All the heavens begin with the love in the courtyard.

Chapter 159: Arrangements

Everyone was very kind to Zhong Yuemin, and at noon they specially steamed some white flour buns to treat him. Zhong Yuemin accepted the kindness with a smile.

After the meal, Zhong Yuemin took an opportunity to talk to Li Kuiyong alone outside and told him about the county food factory's recruitment information.

Upon hearing this news, Li Kuiyong was so happy he almost jumped for joy.

Zhong Yuemin briefly explained that he had some connections in the county, which was why he made a special trip here. The food factory had already reserved a spot for them.

Upon hearing this, Li Kuiyong knew that Zhong Yuemin must have specially helped him. The reason Zhong Yuemin came to help was purely out of consideration for their friendship, and Li Kuiyong remembered this kindness.

When Li Kuiyong returned and told everyone about the county food factory's recruitment, almost everyone was overjoyed. Although the fruits here were sweet, they couldn't fill their stomachs. If there was a real chance to escape rural life, no one would be foolish enough to stay in the countryside.

Having already been notified, Zhong Yuemin didn't linger any longer and prepared to return to the county town. Li Kuiyong naturally tried to persuade him to stay, and the others insisted that Zhong Yuemin stay for a couple more days so they could properly express their gratitude.

Zhong Yuemin thought for a moment and was about to refuse when one of the girls laughed and joked.

"Yuemin, you don't look down on this place, do you? We know you brought us along because Kuiyong is your friend, but we are truly grateful to you. We have nothing to repay you with, so please stay one more day and let us show you our hospitality. How about we go to the county town with you tomorrow?"

Zhong Yuemin smiled, but before he could speak, he looked up and suddenly saw a pair of big, watery eyes looking at him from the crowd. Qin Ling was smiling shyly at him. The words he was about to say were swallowed back, and in the end, he reluctantly agreed to stay for another day.

One of the three great illusions men have is that they think they are special and that every woman who makes eye contact with them is interested in them.

In the afternoon, Zhong Yuemin realized that it was indeed his imagination. He hadn't actually said a word to Qin Ling all afternoon. A group of boys around him were all chatting excitedly with him. Qin Ling and the other girls occasionally sat on the side listening, but most of the time they were nowhere to be seen outside.

That night, Zhong Yuemin and Li Kuiyong slept back to back on the same kang (a heated brick bed). Li Kuiyong soon started snoring, but Zhong Yuemin couldn't fall asleep no matter what.

When he saw Qinling again, he was indeed amazed once more, but this was not the original story; this was a real world, and he and Qinling actually had no connection whatsoever.

Qinling has her own life and her own story. Even though he knows that this is the normal ending of the story, Zhong Yuemin always feels that he has lost something. Perhaps this is a kind of fantasy of men.

Zhong Yuemin drifted off to sleep. The next day, after breakfast, everyone went down the mountain and headed towards the county town.

Along the way, for dozens of kilometers, everyone chatted and laughed, and there was no boredom. No one knows who started it, but everyone began to sing together, singing revolutionary songs unique to this era.

Zhong Yuemin kept observing Qin Ling in the crowd. Although she wasn't singing a folk song, her unique female voice, clear and bright, made her stand out from the crowd, no matter what song she sang.

Even after everyone arrived in the county town, Zhong Yuemin still hadn't heard Qinling's solo folk song, which left him slightly disappointed.

Zhong Yuemin led the group to the county food factory and greeted the director. The director, who had already received instructions from Ma Guiping, smiled and told the ten people to register. They would go through a medical examination later, and in a few days, they would be able to start working at the food factory. The food factory would then establish connections with their commune.

After Zhong Yuemin settled Li Kuiyong's matter, he breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't help the other educated youth much, but he would help his friends as much as he could.

Zhong Yuemin never had a chance to be alone with Qin Ling, and even after seeing everyone off, he still hadn't taken that step.

Zhong Yuemin did not treat Qin Ling or the other educated youth in any special way, as if their only connection was through his acquaintance with Li Kuiyong.

As for matters of the heart, let nature take its course. Although I am indeed amazed by this woman, it doesn't mean I'll shamelessly pursue her like in the original story. I'm sure I'll meet many more amazing women in the future, and I can't just fall in love with every one I meet.

It's really strange. Perhaps it's precisely because of Zhong Yuemin's carefree attitude, which is different from other boys, that he seems to be more popular with women in this world than in the original novel.

During his time at the food factory, he met several girls who had feelings for him, but he didn't plan to provoke any more girls there.

Just as he once wrote in a letter to Zhou Xiaobai, if one day a woman truly enters his heart, he will cherish that woman for a lifetime, although he is not sure how many women will enter his heart.

At least for now, there isn't one. To him, Zhou Xiaobai is more like a little girl secretly liking him, the kind of liking that makes him smug. Qin Ling, on the other hand, is more like a normal man experiencing special hormones for a special woman.

In the original work, the reason he liked Qinling was because he was lonely, and Qinling was the same. The two young people in the remote countryside were under the dual pressure of physical and mental oppression. Through the singing of Shaanxi folk songs, the two of them gradually became involved. Did the two of them really have such deep feelings?

In Zhong Yuemin's current view, there is no such feeling at all. He only feels this way when he is lonely, which is nothing more than a typical scumbag reaction.

So let's not harm that young girl for now. Let the future take care of itself. Just let the last two months pass by peacefully.

Like Zheng Tong and Ning Bin, Li Kuiyong and the other ten educated youths quickly got jobs at the food factory. They were all educated youths from Yanjing, and they liked to get together to chat, eat, and play after get off work, and they quickly became familiar with each other.

