Sokov had heard Asiya say before that her house was a suite. She usually lived in the inner room and her parents lived in the outer room. However, after he followed Nina to the residence, he couldn't help but have doubts about Asiya's words.
Suspect.
In addition to the living room, kitchen, toilet and bathroom, this house also has four bedrooms. Just when Sokov wanted to ask Asiya what was going on, Asiya had already asked his mother:
"Mom, what's going on? How did my family become like this?"
"Yes, Nina." Sokov also echoed: "I heard Asiya say that your house is just a suite, and now the house is clearly a four-bedroom apartment. What is going on?"
"Misha, you misunderstood Asiya, she didn't lie to you." Nina noticed from Sokov's tone that he had misunderstood Asiya, and quickly explained: "My family used to live in an apartment.
"
"So what's going on with this house?"
"Misha, you should know that after the war broke out, many people were evacuated to the rear, and their houses were naturally vacated." Nina said: "In addition to these evacuated people, there are many people who left the battlefield after going to the battlefield.
They sacrificed their lives carefully, and they left no relatives behind, so another group of empty houses appeared."
When Sokov heard this, he finally understood what was going on. In later generations of Moscow, there was a special "householding clan" who occupied uninhabited houses. What he didn't expect was that this "householding clan" had already
It appeared in the 1940s.
"Nina," Sokov asked tentatively: "So, you privately occupied this unoccupied property?"
"No, no, it's not what you think." But Nina said calmly: "Although some people will occupy those empty houses, I never do such a thing. It is said that all the original owners of the house are dead.
It was an ownerless house, so my employer assigned this house to me."
"So that's what happened." After figuring out what happened, Asiya breathed a sigh of relief and asked her mother in a reproachful tone: "Then why didn't you tell me?"
"What's the use of telling you." Nina said somewhat unhappily: "You and your father are away from home all year round and can't go home several times a year. Even if I tell you, I am the only one living in this house.
people."
"Okay, okay, stop talking." Asiya interrupted Nina's words and pushed her towards the kitchen: "Let's go cook quickly, my stomach is almost starving."
"Lieutenant Koshkin," Sokov greeted Koshkin when he saw Asiya and his daughter entering the kitchen, "Please stay and eat together later."
If someone else had extended such an invitation to him, Koshkin might have refused. But now the person who asked him to stay for dinner was Sokov, who had been with him for more than three months, and he agreed without hesitation: "
Well, Comrade General, I will stay for dinner later."
After the two sat down on the sofa in the living room, Sokov thought of Lena's incident and asked Koshkin tentatively: "Lieutenant Koshkin, do you think it can be done to get rid of you just now?"
?”
Koshkin was stunned for a moment when he heard what Sokov said. Then he understood what the other party was talking about, and nodded and said: "Comrade General, please rest assured, as long as there is the code of the certification notice, it will be easy to check."
Find out everything you want to know.”
"Thank you very much."
"No, this is what I should do." After Koshkin said this, he quickly glanced in the direction of the kitchen and asked in a low voice: "Comrade General, I want to ask about the saleswoman named Lena.
What’s the relationship with you?”
"Relationship? What kind of relationship?!" Sokov said, somewhat dumbfounded: "I just saw her for the first time today, and I happened to hear her mention her husband. I thought she was pitiful, so I was ready to help her.
That’s all.”
Sokov's explanation seemed to Koshkin to be a cover-up. He hummed softly and replied with a half-smile: "I understand, Comrade General, I will keep it a secret for you.
"
Seeing that Koshkin had misunderstood, Sokov was about to explain when he heard someone knocking on the door.
Without waiting for Sokov's instructions, Koshkin stood up and opened the door.
The two people standing outside the door were none other than Damana, the flower seller, and Michik, who was guarding the factory gate.
Koshkin had dealt with both of them and naturally knew their identities, so he asked directly: "What can I do for you?"
"Hello, Comrade Lieutenant." Mitchik said to Koshkin with a smile; "We are here as guests."
