The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 592 Quenching!!!

Gong Weiguo shouted loudly, looking at his son and said: "You are 18 years old this year, you are a man, but do you have the qualities of a man? What is responsibility, responsibility, and courage? Have you ever fought for something desperately and sweated profusely?"

His father's words were like a thunderbolt striking Gong Qianjin's heart. Responsibility, courage and commitment, as his father said, had never appeared in his life in the past 18 years.

"Experience it yourself. Your life is your own."

As he spoke, Gong Weiguo placed an application form on the table and walked out of the room alone. There had never been a moment when Gong Qianjin felt that his father's figure was so tall.

He looked at the report on the table and the open door of the interrogation room and fell into deep thought.

.........

The conscription scene was relatively orderly. The guards at the door were holding rifles, there was a long queue of people in the hall, and people in military uniforms were constantly walking back and forth.

Gong Qianjin stood at the end of the crowd, and he really didn't know that the scene of being a soldier was like handing out money! Everyone was desperate and scrambling to be the first!

The procedure was very cumbersome. The physical examination alone was enough to make Gong Xiaoyu worried. A group of grown men came into a room, took off their clothes without saying a word, and a man who looked like a doctor stared at the place, making Gong Qianjin feel uncomfortable all over.

Conscription these days is still very strict. Due to the number of places available, even if you pass the physical examination and political review, you may still be eliminated.

Gong Qianjin cut off his long hair, probably because of his father, and he passed the test with ease.

A three-hour train ride brought them to another unfamiliar place, and then the bumpy car drove into the military camp. To be honest, Gong Qianjin regretted getting on the bus a little bit.

He had such a strong will before, but his father just fooled him into sending him to such a place with a few words. Gong Qianjin felt very sad when he thought that he didn't even have the time to say hello to Duman or say goodbye to his brothers.

The car was shaking and Gong Qianjin simply fell asleep in it. He didn't know how long it was before the car finally stopped.

"get off!"

With a loud shout, Gong Qianjin was awakened from his sleep. He looked at the captain under the car with displeasure. "Just get off the car, why are you yelling?"

"Let's go, buddy!"

Gong Qianjin looked at the slightly fat guy next to him who was one size bigger than him, frowned and said, "My legs are numb from being pressed. What's your name?"

"Yue Jun!"

"My name is Gong Qianjin, help me down, I will protect you from now on."

Yue Jun smiled naively and helped Gong Qianjin down from the car. The new recruits below began to line up, dressed in the Type 79 military uniforms.

A red flag was flying in the huge military camp. In front of the recruits stood a leader wearing a cadre uniform with four pockets. On both sides stood a row of neatly-knit guards wearing the Army's Type 79 service uniform, standing upright with determination in their eyes.

All of this was particularly enviable in the eyes of the recruits.

……

At first, Gong Qianjin felt that the three months in the recruit company were like purgatory.

Life here is even harder than Gong Qianjin had imagined.

Getting up at five in the morning, followed by intense morning exercises, and then endless drill training, tactical training and physical training.

After turning off the lights at night, Gong Qianjin often lay in bed, unable to sleep due to body aches. His hometown, the building he owned, and the faces of his mother and Xiaoman appeared before his eyes.

In the first week, Gong Qianjin could hardly adapt to this kind of life.

During drills, he was always a step behind and often bumped into others when turning, which drew criticism from the instructor.
In physical training, he always came last in the five-kilometer cross-country race, exhausted and out of breath;

The most difficult part was the tactical training, which required crawling, creeping, and rolling in the mud. After each training session, he would be covered in mud as if he had been fished out of the water.

"Gong Qianjin, you can't do this," squad leader He Qiu often said to him, "The army is not a place to go on vacation. If you want to stay, you have to endure this hardship."

The men in Tianjin and Hong Kong are all proud people. Gong Qianjin would rather die of exhaustion than be looked down upon.

So he gritted his teeth and persevered, and after training every day, he would secretly practice more.

When it was late at night and everyone was asleep, he would practice the queue movements over and over again in the open space outside the dormitory until his legs became weak. He would also use his break time to do push-ups and pull-ups until his arms were so sore that he couldn't lift them. He even counted the beats in his mind while taking a shower, for fear of making another mistake in the queue training.

