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

Chapter 813 The Moon Over the Barracks!!!
The bright moon rises over the border, its clear light bathing the mountains and rivers.

On the Mid-Autumn Festival, August 15th, while families gather to celebrate reunion, there is a group of people who stand guard at snowy borders, in deserts, and in dense forests, protecting the peace and prosperity of the nation with their loyalty and dedication.

They are the people's own soldiers.

During every festival, the soldiers use their steadfastness as a pen to write a unique story of family reunion.

Border guards, who spend little time with their families, also long for reunion.

However, for soldiers, reunion is not only about romantic moments under the moon, but also about the resolute steps of their combat boots shattering the moonlight; it is not only about being surrounded by loved ones, but also about the deep gazes across mountains and rivers from opposite ends of a small screen.

For soldiers who shoulder the mission of guarding the border, reunion has long transcended geographical boundaries, evolving into a spiritual bond and a shared commitment.

This is Liu Wu's twentieth year in the army. Since donning this uniform, he has rarely been able to spend time with his family, not even during the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunions.

After being promoted to commander of a certain group army last year, Liu Wu's responsibilities became even heavier.

He remained steadfast in his post 365 days a year, unable to even spare a full day off.

When military affairs were busy, he often worked through the night to process documents and deploy tasks, and the office lights were always the last to go out.

In the stillness of the night, Liu Wu would occasionally stand by the window, gazing at the unchanging bright moon in the sky.

The moonlight, like water, carried his thoughts back to Liujiazhuang, a thousand miles away.

Liu Jiazhuang recalled the osmanthus-filled mooncakes his grandmother made by hand, his wife's hesitant concern during the video call, and his son's essay, "My father is a soldier."

On this Mid-Autumn Festival night, Liu Wu, as usual, led his staff officers on a patrol of the camp.

When he reached the sentry post, he stopped to straighten the collar of the young soldier on duty, which had been ruffled by the wind.

"Do you miss home?" Liu Wu asked softly.

The young soldier smiled shyly: "Reporting, sir, no, the army is my home." These words warmed Liu Wu's heart. He remembered that when he first stood guard twenty years ago, his old squad leader had asked him the same question.

He answered just as loudly then, but secretly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes as he turned away.

Now that his role has changed, Liu Wu can better appreciate the weight behind this perseverance.

At that moment, the joyful laughter of the soldiers echoed across the parade ground.

Tonight, the mess hall has specially prepared mooncakes and fruit, and each company is organizing a Mid-Autumn Festival party.

Liu Wu straightened his military uniform and strode towards the parade ground.

Under the moonlight, he saw those young faces radiating youthful glow and heard the military songs rising and falling, piercing through the clouds.

"The full moon on the fifteenth,"

"It shines in the sky, it shines on the border."

"On a quiet night, you miss me, and so do I."

"You stay by the baby's cradle..."

"Comrades!" Liu Wu stood at the front of the ranks, his voice booming, "Although we cannot reunite with our families, tonight we are protecting the reunion of millions of families." He raised his teacup, "This cup is dedicated to our loved ones far away, and even more so to our comrades-in-arms who fought alongside us!"

The soldiers responded in unison, and the teacups clinked crisply in the moonlight.

The distant mountains stood majestically, while the nearby campfire flickered, illuminating the resolute faces with exceptional brightness.

On the Mid-Autumn Festival night, with the bright moon hanging in the sky, the "Black Panther" Special Operations Brigade's base was brightly lit.

The current brigade commander, He Qiuzheng, gathered with all the officers and soldiers of the brigade and the military families who came to visit to celebrate the festival together.

He Qiu's military career is an inspiring legend. This former "Black Panther" chief of staff, after two brigade commanders were promoted to group armies, finally ushered in his own moment of glory - taking over as commander of the special operations brigade.

When talking about the development of the "Black Panther" brigade, one cannot help but mention its first brigade commander, Liu Wu.

