Under the midday sun, the Hunshui River is still flowing quietly, sparkling. Although it is called the Hunshui River, the water is actually very clear, quiet and beautiful. Only in the rainy season will it become turbid and roaring, because it meanders out from the rugged mountains.
Uncle Niu was still sitting by the river smoking. Although it was lunch time, the busiest time for the kitchen squad, it did not affect the work of the kitchen squad because Uncle Niu was not like other kitchen squad leaders who did everything personally, especially in the past few days. All the veterans of the independent regiment knew that Uncle Niu was in a bad mood. Yesterday he beat the unfortunate Runny Nose half to death. It was the first time that this old Red Army soldier beat his own people. I don’t know why, even the regiment commander and political commissar who were present did not stop him. They just watched Runny Nose being beaten to the ground and crying. No one else dared to say anything, so they could only watch.
Two sentries from the company were hiding beside the path, carefully observing the approaching figures.
"Hey, why does that look like Xiao Hongying to me?"
"Yeah, it seems like, yes, it must be. Is there anyone else like her in the Taihang Mountains who wears such a small military uniform and pigtails?"
"Oh my god, is this wicked little girl really back? This, this, is this a good thing?"
"… "
Just as the two sentries were still crawling in the grass, hesitating whether they should go back to the village to report first, or stand up to greet them, a pair of cunning big eyes had already come to the top of their heads, staring at the two soldiers lying on the ground.
The two of them quickly got up and smiled awkwardly: "Hehe, hehe, it turns out that Comrade Hongying is back. That's great, that's great. Why didn't the sentry in the front give us the news? I'll go report to the commander now."
"Stop, don't report. Just pretend you didn't see anything and go cool off." The little girl said this nonsense and walked away with a heavy heart.
Next came Hu Yi, who was the nemesis of the Second Company and was also famous in the Independent Regiment. How could anyone not know him? He passed by them expressionlessly, treating them like air and passing by without even saying hello. Then came a burly black man who had never been seen before. He smiled at the two people in a hypocritical manner and said, "Thank you for your hard work. We will be a family from now on. If you have any problems, come to me. I will never say goodbye!" Then he passed by. Finally, Ma Liang came to the two people and pointed at the little red tassel in front of them and said, "She is in a bad mood. Don't mind her." After saying that, he deliberately waved his brand new Type 38 rifle at the two people and passed by.
The two sentinels were filled with confusion as they stared blankly at the four figures walking towards Dabei Village. They felt the cold wind and got goose bumps all over their bodies. What was going on
The kitchen team is located in a large courtyard facing north and south in the village. There are a few tattered long tables and benches in the courtyard, which serves as an open-air canteen. The area is not big enough, and lunch for various departments and units has been sent out. Currently eating in the courtyard are the hundreds of newly recruited soldiers.
Wang Xiaosan was a soldier in the kitchen squad. He was walking in the noisy dining yard with a pile of rice bowls in his hands. Suddenly, he saw a pair of pigtails sticking out from behind the crack of the gate. A pair of cunning eyes were scanning the yard. There seemed to be a voice outside the gate: "Girl, why are you looking for the kitchen squad if you don't report to the regiment headquarters?"
Wang Xiaosan was stunned. Oh my god, this is not a dream, is it? He forgot about the bowl in his hand and dropped it, breaking it to the ground.
The sound of the rice bowl breaking made the whole yard quiet in an instant. Everyone looked at the dazed Wang Xiaosan in the direction of the sound, and then followed his dull gaze to the gate.
A quirky little girl, wearing a cute Eighth Route Army uniform, a pair of crooked pigtails, a pair of seemingly innocent big eyes, carrying two heavy bulging bags across her back, sweating all over, walked into the gate happily as if no one was around, leaving the new recruits in the yard confused.
Creak—the door was half opened, and a soldier walked in steadily. His narrow eyes were deep and cold, and his bronze skin exuded manly determination. Unlike the way others wore their hats, the brim of his hat was pulled down very low, and it could be seen that the curve of the brim must have been carefully processed by him, as exquisite as a waxing moon, half covering his thick black eyebrows. His military uniform was covered with dust but still straight, especially the leggings on the pair of Japanese military shoes, which were tied very uniquely.
