As soon as Peiping was liberated, the new regime had a lot of complicated work to do, such as taking over the administrative units of the former Kuomintang regime, taking over the districts and barracks of foreign embassies and consulates in China, protecting historical relics and historic sites, detecting and cracking down on the sabotage activities of hidden enemy agents, and maintaining normal social order. As a member of the Military Management Commission sent by the local party organization in Beiping, Huang Tingting is mainly responsible for the reception and coordination of Beiping institutions of higher learning. She is entangled in many complicated affairs every day, and often works for days and nights in a simple office. At noon, Huang Tingting sent away a few comrades from the university, she felt a little dizzy after eating a few bites of food, and still felt dizzy after lying on the desk for a while, she was going to visit several schools under her jurisdiction in the afternoon, so she stood up and ate an aspirin.

Huang Tingting put on her coat and walked to the window and stretched, suddenly her eyes were a little strange, she leaned her face forward and almost stuck it on the glass window, she saw a soldier in the courtyard asking people about something. The man was tall and dressed in a brand new cotton uniform, and his mannerisms were very familiar to him. At the suggestion of someone else, the man was walking towards his office. Seeing this person, Huang Tingting's heart was hot, and she hurriedly sorted out her hair and clothes.

"Is this Comrade Huang Tingting's office?" There was a knock on the door, and a familiar baritone voice came from outside the door.

"I'm Huang Tingting, please come in." Huang Tingting hurriedly opened the door, and Wang Hongju, who had not been seen for a long time, appeared in front of her.

After Wang Hongju entered the house, he gave a standard military salute to Huang Tingting and said, "Hello Comrade Huang Tingting! ”

"Wang Hongju, it's really you!" Huang Tingting shouted in surprise, and the hands of the two people were tightly clasped together.

Huang Tingting shook Wang Hong's hand vigorously and said, "Let's finally meet!" From the day I went to jail, I thought I would never see you again! Huang Tingting was very excited.

Wang Hongju looked at Huang Tingting and said pityingly: "Tingting, I've been worried about you, and I've suffered a lot in prison, right?" ”

"That's nothing! Hone your will! Huang Tingting said lightly.

Two classmates and comrades-in-arms who have been separated for more than half a year met again, and they had a lot to say and a lot of thoughts to be missed. At this time, they felt that it was superfluous to say anything, and they just stood silently looking at each other, holding each other's hands for a long time and refusing to let go.

It was Huang Tingting who broke the silence first, she let go of her hand and poured a cup of boiling water and handed it to Wang Hongju, she asked, "How many batches of Beiping are you?" ”

"Our troops entered the city on February 3rd, and the citizens of Beiping beat gongs and drums to welcome us, and I also saw my classmates from our school on the way, including Xu Liping, who was acting in a drama with me, and a few people from our reading club."

Huang Tingting gently beat Wang Hongju's broad chest with her fist and said: "You have become strong after becoming a soldier, I think you are so powerful and masculine in a military uniform!" It's not the little white face of the student days. ”

Wang Hongju straightened his chest and said, "The army is a revolutionary melting pot for training people. Whoever goes inside will be tempered! Even a stone will be made into steel! ”

"You're still talking like you did when you were in school!"

Huang Tingting picked up a schoolbag from the table, and she asked Wang Hongju: "Did you come to me today or did you come to see me specifically?" ”

"I was passing by, so I came to see you."

"How do you know I'm working here?"

"I asked Uncle Huang about your office location."

"Did you see my dad?"

"yes. Uncle Huang I met when I accompanied the leaders of the army to a meeting in the city. ”

"You're such a ghost! Do you think that's good? I'm going to go to Fu Jen University now to learn more about the situation, if you have time, please come with me by the way, and let's talk while walking. Huang Tingting said.

"That's great! I have a little time. Wang Hongju agreed.

