Chapter 308: Returning Home

In the following few days, while handing over his work, He Yuzhu was also busy with one thing: organizing the list of brothers who had sacrificed their lives or were severely wounded, and pondering how to take care of their families after returning to the country.

A week later, the decision on the five black men came down. No matter how Lao Yang maneuvered, the higher-ups stuck to the same line: send them to a prisoner-of-war camp according to regulations. He Yuzhu did not go to plead for them again. He treated these five to a farewell drink, and once they were all dead drunk, he took them directly into his space.

The next day, He Yuzhu reported to his superiors that those black men, upon hearing they were to be sent to a prisoner-of-war camp, were unwilling to go and had fled overnight. For this, He Yuzhu received a disciplinary action, and the special-class merit originally recommended for him was downgraded to a first-class merit.

At the end of December, the New First Division of Lao Yang was approved to return to Si Jiu Cheng to await orders; as for when they would return to the battlefield, that would depend on further notification.

When He Yuzhu returned to Si Jiu Cheng, it was already January Twenty, and the New Year was just around the corner.

He parked the Jeep at the entrance of the 95th Courtyard, and Yan Bugui peered at it for a long time, failing to recognize them.

The main reason was that these two people had changed too much. He Daqing had become so thin he was unrecognizable, his eye sockets deeply sunken and his cheekbones protruding, looking like a paper cutout; He Yuzhu, however, was as sturdy as a young calf, his height having shot up to one point eight meters, his muscles straining his military uniform, and his brow carrying a hint of murderous aura.

Yan Bugui pushed up his glasses and stepped closer, then exclaimed, "Oh my! It's Daqing and Zhuzi back! I heard Zhuzi performed great feats in Korea; this has brought glory to our entire courtyard! Every time the neighborhood committee holds a meeting, they mention him!"

Seeing Yan Bugui suddenly being so attentive, He Yuzhu casually tossed him a pack of Camel Cigarettes and said nonchalantly, "What great feats? I just had good luck. My anti-aircraft gun hadn't even opened fire before the enemy planes were scared into falling down on their own."

He Daqing frowned and scolded, "You brat, stop being so flippant!"

Yan Bugui exchanged a few pleasantries and hurriedly introduced the changes in the courtyard: "You two might not know, but our courtyard has undergone big changes. Through an election, Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and I have become the courtyard's liaisons. Zhuzi, you juniors, from now on, when addressing us, call Yi Zhonghai First Uncle, Liu Haizhong Second Uncle, and me Third Master..."

He Yuzhu teased, "Dad, look at you, you went out to fight a war and didn't even manage to become a managing uncle."

He Daqing laughed and scolded, "You little rascal, stop trying to sow discord here!"

Yan Bugui hurriedly smoothed things over, "Don't say that, we are just mediators in the courtyard... Your dad is a big leader, how can this compare?"

Just as they were talking, Liu Haizhong and Yi Zhonghai also came out.

Liu Haizhong had originally been putting on airs and walking with a measured gait, but as soon as he saw He Daqing, his momentum immediately dropped by half.

Yi Zhonghai came up to greet them and smiled, "Daqing is back! This time, our courtyard must set up a few tables to welcome our hero father and son!"

He Yuzhu laughed to himself: This Yi Zhonghai has actually learned to bluff; setting up a few tables, who is going to pay!

He Daqing glanced at He Yuzhu and said, "How could we let everyone go to such expense? The New Year is coming soon; we will provide the meat, and tomorrow night everyone can get together to wrap dumplings."

He Yuzhu secretly admired: Ginger is still spicier when it's old.

Although Yi Zhonghai was somewhat reluctant, he still nodded and said, "That works too. Tomorrow morning I will go report to Director Wang of the neighborhood office and invite her over as well!"

He Yuzhu didn't say anything more, thinking that this Yi Zhonghai was quite close to the organization.

Shen Guizhi burst into tears when she saw He Yuzhu, "Are you hurt?"

He Yuzhu hurriedly shook his head, "Mom, I'm fine, I didn't get hurt at all."

"Take off your jacket and let me see!"

"It's freezing out, let's not," He Yuzhu said.

"No!"

He Yuzhu had no choice but to take off his jacket, revealing several burn marks on his back.

Shen Guizhi touched the scars and asked, "Does it still hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore."

Just then, He Yushui and four other little girls came back from school.

