Chapter Forty-Six: The Notebook
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Ye Yan'an pushed open the door and returned home. She immediately spotted Ye Yuan, already asleep in the recliner. Quietly, she tiptoed over and picked up a nearby blanket, gently covering him. Ye Yuan stirred and was instantly awake. His eyes, fierce like a tiger’s, fixed intently on Ye Yan'an. Even though Ye Yuan had raised her since childhood, Ye Yan'an couldn’t help but shudder slightly when met with that piercing gaze.
Ye Yuan quickly regained composure, his sharp look softening into one of kindness as he regarded her. “You’re back.”
Ye Yan'an nodded, then spun around expectantly, “Grandpa, do you think this dress looks nice on me?”
She wore a delicate floral dress that accentuated her pale skin, resembling a bud about to bloom — a little white flower.
“It looks beautiful.”
Without hesitation, Ye Yuan praised, “Whatever our Yan'an wears looks good.”
Ye Yan'an whispered, “It was Uncle Wu who left money with Sister Tingting, so she took me to buy it.”
“That old fellow...” Ye Yuan shook his head helplessly but said no more.
“Go wash up. Look at you, your face is all sweaty,” Ye Yuan softly instructed.
Ye Yan'an nodded repeatedly and turned to the bathroom. Ye Yuan straightened in his seat and carefully slipped two photographs back into his notebook.
His strong reaction earlier was because, in his dream, he had returned to the battlefield. Clutching a cold, hard gun, he became once again the fearsome “Killing God” who made enemies tremble, leading his warriors in a fierce assault.
The next day.
It was Thursday again.
Accompanied by Ye Yan'an and Cong Gui, Ye Yuan arrived at the county television station’s studio. Sun Ting was already waiting there.
When Ye Yuan arrived backstage, she hurried toward him.
“Sister Tingting, Grandpa is in your hands now. Uncle Cong and I will wait in the audience seats,” Ye Yan'an waved to Sun Ting and left backstage with Cong Gui.
“Grandpa Ye, our show's ratings have been climbing steadily and are now nearly the most popular,” Sun Ting said excitedly.
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“This is all thanks to you. Without you, none of this would be possible!”
Ye Yuan waved off the praise, “It’s everyone’s effort. Don’t pin it all on me.”
Sun Ting nodded slightly, then continued, “After discussion, we decided to add a new segment to the show. We’ll read letters from enthusiastic viewers, and you will answer their questions.”
“But don’t worry, we’ll review the letters in advance to ensure no sensitive topics come up.”
“That’s fine,” Ye Yuan said calmly, eyes bright. “I act with integrity—I won’t be caught off guard by any question.”
Sun Ting paused, then looked into Ye Yuan’s eyes and cautiously asked, “So... you’ll pick letters randomly and respond on the spot?”
“That works,” Ye Yuan nodded.
Sun Ting thought it over for a moment before resolutely saying, “Alright, let’s do it that way!”
Half an hour later.
The audience had fully taken their seats.
Sun Ting held a microphone, waiting for the show to start.
As music began, she smiled and stepped onto the stage.
Warm applause erupted instantly.
“Dear viewers, welcome to the fourth episode of ‘Retracing the Red Path.’ I’m your host, Sun Ting.”
She greeted the camera with a bright smile.
By now, she had completely overcome her fear.
Though not a professional host, her natural warmth made her seem very approachable.
“Without further ado, let’s invite Grandpa Ye to the stage.”
Sun Ting turned toward backstage, standing straight.
The camera lens and all eyes focused there.
“Here he comes, brothers.”
“If we miss an episode, I’ll have to punish myself.”
“Old hero Ye looks radiant.”
“This episode, Grandpa Ye will probably share stories from that notebook of his.”
Messages flowed rapidly in the chatroom.
The trolls and troublemakers had all vanished, and even the few stray comments were quickly drowned out, causing no disruption.
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Under everyone’s gaze, Ye Yuan came onto the stage and was helped by Sun Ting to sit on the sofa.
“Dear viewers, before we begin interviewing Grandpa Ye, there’s something I wonder if you all remember,” Sun Ting said with a smile to the camera. “In the first episode, Grandpa Ye mentioned being captured by the enemy and then escaping by holding an enemy officer hostage.”
“Thanks to the relentless efforts of Commander Cong and the local soldiers, the medal was finally recovered, and we also learned the name of that enemy officer.”
At this, the chatroom messages surged even faster, everyone debating who that enemy officer could be.
“I won’t keep you in suspense. That man was Shigeru Honjo, the main planner and executor of the September 18 Incident and commander of the Kwantung Army!”
The last three words hit like a bombshell, exploding in everyone’s ears.
“Honjo Shigeru! That notorious scoundrel!”
“If not for him, the Northeast wouldn’t have endured fourteen years of war!”
“He used the excuse of two missing soldiers to fire the first shot!”
“Oh my god! Grandpa Ye nearly stabbed him with chopsticks—it was him!”
Everyone was stunned, though some quickly regained composure and raised new questions.
“But Honjo was such a high-ranking official; there’s no way he personally interrogated old hero Ye, right?”
“Unless Grandpa Ye’s identity is special, otherwise Honjo wouldn’t have paid him any attention.”
“Exactly.”
Excitement rippled through everyone, as if they had discovered a new world, eager to uncover more about Ye Yuan’s other identities.
Yet the show’s focus was evidently not on these speculations.
Sun Ting turned to Ye Yuan and softly said, “Grandpa Ye, last episode you promised to tell us about the stories in your notebook. Could you share them with us now?”
“Of course.”
Ye Yuan nodded and took the notebook out of his pocket.
He slowly opened it.
Names were written one after another. Besides that, there were photographs, letters, and scattered notes.
Sun Ting trembled slightly, her voice quivering, “These names...”
“They are the earliest warriors who stood by my side, the first independent regiment’s roster,” Ye Yuan said slowly.
“I feared I might forget them someday, so I wrote down every name here.”