Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After the morning training ended, the canteen crew brought up the als, a simple stew of cabbage with three-grain stead buns. The stew had at in it, with two or three pieces per bowl, making the militia cheer with joy, knowing that many people wouldn’t get to eat at even once in a year.
At al ti, each person could get two buns and one serving of vegetables. Those who ate quickly could go back for another half serving.
Ling Chengyan followed suit, got two buns and one serving of vegetables, ate one bun in a few bites, moved the at from the serving into her mouth, and gave the other bun along with the remaining vegetables to Zhang Wanxiang and Wu Qingyun.
When she went back with the empty lunchbox for a second helping, the chef was quite pleased and gave her two more buns, along with a lunchbox full of vegetables.
"Thank you, brother," Ling Chengyan expressed her gratitude, brought the al back, and saw the other four were all dumbfounded, whispering, "What are you looking at? Eat quickly, you can still grab another helping!"
Zhang Wanxiang and Wu Qingyun snapped out of it, hurriedly looked down and stuffed buns and vegetables into their mouths, while Jiang Shenglin and Wang Lianqi had already finished their first serving and rushed back for a second helping...
The veteran militia mbers all got two helpings, eating the second serving slowly, and ended up feeling very full. The new militia mbers, lacking experience, ate the first serving slowly, and by the ti they went back for more, the buns were gone, the vegetables were gone, even the vegetable soup was scraped clean. Thus, many new militia mbers didn’t get to eat enough and could only watch the experienced ones leisurely eat buns and vegetables, finishing with so hot water to wash it down in satisfaction.
Ling Chengyan got four buns in total, but she only ate one and a half, gave one to the two young n, and kept one and a half in her lunchbox.
The afternoon training was going to be more intense, and with the experience from this midday al, the new militia mbers were sure to join in the scramble for dinner... making that one and a half bun even more precious.
After lunch, Ling Chengyan experienced the dormitory prepared for them, which was the commune’s warehouse, usually storing odds and ends. For large activities like militia training, it was tidied up to beco a dormitory. Inside, there were two kangs with just a narrow passage in the middle left for movent, and no furniture.
As a female comrade, Ling Chengyan was assigned a large dormitory, a spacious room, with a large kang that held only her blanket roll.
Ling Chengyan brought a washbasin and a thermos, and after setting down her bedding, went to fetch a pot of hot water, which she could only place on the kang opposite.
After a brief wash-up and tidying, Ling Chengyan heard the assembly whistle and hurried out of the dormitory.
The male militia mbers also rushed out for assembly; Ling Chengyan didn’t see Zhang Wanxiang and Wu Qingyun, slowed down her pace to wait, and sure enough, the two were last to co out.
But, what happened to Wu Qingyun’s face? His cheekbone and the corner of his eye were bruised, and his mouth was red and slightly split.
Taking a closer look, Zhang Wanxiang also seed a bit off, his hair slightly damp with sweat, his face flushed, and his breath uneven.
With a glance, Ling Chengyan mostly guessed the situation—she had noticed earlier when the dormitories were assigned that Nanli Team and Longsheng Brigade were grouped together.
After lunch, when Wang Lianqi and Jiang Shenglin were occupied and hadn’t returned to the dormitory, those two young n were on their own, and it seed they were bullied by the Longsheng Brigade.
Ling Chengyan’s gaze slightly narrowed, but she didn’t ask, rely urging the two to speed up and gather at the training ground.
Wang Lianqi, as the second platoon leader, was already waiting at the field, his eyes fixed on the three running towards him, blowing his whistle and shouting, "Assemble, fall in, dress right, eyes front!"
After each company and platoon assembled, Political Commissar Xu Dong stepped forward to announce the training tasks: "This afternoon, we start subject training. Due to venue and equipnt reasons, the three companies will separate for training, with the first company doing grenade throwing training; the second company dismantling and assembling firearms; the third company practicing bayonet fighting."
Ling Chengyan glanced at the few from Longsheng Village out of the corner of her eye and thought, let them act arrogantly for half a day since they’re not training together.
After assigning the training projects, each company and platoon led their teams to the training ground.
Suddenly, the company commander brought over two young female comrades for introduction to the team, recomnded by Zhangbaozi Team and Li Family Gathering Team, nad Zhang Yuyan and Li Huaihua.
"...I hope more female comrades join the militia training, everyone welco them."
With the company commander taking the lead, everyone clapped in unison to welco them.
Zhang Yuyan and Li Huaihua were assigned to the second platoon, where Ling Chengyan trained.
The afternoon was grenade throwing training, focusing on strength and accuracy. In these two areas, Ling Chengyan was no weaker than her male comrades. Once the company commander finished his explanation, the militia began to separate into squads for throwing drills.
Five per squad, ten per group, with the addition of Zhang Yuyan and Li Huaihua, making twelve in Ling Chengyan’s group.
Large willow baskets held model grenades for training, with everyone running up, grabbing one, and running to the designated spot to throw it.
Zhang Yuyan moved smoothly, the whole process from pulling the pin to throwing was done in one go, though the distance was slightly short, missing the chalk-marked target zone. Li Huaihua’s movents were slower, forgetting to pull the pin, but her strength was considerable, landing it in the target zone.
So male militia mbers also fell short in distance, with even more struggling with accuracy, with a third failing to hit the target.
Ling Chengyan, as a female militiaman, was singled out for praise, her movent precise, and her throws on target. Though the other two female militian had so shortcomings, their results were comndable too.
The three female militian were singled out for praise, leaving many male militia mbers feeling displeased, whispering accusations of favoritism towards won by the company commander.
Zhang Yuyan and Li Huaihua felt sowhat uncomfortable, but Ling Chengyan remained calm, seemingly oblivious to the murmurs and jibes around her.
During the break, everyone sat down to rest, and Wang Lianqi and Jiang Shenglin quietly asked about Wu Qingyun’s injuries. Wu Qingyun, embarrassed, remained silent, while Zhang Wanxiang couldn’t hold back, explaining how a few from Longsheng Village had bullied them, shoving them into a corner and tossing Wu Qingyun’s pillow. The pillow was embroidered by Wu Qingyun’s yet-to-marry fiancée, sothing he treasured greatly, so when it was thrown onto the muddy ground, he couldn’t tolerate it and took action.
Jiang Shenglin glanced at Wang Lianqi, whose face turned sullen, yet he couldn’t openly incite the militia to brawl, so he first checked on Wu Qingyun’s injuries, planning to take him to the infirmary after training.
Wu Qingyun shook his head, "I’m fine..."
As they were speaking, soone from the second company suddenly called out, requesting the first company to perform a program.
The second company commander also approached with a grin, suggesting that since the first company had female mbers, they should contribute a performance to lighten the mood.
Under everyone’s gaze, Zhang Yuyan imdiately lowered her head, murmuring softly, "I can’t perform."
Li Huaihua, on the other hand, was bolder, glaring back at those with teasing or even malicious eyes, without saying anything.
The first company commander said, "So what if we have female mbers? On the training ground, our female comrades never admit defeat and didn’t fall behind. What, you can’t compete on the training field, so you’re trying to make up for it off the field? If you’ve got the ability, let your second company lead by example!"
Ling Chengyan pushed Wu Qingyun, who imdiately shouted, "Second company, lead by example!"
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