The train driver in the courtyard

After Li Aiguo returned to Factory 123 with Director Ma and the three team leaders, he commended the soldiers who participated in the mission in the name of their superiors.

The artillery company, RPG and radar squad were all awarded third-class collective merit.

The soldiers were still in a daze at this time.

It was a dark night and many soldiers didn't even see the plane, but they still won an award, a third-class collective merit.

They all got excited.

Li Aiguo looked around at the soldiers below and said, "I emphasize again that this mission is a confidential one. From now on, no one is allowed to mention it!"

"Yes!" the soldiers responded in unison.

Just by going into the mountains, we can get a third-class collective merit. Everyone knows that this mission is not ordinary.

Afterwards, Director Ma spoke a few more words and then announced the adjournment of the meeting. The various companies also prepared to evacuate Factories 1, 2 and 3 and return to their respective bases.

Li Aiguo also planned to return to Jichun. After returning to his residence and preparing to pack his luggage, the director of the Security Department of Factory 123 knocked on the door.

"Commissioner Li, let me help you pack."

After the director of the security department came into the room, he first enthusiastically helped pack the luggage. After a long while, he hesitantly explained the purpose of his visit.

"After checking, no problems were found between the director of our factory's publicity department, the newspaper's editor-in-chief Zhou, and reporter Qin. Should we release them?"

Bang! Li Aiguo slapped his forehead.

He really forgot about these three people.

"Since they have no other questions, we will handle it according to the organizational procedures. We have no objection."

The director of the Security Department felt a pang of regret when he was told to handle the case according to organizational procedures instead of releasing him directly.

This review was recorded in the files of these three people, and their future prospects are probably worrying.

Before he came, he was indeed commissioned to plead for the three people, but now he couldn't speak.

After all, this was the first time in the country that a secret operation was secretly filmed, and I was lucky to be able to get out of the small dark room.

"Comrade Commissioner, I will pass your opinion on to the leaders in the factory."

The director of the Security Department saluted and was about to leave, but Li Aiguo called him back.

"This is the reporter's camera. Take it back and give it to her. The film has been confiscated because it involves the content of the operation."

Li Aiguo handed the camera to the director of the Security Department, who took it with both hands, saluted again, turned and left.

The director of the Security Department reported the commissioner's opinions to the military representative and the factory director.

The factory director rubbed his brows in frustration: "The reporter came here to promote the workers in our factory, but now he has to bear the brunt of the punishment. What kind of thing is this?"

The military representative took the camera and fiddled with it for a while. "This time, we are just following the organizational procedures. The commissioner did not hold the reporter responsible for blocking the operation, which is already a lenient punishment."

The factory director was also aware of this, but he was worried that the newspaper would have opinions about Factories 1, 2 and 3 because of this.

"This is a matter of right and wrong, and I think the newspaper can understand it." The military representative made the final decision: "Handle this matter according to the commissioner's opinion. I will report the whole matter to the ministry immediately."

Seeing that the military representative insisted, the factory had nothing more to say.

The military representative of Factory 123 reported the situation to the leaders in the department.

Although the content of the operation was omitted, it only reported that Editor-in-Chief Zhou and Reporter Qin violated interview discipline, which almost delayed a major operation and caused serious leaks.

The leaders in the department were still furious.

The leader called directly to the Workers' Machinery News.

At this time, the director of the Security Department had already arrived at the detention center and read out the organizational decision to the three people.

The director of the Propaganda Department was given a serious warning, suspended from salary for half a year, transferred from his leadership position, and required to report his ideological work to the organization every month.

Since Editor-in-Chief Zhou and Reporter Qin were not employees of Factory 123, Factory 123 decided to report the situation to the newspaper.

Upon learning of the decision, reporter Qin was furious. He put his hands on his waist and said angrily, "I am also here for an interview. Why don't they put up a sign outside saying "Journalists Are Not Allowed" when they are carrying out the operation? This is bullying!"

Editor-in-Chief Zhou had already realized the seriousness of the problem, and looked at the director of the Security Department and pleaded: "Director Liu, we made a mistake, you have already detained us and interrogated us, I understand that you are also doing this for your job, so I won't say anything.

There is no need to just inform the original unit.

