Chapter 189: Cheers to the Married, Return to the Camp
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The sound of coughing echoed through the air.
Not every new recruit was accustomed to drinking. There were many who had yet to learn the art of it. Even a small cup of wine could prove challenging; as they took a sip, some would immediately choke and cough.
For some, their faces and necks turned a shade of red.
Laughter erupted from the regiment commander. In the midst of his laughter, tears streamed down his cheeks.
He turned his gaze towards the rows of tombstones in the cemetery.
“Regiment Commander, Tiger, Squad Leader, 1’11 bring the new recruits to visit you next time!”
His voice rang out as he made the declaration. With that, he cast the cup aside and walked away with purposeful strides.
Despite his departure, the recruits remained still.
Wang Ye observed the retreating figure of the regiment commander, a pang of emotion surging within him for reasons he couldn’t quite fathom.
The faces of these martyrs were known to them only through photographs.
Yet their regiment commander had shared their lives, rested beside them, and shielded them on the battlefield.
Within him, it felt as though a fire had ignited.
This sensation owed itself to the white wine he had just consumed.
But whether that fire was purely the effect of the alcohol, Wang Ye couldn’t say for sure.
Meanwhile, the class monitors went about collecting the empty wine glasses.
They had abstained from drinking.
This marked the initiation of the new recruits. Today, they had transgressed the norm, yet they remained soldiers through and through. How could they allow themselves to indulge while on duty?
Soon, the wine glasses were retrieved, and an official stepped forward to address the assembly.
Thirty minutes later, all the recruits were seated within the military vehicle stationed outside the cemetery.
The field training had reached its formal conclusion.
One hundred and fifty kilometers had separated their arrival on foot, but now they were departing by car.
In the western sky, the sun had fully set.
Wang Ye reclined at the back of the car, his eyes tracing the mountains flanking the road, the forests lining the way, and the occasional passerby.
“Look, we’re almost back to the school where we stayed last night. That’s fast!”
Within the car’s confines, Wang Ye wasn’t the sole occupant on his back.
Others who’d remained unaffected by motion sickness had also congregated towards the rear, peering out at the passing scenery without care as the vehicle jumped over bumps on the road. The cool night breeze flowed in through the windows at the back.
At that very instant, Gu Yingnan pointed eagerly at the school they were passing by.
Wang Ye caught sight of it too. He even spotted three figures emerging from the school gates.
In this rural mountainous area, human presence was scarce. Even though this was a township primary school, its development had been modest. People and vehicles were few and far between.
Hence, the sound of the military convoy’s passage easily caught the attention of the three educators within the school.
“Bye!”
The convoy didn’t come to a halt but decelerated slightly. Two teachers waved to the procession and called out.
“Goodbye!”
“Take care, Teacher Xiaoya!”
Responding voices emanated from the soldiers in the leading and trailing vehicles.
Even Gu Yingnan, positioned beside Wang Ye, rose to his feet and cheered exuberantly, “Goodbye!”
Wang Ye acted swiftly, reaching out to clutch his belt.
Such was his enthusiasm that he appeared heedless of the risk of falling.
The vehicle gradually picked up speed once more.
During the journey, occasional instances saw passengers retrieving the plastic bags distributed to them upon entering the car.
Car sickness, resulting in bouts of vomiting.
The roads within the mountainous terrain weren’t particularly accommodating, and the vehicle itself wasn’t comfortable either.
Although the wine’s alcoholic content wasn’t notably high.
For those unaccustomed to drinking, even a small amount could trigger unease during travel.
And now, he remained seated in the car.
It would be unusual if he didn’t feel nauseous.
Thankfully, dinner had yet to be consumed, so there wasn’t much to expel.
It was past eight in the evening.
The convoy arrived back at the recruit company.
He led him straight to the kitchen for a meal.
Nonetheless, a number of individuals had lost their appetites entirely.
“I truly can’t manage a single bite now. Squad Leader, could you please take it away?”
Qin Li beseeched Ye Sanshi with a pained expression.
In truth, Ye Sanshi’s demeanor wasn’t one of wellness. His typically dusky complexion had faded to a pallid shade.
Though he hadn’t imbibed nor suffered from motion sickness during the car ride, his condition was evidently far from favorable.
“Remove the apple. Don’t even consider it. We’ll dine here, now. If we can’t finish it, we’ll go for a run outside and return to eat!”
Ye Sanshi seized his chopsticks.
While discomfort persisted and appetite was lacking, the need to consume remained.
A whole night still lay ahead.
Wang Ye too rubbed his stomach several times, then gritting his teeth, he picked up his chopsticks. His eyes closed as he selected a portion of food.
“Squad Leader, I’m heading to the service center!”
Following the meal, they returned to their dormitory. Those in the first row were slated for showers, while the second and third rows were left to wait their turn.
Wang Ye retrieved his wallet and addressed Ye Sanshi.
“Returning the money?”
“Yes! The debt ought to be repaid.”
The elderly man from earlier had actually reappeared outside the shooting range on the afternoon of the first day of field training.
However, when Wang Ye was at rest, he hadn’t ventured to make purchases nor handed over money for water.
Now that they were back, it was only right to settle the favor.
Of course, there was no urgency for it tonight.
However, Wang Ye still had something to attend to and required an outing.
“Understood, go!”
“Yes, understood!”
With his wallet in hand, Wang Ye made his way downstairs.
Yet, he didn’t head directly to the service center. Instead, he descended and knocked on Wu Jianfeng’s office door.
“Enter!”
Wu Jianfeng was yet to take his shower, but he was already in the process of getting his belongings together.
A small yellow basin rested in his hands. Upon spotting Wang Ye’s entrance, he greeted in astonishment, “Why have you come down?”
“Company Commander, I’ve got something to discuss with you.”
Wang Ye didn’t adopt a formal tone.
With a smile on his face, he retrieved his wallet, all the while beneath Wu Jianfeng’s watchful eye.
“Captain, you’re aware that my family has some financial means. My mother provided me with extra funds upon joining the army.”
“What? Are you attempting to bribe me?” Wu Jianfeng quipped with a grin.
Wang Ye let out a chuckle, “No, why would I attempt to bribe you, Company Commander? You’ve already been exceptionally kind to me; there’s really no need for me to resort to bribes!”