When Rokossovsky heard what Sokov said, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, and asked with some surprise: "Misha, did you hear something?"
"No, I haven't heard anything." Sokov, who almost let it slip, heard Rokossovsky's question and hurriedly shook his head in denial and said: "Comrade Commander, except for you and Yakov,
I don’t know anyone in Moscow, so I can’t find any gossip.”
"Oh, you don't know anyone in Moscow?" Rokossovsky looked at Sokov and asked with a smile: "But aren't you from Moscow? At least that's what it says on your resume.
"
Rokossovsky's seemingly casual words made Sokov break out in a cold sweat. He wanted to slap himself twice, forgetting that he was a native of Moscow. He hesitated for a moment, and finally cautiously said
Said: "Comrade Commander, according to my analysis, after you recover and are discharged from the hospital, your superiors may make adjustments to your work."
"Adjustment, what kind of adjustment method?" Regarding Sokov's statement, Rokossovsky asked with great interest: "Misha, please tell me your analysis."
"Comrade Commander, in the battle to defend Moscow, the troops under your command dealt a heavy blow to the German army, shattered their attempt to seize Moscow, and achieved great military exploits." Sokov first flattered Rokossovsky.
After that, he changed the topic and "analyzed" the adjustment of his future positions for him: "Your abilities are all seen by the Supreme Command. So I estimate that as soon as you are discharged from the hospital, you will definitely be assigned to a certain front army."
Commander's position. As you just guessed, our army will have an important offensive operation south of Moscow. Among the several front troops participating in this operation, Marshal Timoshenko, the commander of the Southwest Front
, General Malinovsky, the commander of the Southern Front, neither of them will have any changes in their positions. On the contrary, General Golikov, the commander of the Bryansk Front, may be assigned another appointment, and his vacated position
, the Supreme Command will arrange for you to take over."
After listening to Sokov's words, Rokossovsky laughed. He believed that appointments and dismissals at the level of front commander, let alone a minor major like Sokov, even Voroshilov, Budyonny
It was impossible for marshals like Timoshenko to know the specific personnel arrangements before the appointment was officially issued. Therefore, he really took what Sokov said as his analysis, and said with a smile: "Misha,
If I really serve as the commander of the Bryansk Front, then I will definitely incorporate your battalion into my army. After all, excellent commanders and troops capable of fighting like you are in demand everywhere."
Although Rokossovsky only said this in a joking tone, the stone hanging in Sokov's heart finally fell to the ground. As long as Timoshenko did not send his troops to Rokossovsky before he was discharged from the hospital.
If it is transferred to the organizational structure of the Southwest Front Army, then there will be room for change.
After solving the problem that bothered him, Sokov's mood became happy. But Rokossovsky couldn't find anyone to talk to him from the time he was admitted to the hospital. He was feeling uncomfortable and finally made a comparison.
Being close subordinates, naturally they had a lot to say. The more the two chatted, the happier they became, completely forgetting the passage of time.
After an unknown amount of time, a doctor in a white coat walked in from the door. When he saw Sokov talking and laughing with Rokossovsky, he couldn't help but frowned slightly. He strolled to Rokossovsky.
In front of Ji, he said with a serious expression: "Comrade General, it's getting late. In order for your body to recover as soon as possible, please rest early."
After being reminded by the doctor, Rokossovsky quickly raised his hand and looked at the clock hanging on the wall and found that it was past eleven o'clock. He said to the doctor apologetically: "I'm sorry, comrade doctor, there is a doctor today."
My old subordinate came to visit me. I was so happy chatting that I forgot about the time. Please forgive me, I will rest soon."
When Sokov saw the doctor coming in, he knew it was time to leave. He quickly stood up, put the coat on the sofa next to him on the crook of his arm, and said to Rokossovsky who was lying on the hospital bed:
"Comrade Commander, I may stay in Moscow for a while. You have a good rest. I will come to see you another day. Goodbye!" After saying that, he raised his hand and saluted Rokossovsky, then turned around and walked out.
to the ward.
