Chapter 104

"We have the final say, so there's no need to rush. Let's wait until the veterans are discharged."

"That's right." Shi Lei sighed, "The veterans have already sealed their boxes and handed over their work. They all want to wait for you to come back and say goodbye before leaving. Which day do you think is suitable?"

One month before the veterans retire, they hand over their work and return all their guns and ammunition to the battalion headquarters. They are no longer allowed to participate in any meetings or training on the island, nor are they allowed to stand guard.

In order to prevent the latest secrets from being leaked, all the defenses on the island will be replaced as soon as they leave the island.

It's not targeting them, nor do I distrust them, it's just routine, just to be on the safe side.

Lu Yuanzheng nodded and asked, "Have all the new recruits arrived on the island?"

"I just arrived a week ago and have been undergoing intensive training these days."

"Then let's do it the day after tomorrow! Let's do it for the veterans tomorrow."

Shi Lei nodded. "I guessed you would do this. I have already told all the companies. The pigs and sheep are ready."

Lu Yuanzheng nodded without saying anything.

Shi Lei saw that Lu Yuanzheng was in a low mood, so he patted him on the shoulder and said, "Tell me some more good news."

The journey is long and I am not very interested.

"In order to take care of the physical and mental health of our soldiers who remain on the island, we have an extra month of vacation this year."

"Hmm?" Lu Yuanzheng raised his head.

"The leaders also know that guarding an isolated island has a great psychological impact on everyone. So they gave us two months of leave, once every six months, one month each time, including the journey. If you are unmarried, you will have ten days less each time."

Generally, married warriors had ten more days than unmarried warriors, and every three years they would have another twenty days more.

However, there are requirements for these twenty days, that is, if the parents of the man and woman are in different places, it is called family visit leave.

For a case like Lu Yuanzheng, where only Xu Wen has relatives, there is no such leave.

Lu Yuanzheng's first reaction was to look at Xu Wen.

As expected, Xu Wen raised his lips, "Really? That's great."

Lu Yuanzheng picked up the water cup and clinked it with Shi Lei's. "When are you leaving?"

When he comes back, it's time for Shi Lei to take his annual leave.

Shi Lei also looked at Song Baoying first.

Song Baoying looked a little indifferent.

Shi Lei retracted his gaze and said, "We have to wait until the veterans retire and the rotation is over, right?!"

Song Baoying's face suddenly changed, and she turned around and questioned him: "You clearly said that you would accompany me back after Lu Ying and sister-in-law came back! Liar!"

Shi Lei comforted her: "I didn't lie to you. I am the chief officer on this island. It is also the time when the veterans are retiring and the guards are rotating, so I have to keep an eye on things. When things are sorted out and the island returns to normal, I will definitely accompany you home."

Song Baoying stood up suddenly, and the stool made a harsh sound as it dragged on the ground.

Song Baoying, who had been speaking softly, suddenly became shrill and emotional: "It's always like this! Only your job is work, but mine is not? School has already started, and I've already asked for leave, are you going to let me ask for leave again? Every time you have no choice! I always have to compromise with you! If you want to stay, you can stay, and Wenwen and I will go home tomorrow! We have always lived well without you!"

After saying that, he turned and walked upstairs.

Wenwen burst into tears.

Song Baoying came back and took Wenwen upstairs together.

Xu asked: "..."

Lu Yuanzheng: "..."

The two looked at each other, both with confused and embarrassed expressions.

Shi Lei was even more embarrassed. He glanced upstairs, then at Lu Yuanzheng and Xu Wen, "I'm sorry! She wasn't targeting you. I made her feel wronged."

Lu Yuanzheng stood up and said, "Go and comfort them first. We are all brothers, there is no need to say all this. I will go on duty later."

Xu Wen followed Lu Yuanzheng and left Shi Lei's house.

After walking a long way away and listening to Song Baoying's hysterical crying, Xu Wen still couldn't understand why Song Baoying exploded.

