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

Chapter 590 The Young Generation!!!
In this way, Zhong Xingguo fought bravely on the front line until their rotation ended and they returned to their original unit.

After returning to the army, his position was adjusted, or in other words, he was promoted.

Zhong Xingguo originally wanted to have a good rest, spend the vacation, and then go to his new position in full energy.

Unexpectedly, the military notified Zhong Xingguo the next day: stop his vacation and take up his post in the Second Guard Division.

Zhong Xingguo hurriedly got into the car and learned from the driver of the division's car that the reason he was asked to report back to the division headquarters immediately was that Chief of Staff Li had gone to school to study and the new division chief of staff had not yet been appointed. Only a few leaders, including Division Commander Liu Yuan and Political Commissar Li Kangzhan, were in office.

Therefore, Zhong Xingguo was asked to quickly go to the division staff headquarters to assist the division commander Liu Yuan in presiding over the work.

The Second Guard Division has always been stationed in Liujiazhuang, which is the place Zhong Xingguo is most familiar with. The first step of his military career also started in Liujiazhuang.

Zhong Xingguo was nostalgic for everything in Liujiazhuang, so he returned to Liujiazhuang, the place where his dream began.

Although his vacation was interrupted, Zhong Xingguo was in a good mood because this was his unit and there were many familiar comrades and leaders here.

When Zhong Xingguo returned to the division, he found that the situation was completely different from when he left many years ago.

The original old leaders have left, replaced by a group of energetic "youngsters".

Except for the division commander Liu Yuan who was 15 years older than Zhong Xingguo, other division leaders were also much older than him. Even so, their average age was only about 40.

Liu Yuan is Zhong Xingguo’s old leader. Zhong Xingguo grew up under his leadership.

In the division staff, Zhong Xingguo is not only the highest-ranking one, but also the youngest. He is only 33 years old this year, which is the prime of his life.

Most of the section chiefs are around 35 years old, and the training section chief Fang Jigui is only 30 years old.

Although these cadres are young, the section chiefs are all old-timers, familiar with their business and capable of handling their own affairs.

Although the staff of each department are young, they are all carefully selected from the entire division and are capable, flexible and efficient.

Being the deputy chief of staff of a division, Zhong Xingguo has an easier job than being the captain of a special forces brigade.

The headquarters of the Second Guard Division is relatively strong in the entire Yanda area. It has done a good job in terms of office documents, work efficiency, interpersonal relationships, and internal affairs.

They have made outstanding performances in some specific work, such as annual news reports, soldiers' entrance examinations, and grassroots culture, and are always on the list in Yanda District.

He has won first place in the district in the division-level basketball competition and other cultural and entertainment competitions.

Only three months after Zhong Xingguo took office, the garrison organized the Second Guard Division to conduct live-fire land and air exercises in a certain location.

The exercise was directed by the garrison leader Meng Luyu and organized and implemented by the director of the training department Yu Miao.

This exercise is a live-fire training with reform significance.

Past exercises all had plans, and agencies and troops conducted drills according to the plans.

There was no contingency plan for this exercise. The director team created situations randomly, and the participating agencies and troops dealt with them according to the circumstances.

Such exercises are more realistic and closer to actual combat.

Zhong Xingguo had just returned from the front line and had rich practical experience, so this exercise was a piece of cake for him.

The division attached great importance to this exercise. Division Commander Liu Yuan, Political Commissar Li Kangzhan and other division leaders all participated.

Since Zhong Xingguo was the only leader of the General Staff participating in the exercise, he had to play two roles in the exercise, both fulfilling the duties of chief of staff and leading the division headquarters to participate in the exercise.

During the exercise, in addition to doing a good job in the exercise work of the organization, we must also go deep into the company to understand the situation, so as to complete the exercise tasks successfully and ensure safety and no accidents.

The troops participating in this exercise are the 5th Regiment of the 2nd Guard Division and the Division Artillery Regiment.

The cadres and soldiers of the 100th Regiment of the nd Guard Division came here from their base in western Beijing kilometers away, carrying heavy loads and marching on foot.

In September in Beihe, the rainy season had not yet ended, and cadres and soldiers marched and trained in the rain, sleeping outdoors on nameless mountains in the wilderness.

When conducting exercises in such a harsh natural environment, we must not only overcome the difficulties brought by the climate, but also ensure that officers and soldiers do not get sick and have enough physical strength to participate in the exercises.

This is an excellent opportunity to test the company's survivability in the field.

On the day of the formal live-fire exercise, the weather was good, the sky was clear and the sun was shining brightly. Thousands of people were organized locally to watch.

