While chatting at a low volume, Wei Ran followed the guerrillas led by Uncle Slava as they turned left and right through the dense forest for more than an hour, and finally finally found their way to a road less than a mile away. Stopped by the two-meter-wide stream.
"Okay, we're here."
Uncle Slava didn't light the kerosene lamp he had been carrying until this moment, and handed it to the man who was changing his voice. Ivan, a young man from the period, said, "Go and take the reporter comrade to the shack where Gennaxi lives. Remember to help him light a fire, find two more animal skins for him, and get him a bucket of water."
"Follow me!" Young Ivan took the oil lamp, pulled Wei Ran and walked in one direction.
Looking at the guerrillas behind him who were shrouded in darkness again, Wei Ran curiously asked in a low voice, "Ivan, who is Gennaxi?"
"He He was also a guerrilla fighter. He died in a firefight with the German railway patrol a week ago." There was a calmness and calmness in Ivan's tone that was inconsistent with his age. It seemed that this meant something to him. It has long been a common thing.
Before Wei Ran could say anything, Ivan had already walked to the end of a slope only one meter wide and opened a small door made of wooden boards.
"Comrade reporter, you can go in and take a look first, and I'll go find some blankets for you first." As he said that, Ivan had already disappeared into the night.
Wei Ran opened his mouth, and finally got into the damp shack with an oil lamp.
The environment here is definitely not good. In the small space, except for a simple fireplace made of stones on the wall facing the entrance, the remaining space can only be used to place a It was just a single bed less than one meter wide and a small table made of ammunition boxes.
In addition, the height of this underground shack made it impossible for him to straighten his back. On the roof made of wrist-thick sticks and bark, there were several clusters of rotten branches growing wantonly. , black mushrooms that are exuding an unpleasant smell.
Putting the kerosene lamp on the table, Wei Ran lifted up the canvas blanket on the single bed. Under the blanket was a layer of moldy pine needles. Under the pine needles, there were several small ones of various sizes. One ammunition box, and even in the crack of the wall, he could see a snake struggling to swallow a mouse.
Shaking his head helplessly, he carefully moved the ammunition boxes away, then stepped on the snake's head, pinched the snake's tail and shook it hard, and took it out with a look of disgust.
"You are so lucky, you caught a snake." Ivan, who happened to be walking back with a roll of blankets in his arms, saw this and said with some envy, "It seems that you can drink meat tomorrow." "It's soup."
"Use it?" Wei Ran shook the long animal in his hand and asked.
"The mice it caught are also fat enough" Ivan didn't seem to be joking at all when he said this.
"Is your food so short?" Wei Ran said, throwing the snake he was carrying hard on theHe placed it on the tree trunk next to him, and then handed it to Ivan, "Give it to you."
"Thank you!"
Ivan happily accepted the gift , and then explained, "Food, ammunition and medicine have always been a big problem. If sister Alyssa hadn't sent some food back by plane from time to time, we would all have been hungry."
"Help me find some firewood." Wei Ran temporarily stopped the topic, "How about you take me for a walk around after dawn?"
"Of course, I will bring the firewood later. Send it here!" After Ivan finished speaking, he took the snake and trotted out of sight again.
Soon after, Ivan and another little boy who looked to be the same age each brought a large bundle of firewood and piled it near the pine tree at the entrance of the shack. In addition, they also brought He got an axe, a badly chipped enamel kettle filled with water, and a cup carved out of wood.
Sent away the two young men, Wei Ran got back into the shack carrying a kerosene lamp and a bundle of firewood, and conveniently closed the wooden door that was also moldy.
Pouring a little kerosene from the kerosene lamp and igniting the bundle of firewood, Wei Ran had time to check his belongings.
Although the character this time is still a reporter, there is no camera on him at all. Fortunately, he found four rolls of film in sealed tubes from the satchel he had been carrying. In addition, there was a plastic notebook, four cooked potatoes and a bottle of An unopened bottle of vodka, and a bar of soap in an iron box.
Putting these things one by one in the moved ammunition box, Wei Ran bent over and got out of the shack and looked outside. Then he closed the door again and began to try to take things out of the metal book.
The news is both good and bad, but there is quite a lot that can be brought out this time. Whether it's a pistol, a semi-automatic rifle, the anti-tank gun, or even a double-reflex camera or the three oil drums containing fuel, fresh water, and vodka, etc., they can all be taken out smoothly.
But the most critical medical kit, as well as the food box filled with chocolates and spare pistol ammunition, could not be taken out at all. In addition, there are also half-track motorcycles, gasoline stoves, platoon boats, and a guqin that are not of much use.
