Red Moscow

After Sokov made the phone call and came out of the office with Asiya, he saw the administrator standing in the snow not far away, chatting with a soldier with a gun on his back. Maybe it was too cold outside, the administrator kept stomping his feet while talking to the soldiers.

"Comrade General," seeing Sokov coming out of his office, the administrator immediately stopped talking with the soldier, trotted up to Sokov, and asked respectfully, "You're done calling."

"Yes, it's over." Looking at the administrator whose face was red from the cold, Sokov said apologetically, "Comrade administrator, I'm so sorry for letting you suffer from the cold outside for so long. gone."

"Look at what you said," the administrator said with a smile, "this is nothing compared to you climbing the ice and lying on the snow at the front line."

After what happened today, Sokov realized the importance of having a telephone at home, so he tentatively asked the administrator: "Comrade administrator, I would like to ask, can my telephone be installed tomorrow?"

"That's right, Comrade General." The administrator replied unhurriedly: "According to the normal procedure, if you want to install a private phone, you need to apply to the telecommunications department. After you get the permission, you will be qualified to install the phone. As for The day when the phone can be installed depends entirely on how many people line up before you. But because of your special status, the telecommunications department is also special, and someone will come to install the phone for you tomorrow.”

After thanking the administrator, Sokov walked along the road with Assia to his home.

"Misha," Asya tentatively asked after overhearing some content while Sokov was on the phone with Lunev, "is there something wrong with Marshal Zhukov?"

Sokov originally planned to bring this matter up to Asiya when he got home, but then he thought, if his home was bugged, what he said would be recorded. There may not be anything now, but in case something happens in the future, the words I said may become evidence against myself.

It was based on such considerations that Sokov changed his mind and decided to tell Asiya on the way. No matter how pervasive the people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs are, it is impossible to install bugs on both sides of the road in the community, right?

"Asiya, let me tell you some bad news. Don't be surprised when you hear it, lest others see your flaws." Sokov reminded Asiya in a low voice: "Do you understand?"

Assia is also a person who has been on the battlefield, and her mentality is naturally not too bad. After hearing what Sokov said, she hummed softly, expressing that she understood what Sokov meant.

"Just now Lunev told me on the phone." Although no one was around, Sokov still lowered his voice and said to Assia: "It is said that Marshal Zhukov may be idle in the near future because of health problems. I'm going to stay in Moscow for a while to recuperate."

Although Asiya knew that what Sokov said was related to Marshal Zhukov, she was still shocked after hearing what Sokov said. She controlled her emotions very well, and tried to ask in a calm tone: "What is the reason for leaving Marshal Zhukov idle?"

"Someone spoke ill of Marshal Zhukov in front of the Supreme Commander himself." Sokov replied with a wry smile, "The reason is that he contributed to the victory of the Battle of Moscow, the Battle of Stalingrad and the Battle of Kharkov, They took it all for themselves, taking the credit that originally belonged to the Supreme Commander himself."

Assia couldn't help taking a breath when she heard this, and she asked a little nervously: "Misha, if Marshal Zhukov is really idle, will it have any impact on you, after all, you are someone he values ​​highly .”

"That's not going to happen." Sokov shook his head and said, "Although Marshal Zhukov thinks highly of me and has helped me a lot. But because of my performance on the battlefield, the people above are satisfied, and I believe I won't be affected by it." implicated."

"Marshal Zhukov is a god-like existence in the eyes of the commanders and fighters." Assia sighed softly, and said regretfully: "Misha, tell me if he is really idle during the holidays, will it affect the troops? Morale?"

"If this news spreads to the troops, it will definitely have a negative impact on the morale and morale of the troops." Sokov said: "But if the idle time is not long, it can be explained by the enemy spreading rumors."

"So how long do you think it will take?"

Sokov remembered that Vatutin was injured in an ambush on February 29, and Zhukov temporarily took over the command of the Ukrainian First Front Army. In other words, even if Zhukov is idle, he will return at the latest in early March. Thinking of this, he said to Asiya: "Marshal Zhukov's role on the battlefield cannot be replaced by others. I believe he will be able to make a comeback in a short time."

