preface
In 1941, german fascists were opening their bloody mouths, stretching out their greedy iron claws, and approaching the Soviet Union step by step, and the real shadow hung over all of Moscow.
He Zizhen and other comrades sent by the Communist Party to the Soviet Union to study and treat diseases are preparing to return to China one by one. At this time, He Zizhen decided to stay in the Soviet Union. The reason why she did not want to return to China was because she did not want to recall the sad past again, did not want to see the chairman with Jiang Qing again, at least emotionally she could not accept it.
Pictured| Mao Zedong and He Zizhen
Petite began to realize that her mother was a tired mother
At the time when the comrades-in-arms were leaving one by one, in June 1941, the German-Soviet War broke out, and some comrades were scattered by the German army on the way back home, and they were exiled on the Sino-Soviet border for several months, suffering a lot before returning to the motherland.
But they were much luckier than those who stayed. The rapid advance of the German army soon approached the city of Moscow, and they surrounded Moscow with heavy troops. Muscovites ate very little bread a day, and many starved to death. Some comrades who had come from China and did not leave also starved to death.
Before the German army encircled Moscow, the Moscow government and citizens were evacuated urgently, the Eastern University had been suspended, and the International Children's Institute was moved to Ivanov City. He Zizhen, Jiaojiao, and her two brothers, Kishi Ying and Kishi Qing, who did not return to China, all came to Ivanov City with the International Children's Hospital.
Before the evacuation of the children's hospital, Jiaojiao saw the bombing of Moscow. German planes, like locusts, dropped bombs over the city of Moscow one after another, shattering the glass of many houses. What was even more frightening was the piercing sound of air defense sirens, which rang day and night, making people nervous and unable to calm down.
Picture 丨He Zizhen
Jiaojiao (Li Min) once saw a bomb explode near her residence, and the building where her best friend in the Soviet Union, her little brother in Spain, lived collapsed, and she never saw this good friend again. Later, her mother told her that her little Spanish brother might have been killed, and Jiaojiao was sad for a long time.
Ivanov is a cold world of ice and snow, with no snow and ice all year round, and temperatures of minus forty or fifty degrees. People here wear thick, long fur coats and deep fur hats.
After staying outside for a long time, you will become numb and unconscious. In winter, Jiaojiao plays outside the house with her good friends, freezing her nose, ears, hands and feet, which does not matter, she is afraid of freezing white. As soon as the ears and nose turn white, something bad is going to happen, and you have to rub it with snow until it turns red, otherwise these organs will die.
The Party of the USSR put forward the slogan that everything is for the front, supporting the front, serving the front, which is the main task of the Soviet people who remain in the rear, including foreign nationals living in the USSR.
The previous allowance of 60 rupees per month has been suspended, and the supply of all daily necessities has also stopped. He Zizhen, along with other Chinese comrades who remained in the Soviet Union, had to fend for themselves and earn money to buy rations.
Chairman Mao (Yan'an, 1936)
The general task of women is to knit sweaters, and the quota is to knit one sweater per month and three pairs of socks per week. He Zizhen's work of weaving wool was difficult for Her, who learned to knit wool in her manual labor class when she was studying in the women's department of the Yongxin Gospel School in her hometown.
Here I send down the knit sweater, the thread of the wool socks is relatively thick, relatively easy to beat. But because of the large number, it is not so easy to complete these tasks on time. Jiaojiao often found that she had slept and woken up, and her mother was still sitting in the bed knitting socks. When I woke up, my mother was still sitting knitting sweaters or socks.
In this way, it was slowly woven and woven, and the petite also grew up. The gradually sensible petite began to find that her mother was a tired mother.
Hunger plagued them
The most serious difficulty, however, is hunger. In the SOVIET UNION, children were traditionally given special care. In a war environment of extreme food scarcity, petite and his two brothers living in the International Children's Home can eat 500 grams of white bread every day, sometimes a little potato, of course meat is impossible, which is already preferential.
