television.

The later movie "Hello, Li Huanying" shows a scene of wage earners queuing up to buy a TV, and finally getting a black-and-white one after saving up. This reflects the strong purchasing power of people during this period.

Today, the temple fair, which has been silent for more than a decade, has regained its vitality. During the first month of the lunar year, every household gathers together to attend the temple fair feast. At that time, there was a lack of entertainment, and visiting the temple fair was the most grand and joyous celebration.

……

At 19:30, half an hour before the end of the guard duty, Li Tao, the duty officer at the No. sentry post, said to Jiang Chunguang: "I just received a notice from the company that the military commander will take over the sentry duty for you and ask you to go back in time to watch the Spring Festival Gala!"

"The military district leaders are standing guard for me?" Jiang Chunguang was a little unconvinced.

Xiao Jiang is from Sichuan Province. Before he joined the army, he would watch the Spring Festival Gala, set off firecrackers, and eat dumplings with his family on New Year’s Eve every year, and they would all be busy and happy.

It was my first time to celebrate the New Year in the army, and it was my turn to stand guard on New Year’s Eve. I was worried that I would not be able to watch the live broadcast of the Spring Festival Gala, but when I learned that the heads of the military region, base leaders, and agency cadres would be on guard tonight, I felt excited.

Soon, the first shift of sentries, military district leader Liu Zhiye and two staff cadres, fully armed and in neat military uniforms, walked straight to the sentry post.

"Sentry Liu Zhiye takes the sentry post!" The standard military salute and the standardized actions of going on and off the sentry post made Xiao Jiang stunned.

After leaving his post and returning to the squad, Xiao Jiang could not contain his excitement. Later, he called his family and recounted the new things he had experienced after joining the army for five months.

He said: "I didn't expect that the chief would stand guard for us on New Year's Eve, but I still watched the Spring Festival Gala live. Don't worry, mom."

Back in the study room, sitting in front of the 18-inch color TV, watching the wonderful Spring Festival Gala, although the cold wind was howling outside the window, Xiao Qiu and his comrades felt warm in their hearts.

In the entire Yanda area, the conditions in the military camp here are the most difficult.

Liu Zhiye and others came specially to express their condolences to all the officers and soldiers stationed here.

"There's no outsider here, so stop calling me the chief!" Liu Zhiye said with a smile, "How do you feel? Are you used to it here?"

Zheng Haisheng nodded and said, "Much better, uncle. Compared to the front line in southern Xinjiang, this place is simply heaven!"

Liu Zhiye spoke again: "I heard that you got angry with someone a few days ago?"

Zheng Haisheng was instantly furious, "Who told tales about me?"

Liu Zhiye frowned, "What exactly is going on? Tell me!"

Zheng Haisheng had no choice but to say...

It turned out that Zheng Haisheng had only been the company commander of the Sixth Company for a few years.

The Sixth Company’s base is in the mountains, which is more than 1000 meters above sea level. The air is so thin that even birds are reluctant to fly.

The mountain is shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, and the damp and cold climate makes it almost suffocating.

Every winter, the biting cold wind wrapped in snowflakes whistled into the simple barracks.

The soldiers could only wrap themselves tightly in their blankets and listen to the creaking of tiles on the roof as they were blown away by the wind.

Although life was hard, the atmosphere in the company was exceptionally warm.

The soldiers all called Zheng Haisheng the old squad leader because he had risen step by step from an ordinary soldier.

These days the army is carrying out regularized construction.

The conditions are difficult, and every year we rely on growing some vegetables and raising some pigs to improve our food.

Lao Wang in the pig-raising class is a genuine country boy who is particularly good at raising pigs.

At the beginning of spring, he took a few soldiers and used their rest time to cultivate a vegetable garden on the hillside.

On weekdays, they mixed canteen leftovers with wild vegetables and added grass collected from the mountains, and fed the pigs little by little.

Lao Wang always said, "When the New Year comes, we'll let everyone have a meal of meat."

Every morning before dawn, Lao Wang gets up to feed the pigs.

Sometimes when it rained heavily, he would wear a raincoat and go to the pigpen in the cold wind.

Once a pig fell sick in the middle of the night. Lao Wang was so anxious that he rubbed his hands and walked 20 miles along the mountain road to find a veterinarian overnight.

When he came back, his trouser legs were torn by the thorns on the mountain road, but he smiled and said that the pig was saved.

