allonlinenovel Chapter 387 Returning to the Capital!
Chapter 387 Returning to the Capital!
Mancang nodded heavily, his voice trembling with tears as he replied:
"Yes, Brother Zhong, I understand. I... I will definitely support this family and put my brother at ease."
Without further ado, he carefully tucked the wad of money into his pocket.
Zhong Yuemin and his two companions didn't linger. After completing Mantun's funeral, they left.
The mountain wind of Yimeng Mountain blows by, carrying the scent of soil and grass. From this moment on, in the depths of those green mountains, there is one more martyr's grave. Of course, their lives also have one more inseparable bond.
The ashes of the two comrades were peacefully returned to their hometowns for burial, but Zhong Yuemin and his two companions were even more somber. On the train back to Beijing, they spoke very little, their usual laughter and playfulness gone.
The dull thud of train wheels hitting the rails echoed rhythmically through the sleeper car.
Outside the window, the northern fields and villages rushed past in the night.
Zhang Haiyang, leaning against the headboard of his sleeper berth, broke the silence in the carriage and turned to Zhong Yuemin, who was lying in the opposite berth, and said...
"Yuemin, I think Mancang, although young, is quite sensible and has a lot of resilience."
In a few years, when he reaches enlistment age, shouldn't we... try to get him into the army? He's a family member of a martyr; there should be opportunities under the policy."
His thinking was straightforward: for many children from impoverished rural families, the military was still a good way out, and perhaps the only respectable way to achieve success. Moreover, Mantun was a former soldier, so it seemed only natural for him to follow in his brother's footsteps.
Zhong Yuemin looked at the roof of the car, slowly shook his head, and disagreed, his tone carrying a calm acceptance of reality.
"Join the army? What's the use of joining the army?"
As he spoke, he turned his head and looked at Zhang Haiyang.
"Haiyang, you know the situation now. The military isn't a place where you can get ahead just by being fearless and able to endure hardship. Now, the most basic requirement for promotion is having a degree and a diploma."
The military is no longer recruiting officers from the ranks; they're now selecting directly from military academies. This is a mandatory requirement that no one can bypass.
"Mancang hasn't even had a chance to go to school yet, and it's too late. If he's delayed, he'll be practically illiterate."
Even if we manage to get him in, he won't be as lucky as his older brother was back then, who could stay and become a non-commissioned officer just by working hard and being conscientious. Times have changed.”
Having said that, he straightened up, his gaze sweeping over Zhang Haiyang and Ning Wei, who was listening silently beside him, and voiced the cruelest and most realistic worry.
"And also, don't forget, the battle with the monkeys in the south isn't even completely over yet."
There have been sporadic clashes along the border. What if... I mean, what if, Mancang gets in, and then someday the troops are redeployed, guns and cannons have no eyes...
To put it bluntly, what if... his elderly parents and his younger siblings?
How are we going to explain this to Mantun? This family will be completely ruined!
These reasonable and realistic words instantly brought Zhang Haiyang to his senses. They were right; they themselves had just crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and knew the cruelty of war. Sending Man Tun's only brother to take that risk again was unacceptable.
How could I bear to do that?
"Then do you have any better ideas? We have to help Mantun's family."
Zhong Yuemin lay back down, hands behind his head, gazing at the lights flashing past the window, and said calmly:
"Let Mancang stay home peacefully. At least he can be filial to his parents, take care of his younger siblings, and keep the family afloat. That's better than anything else. The money I've set aside, if he doesn't spend recklessly, will be enough for the family for several years."
After a moment's hesitation, he continued:
"I'll keep a closer eye out in the future, and if the opportunity arises, I'll try to arrange a proper job for Mancang in the county or city."
Or... wait until the policies loosen up a bit more, give him some capital, and let him start his own small business, like opening a small restaurant or something, that would be fine too.
It's still a way to make a living, and it's more reassuring than being in the army.
After a day and a night of bumpy train travel, we finally arrived at Beijing Railway Station.
As the bustling crowd emerged from the platform, the familiar dry air of the north rushed towards us.
Zhang Haiyang and Ning Wei were eager to return home. Compared to previous visits home, this trip was significantly different. Having experienced life and death together, they had a deeper understanding of the longing and cherishing of family ties. They were heading straight to their home in the military compound.
Zhong Yuemin wasn't in a hurry to go back. He was constantly thinking about his wife. Xiaobai must have known about his participation in the Sino-Vietnamese War long ago. In the past two months, she must have worried about him and shed countless tears. So he had to go and let her know he was safe as soon as possible.
Watching Yuemin's impatient expression, Zhang Haiyang couldn't help but grumble sourly.
"Hey Yuemin, do you have to be in such a hurry? You just got off the train and you're already heading straight for your wife without even going home? You've really forgotten your comrades now that you have a wife, you're a guy who values women over friends!"
Zhong Yuemin ignored the guy, a typical case of sour grapes. He laughed and cursed, "Get lost," before taking the bus alone and heading straight to the hospital where Zhou Xiaobai worked.
He was not unfamiliar with this place; he had been here a few times before.
He easily found Xiaobai's office; the door was ajar, with a crack in the door.
He peeked through the crack in the door and was immediately delighted. Coincidentally, Zhou Xiaobai was the only one in the office.
The person was sitting behind the desk, head slightly bowed, pen in hand, notebook open in front of them, seemingly engrossed in writing something.
Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a soft glow on her dark hair and fair profile.
For some reason, I'd been feeling gloomy and depressed the whole way, but now that I'd seen my wife, that mischievous streak of mine resurfaced.
Unable to resist the urge to tease her, he gently pushed open the door, slipped inside silently like a cat, and walked right up to Xiaobai without his wife noticing at all.
He glanced down at the table in front of his wife. There weren't many words written on the notebook; the pen seemed to be scribbling unconsciously.
The girl was clearly lost in thought, her mind wandering somewhere, but there seemed to be a lingering worry between her brows.
Zhong Yuemin suppressed a laugh, deliberately lowered his voice, and imitated a slightly high-pitched tone with a heavy Henan accent. He leaned close to his wife's ear and said in a serious tone,
"Comrade, you're a doctor, right? I'm from Henan. Could you please take a look at my illness?"