War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 690 Old Ivan's Home

On the silver-clad Siberian tundra, a bright red ATS59G tracked artillery tractor with hand-painted flame patterns was heading straight north amidst rumbling noises.Behind it, there are four square-headed six-wheeled off-road vehicles.

The five vehicles straddled winding rivers, through sparse coniferous forests, and over frozen swamps and snow-covered bushes.

After two hours of long turbulence, the tractor finally crossed the frozen river again under the guidance of a constantly flashing light, and stopped in a forest glade on the east bank.

Looking around, Wei Ran couldn't help but secretly stunned. The area of ​​this forest clearing is not that big, only four or fifty meters square at most.

But at the edge of the clearing and the forest, there is a circle of barbed wire that is more than two meters high and covered with frost and waste tires.

In this open space surrounded by barbed wire, the most conspicuous thing is a white DT-30 transport vehicle with blue flame patterns at the farthest position from the river.On the side of the transport vehicle, there is a metal pole that is more than ten meters high, and a steel wire rope is pulled around it for fixing.

On the top of the metal pole, in addition to the alternately flashing red and yellow two-color spotlights, there are three searchlights with astonishing brightness, facing different directions, continuously releasing strong light enough to illuminate the inside and outside of the barbed wire fence as bright as day.

Letting his sight away from the transport vehicle, Wei Ran found that there were several containers side by side in the direction of the rear of the transport vehicle.

In the middle of these containers, a gap about four meters wide was purposely left, and a roof was added with colored steel tiles and logs, and a simple lighting lamp was even hung inside.

Under the gaze of Wei Ran, old Ivan, who was sitting beside him in the driver's seat, skillfully manipulated the big red tractor, leveled the high-spirited boom, and drove into the container building like a knight holding a long gun. Simple garage.And let the flat suspender accurately pass through the long strip opening on the other side of the quilt curtain.

"Young man, get out of the car and welcome to the Wild Fire Rescue Station."

Old Ivan said that he had already turned off the engine, and added half a bucket of coal to the stove in the driver's cab, and then opened the car door and jumped down.

Seeing this, Wei Ran, who kept quiet all the way, also pushed the door and got out of the car, quietly waiting for old Ivan to fill the cast iron stove at the innermost part of the garage with coal.He went out with him and helped put down the cotton curtain sewn with animal skins.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Wei Ran glanced at the cargo bed of the tractor unobtrusively.

Although it was just a quick glance, he could still see that in addition to two [-]-liter oil drums with manual oil pumps, there was also a set of large tool boxes fixed on the floor of the cargo hold.

Surrounded by the edge of the cargo bucket, spare parts such as welding machines, air pumps and spare tires of various sizes are neatly placed.Of course, there is an unlit oil barrel stove closest to the rear of the car.

"Those are for drivers on ice"

Old Ivan tightened the rope on the quilt curtain as usual, "This kind of ghost place, no matter how good the car is, it will always encounter all kinds of unexpected troubles."

"For example, lost a tire while running?" Wei Ran used the accident he encountered today as an example.

"You're right, but that's just the most insignificant accident. After all, the car is fine, and the people and goods on board are fine, aren't they?"

Old Ivan didn't wait for Wei Ran's response after finishing speaking, he pointed to the living cabin of the transport vehicle not far away and continued, "Let your friends find a place to park the car, and then you can go to my house for a cup of coffee Or a cup of tea. Of course, my room is not too big."

"When we park the car, we will definitely visit your home," Wei Ran said in a serious manner.

Hearing this, old Ivan tugged at the bushy gray beard on his chin and let out a hearty laugh, "I will prepare black tea in advance, young man, see you later."

"See you soon"

Wei Ran watched the other party turn around and walk into the living compartment of the transport vehicle, and immediately gestured to Jima. The latter received the signal, picked up the mobile phone, and directed everyone to park the vehicle loosely near the entrance.

Ji Ma and others were busy parking the car, but Wei Ran circled the DT-30 truck curiously.

Although the painting of this transport vehicle has been changed, although he has not visited the driver's cab or the living cabin, he can be sure that this car was built in 1991 just by the fence on the top of the driver's cab. The transport vehicle that disappeared in the winter of [-]!

If he opened it so grandly, wouldn't he be worried about Tinder being discovered?
Wei Ran thought for a while, but couldn't help laughing. It's been 30 years. If someone wants to find it, he can find it?Besides, Apolly is not a fool. For him, changing the identity of this transport vehicle is probably easier than changing the paint job.