In this way, everyone's hearts were tied to this pig.

As the pigs grew bigger day by day, the soldiers became more hopeful.

But on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, the regiment suddenly sent a staff officer named Gao Jianguo.

This senior staff officer had just graduated from military academy. He was dressed in a neat military uniform and newly issued leather gloves.

As soon as he entered the door, he frowned and said he wanted to check the food arrangements during the Spring Festival.

When he saw the pigpen of the Sixth Company, he immediately took out a document, saying that the superiors had required that they practice strict economy during the holidays and not to hold lavish celebrations.

"Captain Zheng, this pig must retire. You have to set a good example. Now the whole army is carrying out regularization construction, and the regulations must be strictly implemented." Staff Officer Gao said seriously.

When Zheng Haisheng heard this, he became furious.

I think of the hard work of the soldiers this year, especially Lao Wang, who has been taking care of us from dawn to dusk for most of the year.

"Staff Officer Gao, do you know how this pig was raised? The soldiers gave up their rest time and fed it little by little.

There is such a shortage of supplies in the mountains that they can't even eat meat during the New Year. Is this reasonable?"

Xiao Wang was also anxious: "That's right, it's not easy for Lao Wang and his family. Everyone has been looking forward to this day for a long time."

Staff Officer Gao still had a straight face: "Regulations are regulations, and we must be resolute in executing orders. This is a matter of principle and cannot be bargained over."

Just then, the door of the duty room was pushed open.

Lao Wang was covered in mud and his clothes smelled of the pigsty.

"Report to the company commander, the pigs ate particularly well today and are estimated to weigh 200 kilograms." Lao Wang had an unconcealable smile on his face.

Seeing that Staff Officer Gao was also there, he quickly stood at attention and greeted him.

But when he heard about the return of the pigs, Lao Wang's face suddenly fell.

Zheng Haisheng clearly remembers that there was a heavy snowfall on the mountain last winter and the supply line was cut off for a whole week.

The soldiers survived the severe cold of more than ten degrees below zero by relying on the cabbage and radishes they grew themselves.

At that time, Lao Wang had to go to the pigpen to shovel snow every day, for fear that the pigs would freeze.

His hands were cracked from the cold, but he never complained.

"Staff Officer Gao Chen, please go to the cafeteria first and we'll discuss this matter." Zheng Haisheng suppressed his anger and tried to reason with him.

Who knew that this senior staff officer would not budge an inch: "Captain Zheng, are you going to disobey orders?"

Just when the atmosphere was tense, a familiar voice came from outside the door.

It’s the regiment political commissar Lao Ma who has arrived.

Lao Ma is an old leader that Zheng Haisheng knew in his old unit. He is a person who is particularly compassionate to the grassroots officers and soldiers.

As soon as he entered the room, he asked with a smile: "Xiao Gao, what are you doing?"

Staff Officer Gao straightened his back immediately and said, "Political Commissar, I am here to check the food arrangements for the Spring Festival.

This company is preparing to slaughter pigs for the New Year, which is not in line with the regulations on practicing strict economy. "

Old Ma walked slowly to the pigpen, looked at the pigs that were rooting for food, and then looked at Old Wang who had an anxious look on his face.

"Xiao Gao, do you still remember the fine traditions of our army? What does hard work mean? Is hard work just about saving and collecting money?"

Staff Officer Gao was speechless for a moment, and Lao Ma continued, "These pigs were raised by the soldiers themselves, and they were bought during their rest time.

Let everyone improve their lives during the New Year. Isn't this what we have always said about caring for the soldiers? "

Seeing Staff Officer Gao in a daze, Lao Ma said, "You have just graduated from military school and have learned the theory well, but military work cannot rely solely on textbooks. Come, follow me to see the lives of the soldiers." So Lao Ma took Staff Officer Gao to every corner of the company.

When Staff Officer Gao saw the soldiers' dormitories, he was visibly stunned.

The barracks were dilapidated, the windows were leaky, and the bedding had been patched over and over again.

But the shelves and bedside tables were all kept clean.

In the cafeteria, the kitchen staff is preparing dinner.

The pot was filled with wild vegetables dug from the mountains and radishes grown by myself.

The only meat dish was a small dish of salted fish, which had to be shared among several people.

