Chapter 2 (12)

  After Liu Yibao left, Wang Youcai took out a cigarette and handed it to Xiao Hei, "Wang Lianzhang, have a smoke and take a break."

  Xiao Hei didn't even lift his head, "Sorry, I won't."

  "In fact, I won't either." Wang Youcai put the cigarette in his pocket and continued to say: "Let them do this job, you are an advanced model of our war zone, it's too humiliating for you to do this."

  Xiao Hei picked up the chopped cabbage, put it aside, and stood upright again. He loudly said to Wang Youcai: "Thank you for your concern, leader. I am now a cook, and I must complete the task assigned by the head of the cooking class within half an hour. Is there any further instruction from the leader?"

  Wang Youcai's old face couldn't hold on anymore, and Xiao Hei stood at attention like a new recruit, staring straight at him with a standard military posture, his expression not showing any sign of joking.

  Wang Youcai originally wanted to pull a conversation with Xiao Hei, ease the atmosphere. Did not think that Xiao Hei did not have any cadres' reserve, and came up with this move. He awkwardly smiled, then like a deserter, hastily ran away without looking back.

  Wang Youcai walked while pondering and thought this kid was really mentally ill.

  After walking a few steps, Wang Youcai turned back and beckoned Peng Jiabao to come over, instructing him seriously: "Alright, don't go too far, especially with their cadres."

  Peng Jiabao said: "I know."

  Peng Jiabao said so, but afterwards he didn't let off the two or three people from the Second Platoon. Just as Xiao Hei and others had finished preparing the potatoes and cabbage, Peng Jiabao ordered them to gather firewood again.

  Looking up a bit and seeing several soldiers from the cooking squad sunbathing on the side, he said to Peng Jia Bao: "What's the point of giving all the work to us? Why don't your soldiers do it?"

  Peng Jiabao said: "They have their own affairs, you don't have to do it if you don't want to. Now just pick up your backpack and leave. In fact, we didn't welcome you in the first place, nor did we want to be tainted by your bad luck."

  This time, he was quite calm, staring fiercely at Peng Jia Bao, gritting his teeth and saying: "Peng, from now on, you burn incense every day and ask the gods to bless you so that in this lifetime, you won't run into me again."

  Peng Jiabao smiled and said: "Don't worry about me, now you should pray for the gods to bless yourself."

  Xiao Hei didn't say a word and went to the edge of the forest to gather firewood.

  Xiao Hei did this, making several soldiers of the Second Regiment feel very embarrassed. Xiao Hei is now their highest leader and hasn't even farted, what else can they say? So they also followed him to the edge of the forest.

  After picking up firewood, I started cooking. Gao and a few soldiers were helping with the chores, doing some odd jobs. Xiao Hei was lying not far away, seemingly meditating, and the enthusiasm and ridicule of the officers and soldiers seemed to have no effect on him.

  What happened at mealtime made the wounded soldiers of the second company unbearable. They were originally starving, and after finally cooking their meals, they saw that the cooks had finished serving food to each squad in the company, but there was no portion for them. When they went to get food, a soldier from the first company's cook squad blocked them and said that combat personnel must be guaranteed to eat first, and only after the company had finished eating could they have their turn.

  It never occurred to the brothers of the second company that what was left over wasn't from the kitchen, but rather what was left over after each squad had eaten their fill. Normally, this kind of thing would either be thrown away as trash or fed to the pigs.

  Gao Yidian saw Peng Jiabao wanting to make them eat this stuff, their eyes turned green with rage. If not for Xiao Hei stopping him, they would have smashed the kitchen on the spot. Gao Yidian turned around and said to Xiao Hei who was holding him back: "Lian Zhang, you're bullying people too much! Today I won't be a soldier anymore, I must vent this anger!"

  The soldiers of the Second Company were all ready, waiting for Xiao Hei's nod to charge forward. Xiao Hei's expression was cold and stern as he said to Gao Yi and several other soldiers: "Special forces are particularly good at enduring, when they can't endure anymore, they endure again. You can't even bear this little bit of hardship, what qualifications do you have to be special forces? The First Company doesn't owe you food expenses, if someone gives you a mouthful of spit, you should say thank you, what right do you have to argue with others?"

  Xiao Hei turned around and said "thank you" seriously to Peng Jiabao, making Peng Jiabao and the cookhouse soldiers very uncomfortable, and they walked away with their heads down.

  Xiao Hei picked up a steamed bun and began eating it with big mouthfuls using the leftover soup that Peng Jia Bao had just brought over.