The military exercise in 1976 changed the trajectory of the fate of two young people, Tan Hongjin and Yumei. In the context of that special era, a love story that spanned thousands of miles and went through hardships slowly unfolded between the two.
In November 1974, Tan Hongjin, who was in his youth, signed up for the army, left his hometown in Shandong, and was assigned to an army unit in the north. In 1976, Tan Hongjin went with his troops to a remote mountain village to participate in a military exercise and was stationed at the home of a villager, Uncle Zhao.
When they met for the first time, Uncle Zhao's 18-year-old daughter Yumei made Tan Hongjin feel good. Yumei is not only handsome, but also kind-hearted, and often sends water and tea to Tan Hongjin and others in the village. One night, Yumei suddenly fell into a coma with a high fever, and Tan Hongjin, as a hygienist, rescued her in time, and the hearts of the two young people gradually got closer.
Tan Hongjin and his comrades-in-arms finished the exercise and were about to bid farewell to the small mountain village. Yumei sent her off with tears, and Tan Hongjin was also reluctant. After returning to the army, the two began to correspond frequently, complaining to each other, and their relationship warmed up day by day.
In 1978, Tan Hongjin retired from the army and returned to his hometown in Shandong, and his feelings of missing Yumei increased day by day. He couldn't hold it back, and came to Yumei's village alone. Yumei was so excited that she burst into tears when she saw him, Tan Hongjin immediately confessed her heart, and the two tied the knot.
Tan Hongjin took root in his wife's hometown, became a barefoot doctor, and became the health guardian of the villagers. Yumei became a primary school teacher, teaching and educating people. The husband and wife respect each other like guests, love each other, have both children and live a happy life.
Why did a marriage start with a barracks exercise?
In that special era, joining the army was the ideal and pursuit of many rural youths. The army is a strange and sacred place, and during the eight-year War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation, the stories of countless soldiers who fought bloody battles to defend their homes and the country were widely spread. The mother hopes that her son will become a dragon, and the father hopes that her daughter will become a phoenix, and they all hope that their children will change their fate by joining the army.
Tan Hongjin is at a turning point in his life. Being a soldier can not only realize the heroic dream of childhood, but also break free from the shackles of poverty and see a wider world. After enlisting in the army, strict military training and discipline shaped Tan Hongjin's resolute and tenacious character, and also allowed him to gain valuable medical rescue skills.
The military exercise in 1976 was a special experience for Tan Hongjin in his military career. Although the conditions are difficult in the remote mountain villages, the simple and kind villagers make him feel the warmth of the world.
Yumei's appearance was like a ray of sunshine shining into Tan Zhoujin's heart. In that era of material scarcity and spiritual boredom, Yumei's simple beauty without powder made Tan Hongjin excited. What's more, Yumei is kind-hearted, and in the face of a group of strange soldiers from outside, she is neither humble nor arrogant, and she is hospitable.
The gears of fate turned quietly, and Yumei's sudden high fever gave Tan Hongjin the opportunity to take care of him with the benevolence of a doctor. Two young hearts inadvertently approached quietly, planting the seeds of love.
How can a letter pass through time and space?
The barracks are about to be evacuated, and the reluctance is overflowing. Yumei and her parents were sent off a few miles away, and Tan Hongjin and his comrades-in-arms looked back frequently. The comrades-in-arms who once fought side by side can get together again soon, but the reunion with Yumei is far away.
At that time, communication was not developed, and sending letters from the battlefield was the main way of contact. Although the correspondence is slow, the feelings are sincere, and between the lines are too thick to dissolve the thoughts. After falling in love with Yumei, Tan Hongjin was cautious everywhere, and he buried his love for Yumei deep in his heart.
Some netizens believe that letter flirtation was the most romantic way in that era. Although the text is monotonous and boring, it can express the most sincere emotions. Each letter condenses the heart and soul of the writer, and every time you receive it, your heart beats faster. Tan Hongjin and Yumei's correspondence recorded the bits and pieces of their love, and also witnessed the innocence of that era.
Like-minded, how does love eventually blossom and bear fruit?
Returning to his hometown after being discharged from the army is a new starting point for Tan Hongjin. My childhood dream of military service has been realized, and there is still a long way to go. Recalling the bits and pieces of his time in the village, Tan Hongjin was excited, and his thoughts about Yumei were increasing day by day.
He makes an astonishing decision to set foot alone thousands of miles away to find love in Yumei's village. At first glance, seeing Tan Hongjin appear, Yumei was so excited that she burst into tears. Tan Hongjin confessed on the spot, and Yumei cried with joy. When the two parents saw this scene, they were happy for their children and gave their blessings.
Some netizens questioned whether Tan Zhoujin's decision was too impulsive, after all, the two places are far apart, how will he spend his life in the future? In this regard, Tan Hongjin has long considered it. He intends to take root and dedicate his life to Yumei and this land.
So he worked hard to become a barefoot doctor and became the "bodhisattva" of the village. Every day, he rushed to the clinic with a medicine box on his back, and healed the people's illnesses with benevolence.
And Yumei also successfully became an excellent teacher, tirelessly teaching and teaching. The husband and wife worked together and slowly carved out a world.
Looking back at the starting point of this marriage, I am full of emotion. If it weren't for the special military exercise in 1976, Tan Hongjin and Yumei might not have had the opportunity to meet and fall in love.
The accidental arrangement of the god of fate brought two young people who were at a turning point in their lives together. Rolling red dust, all living beings, such stories are by no means isolated cases.
In the long river of everyone's life, there are always several key nodes. At those breaks in time, who you met and what choices you made ultimately affected the direction of your life.
Tan Hongjin and Yumei used half a lifetime of perseverance to interpret what love is. From the barracks to the countryside, from love to marriage, from mutual affection to children around their knees, they have walked through the wind and rain hand in hand and jointly created a well-off home.
This is the most mundane and greatest happiness. Although there is a lack of material things and a hard life, as long as we have love and hope in our hearts, we will definitely be able to survive the hardships and usher in a sunny future.
So in the end, I would like to ask: Life is a long road, who can predict who will meet at the next stop? Maybe it was just a chance encounter at first glance, but it turned out to be a fateful marriage. Could it be that there is a providence in the dark? What do you think?
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