Chapter 1953 Old Acquaintance

Good times are always short-lived. This war, which has not yet ended, is destined to prevent Malashenko and Natalia from staying together forever. Reading may be possible in the future, but at least not now. Malashenko still has things that he must do personally.

"You will come back, just like this time, right?"

Looking at Natalia's infatuated expression, Malashenko knew that no matter how smart a girl is, she will have her silly side. In most cases, this is reserved for the man she loves most. Whether it is now or in the future, this will never change.

Natalia is praying for an answer, a guarantee, a promise that she knows is not inevitable. This is her only support to survive the difficult and worrying days in her lonely days. It has been like this for a long time.

Malashenko can certainly understand the meaning in his lover's eyes, and he also knows what he should say at this moment, and the words he has prepared for him quietly come out.

"Those fascist lackeys can't kill me. No matter what, I will come back alive. Because in my hometown, there is a girl who I love all my life waiting for me. This is a promise I must fulfill."

Not all the time, you need to say sweet words to spice up the taste. Sometimes, solemn and serious promises are better than thousands of fancy words and more effective than any sweet words. Malashenko is sure that this is exactly what Natalia needs at this moment.

When the lover is far away, the wings are empty, and only the people who are specially authorized to see him off are left beside the empty airport runway. They are still blessing and caring about their relatives who are far away. Natalia, who loves Malashenko deeply, is just one of them.

Malashenko did not take a special plane to leave Moscow and go to Nizhny Tagil. In fact, even the ticket for this flight was obtained by Malokov through connections and backdoors. If he didn't use some tricks, he really couldn't squeeze into this already fully booked flight.

There are still many people traveling between Moscow and Nizhny Tagil, including workers who are on vacation and going home to visit their families, and engineers who come to Moscow for technical exchanges and academic conferences. Most of them are closely related to Nizhny Tagil, the tank city itself.

His private affairs have come to an end. It is unknown when he will see Natalia again. Malashenko, who clearly distinguishes between public and private affairs, knows that it is time to consider the next business to be done.

"I don't know why Kotin called me over so anxiously? Is it possible that he has come up with something new? Or is it that he has encountered a technical bottleneck and needs guidance or lacks inspiration?"

In the telegram, Kotin did not clearly tell Malashenko why he was called to Nizhny Tagil this time. Malashenko only knew that Kotin was really urging him to hurry up. The phrase "It is better to come and see immediately" was rare at least in the past. He also didn't know how Kotin knew that he had returned from the front line and was in Moscow.

If I remember correctly, my return to Moscow this time should be kept strictly confidential, and I will choose the right time to make it public after the operation is over, right?

If so, how did Kotin know such important news?

Malashenko felt that he couldn't figure it out. After thinking for a while and not understanding what was going on, he simply gave up and fell asleep on the seat.

As for when the plane landed, Malashenko asked himself that he really didn't feel it and didn't know it clearly. Anyway, when the guard woke him up, the plane had already stopped steadily on the runway and was ready to get off.

When he was holding the cabin door and preparing to get off, Malashenko was thinking that Kotin would not come to pick him up personally this time. This old man is very busy on weekdays. It is estimated that he sent a subordinate to take him back.

But when Malashenko really got off the plane, he saw another familiar face that was really unexpected. He was standing not far away and looked at him with a smile and took the initiative to come forward.

"Comrade General, welcome to the city of tanks. It's been a long time since we last met. How are you?"

Oh my god, how could it be him? Wasn't this guy sent to Leningrad to clean up the mess of the reconstruction of the Kirov Factory? Was he transferred back or what?

The man who came to pick up Malashenko with a smile was not just any ordinary person. Although they had not met many times, he still left a deep impression on Malashenko. This person was Shashmurin, the assistant and deputy who had been following Kotin all along, and was praised by Kotin as an excellent tank designer with "talent":

"Comrade Shashmurin, what's wrong with you? I remember when I came here last time, Kotin told me that you were sent to Leningrad to oversee the reconstruction of the Kirov Factory? Were you transferred back again?"

Malachenko did not hold back his doubts. After all, in his impression, Shashmurin was a very generous and informal person. Although they didn't have much contact, he had a good impression of this person. Otherwise, Malachenko would not have asked so "abruptly".

Yes, if someone who was not close to him or was unfamiliar with him heard this, it would be abrupt for Malachenko to ask such a question.

Shashmurin smiled when he heard Malachenko's question, and then made an invitation gesture without saying much and walked sideways.

"I suggest that we can talk while walking. Comrade Kotin is still waiting for you, Comrade General."

Well, okay, Kotin is really anxious anyway, so let's do it this way.

Thinking that Shashmulin was right, Malashenko nodded and followed him. After leaving the airport and getting on the convoy that had been waiting for a long time, Shashmulin, who had already thought about how to talk to Malashenko, sat beside Malashenko and spoke slowly.

"Project 260 is nearing completion, and the reconstruction of the Kirov plant is basically completed. For the time being, there is nothing too important that I need to keep an eye on. I came back this time to study. Comrade Kotin told me that there are some very interesting new things in my hometown that are worth my return. This may bring some new inspiration to my design."

"Oh, and more importantly, I heard that Comrade General is about to return to the Tank City. There are not many such opportunities. We must seize them well. This is especially important to me."

"With so many things added up, I am here, and I can also come to pick you up. In general, that's it, Comrade General, there should be nothing missing."