My era, 1979!

Is there a new song in Chapter 154?
He has played soldiers before, and he specifically went to this group to learn about and experience it before acting.

He understands what the soldiers are thinking.

You sing this song like this!

Who the hell doesn't cry!
Dude, don't try to cross over into acting. It's too tough to survive in the entertainment industry, okay?
A soldier quietly nudged his arm and whispered, "Teacher Tang, this song is even more authentic than the lines in the movie."

He nodded, his throat tightening, unable to speak.

“The singing really does touch the soul more directly.”

Movies are more likely to evoke empathy than novels.

Singing is more likely to move people than movies.

It progresses step by step, with each layer having its own inner and outer meaning.

Until short videos overthrow everything.

Chen Chong's gaze never left Xu Chengjun.

The light from the kerosene lamp fell on his face, casting a faint shadow on his eyelashes. When he sang "If the mountains and rivers of the world could stand shoulder to shoulder without harm," he paused slightly, as if he were restraining something.

She suddenly empathized with Xu Chengjun.

Remembering Xu Chengjun saying "My elder brother is in the south" during the day, I felt that his concerns hidden in "Red Silk" had long been woven into the melody.

He wasn't a high-and-mighty "great writer," but someone who could squat down and chat with soldiers about letters from home, and who could sing about their hardships in his songs.

The wind carried the song over, and Chen Chong quietly raised her hand to wipe the corner of her eye.

He's so handsome!
That's what a man should be like!
Mom, I really want to be in love!
As the last line of the lyrics faded, the guitar music gradually disappeared, and the empty venue became so quiet that the rustling of locust tree leaves could be heard.

The old soldier wearing the old military cap suddenly stood up and saluted Xu Chengjun. His movements weren't perfect, but they were extremely solemn.

His throat bobbed, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he only managed to utter, "Thank you."

He had a photo in his pocket, a photo of a comrade who had sacrificed his life last year. The person in the photo was smiling and making a peace sign, with the mountains of southern Xinjiang in the background.

Just as Xu Chengjun was about to speak, applause suddenly erupted from the crowd, and someone shouted, "Teacher Xu, sing it again!"

Then everyone joined in the shouting, the sound so loud that a few locust tree leaves fell to the ground.

Liu Xiaoqing was the first to walk over and patted Xu Chengjun on the shoulder: "Chengjun, your song is absolutely amazing! I almost cried just now. If you ever make a movie called 'Red Silk,' this has to be the theme song!"

Tao Yuling also came over and handed him a glass of warm water: "It's not easy to sing about the feelings of being a soldier so clearly. This song, have you studied music?"

"There's no chance of that; you're just guessing."

"You can come up with such a good song, why don't you come up with a couple for me too?"

"I definitely will if I have the chance."

Chen Chong hesitated for a long time before walking over and whispering, "Teacher Xu, do you want to suck on a candy to soothe your throat?"

She took a piece of fruit candy out of her canvas bag. The candy wrapper was transparent, and in the light of the kerosene lamp, it looked like a small gem.

When she handed it over, her hand trembled slightly. She didn't dare to look Xu Chengjun in the eye, and her cheeks felt hot.

She had never been so nervous around any boy before.

Even when acting opposite Tang Guoqiang in "Little Flower," playing real lovers, I've never experienced anything like this.

Xu Chengjun took the candy, smiled, and said "thank you."

He noticed Chen Chong's reddened ears.

"Tsk".

Modeling is the only timeless and fundamental principle, right?
The soldiers around him were still shouting "Sing it again!" He lowered his head, plucked the strings, and said with a smile, "Okay, let's sing it together—we can, let's sing it together."

When the guitar music started again, the soldiers hummed along, starting with just a few scattered individuals, but gradually growing more and more unified.

The old soldier wearing the old military cap hummed along, his voice rough but exceptionally earnest.

The homesick young soldier hummed a tune and then laughed, tears still on his face, but he didn't wipe them away.

Chen Chong stood beside Xu Chengjun and sang softly along, her voice light and gentle, like the evening breeze rustling through locust tree leaves.

As night deepened, the light from the kerosene lamp grew brighter.

When the song was sung for the last time, it was almost lights out.

The soldiers reluctantly dispersed, some even turning back to call out, "Comrade, will you sing again tomorrow?"

Xu Chengjun shook his head with a smile: "I can't sing anymore, I have to sing for other soldiers tomorrow!"

Chen Chong walked at the back and glanced back at Xu Chengjun.

I'm a little reluctant to give up.

She felt that this visit to the military region was more meaningful than acting in any movie.

Because here, she met someone who could touch the softest part of people's hearts with words and songs.

The little girl is swooning over a boy.

Who says young girls aren't sentimental?

