Sharpening the Blade Against the Red Wall: From Hong Kong to Handong

In the summer of 1978, the sun in Kyoto was so intense that the dust at the Kyoto Military Region firing range was scorching hot.

Six-year-old Zhou Jin, dressed in a custom-made small-sized camouflage uniform, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead, was holding a children's version of a semi-automatic rifle, aiming at a mini bullseye fifty meters away. He stood ramrod straight, his breathing deliberately even, and his gaze was far more focused than that of children his age—this was his "training ground" that he came to every summer vacation. Taking advantage of the opportunity of the reshuffling of the eight major military regions in 1973, his maternal grandfather, Su Tian, ​​was transferred from his original post to become the commander of the Kyoto Military Region, holding the power of the defense of the capital region. Now, he often invites Zhou Jin to the military region compound to personally teach him shooting and combat.

"Hold your breath, align your eyes, sights, and bullseye, and don't let your hand shake when you pull the trigger." Su Tian stood to the side, his crisp military uniform damp with sweat, the stars on his epaulets gleaming in the sunlight. His tone was stern, yet he couldn't hide his expectations for the younger generation.

Zhou Jin nodded, his little face full of seriousness. In his previous life, he had never touched a firearm, but in this life, under the deliberate training of his grandfather and maternal grandfather, these "tough guy skills" had become part of his daily routine. He took a deep breath, his finger gently pulled the trigger, and with a soft "bang," the bullet whistled out and landed steadily near the bullseye in the eight-ring position.

"Good boy!" Under the sunshade not far away, eleven-year-old cousin Su Mingzhe clapped his hands and cheered. Standing next to him was eight-year-old Chen Hongjun—Chen Panpan's older brother, born in 1970. He is now a well-known "little soldier" in the military compound, wearing a faded old military uniform, with a look of youthful determination in his eyes.

Chen Hongjun leaned closer to the target paper to take a look, then turned to Zhou Jin and shouted, "Jin'er, you've improved again since last time! When I was your age, I couldn't even hit the target!"

Zhou Jin put down his gun, ran to the awning, took the water bottle Su Mingzhe handed him, and took a big gulp. He wiped his sweat and revealed a childlike smile: "Grandpa was the best teacher; I was just practicing blindly."

Su Tian walked over and gently patted his shoulder with his rough hand: "It's not just reckless practice, it's dedication. No matter what you do, focus is the key to success." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the soldiers training not far away, his tone tinged with emotion, "The country is about to change, and the leaders are thinking about reforms and opening up to the outside world. You kids will have to learn a lot of skills to keep up with the times."

Zhou Jin's heart skipped a beat. He knew that 1978 was a crucial juncture for reform and opening up. It was not only a turning point in the country's fate, but also a "political juncture" in whether his grandfather, Zhou Jianguo, could remain in the core decision-making body. His memories from his previous life told him that many conservative veteran cadres were marginalized for opposing reform, while those who kept up with the times and supported reform were able to continue to play a role in the new wave.

As a time traveler, he understood the inevitability and importance of reform; as a descendant of the Zhou family, he had to help his grandfather gain a firm foothold—this was not only for the sake of the family, but also so that he could have a larger platform to realize his ambitions in the future wave of reform.

After dinner, Zhou Jin followed Su Tian for a walk in the military compound. The poplar trees lining the path were lush and green, and the evening breeze brought a touch of coolness. He deliberately slowed his pace, looked up at Su Tian, ​​and said, "Grandpa, yesterday I read a history book in Grandpa's study. It said that during the Qing Dynasty, our country didn't allow foreigners to come in or do business with them, and as a result, we became poorer and poorer and were even bullied by the great powers."

Su Tian was taken aback, not expecting his six-year-old grandson to bring this up. He nodded and said, "You're right. Isolating the country will only lead to bad consequences."

"So, is the reform and opening up that the leaders are promoting now just about getting foreigners to do business with us and learning their skills?" Zhou Jin's tone was filled with childlike curiosity, but her eyes were serious. "I heard from my dad that many people are not getting enough to eat, and the machines in the factories are all outdated. If we don't learn from others, when will we ever become rich?"

Su Tian stopped and looked down at his grandson. He knew Zhou Jin was intelligent, but he hadn't expected the boy to connect history with reality and say such weighty things. He sighed, "That's the truth, but many veteran cadres can't grasp it. They think reform and opening up is just taking the capitalist road, and they have their doubts."

"Aren't both capitalism and socialism ultimately about making life better for ordinary people?" Zhou Jin tilted her head, her tone innocent yet firm. "Grandpa said that you have to look at the results. A good method is one that solves problems and improves everyone's life. And Grandpa, look, if our army doesn't learn from advanced foreign technology, how will we protect our country in the future?"

Su Tian was silent for a moment, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. He hadn't expected that a six-year-old child's insights would be more profound than some veteran cadres. He patted Zhou Jin's head: "You little rascal, you're so clever for your age. Don't worry, your grandfather is a soldier, he only cares about the country and the people. As long as it's good for the country and the people, your grandfather will definitely support it."

Zhou Jin secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As the commander of the Kyoto Military Region, her maternal grandfather's support was an important military backing for the reforms and could also influence the attitudes of a group of veteran military officers.

A few days later, Zhou Jin returned to the Zhou family's old house. That evening, he read with his grandfather, Zhou Jianguo, in the study. The study was filled with the scent of ink and old books, and a desk lamp illuminated the figures of the grandfather and grandson. Zhou Jianguo was reading an internal economic report, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he were deep in thought.

