The family sat quietly at the dining table, as if time had stood still all of a sudden, and the ticking of the wall clock seemed so crisp.

Zeng Zhiwen stood up, picked up the cup, and said solemnly: "Let us toast to the future and prosperity of the motherland!"

The five cups touched together, and the good wishes for the motherland rose in everyone's hearts.

Due to the pressing situation at the border, Zeng Xiangjun's visit to his relatives was only approved for seven days, and the round-trip journey took four days, and he only had three days at home.

Zhang Yulan came back from work at night and brought back a bundle of tightly bound things, which she carefully placed under the eaves outside the door.

After dinner, Zhang Yulan called Zeng Xiangjun to her bedroom.

"You'll be back in the army tomorrow, I want to talk to you!"

Mom's words were so soft, Zeng Xiangjun sat quietly opposite, waiting for his mother's conversation.

"Xiang Jun, you are 18 years old this year, the military camp is like the alchemy furnace of Taishang Laojun in Journey to the West, Sun Wukong is tempered in the alchemy furnace, so that he has steel and iron bones, and fiery eyes! You have been in the army for a year, and after two years, I believe that you will be tempered into steel, regret being a soldier for three years, and regret not being a soldier for a lifetime! Zhang Yulan opened the conversation.

"Your outpost has no electricity, the environment is harsh, you can only take a bath once every two months, the food is mainly canned food and compressed biscuits, and the drinking water is mainly snow water, and there is a semi-permanent fortification opposite you Suxiu, which is made of reinforced concrete, and there is a platoon of troops stationed, equipped with tanks, mountain artillery and other heavy weapons, and the supply is airlifted by helicopters, and there is air force support. Your fortifications are made of stone and cement, and there is only one squad stationed before you join the army, and there is currently a platoon that is equivalent to the strength of the Soviet Xiu on the opposite side, but there is a lack of heavy weapons, no tanks, no mountain artillery, and all supplies are transported by manpower, and there is no air force support! Zhang Yulan said so much in a fit of breath, picked up the teacup and drank a cup of tea.

Zeng Xiangjun stared at his mother in astonishment, his mouth was wide open, he couldn't close it for a long time, and stammered and asked: "Mom, how do you know this, these are military secrets!"

"These are all things you said when you got drunk last night, and you leaked all the military secrets!" Zhang Yulan said with a smile

Zeng Xiangjun lowered his head in shame and continued to listen to his mother's advice

"You went out to be a soldier at such a young age, smoking and drinking, although it was caused by a bad environment and a boring life, but this is just an excuse, my mother prepared a gift for you today, I hope you will take it well."

After speaking, Zhang Yulan took out the bundled things from outside the house, unpacked them, and revealed the contents inside.

"Saplings?" Zeng Xiangjun asked in surprise

"Poplar saplings, a total of 10 trees, I hope you will plant them around the outpost, and at the same time, I hope that you will be like poplar trees, deeply rooted in the outpost, guard our country, and be an upright and brave person!" Zhang Yulan's words hit Zeng Xiangjun's heart word by word, took the sapling handed over by his mother, and once gave a standard military salute to his mother!