Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 14: With heads held high and chests puffed out, we crossed the Yalu River!

"Wanli, we're almost at the Yalu River. Get up and have something to eat."

Wu Qianli held a potato and held it to Wu Wanli's mouth.

"Yalu River..."

"it is good!"

Wu Wanli rubbed his eyes, took the potato, took two bites, and replied.

"We're almost there!"

Lei Gong stroked his beard and said.

"Finally, I can get some fresh air! Yu Congrong's feet stinked!"

Xuan Qiang said with a smile in a low voice.

"Hey, hey, hey? You little brat, don't think I can't hear you!"

Yu Congrong suddenly turned around and pretended to be angry.

Before long, the train slowly came to a stop, and the continuous "clattering" sound of the wheels on the rails finally subsided.

Outside the window, the staff on the platform either rushed about or waited quietly, their shadows swaying gently in the breeze.

"Open the door."

Wu Qianli gave Wu Wanli and Yu Congrong a look and said.

"Yes!"

Wu Wanli and Yu Congrong unlocked the bolts, and the carriage door slowly opened, letting in a rush of fresh air, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees and the aroma of earth.

Sunlight streamed through the eaves of the platform into the train carriage, its golden rays dancing on the floor like joyful musical notes.

"I am Li Yun, the station chief of the security station."

A middle-aged soldier simply saluted in greeting.

His nose was straight, his lips were tightly closed, his eyebrows were thick and strong, and his skin was as rough as old tree bark, yet it revealed a kind of resilience.

"Company commander of the 7th Infiltration Company, Wu Qianli."

Wu Qianli saluted and replied.

"You've finally arrived. Take a break, walk around, and get some fresh air."

"I'll go inform the telegraph operators; they've been waiting for a long time."

Li Yun nodded slightly and said.

"Those in the Seventh Company, take a break, but don't go too far."

"Old Mei, I'll leave this to you for now. I'm going to talk to the stationmaster."

After waving his hand and finishing speaking, Wu Qianli quickly followed the steps of the station chief of Ji'an.

"Company Commander Wu, you seem to have something on your mind."

Seeing Wu Qianli's eagerness to catch up, Li Yun couldn't help but speculate.

"Station Chief Li truly has discerning eyes; he saw it right away!"

"That's right. We were originally going to change into cotton-padded clothes in Shenyang, but the Party Central Committee issued an order, so we prepared to enter Korea ahead of schedule."

"I heard it's freezing cold there, and most of the soldiers in our Seventh Company are from the south. Without cotton-padded clothes..."

As Wu Qianli spoke, he sighed, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes.

"Company Commander Wu, I know what you're saying, but there are just too many troops lacking cotton-padded clothing, and it's impossible to squeeze out of the station."

"You guys, uh... let me think of another way."

Li Yun initially wanted to refuse, but looking at these soldiers going to war for their country, he ultimately couldn't bear it and said yes.

"Thank you so much!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Qianli grasped Li Yun's hand tightly, as if he had found a lifeline, and expressed his gratitude.

....................................

Front of the carriage

"Instructor, I'm going to take a walk over there."

Wu Wanli said.

"Don't go too far."

Mei Sheng hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"Yes!"

Wu Wanli agreed and walked to the side, curiously observing the 50s-era station.

On the platform, the red national flag fluttered in the breeze, and the large characters on the banner, "Resist America and Aid Korea, Protect Our Homes and Defend Our Country," stood out prominently in the morning light.

Trucks carrying supplies occasionally drove by slowly, emitting a deep and powerful roar.

"Comrade, you've dropped something."

At that moment, a clear, melodious female voice rang out.

"OK, thanks!"

Wu Wanli immediately responded and looked back.

He saw a girl wearing a bright red scarf, holding a piece of paper, looking at him.

A simple blue cotton-padded jacket wrapped around her slender frame, yet it couldn't conceal her graceful figure. Her scarf fluttered gently in the breeze, like a blooming red cloud. "My name is An Jing. I used to be with the Capital Cultural Troupe, and now I'm volunteering to serve as a medic at the border station for a while."

The girl smiled slightly and gracefully extended her hand.

"Wu Wanli, a soldier in the 7th Infiltration Company."

Wu Wanli felt that the man looked somewhat familiar, and reached out to shake his hand lightly.

"With heads held high and chests puffed out, we crossed the Yalu River..."

"Comrade, did you write this poem?"

The girl in the red scarf quietly looked at the manuscript and asked curiously.

"No, this is a song."

Wu Wanli smiled slightly and explained.

"Comrade, you can write songs?"

"Could you sing it for me? Maybe I can get it reported when I go back to the capital in a while."

An Jing's eyes lit up, and she looked at Wu Wanli and asked.

"Row!"

After hesitating for a moment, Wu Wanli finally nodded and sang for An Jing.

An Jing, as expected of someone from a performing arts troupe, memorized everything after only three listens.

"With heads held high and chests puffed out, we crossed the Yalu River."

"To safeguard peace and defend our motherland is to protect our hometown."

"Good sons and daughters of China, united as one."

"Resist America, Aid Korea, and defeat the American imperialist wolves! Wolves!"

Her quiet, gentle voice was now filled with intense emotion.

"That's right, Comrade Anjing sang really well!"

Wu Wanli couldn't help but clap his hands in praise.

"No, it's because Comrade Wu Wanli wrote it so well!"

"Their imposing presence is truly impressive; they are indeed worthy of being members of a heroic company!"

"I will bring it back to the performing arts troupe and try to let more people hear it!"

Anjing smiled slightly, instantly revealing two dimples on her face.

"What happened there? Why..."

Wu Wanli pointed to the collapsed and charred houses in the distance and murmured.

"It's been bombed by American bombers more than once..."

“A female comrade from the cultural troupe who came with me died there.”

The quiet voice immediately lowered as it began to explain.

"American bombers?"

"This is Chinese territory!"

Wu Wanli looked at the charred area in the distance, clenched his fists, and said angrily.

"Comrade Wu Wanli, I know you are going to fight in Korea."

"It's cold there, so I'll give you these."

Anjing glanced at Wu Wanli's thin clothes, then immediately took off her scarf and wrapped it around Wu Wanli's neck.

"No, it's cold in the Northeast too, if you give it to me..."

Seeing this, Wu Wanli refused, feeling embarrassed.

"Even if it's cold, I can still stay indoors and keep warm."

“I’ve served in the military. The Americans have a lot of planes. You probably won’t even be able to start a fire. Don’t try to be brave.”

"Just kill a few more American devils to avenge the Chinese who were bombed!"

Anjing took off her cotton-padded coat and draped it over Wu Wanli, shivering from the cold as she spoke.

"Don't worry, when the bugle sounds, even if we die on the battlefield, our Seventh Infiltration Company will have no fear!"

Wu Wanli savored the lingering warmth and faint fragrance of the scarf and cotton coat, his gaze resolute.

"Comrade Wu Wanli, come back quickly, we're about to depart!"

At this moment, Mei Sheng walked up behind Wu Wanli and called out to him.

"it is good!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli turned and ran back without hesitation.

carriage

Yu Congrong and others were helping a team of telegraph operators load a radio onto a vehicle.

"The first mission of the 7th Infiltration Company: escort the cipher operative and radio to the command post at Big Elm Tree. They've finally arrived..."

As Wu Wanli, who was familiar with the plot, looked at these things, he murmured to himself.

(End of this chapter)