At the same time, Lu Jiang led a team to exterminate a group of foreign militants intent on encroaching on national territory.
After a fierce fight, our side suffered thirteen casualties, eliminated over a hundred of the opposing force, dismantled one of their armed strongholds, captured their leader, and confiscated a large amount of supplies for our own use.
Only after tending to the aftermath of the death of comrades, could the lean and dark-skinned Lu Jiang catch his breath.
Anyone, burying their comrades with their own hands would feel terrible.
Unable to take their ashes home, they were all buried where they fell, within the border line, according to their wishes, laying there eternally guarding the country’s territory.
Lu Jiang didn’t put his hat back on once he took it off. His face was blackened with dirt, grimy beyond recognition. Bare-chested, with a bandage faintly stained with blood wrapped around his left shoulder, he sat in front of a tent with a straw in his mouth, quietly listening to training slogans echoing from the camp and gazing toward his hometown.
"What’s on your mind? Old Lu, you homesick?" A comrade who came to sit beside him offered him a porcelain jar of water.
Though they had captured supplies which included alcohol, they dared not drink. Consuming alcohol could cause lapses in judgement and they had an important duty to shoulder. They couldn’t afford to risk it.
Lu Jiang turned his head to see Zhao Anbang, half of his body wrapped in bandages. He accepted the jar and took a big gulp of water before answering, "I don’t miss home. We have an important mission, there’s no time to miss home. It’s the people from my home I’m worried about. By my estimate, my wife should have gone into labour by now, I don’t know whether mother and child are safe, and whether it’s a boy or a girl."
Given the low standard of healthcare in the countryside, even though his wife was trained in medical care, she could not treat herself. He was quite anxious. His only hope was that Wu Zheng could come in handy. He didn’t want his wife to encounter any danger.
Zhao Anbang let out a hearty laugh. "Aren’t we fighting here to ensure the safety of our families back home? As guaranteeing their safety. Yes, I’ll remind you, you promised me, no matter if it’s a boy or a girl, you said I could be their godfather! I deserve a share of your child!"
"Off you go!" Lu Jiang joked, elbowing him, "That’s something you made me promise when you were nearly dying on the battlefield! Now that you are safe and sound, you can get married and have your own children someday, stop trying to claim mine!
Zhao Anbang leaned his head back, looking at the sky, "I’m not likely to have a child in this lifetime."
From his weather-beaten face came no visible emotion.
Lu Jiang stilled, understanding his meaning instantly. He patted his shoulder with his uninjured hand. Quite a lot of their friends who survived these battles ended up infertile, but what could they do about it?
"Alright, alright, you can consider my child as half yours, ok? Once we are old, if he doesn’t support you, I’ll spank him."
Zhao Anbang has a reputation like thunder, born into a revolutionary family and fearless even in his youth. He’s had many close encounters with death but always emerged alive, offering outstanding contributions. However, in recent years he has been thwarted because of his father. Prior to leaving, he was transferred from the northwest to their unit as a second-in-command, it was a bit unfair really.
Zhao Anbang laughed, "Should have agreed earlier, shouldn’t you? What do you think, boy or girl? If it’s a son, we’ll take him target shooting. If it’s a daughter, we’ll buy her pretty clothes, hairpins, and dolls. Just wonder if the son or daughter will take after who, if the girl looks like you she might scare others! Watch out if you spank him, your wife might not forgive you, after all, she’s the one who gives birth and brings them up, you have no right to hit them!"