Before being transferred to the propaganda team of the Political Department of the X Division, Yan Yuanchao was already quite familiar with some of the cadres and veterans here.

In addition to the annual tours by the military district's cultural troupe to various field army headquarters and subordinate divisions and regiments, the top propaganda team of the Political Department of the X Division often went to the military district's cultural troupe to learn and observe. For a long time, the propaganda team of the Political Department of the X Division also sent several talents to the military district's cultural troupe, and some actors and trainees from the military district's cultural troupe requested to be sent to the front lines for personal reasons.

Before Yan Yuanchao arrived, the propaganda team of the Political Department of the X Division had already received several comrades from the military district's cultural troupe.

After Yan Yuanchao was transferred, he felt no sense of strangeness here at all.

At that time, the propaganda team had about twenty-seven or eight female soldiers, some of whom were cadres, and two-thirds were soldiers.

These female soldiers recognized Yan Yuanchao, the new deputy captain, as he was highly capable and respected every female soldier in the team, more like a kind and friendly older brother.

Whether in the military district's cultural troupe or the division's propaganda team, wherever there were female soldiers, there would easily be some small stories. Everyone was young, and it was normal for feelings to develop between the opposite sexes.

After joining the army, Yan Yuanchao understood these matters best. His bottom line was that everyone was close comrades, and he had to treat everyone equally, never participating in or discussing unclear matters related to male-female relationships.

Maintaining a clean reputation meant that during his more than ten years in the military district's cultural troupe, he had no scandals.

In the 1970s and 1980s, in the army, only if both parties were cadres could they date; relationships between cadres and soldiers, or between soldiers, were not allowed.

The division's propaganda team was different from the military district's cultural troupe, as the proportion of soldiers was higher than that of cadres, and there would be instances of individual cadres dating soldiers or soldiers dating each other privately.

These relationships could only be conducted secretly, and the final outcome would either be that both parties became cadres and the relationship became public, or one party would have to be demobilized and return to civilian life before they could register for marriage.

The army's regulations were stricter than iron.

Yan Yuanchao did not expect that after a year as deputy captain of the propaganda team of the Political Department of the X Division, he would also find love, and years later, he would register for marriage, finding his lifelong partner.

In the division's propaganda team's band, there was a young female soldier who was a dual-talented individual, proficient in playing the accordion and also a female solo singer. Every time there was a performance, she would have her own solo program, playing the accordion while singing.

Songs like "Red Plum Blossoms Bloom," "Katyusha," "Evenings in Moscow," "Hawthorn Tree," and "Little Path"… her solo performances were particularly popular.

The military district's cultural troupe had many large-scale song and dance performances, but Yan Yuanchao only saw such self-accompanied singing for the first time in the propaganda team of the Political Department of the X Division. This female soldier's skills in both playing the accordion and singing were outstanding, and he couldn't help but start paying attention to this girl.

Wang Jia was a cultural soldier who was specially recruited from a Beijing middle school in 1977.

Before joining the army, she was a member of the Children's Choir of the China National Radio. Since the field army's military and division-level units did not have a formal propaganda team, the female soldiers were assigned to the division's hospital or communication battalion, and Wang Jia was assigned to the division's hospital.

The division's political department propaganda team did not have a formal structure; although these cadres and soldiers were assigned to various units within the division, they were gathered together for rehearsals and performances as needed.

The propaganda team of the Political Department of the X Division was the same; due to the attention from the division leaders and its great reputation throughout the military district, it had always remained concentrated and had never disbanded, becoming increasingly professional.

Wang Jia also noticed that the newly transferred deputy captain Yan Yuanchao had been paying attention to her for some time. At first, she thought it was because there was something wrong with her accordion performance, after all, he was a cadre from the military district's cultural troupe.

One afternoon, after a rehearsal for a report performance before going to the front lines, Wang Jia approached Yan Yuanchao.

Wang Jia: Captain Yan, when is it convenient for you? I would like to report some work to you.

The pure Beijing accent made Yan Yuanchao feel particularly warm.

Sure, I have time now; just let me know when it's convenient for you.

At this time, the comrades in the team were tidying up instruments, props, and costumes on and off the stage in the auditorium, preparing to return to the dormitory to rest.

Yan Yuanchao and Wang Jia sat down in the front row of the audience seats.

Wang Jia: Captain Yan, I would like to ask you for some feedback on my program.

Yan Yuanchao: It's quite good, very good, the level is high, not inferior to the military district's cultural troupe.

Wang Jia: Captain, please don't be polite; I genuinely want to hear your opinion.

Yan Yuanchao: If I must say something, there really isn't any criticism, but I can offer a suggestion for your reference.

He continued: I once saw a performance in Beijing during a military arts festival where a soldier played the accordion to accompany a solo singer. Because the accordion was played well and the performer's facial expressions were very rich with the music, they received enthusiastic applause from the audience, even overshadowing the solo singer.

My suggestion is that your program is already very eye-catching; if you could enrich your facial expressions and movements in line with the lyrics and music, the effect would be even better. Of course, since you are not just an accompaniment or soloist, but also playing and singing at the same time, this suggestion might be challenging. In fact, your current facial expressions are already good; just a slight enhancement would suffice. You can always come to me for guidance.

Wang Jia felt very pleased listening to Yan Yuanchao's candid words.

Thank you, really thank you. From today on, I would like to have you as my artistic advisor; please don't find me annoying.

From their first conversation, they began formal contact, discussing program rehearsals and chatting about their lives.

Some comrades in the propaganda team also showed unusual expressions upon seeing this.

In fact, the two were not in a romantic relationship; they were just rehearsing programs and chatting during breaks.

Through their conversations, Wang Jia learned that this team leader had no partner to date.

Through chatting, Yan Yuanchao learned that Wang Jia had applied to be demobilized in three months at the end of the year.

Yan Yuanchao specifically asked her the reason for her demobilization application and learned that both her parents were intellectuals, asking her to return to take university entrance exams. Wang Jia thought the same way.

The first time Yan Yuanchao saw Wang Jia in the propaganda team, he always felt a sense of familiarity, but he could never pinpoint the reason.

Through their conversations, he learned that Wang Jia's grandmother was a White Russian descendant who grew up in Harbin, a pure Russian, which is why Wang Jia's eyes resembled those of a little girl named Sasha he had known in Beijing.

However, Yan Yuanchao kept this to himself and did not tell any comrades, not even Wang Jia.

Unknowingly, the time quickly approached the end of the year when the army would bid farewell to the retiring veterans.

That night, the propaganda team had a dinner gathering, and the atmosphere was very lively. During the meal, the team leaders toasted each of the seven or eight comrades who were about to leave the army.

Yan Yuanchao came to Wang Jia and said: I wish you all the best after returning to Beijing!

Wang Jia looked deeply into his eyes and said one sentence: Welcome to Beijing!

Hearing this, Yan Yuanchao was reminded of the time he said goodbye to Sasha in Beijing when she kissed his cheek and said, "Next time you come to Beijing, don't leave."

At that moment, Yan Yuanchao suddenly understood that Wang Jia was the woman who would accompany him for a lifetime.