And it can be seen that this transport vehicle has been well maintained, which will undoubtedly last longer than being buried in an abandoned mine.

I just don't know the fire information.
Wei Ran looked up at the warm light coming from the window of the living cabin. After hesitating for a moment, he took back the key chain he had just taken out of the metal book, and walked towards Ji Ma who had just stepped out of the car. and others.

"Split half of the fruits and vegetables in the car as a gift." Wei Ran stopped everyone and said, "There is also wine, and half of the wine is also given as a gift."

"Victor, isn't that too much?" Jima asked in a low voice, "Didn't you say we have almost 20 locations to visit? If."

Before he could finish his sentence, sisters Sui Sui and Katenka got into the car respectively, ready to share the supplies as gifts.

Wei Ran also patted Jima on the shoulder at the same time, glanced at Dmitry who was standing next to him lighting a cigarette from the corner of his eye, and said with a smile, "Jima, don't be so stingy, we at most I just stayed here for a month and then went back. But that old guy wants to spend the whole long winter alone in this ghost place.

And I just looked at the map, this place is very close to the No. 119 mine, maybe that old guy knows something. "

"I'm not stingy." Seeing that Maya had gotten into the car, Jima ran back immediately.

"I have a lot of good wine in the car, all brought from the tavern." Seeing Wei Ran looking at him, Dmitry immediately pointed to the car behind him, "I'll move a case in later .”

"Dmitry, have you been here?" Wei Ran asked curiously.

"no"

Dmitry shook his head, "In fact, the farthest place I've been to is Yukta, and this tributary is only roughly connected to the winter settlements of nomads. This is my first visit."

"So you usually live in Tula?" Wei Ran asked while taking a wooden box full of tomatoes from Suisui's hand.

"how is this possible"

Dmitry helped pick up a box of fruit, followed Wei Ran and explained as he walked towards the living cabin of the transport vehicle, "My home is in Irkutsk, and the small town of Tula is just one of the locations where the transport plane I drove landed. One, at most, it is just to rest there for one or two nights when there is a snowstorm, or to receive people when people come to work in the coal field.

But even so, I spent most of my time only in small towns or coal fields along the Lower Tunguska River. "

"I thought you were a native of Tula town"

While Wei Ran was speaking, he also walked to the hatch at the rear of the transport vehicle. Before they could knock on the door, the old Ivan inside pushed the hatch open and warmly greeted them to go in quickly.

Bring in boxes of various vegetables and fruits as gifts, and bring a box of spirits and two beers from Dmitry's car, and wait until the cold fog that followed into the house clears, Only then did Wei Ran have time to look at the changes in the living cabin.

Compared with the winter of 1991, this living cabin is now more comfortable. Not only are the feet covered with thick solid wood floors and animal skins, but even the waste toilet at the beginning has become much larger.

Wei Ran looked in through the opened sliding door curiously, and was surprised to find that there was not only a separate shower, a front-load washing machine and a dryer, but also a barrel-style bathtub!
This old thing is too good to enjoy, right?

Wei Ran couldn't help but cast a glance at the old Ivan who was calling everyone to find a place to sit. Although the wooden bathtub with a small stool can only allow an adult to squat down, the electric sauna heater next to it is not Decoration, not to mention this is in a car!
The change is not only the floor and bathtub, but even the stove has been replaced with an oven function, and there is even a clean range hood directly above it.

Moreover, the fence next to it is no longer a fence for stacking firewood made of chain link fence. Instead, it has become a box welded with stainless steel checkered steel plates. firewood and coals.

As for the top of the box, the water tank originally written with Lenin's aphorisms has also disappeared, replaced by a cabinet full of kitchen utensils and cooking utensils.

On the table on the other side of the stove, there is also a vegetable sink, and there is even a double-eyed electric ceramic stove embedded on the table.On the opposite side of this table, the metal cabinet that was originally placed there is gone, and only a solid wooden table placed by the window remains.

At this time, the four girls headed by Sui Sui sat on the double sofas on both sides of the table.It is exaggerated that there is a TV hanging on the wall of the bathroom where the Katenka sisters are leaning against. At this time, the military news of the Red Star TV is even playing on the TV!

However, it is unknown what lies beyond this table, because from behind Sui Sui and Maya who were sitting on the sofa, a thick curtain was pulled up to completely block all prying eyes.

I don't know if the safe is still in there."

