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

No sooner had the words been spoken than several more figures walked in from outside the door.

Commander Kong Jie of the Northwest Military Region, Ding Wei, former commander of the Northern Military Region, and Zhao Gang, the head of the First Ministry of Machine Building, arrived together.

These veteran generals, who were renowned on the battlefield and stood firm in the storm, all set aside their airs today and gathered in this living room with radiant faces.

"Old Ding! Is your leg all healed?" Li Yunlong saw Ding Wei walking in with crutches. Although he was still limping a bit, he was in great spirits. He immediately rushed over and gave him a bear hug.

"I won't die! With the special medicine Yangzi gave me, I can run five kilometers with weights without any problem!" Ding Wei laughed heartily.

Kong Jie strode up to Lin Jianguo and patted him on the shoulder: "Jianguo, you've really helped the villagers a lot. I heard that in Qinghe Brigade, you not only plowed the land, but also took the lead in building a small fertilizer and water distribution station. You're quick-witted!"

Zhao Gang pushed up his glasses, looking at the room full of vibrant young people and old comrades-in-arms, his eyes filled with emotion.

"The shadows of the past ten years have finally lifted. Seeing these two kids return safely and mature into capable individuals today, we old folks can say that we have successors." Zhao Gang walked up to Lin Yang and said sincerely.

Lin Yang smiled and invited everyone to take their seats.

Inside the restaurant, a huge round table had already been set up.

From the kitchen came the incredibly professional and rapid sound of He Daqing tossing the wok. The aroma of stir-fried scallions, ginger, and garlic, along with the rich fragrance of premium broth, mingled together, making the group of old generals swallow hard.

"Old Li, Old Kong, let's not talk about politics or military affairs today. Let's just treat this as a welcome dinner for the kids, a few of us old brothers." Lin Yang pulled out the chair at the head of the table.

Soon, plates of Tan Family Cuisine, a feast for the eyes and the palate, representing the pinnacle of traditional Chinese cooking, were served on the table by the guards.

Braised premium shark fin, clear broth dried abalone, braised sea cucumber, honey-glazed ham... every dish reflects He Daqing's decades of skill.

The final, grand finale dish was a large pot of stewed old hen with wild ginseng, cooked until tender and falling off the bone, with a golden broth.

He Yuzhu personally carried the dish out and placed it in the center of the table.

"Commenders, the dishes are ready. This century-old wild ginseng was a gift from Commander Li to you all back then, and we've never been able to bear eating it. Today, you specifically instructed us to stew it for Weidong and Jianguo to nourish their bodies!" He Yuzhu reported loudly.

Upon hearing this, Li Yunlong was immediately delighted and grabbed the two bottles of old wine from the table.

"Come on! Fill it up! This wine is something I seized during the Huaihai Campaign back in the day, and it's been buried underground all this time. Today, to celebrate the safe return of these two good lads, and to celebrate our country surviving the harsh winter, cheers!"

Everyone picked up their wine cups.

Lin Yang raised his wine glass, his deep gaze sweeping over everyone present.

These comrades-in-arms who have entrusted their lives to each other, these blood relatives, after experiencing countless conspiracies, betrayals, despair and struggles, are still able to sit here together in an orderly fashion.

That is victory.

"Respect for the safety of our land, respect for our rebirth from the ashes."

Lin Yang's voice was deep and powerful, like the grand sound of a great bell.

"Dry!"

With a hearty shout, everyone tilted their heads back and downed the spicy and mellow aged liquor in one gulp.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

The atmosphere in the restaurant reached its peak.

Li Yunlong, his face flushed from drinking, grabbed Lin Weidong and insisted on teaching him the secret techniques he used to fight the Japanese in the Taihang Mountains with bayonets.

Kong Jie and Ding Wei pulled Lin Fan aside and inquired in detail about the production progress of the Southwest Special Steel Plant and the new armor plates, discussing the future armor replacement plan for the army's armored forces.

Zhao Gang and Lin Yang sat together, exchanging views in hushed tones about the upcoming resumption of the college entrance examination policy and the initial ideas for the special economic zones.

This was not just a family dinner, but also an informal meeting of the core think tank that would determine the direction of this country for decades to come.

Lin Weidong and Lin Jianguo moved among the elders, pouring them wine and serving them food. Listening to these old generals recount their earth-shattering strategic plans, their blood boiled and their souls were shaken.

They finally understood why their father had sent them to the most difficult and arduous places to toughen them up.

Only those who have truly experienced the hardships of the lower classes can shoulder such a weighty national destiny.

As night deepened, the stars shone brightly outside Yuquan Mountain.

The grandfather clock in the living room struck eleven.

The old generals had all drunk their fill, and with the help of their respective bodyguards, they got into their cars and left the villa.

The mansion returned to tranquility.

Lin Fan and Ding Qiunan also took Lin Jianguo to the guest room upstairs to rest.

In the spacious study on the first floor, only a table lamp emitting a dim yellow glow remained on.

Lin Yang was not sleepy. He stood alone in front of the huge world map that took up an entire wall.

His gaze started from Beijing, swept across the nuclear weapons bases in the Northwest, across the Ten Thousand Mountains in the Southwest, across the heavy industrial corridor in the Northeast, and finally across the vast Pacific Ocean, landing on the superpowers on the other side of the ocean.

Internal troubles have subsided, but external threats remain.

In this era of economic take-off, industrial competition, technological blockade, and the invisible strangulation between major powers will be more brutal than any previous war with real swords and guns.

The study door was gently pushed open.

Lin Weidong entered silently, carrying a cup of strong tea. He placed the teacup on the large mahogany desk, then stood ramrod straight behind his father.

"Dad, aren't you going to sleep yet?" Lin Weidong asked softly.

Lin Yang didn't turn around, but just took a deep breath.

"Wei Dong, you asked me today what you've learned from four years of experience."

Lin Yang turned around, his eyes, which had accumulated countless iron-blooded and domineering qualities over the years, were like two unsheathed swords, piercing straight into his son's eyes.

"I'm telling you now. The rise of a great power does not rely on conspiracies and tricks, nor on groveling and begging."

It relies entirely on the molten steel flowing in the blast furnace, the flames shooting from the missile launchers, and countless steel backbones like you, who can freeze their palms to the tracks and bleed without shedding a tear.

Lin Yang extended his large, calloused hand, the one that had once personally ended the lives of countless enemies.

He took out a brand-new admission notice from the Command Department of the National Defense University, which was marked with a top-secret symbol, from his desk drawer.

He stepped forward and slammed the heavy notice onto Lin Weidong's chest.

Then, Lin Yang lowered his head slightly and struck a match.

The orange flames danced in the dimly lit study, igniting the Daqianmen cigarette dangling from his lips.

Lin Yang took a deep breath, and the bluish-gray smoke slowly dissipated between the father and son.

He flicked out the match with his finger.

The burnt-out matchstick drew a sharp arc in mid-air.