Under his command, the "Sharp Sword Assault" operation, which lasted for several years, was a complete success. This outstanding achievement led Liu Wu to rise from brigade commander of a special operations brigade to deputy commander and then commander of a certain group army.

As Liu Wu's capable partner, He Qiu has always remained steadfast in the elite "Black Panther" unit.

From deputy brigade commander to brigade commander, he witnessed every transformation of the "Black Panther" Special Operations Brigade and continued to write the glorious chapter of this elite unit with his loyalty and talent.

At the gala, He Qiu stood in the center of the stage, her gaze sweeping over the familiar faces in the audience.

His wife and daughter were sitting in the front row, and the daughter was excitedly waving a glow stick.

He Qiu cleared his throat, his voice slightly choked: "Today, we not only celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, but also the tenth anniversary of the founding of 'Black Panther'."

Suddenly, a precious video clip started playing on the big screen.

In the footage, young Liu Wu is leading special forces members in extreme survival training in a primeval jungle.

In the sweltering forest, everyone's face was covered in sweat, but their eyes couldn't hide their determination.

The scene then shifts to He Qiu's pale face during his first skydive as part of his training program, eliciting good-natured laughter from the audience.

After the video finished playing, He Qiu solemnly raised his right hand in salute: "Let us pay tribute to all the veterans who dedicated their youth to 'Black Panther'!" The audience erupted in applause, and many veterans' eyes were already wet with tears.

He Qiu's gaze swept past the crowd and landed on the military flag fluttering in the distance.

That flag has witnessed countless nights like this—when families are reunited and their lights are on, they are sweating profusely on the training ground and patrolling and standing guard on the border.

"More than a decade ago, before 'Black Panther' was even established, we were still a reconnaissance battalion. During the 'Two Mountains' campaign, we displayed great bravery and tenacity, earning countless merits..." He Qiu's voice was exceptionally clear in the night wind. "Now, 'Black Panther' has become a renowned special operations force throughout the army." He paused, pointing towards the training ground. "Every inch of this land is soaked with the sweat of our comrades, and every obstacle records our growth."

In the audience, Brigade Chief of Staff Liu Xiaotao quietly wiped the corner of his eye.

More than a decade ago, during that cross-border reconnaissance operation, it was the first battalion commander, Liu Wu, and the company commander, He Qiu, who led their newly formed reconnaissance battalion to lie in ambush in the primeval forest for three days and three nights and finally successfully completed the mission.

After that operation, the Black Panther's reputation began to spread throughout the military.

The "Black Panther" is not only a renowned elite special forces unit in the entire army, but its soldiers are also proud to join it.

Their families also felt proud as they listened to the incredible stories of the "Black Panthers".

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, people miss their loved ones even more, but He Xiao's father, He Qiu, cannot return home for the reunion due to work.

Just as He Xiao was rubbing his chin in his hand, troubled, the phone rang suddenly at home—it was He Qiu inviting his wife Xu Haiyan and daughter He Xiao to the military base for the Mid-Autumn Festival!

After dinner, He Xiao walked into the attic platform of the camp and his eyes widened: some of the uncles were singing along by tapping the rim of their bowls with chopsticks, several young soldiers were hanging lanterns on tiptoe, and in the corner two bearded uncles were having a contest to see who could eat mooncakes the fastest.

The most spectacular sight was in the center of the field, where more than forty soldiers stood in formation, singing "The Moon on the Fifteenth" in unison. Their straight backs looked like a row of white poplars in the moonlight.

By this time, the moon had risen high in the sky, like a jade plate immersed in clear water.

Thin wisps of cloud drifted around it, like the gauze sleeves of Chang'e dancing in the wind.

He Xiao suddenly noticed a faint shadow on the edge of the moon. Wasn't this the crater they had learned about in their textbooks?

They make the moon look like a patterned silver button, gently swaying against the deep blue sky.