Wei Ran was stunned. At this time, he was not sure that this living cabin was the same as the original one, because after looking around, he couldn't find any familiar things, let alone the one he wanted to see the most. safe.

Even Apolly, who used to be clean and tidy, has seen half a hundred gray beards on his face, and his voice has become extremely hoarse for some reason.

Just when he was secretly sad, old Ivan had already brought an exquisite teapot, first poured a cup for each of the four girls, then refilled the water, poured a cup for Wei Ran and others, and said apologetically, "I'm really sorry, I've never been here with so many people, so there are really not enough seats."

"It's okay, we can just sit on the box."

Ji Ma pointed to the wooden boxes stacked in pairs, which contained all kinds of food and drink they sent as gifts, except for fruits, vegetables and drinks, the careful Sui Sui even divided out a lot of seasonings .

"I didn't help you anything, but gave me so many things."

Old Ivan tugged at the beard on his chin and said, "Although there are not enough seats, I also eat a lot here, so let me make a dinner for you guys!"

"Ah. That, old Ivan"

Wei Ran, who almost got his name wrong, turned his attention away from the exquisite and familiar teacup in his hand, took a breath and continued, "Look, there are so many people here, why don't you let us prepare dinner?" !"

"Are you here to prepare dinner?" Apolly raised his eyebrows.

"certainly"

Wei Ran nodded, "In exchange, can you tell us the story of this rescue station? If there is a good story, maybe we can have a few more drinks later."

"No problem at all!"

Old Ivan readily agreed, pointed out the window and said, "There is a lot of frozen meat in the container on the left side of the garage, you can use whatever you want."

"The other containers are also full of food?" Dmitry couldn't help asking.

"how is this possible"

Old Ivan laughed and explained, "There are two containers containing diesel oil and gasoline, and two containers containing spare parts of various common trucks, and the remaining containers are for this road. Prepared by the driver who runs the transport on the river.

After their car has a problem on the ice, they will temporarily store the goods with me, so those locked containers should not be opened. This is related to my reputation. "

"I've been working in the Tunguska coalfield for almost ten years, why haven't I heard of you?" Dmitry asked strangely.

"I'm not a big shot," old Ivan said nonchalantly in a hoarse voice.

"But you sure are a good guy"

Wei Ran took the opportunity to take over the topic, "Jima, you and Dmitri go to the container to see what meat is there."

Knowing that he was using himself to push Dmitri away, Jima immediately stood up, placed the teacup on the table, put his arms around Dmitri, talked and laughed, and walked out of the living cabin.

"Sui Sui, please help me make red cabbage soup."

Wei Ran thought for a while, and added an extra sentence, "Sister Katenka, please take a rest, I don't need your help in the kitchen."

Hearing this, Sui Sui couldn't help showing a hard-to-hold-back smile, and sisters Katenka also rolled their eyes in unison.

There is no other reason. The two sisters had confidently planned to bake a cake for their new boss according to the method they learned from Monica, but the ghost knows which step went wrong. Not only did they not eat the cake, but Almost ordered the kitchen.

"Why didn't he ask you two to help?"

Old Ivan added some water to the respective teacups of Katenka and the sisters, and sat opposite them and asked curiously.

"The boss is worried that we will burn your home down," the long-haired Anfisa explained with regret.

"Actually, I think we can help." The short-haired Anfiya eagerly added, "We can try Italian pizza."

Old Ivan's eyebrows twitched, and he quickly waved his hands, "Let them do it, everyone has their own good and bad. Just like me, I'm not good at cooking either. Of course, it shouldn't be as good as you are not good at." .”

"Aren't you good at cooking?" Anfisa asked curiously, "Then what do you usually eat?"

"At least toast and red cabbage soup are fine," Old Ivan said with a slight smile, "and I have stored a lot of canned food and wine in the container."

"Three people who don't know how to cook can actually chat together." Wei Ran, who had washed his hands and was about to start busy, couldn't help but whispered something in Chinese.

"Didn't you already tell me the reason?" Sui Sui responded in a low voice in Chinese with unbearable joy.

Hearing that, Wei Ran, who was going to ask something, simply stopped bothering the chat between the two generations of KGB who were also abandoned, and started to concentrate on preparing dinner enough to fill the stomachs of 8 people - just like in 1991 The same as in that winter.

Fortunately, compared to before, at least there are Sui Sui and others to help this time, at least the living cabin has richer ingredients and seasonings.

After an hour of busy work, a simple dining table moved from an off-road vehicle was set up next to the table in the living cabin, and there were enough chairs around it for everyone to sit on.

