Chapter 12: My Squad, My Soldiers (Part 2)
I only saw more than ten students sitting inside the house, both boys and girls, looking around 10 years old or so, a group of young children, haha, although I'm not much older either. They were listening attentively to a teacher reading a book, no, that's not what I was looking for, moving on, the students in the next room were slightly older, but still not it.
It seems that this is still a school divided by grade, not like I imagined, where children of all ages, from toddlers to teenagers with whiskers, study together in a chaotic and very formal manner, which is no different from the schools in my previous life. The only difference is that there are fewer students, which is normal, after all, it's just a small village school.
As I continued to use my inner strength, I lightly poked through the rear windows of one classroom after another. Note that it's "poke", not "smash". There's a difference in personal quality here. The word "poke" is elegant and refined, with a hint of flair, characteristic of a master or a gentleman. On the other hand, "smash" is coarse and barbaric, typical of thugs and gangsters. The difference is huge! Haven't you seen those kinds of people bursting into scenes, kicking open doors, and loudly shouting: "Pay protection fees, or get your little girl to come out and have some fun with me!" So, a single word can make all the difference in shaping one's image, like heaven and earth (this is purely my personal opinion, please don't take it too seriously).
This isn't considered destruction, it's forced by circumstances, it's called having no choice but to do so. At most, sneak back and quietly add these little masterpieces, is this an excuse?!
While constantly repeating the same movement, I discovered that the internal force is operating in a subtle way, which is very different from the grand opening and closing. It's two different ways of using it. I feel like I've gained another insight. This feeling is extremely faint, only can be sensed but not expressed, like a gentle breeze on my face, like a light drizzle moistening my heart. The feeling is indescribably wonderful. I'm really a genius, able to grasp the true essence of martial arts anytime and anywhere! One word: "refreshing"! Two words: "truly refreshing"! Is it a bit self-loving? Whatever, I've gained something!
Finally, in the last classroom, I found my target. They were the ones, and their age matched. Upon closer inspection, there were significantly more students in this classroom than in others, with nearly thirty people, mostly boys, and about a dozen girls inside. Hmm! It didn't seem as feudal as people said, with all those stinky rules like "seven-year-old boys and girls shouldn't sit together" or "women shouldn't go out the main gate or step over the threshold". It seemed that these rules were probably made by people with ulterior motives to satisfy their own thoughts, without any intention of slandering the saints. They just felt that it went against human nature.
On the podium, a middle-aged teacher wearing glasses (not all teachers wear glasses, but most of them do) is writing something on the blackboard. The room is quiet and everyone looks very focused. Seeing this scene, my thoughts are a bit dazed, as if I had returned to the feeling of when I was in high school in my previous life. It seems that I am one of the members of this classroom, with those youthful years, awkward youth, restless soul, confused feelings, spring flowers blooming, summer insects chirping, autumn leaves falling, winter snowflakes fluttering, and the secretly stolen glances under the streetlights. I thought these things had long left me, but now they seem to be reliving the past, returning to the old days. Although there is a wall separating us, before getting hurt, I was also one of them, among them, enjoying the same atmosphere, feeling the same feelings. In a daze, my heart is softly wrapped and moistened, and I have a kind of heartbeat connection, flesh-and-blood connection with the people in the classroom.
Not good, the inner power has an unusual stirring, blood flow accelerated, isn't it about to break through again? God, not looking at what time, I slowed down my breathing, adjusted my emotions, slowly calmed my heart, and gradually withdrew my inner power from this state of mind. I lightly let out a breath, almost losing control. This breakthrough can happen anytime, anywhere, as soon as I get excited, I feel it, what a great thing! Many people dream of having such a good thing, but can't even get it by knocking their heads and burning incense. Stop it, you, is this really a good thing? Oh, I'm on the battlefield, seeing comrades fighting bravely, bleeding and sacrificing, in this situation, with this excitement, bullets flying everywhere, shells exploding wildly, I'm like a wooden stake, stuck in this epiphany, breakthrough, looking for death? This isn't becoming a live target for those little devils, giving them a chance to shoot me with real bullets! How unjust would that be?! No way, it seems I need to strengthen my training to control my inner power and emotions. If not, at critical moments, it could cost me my life!