"Xiao Gao, look, this is the real life in our grassroots company. It is so important for the soldiers to have a good meal of meat during the New Year." Lao Ma said meaningfully.

That night, Staff Officer Gao took the initiative to find Lao Wang and asked him about the pig-raising process.

After listening to Lao Wang's story, his eyes became red.

On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, the day when the Sixth Company slaughtered pigs, Staff Officer Gao came early in the morning and volunteered to help.

Seeing that he was not very good at it, Lao Wang taught him step by step: "Officer Gao, this is how you should cut the meat so that it can be evenly divided."

That night, all the officers and soldiers in the company sat together to eat the New Year's Eve dinner.

Leaders and senior staff also came, and the dinner table was full of joy.

Zheng Haisheng noticed that Staff Officer Gao had been secretly wiping away tears.

When he picked up the cup, his voice was choked:

"Comrades, I have understood in the past few days that being a cadre is not just about memorizing and enforcing regulations. Caring for soldiers requires starting from the little things.

This meal today made me understand what true military sentiment is. "

Old Ma also said emotionally: "Come on, let's raise our glasses. I wish our soldiers will get better and better, and the army will become stronger and stronger. I also wish Xiao Gao can become a truly good cadre."

The Sixth Company’s New Year’s Eve dinner this year was very sumptuous. Different from previous years, this time the dinner consisted of ingredients brought by the military district during their visit.

The recipes are "crowdfunded" by comrades from all over the world, and then the kitchen team helps everyone cook together.

This novel form of "New Year's Eve Dinner" originated from the "flash of inspiration" of Company Commander Zheng Haisheng.

He found that as the Spring Festival approached, the New Year’s Eve dinner became a hot topic among his comrades.

"In the past, the cooking team was fully responsible for serving the New Year's Eve dinner on the table; this time we mobilized everyone to participate in the preparation. Not only can everyone taste the flavor of home, but it also enhances the sense of participation and interactivity during the New Year's Eve," he said.

A special "New Year's Eve dinner" thus kicked off.

In the kitchen operation room set up in the tent, Xiaolin, a soldier from the island city, began to prepare braised prawns - this is a dish he has been eating since he was a child, and the image of his mother busy in front of the stove is deeply imprinted in his mind.

Wash the shrimps, open their backs, remove the shrimp threads... Watching the prawns sizzling as they were put into the oil pan, the green shrimp shells gradually turning red, and smelling the familiar fragrance gradually rising, not only Xiaolin, but also several other Dongshan soldiers felt as if they had returned home.

A cold wind blew outside the tent, and steam rose in the operating room.

Through the mist, you can vaguely see a sturdy figure waving a spatula next to the stove.

He is Hao Ping, an old squad leader from Heijiang Province in Northeast China, and sweet and sour pork is his specialty.

He was seen waving his arms and stirring the wok, and soon a pot of golden, crispy and tender sweet and sour pork came out of the pot.

Waves of aroma wafted out from the operation room, drifted along the aisle to the board room, arousing everyone's appetite.

When the hot dishes were served, seeing his comrades eating with gusto, "Old Hao" couldn't help but smile slightly.

"The taste of hometown can warm people's hearts." Noodles with oil, braised prawns with oil, shredded pork with Beijing sauce... Looking at the table full of food, Li Fengjun, who had just been promoted to deputy squad leader, chose a bowl of mutton soup.

This year marks the third year that Li Xiaojun has been away from home. When he put on his military uniform, he followed the team to the plateau and trained his troops among the ice peaks and snowy valleys. The ruggedness of a northwestern man emanated from the inside out.

The moment he drank the mutton soup from his hometown, he thought of his parents and relatives in his hometown, and his eyes couldn't help but turn red.

……

"For soldiers, the closer a festival is, the more critical the time for combat readiness is."

For new recruit Guo Zhiqiang, the first Spring Festival after joining the company is the most memorable.

The morning light shines on the earth, and the mountains are covered with a layer of silver.

In the early morning, a burst of urgent whistle sounded, breaking the silence: "Emergency assembly!" After hearing the whistle, the company's position became lively. Everyone sorted out their equipment, counted supplies, and gathered at the designated location.

Arranging formations, counting headcounts, checking equipment, assembling reports... the entire process was intense and orderly.

"They're still doing this on New Year's Day. The company commander is a ruthless person!"

As if hearing what some soldiers were mumbling in their hearts, Company Commander Zheng Haisheng strode to the front of the team.

