sbdcsierra Chapter 240 Wu Mantun!
Chapter 240 Wu Mantun!
Wang Tiezhu felt a chill run down his spine. His instructor had just told him that Zhong Yuemin had an unusual background and had dared to go against the veterans during basic training—a real troublemaker. He thought to himself, "Company Commander, you really think highly of me, Wang Tiezhu! How could you assign two such troublemakers to my class?"
Isn't that enough to worry him?
A ten-year reduction in lifespan!
I'm not in the mood to say anything more.
"Alright, since you know each other, there's no need for further introductions. Deputy Squad Leader Wu, please make arrangements for the newcomer and explain the company's rules and regulations, as well as the dormitory requirements, to him."
A soldier stepped forward and shouted in a loud voice, "Yes, sir!"
Zhong Yuemin recognized the person's face and was stunned again, wondering what day it was today.
Another 'acquaintance'!
He blurted out instinctively, "Mantun, what are you doing here?"
This person should normally be in the same company, in the same squad as Zhang Haiyang.
Wu Mantun was also stunned. He thought to himself that he didn't know this newcomer, so how come he knew him from his tone?
He asked, "You know me?"
“Uh…” Zhong Yuemin realized he had let something slip, so he went up and shook the man’s hand, saying:
"Deputy Squad Leader Wu, please take good care of me today."
Wu Mantun said:
“We’re all comrades and comrades-in-arms, it’s only right that we help and take care of each other. You can stay on the lower bunk, and I’ll make room for you and stay on the upper bunk.”
The shop needs to be tidied up.
"Deputy Squad Leader Wu, no need, no need!"
Zhong Yuemin said, "I'm new here, a fresh recruit. I can't take your spot. I'll take the top bunk."
"Yuemin, don't be so polite with me!"
Wu Mantun said:
"Don't call me Deputy Squad Leader Wu, just call me Mantun. You new recruits are bound to be a little unaccustomed to things at first. As the deputy squad leader, it's only right that I take care of you. You can stay in the lower bunk."
Zhong Yuemin went along with him; he remained as honest and warm as ever.
After making the bed, Wu Mantun took out a washbasin.
"Yuemin, is this your washbasin? I'll go get you some water so you can wash your face."
"I've stocked up, but I really don't need it, I..."
"It's alright, you can rest."
They went out.
As soon as the man left, a "follower" sitting next to Li Yuanchao on the opposite bed said in a sarcastic tone:
“Zhong Yuemin, Deputy Squad Leader Wu is very helpful, he’s a real ‘Lei Feng’. He washes my and Yuanchao’s clothes and bedding, and he’s not happy if we don’t. You, just accept it, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”
Zhong Yuemin glanced at it but ignored it.
Military life was monotonous; basically, it was all training, training, training. Lights out at a certain time every night. He had no wife to hug. But in the Shaanxi commune, every night he could hold Li Yan, a voluptuous woman who was incredibly attentive and knew exactly what he wanted.
obedience!
I miss it so much, I wonder how things are going on Hong Kong Island!
Now I can only sleep with my pillow in my arms. When I can't sleep, I hide under the covers, shine a flashlight on my head, and write a letter to Xiaobai.
The military also has days off. Leaders and officers have fixed days off, including Sundays. But for ordinary soldiers like them, it's basically a matter of taking days off in lieu of fixed times. They've been in the third shift for about half a month and only now have they finally seen Zhang Haiyang and Ning Wei.
On the training field, Zhang Haiyang gave Zhong Yuemin a big hug.
"Yuemin, I've missed you so much, you finally came!"
Zhong Yuemin patted the person's back.
"That's enough, let go. I'm not interested in men."
Then she hugged Ning Wei again.
“Little Ningwei… no, from now on I’ll just call you Ningwei. You’ve grown quite a bit taller, you look like a man now.”
Ning Wei said:
"Brother Zhong, didn't I look like a man before?"
"Like a little man, isn't he!"
"Yuemin, it's been almost three or four years since we last met, hasn't it? Let's not stand here anymore, let's go to the company's little restaurant for a good meal. Ningwei and I have been looking forward to your arrival, you nouveau riche, so we can rip you off."
"You two are the hosts, aren't you? I just arrived, how dare you ask me to treat you?"
"We'll treat you, you pay. Ning Wei, come on, lift up your brother Zhong, quick!"
The two men, one on each side, lifted the person up and walked towards the small restaurant ahead.
"Damn, two bandits!"
As I passed by the training ground, I saw Mantun hanging out his quilts to dry, so I went over and said:
"Mantun, let's go grab a bite to eat."
Wu Mantun glanced at Zhang Haiyang and Ning Wei. He knew these two; they seemed to have joined last year. Both were nominally in charge at the regimental headquarters, and were notorious troublemakers.
"Yuemin, you guys go ahead, I still need to wash the sheets."
"The sheets will be washed soon. These are my two good buddies. Let me introduce you."
"Yuemin, you go, you go, next...next time."
Zhong Yuemin didn't insist. The three of them went to a small restaurant, the only one in the company. It wasn't mealtime, so it wasn't crowded. They found a window seat, ordered, and chatted while they waited.
Zhang Haiyang said:
“Yuemin, now that you’ve joined the army, Ningwei and I won’t be lonely anymore. We’ve been in the army for a year and we’re so bored we’re practically rolling on the floor. It feels like every day is an eternity. If I had known this would happen, I should have gone to northern Shaanxi with you guys, drinking and hunting wolves, sleeping on the kang (heated brick bed) and chatting and laughing. Life would have been so carefree.”
"Carefree my ass!"
Zhong Yuemin said:
"You're living the good life but you don't know it. You're still drinking. Back in northern Shaanxi, we have to fetch water from a ditch several miles away from the village. The educated youth take turns fetching water. Tomorrow we have to be in the fields before dawn, digging, weeding, carrying manure... Now that you're back, you're completely exhausted. You're lying on the kang (heated brick bed) and don't want to move. You can't even eat. And you're still bragging. You're not in the mood for anything."
Ning Wei stayed there for a year, but he didn't tell you?
"Speaking of which, didn't you go to the southwest to work in the countryside? Did you find a girlfriend along the way?"
"I don't have your talent for charming girls, and I didn't stay there for long."
Zhang Haiyang said:
"I heard from Yuan Jun that you've set your sights on another woman in northern Shaanxi? I, Zhang Haiyang, rarely admire anyone, but you're one of them. Zhou Xiaobai is such an arrogant person, yet she's devoted to you and can tolerate other women. You're the one!"
Thumbs up!
"Don't listen to that kid Yuan Jun's nonsense. He's in the army, what does he know!"
Feeling somewhat guilty, having done something wrong, I didn't dwell on it further and instead said:
"How are things here? When I first arrived at Erlian, your 'great achievements' were all over the place. Nobody wanted to associate with you two."
Zhang Haiyang said:
"Yuemin, don't just talk about the two of us, you're the same, much better than Ningwei and me. You're still in recruit training and you've already started messing with the veterans. You're quite good at causing trouble. But I support you, it's satisfying. These veterans are too arrogant and look down on everyone. They've only been here a few years earlier, but they're so cocky, with their noses in the air. They don't even know how to walk properly anymore, they're just walking sideways like crabs."
You don't understand me? I don't bother others unless they bother me; but if they do, damn it, I'll beat them up. I can't let the tough guys of our compound lose face, right?