The golden light of the setting sun shone brightly on everyone's back, and all I could see was their backs. The boys' silhouettes looked sturdy and robust, not like those bean sprouts at all. They were all wearing blue or gray cotton jackets, thick and warm, but couldn't hide the already slightly developed physiques of the northeastern men. The girls were all wearing small cotton jackets with floral patterns, and their figures were much more delicate than the boys', really lovely to look at. Ah, damn it! Don't stare randomly, no way, who let us all be in the same room anyway? I'm not going to block out some beautiful scenery, besides, I don't have that kind of ability. No other intention, just appreciating, appreciating!
Ah! Little Ling is also inside, looking at the silhouettes of others, I can't quite tell who it is, but Little Ling's silhouette is deeply imprinted on my mind. Don't forget, she was the only peer I saw when I woke up! Moreover, she stayed in my home for a long time, and she's so beautiful, helping my mom with this and that, going in and out many times, and also secretly bringing me fish. How could I not recognize her silhouette? Maybe it's because she's one or two years older than the others. I remember she's two years older than me, so she should be 18 this year. Her figure is more slender and plump compared to other girls, and under that small floral cotton-padded jacket, her elegant figure can't be hidden. Occasionally, when she moves, her posture is beautiful, full of the rhythm of youth and the vitality of life. How clear is this? Little Ling's seat is closer to the back, and also closer to me. Moreover, appreciating beauty is human nature, oh right, appreciating beautiful women is also a man's nature. I'm no exception!
Don't look at me like that, there will be plenty of opportunities later. Are you and Ling sister classmates? You'll have plenty of chances to spend time together. What's with the Japanese tone? Ugh, so pretentious! Why do I always get stuck with the good stuff?! It's fate, it's fate! Look at what the teacher is teaching... Is that not the Hundred Family Surnames or the Three Character Classic? As soon as I saw what was written on the blackboard, my eyes widened in shock, my mouth dropped open, and my jaw almost fell off onto the floor. My brain felt like it was going to overheat! It's a crash, yeah, definitely a system crash feeling!!!!!!
What's written on the blackboard is actually physics problems, oh my god, isn't this a bit too much for a mountain village like this?! The things they're teaching in school here are actually physics!!! It's totally beyond my imagination, shocking, absolutely shocking!!! Is this really that legendary new-style school? It must be, no mistake about it, otherwise how could there be physics class?! Looking at the teacher again, although he's wearing a long gown, judging from his demeanor, he's obviously received modern education, oh heavens, I've struck gold! If they have physics class, then chemistry and math should also be available, they must be!!!
"My troops, brothers, are too powerful, beyond expectations! You think special forces are just a high-tech breed? Without modern knowledge, there are many professions that are difficult to grasp. Just talking about explosives, it's a big deal, and even measuring terrain requires modern knowledge. I thought they could just recognize characters, but no, they also know physics and stuff! In this era, isn't that a treasure?! 'Released, released', this saves me so much effort! With just a little guidance, they can get on track quickly, every single one of them is an elite!"
It seems that I saw myself leading my companions to gallop and strike down the invaders between the white mountains and black waters, making the Japanese pirates tremble with fear. Then, my great name would spread throughout China, and I would become a heroic figure! Just as I was indulging in this fantasy, I saw the teacher say something. It wasn't that I heard it, but rather that I saw it - I couldn't hear anything from outside, separated by thick walls. I saw everyone stand up and bow to the teacher, which is good - respecting teachers and following etiquette is the basic upbringing and manners that students should have (unlike some students nowadays who see their teachers, roll their eyes, and brush past them without a word, losing all sense of propriety). This has substance, this has quality, I love it!! Oh, so it's time for lunch break.
Hurry up and go wait for them outside the main gate, give them a big surprise!