They walked out of the office, and the two walked out into the street talking. Huang Tingting is going to Fu Jen University, which is the closest to her office. She and Wang Hongju walked south along Gulou Street, crossed the Yandai Diagonal Street and walked towards the southern edge of Houhai. Out of the tobacco bag diagonal street, turn south is the silver ingot bridge connecting Shichahai and Houhai. The lunar proverb says: Spring hits six or nine heads. At this time, after the Spring Festival, Beiping was already in the seventh and ninth season. Although the surface of the lake is still frozen, a light green can be seen in the willow treetops along both sides of the lake. Wang Hongju and Huang Tingting walked to the silver ingot bridge and stopped, standing on the arched silver ingot bridge and looking west, the layers of the West Mountain in the distance are in full view. Although there is a cold wind blowing in the face. But the sky is high and the clouds are light, but it is refreshing.

Wang Hongju has spent more than half a year in the rain of bullets, and it is rare to have today's leisure. Faced with this scene, he sighed: "Wonderful! The silver ingot view of the mountain really deserves its name!"

Huang Tingting leaned over the bridge railing, combing her short hair that was blown by the wind with her hands, looking at the distant scenery with great interest, she said to Wang Hongju: "Do you see it? There's still unmelted snow on the mountains over there. It's beautiful! ”

"Yes, it's even better in the summer. At that time, the shore of the lake was swaying weeping willows, and the water was full of lotus flowers. Flocks of dragonflies are flying around on the water, and the mountains in the distance are blue and blue, which is so beautiful! Tingting, let me tell you: this "Silver Ingot View Mountain" is one of the eight views of Yanjing that Emperor Qianlong enshrined. When I was a kid, my brother and I used to play here. Sometimes we swim in the water, and sometimes we hold bamboo poles and stick to the dragonflies on the willow trees by the lake. At that time, I loved to drink lotus leaf and lotus seed porridge sold at a small stall by the lake, a copper coin and two large bowls. When winter came, my father often took my brothers and children to skate on the ice of Shichahai, my brother skated the knife, I skated tricks, and now if I put on skates, I can do a few tricks! Oh yes! My dad also used to fish in the ice cave, and one year before the Spring Festival, he caught a big carp weighing about ten pounds. In short, I think this Shichahai is a beautiful and magical place in Beiping. It is said to be beautiful, spring, summer, autumn and winter, there are scenery at four o'clock, and the scenery is different; Say it is magical, although the lake is surrounded by the deep mansions of the princes and nobles, here is very old Beiping's market civilian taste, you can experience the rich secular customs of Beiping for hundreds of years when you turn around here. The city of Beiping is so big and there are many places of interest, but I love this place the most. Every time I come here, I am fascinated by the deep historical atmosphere here. Back then, I met Shichahai by the sea, and I often ran here after school to play with the children of Shicha and a group of children, and sometimes I remembered to go home until sunset. There are so many fond memories of this place. Every time I come here, I fall into a deep emotion and can't extricate myself! ”

Wang Hongju pointed with his fingers and kept talking, he still wanted to say something, but when he saw Huang Tingting pursing her lips and smiling, he hurriedly stopped the topic.

"Are you laughing at me?" Wang Hongju asked embarrassedly.

"No, I think you're like a teacher who gives me a literature lesson!" Huang Tingting pretended to be anxious and pulled Wang Hongju's arm and said, "Okay, don't be like an essayist!" Let's go, I have business to do. ”

Wang Hongju hurriedly said: "Okay, I won't sigh anymore!" ”

The two of them got off the bridge and walked on the southern edge of Houhai.

Wang Hongju asked Huang Tingting: "Tingting, did you think I was too sentimental just now?" In the army, it is often said that I am a typical representative of petty bourgeois thinking. Anyway, hearing them say that, I don't feel good in my heart! ”

"That's a good point! I'm listening to you. Your compliments here could be written in beautiful lyrical prose. You have a rich inner world and are very sensitive to external feelings. So in you there is the romantic temperament of a poet. I think you're a gentleman, and I appreciate your temperament. As a revolutionary soldier, we must not only respect martial arts but also respect literature, and a soldier who is both civil and military is the best soldier! No matter what others say, at least that's what I think. ”

"I know that! You see, which of the great military strategists of ancient times, such as Sun Bin, Zhang Liang, Han Xin, Kong Ming, Zhou Yu, etc., was not elegant and elegant? Wang Hong lists a large number of celebrities.