He Zizhen, on the other hand, can only ration 300 grams of coarse and hard black bread a day, no side food, no oil and water. This bit of rations, not to mention to be divided into two meals, even one meal He Zizhen can not eat enough.
Pictured| He Zizhen and Li Min
Once, she was so hungry that she took a day's rations and walked out of the store without a few steps, and ate all three bites and two bites.
In the beginning, the petite was still small, and this ration could fill her belly. But her two brothers who were growing bodies were not enough, and the two young men often came to Mother He's side with hungry stomachs to find food.
He Zizhen has always been generous and considerate of others. Her comrades-in-arms described her: "As long as it is He Zizhen's things, anyone can use it with her." "And it is.
She looked at the two very hungry children, and she couldn't bear it, so she had to cut some out of her poor ration and leave it for them to eat. She also took the petite rations home from the International Children's Hospital and ate them with the petite herself, while her own rations were given to the two big brothers. At this time, the mother in the eyes of the delicate is a tired and hungry mother.
In order to fill his stomach, He Zizhen not only played sweaters, but also opened up the wilderness to grow vegetables. In the years of the war, the Soviet people in the rear used this method to supplement the shortage of food supplies.
Dragging the weak body, she used her hoe to cut open the hard ground like a stone little by little, breaking it up and piling it into two vegetable beds. The two boys often come to help after school and on holidays.
Pictured chairman Mao and Li Min
Savvy locals know how to make full use of the land they have opened to grow between crops and eat vegetables from stubble to stubble. He Zizhen, who did not understand the life of crops, planted carrots on both vegetable furrows in the first year, and the fertilizer was also insufficient, and the carrots that grew out were small like small rats that had just been born.
It is also these carrots that do not grow up that bring a lot of sweetness and joy to the delicate life. In the war years, white sugar was an extremely rare luxury, and the sweet and crisp carrot became a substitute for white sugar in the delicate heart.
The next year, He Zizhen had experience and planted amaranth, spinach, potatoes, and soybeans on the reserved land. The petite with a growing appetite stares at this land every day, hoping that the seedlings will emerge, grow up, and become delicious food.
In the days of war, not only food was scarce, but also salt. This necessity of life has become a luxury. He Zizhen boiled potatoes, often without salt, and boiled them in white water. This way of eating, for a long time, even if the stomach is very hungry, eating will feel sick.
Pictured: Li Min and Chairman Mao's father and daughter
At this time, she became a real housewife, working with sweaters, doing farm work, doing housework, washing and cooking. Day after day, it is these monotonous, ignorant, disturbing simple labors. Her plan when she stayed in the Soviet Union: to learn Russian well and find a job that suited her, all fell short.
Her hands were cracked one by one, and in many places there were pustules. In order not to appear out of place, she went with the flow and put on narrow high heels. Over time, her toes were severely deformed, and coupled with the fact that she worked all day as a farmer, her feet were also bulging and suppurated.
He Zizhen's body was as thin as a hemp pole. Every night I lay down on the bed, my whole body was like a loose shelf, and I couldn't get up again. But by the next day, she would still hold on to her thin body and work for her children.
Picture 丨 Revolution Memorial Hall's introduction to He Zizhen
At that time, the petite was too young to understand the difficulties and toils of her mother. She grabbed something to eat with her two brothers and secretly ate a small bag of salt that her mother had exchanged for her own potatoes.
Later, recalling this past, Jiaojiao said with emotion: "At that time, I couldn't manage so much at all, and I was young, and I only thought about my stomach before my stomach was full." Only after the stomach is full, will I think of my mother and others. So I think mom is great, she'd rather be hungry herself than have her children fed. ”
Petite felt that her mother did not love her anymore
It is often said that excessive fatigue can make people irritable. Busyness did not allow He Zizhen to forget the unpleasant past, but on the contrary, it increased her psychological burden. She buried the pain layer by layer in her heart, accumulating thicker and thicker, and the heavier and heavier, to the point where she could not bear it. Her liver fire is getting stronger and stronger, and she often loses her temper inexplicably, and her attitude towards petite has changed from petite to strict.