It looked like he had suffered so much injustice that he could no longer bear it, and was directly crushed by Shi Lei's words.

It's like an extremely large bubble that pops with a slight poke.

"Are they...not on good terms?" Xu asked, turning his head back repeatedly.

I often hear Shi Lei talk about Song Baoying, and I think the two of them must have a good relationship.

"It's not that the relationship is bad." Lu Yuanzheng sighed, "Our profession... requires women to endure too much."

He hooked his hands around Xu Wen's waist and said, "You don't know how lucky I am to have met you!"

The next day, the farewell banquet prepared for the veterans was still held in the evening.

Still the beach, still the barbecue and buffet.

Early in the morning, the kitchen teams of each company were filled with the cries of pigs and sheep waiting to be slaughtered, mixed in with the slogans of new recruits' training.

Xu Wen sat on the swing in the yard, looking curiously at the beach.

Previously, the island was full of veterans, who only did daily training and spent most of their time working.

Xu Wen always has the feeling that he goes to work and leaves work on time.

But the new recruits don’t have this treatment. Xu Wen feels that they don’t seem to have any time for themselves. No matter what they do, they are always in a neat team.

In the morning, they line up for morning exercises, then line up to wash up, then line up to eat breakfast, and then line up to go to the training ground.

Even at the canteen, there was a queue.

The veterans didn't do that. They often walked in groups of two or three, chatting and laughing. However, they didn't hang out with each other's arms, and everyone kept their backs straight.

Even when they were walking leisurely, their cadence and stride were surprisingly consistent.

Xu Wen curiously asked Guo Lu Yuan Zheng: "Is this considered bullying a newcomer? Do you have to show off your power before you can join the army?"

Lu Yuanzheng was buckling his belt at the time and sneered, "How can this be considered a show of force? We all went through this process in order to develop their tacit understanding and neatness."

Xu Wen said "oh" and thought for a moment, "Then I don't want Dongsheng to join the army in the future."

Lu Yuanzheng: “???”

“It’s too hard.”

Lu Yuanzheng: "..."

"If the training process is recorded and shown to their parents, which parent would be willing to send their child here?"

Even if people in the 1960s and 1970s were a generation that could endure hardships, none of them were so hardworking.

At noon, the new recruits were bare-chested, and some of them were carrying a piece of wood soaked in sea water, running on the beach, panting.

Xu Wen passed by and saw that their backs were covered with blisters from the sun.

Lu Yuanzheng was silent for a moment before speaking: "Someone has to bear this hardship."

We can't all stop serving in the army, then who will protect the country?

Xu Wen only complained a few words, but he understood the truth in his heart.

Just like the saying goes, the years are quiet and good, but someone is carrying the burden for you.

He nodded and finally said, "Your profession is indeed the greatest profession!"

"Military wives are even greater in the hearts of soldiers!" Lu Yuanzheng lowered his head and kissed Xu Wen lightly on the forehead. "Let's go. You don't have to wait for me for lunch!"

There were too many things going on in the camp these past two days. The journey was long and I basically didn't go home except for sleeping.

After the sun went down, the largest beach on the island was once again crowded with people.

Unlike in the past, lighting is no longer a problem.

The soldiers pulled over electric wires and held up tall light bulbs on bamboo poles.

Although the entire island was not as bright as day, the dim light provided sufficient visibility without the need for a flashlight as before.

What was different this time was that everyone formed two circles, with the veterans in the middle and the others arranged in order by company in the outer circle.

The family members also dispersed and followed their men.

Xu Wen was sitting next to Lu Yuanzheng and inevitably saw Song Baoying again.

When Song Baoying saw Xu Wen, she apologized to her sheepishly: "I'm sorry, sister-in-law. I was wrong last night! I invited you to be my guest and ended up..."

Xu Wen shook his head: "It doesn't matter."

She was silent after that.

I wanted to ask, "Are you feeling better now?" but I didn't want to bring up her sad memories, so I didn't open my mouth.

