Chapter 123: The First and the Third
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“Who asked you to sing this song?” the first squad leader asked, his tone stern.
On the rooftop, after the various squads returned to their dormitories, the first squad leader gathered the recruits who were still red-eyed after work to offer some comfort. However, he had a serious expression when he singled out Cai Xu.
Cai Xu felt utterly lost at this moment. He couldn’t understand why this was happening. What did he do wrong?
“I just sang a song?” he thought to himself, bewildered. “Why did it ruin the party? 1 thought 1 did well, and everyone seemed moved by it. Weren’t they praising me?”
He couldn’t fathom why the situation had escalated so much.
Stammering, he tried to explain, “Class… Class monitor… I… I just thought that everyone would… like it! 1 never meant to cause any harm.”
His scalp tingled with anxiety as the class monitor’s dark expression and the tense atmosphere of the night made him panic even though he knew he hadn’t done anything intentionally wrong.
“Like your head!” one of the platoon leaders couldn’t hold back and hit him on the head.
Cai Xu winced, feeling even more aggrieved. He didn’t understand why they were reacting this way.
Another platoon leader spoke with frustration, “You know what? Because of your song, none of us will be able to sleep tonight. It made everyone think about home or their girlfriends, and now we’re all emotional wrecks.”
The other squad leaders, as well as the company commander and instructor, seemed to share the same sentiment.
In an attempt to defuse the situation, Cai Xu said, “I didn’t think it was a big deal. It’s normal for us to miss our loved ones. Even when I’m not singing, I miss my girlfriend too.”
However, his explanation seemed to fall on deaf ears, and the tense atmosphere persisted.
After the tense encounter with the first platoon leader, Cai Xu was still feeling bewildered and upset as he followed the orders to stand guard outside the dormitory room. He couldn’t understand why his singing, which he believed was good, had resulted in such a negative reaction from his superiors.
As he stood by the door, he couldn’t help but think, “Did I not sing well? Why didn’t I receive any praise or recognition? Instead, 1 became the subject of anger and frustration. It’s all so unfair.”
But there was no one to offer any explanation or enlightenment. The recruits were in a bad mood, and his squad leader was even angrier. The company commander and instructor downstairs could only watch helplessly at the situation.
The company commander made arrangements for increased security measures, posting sentries at various locations to ensure the recruits’ safety, as emotions were running high due to Cai Xu’s song. The instructor agreed with the decision, acknowledging that they needed to address the situation delicately.
He sighed and said, “Starting tomorrow, we’ll have to modify the training plan. We need to allocate at least two hours each day for ideology education classes.” Wu Jianfeng, who had previously admired Cai Xu’s talent, now smiled bitterly, acknowledging that the song itself might be good, but it was not suitable for the army or for the emotional well-being of the recruits.
As the night continued, the repercussions of Cai Xu’s song were felt throughout the unit, and it became clear that some adjustments needed to be made to prevent such incidents in the future. The events of the night would serve as a lesson for everyone, emphasizing the importance of appropriateness and context in various situations.
“In the vast sea of people…
Which one am I…”
The song reverberated through the camp area, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of the recruits. It was a powerful anthem filled with a sense of responsibility and mission. The instructor, along with Wu Jianfeng, had chosen this song in the hopes of washing away the negative emotions and influences caused by the challenges they faced during their military training.
As the song played on loop, the recruits were engrossed in writing letters to their families in the dormitory. The melody seemed to ignite a spark of determination in each of them. However, it was hard to tell whether the intended effect was achieved, and both the instructor and Wu Jianfeng were restless, unable to sleep that night.
The class leaders had also become more vigilant, making it difficult for anyone to leave the dormitory alone. Wang Ye, engrossed in writing his own letter, was interrupted when Wu Jianfeng called him out.
“Wang Ye, come out for a moment,” Wu Jianfeng said.
Startled, Wang Ye quickly replied, “Oh, okay!”
Leaving behind his unfinished letter, he followed Wu Jianfeng downstairs to the office. It was Wang Ye’s first time in this place.
Stepping into Wu Jianfeng’s office, Wang Ye was surprised to find that it was actually a spacious suite.
Outside the office, there was a door leading to another room where Wu Jianfeng slept. Upon entering the office, Wu Jianfeng took out a cigarette and lit it. He noticed that Wang Ye didn’t smoke and playfully repeated, “You don’t smoke, you don’t smoke…”
Wang Ye smiled and explained, “I know. I’m not addicted, 1 just smoke occasionally.”
Wu Jianfeng then asked, “Do you miss home?”
Wang Ye hesitated for a moment before answering, “It’s alright. Actually, my parents are often busy with their business, so they don’t spend much time with me when I’m home.”
This response was true to his family’s situation in this life.
Wu Jianfeng paused for a moment and tossed the cigarette case to Wang Ye. “If you’re bored, light one yourself!”
Wang Ye declined, saying, “No, thanks. I take my physical fitness seriously. But if you don’t mind, I’ll give these cigarettes to my squad leader and tell him you gave them to him!”
Wu Jianfeng looked at Wang Ye speechlessly and then walked over. He took the cigarette box from Wang Ye and said, “What are you thinking? If you want to buy cigarettes, go buy them yourself.”
He wasn’t angry, but the serious conversation seemed to be over.
After putting the cigarette case back in his pocket, Wu Jianfeng went back to his office. To Wang Ye’s surprise, he then took out a box and said, “Here you go. The medal for your bravery has been awarded. The Chief of Staff brought it today.”
“I’m giving it to you now… It’s a third-class merit.”
Wang Ye listened as Wu Jianfeng explained, and he saw the medal inside the box.
Well of course, there was even a certificate that directly stated third-class merit. He wasn’t blind.
Rubbing his hands, Wang Ye took it with a nervous expression.
“Do you like it? Don’t forget that there’s another one waiting for you.”
“Hehe, Company Commander, do you think we’ll have one this year?” Opening the box and looking at the military merit medal inside, Wang Ye raised his head and asked greedily.
“Also, if I get the training role model, will the recruits get all the best in the assessment?”
Immediately, he was hit on the head.
“Why are you thinking so much? Let’s deal with the 400-meter race first!”
“Yes, 1 guarantee to complete the mission!”
Wang Ye stood at attention and saluted.
Of course, he had to complete it, but he had to control his speed.
In fact, Wang Ye already had a plan. He would run another nine times, and when he had upgraded the 400-meter obstacle to level 2 by himself, he would directly obtain this third-class merit.
“Alright, go up. Oh, right, I’m off tomorrow. I’ll give you a little break tonight!” “Hmm?” Wang Ye looked at Wu Jianfeng in confusion, not knowing what he meant.
“Haha, go up first. You’ll know later tonight!”
Wu Jianfeng kept him in suspense. Although Wang Ye was puzzled, he didn’t think too much about it.
He took the medal box and certificate and went upstairs.