Chapter 90: Military Training
Mi Zehai traveled back and forth between Shanghai and Shanhai Town for several months. By the end of the summer vacation, he had brought the few children back with him.
Cheng Qing had already prepared the things they needed for school at home. The brother and sister each had a new schoolbag. Mi Yang’s was a sports brand that was popular among students now, and he could also carry it when he went out to play basketball or something. Mi Xue’s was a pink cartoon schoolbag, the kind with two shoulder straps, with a little white cat printed on it.
As Cheng Qing was helping Mi Xue put it on, she said, “Your brother didn’t have such good conditions when he was in elementary school. Our family was also in a difficult situation back then. Your brother used a military yellow satchel as a schoolbag and was even scolded by the teacher for it.”
Mi Xue said, “What did the teacher say?”
Cheng Qing said, “She said your brother’s schoolbag was too old and not good.”
The little girl immediately said with dissatisfaction, “This teacher is not good. How can she say that? Our little Teacher Zhou is very good. She’s never like that! She even taught us how to line up yesterday. We’re in the first class, Mom, and we’re standing at the very front!”
The child’s topic jumped quickly, and in a moment, she was chattering about her first day of reporting yesterday. The first day was mainly for getting books and getting to know the classroom. The elementary school Mi Xue was attending was near their home. Although it was not as good as the one Mi Yang had attended before, Mi Xue’s little friends were all there, and the little girl herself wanted to study with them. When the family let her choose, she had chosen to be with her little friends without any hesitation.
Cheng Qing listened to her chattering and also sighed with emotion. After all, the times were different. When Mi Yang was in school, the children were not so bold as to question the teacher. Now, the school management was much more open and transparent, and the teachers were also much better than in the border town. She was very at ease with her little daughter going to school.
Mi Yang had packed very little. He had only brought a set of casual clothes and some toiletries, and nothing else.
Cheng Qing went over and asked him, “Do you want to bring some more money? Is your living allowance enough?”
Mi Yang put his backpack aside and nodded. “It’s enough.”
Cheng Qing was not at ease and stuffed another two hundred yuan into his bag. “Your school is too strict, with all these rules about what you can and can’t bring. Then you should take some more money. You can buy whatever you need then.”
Mi Yang stopped her and smiled. “Mom, why are you like Dad? He also gave me a few hundred last night. It’s really enough.”
Cheng Qing didn’t listen and stuffed it into his bag. “Take it. You’ve grown up. I’ll be more at ease if you have some more money with you.” She gave him the money, then looked around, worried. “Why is it just a small bag? You’re going for military training this time, right? I saw on the registration form that you’ll only have a holiday after half a month. Should you bring some more food? Military training is so tiring. You’ll definitely be hungry at night. I’ve roasted a lot of beef jerky. It’s more delicious and cleaner than the ones outside. I remember Luochuan also likes to eat this. I’ll go and pack a bag for you to take.”
Mi Yang quickly said, “One bag is enough. It seems we’re training in a military camp this time. We probably can’t bring it in.”
Mi Xue had already run over to be Cheng Qing’s little helper. She helped her mom pack a full bag of beef jerky in a sealed bag, hugged it, and put it in Mi Yang’s backpack, even covering it with some clothes, and said seriously, “Brother, you can sneak it in.” The little girl’s face was also full of worry. She was already afraid that her brother would go hungry outside.
Mi Yang was amused by her and stroked her little head. “Okay.”
On the day he went to school, Bai Luochuan came over to pick up Mi Yang and go with him.
Bai Luochuan’s bag was similar to Mi Yang’s, also from a sports series, but the young master Bai had even fewer things in his bag and had casually put it aside. When he saw Mi Yang get in the car, his gaze fell on the bulging backpack and he asked, “Why did you bring so much? You have to change into military training clothes when you get there, and they’ll also give you two sets of school uniforms. You probably won’t be able to wear your casual clothes.”
Mi Yang said, “Mm, I just brought a change of clothes and some food.”
Bai Luochuan was very interested and asked him, “What food?”
Mi Yang then gave him a bag of beef jerky. Bai Luochuan hadn’t eaten much in the morning. He took it, opened it, and ate a few pieces. He ate with great relish, and Mi Yang couldn’t help but look at him several times. This person’s white teeth were so sharp. He ate this with great ease, as if it were a teething biscuit. Mi Yang was very envious. In terms of physique, he had never been able to compare to the young master Bai since he was a child.
Bai Luochuan licked his fingers, curious. “What’s wrong? Why do you keep looking at me like that?”
Mi Yang shook his head. “No, I just feel that you seem to have grown a little taller.”
Bai Luochuan’s interest was piqued, and he said happily, “You noticed too? My old shirt still fits, but my pants are a little short, by two or three centimeters.”
Mi Yang was extremely envious.
He remembered that in his previous life, Bai Luochuan was a natural clothes hanger, like a model, tall and handsome. Now, he was visibly growing taller bit by bit, and was slowly starting to have the silhouette of a young man. But as for him, he had drunk so much milk, and after drinking it, he would just want to sleep. He hadn’t seen himself grow much taller. If he ate and exercised seriously, he might be a little taller, at least taller than in his previous life. Mi Yang comforted himself in his heart. It was alright to just compare with himself.