On the way back, Liu Xiaoqing leaned close to Chen Chong and teased him with a smile, "Little Chen Chong, why was your face so red when you handed Teacher Xu the candy?"

Chen Chong's face turned even redder, and she quickly retorted, "No way! I just... I just thought his voice was hoarse."

Liu Xiaoqing patted her shoulder with a smile: "Okay, no, no—but to be honest, Xu Chengjun is really talented. He not only writes well, but he also sings so movingly."

"Comrade Chengjun, do you have a girlfriend?"

"There is."

"what?"

"Also from Fudan University."

Liu Xiaoqing was dumbfounded. "You're having a campus romance, huh?"

Looking at his face again, it didn't seem strange.

With her looks and overflowing talent, she's starting to look for younger men.

Even more foolish was Chen Chong.

She felt a mix of emotions.

He didn't speak, but just gazed at the moon in the night sky.

The moon was very round, like a plate from home, and she suddenly felt a little homesick.

But, you can still break up even if you have a partner, right?
Shouldn't the new era bring a new look?
Chen Chong reached out her hand and secretly encouraged herself: A woman in the new era must never give up on love easily!
The next afternoon, the delegation from the literary and art circles first visited the First Company.

In the afternoon, we went straight to Erlian.

Forty li southeast of Jinling city, at the end of the dirt road, lies the barracks of the Second Company.

There were no high walls or large courtyards, only a mud wall about half a person's height around it, with a few faded red flags stuck on top. When the wind blew, the patches on the corners of the flags would sway.

Minister Zhang explained: "That was torn by barbed wire during last year's exercise, and the soldiers couldn't bear to throw it away."

Old Zhang from the cookhouse patched three edges with red cloth, saying, "The red flag must stand tall, like the backbone of us soldiers."

The houses in the camp were mostly made of red bricks with black tiles on the roofs and strings of dried corn cobs hanging from the eaves. These were given to the villagers by the villagers when the soldiers helped them harvest their crops in the autumn.

The easternmost part was the dormitory, with a large communal bed taking up half the room. The military green mattresses were folded into neat squares, and under the beds were rows of uniform liberation shoes, the uppers of which were covered in yellow dust from training, but had been brushed white.

The wall is covered with portraits of instructors, and on either side of the frames are slogans written in red paint: "Raise vigilance and defend the motherland." A wire is nailed in the middle, and the walls are covered with letters and photos from the soldiers' families.

There were family photos sent by new recruits, and group photos of veterans and their fallen comrades. The edges of the photos were worn and frayed, but they were carefully taped back together.

The group walked and talked, with a young soldier leading the way and giving introductions.

As they spoke, several women's eyes welled up with tears.

Ultimately, most of these soldiers who defended their country and sacrificed their lives were just young men around 20 years old.

Next to the dormitory was the training ground, where the yellow soil was compacted and glistened with an oily sheen.

The horizontal and parallel bars were welded from thick steel pipes, covered in rust, but the soldiers' hands had polished them to a shine. The sandpit under the bars was filled with freshly replaced fine sand, which several new recruits had carried in baskets from the riverbank the day before.

In the corner of the training ground, there were piles of training targets made of wooden boards, with circles drawn on them and densely covered with bullet holes. Next to some of the targets were several hand grenade models, their wooden handles smoothed from gripping, which were used by veterans to teach new recruits how to throw grenades.

The mess hall was located at the westernmost part of the camp, and white steam always floated from its chimney. They started working as early as five in the morning.

Old Zhang, wearing a gray apron, was stir-frying dried radishes in front of a large iron pot. Next to him, a young soldier squatted on the ground picking vegetables. The green vegetables in his hands were picked from the company's small vegetable garden; they were lush and green, still glistening with dew.

The dining hall was a simple large room with four long wooden tables. The tabletops had many burn marks, but they were wiped clean.

When Xu Chengjun and his group arrived, the Second Company was just beginning its afternoon training.

As soon as the bugle sounded, the camp came alive.

The soldiers, dressed in faded uniforms and wearing belts, lined up on the parade ground.

The 2nd Company Commander stood at the front of the formation, his voice booming: "At ease! Attention! Today's training exercise—tactical crawl!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldiers lay down on the ground, supporting themselves on their elbows with the yellow soil, crawling forward. As they did so, dirt flew everywhere from their uniforms, but no one complained.

One of the new recruits was slow to climb, so the squad leader lay down next to him and taught him how to adjust his posture, speaking in a low voice: "Stretch your arms forward a little more, don't let the butt of your rifle touch the ground, that's a matter of life and death on the battlefield!"

During training breaks, the soldiers sat under the shade of trees to rest. Some took out enamel mugs to drink water, while others used cloths to wipe their guns.

