pdf-ebookys Chapter 415 Long-lasting memories
Chapter 415 Long-lasting memories
Someone rekindled his long-buried memories, and Lao Guo walked to the corner and took down the old-fashioned rifle that had been polished to a shine.
"Young man, you have a good eye." Old Guo gently stroked the gun, his tone filled with undisguised pride. "This isn't just any gun; I brought this back from Xifengkou back in the day! Got a cigarette? Give me one."
"Xifengkou? You...you're from the 29th Army?" Wang Ergou's hand, which was about to reach for a cigarette, froze in mid-air. His Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty. His gaze was fixed on Lao Guo's deeply furrowed palms and the mottled marks on the butt of his rifle. After a long while, he stupidly handed over the cigarette, his eyes full of reverence.
Li Xiangyang was the same; it took him a while to react. He pulled out a matchbox from his pocket, the rustling sound of firewood rubbing against the tin foil particularly clear. As the flame leaped up, he carefully protected it and gently presented it to Lao Guo, as if afraid that even a wisp of wind might extinguish this flame that carried his respect.
The rifle's metal parts gleamed coldly, contrasting with the flickering flames, silently recounting an unforgettable history.
Old Guo smiled and nodded, a look of reminiscence in his eyes: "Back then, I was a company commander in the infantry. That battle was..."
Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise and admiration in each other's eyes.
The Battle of Xifengkou was one of the most brutal battles in the early stages of the War of Resistance against Japan. Those who survived that battle were all heroes among heroes.
"Back then, our equipment was terrible. The whole company only had a few broken guns, and ammunition was extremely scarce," Lao Guo recalled slowly. "But the Japanese had planes, artillery, tanks—everything."
He stood up and gestured in the middle of the room: "What I remember most clearly is that night when several of us from different regiments went up the mountain in the dark and fought the Japanese hand-to-hand."
Old Guo's voice was deep and powerful, as if he had returned to that war-torn night: "Don't be fooled by the Japanese soldiers' long-range shooting; once they get close, they're nothing. Back then, I could take them down with a single stroke..."
Li Xiangyang could picture the scene—in the pitch-black night, Chinese soldiers wielding broadswords, engaging in a life-or-death struggle with well-equipped Japanese troops.
What courage and determination that took!
As Lao Guo recounted his story, scenes of blood and fire unfolded in the small wooden cabin.
The fierce battle at Xifengkou, the defense of Nantianmen, and the ambush at Pingxingguan—Old Guo's voice, sometimes low and sometimes high, brought that era of smoke and fire back to life for the two of them.
Li Xiangyang listened silently, his respect for the old man growing ever stronger.
Wang Ergou listened with rapt attention, repeatedly exclaiming, "Old Guo, you are truly a hero! And what happened next?"
Old Guo seemed to realize something, and changed the subject: "Later, well, it was just fighting and fighting, all the way until Japan surrendered..."
"And then, you..." Li Xiangyang asked tentatively.
Old Guo's expression suddenly froze; he didn't even notice the cigarette ash falling on his pants.
The room fell silent for a moment, with only the crackling of the burning firewood in the stove.
"And then..." Old Guo sighed deeply, his voice lowering, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, "And then..."
He looked up at the two men, then gave a self-deprecating laugh: "Me? I'm a sinner, too. Back then, the Japanese didn't kill me, but I almost died a humiliating death..."
As he spoke, he lifted his shirt, revealing a hideous scar on his chest.
"Later, seeing that the situation had stabilized, I settled down in these mountains, hunting and gathering herbs..."
Silence fell in the room once again.
Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou exchanged a glance, unsure how to respond.
Old Guo seemed to see through their thoughts, and waved his hand with a wry smile: "Don't worry, I'm not a spy. I'm just an old soldier who fled for my life. Over the years, I've watched the country get better day by day, and I feel at ease. It's just... it's just that I'm getting old, and I always want to go back to my hometown to see it, but I'm also afraid..."
His voice grew softer and softer until it was almost just a murmur.
Li Xiangyang felt a mix of emotions.
The wheels of history have rolled on, and neither the glory won nor the mistakes made are things he can judge.
"Old Guo, you fought to protect our country, that was commendable," Li Xiangyang said sincerely. "That's all in the past. The country is doing very well now, and no one will make things difficult for you."
Old Guo looked up at him, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes, but it quickly faded: "Young man, you don't understand. Some things can't be settled. I'm afraid I'll spend my whole life in these mountains."
After holding it in for a long time, Wang Ergou finally couldn't help but ask, "Old Guo, can't you really go home? With your deeds, even if you've made mistakes..."
Old Guo was silent for a moment, then sighed, "Ah, never mind, I won't trouble my children and grandchildren. You all get some rest, I'll take you down the mountain tomorrow."
After he finished speaking, he got up and walked to the small bed in the corner, lying down with his back to the two of them.
The only light left in the room was the warm glow of the stove. Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou sat down against the wall, looking at each other in silence.
The flames gradually dimmed, and only the breathing of the three people remained inside the room.
As night deepened, the sound of wind and snow subsided, and the warmth of the fireplace enveloped the simple wooden house.
In his drowsy state, Li Xiangyang seemed to hear Lao Guo murmuring something again, perhaps talking to his fallen comrades, or perhaps just a lonely old man talking to himself.
The next morning, as the sky began to lighten in the east, Li Xiangyang was awakened by a slight noise.
When I opened my eyes, I saw that Lao Guo had already gotten up and was packing his backpack.
"Awake?" Old Guo noticed Li Xiangyang's gaze and said in a low voice, "I'm going to take you down the mountain before it's fully light."
Li Xiangyang gently nudged Wang Ergou beside him: "Ergou, get up."
Wang Ergou rubbed his eyes and sat up. When he saw Lao Guo packing his things, he quickly woke up and hurriedly got up to help.
Old Guo took down the hunting rifle that had witnessed blood and fire from the wall, and then took out several packets of dried meat and a small bottle of medicinal wine from the cabinet: "This is for the road; it's cold in the mountains, and the medicinal wine will warm you up."
Li Xiangyang gratefully accepted the package and quickly organized his equipment with Wang Ergou.
Before long, the three of them began their descent down the mountain.
The mountain forest was shrouded in a thin mist in the early morning, and the snow-covered ground shimmered in the morning light.
Old Guo walked ahead, and despite his advanced age, his steps were still steady and powerful, clearly showing that his years of living in the mountains had given him extraordinary physical strength.
"Old Guo, you really know this mountain path well," Wang Ergou exclaimed as they walked.
Without turning his head, Lao Guo said, "After living here for a while, you naturally get used to it; you could walk with your eyes closed."
He pointed to a barely visible path ahead. "This is an animal trail. Follow it, and you'll reach the village at the foot of the mountain in two hours."
The three of them continued along the animal trail, and the surrounding forest gradually opened up, with the snow becoming much shallower.
"Mr. Guo, aren't you lonely living alone in the mountains?" Li Xiangyang couldn't help but ask.
Old Guo paused for a moment, then said softly, "I'm used to it. I've seen too much when I was young..."
He paused, carefully choosing his words, "Too many things I shouldn't have seen. Now I actually prefer this quiet. There are animals, trees, and streams in the mountains—that's enough."