With internal force circulating, my toes touched the ground, I twisted my body, and then came a crane rushing to the sky, crossing over the courtyard wall, lightly landing on the ground. Luckily, no one saw me, I reckon everyone is at home cooking now. This is what it means to be stealthy and unnoticed! Silently, I walked away, just as silently as I had come. After flipping over the high courtyard wall, I left behind a shallow footprint, without stirring up even a single snowflake! Feeling pleased with myself, I modified the poem of the famous poet Meng Jiao, don't think it's copyright infringement, do you?
Back on the main road, I stopped at a place closer to the school gate, patted myself clean, of course there was no dirt, but still had to pat myself, to show respect? Adjusted my collar, fixed my hat, feeling good about myself, first impressions are important, especially since it's my first time out after recovering from injury. Ah, wait, that's not right, I'm a bit like a gangster today, if I wore an all-black suit, white shirt, and tie, wouldn't I look cool? Forget the suit for now, besides, who wears a suit on a day like today? You'd freeze to death!
Eyes fixed on the tightly closed door, I heard the laughter and conversation coming from inside, accompanied by the "crunch, crunch" sound of footsteps in the snow getting closer and closer. I quickly struck a pose that I thought was the coolest, with a faint smile on my face and my eyes slightly narrowed. This stance, this movement, this image - it's all perfect, to die for! With an expectant heart, I eagerly gazed at the door. To say I wasn't excited would be nonsense - my heartbeat had accelerated, and my blood pressure hadn't risen or anything! It was just that amidst the excitement, there was a sense of anticipation, and that feeling is too complicated to put into words. If you have the chance, try it out for yourself, and you'll understand.
The gate was slowly pushed open, not with a loud creak, that would be too uncouth, but by people of culture. A group of young people walked out, in the midst of this coldness, the breath of youth, young life, like the morning sun, full of vigor and vitality, rushed forth. These are my companions, my future sworn brothers... I've finally seen you all...
As soon as they saw me, they were stunned and stopped in their tracks, their faces filled with disbelieving expressions, and their eyes shone with surprise. It seemed that my entrance had achieved the expected effect, leaving them both surprised and delighted. I noticed that Ling Jie's small mouth was half-open, revealing her white teeth, which was said to be a sign of beauty. Hei Dou Dou's crescent-shaped eyes were filled with happy little stars, and her face had a layer of blush. She seemed to be feeling a bit embarrassed when she saw me looking at her, and her face turned even redder. The other girls' expressions weren't much better, it seemed that I was the ultimate heartthrob among them, an idol-like figure. Ah, I'm afraid I've been too focused on the girls! What about the guys waiting over there? No choice, as the old saying goes, "Food and sex are also a part of human nature."
The companions were stunned for a moment, then suddenly cheered and rushed over to surround me. They bombarded me with questions, one of them being around my age, wearing a large dog skin hat, with a dark red face and a pair of round eyes that seemed to be staring right through me. He was much more robust than I was, towering over me like a giant. He stretched out his arm, pushing the others aside, shouting "Xiao Qiu, I've missed you so much!" As he opened his arms wide, ready to give me a bear hug. Who is this? I didn't recognize him at first, but judging from his demeanor, he must be someone close to me, or else he wouldn't be acting like that. Just then, an older youth intervened, "Shan Hu, how could you forget? Xiao Qiu's injury has just healed, and your rough hug will only hurt him! Who doesn't know about your incredible strength?" "Shan Hu?" Ah, it must be the son of my friend Huang Da Ye, the one who is like a brother to me, with a similar age but different surname - Huang Shan Hu. My absolute sworn brother! Now that I've recognized one person, Shan Hu scratched his head and chuckled, putting down his hand, "I was so excited to see Xiao Qiu that I forgot about this. If Autumn Voice hadn't reminded me, who knows what would have happened?" He said with a hint of embarrassment. I'm stunned, what kind of affectionate greeting is this? Just looking at his physique, my small frame wouldn't stand a chance against him! Luckily, I possess an extraordinary inner power that makes me fearless... but not now, since my injury has just healed!