Slowly, Gong Qianjin's efforts began to pay off.

In a five-kilometer cross-country race in the second month as a recruit, he was no longer the last one, but ran steadily in the middle; during queue training, his movements became uniform and he even received praise from the instructor; in tactical training, he learned how to move quickly in difficult environments and was no longer the rookie who was always coughing due to being choked by mud and water.

At the end of the three-month recruit training, Gong Qianjin was named "Training Model", which was a recognition of his efforts.

What surprised him even more was that the commander of the reconnaissance company came to him personally and said that he saw his potential and wanted to transfer him to the reconnaissance company.

"The reconnaissance company is a sharp knife company, the training is more difficult and the requirements are higher," He Qiu patted his shoulder and said, "but if you can stick with it, your future is limitless."

Gong Qianjin agreed without hesitation.

A week later, he officially became a member of the reconnaissance company and was promoted to deputy squad leader, with He Qiu as the squad leader.

At that time, Gong Qianjin felt like a little dragon that had escaped from its nest and had finally found a place where he could display his skills.

The training in the reconnaissance company was harder, but Gong Qianjin liked it more.

Here, Gong Qianjin learned how to fight and survive in the wild...

During an exercise, Gong Qianjin stayed alone in the mountains for three days, relying on catching snakes and wild fruits to fill his stomach.

He Qiu patted Gong Qianjin on the shoulder and said, "Qianjin, you are a good soldier!"

Wearing the camouflage uniform of the reconnaissance company and the armband representing a scout for the first time, Gong Qianjin felt an unprecedented sense of pride.

He wrote a long letter to his family, describing in detail the changes that had taken place over the past three months and the letter was full of longing for the future.

That spring, the troops received a transfer order and were sent to a small mountain town on the southwestern border for garrison.

This is a place with a complex environment, surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing water on one side. It is shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, and flash floods often occur during the rainy season.

The troops' mission is to patrol the border, maintain regional stability, and conduct some special military training.

The day we first arrived in the town, the sky was gloomy and drizzling. The mountains were looming in the clouds, like an ink painting.

Gong Qianjin stood outside the camp, looking at the mountains in the distance, and actually had the illusion of returning to his hometown.

"Are you homesick?" Platoon leader He Qiu walked up to him and lit a cigarette.

Gong Qianjin shook his head: "No, I just feel that the mountains here are different from ours."

"You'll get used to it!" He Qiu exhaled a puff of smoke. "The rainy season here is no joke. When flash floods occur, even rocks can be washed away. So during normal training, you must understand the terrain clearly and know where the safe areas are and where the dangerous areas are."

Gong Qianjin nodded seriously and made up his mind to familiarize himself with the environment here as soon as possible.

On the third day after the troops settled down, a group of newly transferred communications soldiers arrived at the camp.

Among them, one female soldier was particularly eye-catching, not because of her outstanding appearance, but because she always kept to herself, was taciturn, and had a calm and firm look in her eyes.

"Who is that?" Gong Qianjin couldn't help but ask his comrades around him.

"There's a new guy in the communications company named Wang Jing. I heard he's pretty good, especially good at analyzing tactical maps and using communications equipment," the comrade said in a low voice, "but he has a weird personality. He never talks about his own affairs with others, and he doesn't participate in any group activities unless it's necessary training."

Gong Qianjin looked thoughtfully at Wang Jing in the distance. She was reading a book alone on a bench beside the playground. She looked focused and seemed indifferent to everything around her.

In the following days, Gong Qianjin would occasionally meet Wang Jing on the training ground, in the cafeteria or in the library, but they never had a formal conversation.

Wang Jing always seems to live in her own world. Even during group training, she rarely communicates with others. She just quietly completes her tasks and then leaves silently.

Until one day, the reconnaissance company and the communications company conducted a joint exercise. As the squad leader, Gong Qianjin needed to cooperate with the communications soldiers to establish a temporary communications station.

The communications soldier assigned to him happened to be Wang Jing.

"Hello, I'm Gong Qianjin, the squad leader of the third squad of the reconnaissance company," Gong Qianjin took the initiative to extend his hand, "We need to work together on this mission."

Wang Jing glanced at him and said briefly: "Wang Jing, Communications Company." Her voice was cold, but had an inexplicable appeal.