"That's right! But you're not a little guy like them. Huang Tingting smiled and pointed at Wang Hongju's nose.

"Of course! But I'm glad you understand me that way! Wang Hongju said with emotion.

"Actually, I'm very happy to see you today, do you know why?" Huang Tingting asked.

Wang Hongju replied without thinking: "Old friends reunite!" ”

Huang Tingting asked mischievously again: "Is that all?" Guess again! ”

"And you've been missing me in your heart!" Wang Hongju played with a poor mouth.

"Look at you! It's not serious when you talk about it, it's your old problem! Although Huang Tingting counted Wang Hongju, she smiled brightly on her face.

"Tingting. I'm stupid, you just tell me. Wang Hongju begged.

Huang Tingting tilted her head behind her hands and looked at Wang Hongju and said, "I can't guess it, so I'll tell you: you have matured a lot after joining the army." has changed from a big boy to a big man, and he has the masculine taste of a martial artist; But your romantic nature has not been lost, your literati temperament has not been lost, and you have never made a hypocritical cover for yourself. You are very sincere, which I really appreciate! After all, we are highly educated intellectuals, and the cultural heritage of these cultures belongs to a kind of emotional thing. It will unconsciously leak out, and some people may not be accustomed to these things, they think that your behavior is not rude, and you are not a proletarian if you speak without a few dirty words. Don't be afraid of others saying that you are a petty bourgeoisie, in fact, they themselves can't tell what a petty bourgeoisie is. I think people should live authentically and have their own persistence. I can see that you are a little depressed in your heart, but in fact, you don't care what others say about you, as long as you unswervingly pursue the ideals of the revolution and as long as you make sincere contributions to the revolution, you are a good comrade and you are worthy of the party's cause. In fact, I have also encountered similar problems, the key is to treat other people's evaluation of themselves correctly, and at the same time adhere to the principles that I firmly believe in and not be disturbed by the outside world.

In the cold winter, except for a few children skating on the ice, there was no one else around, Wang Hongju and Huang Tingting walked side by side. Huang Tingting's words were like a scalpel digging out a piece of Wang Hongju's heart, making him suddenly open-minded. The wind blowing on the surface of the lake lifted Huang Tingting's short black hair from time to time, and Wang Hongju felt that her well-defined side face was as beautiful as a statue of a Greek goddess, but her maturity and wisdom fascinated Wang Hongju more than her beautiful appearance.

Wang Hongju asked softly: "Tingting, do you remember the night when we dropped leaflets outside the front door?" ”

"It's not too long, of course I remember."

"That night, we pretended to be a couple, and you hugged me tightly, pretending to be very similar, didn't you? When I think about it now, it feels like it was just yesterday. ”

Huang Tingting didn't speak, she nodded with a smile.

Wang Hongju felt that today was the best time to confess his feelings to Huang Tingting, he took a deep breath and then mustered up the courage to say: "Tingting, I have something to say to you today." ”

Huang Tingting smiled. "Wang Hongju, didn't you speak? You've told me a whole bunch of things. ”

"That basket of words just now is just foreshadowing, and what I am going to say now is serious. Tingting, I'll tell you the truth, in fact, I had a crush on you when I was in the reading club, and I didn't see you for a day and felt that there was something wrong in my heart. I didn't sleep well all night after the leaflet was spread that night, and my eyes were full of you, and I couldn't help it, and decided to formally pursue you the next day, but I didn't have time to confess my heart to you, and you were arrested by the spies. At that time, I was so afraid that I would never have the chance to see you in my life. I feel very sad in my heart. Can you give me a formal courtship today? ”

Wang Hongju looked at Huang Tingting with hot eyes, he hoped to see a positive answer on Huang Tingting's face.

