Chapter Five: Forced Recruitment

  You Fei was smiling foolishly, not saying a word. After laughing for a long time, You Fei stopped and stretched out both hands towards Xie Peixuan's headscarf. Through the veil, Xie Peixuan could vaguely see You Fei's hands reaching over, and in her heart arose a strong desire to make time stand still, because she felt an inexplicable fear of what was about to happen next.

  Just as You Fei's hand touched the edge of the lid, about to lift it off, the door was kicked open with a loud bang. You Fei was startled and instead of lifting the lid, he shouted loudly: "Who is it? Are you looking for death?"

  The gate was kicked open with a loud bang, and a group of soldiers rushed in. You Fei was stunned for a moment before shouting: "What do you want to do? Today I'm getting married, but you're here causing trouble, what's the meaning of this?"

  The man in the lead looked at You Fei with his head tilted, and he had a blue chevron and a star on his collar badge. He was a corporal. Just as You Fei was about to speak, the squad leader said coldly: "Name, report!"

  "You fly." You Fei responded dully, "Hey, I'm telling you people, don't you have any king's law? How can you forcibly break into my mansion like this? Today, I, You Fei, won't bother with you all. Now get out of here!" The squad leader took out a piece of paper and wrote You Fei's name on it.

  "Commander Chen has ordered that all able-bodied men between the ages of 15 and 30 in Guangzhou City must enlist. Anyone who disobeys or causes trouble will be killed!" The squad leader said coldly.

  You Fei fell silent for a moment before suddenly shouting in anger: "Damn your mother, I've paid my exemption fees for seven years! Now you're coming to say that you want to conscript me? Have you gone mad!" As he spoke, You Fei charged forward. Before he could reach them, the soldiers beside him had already pointed their rifles at him. Xie Peishan also couldn't care about being dignified anymore, tearing off her headscarf and looking around in alarm at the soldiers in the room.

  The eyes of the soldiers lingered on Xie Peishan for a moment before withdrawing, and each face returned to its original cold state. You Fei secretly felt a chill, these soldiers seemed to be vastly different from those he had encountered on the streets, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

  "No matter what you say, I'm still going to the bridal chamber tonight, and I won't go with you." Yu Fei's stubborn temper flared up again. Before his words had even fallen, he was hit hard in the stomach, the rifle butt pressed against his belly almost making him pass out. Yu Fei clutched his stomach and rolled around on the ground, the pain causing the muscles in his cheeks to twitch.

  The one who handed the gun to You Fei was the class monitor, who pushed the safety catch up and rotated it 90 degrees. The muzzle was pressed against You Fei's forehead, and he said coldly: "If you don't obey, you'll die!" Xie Peishan was so scared that she exclaimed out loud, covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes looking at the class monitor's finger on the trigger in terror. If that finger pulled back just a little bit, You Fei would be dead in an instant.

  Sweat beads the size of peas broke out on You Fei's face as he stared at Class Leader, who could see the hatred in his eyes. But Class Leader didn't mind and even smiled at him. After a long silence, You Fei nodded gloomily. Class Leader grinned, showing his teeth: "You saved me a bullet, You Fei. You're really a clever guy. My name is Qiu Lin, from now on we're brothers in the army."

  "Qiu Lin brothers, I will remember your great kindness today." You Fei panted, struggling to get up from the ground, every word was spoken with gritted teeth, and the hostility in between Qiu Lin could hear clearly. After laughing for a few moments, Qiu Lin said: "You Fei, hurry up and say goodbye to your woman, I'm going to send you and your brothers to the military camp right away." Brothers, don't disturb them, let's go outside and wait." Qiu Lin and his men retreated outside, even closing the door behind them.

  After the man left, Xie Peishan hurriedly ran to You Fei's side, took out a handkerchief and wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead. She asked anxiously: "You, you, are you okay?"

  Yu Fei smiled bitterly and said: "I was about to enter the bridal chamber, but instead I got a group of calamities. Shan'er's wife, it seems that today I won't be able to escape, you must remember that after I go to the army, don't secretly cheat on me with other men!"

  "What's wrong with you? Still spouting nonsense!" Xie Peishan scolded.

  You Fei's intuition was that Xie Peishan's angry little face was even more lovable, and he couldn't help but stare at her in a daze. Xie Peishan saw You Fei staring at her with that ** gaze again, and her heart felt a wave of heat, her powdered face suddenly becoming hot like it had been scalded by fire.

  "Xu Fei, hurry up."

  "What's all the shouting about? Here it comes!" said You Fei.

  You Fei leaned his head close to Xie Peishan's ear, and Xie Peishan tensed up all over, just as Xie Peishan was thinking wildly, You Fei whispered: "There is a hidden compartment under the bed, inside are gold bars that my brothers and I risked our lives to save, now the world is in chaos, as long as things don't go well for you, take these gold bars and escape to the interior, got it?"

  Xie Peishan nodded hastily, and You Fei suddenly wrapped her arms tightly around Xie Peishan's waist, holding her close as if trying to merge their bodies together.

  They hugged for a long time, and Yu Fei finally let go of his hand, striding out of the room. As he opened the door, Yu Fei hesitated for a moment before slamming it shut with a loud bang. Outside the door, Qiu Lin chuckled and said, "Brother, I'm really sorry to have disturbed your romantic moment."

  "Young Fei snorted coldly and said: 'Where are my brothers?'"

  "We're all fine, no one's missing an arm or a leg." Qiu Lin chuckled.

  You Fei glared at Qiu Lin and stopped wasting words, leading the way down to the dock. Qiu Lin nodded and followed with his men.

  As they arrived, He Tianhao and others were half squatting on the ground, with three soldiers standing beside them holding guns. Seeing You Fei being brought down as well, a group of people shouted: "Big brother!" You Fei sighed, seeing that each of them had bruises on their faces, obviously having been beaten up by someone. You Fei turned his head to look at Qiu Lin and said: "I'm troubling Captain Qiu with these brothers of mine. I'll definitely repay Captain Qiu's kindness in the future."

  "Never mind the formalities, time is pressing, the superior is waiting for me to return and report, let's hurry up!"

  You Fei and the seven others were escorted by soldiers to the military camp, like prisoners. Along the way, there were many people who had been conscripted, just like You Fei, all with their heads hung low in despair, like condemned prisoners on their way to execution.

  A lone traveler finally arrived at the Fourth Route Army's San Yuan Li military camp, where searchlights flashed back and forth, dazzling his eyes. Yu Fei gazed at the large iron gate that was tightly shut, and sighed inwardly: Once I pass through this gate, I'll become a soldier? It's utterly absurd!

  The large iron gate slowly opened, and the robust soldiers were driven into the drill ground in the barracks like ducks, a vast expanse of blackness filled with people.