An old soldier took a small ornament made from a bullet casing out of his pocket and handed it to a new recruit: "Here, take this. I picked it up during target practice yesterday. I polished it smooth. Look at it when you miss home."

The new recruit took it, held it in his hand, felt warm, and his heart warmed as well.

Several soldiers were gathered together, reading "PLA Literature and Art." One soldier pointed to an article and read aloud, "This is just like our company. We're all on guard duty, training, and writing letters home when we miss our families." The soldiers were chatting animatedly under the shade of a tree when suddenly a sentry ran towards them, shouting, "Company Commander! A cultural delegation has arrived!"

Upon hearing this, the second company commander jumped to his feet, his military trousers still stained with yellow dust, and his voice was even louder than when he had been announcing the training exercises: "Attention, everyone—stand up! Straighten your uniforms!"

The soldiers who were sitting all stood up in a flash, their movements as fast as if a switch had been flipped.

Xu Chengjun followed Minister Zhang ahead and saw the green formation on the playground from afar.

The soldiers stood ramrod straight, their trouser legs still covered in dirt, but each one of them stared intently in this direction with bright, shining eyes.

That's genuine curiosity.

Did the characters on screen come to life? How amazing!

"Welcome comrades from the cultural sector to Erenhot for our visit!"

The second company commander took two steps forward, gave the visiting delegation a crisp military salute, and his voice rustled through the leaves, "Soldiers, cheer up!"

A low murmur immediately arose within the ranks, like the wind blowing through wheat fields, impossible to suppress—

"Who is that woman? She looks so familiar!"

The young soldier on the far right is named Wang Xiaohu. He just joined the army last year. He whispered a question to the veteran next to him, but his eyes were fixed on Chen Chong.

The veteran, named Li Siwu, had been in the company for five years. He patted Li Siwu's head and said, "You didn't see 'Little Flower' last year? That's Joan Chen! She played Zhao Xiaohua!"

"Ah? It really is Zhao Xiaohua!"

Wang Xiaohu's eyes lit up, and he couldn't control his voice, attracting the attention of several soldiers nearby.

Upon hearing this, Chen Chong smiled and waved in their direction.

Wang Xiaohu's face flushed red instantly. He quickly turned his head back, but couldn't help but steal a couple more glances.

"How can someone be so beautiful? She looks like a fairy!"

"You're so ignorant!"

"Everyone smears ash on their faces! Didn't you see plays when you were a kid?!"

"Can you make something look this good just by applying plaster?"

"I think so?"

Immediately afterwards, someone pointed at Liu Xiaoqing and whispered, "Isn't that He Cuigu? The one who carried the stretcher in 'Little Flower'!"

"Yes! It's Liu Xiaoqing! My sister sent me a magazine with her in it last year!"

Another soldier chimed in, his voice brimming with excitement, "I never thought I'd see it with my own eyes!"

Hearing the commotion, Liu Xiaoqing took two steps forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute to the soldiers, and said with a smile, "Hello, comrades! I'm Liu Xiaoqing, and I'd like to join you all for a bit of fun today!"

The murmurs in the ranks suddenly grew louder, and one soldier couldn't help but shout, "Teacher Liu, will there be a sequel to 'Little Flower'?"

This made the whole team laugh, and even the second company commander couldn't help but smile.

When the soldiers' gazes fell on Xu Chengjun, the murmurs subsided, replaced by curious scrutiny.

"This guy looks very energetic, is he also a movie actor?"

Wang Xiaohu asked Li Siwu again, his eyes full of doubt, "I've never seen it in a movie."

Li Siwu scratched his head and stared at Xu Chengjun for a long time: "He doesn't look like a movie actor, but more like... a school teacher?"

A bespectacled soldier standing nearby, the company clerk who regularly reads "PLA Literature and Art," suddenly exclaimed, "I know him! He's Xu Chengjun! The author of 'Red Silk'! I was reading his article in the magazine just last month!"

"Red Silk? The one about the front lines?"

Li Siwu suddenly realized what was happening and moved closer to Xu Chengjun, saying, "This author is so young! He looks even younger than me!"

"Yes, I thought I'd have to be like that old man over there."

Wu's ears burned: Someone is talking badly about me behind my back?

As soon as these words were spoken, the surrounding soldiers gathered around and asked all at once, "Teacher Xu, what's the story after 'The Red Silk'?"

"Teacher Xu, can you write about our company's story?"

Xu Chengjun was surprised that the soldiers were so familiar with his work. He smiled and took two steps forward, nodding to everyone: "Hello comrades, I am Xu Chengjun. 'Red Silk' is still being serialized. Huang Siyuan's story actually contains the thoughts of many of our soldiers."

