Chapter 69 Qi Family
In the blink of an eye, it was September 15th and the three-week military training was about to end.
On the last day, the other students, led by the instructors, took a good tour of the military camp.
We also took photos on the tank, with guns slung over our shoulders, and with the instructors. It was a very meaningful .
While we were going through these three weeks, we all felt like we couldn’t stand even one day longer, but now that we are about to leave, we feel a little reluctant.
Some of them with shallow tear dimples just shed tears. Instructor Yu also gave each of them a gift, which was an embroidered armband with the words "Level 13 Electronic Department Firepower Team" on it.
This gift was truly thoughtful. After spending some time together, everyone has established a deep friendship with Instructor Yu.
Feng Haoxiang was holding two, one of which he was holding for He Shu. He asked Instructor Yu, "Where is He Shu?"
Instructor Yu paused and said, "Student He Shu will go back to school directly tomorrow, so don't worry."
On the other side, He Shu had already left the military camp and was taken away by Instructor Qi.
Seeing that the car had returned to the city and had not stopped yet, He Shu became a little impatient: "Coach Qi, where are we going?"
"Go home and meet your grandpa before returning to school."
He Shu was stunned and looked at Qi Zhijun who was driving.
Although he knew that his grandfather's family lived in Dadu, he never thought that the person he met with the surname Qi might be his relative.
What else did He Shu not understand at this moment? It turned out that this special military training was all because of him.
He Shu turned his head and looked forward. Qi Zhijun didn't say anything else. The two of them drove in silence all the way to the gate of a large courtyard with guard posts .
The roadblock was lifted, and Qi Zhijun drove the car directly into the yard, passing by a row of low buildings, and finally stopped at the door of a two-story building.
There is a small courtyard around the building, separated by a fence, where some green vegetables and onions are planted.
If there weren't people standing guard outside, this place would be no different from where ordinary people live.
Qi Zhijun got out of the car and saw He Shu sitting motionless in the car, so he opened the door.
"Your aunt said you don't like coming here, but now that you're here, how come you don't even have the courage ?"
He Shu took a deep breath, got out of the car, and when he looked up again, there was an old man with silver hair at the door.
"Are you back?" The old man was holding a cane in his hand. He looked very old but in good spirits and not hunched over.
Qi Zhijun had experienced He Shu's tactfulness long ago, so he stretched out his hand and pushed him, causing He Shu to stagger forward a few steps.
The old man glared at Qi Zhijun, and Qi Zhijun retracted his foot that was about to kick out.
To be honest, the atmosphere was awkward when I met my grandfather for the first time.
He Shu couldn't pronounce the word "grandfather", but the old man didn't care. He looked at him carefully, then reached out and patted He Shu's arm: "Come in first."
The decoration inside the small building is not very luxurious. There is a living room at the entrance with ordinary sofas and chairs that look old.
The most obvious thing is the portrait of a great man hanging on the wall. There is a row of bookshelves in the middle of the living room, dividing the entire large living room into two halves, and it is not clear what is inside.
There are some models, souvenirs and some books on the shelves.
"Xiaoshu, sit down."
The old man pulled He Shu to sit on the sofa, with a kind smile on his face, and kept looking at He Shu.
His hands never loosened, and they were trembling slightly, perhaps because he was too excited or because he was old.
Qi Zhijun sat on a chair beside him, took off his camouflage hat, scratched his head and looked at the ground.
Before in the military camp, Qi Zhijun had always worn camouflage uniform and a hat. When he took it off, He Shu discovered that his hair had turned gray.
"You look a lot like your mother."
The old man kept stroking He Shu's hands. After 20 days of military training, He Shu's hands had become rough.
But compared to this hand holding mine, which is full of age spots and wrinkles, it still looks so delicate.
"Xiao Shu, I know you have complaints against the Qi family, blaming us for not helping your mother when she was sick."
He Shu lowered his head and remained silent. What's the point of saying this now?
"Come with me, I will tell you about the Qi family. After you finish listening, whether you choose to stay and talk to Grandpa or want to leave immediately, Grandpa will never stop you."
The old man pulled He Shu up and took him around the bookshelves and into the small hall.
There is a fireplace in this small hall, an old-fashioned one from long ago, and on the wide table above the fireplace there are many photos.
The old man pulled He Shu closer and introduced them to him one by one.
"This is your grandmother. She suffered a lot when she was young. At that time, your grandfather was always in the army and rarely came home."
He Shu looked at the old black-and-white photo that was carefully framed. The grandmother in the photo was also very beautiful. It turned out that his mother's eyes were inherited from his grandmother.
"Grandma raised your mother, your two uncles and your aunt all by herself. Unfortunately, after her children grew up, she passed away before she could enjoy a few years of happiness."
"When your mother got married, your grandmother didn't agree. I think you should understand why now."
"She was not in good health at that time. Later, your second uncle died in the line of duty. Your grandmother could not bear the shock and died with him..."
Second uncle? He Shu looked at another photo beside him. The man in military uniform looked no more than 30 years old and looked a bit like Qi Zhijun.
"Your second uncle had just gotten married at that time and didn't have any children yet."
"This, this is your brother, my grandson, his name is Qi Guangxing..." The old man choked up when he mentioned Qi Guangxing.
"When he left, he was only two years older than you."
The young face in the photo shocked He Shu: "This is..."
"He's your uncle's son." The old man knew what he was going to ask.
He Shu couldn't help but turn his head. Qi Zhijun's figure looked unreal through the bookshelf.
The old man then introduced He Shu to the other people in the photo, all of whom were relatives and elders of the Qi family.
"He Shu, I am the only one left in my generation of the Qi family, your uncle and your aunt are the only ones left in your generation, and you are the only one left in your generation..."
"I'm old and won't live for many more years. Your uncle is fifty years old. Four generations of the Qi family have been in the army, and now there is no one to take over..."
The old man patted He Shu's shoulder and said, "Grandpa doesn't want you to do anything, I just hope you can understand and forgive us."
"During those years, bad news came one after another from our family. First, it was your second uncle, your grandmother, and then your brother Guangxing..."
"He Shu, grandpa really didn't take you into consideration at that time. I always thought your mother was still living a good life with you."
"I was also angry when she left home without listening to us, but then I thought, what's wrong with being an ordinary person? At least I can live a good life. Who would have thought that she would..."
He Shu couldn't remain calm anymore after listening to the old man's words.
It turned out that things were not as I thought. My grandparents didn't care about my mother's life or death just because they thought she didn't listen to the family's arrangements.
Looking at these photos, each one represents a life that was once vibrant.
The various military medals and certificates in front of these photos represent all the contributions they have made and the traces of their existence in this world.
