Chapter 17 "Second Monitor"

  The visiting team arrived soon, with a high specification, accompanied by the Deputy Commander and Director of the Political Department. The communication personnel kept running back and forth to report the situation, arriving at the battalion headquarters, the drill ground... arriving at our company, almost arriving at the cafeteria, outside people had already divided up the work, no need for them to worry, the deputy squad leader organized a few soldiers to prepare dinner, each class's duty officer had also prepared food, the small dining hall for the leaders was already cleaned up.

  Zhang Peng and Gao Ban Zhang took advantage of the time before dinner to prepare dishes, while the leaders gave speeches and talked to soldiers. They added firewood and started stir-frying. The leaders entered the small dining hall, accompanied by the regimental commander and instructor, while the company commander and guidance officer served as waiters. Others were not qualified to serve. Pots and pans clanged loudly, and the big ladle and pot shovel flew around in a flurry of activity. Finally, all the dishes were served, and Gao Ban Zhang and Zhang Peng were exhausted, more tired than after a day of training. Just as they caught their breath, the deputy commander and director came to comfort the cooks, and everyone quickly stood up, saluted, and applauded to welcome them.

  "Comrades, you've worked hard, you've done a great job, especially that stewed Wonton (the leader said so, I have no control over it) I think it's not inferior to the level of 'Jianghuai Building', who made it?" The deputy commander said.

  "We are comrades-in-arms, and Zhang Peng is the son of Chief of Staff Zhang's family," said the instructor.

  "Ha! Which one of Old Zhang's family are you?" The deputy commander asked again.

  "Reporting to the leader, I am Lao Wu!" Zhang Peng said.

  "I heard you're good at fighting, but I didn't expect your cooking to be pretty good too. You little devil are not ordinary." The deputy commander praised him.

  "It's not ordinary, it's second-rate (class) already! I think you're a second-class leader!" The director continued.

  "Right, Second Monitor!" The Vice-Commander laughed loudly.

  The words of the two leaders spread quickly throughout the camp, and 'Second Squad Leader' became a nickname for Zhang Peng. The real Second Squad Leaders were renamed Li Squad Leader, Sun Squad Leader... until Zhang Peng left the reconnaissance camp.

  After dinner, the whole scout camp sent off the leaders, and Zhang Peng was already late for class. He didn't have time to eat, so he wrapped up the remaining half plate of fried peanuts in his pocket and arrived at the classroom with a sweaty body. Li Ye was already there.

  "Zhang Peng, why didn't you come to class yesterday?"

  "Helping in the kitchen, didn't know the leader was coming!"

  "Then you're in luck."

  "Good fortune for others, but I'm still hungry!" Zhang Peng said with a wry smile.

  "Class monitor, you're willing to attend class." Teacher Xie has arrived.

  "Thank you, teacher, don't listen to their nonsense." Zhang Peng said with a smile.

  "Still so humble, General Feng's seal is on it, how can you say it's nonsense?" Teacher Xie's news is quite well-informed.

  "What delicious food did you have for lunch? Didn't you bring some back for me?" Teacher Xie teased him.

  Not knowing what else to say, Zhang Peng helplessly took out the peanuts from his pocket and the three of them ate while attending class, spending a "happy" afternoon.

  Zhang Peng was called away by a new recruit from the logistics department as soon as class was over, saying that there would be a celebratory banquet tonight. As soon as Zhang Peng entered the logistics department, Sergeant Gao was busy dealing with those 'remaining supplies' while nursing his injury.

  "Zhang Peng has cooked the soft-shelled turtle, and the squad leaders will all be coming tonight," said Gao.

  Zhang Pengxing was not very tall, and he hadn't even eaten lunch yet, but he had to rush off again until dinner time, going hungry to bother that poor turtle.

  "Is there still squid and sea cucumber left?" The steward asked as soon as he entered.

  "Is there anything left? It's all done?" said Class President Gao.

  "In the evening, I don't know how many 'wolves' will come, let's get it done." The steward said with a sigh, his teeth aching.

  "Let's call our class monitor up!" Liu Dàyǒng thought he was pretty good himself, so he let him bask in the glory too.

  "Go and add a pair of chopsticks for him, quietly inform him later." The steward agreed readily.

  Dinner was a symbolic meal, just enough to fill the bottom. After the lights-out signal sounded, the regimental commander and instructor arrived first.

  "Hurry up, I'm starving!" The squad leader yelled as soon as he entered the door.

  "Great momentum! Not everyone is here yet!" The instructor said with a glance.

  "Move the stools and set up the tables, don't just stand there." The director of general affairs ordered the two leaders.

  The dishes were served, and the instructor had finished checking the pavement. Liu Dayong also sneaked out quietly. Eight big dishes, not one less, plus the steward, Gao Banlang, and Zhang Peng, a total of seven people.

  "Adjutant, go get the two and a half bottles of Maotai left from noon. Don't hide it privately, I'll pour the wine myself, with a clear conscience." The regiment commander ordered.

  The instructor poured wine but didn't pour any for Zhang Peng. The battalion commander grabbed the bottle and was about to pour some for him, "Battalion Commander, I don't drink," Zhang Peng hastily said.