You see, Xiao Qin is still very young. If her unit finds out, it may have a serious impact on her future.

We should take care of our little comrades, right?"

The director of the security department sighed helplessly and said, "This is the commissioner's opinion."

"Is it the smelly and hard guy?"

When Editor-in-Chief Zhou learned that the order was issued by Li Aiguo himself, he felt helpless for a moment.

In the past, as the editor-in-chief of a newspaper, she held the power of reporting and editing, and everyone who met her had to give her some face.

Who would have thought that after learning her identity, the other party wouldn't even smile.

"I'm going to call the newspaper!"

Editor-in-Chief Zhou decided to take the initiative and report the situation directly to the president.

Reporter Qin nodded excitedly: "We also came to this remote place for the newspaper's work. The president will definitely understand us!"

The director of the Security Department originally thought that the two had learned their lesson, but now seeing the attitudes of Editor-in-Chief Zhou and Reporter Qin, he realized that the commissioner was still foresighted.

People like this who habitually abuse their privileges never look for reasons within themselves.

Only when you truly suffer can you understand the seriousness of the problem.

The director of the Security Department brought the two men into the office and helped them connect to the Beijing newspaper.

Editor-in-Chief Zhou couldn't wait to pick up the phone. When he heard that it was the president on the other end, he immediately said excitedly: "Old Chen, you have really screwed us this time. The first, second and third factories are not military factories at all, they are simply bandit dens. Reporter Xiao Qin just took a photo, and they are making a big deal out of it."

Before she could finish her words, she was interrupted by a cold voice: "Editor-in-Chief Zhou, stop talking. I have already understood the situation. Now, on behalf of the newspaper, I am informing you that you and reporter Qin have been suspended. You must return to the capital immediately!"

Editor-in-Chief Zhou stood there in a daze, holding the phone. His face turned from red to blue, and he couldn't make a sound.

Reporter Qin also realized that something was wrong and asked anxiously, "Teacher Zhou, what happened?"

“We were suspended.”

"what"

Reporter Qin's face turned pale.

She was really confused. How could she have to bear such serious consequences just for taking a photo?
Perhaps she will never understand that she can live a peaceful life every day, get together with a few good friends to enjoy a feast at Donglaishun, stroll leisurely in the park on weekends, and sleep peacefully every night.

These things that she took for granted were actually not the case.

Behind this, there are countless people who are silently persevering and selflessly contributing.

They have to endure the pain of separation and even sacrifice their precious lives in some cases.

I, Li Aiguo, don’t care about these.

He had already returned to Jichun and was preparing to go to Photon Film to say goodbye to the Zhou family.

At this time, the photon sheet has undergone several days of reorganization.

That gang of hooligans has been completely wiped out.

Later, Director Chen of the Municipal Bureau, who took over from Li Aiguo to carry out the rectification operation, was preparing to leave Photon Film with his team.

This time the departure was not as quiet as when Li Aiguo came. The villagers and street officials who heard the news came to the street office compound to say goodbye to the rectification team.

The villagers also sent a whole basket of comfort supplies to the soldiers' trucks.

Everybody's face was filled with enthusiasm and joy from the bottom of their hearts. The only thing missing was to find an old lady in flowery clothes to stand on the street, dance the yangge, and sing "Ten Farewells to the Soldiers" to the soldiers.

The streets were bustling with activity. When Li Aiguo returned to Zhou's house, only Li Suhua and Zhou Bingyi were at home.

Upon learning that Li Aiguo was going back to the capital, Li Suhua told Zhou Bingyi to stop doing his homework and go call Zhou Zhigang back.

"By the way, when you pass by the street office, call your brother and ask him to go to the vegetable market to buy an old hen."

Not long after Zhou Bingyi left, Zhou Bingkun returned from the street.

He was carrying an old hen in his hand. As soon as he entered the door, he handed the hen to Li Suhua, turned around and said to Li Aiguo: "Uncle Li, why don't you go to the street? The villagers are seeing off the rectification team. It's so lively."

"Didn't you see the soldier with the scar on his face? He was standing on the truck, looking so impressive. Many girls gave him flowers!"

When Zhou Bingkun mentioned the grand scene on the street, stars appeared in his eyes.

Li Aiguo had actually seen a soldier with a scar on his face.

