This song was the part about Brother Yang that left the deepest impression on Fang Huai after he got discharged.
She had sung three different versions of this song on the "Sing Bar" app, and each one was annotated with a "♡".
If she didn’t like this song, Fang Huai would eat the microphone.
Fang Huai stayed put, fiddling with his guitar and the keyboardist for half a day before he managed to figure out the approximate tune.
As the prelude started, Fang Huai watched Yang Shaoqing begin to sing.
"Lately, you’ve beco very cold,
Leaving sowhat at a loss,
Actually, I had no great expectations,
Only that you’ve even avoided dates,
Without giving any reasons..."
The more she sang, the stranger the looks from people around beca.
Did they mishear the lyrics? Fang Huai seems to have a lot of resentnt... Were Little Yang’s usual actions that annoying?
Even the looks Yang Shaoqing received began to change.
Initially delighted by the song, Yang Shaoqing started to pout as well.
"I’m eating fried chicken at People’s Square, and where are you at this mont..."
Fang Huai was still obliviously imrsed in the mont.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Ashad by the looks from the people around, Yang Shaoqing interrupted:
"Fang Huai, when have I ever treated you like that!"
After saying that, he felt sothing was off, as the lyrics clearly spoke of lovers; Brother Yang quickly turned his head away again.
Fang Huai looked around as if he had just woken up, looking utterly bewildered.
The keyboardist started laughing: "This song is really good, it’s just that the lyrics are a bit misleading, but I see this beauty likes you quite a bit."
Exploded.
The fragile barrier between a male and a female of eighteen was punctured in an instant.
"What are you saying, I don’t like him at all!" Brother Yang turned red with embarrassnt all of a sudden.
Goodness personified.
Before Fang Huai could even respond, the keyboardist had already taken the bullet for him with his face.
This round, Fang Huai was like Emperor Qin getting electrocuted by touching a switch—coasting on a winning streak.
He hadn’t even confessed, yet others had boldly done it for him, taking on the brunt of the damage.
Licking his face, Fang Huai said, "I thought... you’d like the style of this song, the lyrics, they’re soone else’s story, don’t take it to heart."
Yang Shaoqing harrumphed.
She actually liked it a lot.
But she didn’t want to admit it.
Because this jerk Fang Huai made it seem as if she was a heartless woman!
Fang Huai, Fang Huai, Fang Huai! I’m going to write a very long QQ Space log! Criticizing you!
In the end, it took Zhang Zhongting’s half-day coaxing before Yang Shaoqing, huffing and puffing, went up to Fang Huai, hands outspread:
"Where’s the score?"
Fang Huai looked at Yang Shaoqing with hands outstretched, as if begging and with her head turned aside, struggling to suppress a smile:
"Didn’t you say you didn’t want it?"
"I’m afraid you’ll give it to soone else, hmph," Yang Shaoqing said, with a mix of complaint, a show of rejection mixed with shyness, and a total split in opinion.
"Do you want the tablature? I really can’t write staff notation, but you could find an expert to translate it for you," Fang Huai ntioned just as the keyboardist quietly spoke up:
"Give it to ... I’ll help you translate."
Fang Huai genuinely wanted to give this big brother a thumbs-up.
Brother, if we ever get married, I surely have to send you a wedding invite.
...
In the following days, Fang Huai took Yang Shaoqing to several squadrons to gather footage for the MV.
Yang Shaoqing, aware that she didn’t belong to the troops, watched quietly and obediently.
Whether it was the sight of firefighters in firefighting combat suits and ergency rescue outfits for staged shots that made her eyes sparkle, the edited charge-through-fire scenes that made her frown, or the arduous training footage, she didn’t voice any opinions.
Fang Huai was only a year older than her.
But the world he lived in had already beco different from hers, and she slowly understood the aning of "The Brave One in Solitude".
This sweet and charming girl was also frighteningly clever; in just a few days, she had learned much about the practical significance of tactical maneuvers through conversations with everyone.
Once, she pointed at a firefighter climbing the second section of a ladder on the training tower and said:
"These past few days, I’ve seen you guys are mostly filming climbing all kinds of ladders, do you only train in climbing and not in how to descend from them?"