On this day, she actually started to beat the petite. It was a cold winter day, and in this small city where the wind and snow ravaged, there was so little for the children to play with. Outside, in addition to ice, it is snow.
Pictured he Zizhen and sister He Yi
One day, Jiaojiao and the children played a game of printing snow seals. The game is about children lying flat on the snow that no one has ever stepped on, with their hands outstretched, with their legs outstretched, lying flat on the snow and stamping their bodies high in the snow.
Then the other child took her hand and lifted her straight up. The requirements of this game are: the print should be clear and there should be no damage around the periphery.
The children discussed the competition, each printing a row to see who printed it beautifully and neatly. This game is fresh and fun for petite. She had a lot of fun.
When she got home, she excitedly told her mother about all this, and she thought her mother would be interested. Unexpectedly, when He Zizhen heard that there were two other boys, he suddenly changed his face and said with a straight face: "If you play this game with a group of boys, won't you blush?" ”
Picture 丨 Li Min and Li Ne
Of course, Jiaojiao did not agree with her mother's idea, so she argued with her mother, hoping to tell her mother the truth and get her mother's understanding. But what she did not expect was that her words actually angered her mother, and He Zizhen beat Jiaojiao for the first time.
The first time Jiaojiao was beaten, she was naturally very aggrieved. She burst into tears, but He Zizhen's anger grew. The louder the petite cried, the harder she hit.
Figure 丨 Li Min
Why did He Zizhen move so angrily? She felt that this was also for the good of her daughter. She felt that she had spoiled her daughter too much before, and now that her daughter had grown up and become wild. If this continues, it may ruin her daughter's life.
Having experienced many vicissitudes, she knows the complexity of society, the speculation of people's hearts, and the incidents of bullying and insulting young girls. If this phenomenon falls on her daughter, how can she be worthy of her daughter? How can we be worthy of Chairman Mao, who has traveled thousands of miles to send his daughter?
The more she thought about it, the more she felt regretful, hated herself for being confused, and was late to her daughter. Her fist landed on her daughter's body, hurting in her heart. Jiaojiao was already like a person who had nothing to do after crying, but He Zizhen couldn't help but cry.
Since then, He Zizhen has rarely smiled at Jiaojiao. She spoke to the petite, her face was flat, her tone was commanding, and there was no room for negotiation.
Li Min and Liu Siqi waited together
He Zizhen issued a death order not to allow Jiaojiao to interact with children, especially older boys. After school at Children's International Hospital, she was held in her home. She often lay on the windowsill and looked out the window at the children who were bouncing around, with tears in her eyes.
How she wanted to fly out and play with the children. For her mother's rebuke, Jiaojiao has not been able to think straight. Although her mother told her many stories of little girls being bullied, she always felt that although this kind of thing existed, it could not happen to her.
She felt that most of the people who played with her were girls, although there were two boys, but they were also the same age as herself, where did they have so many hearts and eyes? Of course she knew that her mother had seen a lot, and it must have made sense to say so.
But for Jiaojiao, it is not true. However, her mother refused to listen to Jiaojiao's explanation, nor did she believe Jiaojiao's words, and Jiaojiao could only silently grievance in her heart.
If anything has a first time, there will be countless times after that. Jiaojiao felt that her mother had become unloving of her, and no matter what she did, she could not please her mother. Mom hit her again and again, making her feel desperate.
Picture 丨 Li Min's civilian life photo
In this way, Jiaojiao was often yelled at by her mother for a small matter and beat her. He Zizhen's ban on not allowing Jiaojiao to play with children was not terminated until the next year's spring seal could not be printed with snow.
During this period, Jiaojiao's view of her mother was very contradictory. Sometimes she felt that her mother's heart was too cruel, and sometimes she felt that her mother's strictness was not unreasonable. Many times, she can also understand her mother, and her mother's requirements are indeed hoping that she will learn well.
The reason why Jiaojiao has such a change is because of some things that happened later. Gradually changed her opinion. Several times she found that her mother was not just harsh on her, but that she loved her, and was very much in love with her.
