Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
“Beep-beep-beep!” The wake-up call blared! I jolted awake, flipping over to sit up, only to find all the soldiers in the Barracks already up and strapping on their gear. Why hadn’t anyone called me? Confused, I wondered if I wasn’t on leave. How had I suddenly returned to the unit? Watching everyone file out without a glance in my direction, I spotted He Baisha preparing to leave last. I quickly called out to him, “He Baisha, where are you all going?”
He Baisha turned back, looking puzzled. “Squad Leader, the Commander is personally organizing a Five Kilometers assessment today. Why are you still in bed?”
What? I shouted in surprise, sitting up abruptly. It turned out this was just a dream! I was still at home. Perhaps it was because I didn’t want to return to the unit so soon. I let out a sigh of relief and lay back down. I had just bought my ticket for the return trip tomorrow morning; there was no need for an emergency visit now. I could sleep a little longer and then wake up to pack my things and enjoy my last moments of peace.
Just as I was dozing off again, my phone rang—it was my mobile. I had a habit of keeping it within reach on my bedside table. “Hello?” I mumbled groggily.
“Hey, have you come back yet?”
“Who is this?”
“I’m Xiao Mo Ya. I thought you had returned to the unit, so I wanted to give you a call.”
Oh great, my head started spinning as sleepiness vanished instantly. Honestly, I wasn’t naive; it seemed Xiao Mo Ya had some interest in me, but the problem was that girls like her weren’t really my type, and I wasn’t interested either. It looked like I needed to find a way to make that clear to her. Suddenly, someone came to mind, and a plan formed in my head. “Oh, Moya, I haven’t gone back yet; my leave isn’t over. How about this—I’ll call you when I get back, and we can go out for dinner.”
“Really?” Her voice brightened with excitement.
“Really!” I sighed inwardly; it was crucial to resolve this issue while it was still in its early stages!
For the rest of the time, I stayed at home packing my things. I didn’t have much of my own stuff; just some cigarettes and local specialties for a few colleagues and soldiers in my unit. It’s strange how being with my parents didn’t feel like anything special until it was time to leave again—my heart felt heavy with an unexplainable sadness. I kept thinking about what chores I could help them with before departing as a way to show my filial piety. My parents probably felt something similar; thankfully, they didn’t fuss over me too much this time, and we enjoyed a few warm moments together as a family.
On the day of my return to the unit, I woke up early to finish packing and said goodbye to my parents before boarding the train back. My mood was bittersweet as time seemed to fly by; that month at home had vanished in an instant. But no matter how reluctant I felt, life had to move forward. Lost in thought along the way, I found myself back at the familiar Unit.
Once back at the Unit, I first went to report my return to the Company Commander and Instructor, handing over the cigarettes and specialties to two of my Brothers while there. After reporting in via phone call, I returned to the Barracks only to find that my soldiers had already opened my bag without permission; things were scattered everywhere—some were eating while others were smoking. Good grief! These kids were truly spoiled!
I shook my head helplessly; perhaps the biggest difference between being a Local University Student Squad Leader and one who graduated from military school was this: not being able to maintain distance from the soldiers. Old Bi certainly knew how to command respect; whenever they saw him, they fell silent immediately. Thinking of Old Bi made me pick up the phone and give him a call.
After some small talk, I directly asked him if he wanted to grab dinner sometime over the weekend. He wasn’t foolish either; he asked who else would be joining us. With a smile, I mentioned Zhang Xing—whom I hadn’t seen in ages—and suggested we gather together along with another local expert so they could meet each other.
Old Bi hesitated on the phone, asking if he could bring someone along. I immediately knew it was a girl. "Old Bi, how did you get a girlfriend? Didn't you want to meet more beautiful women before making a choice?" Old Bi chuckled awkwardly, "Actually, you've met her before." "Oh, when did I meet her?"
"It was last time at the bar with a girl named Lulu!" Oh, now I remember. "Wow, things are moving fast; you're already bringing her into your circle of friends." After some playful banter, Old Bi hung up. I then called Zhang Xing. Although we weren't in the same unit, we often kept in touch by phone. It was a good opportunity to catch up with him. Next, I tried reaching Big Yellow; he hadn't contacted me lately, and I wondered what he was busy with.
The last call was to Xiao Mo Ya. I invited her out for the weekend. At first, she seemed excited, but when she learned there would be other people, she looked a bit disappointed. However, she didn't seem to mind too much and even asked if she could bring her girlfriend along. I thought to myself, great, is this turning into a blind date? Well, you probably guessed my intentions; I admit I had a plan. I intended to confront Xiao Mo Ya about our situation; it couldn't be delayed any longer. Additionally, I wanted to introduce her to some outstanding friends to shift her focus and avoid any awkwardness.
After hanging up the phone, I turned around and couldn't help but laugh. He Baisha was rummaging through my bag for cigarettes. I kicked his backside playfully and said, "Damn it! Is all that loose tobacco not enough for you? You want to take my whole pack? I'm bringing that for my friends!" He Baisha sheepishly backed away. "Squad Leader, if I go back home at the end of the year, I'm going to open an internet café. You know what that is? You should come visit us in Chongqing; we can have fun and eat!"
"Sure, but you better make it to the end of the year first! With all that smoking, let's see how you handle the military assessment!" I tossed him a pack of Yellow Crane Tower cigarettes.
Back at the base, time seemed to slow down again as I mechanically went through the daily routine. Gradually, I adapted to this monotonous life; it was labor-intensive but not mentally taxing. Finally, Saturday arrived. After taking leave in the morning, I made sure to call everyone again to confirm the time and place for our gathering. Old Bi went to pick up his girlfriend, so I had no choice but to head out alone from camp and took the bus directly to our destination.
The meeting place was an old establishment near the train station called Yang Yuxing. I'd wanted to try it for ages but never had the chance until now. After choosing a spot and ordering tea while waiting for my friends, I noticed Xiao Mo Ya walking in wearing a long dress, looking around as if searching for us.
"Over here!" I called out as I stood up. When Xiao Mo Ya spotted me, she happily rushed over and sat right next to me. "Moya," I decided to take the initiative first. "You look lovely today! Even though we don't know each other well yet, since we've been through some tough times together, as your older brother figure, it's my duty to care for you. I've invited some good friends today; there are even members from the Armed Police Force—each one tall and handsome—so keep an eye out for anyone you like; I'll introduce you."
I watched Moya closely for her reaction but was surprised when she ignored my words entirely and looked straight at me instead. "Did you know? I've been having this recurring dream lately where I'm at the bottom of a river with a huge black hole pulling me in as if it's trying to swallow me whole. But just when I'm about to fall in, someone always pulls me back from behind. I've been trying to see who that person is but can never make them out clearly. Then something similar happened in real life; everything felt like a replay of that dream by the river's edge where I zoned out for a moment because it reminded me of that scene. Doesn't that mean we have a connection? A friend told me that this person will definitely intersect with my life and urged me not to let go of this opportunity. Later on, I wanted to call you directly and tell you about it but never found the chance." Xiao Mo Ya finished speaking while blinking her big eyes at me with an innocent expression completely different from when we first met.
I started feeling uneasy inside. To be honest, I'm generally easygoing and not one to refuse people easily; however, this matter needed clarification—otherwise it could lead us both astray. Gritting my teeth, I carefully chose my words: "Well, Moya... honestly speaking, I'm not really suited for someone like you. I'm quite laid-back and don't have any grand ambitions. The type of girl I'm interested in isn't really your style either... And dreams shouldn't be taken too seriously."
"Are dreams really not worth believing?" A cold voice interrupted from nearby.
Comment 0 Comment Count