"Autumn Voice Brother? My dad is the eldest of three brothers, and I'm the eldest of this generation. The one with the same 'autumn' character in his name should be my paternal uncle's son, that is, my cousin," "Autumn Voice Brother" I called out warmly. This was a very steady and calm person, with wisdom shining beneath his broad exterior. He would definitely be a great help to me in the future. I took note of him quietly. Autumn Voice Brother smiled slightly, nodded his head, and had an air of composure about him, quite like an elder brother. However, the excitement in his eyes couldn't be hidden. Hmm, calm, composed, good at controlling his emotions - what a great talent! At such a young age, he could already achieve this; it's not easy!"
At this time, another person squeezed over, "Autumn Uncle!" This was a fourteen or fifteen year old youth, with a clear and handsome face, white skin, and a slightly thin build compared to the others. His black hair and big eyes shone brightly, revealing his cleverness and wisdom, like an ancient well that was deep and profound, leaving me with a lasting impression. At this time, however, his eyes were flashing with excitement. Wait, which one is he again? "Autumn Uncle", didn't get it wrong, did we? We're basically the same age, at most just one or two years apart, do I really look that mature?
He saw the puzzled look in my eyes, and he became a bit anxious. "I'm Yun Fei, Tang Yun Fei!" Oh, this is another one of my relatives, the child of my paternal uncle's family. My generation is not low enough to address him as "uncle", so I said with half concealment and half strong words, "Yun Fei, you little rascal, didn't even come to see your uncle, thought you'd forgotten about your uncle?" I said, trying to cover up my embarrassment. "It's not that I didn't want to come, but my dad wouldn't let me. If it were up to me, I would have gone a long time ago. I've been worried sick! By the way, Autumn Uncle, I caught many sparrows these past few days and haven't had the heart to eat them. They're frozen outside, saved just for you. Roasted sparrows are delicious!" These words revealed his childish nature, showing me another lovable side of him.
"Still my nephew, thinking of me a lot, Uncle doesn't eat, you eat by yourself, ah!" Although I said that, my saliva almost came out. The charcoal-roasted sparrow is really delicious, hurry up and bring it over! Don't take my words seriously, Uncle is just pretending! I muttered to myself, wondering if I would regret saying this.
"That's not okay, it's left for you, wait until we get home and I'll give it to you." Good nephew, so cute, makes me want to pinch your cheeks. This kid loves you to death! You say, you've hooked out all of Uncle's cravings, if you don't satisfy my small wish, I'll be depressed for half a day. Who knows, I might even go to your house and freeload, how embarrassing would that be? Only someone who understands me, my nephew!"
Everyone surrounded me, chatting and laughing, the scene was quite lively. One asked if my injury had healed, another asked if I could still climb mountains and rivers, and if my kung fu practice had been delayed. Now you can't beat me, right? Little guy, when the time is ripe, let you see what a martial arts master looks like! Some even pinched my arm and shoulder, saying how come I'm still fat? Can't help it, try it yourself? Asking this and that, noisy and chaotic, lively to the point of being messy.
At this time, a clear and pleasant voice said: "Everyone stop making trouble, Xia Qiu's injury has just healed, don't let him get tired, besides, it's already noon, everyone should go home for lunch, or the adults will worry. Let's go home, Xia Qiu is fine now, there's plenty of time and effort in the future." It was Ling Jie, a clever and sensible girl who understood things, she helped me out of this situation, otherwise, if it continued like this, I might have revealed something, originally, she and the other girls didn't dare to squeeze into the crowd, they were always watching from the side. Now seeing that I was somewhat tired from responding, she thought my injury had just healed and my spirit wasn't enough, but actually, this was my first meeting with my companions, and it didn't match up with the impression in my memory. She came out to help me out of this situation, heh heh, I like her, as for what I like about her, I won't tell you, guess it yourself!
Everyone responded and surrounded me, walking towards the village. At this time, the smoke from every household had already been extinguished, it seemed that they had all finished cooking dinner and were just waiting for us to return! On the way, we continued chatting, and I learned a lot more information, recognizing several companions, such as my two younger uncles, several older and younger male cousins, and other close friends, as well as some information about those girls. Of course, they are all companions, it's just that we need to understand everything thoroughly, there's no living thought in here causing trouble, I must declare this to avoid misunderstandings!
