At that moment, a server approached with two large bowls and four pieces of aged bread.
Jian Yumei and Lin Li were no strangers to this scene; they began to prepare the bread. In Shaanxi, the art of tearing the bread for lamb soup was well known to both Jian Yumei and Lin Li.
As they carefully prepared the bread, they overheard the conversation of the two elders at the neighboring table.
"Truly, this is an autumn of many troubles," remarked a gentleman of elderly bearing.
"Yes, indeed. In this tumultuous autumn of our Shaanxi, we can only observe the trends," replied another elder.
"Look at the chaos outside, it mirrors the turbulence here. Ma Er Feng Yuxiang has left Shaanxi, his troops now aligned with the National Revolutionary Army. Meanwhile, our allegiance remains with Beijing. I fear this does not bode well," lamented the gentleman.
"Indeed, but sometimes you fail to see the bigger picture. These warlords are all cunning; at the turn of a moment, they may switch allegiance to the National Revolutionary Army. The nuances of this situation, you have yet to fully grasp over these years," countered the elder.
"Yes, indeed. Back in the early days of the Republic, Shaanxi was in turmoil. The Bai Lang uprising had just begun, only to be crushed by that despicable creature, Lu Jianzhang. Later, the people of Shaanxi rose up in a great rebellion, causing Lu Jianzhang to lose control due to betrayal from his own subordinates. But when this fiend prepared to leave Shaanxi, he dared to take away dozens of carts filled with jewels and furs. Truly despicable! Not only did he plunder, but his henchmen also committed atrocities, preying upon and plundering our Shaanxi people! Those were dark times indeed," the gentleman recounted.
"Sigh, yes, those times were indeed disheartening. The Republic, oh, what a disappointment! It was not even comparable to the Qing government. Look at the Qing era; it was not plagued with such chaos. Oh, whether this ideal is good or bad, one cannot say for sure! The Republic, the Republic! Look at the current state of affairs, sigh! Let's not speak of it further," the elder sighed.
"Let's not discuss national affairs, gentlemen, your lamb soup is here!" intervened the waiter, kindly reminding them before serving their lamb soup and side dishes.
"Let's eat, let's eat. I truly hope that one day we can dispel this gloom and behold the true light!" the gentleman remarked.
"Indeed, we must wait patiently; there will be a day. Let's eat, let's eat!" the elder nodded.
Jian Yumei observed them pensively.
"What are you pondering, junior brother?" Lin Li inquired.
"Their words leave me disheartened," Jian Yumei replied.
"Why is that, junior brother?" Lin Li asked.
"In truth, when the Republic first began, I was still young and did not fully understand. I only knew that our queues were cut overnight. I can't recall much about what they said about Lu Jianzhang back then, but later, as I traveled through Shaanxi, people would speak of him with gritted teeth. Now, with these warlords coming and going like a revolving door in Shaanxi, indeed, throughout all of China, who is looking out for the interests of the common people? These warlords only seek to expand their territories, plunder wealth, leaving the populace in misery!" Jian Yumei sighed.
He recalled the beggars on the streets, who seemed to gather in large numbers. These were people who could no longer sustain themselves.
Jian Yumei sighed once more.
At that moment, several young men entered and sat down near Jian Yumei's table. "Waiter, we'll have a few bowls of lamb soup!" one of them called out.
"Coming right up!" the attentive waiter responded, promptly bringing them large bowls and aged bread.
They began to prepare their bread.
One of them spoke up, "Du Yuming, shall we depart tomorrow?"
"Yes, Guan Linzheng, we leave tomorrow. I earnestly yearn for the day we arrive and embark on a new life. I cannot bear to stay here for another day! Isn't that right, Zhang Yaoming?" Du Yuming said.
"Yes, indeed. Let us depart as soon as possible. Whampoa is our ultimate ideal! We shall begin our path of saving the nation and the people there!" Zhang Yaoming declared.
Upon hearing them mention Whampoa, Jian Yumei's heart skipped a beat. He looked at these young men, about the same age as himself, and saw the determination in their faces.
Jian Yumei was momentarily lost in thought, then sighed.
"Junior brother, why do you sigh? Are you once again thinking of going to Whampoa?" Lin Li asked.
"Yes, indeed. It would be wonderful if I could go," Jian Yumei replied.
"But don't you have other matters to attend to? Leave the task of saving the nation and the people to them; they seem capable," Lin Li suggested.
Jian Yumei looked at his senior sister, surprised by her understanding.
"I, too, will contribute to saving the nation and the people, albeit in my own way. Our paths may differ, but our goal remains the same," Jian Yumei declared.
"Very well, whatever you choose to do, I'll accompany you. After all, I care not for wealth or treasures. I'll give you all the money we earn to pursue what you love. I only wish to accompany you, regardless of how time may pass," senior sister said.
At that moment, their bread was served. The waiter had already taken away the bread they had prepared, and now, he took it to the kitchen to mix it with lamb soup, meat shreds, and other seasonings, creating a delicious lamb soup with bread.
Jian Yumei looked at the lamb soup, the familiar skewers of lamb, and the side dishes, and sighed once more.
After years apart, he realized he had grown up.
"Junior brother, this bread is amazing. I haven't even tasted it yet, but I can already tell it surpasses the bread from the best shops in our county! I must try it!" Lin Li exclaimed.
"Delicious! Absolutely delicious!" Lin Li took a bite and praised it.
"Yes, the bread and the flavor are exceptional here!" Jian Yumei smiled.
At that moment, the young men at the nearby table were still tearing their bread. Jian Yumei watched them and thought, If I were that person in my past life, it seems destined that I cannot avoid the battlefield in this life!
Suddenly, Jian Yumei seemed to see some scenes in a trance. He saw the young men across from him had become great generals. They were commanding their troops in battle against the enemy.
The images were blurry, but what struck Jian Yumei most was a particular place, "Kunlun Pass." In Jian Yumei's mind, the name kept resurfacing. He saw a man named Du Yuming, now middle-aged, commanding soldiers charging up the mountainside. The enemy's machine guns poured down like rain, and Jian Yume
i saw our soldiers falling one by one. But in the end, they reached the mountaintop. Jian Yumei saw those soldiers fixing bayonets on their rifles, engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy, adorned with a red sun symbol on their helmets.
As the sun set, painting the sky blood-red, the enemy lay defeated on the mountainside. Among a sea of bodies lay the corpse of a soldier named Du Yuming, silent amidst the carnage.
Jian Yumei's reverie was broken by Lin Li's voice. "Junior brother, junior brother! What are you doing?" Lin Li asked.
"Nothing, just lost in thought," Jian Yumei replied, feeling a bit unsettled by the visions he had seen. He did not know what they foretold.
"It seems I need to pay more attention," Jian Yumei muttered to himself.
As he ate his bread, he continued to ponder. Soon, he and Lin Li finished their lamb soup and skewers.
At that moment, he saw a peculiar figure walking in.