1978: A Literary Giant Who Began His Military Service

Chapter 123 Did you write this song? (Seeking monthly votes!)

Lying in bed.

Zhou Xu was looking at the book.

Ye Huawei over there was slowly beginning to show signs of leadership: "Hey! Everyone needs to get up at 5:30 tomorrow morning, don't be late!"

Upon hearing this number, Zhou Xu felt dizzy and collapsed onto the bed.

Sigh, ever since I became a member of the performing arts troupe, I haven't gotten up before 7 a.m.

Military academies are essentially like military units, so basic physical training, military theory and command training, and political theory training are all required...

Zhou Xu stared at the ceiling, wondering why studying at a military academy was even more painful than his previous university studies.

Soon, they were all asleep by ten o'clock.

At 5:30 a.m., a whistle blew outside, and a group of people got out of bed and went to the playground.

The number of people taking the advanced training was not large, about a hundred people, which was equivalent to a company. They assembled quickly and lined up in rows according to their dormitories.

front.

Soon, a man in his forties or fifties strode over, his thick eyebrows raised, his eyes sharp as knives, exuding a menacing aura.

"Listen up, all of you! My name is Tuoba Gang, and I'm your instructor in the recruit company!" His voice was as loud as a bell, making everyone's eardrums vibrate. "I know that in the army you are either battalion commanders or regimental commanders, and you are all experienced soldiers! But remember, once you step into the gates of this school, your previous rank and military rank are all null and void! Here, you only have one identity—recruits!"

Tuoba Gang stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over everyone before finally settling on the front of the line. A cold, hard smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Now, everyone, get ready! Change into your uniforms and assemble for the three-kilometer cross-country run. Be on the parade ground in ten minutes!"

A group of people lined up and soon started running.

However, when officers reach higher ranks, they have very little time for physical training. Even though they are all roughly the same, the differences in their physical fitness quickly become apparent.

After the run, everyone started panting. Zhou Xu was a little better, since he was still a young man and trained regularly.

Back in the dorm, the group started washing up, brushing their teeth and washing their faces. Yu Wenyong muttered, "Where did this Tuoba Gang come from? He's so arrogant."

Song Zhipeng was practically a walking encyclopedia now: "This guy came from the Central Military Commission, he's about a division commander, he came before he retired!"

"..." Zhou Xu looked at Song Zhipeng, not expecting his former company commander to be so gossipy and know everything.

Ye Huawei nodded: "Those who can teach us are all of higher rank than us, including regimental commanders and division commanders. There is no need for us to feel resentful."

Zhou Xu glanced at the three of them, then picked up a steamed bun and started eating, feeling that it was about the same level of training as basic recruit training.

"I'm going to class now, you guys come and report later!" Ye Huawei left with a cup of soy milk.

"Hey? That arts and culture soldier?" Yu Wenyong looked over at Zhou Xu and continued, "By the way, what do you think of this instructor?"

Zhou Xu nodded: "It's alright."

"good?"

Zhou Xu continued, "I feel like Company Commander Song treated us the same way before, right? There's no difference."

"Tsk?" Yu Wenyong pinched his chin, somewhat unconvinced.

There was no way around it; a group of people who had always been bossy and domineering in the military were suddenly brought here, so it was naturally hard for them to accept.

"You have such a good temper." Yu Wenyong didn't continue the discussion with Zhou Xu and left as well.

……

Soon, Song Zhipeng walked over, patted Zhou Xu on the shoulder, and said, "Let's go, let's go check out the classroom first."

Zhou Xu packed his things: "Hey? Company Commander Song, how did you know he was a division commander?"

"Oh? Well, it's because my dad is a division commander, and they were in the same rank, so I just happened to know him," Song Zhipeng replied.

"How come you know so many people everywhere you go? You're all rich kids!" Zhou Xu complained.

"I didn't use my dad's connections. It's questionable whether Tuoba Gang even knows me!" Song Zhipeng felt that Zhou Xu was suspicious of him, so he felt it necessary to explain.

The two hurried toward the classroom.

"However, you've been so busy these past few days, how have you been dealing with your writing issues?" Song Zhipeng asked with concern.

"Writing a novel? No rush, I don't have inspiration all the time!" Zhou Xu shook his head.

Hey! Anyway, I'm standing on the shoulders of giants, so I can always come up with a rough idea for writing a book. I'll think about other things after I go back to school and become an official.

The teacher for the first theory class today is a PhD who has studied abroad.

After all, teaching theoretical courses doesn't require a group of people to be convinced of the level; it only requires teaching new theories.

Song Zhipeng scratched his head and cursed, "What a fucking pain! I don't understand!"

Zhou Xu was helpless. Both he and the original owner of this body had good grades, so the course wasn't too difficult. Although this theoretical course didn't have much to do with the original foundation, it mainly tested comprehension and learning abilities.

Zhou Xu's abilities are absolutely unquestionable.

"I'll lend you my notes to copy later! Company Commander, you should listen carefully, failing the assessment means you have to retake it!" Zhou Xu said.

"Oh! It's a good thing I have you, a top student."

Zhou Xu's figure was quite strange in the army. Although he was tall and handsome, he looked a bit immature compared to others who looked mature.

