Back to 80: My Literary Life

Everyone gathered around the bonfire and watched the girls from the art troupe dancing and singing. The last few writers with lively personalities also started singing and dancing as they pleased.

But this time, Fang Minghua didn't move. He just sat by the bonfire and quietly watched them singing and dancing.

The bonfire party ended two hours later, and everyone went back. After Fang Minghua returned to the guest house room, he began to pack his things. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. He opened it and saw that it was a soldier on duty.

"Writer Fang, someone is looking for you outside."

Fang Minghua put on his coat and went out of the reception gate, and saw a girl standing at the door.

It's Song Tangtang.

Seeing Fang Minghua come out, Song Tangtang came up to him and handed him a book: "This is the book I borrowed from you during the Chinese New Year. I will return it to you after I finish reading it."

Fang Minghua took it and looked at it in the moonlight.

"Selected Poems of Pushkin"

"Fang Minghua, can we just take a walk?" Song Tangtang invited.

Fang Minghua nodded, and the two of them walked aimlessly along the path in front of the guest house.

The moonlight was cold, unknown insects were chirping in the grass on the roadside, and the whole summer night seemed very quiet.

Finally, Fang Minghua broke the silence: "Is Brother Zhou going to change jobs and go back to his hometown?"

"Well, his arm is gone and he can't stay in the art troupe. His superiors have approved his change of career. He is expected to leave soon."

"Hey" Fang Minghua sighed deeply.

Song Tangtang stopped and turned to look at him: "Fang Minghua, do you feel guilty? Do you think it was Brother Zhou who protected you that made you hurt?"

Fang Minghua nodded, this was a knot that he had been unable to open in his heart.

"Then let me tell you, no! The mortar bomb exploded near you. You fell into the ditch and were fortunately not injured. But Brother Zhou was not so lucky. A piece of shrapnel penetrated directly into the brachial artery of his left arm. The wound became infected again, so the leg had to be amputated in the end," Song Tangtang said.

Oh I got it.

"Song Tangtang, you don't know, this time I came to southern Xinjiang, especially going to the front line to express condolences with you, I was deeply touched." Fang Minghua said with emotion.

"how?"

"Life is really fragile."

"Yes, it is common to be injured or even die here. We are all mentally prepared and have even written suicide notes."

"You wrote it too?"

"Yes, it's written for my parents. It's on the bottom of my personal box in my dormitory. One day, my parents will see it when they sort out their belongings."

"I don't want to see that day." Fang Minghua said softly.

"I don't hope either, but some things are not your choice, right, Fang Minghua?" The girl looked at him.

"But there are things we can choose."

"for example?"

"Cherish the people, things and all the beautiful things now. Since we are still alive, let's live well without hesitation or regret." Fang Minghua said.

Song Tangtang fell into silence after hearing this.

"Is this topic too heavy? Then let's talk about something lighter." Fang Minghua smiled again.

"Um?"

"I gained a lot from this trip to southern Xinjiang. I will start writing when I get back. I will also write you into my novel."

"Ah? No! What do I have to write about?" Song Tangtang said.

"You are kind, brave, smart, compassionate, and very romantic. You are a very good dancer. Of course I have to write about you." Fang Minghua said with a smile: "But this is a novel, so it must be processed and fictionalized. It is not entirely true. The real you."

"Write Yang Xiaohong in too? She is a very lively girl who loves to talk and laugh. But I didn't expect this time."

"Don't worry, I will. I am writing about your entire art troupe, including Brother Zhou. I will include it."

"Then tell me, will anyone watch?" Song Tangtang asked.

"Of course I will. I want to write about you all beautifully. Maybe someone will make it into a movie in the future." Fang Minghua said with a smile.

"Really?"

"Of course, you dance so beautifully, it will definitely look good in photos."

"Really? You like watching us dance?"

"Yeah, especially your solo dance."

"How about I dance for you now?" Song Tangtang suddenly stopped and looked at Fang Minghua. The bright moonlight just shone on her face, and her eyes were bright.

"OK."

Song Tangtang stood in the middle of the path, made a hand gesture, turned his head and said to Fang Minghua: "Then you have to sing with me!"

"What song?"

""Ode to Red Plum Blossoms", I like listening to this song very much."

"good!"

Red plum blossoms bloom on red rocks

Thousands of miles of frost underfoot

Why should we be afraid of the severe cold?

A heart of loyalty opens to the sun, opens to the sun

While Fang Minghua sang, Song Tangtang started to dance.

Many years later, Fang Minghua still recalled this summer night. Under the cold moonlight, on a small road in southern Xinjiang, a girl danced gracefully, like a beautiful elf singing and dancing for him. This scene has always been fresh in his memory.

Early the next morning, Fang Minghua and the others packed their luggage and took a minibus to Greentown, the provincial capital. He originally wanted to say goodbye to Zhou Shunlai, but there was no chance.

See you back in Xijing.

After a bumpy journey to the guest house of the Green City Military Division, someone had already bought train tickets for them back to the city. Fang Minghua would get on the train back to Xijing tomorrow.

Li Cunbao left earlier, taking the evening train, and Fang Minghua specially followed the military subdivision car to take him to the train station.

"Xiao Fang, I'm a guest in Shandong Province that day, and I'd like to treat you to a drink of our Lanling wine! You have a good drinking capacity, haha." Li Cunbao said with a smile.

Tonight's dinner, in order to celebrate the successful conclusion of the interview, the leaders of the military division specially prepared wine for them. Fang Minghua and Li Cunbao drank evenly, and both of them had red faces.

"Definitely, definitely. Brother Li, don't forget to come see me when you come to Xijing on a business trip. I'll treat you to our Xifeng. It tastes good too."

"Haha, look at us, others wish each other good articles, but we treat each other to drinks." Li Cunbao said with a smile.

"Brother Li, you will definitely write a masterpiece!" Fang Minghua complimented.

"I can't call it a masterpiece, but I will write it seriously." Li Cunbao's expression became serious: "I gained a lot from this trip to southern Xinjiang. There are so many heroic and tragic touching stories that are worthy of our writing."

"Yeah." Fang Minghua nodded.

"Okay, bye! I hope to see your article in the magazine soon!"

Li Cunbao strode into the waiting room carrying his old travel bag.

The next morning, Fang Minghua also boarded the train to Xijing.

After another day and night of climbing over mountains and ridges, we finally arrived at Xijing Station the next morning.

Fang Minghua followed the crowd out of the station with his travel bag and stood on the square in front of the train station. Not far away was the ancient city wall.

People were coming and going in the square, including those selling maps and those pushing bicycles selling popsicles. It was very lively.

Thinking of the smoke filled with gunfire in southern Xinjiang, Fang Minghua suddenly felt like a dream.

In times of peace, cherish it.

Fang Minghua took the bus back to the family courtyard of the magazine. As soon as he got to the Tongzi Building, his mother came out of the room and felt heartbroken when she saw him.

"Look, you've become darker, you've lost weight, and you've suffered a lot, right?"

"It's okay. I live in a guest house and eat rice every day. Why do I suffer? It's just that the sun in southern Xinjiang is a bit poisonous." Fang Minghua looked relaxed.

"That's good, that's good."

Hey, luckily my mother didn't know that she was on the front line and almost couldn't come back. Wouldn't she faint from the shock?

However, the leaders of the club found out about this matter.

Thanks to cjll for the reward, t1018, and Primeval Forest d for their monthly votes.