The participating troops launched an attack on the hilltop under the cover of powerful firepower from the Air Force's attack aircraft and ground artillery.

Artillery shells fell on the "enemy" positions, accompanied by loud noises and clouds of dust. The exercise troops passed through the dust and smoke, and finally conquered the "enemy" positions and planted the red flag of victory on the main peak.

The troops' exercises were realistic and won warm praise from the audience.

In the evaluation of this exercise, the wartime staff work led by Zhong Xingguo was rated excellent.

The exercise not only completed the mission, but also was safe and accident-free, with no vehicle overturned and no one injured. It also provided experience for other troops and tested the combat command capabilities of the new division team, which had been established less than half a year ago.

After the exercise, the district training department summarized the situation and reported it, which was forwarded by the headquarters throughout the region.

Zhong Xingguo is getting better and better at his job as the division's deputy chief of staff.

In deep winter, the wind is biting cold.

A special operations team anti-terrorism training was carried out at the training base of the Second Guard Division of the garrison area.

During the fierce confrontation, sniper Han Pengfei shot and killed the "enemy" leader with one shot, and other team members quickly advanced in multiple directions and surrounded and annihilated the retreating "enemy" in three dimensions.

Zhong Xingguo stood on the command podium, his eyes sharp, paying close attention to every detail on the training ground.

From time to time, the walkie-talkie in his hand brought situation reports from various teams. His instructions were concise and powerful, and his command was firm.

The cold wind was howling, but he seemed unaffected, his expression focused and determined.

At this moment, the intelligence team suddenly received an urgent message: "The 'enemy' has sent an elite team to the southwest high ground, trying to counterattack!"

Zhong Xingguo frowned slightly and immediately ordered: "Han Pengfei, target the enemy sniper on the southwest high ground, eliminate it immediately! Team two will make a detour to encircle them, and team three will suppress them head-on. We must resolve the battle within ten minutes!"

Han Pengfei received the order and quickly adjusted his position, crawling in the snow, with the crosshairs in the sight firmly locking onto the target.

With a gunshot, the enemy sniper fell to the ground. Teams 2 and 3 acted quickly according to the plan and successfully surrounded and annihilated the enemy's elite squad.

The entire battle process was smooth and flowing, demonstrating the special operations team's superb tactical qualities and tacit cooperation.

After the training, Zhong Xingguo called all the team members together for a summary.

He stood in front of the team and said in a calm tone: “Everyone performed well in today’s training, but there is still room for improvement.

In particular, the rhythm of coordinated operations needs to be tighter.

Next, we will conduct targeted special training to ensure that there will be no mistakes in actual combat."

The team members responded in unison, their morale high. Zhong Xingguo looked at this group of elite soldiers in front of him, his heart full of confidence.

He knew that only through constant training could he be invincible on a real battlefield.

Since Zhong Xingguo took office as deputy chief of staff of the Second Guard Division, the daily training volume has increased significantly, and everything is aligned with actual combat.

This winter, Song Xiaojun came to his father's old unit to join the army and became a soldier of the 5th Regiment of the 2nd Guard Division.

Time flies and it is the end of 1991.

Song Xiaojun’s first Spring Festival in the army will become the most unforgettable festival in his memory.

There are three major things to do during the New Year in the company: cleaning, cultural and entertainment activities, and making dumplings.

There were no lights or decorations, window decorations or blessing characters, only a pair of big red lanterns drawn on a blackboard with the words "Happy Spring Festival" written on them.

It adds to the atmosphere of the New Year.

The barracks are cleaned every day and the most important thing is personal hygiene - taking a bath.

Each camp has only one large bathhouse, with a maximum capacity of more than 40 people.

The New Year is coming, and we have to queue up even to take a shower.

Take the first time Song Xiaojun took a shower after arriving at the army. Before leaving, the squad leader told everyone not to wear military coats because there were no racks big enough to hold clothes.

Two people bring a wash basin and their own soap and towels.

Song Xiaojun's company was stationed in a small mountain behind the regiment headquarters, about four or five miles away.

It took less than half an hour to get there.

Bathing is done in order. When the third row arrives at the bathhouse entrance, the first row has already finished bathing and is waiting to gather back to the company. There are comrades from the special forces company on duty at the bathhouse entrance, wearing armbands.

Song Xiaojun's squad leader was a member of the special forces company's guard platoon who was transferred to the recruit company. He knew them and specifically asked them to take good care of our class's clothes. After about ten minutes, Song Xiaojun started to go in. When he entered the locker room, he saw that it was a huge room with wooden racks for clothes on all four walls.