Not to mention disappointed, Weiran installed the film in the Rollei double-lens reflex camera, and also stuffed a box into the accessory bag, and finally put away everything including the camera. Only the bits and pieces that were just taken out of the canvas bag were left behind.
He took the time to clean up the rotten smelling pine needles and moldy canvas blankets on the bed. Wei Ran spread the two rabbit skin blankets that Ivan had just given on them, and then took them out. Covering himself with the Soviet cloak he got on the battlefield in Rzhev, he waited for the night to pass while thinking about his plans after dawn.
I don’t know when Wei Ran, who had just closed his eyes to rest his mind, fell into a deep sleep. When he woke up again, there was already outside the wooden doorThe babbling songs of some children rang out.
Wei Ran, who felt damp all over his body, stretched out and got up, opened the door and got out of the underground shack wearing an equally damp cloak.
Wei Ran squinted his eyes and glanced at the bright eyes above his head, and then returned his gaze to the surrounding environment.
Obviously, there are no swamps, no wells, no above-ground buildings, and no forest glades. Or to put it more bluntly, at least he can be sure that this is not the excavation site of Diane and the others in later generations.
This is undoubtedly good news. At least he doesn't have to worry about being caught in his sleep, and then having his hands tied behind his back with wire and thrown into the well.
I walked to the creek. At this time, there were some women of different ages, talking and laughing, washing basins of clothes by the creek. On the other side of the creek, There was also a child with only one arm left, waving a note and walking on a stone, quietly watching the sheep not far away lining up to drink water by the stream.
A little further downstream, four slightly older young men, led by Ivan, were holding up their trouser legs and standing barefoot in the cold stream, using a bark net to catch fish. Catching small fish in the water, from time to time, these young men would happily grab a fish from the net and stuff it into the German gas mask cans hanging on their waists.
Looking away from the busy creek, Wei Ran frowned. In the surrounding forest, he could also see some busy old people, some of whom were carrying They picked up mushrooms growing nearby in baskets, or they held a long pole with an iron hook and stood on tiptoes to try to hook the pine cones from the surrounding pine trees. There were even a few nimble children. He climbed directly onto the tree, riding on the branches and waving the stick in his hand vigorously.
In addition to these busy people, a little further away from Weiran, there is a group of little bean sprouts who look to be seven or eight years old at most. They are singing together under the leadership of a young woman with brown hair. Playing children's songs, and on the pine tree directly in front of these little guys, several wooden boards that were obviously removed from ammunition boxes were nailed side by side to serve as blackboards. Some letters and numbers were neatly written on them with charcoal. word.
Women, old people, children, these are all in this forest camp, but the guerrillas who came back together last night did not see any of them at this time.
After thinking for a moment, Wei Ran turned around and got into the damp shack, and took out the Rolleiflex camera that had been loaded with film in advance from the metal book.
First, he went to the edge of the creek and took a photo of the one-armed little boy herding sheep. Then Wei Ran turned the camera on Ivan, who had discovered him, and those who were with him. Guys fishing together.
When the crisp sound of the shutter completely froze the smiles on their faces, Ivan immediately ran over on splashing water, and opened the gas mask can hanging on his waist as if to take credit, "Comrade reporter, Look! I've caught so many fish todayGot it! ”
Looked at the opponent’s slightly wrinkled hands that had been soaked in the cold stream water and his feet that were still in the water, and then looked at those people who were only the size of a disposable lighter in later generations, but almost had a gas mask. The tank was half full of small fish, and Wei Ran couldn't help but ask, "How long did it take you to catch so many? "
"It starts after dawn."
Ivan put the lid on the gas mask can again and said with a grimace, "In the summer, each of us can do it every morning." Grab a big can! But now there are fewer and fewer fish in this creek, and there is no longer enough for the younger brothers and sisters to eat. "
"Caught every day? "Wei Ran couldn't help but glance at Ivan's hands and feet again.
"Of course, the fish won't jump into the pot on its own. "
Ivan grinned, waved to his companions behind him to come ashore and asked, "Comrade reporter, you must be hungry, right?" Do you need me to get you something to eat? "
"No, I'm not hungry yet. "
Wei Ran pulled Ivan out of the cold stream water that was enough to submerge his knees, and asked, "Where did Uncle Slava and the others go?" Why didn't I see him? "
"They are all patrolling in the forest, and they may be able to catch some prey by the way. "Ivan sat down on the grass, grabbed a handful of yellow weeds, and gently kneaded his cold feet as he replied.
Hearing this, Wei Ran did not ask any more questions. Instead, he raised the camera again and took another close-up of Ivan bathing in the sun.