Isn’t this guy Wang Ermeng who served as the human chariot wheel that night?

This guy is single and busy with training all day. It would be a great thing if he could take this opportunity to find a marriage partner.

"is it?"

Li Aiguo smiled as he drank his tea and asked, "Isn't everyone so happy?"

"You guessed it right. The three sons of the old Wai family to our east were always stealing and they were all arrested this time."

The two were chatting when Zhou Zhigang came back.

At noon, Li Suhua prepared a large table of dishes, including pork stewed with vermicelli, chicken stewed with mushrooms, stir-fried green vegetables, and peanuts.
After Li Aiguo sat down, he didn't see Zhou Rong and asked curiously.

"Zhou Rong went to the city's cultural center. I heard that there was a poet from Beijing doing some kind of signing event at the cultural center." Li Suhua said in confusion, "Those flowery things can't be used to make a living. What's the point of reading them? Zhou Rong is a bit obsessed."

Zhou Bingyi frowned and said, "Mom, poetry is a cultural treasure. We should encourage Zhou Rong to like poetry."

Zhou Bingyi held up the hope of the Zhou family. As soon as he spoke, Li Suhua fell silent.

Zhou Zhigang also nodded: "Old lady, we should encourage Zhou Rong."

The family dinner ended in a warm atmosphere.

In the afternoon, Zhou Bingkun carried Li Aiguo's luggage and sent him to the bus stop outside the Photon Film.

"Uncle Li, will you come to visit us again in the future?"

"Yes, definitely! Bingkun, uncle may be transferred to work in Beijing in the future.

When you grow up a little bit, you can ask your father to take you to the capital, and then I will take you around."

Li Aiguo rubbed Zhou Bingkun's little head.

Zhou Bingkun nodded excitedly: "Then it's a deal, pinky promise!"

Two fingers, one big and one small, were hooked together.

"Hang yourself with a hook and don't change for a hundred years!"

Zhou Bingkun watched the bus leave. The wheels rolled, raising a cloud of dust and taking his uncle and good friend away.

In Zhou Bingkun's eyes, this train driver uncle would tell all kinds of wonderful stories, push iron hoops with him, and listen to his stories about his neighbor Xiaofang. He was not just an uncle, but a big friend. The young Zhou Bingkun tasted the taste of separation for the first time.

He sighed in a pretentious manner, pinched the envelope, and walked along the street towards home.

After taking two steps, Zhou Rong caught up from behind.

"I'm back, sister. Did you see the great poet today?"

"Of course I have. The poet from Beijing is really handsome, cultured, and tasteful. But the poetry collection is too expensive, two yuan and twenty cents per copy. I can't afford it with my pocket money. Bingkun, what's in your hand?"

Zhou Rong was expressing her feelings when she saw the envelope in Zhou Bingkun's hand and immediately came over out of curiosity.

"This is what the train driver asked me to give to my mother. I don't know what's inside." Zhou Bingkun raised the envelope.

Zhou Rong stepped forward and said, "Open it and take a look."

Zhou Bingkun took a step back: "Sister, this is for our mother, how can I open it?"

"Are you stupid? If you open it, our mother won't know."

As Zhou Rong spoke, she reached out to grab the envelope. Although Zhou Bingkun was reluctant, the envelope was still taken away.

She opened the envelope and took out a few banknotes, all of which were one-dollar bills, ten in total.

There was also a note on it, saying "Thank you sister-in-law for taking care of me during this period. This money is for living expenses."

"The train driver is a very particular person."

Zhou Bingkun reached out to take the envelope back, but Zhou Rong held it tightly in her hand.

"Bingkun, I just need two dollars and fifty cents to buy a collection of poems. You know my mother will definitely not give it to me. How about..."

Seeing Zhou Rong staring at the money, Zhou Bingkun was shocked and said quickly: "Sister, this is the money that uncle gave to our mother, how can you take it?"

Zhou Rong's big eyes flashed with cunning brilliance: "The note doesn't specify the amount of money, and uncle won't tell our mother how much money there is in total. I'll only take three yuan, and our mother won't know. I'll give you fifty cents when the time comes. Haven't you always wanted to buy popsicles? Fifty cents can buy a lot of popsicles."