In the next mission, Gong Qianjin was surprised to find that Wang Jing was not only proficient in communication technology, but also had a strong ability to judge and analyze the terrain.

She is able to quickly find the best communication point in a complex mountain environment and accurately predict possible interference factors.

"How come you are so good?" Gong Qianjin couldn't help asking, "You seem to be very familiar with the terrain in this area."

Lin Jing glanced at him calmly: "I just did my homework."

Gong Qianjin noticed that Wang Jing never looked directly at him when she was talking, but stared at the distant mountain peaks, with an indescribable emotion in her eyes. After the mission, Gong Qianjin was deeply impressed by Wang Jing, a woman different from Li Xiaoman, but they still had little communication.

Wang Jing still maintains her mystery and distance, as if she is deliberately avoiding something.

In mid-May, the southwest region entered the rainy season.

Continuous rain caused the water level of the streams around the camp to continue to rise, and the mountains in the distance were often covered by thick clouds.

The meteorological department issued a heavy rain warning and the troops entered a flood prevention preparedness state.

It was a sultry afternoon, the sky was low and there was an unsettling feeling of dampness in the air.

Gong Qianjin was sorting out his equipment in the dormitory, preparing for the afternoon training, when suddenly an alarm sounded throughout the camp.

"Attention all officers and soldiers, the meteorological department has issued a flash flood warning. Please evacuate immediately according to the flood prevention plan! I repeat, all officers and soldiers immediately evacuate according to the flood prevention plan!"

Gong Qianjin immediately put down his work and led the three squads of soldiers to assemble quickly.

At this time, heavy rain began to fall from the sky, and the rain was hitting the roof of the camp, making a deafening sound.

"According to the flood prevention plan, the third squad is responsible for the relocation of the communications building," Platoon Leader He Qiu ordered loudly, "Make sure the communications equipment is safely evacuated!"

"Yes, we will ensure that the mission is accomplished!" Gong Qianjin led the soldiers to run towards the communications building in the rain.

At this time, the rain was heavier, and small streams of water had formed on the ground, gathering in the low-lying areas.

When we arrived at the communications building, the officers and soldiers of the communications company were urgently moving equipment.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" Gong Qianjin reported to the communications company commander.

"The main equipment has been moved," the communications captain wiped the rain off his face, "please help move the remaining documents and spare equipment."

"Yes!" Gong Qianjin immediately organized the soldiers to work together and move the supplies in an orderly manner. At this time, he noticed that Wang Jing was not in the transfer team.

"Where is Wang Jing?" he couldn't help but ask.

"She said there's an important piece of equipment on the second floor, so she went to get it," a communications soldier replied, "She should be back soon."

Gong Qianjin suddenly felt uneasy.

He looked out the window. The rain was getting heavier and there were already small mudslides on the hillside in the distance.

Gong Qianjin gritted his teeth and said to his soldiers, "You guys continue to carry the things. I'll go to the second floor to take a look."

He quickly ran up to the second floor. The corridor was empty and the only sound he could hear was rain hitting the windows.

"Wang Jing?" Gong Qianjin called out loudly, but there was no response.

Gong Qianjin pushed open the doors of each office and finally found Wang Jing in the innermost room.

She was busy in front of a peculiar-looking communication device, apparently trying to disassemble some parts.

"Wang Jing, evacuate quickly, a flash flood is coming!" Gong Qianjin said anxiously.

Wang Jing raised her head, a flash of panic in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure: "Give me another minute, you must take this away."

Gong Qianjin walked to the window and saw that the mudslide on the hillside had become obvious and was rolling towards the camp.

He returned to Wang Jing without hesitation: "It's too late, we must evacuate immediately!"

Wang Jing shook her head stubbornly: "No, this device..."

Before he finished speaking, there was a loud bang and the whole building shook.

Gong Qianjin rushed to the window and saw that a raging flood had already reached the edge of the camp. The mudslide mixed with branches and rubble was rushing towards him in an unstoppable manner.

"There's no time!" Gong Qianjin grabbed Wang Jing's wrist and forcibly pulled her away from the equipment. "Which is more important, life or equipment?"

At this moment, Wang Jing seemed to have made a difficult decision. She quickly took out a small black device from the equipment, put it in her pocket, and then ran out with Gong Qianjin.

