Joining the Army Is Also a Path (2)

On the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, the market was bustling in Tangdu Town. Tong Haojing had already heard the news of new recruits reporting for duty. He went to the People's Armed Forces Department and received his soldier's uniform. The town cadres were pinning large red flowers on the soldiers, and the surroundings were filled with parents and neighbors coming to see them off, with gongs and drums echoing throughout the street. Tong Haojing anxiously scanned the crowd, wishing he could see his mother's figure. However, he hadn't told her at all, and his mother wouldn't be coming. As he parted ways with his family, his eyes were filled with sadness. Just then, a familiar figure in the crowd made him incredibly excited.

"Uncle Mumu, Uncle Mumu!" Tong Haojing ran over excitedly, his eyes filled with tears of emotion.

Uncle Mumu was stunned by the sudden shout.

"You're joining the army too!?" Uncle Mumu's feelings were a mix of love and resentment. He couldn't help but scold him, "You reckless kid!" It was clear that despite his anger, Uncle Mumu was full of affection for Tong Haojing. He had already let go of Tong Haojing's elopement issue. Now that he was joining the army, perhaps he would become a general someday! Uncle Mumu almost made himself laugh. In reality, he knew that the town had come to him, the village chief, to inquire about Tong Haojing joining the army, but he hadn't had the chance to tell Wang Xiyue and her son.

"Uncle Mumu, did my mom come to the market?" Tong Haojing asked softly, without any hope.

"Your mom didn't come!?" Uncle Mumu was a bit puzzled. "Could it be that this kid's mom doesn't know at all?" In fact, Uncle Mumu hadn't spoken to Wang Xiyue since the day Tong Haojing left, and they felt awkward whenever they met. Fortunately, a few days later, Uncle Mumu's daughter, Mei Tingyu, went out to work along the coast, and they pretended as if nothing had happened.

"Now that this kid is joining the army behind his mother's back, it's not a bad way out," Uncle Mumu thought. "How about I go get your mom so she can see you off!" Uncle Mumu said, rushing out. He was afraid Tong Haojing's mother would miss the bus and seemed more anxious than anyone.

Tong Haojing waited with longing, anxiously awaiting his mother's appearance. A bus for new recruits arrived, and everyone boarded one by one. Tong Haojing sat by the window, looking in the direction of home. His mother hadn't come. After a few honks of the horn, the bus started, kicking up dust into the sky. Tong Haojing shed tears of disappointment. Looking at the bleakness before him, he wondered if his decision was right or wrong. At this moment, even with a thousand words, he couldn't express them.

By the time Wang Xiyue and Uncle Mumu arrived at the entrance of the People's Armed Forces Department, out of breath, the bus for the recruits had already left, and the crowd had dispersed. A few bright red gongs and drums were still placed at the entrance, and paper scraps from the red flowers were scattered on the ground. Wang Xiyue stood dazed in front of the People's Armed Forces Department, her mind in a fog. After a while, she came to her senses and cried, "Tongtong, why didn't you tell your mom! Mom wouldn't have disagreed!"

Seeing Wang Xiyue's heartbroken state, Uncle Mumu also felt a pang of sadness. He thought of his daughter Mei Tingyu working alone in the south and wondered when she would return. However, in front of a woman, Uncle Mumu had to show his strength as a man. He pretended to be calm and said, "Tongtong is so grown up now and joining the army. Maybe he'll be a general someday!"

Wang Xiyue wiped away her tears, amused by Uncle Mumu, and a wry smile appeared on her face. She turned her head to look at Uncle Mumu and sighed, "Alas, children grow up and have their own ideas. You can control them for a while, but not for a lifetime. Let him be!" Wang Xiyue cried and laughed, her face becoming a little unnatural. She hesitated, wanting to say something.

Uncle Mumu saw this and seemed to understand. He spoke first, "No need to thank me. All roads lead to Rome, and joining the army is also a way out!" In fact, Uncle Mumu hoped for Wang Xiyue's gratitude. A few days earlier, his daughter Mei Tingyu had written to him saying Tong Haojing was joining the army and asked him to find the People's Armed Forces Department in town. Uncle Mumu, as the village chief of Dafang Village, had more contact with the town cadres and had some influence.