Her question left the squadron leaders present montarily dumbfounded.
"Hmm... We do have evacuation training, but right now there isn’t a standardized procedure," Fang Huai explained sowhat comprehensively.
The even more suave squadron leader, noticing Detachnt Captain Zhang watching, pointed at the training tower and said, "Because what we focus on is charging forward, there is no turning back when we charge."
Yang Shaoqing rarely countered: "But I think how to descend is even more important."
Zhang Zhongting then ca over, smiling: "Water hoses, ropes, aerial platform ladders, or even bodily climbing are all their pathways down. Yet, you’re right, we should strengthen training in ladder retreats. This year, in the first half, we will include this topic in our assessnts."
This young girl’s single inquiry added a new item to the Provincial Brigade’s spring training agenda.
Fang Huai felt embarrassed, and he didn’t dare to initiate conversation with Brother Yang all afternoon.
He also made up his mind: once he had the capability, he would not only summarize procedures but also improve them!
The indignity suffered today, I, like Sima Qian... well, that sounds a bit ominous.
I, like Han Xin, must... he ended up executed.
Alone, I, like Goujian, must seek vengeance!
What he didn’t know was that the origin of Yang Shaoqing’s thoughts was simply a concern for his safety.
...
Fang Huai knew that the days of youth and gallant steeds would eventually pass.
He cherished the warmth brought to him by the Chang’an girl who ca down to the countryside to offer help.
Yang Shaoqing was indeed very heartwarming, so much so that on the day before her departure, she pounded away at a keyboard in a local internet cafe for a long ti, producing a nearly two-thousand-word fulmination in her QQ Space log, tagging Fang Huai in it.
Fang Huai knew that a public log that ntioned "Fang Huai" nearly a hundred tis, even if filled with complaints between the lines, at that ti, was practically equivalent to an official declaration.
Every word was a reflection of the girl’s youthful heart.
This journal entry could at least make quite a few boys who harbor dreams sigh in exasperation: Which departnt does that cool guy Fang Huai belong to!
Fang Huai had no idea whether Yang Shaoqing had written this short essay on a whim.
No, at 2000 words, it should be called a short thesis.
It’s just that when Yang Shaoqing left, Fang Huai and she had made a promise: if he could use a mobile phone, he would definitely send her a ssage every day to say hello and report on his life, to show that their friendship remained strong.
As a girl, Yang Shaoqing could be more casual. She just needed to send him a "good night" ssage every day.
The brilliant idea of this hilarious arrangent was sponsored by Zhong Ling.
He was also sowhat recklessly curious to see how long Yang Shaoqing would keep sending him goodnight ssages.
...
February still heralds the northern winds, the skies gray with snow.
It was snowing.
In fact, the scene on the training grounds in February, both solar and lunar, wasn’t all that different.
The cutting chill of the winds, whether in early spring or late winter, as they swept across the training ground and past each new recruit’s ears, was tinged with a biting pain.
During the break, Fang Huai pinched the hair on his forehead between his fingers, showing off the grown-out part, and shook it at Hao Chengbin.
"Squad leader... This hair... With Spring Festival approaching, aren’t we going to arrange for a haircut? This length, I could almost get a foil perm! If not, just give us so scissors, and we can take care of it ourselves!"
Fang Huai was also anxious. Last night, Yang Shaoqing had called him, saying she wanted to see his picture to show off her "friend" to her roommates.
Fang Huai made excuses that the mobile phone cara was too blurry and said he would borrow a studio cara to take a picture for her in a few days.
His hair was getting longer, and she even said she liked him better with short hair! How could he dare to take a picture?
But Hao Chengbin misunderstood, snickering:
"What, are you really afraid of the old superstition that shaving your head in the first lunar month will kill your uncle? Superstition! If it worked, not one of my six uncles would’ve survived!"
Yue Tao leaned in, with a mischievous tone he asked, "Squad leader, does that include maternal uncles from your side too?"
A pri post: Our squad leader hasn’t hit for three days now.
Hao Chengbin, as expected, rushed over and gave a loving lesson.
