Chapter 6: Becoming a Soldier as Desired

  I and Zhang Yu both got the admission ticket to the military camp as we wished.

  Next was a big feast, and my parents who had rushed back were also setting up a banquet to entertain relatives and friends, celebrating that I was about to become a soldier.

  Many relatives also started setting up wine tables in their own homes and began treating me and my family to a feast.

  This time, only my parents came back, but my brother did not return and was still in distant YN, miserably laying bricks.

  Han Ruoyun also knew that I was going to be a soldier, and in the past few days, I always felt that she was a bit off.

  That night, I left Zhang Yu's house, humming a little tune all the way home. As I approached my front door, I heard a familiar voice behind me.

  Xiao Bin.

  It was Han Ruoyun's voice, I heard her voice and stopped in my tracks, the little tune humming in my mouth also came to a halt. Without turning around, I felt a pang of guilt, I had already hurt Han Ruoyun, being a soldier meant that I would have to wrong her again.

  Han Ruoyun tightly hugged me from behind.

  "Perhaps." I called out her name in a low voice, feeling a little guilty.

  "Xiao Bin, when you went to work in YN before, I was used to feeling unwell, used to thinking of you, and used to waiting for you. But what I couldn't get used to was not seeing you. Now that you're about to join the army, I'll be even more unable to bear it." Han Ruoyun's voice was a little hoarse.

  "If you promise me one thing, I'll marry you as soon as I'm discharged." I turned my body around and used my hand to wipe away her tears.

  "Will you wait for me?" I asked again, looking into Han Ruoyun's enchanting eyes.

  Han Ruoyun nodded and replied: "I will, I'll wait for you."

  From that day on, Han Ruoyun and I were inseparable every day, and we both cherished the last days very much.

  The night before I was about to go to the barracks, I couldn't get in touch with Han Ruoyun. After searching for a long time at the places she might have gone, I finally got up and headed home, just as I was almost there.

  Han Ruoyun suddenly appeared in front of me.

  I looked at Han Ruoyun who was standing there with a cold expression and asked again the question I had asked last time.

  "If I say I'm going to join the army, will you wait for me? Two years, it's a long time, but also short."

  "No, Xiao Bin, let's break up. I've never liked you, nor have I ever loved you." Han Ruoyun suddenly replied coldly.

  At this moment, my heart is extremely painful, very painful.

  "No way, you're kidding me."

  "I didn't cheat you."

  "Why, why did you promise me before that you would wait for me?" I suddenly squatted on the ground, covering my head and painfully shouted at her.

  "I don't want to explain, think whatever you want, I'm leaving."

  When the one I loved turned and left, a heart-wrenching scream echoed: "Why, why did you treat me like this, why..."

  How strong one must be to remember...

  You used to promise to wait for me, but now you want to leave me, why, why...

  Back home, I stood under the cold shower head in the bathroom, letting the water flush my body, and asked myself over and over again, why, why.

  Does being a soldier mean that an emotional relationship has to end like this?

  A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the ocean... I don't accept it!

  The next day, I, who had not slept all night, under everyone's enthusiastic farewell, Zhang Yu and I boarded the train to the military camp.

  Even when saying goodbye to family members, I didn't show much enthusiasm. When the train started moving, my mom waved at me with tears in her eyes.

  Even Dad's eyes were red.

  When the train was about to leave everyone's sight.

  I looked through the glass and saw a familiar figure outside the window, but it was just a flash, I knew that figure was Han Ruoyun, she came to see me off.

  Maybe...

  Maybe she just wants to take one last look at me...

  Or perhaps she wanted me to take one last look at her...

  I closed my eyes and told myself not to think about it anymore. Maybe after I join the army, there will be many people chasing her, and after a long time, she will forget me and start dating others.

  I don't want to think about it anymore. Now I have a longing for the military camp. All the books say that choosing to be a soldier means giving up on love.

  Is it really like this? Can't soldiers have love?

  Alright, if so, then let me be that exception.

  Zhang Yu saw that I was unhappy and didn't disturb me on the side, he knew that I had broken up with Ruo Yun.

  After a night's train ride, we recruits arrived at XM City in FJ Province.

  We, recruits from all over the country, gathered on the square of the train station. On the train, we heard the officer in charge of sending soldiers say that we were the second batch of new recruits to be sent to the troops. Yesterday, a batch of new recruits had already entered the military camp.

  I and Zhang Yu crouched on the ground, waiting for the division cadres to assign us to various military camps.

  I and Zhang Yu are also looking forward to being assigned to the same military camp. It will be good to have someone to rely on at that time.

  Cadres began to draw up our dossiers.

  What a coincidence! I'm so honored to be on the same military vehicle as Zhang Yu.

  It wasn't until the train started moving that we understood why we were assigned to the same barracks.

  The officer in charge of our vehicle told us that the reason we were assigned to the same barracks was because this time the division of troops did not randomly draw lots like in previous years, but rather each division officer personally drew the files of new recruits from top to bottom.

  It turns out that we were very lucky, so we ended up in the same barracks and could take care of each other.

  The military vehicle had been driving for a long time. Sitting in the car, many comrades started to doze off, and even Zhang Yu had fallen asleep.

  And I, excited and unable to sleep, gazed at the scenery on the road.

  I curiously asked the officer in charge of our train what unit we would be assigned to.

  "Little buddy, you're going to an infantry company." The officer in charge yawned and replied to me.

  "Infantry Battalion?"

  I didn't understand what an infantry company was like, and I was very curious. At that time, in my heart, as long as it was a unit with guns for me to hold, I would be happy.

  Just then, the officer in charge of the vehicle suddenly smiled at me and said, "Young man, you'd better be prepared."

  "What preparations?" I asked hesitantly.

  "Remember this: infantry is tight, artillery is loose, and automobile soldiers are happy-go-lucky."

  At that time, I didn't quite understand the meaning of this sentence.

  It wasn't until three months later when I finished new recruit training and was assigned to a company that I understood.

  Originally, infantry relied on a pair of legs and trained very hard. Artillery was obviously easier, just set up the steel cannon on the battlefield and fire away with a whooshing sound. However, the last one, armored troops, were the most comfortable kind of soldiers. Every time we went out for training, they would just drop us off at the training ground and then sit in their vehicles waiting for us to finish our training so they could drive us back.

  But at that time, the cadre who was in charge of the car also said a sentence to me.

  "Although being an armored soldier is easy, it's not good either. The training time is short and only infantry can temper one's will and learn many military skills. Of course, physical fitness is the most important."

  I'm nodding knowingly...