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I looked around at everyone, filled my glass, and raised it, saying, "Since we're all gathered here, it's fate that brought us together. Let me propose the second toast! Friendship first, competition second! I hope we can all become friends! Cheers!" I tilted my head back and downed my drink.
Everyone filled their glasses and raised them together, saying, "Cheers! Friendship first, competition second!" They all drank up.
The third toast was suggested by Luo Luo. "Then I'll propose the third one! We thought we were pretty impressive, but it turns out there are two even more impressive people here. It seems that one should never be satisfied; we must always strive for greater heights."
Old Bi chimed in, "Yes, yes! That's how it is in life and work—never be complacent, always look up and keep pushing forward."
We all laughed. It was amusing to hear Old Bi, who had voluntarily dropped out of the competition, say such things.
With three toasts downed in quick succession, the atmosphere became even more lively.
"Hey, Shen Han, how old are you again? Last time I checked your rank, you seemed to be a Lieutenant," Old Bi said as he gulped down his drink and wiped his mouth before turning to Shen Han sitting next to him.
"Eight," Shen Han replied simply.
"Ah!" Both Old Bi and I were taken aback. "You're that old already? Then you must be a Captain now?" Old Bi exclaimed in surprise.
"Too old; I’m afraid of being laughed at. I've been stuck as a Lieutenant," Shen Han said with an embarrassed smile as he lifted his glass for a big sip.
"Finish it off! Finish it off!" Old Bi wouldn't let him put down his glass. "What’s this? You were drinking so happily with the girls alone; now you can’t let loose?" Old Bi chuckled lewdly.
"Drink up; Jing is with me," I said from the side, glancing at Jing.
"You... you all know?" Shen Han looked at me, Old Bi, and Jing while holding his drink.
"Old Shen, is it okay if I call you that? Even a blind person can see you like Jing. But when it comes to pursuing a girl, you have to rely on yourself; no one can help you. We can only respect Jing's own choice. She has a good heart; otherwise, she wouldn’t have asked me to go easy on you, even though neither of us knows who’s better."
"Ah! I drank three bottles last night and got carried away! Did I say something wrong? Hey! You can go all out; don’t hold back! By the way, what else do you know?" Shen Han seemed a bit nervous and didn’t dare look at Jing.
"Nothing else," I filled my glass again and raised it. "Come on, Old Shen; meeting is also fate. Thank you for taking care of Jing."
I downed my drink first. Shen Han finished his drink too and poured himself another glass to continue drinking.
At that moment, Qizi suddenly interjected, "Wang Wei, if you were to face off against Shen Han, who would win?"
I smiled and turned to Shen Han, saying, "Actually, when you and I face off, it's a fifty-fifty chance of winning."
Shen Han straightened up, squinting at me for a moment before replying, "I think so too."
"Oh, you don't think I'm relying on women? Or maybe just lucky? Or do you think we're both just thugs?" I teased Shen Han while filling his glass.
Everyone burst into laughter. Luo Luo chimed in, "I really want to see you two fight right now."
I turned to Luo Luo and Qi, saying, "To be honest, fighting on the field doesn't truly reflect one's real skill. Only a limitless, full-force showdown can showcase true strength. I actually think that on the field, I might not be able to beat Shen Han."
"No, no, I've been mistaken. The more I watch you, the more I realize you're not simple. Your luck is just masking your real level! What I said earlier was wrong; I'm sorry for that," Shen Han said. Without hesitation, he raised his glass and downed it in one go.
"Hey, what about me? I'm not just living off others, am I?" Old Bi chimed in as he topped off Shen Han's drink.
"Yes, Brother, I apologize to you too! You're a good man! It was my mistake!" Shen Han lifted his beer glass and glanced at Luo Luo intentionally or unintentionally before finishing it in one breath. Old Bi and I also clinked our glasses together.
Luo Luo seemed to recall the competition from earlier that afternoon; her face flushed as she poured more wine for Old Bi.
As we filled our glasses again, the conversation flowed even more freely. I realized my alcohol tolerance wasn't great, but Shen Han's was even worse. Perhaps due to his introverted nature, once he got drunk, he became uncontrollably talkative.
"Do you guys know how long I've been a Squad Leader?! Almost eight years! According to regulations, after eight years in a major position, I could transfer out. But now someone told me they demoted me by half a rank!"
"Hey, Brothers! You're really slow! Look at Old Wang; he's the oldest among us and has already been promoted!" Old Bi patted Shen Han on the shoulder.
Finally seizing the opportunity to speak, Jing said, "Hey, Sister Qi and Luo Luo seem to be Vice Platoon Leaders now?"
"Luo Luo will be promoted next year," Qizi added.
Shen Han shot us a sideways glance. "I'm not as good as you guys. I can't talk like you do. I'm fine with it; I just have to endure!"
