I enlisted four times! My former unit blacklisted me.

An hour later.

A rich aroma of meat filled the ward.

The savory aroma of braised pork, the sweet and sour flavor of sweet and sour pork ribs, and the garlicky aroma of garlic broccoli waft into your nose layer by layer.

Wu Hanfeng sat on the hospital bed, his nose twitching involuntarily twice.

His gaze was fixed on the trays that Chen Zhiyuan and Zhou Haibo were holding.

Braised pork belly, sweet and sour pork ribs, garlic broccoli, and a bowl of steaming winter melon and pork rib soup.

Is this guy here to visit someone in the hospital or to celebrate the New Year?

Zhou Haibo sat on the edge of the bed, picked up a piece of braised pork and put it in his mouth, chewing loudly with a look of pure enjoyment on his face: "Erniu, your braised pork skills have improved again. It's fatty but not greasy, melts in your mouth, absolutely amazing."

Chen Zhiyuan picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs, took a bite, and nodded: "This is also good. The sweet and sour taste is just right, the bone comes out easily, and the meat is as tender as tofu."

Liu Yang sat down on a small stool by the window with a tray in hand, eating while giving Wu Hanfeng a thumbs-up:

"Old soldier, the cooks in your mess hall are truly skilled. This garlic broccoli is so flavorful and the vegetables are so crisp. I've eaten in the canteen for so many years and I've never had such delicious broccoli."

The three of them sat around Wu Hanfeng's hospital bed, eating with great relish, the sounds of smacking echoing around them.

Wu Hanfeng himself looked down at the bowl in his hand.

White porridge.

Boiled vegetables.

Do not add salt.

No oil added.

He raised his head and looked at Wang Erniu, who was standing at the foot of the bed.

"Erniu".

Wang Erniu was wiping his hands with his apron when he heard this and looked up: "What's wrong, Deputy Squad Leader?"

Wu Hanfeng held up the bowl in his hand. "Is this a sick person's meal or a 'bitter memory' meal? Did you dig up the menu from the three years of hardship?"

Wang Erniu looked completely innocent: "This is standard patient food. It's light, easy to digest, and low in oil and salt. The doctor said you need to rest well and can't eat anything too greasy."

Chen Zhiyuan picked up a piece of braised pork, deliberately waved it in front of Wu Hanfeng, and then slowly put it in his mouth: "Hmm, this piece has a good balance of fat and lean meat, and it melts in your mouth."

Wu Hanfeng: "..."

Wu Hanfeng said with a face full of grief and indignation, "Erniu, put your hand on your heart and tell me. Back in basic training, who accompanied you to the toilet in the middle of the night? Who washed the dishes for you until the early hours of the morning without getting any rest?"

"It's you, Vice Squad Leader."

"Who secretly slipped you snacks so you wouldn't go hungry?"

"It's you, Vice Squad Leader."

"Who helped you hide the cigarettes and the photos of beautiful women?"

"It's still you, Vice Squad Leader."

"You remember all that. So you're going to feed me this now?!"

Wu Hanfeng picked up the bowl of white porridge and held it out to Wang Erniu:

"Look at this porridge! It's as thin as dishwater! Look at this vegetable! It's as white as my great-grandmother's face! How could you do this to me, Wang Erniu!"

Wang Erniu snorted, "Squad leader, it's precisely because I remember how good you've been to me that I can't let you eat anything greasy."

"You got dizzy again today. You're weak and have a poor digestive system. Eating greasy food will upset your stomach."

"Once you're better, I'll prepare a Manchu Han Imperial Feast just for you, but for now—"

"This is all we have."

"You're talking nonsense!" Wu Hanfeng retorted angrily. "Yesterday I was dizzy from running around, but you still made me braised pork, sweet and sour pork ribs, and winter melon soup. Why were you fine yesterday? Why are you acting up today?"

Wang Erniu said expressionlessly, "Because yesterday I thought it was an accident. Today I found out you did it on purpose."

Wu Hanfeng: "..."

He glanced at the bowl of bland white porridge in his hand, then at the bright red braised pork in Zhou Haibo's bowl, took a deep breath, and said helplessly:

"Fine, I'll accept the porridge. But why are you making such good food for them? They're not sick, why should they eat so well?"

Wang Erniu: "They're in charge of watching you. To prevent you from getting dizzy a third time."

"so what?"

"That's why this is called a 'work injury meal.' Chasing you all over the camp, yelling, screaming, and tripping—it takes a lot of energy, doesn't it need some replenishment?"

Zhou Haibo agreed, saying, "Yes, yes, yes, it's a work injury meal. I tripped and fell while chasing him today, and my butt still hurts. It's only right that I eat a couple of pieces of braised pork to help me recover."

Wu Hanfeng shouted, "You guys have work-related injuries, but what about me? I ran six kilometers, lay face down on the ground, and hit my head on the concrete pavement. Doesn't that count as a work-related injury?"

Wang Erniu said calmly, "What you're doing is self-harm."

Everyone laughed.

Looking at this group of heartless people, Wu Hanfeng held his bowl of plain porridge and felt that his life had never been so desolate.

"Erniu, do you think I can't deal with you now that I'm lying here?"

"I wouldn't dare," Wang Erniu shook his head.

"I'm teaching you how to be a good soldier, and this is how you treat me? If you become the canteen manager, will you even refuse to give me plain porridge?"

Wang Erniu paused for a moment, then nodded seriously: "Squad leader, if you get dizzy again, there won't even be any plain porridge."

Wu Hanfeng suddenly turned his head and glared at Wang Erniu.

Wang Erniu: "Replace plain porridge with plain water. Replace boiled vegetables with air. While you watch them eat braised pork, you gnaw on the bed frame. I mean what I say."

Wu Hanfeng: "..."

"I was wrong."

Wang Erniu looked pleased: "This child is teachable."