Seeing that it was getting late outside, Sokov knew that the subways and buses must have stopped. He would definitely not be able to walk back such a long way, so he could only think of other ways. He saw a man sitting on the ground floor.
The nurse who was keeping warm by the stove stepped forward and asked the other party: "Comrade nurse, I would like to ask, are you going to the Lenin Street Hospital ambulance again so late?"
When the nurse heard someone asking her, she quickly raised her head, and after seeing clearly that it was a major, she said politely: "Comrade commander, all the wounded who were to be sent to Lenin Street Hospital have been sent away this afternoon. Why are you going there so late?
To visit the wounded?"
"No, I'm not visiting the wounded." Sokov quickly shook his head and explained: "I live near the hospital on Lenin Street. It's getting late now, and the buses and subways have stopped, so I want to ask if there are any
Hitchhiking.”
Knowing that Sokov just wanted to hitchhike, the nurse's face was covered with frost. Just when she was about to reject Sokov directly, she accidentally saw two medals hanging on the chest of Sokov's military uniform.
One of them was actually the highest-level Medal of Lenin. Her words of rejection came to her lips and she swallowed them back. She tried hard to put a smile on her face and asked: "Comrade Commander, have you just come back from the front line?"
"Yes, I just returned to Moscow a few days ago to escort a leader back." After Sokov said this, he raised his hand and pointed upward and said: "Currently he lives upstairs. I came here on purpose.
Came here to visit him."
"I understand, Comrade Commander." The nurse stood up and said kindly: "You are here to visit your injured superior. Because you were delayed for too long, you missed the bus and subway home. I
Is that correct, comrade commander?"
"Yes, that's right." Sokov didn't know what the nurse meant by saying that, but he still nodded and answered truthfully: "So I asked if there was a ride. If not, I could only walk back.
Home."
"Comrade Commander, look at what you said, how can I let you walk back? In such a cold weather and such a long way, you will get frostbite when you walk back. Just wait a minute, I will help you ask,
Let’s see if there are any other cars passing by.”
Although Sokov didn't know why the nurse was suddenly so polite to him, he still said gratefully: "Thank you, comrade nurse. If the car doesn't go smoothly, there is no need to force it. You can't disturb the comrade driver's rest because of me."
."
The nurse walked to a desk, picked up the phone on it, dialed a number, paused for a moment, and then asked: "Hello, Boris? I'm Natasha. I want to ask you,
Have you finished loading your goods?...What's the matter? There is a commander who wants to go to the hospital on Lenin Street, and I want you to take him there because you will be passing by there later."
After Natasha put down the phone, she smiled and said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, you are so lucky. We have an ambulance to deliver to Hospital No. 37. We can pass through Lenin Street, so you can take this ambulance."
Drive back."
Hearing that Natasha arranged an ambulance for him, Sokov quickly expressed his gratitude to her. There happened to be a piece of chocolate bought in the officer's store in his coat pocket, so he gave it to Natasha to express his gratitude.
.Natasha took the chocolate, and the smile on her face became brighter and brighter.
Not long after, Natasha heard two horns blaring outside, and said to Sokov: "Comrade commander, the ambulance is coming. It's parked outside. Come with me."
Sokov followed Natasha to the inpatient department, and sure enough he saw an ambulance parked at the door. A middle-aged driver stuck his head out of the window and shouted to Natasha: "Hey, Natasha, what are you doing?"
Where is the said commander? Tell him to get in the car quickly, I have to hurry up and get on my way."
Natasha ignored him, but walked to the car, pulled out the passenger seat, and then made a gesture of invitation to Sokov: "Comrade commander, please get in the car, Boris will take you there."
To the destination.”
Shortly after the ambulance left the hospital, Boris, who was driving, suddenly took out a flat stainless steel flask from his pocket, raised it at Sokov, and asked: "Comrade commander, take a sip to keep out the cold."
Sokov knew that the wine bottle must be filled with vodka, so he quickly waved his hand and said: "Thank you, Comrade Boris, I never drink at night."
Seeing Sokov rejecting him, Boris muttered: "This is a good wine that someone sent me. It is said to be from Poland. It's a pity that you don't drink it." After saying that, he pressed the steering wheel with his left elbow.