As soon as they ran to the first floor, they heard a creepy roar.

Gong Qianjin saw through the window that a flood mixed with mud, sand and trees was heading straight towards the communications building.

"We can't run away," Gong Qianjin quickly looked around and made a judgment, "We have to go to the roof!"

He was pulling Wang Jing and was about to run upstairs when suddenly, there was a loud bang, and one side of the wall of the communications building was washed away, and the flood rushed into the hall like a beast.

"Be careful!" Gong Qianjin instinctively pushed Wang Jing towards the stairs, but he was knocked down by the sudden flood.

The cold water instantly covered his waist, and the powerful impact made it almost impossible for him to stand.

"Gong Qianjin!" Wang Jing shouted in horror and reached out to grab him, but it was too late.

The flood rose rapidly, and Gong Qianjin tried hard to grab a pillar to steady his body, but the water flow was too fast and his hands gradually slipped.

At this critical moment, he saw Wang Jing rushing down the stairs and reaching out to him regardless of the danger.

"Hold my hand!" Wang Jing shouted.

Gong Qianjin leaped with all his might and grabbed Wang Jing's hand, but the force of the flood was too great. He felt that he was being dragged into the current and might also pull Wang Jing into the water.

"Let go," he said to Wang Jing, "Go upstairs quickly!"

Wang Jing shook her head and held his hand tightly, while holding the stair handrail tightly with her other hand: "I won't let go!"

Just as the two were in a stalemate, another flood rushed in. Gong Qianjin felt a huge force hitting his back. His hand slipped from Wang Jing's hand, and the whole person was swept away by the flood and disappeared in the surging water.

"Gong, go forward!" Wang Jing's shout was drowned out by the roaring flood.

Gong Qianjin was washed out of the communications building by the flood and struggled in the rapids.

Ice-cold water poured into his nose and mouth, his vision was blurred by mud and sand, and he felt his body being hit by all kinds of debris, causing him great pain.

Gong Qianjin tried his best to keep his head above the water, but the force of the flood was too strong and it dragged him underwater again and again.

"I can't die," he cried in his heart, "Dad, Mom and Xiaoman are still waiting for me."

After an unknown amount of time, Gong Qianjin felt that he was caught by something and the impact of the flood was slightly weakened.

He opened his eyes and found himself stuck between two fallen trees, forming a makeshift barrier.

Gong Qianjin grabbed the tree trunk and used all his strength to drag himself to a relatively stable high ground.

Lying on the muddy ground, Gong Qianjin was gasping for breath and his whole body was in pain, but he knew he was safe for the time being.

In the distance, he could vaguely see the direction of the camp, which had been flooded, with only the tops of a few tall buildings still exposed above the water.

"Wang Jing..." he murmured to himself, not knowing if she was safe. Then, fatigue and pain took over, and Gong Qianjin fell into a coma.

When Gong Qianjin woke up again, he found himself lying on a hospital bed with all kinds of tubes inserted into his body.

He tried to move, but the pain in his body stopped him immediately.

"Awake?" a familiar voice came. Gong Qianjin turned his head and saw Platoon Leader He Qiu sitting beside the bed with a relieved smile on his face.

"What's wrong with me?" Gong Qianjin's voice was so hoarse that he could hardly make a sound.

"You're really lucky. A mountain torrent washed you away. We searched for you for a whole day," He Qiu said in a heavy voice. "Finally, a border patrol found you in a canyon downstream. You were unconscious and had multiple fractures all over your body. You almost died."

Gong Qianjin tried hard to recall what happened that day: "Wang Jing. Is Wang Jing from the communications company safe?"

He Qiu nodded: "It's safe. She was rescued to the roof. Apart from some scratches, she's fine." He paused, "She came to see you several times, and every time you were in a coma."

Gong Qianjin breathed a sigh of relief and closed his eyes.

Just then, the door of the ward was pushed open and a familiar figure walked in.

"You're awake," Wang Jing's voice was a little warmer than usual, "How do you feel?"

"It feels like I was run over by a car," Gong Qianjin tried to smile, "but I'm still alive."

Wang Jing walked to the bedside and whispered, "Thank you for saving me."

(End of this chapter)