Father, you've been drafted four times already, please spare us!

In the early hours of the morning, before even hearing the reveille, Lao Zhang had Lu Yao help him pack his luggage.

Eight years ago, when he came to this company, he brought only a quilt and a few changes of clothes. When he left, he still brought only a quilt and a few changes of clothes.

In those eight years, he didn't buy anything for himself; he devoted all his energy to the company and to each new recruit.

"Company Commander, may I...can I come with you?"

Looking at the man in front of him, who was nearly forty, Lu Yao felt a pang of sadness for some reason. His throat felt like it was choked with an unripe persimmon.

"Heh, silly boy, why are you coming with me? Stay here and train hard with Chen Nian. Whether you join the special forces or another company in the future, you better set an example for me and make me proud!"

As Old Zhang spoke, he reached out and ruffled Lu Yao's buzz cut a few times, then used his calloused and extremely rough right hand to wipe the corner of Lu Yao's eye.

"How old are you? Why are you still crying!"

Lu Yao sobbed softly.

"Company Commander, now that you're gone, I don't know who I'll be the clerk for!"

"Isn't your Aunt Ge still here? Serve him well!"

Old Zhang's nose also felt a little sore.

"Alright, the car's already waiting. That's all for now. Come visit me sometime!"

Before dawn, the engine of the military green Jeep hummed softly.

Just as Old Zhang turned around and stepped into the car, suddenly, a startled shout came from the shadowy base of the wall:

"salute!"

"Take him to the company commander!"

"Take him to the company commander!"

Chen Nian stood at the front of the line. The new recruits and veterans of the company were lined up in four horizontal rows, as straight as javelins, with resolute eyes, looking at the company commander who had once joked and teased them.

"Heh, damn it!"

"You little brat, didn't I tell you? No farewell stuff. Don't you know I, Old Zhang, hate this kind of effeminate sentimentality?"

As he spoke, the backpack slipped from Old Zhang's hands.

He wanted to take two steps forward, to take one last look at the soldiers he had led, to see the group of men who had been with him day and night.

But his steps seemed to be welded to the ground; he couldn't move his legs no matter what he did.

He didn't move, and Chen Nian slowly walked towards him.

"Hehe, you're their company commander. You personally brought them into this company one by one, teaching them how to integrate. Now that you're leaving, if they don't come to see you off, I'm afraid you'll cry on the way!"

Chen Nian's words were still nonsensical, but this time, Old Zhang unusually refrained from arguing with him.

When Chen Nian came to stand in front of Lao Zhang, he stepped aside and pointed to the group of people behind him:

"Would you like to say a few words?"

Old Zhang suddenly became a little hesitant:

"What's there to say? They're all leaving anyway, there's nothing to talk about!"

Old Zhang's eyes were red-rimmed, and his voice had a heavy nasal tone when he spoke.

"Then yell at them a few times; it'll make them feel better!"

Old Zhang's eyes were somewhat vacant. He stretched out his hands and rubbed his face vigorously.

"Then let me say a few words!"

After saying that, Old Zhang took a step forward and slowly walked up to the group of people.

"Heh heh, you little brats, what are you all doing? Instead of sleeping, what are we going to do for training today! If anything goes wrong during training, be careful Old Devil Chen doesn't punish you again!"

"Without me, Old Ge might not be able to protect you all!"

Old Zhang made a joke that wasn't exactly a joke, but none of the group laughed.

"Old Chen asked me to say a few words, but I didn't know what to say. He also said I could curse you guys a few times, but I thought, I've cursed you guys enough already, and I'm leaving soon, so it wouldn't be appropriate to curse you a few more times!"

"After much thought, I'll leave you with a piece of advice!"

"Once you put on this uniform, you are no longer just yourself; you belong to the country, the Party, and the people! Remember your mission, and never forget your original aspiration!"

As soon as Old Zhang finished speaking, the four rows of soldiers erupted in a deafening roar:

"Remember our mission, and stay true to our original aspiration!"

"Remember our mission, and stay true to our original aspiration!"

"Remember our mission, and stay true to our original aspiration!"

"..."

Hearing the crowd's slogans, Old Zhang's already reddened eyes completely broke down in tears.

"Phew, this Chen Nian, he told me he wouldn't talk about it, but he insisted I do!"

"How embarrassing!"

Old Zhang had tears streaming down his face, but a smile played on his lips.