"Koshkin," Sokov, who was sitting on the sofa, only heard someone talking at the door, but due to the angle of view, he could not see the people outside clearly, so he asked Koshkin: "Who is here?
"
"Comrade General," Koshkin turned back and reported to Sokov: "It is Damana who took us to the bakery today, and her husband, the old militiaman Michik who is guarding the factory gate."
"Koshkin, stop standing at the door and let them in quickly."
Koshkin agreed, took a step back, and made way for the two visitors: "Please come in."
"Hello, Comrade General." After Michik entered the door, he quickly came to Sokov. He took off the peaked cap on his head, nodded and said, "Nice to see you again."
"Hello, Michik." Sokov knew that this man was a neighbor of Asiya's family, and he showed due courtesy to him: "I'm glad that you can come to my house as a guest."
"Hello, Comrade General." Although Damana had never met Sokov, when she heard her husband address him as General, she immediately realized that Asiya's husband was a big shot, and she said respectfully:
"I'm quite sorry that I didn't get to see you just now. I didn't expect to see you so soon."
After she said this in one breath, she looked around and said, "By the way, where is Nina?"
"Nina and Asya are cooking in the kitchen." Sokov said politely to the two of them: "Please sit down."
"Mitchik, you chat with the general here." Damana said to Michik in a commanding tone: "I will go to the kitchen to help Nina cook." After saying that, before Michik could make a decision, Damana said
If there was any reaction, she walked towards the kitchen carrying a cloth bag.
"Please sit down, Michik." Seeing Damana go to the kitchen, Sokov asked Michik to sit down, handed him a cigarette, and started chatting with him: "You are at the factory gate every day.
How long will you be on duty?"
Michik took the cigarette and put it in his mouth, struck a match, but did not light it for himself. Instead, he lit it for Sokov first, and then lit his own cigarette.
After taking a deep breath, he said with emotion: "Good cigarettes, really good cigarettes. Comrade General, to tell you the truth, my colleagues in the factory brought back the kind of German cigarettes that were seized from the frontier, but those cigarettes smoked
It smells like horse manure and is impossible to smoke. It’s still authentic cigarettes produced in our country.”
Sokov agreed very much with Michik's statement. After all, he had also smoked seized German cigarettes. Compared with domestic cigarettes, the taste was really far different. He nodded and said: "That's right.
, when I was in combat two years ago, I also seized German cigarettes. I smoked one and before I finished it, I felt unbearable. With this lesson, I never smoked German cigarettes again.
"
"Comrade General," Mitchick was sitting with such a high-level commander for the first time. He was inevitably a little nervous. He tried hard to find a topic: "I want to ask you, you became a general at such a young age.
I wonder where you have ever participated in a battle?”
"I have participated in many battles." Mitchik's question made Sokov not know where to start. He could only say casually: "The first battle I participated in was the big counterattack under Moscow. Then,
He fought with the Germans outside Moscow for several more months.
Shortly after our army launched its offensive in the Kharkov area, my troops were transferred to Stalingrad to build a defense line at Mamayev Hills. Fortunately, we deployed our defenses several months in advance so that we could catch up with the Germans.
Before launching an attack on the city, establish a complete defense system."
"Mamaev Hill?!" During the Battle of Stalingrad, Michik, who stayed in Moscow, often listened to the intelligence agency's battle reports on the radio, so naturally he had a certain understanding of the battle that took place on Mamayev Hill.
He asked tentatively: "Comrade General, as far as I know, the troops holding Mamayev Heights were first the 73rd Infantry Brigade, and later became the 41st Guards Infantry Division. I wonder which troops you command?"
"
"These two troops are commanded by Comrade General." Koshkin rushed to answer: "When he was the commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, the troops were stationed at Mamayev Hill. Later, after a long battle, the troops were reduced in number.
It was so powerful that the superiors transferred the 41st Guards Division, merged the two units, and made him the division commander."
When Michik heard this, he stood up suddenly and said in surprise: "Comrade General, it turns out that you are the famous and outstanding General Sokov." He put the pipe in his hand into the ashtray on the coffee table.