Before entering the unit door, Sokov felt that it was necessary for him to remind Assia to be cautious in words and deeds, so as not to cause unnecessary disasters: "Assia, I think there may be bugs installed in the house, so when we are at home, don't Talk about sensitive topics, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble."

"Well, I see." Assia nodded and said, "If there is anything important, we will talk about it when we go out for a walk, so that we don't have to worry about being heard by others."

Early the next morning, Sokov, who was still sound asleep, was awakened by a hasty knock on the door. He sat up straight and was about to get out of bed to open the door, but he heard Assia's voice from outside: "Who is it?" It turned out that Assia who was sleeping in the next room had already gone out to open the door first.

Now that Assia was going to open the door, Sokov was not in a hurry. He put on his nightgown and slippers, tied the belt of his nightgown, and walked out of the bedroom.

"Misha," Sokov just opened the door, and Assia, who was also wearing a nightgown standing in the living room, saw him. She pointed to two men in military uniforms and carrying tool bags, Say to Sokov, "They're here to install phones for us."

One of the middle-aged men knew Sokov's identity before coming here, and when he saw Sokov appearing, he straightened up and reported to him: "Hello, Comrade General, we are the telecommunications department." .”

"Hello!" Sokov reached out to shake hands with the other party, and then asked, "Where are you going to put the phone?"

The middle-aged man quickly replied, "Comrade General, the telephone is usually installed in the living room."

Hearing what the middle-aged man said, Sokov couldn't help frowning slightly. He thought that his leg injury hadn't healed yet. If the phone was installed in the living room, it wouldn't matter to him to make calls at ordinary times. If he answered the phone in the middle of the night, it might be inconvenient.

The middle-aged man saw Sokov's inconvenient legs and feet, guessed his embarrassment, and quickly said with a smile: "Comrade General, are you worried that it will be inconvenient to get up to answer the phone if you have a phone call in the middle of the night?"

"That's right." Seeing that the middle-aged man had guessed what was on his mind, Sokov nodded and said, "The injury on my leg hasn't healed yet. If the phone rings in the middle of the night, it probably hasn't waited for me to get there. By the phone, the phone has already hung up."

"This is easy, Comrade General." Regarding Sokov's worries, the middle-aged man said with a smile: "I can connect an extension to your bedroom, so that whenever the phone rings, you can answer it at any time. "

"Misha." Before Sokov could express his opinion, Assia reminded Sokov from the side: "The phone rings in the middle of the night. I'm afraid it will affect your rest. Why don't you connect the extension to my bedroom."

"It's okay," Sokov knew very well in his heart that the call that came in in the middle of the night must be a very important call. If he received it in Assia's bedroom, he would have to get up to answer it at that time, which would be a waste of time. After thinking about this, he rejected Asiya's proposal: "Just install it in my bedroom, it will be more convenient."

"Okay." Seeing that Sokov had already made a decision, Assia did not argue with him, and followed his arrangement: "Then install the extension in your room."

The hands and feet of the two telecommunications personnel were still quite nimble, and the phone was installed in less than an hour.

After the phone was installed, the middle-aged man also explained to Sokov: "Comrade General, the phone you use on the front line is a crank phone. Before making a call, you must shake the handle first, and then pick up the receiver to make a call. ; After finishing the call and putting down the microphone, you need to shake the handle a few more times. And we install a high-frequency telephone for you, so you don’t need to perform those cumbersome operations, but directly broadcast the dial on the telephone.”

In order for Sokov to figure out how to operate, the middle-aged man also demonstrated to Sokov how to dial. Although Sokov, who came from later generations, was very clear about the use of this old-fashioned telephone, in order not to dampen the enthusiasm of the middle-aged man, he still pretended to be modest and educated, and patiently listened to the man's introduction.

After the man finished his introduction, Sokov reached for the microphone, trying to see how the call would work. Unexpectedly, before his hand touched the microphone, he was stopped by the man: "Comrade General, your call has not been connected yet, and it cannot be used for the time being."

