Courtyard House: From Deputy Division Commander to Civilian, Progressing All the Way

The assessment is over.

Twenty truly skilled and composed top craftsmen were selected, and they will embark on a special train to the Great Northwest, carrying the important mission entrusted by the nation.

Jia Dongxu, Liu Haizhong, and Yi Zhonghai, on the other hand, walked out of the steel rolling mill like three soulless zombies, looking utterly dejected.

Back at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang.

As Jia Zhangshi stood expectantly at the entrance of the central courtyard, she immediately went to greet Jia Dongxu upon his return.

"Dongxu! How did it go? Did you get selected? When are we going to collect those five catties of pork?"

Jia Dongxu didn't say anything, but blankly pushed Jia Zhangshi away, went into the house, and collapsed onto the heated kang, covering his head tightly with the quilt.

"Speak up! Are you mute?!" Jia Zhangshi was so anxious she jumped up and down.

Qin Huairu stood aside, looking at her husband's pathetic state, and then at Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, who followed in with equally ashen faces, and she already guessed the outcome.

She closed her eyes in despair, and two lines of tears slid down her cheeks.

When will these miserable days end?

……

Ministry of Heavy Industry, Vice Minister's Office.

Lin Yang sat behind his large desk, carefully reviewing the files of the twenty selected workers.

"Knock knock."

There was a knock on the door, and Secretary Chen Feng strode in.

"Minister, Minister Zhao Erlu of the Second Ministry of Machine Building has called with confidentiality, requesting that you immediately go to headquarters to attend an emergency meeting."

Lin Yang closed the file and stood up.

"Prepare the car."

Half an hour later, at headquarters.

A top-secret underground meeting room with no windows and an outrageously high level of security.

General Peng Dehuai, Zhao Erlu, and several core leaders in charge of national defense and military industry had been waiting for a long time.

Lin Yang strode into the conference room, stood at attention, and saluted.

"Sit down." General Peng gestured for him to sit, his expression unusually serious.

Zhao Erlu pushed a red-headed document bearing the top-secret seal in front of Lin Yang.

"Comrade Lin Yang, the mining of uranium has entered a substantial stage. The teaching models that the Soviet Union promised to provide will be secretly transported to China by special train next month."

Zhao Erlu took a deep breath, his tone revealing a resolute determination to burn his bridges.

"Factory 211 in the Jinshui Beach area of ​​Northwest China is the heart of our country's nuclear weapons research and development! It not only needs top-notch researchers and technicians, but also a leader who can coordinate the overall situation, has an iron fist, and can unite tens of thousands of people into a single force of steel under extremely harsh conditions!"

"The natural conditions there are too harsh. The altitude is high, there's a lack of oxygen, and there are constant blizzards. Ordinary cadres simply couldn't withstand it!"

Zhao Erlu stared intently at Lin Yang.

"This decision was made after joint research by the Central Military Commission and the State Council!"

"Comrade Lin Yang is officially appointed as the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Northwest 211 Project Construction Headquarters! He will also serve as the highest-ranking person in charge of base security and material allocation!"

"Retain the position of Vice Minister of Heavy Industry, and report directly to the Central Special Committee!"

boom!

This appointment came as a bolt from the blue.

Deputy Commander-in-Chief!

This is to send him personally to the Great Northwest, to that barren land, to forge this national treasure sword with his own hands!

"Lin Yang." General Peng stood up, walked up to him, and pressed down hard on his shoulder.

"This job is tough! When you get there, you have to live under an assumed name, and you can't even tell your family what you're doing. You'll spend countless days and nights in the wind, sand, and snow."

General Peng's eyes reddened slightly: "The country owes you so much. You just returned from the freezing cold of Anshan Iron and Steel, and your child is only three years old. But besides you, we really can't find a more suitable candidate to shoulder this heavy responsibility!"

Lin Yang did not hesitate at all.

He suddenly stood up, his legs together, the sound of his boots clashing together making a crisp noise.

"Sir, you flatter me! I am a soldier and a Communist Party member! If the country needs me, even in the Gobi Desert of Northwest China, I can create a mushroom cloud!"

Lin Yang's eyes burned with a fierce fire.

That was an infinite yearning for national rise, and a silent declaration of war against imperialist nuclear blackmail!

"Mission accomplished!"

……

That evening.

Yuquanshan Military Region Compound, Building No. 6, Class A.

Lin Yang pushed open the door to his home.

In the living room, three-year-old Lin Jianguo was riding on a small wooden tricycle, running around the house and giggling.

Tian Yu, wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of freshly stir-fried Mu Shu Pork.

"Yangzi, you're back. Wash your hands and eat." Tian Yu's smile was gentle and content.

Seeing this heartwarming scene, Lin Yang felt a sudden pang of sadness.

He stepped forward, said nothing, and simply hugged Tian Yu tightly.

Tian Yu felt that her husband's embrace was much stronger than usual, and even had a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

She was a smart woman, and also a military dependent.

She put down the plate, reached out and wrapped her arms around Lin Yang's waist, pressed her face against his chest, and spoke softly but firmly.

"Leaving again?"

Lin Yang's Adam's apple bobbed, and he gave a hoarse "hmm".

"Where to?"

"I don't know. Top secret mission. We're going to a very far place, and the conditions are very harsh," Lin Yang answered truthfully, but he couldn't reveal the specific location or mission details.

Tian Yu neither cried nor complained.

She raised her head, reached out and smoothed Lin Yang's slightly furrowed brows, her eyes full of affection and understanding.

"Go ahead. I'll take care of things at home. I'll raise Jianguo well, and my older brother and Qiunan will look after us too."

Tian Yu forced back her tears and gave a beautiful smile.

"Yangzi, no matter how hard or tiring it is for you out there, you must eat on time and take good care of yourself. Your son and I are waiting for your triumphant return in Beijing."

Lin Yang lowered his head and kissed his wife deeply.

This is a promise that transcends mountains and seas.

the next day.

Lin Fan and He Yuzhu received a secret notification from Lin Yang and arrived at the military compound.

When they learned that Lin Yang was about to go to the Northwest to carry out a top-secret mission, both of them fell silent.

"Yangzi, don't worry. As long as I, Lin Fan, have a breath left, I will absolutely ensure the quality and quantity of the steel production targets set by the state at the steel rolling mill! I will never let you down!" Lin Fan said, his eyes red, patting his chest heavily.

He Yuzhu stood ramrod straight, wearing a police uniform, his eyes filled with fanaticism.

"Commander! Leave the security of Beijing to me! Anyone who dares to provoke your wife and nephew while you're away, I, He Yuzhu, will skin them alive!"

Lin Yang looked at his two most trusted brothers and nodded with satisfaction.

"Brother, Zhu Zi. The fate of Beijing is in your hands."

……

Winter 1957.

Under the cover of night, an unmarked military train, packed with freight cars, sped out of Beijing and headed towards the vast northwest.

Qinghai, Jin Yin Tan (Golden and Silver Beach).

The altitude is 3,200 meters.

There is no gold or silver here, only endless yellow sand and fierce winds that cut like knives.

As Lin Yang stepped off the military train and onto this desolate Gobi Desert, the white gusts of wind blowing in his face instantly made his heavy officer's overcoat flutter loudly.