Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
On my way back to the Unit, I found myself a bit lost in thought. I felt that I hadn't done anything wrong; why was everyone so willing to just go through the motions at work without considering anything deeper? The so-called Sharp Blade Company wasn't just a hollow banner; it was supposed to be a truly combat-effective and cohesive fighting unit, not a place where warriors engaged in meaningless tasks that didn't enhance their abilities.
Once I returned to the Unit, I had little appetite. I didn't feel like eating and locked myself in my room. I didn't particularly care whether the Acting Company Commander stayed or left; it was just that sometimes I wondered why, when given the chance to lead troops according to my own ideas, I couldn't get any support. Did every Unit have to operate like a scripted play?
As I was mulling over these thoughts, Sheng Xiong knocked on my door. "Company Commander, there's a call for you!"
"Who is it? I'm not available!"
"Report: It's Bi Lianzhang from the Special Operations Unit!"
I hesitated for a moment but decided to take the call. After all, Old Bi calling at this time meant he was reaching out to comfort me; I couldn't ignore that.
"Ha ha, how's it going? Feeling down? How does it feel being grilled by the Deputy Chief of Staff?" As soon as I picked up the phone, Old Bi's voice rushed into my ear.
"If you're just here to watch the show, then forget it," I replied curtly.
"Oh, getting anxious! Ha ha, alright, alright, don't rush. I just wanted to know your thoughts right now. Didn't they distribute the training outline to all units? Didn't I remind you about it last time? Why aren't you taking it seriously?"
Not taking it seriously? If I weren't taking it seriously, would I be feeling this way? I felt a bit irritated.
Fortunately, Old Bi wasn't an outsider. Suppressing my annoyance, I explained my situation to him, specifically pointing out that the current training outline didn't align well with medical and sports science principles. Old Bi was taken aback. "Oh really? We never thought of that."
"Yeah, that's because no doctor has ever been a Company Commander before. The Medical Unit should have made relevant suggestions long ago; it's just that no one paid attention."
Old Bi was silent for a long time before finally saying, "If that's the case, Old Wang, you might actually earn some merit this time. The regiment might revise the training outline because of you."
I scoffed. "Not letting me go back to being a Squad Leader is already generous enough. Forget it; I appreciate your good intentions, but I'd rather keep to myself for now." Without waiting for Old Bi's response, I hung up.
People can be strange sometimes; before doing something, they often hesitate and second-guess themselves. Yet once they start acting, they feel much more at ease.
Since I'm the Company Commander now, I should do something for this Unit. I recalled what the previous Company Commander said upon leaving and suddenly understood a lot more. Whatever happens, I'm not working for a title; as long as I'm true to myself and this Unit of over a hundred people, that's what matters.
With my mind settled, my thoughts wandered further. Suddenly, I thought of Xi—was she still in the hospital? How was her recovery going? Glancing at the clock, it was only 1 PM. I decided to change into casual clothes and visit her at the hospital; after two weeks of training, I had no idea how she was doing.
I greeted Old Tang and headed straight to the hospital. Upon entering the ward, I pulled On-Duty Nurse aside and asked, "Has that girl in a vegetative state, Xi, been discharged?"
The nurse looked surprised and replied, "How do you know about her? She has been discharged, but her bed is still reserved. She comes back for check-ups every week."
I let out a soft "oh," feeling a bit lost. To be honest, I hadn't left my phone number; how would I find Xi? Through Ah Huang? That felt a bit awkward.
Before I knew it, I found myself at the door of Xi's ward. After a moment's hesitation, I pushed the door open and walked in. The room was empty, and the neatly arranged blankets lay on the clean bed.
I sat down by the bed, lost in thought. After spending some time in the military, reflecting on Xi's hospitalization felt like a distant memory. I even questioned whether those events had truly happened.
I had to admit that I liked Xi quite a bit, but it felt as if we were from different worlds. I couldn't understand why I felt that way. Despite knowing this, it was frustrating to think that I had missed out on a good girl.
As I sat there in a daze, suddenly, I heard someone push the door open behind me. It must be On-Duty Nurse, right? I didn't turn around and said, "Sorry, I'm here to see a friend. She's not here; I'll leave soon."
There was no response or movement; the person didn’t immediately exit.
I turned my head and said, "I'll be leaving right away."
Just as I finished speaking, I realized it was Xi standing before me with a radiant smile!
In that moment, I felt a bit dazed; I thought I must have been mistaken! But upon closer inspection, it really was Xi. She wore a beige trench coat and stood at the door looking slightly thinner than before, but her complexion had improved significantly!
