Clap, clap, clap...
Ling Chengyan took the lead in clapping, and only then did the others co back to life, clapping vigorously. A few lively and mischievous boys even shouted, "Well said, sister-in-law! That’s really well said, sister-in-law!"
Ling Chengyan turned around and saw that everyone’s face was filled with smiles, though their eyes were sowhat red, with so even having a hint of tears glistening.
To enlist and bear arms is to serve the nation with the ambition of safeguarding the country, and not one would take a step back even if it ant sacrificing their lives. However, behind them are their loved ones, so of whom are married and have children. They are soldiers, but they are also sons, husbands, and fathers, each uniquely irreplaceable in their families’ hearts.
They can be fearless, unafraid of sacrifice, ready to face death, but deep in their hearts, there always lingers a concern and attachnt that belongs to their families.
Ling Chengyan stood up smiling and raised the teacup in her hand as a gesture, "The sister-in-law spoke very simply, yet she expressed the heartfelt words of military families, touching and profoundly moving. Military families and spouses are honorable, but I must also say, military families and spouses are destined to be more arduous and challenging than others. On behalf of all the soldiers, I say thank you to the two sister-in-laws and all military families and spouses. Let’s propose a toast to the two sister-in-laws! Let’s tell them: you’ve worked hard."
As soon as she finished speaking, the two military spouses stood up, and everyone else followed suit, holding up their cups and shouting together, "Sister-in-law, you’ve worked hard!"
The eyes of the two military spouses were bloodshot, tears streaming down uncontrollably. They were just ordinary won, simple, kind, hardworking, yet also brave and resilient.
They could support their families alone, take care of the elderly, and raise the children, but there were regrets and grievances in their hearts. Yet today, at this mont, they suddenly understood their husbands’ profession and mission, and comprehended the aning of this dedication and persistence.
Tears streaming, their voices choked, their hands slightly trembling as they held up their teacups, "We haven’t worked hard, you work hard in training, you all must take care."
Ling Chengyan drank the tea, put down the teacup, walked over, took out her handkerchief to wipe the tears of the two military spouses, and gave each of them a hug, and then solemnly said, "As long as I am here, I will try my best to protect each of them. Everyone here is like , no matter what we face, we will always be united as brothers, sharing the sa fate."
"United as one, sharing the sa fate." Everyone shouted out this phrase as if swearing allegiance.
Ling Chengyan raised her teacup again, drinking with everyone.
After finishing the tea, Ling Chengyan casually wiped the tea dripping from the corner of her mouth with her hand and gave everyone a gallant smile, "One day, when we take off this military uniform and lay down the responsibility of guarding the nation, I will invite everyone to gather again. By then, we will definitely drink to our hearts’ content, not returning until we are drunk."
This ti, no one shouted along with her, but they all applauded and loudly echoed, agreeing to this promise of a future yet unknown.
This impromptu New Year’s Eve celebration was lively and touching, with heartfelt exchanges of words, laughter, and playfulness, lasting for more than an hour. As the sky dimd, the lights lit up, and the soldiers from the cooking squad loudly shouted, "The dumplings are ready, co get the dumplings!"
Then, the young n who had just been passionately moved, with red eyes and even tears, suddenly turned into mischievous big boys, jumping up and rushing towards the kitchen. Before long, they ca out with platter after platter of dumplings.
The other tables had two large platters of pork dumplings each, plus two plates of lamb dumplings, while the table with ethnic minority comrades had two large platters of lamb dumplings.
Each person had a bowl of dumpling soup, and a few shared a plate of vinegar, with erald green Laba garlic in it, which looked particularly appetizing.
Little Xing was older now, not needing anyone to worry about her while eating, and Little Shi Tou had also long learned to use chopsticks, though his little hands still lacked the strength, making picking up dumplings sowhat unstable. Fortunately, he brought his little tal bowl for eating. Ling Chengyan picked a few dumplings for him to cool, and he finished one and moved on to the next, not minding the scattered filling and juices in his bowl.
As the dumplings were served, a long string of firecrackers, hung at the entrance of the cafeteria at so unknown ti, was lit. After a series of explosive crackles, the sll of gunpowder mixed with the rich aroma of dumplings beca one of the deepest mories for many people of a lifeti.
When the district leaders ca over to greet everyone, they saw a lively, joyful, yet orderly scene.
Leading Han looked back at Political Commissioner He and Staff Officer Xing, smiled, and nodded, "Looks quite lively, huh!"
The leaders ca to express their concern, bringing along so festive food and, rather fittingly, gifted two television sets.
The latest model dostic 18-inch large televisions, the two televisions could be placed in the dining room and the activity room.
After expressing their concern, the leaders soon departed.
After eating the dumplings, everyone didn’t disperse, staying in the dining room to watch television, with the tables piled high with local specialties, candies, and seeds brought by everyone, along with the apples and pears Ling Chengyan had soone buy.
The Eastern Province is rich in fruits, with Yantai apples and Laiyang pears being famous nationwide. Of course, in this season, other fruits like grapes and persimmons were rarely seen, with the main fruits available being only apples and pears, which are easy to store.
The North is also rich in various dried fruits and nuts, such as dates, walnuts, and chestnuts, with plenty piled on each table as well.
The walnut shells were tough, and while eating and playing, people suddenly started thinking of different ways to crack the walnuts. So ran to the kitchen to borrow a stone mortar, others went outside to find a brick, and so went to use the door to squeeze them... However, the person who thought of this last thod was stopped by Xu Dong after squeezing just two walnuts.
Although a door might not break after one walnut, once the precedent was set, they worried the new barrack doors would quickly shorten their lifespan, which couldn’t be encouraged.
Ling Chengyan, however, didn’t move. Watching the group of young people making a fuss, she brought her hands together, squeezed hard, and a walnut was cracked open from the middle by her, before handing it to the nearby Xiao Yu, Xiao Xing, and Shi Tou.
The kids were the first to notice Ling Chengyan’s skill, chattering and scrambling to offer their shared walnuts, asking Aunt Ling to help them crack them.
Others gradually noticed the commotion and gathered around to watch, witnessing with their own eyes how Ling Chengyan joined her hands and casually cracked open walnuts, the motion light and easy, as if picking beans. So even tried to emulate the squeezing with walnuts in hand...
Then, their hands hurt from the exertion, while the walnut remained intact.
Among the few opened walnuts were so that were already cracked before.
Ling Chengyan showed off her walnut-cracking skill, inadvertently striking awe again, enhancing the impression of her strong, valiant image among the soldiers.
Emma had long heard that the company commander, during her ti in the Automobile Company, had acquired the nickna ’Mother Tiger.’ Though they had witnessed Ling Chengyan’s prowess in training, they never faced her directly and hadn’t felt the sharpness of the commander’s edge firsthand.
Today, they got a small demonstration.
Many secretly looked at their own large, rugged hands, then sneaked a glance at the still slender, well-proportioned, and pretty hands of the commander. Admiring, yet feeling more struck down.
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