High school was a boarding school with military-style management, much stricter than before. When the new students first entered, the dormitories were all six-person rooms, and the name lists were also mixed up. Bai Luochuan had put his name and Mi Yang’s together but had not been able to get into the same class. Let alone the dormitory, they were not even in the same class.
Bai Luochuan’s face was not good, but there was nothing he could do. He could only stay like this for the time being.
Bai Luochuan was assigned to the first class of the first year of high school, and Mi Yang was in the second class. During the new student assembly in the morning, the two classes were also separated by a white line. Bai Luochuan was a little taller. Although he was a year younger than the others in the class, it was not very obvious. He was still standing in a position towards the back. He tilted his head slightly and looked at the class next to him. After looking for a while, he finally recognized Mi Yang from a group of students in identical school uniforms. His Little Good Boy was standing in the middle row on the right side of the second class, seriously listening to the school leaders on the stage.
Bai Luochuan was still looking when his homeroom teacher came over and said to him in a low voice, “Bai Luochuan, you’ll be going up to speak on behalf of the new students in a bit. Get ready. You’ve written your speech, right?”
Bai Luochuan withdrew his gaze and nodded.
The homeroom teacher of the first class was still a little worried. He had him take it out and read it himself. After feeling that there were no problems, he patted his shoulder and said with an encouraging smile, “It’s very well written. Try to say it without the script when you go up. If you’re nervous, you can also read it.”
Bai Luochuan said, “Okay.”
The school leaders on the other side soon finished speaking. Bai Luochuan was taken to the stage by his homeroom teacher and had him go up to give the new student speech.
Bai Luochuan didn’t even take out his script. He stood there, looked straight ahead, and gave his speech without a script. He spoke very fluently. After his gaze found the person standing in the second class of the first year of high school, he didn’t move it away and stood there steadily and continued to speak. The homeroom teacher of the first class was a little more nervous than he was. He stood to the side and listened, nodding along. He had read the speech once just now and roughly knew the content. Seeing his student stand there and finish the speech in one go, with only the conclusion left, a smile couldn’t help but appear on his face. Just as he was about to applaud, he heard Bai Luochuan start another section and continue to speak, and the smile on his face also froze.
This section was not on the script, was it?
The homeroom teacher was dumbfounded. He listened as he added a section on the spot. His own heart was in his throat, and he was sweating. He listened and carefully observed. Bai Luochuan’s extension was quite well done. He spoke for a few more minutes and then quickly came down.
Only then did the homeroom teacher breathe a sigh of relief.
He took Bai Luochuan back to the class line and whispered, “Why did you suddenly add a section? You scared me just now.”
Bai Luochuan said, “I was a little nervous when I went up.”
Homeroom teacher: “…”
He had taught so many classes of students, and this was the first time he had seen someone who could perform better when they were nervous.
Every year during military training, the school would send the students to a military camp for training. This batch of first-year high school students also followed the usual practice and were sent over together. They were divided into lines by class, and each class had a drill instructor in charge. They were all iron-faced and impartial, without any room for negotiation.
After Bai Luochuan arrived, he first went to the second class to find Mi Yang and said a few simple words, seeing if there was anything he needed help with.
Mi Yang was the same as him. They had both grown up in a military camp and were more familiar with the green military camp. His movements were also nimble, and he had already tidied up his internal affairs. Bai Luochuan went over to help him and whispered to him, “If there’s anything, go to the first class and find me. If you can’t take it, just ask for leave. Your health has just recovered…”
Mi Yang nodded. “I’m fine. You should go back quickly.”
Bai Luochuan was a little hesitant. “I’ll go after I’ve helped you tidy up.” He had been in the limelight at the new student assembly, and now everyone knew him. They looked over with a hint of curiosity. Bai Luochuan didn’t care at all. After confirming that there was nothing wrong with Mi Yang’s side, he then left.
In the military camp, the students also stayed in dormitories. The conditions were a little harder than at school, with eight people to a room. With more people, it was also lively to chat. Someone saw that there was someone who had specially come to take care of Mi Yang and was very envious. He asked him, “Was that person just now Bai Luochuan, the one who gave the new student speech? Do you know him?”
Another one also came over. “It’s not just knowing him. I see he’s taking special care of Mi Yang. Hey Mi Yang, is he your older brother?”
Mi Yang thought for a moment and smiled and nodded. “Yes.”
The person beside him was even more envious. “Your older brother is so good to you.”
Mi Yang smiled and didn’t say anything, tacitly agreeing.
On the other side, when Bai Luochuan went back, he ran into the black-faced drill instructor in charge of his class.
The drill instructor said seriously, “Are you from this dormitory?”
Bai Luochuan stood there and said, “Yes!”
Drill instructor: “Then why aren’t you at your own post!”
Bai Luochuan: “…”
The drill instructor said with a cold face, “Out. To the playground. Run—!”
This “Brother Bai,” who was so good to Mi Yang, was punished to run five laps on the playground that very night for not following discipline and leaving his dormitory without permission.
Bai Luochuan ran very fast. When he came back, his forehead was covered in sweat, and the clothes on his back were also soaked. His chest was heaving violently, but his eyes were as black and bright as before. He stood at the dormitory door and shouted again to report back, “Report! Running complete!”
The drill instructor said, “In. Tidy up your internal affairs. Rest!”
Bai Luochuan: “Yes!”
