In the morning sun mixed with the sound of gunfire and explosions, a total of 10 children of different ages, including the little girl Galina who was held in Mrs. Via's arms, followed Wei Ran and the man named Kona.
Behind her, the girl held on to the wall and stepped on the rickety stairs, carefully climbing up to the first floor.
This short distance of less than 10 meters took these hungry children almost five minutes to walk. But even so, they all had happy smiles on their faces.
They were not only happy to take photos, but also happy to have just received a beautiful hat. They were even more happy to drink a small half cup of warm, sweet and attractive hot cocoa before leaving the room, and finally no longer have to pretend to be depressed there all the time.
There is a fireplace in the small room all day long.
Although the difference is only between upstairs and downstairs, and although they have not left this abandoned building and just followed Wei Ran into a room on the first floor where they can bask in the sun, these children are still extremely happy. Those who are too thin
But his clean face was also full of excitement.
"Okay, let's go here."
As Wei Ran spoke, he looked around, picked up the iron bucket he brought back from Galina's house yesterday, and placed it upside down on the small patch of floor illuminated by the sun.
Immediately afterwards, he took the blanket that had been placed on the sledge, folded it in half several times, and placed it on the upside-down iron bucket as a seat cushion.
"Mrs. Weiya, will you come first?" Wei Ran adjusted the camera and sent out the invitation.
"Then let me wash it, Comrade Photographer."
As Mrs. Via spoke, she handed Galina in her arms to Kona, slowly walked over and sat on the tin bucket.
Without rushing to press the shutter, Wei Ran carefully helped her adjust her sitting posture, and helped her straighten the brand new gray Budyonni hat that she had just put on her head before going out. Then she took a few steps back and raised it.
Rollei twin reflex camera.
In the clear and translucent viewfinder, Mrs. Via, whose cheeks were sunken due to long-term hunger, was wearing a confident smile. The morning sun streaming in from the window that had long been unframed also projected onto the floor around her.
A bright long strip of light appeared, and the bits of dust floating in the air from time to time due to the vibrations caused by distant explosions also gave the early morning sunshine a strong and unyielding shape.
"We will all survive, everyone will survive." Wei Ran said abruptly before pressing the shutter.
Mrs. Weiya was stunned. Then, the smile on her face became brighter and more confident, and she seemed to be more energetic. At the same time, Wei Ran, who had been prepared for a long time, also arrived in time.
Pressed the shutter button.
"Who's coming next?" Wei Ran raised his head and asked. "I'll do it!"
Kona said and walked towards the tin bucket. After returning the baby Galina to Via, she immediately sat on the small tin bucket, combed her hair randomly, and put on a brand new dark blue hat.
Sebujoni hat, and at the same time kept saying, "It's really good. This is the first new piece of clothing I got since the beginning of the war. It is also the first time I took pictures since the beginning of the war."
"After you win this war, you will have a lot of new clothes to fill your wardrobe." Wei Ran said to the young girl with a firm tone.
"I don't dare think about such a good thing"
Ke Na, who is also skinny and skinny, responded to Wei Ran with a pleasant voice. At the same time, a smile as warm as the sun appeared on her face. Not surprisingly, Wei Ran also smiled brightly at the other party.
At that moment, I pressed the shutter button in time.
"Who's coming next?" Wei Ran raised his head again and asked. "I'll do it!"
A little boy who looked to be about seven or eight years old and wearing a brand new yellow hat tried to raise his voice.
"Then it's you!"
Wei Ran waited for the other party to sit on the iron bucket, and while looking for an angle, he asked, "Little guy, what's your name?"
"Victor, have you forgotten my name?" The little boy looked at Wei Ran in confusion.
"Of course I haven't forgotten it," Wei Ran replied with a smile, "but now I need you to say your name."
Although the little boy's tone was particularly weak due to hunger, his enunciation was extremely clear, "Sergey, my name is Sergey Alexandernovitch Ryblov."
"What do your parents do?" Wei Ran continued to ask. "My father is a firefighter in Leningrad."
The little guy named Sergey said proudly, "He is now fighting those damn Germans on the front line. My mother used to be a textile worker, and now she directs traffic on Lake Ladoga."
"When the war is over and your parents come to pick you up, I will definitely praise you!"
"Really?!" A look of surprise immediately appeared on Sergey's face, and Wei Ran, who was determined to weave lies to build up hope, pressed the shutter again.
"Of course it's true!" Wei Ran raised his head and smiled, "Okay, next one."