Huang Tingting lowered her head to avoid Wang Hongju's gaze, she couldn't stop fiddling with the scarf around her neck with her hand, and after pondering for a while, she raised her head and said sincerely: "Hongju, no matter from the perspective of appearance and connotation, you are a very good man, no matter where you go, there will be many girls pursuing you." Most of us girls' feelings are very sensitive, in fact, I don't need to say it, I have already seen your thoughts. But at that time, there was a lot of iron discipline in doing the underground work of the party, and the dangerous nature of the work made it impossible for me to fall in love with you. ”

Wang Hongju asked eagerly: "Then how about we from now on?" ”

"To be honest, I have a crush on you! I like a man with good character and talent like you! However, the Kuomintang regime has not yet been overthrown, and most of China still needs to be liberated. The people's political power that had just been established in Peiping still needed to be consolidated. We are still young, and we are in such an era of change, in which the old and the new are alternately renewed, and time is of the essence to us, and the revolutionary work requires our full dedication. I'm very busy at work right now, and I don't think about personal feelings for the time being. Thank you for your understanding. ”

Wang Hongju disagreed with Huang Tingting's statement, and he asked anxiously: "Tingting, can't revolution and love be compatible?" Can't revolutionaries have a love life? ”

"Hongju. You are mistaken. I'm really busy, and I'm sure you're busy too. At this stage, we can't waste time talking about love. Didn't Huo Quai, the great general of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, say: 'Why should the Huns be at home if they are not broken'? I think you get the idea. Huang Tingting explained euphemistically.

"Our troops are still going to fight south, maybe they will be pulled out that day, I don't know if there is a chance to meet you!" Wang Hongju always thought that Huang Tingting had a good impression of him, and he confidently courted Huang Tingting, never expecting that Huang Tingting would reject him. He was extremely disappointed, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar all at once, and his whole body was cold, and he lowered his head and slowed down.

Huang Tingting saw Wang Hongju frowning and looking heavy, and felt that she had hurt Wang Hongju's feelings, so she explained embarrassedly: "I'm sorry, in fact, I don't mean that you are not good enough, nor do I mean that you are not worthy of my love." It's just that I'm not in the mood to fall in love right now. You're not the only gay man who pursued me, but I rejected them. ”

"Have I been rejected by you?" Wang Hongju couldn't help frowning.

Huang Tingting nodded, "Even if it's it." You are indeed an excellent man, and I admit that I have a crush on you, but this kind of liking is just an appreciation and liking, not love. You should understand me. ”

Wang Hongju is a person with strong self-esteem and a very face-saving person, he always feels good about himself in front of young girls, but today Huang Tingting has hit his self-esteem, which is a fact that he can't accept. It was difficult for him to put on a gentlemanly demeanor in front of Huang Tingting for a while, and he was unwilling and did not have the courage to accompany Huang Tingting anymore. He stopped and said, "Comrade Huang Tingting, it's not too early, I want to rush back to the army and can't accompany you anymore!" He said goodbye to Huang Tingting with a melancholy expression.

Huang Tingting took out a fountain pen from her coat pocket and handed it to Wang Hongju and said, "Comrade Wang Hongju, this is a Parker pen that I have used for several years, I will give it to you, and you will think of me when you use it." ”

Wang Hongju still asked Huang Tingting without giving up: "Tingting, is this fountain pen considered a love object?" ”

Huang Tingting replied tactfully: "Wang Hongju, wait a few years for you to ask me this question with this pen." If you lose this pen, don't come back to me. ”

Wang Hongju carefully pinned the pen in his jacket pocket and said, "Comrade Huang Tingting! I want to carry this pen with me every day, I hope we will take care of it in the future! Wang Hongju gave a military salute to Huang Tingting, and then turned around and left.

Huang Tingting looked at Wang Hongju who left in a hurry, she could guess from his back that Wang Hongju's expression must be extremely disappointed and frustrated, Huang Tingting knew that her attitude was like a basin of cold water that suddenly extinguished the heat in Wang Hongju's heart, and she felt guilty for the emotional damage caused to the other party. Wang Hongju has a tall and handsome appearance, a poet's romantic temperament, and a pure and transparent heart, Wang Hongju's good temperament attracts her tightly like a magnet, and there is no lack of admiration in her appreciation of Wang Hongju, but at this time her heart is not able to produce the kind of love between men and women for Wang Hongju. (To be continued......)