Happy New Year

  That evening, Li De was with the officers and men of the 61st Division headquarters to celebrate the New Year. The not-so-spacious division headquarters was crowded with people, the head of the combat department sat at the piano tuning, occasionally emitting monotonous notes. The head of the military law department was responsible for adding coal to the stove, the communications advisor counted the list of guests, the intelligence officer stood beside the wine cabinet, distributing wine glasses to everyone, and the special machine service member Rudvika volunteered, according to the needs of the guests, pouring red wine, green champagne, yellow beer, white vodka, and light brown whiskey into the cups.

  Denia also invited a fellow Allied officer, General Gorlands of the Spanish Blue Division, and two women they had brought with them. The Spanish general beamed with pride as he regaled anyone who would listen with tales of his triumphs in the bullring at Barcelona.

  Li De and Bao Man entered the hall when everyone was holding their glasses to toast the Spanish, and the officer on duty was about to loudly announce the arrival of the head of state. Li De quickly covered his mouth, letting out only half a syllable, with an effect similar to an axe chopping wet firewood.

  Daniel was arguing with the Spaniards about something, Li De quietly walked up to them and, without waiting for an introduction, extended his hand to the Spaniards: "Hello, brave warriors from the Iberian Peninsula."

  The proud Spanish bullfighter didn't respond, casting a casual glance at the little mustache with no military insignia, one hand behind his back, and raising the wine glass in his other hand as an answer.

  Daniel stared at him in shock: "What's going on? This is our leader."

  The Spanish general, who had already turned his face and was ready to socialize with others, was slightly stunned and stared at the German general in surprise, until he made sure that the other party was not joking, then hesitantly stretched out his hand: "You, are you really Hitler?"

  "Forgive one, punish ten." The leader, with the magnanimity of a great man not holding petty people's mistakes against them, extended his noble hand: "I represent the German Empire in welcoming you. I've heard that you fight very well; when the opportunity arises, I will reward you."

  The Spanish general finally got the confirmation, and immediately stretched out his hands enthusiastically to hug the leader, and patted the German leader's right shoulder with his right hand. After patting for five minutes, he let go. Fortunately, it was winter, and the leader wore thick clothes, otherwise, his right back might have hurt for a while.

  The Spaniard saw the German leader touch his shoulder and said apologetically, "I killed that bull with this hand, oh, sorry."

  Li De raised his glass of champagne and toasted the international friends who helped him, with maximum magnanimity: "Cheers to your health, and cheers to Prime Minister Fulong's health."

  He drained his glass and, showing the bottom of it to Yuan Shikai, said: "Premier Froncois? We all call him Governor General of the Canary Islands."

  Li De could not tolerate such disrespect towards his own country's head of state and left the outspoken Spanish instructor.

  With a strong scent of perfume, a charming woman from the military service company turned around. Li De responded for a while and saw that there was only one person left by the wine cabinet, so he walked straight over there. From behind came a sour Russian voice: "He's really a young chick, doesn't understand anything."

  He reached out and picked up the empty wine glass, extending it to his personal server, Rudvika, who smiled faintly: "Hehe, something to drink, sir?" A subtle fragrance wafted over.

  She was wearing a grey-green female military uniform without any insignia, her slightly curly brown hair tied up in a lively ponytail, still with that confident lovely expression and sweet smile: "I saw you didn't get along too well with that bullfighter."

  Li De glanced around, everyone was busy with their own affairs, Bao Man was also entangled by the charming woman from the military service company. He smiled and leaned close to her ear: "Let's talk later, on this beautiful night, your smile has become a hook that can lure people."

  "Be careful, don't let anyone hear." She pretended to be indifferent and when no one was paying attention, she leaned down and said: "When everyone has had enough to drink, you and I will slip out for a walk. Don't let anyone see us."

  "Get out." At the sound of the shout, everyone's eyes focused on Bowman's body. He had been annoyed by that Russian woman and finally lost his temper.

  The awkwardness was broken by Danbar, who stood up in the center and clapped his hands: "Everyone, pay attention. Next, please welcome our beloved leader to give us a speech." He then led the applause.

  Li De cleared his throat, nodded at everyone, and began to speak:

  "Dear comrades, a few days ago we heard the Christmas bells ringing, tonight we will hear the New Year's bells ringing, especially as we will be listening to tonight's bells together with our Spanish comrades." He paused for a moment, seeing everyone clapping with cigarettes in their mouths, and that Spanish comrade was clapping particularly hard.

  "It is an honor for my regiment to fight side by side with the comrades of the Spanish Blue Division, because Spain is a fortress of struggle against Bolshevism, and as early as 1936, the Spanish Falangists fired the first shot against communism."

  "Good!" The voice was interrupted by a warm applause. At the same time, the Spanish commander exclaimed "good", and the cigarette fell from his mouth to the ground.

  Borman was already slightly drunk, he stood on the bench and raised his glass: "Everyone eats, drinks, sings, jumps, cheers for Germany, cheers for vodka, cheers for New Year's... later I will jump from here."

