Got beaten up

  Xiao Song took me to the dormitory, which was very large. Our entire cooking class lived together there.

  Little Song helped me put away my luggage and also helped me make the bed, he smiled at me and said: "Brother, I'm called Song Qingyang, from now on you can call me Little Song like everyone else. I'm from the mountains, if there's anything wrong in the future, just let me know."

  I smiled and said, "Don't say that, I'm also from the countryside. Actually, we're not much different, two grasshoppers from the same nest, all the same, nothing special. My personality is straightforward, what you see is what you get. You're a good person, let's take care of each other more in the future."

  "Alright, then it's settled. From now on, just let me know if there's anything."

  I smiled and then followed Little Song to familiarize myself with the cooking team's territory.

  The brotherhood in the cooking class is not as strong as that of other troops, it feels more casual and relaxed, just like real brothers. I feel that the cooking class is more suitable for me, it's as if I was born to live in the cooking class.

  I was in the cooking class, and it was a breeze. Since I was originally quite weak, the old soldiers were all very considerate of me, assigning me relatively light tasks. Whenever I saw others busy, I'd lend a hand, and they all seemed to like me.

  I originally thought that my life would be like this forever, maybe I was just a cook, mixed until the demobilization, and then muddle through for a lifetime. However, my goal has not changed, that is, I must teach those guys a lesson, put their heads in ** inside, until later the military region happened something, that thing, completely changed my fate, if there was no choice at that time, maybe now I am not like this, maybe now I am still happily feeding pigs in the cooking class.

  I also secretly opened a small stove with those old soldiers, stole wine to drink, occasionally ran out to steal a chicken back, then made a pot of chicken soup, and a group of people surrounded a large bowl of chicken soup, taking turns drinking it, when I was lucky, I would even grab a chicken leg.

  For this, they always say to me: "Zhang Hao, you should eat more meat and grow your body. You haven't reached the age where eating a whole chicken can guarantee getting a drumstick, so just focus on eating drumsticks and growing your body!"

  Every time I scolded him with a sentence: "This shows that we are young, and we are this kind of person."

  Then everyone laughed.

  I stayed in the cooking class for three months, and the cooking class also had training tasks, and the food was good. So, during that time, my height also increased a lot, and I wasn't so weak anymore. I'm very grateful to those brothers in the cooking class, they were really good to me.

  It was a sunny day, with white clouds drifting across the sky, and a whiff of pig manure carried on the gentle breeze. At that time, I was feeding pigs with Little Song, when the class leader came over and told us to stop feeding for now, as there were orders from above that needed to be relayed, and we could resume later.

  Then we were gathered together by the monitor.

  Zhang Jun said to us: "The superior issued an order, this time a special recruitment for the whole army district is being carried out. Anyone can participate without any restrictions. However, there is one thing - all those who do not pass will have their positions cancelled if they have no military achievements and hold a position. Those who are willing to participate should sign up immediately! That's all."

  "Monitor, what does the special forces selection have to do with our cooking class? Other companies aren't even fighting to go, how could it be our turn?"

  "Yes, in our class, we went but didn't pass, going was also useless, you told us and it's not like it would work, isn't that just a waste of words?"

  "Yes, I also know it's a waste of words, but it's an order. I'm just responsible for conveying it. And this time's selection is different from previous years. This time, failure means losing honor and becoming a lifelong private. Moreover, it's not the time for special forces selection yet. So, I estimate there won't be many people signing up, because those good soldiers, strong soldiers, are all aiming for the 'Dragon Tooth' special forces in a few months. That's why this is a special troops selection, not a special forces selection." Zhang Jue emphasized specially.

  "Cut..." A faint whisper followed.

  I thought about it, what's the point of caring anyway. I'm just a small soldier here for a few years and will leave without any chance of advancement, might as well give it a try.

  "Report!"

  Lecture

  "Monitor, I want to participate!" I shouted loudly.

  Everyone turned to look at me afterwards, as if I was an alien or something. Being stared at by so many weird gazes all of a sudden made me feel strange inside.

  Zhang Jun didn't say a word, and without warning, he walked over to me, slapped the back of my head with a loud "slap slap slap", kicked me to the ground, and cursed: "Get out of here, you piece of trash! You think you can participate in the special forces selection? Are you not afraid of killing yourself? Can't you just stay here and be content? Do you want to go die somewhere else? If so, then get out of my sight!" After Zhang Jun finished scolding me, he left. I was still dazed from being beaten by Zhang Jun, but I couldn't bring myself to hate him because he had always been good to me. I even stupidly asked: "Will he suppress me and not let me sign up?"

  "You idiot, it's not going to work this time. The order is different from usual, no one can stop anyone else from participating in the selection. If discovered, they will be expelled directly. So, if you want to go, you'll definitely go." Vice Class Monitor slapped the back of my head and said with a hint of mystery, watching as Class Monitor stormed off in anger, she let out a sigh.

  A day passed by in this murmuring sound...

  In the evening, I went to find Zhang Jun. The class vice president told me that the class monitor had gone to the back mountain. I was puzzled and wondered what he was doing there. When I found Zhang Jun, he was drinking white wine mouthful by mouthful. I didn't know how he managed to bring the white wine in. He held two photos in his hand and was crying.

  The moon in the sky is very bright, I don't know what day it is today, the moon is surprisingly bright, brighter than any time I've ever seen.

  I walked over, patted Zhang Jun's shoulder, picked up a bottle of white wine and started drinking. He didn't say anything either, clinked the bottle with me, and the two of us began to drink confusedly...

  I don't know how long I've been drinking either...

  Zhang Jun said to me: "Are you especially hating me for hitting you today? Are you especially resentful that I didn't let you participate in the special selection?"

  I said: "I don't hate you, although I don't know what the reason is, but I know you're doing it for my own good. In my memory, apart from my brother and sister, you treated me the best, I don't hate you."

  "Do you know? Participating in special forces selection and being a special soldier are different, special soldiers are selected through priority recruitment by all levels of recommendation. This time is different, anyone can participate, I think it's not a good sign."

  "It doesn't matter what it's like, I'm going no matter what. I don't want to spend my whole life here, unknown and silent, I want to go out and make a name for myself."

  "You know? The first time I saw you, I knew that you were a person who could tolerate a lot. You didn't show any emotions, but I could tell that you're a vengeful person and very persistent. This is not a good thing for you."

  "Since it's all like this, a person's life is just a few short decades, what's there to think about, as long as one lives comfortably, that's enough."

  "Don't you want to know why I don't want you to go?"

  "I thought so, but I know you're the reason, you want to say it, you'll naturally say it."