Chapter 67: Chapter 66 Automatic Antenna
The evening was a bit cool. The dormitory’s main door and balcony door were both open. Wind filled the corridor, surged into the room, and then out through the balcony. In the middle of it all, a large man with tattoos stretched his body, which was fit enough for a bodybuilding contest.
Zhou Li lay on the bed, wrapped in a blanket that only revealed his head, silently watching the scene below.
It was a bit eye-watering.
Fortunately, Chen Yang soon changed into his military uniform, and then he started making serious faces in front of the mirror.
Chang Xiaoxiang and Liu Zhengming were also changing into their uniforms.
"Zhou Li, aren’t you going to try yours on?"
"I have. It fits."
"Do I look good in it?"
"Not bad."
"That’s a rather low rating."
"It’s high enough." Zhou Li thought the guy was really vain.
"You..."
Chen Yang then turned to Chang Xiaoxiang. "Do I look good in this military uniform? Does it have a certain flair?"
"You’re buff enough to fill out the uniform," Chang Xiaoxiang seriously commented.
"I like people like you!" Chen Yang gave a beaming smile. "Will it be very hot during military training tomorrow? Should I bring a bottle of water, and with the strong UV rays, should I apply sunscreen?"
"You’re going to use sunscreen?"
"I’m not afraid of getting darker, mainly afraid of getting sunburned."
"Makes sense."
"I heard we need to buy sanitary pads. Do you guys need some? If so, I can head to the supermarket now?" Chen Yang looked around at everyone. "There’s more than an hour left before the dorm closes; the supermarket should still be open, right?"
"I’ll take some," Chang Xiaoxiang said.
"Won’t that be a bit weird?" Liu Zhengming asked weakly.
"I’m fine with it," Zhou Li murmured.
"Okay, four votes for," Chen Yang declared. He was eager to go, took twenty yuan, didn’t even change his clothes, and left in his military uniform.
Chang Xiaoxiang, loving to bounce around, also followed him out.
Now, only Liu Zhengming and Zhou Li were left in the dorm. Both were rather quiet people, so it was exceptionally silent.
DING-DONG.
Li Daimao: All-nighter, you in?
Zhou Li was stunned.
After a moment, he typed a reminder: Military training starts tomorrow.
Li Daimao: I know, so what?
Li Daimao: Oh, and I’ve bought sanitary pads, the cheap kind, super thick, extra soft and comfortable. Do you want some? If so, come to the cafeteria tomorrow morning and I’ll give them to you.
Li Daimao: I’m telling you, those yellow cloth shoes are no match for sneakers; you really can’t do without these pads!
Zhou Li: Chen Yang has gone to buy some.
Li Daimao: Oh.
Li Daimao: All-nighter, you in?
Zhou Li: No, I’m not.
Li Daimao: Then I’m off.
Zhou Li tried to argue, but Brother Nan said she would only stay up for half the night and sleep for the other half, saying she used to do the same while laboring on construction sites. Moreover, she was eager because she had almost reached the rank of King in chess just today. As a Bronze Dog, her mood was urgent.
Zhou Li didn’t say any more.
Before long, Chen Yang and Chang Xiaoxiang came running back, clutching their pockets and laughing in a way that was hard to describe...
They slammed the door shut.
"Look!"
"HEHEHEHE!"
"Open it up and look!"
They approached it with an attitude of scholarly research, yet occasionally chuckled. Even the typically introverted Liu Zhengming crowded over. Since Zhou Li had already lain down in bed, they chose to unveil their discovery by his bedside and kindly showed it to him.
"Whoa, so it’s like this!" one of them exclaimed.
"How do you stick this on?" another asked.
"Oh, awesome!"
"So that’s how it works!"
"Zhou Li, look!" Chang Xiaoxiang noticed Zhou Li wasn’t very involved and thought he hadn’t seen clearly, so he took the initiative to show him.
"Oh."
Zhou Li looked; it was the ultra-thin type.
So he said, "You should buy the cheaper ones, the thicker kind. They’re more comfortable."
Suddenly, the dormitory went quiet.
Zhou Li fell silent for a moment. "I heard it from a friend."
He added at last, "Really."
"Oh!"
"Oh!"
"Oh!"
Are they parrots or what? Zhou Li thought.
Zhou Li felt that trust between people had been lost.
That night, without Lord Dumpling, although there was still the symphony of snoring and teeth grinding, he slept better than the previous night. Yet, somehow he actually missed that Tuanzi.