Song Baoying took the initiative to explain to her: "No matter what, I shouldn't have lost my temper in front of you. You are the guests, and I should give face to Lao Shi. I... I don't know what happened to me. It was something I was used to, but it sounded so irritating to me yesterday that I couldn't control myself."

"I don't blame you." Xu Wen comforted her, "Sometimes it's really their fault that they often let people go. I can understand!"

Xu Wen was not sure about the other things, but judging from what Song Baoying said when she exploded last night, Shi Lei must have promised to send Song Baoying back.

The start time for primary and secondary schools across the country is almost the same, usually starting after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

It's already the 20th day of the first lunar month, and Song Baoying is still on the island. She must have already asked for leave once.

Shi Lei must have promised her that he would leave after Lu Yuanzheng and his wife returned to the island, so Song Baoying was so impatient to invite them home for dinner.

As a result, after working for a long time, Shi Lei said that he would have to wait for a while before leaving.

It seems that they didn't discuss it with her in advance, they just informed her.

Any woman would be unhappy.

"Not often." Song Baoying smiled bitterly, "but always. From the first time I met him on a blind date to now, he has never fulfilled his promise. It's always me who gives and I who gives..."

Perhaps because she had accumulated too many grievances, Song Baoying's voice, although not loud, sounded like crying.

Maybe it was because of her professional upbringing, her voice was still gentle and soft even when she was talking.

Song Baoying and Shi Lei met through a matchmaker.

At that time, she had just graduated and was assigned to teach in a primary school in the county.

Everyone respects soldiers, especially girls. Who doesn’t have a dream of being a hero?

Like Xu Wen and Lu Yuanzheng, Song Baoying and Shi Lei's families were from the same county, not far from each other.

Before Shi Lei went home for vacation, the matchmaker arranged a meeting between the parents of both parties.

Shi Lei's parents were very satisfied with Song Baoying, which meant that the marriage was almost settled.

At that time, Shi Lei was in his last year at the military academy and he also had winter and summer vacations.

After Shi Lei returned home, the two met.

At first sight, Song Baoying fell in love with the tall and straight Shi Lei.

"He was wearing a green military uniform and standing straight. He was exactly what I had always dreamed of." Song Baoying couldn't help but smile as she recalled their first meeting.

Song Baoying is a military fan, not a fan of the military, but a man who likes to be a soldier.

Shi Lei, with his tall and straight figure, just suits her aesthetic taste.

"Besides, he is also very considerate. When we walk on the road, he will consciously walk on the outside of me, and when cars or people who ride their bikes improperly pass by, he will stretch out his arms to protect me. He can remember my preferences just by telling me once..."

When they met for the first time, Song Baoying had a very good impression of Shi Lei.

Both of them were of marriageable age, and after meeting each other, they jumped straight into discussing marriage.

Shi Lei has a special job, so if he doesn't get married that year, he will have to wait until the next year.

Since both parties were satisfied and they were old enough, Shi Lei's parents urged them to get married as soon as possible.

Song Baoying's family felt that the wedding was hasty and was a little reluctant. But she was sure that Shi Lei was her soulmate and couldn't wait to marry him.

That period was indeed the happiest time for Song Baoying.

The two of them went shopping for wedding supplies together.

Go to the bookstore to read books together, go to the cinema together.

Once, when Song Baoying was waiting for Shi Lei, they met a few hooligans. Shi Lei happened to come and beat them away in no time.

At that time, Song Baoying liked Shi Lei very much, he was definitely her dream lover.

The wedding was hastily arranged, but all due respect was shown to Song Baoying.

Xu Wen couldn't help but sigh, "So they have the custom of flash marriages!"

I seem to have heard several sisters-in-law say that they all got married in a hurry.

"Flash marriage?" Song Baoying was puzzled.

"It means two people get married directly after knowing each other for a short time or having only met a few times."