He Yushui saw He Yuzhu's bare back and stuck out her tongue. When she saw He Daqing, she didn't recognize him at first, but once she did, she dove into He Daqing's arms and sobbed, saying intermittently, "Dad, are you sick?"

"Dad isn't sick, it's just that the food on the battlefield wasn't good, that's why I'm thin."

He Yushui stopped crying, looked back at He Yuzhu, and asked, "Brother, did you eat all of Dad's food?"

Hearing her words, He Daqing was speechless for a moment, thinking, is there something wrong with this girl's head?

Ding Li ran over, looking up at He Yuzhu, "Brother Zhuzi, you seem to have grown taller again!"

"Is that so? I didn't even feel it myself."

At this time, He Yushui stopped crying too, ran over to hold He Yuzhu's hand, and asked, "Brother, why did you eat all of Dad's food?"

Shen Guizhi said, "Yushui, are you stupid? Your dad is in charge of logistics; if he's starved to this state, others wouldn't be any better off. Your brother probably wasn't with him!"

He Yuzhu secretly admired his mother's thinking ability, and he said with a smile, "Brother went to the front lines to fight, and could capture things from the enemy, so I didn't go hungry..."

He Yuzhu then took out various spoils of war from his luggage—canned goods, gloves, socks, and a Lighter—and distributed them to the five little girls.

"Thank you, Brother!" the few little girls said in unison.

"You little rascal, with these things, why didn't you take them out on the road?" He Daqing scolded.

"If I had taken out a can, not a single one would have been left!" He Yuzhu said.

"What else did you capture, you brat?" He Daqing asked.

He Yuzhu then took out two hundred dollars and handed them to Shen Guizhi, saying, "Mom, this money is also what I captured, keep it for yourself."

In fact, this time when He Yuzhu went to the battlefield, not only did he not bring things back, but he contributed quite a bit of food from his space.

Shen Guizhi took the money, looked at it, and asked, "His father, can this money really be spent?"

He Daqing looked at it and said, "This is US dollars; it can be exchanged for money on the black market."

The five little girls were chattering as they gathered together to divide the treasures.

After settling things at home, He Yuzhu ran over to Liu Rusi's house.

As soon as Pingping opened the door, she shouted, "Miss, the combat hero is back!"

Liu Rusi smiled and came out to greet him, "Zhuzi, I was just talking about you with Pingping yesterday! You came back today, that was really fast."

He Yuzhu smiled, "Our unit had significant casualties, so we came back to rest and reorganize. Sister, I came today to ask for your help. Next time Zhao Ying transports goods, help me take five people to Hong Kong. These people are my prisoners; one of them is someone I met when I went to the United States, and I actually ran into him on the battlefield this time—it's fate... Also, I want to set up a fund in your name; I want to provide long-term security for those brothers who sacrificed their lives or were disabled... I'll provide the money..."

Liu Rusi smiled, "You brat, you're quite loyal. Fine, I'll handle this for you, but I'm stealing your thunder here."

"It's lonely at the top. I want to live under an assumed name from now on," He Yuzhu said, "Sister, have you been well these past few months?"

"Same as usual. I think this current system is quite good; doing business has become simpler."

He Yuzhu smiled and said nothing.

Liu Rusi took out a bottle of whiskey and said, "Pingping, have the kitchen cook two dishes."

She poured a glass for He Yuzhu.

Immediately, the two drank and chatted, and He Yuzhu had one cup after another, becoming slightly tipsy before long.

"I can see you have something on your mind, tell me about it, don't bottle it up," Liu Rusi said.

He Yuzhu's voice was a bit hoarse: "Sister, do you know why I can't let go of those fallen comrades-in-arms? One hundred and eighty people... just because I didn't calculate correctly, they were all buried in the air-raid shelter... I only now understand the principle that an incompetent general exhausts the entire army. Actually, I really don't know how to fight, it's me who let down those brothers who died..."

Liu Rusi watched him quietly, watching for a long time, before saying indifferently: "Zhuzi, what I say might not sound pleasant, but you are actually not suited to stay in the Ministry. When I was young, my father often told us older brothers and sisters: a person who leads troops must not embezzle military pay, and must not delay food rations; soldiers gamble with their futures, and life and death are left to fate—to be able to do these things is to be a good officer..."

After hearing this, He Yuzhu shook his head: "That is why your father's group ended up defeated."

Liu Rusi sighed, "I advise you, in the future, you should still put your heart into running the factory..."

Listening to these words, He Yuzhu slowly drifted into a dream.