Isn’t that like a disease?
「The next morning.」
Zhou Li got up very early. After washing up, he changed into his military uniform and even checked himself out in the mirror.
Perfect score!
After playing with his phone for a while, he saw that Brother Nan had updated her status in the middle of the previous night, posting a promotion screenshot with the caption—
"If your hands aren’t fast enough, make up for it with smarts."
She blamed her disappointments in Summoner’s Rift on her hand speed.
Zhou Li pursed his lips, finding it amusing.
Once all his roommates were up and ready, the four of them left together. They saw that the entire corridor was a sea of camouflage, and the cafeteria had been taken over by the army of trainees, with hardly anyone in civilian clothes to be seen.
When getting their meals, they had to stick close; otherwise, with one turn, they couldn’t differentiate one from another.
After all, they had only just met a few days ago.
After breakfast, they assembled at the nearby Jingxing Square, standing in formation by class and gender. They listened to speeches from school leaders and the student union president meant to boost morale. Afterward, their class advisor took them to the soccer field.
It was already half-past nine by then.
Many military instructors in uniforms were waiting there.
Chang Xiaoxiang, standing behind Zhou Li, said, "The instructors’ uniforms are different from ours. Did you notice, Zhou Li?"
Zhou Li nodded.
Indeed, the instructors’ wouldn’t tear at the crotch.
After they stood in a somewhat disorganized group, a tall and robust instructor walked over and saluted them.
Military training was segregated by gender. Ideally, those from the same discipline would be in the same formation. However, due to student numbers, it was possible to have a formation made up of the odds and ends from two or three different disciplines.
So first, they were sorted into formations.
For the Life Sciences Institute, it was relatively straightforward; the males were divided into two formations, approximately one for classes one and two and another for classes three and four.
After formations were assigned, the next step was adjusting the lines.
Zhou Li and the others were constantly changing positions under the command of the instructor. Because of Zhou Li’s height, he was called to the back row, and soon Chen Yang, about the same height, was also called over to stand next to him.
Chang Xiaoxiang was in front of them, while Liu Zhengming was in the first row.
The chaotic formation gradually became orderly.
This process took about half an hour.
"Now, that looks better!"
The instructor exhaled and then said to them, "I’ll be your instructor from now on. When you see me, call me Company Commander, got it?"
"Got it!" everyone replied loudly.
"I didn’t hear that!" the instructor said.
"Understood!" The volume hadn’t really increased.
"Good." The instructor nodded in satisfaction. "By roll number, we are Fifth Camp Fourth Company, got it?"
"Got it!"
"Very well! The two weeks of military training will be quite tough, requiring perseverance. If you have any complaints, speak now. Does anyone have anything to say?"
"No one?" The instructor scanned the crowd and nodded inwardly. "I’m putting it out there: if anyone truly cannot participate in military training due to health reasons, you can get a medical certificate from the hospital and talk to the school. If you feel unwell during the process, report to me. Don’t push yourself! But no one can refuse military training without a good reason. Don’t fumble your hard-earned admission by not completing military training. Got that?"
"Got it!"
"Louder!"
"Got it!"
"If no one has any complaints, I’ll begin. After this, if you have any, keep them to yourself. I’ve given you the chance."
"Alright, everybody stand at attention!"
Zhou Li stood at attention following the instructor’s command, his gaze inadvertently drifting to a distant tree.
Huai Xu was waving at him, grinning.
The instructor was clearly dissatisfied with their stance. "First row sit down, second row squat, third row bend over. Watch closely, I’ll illustrate the ’attention’ and ’at ease’ commands! If you can’t do it right this afternoon, you’ll be running laps!"
Zhou Li watched attentively.
Huai Xu also focused on the instructor.
Teaching the movements, repetitive drills, and corrections took about another hour.
The morning passed just like that.
At noon when they were dismissed, the coach randomly picked an unlucky fellow and had him bring his own blanket over.
After a morning of hard work, the new recruits were starving and flocked to the canteen, going straight for the hearty dishes.
After eating, they returned to their dormitories to take a nap, then gathered again on the soccer field.
The afternoon sun was scorching, making people reluctant to step out of the shade. Everyone had to wear camo t-shirts, leading to sunburnt arms. Compared to the morning’s tension or excitement, there was now more reluctance.
Zhou Li sat under the shade of a tree. Many girls were also sitting around, some sneaking glances at him.
