Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
On the way back, the convoy was enveloped in silence, a stark contrast to the excitement that had filled the air on the way there. The atmosphere was rather somber, and I attempted to lighten it by suggesting we sing through the intercom, but everyone sang half-heartedly, making it feel worse than if we hadn't sung at all.
I could understand everyone's mood; after all, people are emotional beings. Having spent time together, it was natural to feel reluctant when suddenly leaving. But there was no choice; as soldiers, we had to harden our hearts and do what needed to be done. Many believe that soldiers shouldn't have their own emotions, viewing them merely as cogs in a national machine. Yet sometimes I think it's precisely because they possess their own judgments and feelings that a soldier's resilience surpasses that of ordinary people.
I didn't know how to comfort everyone, so I let them be; after all, time would change everything. Upon returning to the unit, the soldiers listlessly packed their backpacks into their small rooms, lacking the excitement they should have had before the National Day Holiday.
Old Tang seemed surprised and asked if everything was alright. I thought for a moment and replied, "Should be fine." After all, they were just kids; they wouldn't hold onto their feelings for long. At worst, during the holiday period, we could relax management a bit and let them go out more often or meet up with those students they had connected with since many chose to stay at school.
After returning to the unit, everyone's spirits noticeably improved. Perhaps it was because they were back in a group setting and away from that scene; many soldiers seemed much happier. Some had already begun sharing their experiences of leading troops with their comrades. Of course, there was plenty of exaggeration involved, but even so, those listening were filled with envy.
I still had one lingering question: what exactly did Fu Yuehua say to Jinghe? I felt this question was directly related to Jinghe's response during that incident with the bomb.
After dinner, as everyone was about to head upstairs to watch the News Broadcast, I found Jinghe sitting in the barracks lost in thought. Without hesitation, I pulled him outside to the balcony and asked him what Fu Yuehua had said that day.
As soon as I asked, Jinghe gave a bitter smile and said, "Company Commander, don't mention it. I didn't hear clearly what she said; I just saw her pull back the bowstring and not let go. It scared me to death."
"Really? That close?" I asked skeptically.
"Company Commander, would I lie to you?" Jinghe seemed a bit anxious. "I just vaguely heard her mumbling something about leaving."
"I see." I scratched my head. It was indeed tricky, but at least whatever the reason was, we had retreated safely; what remained was likely beyond my control.
However, one issue still troubled me: whether there were any romantic entanglements between Jinghe and Fu Yuehua. This concern weighed heavily on my mind; I feared any soldier might get involved with those girls and end up with complications.
I hesitated for a moment before asking Jinghe directly, "Jinghe, tell me honestly—do you have any feelings for Fu Yuehua?"
Jinghe's face turned beet red instantly. "Company Commander! What do you take me for? How could that be? Besides," he added hurriedly, "I don't even like that type!" It seemed he was genuinely flustered; he blurted out the last part.
I patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry; I trust you." I truly believed in him because this young buddy had always impressed me with his dedication to learning and his hardworking attitude. Plus, I knew he had his own aspirations; I trusted he wouldn't make any irrational choices.
Letting out a sigh of relief, I realized I needed to gradually rule out other possibilities as well. Building emotional connections with students is one thing; fostering romantic feelings is another entirely. After all, we couldn't let the image of our unit be tarnished on our watch.
After speaking with Jinghe for a while about his thoughts on Military Training and checking the time, I led him upstairs to the unit's television room.
The News Broadcast had just finished airing local news segments. As per usual practice, we were free to disperse since tomorrow was National Day; tonight everyone could relax a bit more. The computer room was open for use now.
I was about to announce the arrangements for the upcoming National Day holiday when a local news story caught my attention. It reported that an ancient tomb had been discovered in the Tianxin District's Horticultural Center, and the local Cultural Relics Team was conducting an outer survey. What piqued my interest was that during my time as Squad Leader, our Unit had been involved in Fiber Optic Cable Construction right near that area. It was during that construction that we unearthed a coffin and a strange mirror, referred to as the Previous Talk Town Coffin Bronze Mirror.
