Chapter 4 (2)

  Unexpectedly, Xiao Hei, who had been punished, seemed more calm than anyone else. Every day after the regular class time began, he would come to the battalion commander's office, dressed neatly, salute and report, stand at attention and ask if there were any instructions.

  Zhao Tielong waved his hand and said: "There's no instruction for you, just stay here, I'll call you if there's anything."

  After Xiao Hei came out of the battalion commander's office, he went to Instructor Lu Qiguo's office. Lu Qiguo was more polite and said to Xiao Hei: "Xiao Wang, don't be so polite. I've seen your training materials from abroad, it's indeed quite hard work. Take a good rest during this period of time. A strong body also needs to be properly maintained, right? Only when you adjust your body well can you work better."

  Xiao Hei said thank you and went out, returned to his own room, did 300 push-ups in one breath, then opened his arms left and right, lifted dumbbells 300 times. After that, he split his legs apart, sat on the ground with his legs straight, and then took off his shoes, leaned against the wall, and stood upside down.

  Lu Qiguo still seemed to be uneasy about Xiao Hei, and apart from instructing the communication personnel and clerks in the camp to closely monitor Xiao Hei's actions, he would also sneak to the door of Xiao Hei's room from time to time, observing Xiao Hei's every move through the glass. Only when he saw that Xiao Hei was staying in his room, diligently doing physical training alone, did he feel at ease and leave.

  Xiao Hei quietly stayed in the deputy battalion commander's dormitory for a week, every day during class hours, he would run to Zhao Tielong and Lu Qiguo's office to wait for their instructions. After receiving the instruction "rest well", he would return to the room to conduct his physical training.

  After finishing physical training, Xiao Hei borrowed a brush from the communications officer Xiao Tong and poured laundry detergent on the ground, carefully brushing the floor.

  Lu Qiguo entered his room after Little Hei had finished sweeping the floor and was wiping the glass.

  Lu Qiguo looked at the almost spotless cement floor and instinctively took a step back, saying to Xiao Hei who was crawling on the window: "I ruined your hard work, sorry, sorry."

  Xiao Hei jumped down from the window, stood at attention and saluted Lu Qiguo with great respect, saying: "Reporting to Instructor, Acting Platoon Leader Wang Jinfu of the 2nd Company is cleaning up. Please instruct, Instructor!"

  Lu Qiguo retreated while hastily waving his hand, "No instructions, no instructions, you continue with your own thing."

  After Lu Qiguo left, Zhao Tielong pushed the door and stood at the entrance, took a look inside, and found that the cleanliness of the room exceeded his imagination, so he didn't go in. Xiao Hei was about to report to him, but Zhao Tielong hurriedly waved his hand and said: "There's no instruction, you do your thing."

  The little communications officer, Xiao Tong, appeared at the door with a crying face and said to Xiao Hei: "Wang Lianzhang, you've ruined me. The battalion commander and instructor said that from now on, the sanitation standards of the entire battalion will be based on yours. If it doesn't meet the standard, I'll have to go to the cooking class to burn the boiler."

  Xiao Hei rarely smiled and said, "For someone who doesn't like cleanliness, burning the boiler is not bad. Once you become a coal-black child, no one can tell which part of your body is dirty."

  The little boy walked away with a painful expression on his face.

  At night, Erlian's squad leader He Dajun came to the dormitory to see Xiaohei and said: "Squad Leader, everyone is spreading that you are going to leave the Second Squad, is it true that you are leaving?"

  Xiao Hei said faintly: "Maybe Erlian doesn't need someone like me, one seed has already been planted, and another is being planted, what's the difference?"

  "What kind of seed?" He Dajun asked in confusion.

  "A bloody seed."

  "You're saying we're a bit too high? Are we not even human?" He Dajun said discontentedly.

  Hei said: "Even if you have the blood I'm talking about, it's just a handful of loose sand, like a forest that has lost its vitality, without that burning spark, no matter how tall the tree was originally, it will eventually become rotten wood. Do you understand what I mean?"

  He Dajun nodded, "I understand, Lian Chang, you are that burning seed. As long as you're here, the second company will definitely be ignited."

  Xiao Hei shook his head and said: "What's the use of saying these now? Now that I've left the second company, where to go next is still unknown."