He said loudly: “For soldiers, the closer the festival is, the more critical the war preparation is;

The more peaceful the situation is, the more we must not let our guard down.

Next, let me give a comment on this promotion..."

After finishing his review, he took two steps at a time, stepped onto the small mound in front, and announced:

"Now we will proceed to the second subject: the Spring Festival Physical Fitness Competition.

Target: Follow the direction of my finger, the high ground ahead!

Method: Sprint in classes, fully armed!

The first class to arrive gets a reward! Ready—go! "

The base is at a high altitude, and it is not easy to train here in winter. When the weather is fine, we get particularly excited to go out for training and breathe the fresh air.

"Go! Only when you reach the top of the mountain can you see more beautiful scenery."

Seeing several comrades falling behind the team, Zheng Haisheng encouraged everyone to persevere.

After a while, everyone arrived at the top of the mountain.

"In order to make this Spring Festival more meaningful, my instructor and I discussed last night that our entire company should take a family photo on the top of the mountain." Company commander Zheng Haisheng said, taking out a camera from his backpack.

When they heard that they were going to take a photo, everyone seemed to forget their tiredness. They chose their positions, struck poses, and with a "click", captured their youthful smiles.

Then everyone took off their backpacks and started chasing and running in the snow...laughter and joy echoed among the snow-capped mountains.

A snowball flew out from somewhere and landed right on Guo Zhiqiang's head.

Turning around, I saw my comrade Ma Jianyang laughing heartily while picking up snow and kneading it to make the next "weapon".

This is intolerable!
Guo Zhiqiang immediately fought back. As someone who often plays basketball, he was very agile and the snowball hit Ma Jianyang squarely on the head.

Before he could feel proud, two snowballs suddenly flew over his head. It turned out that other comrades had joined the "battle" and a snowball fight officially began.

The whole hilltop became lively. Everyone in the row where Guo Zhiqiang was located spontaneously divided into two camps: Team One and Team Two were responsible for the "attack", and Team Three was responsible for producing "ammunition".

"Come on! Come on!" The other comrades cheered on the sidelines, some rubbing their hands, eager to try, eager to join the battle.

The temperature outside was more than 10 degrees below zero, but no one felt cold. Cheers and joy echoed across the plateau.

That day, Guo Zhiqiang wrote in his diary that it was the first time he spent the New Year so far away from home. Although his parents were not around, he did not feel lonely at all because he had the company of his comrades.

The morning sun cast a golden hue on the mountains, and the military boots made sounds as they stepped on the thick snow.

The officers and soldiers set out on their journey and headed towards the target point.

…………

This year during the Spring Festival, the brothers Xu Damao and Liu Guangfu also returned from the south.

After Liu Guangfu returned from the army, he followed Xu Damao to the south to do business.

This time, another comrade of Liu Guangfu named Fu Lei came back with them.

Fu Lei returned from military service last summer.

He still remembers the day that changed his destiny.

That day, Fu Lei was standing on tiptoe, watching Officer Li writing recommendation letters for this group of soldiers who were about to be discharged.

In the dormitory, the electric fan was squeaking, but it still couldn't stop the beads of sweat from falling down.

Lao Li's forehead was covered with sweat and his military uniform was soaked, but he was still writing seriously.

"Xiao Fu, why are you in such a hurry to find a job?" Lao Li put down the pen in his hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. "Your parents are in good health, and your sister is sensible. You need to think carefully about your future path."

Fu Lei lowered his head, feeling as if a stone was pressing on his heart: "Squad leader, my family is counting on me."

As he spoke, his throat choked up: "My father can only earn a few work points from farming all year round, and my mother can't even stand up straight from working in the production team. My sister just started junior high school this year, and she has to borrow money from all over to pay for her tuition."

He remembered receiving a letter from home last month. His sister wrote in a crooked handwriting: "Brother, I ranked first in my grade this semester. The teacher said that if I can get into a key high school, I will have a better chance of going to college in the future."

"I've already found out. Xishan Coal Mine provides food and accommodation, and I can earn 60 yuan a month!" Fu Lei counted on his fingers and showed it to Lao Li. "If I save up for a few months, it will be enough for my sister's tuition for a year."

Lao Li sighed and patted my shoulder: "You kid, you only know how to make money. There are so many opportunities these days!"

(End of this chapter)