Zhou Jin held a children's version of "Records of the Grand Historian" and read for a while. Then, she deliberately looked up and asked, "Grandpa, lately all the uncles and elders in the family have been talking about 'reform and opening up.' What exactly is that? Does it mean we'll be able to eat foreign candy and watch foreign movies in the future?"

Zhou Jianguo put down the report, looked at his grandson's innocent face, and smiled: "That's not all. Reform and opening up means opening the country's doors, letting foreign capital and technology in, and letting our products go out, to revitalize the economy and allow people to live a better life."

"Does Grandpa support reform and opening up?" Zhou Jin asked immediately, her eyes full of anticipation.

Zhou Jianguo's smile faded slightly, and his brows furrowed again: "Of course, Grandpa wants the country to prosper, but some things aren't that simple. Many old comrades-in-arms feel that reform and opening up will deviate from the socialist path and are worried that trouble will arise."

"But Grandpa," Zhou Jin put down her book, walked to Zhou Jianguo's side, and tugged at his sleeve, "I heard from my maternal grandfather that the Qing Dynasty became increasingly backward and was bullied because it wouldn't let foreigners in. If we don't open our doors now, won't we be bullied again in the future?"

He paused, mimicking an adult's tone, yet with a child's sincerity: "Dad said that the country doesn't have enough food, and the factory machines aren't working well, so we have to import many things. If we don't learn advanced technology from foreign countries and don't do business with them, how can we increase our food supply and improve our machines? Do those grandfathers and uncles who are against it not know what the outside world is like?"

Looking into his grandson's clear and determined eyes, Zhou Jianguo felt a sudden stirring in his heart. He knew Zhou Jin was exceptionally intelligent, but he hadn't expected the boy to articulate the necessity of reform so clearly from both historical and contemporary perspectives. He recalled the recent State Council meeting where the two factions, those supporting and opposing reform, had argued fiercely. Most of the veteran cadres who opposed reform were conservative in their thinking, worried about the risks that change would bring, but they overlooked the people's yearning for a better life and the urgent needs of national development.

Zhou Jin noticed her grandfather's wavering and continued, "Grandpa, you are a founding father, a pillar of the nation. If you support reform and opening up, many uncles and elders will surely follow suit. If you don't support it, what if the reforms succeed in the future? Will you then be unable to serve the country?"

These words struck a nerve with Zhou Jianguo. He had dedicated his life to the country, and his greatest fear was being left behind by the times, unable to contribute to the nation and its people any longer. Looking at his grandson, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes: "Jin'er, you're right. Reform is an inevitable trend, the only way for the country to develop. Grandpa cannot miss this opportunity because of his conservative thinking, nor can he allow the people to continue living in misery."

He paused, then his tone became firm: "No matter what obstacles we encounter, Grandpa will resolutely support the leader's decisions and do everything in his power to promote reform and opening up. As long as it brings prosperity to the country and happiness to the people, Grandpa will not hesitate to offend some old comrades-in-arms."

A bright smile spread across Zhou Jin's face. He knew he had succeeded. His grandfather, as a key figure in the core decision-making body of the State Council, would provide a powerful impetus to reform and opening up, and would also allow the Zhou family to gain a firm foothold in the future political landscape.

"Grandpa is amazing!" Zhou Jin hugged Zhou Jianguo's leg and acted coquettishly. "When the country becomes richer in the future, I want to help Grandpa build the country so that all the people can live a good life."

Zhou Jianguo laughed heartily, picked up his grandson, and kissed him on the cheek: "Good! Grandpa is waiting for that day. Our Jin'er is so farsighted; he will surely become a pillar of the nation in the future."

That evening, the grandfather and granddaughter talked for a long time. Zhou Jin, from a child's perspective, cleverly shared many insights "gained from reading"—such as "we should let farmers work more and earn more money," "we should give factories autonomy," and "we should attract foreign investment to build factories." These seemingly naive ideas happened to fit the core direction of reform, making Zhou Jianguo's thinking on reform clearer.

A few days later, at an important meeting of the State Council, Zhou Jianguo publicly stated his firm support for reform and opening up, and put forward specific suggestions such as "pilot projects first, then roll them out" and "balancing fairness and efficiency." His speech was well-reasoned and his attitude was resolute. It not only won the approval of the leaders, but also influenced a group of veteran cadres who had originally held a wait-and-see attitude, allowing the voices supporting reform to prevail.

When the news reached the Kyoto Military Region, Su Tian also made it clear at the military region meeting that the army would fully support reform and opening up, safeguard national development, and maintain social stability.

Sitting in his elementary school classroom, Zhou Jin listened to his teacher talk about the news that "the country is going to carry out reform and opening up," his heart filled with anticipation. He knew that the curtain of reform and opening up was about to be raised, and a new era was about to begin. And he, through his own efforts, had already placed his grandfather and maternal grandfather at the forefront of the times, and had also paved the way for his own future development.

He maintained his low-key style, studying diligently and training hard, while closely following every change in the country. He knew that the road ahead was long, full of opportunities and challenges, but as long as he kept pace with the times and remained true to his original aspiration of serving the country and its people, he would surely be able to write his own legend on this ancient land.

Sunlight streamed through the leaves outside the window, falling on Zhou Jin's face and reflecting the resolute light in his eyes. The spring breeze of reform and opening up had quietly begun to blow, and his life was about to usher in a new chapter in this tide of the times.