He slowly turned around and looked at Chen Nian:

"Take good care of them!"

As he spoke, Old Zhang patted Chen Nian on the shoulder.

Chen Nian tilted his head and looked at him, just smiling without saying a word.

"Let's go!"

Old Zhang suddenly shouted, turned around, and walked straight towards the military vehicle that was already waiting to depart without looking back.

"Company commander, take care!"

"Take care of yourself!"

Old Zhang kept walking, but his pace slowed down more and more.

It took Lao Zhang two minutes to walk a distance of less than thirty meters until the car door closed.

"Everyone has it!"

"salute!"

"Whoosh!"

Sitting in the car, Lao Zhang looked through the glass at the new recruits who had been training for less than two months. It was the first time he had seen them salute so perfectly.

But this is the last time.

Leaning back in his chair, Old Zhang didn't lower the window. He didn't dare; he was afraid they would see his most vulnerable side.

He was afraid that the strength he had been putting on for so long would crumble in an instant.

But Lao Zhang's gaze remained fixed on the glass. He wanted to see through it the faces of each person in the group, the trees and plants in the camp, and every trace he had left behind.

He wanted to imprint these memories in his mind, afraid that he would forget them.

As the military vehicle started, tears streamed down Old Zhang's face. He clenched his lips, forcing himself not to make a sound.

Reason told him that it should be this way, but his free will said, "You are a person too."

"Bye now!"

"Fifth Company of New Recruits!"

Old Zhang left, the military vehicle left, leaving nothing but two tire tracks.

But the soldiers of the Fifth Company of New Recruits stood there, as still as a javelin.

...

"Hello everyone, I am Zhang Xingong, the new company commander of our Fifth Company of recruits."

The day after Zhang Zheng left, Zhang Xingong took office as the new company commander of the recruit company.

"I know many people will think that my arrival is to take away Zhang's position as battalion commander and deputy battalion commander, to seize power, and to reap the benefits!"

"I won't comment on such thoughts. I only know that I came to the Fifth Company of recruits as company commander because I was following orders from my superiors. I called everyone here today to get to know them!"

"Now that everyone has met, the meeting will officially begin."

Zhang Xingong is very young, much younger than Zhang Zheng. He is only 28 years old this year, a graduate of military academy, and his way of doing things is also decisive and efficient. He speaks very directly and doesn't beat around the bush.

"Today's meeting has two main points. First, we will retain all the work arrangements of Comrade Zhang Zheng, the former company commander of the Fifth Company of New Recruits and now the deputy battalion commander, during his tenure. For example, Comrade Chen Nian will continue to serve as the chief training instructor before the new recruits' competition."

"Secondly, and also the focus of the Fifth Company's work for the next month, is the new recruits' skills competition. I won't go into the importance of the competition. Before coming here from the division headquarters, I also heard some news. The veracity of this news cannot be confirmed at the moment, but since it has been spread, we should take it seriously."

The message concerns the format of the grand competition, specifically including...

Zhang Xingong spoke concisely, without going into lengthy explanations. After sharing the information he knew, he began to discuss the direction of the next training session with the squad leaders and Chen Nian.

The meeting lasted all morning, but it was all very informative.

"Master, I think this new company commander is alright!"

Chen Nian smiled but did not answer.

Zhang Xingong is indeed quite capable, not only in his professionalism but also in his ability to immediately define the highly probable fact of "reaping the rewards" as mere rumor upon his arrival.

Subsequently, Zhang Zheng's work arrangements were retained, and the practice of "disappearing after leaving the party" was not implemented.

This also made many officials feel that he was a decent person.

But in reality, his actions were simply a way of taking responsibility for his own future.

"Whether someone is capable or not can't be judged at a glance; keep reading!"

"That's all for now, time to train!"

...

After the meeting, Cheng Yongkang went to Zhang Xingong's office immediately.

"Cousin, you're finally here! You have no idea how much I've been working like a slave these past few days, come on..."

Zhang Xingong looked at his cousin, his brows furrowing slightly.

"When you're working, you'll be referring to plants. Also, before the recruit skills competition, don't have too much contact with me; I'll take care of your affairs!"

"For the next month, you'll need to work closely with Chen Nian. He's a talented individual; you must make good use of his abilities!"

"To be honest, if it weren't for you, I really would have liked to talk to my uncle and ask him to come and stay with us!"