If I have the chance in the future, I will definitely write down the story of our Second Company!

"Good!" someone in the ranks shouted immediately, followed by cheers and applause, with some soldiers clapping enthusiastically.

Chen Chong stood by and watched, feeling both tender and warm inside.

When the soldiers recognized her just now, they were excited and curious.

When recognizing Xu Chengjun, there was an added sense of warmth, as if recognizing someone who "understands you".

She thinks so!

The reason why Xu Chengjun is so popular with the soldiers is not because he can sing or write articles, but because he incorporates the soldiers' hardships and hopes into his works and into every word he speaks!

This is what a true scholar should be like!

So handsome!

The company commander cleared his throat, silencing the commotion in the ranks: "Comrades, the comrades in the comfort delegation have had a long and arduous journey, and they've even made a special trip to our company. Let's welcome them with the warmest applause!"

"Wow—"

A burst of applause erupted.

As Xu Chengjun and his group looked at the young faces before them, some still bearing traces of youth, yet each with a gleam in their eyes, their hearts suddenly warmed.

This is the spirit of soldiers in grassroots companies: simple, warm-hearted, and holding every bit of sincerity with utmost care, as if it were the most precious treasure.

Minister Zhang patted the Second Company Commander on the shoulder with a smile: "Old Zhou, the soldiers in your company are really full of energy!"

The second company commander scratched his head and laughed: "Of course! Knowing that a delegation was coming, everyone trained harder than usual this morning!"

The delegation spent the afternoon having a cordial exchange with the Second Company.

The Second Company is an infantry company, established according to the standard infantry company organization of 1979, and operates on a "three-three system".

The number of people is between 120 and 130.

Actors chat with everyone about their roles, and singers occasionally show off their vocal abilities.

Since I'm writing a book, I'll talk about the characters in the story.

In addition to company training, each soldier had the opportunity to speak with the visiting delegation at least once.

During this process, Xu Chengjun also truly experienced the real life of the army in 1979.

Having material makes it easier to write moving stories.

Not to mention, there was also the opportunity to touch a Type 56 assault rifle and a standard rifle.

They were lucky.

It just so happened that a batch of Type 63 60mm mortars were being test-fired.

Xu Chengjun was extremely excited.

If it weren't for Company Commander Zhou stopping them...

I'm about to go play live-action CS with the soldiers.

Men are young until they die.

Tang Guoqiang sneered as he approached Xu Chengjun: "Chengjun, is this your first time handling a gun?"

"It really is the first time."

In addition, this was the first time in its previous life that the Type 56 assault rifle was completely retired in 2013, the semi-automatic rifle and light machine gun were withdrawn from the front line in 1985 and the early 2000s respectively, and the Type 95 was put into service in stages starting in 1997, and became the main force of the whole army after 2010.

"Let me tell you, when we were filming 'Little Flower,' we used real guns. The feeling was... wow!"

"They opened fire on the Japanese?"

Tang Guoqiang's smile froze. Why do you say such hurtful things, kid?
No, not at all.

As evening fell, the setting sun bathed the camp in a warm yellow light, and the soldiers busied themselves in the small vegetable garden.

Some were watering the plants, while others were weeding. The small vegetable garden was planted with eggplants and peppers, all lush and green. The soldiers planted the plants during their rest time, saying, "Vegetables we grow ourselves taste better."

Smoke was billowing from the cookhouse chimney again, this time from cooking corn porridge. The aroma was sweet and attracted several soldiers who had just finished their shifts to run to the cookhouse and ask, "Old Zhang, when will the porridge be ready?"

Xu Chengjun suddenly heard a low singing voice coming from the parade ground. It was the soldiers singing "Returning from Target Practice": "The sun sets in the west, the red clouds fly, the soldiers return to camp after target practice..."

The singing wasn't very synchronized, but it was full of energy, drifting out of the dormitory, over the high mud walls, and towards the distant fields.

As he stood there in a daze, Minister Zhang walked over with a smile: "Comrade Chengjun, tomorrow our delegation and the military region's cultural troupe will have a joint performance. Why don't you sing 'Waiting for Your Return in the North' one more time?"

"Sure, no problem for me."

"Your song is really good, I'd say. I'll see if there's a chance to promote it in the military. By the way, do you have any other songs? This 'Northern Countryside' would be great for everyone to sing together."

"without"

Xu Chengjun paused for a moment, about to say no, but then he suddenly thought of a song. Although he didn't intend to plagiarize other people's work, he thought this song would definitely be released.

"There really is one."

Minister Zhang's eyes lit up: "What's the name! I'll write down the lyrics, music, and title; I'll need them for the announcement!"

"It's called 'Green Flowers in the Army'."

(End of this chapter)