“Why didn’t you tell me in advance? Ivan said with a regretful look on his face, "I want to pose handsomely." ”
“No, that’s fine. "
Wei Ran smiled and shook his head, turned the camera around the women who were still washing clothes, but would peek at him from time to time, and pressed the shutter again.
"Comrade reporter, do you want us to help you wash your clothes? "A blond girl boldly asked, "We promise to wash it very clean! "
"Thank you, but my clothes are not dirty yet. "Wei Ran politely rejected the other party's proposal. It looked like it was already late autumn. Even though there was the sun above his head, the water in the stream was so cold that it hurt his hands. He didn't want to add unnecessary burden to others.
< p>"Comrade reporter, shall I take you for a walk around? "Ivan stood up, handed the metal can containing the catch to his friend and asked."Where to go? "
"Go to our school? ”
Ivan pointed to the children who were singing not far away, “It’s time for us to go to class in the afternoon, and I won’t have time to take you around.” "
"Then let's go and have a look"
Before Wei Ran finished speaking, Ivan had already ran over barefoot, shouting, "Gianna Teacher, comrade reporters want to take pictures of you! ”
The brown-haired young woman who was singing with the children made a silent gesture towards Ivan, and then said to WeiRan smiled and continued to sing children's songs with the children line by line.
It’s rare to find someone who knows how to cooperate. Wei Ran quickly raised his camera and took a photo of the small classroom and the teacher named Gianna.
It wasn’t until he put down the camera hanging around his neck that Teacher Gianna smiled and said, "Comrade Victor, you are welcome to come to our place for an interview."
"You know I "Your name?" Wei Ran asked in surprise.
"I knew it last night"
Teacher Gianna shook hands with Wei Ran before explaining, "At that time, I also followed to carry the supplies sent by Alyssa. "
Wei Ran held the other party's little hand that was stained with charcoal and shook it gently. After separating, he said apologetically, "I'm sorry, it was too dark at the time, and I didn't even see your appearance clearly. "
Teacher Gianna showed a gentle smile, "It's okay, I just saw what you look like."
"Teacher Gianna, are you a soldier?"
Wei Ran glanced at the patched Soviet female soldier uniform and asked. This was also the first time he had seen anyone in military uniform in this camp. Apart from her, At most, Ivan only had a boat cap on his head that came from nowhere.
"Now I am a guerrilla"
Teacher Gianna's eczema-covered face showed a hint of bitterness, but then she didn't give Wei Ran a chance to ask any more questions, and continued I took the children and sang children's songs.
Ivan pulled Wei Ran further away, and then said in a lowered voice, "Teacher Gianna used to be a nurse. Together with Uncle Slava and Shula, she started from that place half a year ago. "Escaped from the battle half a year ago?" Wei Ran was stunned and asked subconsciously, "The battle of Liuban?"
Yi Wan nodded, "Otherwise, what kind of battle could it be? I heard Shura say that he and Uncle Slava took the teacher Gianna they met by chance and hid in the forest for more than a month before escaping from the Germans. Hunting, and if it weren't for Teacher Gianna, Shula, who was injured at the time, might not have survived at all.
I also heard that Shula proposed to Teacher Gianna last month, but was ruthlessly treated by Teacher Gianna. I refused. I also heard...I heard...I heard it might rain tomorrow..."
Although Ivan is not old, he has a heart like a village head. A widow's heart, keen on gossip. However, after Teacher Gianna took off the boat cap from his head, she immediately changed the gossip content to the weather.
"The most basic requirement for a qualified investigator is to be able to keep secrets. You won't be able to get this hat again in the next half month." After speaking, Teacher Gianna glared at Yi fiercely. Wan Wan glanced at her, rolled up her hat and put it in her pocket, turned around and walked back to the open-air classroom that belonged to her.
"It's over, it's over now." Ivan cried sadly, "It's only two or three days away, I...I..."
Seeing that the little guy was about to cry, Wei Ran couldn't help but ask, "That hat is very special?"
"We only have one military hat here"< /p>
Ivan stretched out a wrinkled finger and said with a cry, "Only the best performers are qualified to wear that hat, and only after wearing it for a month can they officially become investigators. I...I'm only two or three days away, I..."
"How about I get it back for you?"
Wei Ran asked, dumbfounded. Speaking of it, the main responsibility is naturally Ivan's inability to control his mouth, but he has to bear a small part of the responsibility no matter what.
“It’s useless”
Ivan wiped his tears and said, “It’s useless even if Uncle Slava begs for it. This is a rule set from the beginning. I ...I..."
"Or go and apologize to Teacher Gianna? Maybe she will forgive you." Wei Ran gave a pale suggestion.
