Chapter 72: Chapter 70 Following Brother Nan Leads to Rewards
The morning passed, and the afternoon was even harder to endure.
Luckily, there wasn’t much training at night; after symbolically standing at attention for a while, the instructor left them the rest of the time to play.
With the company of girls from the School of Economics, the young lads from Fifth Camp Fourth Company were quite lively. Huai Xu showed up out of nowhere. He stood next to Zhou Li, observing everyone’s performances and occasionally exchanging a few words with him, grinning foolishly. His sense of participation was even stronger than Zhou Li’s.
Suddenly, a chorus drifted across the soccer field.
"Unity is Strength..."
"Chilly wind, drifting, leaves falling..."
Zhou Li turned his head to look, only to see two squads sitting under distant lights, someone teaching them to sing.
One squad was taught by an instructor, the other by a squad leader.
He suddenly had an ominous feeling.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a tall figure approaching with a stern face.
"Zhou Li!"
"Present."
"Did you hear that? These two songs, ’Unity is Strength,’ ’Green Flowers in the Army,’ as well as ’1234 Song’ and ’Coming Back from Shooting Practice,’ can you sing them?"
"I can’t."
"No worries..." the instructor said with a smile. "You can learn them tonight when you go back. It’s up to you which one you learn first, but you just have to know these four. Every company must learn them as per orders. One song will be taught each day, so there’s plenty of time. Understand?"
"But it’s instructors who are teaching that squad."
"This is an opportunity for you to train and show what you can do. Don’t ask why anymore, got that?"
"..."
"Answer ’Understood’!"
"Understood."
"We’ll dismiss in ten minutes."
"Yes."
"You sound like a mosquito..." the instructor muttered as he walked away. He ran to the company stationed close by and started talking to a Female Instructor; Brother Nan’s company’s Female Instructor was one of the prettiest on the soccer field.
Ten minutes later, Zhou Li pushed through the crowd, surrounded by a sea of green and blue, the cacophony of voices indistinct.
So many backs of heads.
Turning around, Huai Xu was still following him.
So Zhou Li put on his headphones and said, "How many days can you appear with the energy you’ve stored up now?"
"At most two or three days," Huai Xu said, pausing for a moment to think. "I haven’t fully recovered yet, but I think I can last longer if I cut out time for eating and going to the bathroom. I’m not sure if I can stretch it to four days."
"I see."
"I’m sorry..."
"Just clean up your own mess."
"HMM..."
Zhou Li began to ponder.
The military training lasted for two weeks with a break in the middle, and three days had already passed. Originally, he planned to have Huai Xu use Manifesting Form every other day to take his place. Huai Xu feigned reluctance but actually seemed quite keen on the idea.
He and Huai Xu learned the drills quickly, which was enough to support this kind of operation.
But now he had to teach songs for the next four days, which messed up the plan.
Zhou Li absolutely refused to teach songs!
Letting Huai Xu teach two songs in one day?
This wasn’t something he could decide alone.
Zhou Li felt a headache coming on.
When he got back to the dormitory, the other three had returned before him.
He heard Liu Zhengming cheerfully saying, "Our dorm is quite something, having produced two squad leaders. I think we’ve got the popularity base. After the military training, the official squad leader position will surely come from our dorm. It’s just a matter of which one of you two wants to go for it."
"I give up," Zhou Li said.
"I’d like to give it a try and run for it," Chen Yang said.
"Man, the girls from the School of Economics today were really pretty, so many beauties, especially that female squad leader, absolutely stunning!" Chang Xiaoxiang had the makings of a womanizer. "How about we try the School of Foreign Studies in a few days? Zhou Li, you go pick someone up."
"I agree!"
"Seconded!"
"You guys decide."
Zhou Li sat in his spot, replaying "Unity is Strength" over and over on his phone.
Huai Xu sang along beside him.
That old demon really had a nice singing voice.
Zhou Li couldn’t help but show a reminiscent expression; If he hadn’t heard Huai Xu humming that day, he wouldn’t have ended up being saddled with him.
As he thought this, he couldn’t help but smile.
Chang Xiaoxiang’s voice came from behind, "If you just listen without singing along, can you really learn it?"
Zhou Li nodded and hummed in affirmation.
After a moment’s thought, he suddenly turned and stared at Chang Xiaoxiang, saying, "That female squad leader from the School of Economics said today that your singing isn’t bad."
"Really?" Chang Xiaoxiang was surprised.
"She also said you’re tall."
"She couldn’t possibly..."
"I don’t know. Girls are usually more subtle."
"Makes sense."
"I think regardless of whether the female squad leader is interested in you or not, as long as you keep performing like you did today, you’ll at least lay a solid foundation to stop being single during military training." Zhou Li’s words were very convincing. Not only Chang Xiaoxiang, but also Chen Yang, Liu Zhengming, and Huai Xu stared at him, although Huai Xu’s gaze was different from the others’.