It's just a unique way to express your love, a kind of love that lies in severity. Of course, He Zizhen got along with her daughter, not only reprimanding and scolding, but sometimes still showing love and enthusiasm.
Pictured: Chairman Mao and He Zizhen taking a group photo
In He Zizhen's heart, her daughter is her relief and her spiritual pillar, and she is suffering for her daughter. When she couldn't sleep at night, she often got up to look at her sleeping daughter, kissed her forehead, and tears fell one by one.
It was the mother who saved the delicate
Later, Jiaojiao stayed at the International Children's Hospital and only returned home once a week. He Zizhen was at home alone, without the company of her daughter, and she often felt extremely lonely and lonely.
Without her mother's care, Jiaojiao suddenly had a cold at school. After He Zizhen learned about it, he was very worried in his heart. However, because the school does not allow parents to visit on non-holidays, He Zizhen can only do it alone at home.
But the more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. She couldn't bear it any longer, and on this day, it was late, it was already midnight, and she got dressed and went to the International Children's Hospital, walked to the bed of the petite, picked up the sleeping petite with the quilt, and prepared to go home.
Picture 丨He Zizhen in Jinggangshan
The nurseryman found the last one to stop, which is absolutely not allowed. He Zizhen could not help the nurseryman and could only go home by himself.
After this night, Jiaojiao's condition became more serious, and she was admitted to the hospital with a high fever. At this time, Jiaojiao was unable to eat, and the wind was still pumping, and the doctor used various methods, but there was no effect, and Jiaojiao's condition became more and more serious day by day.
On this day, the doctor suddenly told her that the delicate condition had turned into pneumonia and could not be treated, and the child had been removed from the children's ward and pushed to the deputy room of the morgue. No matter how He Zizhen pleaded, the doctor only had one sentence: "We have tried our best, there is nothing we can do." ”
Pictured He Zizhen who changed his outfit
He Zizhen looked at her eyes closed, dying, only 5 years old Jiaojiao, she felt that her daughter was not dead, she could not live without her daughter, she decided to save her daughter by herself.
After expressing her thoughts to the doctor, she rushed out and bought her daughter's favorite candy and a bottle of milk. She went to the outer room of the morgue, sat down at the head of the delicate bed, and fed her this bottle of milk with sugar.
Before going to the Soviet Union, He Zizhen took a photo in the Lanzhou office
A few days later, the milk was gone, and He Zizhen fed jiaojiao goat milk. Near He Zizhen's house, there lived an old Soviet lady who had a small garden with a small ewe that could sell some extra goat's milk.
He Zizhen exchanged the potatoes he had grown with the old lady. In this way, a small bottle of goat milk is saved every day to save the delicate life.
While she was feeding and drinking milk, she said in her mouth: "Delicate, delicate, you wake up, you look at your mother." Sometimes when you are emotional, you will cry out: "Petite, you open your eyes to see your mother, your mother is calling you, did you hear me?" ”
Suddenly, one day, Jiaojiao seemed to hear her mother's voice. She opened her eyes from her coma and saw her mother sitting at the head of her bed, holding her tightly. The mother in front of her was kind and gentle, and Jiaojiao used all her strength to weakly shout: "Mother! Tears poured out.
Pictured: Li Min and his wife and He Zizhen
Jiaojiao finally woke up, He Zizhen was ecstatic, and she walked into the doctor's office like a gust of wind and reported the good news. She asked the doctor to let Her go back to the children's ward and leave the cold outer room of the morgue.
The doctor followed He Zizhen to see Jiaojiao, and found that Jiaojiao's condition had indeed turned around, which was a miracle of heaven and also agreed to He Zizhen's request.
The petite who did not want to die showed tenacious vitality. Under her mother's careful care, she got better day by day. Her hands and feet, which had been curled up and stiff, were now stretched out, and the gray and dead color on her face had gradually faded.
At this time, He Zizhen made a bold decision, that is, to take Jiaojiao home and take care of her personally. This time, the doctor did not stop and happily agreed to He Zizhen's request.