  Accompanied by the piano and accordion, everyone started waltzing. The amateur female singer from the military service club stood on a stool with affected elegance and sang "The Merry Widow Waltz" in a Polish accent:

  "What a beautiful scene, with light and graceful dance steps, how lovely!"

  Good times, how can we forget each other, what joy

  On this beautiful night, I pour out my heart to you.

  A heart full of words wants to tell you...

  Ludvika gave Li De a look, then turned and walked away. Li De slipped out with joy in his heart, pouring out all the words he had been holding back to the other person. The two of them walked shoulder to shoulder in silence, attracting the attention of the sentry who stopped to watch.

  "You speak well, my leader," Miss Rudvika said first.

  Li De smiled: "You called me over, isn't it to ask me to issue a New Year's message for you?"

  She punched him on the shoulder: "You're the leader, of course you have to make a New Year's address to the people of the whole nation..." She put her hands behind her back and walked backwards: "Hey, it's not like I'm not allowed to make a New Year's address either, because I'm one of the people, and also your special flight attendant."

  "One of the two stewardesses." Li De felt she was naive and lovely, "As for talking about people, let's put it this way, to rulers, people are just a term, like these stars in the sky, they're called stars, as for which specific star, that's irrelevant."

  Ludvika suddenly stopped, Li De bumped into her body: "No, my biology textbook in school clearly wrote: 'The people are the ocean, you are a grain of sand in the vast sea.'"

  Li De was rubbed by her towering chest, suddenly hugged her, kissed her mouth, she only endured for a moment, and gently pushed him away: "No, leader."

  Li De didn't expect anyone to refuse him, and his bewildered gaze stared at her. She was still smiling, but the words that came out were like a burst of cold air: "You are the leader, maybe others can, but I won't. If you're not happy, I'll leave the special plane right away, even if it's worse than this." She stared at the leader, trying to find an answer on his face.

  Li De was inwardly indignant, but he couldn't show it on his face, so he had to pretend to be a decent person: "Look at what you think of me, I just treat you like a little girl." He felt that he was becoming more and more sophisticated, or rather, his skin was getting thicker.

  "Then I don't have to leave the special plane?"

  "No need, I couldn't bear to part with your captivating smile." Li De replied, half jokingly and half sincerely.

  "Don't ever retaliate against me again." She pressed her advantage. Li De nodded.

  "Thank you, Yuan Shou, I will definitely serve you well from now on." She started to show off after getting the benefit. Li De sneered: Serve me? From small things, she can't even hold a cup, and from big things, he has already seen it before, that is, neither being a prostitute nor wanting to be a virtuous woman, all the good things in the world are taken by you.

  He didn't want to get angry, her smile was so innocent and pure, like a blank sheet of paper. Rather than scribbling all over it, he'd rather keep it pristine forever. Besides, people can't always follow their own nature; absolute power leads to absolute corruption. To avoid absolute corruption, he handed over the premiership to Goebbels; to avoid absolute corruption, he forbade everyone from cheering for him; to avoid absolute corruption, he reformed the government structure like Franco's; to avoid absolute corruption, he didn't retaliate against women who rejected him. Li De thought himself too great.

  Suddenly the earth was a vast expanse of white, exposing the two to the soft sunlight. A huge magnesium flare rose into the air, signaling the start of the ten-second countdown.

  In Germany, at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, people climb onto chairs and when the bell rings, they jump off the chair and throw a heavy object over their shoulder to ward off misfortune and leap into the new year. There was no chair here, so Lida pulled Rita up onto a large rock, each holding a stone in their hand, quietly waiting for the moment when the New Year's bell would ring.

  The moment of universal jubilation and shared joy has arrived.

  In the capital of the Third Reich, Berlin, around one million people gathered on the square near the Brandenburg Gate to celebrate the arrival of the New Year with fireworks and champagne. Throughout Germany and Europe as well as North Africa occupied territories resounded the recorded speech of the Führer - The Führer Adolf Hitler proudly declared to the whole world: "The new year will bring results for Germany. Whatever shape it takes, this result must be that the German people march from victory to victory."

  Moscow, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin announced in a calm and unhurried tone on the radio: "The devil is not as terrible as he is painted!" After stopping to take a sip of water, he passionately shouted: "Our cause is just! Victory will be ours!" Then came thunderous applause.

  On the North African Libyan front, Rommel's German-Italian army exchanged gifts with British Commonwealth soldiers.

  On the Soviet front, from the Arctic Ocean to the Black Sea, the Soviet army and German, Finnish, Romanian, Italian, Hungarian, Slovak, and Spanish Blue Division troops erupted in thunderous applause. Flares turned into strings of fire that shot towards the night sky and merged with the stars. Signal flares like colorful fireflies were constantly thrown into the sky, people threw their hats into the air. With wave after wave of cheers, rockets with scarlet tails streaked across the sky, pushing the celebration to a climax.

  Everyone expresses their wishes in various ways - wishing for good luck in the new year.