Could it be a tomb complex? I paused for a moment, continuing to watch the news. The segment was brief; the host provided a quick explanation, mentioning that relevant departments were conducting further investigations to determine the age of the site. In just a few seconds, it was over. I didn’t think much of it at the time; after all, this place had been an ancient capital throughout history. While it may not have been as renowned as Xi'an or Nanjing, it had existed for a long time, and discovering ancient tombs was quite normal.
After briefly announcing the holiday arrangements, I dismissed everyone. Whether they were staying behind for training or going out for Military Training with me, they had all worked hard. This holiday should be a time for everyone to rest well since training would resume after National Day, especially with the Year-End Assessment approaching. However, I never expected that I would be completely disconnected from this Year-End Assessment.
An hour later, lights went out, and after Roll Call and checking the beds, I lay peacefully in my room. Finally free from morning exercises, I relaxed and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
Suddenly, the shrill sound of my phone ringing jolted me awake. Without sitting up, I groggily reached for the phone on my bedside table.
I glanced at the time: it was still before 7 AM.
“Hello,” I answered irritably. I knew it wasn’t a call from our unit because they would contact me through military lines or via the Clerk. Anyone calling me at this hour must be from outside the unit.
A hurried voice responded, “Company Commander Wang, this is Fu Yuehua’s homeroom teacher. You need to come quickly—Fu Yuehua has jumped off a building.”
“What?” I gasped, sitting up abruptly.
“Say that again,” I demanded loudly.
There was silence on the other end before another voice took over. “Company Commander Wang, this is the Head of School Security Department. We need you to come to the school right away. By the way, there’s a soldier named Jinghe; you should bring him along too. We need to investigate some matters and will report back to your unit if necessary.” The Security Chief's tone carried an unmistakable threat.
My heart sank as I quickly asked, “What about him? How is he now?”
“We’ll talk when you get here,” came the cold reply before they hung up.
“Damn it,” I muttered as I sat on my bed, struggling to process what had just happened.
It seemed like my worst fears were coming true. My mind raced as I replayed the Security Chief's words; it was clear that under these circumstances, the school likely believed there was some connection between Jinghe and Fu Yuehua leading to her suicide. Honestly speaking, this was probably their only way of absolving themselves of responsibility—after all, how could they explain a new student jumping off a building? Parents wouldn’t accept any excuses from the school.
What could I do? I had to clarify things. Thankfully, I had spoken with Jinghe last night; that gave me some reassurance. If nothing serious had happened, then there was no way for the school to pin blame on us. After all, during Military Training we were all together; if something did happen, someone would surely speak up. But if nothing did happen, they couldn’t just shift blame onto us.
Resolute now, I got out of bed and changed into casual clothes before heading over to Old Tang’s room. He had just woken up and was leisurely getting dressed by his bedside; he had plans for a date today and had told me about it yesterday.
But at that moment, I couldn’t care less about his plans. I approached him and firmly said, “Old Tang, you need to stay home today.”
Looking at Old Tang's shocked expression, I had to briefly explain the situation.
"What the hell! This is a huge deal!" Old Tang jumped up, his pants falling to the ground. "You need to hurry, I'll stay home. Oh, I need to report this to the leader; it's better to be proactive about it."
I paused for a moment. "Is that so? Alright, you go talk to the leader. I guarantee there won't be any issues on my end. I'll head to the school and communicate with them. Just in case there are any disputes, it's good for you to give your family a heads-up."
"Yeah, yeah, you hurry and take Jinghe with you," Old Tang urged me as he pushed me towards the door.
I didn't have time to say anything else to Old Tang and ran straight to the Barracks to find Jinghe, startling Sheng Xiong who was wiping down tables in the conference room.
Jinghe was just finishing breakfast and changing into casual clothes in the Barracks when I grabbed him and pulled him outside. "Hey, hey, Company Commander!" Jinghe exclaimed in surprise.
"No time to explain, just come with me. I'll fill you in on the way," I said as I dragged him along.
Of course, with such a big issue at hand, how could I possibly discuss it in the Unit? It would be better to talk when there were no people around on the way.
To be continued; the next part will be even more exciting.
Comment 0 Comment Count