Zhou Jiao held the file bag containing the certificates, medals and bonuses, and walked out of the gate with several classmates. They waved goodbye and quickly quickened their pace.
"Sister, dear sister, wait for your brother."
Zhou Jiao turned her head and wrinkled her nose. "Hold on! You're almost becoming an idiot."
Yi Jiefang, smiling, pointed at himself disapprovingly and said, "There's a fool as handsome and heroic as your brother? What do you think of him? Isn't he a good-looking man?"
"Yes! My admiration for you is like the endless flow of a river, or like the Yellow River's flooding, which is unstoppable. Among all the great men of history and the present, you are the most outstanding!"
Yi Jiefang laughed even more heartily at her casual words.
"Don't laugh like a fool. There will be countless first-class merit and second-class awards waving at us in the future."
Upon hearing this, Yi Jiefang raised his hand and cheered!
This attracted the attention of passers-by, who turned their heads to look at her. Zhou Jiao was so embarrassed that she just wanted to shout that she was not familiar with this fool and urged him to go away quickly.
The two of them joked around for a bit, and Yi Jiefang asked the question hidden in his heart: "Did Xiaowu join the army two years ago?"
"How do you know?"
Yi Jiefang knew it was true the moment she heard it. Seeing she didn't object, he pointed at himself proudly and said, "Last year, when we were out on internship, he was both participating in the training and the internship. Last semester, he even worked out with those national defense students. I knew it was pretty close."
"It's not really enlistment. He was chosen by the higher-ups and transferred from cadre students to national defense students. It's a complete waste of time, but it would have been worse if he had gone straight to the military academy."
Yi Jiefang glanced at her with disdain. How could this be the same? After graduation, he'd go to a military academy and study for a few months. He'd get two diplomas, the same benefits as a cadet, and five years of easy campus life for nothing.
But thinking that he still had to flatter the girl, he smiled and said, "What do you think of me?"
Zhou Jiao smiled and nodded, "Very good."
"Why doesn't anyone ask me if I want to be a national defense student?"
Zhou Jiao stopped and looked at him in feigned surprise, pointing at him, "No way? Aren't you determined not to join the army?"
"Okay, stop pretending, it's too fake! Find a solution for me, I have to go with Xiaowu."
Zhou Jiao continued to move forward, "Is this necessary? We're all in the capital, so we can meet someday."
Yi Jiefang took a few quick steps, glanced around, and whispered, "Although I don't know why Xiaowu changed his mind, it must be your idea, right? Otherwise, he would have wanted to work in the same unit as you."
"Are you my biological sister? You're willing to let me work so hard, only to be sent to eat sand by mistake? As expected, girls are extroverted and only think about your man!"
"When Xia Tiandayong and his classmates graduated, I was shocked to hear where they worked. Even in Beijing, they were all spread far away."
"And they're not even assigning people to their majors. You don't know that several people in our dorm have regretted this. Who could have predicted that the higher-ups would be so strict these days? It's a shame there's nothing we can do now; no one dares to use connections."
"Jiaojiao, you're smart. Think of a solution for me. I asked my dad, and he told me to join the army directly. Do you think that's what I meant? He also told me not to wait until graduation."
Zhou Jiao quickly signaled him to shut up.
As the saying goes, a bystander sees more clearly. Yi Jiefang still didn't understand that with this second-class merit, his previous outstanding performance, and the fact that he was the son of a soldier, his direct application might be approved.
Yi Jiefang was bewildered, his eyes following the direction she pointed—he had just received a reward. "You want that bonus? Okay, here you go."
"Aren't you usually quite clever? What do you mean by honor?" Zhou Jiao glared at him with amusement. "Dayi, that's just you. I really don't want to interfere with others. You have to consider whether it's necessary to transfer to a military position first. This is related to your future, so you have to think carefully."
Yi Jiefang followed her and stopped, nodded seriously, and said solemnly: "Thank you, sister."
Zhou Jiao smiled and shook her head, then continued walking. "Think about it for a few more days. National defense needs more talent right now, so there's still time to apply at the beginning of the school year."
"Okay, I know what I'm doing. Speaking of which, I have a question. Have you gotten a decision on your assignment? My great-grandfather said you're different from us."
Zhou Jiao shook her head. "I'm a real brick, I'll fill in wherever there's a need. I'll see what I'm assigned to do first. If I really can't do it anymore, I'll just stay home and look after the kids."
Yi Jiefang knew what she was saying, otherwise he wouldn't have said such outrageous words. Oh, the country trains you so you can be picky?
It was because they were the same kind of people that he felt they could get along and confide in each other. Compared to those who spoke high-sounding words but were secretly running around everywhere, people like him were the most down-to-earth.
After getting off the bus and watching her walk away, Yi Jiefang went into his compound. When he got home, his parents, brother and sister-in-law were all waiting for him at home, having a lunch break.
"Brother, come here, let me see it." Boss Yi Changzheng took the file bag from his hand with a smile on his face.
Yi's mother and eldest daughter-in-law helped aunt set the table, "Don't worry, our family will eat and talk at the same time."
"Mom, are you happy today?"
"Happy! Even happier than when he got into college. I never had to worry about the eldest, and now the youngest is looking good too. Once he gets married, I won't have anything to worry about."
"Uncle, are you still worried about not being able to find a partner? What do you think of the girl Aunt Tang mentioned last time?"
Mother Yi shook her head. "A girl from the art troupe isn't suitable for the youngest. She's always running around and can't take care of the family. And the way she treated you when she came to your house that day... Girls like that are too active."
Mrs. Yi finally felt relieved. She only had one brother-in-law, and she was really worried about a sister-in-law from a wealthy family who would not get along with her.
Father Yi interjected, "There's no rush for the youngest son to get married. I have some good daughters from old comrades. We can talk about it after he graduates."
Yi Jiefang rolled his eyes at that. He didn't want to marry one of those young ladies. "Dad, let's make a deal first. No college graduates, no girls who aren't better looking than me, no girls who aren't as virtuous as my sister-in-law. No height below 1.6 meters, no above 1.7 meters, and no weight below 90 pounds, no above 120 pounds..."
Father Yi, who had sat down, raised his chopsticks and was about to hit him, but he dodged it cleverly.
Yi Jiefang said with a smile: "Conditions, I'll follow your advice and join the army, how about that?"
"real?"
"It's absolutely true! I believe I have the integrity and passion of a soldier in my bones. Standing on the podium today, I suddenly realized that I am suited to be a soldier."
Father Yi would not believe what his eldest son said. He looked at his son suspiciously.
"When school starts tomorrow, I'll apply to join the army and officially become a national defense student. I'll contribute all I've learned over the past five years to the cause of national defense and serve my country wholeheartedly..."
"Alright, alright." Father Yi, who understood his son's intentions, interrupted him, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. However, compared to when that damn kid was refusing to go to military school, this was not bad at all.
Let him choose a civilian job! As long as he puts on this military uniform, he doesn't believe that his child won't love this profession.
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