"Old Shen, your personality shapes your destiny; you're indeed a bit dull," I had to change the subject. Honestly, if it weren't for Old Bi's uncle helping me out, I wouldn't know if I'd be able to get this promotion either. Life is full of uncertainties—opportunities and surprises abound. All I could do was comfort Shen Han in this way.
"I know I'm dull," Shen Han slurred slightly. "What can I do? Have you ever been to my island? It's such a tiny place—it's even smaller than the venue we competed in! Just a little bit bigger! All around is endless sea; there are only about ten of us crammed into a few concrete buildings. Even the liveliest person could feel suffocated there."
A circle of people listened in astonishment. "There's vacation time, right?" Old Ma was the most surprised. Clearly, Shen Han's situation was beyond what they could imagine, especially for Old Ma, who worked at the Provincial Military District and was used to a strict nine-to-five routine.
"Isn't vacation just a month like yours? But on the island, it's six months! After six months, you still have to stay with the team. Isn't that just having more people around? What's the difference?"
Old Bi and I had no response, silently raising our glasses again to toast Shen Han, clinking our glasses before downing the drinks.
After setting down his glass, Shen Han wiped his mouth. "I know you two look down on me."
I was taken aback. "Where did you get that idea? You're overthinking it, Old Shen."
"You do look down on me; you think I'm unsophisticated and dumb. But if you came to my place, you'd be just like me!" His tongue was already getting a bit thick.
Old Bi and I didn’t dare to respond, quietly taking another drink. A few girls filled their glasses and toasted Shen Han as well, drinking to show their respect.
After finishing his drink, Shen Han grabbed a bottle. "I'll drink a whole bottle myself. You three girls can’t let me drink alone! By the way, let me tell you a joke. Last time I rotated back to the island, I brought a dog with me to liven up the atmosphere. Guess what happened?"
We all shook our heads.
"After a month on the island, the dog went crazy and jumped into the sea!" Shen Han raised his glass and downed it in one go.
"What the hell! Is that true?" Old Bi poured him another drink. We exchanged glances, unable to imagine how monotonous and dull it must have been.
"Would I lie to you?" Shen Han finished another glass in one gulp.
"I'm really tired. My mom's health isn't good; I can't focus on my duties in the military. I envy my classmates who graduated, found jobs, got married, and had kids—such a simple life is happiness!" As he spoke these words, Shen Han's tongue seemed less thick. Under the light, there appeared to be a glimmer in his eyes.
"Comrades! I've done my best; you won't look down on me, right? I've been at this for nearly eight years; I deserve this uniform, don’t I?" Shen Han suddenly grasped my hand and asked earnestly.
"Yes, yes, you've really had it tough." I quickly replied and poured another drink for him before finishing mine first. "Come on, let's drink! Don't think too much; things will get better."
But Shen Han just stared at his glass without moving. "My mom was just diagnosed with stomach cancer this year. The doctor caught it early enough for surgery, but how can she go through that without me by her side? I want to transfer back by the end of this year to be with her and help her recover from this illness. When I came back this time, she had lost so much weight." He paused suddenly and turned his head away to wipe his nose on the ground, but I clearly saw him secretly wipe his eyes.
A strange pang hit my heart. Honestly, I only called home once a week; during those calls, my family would ask how I was doing while I rarely inquired about my parents' situation. Hearing Shen Han speak like this made me feel truly ashamed.
I poured myself another glass of wine without saying a word and clinked my glass with Shen Han's. "Old Shen, you've really had a tough time. I toast to you!" I tilted my head back and downed the drink, slamming the glass onto the table.
Old Bi, seeing this, filled his glass and toasted Shen Han as well.
The atmosphere began to grow heavy; a few girls turned away, seemingly wiping away tears. Old Bi noticed this and poured another drink. "Come on, Old Shen, let's drink up. After all, you're still Vice Platoon. Let's think positively; there must be a way to make things work out. For instance, transferring to the Mainland would mean you wouldn't have to leave the army and could still be with your mother."
Unexpectedly, Shen Han covered his glass. "For that, I won't drink! Right now, all I want is to change my career! A transfer is just a dream!"
Seeing the deep resentment in Shen Han's eyes, I knew that bringing this up again would only lead to more unhappiness. I interjected, "Hey, Old Shen, don't be like that. Who knows? You might stand out in this competition. Why be so disheartened? Are you that eager to leave the army?"
"My heart has grown cold." Shen Han spat out those words and took another large gulp.
At that moment, Old Ma also raised his glass and stood up to clink it with Shen Han's. "I admire you, brother; you've managed to hold on for so long. I'm not as good as you!" They both downed their drinks in one go.
"It will get better," I reassured Shen Han. Once we had a bit too much to drink, everyone spoke without reservation. Old Bi chuckled at this point, "Old Shen, do you know why everything seems to go wrong for you?"
(To be continued; more exciting content tomorrow!)
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