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 would definitely be 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 stood on Position 19 were buried in the soil, all their efforts became a thing that a few people are unwilling to recall and the majority
Unknown war stories.
"Forget it, that's 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-stub of a cigarette in his mouth, placed his motorcycle across the road that Weiran must pass, with a trace of expectation hidden in his casual tone.
Wei Ran happily agreed, "Of course, as long as it's not boiling potatoes in salt water or water mixed with vodka."
"Of course not! That's a good thing you can only eat before killing the Germans. Just walk back by yourself! I'll wait for you at the door."
Before Nikolai finished speaking, he had already turned the accelerator and controlled the old Harley to run towards the two-story building gracefully. He had no idea that his back had been forever fixed in the old Leica camera in Wei Ran's hand.
Strolling back to the back of the two-story building surrounded by Lingxiao flowers, Nicholas, who was originally shirtless, had already put on a shabby sea soul shirt and even a pair of leather pants full of hippie elements.
, were replaced by a pair of Soviet-era camouflage pants and matching large leather boots.
Silently, he followed the other person into 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. It was installed on the side of the corridor.
security door.
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 got him a can of beer from the refrigerator.
After that, he pushed the door open 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 a few sofas placed against the wall, as well as an old refrigerator and matching
Apart from the two-chair dining table by the window, the only remaining bookshelf was filled with kraft paper portfolios.
Before he could finish the can of beer in his hand, Nicholas had already walked in holding a large portfolio.
“Come and have 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 brown paper bag from it.
As the kraft paper used for wrapping was spread out, a well-preserved photo frame appeared between the two.
"Young man, you came here just for it, right?" Nicholas asked, stroking the photo frame.
On the other hand, Wei Ran's 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 is it..." Wei Ran picked up the photo frame and looked at it over and over again, hesitant to speak and didn't know whether he should ask the doubts in his heart.
"Whether it is the 64th 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, and the 102nd Military Division established on its basis
I went to all bases in person with this application report, but due to lack of evidence, no one was willing to award Position 19 the title of Hero of the Soviet Union."
Nikolai 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 the Aleutian Captain and those who are holding on.
The people in Position 19 are not qualified to return to the Stalingrad they protect."
"How have you been living these years?" Wei Ran asked with a frown.
Nicholas looked at Wei Ran thoughtfully, and after hesitating for a long time, he sighed, "After graduating from Suvorov School, I was sent to work in a correction camp for a period of time, until all records were erased.
He was sent to East Berlin to deal with American agents in 1953. So young man, how on earth did you find me?"
Wei Ran looked at the other party speechlessly, and really didn’t know how to explain it. Fortunately, Nicholas didn’t seem to mind, “Forget it, no need to think of excuses, it doesn’t matter if you can find me here, at least there is someone to chat with me.
chat.
Unlike those little bastards in the village, in their minds, 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 couldn't help but smile, while Nicholas opened the window and asked the gangsters downstairs to bring the food up.
He felt at ease and allowed them to fill the table with the food they brought. After they left, Wei Ran asked, "Mr. Nicholas, have you always lived here by yourself?"
The latter threw the big beetroot soup filled with red cabbage soup into his mouth, and at the same time added a big mouthful of cream beef stew, and then said indifferently, "I worked here after I came back from Germany in 1984, until
Later, after the Soviet Union collapsed, I bought this place and turned it into a school."
At this point, Nicholas raised his head and said, "Young man, as an equivalent exchange of 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 subject, so he simply didn't expose it and enthusiastically introduced him and Professor Alexei's studio.
As the old man and the young man asked and answered each other, time passed by minute by minute. 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 into the horizon.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had such a happy chat with someone.” Nicholas pulled out a small piece of vegetable leaf from his teeth without any image, “Kid Victor, if you’re not in a hurry to go back, just rest here for a while.
It's late, there won't be a car to take you back to the city at this time."
Wei Ran burped and poured the last drink from the beer can into his mouth, "Then I'm not welcome."
