Chapter 33 May there be no time to turn back

Xu Jianguo saw hemp poles in a cross-bridge rice noodle shop.

If it weren't for Zhao Decai following behind, Xu Jianguo really wouldn't have recognized Yang Wenhua.

He's changed too much.

The originally tall and thin figure has become rickety, and the temples have become a little gray, and the empty hanging cuffs on the left hand of the clothes are even more eye-catching.

This is obviously a young man in his early thirties like himself, how did he become what he is now.

Xu Jianguo's eyes were a little red.

"Hey, it's been a long time. Yang Wenhua didn't seem to mind his image, and when he saw his comrades-in-arms who he hadn't seen for many years, he felt a little more happy to be reunited.

"Hemp stalks. Xu Jianguo's voice trembled a little, "Long time no see, how did you make yourself like this......"

"Hey, it's okay, it's just Lord Yama's departure. Yang Wenhua raised his right hand and lifted his left sleeve, tied a knot, and sat down disapprovingly, "But Lao Tzu, I also killed more than a dozen monkeys! Otherwise, I'll have to fight you, I lost the fight back then, and it's hard to say now. ”

"......" Xu Jianguo was a little difficult to answer. Just silently watched the pot of rice noodles steaming hot.

"You're still amazing, one person has a second-class merit. Unlike me, I didn't catch anything. Zhao Decai went to the counter and asked for two bottles of bamboo tube wine, poured them for the two, and took over the conversation, "But the hemp pole is really good enough, and this battle is really impossible to handle if someone else changes." ”

"Actually, I was quite panicked at the time. Yang Wenhua picked up the wine glass with one hand and took a sip, smacking his mouth, "If you touch the dark, the enemy won't know how to come up." Fortunately, we still have the advantage of equipment, and we have air support, to be honest, these monkeys are really powerful...... Time flies so fast, a few years have passed in a blink of an eye, but it always feels like it was yesterday......"

"yes, time flies. Zhao Decai poured himself a glass of wine and took a sip, also with some emotion. "By the way, Stuffy Gourd, why did you suddenly think to come back to see our brothers? It's been almost ten years since you came back. ”

"I'll take my mother to see the squad leader......" Xu Jianguo's voice was a little low.

"Is this Auntie? When did she leave?" The two found that the package that Xu Jianguo had been guarding by his side was a square urn. They know a little about Xu Jianguo and Chen Xiang, and they understand Xu Jianguo's feelings for Chen Xiang and Jaw-eyed to some extent.

"Just a few days ago. Xu Jianguo took a sip of wine and looked at Yang Wenhua, "Ma Pole, I want to ask you something." Can you bury your mother in the squad leader's grave?"

"This ...... , stuffy gourd, I'm just nominal management, in fact, I'm not in charge, in fact, it's just miscellaneous, and I can't be the master of this matter. Yang Wenhua's expression was a little embarrassed, he understood Xu Jianguo's thoughts, but he really couldn't do anything.

"Why don't I help you ask Secretary Qin?" Zhao Decai thought for a long time, but then spoke.

"Yes, yes, ask Secretary Qin, he can call the shots. Yang Wenhua also nodded again and again.

"Secretary Qin?" Xu Jianguo was a little unsure of who it was.

"It was the former deputy political commissar of our regiment. Zhao Decai introduced, "Before the transfer to the county, as the deputy secretary of the county political and legal committee, and later into the regular, promoted to the deputy secretary of the county party committee, two months ago the old county magistrate retired, he was appointed acting county magistrate, as long as next year's meeting vote, you can go to the regular on behalf of the regular." I entered the team or Secretary Qin to help, and he has been worrying about the preparation, and it is estimated that he will be able to come down together next year. ”

"Yes, after all, he is an old political commissar, and he still takes care of us veterans, and Secretary Qin will probably help in this matter. Yang Wenhua was also helping on the side, and he was also a little embarrassed, after all, he couldn't do anything about it.

The three of them had rice noodles and a few side dishes, and their eyes were hot when they drank it. It was not until late evening that they dispersed. Yang Wenhua's place is not far from here, and it takes about ten minutes to walk across the street. And Xu Jianguo was pulled back to his home by Zhao Decai. The jeep drove back when he went to find Yang Wencai in the afternoon, and by the way, he also asked for a leave, otherwise he Zhao Decai would not dare to drink.

