On a rainy night, the school beauty knocked on my door and asked for shelter

This bonfire party was like a pebble thrown into a still lake, creating ripples all around.

Tonight's talent show is just an entertainment program. The main purpose is to foster relationships among everyone after getting to know each other, which allows many previously parallel paths to begin to intersect subtly.

As dawn broke, the familiar assembly whistle once again pierced the tranquility of Xiangchuan Medical College.

But unlike the pure, struggling, and painful wails of the past, there seemed to be a different atmosphere in the dormitory building today.

In the girls' dormitory, Lin Xiaoxiao was still muttering with her eyes closed, but her movements were much more nimble.

Zhou Yue tied her hair in a ponytail while humming a melody she had heard at the bonfire party the night before.

Su Yuqing had a faint smile on her lips as she quickly straightened her training uniform, her eyes brighter than usual.

Even the usually quiet Zhao Ya couldn't help but glance out the window while tying her shoelaces, as if she was expecting something.

In the boys' dormitory, Wang Lan's loud voice rang out as always: "Get up! Get up! Let's go for Lao Lei's extra meal!"

He was clearly still enjoying the afterglow of the instructor's hilarious performance last night.

Li Zhe silently put on his glasses. Although there was still weariness in his eyes, he had become less numb.

Chen Mo was once again the first to be ready.

Shen Xinghe quietly fastened his belt, his movements as elegant as ever, and the collar of his training uniform was neater than others.

On the playground, the teams in the morning light seemed somewhat different from usual.

Although it was still that camouflage green, many people's eyes no longer held the initial confusion and resistance, but rather an indescribable vitality and... a subtle scrutiny.

Instructor Lei keenly noticed this subtle change.

His sharp gaze swept across the group, pausing slightly on Chen Mo, Su Yuqing, Shen Xinghe, and others, and his lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

"Attention—!" His command was still loud and clear. "Looks like you had a lot of fun last night? You're in good spirits!"

His tone carried a hint of barely perceptible teasing, "But! Don't think that singing and dancing will make you pass today's training! On the contrary, I want to see you with more energy and more fighting spirit than yesterday! Do you understand?"

"Understood!" The response was more unified and louder than ever before, carrying a surge of renewed energy.

Training began, and it was still the same routine: standing at attention, turning on the spot, and marching in step... The monotony and fatigue remained, but the atmosphere had definitely changed.

As sweat trickles down their foreheads and muscles begin to ache and protest, many people will unconsciously recall the glow of the campfire last night, the moving songs, or that captivating smile.

This seemed to become an invisible source of mental support, making it less unbearable to grit one's teeth and persevere.

Chen Mo remained the benchmark, but his gaze lingered more on Su Yuqing.

After a long period of standing at attention, during the brief moment when the instructor turned around, he would whisper to Su Yuqing beside him, "Shift your weight back a little, and your feet will feel lighter."

Su Yuqing made the slight adjustments as instructed and indeed felt much more relaxed, returning his gesture with a grateful smile.

This subtle interaction, observed by nearby students, sparked another silent wave of excitement.

Wang Lan seems to be training even harder.

Although Li Zhe's movements were still not the most coordinated, the frequency of his mistakes had decreased significantly, and he appeared more focused.

Perhaps the most noticeable change is in Zhao Ya. She remains quiet, but when practicing marching and arm swinging, she secretly observes Shen Xinghe's movements diagonally in front of her, imitating his effortless rhythm.

When Shen Xinghe, acting as her "little instructor," walked past her and softly said, "Good arm swing, keep it up," she could almost hear her own heart pounding like a drum, and the entire day's training seemed to become lighter because of it.

During lunch break, the cafeteria became much livelier.

Because of last night's performance, a certain barrier was broken down among students from different classes, and suddenly there were more people greeting each other, discussing, and chatting.

Chen Mo and Su Yuqing were naturally the center of attention, but they sat discreetly among their roommates, simply responding to everyone's kindness with smiles.

Shen Xinghe was surrounded by curious and admiring glances, but he remained aloof, only occasionally nodding in response.

In the afternoon training, Instructor Lei suddenly increased the difficulty, starting with a breakdown of the marching drill.

Lifting and controlling the legs is a great test of balance and strength.

Suddenly, all sorts of figures swaying on one leg appeared on the playground, and cries of pain rang out again, but they were also mixed with more mutual encouragement and good-natured laughter.

Instructor Lei also began to use different language to guide different people.

"Wang Lan, why are your legs shaking? Where's the energy from last night?"

"Li Zhe, hang in there, you can do it!"

"Zhao Ya, stay calm, just like Shen Xinghe..."

He would tease Wang Lan harshly, encourage Li Zhe indirectly, and even perceive the subtle thoughts of the young girl Zhao Ya, cleverly shaping her into a role model worthy of emulation.

"Instructor Lei, why don't you let Xinghe personally teach her once? Xiaoya might learn faster that way."

Someone mentioned it, and Zhao Ya blushed, almost losing her balance, which caused the people around her to chuckle. Even Shen Xinghe glanced at her, his eyes seemingly containing a faint smile.

Some people think they've hidden their thoughts, but in reality, everyone around them has already seen through them and understands their intentions.

As the evening drew to a close, the setting sun painted the horizon a brilliant orange-red.

Despite being doubly exhausted, no one showed the drained feeling from the previous two days. Instead, there was a unique energy in everyone who had gone through the "hardship" together and was now reminiscing about the good times.

"It feels like today's training session went by a little too fast," Wang Lan said, rubbing her sore thighs.

"Maybe it's because... I'm not so resistant anymore?" Zhou Yue said with a smile.

Chen Mo held Su Yuqing's hand as they walked along the familiar path back to their dormitory.

The evening breeze caressed my face, carrying the lingering sweet fragrance of osmanthus blossoms.

The third day of military training ended in a more rigorous training environment and a more harmonious atmosphere.

The ripples stirred up by the bonfire party are quietly changing these young people's experience of military training in their own way, and painting richer and warmer colors on their camouflage-colored canvas of youth.

Tomorrow brings new challenges, but they are ready to join hands and face them together.

Time slipped away quickly, like sand through our fingers, day after day, amidst the whistles, commands, and sweat.

In the blink of an eye, the deep green of their camouflage uniforms has been soaked and dried by sweat multiple times. From the chaos and complaints of the first day of military training to the synchronized movements and strict discipline of today, these young people are undergoing a collective transformation and growth at a visible pace. (End of Chapter)