Back to 80: My Literary Life

"I once went to the battlefield for an interview and met a company commander who was a rural soldier like me. His hometown was in Yimeng Mountain, which is an old revolutionary area and very poor. When I was chatting with him, he said that his family had just built a house. I owe a huge debt."

"He and his wife had been married for less than two years, and they had a very good relationship. Later, when the troops were deployed, he followed the troops to the front line. Before leaving, he wrote a letter to his wife, specifically asking Ding to say that he had sacrificed her If you want to survive, find a good man and remarry. I also hope that my daughter-in-law and her family will think more about the country's difficulties and not reach out to the organization. The debt for building a house at home can be paid off with pension funds."

Isn't this the prototype of Liang Sanxi, the male protagonist of the movie "Garland Under the Mountain"?

Fang Minghua thought to himself.

"What happened next?" he asked.

"After the interview, I returned to the rear and went to another unit. Just last spring, I had a comrade who happened to be in the same unit as the company commander. I called him and asked him to inquire about that company commander. Only then did I learn that the company commander died in a battle not long after my interview." Li Cunbao took a deep puff of his cigarette after speaking.

There was a bit of silence in the room.

Finally, Fang Minghua broke the silence and said: "Brother Li, I think it will be great if you write this story into your novel."

"Do you think it's feasible?"

"It certainly works, and it's quite touching."

"Okay, I'll give it a try."

"Xiao Fang, do you feel a little heavy? Then I will tell you something more relaxed." Li Cunbao said with a smile.

"What's easy?"

"This is what a soldier I interviewed told me." Li Cunbao said:

"It is said that their company commander thought of many ways in order to let all the company's combat backbones have a fuller understanding of the border and to better understand the enemy's situation. He actually found a way to contact the division artillery reconnaissance team to mount a high-power telescope to the top of the mountain. , arranged for the whole company's backbone to take turns observing the enemy's situation, and the soldier also went to see it.

"Do you know what he saw?"

"What did you see?" Fang Minghua asked curiously.

"He said he saw a few thatched bungalows halfway up the mountain. There was an open space in front of the door, and he actually saw two female soldiers!"

"Female soldier?"

"Yes, the soldiers told me that they were from the enemy's laundry squad. Every company has them. Due to continuous fighting, the enemy's manpower resources are very limited, so there are many female soldiers to enrich the combat units."

"It was the first time he saw the enemy's female soldiers on the battlefield. This soldier also felt fresh and observed carefully. The two enemy female soldiers were walking side by side, holding washbasins in their hands, as if they had just washed their hair. Go to dry their clothes. Their long hair is draped over their shoulders, and their movements and postures are very beautiful."

"He thought she was a beautiful woman, and he was a little excited at the time. But when she turned around, my mother, why is she so ugly?!"

Li Cunbao imitated the soldier's Yu provincial dialect, and he was so vivid that Fang Minghua couldn't hold back his laughter.

The two of them stopped talking when a soldier asked them to go to dinner.

After dinner, Fang Minghua and a group of writers happily entered the auditorium in the military camp. Watch the performance of the art troupe with the soldiers.

"Red Star Shines on Me to Fight" and "War Horse Neighing" are all popular songs of this era, as well as allegro and national dance peacock dance. Everyone watched with great interest.

"The finale is ballet!" Li Cunbao whispered.

Ballet is still a new thing in China these days. Although there are only a few red ballets performed, it is rarely seen by ordinary people. Occasionally, you can see a few words in newspapers. Of course, it is exciting to see a live performance.

The classic ballet "Red Detachment of Women" performed this time

Go forward, go forward.

A soldier has a heavy responsibility

Women's hatred runs deep

In ancient times, Hua Mulan went to join the army in place of her father.

Today there are women’s soldiers carrying guns for the people

Amid the warm and cheerful songs, a group of actresses dressed in Red Army uniforms danced ballet steps and appeared on the stage, immediately arousing warm applause.

Fang Minghua and a group of writers were arranged in the front row. He looked at each girl carefully.

She was wearing a Red Army costume for the performance, with bandages on her calves, but she was wearing shorts, revealing her slender thighs.

Sure enough, under the light, they all have a healthy wheat complexion, not the big white legs in the movie.

I just didn’t see Song Tangtang.

Isn't she a ballet dancer? Why didn't you show up?

Has it been transferred?

No way?

The next company?

possible.

"Hey, Xiaofang, which girl are you looking at? Are they all handsome?" Li Cunbao next to him asked with a low smile.

This word?

Is there something in the words?

Fang Minghua did not hide anything: "There is a female soldier from our Xijing in the art troupe, and I know her. His friend asked me to send a few words to see if she is here."

"Is she there?" Li Cunbao asked.

Fang Minghua shook his head.

"It's okay. When the performance is over, you can go and ask."

The ballet ended with a round of applause, and the audience left the stage one after another. Fang Minghua said to Li Cunbao: "Please let me know, Director Zhang. I'm going to inquire about someone. I'll be back later."

"Okay, but don't be too late."

Fang Minghua nodded and ran directly backstage, but he didn't dare to go up.

The girls are all changing their clothes. If I go in rashly, will I be considered a hooligan?

That's a big problem.

Just wait outside the auditorium.

Twenty minutes later, Fang Minghua saw a group of girls coming out of the auditorium talking and laughing. He quickly stopped the female soldier closest to him. She had pigtails and looked very cute.

"Hello, comrade, is Song Tangtang here?"

The girl did not answer him but looked him up and down through the street lights outside the auditorium: "Who are you?"

"My name is Fang Minghua. I am the writer who has been arranged to come to the army to collect news. I am from Xijing. I am a friend of the Township Party with Song Tangtang."

"Are you a writer? Such a young writer?" The girl was surprised when she heard this: "It seems that you are not older than me, right?"

Does it matter?

Fang Minghua patiently showed the girl his certificate issued by the Writers Association, and she believed it.

"Tangtang, you said, I went to the front line with the propaganda team to express condolences. I have been gone for a week." The girl replied.

"When are you coming back?"

"I don't know, I guess it will be soon." The girl said.

"Is it dangerous?" Fang Minghua asked quickly.

"Dangerous?" The girl glanced at him and said, "We are going up to Faka Mountain. Do you think it is dangerous or not?" After saying this, the girl turned and left.

What? !

Fang Minghua felt nervous for no reason.

Fang Minghua had no choice but to return to the army guest house.

When he first entered the dormitory, Li Cunbao was washing his feet. When he saw him coming in, he asked, "Have you seen your fellow countryman?"

Fang Minghua shook his head: "People in their regiment said that she went to Faka Mountain with the lower company of the propaganda team to promote condolences."

"Farka Mountain?!"

Li Cunbao was startled, then thought of something and quickly comforted him: "It's okay. The art troupe often goes to the front line to express condolences, but the places we go are relatively safe. We will definitely not express condolences during the war. Don't worry."

Fang Minghua nodded after hearing this.

Brush your teeth, wash your face and feet.

Taking off his clothes, Fang Minghua lay under the mosquito net.

Li Cunbao soon snored quietly, but Fang Minghua couldn't fall asleep.

The moonlight outside is like water.

He put his hands behind his head and thought about his relationship with Song Tangtang.

No matter what, I hope this brave girl will be okay.

Thanks to Zui Yanqianjian, Maomao, Ye Wuqiu Shang, and Xi Yiwei for their monthly votes.