……

……

The next day, when Xu Jianguo woke up, it was already dawn. Xu Jianguo, who was hangover, felt that his brain was still a little dizzy, and as soon as he shook his head, he found that Zhao Decai had already come in from outside the house with food.

"Quick, stuffy gourd, clean up quickly. Zhao Decai put the flower cake and roasted bait in his hand on the table, and urged Xu Jianguo with an eager face, "Secretary Qin agreed to help, and said that he wanted to see you." ”

"By the way, you put on your old uniform. Zhao Decai said while changing his clothes, "Secretary Qin has already gone to the cemetery, let's just go over later." ”

Xu Jianguo had never met Secretary Qin, nor had Secretary Qin seen him before when he was still the deputy political commissar.

I don't know why, even if Secretary Qin is wearing his old military uniform as a lieutenant colonel, he doesn't have much military atmosphere, but more of an elegant temperament.

This feeling reminded him of Xue Jingpeng in Rongcheng for no reason.

"Hello, Comrade Xu Jianguo. Secretary Qin stretched out his right hand to him, "Thank you for everything you have done for the country." ”

"Serve the people. Xu Jianguo stretched out his right hand and shook it with a little choked, and his left hand was still tightly holding the urn in front of his chest.

"Xiao Zhao told me about it. Secretary Qin withdrew his hand and coughed lightly, "In principle, this thing is not allowed, but we are also human beings, and I can understand your thoughts." ”

"You don't think that's going to work. Secretary Qin pondered for a while, and then spoke again, "We will bury the ashes of Comrade Chen Xiang's mother in his cemetery, but we will not erect a new monument, so that it will not be so conspicuous." ”

"Thank you for your understanding, that's enough. Xu Jianguo was very grateful, he knew that Secretary Qin was also taking the risk by doing this, after all, it was a violation after all.

"Don't thank me, you deserve it. Secretary Qin waved his hand, "We are soldiers, and we are also sons." ”

……

……

When the sun set, Chen's mother's ashes had been placed in Chen Xiang's tomb, filled in the soil, and Xu Jianguo carefully wiped Chen Xiang's tombstone again.

took a large handful of daisies from Zhao Decai's hand and put them in front of the monument. took out the half pack of "special" brand cigarettes from his arms, and raised Yang Wenhua, who had just returned from his brother's cemetery, and said, "This is the culprit of the fight between you and me back then." In fact, it was not the squad leader who was stingy, but for the squad leader, this was the taste of his hometown. ”

As he spoke, Xu Jianguo looked at the cigarette case. There are five left.

I lit one, took a sip, and stuck it in front of the monument.

I sent another one to Zhao Decai and Yang Wenhua, and lit it.

Finally, give yourself some more.

There is one left.

"Get me one too. Although I have quit smoking for many years, I still have to taste the taste of this hero's hometown. Secretary Qin, who was silently watching on the sidelines, also spoke.

The four of them didn't mind that the "special" brand cigarettes had actually expired for a long time, but just stood quietly in front of the monument, tasting the taste of the hero's hometown together with the light smoke rising from the curl.

The blood-red remnant sun poured the last residual warmth into the cemetery, imprinted the smiling faces of the photo on the tombstone more brilliantly, and also stretched the shadows of the four people very long.

……

……

There was one more person at the party that night - Secretary Qin.

Secretary Qin, who has always been non-tobacco and alcoholic, and is extremely self-disciplined, touched all the cigarettes and alcohol today.

As a person who came out of the army, he sincerely missed life at that time. Although it was a little hard, I still miss it. Looking at his former subordinates and friendly troops, and thinking of the long-expired cigarette in the evening, Secretary Qin was also deeply touched.

Xu Jianguo also burned the cigarette case in front of the tomb.

Chen's mother passed away, and the cigarettes were gone. He didn't leave anything related to Chen Xiang anymore.

Let him pass the past, and in the future, it will be a new beginning!

He's going to start his own life!

"Come, let's go!" Xu Jianguo raised his glass, "For tomorrow, for the future!"

"For tomorrow!" several people raised their glasses and drank them all, "for the future!"

And a glass of wine to the past, I hope that there is no time to look back.