Wearing military uniform neatly is a habit Hu Yi developed in the Military Academy, especially the way of tying leggings. Different from the way ordinary soldiers do it, Hu Yi's way of tying leggings requires two pairs of leggings. He first puts one pair on the lower half of the calf, and then uses the other pair to wrap it from bottom to top. It is more comfortable and more beautiful, but of course more complicated, and few people know how to do it.
Clang—both doors were pushed open, and this time a big black man came in, as strong as a bear, carrying a machine gun and looking around with a pair of bull eyes. He was not wearing a hat, and was wearing a bloodstained puppet army uniform that was obviously ill-fitting and stretched a little tight by his strong body. He had two big bags on his back, three obviously heavy satchels and two water bottles on his body, and four bulging dry food bags hanging behind his belt. If the door was smaller, he would probably be stuck outside.
Finally, a young and handsome Eighth Route Army soldier appeared at the door. His long legs made him look thin but more energetic. He was fully armed, carrying a brand new and slender Type 38 rifle on his back and a Mauser pistol hanging from his shoulder. His body was covered with Japanese bullet boxes, as full of spirit as he was.
The new recruits who were eating in the yard were all stunned. They were recruited from nearby and had no idea who these four people were. They were a little stunned by this scene.
Xiao Hongying walked straight up to Wang Xiaosan in a dazed look, stretched out her little hand and gestured left and right in front of Wang Xiaosan's stunned face: "Hey, Wang Xiaosan, what's wrong with you? Don't scare me."
"Hmm, hm? Oh, you, I am not dreaming, my little aunt, you are back! Oh my God, I will go to Uncle Niu now, he misses you so much!"
At this time, the soldiers from the kitchen squad who were working in the room also came out, surrounded the little girl and greeted her excitedly.
Xiao Hongying quickly waved her hands: "Stop, stop arguing, I have to do something first." She continued to ask Wang Xiaosan: "Which room does the uncle live in?"
Wang Xiaosan pointed to the door behind him and said, "East room. East room. I'll go find him now." After saying that, he rushed across the yard and out of the door like a gust of wind.
Xiao Hongying put her two satchels in the broken cabinet in Uncle Niu's room, and asked Luo Fugui to put his three satchels in as well. She put the rest of the things in a corner of the room, and then returned to the yard.
When Luo Fugui saw the yard full of pots and pans, his legs became weak. He wanted to find a place to sit down and have a meal first, but all the tables were full and there was no seat. He had to find a gap and squeeze in to sit down.
The new soldiers who were eating were not happy: "Hey, you are so big, how can we fit in? How can we eat if you sit in? Can we have a first come first served basis?"
Hu Yi was speechless when he saw Luo Fugui's hungry ghost behavior. He wanted to go over and drag this useless guy out to the regiment headquarters first, but he saw the little girl went there first.
"Mule, just sit here and eat. We in squad nine will all eat here." She turned around and called out to the soldiers in the kitchen squad coquettishly, "I'm hungry! I want this whole table!"
When several soldiers from the kitchen squad heard what the little girl said, they hurried over and pulled all the new recruits around the long table together.
"Hurry up, hurry up, go eat somewhere else."
"Where is the place? Where can we eat?"
"Then I don't care. Why don't you just squat over there and eat? Stop talking nonsense and get out of the way."
"What? Why is she a little girl?"
"The kitchen is her mother's home, and we are all her family members, understand? Stop talking nonsense and clear the table!"
"This, this, your kitchen team is following the warlord style, it's unjust! I'll go to the chief to report you!"
"Hey, sue? Boy, do you still want to eat in the future? Go ahead and sue whoever you love!"
"… "
There was a commotion and an entire long table that was large enough for more than a dozen people to dine at was vacated. Hu Yi, Xiao Hongying, Ma Liang and Luo Fugui sat there and ate a sumptuous lunch that was temporarily arranged by the kitchen staff amid the curses of the recruits in the yard.