Liu Dong was eighteen years old when he graduated from high school, his sister Liu Cao was twenty-two years old, and his brother Liu Shu was also twenty-six years old.

After Liu Shu's dream of joining the army was shattered, he could only farm in peace, and since then, he has become very sad, and he always plays the flute on the dirt slope in front of his house every day, and the depressing sound of the flute fills the air at dusk.

Liu Cao has been working at home for a few years, and the farmer's children have no way out, so they can only work at home after graduating from high school. After my sister graduated from high school, she enrolled in the training of barefoot doctors at the county hospital, and after the training, there was no job to do. The brigade's health room, the number of barefoot doctors is also full. The people who are able to become barefoot doctors are all related to Director Hu of the Revolutionary Committee of the brigade. Liu Cao can't climb such a relationship, so he can only go home to farm. But my sister loves the doctor's profession, and she has to go to the mountains to pick some herbs when she has nothing to do, put them in her yard to dry, and then taste this and smell that. She is carefully guarding these herbs, as if guarding her own ideals.

Liu Dong graduated, and he had nothing to do, so he could only go to work in the fields like his brother and sister. That day, when he was looking for a hoe and was about to go to work, he was pulled by Liu Shu: Brother, you can't do this, you have to be a soldier.

Liu Dong said with little confidence: What if I can't go?

Liu Shu said with an iron face: You must go.

After the elder brother said this, he turned around and left silently. After his father died, his brother had the final say on all matters in the family.

In the evening, when his mother Wang Guixiang came home, Liu Dong learned his brother's words. At this time, Liu Shu squatted outside and played the flute, he played "The members of the club are all sunflowers", a very cheerful song, but he was beaten like crying.

Wang Guixiang looked at Liu Dong: Listen to your brother, he asked you to be a soldier, so you should go to be a soldier.

Liu Dong said: Can I really become a soldier?

Wang Guixiang nodded: Listen to your brother.

In a blink of an eye, the day of conscription has come again, and the walls and trees in the village are full of red, green, and green slogans. The slogan has not changed for more than ten years, and it is still "one person is a soldier, the whole family is glorious" and something like that.

That day, Liu Shu came back from outside, carrying two bottles of wine and two boxes of pastries. He put those things in the house and said to Wang Guixiang: Mom, you lead your younger brother to find Director Hu at night.

When my brother wanted to be a soldier, Director Hu was in charge, and now Director Hu is still in charge, and Director Hu is in his fifties at this time.

Wang Guixiang glanced at the things on the table, then at Liu Dong, and nodded at Liu Shu: Boss, Mom listens to you.

After dinner that night, Wang Guixiang led Liu Dong to Director Hu's house. Director Hu's house is very magnificent, spacious and bright, and the yard is very large. Director Hu's son, Hu Xiaohu, was riding a bicycle in the yard, and he rode his bicycle as if he were playing acrobatics, whistling while riding. Hu Xiaohu and Liu Cao are classmates, they have been graduating for several years, and he has not done a day of farm work, but rides a bicycle all day long, carrying cigarettes and scrolling around the world. In this village, the adults did not look at him directly, and the children ignored him, and everyone said that he was a "second-rate son".

Hu Xiaohu saw that Wang Guixiang was leading Liu Dong here, so he jumped off the bicycle and said: What's wrong Liu Dong, do you want to be a soldier too?

Wang Guixiang said: Xiao Hu Wow, is your father at home?

Hu Xiaohu said grinningly: Here, you can go in.

Wang Guixiang carried things into the house, Liu Dong didn't go in, he stayed in the courtyard to talk to Hu Xiaohu.

Hu Xiaohu said: Liu Dong, do you want to be a soldier?

Liu Dong nodded.

Hu Xiaohu pouted disdainfully: What does it mean to be a soldier, if I wanted to go, I would have left a long time ago. If you can't do it as a soldier, you won't be able to come back after two years. Zhao Xiaosi from the former village came back after five years as a soldier, and now he can't even find a target.

Liu Dong said softly: I want to try.

Hu Xiaohu said with the appearance of a person who came over: Listen to me, wait for the recruitment in the village, isn't being a worker better than being a soldier?

Liu Dong glanced at Hu Xiaohu, sighed and said: I can't compare with you.

When Wang Guixiang entered the room, Director Hu was sitting at the table, "clicking" a sip of tea, and "squeaking" a sip of wine eating and drinking. He glanced at Wang Guixiang drunkenly, and then at the things she was carrying, his face looked a little better, and then he dragged his voice and said: You are here-

Wang Guixiang put things on the table, looked at Director Hu and said, "Director, that kid in my family wants to be a soldier this year."