"What should I do, Brother Li, teach me!"
"Just make yourself seen and perform more."
"I want to, but there are only so many chances. I can’t keep going up to sing every time."
"That is a problem," Zhou Li agreed.
"Sigh..."
"I’ll think of a way for you."
"Really?"
"Tomorrow I’ll teach you ’Unity is Strength,’ but my throat has always been weak. You see, I don’t even shout commands out loud. Teaching songs all day will definitely be too much for me, and the day after tomorrow I still have to teach the ’1234 Song.’ If you help me, I’ll go to the female squad leader. I’ll suggest that when their company learns the songs, they come sit next to us, and I’ll teach everyone together." Zhou Li ignored Huai Xu’s gaze.
"But my singing isn’t that good..."
"Is that so?" Zhou Li was somewhat surprised; he thought Chang Xiaoxiang believed he sang very well.
"I’ve seldom sung before, and today it took a lot of courage to do it," Chang Xiaoxiang said.
"No problem. Military songs are simple; all you need to do is belt them out. Let me tell you..." Zhou Li then repeated, word for word, the same spiel Brother Nan had used to trick him into going to KTV.
"Makes sense."
"Think it over. If it’s not possible, then forget about it."
"I’ll listen to you!"
"Teaching so many girls to sing tomorrow... I suddenly feel a lot of pressure," Zhou Li sighed.
"Thank you so much, Brother Li!"
"You’re welcome."
After all, they would be together for four years, and there would be many times they would need to help each other out. Zhou Li felt it was something he should do.
So Chang Xiaoxiang began playing the ’1234 Song.’
Zhou Li picked up his mouthwash cup and got up to go to the balcony, feeling in a good mood. As he passed Chen Yang, he casually teased, "Not even wearing pants..."
When he came back after getting water, Chen Yang was putting on his pants.
Zhou Li was taken aback. When he processed it, he pursed his lips, thought for a moment, and then added, "It’s not good to always smoke in the dorm either."
"Oh!"
Chen Yang immediately stamped out his cigarette. "Indeed, that’s not good. I’ll either go to the balcony or the corridor from now on!"
Zhou Li touched his own face.
Back at his desk, he started brushing his teeth.
Huai Xu told him, "I’ve learned the song. The self-criticism essay, I left it on your bed. Remember to bring it tomorrow. I’m going back now."
Zhou Li fumbled for his keys.
Huai Xu waved his hand. "No need."
After that, he disappeared.
Just then, Chen Yang shouted, holding his phone, "There was just a notice in the group chat! It says everyone must write an essay reflecting on military training. The two acting squad leaders are to collect them tomorrow night and hand them to the Student Union’s Head of Propaganda. It needs to be eight hundred words!"
"Which group?" Chang Xiaoxiang asked.
"The acting squad leaders’ group. It also includes student union officers," Chen Yang said, utterly confused. "Such a pain in the ass!"
"Yeah, military training is exhausting enough without having to write reflections!"
"Those idiots!"
After cursing, Chen Yang forwarded the message to the class group chat. Seeing that everyone was just as annoyed, he felt a lot better.
Curse as they might, they still had to write it.
Ten minutes later, after finishing his washing up, Zhou Li picked up his pen.
Suddenly, Chen Yang said again, "I heard Class Three isn’t writing it!"
Zhou Li’s pen paused. "Why?"
"Brother Nan said only idiots would write it. She called the Student Union brain-dead in the group chat. I heard from the male acting squad leader of Class Four that she told her class to rest well and do whatever they like; she’d take the heat... She’s tough!"
"Oh."
Zhou Li promptly put down his pen.
Meanwhile, Chang Xiaoxiang and Liu Mingzheng beside him had already written quite a bit. Both were furious, perhaps feeling they’d been made to look like fools.
"Now the Student Union is in a really awkward position!"
"You should try cursing too! Then we won’t have to write it!" Chang Xiaoxiang urged.
"Well..." Chen Yang hesitated. "That’s not very nice."
"Don’t be scared! With Brother Nan taking the lead, and you’re so strong, if the Student Union comes looking for trouble, just take off your shirt and they’ll be too frightened to say a word!" Chang Xiaoxiang continued.
"I’m not scared. I just want to give the seniors some respect."
"Sigh, why isn’t Brother Nan the acting squad leader of our class...? Hey, Zhou Li, are you not writing?"
"Not writing."
Zhou Li climbed onto his bed.
Picking up the self-criticism essay Huai Xu had written, he didn’t want to read it. He placed it beside his pillow, closed his eyes in a peaceful posture, and lay down.