Siheyuan: The Era of Struggle

Chapter 230 Monument (Subscription Request)

After adjusting at home for a few days, Yang Ning finally couldn't stand the noise of the two boys at home, and went to work early at the data processing institute.

However, when he returned to the data processing office, he found that what greeted him was not Uncle Yang's nagging, but Zhao Yang's warm welcome.

"Where is Director Yang?" Yang Ning asked in confusion after not seeing Uncle Yang.

"Director Yang applied for medical retirement some time ago, saying that the injuries he sustained on the battlefield were no longer sufficient to allow him to continue to hold such an important position!"

Zhao Yang saw Yang Ning's puzzled face and hurried to explain. He didn't expect that Yang Ning said bluntly as soon as he finished speaking: "Nonsense, can you believe such an outrageous reason?"

"I think he just wants to escape at the last minute. He thinks our data processing institute has no future, so he wants to find another better job, right?"

Yang Ning deliberately spoke loudly, because at this moment, he vaguely saw a blurry figure flashing in the corridor, and he knew who that figure belonged to without thinking.

And those words Zhao Yang said just now were probably this person's way of testing me, right?
After all, given Yang Ning's relationship with his uncle Yang, it is impossible for the higher-ups to approve his application for retirement due to illness so casually. It would be bad if that caused Yang Ning to think too much.

Yang Ning guessed that after Uncle Yang submitted his application for sick retirement, his superiors asked him to convince Yang Ning before making a decision, so he tested Yang Ning in this way.

Unfortunately, how could Yang Ning let him fulfill his wish? Given Uncle Yang’s decadent condition some time ago, Yang Ning was really afraid that he would receive news of his uncle’s death not long after he retired due to illness.

Uncle Yang had suffered many irreparable injuries during the war years. Although he had been treated and his condition had improved a lot, he was now only holding on with his last breath of energy. If he lost this breath, he probably wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer.

He applied for retirement due to illness this time, on the one hand probably because he didn't want to continue to cause trouble for the organization, and on the other hand probably because he felt relieved after learning that our missile and atomic bomb had successfully exploded and his remaining wishes had been fulfilled.

The reason why Yang Ning said this was that he wanted to reawaken the fighting spirit in Uncle Yang's heart.

After hearing what Yang Ning said, Uncle Yang did come out, but what surprised Yang Ning was that compared to before he left, Uncle Yang's hair had now turned mostly gray, and he looked like he had aged by ten years in an instant.

Moreover, compared with his former vigor and vitality, he now looked particularly haggard. Compared with the vigorous and resolute Director Yang in the past, Uncle Yang now looked like an old man in his twilight years.

“Uncle Yang, what are you doing...?” Seeing Uncle Yang’s state at this moment, Yang Ning’s heart felt like being pricked by a needle, and he stared at Uncle Yang in a daze.

At this moment, Yang Ning was like a child who had done something wrong. He stood there in panic, blaming himself constantly in his heart.

"What did you just say?"

It was not until now that Yang Ning realized that the fact that Uncle Yang could hold on until now was probably because his body had reached its limit.

This is a true warrior who fought for our construction cause until the last moment.

“Hehe~” Seeing Yang Ning’s sad face, Uncle Yang smiled freely, then looked at Yang Ning helplessly and said, “I’m in such a bad state now. Even if I want to find another man, I’m afraid no one will want me.”

"I'm sorry!" Yang Ning hurried forward and wanted to support Uncle Yang, who was already walking unsteadily, but was rejected by Uncle Yang with a wave of his hand.

"Will you go out for a walk with me?" Uncle Yang asked Yang Ning as he walked out.

"Okay! Yang Ning knew that he had something to say to him, and this was probably the last time he and Uncle Yang would talk as colleagues, so he quickly handed his briefcase to Zhao Yang for safekeeping and followed him.

"Yang Ning, how long have we known each other?"

"From 49, the eve of liberation, to now, it's almost nine years, right?"

"Yes, it's been nine years. Time flies!" Uncle Yang said with emotion. "Back then you were a reckless boy who was just trying to make a living, but now you're a pillar of the country."

Listening to Uncle Yang's words, Yang Ning seemed to be back in the old city where the turmoil had just ended.

"Yes, Uncle Yang was also a young and energetic leader at that time. When I first met you, just the look from you made me feel creepy." Yang Ning's eyes were full of nostalgia at this time.

"If it weren't for your care, I really don't know if I could have achieved what I have today."

"Don't flatter me. With your talent, you will be able to achieve something in the end, with or without me."

Then Uncle Yang's expression was filled with sadness: "We had just ended the war at that time, fortunately I survived."

"I am able to live to see our liberation, and then watch as you scientists work hard to make us stronger step by step."

"I can't believe that I was able to see the successful explosion of our atomic bomb while I was still alive. Compared with those comrades who fell before dawn, I am already very lucky."

As Uncle Yang spoke, he seemed to have returned to those glorious days, and his back straightened a lot.

"I am already very satisfied to see these. What else can I ask for? If the breath in my heart dissipates, I will become a useless person."

"Honestly, if it weren't for you, I would have been in a nursing home a few years ago."

"Do you still think I'm useless and a deserter?"

After saying this, although Uncle Yang looked relaxed when he looked at Yang Ning, Yang Ning still saw a hint of expectation in the depths of his eyes.

Until this moment, Yang Ning finally gave up the idea of persuading Uncle Yang.

Just like Uncle Yang said, he has already done this and has been able to persist until now. He must have endured pain that ordinary people could hardly endure. What else could Yang Ning ask for?

At this moment, Uncle Yang was no longer just an elder in his heart, but like a monument.

This monument is engraved with the names of those soldiers who fell before dawn, leaving the world with a deep memory.

"No, you are a great warrior, a warrior who fought until the last moment!" Yang Ning said solemnly.

"Heh~" After hearing Yang Ning's answer, Uncle Yang was obviously a lot more relaxed, and then he told Yang Ning a lot of things about the previous battle, and Yang Ning also listened carefully.

The battle scenes that Uncle Yang had described seemed to appear before Yang Ning's eyes in real time at this moment...

Uncle Yang's application for retirement due to illness was finally approved. After his retirement, the data processing office seemed even more deserted, and all this made Yang Ning feel particularly uncomfortable.

He knew this was because the elder who used to teach him was no longer here.

He needs to adapt to all these changes slowly.

So just as Yang Ning was adapting to the new changes in the data processing department, time quietly entered the year 58.

(End of this chapter)