Actually, it was Jiang Jianjun's old comrade-in-arms who was still serving in the army. This year, his son reached the age and was sent to the army. When he had nothing to do, he thought of Jiang's enlistment quota, so he called the conscription office in Jiang's hometown and mentioned it. That's why they came to his door. Otherwise, after so many years, who would have thought that he would come all the way to find him?

The Jiang family has mixed feelings about enlisting in the army, but they all know it's a good thing, better than going to the countryside.

Grandma Jiang looked at her two grandsons and said, "You two are the same age, so go and give it a try and see who is more suitable to be a soldier."

Jiang Hui lowered his eyes: "Grandma, sister, I won't go. I'm not interested in joining the army. Let Jiang Lin go instead."

Grandma Jiang and Jiang Ruyu both looked at him. Knowing his personality well, the two looked at him and then at Jiang Lin, not knowing what to say. What boy doesn't dream of being a soldier? Jiang Hui said he wasn't interested in joining the army, but he just wanted to give the opportunity to his younger brother.

Jiang Lin wasn't stupid. He stood up angrily and said, "What are you doing? I don't want you to give up your spot. We'll both go, and whoever is more suitable can go."

Jiang Hui glared at him: "Your temper and personality are exactly what you need to do in the army. All you know is what to eat."

"Jiang Hui, you've gone too far! Who do you think you are?" Jiang Lin, impulsive and impulsive by nature, was enraged by Jiang Hui's words.

Jiang Hui said to him in a smug tone, "Did I say something wrong? If you want me to respect you, then go join the army and show me what you're made of, so I can respect you a little."

Jiang Lin's eyes were bloodshot: "Fine, I'll go. Who's afraid of who?"

Jiang Lin wasn't so stupid as to not see through the provocation, but he and Jiang Hui were twins and spent almost all their time together. They knew each other too well. He knew that his older brother, who was only ten minutes older than him, seemed to have a good temper, but was actually a stubborn mule. Once he made up his mind, no one could change it.

It was supposed to be a good thing, but he didn't want to make everyone uncomfortable. He knew his family was worried about him, and going to the army would at least put their minds at ease.

Now that this opportunity has been given to him, he must do his best to live up to everyone's expectations and make them all feel at ease with him.

The next morning, Jiang Lin went to the government compound without eating breakfast. There were many people there to register. They needed to undergo a strict physical examination, political review, and a basic physical fitness test. Jiang Lin was usually in good health and rarely got sick. He was also quite outgoing and quick-witted. As expected, he was recruited.

When Jiang Lin got home, he told him the result: "I passed. I'm going to the army early the day after tomorrow. A leader told me that we need to train for a few months before we know which unit we will be assigned to."

Grandma Jiang looked at her grandson, suppressing her reluctance, and said with a smile, "Good, good, our Dalin has reached the age where he can support his family. Grandma is proud of you."

Jiang Lin wanted to laugh, but then he saw the tears in his grandmother's eyes. As always, he grinned and moved closer to his grandmother: "Grandma, just you wait and see, I will definitely make something of myself. When that happens, I will bring back medals for you."

Grandma Jiang paused for a moment. There were still many of her son's military medals in her room, as everyone in the family knew. She would take them out to wipe and look at them from time to time. Looking at her grandson's face, which resembled her son's, she earnestly told him, "Dalin, Grandma just wants you to be safe and sound, okay?"

Jiang Lin knew what his grandmother was worried about, so he nodded vigorously: "Grandma, don't worry, I will take care of you in your old age, I will definitely be fine."

Jiang Ruyu asked her team leader for leave before leaving get off work. Jiang Lin was leaving tomorrow, and she and her grandmother needed to prepare some things for him.

Since learning that Jiang Lin was going to the army, Jiang Ruyu's sign-in opportunities these past few days have been either at the pork shop or at her workplace. She even went to the hospital pharmacy to sign in once. Perhaps the system knew what she wanted to do, because the things she got from signing in these past few times were quite to her liking.

There were five or six pounds of pork and beef, as well as candies and biscuits of various flavors. When she got off work, she put the meat into the cloth bag she carried with her. When she got home, she took it out and said, "Grandma, I'm taking the day off tomorrow. I bought some meat, made some fried sauce and meat jerky, and I'm going to give it to our soon-to-be soldier."

Grandma Jiang glanced at the meat her granddaughter had brought out, but didn't say anything. The children were all grown up and had their own ideas. As long as she kept the general direction in place, that was fine: "Okay, you do it, I'll help you. You're very good at making these snacks."

The next day, after breakfast, the family got busy. Jiang Ruyu made two-pound bottles of meat sauce each with pork and beef. The soybean paste that the family had dried last year came in handy. The aroma of the fried sauce was so strong that people in the backyard and next door could smell it.

"Hey, Aunt Jiang, what are you doing? Making so much meat when it's not a holiday, are you trying to kill yourselves?" Fang's wife from the backyard came over, having caught a whiff of something.

Grandma Jiang smiled and pointed at Da Lin with some pride: "Isn't this my little grandson Da Lin? He's been drafted into the army and he's leaving tomorrow. Ru Yu and I were thinking that we might not be able to adjust to being away from home, so we made some sauce to go with his food. That way, he can eat rice or steamed buns without worry."

"Wow, your kids are really doing great! They've all found their place. Just wait a couple of years until they're all married. You're going to be so lucky."

The old lady felt very pleased with these words: "Then I'll take your good wishes and look forward to enjoying my life. Your Jin Gui is of marriageable age, isn't she? So, is there anyone suitable?"

"Hey, that kid..."

The two chatted about everyday things, and soon Grandma Li and Li Xiuying gathered together, talking about whose son was about to get married, whose daughter was about to get married, or whose child had to go to the countryside—these were all mundane family matters.

Jiang Ruyu listened intently as she made the sauce. Sometimes she was so bored that listening to gossip was a kind of fun. Of course, she didn't like listening to people gossip about other people's family members; it was boring.

In one morning, she made four bottles of sauce: two bottles of pork and mushroom sauce, and two bottles of beef and mushroom sauce. At noon, her grandmother made noodles and served them with the freshly cooked meat sauce. Jiang Hui and Jiang Lin each ate two bowls and wanted more.

"You two take it easy, or you'll overeat." Grandma Jiang shook her head, somewhat amused. "You two silly boys are really eating too much."

"Let them eat it. The leftovers won't taste good." Jiang Ruyu knew that the two of them usually ate a limited amount of food. If they ate to their hearts' content, the family's food rations wouldn't last a month. Even so, she had to secretly put a few kilograms of grain into the rice and flour jars several times a month to make it last until the beginning of the month when they had to buy more food.

After lunch, the two brothers washed the pots and dishes. Jiang Ruyu and her grandmother started grilling the beef and pork slices that had been marinated with star anise and chili powder that morning on a coal stove lined with wire mesh. This was the first time she had ever done this before. She had eaten beef jerky that Zheng Yang had given her once before, which was said to be a specialty of Inner Mongolia Province and had been given to her by someone else.

The beef jerky wasn't particularly delicious, but it was very chewy, fragrant, and filling. Getting some for Da Linzi would at least make his basic training period a little easier.