There are four layers of shelves. The bottom layer is for big-toed shoes. Even though they are for bathing, they are still neatly arranged.

In the middle of the floor were two rows of long wooden benches with backrests where people sat to take off their clothes, then put them on the racks in order.

There can be more than twenty people in the room.

Some were taking off their clothes, some were putting on their clothes, it was very busy and lively.

After taking off my clothes, I quickly went into the bathroom, because although the locker room had a door and a window, it was not very warm.

The bathing pool was filled with mist, and dozens of young men, full of energy, rushed into the pool like dumplings.

The water was not so hot anymore. Some people were standing, some were squatting, and the tall people were sitting in it. With every person squatting, the water level rose a bit. One person after another, the place was crowded in a short while.

It was impossible to stretch my legs because the water in the pool overflowed and washed away the soap on the edge of the pool.

The pool was made of polished cement and had no tiles, so it was a natural color. That was the condition back then.

At this time, the monitor said, "Class 8, soak for another ten minutes, then come out and rub your hands."

After a while, another group of people came in from outside. As one group went out of the pool, another group came in. At this time, the squad leader called Song Xiaojun and the others to come out quickly.

After coming out, the squad leader told Song Xiaojun and the others that they should rub each other's backs in pairs, and then rinse them with water in the washbasin instead of waiting for the shower head.

Only then did Song Xiaojun notice that there were only four shower heads on one side of the pool, and many people had applied soap and were waiting to rinse.

No wonder the squad leader arranged for us to bring a washbasin. We could just fill the basin with water from the faucet and wash ourselves clean.

The whole shower was like entering an assembly line. I came out in half an hour, put on my clothes and waited outside. Fortunately, the weather was not too cold.

When the whole platoon was almost done washing, there was a comrade from Beihe named Wang in Song Xiaojun's class who had not come out yet. At this time, the squad leader went in. After a while, he led him out. He saw that Wang's face was full of unhappiness and looked very aggrieved. The whole platoon lined up and went back to the barracks.

After coming back, Song Xiaojun asked and found out that he couldn't find his towel when he was taking a shower. He didn't know whose old towel was left by the pool, but no one wanted it, so he had no choice but to take it back.

As she spoke, she felt so aggrieved that she was about to cry.

A towel is not worth much, the key point is that the whole company is checking housekeeping and evaluating hygiene. Everyone's towel is white, but his is dirty and old, which affects the performance of the whole class.

On New Year's Eve, the smoke from the kitchen rose earlier than usual, drifting over the camp, as if calling for the warmth of home.

Soldiers from each class gathered in the cafeteria, and a lively group dumpling-making activity began.

Everyone rolled up their sleeves and were busy kneading dough, chopping stuffing, rolling out dough, and making dumplings, each doing their own job and having a lot of fun.

Song Xiaojun clumsily pinched the dumpling skins, looking at the plump and neatly wrapped dumplings made by his comrades around him, feeling both envious and anxious.

The squad leader came over with a smile and taught me step by step: "Don't be anxious, rookie. Making dumplings also requires skills, just like standing guard, you have to be steady."

Under the guidance of the squad leader, Song Xiaojun's dumplings gradually took shape.

Soon, rows of dumplings of various shapes filled the chopping board. They were like soldiers waiting for inspection, carrying the young people's expectations and joy for the New Year.

As night fell and the lights came on, the prelude to the singing competition began in the camp.

The companies lined up in an orderly manner, with songs rising one after another, such as "Unity is Strength" and "Returning from Target Practice"... The songs seemed to break through the sky, shaking the air.

Song Xiaojun and his friends sang at the top of their lungs and shouted with all their might. Everyone's face turned red, and the passion of youth was flying freely in this passionate singing.

Captain Wu, who is usually serious, is like a child at this moment, waving his arms to beat the rhythm for them, his eyes full of pride.

The loud singing voices intertwined together, dispelling the cold of the winter night and immersing the entire military camp in a hot atmosphere, as if this was not a cold winter, but a vibrant warm spring.

At the party, colorful ribbons were flying and lights were flashing on the simple stage.

Comrades showed their talents, including humorous crosstalk performances that made everyone laugh; melodious guitar singing, the melody flowing in the air;

There were also vigorous martial arts performances that drew rounds of applause.

Song Xiaojun also participated in a small chorus program. Standing on the stage, looking at the familiar and friendly faces of his comrades below the stage, his nervousness instantly dissipated, and his heart was filled with pride and warmth.

