In 1947, the political situation in Chinese mainland was still in turmoil. It was a critical period of the civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, and there were constant disputes in various places, and the people were living in hardship. Against this historical background, there have been many stories of warmth and affection between the armed forces and the local people in the liberated areas. These stories not only show the cruelty of war, but also show the affection and tenacity of human nature.
In the spring of 1947, in Huang'an, Hubei, an old woman named Lei Min heard that the Red Army was about to pass through her village. The 63-year-old was full of anticipation and apprehension – her eldest son, Chen Xilian, had not been heard from since he joined the Red Army at the age of 14. For many years, Lei Min often spent time alone in the dead of night with tears on his pillow, missing his distant son.
Early one morning, Lei Min heard the sound of horses' hooves and wheels coming from the entrance of the village, and she hurriedly walked to the head of the village with a cane. In the crowd, she heard someone mention a familiar name - "Chen Xilian". With a move in her heart, she hurriedly asked the soldiers who came and learned that this unit would go to the nearby headquarters.
Despite his physical weakness, Lei Min decided to go to the headquarters in person. The road was rough and she finally reached her destination in the evening. When the troops saw the faltering old man and learned that she had come in search of her son, they immediately arranged for her to meet with the commander.
In the hall of the headquarters, Lei Min looked nervously and expectantly at the soldiers in front of him. At this time, Deputy Political Commissar Yan Hongyan asked gently, "Old man, can you recognize your son?" With tears in his eyes, Lei Min carefully examined every face. Suddenly, her gaze fixed on the face of a middle-aged officer, and despite the vicissitudes of time carved into his face, those eyes were so similar to what she remembered. Lei Min shouted in a trembling voice: "Xilian, is it you, my son?" ”
With tears welling up in the officer's eyes, he walked quickly to Lei Min and hugged her tightly: "Mom, it's me, I'm back." The surrounding soldiers and commanders witnessed this touching scene, and the corners of many people's eyes moistened.
In the following time, Lei Min and Chen Xilian sat by the fire in the camp, and the mother and son poured out the ups and downs of many years of separation. Chen Xilian recounted his military career, growing from a teenager who was oppressed by landlords to a heroic officer. Lei Min told her son that his own life over the years, although it was hard, she never forgot her son's face.
Time flowed, and the conversation between mother and son continued into the night, and the soldiers around them had long since dispersed, leaving only the warm glow of the campfire flickering in between. Early the next morning, Chen Xilian personally sent Lei Min back to the village. When saying goodbye, Lei Min held his son's hand tightly and said reluctantly: "Xilian, you have to take care of yourself, don't let your mother worry anymore." Chen Xilian nodded, with tears in his eyes, clasped his mother's hand, and promised never to let her wait alone again.
Back in the village, Lei Min's mood could not be calm for a long time, she knew that her son's mission was important, and it might be difficult to return to his hometown often, but this meeting was enough for her to spend the rest of her life reminiscing. At the headquarters, Chen Xilian stood in front of the gate of the camp, looking at the path leading to the village, and his heart was full of hope for the future and longing for his mother.
This story is not just a simple family reunion, it reflects the deep affection between the vast number of military and civilian people of that era. In the war years filled with gunpowder, every reunion like Lei Min and Chen Xilian is the deepest cherishing of life and infinite longing for the future. The power of this emotion can penetrate the fog of history and touch the heartstrings of every reader. We should learn from this that no matter how harsh the circumstances, the power of family affection can always ignite a spark of hope in people's hearts and inspire us to face the challenges of the future.