Therefore, He Zizhen hired a horse-drawn sleigh and wrapped the three layers of jiaojiao and the outer three layers and took them home.
Pictured by Chairman And He Zizhen's former residence of the Jinggangshan Octagonal Tower
He Zizhen could no longer control himself
When He Zizhen took Jiaojiao home, she only thought about the benefits of Jiaojiao's return home, she could take care of Jiaojiao day and night, and she didn't think about how many difficulties she would face.
After returning home, the delicate woman recovered very slowly, and her hands and feet were cold and cold whether it was day or night. Even if the whole person is covered in the bed, it is still cold enough to shrink the body into a ball.
Although the house is equipped with heating, it is useless, and the room temperature is below 0 degrees. In such a cold house, no one who is sick cannot stand it, let alone a child who has just recovered from a serious illness.
He Zizhen is a person who never reaches out for anything, but for the sake of the child, she runs to the International Children's Hospital and asks for a little coal and firewood. But her request was rejected because there was no extra coal and firewood. Although He Zizhen was a little angry, she still held back, did not say anything, and went home.
When He Zizhen was worried about her daughter's coldness, the person in charge of the International Children's Hospital came to him and asked Jiaojiao to hurry back to school. And she should also go back to work, she has been missing work for a long time.
Pictured: Li Min and daughter Kong Dongmei
He Zizhen quickly explained that Jiaojiao's illness had not been cured, and she could not return to the children's hospital now, and she was still unable to work, so she had to take care of Jiaojiao at home.
"You don't work, you don't work, so let's feed you lazy guys?" The man said contemptuously.
He Zizhen felt that this person was slandering himself, not only in words, but also in his eyes and expressions. Her anger welled up, and she couldn't control herself anymore.
Her voice trembled and she quarreled with the person in charge. He Zizhen accumulated too many grievances and unwillingness in his heart. The person in charge grunted a lot of words in Russian, and the last two sentences made He Zizhen intolerable: "Are you crazy?" Should be sent to an insane asylum! He Zizhen quarreled with this person in charge even more fiercely.
After a few days, things gradually passed. He Zizhen was sullen for a few days, and did not think much about it. But he did not expect that the quarrel would lead to such serious consequences.
He Zizhen, whose brows are locked, and Li Min are grouped together in the Soviet Union
Petite became an orphan
Suddenly, one day, He Zizhen and his daughter Jiaojiao stayed in the house. There was a knock at the door, and it was a Chinese woman who called for the door. This woman often had contacts with He Zizhen, and also came from China, because of personal life problems, she did not return to China.
He Zizhen heard the call of an acquaintance to open the door, so he got up and opened the door. As soon as she pulled the door open, she was dragged outside by a group of Soviets in white coats standing outside the door. The woman who called the door flashed away and disappeared.
She struggled hard and said, "Where did you come from?" Why arrest me? ”
"Mental hospital, let you go to the hospital." He Zizhen was angry, and he was not crazy, so why should he let her live in a mental hospital? She was frantically resisting, and she couldn't leave her daughter, who was sick and not yet fully recovered.
But how could the thin He Zizhen be able to defeat a few big men, so he dragged her out of the door, tucked her into the car and drove away.
Pictured: He Zizhen and Li Min in Shanghai
The petite in the room was frightened, she first cried loudly in fright, calling out to her mother, she got up from the bed and tried to pounce on her mother, but she was pushed away by the group.
She was terrified when she saw people taking her mother away. But Mom was taken away anyway. The mother's mournful screams tore her daughter apart. The young petite sat on the ground and cried loudly, her mother was taken away, how should she live in the future? Poor petite, she can only use her cries to express her inner sorrow and wandering.
Later, Jiaojiao was admitted to the International Children's Hospital, and since then she has begun a fatherless and motherless orphan life. Since then, no one has visited Jiaojiao, and no one has ever mentioned her mother to her.
Li Min was interviewed by reporters at the Russian Embassy in China
She studied and lived here year after year. She read Russian, spoke Russian, she couldn't speak Chinese anymore, she became a little Russian girl with black eyes and yellow skin.