He Daqing, do you know how I've lived these past years?

"Huai Ru, today is a wonderful day! Look at this hairpin of mine, isn't it beautiful?"

Qin Huai leaned shyly against Yi Zhonghai's chest, playfully punching his chest with her small fists.

Yi Zhonghai was also delighted and grabbed her small hand, opening his large, cigarette-smelling mouth and leaning down to kiss it.

Qin Huairu also closed her eyes and went to meet them.

After a moment, Yi Zhonghai rubbed his lower back and slowly got up, saying...

"Huai Ru, I have to go back now. There's a lot going on at the factory these days, and I also need to return this bicycle."

Qin Huairu also reluctantly got up to help Yi Zhonghai straighten his clothes, and without saying much, she walked home.

Yi Zhonghai smiled and lit a cigarette.

It was worth coming here right after leaving the factory, otherwise I would have missed Huairu's birthday today.

……

North Korea

"General, the commander has ordered us to continue the attack."

Before Leyou could speak, Jia Gui said slowly from the side:

"Boss, we are short-handed. We participated in the previous five major battles, and our brothers suffered heavy losses. Now that we have recaptured Xi'an, it would be better to retreat to the second line and recuperate."

Looking at Jia Gui, who now only had one arm left, Le You lit a cigarette and said to the communications soldier:

"Reply received, but our department needs to arrange for the wounded to recover and return to Beijing, and assign them jobs."

After the communications soldier left, Jia Gui and other officers hurriedly gathered around and said:

"Boss, please let us stay. Even if we die, we can take a few with us."

Leyou looked at everyone and shook his head, saying:

"Go back. I brought you out but can't take you back. I'm already letting down the brothers who have already sacrificed their lives. Those who want to go back, please take a count."

Before you go back, compile a list of all the fallen. Once you're back in Beijing, start contacting their families. Make sure they receive all the compensation they need. If they're going to Hongxianglu Port, take them with you.

The others wanted to say something, but seeing Leyou wave wearily, they all walked out together.

The next day, after reading the reply telegram, Leyou summoned the staff to begin writing letters of introduction and awarding certificates of merit to the soldiers who had returned to Beijing.

On the fifth day, after seeing off a large portion of the troops, Leyou ordered a full-scale attack to capture Hanyang.

With the arrival of the tank formations and the dense firing of mortars and infantry guns,

Ignoring the staff officers' objections, Leyou, armed with a machine gun, led the charge.

Too many people sacrificed their lives. Even Jia Gui, who was afraid of death, lost an arm but miraculously survived, being pulled from a pile of corpses.

After several days of assault, the fields were littered with mangled corpses.

The city walls of Hanyang were also riddled with potholes, and thick black smoke billowed into the sky.

Leyou grinned as he looked at the red flag fluttering atop the city wall.

"General, the reconnaissance company has spotted American troops 30 miles away."

Upon hearing this, Leyou also roared:

"The First and Second Regiments, retreat 10 li and await orders. Everyone else, assemble inside the city. Engineers, immediately repair the damage, and set up the barbed wire and roadblocks."

"The cavalry company is to post notices to appease the people. Everyone else, get moving, quick!"

An hour later, Leyou, braving enemy attacks, continued to request reinforcements from headquarters.

March,

Leyou leaned wearily against the city wall. After hearing a sentence coming from the microphone, she immediately fell asleep.

"Ceasement negotiations..."

Sijiucheng

"What did you say? This isn't General Yue's home."

"Yes, this is my home. I heard that the previous family moved to a tenement building. Apparently, it was suggested by a neighborhood director."

After hearing this, Jia Gui also went to the nearby police station to inquire about the information.

"Hey, that looks like the son of the Qing Dynasty. What happened? Why does he look so disheveled?"

Having found out the exact address, Jia Gui saw two thin figures, one tall and one short, rummaging through a pile of garbage at the corner of an alley on his way.

The bigger one pulled out a half-eaten cornbread and gave it to the smaller one next to him.

Jia Gui rushed over.

"Pillar"

He Yuzhu

The large figure didn't react at first, but as Jia Gui approached, it finally stopped searching, slowly got up, and looked behind it.

Jia Gui looked and saw that it really was He Yuzhu. Before he could say anything,

He Yuzhu hurriedly pulled He Yushui and ran into the alley.

Jia Gui quickly quickened his pace and caught up with him in a few moments.

He Yuzhu also covered his face with his hands and shouted:

"No, I'm not He Yuzhu."

Jia Gui slapped him across the face with a large nose ring.

"Hmph, you're not quite there to talk to me like that. Tell me, what happened when you fell down? Where's your father?"

He Yuzhu also roared through gritted teeth:

"Don't mention that beast to me. He ran off to Baocheng with a widow surnamed Bai. If it weren't for the occasional charity from an old lady in the courtyard, Yushui and I would have starved to death."

Upon hearing this, Jia Gui shook his head and said:

"That's impossible. Your father isn't that kind of person. And I know that white widow, if I'm not mistaken."

Who is that older woman you're talking about? I don't think there's anyone like her in your neighborhood.

He Yuzhu didn't reply, but looking at Jia Gui's other empty sleeve, he couldn't help but ask:

"Uncle Jia, your hand..."

Jia Gui shook his head and patted He Yuzhu's head, saying:

"Enough said. You've suffered these past two years. Come on, Uncle will take you to eat and take a bath."

As they talked, they pulled He Yushui along and headed towards the restaurant.

"Go away, go away! Where did this stinking beggar come from, disturbing my peace?"

Before they even entered, He Yuzhu and his companion were stopped by a man in a Zhongshan suit.

Before Jia Gui could speak, the man cursed at him again:

"What are you looking at? If it weren't for your military uniform, I wouldn't even let you in. What bad luck! You get the hell out of here too, a cripple with two beggars."

Enraged, Jia Gui slapped the man across the face with a large nose ring.

The man also lay face down on the ground, spitting out a tooth from his mouth full of blood.

The strength he developed over the past two years from carrying ammunition and military rations every day is something he's never experienced before; in the past, he probably would have collapsed before anyone else did.

"Quick, quick, there are spies! Go to the police station and get them!"

Then he yelled at Jia Gui:

"You just wait, I, Fan Fuyou, will skin you alive today!"

Jia Gui chuckled and said:

"I've only been gone from Beijing for two years, and the people here have already forgotten who I, Jia Gui, am."

As he spoke, he pulled a pistol from his pocket and pointed it at Fan Fuyou's head.

Fan Fuyou was so frightened that he leaked yellow fluid, and a foul stench emanated from his body.

A moment later, a soft cry rang out, and Jia Gui immediately stood at attention, putting away his pistol.

"Jia Gui, it really is you! I thought I was seeing things. Didn't you go to Goryeo with my elder brother? How is my elder brother?"

"Ah, your hand..."

Jia Gui also smiled and shook his head, saying:

"Hello Ms. Huang, the boss is doing well, it's just that this battle is grueling."

Huang Ying paused, looking at Fan Fuyou on the ground with disgust.

He said a few words to the people next to him, and then led Jia Gui and the others upstairs.

Fan Fuyou covered his face, got up from the ground, and ran out.

"Damn it, I'm so ashamed I can't even show my face now. This Jia Gui is really worse than he's made out to be, damn it!"

A moment later, Fan Fuyou, having changed his clothes, arrived at the subdistrict office and knocked on the door of Deputy Director Wang's office.

"Auntie..."

……