Wang Xiyue had held back her apology for a long time, wanting to pour out her heart. But after hearing Uncle Mumu's words, she felt something was wrong. Could Tongtong's elopement to join the army have been a conspiracy with Uncle Mumu?

"You knew Tongtong was going to the army?" Wang Xiyue looked at Uncle Mumu with a doubtful gaze.

Uncle Mumu felt he had misunderstood and was very embarrassed. "I went to see Cadre Liu at the People's Armed Forces Department, and he readily agreed. But Tongtong didn't know about this!"

Wang Xiyue was like someone waking from a dream. Everything had been kept from her. They were in an awkward situation, not knowing what to say. Finally, Wang Xiyue said the words she had been holding back, "It's my fault. You can't force a child's matters!"

The people of the Big House Clan hadn't seen Tong Haojing and Mei Tingyu for a long time. It was rumored, from who knows where, that the two had eloped. Uncle Mumu and Wang Xiyue were happy to hear this, as they hoped they would be together. So they didn't bother with such gossip.

Time flew by, and a few years passed. Mei Tingyu was the first to send news from afar. She sent ten thousand yuan to Uncle Mumu, asking him to renovate the house. The entire Big House Clan was in an uproar. Tong Haojing, however, had vanished without a trace. Wang Xiyue went to the People's Armed Forces Department more than once to inquire, but with no results. Until one day, a letter from Tong Haojing arrived at the town post office, saying he had been promoted. Wang Xiyue finally felt relieved, but she still felt uneasy.

After Tong Haojing left, he was assigned to Unit A. Due to his excellent physical condition, intelligence, capability, and willingness to endure hardship, he was soon selected for the Special Operations Unit. On the eve of August 1st Army Day, Tong Haojing's Special Operations Unit held a ten-kilometer field exercise with a forced march mission. The starting point was Yunding Pass outside Hexi University. His four-person squad's mission was to cross Yunding Mountain Canyon within an hour and reach the designated location.

At ten o'clock in the morning, Tong Haojing and his teammates set off. They had traveled less than two kilometers into the canyon. Ten minutes ago, the sky had been clear and cloudless, but in an instant, the weather changed. Dark clouds gathered, and soon a torrential downpour began, causing a flash flood. Danger lurked everywhere. Just as they were seeking a solution, a heart-wrenching cry for help echoed from the valley: "Help... help..."

Everyone was startled by the sound and immediately stopped advancing. Tong Haojing turned his head and reminded the soldiers behind him, "There's a situation." He listened intently; the distant cries for help were very faint.

"No matter what the situation, we have to push through. Don't get distracted, or we won't complete the mission!" another soldier urged urgently, his steps firm and steady. Tong Haojing, walking at the front, had a premonition that something was wrong. He immediately took out his walkie-talkie and asked the captain for instructions: "Captain, someone is calling for help ahead. What should we do?"

The captain pondered for a long time. "To save or not to save? If we save, the mission won't be completed. If we don't save, we'll lose our title as a Special Operations Unit." For the safety of the entire team, he had to act cautiously. He stopped the team's advance and said, "Hold your positions!"

The situation was extremely urgent. Tong Haojing felt a surge of stubborn strength from somewhere. His desire to fight was exceptionally strong. Just as the captain was about to report to his superiors, Tong Haojing exploded. He clenched his fists, his teeth grinding audibly. In his eyes, there seemed to be no superiors at this moment. Everyone felt he was being disrespectful. He began to shout, "I don't care anymore! Life comes first, save them!"

A teammate quickly tried to restrain Tong Haojing, "Are you being reckless? Shut your damn mouth!"

Tong Haojing knew the stakes. In the face of such a natural disaster, time was life. Facing the surging flood and the threat to the lives of the people, he had no reason to retreat. Tong Haojing resolutely decided that even if it meant failing the mission, he would find the people calling for help and lead them out of the valley.