At this moment, they forgot the fatigue of training and the longing for home, and enjoyed this unique evening party that belongs to our soldiers. The laughter, applause and cheers came together to form the most beautiful piece of music.

The lantern riddle guessing activity at the party is also very interesting.

Under the red lanterns hung pieces of paper filled with riddles. People walked among them, some frowning in thought, while others happily ran to claim their prizes after suddenly realizing the answer.

Those riddles covered various aspects such as military knowledge, traditional culture, and common sense of life. They were both interesting and informative, adding a unique cultural atmosphere to the party.

What excited Song Xiaojun the most was using the IC card to call home.

Holding that little card, I felt mixed emotions as I waited in line.

When he finally heard the familiar voice on the other end of the phone, Song Xiaojun's eyes suddenly became moist.

His parents' instructions and the New Year atmosphere of his hometown came through the phone lines. Song Xiaojun told them about his life in the barracks, telling them that he was doing well and fulfilled here, and asked them to rest assured.

At this moment, thoughts are transmitted through radio waves, and the distance between home and the military camp does not seem to be far away anymore.

Song Xiaojun, who spent the Spring Festival in the military camp for the first time, thought that the Spring Festival in the military camp was also so lively and festive.

As the party was coming to an end, everyone started to clean up, and some soldiers were humming along: "Unforgettable tonight, unforgettable tonight..." Suddenly, a series of rapid alarm bells rang.

This is the emergency assembly alarm!
Song Xiaojun's company is an emergency support team and needs to be ready to deal with emergencies during the festival at any time, but no one expected that the emergency assembly would take place on New Year's Eve.

Everyone acted upon hearing the order.

Captain Wu looked at everyone running out in a panic without saying a word.

When everyone was gathered, he checked them one by one and found that one soldier had his camouflage uniform on inside out.

Captain Wu commented: "The concept of combat readiness is not strong at all!"

After the meeting, everyone returned to the dormitory and Song Xiaojun prepared to undress and rest.

An old soldier reminded him, "Don't fall asleep yet. Didn't you hear the company commander's comments? Don't let your guard down. Generally, you have to pull the trigger three times."

Sure enough, within half an hour, the alarm rang twice more.

"We probably won't be called to a meeting again. It's getting late, so we should get some sleep if we can."

After the third breakup, Song Xiaojun muttered to himself, took off his clothes and prepared to have a good sleep.

Just as I was half asleep, the alarm rang again!
Song Xiaojun jumped up from the bed with a start, quickly put on his clothes, packed his backpack, and ran to the gathering place.

It seems that Captain Wu is not playing by the rules this time.

After the assembly, looking at the sleepy Song Xiaojun and others, Captain Wu said loudly: "Comrades, the enemy doesn't care whether you sleep or not. Remember! When we are most sleepy is the best time for the enemy to attack." Then, Captain Wu announced the disbandment of the team.

Now no one dared to sleep anymore.

Song Xiaojun and the others lay on the bed with their clothes on, with their eyes open in the dark, holding their breath and waiting.

The dormitory was extremely quiet. In the bathroom at the end of the corridor, a broken faucet was still dripping...

That night, Song Xiaojun couldn't remember how many emergency assemblies he had called.

At the last gathering, fatigue was written all over everyone's face, but no one dared to slack off. Everyone moved quickly and lined up neatly.

Captain Wu stood in front of the team and was silent for a long time before he spoke.

"Tonight's emergency drill was originally planned to be three times, but we did it 3 times. No one will believe you after you cry wolf three times, but soldiers must go all out in every drill, like hunters who 'sleep with one eye open.'

For soldiers, there are no holidays when it comes to national defense and security.

Just now everyone heard the song "Unforgettable Tonight" from the Spring Festival Gala. I hope this New Year's Eve can become the most unforgettable New Year's Eve for everyone, and let everyone always remember: I am a soldier, a soldier who protects national security! Do you understand?"

"I understand!" Song Xiaojun and his friends' loud and passionate responses broke the silence of the night sky. The white air exhaled from their mouths evaporated in the cold night.

The atmosphere of the New Year in the military camp is full of perseverance. "Three hundred and sixty days a year, most of the time we are on horseback." Often, the closer it is to holidays, the more we must not relax our combat readiness.

Because, in a soldier's dictionary, there are only two states: "fighting" and "preparing for war".

While families were reuniting, soldiers were busy preparing for war. Holidays and vacations were just a punctuation or an interlude in the narrative of "preparing for war."

(End of this chapter)