The platform gradually quieted down. Amidst the constant ringing of telephones, He Xiao heard greetings in dialects from all over the country: "Mom, I'm eating mooncakes at the army base!"

"Wife, kiss the baby for me."

……

The night breeze carries the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms from afar, blending each and every thought of longing into the moonlight.

He Xiao stood on tiptoe and saw her father standing at the front of the line.

The moonlight outlined his tall and straight figure, and the silver stars on his military uniform shimmered.

He Qiu turned around, his gaze passing through the crowd to his daughter, a gentle smile curving his lips. He knelt down and opened his arms to his daughter.

"Dad!" He Xiao ran over like a happy little deer and jumped into her father's arms.

He Qiu gently stroked her daughter's hair and took out a shiny bullet casing from her pocket.

"This was left over from the last live-fire exercise, and I gave it to my bravest little soldier." A whistle for assembly sounded in the distance.

He Qiu stood up and straightened the collar of his military uniform.

Xu Haiyan walked over and straightened her husband's epaulets.

"Go ahead, Xiaoxiao and I will wait for you here." Her voice was soft, but it carried the unique resilience of a military wife.

He Qiu nodded, and as he turned to walk towards the ranks, his back view once again revealed the resolute determination of a tough brigade commander.

……

As darkness fell completely, a family could be seen enjoying themselves on a balcony not far away.

Following the children's joyful gaze, we looked up at the night sky—the full moon hung high in the sky.

"It's Mid-Autumn Festival again."

Looking at the scene of family reunion before him, Sergeant Yu Genwei of a guard company of a certain unit of the 2nd Guard Division of the Yanjing Garrison Command silently recited his vows while on guard duty.

The moonlight, like water, poured down, softening his resolute face.

As sentinels in a big city, Yu Genwei and his comrades guarded the place closest to the lights of thousands of homes.

The familiar faces of the sentries under the moonlight are not unfamiliar to the residents who come and go every day.

But how many people actually know their names?

Stations, squares, streets... sentry posts and sentries are scattered throughout the huge city of Liujiazhuang High-tech Zone, forming a snapshot of people's ordinary lives.

Since the late 1960s, when the Second Guard Division was established, the people of Liujiazhuang have been accustomed to the ubiquitous protection around them.

At this moment, the full moon hangs in the west, and people gradually fall asleep in the dead of night.

In the quiet courtyard of the military camp, only Yu Genwei and the moon remained, facing each other from afar.

This situation has occurred countless times on countless nights.

But because it coincided with the Mid-Autumn Festival, it was inevitable that soldiers far from home would feel a pang of sadness.

The moon shines bright, everyone gazes upon it; but whose heart is filled with autumn thoughts?

Before going on duty, Yu Genwei made a special phone call to his parents.

He smiled contentedly as he listened to the scene of his family huddled together answering the phone.

In his eighth year in the military, Yu Genwei has long been accustomed to spending time with his family in this way.

On the same moonlit land, like those border sentries rooted in high mountains, islands, deserts, snowfields, and primeval forests, Yu Genwei and his comrades from the Second Guard Division are also steadfastly holding their posts.

In the hearts of these students from Dongda University, "Sharing the same moon under the same sky" is the most romantic scene of their youth.

Rising in the east and setting in the west, waxing and waning, accompanied by the same moon, they learned how to deal with time from their sentry posts, and also understood their mission and responsibility.

Besides the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunions, there are many other moments in ordinary life that have touched these sentinels.

For example, New Year's Eve.

That night, during the last hour before New Year's Eve, Yu Genwei, as a sentry, stood alone in his post.

The red numbers on the electronic clock of the "Liujiazhuang Development Bank" building directly opposite his post stood out vividly in the darkness.

Several kilometers away, as tens of thousands of people from Liujiazhuang gathered in front of the village's landmark "Tower of the Future," counting down to the New Year with anticipation, the numbers in front of the sentry accumulated second by second, just like usual.

"56, 57, 58, 59...00!"

