Walking on the avenue under the oak trees, Wei Ran felt relaxed as if he had put down the big stone, but at the same time he couldn't help but feel a little regretful.
Nikolai’s experience does not include himself, which is undoubtedly a good thing. After all, he does not want to see his own photos in historical records. That is definitely a scary thing.
On the other hand, the letter from Aleutian and others has been delivered to the recipients, which can be regarded as living up to their trust, even if the person who sent the letter is not himself.
But the ending of the all-important application report for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union is inevitably disappointing. After those soldiers who once held position 19 were buried in the soil, all their efforts became a minority. People don’t want to recall and there are war stories that most people don’t know about.
"Forget it, this is not bad." Wei Ran let out a long sigh, skillfully replaced the old Leica hanging on his chest with new film, and pressed the shutter on the avenue behind him. .
However, before he could turn around, Nicholas caught up with him on his stylish old Harley.
"Young man, if you have enough time, how about having lunch together?" Nikolai, holding a half-stubbed cigarette in his mouth, placed his motorcycle across the road that Weiran must pass, and there was something hidden in his casual tone. A trace of expectation.
Wei Ran readily agreed, "Of course, as long as it's not boiling potatoes in salt water or water mixed with vodka."
"Of course not! That's just killing the Germans." You can only eat good food before. Come back by yourself!"
Before he finished speaking, Nikolai had already turned on the accelerator and steered the old Harley towards the building. In the two-story building, he had no idea that his back was forever fixed in the old Leica camera in Wei Ran's hand.
Sauntering back to the back of the two-story building wrapped in Lingxiao flowers, Nicholas, who was originally shirtless, had already put on a shabby sea soul shirt, and even the The leather pants full of hippie elements were replaced with a pair of Soviet-era camouflage pants and matching big leather boots.
Silently, he followed the other person and walked through the door again. This time, Nicholas, who was leading the way, did not stop at all. He took Wei Ran directly to the second floor, and then took out a shiny key and opened it. A security door was installed on one side of the corridor.
Following Nicholas to a spacious room with a blackboard still remaining, Wei Ran sat on the old sofa and waited quietly at the former's signal, while Nicholas took a picture from the refrigerator After getting him a can of beer, he opened the door again and left, getting into a locked room at the end of the corridor.
While waiting, Wei Ran looked around secretly. Although this room was spacious enough, the furnishings were extremely simple, except for a work table and several sofas placed against the wall, as well as a Apart from an old refrigerator and a dining table by the window with two chairs, the only remaining bookshelf is filled with kraft paper portfolios.
Before he could finish the can of beer in his hand, Nicholas was already holding itA large file bag came in.
"Come and take a look"
Nicholas greeted and waited for Wei Ran to sit down across the dining table, then he slowly opened the file bag and took out a bulging bag. kraft paper package.
As the kraft paper used for wrapping was spread out, a well-preserved photo frame appeared between the two of them.
"Young man, are you here just for it?" Nicholas asked, stroking the photo frame.
Looking back at Wei Ran, his eyes were widened at this time. What was sealed in this wooden photo frame was exactly the application report for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union!
But in the upper right corner of the report, the dark red “not approved” scrawled words stung the young and old in the room like a long red-hot needle.
"It...how..." Wei Ran picked up the photo frame and looked at it over and over again. He hesitated and didn't know whether he should ask the doubts in his heart.
"Whether it is the 64th Group Army, or the later merged Seventh Guards Army, or even the 127th Division, the only subordinate unit of the Seventh Army controlled by Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union, there are also I have personally visited the 102nd military base established on the basis of this application report, but due to lack of evidence, no one is willing to award Position 19 the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.”
Nicholas. He said with a ferocious face and pain, "Why else do you think I would hide in this damn place? I am from Stalingrad, but I don't even dare to go back. I can't face Captain Aleutian and those who hold position 19 They are not qualified to return to the Stalingrad they protect."
"How have you lived these years?" Wei Ran asked with a frown.
Nicholas glanced at Wei Ran thoughtfully, and sighed after hesitating for a long time, "After graduating from Suvorov School, I was sent to work in a correction camp for a period of time until I was wiped out. He lost all his records and was sent to East Berlin to deal with American agents in 1953. So, young man, how did you find me?"
Wei Ran looked at him speechlessly. The other party really didn't know how to explain it. Fortunately, Nicholas didn't seem to mind, "Forget it, no need to think of excuses, it's good that you can find it here, at least there is someone to chat with me.
Unlike those little bastards in the village , In their hearts, I have always been the director of a mental hospital, and those idiots even sent a mentally ill person to me half a year ago."
This sudden cold humor made Wei Ran smile. Nicholas opened the window and asked the gangsters downstairs to bring the food up.
He allowed them to fill the dining table with the food they had brought. After they left, Wei Ran asked, "Mr. Nicholas, have you always lived here by yourself?"
p>
The latter threw the big piece of red cabbage soup into his mouth, and at the same time added a big mouthful of butter stewed beef, and then said indifferently, "8I started working here after I came back from Germany in 4 years. It wasn’t until the Soviet Union collapsed that I bought this place and turned it into a school. "
At this point, Nicholas raised his head and said, "Young man, in exchange for equivalent information, tell me about your work! "
"I'm just helping my client trace the history." Wei Ran knew that the other party was changing the topic, so he simply didn't expose it and enthusiastically introduced his and Professor Alexei's studio.< /p>
As the old and the young asked and answered each other, time passed by. By the time all the food on the table had been eaten by the two of them, the sun outside the window had already sunk more than half.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had such fun chatting with someone.” Nicholas pulled out a small piece of vegetable leaf from his teeth in an imageless manner, “Kid Victor, If you are not in a hurry to go back, just rest here for one night. There will be no cars to take you back to the city at this time. "
Wei Ran burped and poured the last sip of wine from the beer can into his mouth, "Then I'm not welcome. ”