Siheyuan, my new life

Zhou Xuan restrained his smile and said seriously: "Old village chief, our Director Lin is the old battalion commander of the Tongshan martyrs. In the Northern Dynasty battlefield, Director Lin led the Vanguard Battalion to fight on the front line, and the Tongshan martyrs were a member of the Vanguard Battalion. At the time, all the comrades in the Vanguard Battalion agreed that whoever survived would try their best to take care of the parents and families of the comrades who died. Our director was sent back to China for treatment due to serious injuries two years ago. It was not until last month that he left the sanatorium and transferred to work in our Jingcheng Public Security Bureau. Director Lin has never forgotten the comrades who died on the Northern Dynasty battlefield. Therefore, as soon as the work was settled, he arranged for us to visit the families of the comrades who died in the Vanguard Battalion separately."

After hearing this, the old village chief couldn't help but wipe away a turbid tear from the corner of his eye, and said with a sob: "Thank you, Director Lin, for still remembering Shan Yazi. Let's go, I'll take you to Shan Yazi's home."

There are less than a hundred households in the entire village of Tongjiadong, but along the way, Zhou Xuan and his companions actually saw five families of martyrs with "Glorious Family" signs hanging on their doors.

Although they had heard their master mention that more than 30,000 people died in the Korean War in Sichuan Province alone, they were impressed when they saw with their own eyes that this small village with less than a hundred households had produced so many revolutionary martyrs. Even the two bodyguards who had experienced many battles in their early years could not help but look at each other and nodded imperceptibly.

Tongshan's home is located in the southeast of the village. The four thatched houses already look a bit dilapidated. A wooden sign with the words "Glorious Family" hanging at the gate is particularly eye-catching.

At this time, San'erzi had already run over to inform Tongshan's family. Tongshan's parents and two sons and a daughter were standing at the gate of the courtyard with a reserved expression.

The old village chief shouted from afar: "Second brother of the Tong family, your Shan Yazi's old battalion commander has sent someone to visit your family."

Tong Lao Er came forward nervously, saying incoherently: "I am so embarrassed. Thank you for thinking about our boy."

Zhou Xuan took a few steps forward and held the other's rough hands covered with calluses tightly, and said enthusiastically: "Hello, Uncle Tong, we are here to visit you and your family on behalf of Comrade Lin Yu, Deputy Secretary and Deputy Director of the Jingcheng Public Security Bureau. Director Lin is unable to come in person due to work reasons, so he asked us to say hello to you and your family on his behalf."

Tong Lao Er murmured with trembling lips: "Thank you, leader. Please come home and have some water."

So Zhou Xuan and the old village chief were invited into Tong Laoer's home.

Walking into the low thatched house, Zhou Xuan couldn't help but frowned. The main room of the Tong family also served as the kitchen. There was a stove on one side that led directly to the fire pit in the inner room. A square table that had become somewhat black and four benches were placed in front of the door. On the square table stood a blue and white teapot with a hole in it and several teacups.

Tong Laoer's wife was busy pouring water for the guests. Tong Laoer said embarrassedly: "I'm sorry to make you laugh, but we don't have any tea at home. You can just make do with boiled water."

Zhou Xuan took out a box of Peony cigarettes, handed them to Tong Lao Er and the old village chief respectively, and lit up cigarettes for them.

The old village chief took a deep puff and then said cheerfully: "This Mudan cigarette is really good. Last year, when I went to the township government for a meeting, the newly appointed township chief gave each of us one."

Zhou Xuan smiled and handed the cigarette box to the other party: "Since you like to smoke, then this cigarette is for you. Anyway, I don't smoke."

The old village chief held the cigarette box tightly in his hand, still saying words of refusal: "Comrade Zhou, how can you be so embarrassed? We country people can't tell the difference between good and bad cigarettes. You should keep it."

Zhou Xuan smiled and waved his hand: "I have more in my car, you can take this bag."

Zhou Huang, who arrived with Zhou Xuan, had returned to the old village chief's house, drove the jeep over, and took out a bag of rice, a bag of flour, canned food, milk powder and other things from the trunk. When Zhou Huang carried these things into Tong's house, not to mention the Tong family, even the old village chief who was accompanying them opened his eyes wide in surprise.

Tong Lao Er quickly said, "Comrade Zhou, we can't accept so many things. You should take them back to Director Lin."

Zhou Xuan took out an envelope from his pocket and put it in Tong Laoer's hand, saying sincerely: "Uncle Tong, there are two hundred yuan in the envelope, which is also given by Director Lin to your family to improve their lives. Director Lin also said that he will mail ten yuan of living expenses to your family every month in the future. This is his filial piety to you two elders on behalf of the Tongshan martyrs."

The old village chief standing by was also stunned by the generosity of the old battalion commander of Shan Yazi after hearing this. You know, in Tongjiadong, a strong laborer may not be able to earn a hundred yuan after working hard for a year, but Director Lin actually said that he would mail ten yuan of living expenses to Tong Laoer's family every month. Now the life of Tong Laoer's family has changed dramatically.

After Zhou Huang delivered the things to Tong's house, he waved at the dazed old village chief, motioning him to follow him outside.

The old village chief followed the other party out of Tong Laoer's house with a puzzled look in his eyes, and asked in confusion: "Comrade, what's the matter?"

Zhou Huang smiled and said, "We just walked along and saw five houses with signs saying 'Glorious Family' hanging on their doors. How many families of martyrs are there in your village?"

The old village chief sighed and said, "In addition to the five families you saw just now, plus the two families of martyrs from Tong Lao Er's family, there are a total of seven families of martyrs in Tongjiadong."

Zhou Huang nodded slightly and continued to ask: "Old Village Chief, why don't I see a brick house in our village? Is it true that only thatched houses are allowed in our village?"

The old village chief smiled bitterly and said, "Who doesn't want to live in a brick house? It's because of poverty. You know, it costs at least 600 to 700 yuan to build a four-room brick house. Each person in our village has less than three mu of land, and the food we grow is barely enough to feed the whole family. Usually, everyone goes to the mountains to hunt game and collect herbs and send them to the township supply and marketing cooperative to exchange some money to buy daily necessities for the family. This is after liberation, when the government allocated land to us. If it was before liberation, after we paid the rent, the remaining food would not be enough to eat."

Zhou Huang said solemnly: "Old village chief, Director Lin and I are both soldiers. Soldiers are one family. It is hard for us to see these martyrs' families living in difficulties. This time, Director Lin asked us to bring some supplies to help the families of the fallen comrades solve their living difficulties. How about this, please accompany me to deliver some rice, flour, canned milk powder to each of these martyrs' families. In addition, can we pay to build a brick house for all the martyrs' families in our village?"

The old village chief excitedly shook Zhou Huang's hand and asked repeatedly: "Is it true? Did I hear it wrong? Are you really going to send rice, flour, canned milk powder to every family of martyrs? Are you really going to build brick houses for the families of martyrs?"

Zhou Huang nodded seriously: "Old village chief, now please come with me to deliver things to each family of martyrs. As for building brick houses, we will gather these seven families of martyrs together and discuss it in detail."