  "This time for the reception task, you are a meritorious minister, if you don't drink it's not okay, pour some!" The battalion commander said.

  "I'll drink for Zhang Peng!" Lian Chang hastily said.

  "Go, go!!! Think you can take advantage of me? No way." The camp commander roared at him.

  After dragging on for half a day, he still poured Zhang Peng half a cup. The battalion commander had just raised the cup and was about to say something when "clang" the door was pushed open. "Good thing I didn't come late!" Second Company Commander rushed in.

  "Old Gao, close the door quickly! Who knows how many 'wolves' will be invited in a short while?" The camp commander shouted.

  "Wait a minute, let me go in!" Captain Sanlian also squeezed in.

  "Is there anyone else?" The squad leader asked helplessly.

  "Report, according to my reconnaissance, no one is following behind." The company commander said with a smile.

  "How did you two little brats know?" the squad leader cursed.

  "Deputy Commander: 'I saw your cooking team's lights were still on earlier, you must be up to something, right?'"

  Sanlian Chang: "I've had a messenger keeping an eye on you guys for half a day now. Whenever you bunch up, something good is bound to happen."

  The two of them didn't even see the outside, they found their own bowls and chopsticks, moved a stool over, filled it with wine, and the battalion commander glared at them but pretended not to have seen.

  "Alright, Old Wang, since you're here, don't be angry anymore. Let's have a drink first to ensure the task is completed successfully! Cheers!!" The instructor mediated.

  Everyone raised their glasses and drained them, Zhang Peng took a sip, his mouth was left with a lingering fragrance, it's much better than 'Er Guo Tou'.

  "The second cup is for our hero 'Second Monitor' Zhang Peng, cheers!" Everyone laughed and clinked their cups together with Zhang Peng before taking a drink.

  "The third cup... you guys leave some for me." The crowd had already been holding back, and the company commander and a guide each grabbed a turtle leg and started eating. Zhang Peng quickly tore off a large piece of 'skirt' and put it in Liu Dayong's bowl, "Squad leader, they don't understand, this is the best part to eat." The regimental commander sitting next to him heard this, also picked up a piece, threw it in his mouth, and said while chewing, "No wonder, the leaders only eat this, I thought they didn't know how to eat! Delicious, damn it's so good." The others heard this, and there was another round of frantic grabbing, no longer with their usual serious demeanor. Seeing that only the turtle shell was left, Zhang Peng could only tear off a chicken leg to eat.

  Everyone usually eats in the cafeteria, with little oil and water in their stomachs. They open their mouths wide and eat a lot to save face, no one wants to lose face by not eating!

  "Alright, alright, leave some dishes for drinking wine, stop, stop, did you hear that, Third Company Commander?" The company commander has spoken.

  "You've already had lunch, what's the rush?" Captain Sanlian said with unclear articulation.

  "You think everyone is like you, disrespecting leadership? With so many superiors around, how dare I wield a whip?" the Regimental Commander said.

  The team leader's words made everyone burst out laughing, and after a few cups of wine, the 'Maotai' was gone. The logistics director brought out half a plastic bucket of loose wine again. Zhang Peng had no interest in wine, so he scooped up a bowl of turtle soup to drink slowly.

  "Zhang Peng, is there a trick to this soup?" the camp commander asked.

  "The essence is in the soup, nourishing yin and tonifying yang, greatly supplementing!" Zhang Peng remembered that the old man said so.

  Before others could react, the captain quickly picked up the bowl and placed it in front of himself. "Instructor, this soup belongs to us two brothers now. Let's have a good drink to replenish ourselves, so we can return home tomorrow and pay our 'public grain'!" After saying that, he and the instructor took turns drinking the soup from the same bowl, like two children taking turns eating from the same plate.

  "After such a tiring training session, we should also get some rest!" said the deputy company commander discontentedly.

  "That's right, that's right!" Everyone chimed in with agreement.

  "Both of you get out, and if you're late, you won't be able to sleep at night. It's time for me to find a wife for you, where can I go to find one for you!" The instructor and the battalion commander have formed a united front.

  After drinking too much wine, and with the hot weather, several people took off their tops, bared their arms, and called each other brothers. Liu Dàyǒng was also unrestrained, embracing and laughing as he talked to Lian Zhang.

  "Zhang Peng, let's go together," said the second company commander.

  "Are you going to fire?" Zhang Peng asked.

  "Fire, don't fire a gun and call it being a soldier?" The second company commander was a bit drunk.

  "Second Company Commander, do you think we're air? Digging people on my turf!" The instructor was fed up.

  "Tomorrow we'll go shooting together, you can shoot whatever you want." Everyone wants 'talent', even the company commander starts to win him over.

  "I also wanted to play truant, but I couldn't bear to part with our class monitor," said Zhang Peng.

  "Good brother, with a conscience, is my loyal soldier! Battalion Commander will award you a rifle!" The company commander said excitedly.

  "Alright, go to the camp tomorrow and find Wen Shu to get the rifle, just say I said so!" The camp commander agreed readily.

  A group of people ate until the bowl was clean, and only then did they stop, laughing and joking as they left. Zhang Peng was very happy, and in his sleep, he dreamed of guns, and his laughter woke up Liu Dayong.