, twisted open the lid, raised his head, and started drinking wine.
"Drive carefully!" Seeing the driver actually drinking while driving, Sokov was suddenly startled and broke out in a cold sweat. He quickly reminded the driver: "Don't drink while driving, be careful you may get into an accident."
"It's okay! Comrade Commander, I am an experienced driver." Boris screwed the lid on the bottle, stuffed it into his pocket, and said carelessly: "I drink every time I drive. The more I drink, the harder I drive."
The more stable it is." In order to prove his strength to Sokov, he continued, "Once I went to the front line to pull out the wounded, and I was bombed by enemy planes on the way. The road was full of potholes. If we had stood still at that time,
If it were, it would soon be blown to pieces by aerial bombs dropped by enemy planes. I asked Natasha for a small bottle of alcohol at that time. After drinking it, I drove out of the area bombed by enemy planes."
Boris's words not only did not reassure Sokov, but made him even more frightened. Although there were very few vehicles on the streets after nightfall in Moscow, Boris drove an ambulance out of the formula car at a speed that made Sokov even more frightened.
Kov's hands were sweating.
Finally seeing the familiar street appearing in front of him, Sokov quickly pointed there and said to Boris: "Comrade driver, please pull over and stop the car, and I will get off there."
Although Boris was drunk, his consciousness was still clear. He looked at the location pointed by Sokov and then said: "Comrade Commander, it's still four to five hundred meters away from the hospital. Why don't I take you to the hospital?"
At the door, it’s just a matter of pressing the accelerator.”
"No, no, no," Sokov hurriedly waved his hands and said, "Comrade driver, I want to go down for a walk, so you can just put me there." Seeing Sokov's stubbornness, Boris did not persuade him, so he designated him
The car parked at the location. Sokov got out of the car and closed the door. After thanking Boris, he strode towards his residence.
Sokov returned home, took off his military coat and hung it on the coat rack next to the door. He went straight into the bathroom and prepared to take a bath. Unexpectedly, he had just taken off his clothes when he heard someone knocking at the door.
There was a knock on the door, and he was still a little confused, thinking that it was almost twelve o'clock, who would come to the door at such a time.
The first thought that came to his mind was that the other party knocked on the wrong door. He didn't want to answer the door, but the knocking on the door didn't stop. At the same time, a woman's voice came: "Mikhail Mikhail
Norwich, are you in the house?"
When he heard someone calling his real name and father's name outside, Sokov knew that the person did not knock on the wrong door, but came specifically to find him. The voice outside the door was relatively familiar, and it only took Sokov a moment before the knock on the door came.
It was nurse Anne, who quickly replied: "It's Anne, please wait a moment, I'll be here right away." After saying that, he started to get dressed in a hurry.
In order to prevent Anne from waiting too long, he put on his clothes and pants indiscriminately, and then opened the door. The person standing at the door was indeed Anne. Seeing Sokov opening the door for him, Anne was a little embarrassed.
Question: "Misha, I didn't disturb you, did I?"
"No, no." Sokov didn't want to have a woman standing at the door talking to him late at night. If the neighbors saw it, some things might not be clear. He quickly grabbed Anne's hand and pulled her out of the door.
He pulled her in and said, "Annie, if you need something, please come into the room and talk."
After Annie entered the door, she stood in the corridor and said to Sokov: "Misha, why did you come back so late? Do you know how worried I am about you?"
Anne's words stunned Sokov for a moment, and then he said with some embarrassment: "Comrade Commander and I haven't seen each other for a long time. When we chatted, we lost track of time. I'm really sorry to make you worry about me." After he said this,
Finally, I suddenly remembered that I had just arrived home. How could Annie come here in such time?
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but asked curiously: "Annie, how did you know I was home?"
"I haven't gone home since get off work. I stayed in the mail room of the hospital." Anne explained to Sokov: "I saw the light in your room was on, so I came here to take a look." After she finished,
After pausing for a moment, he made another request that Sokov could not refuse, "Misha, it's too late now. The subways and buses are stopped. I can't go home. Can you let me stay at your place for one night?"