Zhou Rong's method was very clever. Neither Li Suhua nor Zhou Zhigang could discover that the money had been taken.

but.

Zhou Bingkun always felt that doing so was a mistake.

He was stunned for a moment, then suddenly snatched the envelope and money, turned around and ran away.

All Zhou Rong had left was one sentence: "Sister, this is the money uncle gave to mom, I can't give it to you."

"Zhou Bingkun, you are a fool!"

Zhou Rong was so angry that she stomped her feet on the spot.

******
On the other side, Li Aiguo had already arrived at the Jichun Meteorological Station.

The superiors took into consideration that Zhao Laoshuan might have other issues that he had not explained clearly.

(It’s not that Zhao Laoshuan didn’t fully confess, but Zhao Laoshuan himself is an old American who has worked at Langley and served as an instructor on Saipan. Everything he knows, even the trivial things in life, may be important intelligence.)
The superiors ordered Li Aiguo to bring Zhao Laoshuan back to the Beijing Meteorological Station when he returned this time. They wanted to slowly develop this gold mine.

Taking into account Zhao Laoshuan's special status and the fact that he could not take the train, his superiors specially coordinated with the local garrison and reserved three seats on the military transport plane.

After receiving the dispatch order, Li Aiguo and Director Ma brought Zhao Laoshuan out of the detention room of the meteorological station.

This was the first time that Zhao Laoshuan saw the sun in these days. He raised his head and greedily breathed in the fresh air.

"Put it on him." Li Aiguo waved his hand, and the third team leader came over with a black woolen hood.

"Is today the day I'm going to be shot? Well, I've made so many serious mistakes, it's time to atone for them."

Seeing this scene, Zhao Laoshuan smiled bitterly twice, and suddenly looked at Li Aiguo and asked, "Comrade Li, I once asked you how you found me. You didn't answer me. Now I'm about to die. Can you fulfill the last wish of a dying person?"

Director Bai and the three team leaders of the Jichun Meteorological Station pricked up their ears.

This question is also the one that puzzles them the most.

Li Aiguo said: "First, you will not die. This time it is just a transfer. Second, I can tell you the answer."

Zhao Laoshuan cooperated very well during the interrogation.

He came to the mainland because he was forced by Langley, and to some extent, he was also a victim.

Li Aiguo didn't need to hide it, so he pointed at Zhao Laoshuan's shoes and said, "You have six shoelace holes on your shoes."

Zhao Laoshuan looked down at his round-toed black cloth shoes and frowned: "Is there anything wrong with six holes?"

“Look at other people’s shoes.”

Director Ma, Director Bai and the third team leader wore leather shoes with either five or seven lace holes.

Zhao Laoshuan turned his head and looked at the soldiers in charge of escorting them. There were seven shoelace holes on their yellow clay shoes.

The third team leader also noticed it and asked in surprise, "Is it a coincidence that all our shoelace holes are odd numbers?"

She suddenly turned around and ran to the side yard. After a moment, she ran back and said loudly, "The shoes worn by the fat cook and the staff are all round-toed cloth shoes. The shoe holes either have three or five, and they are all odd numbers."

Director Bai's curiosity was also aroused, and he looked at Li Aiguo and asked, "Comrade driver, is there a particular number of shoe holes?"

"In ancient times, shoes were called footwear, and their status was the same as that of clothing. How could they not be particular?" Li Aiguo said slowly, "The ancients believed in the principle of yin and yang. Where there is yin, there must be yang, and where there is yang, there must be yin. Odd numbers are yang numbers, and even numbers represent yin numbers.

Since the appearance of shoe holes, according to old custom, the shoe holes for living people can only be yang numbers, and only those made for the dead can be even numbers.

The numbers one, three, five, seven, and nine represent circulation, reincarnation, and endless rebirth.”

Zhao Laoshuan was stunned when he heard this.

He considers himself an expert on China.

In order to allow him to successfully infiltrate, Langley's experts customized clothing for them and made it look old so that they could pass as real people.

Unexpectedly, there were still mistakes. Chinese culture is indeed profound and extensive.

"I'm convinced! I'm convinced that I lost to you!"

If Zhao Laoshuan was willing to cooperate, it was because Li Aiguo had "threatened" Zhao Laoshuan through Langli's tricky operations.

