Courtyard Houses: Starting with Li Yunlong's Comrades-in-Arms

Liu Yuheng then realized that the old brigade commander had already arranged a blind date for him. He quickly nodded, "Okay, I'll go back and change my clothes. I've been traveling for a day and a night, I should at least wash up and change into clean clothes before I go."

Upon hearing this, the boss couldn't help but laugh: "You're getting quite particular, aren't you?"

Liu Yuheng chuckled twice: "We can't let our army lose face, can we?"

"Alright, alright." The boss waved his hand. "You can handle it yourself. But I have to warn you, if you run away today, your old brigade commander will be at your house tomorrow."

Liu Yuheng's lips twitched, his smile tinged with embarrassment: "It's not that bad, it's not that bad."

After he finished speaking, he stood up, saluted, turned around and left the office, walking much faster than usual.

After leaving the Military Commission, Liu Yuheng had his driver take him back to the compound. Pushing open that familiar door, everything inside was almost exactly the same as when he left. The sofa in the living room, the pen holder on the desk, and the withered green plant on the windowsill were all in the exact same place as before he left.

Someone must have cleaned it beforehand, because the house was spotless and there was no dust on the furniture.

He didn't have time to look closely. He put down his luggage, washed his face, and combed his hair in front of the mirror. After thinking for a moment, he changed into a clean military uniform, straightened his collar in front of the mirror, pulled his hat brim down to the right position, adjusted his belt, and only after confirming that he looked smart and capable did he turn around and leave.

When the car arrived at the gate of the compound where the old brigade commander lived, Liu Yuheng got out of the car, took a deep breath, and then stepped inside.

He knocked on the door, and his older sister opened it. She smiled as soon as she saw Liu Yuheng and quickly stepped aside to let him in: "Little Liu's here? Come in, come in!"

Liu Yuheng entered the room, changed his shoes, and glanced around the living room. On the chair next to the sofa where the old brigade commander often sat, sat a young girl.

He looked away and asked the older woman, "Sister, isn't the old brigade commander here?"

"He's gone to a meeting, he'll be back in a bit," the older woman said, pulling him to the sofa and introducing him to the young woman, "Xiao Yao, this is Liu Yuheng, my husband Chen's old subordinate, the commander of the 45th Army, he was just transferred back to Beijing."

Then she turned to Liu Yuheng: "Xiao Liu, this is Xiao Yao, Yao Qingwan, she works at the Women's Federation."

Liu Yuheng looked at the girl in front of him. She looked to be about twenty-four or twenty-five years old. She was wearing a plain light gray coat and her hair was simply tied back. Her gaze met his calmly. She did not flinch or show any deliberate enthusiasm. She just sat there gracefully.

Liu Yuheng extended his hand, his tone concise and to the point: "Liu Yuheng, thirty years old."

Yao Qingwan extended her hand and shook his, her voice clear and bright: "Yao Qingwan, twenty-five years old."

Seeing that the two had started talking, the older sister smiled and said, "You two chat, I'll go to the kitchen to see if the food is ready," and turned to go into the kitchen, leaving the living room to them.

There was a two-second silence in the living room. Yao Qingwan spoke first, her tone tinged with curiosity: "I heard from my older sister that you also went to school?"

Liu Yuheng sat down on the chair next to him and nodded: "I went to junior high school, but then I participated in the December 9th Movement, and with the outbreak of war, I couldn't continue my studies. After I got to the Holy Land, I studied at the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University for a few years, which was a way to catch up on my studies. In the past two years, while I was fighting abroad, I learned some foreign languages, English and Korean."

A glint of light flashed in Yao Qingwan's eyes: "So, do you think learning a foreign language is difficult?"

Liu Yuheng thought for a moment: "It's not difficult, it just requires persistence. Memorize a few words every day, and you'll gradually accumulate them."

Yao Qingwan smiled, a smile that was more natural than before: "I think so too."

The two started chatting about this topic, from learning foreign languages ​​to reading, and from reading to their respective experiences.

Yao Qingwan said she majored in Chinese literature in college, loved Russian literature, and her favorite book was *How the Steel Was Tempered*. She thought people like Pavel Korchagin were remarkable. Liu Yuheng said he had also read that book when he was at the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University.

Yao Qingwan listened attentively, occasionally interjecting a word or two. The two engaged in a lively and back-and-forth conversation without any awkward silences.

When Nietzsche came up, Yao Qingwan smiled and asked Liu Yuheng if he had actually read Nietzsche. Liu Yuheng nodded and said that he had captured a translated copy during the war, read it twice, and felt that the author was too rigid and not gentle enough. Yao Qingwan nodded and said that she also felt that Nietzsche was too absolute and not suitable for contemporary China.

Liu Yuheng, holding his teacup, casually brought up his family: "I have a younger brother who works as a fitter in a steel rolling mill, and a younger sister who is in the second year of junior high school and is doing quite well in her studies."

Hearing him say that, Yao Qingwan chimed in, "My parents are both university professors; my father teaches history, and my mother teaches Chinese. I also have a younger brother who's in high school this year. His grades are okay, but he's not very talkative." She chuckled to herself after saying that, "He's quite different from me."

The older sister peeked out from the kitchen doorway, saw the two chatting amiably, and then quietly withdrew without disturbing them.

Around 5 o'clock, the door was pushed open, and the old brigade commander walked in, bringing with him the chill of the outside air.

As soon as he entered, he saw Liu Yuheng and Yao Qingwan chatting in the living room, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face: "Oh, you're having a good chat."

The two stood up at the same time. Yao Qingwan greeted, "Greetings, Commander," and Liu Yuheng greeted, "Old Brigade Commander."

The old brigade commander waved his hand, took off his overcoat and hung it by the door, walked over and sat down on the sofa. He looked at Liu Yuheng, then at Yao Qingwan: "Since we had a good chat, it's about time to settle things. Revolutionary sons and daughters, don't drag things out."

The older sister poked her head out from the kitchen and chimed in, "That's right, that's right. If you young people get along well, then settle down. I think you two are a good match."

Yao Qingwan blushed slightly as they talked back and forth. She lowered her head and didn't reply, but she didn't deny it either.

Liu Yuheng gave a wry smile, put down his teacup, and sighed helplessly: "Old brigade commander, I'm afraid there's not enough time."

The old brigade commander raised an eyebrow and slammed his teacup on the table: "What's wrong? You're not willing, kid?"

Liu Yuheng quickly waved his hands: "No, no! How could I possibly refuse!"

He paused for a moment, his tone tinged with helplessness: "The commander-in-chief gave me this assignment. In three days, I have to go down to several military regions to oversee the downsizing process. I estimate it will be several months before I get back."

Upon hearing this, the old brigade commander slowly picked up his teacup and took a sip: "What's the big deal? Go visit Xiao Yao's family the day after tomorrow and finalize the marriage. It's not too late to get married after you come back."

He then looked at Yao Qingwan: "Little Yao, what do you think?"

Yao Qingwan raised her head, glanced at Liu Yuheng, then lowered her head again. After a few seconds, she whispered, "I have no objection."

Liu Yuheng also looked at Yao Qingwan: "Then I'll visit your parents the day after tomorrow morning."

Yao Qingwan nodded without saying anything more.