Zhong Nanshan: Guardian of Life

Chapter 3 The Haze of War

The haze of war is approaching, and the bloody wind engulfs suffering and death, and with a grinning smile, it kicks off a cold prelude for the land of China.

This child named "Nanshan" was born at a critical moment shrouded in the shadow of war, and he was bound to encounter many tests of fate.And will his immature life really be like a majestic mountain, carrying the baptism of blood and rain?Fate is waiting for him to hand over the answer sheet.

On July [-], [-], the "Marco Polo Bridge Incident" broke out.Japan invaded Beiping and Tianjin and pushed into Shanghai.From then on, the Japanese army began to bomb Nanjing for four months, until Nanjing fell and suffered catastrophe.On August [-], the Japanese Marine Corps fired provocative shots at the Chinese defenders on the Songhu Railway from Tiantongan Station to Yokohama Road, and attacked along Baoshan Road under the cover of tanks. The Chinese garrison in Shanghai rose up to resist.

On August [-], [-], the air raid sirens sounded in Nanjing, and bombers circled over Nanjing rumblingly. This was the first time the Japanese army attacked Nanjing after bombing Shanghai.

The baby Zhong Nanshan, who was not yet one year old, was mercilessly pushed by the hand of fate into the harsh air raid sirens and the frightening danger of being bombed.In a bombing by the Japanese army, the house where the Zhong family lived was destroyed, but the baby Zhong Nanshan was still in the house. His grandmother and mother rescued him from the ruins in great horror.His face was covered in ashes, and his face was blackened from being suppressed under the rubble, and he couldn't cry for a long time.If the rescue of grandma and mother was delayed for a moment, Zhong Nanshan's life might not be guaranteed.This is the first time for him, who is less than one year old, to face the god of death and get away with it.

At this time, the Chinese troops who retreated from the front line also rushed into Nanjing in large numbers, and the city of Nanjing was in chaos.The weather is getting colder and winter is approaching, and the situation in Nanjing is tense.In order to avoid the flames of war, Nanjing Central Hospital moved westward to Guiyang.Zhong Shifan took his whole family, old and young, on a long journey, and followed the Nanjing Central Hospital to the west to seek refuge.Along the way, refugees in ragged clothes and confused faces can be seen everywhere. Homeless people and beggars stretch out their withered hands, begging hopelessly and helplessly from passers-by.The flames of war ignited in their homes, and the poverty of the Chinese people is obvious. Lack of food and clothing, and starvation are the norm. Even those who were originally well-off have become impoverished after the looting of the war.

In the winter of [-], the Zhong family settled down in Guiyang.Later, the Zhong family added a lovely daughter, and Zhong Nanshan had a younger sister.Zhong Shifan also borrowed the place name "Qian" of his birthplace, and named his daughter Zhong Qianjun.Zhong Nanshan and his younger sister grew up slowly in Guiyang.He goes to kindergarten during the day and spends happy time with his family at night. His mother is happy to play with him and his sister and often tells them stories.In [-], Zhong Nanshan attended elementary school in Guiyang.

Guiyang is the rear. Although the heavy smoke of war is not approaching for the time being, danger still exists all the time.In [-], the Zhong family suffered another air raid.That day, Zhong Shifan and his wife took Zhong Nanshan and Zhong Qianjun to the park to play.In the park, children are playing, butterflies are flying, and it is peaceful.Suddenly, the sharp and piercing air raid sirens sounded, and the warm and cozy atmosphere in the park suddenly became tense. The cries of children and the exclamation of adults accompanied the footsteps of people fleeing to the air-raid shelter, tearing apart the peace and tranquility.The air-raid shelter was too far away, and they couldn't run fast with the two children, so Zhong Shifan and Liao Yueqin could only hide in the cornfield nearby.Zhong Nanshan hid in the cornfield, not daring to breathe or move, his face turned pale and his hands and feet were cold from fright.He heard shells roaring to the ground, followed by bursts of explosions.The air was filled with the choking smell of gunpowder smoke, and the explosion happened not far away, where the Zhong family lived.

After the bombing ended, Zhong Shifan and his wife took the Zhong Nanshan brothers and sisters home.In front of them, their home has been bombed into ruins.The house that I bought with great difficulty was gone again.This time, even the medical books cherished by Zhong Shifan and his wife—those books shipped from Nanjing after traveling thousands of miles and being reluctant to discard them after going through hardships—are gone.Everything had to be reset again.After the house was bombed, Zhong Shifan's family had to move into a small makeshift house in the hospital.

In Guiyang, the life of Zhong’s family is very poor. It’s not bad if the family can fill their stomachs. Mustard mustard is considered a delicacy. If Zhong Nanshan and his sister can eat a piece of fermented bean curd, they will be very happy.But for children, what they care about is only the playfulness and happiness that belong to children at the moment. They don't care whether they have enough daily necessities or whether they live in poverty.

Although the family lived under the shadow of war, Zhong Nanshan and his sister had a happy childhood because of the care and love of their father and mother. Zhong Nanshan's mischievous nature was not suppressed by the hardships of the times.

(End of this chapter)