Chongqing Dazu, Zhang Xinghui's home. At the age of 72, she was wearing reading glasses with intricate patterns embroidered on the insoles. Embroidery takes four to five hours a day, and it takes five to six days to finish a pair. She hopes the interview will be brief when facing reporters. When it comes to Gu Nu, I shed tears, but I can't cry back anymore. It's been over 20 years since she left. Gu Nu is her son. One morning in the late autumn of 2003, Zhang Xing would send his son to join the army at the train station. At that time, Gu Nu was still a 17-year-old boy who loved playing games. He called his mother to the car window, handed over 170 yuan, and instructed her to help him repay the account he had posted at the internet cafe. The train is starting. That was the last time for a mother and son. Gu Nu was assigned to the frontier defense company in Shannan, Xizang. The military training allowed him to grow rapidly. He practiced military skills diligently and won two championships in the evaluation, was awarded third class merit, was named an "excellent soldier", and proudly joined the party. He also asked his mother to help him borrow high school textbooks and prepare to apply for college. Just as the family was longing for the future of Gu Nu, bad news came. On July 16, 2005, Gu Nu and his comrades were patrolling the border. Gu Nu, who served as a security officer, was walking at the end of the team when suddenly his head collapsed. He rushed forward and pushed his comrades towards the safety of the bridge, but he was hit by rolling rocks and died heroically. He is only 19 years old. A few days later, Zhang Xinghui embarked on the path his son had walked. The soldiers used machetes to cut through thorns and carried her through the piercing glaciers... When they arrived at the company deep in the snow capped mountains, Zhang Xinghui realized how heavy the burden on his son's shoulders was. At this moment, my son has fallen asleep on the hillside, blending into the land he guards. Before Zhang Xinghui boarded the car and went home, the soldiers lined up to bid farewell. She suppressed her grief and said to the soldiers, "Although my son did not show filial piety, he was loyal. The country must have someone to defend it, and the unfinished cause of ancient anger must be accomplished by you. You must stand guard for the country well." More than ten "soldier sons" knelt down in front of her. The instructor tearfully said, "We don't call Auntie, we call Mom. All the officers and soldiers in our company will always be your sons." The vehicle started, and Zhang Xinghui waved his hand with tears in his eyes. The next year, Zhang Xinghui returned to the platoon with sausages, preserved meat, dozens of shoe insoles embroidered by his parents, and self-made woolen slippers. The last time she came, she found that the soldiers needed insoles. I don't have much worry for the children, so I can only do some needlework within my ability to prevent their feet from getting wet, "she said. For over 20 years, she traveled to the border and delivered nearly a thousand pairs of insoles to her son's comrades. In every stitch, her thoughts often drift back to the past, back to the snow capped mountains, and to her son and his comrades. During the days when his son left, the "soldiers' sons" and "soldiers' daughters" accompanied Zhang Xinghui, as close as family. Ma Yunshan, the deputy platoon leader of Gu Nu during his time as a new recruit, came to Dazu almost every year and stayed at Zhang Xinghui's house for a period of time. Zhang Xinghui and his wife cooked dishes for the "soldier's son". Ma Yunshan, who originally didn't eat spicy food, has gradually become accustomed to Sichuan cuisine. Du Fuqiang, the younger brother of "landmine hero" Du Fuqiang, enlisted in 2016 and served in the company where Gu Nu was before his death. Zhang Xinghui embroidered insoles, which he never wanted to wear. In 2022, Du Fuqiang and a team of six people came to Dazu to accompany Zhang Xinghui in making dumplings and chatting about daily life. The next year, Du Fuqiang came to see "Mom" again. At Zhang Xinghui's house, there is no photo of his son hanging, afraid of seeing things and thinking of others. She walked into the inner room, found her son's military merit badge and medal, and picked up the insole to embroider. A few days ago, I participated in the district's new recruit sending activity and all the insoles were given away. We need to embroider more, "Zhang Xinghui said." When my eyes can't see clearly, I won't embroider anymore. (New Society)