He didn’t mind.
Soon, the afternoon activities began—
Learning to fold blankets;
Learning military posture;
Standing in military posture.
It was like being roasted under the sun, and in a very uncomfortable position.
It was very unpleasant.
Chen Yang clenched his teeth.
Zhou Li felt he could still bear it. He even had the spare energy to look at the girls’ formation next to them. Everyone was wearing camo, and from a distance, it was a dizzying sight. Yet Brother Nan stood out, even though she was just standing motionless.
It was just a pity she was wearing a hat.
Just then, a roaring voice exploded in front. "What are you looking around for! You there! Do you want to join the female formation?"
Zhou Li quickly averted his gaze.
Laughter broke out in the ranks.
The instructor stared straight at him. "Don’t think just because you’re handsome, I won’t deal with you! Believe it or not, I’ll make you do push-ups in front of the female formation until you can’t do them anymore and collapse!"
Zhou Li found he couldn’t get angry at all.
"What is your name?"
"Zhou Li."
"You must say ’report’ when answering a question or speaking!"
"Report, my name is Zhou Li!"
"Good, very good, Zhou Li. You see, the other companies have moved to the shade. Do you want to go there?"
"..."
"Speak up!"
"I want to go!"
"Say ’report’!"
"Report, I want to go!"
"Louder."
"Report, want to go."
"Are you a woman or something? Why is your voice so soft?" The instructor picked at his ear. "Alright, because of your performance, I’ve decided to let our company sunbathe for an extra half hour. Don’t blame me, guys. If you want to blame someone, blame him."
"..."
Zhou Li heard Huai Xu say behind him, "Seems like he’s using you to set an example, huh? Want me to beat him up for you? Or how about I pull down his pants in front of the female instructor? What do you think of slashing his crotch open?"
"You’re not speaking? Is that a yes by default?"
"HAHA, just kidding!"
"..."
This afternoon was exceptionally grueling.
Their instructor seemed particularly cruel, even delaying dismissal by a few minutes compared to the other companies.
Zhou Li was so tired.
After the dismissal, Brother Nan was uncommonly waiting for him. She spotted Zhou Li at a glance and came over waving. "Where are you heading for a meal?"
"Cafeteria."
"What’s with the cafeteria? Dream bigger!"
"Then..."
"Let’s go! We’re eating sauerkraut and pig’s feet again. This time I want to see what a pig’s trotter looks like! It’s on you!"
"But..."
"You don’t want to treat?"
"Okay."
"Let’s go, let’s go..."
Brother Nan walked ahead, taking off her hat and waving it carelessly in her hand, talking while walking. "I noticed you have really fair skin. Standing amongst all those recruits, I could spot you instantly!"
Zhou Li just hmm’d, glancing at the top of her head.
Brother Nan didn’t mind and continued, "Did your instructor mention it? Tomorrow they’re selecting a squad leader, based on performance."
"He did."
"I want to run for it." This was for the military training squad leader. "Otherwise, if some other person becomes the squad leader and starts bossing me around, I’m afraid I might not be able to resist punching her."
"Nobody would do that, I guess."
"True, then I won’t run for it."
"You..."
"What about me? Hey, what are you looking at?"
"Your head. That stubborn cowlick of yours, it’s been pressed down." Zhou Li pointed to the tuft of hair on top of her head, which was unnaturally bent over like an antenna, to alert her.
"Oh."
Brother Nan casually stroked her hair, and the stubborn tuft of hair magically stood up again.
Zhou Li watched, nonplussed.
* * *
Brother Nan guessed right. The ’pig’s feet’ in the sauerkraut dish turned out to be pig’s knuckles—mainly meat, sliced. The ’pig’s trotters,’ on the other hand, were just the trotters: lumpy with bones, small in portion, and with even less meat.
After eating, Brother Nan declared she would never order pig’s trotters again.
After parting with Brother Nan, Huai Xu also commented, "Those pig’s trotters really aren’t as good as the feet. I had to nibble on them so cautiously, like a thief!"
Zhou Li turned his head.
Immediately, Huai Xu said, "I tried a different place this time!"
Zhou Li: ...
Huai Xu then asked, "Is military training fun?"
"Not fun."
"Then let me take your place! I think it’s fun!"
"Just don’t blow your cover."
"I won’t."
"Tomorrow they’re choosing a squad leader. Don’t perform too well; I don’t want to be made the squad leader," Zhou Li said.
"Got it!"