Starting from the deputy company commander of the Soldier Assault Team

"Anything else?" Zhang Anbang felt his initial excitement plummet. He shouldn't have had such high expectations of this guy.

The company's television is usually used for watching the news and studying documents. Using it for personal purposes is indeed against the rules. However, in the current context of the Steel Seventh Company, especially since Xu Sanduo was watching the video of him doing abdominal barbell exercises, it doesn't really count as such.

"No, there's more. The company commander's stereo and tape recorder are still playing here. I listened to them in the dormitory. It's the part where the company commander said the disc would lag like it was crying, but I didn't hear it. It didn't lag at all."

Xu Sanduo's voice was somewhat low, and towards the end it carried a strange, probing tone.

"The disc is stuck, it sounds like it's crying," Zhang Anbang suddenly realized. "It's okay, Sanduo, these aren't mistakes, there's no need to criticize you."

As for why the disc stopped jamming, you can ask the company commander later if he made a mistake.

Besides these, what else do you do in your spare time?

"Yes, I'm reading a book, a book I borrowed from the library. I started reading from A and I'll be at D soon," Xu Sanduo said, his eyes shining. Clearly, this book had played a significant role in his life over the past six months.

"I also took correspondence courses. Class monitor Wu gave me the study materials, saying that you gave them to him back then. It's a vocational high school in August 1st, and I'll finish in six months."

……

The two chatted for quite a while. Zhang Anbang looked at the time; it was already 9:40 a.m., and he decided he had to leave.

If we stay a little longer, we'll have to go to the Sixth Company for a free meal with Sanduo. It's nothing much, though; the Sixth Company will definitely welcome us.

But Lao Liu is a good person, and he's quite broad-minded, so we should at least try to be considerate of his feelings.

When he first joined the army, Lao Liu was already a captain and company commander. Now he's a major, and Lao Liu is still a captain and company commander. He must feel a little disappointed.

In particular, Xu Sanduo would sing songs with the Sixth Company every day by himself.

I won't go and upset them. I'll go see Wu Liuyi instead. I heard he's doing quite well in the Mechanized Infantry Company. The company commander, Hua Zinan, and the political instructor, Jiang Wei, both value him highly.

It's only been about half a year, and Wu Liuyi is probably going to be transferred again. I should go and chat with the person in charge to see if I need to give them a heads-up, otherwise I'll be very disappointed.

"Sanduo, keep up the good work. You did a great job. I'm going back now. I'll come see you again in a while," Zhang Anbang said goodbye to Xu Sanduo at the gate of the Seventh Company's barracks.

"Yes, Deputy Company Commander," Xu Sanduo gave a standard military salute, watched the vehicle drive away, and then turned around to pick up a broom and start sweeping the floor.

……

Upon arriving at the First Mechanized Infantry Company, Zhang Anbang did not go directly to the training ground to find Wu Liuyi. Instead, he went to the company headquarters first to visit the company commander, Hua Zinan, and the political instructor, Jiang Wei.

"Greetings, sir," two officers, having been notified by the duty officer, saluted and greeted the unfamiliar yet somewhat familiar major who was approaching.

Zhang Anbang returned the gift in the same standard manner.

"Company Commander Hua, Political Instructor Jiang, hello. I apologize for the intrusion. I just happened to be passing by today and had some time, so I thought I'd come and see Wu Liuyi. I hope I haven't disturbed your training."

"No, no, we were just chatting. The deputy company commander led the team out for training. I wonder who you are?" Hua Zinan was a little curious that a major had come to see Wu Liuyi.

He knew Gao Cheng, but this person wasn't him.

"Company Commander Hua, I am Zhang Anbang. I used to be Wu Liuyi's deputy company commander. I was transferred before the Seventh Company was reorganized," Zhang Anbang quickly introduced himself.

"Oh, I knew you looked familiar. I saw you once from afar during the division's award ceremony, but I didn't recognize you at first."

Hua Zinan smiled. He didn't expect that not only Gao Cheng, the former company commander of the Seventh Company, was promoted, but the deputy company commander who had been transferred before the reorganization was also promoted. This promotion speed was even faster than Gao Cheng's.

Now, probably no one will say that Gao Cheng relied on his father anymore. After all, if his father had really promoted Gao Cheng so quickly, his original deputy wouldn't have been able to catch up with him.

Instructor Jiang Wei also said with a smile, "It's not a big deal, I understand. After all, you haven't seen each other for so long. Liu Yi is really lovable, so you'll definitely want to come and see him if you're passing by."

"Haha, as long as I don't bother you, thank you both for understanding. You two go ahead with your work, I'll go find Liu Yi at the training ground, we'll talk for a bit and then I'll leave."

Seeing the pile of documents on their desks, presumably checking the soldiers' scores, and knowing he wasn't familiar with them, he decided to leave quickly.

Hua Zinan was quite enthusiastic. "Major Zhang, I'll have someone call Liu Yi over. You can talk in the general office next door; it's convenient."

"No, no, I'll just go to the training ground. You two stay here, I won't bother you any longer," Zhang Anbang declined their offer and headed straight for the training ground.

They were all mechanized infantry regiments of the T Division, and their bases and training grounds were basically the same. When Zhang Anbang drove over, he had already seen where the training ground of the first company was.

Company Commander Hua Zinan and Political Instructor Jiang Wei didn't insist on going along or having someone take Zhang Anbang with them. They had both had similar experiences and understood each other. At this moment, they just wanted the two of them to talk.

Watching Zhang Anbang's retreating figure, Hua Zinan turned to look at the epaulets on his shoulders and said to his partner with some emotion, "Hey, Lao Jiang, look, look, comparisons are odious."

I remember when I attended this award ceremony, they mentioned his age. He's only about 23 years old now, and he's already a major. Compared to him, I... well, let's not even talk about it.

Instructor Jiang Wei laughed heartily, "Hey Lao Hua, you're doing this again. You did the same thing when you heard Gao Cheng got promoted."

But I remember you're only 25 years old, which is just over a year in the making. You're not much worse than others, yet you're making such a fuss about it.

"Since you're expressing such sentiments, what am I supposed to do? I'm even older than you."

"You, haha." Hua Zinan didn't expect his usually cooperative partner to start undermining him. Fortunately, there was no one else here. Of course, if there were others, he wouldn't have been so emotional.

"You old Jiang, you're a year older than me, but you've served as a company commander for a year longer than me. We're even."

The two men looked at each other and burst into laughter. "The army is all about having fun," they said. "Otherwise, the same life every day would be so boring. That's why officers spend more time in the army than soldiers."

It's because officers have more to do and their lives are more interesting, while soldiers' lives aren't as fulfilling, especially in some remote areas. After a few years, they've had enough and retire.

So sometimes people want to stay but can't, and sometimes the military wants to keep them but the people won't stay.

There are people who can endure loneliness and make quiet contributions, but they are really few and far between; they are all very lovely people.