Here, he bent down and said to Sokov respectfully: "Please forgive me for not knowing your identity just now. If I did anything wrong, please forgive me."
"Uncle Michik," Sokov felt uncomfortable when he saw an elderly man nodding and bowing in front of him. He quickly greeted him and said, "We are all our own people. There is no need to be so polite. Come on.
Please sit down."
Seeing Sokov being so polite to him, Michik couldn't help but feel warm in his heart, and then sat down again. This time he asked cautiously: "Comrade General, according to the battle report from the Intelligence Bureau, you are invincible on the battlefield."
There is no invincible existence, but why are you injured and hospitalized?"
When Michik asked him about the reason for his injury, Sokov briefly told him what happened that day, and finally said: "Fortunately, the subordinates who were accompanying me at the time were smart and sent me back to Kremenciu immediately.
I checked and received emergency treatment, otherwise I would have been lying in the cold soil."
"Look at what you said, Comrade General." After listening to Sokov's words, Mitchik flattered him with a smile: "I think you can live a long life, so no matter how dangerous it is on the battlefield, you can
Survive.”
"Thank you for your kind words." Sokov smiled and said to Michik: "I hope it will be as you said."
While they were chatting, Asya came out of the kitchen carrying a tray. She said to Koshkin: "Comrade Lieutenant, please come over and help me."
"I'm happy to oblige!" Koshkin immediately stood up to greet her, took the tray from Asya's hand, came to the dining table, and placed all the dishes in the tray on the table one by one.
Soon, Nina and Damana also came out of the kitchen, holding freshly prepared meals in their hands.
When all the food was placed and everyone was seated, Asiya picked up the vodka brought by Michik, opened the lid, and poured some into the wine glasses in front of everyone.
Michik stood up with the wine glass in his hand. After scanning everyone, he raised his glass and said, "Let's drink for the health of General Sokov!"
"Wait a minute," Sokov felt a little embarrassed when he heard that Mitchik wanted to toast in his name. He quickly held the edge of the table and prepared to stand up. Asiya quickly reached out to hold his arm and help him.
Standing up, Sokov raised the wine glass in his hand and said to everyone: "For everyone's health, let's drink together."
After drinking twice as much, Sokov sat down again.
Asiya placed a bowl of red cabbage soup in front of Sokov: "Misha, this is the red cabbage soup made by my mother. Please try it."
"Misha! Is it okay if I call you Misha?!" Damana, who is a little familiar with her, interjected: "The red cabbage soup made by Nina is the most famous here. If it weren't for the staff in the cafeteria,
It’s already full and she won’t be assigned to work in the bakery.”
With a neighbor as talkative as Damana, Sokov soon learned many secrets of Asya's family. He secretly thought to himself that this aunt's mouth was lacking, and he could not take matters lightly.
Tell her, otherwise the news will soon spread throughout the city.
While everyone was eating, they suddenly heard someone shouting loudly outside: "Koshkin, Lieutenant Koshkin, where are you?"
No one heard the first few shouts of the people downstairs. But because he kept shouting, Asya, who had sharp ears, heard it first. She grabbed Sokov's arm and said: "
Misha, someone seems to be calling Lieutenant Koshkin outside."
"No way." Hearing what Asya said, Sokov's first reaction was that it was impossible. His coming to Khimki Town today was just a whim. How could others know that he would come here?
Someone was even shouting Koshkin’s name. “Maybe you heard it wrong.”
"No, I heard it right." Asiya said: "If you don't believe it, you can listen carefully and you can hear someone calling Lieutenant Koshkin's name downstairs."
When everyone heard what Asya said, they all pricked up their ears and listened carefully to what was going on outside. Sure enough, they heard someone shouting Koshkin's name. Koshkin quickly walked to the window, opened the window and looked outside.
Looking over, I saw Lunev's driver shouting his name loudly downstairs.
"It's urgent, something urgent happened." The driver said to Koshkin downstairs: "The deputy minister asked General Sokov to go to his place immediately and discuss important matters with him."