On the job
Ye Wanqing arrived at the guesthouse room and tidied up the bed.
She planned to stay here before reporting to her workplace.
The pager in her bag started vibrating. She took it out and saw that the number on the screen was Xue Mubai calling.
Although Ye Wanqing didn't really want to reply to him, she still felt a little guilty, so she found a public phone in the guesthouse and dialed Xue Mubai's number.
Upon answering the phone, Xue Mubai's concerned voice came from the other end: "Wanqing, have you arrived in Gancheng?"
"Yes, I just arrived."
"Wanqing, wait for me for a maximum of three months. After I finish dealing with my family matters, I will definitely come to Gancheng to find you."
"Okay, I understand," she replied softly, her tone so calm that it betrayed no emotion.
These four light words were neither an agreement nor a refusal, but merely a perfunctory response.
Ye Wanqing knew that Xue Mubai most likely wouldn't come back.
...
The next morning, Ye Wanqing went to report to her assigned unit.
Coincidentally, the machinery factory where she worked was a military factory of the military region, located within the military, responsible for the production and maintenance of military products.
She was assigned to a technician position, equivalent to a non-commissioned officer.
Ye Wanqing held her work ID, somewhat dazed. She now had multiple identities: the chairperson of Mingzhu Garment Factory and a technician in the military.
Just then, the black crank telephone on the table suddenly rang.
The director answered the phone, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.
"Xiao Ye, you've come at the right time. One of the new transport vehicles that the military purchased broke down during the acceptance test. It's an emergency. All the experienced drivers have been dispatched. You need to go there immediately."
Ye Wanqing's heart skipped a beat. First day at work, and she's already expected to be on her own?
"Director, this is my first day here, I don't understand anything!"
"It's okay, I'll give you the blueprints. You're a college student, you'll definitely be able to understand them."
Without saying a word, the director handed her the blueprints.
She had no choice but to nod in agreement.
One of the sentries said, "Comrade Technician, please come with me."
Ye Wanqing was led towards the warehouse.
"Battalion Commander Zhao. This is a newly assigned college graduate technician."
Zhao Tingfeng saw that the person who came was Ye Wanqing, and immediately smiled. "What a coincidence. We meet again."
He extended his hand to shake hers, and Ye Wanqing had no choice but to shake hands symbolically in return.
Where is the malfunctioning machine?
"Come with me."
Upon entering the warehouse, several repairmen were seen busily working.
The broken-down vehicle lay forlornly on the repair ditch, like a sleeping steel behemoth.
"Start it and listen to the sound."
Zhao Tingfeng then opened the car door and jumped into the driver's seat, the engine roaring and making strange noises.
"The transmission system is slipping, and the third cylinder is not working steadily. The clutch assembly needs to be checked."
Upon hearing the voice, Ye Wanqing took notes while speaking.
The repairman arrived quickly and began repairs according to her notes.
...
Over the next few days, Ye Wanqing accompanied the masters on their daily inspections.
I had more and more contact with Zhao Tingfeng.
While Ye Wanqing was adjusting the gearbox, Zhao Tingfeng leaned against the front of the car to record data.
She climbed onto the roof to check the oil lines, while he steadily held the ladder below.
Once, she was standing on tiptoe to reach for a tool when he reached out to hand it to her. The moment their fingertips touched, the multimeter fell to the ground with a clatter...
At lunchtime in the military canteen, she sat at the table with her aluminum lunchbox, staring blankly at the cabbage, tofu, and steamed buns. She felt a little out of place.
Zhao Tingfeng walked over with a lunchbox and sat down next to her.
"Don't you have an appetite? The food in the army is rather bland. I'm sorry you had to come all the way from Shanghai to this remote and impoverished place."
But he still took a few pieces of braised pork from his own lunchbox and used chopsticks to put them into Ye Wanqing's lunchbox.
Eat more.
Ye Wanqing was a little embarrassed. "Thank you."
The two chatted as they ate.
"Girl, why did you decide to come to the Northwest?"
"I want to experience what it's like to be away from the city."
"Girl, you've really asked for trouble. There's nothing to experience here; the only feeling is desolation. Extremely desolate."
Hearing this, Ye Wanqing admired him instead. As a military officer, he had stayed in the desolate Northwest for so long.
"Girl, what are your plans? Will you stay in the army forever, or transfer back to Shanghai?"
"Then it's up to you." Zhao Tingfeng said, looking at her meaningfully.
Ye Wanqing avoided eye contact. "Why are you looking at me?"
"Because, girl, you're my wife. Wherever you are, that's where I'll be." Zhao Tingfeng grinned mischievously.
Upon hearing this, Ye Wanqing almost spat out the food in her mouth.
This guy is so narcissistic! When did she become his wife?
A few soldiers at the nearby table kept glancing this way and secretly laughing.
An officer walked over, patted Zhao Tingfeng on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "Battalion Commander Zhao, aren't you going to introduce her? This must be our 'sister-in-law'?"
Zhao Tingfeng neither admitted nor denied it, only laughing and scolding, "You have such sharp eyes!"
Ye Wanqing quickly explained, "We're just from the same hometown."
Unexpectedly, the officer immediately realized. "Oh, you're the fellow villager that Battalion Commander Zhao has been longing for and secretly in love with for so many years. Battalion Commander Zhao has remained unmarried all these years because of you. So many military wives in the army have tried to introduce him to potential partners, but he has refused them all."
Ye Wanqing felt a little embarrassed and quickly lowered her head to eat.
Is Zhao Tingfeng out of his mind?! Who's his wife?!
[He's had a crush on her for years but hasn't married her. It's really baffling.]
Zhao Tingfeng was stunned. He never expected to hear her heartfelt words again after so many years.
Sure enough, she hasn't changed at all.
Unrestrained and flamboyant—that's her.
But hearing her curse him in her mind, he felt inexplicably happy.
"Ignore them, they're just a bunch of rough men who talk nonsense."
He said to the officer, "Old Wang, don't talk nonsense. We're just friends. Don't scare the young girl."
Old Wang laughed even louder: "I know, I know, 'friends'! We all understand!"
"What do you know? Get lost, go away." Zhao Tingfeng quickly sent the man away.
At that moment, not far from them, at a table, Ji Xinxin, a military doctor in uniform, saw this scene and was instantly furious.
Ji Xinxin is a military doctor and one of the few girls in the army. She has a pretty face and a slender figure. She can be described as the most beautiful girl in the army.
Since she joined the army, countless people have pursued her. But she has never been interested in any of them.
The person she likes is Zhao Tingfeng; she fell in love with him the moment she saw him when she arrived at the military base.
However, Zhao Tingfeng was indifferent to her. She had confessed her feelings to him before, but he rejected her.
"I'm sorry, I already have a girl I like."
Could it be that the girl he likes is the female college student who was just assigned here?
She is indeed very beautiful, but I am clearly not bad myself.
Why do I not like her?
...
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