"I'll go"
A little girl who seemed older than Sergey sat on the tin bucket. She was wearing a new red hat. In her hand, she also held a rag doll made of coarse cloth and buttons.
,
"Beautiful little girl, what's your name?" Wei Ran asked while Ke Na was helping her adjust her collar.
"Kalyuzhina Lusan" the little girl tried to make her answer more powerful.
"What do your parents do?" Wei Ran continued to ask. "My father is a butcher."
Kalyuzhina took a breath and continued, "He was also on the front line outside the city. Before he sent me here, he said that he was going to kick the Germans' ass. My mother was a ticket seller in a cinema. She...she died,
She starved to death on New Year's Day."
Hearing this, Wei Ran, who originally wanted to take pictures of the children's smiles, trembled involuntarily, and then realized that he shouldn't have asked this question.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Sighing secretly, he pointed the camera at Kalyuzhina who was trying to hold back her tears, and took a photo of this strong-looking little girl.
As soon as he raised his head, a little boy holding a wooden toy gun in his hand and wearing a brown hat also walked over shakily and sat obediently on the upside-down iron bucket.
This time, the little guy didn't even wait for Wei Ran, who didn't want to ask anything, to speak. He took the initiative and said in a not too loud voice, "My name is Andrei Vladasovich Shalyabin.
My parents are both teachers and they have gone to the front line. I haven’t seen them for a long time.”
"They will come back"
Mrs. Weiya spoke in time when Wei Ran didn't know what to say, and said in a particularly affirmative tone, "Not only will they come back, they will also bring us all delicious food!"
"Really?!" Andre asked in surprise, completely unaware that Wei Ran had already pressed the shutter towards him.
"of course it's true"
Mrs. Via said and waved to the little guy. At the same time, a little girl who looked younger and wore a light green hat also struggled to move her weak body and walked to the upside-down iron bucket.
As she sat down, while Ke Na was helping her sort out her clothes and hat, she took the initiative to introduce her name, her father and mother - even though Wei Ran could no longer listen to the cruel words spoken by those immature voices.
experience.
For him, taking pictures of only ten children was probably the most difficult time for him to press the shutter button in a long time.
He couldn't imagine how he could convince himself to accept his parents' tragic experience at such a young age. Perhaps, there was no way to convince himself...
When the shutter is pressed again and again, the spots left by the sun on the floor are also moving slowly. In those short stories, each child is gifted with Wei Ran's sunny and innocent smile, or the hesitant and immature childishness.
sad.
In the end, the little girl who liked to cling to Mrs. Via and like to eat her fingers, with the encouragement of Mrs. Via, trudged to the side of the tin bucket, sat down timidly, and with a childish and weak voice, was almost stunned by the sound of gunfire outside.
The completely concealed voice said intermittently, "My name is Anastasia Skalkovitch. My father is... a blacksmith. He was responsible for delivering ammunition to the front line, but he was killed by a German shell.
.My mother was... a tailor. She also died. She died of hunger."
“Let’s take a group photo together.”
Mrs. Via said immediately after Wei Ran clicked the shutter, and walked over with the baby Galina in her arms, sat on the iron bucket given to her by Anastasia, and then put Anas
Tasia also hugged her.
Soon, the other children gathered around one by one, opened their thin and pitiful little arms, and hugged Mrs. Via who was sitting in the middle. The girl named Kona also walked up to these.
Behind the child and Mrs. Via.
Coincidentally, just when Wei Ran was about to press the shutter, the girl Lidya who was in charge of playing the bayan last night also walked into the room.
The most surprising thing was that in her hand, she actually held a glass infusion bottle, and this bottle contained only one-sixth or even one-seventh of the milky white liquid!
"Looks like I came at the right time."
As the girl named Lydia spoke, she walked behind the children and stood side by side with Kona. At the same time, she did not forget to say, "I just applied for some milk for Galina. Although it is not much, but
I can bring some back every day from now on."
"This is really good news. Galina will definitely survive now."
Mrs. Via, who was surrounded by children, was obviously relieved, "Quick! Let's take a photo! Children, everyone looks at the camera."
Hearing this, all the children, as well as the two girls standing at the end, all looked at the camera held by Wei Ran, and at the same time allowed the warm sunshine to dye their vegetable-colored faces.
It turned into a nice golden color.
There is no need to shout slogans, because the extra precious milk that Lydia brought back is the best, enough good news for all children and adults to smile.
