War Military: From 1978

Chapter 9 The basin that has seen the passage of time!
"I've discovered that our old comrades are really nice! So enthusiastic!"

"Yes, when I came here, I heard from the retired veterans in the village that the veterans in the army have bad tempers and that some of them might bully others. But after seeing this today, I don't see any sign that they would bully us!"

In the dormitory, everyone spread their own quilts on the straw.

"Well, this place is really beyond my expectation. My family is poor enough. Even a mouse would shed tears if it entered our house.

But even so, at least we still have a few wooden beds at home. Now that you're a soldier, you're sleeping on straw!"

"Hey, isn't it a temporary residence? I think after we're assigned to the new recruit company, we'll have beds to sleep in!"

The 28 people including Chu An who came from their hometown county in a sealed truck were assigned to two dormitories, with 14 people in each dormitory.

Now Chu An made the bed and sat down, watching them chatting.

To be honest, Chu An didn't expect to sleep directly on straw.

In his opinion, even though the times were poor, the army should still be better, right?

But now.
"Hey, little intellectual, you're well-read and quite intelligent. Just now, the commander said that once we're all here, we'll be divided into new recruit companies. Does that mean we're going to be separated?"

Li Guoping sat next to Chu An and suddenly asked a question. With just one sentence, he interrupted all other voices and everyone looked over.

"That should be the case!" Chu An hesitated and spoke.

The question really caught him off guard.

Will they separate?

How does he know?

He has never been a soldier, let alone in this era.

But according to the common sense he knew, they should be separated.

After all, these dozen people now all come from the same county.

I've never heard of any army having members all from the same place!
What's more, the army is already averse to forming cliques and small groups. If dozens of people in a company come from the same place, it will naturally provide fertile ground for forming cliques and small groups.

“This one will definitely separate!”

At this time, a new soldier in the dormitory said with a smile: "My neighbor's elder brother is serving in the army. I talked to him a lot last year when he came home to visit his family.

He told me that after joining the army, his comrades came from all corners of the country, and it was rare for soldiers in the same squad to come from the same place!

"Ah! So that's what's happening! Then when we serve in the army in the future, we won't be able to find someone in our class to chat with in our hometown dialect?" Li Guoping looked bitter.

"I'm guarding against people like you!" Chu An added with a smile.

"So, when we are divided into new recruit companies this time, will we be assigned to other places?"

"Who knows? Ouch, I'm still a little dizzy, I'll lie down for a while!"

"Let me lie down for a while too!"

Just now, after Tong Lianzhong brought everyone back, he only said one sentence: "Everyone has been traveling for two days, and it's getting dark today. Now everyone, spread out your blankets and rest. I'll call everyone to go outside to wash up together later!"

At this moment, two or three of the recruits said they were still dizzy and lay down one after another. Even if the rest were not dizzy, they could not stand up and lay down on the quilts they had prepared.

The same is true for Chu An.

There was a layer of straw on the sealed carriage with his own blanket. After more than a day's journey, Chu An had gotten used to it and now he didn't feel any psychological burden when lying down.

"Chu An, you really should try the college entrance exam again this year. You're only four points short. What if you work hard and pass it this year? Then you can become a college student!"

He lay down, and Li Guoping beside him didn't stop talking.

Chu An glanced at him and smiled, "I want to be a soldier!"

"Hehe, great minds think alike. I like being a soldier too!" This guy is heartless, or really has no scheming. Chu An can change the subject with just a few words.

After lying down and chatting for a while, Platoon Leader Ma came over with an old soldier.

"Come on, come on, get up and get ready to wash your feet!" Platoon Leader Ma had a smile on his face. He was carrying a bucket of steaming water, and the old soldier who followed him in was carrying a few aluminum alloy washbasins that were obviously full of years of knocks and bruises, and a few small stools.

"Come on, we have limited resources, there are only four washbasins, you can take turns washing your face first and then soaking your feet!"

After Platoon Leader Ma finished speaking, the old soldier placed the washbasin and stool on the ground with a smile on his face.

At this moment, Chu An was actually a little dazed.

He thought he heard wrongly.

What does it mean to take turns washing your face first and then soaking your feet?

It seems they only brought in four basins.

Does this mean that I and others have to take turns using these four basins to wash our faces and soak our feet?

This is too much!
Although Chu An is not a germaphobe, he can even accept washing his face and feet in his own basin if he is alone.

But this washbasin is obviously not new, and the key point is that I and others will also use this basin to wash their faces and feet later.

Use the basin that others use to soak their feet to wash your face?

Don’t let athlete’s foot get transmitted to your face!

Chu An's heart was filled with bitterness.

"Don't just sit there doing nothing. Come on, the four of you, be the first group, bring your towels!" At this time, Platoon Leader Ma, who had finished pouring the water, spoke again.

Chu An was lucky, he was one of the first four people that Platoon Leader Ma pointed to.

But that's where the luck ends.

This washbasin has obviously been worn out over the years.

Today he allowed himself and others to wash their faces and soak their feet, so there was no need to imagine how many pairs of feet had been soaked in this basin before.

"Thank you, platoon leader!" The others on the side didn't think too much about it. Li Guoping was the first to take out his towel and stood up.

I stayed in the sealed train for two days. During those two days, even when I arrived at the military depot, I could only wash my face with cold water.

Now that there is hot water to wash their faces and soak their feet, they have been itching to do so for a long time.

Feeling a bit helpless, Chu An could only bite the bullet and say thank you with a numb scalp, then he took out the towel and stood up.

This is the era and the environment. Since he cannot disobey, he can only force himself to adapt.

Since athlete's foot is called athlete's foot, it should not be contagious to the face.

Chu An followed the other three reluctantly.

Sitting on a small stool, the other three moved quickly, threw their towels into the basin and started washing.

Chu An took a look and felt a little helpless, but he could only grit his teeth and throw his towel down as well.

To be honest, Chu An would rather go outside to get cold water to wash now.

But now Platoon Leader Ma and his men have brought the water.
Holding the wet towel, Chu An made up his mind, closed his eyes, and started washing.

I have to say, although I feel a little uncomfortable, I haven't washed my face for two days on this March night, and it feels really comfortable to wash my face with hot water now.

Soon, Chu An and the other three finished washing their faces.

"Come on, take off your shoes!"

What surprised Chu An was that just after he finished washing his face, Platoon Leader Ma squatted over and tried to help the new recruit at the edge take off his shoes.

The same is true for the other veteran, who is now squatting in front of Li Guoping.

(End of this chapter)