On the way home, I intentionally sensed everyone's movements. It seems that their foundation is very good and they should have been practicing since childhood. Their footsteps are steady and powerful, but their steps seem very light. When walking, their body doesn't shake, their shoulders don't sway, their posture is straight, their lower body is stable, and their eyes are spirited. It appears that everyone has put in a lot of hard work, including the girls, who should be skilled enough to defend themselves with ease. I'm very satisfied to have such a group of companions by my side. With some guidance, combined with rigorous and scientific training, we can conquer the enemy, resist the Japanese pirates, and achieve great things. For a moment, I felt proud and ambitious, and my goals became clearer and more defined.
Everyone told me that there were still classes in the afternoon, so they couldn't come. After school in the evening, they came to see me, but they didn't want to go either. They all waited at home until they reached each other's doorsteps. Indeed, the adults were all outside looking around. Seeing that I was returning with them, their originally annoyed expressions had dissipated, and they all warmly greeted me. Sincerely inviting me to dinner at their homes, I smiled and expressed my gratitude. In my mouth, I called out "Dàye", "Dàniáng", "Shūshu", "Yízi", "Gēge", "Sǎozi" (terms of respect for elders), but in reality, I was also unsure and could only judge based on age. When I was unsure, I looked straight at Ling Jie, who suppressed a smile and first warmly called out various terms of endearment. I followed along, calling out without revealing my ignorance. However, looking at Ling Jie's expression, she seemed puzzled and amused, thinking "How could you be so foolish? You can't even recognize people!" I agreed, promising to come for dinner when I had the chance.
Everyone went back home, leaving only me and Ling Jie. Our two families are neighbors, just across the wall, and also the farthest from school. As we walked together in silence, it seemed like we suddenly had nothing to say to each other. I think this is how it usually is when we walk back together, not knowing if it's always been like this, silently walking side by side. The road behind us flows away, but somehow the road seems too short. The snow under our feet makes every step sound louder in the silent atmosphere, just like my heartbeat now.
Actually, I'm still very nervous, don't forget that I'm just a rookie, the little romantic experience from my past life is really pitifully small, not enough to use, and the situation is different from now. Walking with such a beautiful girl, so close together, it's like the first time, I seem to have smelled the fragrance emitted by Ling sister again, this is strange, how can I smell it on such a cold day? Maybe it's just my heart feeling. When we arrived home, Ling sister looked at me with a profound gaze and said: "You don't go anywhere tomorrow, your body has just recovered, don't get tired, rest well, I'm going home now, tonight I'll come over with everyone to see you." After finishing speaking, she turned around, her beautiful figure flashed before my eyes, making my heart flutter. My gaze followed her until she disappeared from sight. Why did she specifically emphasize coming with everyone to see me? It's full of profound meaning! I'm confused, really can't understand the thoughts of girls! It's difficult, as difficult as reaching the sky!!
Entering the house, hot and fragrant dishes were laid out on the table. My parents scolded me a few words, saying that I was just fine, but went out to play for so long, making the adults worry, even delaying dinner. It's really childish, but they didn't ask too many questions either.
Dad, Mom, I was just a kid back then, my age in my past life wasn't much younger than yours. Besides, today's harvest is huge! Never mind, let's just say I'm still a kid. Sometimes being a kid has its perks. Sly me, I ate several big bowls of rice, put down the bowl, lay down on the bed, stretched and felt comfortable, just wanting to hum a tune. It's not that I don't love labor, but Dad and Mom absolutely forbade me from doing physical labor now, prioritizing taking care of my body as the top priority. So, exempting physical labor is also part of the treatment after getting hurt, but the price paid for this treatment is a bit too high. It's better not to have this treatment. Originally, I'm a kid who loves labor.
After dinner, I had a good sleep and woke up when the sky was almost dark. I washed my face and felt refreshed. Sitting on the bed, I waited for the arrival of my little friends. Tomorrow, I can go to school with you all together. From then on, we will be together every day and get to know each other deeply. My plan should also start now. Time is waiting for no one, looking forward to their arrival...
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