Chapter 316: Chapter 308: War and Opportunity
On New Year’s Eve, Tian Aiguo made a phone call, and everyone from the Tian Family rushed to the village committee office. Tian Aiguo’s voice over the phone sounded very calm, just like usual. As soon as the Old Man picked up the phone, he asked, "When?"
Tian Aiguo was silent for a while before answering, "Already ready for orders!"
"Fight them fiercely, and smash the spirit of those Vietnamese bastards," the Old Man was very excited, waving his left hand, as if he himself wanted to go to the battlefield.
"I will!" Tian Aiguo solemnly promised.
"Are Guanghua and the others in your unit?" the Old Man was actually worried about his grandsons.
"Guanghua and Chaohua are not, but Zhonghua and Qinghua are in my unit."
"Ai Guo, is there any way to keep Zhonghua and Qinghua from going? Ah? They are still so young. Our family has already sacrificed Guanghua, Chaohua, and Xinhua; just let Zhonghua and Qinghua come back, alright?"
Granny Zhao suddenly rushed over, snatched the microphone, and pleaded with Tian Aiguo on the phone, her voice filled with sorrow. It turned out that Granny Zhao was not as calm as she appeared; she had always hidden her sadness deep in her heart. Hearing her son’s voice made her emotions finally burst forth.
Granny Zhao’s words made several women in the room unable to hold back their tears, even Tian Manmu and the others looked visibly distressed. With the indiscriminate nature of weapons and the mercilessness of war, no one could guarantee a safe return from the battlefield.
These men were their flesh and blood, sons, and nephews; the pain in their hearts was indescribable. But these men were the pillars of the family; they could not show their sadness, they had to endure.
"Mother, it’s too late, the names have already been submitted!" Tian Aiguo paused for a long time before saying.
Granny Zhao cried silently.
Tian Aiguo’s voice came through the phone again, "Mother, Second Uncle, Second Aunt, Big Brother, Big Sister, Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law, I know you are all by the phone. Protecting the family and country is the duty of a soldier. Once we don this uniform, we must be ready to sacrifice at any moment. It is the same for Guanghua and Zhonghua. However, I promise here, I will do my best to bring them back safe and sound!"
Tian Mantu wiped his face and loudly said to the phone, "Ai Guo, just focus on fighting the war. It is an honor for our family’s children to go to the battlefield to protect our home and country. Even if they sacrifice, it is for the nation and the people. Without everyone, there would be no us. We all understand this, and we, as military families, must have this awareness."
"Yes, Ai Guo, don’t feel burdened. Go to the battlefield and defeat the enemy utterly, we will cheer you on from home!" Tian Manmu also quickly showed his support.
Tian Manjin sadly said, "Third Brother, you also need to take care of your safety!"
Listening from the other end of the phone, Tian Aiguo also wiped his face. His family being so understanding touched his heart deeply. There were many things he hadn’t said over the phone. In fact, the Tian family didn’t need to send so many members like Zhonghua and Qinghua; it could have been avoided. But after getting affirmative answers from the two children, he reported his sons’ and nephews’ names.
Some might call him heartless, but as an outstanding general, he must not be sentimental. War is inherently cruel, yet he loved it; as a soldier, if one cannot go to the battlefield and fight bravely, what is the purpose of living?
The most important thing was that he understood this war was an opportunity for the Tian Family. A soldier who had never fought was not considered a qualified soldier. This was similar to how some young people nowadays always longed to go to foreign countries to add a layer of gold to their resumes, as studying abroad would immediately increase their worth and smooth their career paths.
To soldiers, war was the same. As long as they stepped onto the battlefield and earned military merits, they would naturally find their path to promotion unobstructed within the army. Hadn’t Tian Aiguo reached the position of a division commander in his early forties precisely for this reason?
It was like gambling; if they won this gamble, the Tian Family’s influence in the military would inevitably become stronger. If they lost, he would be the sinner of the Tian Family!
However, he had no regrets. As a soldier, he preferred to die gloriously on the battlefield rather than lying passively on his deathbed. Compared to the moaning of grief-stricken singing, he much preferred the roaring sound of artillery. What consoled him was that the children of the Tian Family were all brave boys; not one of them was a coward!
The Tian Family and the Zhong Family both had an extremely bleak New Year, as Zhong Boqiang’s youngest son and one grandson, along with Tian Qinghua, were also enlisted under Tian Aiguo’s command.
He Xuewen was no longer in the mood to make money either. He worried about his son, Chengsi, who was only 17 and had not even married yet. How could he just watch his son walk towards death? Even for the sake of protecting the country, sending a 17-year-old Chengsi was unnecessary.
Forgive He Xuewen for not having as high ideological awareness as the Tian Family. He only wanted his family to live a peaceful life, safeguarding their home and living comfortably. Thoughts of national righteousness or shining moral integrity, He Xuewen couldn’t remember any of that at the moment. He would rather go to the battlefield himself, but the military didn’t want him.
Because of this, He Xuewen even ran to Beijing specifically to see Luo Datou, hoping he would spare Chengsi for being the only male descendant of Ms. Niu’s family and keep him off the battlefield. However, he faced an unfeeling rejection from Luo Datou.
"Fighting in a war, what’s there to worry about? If Chengsi can’t even manage to save his own life, then his death would be deserved!"
He Xuewen was utterly infuriated by Luo Datou, and gave up; it was pointless to argue with this demon king. Was just being skilled enough on the battlefield? This was no longer the era of cold weapons; no matter how proficient one was, could it compare to a bullet? Can a human body stand against artillery?
Mr. Yun also did not agree to let Chengsi return, but his words were much more pleasant than Luo Datou’s.
"The reason why I let Chengsi and Xinhua join the battlefield is firstly to temper them, and secondly to lay a foundation for their future. Xue Wen, although war is merciless, it indeed represents a new opportunity for many!"
"But, weapons do not have eyes, what if..." He Xuewen of course understood this, but compared to a career, he worried more about his child’s safety!
"There are no what-ifs. We must trust in the abilities of our children; they will surely return safely!"
Mr. Yun’s inscrutable expression reassured He Xuewen quite a bit. Maybe Mr. Yun had some backup plans? Thinking about it, Mr. Yun was indeed a remarkable person; arranging everything in advance and just letting the kids take a round on the battlefield and return could be highly likely!
It might just be his needless worrying. Considering how much Er Niu dotes on Chengsi, how could she remain so calm until now (Er Niu, of course, was already used to it); it must be that Mr. Yun had already paved the way for a backup plan! It must be so!
He Xuewen kept telling himself that, and by the end, he was completely convinced that Chengsi was merely going to Vietnam to take a leisurely stroll or tour a garden. And so, He Xuewen returned very happily.
Mr. Yun: Once you’re on the battlefield, who the hell still has a way back? It’s either the enemy dies, or you die. With the ruthless nature of both Xinhua and Chengsi, it’s bound to be the enemy who dies! Not realizing this, truly foolish!