Director Hu frowned: It's good to be a soldier, there are many people who want to be a soldier this year, I can't say whether he can succeed.

Wang Guixiang smiled on his face and said, "Don't you ask the director to help?"

Director Hu took another sip of wine and said: There are many people who ask me for help, who do you say I will help or not?

Director Hu sighed, Wang Guixiang lowered his head, looked at his toes and said: Director Hu, the child's father left early, all these years, the three children are not easy, you can help the child once.

Director Hu said: If I can help, I will definitely help.

In the courtyard, Hu Xiaohu took out a cigarette and handed it to Liu Dong, Liu Dong shook his head and said: I won't.

Hu Xiaohu ordered it himself, and he looked very skilled.

After Hu Xiaohu spit out a series of smoke rings, he asked Liu Dong: What is your sister doing?

Liu Dong looked away, and replied: Go to the ground to earn a share of work.

Your sister is so proud, we are classmates, and now when I talk to her, she ignores me.

My sister is like that.

Hu Xiaohu approached Liu Dong: I heard that your sister is talking to someone?

Liu Dong shook his head: I don't know about her.

I've heard that it's the big treasure of the back village, the tractor driver, who was in the same class when we were in school.

Liu Dong's face turned red, and he said anxiously: I really don't know about her.

In the room, Director Hu and Wang Guixiang were talking.

Wang Guixiang was still begging Director Hu in a low voice: Director Hu, I have three fatherless children, it's very difficult. You just help Liu Dong this time, and he will not forget you in this life.

After listening to Wang Guixiang's words, Director Hu "squeaked" and drank a few sips of wine, and said: It's all difficult, it's difficult for you, and it's difficult for me. Look at this family, Xiaohu has been dead for several years, and I don't even have a cooker in my family, I'm a father and a mother again, and I can't even eat a hot meal when I go home.

Wang Guixiang said seriously: Then marry a daughter-in-law to Xiaohu, and if you have a daughter-in-law, someone will be able to cook.

Seeing Wang Guixiang say this, Director Hu sighed again: what he likes, people don't look down on him; People have taken a fancy to him, but he has a disdain for others. What do you think this makes me?

Wang Guixiang could only sigh with Director Hu.

When Liu Dong and his mother returned, Liu Shu sat in the courtyard playing the flute while waiting for them to return. Seeing that his mother seemed unhappy, Liu Shu followed him to the house and asked carefully: "Where did the things go?"

Mother said: Director Hu said that many children want to be soldiers this year, and he doesn't dare to guarantee whether our family's Liu Dong can make it.

Liu Shu snorted angrily and said: It is not a matter of his words that he can not walk.

Liu Dong said very unconfidently on the side: Mom, brother, or I should participate in the labor of the production team.

No, you have to go this year. Brother said that he would have to send you away, our family will be counting on you to get ahead in the future, and you can't back down at this time. Liu Shu patted Liu Dong on the shoulder and said firmly.

Liu Dong replied to his brother very confidently: Whether I can go or not, it's not up to you to decide.

Liu Shu gritted his teeth and said categorically: You don't care about the rest, I have my own way.

Liu Shu walked into Director Hu's house at noon the next day. On the way here, he saw a sign on a tree blown up by the wind. He went up and glued the slogan "One man is a soldier, the whole family is glorious" with spittle, and looked at it in a daze for a while before walking forward.

Director Hu had already eaten and was about to sleep for a while. When he saw Liu Shu walking in, he said in a gossip: Yo, the high school students are here, let's come out of the west when the sun hits today. Why do you have time to come and see me?

Since Liu Shu graduated from high school, people have called him a high school student. Liu Shu is usually very arrogant, he sits there reading books and playing the flute when he has nothing to do, and he doesn't want to say a word more. Twenty-six years old and unmarried, there are many people who introduce him to him, but he didn't nod, and his mother Wang Guixiang was also very anxious, but he only had one sentence: My younger brother is gone as a soldier, and I will think about my own affairs. At this time, Liu Shu came to Director Hu with a desperate mood.

He stood in front of Director Hu: Director Hu, my brother is going to be a soldier.

Director Hu grinned: I know, your mother has been here.

Liu Shu said again: If you send my brother away this year, I will give you all the work this year.

