Siheyuan: The beauty Xueru Huizhen, the birds are jealous

During the long journey, Yang Ming, Lao Ma and Gao Yu were experiencing another kind of hardship.

The car was moving forward in a bumpy manner. The air was filled with a faint smell of blood, which attracted the wolves to linger in the distance but did not dare to approach.

Yang Ming looked at the wild wolves and couldn't help but sigh: "I'm afraid these wolves will become protected animals in the future." The changes of the times made everything seem so incredible.

Yang Ming's legs were numb from the long ride, and he couldn't help asking, "Old Ma, how long will it take us to get there?"

Lao Ma turned around, his eyes full of comfort: "It's almost there, just hold on a little longer."

Gao Yu also joined in, talking about the difficulties of the journey, the desolation of the saline-alkali land, the vastness of the desert, each of which tested their will and determination.

Yi Zhonghai's confusion, Qin Huairu's persistence, the discussions in the courtyard, the hardships and difficulties on the journey...all of these constitute a microcosm of the lives of ordinary people in the context of that era.

"We need to find a place with water to rest. The sun makes us dizzy." Lao Ma wiped the sweat from his forehead and suggested.

Yang Ming and Gao Yu nodded in agreement, their eyes simultaneously falling on the winding canal in the distance.

The canal, like a silver ribbon, weaved through the green fields, guiding them forward.

As we get closer, the sound of gurgling water in the canal becomes clearer, as if it is the most gentle call of nature.

They walked along the canal and occasionally saw some ancient karez, which were the crystallization of the wisdom of their ancestors and their only navigation at the moment.

"There are so many farms here. Where exactly is our piece of land?" Gao Yu looked around, confused.

Old Ma smiled bitterly and shook his head: "I am also completely in the dark. It's all based on luck."

It was noon, when the sun was at its hottest. The encounter between the three men and the wolves had left them exhausted, not to mention that their stomachs were already growling with hunger.

Yang Ming stopped and took out a few eggs and some shriveled steamed bread from his backpack: "Let's eat something first. If we continue like this, we will all collapse."

When Lao Ma and Gao Yu heard this, their eyes suddenly lit up, as if they had seen a savior.

They sat together, and while Yang Ming was distributing food, he talked about the kind-hearted person he met when he was buying eggs in town: "The lady saw that I was carrying so many things by myself, so she gave me a few extra eggs, saying that they were for me to eat on the way." His words were full of gratitude.

Hearing this, Lao Ma smacked his lips and said, "Alas, I'm not that lucky. I was busy on the road and got nothing."

As he said this, he did not forget to tease Yang Ming: "You kid, you usually look quiet, but you can be quite friendly at critical moments."

Gao Yu smiled and took out a small bag of coarse salt from his bag and sprinkled it on the steamed buns. The three of them ate their food simply and contentedly.

Although the food was little, the warmth and solidarity made them feel more fulfilled than ever before.

After the meal, Yang Ming pulled out a handful of White Rabbit candies from his backpack like a magician. In that era of scarcity, this was undoubtedly a luxury among luxuries. Old Ma and Gao Yu were surprised, but more reluctant: "This... This is such a waste."

"It's okay, eat it, we rarely have the chance to enjoy it." Yang Ming generously shared the candy with them. The candy slowly melted in their mouths, and the sweetness seemed to dispel all the fatigue and anxiety.

During the chat, Yang Ming curiously asked about Lao Ma's age. Lao Ma pondered for a moment and smiled, "I'm old, I can't remember clearly, anyway, I have been traveling around with the army since I can remember."

When he said this, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes, which was a remembrance of the past years.

"I also participated in the Battle of the Yalu River. At that time..."

However, when the words came to his lips, Lao Ma suddenly stopped and shook his head: "There is nothing to say, it's all in the past."

Yang Ming and Gao Yu looked at each other and could see curiosity and respect for Lao Ma's unfinished story. They knew that some memories needed to be buried deep in their hearts.

Inside the car, Yang Ming, Lao Ma and Gao Yu were silent, each immersed in their own thoughts.

Lao Ma, the old soldier who retired from the battlefield, always has a look of vicissitudes that is hard to detect. He always chooses to avoid talking about the topic of fighting, as if those days have gone with the wind and he doesn't want to be mentioned again.

"This wind is so cold." Yang Ming tightened his coat and shivered involuntarily.

His thoughts drifted back to the past, to the days when he fought side by side with his comrades, especially Platoon Leader Du and Squad Leader Hao. They all had stories, and if their stories were not passed on, they would probably be forgotten by time.

Suddenly, a strange sound penetrated the silent night sky, coming from far away and getting clearer and clearer, making Yang Ming's heart tighten.

"Stop the car!" he shouted almost instinctively, with unquestionable determination in his voice.

Lao Ma and Gao Yu reacted quickly, and the three of them entered a state of alert almost at the same time, their hands unconsciously reaching for the weapons around them.

"What's that sound?" Lao Ma asked in a low voice, looking around sharply.

"I don't know, but it's definitely not a good sign." Yang Ming stared at the front, trying to catch something in the darkness. As the sound approached, Lao Ma judged based on his years of experience: "It's the sound of horse hooves, and there are quite a lot of them."

Before he finished speaking, a group of cavalry appeared like ghosts in the halo of car lights. Leading them was a tall and well-equipped man, Captain Mu of the farm guard.

He rode over with a heroic and concerned look on his face: "Lao Ma, Gao Yu, are you all right?"

"Captain Mu, you've come at the right time. We were worried about you." Lao Ma breathed a sigh of relief and went to greet him.

Captain Mu glanced inside the car and noticed Yang Ming. After a moment of surprise, he nodded politely: "Who is this?"

"Oh, this is Mr. Yang mentioned by the director, Yang Ming." Lao Ma introduced.

"Teacher Yang, nice to meet you." Captain Mu extended his hand, with a hint of respect in his voice.

"Shut up, everyone. We've wasted so much time. There's a town ahead. We can take a break now."

Changqing is their leader and everyone obeys his orders.

Chang Lan didn't waste any words and got into the driver's seat directly. He saw the girl through the rearview mirror and said, "I can help you, but I can't send a girl here for no reason."

They drove the girl away because there was only one girl and the vigilance on her face made people mistakenly believe that there was a witch in the carriage.

“She is a good friend of mine and she saved my life last night.

If you want to take me away, you have to take her away." There are often some wild animals here, especially yesterday, when he saw a giant python.