Pressing the shutter button lightly, Wei Ran immediately said, "Lidya, let me take a separate photo for you. Everyone here has taken a separate photo."
"Okay...okay."
Lidya, who originally seemed ready to say something to Mrs. Via, nodded, handed the infusion bottle in her hand to Kona, and waited for the beaming Mrs. Via to take Kona and the children out of the first floor and return to the one in the basement.
In the warm little room, she tiredly sat on the small bucket that was upside down on the ground.
"What's wrong?" Wei Ran noticed something keenly. "No! It's nothing."
Lidya, who was also losing her shape, couldn't help but trembled, and then said, "Belia...Mrs. Via's son Belia..."
"What's wrong with him?" Wei Ran asked the other party, but he couldn't help but glance in the direction of the basement.
"The transport team he was in was bombed by German planes last night, and he died..."
Lydia covered her mouth and buried her head in her knees, "It was the news brought by the transport team that arrived at the port last night."
"she…"
"I don't know how to tell Mrs. Via about this..." Lydia buried her head and said in pain, "Belia will send a hundred grams of bread every afternoon before the transportation team sets off. I...we don't have it at all.
There is a way to hide this news."
Wei Ran sighed heavily and said, "Lidya, raise your head and let me take a picture of you. Believe me, the war will be over soon."
"But they are dead," Lydia said painfully, but then, the strong girl raised her head, wiped the tears on her face with her skinny palms, and tried to keep herself warm in the sunshine.
He showed a smile that was even sadder than crying, and allowed Wei Ran to press the shutter button cruelly.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "Take care of the children." Lydia stood up unsteadily and said as she walked out, "I...I have to continue working."
"Wait a minute," Wei Ran called to the other party. "What's wrong?" "Take a sip."
As Wei Ran spoke, he pretended to take out the British army kettle with some hot cocoa remaining in his pocket, unscrewed the lid and handed it over.
Glancing at Wei Ran in confusion, Lidya hesitantly took the kettle and put it under her tall nose and smelled it gently.
"Drink first, take a big sip."
Wei Ran said before the other party could refuse, "Everyone, including Mrs. Weiya, took a big sip."
Lidia looked at the calm-looking Wei Ran seriously. After hesitating for a moment, she still took a symbolic sip. At the same time, she couldn't help but subconsciously lick the remaining sweetness on her lips.
Taking back the kettle that still had some hot cocoa, Wei Ran asked, "Lidya, do you know what day it is today?"
"January 30th, what happened?" Lidya looked at Wei Ran in confusion.
sas "nothing"
Wei Ran shook his head and watched the other party leave in vain, then took a small sip of the hot cocoa.
But this wisp of sweetness not only failed to dispel his hunger, it also failed to make him feel at ease.
According to the information he found before coming here, the premiere of the Leningrad Symphony was in Kuibyshev in March. If it had been premiered in Leningrad, it would even have to wait until August, but now
It’s just the end of January.
In other words, even in the most optimistic scenario, it will take him almost a month to complete one of his return tasks.
Not to mention that the mission required that the children not starve to death, but with the things that the metal book allowed him to bring, it would have been very expensive for him to be able to persist for such a long time.
“It would be nice if there were coconuts around here”
Wei Ran smacked his lips and muttered to himself nervously, and then he was the last to leave the ruins that were almost filled with sunshine and returned to the warm small room in the basement.
After a while, the little ones sitting around the stove had already picked up their enamel cups again.
At the edge of the table, Via had already poured the milk into the bottle and was adding water to dilute the small amount of milk. At the same time, Kona also used a kettle to pour some milk into the bottle.
The milk infusion bottle is filled with hot water.
The slowly injected hot water quickly mixed with the remaining milk in the bottle, and then changed from completely transparent to translucent color.
But even so, the children around were looking at the infusion bottle eagerly.
Under Wei Ran's gaze, Ke Na tightened the stopper and slowly shook the infusion bottle, trying to melt every drop of milk remaining in the bottle into the hot water just injected.
"Wait a mininute"
As Wei Ran said this, he walked up to Ke Na and handed the bottle of wine that still contained a lot of honey to her.
"What are you doing?" Kena couldn't help but ask. "Add more honey, the children's bodies need energy." "No."
Although Kona took the wine bottle, she handed it to Via behind her without thinking, "We are not here to fill our stomachs, we are just here to avoid starving to death. That honey is too precious."
, we can’t just waste it like this.”
