Air Force sergeants and army lieutenants, using love to connect distances, fly together in the war position -
Talk about a love affair that spans mountains and seas
■ Hu Xiaoyu, special reporter of The People's Liberation Army Daily, and correspondent Xu Bowen
From the desert Gobi to the beautiful Lingnan, a long road spanning thousands of mountains and rivers.
This long road, in the eyes of a pair of young soldiers who are in love, is like a galaxy that connects affection and involves sincerity.
Suddenly, more than half a year has passed since the last time the lovers got together, and the scene of the two separating is still yesterday.
In the early morning of winter, the airport is cold. Holding his boarding pass in his hand and looking back at the outside of the security inspection line, Tang Jianxi, commander of the reconnaissance and communications platoon of a certain company of an air defense brigade of the Southern Theater Army, flashed expectation in his eyes.
When his sweetheart appeared in the line of sight, Chen Shasha, the commander of the comprehensive business information squad of the communications company of a certain command post of the Air Force of the Western Theater, had red eyes. Hurriedly see each other and say goodbye in a hurry, because of their respective missions, the time for these two military lovers to get together is always short.
"Even if there are thousands of words, there is silence." Greetings briefly, exchanging concerns, he turned to board the plane for the new battle position, and she turned back to her camp post. They have been in love for many years, and every reunion in their memory seems to be staging the same "bridge section": looking at each other from afar, and watching over each other.
Looking at each other and watching, on today's border defense line, this is a portrayal of the life of many military families. Because of their common mission, they are happy with each other's happiness and guard each other's protection.
"Reunion".
"I came to you, you are the sea of stars"
Chen Shasha looked through her treasured "reunion" bills and diaries.
Crossing mountains and seas for love - Chen Shasha and Tang Jianxi have tried it in less than a month since they met.
The time hand dials back to March 3, 2019. Just after dawn, Chen Shasha, who was on vacation in Jiangyou's hometown in Sichuan, boarded a train bound for Zhengzhou, Henan. More than 1,000 kilometers away, the destination is the military academy where Tang Jianxi conducts on-the-job training.
11 days ago, Tang Jianxi just returned to school after winter vacation. After the separation, Chen Shasha watched her return time getting closer and closer, thinking about being farther away from him after returning, and quickly made a decision: "Go see him!" ”
Speaking of which, the two first met on Feb. 9, Chen Shasha's 26th birthday. At that time, she was on vacation to visit relatives in her hometown in Sichuan.
"There is a male doll in the nearby Tang family, who is studying at a military academy, with a baby's face, which is pleasing to the eye!" Grandma worried about her granddaughter's lifelong affairs, and always whispered in Chen Shasha's ear. On her birthday, her family also invited Tang Jianxi, who was on winter vacation, to be a guest.
The first time we met, it was like acquaintance. The same soldiers who are thousands of miles away from home, the same college student soldiers, the two have endless topics to talk about as soon as they meet. Strolling through the hometown park and tasting special snacks, Tang Jianxi's gentleness and directness made Chen Shasha feel particularly down-to-earth, and her generous intellect also moved him...
At that time, Chen Shasha learned that Tang Jianxi's home was originally on the only way for her to go to school and go to the street since she was a child. The two went to the same school in high school. Sometimes she wondered how many times she had passed by and how many times she had looked at the crowd before the fate between them had been quietly planted, even if the mountains were high and the road was far away.
"Other girls can receive flowers on holidays, but I don't." A week after the acquaintance was Valentine's Day, Chen Shasha joked about temptation. Tang Jianxi was overwhelmed at first, and immediately said with a serious face: "I will take you to the flower shop, what flowers do you like to pick yourself!" ”
This "straight man" whose actions are more important than words touched Chen Shasha's heart.
As the first female officer and professional and technical backbone of her unit, she will always habitually bring the rationality of the "old squad leader" into her life. Since I met him, gentle sensibility has quietly arrived, and practical problems such as thousands of kilometers apart and separation have been left far behind...
"I came to you, and you are the sea of stars." This time across the mountains and seas to see him, it is driven by love. The train arrived in Zhengzhou and it was dark. The military academy was strictly managed, and he could not go out that day. Chen Shasha walked alone through the strange city, found a hotel to stay, and ran to the school gate the next morning to wait for him.
Tang Jianxi only had half a day off. The two walked through the hustle and bustle of the city, walked into a quiet little restaurant, ordered a few small dishes, and talked quietly...
After dinner, he dropped her off at the subway station and hurried back to school. Chen Shasha rushed to the train station alone and boarded the train back to her hometown. The scenery outside the car window swept over her eyes, and his smiling face was already imprinted on her heart. Two days later, she embarked on the long journey back to the Desert Barracks.
