Qin Yi watched Xu Chen being taken away, a sharp pain piercing her heart. She carefully put her bank card away, then, with her father, pushed the barbecue stall home. For the next few days, she unusually found herself daydreaming in class, her mind filled with thoughts of Xu Chen. Where was he from? He looked so handsome in his uniform. Did he have a girlfriend? Where was he from? Why did he dare to fire a gun? Was being a military wife tough? These questions filled her with worry and joy. She even missed several of the teacher's questions.
"Qin Yi, you'll be a senior in high school next year, so you need to focus on your studies!"
"Okay, teacher."
The classmates secretly laughed at Qin Yi. Everyone knew what the teacher meant, because many of them had been to Qin Yi's family's barbecue stall, and some of their parents had even been there to watch. Online, the news of the soldier firing a gun was trending, and the platform, trying to avoid controversy, blurred Xu Chen's face, changed his name to a pseudonym, and altered his voice. However, the entire video, including interviews with witnesses, was still included.
“How can soldiers fire their weapons so casually? No, this kind of thing should be resolutely prevented. I suggest that this colonel be discharged from the military and tried by a military court.”
"Bullshit! Didn't you see what the people around were saying? The colonel is doing the people a favor!"
“No matter what kind of criminal he is, he is a good person before he is tried by the court. This officer has violated the law by taking the law into his own hands. He may be doing his job to rid the people of a scourge, but the loopholes in the regulations must not be opened.”
"Killing a rat is nothing, there's no need for a court trial."
"Bullshit, that's a living, breathing person!"
Everyone was arguing back and forth, and the debate was in full swing. Four days passed just like that, and a new week quickly arrived, but the trending topic remained high on the charts, showing no signs of declining.
At the disciplinary committee meeting, Xu Chen patiently answered various questions from the committee members, patiently awaiting the committee's investigation. He also provided notes and videos, which the committee members began to circulate among themselves. After the materials were circulated, everyone discussed them, and the general in the middle began to announce the final decision.
"Announce the decision!"
Everyone stood up, and the general continued after he had stood up.
"Colonel Xu Chen, your shooting and killing in the street, while understandable in its circumstances, is a serious violation of Chinese criminal law. Given your skillful handling of the incident, which indirectly enhanced the image of our military and fostered a more positive public opinion environment, this committee believes it is unnecessary to transfer you to a military court. Instead, this committee will strip you of your military rank and expel you from the military. Xu Chen, do you have any objections?"
“No objection. Military law is paramount. I accept whatever decision the committee makes.” Xu Chen took off his uniform, removed his shoulder insignia, took out his identification from his pocket, and handed it to the soldier who came to receive him.
After receiving treatment, Xu Chen left the military camp and flew back to the capital from a secluded corner. That night, Wang Li was preparing dinner. She wasn't very good at it, but figuring it wouldn't poison Xu Chen, she went on a wild goose chase and improvised.
As soon as Xu Chen entered the house, he smelled all sorts of strange odors. He glanced at the food on the table, felt a sense of fear, and prepared to slip away from the house.
"Stop! Xiao Chenzi, this is a lovingly prepared dinner for you. You have to finish it today, no matter what," Wang Li said fiercely.
"Honey, I suddenly have a stomachache and need to go to the toilet."
"Hmph, do cultivators even get stomach aches? Come here right now!"
Xu Chen had no choice but to sit at the table and eat obediently. Looking at the dishes with all sorts of colors, he mustered up his courage and put one in his mouth, only to find it surprisingly delicious.
"Lili, although these dishes don't look very appealing, they taste great. They're about a tenth as good as mine."
"You chatterbox, hurry up and finish your food. Here, this is bull penis and wolfberry soup." Wang Li shyly but firmly presented the bowl of soup. Xu Chen immediately understood that she was urging him to pay his dues.
Seeing Xu Chen suddenly speed up his eating, devouring his food in a flash, Wang Li's face grew increasingly red. She knew Xu Chen understood and was starting to get impatient. Xu Chen put down his chopsticks, made sure the door was locked, and scooped up the shy Wang Li, carrying her into the bedroom. After some foreplay, Xu Chen led Wang Li to a blissful state, then back to earth, repeating this cycle until dawn.
"Lili, Lili." Looking at the emerging sunlight, Xu Chen nudged Wang Li, who lay lazily on the bed, leaving Xu Chen speechless.
"Who hinted at me to pay my dues last night? I couldn't hold back anymore, hahaha. Get up, you lazy pig, you'll be late for class."
"Okay, okay, you lazy pig."
After getting up and washing up, the two ate breakfast on the way back to school. Because Zhao Weimin had spoken to them, the school didn't notice that Xu Chen had been absent for several days. As soon as they got to the classroom, Xu Chen immediately pulled Zhao Weimin aside and started complaining.
"Brother Wei, I've been fired."
"What nonsense are you spouting, kid? With me here, how could you possibly get fired?"
"It wasn't this person who was dismissed, it was that person who was dismissed." Xu Chen opened Weibo and showed Zhao Weimin the official announcement from the Army's official Weibo account.
Zhao Weimin said in surprise but in a low voice, "I knew it was you. It's okay. You can't be a soldier. After graduation, we brothers will go into politics. Anyway, you'll only lose your rank and military status. Your file should not be affected."
"Viagra, you're so kind."
"Hey kid, stop being so lovey-dovey and get back to the lesson."
On Weibo, a notice announcing the dismissal of a colonel was trending, but thanks to the intervention of certain individuals, the name Xu Chen was not mentioned. Netizens were fiercely debating the notice, with some feeling the punishment was too lenient, others too harsh, and still others expressing deep regret. The notice was instantly shared hundreds of thousands of times.
"You are the perpetrators, the perpetrators who ruined the colonel's career!"
"The colonel was dedicated to eliminating evil for the people, but in the end he could no longer be a soldier. What an irony. Those damn trolls, if you are ever oppressed by powerful eunuchs, don't expect anyone to stand up for you."
"I feel sorry for him, but military law is merciless. I believe this is the lenient punishment he could receive. Thank you to the military."
Xu Chen scrolled through Weibo, still feeling quite touched. Although he didn't care about this identity, the fact that someone cared about him and showed concern through it made him feel that the world was beautiful and life was worthwhile. As he scrolled, he suddenly came across a comment: "Qin Yi, from XX City, Anhui Province, a student..." He immediately realized something was wrong. After instructing Xiao Bai to delete the comment, Xu Chen put down his phone and began to concentrate on his class.
When Xu Chen returned home in the afternoon, he found Wang Li was not there. He left a note and flew directly to Anhui Province. In an old residential area, he found Qin Yi's father. He knocked on the door and found Qin Gensheng inside looking very frightened. Qin Gensheng picked up a kitchen knife and approached the door. Xu Chen said loudly, "Uncle, I am the soldier from yesterday. Please let me in."
Qin Gensheng looked through the peephole, observed for a while, and realized that it was the soldier who had helped his family yesterday. He quickly opened the door and welcomed Xu Chen into the house.
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