He had a distinctly childlike quality, but these days the focus is on making people younger and more professional... so no one bothered him.

get out of class dismissed. A group of people gathered.

At noon, the college's political commissar came over. His surname was Ding, and he was a veteran of the Red Army, with two stars representing the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Generally, high-level military academies are staffed by high-ranking generals who serve as political commissars and principals.

Political Commissar Ding stood at the front: "Everyone has been getting used to it for a day now. You are all generals selected from the army, and I believe you are all very familiar with the army's training. I don't need to emphasize it too much!"

But I'm here to talk about something else: ideological and political work is very important. Many of you may become political commissars in the future! Regardless, you must have the right mindset.

......"

Political Commissar Ding spoke for a long time.

Soon, after finishing the lecture, Political Commissar Ding waved his hand: "Before the meal, everyone should prepare to recite 'The Song of Strengthening the Army'."

Upon hearing this song, Song Zhipeng blinked and nudged Zhou Xu.

Yu Wenyong asked curiously, "What's wrong with this song?"

Dormitory head Ye Huawei understood Song Zhipeng's actions: "This song was written by Comrade Zhou Xu."

"oh!??"

Yu Wenyong looked at Zhou Xu.

His eyes were filled with surprise. After all, it was a song that the entire army was learning! He had thought it was written by those old fogies from the General Political Department; he never expected that the composer and lyricist was right beside him.

He thought that the cultural troupe soldiers just wrote group reports and assisted the clerical staff!
I never imagined that the song that was so popular in my own unit was written by the person in front of me.

His surprise was nothing short of astonishing! You heard a song called "Blue and White Porcelain" online, and your roommate said he wrote it. Isn't that surprising?

"Ahem!" The instructor walked around, glanced at the group, and Zhou Xu immediately joined in singing: "For the country to be strong, we must shoulder the responsibility..."

After they finished singing, the group went into the cafeteria.

Yu Wenyong looked at Zhou Xu: "Did you really write this?"

Ye Huawei nodded: "He's an arts and culture soldier, he's naturally a creative person. Otherwise, guess why he was promoted to deputy battalion commander at the age of twenty? Otherwise, why did those old men approve it?"

Ye Huawei has never had any objections to capable people. Even if he encountered a soldier like Zhou Xu, he would promote him exceptionally and give him special treatment!
A soldier's writing can influence the morale of an entire unit.

Upon hearing this, Yu Wenyong instantly understood. No wonder he had always been curious about how this guy got here; the reason was right here!

"If Comrade Zhou Xu goes to the Political Department in the future, he'll have to transfer the cultural troupe to my unit!"

Song Zhipeng laughed: "Haha! Old Yu, you like watching the female comrades in the cultural troupe dance!"

"Hey! You don't have a wife? Let me introduce you to one," Ye Huawei said, looking at Yu Wenyong.

"No, no! I was thinking of finding someone, but I didn't have time. Now I have to wait another two years. I can only go back to my hometown for blind dates." Yu Wenyong shook his head.

Thinking about this, the group started discussing it.

“Hey, I think you shouldn’t marry a female soldier from a performing arts troupe,” Yu Wenyong said.

"Why?" Zhou Xu glanced at him: "You're discriminating against our performing arts troupe."

"No, that's not it. Even if it's a performing arts troupe, it's just that... these female comrades dance and sing with other male members all year round, so it's inevitable that they'll develop some kind of relationship. How can rough guys like us compare to the handsome guys in the performing arts troupe?" Yu Wenyong said.

We discussed it for a short while.

The group lined up and went to the front to get their food.

Since they are all officers at the regimental or battalion level, the meals prepared by the canteen are of a relatively high standard.

The first meal consisted of three dishes and a soup, plus a meat dish.

Zhou Xu ate his ribs and exclaimed, "Nanjing, Nanjing! All the food here is so sweet and cloying. I still prefer spicy food!"

People in the Yangtze River Delta region (Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai) prefer sweet food, while those in Guangdong and Guangxi prefer fresh food. People in inland areas either prefer food that is heavy on oil and salt or spicy food.

"...Shall we go out and buy some chili sauce on Sunday?"

Even in military academies, the one-day-off-per-week system still exists and is not deducted.

Zhou Xu continued eating; after all, there was meat, so he could accept it.

These past few days, physical training and regular theoretical and practical classes have been conducted together, and Zhou Xu's strength lies in physical fitness.

After all, there is indeed a gap between a group of middle-aged people in their thirties and forties and his body, which is at the peak of his energy at the age of twenty.

The rest of the place is pretty much the same.

Zhou Xu quickly adapted to Nanjing's weather, almost without taking much time.

Nanjing is indeed a beautiful city with an exceptionally pleasant climate. It lacks the scorching heat of Wuhan's summers and the biting cold of its winters, making life comfortable. No wonder it was once the capital of six dynasties; its mild climate alone is enough to make it a favorite.

Sunday.

Song Zhipeng asked, "What are your plans for Sunday? Are you going out?"

Zhou Xu nodded; "A friend invited me to dinner, so I won't be joining you?"

A pretty girl is treating me to dinner. Why not take advantage of it?! Zhou Xu thought.

(End of this chapter)