Wei Ran opened his mouth, but in the end he just nodded, "No problem, the honey is at your disposal. Can you give me the glass bottle first?"
This time, Ke Na did not refuse, and after taking the bottle, Wei Ran also poured all the "bottle water" inside into his British army kettle.
After screwing on the lid and shaking it, when the "bottle water" was poured into the little ones' cups, there was not much milk in it, but also all the remaining hot cocoa.
Even so, whether the infusion bottle or the British Army P44 kettle from Weiran, Kona "rinsed" it twice with hot water and distributed it evenly to the children before giving up.
But those children who were not even full of water, after drinking these tasteless things and the last broth distributed to them, had nothing to eat this morning.
"It's my turn to find some firewood," Kona said, standing up unsteadily and holding her hands on the wall to resist the dizziness caused by hypoglycemia.
"I'll go find some food." Wei Ran also stood up. "Victor"
Mrs. Via warned weakly, "Don't let the children touch the meat that must not be touched! Then even if they survive, they will be in pain every time they think about it in the future."
"I understand." Wei Ran stopped and responded extremely seriously, "Don't worry, Mrs. Weiya, I understand."
"Go," Mrs. Wea muttered, "Kona, Victor...you...must come back alive."
"I'll be back before dark," Kona said, holding on to the wall and leaving the warm room again.
"I will be back as soon as possible." Before Wei Ran finished speaking, he had already followed Ke Na through the half-open door.
As the door closed, Mrs. Via also put her hand into the pocket of her coat, holding the small tk pistol she received before retiring, always vigilant that someone would break in here.
Outside the ruins of the building, Wei Ran helped Ke Na climb up to the first floor again, then simply helped her sit firmly on the sledge truck, then took the small iron bucket used as a bench and wrapped it with a blanket.
Then he used the sledge to pull Kona out and asked, "Where are you going to find firewood?"
"The northeast is relatively safer." Kena said regretfully. "Unfortunately, we don't have enough strength to walk outside the city. There is a large birch forest in the northeast. There must be enough for us to keep warm.
of firewood.”
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Do you know where I can find something to eat?" Wei Ran, who had no hope at all, still asked a question that he knew was stupid.
Kona was sluggish for a few seconds before she weakly replied, "If I knew, I wouldn't have to starve."
"Yeah..." Wei Ran couldn't help but sigh.
"Victor" Kona paused and continued, "Those children who were photographed today are all orphans."
"What did you say?" Wei Ran stopped.
"Except for Galina, Mrs. Via and I personally brought the other children back."
Kona waited for Weiran to use the sledge truck to pull her forward again, and slowly lay on her back on the sledge truck. She rested her thin arms on her head and looked at the fighter jets flying in the sky and the shells from the anti-aircraft guns exploding.
Yan Tuan also looked at the thick smoke steaming up into the sky in the distance and said to himself, "My family and Mrs. Wea's family are neighbors. We all live on the third floor of this building. My father is still
A musician." "Your father is a musician?" "Yes"
Kona calmed down and said, "He is responsible for playing the snare drum of the Leningrad Radio Orchestra, and his drum is locked in the next room. And my mother, she is a piano teacher at the Leningrad Conservatory of Music. If
Without this war, even I would have gone to the Leningrad Conservatory of Music to study last year."
"They are now..." Wei Ran immediately closed his mouth when he subconsciously asked.
"After they entrusted me to Mrs. Via, they took the initiative to work on the frozen Lake Ladoga."
Kona said worriedly, "I don't know what they do. I only know that they went to Lake Ladoga. I haven't heard from them for a long time."
"They will survive, they will survive..." Wei Ran muttered over and over again, while unconsciously speeding up his pace.
"hope so…"
Kona looked at the fighter jets falling in the distance, trailing a trail of black smoke, and couldn't help but murmured to herself, "What on earth are those Germans going to do?"
"them?"
Wei Ran snorted coldly, "They want to starve everyone in this city to death. They want everyone to die so that their people can be replaced. If they succeed, this area will be destroyed in decades."
The land belongs to them."
"We'll stop them, right?"
Ke Na raised her neck as hard as she could, looked at Wei Ran who was walking in front and asked, "We can definitely drive them away, right? No matter what the price is."
"They will definitely be chased away."
Wei Ran also raised his neck as hard as he could, looking at the German fighter jet falling with thick smoke above his head, and repeated in an affirmative tone, "No matter what the price is!"