"How long will it take me to use this phone?"

The middle-aged man raised his hand to check the time, then looked up at Sokov and said, "Comrade General, let's rush back to the Telecom Office. After about half an hour, you will hear the phone ringing. You don't need to answer this call." , when the phone rings, it means that the phone has been officially opened, and you can use this phone to call others."

"Who do I contact if the call doesn't work?"

"You can call the telecommunications bureau directly and say that your phone is not working well, and someone will come to provide maintenance for you." As he spoke, the middle-aged man took out a cigarette case from his pocket and put it on After writing a number, he tore it off and handed it to Sokov: "This is the telephone number of the Telecom Bureau."

"Thank you so much!" Sokov caught a glimpse of Asiya's tea from the corner of his eye, and greeted them warmly: "Anyway, it's still early, why don't you sit down and have a cup of tea?"

"Thank you for your kindness, Comrade General." But the middle-aged man politely rejected Sokov's kindness: "We need to rush back to the telecommunications office immediately, there is still a lot of work waiting for us."

Seeing that the man didn't want to stay for tea, Sokov didn't force it, so he and Assia sent them to the door.

After returning to the living room, Sokov sat on the sofa, staring at the phone on the coffee table, wondering who should be the first call after the phone is officially opened?

After thinking for a while, Sokov felt that besides Yakov, the only person he could call now was Lunev. His nominal mother had died in a German air strike a year ago.

"Misha, what are you thinking?" Assia put a cup of hot tea in front of Sokov: "You drink some tea first, tell me what you want to eat, and I'll make it for you."

"I'm not hungry, just drink some tea." Sokov greeted Asiya to sit down, and said to her: "I'm thinking about who to call first after the phone is officially opened."

"Who do you want to call first?" Assia asked curiously.

"I don't have any friends in Moscow now." Sokov replied with a wry smile, "If you want to make a phone call, you can only call Yakov or Lunev."

After a pause, he looked at Asia again and asked, "Who do you want to call?"

Assia thought for a while, then shook her head and said, "My classmates and friends, almost none of them stay in Moscow these days, and they all stay on different fronts."

Sukov suddenly remembered Asiya's father. He had known Asiya for more than two years, but he had never met this old man. Taking advantage of his time now, he planned to pay a visit, so he tentatively asked Asiya: "Don't you want to call your father?"

"I want to fight too, but I don't know where he is now."

Sokov asked with some surprise: "Isn't he in Moscow?"

"Yes, it is said that he joined the maintenance team accompanying the army." Assia said with an aggrieved face, "I have no idea where he is now."

Seeing that Asiya was unhappy, Sokov thought for a while in order to make her happy, and then said to her: "Then let's go to Khimki in the afternoon and go to the instrument factory to find out if they know your father's whereabouts. "

Asiya once went to the instrument factory to inquire about her father's whereabouts, but the people in the factory only said that she had gone to the front line, but the specific whereabouts were kept secret from her. Seeing that Sokov was willing to come forward to help her find out her father's whereabouts, he nodded vigorously and said repeatedly, "Okay, okay, we'll go to Khimki after lunch."

The town of Khimki is of extraordinary significance to both Sokov and Assia.

Sokov became famous there because he blocked the German reconnaissance troops. It was from then on that, relying on one victory after another, he went from an obscure corporal to the current general. Assia, after that battle, met Sokov and became his wife.

The sudden ringing of the phone startled the two of them. Assia stood up instinctively, wanting to go forward to answer the phone, but just as she took a step, she remembered what the middle-aged man had told her, so she stopped and waited patiently for the ringing to end.

After the phone rang more than a dozen times, it stopped. Assia turned to Sokov and said, "Misha, our phone is officially opened. Who are you going to call first?"

"Needless to say, it must be Lunev." Sokov explained to Asiya: "It is too far from here to Khimki, and there is no direct car, so I can only ask Lunev for help." , let him send a car to take us there."