When the Air Force squad leader and the Army platoon leader fell in love, the strict one-day life system, thousands of kilometers away, two hours of time difference, let the test of love be concrete and harsh -
He finished his morning exercises, and it was not bright on her side; he had some free time before his lunch break, and she was practicing; she took a lunch break, and he started training in the afternoon...
Chen Shasha and Tang Jianxi were separated by two time zones, it was already dark on his side, and the sky on her side was still bright. This is a video call between two people.
Tang Jianxi was working with undivided attention.
"We're all busy. Most of the time, we don't have time to argue. Chen Shasha laughed. Once, he went on a mission in the field and could not carry a mobile phone. The departure time was urgent, and he "lost contact" for several weeks before he had time to say goodbye to her.
Between missions, Tang Jianxi found a landline to transfer and contacted Chen Shasha several times. Just after saying a few words, the phone hung up, and Chen Shasha fidgeted.
That night, Chen Shasha came to the playground alone to look up at the stars. Before going to bed, she would open the humidifier and let the moisture moisturize her face, which was the "love" that Tang Jianxi sent to the desert military camp.
The task was successfully completed, and Tang Jianxi connected to Chen Shasha's video call. Looking at the heart of the person with a "sunburn mark" on his face, this Sichuan girl's stomach "exploded" and turned into tenderness...
"Across the mountains and seas, we experience the preciousness of love"
Looking at the gray and desolate Taklamakan Desert under the wings, Tang Jianxi's nose was sour.
"She's here..." He longed to see Chen Shasha immediately, and feel the golden sand sea and immortal poplar with her.
At this time, the Spring Festival of 2020 has just passed. Originally, Tang Jianxi, who had graduated and was assigned to an air defense brigade of the Southern Theater Army, and Chen Shasha planned to take a vacation to see the sea. However, before the New Year, Tang Jianxi's mother suddenly fell ill and was hospitalized, so he took early leave. After his mother recovered, he headed west to her, where she was far away.
That early spring, the covid-19 outbreak broke out. During the most difficult period of prevention and control, Tang Jianxi became the first batch of people who needed to be isolated when visiting a different place. On that day, the unsuspecting Chen Shasha arrived at the airport early to meet the lovers who missed day and night. I didn't think about it, but what was waiting for was the news that Tang Jianxi had been quarantined for 15 days.
The plane landed smoothly and all passengers were picked up en masse.
Seeing the dim sky outside the terminal, a touch of camouflage blue dazzling but lonely. Tang Jianxi waved and shouted vigorously, but he could not attract her attention. He hurriedly dialed the phone and watched her look around, her hoarse cries echoing in her ears, "Take care of yourself."
"This is the end of the world, right?" Crossing the mountains and mountains finally arrived at the same place, close at hand but unable to see each other, Tang Jianxi helplessly watched the figure of his lover slowly disappear, and his heart churned with sadness.
Time passes day by day, and Tang Jianxi's holiday has entered the countdown. Looking at the dusty sky, he sat restlessly. Chen Shasha looked in her eyes, the pain was in her heart, and she took time to connect with him by video every day, saying that she was short and smiling at her parents, and quietly wiping away tears behind her back.
Hoping and hoping, the long 15 days are finally over, and the reunion of the two is blocked again. "The barracks are closed and outsiders are not allowed to enter." Watching the passage of time, they had no choice.
Considering that Tang Jianxi had been quarantined for 14 days, the leaders of the unit immediately asked the company instructor to accompany Chen Shasha to the isolation point to take Tang Jianxi back to the camp. The pair of long-awaited lovers are finally reunited.
In early summer, when the epidemic situation was stable, Chen Shasha decided to take a vacation and go to Tang Jianxi's station to complete the lifelong event agreed by the two. Reveling in happiness, she sketched the scene of the sweet meeting in her mind, not anticipating the upcoming test.
On May 11, Chen Shasha flew over Wanshui And qianshan to reach Tang Jianxi's troop garrison. At this time, the camp is still not allowed to enter due to the epidemic. Tang Jianxi was preparing for training before a major mission, and Chen Shasha stayed at a nearby hotel and took advantage of his training break to talk to him on the phone... Eventually, in order not to distract him, she returned to her hometown to wait.
In the early morning five days later, Chen Shasha flew to Tang Jianxi again on the earliest flight of the day.
Unfortunately, Tang Jianxi's station suffered heavy rain, and the flight was diverted to Nanning, Guangxi, and the time of departure again was difficult to determine. Knowing that he had been training all day, Chen Shasha was impatient and could not talk to him. Tang Jianxi took the time to call anxiously to inquire, and she pretended to relax and comfort him.
Putting down the phone, Chen Shasha resolutely rushed from the airport to the high-speed rail station, changed to the high-speed rail and ran to him...