"Yes." Song Baoying nodded. "Due to their professional relationship, they didn't have time to slowly date. Besides, marriage was particularly troublesome. When we got married, he sent several telegrams home. I went to the village to get the official seal, and then to the police station to get the official seal. It was so troublesome!"

Xu Wen had never experienced this before. She married Lu Yuanzheng, partly because Lu Yuanzheng ran away on his own, and partly because Xu Wen helped her run away. She did nothing.

She comforted Song Baoying, "In fact, all the troubles are good. Lu Yuanzheng was called back on the day of our wedding! The wedding was not even completed."

Song Baoying nodded vigorously and said angrily: "That's how they are! You are not the first sister-in-law like this. Many sisters-in-law marry alone. At that time, I didn't know all this, and I thought that marrying a man like this would make my life complete."

Although Xu Wen didn't have the heart to interrupt Song Baoying's beautiful memories, he was also curious about where their problems went, so he asked, "What happened next?"

"After I married him, I started to live like a widow. Before the marriage, I was only thinking about how to be with Shi Lei, and I had hardly ever spent time with his family. After getting married, I suddenly had to live under the same roof, and I was particularly uncomfortable with it. Our two families have completely different eating habits, and various living habits are also different." Song Baoying frowned.

At that time, Song Baoying was young and didn't know that the chaos of life is what most tests a person's character and a marriage.

At that time, I thought happiness was within my reach, and my face and eyes were full of expectations for the future.

My parents-in-law's house has six rooms and is a two-story self-built house.

My parents-in-law live in three rooms on the first floor, including the living room and dining room.

The second floor is for her and Shi Lei.

At the beginning of her marriage, Song Baoying, like all the other newlyweds in the world, wanted to be filial to Shi Lei's parents as if they were her own.

Song Baoying has a cleanliness obsession and keeps the house clean every day.

But my parents-in-law are not particular about people, some are even sloppy.

When Song Baoying was getting along with Shi Lei, she noticed that Shi Lei was also a very hygienic person and thought his home was the same as her own.

Later I found out that many of Shi Lei's habits were developed after he joined the army.

At the beginning of a marriage, tolerance is high.

Her parents-in-law don't pay much attention to hygiene when cooking or washing dishes. Song Baoying is not used to it, but she is too embarrassed to say anything. She can only rush to cook and wash dishes so that she can be assured of hygiene.

However, the disharmony in life has just begun.

The mother-in-law also liked to enter Song Baoying's room without permission and rummage through things.

To put it nicely, it means that Song Baoying is treated as a family member and no strangers are made to feel at ease. To put it bluntly, it means that she is not taken seriously and is not respected.

When she married Shi Lei, there were some melon seeds and candies left over, but her parents-in-law took them away without her permission and gave them to Shi Lei's little nephew.

She didn't feel bad about the candy, but she also took away her clothes.

A piece of clothing that she particularly liked but couldn't bear to wear.

After Song Baoying got home from get off work, she saw her elder sister-in-law wearing the same clothes as hers and thought they were the same style. When she went upstairs, she found that her closet had been turned over.

The closet that had been neatly stacked was now in a mess, and there were a few pieces of clothing thrown on the bed, which looked like they had been put on and taken off.

Song Baoying's parents would not touch her things. This was the first time she suffered such an injustice and her eyes turned red.

But I also felt that if I rushed down to look for my parents-in-law and sister-in-law, I would appear to be too aggressive.

After washing my face, I calmed down for a long time. But when I went downstairs to eat, I saw the dress on my elder sister-in-law and my eyes were red. I couldn't help asking, "Mom, did you go through my closet?"

The mother-in-law said as if it was a matter of course: "Oh, yes! When I was getting the candy, I saw your closet full of clothes. And your sister happened to say she had nothing to wear, so I let her pick one out."

Song Baoying had just gotten married and was too shy to show off, so she could only argue in frustration: "Mom, Shi Lei bought it for me when I got engaged. I couldn't bear to wear it."

"It's just a piece of clothing. Your sister is not an outsider. She can wear the clothes Leilei buys!"