Chapter 677: You'd Better Pray You Also Have a Well-Connected Lady on Your Side

“Ring, ring, ring!”

A sudden urgent ringing of the telephone interrupted the heavy silence.

“Excuse me, I need to take this call.”

Zhao Yimeng answered the call, “Hello, this is Zhao Yimeng.”

Kangle originally thought it was just an ordinary call, but in a moment, Zhao Yimeng’s face turned as cold as ice.

“Wang Wenxi’s mother is in the hospital? The hospital won’t admit her because they can’t pay the admission fee?”

“Alright, I understand. Thank you.”

After hanging up, Zhao Yimeng turned to his secretary and instructed:

“Get in touch with them on my behalf and make sure the old lady gets the best care available!”

“Oh, and while you’re at it, find out how their only remaining son is doing recently.”

“Yes!”

After the secretary left, Kangle couldn’t help but ask, “Commander, only remaining… what does that mean?”

Zhao Yimeng sighed deeply and said:

“The deputy platoon leader’s wife died in the line of duty. His daughter, who was a doctor, also died in service helping in an epidemic-affected area that year.”

Gasp!

Before Kangle could ask more, Zhao Yimeng’s story was reaching its end.

——

That afternoon, Li Hai arrived in a whirlwind on his bicycle.

As soon as he saw me, he didn’t even bother to steady his bicycle before exclaiming excitedly:

“Unbelievable! Truly unbelievable!”

I didn’t quite understand what he meant, nor why he was so excited.

“It’s ‘Xiaobeiping’! The family of ‘Xiaobeiping’ has been found!”

Seeing my confusion, Li Hai added an explanation.

“Where?!”

I was a little excited too: “Zhang Hailiang’s family came to the platoon?”

“You guess first, the heroic soldier ‘Xiaobeiping’ of our platoon, who is Martyr Zhang Hailiang…”

Li Hai looked at me mysteriously: “Guess who his father is?”

I shook my head.

There are so many people in Huaxia; guessing one is like finding a needle in a haystack. Who could guess that?

“It’s Lieutenant General Lei! Zhang Hailiang is Lieutenant General Lei’s son!”

“What?!”

God knows how shocked I was the moment I heard this news.

Once I calmed down a bit, I quickly asked: “Lieutenant General Lei’s surname is Lei, how come his son is named Zhang?”

“Lieutenant General Lei’s wife is surnamed Zhang; his son takes his mother’s surname.”

Li Hai continued excitedly: “I heard from an officer in the regiment that Lieutenant General Lei has three children, but only one son. Lei is an upright man and didn’t want people to guess ‘Xiaobeiping’ was his son, so he took his mother’s surname.”

After saying that, he suddenly asked me: “Wait, wasn’t the commander supposed to come to our platoon? Why isn’t he here yet?”

“I haven’t seen him.”

“That’s strange.” Li Hai was puzzled: “The commander was at the regiment headquarters today, and when he left, he said he was coming to our second platoon.”

“I then rushed back here in a hurry, it shouldn’t be like this.”

Li Hai and I went out, looked around several places, but saw no sign of him.

“It’s said that Lieutenant General Lei has long known that his son was killed, but until today, he hadn’t told his wife.”

Li Hai paused, his tone becoming somber: “Comrade Hailiang left behind a will; it was found in his shirt pocket when the Martyrs Reception Team was organizing his remains.”

“However, at that time, the will only bore the name ‘Hailiang’, so no one would have thought he was the son of Lieutenant General Lei. The original will is with Lieutenant General Lei; I heard he didn’t eat for two days after seeing it.”

Just then, a horn sound was heard.

It was Lieutenant General Lei’s designated vehicle, but he was not in it.

The driver told us that Lieutenant General Lei had gone to the Martyrs’ Cemetery first and would come here shortly.

Li Hai and I hurried along the newly paved road to the newly built Martyrs’ Cemetery.

Approaching, we saw Lieutenant General Lei silently mourning in front of the tombstone that read ‘Zhang Hailiang Martyr’s Tomb’.

After a moment, he quietly stepped back, solemnly raising his right hand to salute his son resting here!

It took a while for Lieutenant General Lei’s hand to slowly fall.

Li Hai and I walked over gently, only to find Lieutenant General Li already crying uncontrollably, his face covered in tears.

With a hoarse voice, Lieutenant General Lei said, “I have a favor to ask, replace the tombstone and change the character ‘Zhang’ to ‘Lei’…”

Tears were streaming down my face as I nodded in agreement.

At this time, Li Hai, who had been transferred to the regiment, following his own specialty, took out his camera to take a propaganda photo, only to be stopped by Lieutenant General Lei.

“When publicizing Hailiang, be truthful.”

“Yes!” Li Hai replied while standing at attention.

“Don’t make any fuss about Hailiang’s surname, continue referring to him as Zhang Kailiang in reports.”

“Yes!”

“Also, do not mention my name in the reports; Hailiang is Hailiang. Don’t use Hailiang’s honor to flatter me.”

“Yes!”

“Regarding the issue of Deputy Platoon Leader Wang Wenxi not being credited with any achievements, Zhao Yimeng, give me a report.”

“Yes!” I also stood at attention and responded.

“I want to see it within three days.”

“Yes!”

“I have reviewed the relevant materials. Wang Wenxi fought very well.”

“Yes!”

“Alright, you two head back first.” Lieutenant General Lei looked at us: “I want to be alone here for a while…”

Li Hai and I left the Martyrs’ Cemetery.

After walking a few dozen steps, we glanced back, only to see the commander crouched beside Hailiang’s tomb, one hand placed on the tombstone, his figure desolate.

Taking a few more steps forward, we could faintly hear the commander’s sobbing.

——

After a long silence, Zhao Yimeng spoke with a choked voice:

“Later, I helped the platoon leader clear his debts, allowing him to leave this life with a clear conscience.”

“I have always considered the parents of the platoon leader and the deputy platoon leader as my parents. The first thing I do every month after receiving my salary is to write them a letter and send some money.”

“I am of course able to give them more money, but I did not do so, because I know they do not care for such money.”

“The reason I do this is to provide them with some spiritual comfort, at least a little bit of solace…”

At that moment, Zhao Yimeng’s shoulders shook, and tears started to fall.

“Ring, ring, ring!”

Just then, the phone’s ringing sounded again.

Zhao Yimeng wiped away his tears, slightly adjusted his mood, and answered the call.

The moment he held the receiver to his ear, an eccentric voice brimming with vigor came through:

“Master Zhao, Lieutenant General Zhao! You found ways to get into the second platoon back then, you’d have been better off just quitting the military!”

Zhao Yimeng was taken aback: “Li Hai, what do you mean by this?”

“Perhaps from where you are seated, it’s hard to see what the ground looks like?”

“You should look down and see for yourself. Even I have heard that the deputy platoon leader’s son was bullied, and you don’t have a clue!”

“You might as well have been a deserter; perhaps then Deputy Platoon Leader Wang Wenxi wouldn’t have died, and his son wouldn’t have been bullied!”