This love is separated by mountains and seas, and mountains and seas can be flat. On May 18, the young soldiers, who were in love with each other, finally met, and they went to the station together to get their marriage licenses. On the same day, Tang Jianxi rushed back to the troops to participate in the training, and the next day he traveled thousands of kilometers to carry out the task. Chen Shasha was alone and rushed to the airport to return to her hometown.
"As fellow soldiers, we are ready to part ways again every time we see each other. Across the mountains and seas, we experience the preciousness of love. Thinking of the two gathering less and more, Tang Jianxi's eyes were moist again.
"No matter how you decide, I support you"
On September 30, 2020, Chen Shasha and Tang Jianxi ushered in an important day in their lives.
The two attend a group wedding at the barracks.
Initially, when he learned that his unit was going to hold a group wedding, Tang Jianxi did not sign up, and he hoped to have a wedding that was exclusive to the two of them.
"What a rare opportunity!" Chen Shasha persuaded Tang Jianxi, "The collective wedding of the military camp has a military flavor! ”
On that day, the Lingnan military camp was jubilant and festive. Tang Jianxi and 28 comrades-in-arms lined up to greet the bride. Accompanied by a romantic melody, a couple of newcomers arm in arm through the arch that symbolizes happiness...
Tang Jianxi stared at Chen Shasha's affectionate confession, and the comrades around her cheered and applauded in unison, and she was in tears of happiness.
Most of the brides who attend the wedding together are from Guangdong and Guangxi, and they can be reunited with their lovers on holidays. Chen Shasha and Tang Jianxi were the farthest apart, and they were both soldiers, so the opportunity to meet was particularly precious. Looking at each other close at hand, holding hands and snuggling with each other, they enjoyed the happiness of this moment.
"We share mist, flowing blue, rainbow neon, as if separated forever, but lifelong dependence." 」 On the day of the reunion, they read poems and watched the scenery together.
The weather was cold and rainy, Chen Shasha had a cold, and Tang Jianxi rushed to buy cold medicine to make her feel a strong love. Separated again, their hearts added the strength to share weal and woe.
Once, Tang Jianxi was participating in closed training in a different place. His father, who was far away from home, was sick and hospitalized, and he had no time to take care of the elderly, and when he was on a video call with Chen Shasha, he couldn't help but blush: "My father is so sick, but I can't accompany ..."
"You can train with peace of mind, and leave the affairs of the family to me." With a little spare time, Chen Shasha dialed Tang Jianxi's home's phone to ask for warmth, and also prepared enough daily necessities at home through online shopping.
It is rare to meet the small two have free time, the two families will chat through the mobile phone three places video group chat, the strong hometown tone, the smile of the old man, the greetings of their understanding, so that the whole family is practical and relieved.
The two encouraged each other. Tang Jianxi's platoon was not long, and Chen Shasha had been the squad leader since 2015, and the two often discussed the way to lead the troops.
Tang Jianxi graduated from college and joined the army, served as a volunteer for two years, the age and professional foundation were not dominant compared with the platoon leaders who graduated from the military academy, and they were too anxious to sleep well, Chen Shasha encouraged him to start from the basics and ask for advice from the top professionals.
Tang Jianxi worked overtime to study, successfully passed the training and assessment, and was also selected by the team to participate in the staff training organized by the superior, and his skills improved by leaps and bounds.
"Staying means separating him thousands of kilometers away for another 4 years." At the end of last year, Chen Shasha was faced with the choice of staying. The company needed a backbone of her business, and she was also in love with the troops and her comrades-in-arms. After tossing and turning for many days, Tang Jianxi understood her heart: "No matter how you decide, I will support you!" ”
On the eve of New Year's Day this year, Chen Shasha was successfully promoted to sergeant and was awarded the third class for her outstanding work achievements. When she was on combat readiness, she taught her new comrades the skills she had been groping for years. After the platoon leader took a vacation, she undertook the task of daily management and education of the women's platoon...
Chen Shasha (first from right) leads a platoon of women to participate in platoon training.
"Send you roses!" On a summer starry night, Chen Shasha's mobile phone WeChat dialog box was brushed by rose emojis, which was a different kind of "love" sent by a distant lover.
Looking at the screen full of "roses", Chen Shasha pretended to be angry and said, "Where are the 9999 flowers?" ”
On that day, they were separated by thousands of rivers and mountains, happily looking at the "roses" on the screen, and enjoying their own "flowers before the moon".
In the autumn of October, they planned to return to their hometown in Sichuan to visit their relatives, so that their fathers and fellow villagers could witness their love across mountains and seas. After falling in love, they have 6 times to run to each other, and this will be the first time they will run to the same point in both directions -
The destination is the hometown.
(Photo by Wang Rui and He Shanke)
Source: China Military Network - People's Liberation Army Daily