Chapter 1280

Zhou Andong didn't disturb the old soldier and stood there silently, with Yao Jun accompanying him on the side, full of confusion.

The old soldier placed cigarettes and wine in front of several tombstones nearby, muttering to himself.

"Brothers, the country is peaceful now, there are no more wars, and the common people can all fill their stomachs. You can all rest easy..."

"Brother Dong, what's the situation?"

Yao Jun's voice was very soft, but it was still heard by the old soldier.

The old soldier turned his head, was startled to see two people standing behind him, and then recognized Zhou Andong, a smile appearing on his face.

"Young man, why are you here?"

"I came to send off my classmate." Zhou Andong pointed to the mountainside to the north: "On his way back to visit relatives, he encountered five thugs robbing people. He stepped forward and sacrificed himself."

The old soldier looked up, slowly raised his hand, and saluted in that direction: "There are no cowards among us Chinese soldiers."

Zhou Andong lowered his head slightly; the names on the tombstones in front of him were somewhat unclear.

"Is this where you come to visit your comrades-in-arms?"

"Yes!" the old soldier said with a smile: "They are all sleeping here. While I can still move, I come to see them. I definitely won't have the chance in the future."

Zhou Andong looked around: "It's truly a grievance for our predecessors to sleep here."

"A grievance?" The old soldier was startled again, then shook his head: "During one carpet bombing by the American devils, some people couldn't even find a complete piece of flesh. Now, it's already quite good that they can sleep here."

Zhou Andong stared blankly into the distance, and the old soldier stopped talking, instead taking the wine bottle and walking further away.

"Brother Dong!" Yao Jun said: "The burial is about to happen over there, let's go over."

Zhou Andong came back to his senses and shouted to the old soldier: "Old comrade, where do you live? It's almost dark, and the road is hard to walk. Let's go back together in a while."

The old soldier waved his hand: "No need, someone will come to pick me up in a while."

Zhou Andong didn't say anything else and turned to walk down.

Wang Yousheng's ashes were lowered into the grave, and the moment the grave was sealed, Chen Ju let out a cry.

She threw herself onto the grave and wailed, and everyone followed suit, shedding tears.

"Sister-in-law, you must take care of your health. Yousheng is gone, but there is still the child. If your health collapses, what will happen to the child?"

Two lieutenants helped Chen Ju to the side, trying to persuade her continuously.

Zhou Andong took out a cigarette, lit it, and placed it in front of the tombstone.

"Yousheng, rest easy. I will take good care of your wife, child, and family."

Winter in the Northeast gets dark relatively early, and it was already a bit dark after four o'clock.

"Assemble!" the military leader shouted: "Attention—salute!"

"Snap!"

Wang Yousheng's comrades stood neatly in front of the grave and raised their hands in a salute.

After going down the mountain, Zhou Andong didn't see anyone coming to pick up the old soldier. He got into the car, and then he got back out.

"I'm going back to take a look."

Seeing Jian Qiu asked: "What are you going back to see?"

"That old soldier I met at the Beijing railway station yesterday."

Zhou Andong answered and ran back up the mountain.

The old soldier was still there, holding the wine bottle and drinking. Zhou Andong walked over, and in the dim light, he discovered that the old soldier's face was covered in tear stains.

"Old comrade!" Zhou Andong squatted down and called out softly.

The old soldier raised his head: "Why haven't you left yet?"

Zhou Andong said: "It's dark, and I didn't see anyone coming to pick you up. I was worried, so I came back to take a look."

The old soldier smiled: "Don't look at the fact that I only have one leg left; going down the mountain is still no problem."

"It's too late." Zhou Andong helped the old soldier up: "Where do you live? I'll take you back."

"Actually, I just wanted to stay with my brothers for a while longer and chat more." This time, the old soldier didn't refuse and picked up the crutch he had placed to the side: "I'm staying at a small inn in the town at the foot of the mountain."

Zhou Andong nodded and helped the old soldier walk down the mountain: "Where are you from?"

"Dongying."

The old soldier leaned on his crutch and walked down the mountain carefully.

Fortunately, Zhou Andong was helping him; otherwise, walking down this icy and snowy road would have been too dangerous.

Zhou Andong asked: "You came out alone; aren't your family members worried?"

"I never married in my life; I have no children, and my parents died long ago. Although I have a cousin, we don't really keep in touch. Who would care if I live or die?"

As the old soldier spoke, his tone was very flat, as if he wasn't talking about himself, but someone else.

Zhou Andong pondered for a moment: "Old comrade, would you like to stay with these comrades of yours forever?"

The old soldier didn't think that much and just said from his heart: "Of course I would, but how is that possible?"

"Why not?" Zhou Andong smiled: "I'll pay to renovate the cemetery, and then I'll pay you a salary to hire you to guard the cemetery here. In this way, wouldn't you be able to stay with your comrades every day?"

"You..." The old soldier looked at Zhou Andong in disbelief: "You want to pay to renovate the cemetery and hire me to guard it?"

"Yes!" Zhou Andong said very seriously: "I mean what I say, and I will absolutely not cut corners."

The old soldier shook his head: "Although I don't know how much it costs to renovate a cemetery, it must be an astronomical figure."

"You can rest assured about that," Zhou Andong said. "I can still afford the money to renovate a cemetery."

Hearing Zhou Andong say this, the old soldier was very excited: "Of course it's good to be able to renovate the cemetery, and I don't need you to pay me a salary. I have a disability pension, which is enough to spend."

"In that case!" Zhou Andong pondered for a moment: "Don't stay at the inn in town anymore. I'll arrange a place for you to stay in the city.

Next spring, I will arrange for the renovation of the cemetery. By the time winter comes again, it should be about finished. Then you can move directly here to stay with your comrades."

"This is too much trouble." The old soldier refused: "I'll go home first and come back when winter comes next year. And there are some things I need to arrange.

I really don't have any relatives, but I still have to go to the township and notify them where I've gone. In case something happens, they won't even be able to find anyone."

"That's true!" Zhou Andong asked: "When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow!"

The old soldier answered. By this time, the two of them had already reached the foot of the mountain, and it was completely dark.

But Yao Jun had turned on the car lights, illuminating the surroundings very brightly.

"Dongzi!"

Seeing Jian Qiu got out of the car and hurriedly greeted the old soldier.

"Hello, old comrade."

Zhou Andong found Seeing Jian Qiu's bag in the car and took out a business card.

"Old comrade, my name is Zhou Andong, and I am the chairman of the Jiangzhou Yugong Group. When you come to Jiangzhou again, just come to the winery to find me."

The old soldier took the business card and put it into his pocket very carefully.

"When winter comes next year, I will come to find you as agreed."

"Good!" Zhou Andong shook hands with the old soldier: "I will be waiting for you in Jiangzhou."