Director Hu smiled: High school student, what are you talking about? What am I? It's the director of the brigade, how can I ask for your work?

Liu Shu asked with a serious face: Then what do you want?

Director Hu said slowly: I don't want anything, if he can go to the army, I won't stop him, he can go, it's his luck.

Liu Shu stood there, looking at Director Hu's face in a daze, he didn't know what to say for a while, suddenly, he knelt down for Director Hu, tears flowed out, he choked up and said: Director, only you can help my brother, you can help him once. I will never forget your kindness in my life.

Director Hu waved his hand and said: What, don't do this, you want to kneel yourself, I didn't let you kneel. Let's go, I know about your brother, I'll think about it then, I'm going to sleep.

Liu Shu knelt there motionless......

Director Hu appeared one evening, with his hands behind his back, looking very leisurely, as if he had inadvertently walked to Liu Shu's house while walking. Liu Shu was squatting in front of the door playing the flute, and when he saw Director Hu, he was stunned for a moment, stood up and said, "Director, come and sit in the house."

Director Hu looked back and forth at the small courtyard of Liu Shu's house, and said as he walked inside: Not bad.

Liu Cao was squatting in the yard to dry those herbs, and when she saw Director Hu coming in, she didn't even raise her head. Director Hu walked over, squatted beside Liu Cao, grabbed a handful of herbs and put them under his nose, sniffed them, and said: The medicine you picked is good, much better than those barefoot doctors in the brigade health center. Well, I have the opportunity to work at a health center. I dare say you're better than those two two-pole barefoot doctors.

Wang Guixiang saw Director Hu coming, and hurriedly greeted him: The director is here, sit in the room.

Director Hu smiled at Liu Cao, patted the medicine residue on his hand, and walked into the house, and Liu Shu followed him into the house. Liu Dong was reading a book in the house, and when he saw Director Hu coming in and standing up, Director Hu patted Liu Dong with his hand: This child has grown into a young man in a flash, and at first glance he is a soldier.

Wang Guixiang poured tea and handed water to settle Director Hu, Director Hu looked here, looked there, drank and said: What, I'm here today, I have something to say. Didn't Liu Dong want to be a soldier? I thought about it, it's not a big deal, but it has to be like this, my kid Hu Xiaohu, you all know, others introduced him to someone, and none of them took a fancy to him, so he fell in love with your Liu Cao. If that's what, Liu Dong is a soldier, and Cao'er goes to the brigade to be a barefoot doctor, he will be contracted to me.

Wang Guixiang and Liu Shu still had a smile on their faces at first, but when they heard the words later, there was no smile on their faces.

Director Hu found a step for himself to go down: If you don't think about it, give me a word then. You are for the children, and I am also for the children, this parent, it's not easy to be.

When that's all that, I'm leaving.

Liu Shu stepped forward and grabbed Director Hu: Director, we promise you.

Director Hu waved his hand: Don't be busy, you can discuss and discuss, I'll go.

Director Hu is gone.

The whole family was stunned, and the mother sighed and said sadly: Can it be done, can Cao'er be willing?

Liu Shu bit her cheek and said: If she agrees, she has to agree, and if she doesn't agree, she has to agree.

Wang Guixiang sat there wiping her tears, Liu Dong came over and pulled Brother La's sleeve: Brother, I don't deserve this soldier, my sister will not be willing, she looks down on Hu Xiaohu the most, and besides, she is getting along with Dabao in the back village.

Liu Shu pulled Liu Dong's hand away and said fiercely: It's none of your business here, you just wait to be a soldier!

After Liu Shu finished speaking, he walked outside, he called Liu Cao into the room and closed the door again.

Liu Cao, who entered the house, asked strangely: Brother, what are you doing here, the gods are mysterious.

At this time, Liu Shu's face was solemn, he stared at his sister and said: Liu Cao, are you my sister?

Hearing Liu Shu say this, Liu Cao's eyes widened in surprise: Brother, what's wrong with you? What are you talking about this?

Liu Shu nodded: Our father died early, and we grew up so big, and we didn't contribute anything to this family......

Without waiting for Liu Shu to finish speaking, Liu Cao interrupted his brother and said: Brother, what do you want to contribute? Is it Liu Dong's matter of being a soldier?

Liu Shu didn't answer directly, but asked Liu Cao: Are you on good terms with Dabao in the back village?

Liu Cao blushed and nodded.

Liu Shu continued: For the sake of our family, can you break off with Dabao and marry someone else?

Liu Cao asked in surprise: Who should I marry?