"Ah," sighed Peng Yingqirui, adding wistfully:
"It’s the first day of February today, and he’s already been kicked eight tis... I reckon he’s going to break last month’s record of 92 kicks."
Fang Huai chuckled and said, "Little guy, you’re bored to an extent I admire. Still keeping track of your discharge date?"
"670 days..." the little guy said weakly, "I wish I enlisted in 2008..."
"What’s the matter?"
The little guy suddenly grumbled fiercely, "Damn! It’s a leap year, February’s got an extra day!!"
Fang Huai burst into laughter.
Suddenly, he did so quick calculations in his head.
Sothing wasn’t right.
Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Little guy, you’re scheduled to be discharged on the 1st of December?"
"Yes! Isn’t it December when we get discharged?"
After hearing this, Fang Huai cheerfully patted the little guy on the shoulder.
"Then let give you so more bad news. The order might co at the beginning of December, but discharge won’t be implented until after the 7th or 8th."
The little guy’s eyes widened with panic.
Just as he was about to howl, Fang Huai covered the little guy’s mouth.
"Wang Lian’s coming over."
Not far off, Wang Jian glanced at his watch, then at the corps staff chatting in the middle of the playground, indicating that it wasn’t ti to blow the whistle for training to resu yet. He jogged over in quick strides.
"Fang Huai, Han Yong, co here for a sec!" he called out.
Seeing it was Wang Jian speaking, Hao Chengbin also walked over.
"What’s up, Wang Lian?" Fang Huai approached and stood to attention.
Wang Jian pointed towards the training tower and quickly said:
"At five-thirty this afternoon, you and Han Yong, assemble in front of the training tower. The Guiyang Special Duty team is coming over for training. They’re short-handed, so you two will assist them.
Skip dinner. Once done, you’ll eat with them at the staff canteen across the street. They’ll cover your als."
Hao Chengbin interrupted, "Just the two of them? No one else?"
"There should be seven or eight others, including Xiao Haishan from Squad Six. The rest aren’t from our company."
Wang Jian finished speaking and cast a aningful glance at Hao Chengbin.
Hao Chengbin’s expression flickered as he nodded.
This was likely the Provincial Special Duty Team taking a look at the new recruits soon to join them to see exactly what their quality was.
Wang Jian waved his hand, "Fang Huai, co with a sec."
Fang Huai glanced at Hao Chengbin, who waved him off.
Jogging to catch up with Wang Jian, Wang turned with a sowhat serious expression and asked, "Have you really thought it through about Anshun... won’t you reconsider?"
Fang Huai didn’t hesitate much and nodded firm.
Wang Jian sighed, hesitated a mont, but then added:
"You are a good soldier; everyone wants you. But once you’re in the company, it might not be as you imagine.
Especially the Provincial Special Duty Team—it’s the whole corps’ incubator. The tasks are heavy; apart from police dispatches and training, you’ll also be involved in the testing of new equipnt and new tactics.
Your talents are widely recognized, but that squad might not let you fully showcase them.
Even your uncle would take this squad seriously and wouldn’t let you do as you please.
If you find the environnt unsuitable for your talents after joining and want to transfer, it’s not just about your move; they’d also need to replace you, which complicates the paperwork.
Don’t be too optimistic. A good squad may not train each soldier to be his best but will train him to be what the squad needs most.
Even Hao Chengbin, despite being an old non-commissioned officer, has no say in the daily managent of the company; he can only help with training at most.
But if you join our developnt zone, as an instructor, I can ensure your comprehensive developnt without any problem.
While you still have the chance to change your mind, I urge you to think it over carefully."
Fang Huai believed eighty percent of what was said.
It was definitely sound advice.
The other part was Wang Jian not fully understanding his capabilities.
Fang Huai responded earnestly and concisely:
"Thank you, Wang Lian. But I think true excellence should be able to overco the environnt.
Just like Special Forces.
Since we’ve chosen to be soldiers, we have no reason to complain about the environnt. Right now, it’s just a little difficulty, and I don’t have the luxury to shy away... I choose to challenge the environnt."
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