1978: A Literary Giant Who Began His Military Service

Chapter 25 Victory Cultural Troupe

“I guessed you’d say that! Let me tell you the truth, it’s a waste to keep this kind of soldier as your communications officer. Even the commanders don’t use communications officers like this. Why are you keeping him by your side?” The political instructor was acting on orders from the military region, so he naturally had some confidence.

Company Commander Song adjusted the brim of his hat. "Our company underwent basic training this year precisely to select some of our best soldiers. If you're just going to take our best ones away like that, what was the point of this year's training?"

"It wasn't the cultural troupe that gave the order; it was the head of the political department who said it."

"Who?"

“Zhou Zhigang…”

Zhou Zhigang is the second-in-command of the Political Department of the Wuhan Military Region, which is equivalent to the deputy director. He is at the deputy military level or the department level. Although he is involved in the arts, he is still a leader.

Song Zhipeng said a few words, but he had no other choice. He slammed the door shut in anger and went back inside.

……

Before Zhou Xu could even get comfortable, the instructor beckoned him and said, "Little Zhou, come out here!"

Zhou Xu scurried out of the gate, beaming: "Hey! Instructor! The company commander didn't agree, can I still be transferred?"

"His lack of objection means he agreed. Besides, your unit was transferred from above. If you don't leave now, you'll be transferred after basic training..." the instructor explained.

"You're leaving so soon after you get back?" Zhou Youcai looked at Zhou Xu with a hint of surprise.

"Why keep him here?" the instructor asked rhetorically, then lit a cigarette and said, "It's just to let him come back today to see his comrades and to talk to the company commander. Otherwise, they'd like to keep him in the military region and not send him back."

Being transferred immediately after publishing an article is not unprecedented, nor is it particularly outrageous.

In 78, Wang Shuo's short story "Waiting" was published in *PLA Literature and Art*, which led to his being seconded to the magazine as an editor. He later worked for the PLA Literature and Art Publishing House for several months before finally retiring from the military.

Because Wang Shuo's unit was in the capital, it was easy for him to be transferred. Zhou Xu was from the Wuhan Military Region, so he couldn't be directly transferred to the capital, but it was still easy for him to be transferred upwards internally.

"Goodbye, Brother Cai. I'll miss you sometime!" Zhou Xu's hesitation in front of the company commander was because he didn't want to stay and was in a hurry to leave, after all, he was afraid of offending the man.

But why pretend in front of these brothers? Isn't he just writing articles to get transferred to a boring position so he can just coast through his three-year military service?

What else would you do? Of course, if you have the chance, you could try to become an officer.

Zhou Youcai said, "I'll help you with your luggage and see you off!"

Liu Xiang and the others followed him out, carrying their luggage; "We'll see Brother Xu off too."

Zhou Xu went straight to the central administrative class; his future is bright!

Not only are they highly capable, but even if they serve for three or four years, they might not become volunteer soldiers. However, once they become leaders in the military region, they'll at least be platoon leaders! Crucially, they won't have to worry about serving a second or third term!
Zhou Youcai looked at his brother, his emotions were complicated.

I always thought it was unfair to compare myself to others, but now I feel even more that my brother is amazing. He only served in the army for a month, earned a third-class merit, and was transferred away a few days later.

If you keep doing this, you might actually become a battalion commander or a division commander!

The good thing is that Zhou Youcai had his own selfish motives. With Zhou Xu gone, there was no one to compete with him for the top spot in the recruit company, which gave him a chance to impress the leaders.

Wang Kang watched as the group of people in the dormitory left with Zhou Xu.

Alone in the dormitory, watching all this unfold, he scratched his head in frustration. He never expected that writing articles would be so popular in the army; everyone else had been transferred to the center, while he was still just a common soldier!
Besides, I've offended Zhou Xu a few times before, so what if he targets me in the future?

Wang Kang dared not think about it, so he hid in his dormitory and tried to reduce Zhou Xu's attention to him.

……

A group of people escorted Zhou Xu to the door.

There was a jeep parked there, the one that brought Zhou Xu back. It hadn't left and was waiting for Zhou Xu to return to the military region. "Goodbye everyone," Zhou Xu said, climbing into the jeep and waving to the crowd.

"Brother Xu, don't forget me!"

"Goodbye."

Zhou Xu waved, and the instructor climbed onto the vehicle and said, "Let's go."

Da da da!
The jeep drifted away.

Zhou Xu only dared to ask the instructor on the bus, "Instructor, you still haven't told me where my unit is!"

"Well, you're special! There are a few paths you can take, such as: a propaganda officer in the regiment, a deputy political instructor in the company, an organization officer in the regiment... or you could go to the political department as a reporter or officer... or you could go to the art troupe's creative studio as a writer. Would you like to go?"

"No assigned work unit yet!? Do writers have very little to do? Do they only need to write?" Zhou Xu asked immediately.

"Um... Pshaw, in the military, every job is about contributing to the army. What do you mean by 'very little work'? Don't talk nonsense!"

When Zhou Xu got anxious, he started talking nonsense, but he understood that the general idea was that creators just eat and sleep, and then write a work for people to admire.

Tsk!
In that case, being a creative director would suit him quite well: "Then, as an instructor, I'd like to be a creative specialist."

"The director of the political department also has this idea." The instructor nodded.

Because the cultural troupe is a unit directly under the Political Department and not under the jurisdiction of the military region, if the leaders of the Political Department want to transfer people, they will naturally transfer them to the cultural troupe, which is the first unit under their command.

The two got into the car and headed towards the cultural troupe.

The cultural troupe was located on Nanwang Mountain near East Lake in Wuchang, Wuhan. The entire camp was surrounded by mountains and forests, with a quiet environment and winding mountain roads.

The words "Victory" are written above the gate.

Upon entering, you may see the main building of the performing arts troupe, which serves as the main office and some rehearsal space.

There is a rehearsal hall next door, where the actors rehearse their programs daily, and a theater, which is used for internal performances and rehearsals of large-scale plays.

As Zhou Xu walked to the door, he saw a steady stream of girls from the performing arts troupe coming out. Some were in training uniforms, and some were in military uniforms; they all had quite good figures.

The cultural troupe depicted in "Youth" is actually unrealistic in some ways, such as the lack of so many beautiful girls! Zhou Xu commented frankly that it's definitely not the absurd feeling of all beauties in "Youth".

The group of people glanced at Zhou Xu, who was so handsome, following behind the instructor, and suspected that he was a new member who had been transferred to the regiment.

The instructor then led Zhou Xu to the nearby dormitory building, which was also quite conspicuous.

The dormitories of the Shengli Cultural Troupe are particularly good; their dormitories are double rooms, with a room area of ​​about 24 square meters.

Zhou Xu looked around.

The instructor led him into the house and found a dormitory room on the second floor: "This is your dormitory."

Zhou Xu entered the room, which had been converted from a double room.

Even ordinary soldiers in the Wengong Regiment could get double rooms, so he, being a minor leader, naturally got a single room.

A 2m x 105m bed from the military, a wooden table, chairs, and sheets, along with a stove... and finally, a washbasin, toothbrush, and toothpaste—all brand new.

This treatment is really not bad.

"Thank you, instructor." Zhou Xu put down his things and looked around.

(End of this chapter)