Hu Xiaohu.

Liu Cao took a sip and said: He? That second-rate son?

Seeing his sister's expression, Liu Shu lowered his voice and said: I know you definitely don't agree, but for the sake of Liu Dong and this family, you have to agree. Liu Dong is not a soldier for him alone, but for this family, and our family has to be personal.

When Liu Cao heard this, tears flowed out, facing her brother and this family, her heart was about to break.

In another room, Liu Dong was also begging his mother, and he said to his mother: Mom, you just tell my brother, he doesn't have to worry about my affairs.

Mother sighed and said, "Since your father is gone, your brother has the final say in this family, and he is what he says, you can listen to your brother."

Liu Dong was so anxious that his face turned red, and he said angrily: Isn't this an exchange? I'd rather not be a soldier than let my sister do this exchange, what's the matter!

Mother persuaded: Your brother is looking forward to our family being able to make a living, your brother is twenty-six years old, and he has never married, and he has not even been married, just to wait for the day you graduate.

Hearing his mother say this, Liu Dong was already in tears.

Liu Shu is still doing Liu Cao's ideological work: For so many years, I have long made up my mind that in order for our family to have a personal career, I will do it even if I die. Director Hu said that as long as you agree to this family business, he will not only let Liu Dong become a soldier, but also get you to the brigade health center to become a doctor.

Liu Cao lay on the cabinet beside him and cried bitterly, and Liu Shu walked around the house with his hands behind his back. Finally, he stopped and said: Mom gave a gift to Director Hu, and I also knelt down for him, people don't accept this love, what can be done? Today he offered to let you be his daughter-in-law, which is obviously an exchange with us.

Liu Shu said this, paused, glanced at Liu Cao and said: Dad has been dead for so many years, I didn't do anything for the family as a brother, let alone do anything for you, what do you want my brother to do in the future, I still say the same thing, even if I let me die, I agree.

At this time, Liu Cao stopped crying, she asked with red eyes: Brother, there is no other way?

Liu Shu shook his head.

Liu Cao choked up and said, "Brother, I agree."

When Liu Shu heard this, the tears that had been accumulated for a long time finally crackled and fell. He hugged Liu Cao and said: Good sister, my brother will never forget you in this life. You just let my brother die, and my brother will never frown.

These were Liu Shu's words from the bottom of his heart, and sure enough, in the near future, he paid the price for his words.

Liu Dong successfully signed up. On the day he went to check his body, Liu Cao and Hu Xiaohu held an engagement ceremony. Director Hu summoned relatives and friends from both sides to eat and drink at Director Hu's house.

That day, my brother Liu Shu drank too much, he held a wine bowl and greeted people, and others respected him and he also drank. When he returned home, he vomited, his mother and sister took care of him, and he said to his sister in the interval of vomiting: Cao'er, you have been wronged, and my brother will repay you as a cow and a horse in the next life.

Liu Cao said while shedding tears: Brother, I am willing, I am happy.

Mother Wang Guixiang hid aside and wiped her tears.

Liu Dong's physical examination went very smoothly, and the next step was for the head of the army to visit the homes of the young people who had passed the physical examination and conduct political examinations. When the leader of the receiving troops came to visit Liu Dong's house, Director Hu personally accompanied him, very enthusiastic, he rushed to the leader of the receiving troops to introduce the situation, and patted his chest and said: Liu Dong is no problem with this child, I watched him grow up, if there is a place in our brigade, it is also Liu Dong's, I will see that this young man is promising.

Everything is done and the acceptance letter is waiting. Director Hu has already discussed with Liu Shu, and the day Liu Dong got the enlistment notice to go to the army was the day when Liu Cao and Hu Xiaohu held their wedding.

On the day Liu Dong put on his military uniform and left the village, there was light snow in the sky, and he took a tractor sent by the brigade to report to the commune. As the tractor drove away, the village resounded with firecrackers, gongs and drums, and suona. Liu Dong knew that his sister was holding a wedding with Hu Xiaohu at this time.

On the morning of Liu Dong's departure, my brother looked at his new military uniform, pinched it here, looked there, and said with tears in his eyes: Brother, this time you are done, you have finally become a soldier. Then he said: Remember, you are not alone as a soldier, you still represent your brother. Brother has no other requirements, I just hope that you will have a chance, otherwise don't come back to see me.

At this time, Liu Dong sat on the tractor, facing the falling snowflakes, thinking of his brother's words, his tears flowed out again.