Spanning thousands of miles, the officers and soldiers of a warehouse in the Zhengzhou Joint Logistics Support Center celebrated the birthday of the martyr Zhu Shiyong's mother——
The best birthday gift
Jiefangjun Daily reporter Peng Bingjie correspondent Guo Qian Wan Chuan, April, Qinling. Spring is already everywhere under the mountain, and there is still a little chill in the mountain. Late at night, Song Aimin, a warehouse instructor at the Zhengzhou Joint Logistics Support Center, checked his bags again: "Commemorative albums, hand-painted ...... Bring it all. Early the next morning, he and two comrades-in-arms were going to Zhengzhou, Henan Province, to celebrate the birthday of "Grandma Xiong" on behalf of the officers and soldiers of the whole company. "Grandma Xiong" is named Xiong Ziying, the mother of the company martyr Zhu Shiyong. On March 3, 1987, a wildfire broke out in the southwest of the Qinling Mountains, threatening the safety of state-owned forest farms and the surrounding people. After receiving a request for help from a locality, a platoon of officers and men of a warehouse service company of the former Lanzhou Military Region went out to carry out the task of extinguishing the fire. The mountain fire was successfully extinguished, but five soldiers, Jiang Hanwei, Zhao Yusheng, Yang Zhenqi, Zhang Jian, and Zhu Shiyong, were buried in Qinling and were posthumously recorded as first-class meritorious service. Zhu Shiyong was only 18 years old when he died. Many veterans of that year remember that Zhu Shiyong's mother, Xiong Ziying, rushed to the army overnight after learning the news, endured not shedding tears in front of the officers and soldiers, and did not make conditions to the troops. She also gave the fruits and canned food she brought to the officers and soldiers, and insisted on watching everyone eat them. Song Aimin said. This past incident made Xiong Ziying a favorite of the officers and soldiers. Over the past 37 years, although the old unit has been transferred several times, generations of officers and soldiers have always kept in touch with Xiong Ziying, and have sent representatives to her home many times to visit and express condolences. "We've been wondering, what else can we do for Grandma Xiong?" Xiong Ziying is getting older, and he can't go back to the place where his son fought. On Xiong Ziying's birthday last year, the officers and soldiers sent her a handful of soil from the martyr's sacrifice site to send her lovesickness. "Grandma Xiong, we're coming to see you!" On April 8, Song Aimin knocked on Xiong Ziying's door again with two representatives of officers and soldiers. "I remember you, who came last year. As soon as she saw Song Aimin, 86-year-old Xiong Ziying instantly smiled. She took Song Aimin's hand and patted it gently: "I put the soil you sent, I put it in the flower pot, take care of it every day, and the flowers are big and beautiful." The officers and soldiers surrounded Xiong Ziying and gave carefully prepared birthday gifts one by one. "I wish you more happiness and happiness in the new year!" Looking at the blessing video recorded by the officers and soldiers, Xiong Ziying's eyes were filled with tears. Turning over the commemorative book, Xiong Ziying flipped through the pages of the heartfelt voices written by the officers and soldiers themselves. Private Wang Jiang wrote: "I just turned 18 this year, and if I had encountered the situation of that year, I would have gone out of my way to fight the fire. No one can be 18 years old forever, but there will always be 18-year-old people, and we will inherit the spirit of not being afraid of sacrifice and selfless dedication from generation to generation......" Seeing this, Xiong Ziying got up and walked slowly to the bedroom. Pulling open the bottom drawer of the cupboard, she pulled out a few photographs wrapped in several layers of plastic bags. "This is Xiao Yong, he just turned 18 years old that year, and he died not long after joining the army......" Referring to the stories of his son and several other martyrs, Xiong Ziying still has endless words. "Thank you for always remembering me, and I have always thought about you, you have to train well in the army......" Xiong Ziying's hands gently stroked the third birthday gift brought by the officers and soldiers. It was a hand-painted painting - the officers and soldiers surrounded Xiong Ziying in front of them, and behind them was the towering Qinling Mountains. Cakes were brought out and candles were lit, and the officers and soldiers sang birthday songs for Xiong Ziying. The orange candlelight was projected on the old man's silver-white temples, and warmth flowed in the small room.
Officers and soldiers took a group photo with Xiong Ziying (second from left). Photo by Peng Bingjie Before setting off this time, the officers and men of the company made a special trip to the "March 3" fire-fighting martyrs' cemetery. Every year on the Qingming Festival, they will go to the cemetery to pay respects. The tombs sit quietly at the foot of the mountain, like a row of soldiers, guarding the mountain. "As the heirs of this glorious collective, we have a heavy responsibility on our shoulders. Song Aimin said that in the mountain forest that the five martyrs guarded with their lives, the saplings planted later have become mature, and the officers and soldiers will relay to guard the mountain. This is the voice of Song Aimin and every officer and soldier in the warehouse. In Xiong Ziying's heart, this is also the best birthday gift.
▲Published in the 7th edition of the People's Liberation Army Daily on April 13
Source丨People's Liberation Army Daily, Learning Corps (ID: xuexijuntuan)
Producer丨Ou Can, Hou Dawei, Editor丨Liu Jianwei, Yan Shan, Qian Zongyang, Editor丨Feng Zhexin