Starting from the deputy company commander of the Soldier Assault Team

Inside the cadre section office, as Zhang Anbang arrived, Officer Zhao took out a document that had been printed long ago and bore a red official seal—something he had been waiting for a week.

"Deputy Section Chief Zhang, I'll call you as soon as your marriage registration certificate is issued. Take this document with you and your wife to have a two-inch photo taken, and then go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get your marriage certificate."

Zhang Anbang took the document, unfolded it, and glanced at it.

Documents from the Political Department of the Mechanized Infantry Division

Political and Marriage Document No. 36 of 2004

Marital status certificate

This is to certify that Zhang Anbang, an officer of our unit, male, Han nationality, born on March 6, 1979, enlisted in July 2000, member of the Communist Party of China, major, administrative battalion commander, currently serves as deputy section chief of the Operations and Training Section of the Mechanized Infantry Division T Headquarters.

Military officer ID number: Wei Zi No. 0311068.

Resident ID number: 37292819790306****.

This comrade is unmarried, has no history of marriage, divorce, or widowhood, and is currently 25 years old, which is the legal age for late marriage stipulated by the military.

His romantic partner, Gu Xiaonan, is the director of the technical department of the military region's directly subordinate communications station and a major.

The two have been in a relationship for a year and have reported their relationship to the organization in writing in advance. They are not related by blood, either directly or by collateral blood within three generations.

Both parties passed premarital medical examinations, completed all cross-unit political background checks, had a clear political history, no party or military disciplinary action, no criminal record, and no problems with family or social relationships.

After a comprehensive review by the Political Department of the Division and deliberation by the Party Committee, it was agreed that Zhang Anbang and Gu Xiaonan could register their marriage.

This certificate is valid for marriage registration only and is valid for three months. Alterations and photocopies are invalid.

Officer in charge: Zhao Mingliang

Contact number: 0312-894562*

Political Department of the Mechanized Infantry Division (with official red seal)

June 2004, 3

Looking at the officer's number on the paper, Zhang Anbang couldn't help but chuckle. This was the third time he had changed his officer's number. The first time he joined the army, it was number 0311427.

Later, after following Yuan Lang to Old A, the number was changed to Canzi No. 010724. After being transferred back, it was changed back to the familiar Wei Zi prefix.

It's hard to find many people like him who have been in the army for less than four years and have changed their ID numbers three times.

After all, only when transferring across large units, army groups, or divisions will the entire set of officer ID numbers be changed together when a new officer ID is issued.

Within the same division, whether it's a regiment, battalion, or department, as long as the unit remains within the T division, there's no need to change certificates. This is the norm for most officers and soldiers during their military careers; who can change major units so easily when they join the army?

Zhang Anbang carefully put away the certificate, smiled, and said, "Officer Zhao, thank you for your hard work. Is there anything else I need to pay attention to? If not, I'll head back now."

"Deputy Section Chief Zhang, there's nothing else to be aware of. Well, there are still some things you and your sister-in-law should pay attention to when you go to take photos."

When you go to get your marriage certificate, I suggest you prepare three clear, red-background group photos in advance, including two-inch photos. When taking the photos, please make sure your eyebrows and eyes are not covered.

Wear dark casual clothes; otherwise, light-colored clothes will easily blend into the red background when taking photos.

Zhang Anbang really didn't know the intricacies involved, since he hadn't taken many photos in either of his lives, and the most he ever took photos was when making ID photos.

"Okay, Officer Zhao, but why do we need three of these photos?"

Upon hearing this question, Zhao Mingliang looked up at Zhang Anbang. Although soldiers often don't understand many things in society, he was used to it. However, this deputy section chief, a major, seemed to know quite a bit.

"Deputy Section Chief Zhang, it's very simple. When you make a plan, you keep a copy for record. It's the same when registering for marriage. There are two copies of the marriage certificate, one for the man and one for the woman. Each copy must have a photo of the two of you together and be stamped with the marriage registration seal."

The first page is on the groom's marriage certificate; the second page is on the bride's marriage certificate; and the third page is affixed to the "Marriage Registration Examination and Processing Form" and stored in the civil affairs archives for long-term preservation.

This is used to verify marital status in the future. If the marriage certificate is lost or damaged in the future, the file will serve as proof of marital status when applying for a replacement at the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Deputy Section Chief Zhang, are there any other questions?

"That's all, that's all," Zhang Anbang waved his hands repeatedly. "Well, Officer Zhao, thank you for your help. I'll be going now."

After saying that, Zhang Anbang strode out of the cadre section office. As the office door closed, he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Just now, that Zhao clerk's eyes seemed a bit off. Was he laughing at me?"

Yes, it seems I was indeed laughed at, but I've never been married, so it's normal that I didn't know.

As Zhang Anbang walked, he comforted himself, "Yes, that's right. It's normal to not know because you have no experience. Besides, this isn't a war, and we can even do a drill."

There were no books to learn from, no teachers to teach me, so it's perfectly normal that I don't understand anything. It's very normal. As for that Zhao clerk, he wasn't my subordinate, otherwise I would have definitely given him a lecture.

If he didn't do this job, he wouldn't know anything about it. Honestly, I should have asked him if he could write combat plans or create training outlines. If he couldn't, I would have laughed at him too.

"Hey, Anbang, what are you muttering about?"

"Ah," Zhang Anbang turned around and saw Section Chief Wang Haiyang smiling at him from behind.

"Section Chief, why are you walking so quietly? I've never seen you have any problems before. Did you go and learn a thing or two from a cat?"

"You little rascal, I thought you were pretty serious at first, but after getting to know you, your personality has changed quite a bit. You even asked a cat to be your teacher. Why can't I ask a tiger to be my teacher?"

I heard you muttering to yourself as soon as I left the office, so I thought I'd listen to what you were saying, since I heard you were laughing rather suspiciously in the office earlier.

"Slander, Section Chief, who said that? It's pure slander! I was born under the red flag and grew up in the spring breeze. I've grown up from a Young Pioneer to a member of the Communist Youth League, and then to a member of the Communist Party. You're saying I'm not a good person?"

Seeing Zhang Anbang's indignant expression, Wang Haiyang felt like his head was about to explode. He raised his hand to rub his forehead and quickly waved his hand, saying, "Okay, okay, don't do that."

I admit I underestimated you. I was a bit conservative in my assessment of how thick-skinned you were. But you still haven't answered my question.

What were you muttering about? It's only a short distance from the cadre section to our training department office, and it's already taken you almost three minutes to walk there.

Zhang Anbang completely ignored Wang Haiyang's expression. "Section Chief, here's what happened. Just now, Officer Zhao from the Cadre Section called me to tell me to pick up my marital status certificate."

After that, I asked him what I needed to pay attention to when getting a marriage certificate. Officer Zhao told me that I needed to take three 2-inch photos with a red background, so I asked why I needed three.

Although he answered me and explained in detail, I still felt like he was laughing at me. Isn't that unfair? It's perfectly normal that I didn't know this stuff.