1978: A Literary Giant Who Began His Military Service

Chapter 61 *PLA Daily*

After Zhang Lingxiao left, Zhou Xu packed his things and lay down on the bed.

to be frank!
It's almost time for the Lunar New Year to end!
Less than two months have passed!

But this period of time is much longer than the three months I spent in the recruit training camp!

As mentioned earlier, people undergo tremendous changes when they experience a major event, and this is especially true when they encounter war.

Looking at his hands now, Zhou Xu felt that the world was truly amazing.

Two months ago, I thought that after joining the cultural troupe, I wouldn't have to go to the front lines anymore. A month ago, I was still creating songs within the troupe, thinking of contributing my own strength. Later, I was transferred to the front lines and even won a battle in a daze. Now I am still a respected combat hero.

Lying in bed, Zhou Xu took a deep breath.

After a while, he finally snapped out of his reverie: "I'd better keep writing my novel!"

After he got up, he went straight to the table.

The room is less than ten square meters, but it has a somewhat dilapidated desk and a stool!

Sitting on the stool.

Zhou Xu took out some paper and began to write...

After waking up, Zhou Xu rested for several days.

He spent the next few days writing, since lying in bed all the time was quite boring for him.

He has now written almost 30,000 words.

I should be able to finish writing the new novel in a month or two.

Of course, writing books is still his job as a writer, and from a utilitarian point of view, writing a book can earn him a lot of money.

From a post-war propaganda perspective, he feels that writing more now will better promote military propaganda. For someone who has experienced combat, this is something he truly wants to do now.

I wrote for a while.

I went out for dinner in the evening, leaning on my crutches. It was a simple meal with one meat dish and one vegetable dish. Since the Sino-Vietnamese War had just ended, the food was quite good.

Zhou Xu was eating.

Zhang Lingxiao asked, "It's just been confirmed. It'll be Wednesday afternoon. It's a room reserved at the military hospital. Comrade Zhou Xu, remember to go get your stitches removed... Um, I'll let you know again."

"Okay chief."

During the meal, several colleagues came in one after another; they were all colleagues who had just been transferred back from the news department.

A group of people shook hands: "I'm Zhang Hao!"

"My name is Lu Baiyu!!"

"This must be Comrade Zhou Xu, right? Director Zhang?" Lu Baiyu asked Zhang Lingxiao.

Zhang Lingxiao introduced: "Yes, this comrade is Comrade Zhou Xu."

Zhou Xu was wrapped in bandages, making him quite conspicuous.

After all, since the battle to defend the field hospital began, Zhou Xu's achievements were quickly spread throughout the military region and command post by a group of people.

Moreover, it has been almost half a month since that defensive battle, and there should be no one in the camp who doesn't know Zhou Xu's achievements, right? After all, his identity is really too special. He was a reporter before the battle, yet he fought bravely.

Secondly, his combat record was also remarkable. If an ordinary soldier could achieve this level of combat record, it would be equivalent to a first-class merit award for living soldiers.

"Nice to meet you! Comrade Zhou is so famous, I never expected to see you here!"

"Yes, yes, you're practically a war hero for our news department! You single-handedly wiped out twenty-five enemies. To be honest, I've interviewed so many exemplary figures, but none of them have been as outstanding as you!"

"Comrade Zhou, can I shake your hand? I'd like to shake hands with a celebrity too!"

Zhang Lingxiao slammed his chopsticks down: "Get out, get out, don't disturb the wounded people's meal." The group immediately quieted down and sat obediently at the table in the cafeteria to eat.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Editorial Department of PLA Literature and Art Magazine

morning.

Liu Jiaju carried a cup of tea into the room and walked skillfully to the bookshelf at the entrance of the editorial department, where today's new newspaper was displayed.

State-owned enterprises and military units mostly subscribe to various magazines and newspapers so that they can see them as soon as possible.

Of course, the magazine is a writing-focused publication, primarily dealing with military-related topics, so it naturally subscribes to the daily "PLA Daily"!
Moreover, the editors in the editorial department are all veterans, so they are naturally more concerned about the current battlefield situation.

Liu Jiaju chose the PLA Daily, which he often reads. After returning to his seat, he sighed, "I wonder how the situation on the battlefield is now. A few days ago, I saw that they were saying they were retreating."

He took a sip of tea and continued reading.

Since the counterattack against Vietnam.

The PLA Daily and the People's Daily consistently published related reports. At that time, the PLA Daily mainly published stories of outstanding individuals, while the People's Daily focused more on reporting on the war.

For example, the PLA Daily's first public report on a Chinese military hero, "Yang Chaofen, the 'Living Huang Jiguang'," recounted the heroic deeds of Yang Chaofen, a new recruit in a border defense regiment of the Guangxi Military Region, who pushed explosive charges into enemy bunkers three times during a counterattack in self-defense.

Zhang Lingxiao is the director of the news department of the Wuhan Military Region. He has written more than ten reports, and this is one of the few published in the PLA Daily.

One of the reports about Zhou Xu was published in the newspaper.

Being published in the PLA Daily is equivalent to becoming famous nationwide, because the influence of newspapers these days is considerable, enough to make someone famous overnight.

So on the homepage, Liu Jiaju quickly found the report about Zhou Xu.

Because he couldn't afford not to see it; Zhou Xu's report was on the front page!

"Twenty-five enemy soldiers killed! A bloody battle to defend the field hospital—the cultural troupe!!!"

Looking at the headline, Liu Jiaju took a sip of tea and thought that this typical figure was indeed very typical, otherwise he wouldn't have appeared on the front page of the newspaper.

He continued looking at the names.

"On March 4th, just before the withdrawal, the xxth Division... At this time, Comrade Zhou Xu, a frontline reporter, stepped forward..."

Wait a minute? Comrade Zhou Xu!!

Liu Jiaju had initially paid some attention to Zhou Xu, but now, upon seeing Zhou Xu's name, he spat out a mouthful of tea! He was terrified.

"That can't be right! There are so many reporters on the front lines! Maybe it's not him? It could be someone with the same name!"

Liu Jiaju could only think this way. After all, killing twenty-five enemies was quite different from the somewhat obedient Zhou Xu he knew... and he was just a new recruit. It was even more impossible.

But when he saw the next paragraph, Liu Jiaju was stunned for a moment.

"Comrade Zhou Xu, who was originally a writer for the Wuhan Military Region, not only created the popular song 'The Song of a Strong Army,' but also wrote the classic novel 'The Battle of Chosin Reservoir.'"

He volunteered to go to the front lines as a reporter…

Isn't this all an explicit indication that this person is Zhou Xu, whom he knows?

"hiss!!!"

Liu Jiaju gasped; the capital was still quite cold! He really did gasp in shock!

"Xiao Liu, quickly take a look at this newspaper!!"

Seeing Xiao Liu walk into the editorial department, Liu Jiaju immediately stood up, grabbed the newspaper, and prepared to share it with his good colleague!

(End of this chapter)