Immediately afterwards, crystal plates with exquisite patterns filled with various dishes were brought to the table, and Dmitri also brought back a bottle of frozen vodka and a bottle of champagne from the outside, and poured them in respectively. In the crystal cup in front of everyone.

"What kind of dish is this?"

Apo poked a piece of fat and thin pork with a fork and asked curiously, but he stuffed it into his mouth before waiting for the others to answer.

"Red Sao Meat"

Ji Ma held the cup and gave the answer, "Victor is a Chinese, and his best dish is all kinds of Hongsao meat."

"Braised pork" Wei Ran corrected the former's pronunciation dumbfounded, while Sui Sui simply put the poked piece of meat on the plate in front of Wei Ran.

"Are you from Huaxia?" Old Ivan looked at Wei Ran with great interest.

"Yes" Wei Ran nodded with his usual expression.

"I've been to China," said old Ivan abruptly.

"Have you been to Huaxia?" Wei Ran and Sui Sui looked at the old Ivan who had put down his knife and fork in unison.

"been"

Old Ivan lit a cigarette, and his old cheeks showed an imperceptible trace of jealousy and longing in the lingering smoke, "I went there about ten years ago to see the Olympic Games. Before that, And almost got that terrible earthquake."

"how do you feel?"

Jima poured a glass of wine into the other's glass, "I went there last year too, and spent Chinese New Year at Victor's home."

"I saw the disaster relief soldiers, the red flag rising at the same time as the sun, the athletes on the field and the cheering people. It was really incredible there, can you imagine? Even the cleaners on the street would pick it up Put their flag stickers in their pockets."

Old Ivan was silent for a moment, shook his head and sighed, "That should be the world we created."

"My dad said that too"

Jima held the glass and said, "He was... no, he was a party member and he said almost exactly the same thing as you just said".

"Me too, I'm also a party member." Old Ivan smiled and picked up the cup, touched Jima lightly, and drank it all with his head raised.

"Old Ivan, tell me the story about you and this rescue station."

Wei Ran helped Ivan, who was sitting across from him, fill up the wine, "Just now you have been chatting with our twin beauties."

"Who doesn't like beautiful women?"

Old Ivan raised his glass to the Katenka sisters who were some distance away, took a small sip and said, "I am a miner who grew up in Yukta, and the coal mines there were exhausted later. Yes, in 96, after I experienced almost a year of unemployment, I applied to set up a field rescue station here.

Although this job is rather boring, at least there is never a shortage of food and drink, so I don't have to worry about going hungry.And as you have seen today, every time you help drivers who have accidents, you can make a small amount of money. "

"I've never heard of any field rescue station equipped with a DT-30 transport vehicle," Dmitry couldn't help asking.

"This is my car"

Old Ivan put down his glass, "It took me half a month to fix it and drive it back in an abandoned military base hundreds of kilometers away."

"Really familiar 'Not a Word of the Truth' series."

Wei Ran muttered to himself while stuffing his mouth with sullen head, what Ivan said just now had nothing in common with the records in the metal book.

However, just because he doesn't believe it doesn't mean that others don't believe it. At least Maya, who usually doesn't like to talk much, chased after her and asked, "Did you also make these decorations in the carriage? The decoration here is really beautiful, and I'm still in the bathroom." I saw the bathtub!"

"Of course"

Old Ivan laughed and explained, "It used to be just a cargo hold with nothing in it, and I slept in a tent in it. You can definitely see that there is nothing to spend money on my job, so I I saved a lot of money, so I simply asked the people in the coal field to help decorate the place a few years ago."

"Uncle Ivan, do you live here every winter?" Maya asked curiously.

“I was there in the summer”

Old Ivan poked a pickle and took a bite. "At that time, there would be a lot of bastards here who came to pan for gold or steal ivory. If you catch them, you will get a bonus."

Before Wei Ran and others could say anything, there was a sudden and urgent call from the curtain that had not been opened from the beginning to the end, "Ivan, is Uncle Ivan from the Agni Fire Rescue Station here? Come and save me!" Save us!"

"Dang!"

Old Ivan casually threw the knife and fork in his hand on the table, turned around and lifted up a corner of the curtain to get in.

With that fleeting perspective, Wei Ran could only vaguely see the flashing lights of various colors, as well as the cabinet against the wall, where the silhouette was highlighted because of the fluttering curtain.

　[-] in [-] update
　　
　
(End of this chapter)