This time, Zhao Laoshuan felt that he was completely defeated by Li Aiguo in the professional competition.

"I'll do it myself."

At this time, Zhao Laoshuan had completely lost the will to resist. He took the hood and put it on his head, then got into the jeep.

The third team leader was amazed: "In the past, I thought that only criticism with weapons could make people submit, but I didn't expect that Driver Li could make people obey just by talking."

Just rely on your mouth? Do you really think that all those books Li Aiguo worked so hard on are wasted?
For example, the idea about shoe holes was learned by Li Aiguo from a book in the Republic of China that explained the theory of yin and yang.

The jeep roared away from the Jichun Weather Station and arrived at the military airport in the suburbs.

The next morning.

The capital city was shrouded in a faint golden light, and a small transport plane landed at Nanyuan Airport.

As soon as the transport plane stopped, the leaders who got off the plane were surprised to find that a jeep had driven directly onto the tarmac.

"Which unit is this comrade from? How bold!"

The comrades who are qualified to take the transport plane are all leaders of various departments in the capital, and even many of them are from military regions.

On weekdays, they have special cars when they go out, but they never dare to be so arrogant.

"Are you from the Air Force? No, damn it, if you dare to abuse your privilege, I'm going to give you a fucking stab at him during the meeting later."

"Wait, something is wrong"

When they saw two comrades in gray Zhongshan suits getting out of the jeep, they suddenly fell silent.

The jeep's license plate was ordinary, the car looked ordinary, and even the driver was wearing casual clothes.

It is this ordinariness that illustrates a big problem.

The jeep only picked up two comrades in gray Zhongshan suits from the plane.

The tall guy among them was particularly active on the plane. He gathered everyone together to play poker for several hours.

Seeing Li Aiguo enter the jeep, a man in blue pants who came out of the tank compound changed his expression slightly: "I didn't say anything nonsense when I was playing cards, did I?"

"You are too timid. You really think this is the period before liberation and we won't do the things the enemy does." An old friend comforted him.

Blue Pants finally breathed a sigh of relief, muttering to himself, "Didn't they say that those people have gloomy faces all day and don't socialize with people? This guy recognized several brothers on the plane and even gave him my phone number."

Inside the jeep, Li Aiguo opened a small notebook which contained his name, position, address and phone number.

"Logistics is from Brother Liu, Navy Commander Brother Zhang, and Signal Commander Brother Chen"

Wow, they are all big shots!

This transport plane is the most upscale "social club" in the country.

More friends, more paths. Li Aiguo is an extrovert who likes making friends, so he naturally cannot miss such a good opportunity.

The jeep sped all the way into the weather station, where the farmer was waiting in the yard with a group of people working on the project.

The farmer felt a little strange when he saw Li Aiguo and Director Ma coming down empty-handed.

"Where is Zhao Laoshuan?"

Li Aiguo walked to the back of the jeep, opened the trunk, and the staff lifted a wooden box down.

The wooden box was made of planks with several vents on it. Li Aiguo shouted into it: "Laoshuan, hide here!"

He took the crowbar and opened the wooden box.

Inside was Zhao Laoshuan wearing a hood.

The farmer was amazed. "Put it in a box, and no one will know that we have transported Titus Hindson to the capital. Comrade driver, you have come up with a good idea."

Li Aiguo pulled open Zhao Laoshuan's hood and pulled a ball of cotton cloth out of his mouth: "Leader, this was Zhao Laoshuan's idea."

The farmer was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing: "A person being escorted actually gives advice to the escort. Isn't this like an old hen being a bridesmaid for a weasel?"

By now, Zhao Laoshuan had adapted to the light. His eyes swept across the faces of the crowd and finally fell on the farmer's face.

He smiled at the farmer and said, "You must be the driver's leader. First of all, I want to correct two of your statements."

It was the first time that the farmer saw such a bold Dieter. He became interested and nodded.

Zhao Laoshuan said: "First, my name is Zhao Laoshuan now. Titus Hindson is dead. I hope you will call me Zhao Laoshuan in the future."

The farmer thought for a moment, "What about the second one?"

Zhao Laoshuan fell to his knees on the ground.

"I'd like to join you!"

(End of this chapter)