When the countdown clocks in front of his peers went to zero in an instant, the clock in front of Sentinel Yu Genwei started counting again, only adding a small "1" to the year number.

"It's not about returning to zero, but about continuous growth"—that's the meaning of time in the eyes of the Sentinel.

“Often, when the children from the Second Guard Division’s Children’s School in Liujiazhuang come home from school, they will loudly say to us, ‘Uncle, you’ve worked hard,’ which makes us especially happy,” Yu Genwei told Wang Lin, a reporter from the Yanjing Metropolitan Daily.

Yu Genwei's comrade-in-arms, Cui Hongjun, enjoys reading books and newspapers in his spare time.

Reading the newspaper can also bring joy. For example, this passage from the PLA Daily once moved Xiao Cui with a "lasting and ever-renewing" feeling—

"Normally, when people walk across the bridge, you can hardly see anyone holding onto the railings."

Are railings really important to people crossing a bridge?

Of course it’s important!

Soldiers in peacetime are like those railings; you may not hold onto them, but you can't be without them!

Wang Lin certainly understood the meaning of those words.

If you do something simply to pass the time, no one can stick with it for long.

Only from the moment one understands their responsibilities does every second of the long journey acquire extraordinary meaning.

"You stand on the bridge admiring the scenery, while someone in a building admires you. The bright moon adorns your window, and you adorn someone else's dream."

In every peaceful dream of slumber, the figure of a guardian is hidden.

Every Mid-Autumn Festival, when these sentries gaze at the same full moon in the night sky, they will surely remember their past selves—the moonlight shines on the small sentry post, and the words "Loyalty, perseverance, bravery, and victory" are written on the guard post behind them and engraved in the hearts of the sentries.

"Serving in the military here is not what I expected..."

The Liujiazhuang village before us is highly developed, with a constant flow of vehicles on the streets, their headlights converging into streaks of light as they pass by.

The surrounding high-rise buildings were brightly lit, and pedestrians hurried by.

During the evening rush hour, sentry Li Youcai carefully observed the surroundings amidst the noise.

Under the vast darkness of night, his post was a tiny corner of the bustling metropolis of Liujiazhuang.

Yanjing was no stranger to Li Youcai.

Before joining the Second Guard Division, Li Youcai had worked as a security guard in the subway for a period of time.

From guarding the platform to guarding the gate of the compound of a certain 2nd Guard Division, it was still a long period of standing, and people were still coming and going.

At first, Li Youcai felt that what he was doing didn't seem to have changed much.

“Serving as a soldier here is different from what I imagined—many soldiers in the company have said the same thing,” Wang Xin, the company commander of the guard company, told Wang Lin.

There were no airplanes or tanks to look forward to, no magnificent scenery beyond the Great Wall. Even in a vibrant city, the furthest thing you could see was the street just outside the gate.

Upon entering the military camp, the first thing these young sentries learned was perseverance in ordinary life.

A few days before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Li Youcai stood on guard post for the first time.

Although he had experienced the rhythm of Beijing, a megacity, through the surging crowds in busy subway stations, he had never before stood on an ordinary street like this, dividing time into two equal parts like a time-lapse photographer, recording every frame of a fixed scene.

Unlike Li Youcai, who had just enlisted, 22-year-old Zhou Xiaojun had been guarding the headquarters compound of the Second Guard Division for many years.

The scenes that Zhou Xiaojun saw from his post constituted the "Twelve Hours of Yanjing" unique to the sentries of the garrison.

Of all the things that impressed him most was the sentry duty before dawn.

At 3 a.m., the entire Liujiazhuang village was still asleep.

Countless times, Zhou Xiaojun was woken up by the foreman at this time.

Walking along the path shaded by trees in the courtyard to the front gate, the drowsiness began to dissipate as soon as I stepped into the bright light of the streetlights.

When he stood at his post, the habitual action of straightening his back instantly alerted him and kept him vigilant.

(End of this chapter)