"It's useless." Ivan pursed his lips tightly, trying not to cry, but his little face was already filled with sadness and regret.
Shaking his head helplessly, Wei Ran patted Ivan on the shoulder, and with the hopeful look in his eyes, he walked towards the small classroom not far away.
Without disturbing the other party, Wei Ran sat cross-legged on the lawn, picked up the camera again, and once again pointed the lens at the children sitting on the ground, each holding a piece of charcoal and a small wooden board to contact letters. It wasn't until the end of the class that Ivan, who was smiling, and his friends started playing games with the children, did Teacher Jaina reach out and pull Wei Ran up.
"Teacher Gianna, that hat..."
"Let's talk somewhere else." After Gianna said that, she simply turned around and walked towards a sunny spot not far away. Enter the small clearing.
The area of this open space is not large, and the area that can get sunlight is only one or two hundred square meters. But such a small area is surrounded by a fence, and there are plants that cannot be seen in it. There are even two scarecrows wearing German uniforms poking among these plants.
At the same time, there were several wires pulled between the surrounding pine trees. In addition to large and small clothes or blankets hanging on them, there were also some gauze with faint blood stains hanging on them. Flying wildly.
"Ivan, that clever little devil, begged you to come?"
While asking questions, Teacher Gianna, who was hiding behind a bed sheet, reached out and took out a bag from her jacket pocket. She took out a pack of R6 cigarettes distributed in large quantities by the German army, took one out and held it in her mouth. Then she handed the cigarette pack to Wei Ran, and she took out a lighter and lit it.
I opened the cigarette box that seemed to be stained with some blood and looked at it. There were only three or four cigarettes left in it, and the paper of one of the cigarettes was even stained dark red with blood.
Look at the girl opposite Zhen who is not willing to let the cigarette burn freely in her mouth.Feeling regretful, Wei Ran returned the cigarette case to the other party, "I'm not that big of a smoker, and Ivan didn't ask me to come here."
"But he must have told you about this hat. What does it mean?" As she spoke, Jaina took the cigarette case and put it into her pocket, then took out the boat cap from the other pocket and handed it to Wei Ran.
"Listen to him, only the best are qualified to wear this military cap?"
"Then do you know what it means to wear it for a month?"
Gianna turned around, pointed to the seedlings enclosed by the fence and said, "These are the potatoes we planted two months ago. We might be able to store them before the cold winter comes. Some food for the winter.
You see, Ivan is just like these seedlings, and it is far from harvest time. In other words, once the little clever ghost is full. Yue has officially become an investigator, and he is a warrior who needs to fight the Germans."
Looking back at the stunned Wei Ran, Teacher Gianna put her hands on the fence and continued, " The injured person who left with Alyssa last night was Ivan’s brother. His eyes will never be seen again. How old do you think he is?”
Still not waiting for Wei Ran to give an answer, Jaina said with a bitter look on her face, "He is only 16 years old, and like these potato seedlings, he is far from harvest time. Even if he survives, even if the war ends tomorrow, the days ahead , but he can no longer see the sun."
"I...sorry" Wei Ran handed over the boat cap in his hand again, "I didn't think so much before, I just felt... ."
"It doesn't matter"
Teacher Gianna took the boat cap and put it on her head. While covering her blond hair, her face also put on a gentle look. with a smile, "Don't feel guilty, I am their teacher, I can always find out his mistakes, but I hope you can keep this matter secret."
Wei Ran couldn't help but smile. Meaning, "I certainly won't be as big-mouthed as Ivan."
"Remember your promise, otherwise I will confiscate your camera."
While joking, Gianna crushed the almost burned cigarette butt on the fence. , then stuffed it back into the cigarette case, and asked generously, "Can you take a photo for me?"
"Of course," Wei Ran responded happily.
"It's not a photo published in a newspaper." Gianna opened the small door on the fence as she spoke. "I hope my parents can receive my photo and let them know that I still have a photo." Live, or if I die one day, they can at least..."
Wei Ran was stunned, lowered his head and fiddled with the camera and said, "I can't guarantee that I can help you send the photos home. , but I can at least take a photo for you now."
"This guarantee is enough." Jaina straightened the boat cap on her head, and then stretched out her hand to Wei Ran, "If possible.If so, please lend me your cloak. "
Wei Ran silently took off the cloak and handed it over. Teacher Jaina put it on skillfully, then walked into the fence and stood among the lush potato seedlings.
p>In the lens of the old-fashioned double-lens reflex camera in Wei Ran's hand, the face that seemed a little too thin, perhaps due to hunger, once again showed a reassuring warmth in the bright sunshine. Smile.
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