"You came?!" she said with a smile that carried a hint of tranquility.
"I came," I replied, momentarily at a loss for words.
Xi slowly walked over and sat beside me on the bed. She brushed her bangs aside and said, "Actually, I knew you would come to see me; I just didn't expect it to take so long. Today, I almost canceled my bed reservation."
I looked at her without speaking, warmth spreading through my heart.
"Do you know?" Xi tilted her head and gazed out the window. "The feeling of your soul leaving your body is truly fascinating. Floating outside and seeing so much... After this experience, I've gained many insights about life."
"In this world, a person is either alive or dead. Is there any other state of existence? When a person is in a medical state of 'dying,' what is their mental state? What thoughts occupy their consciousness at that moment? Have you ever thought about these things before?"
I was taken aback; I had never considered it, even though I was studying medicine.
Seeing my silence, Xi continued to speak to herself, "When I woke up, I wondered why a person wants to live. It's a question that never has an answer. Why does someone not want to die? That's a question with countless answers."
She stretched her arms and legs and smiled at me. "Through this experience, I've realized that it's because I can't bear to leave—I'm reluctant to part with my parents, this world, and also... my feelings."
A shiver ran through me, and I looked up to ask her, "Is it your boyfriend? I've met him."
She smiled lightly. "No, I know he wants to leave me. When I was out of my body, I saw him with another girl. During this time, the only boy who came to see me was you." She gave me a meaningful smile, and another shiver ran through me.
Was this a hint?
"Do you understand what I mean?" she suddenly asked.
I felt my heart race. "I... I think I understand a little."
"Hehe, what do you understand?" I dared not look into Xi's eyes.
"Well, actually, right now I just want to find an ordinary boyfriend who treats me well, get married, be with my parents, and cherish the life that belongs to me. It's that simple!"
I didn't know how to respond. It didn't sound difficult; I felt like I could do it. But then Xi lightly said, "Wang Wei, I've heard them call you that. Have you ever thought about not working in the military anymore?"
I was caught off guard. "Not work in the military anymore? What else could I do?"
"You can do anything! Or you could come help at my dad's company."
I looked up at Xi in confusion. "What would I be able to do there?"
Suddenly her gaze became earnest as she looked at me. "You can do anything! Have you thought about how hard you work in the military? It's exhausting and dangerous. You have the ability—wouldn't it be better to leave the military?"
I stood up in shock. "You want me to leave the army?!"
Xi also hurriedly stood up. "Yes! You're not free or safe in the army, and you earn so little. You can't do this for a lifetime, so why not come out early and be an ordinary person? Let's live as ordinary people and cherish what we have!"
Looking at Xi, I suddenly felt a strange sensation. Indeed, I had never considered staying in the army for my entire life, but I always believed that once you choose your path, you shouldn't give up halfway. It's like driving; if you see a road with fewer cars, you switch lanes. But if everyone did that, what would happen to society?
Moreover, I held a deep respect for military life. Once I donned the uniform, that respect transformed into a sense of responsibility. Yes, being a soldier is exhausting and tough; there's little money and no freedom. But if no one joins the army, what will happen to our country? Someone has to do this job. If the military thinks I'm no longer useful, I could leave without any guilt. However, asking me to voluntarily give up my position in the army feels unreasonable. It's not that I'm overly ambitious; I just believe that my path should be walked by me alone. If I listen to Xi now and leave the army, would I then start listening to others and leave Xi too?
No, that's not me. Honestly, I'm not looking for a beautiful woman or someone who is exceptionally understanding. I just hope to find a girl who understands me and supports my career instead of encouraging me to evade responsibilities and cut in line in life.
I looked at Xi, unsure of what to say. In the end, I could only move my lips with difficulty and say, "I'll think about it." Perhaps sensing my indifferent attitude, the warmth in Xi's eyes quickly faded. She silently stared at me without speaking; perhaps she found my stubbornness unbelievable.
The two of us fell silent. After a long while, feeling stifled, I broke the silence first. "You should rest well during this time; I'm going back." Xi nodded silently without saying anything.
I turned around and opened the door to leave when I heard Xi call out from behind me, "Wang Wei, please think about it seriously! I'm being serious!"
I paused for a moment before stepping out through the door. Once outside, I took a deep breath. It seemed that I was destined not to be a wealthy son-in-law after all. I let out a bitter smile as I walked out of the ward.
(The end of "Soul Departure," next chapter "Human Candle," Love Like the Wind, The Work of Chasing the Wind; stay tuned for more exciting content tomorrow!)
Comment 0 Comment Count