Qinling's unique temperament and beautiful voice quickly made her a standout in the food factory. However, the relationship between Qinling and Zhong Yuemin didn't seem to change as it did in the original story.

If nothing unexpected happens, Qin Ling and I will simply become passersby in each other's lives, and it will be difficult for us to meet again in the end.

When they were finally parting, Zhong Yuemin still managed to find an opportunity to be alone with Qin Ling for a while. Sure enough, Qin Ling felt more gratitude towards Zhong Yuemin than the love at first sight that Zhong Yuemin had imagined.

Qin Ling is an outgoing and cheerful person. When she talked to Zhong Yuemin about her ideals, she said that if she had other choices in her life in the future, she would become a singer because she loves to sing.

Zhong Yuemin gazed quietly at that pure and innocent face. At that moment, he felt no lust whatsoever, but instead smiled and spoke earnestly.

"Qinling, if we meet again someday in the future, I can grant you one request. Whether you want to be a singer or do anything else, I can help you achieve your dream!"

Qin Ling was amused by Zhong Yuemin's serious expression and burst into laughter. Thinking that Zhong Yuemin was joking, she also said in a teasing tone.

"You said it yourself, so don't say you don't know me later."

Zhong Yuemin shook his head helplessly, looked back once more at the girl who had sacrificed herself for him in the original story, and finally subconsciously reached out to touch her head, but stopped halfway through, and smiled a little embarrassedly.

"Qinling, I will never forget you!"

Qin Ling also noticed a ripple at this moment, and looked at Zhong Yuemin with wide eyes, a different kind of gleam in them.

However, it's clear that the two won't have the chance to do anything like in the original story.

With the arrival of the conscription season, Zhong Yuemin successfully registered and passed the physical examination. He was about to enter a new stage of his life. In the last few days, Zhong Yuemin specially met up with his friends again.

He also spoke privately with Zheng Tong, Li Kuiyong, Ning Bin, and others, explaining that this parting might mean many years from now, and they might not see each other again. The next time they met might be many years from now, and Zhong Yuemin didn't even know what the future held, because this world was no longer the same as the original story, because he had personally changed the fate of himself and these people.

After that, Zhong Yuemin never went to say goodbye to Qin Ling alone again. He was indeed amazed when he first met Qin Ling, but after the amazement, he gradually realized that there was actually no emotional foundation between the two of them in this world.

The world has changed; let the future be the future.

At least for now, I no longer need the Qinling Mountains to relieve my loneliness and solitude.

In mid-September, Zhong Yuemin, dressed in his brand-new military uniform, embarked on a new journey!

Chapter 160: Enlistment

The moment Zhong Yuemin stepped into the military camp, he felt an indescribable sense of belonging, as if only here could his heart find temporary peace.

He was assigned to an ordinary recruit camp under the army. Zhong Yuemin's 1.8-meter height and the things he had learned over the years made him a unique presence in the recruit camp.

Here, he can sweat it out and fight with his comrades. He can take on two at once. In every training session, he is always the first to complete all tasks, but he still feels it's not enough.

After his regular training each day, he would have to do extra training on his own, as if only in this way could he feel the surge of energy in his chest dissipate.

It's been a whole year since Zhong Yuemin started sleeping with that little bastard last year, and he's never felt really good about it. Not only has he not been able to touch any women, but he's also been timid and submissive.

Finally, when he went to northern Shaanxi as an educated youth sent to the countryside, if it weren't for his connection with Ma Guiping, even if he had merged with a future soul, he wouldn't have been much better off than an ordinary person.

For some reason, I haven't bothered with women because of this so-called responsibility, but I've merged with a soul from the future, so why am I still living such a pathetic life?

So Zhong Yuemin needed to vent; he needed to release it through his body, through punches and kicks, and through sweat.

"Oh my, these new recruits these days really love to show off. Training is over, but they're still pretending to drill on the parade ground. I bet they're just country bumpkins trying to get attention by showing off!"

"That's right, that's right! Look at this tall, strong guy. In our area, he'd definitely be a master at feeding pigs. I think, kid, you should go raise pigs; the battalion commander would definitely welcome you!"

"Hahaha!"

The four veterans watched Zhong Yuemin, who was training in the corner of the parade ground, without any restraint, and began to discuss among themselves.

This kind of situation is very common in the military. It is common for new recruits to make some jokes and be teased by veterans. In the past, no new recruits have ever caused any trouble.

However, they had clearly messed with the wrong person. Zhong Yuemin was in a particularly bad mood these past two days. He had been in the recruit camp for almost a month, and Zhou Xiaobai had somehow heard that he had joined the army and sent him the letter directly.

In the letter, Zhou Xiaobai no longer acted coy like a typical young girl. Instead, she stated directly and forcefully that she liked him and that he was her man, Zhou Xiaobai's man. She could only love him and he could only have her in his heart. She said that if any vixen dared to enter his heart, she would drag her out.

Looking at this declaration of sovereignty, Zhong Yuemin thought to himself.

"Ruined!"

Zhou Xiaobai's personality is strong and domineering; once she's made up her mind about something, it's almost impossible to change it.

So these past two days, he's been practicing extra hard, trying to let out the frustration he's been feeling.

In the original novel, Zhong Yuemin caused a lot of trouble when he first joined the army, and being put in solitary confinement was a common occurrence. However, the Zhong Yuemin in this world is taciturn and rarely causes trouble. Even when he needs to vent, he does so by doing extra training. But today, he still wants to make a fuss.

Zhong Yuemin shook his head and walked towards the group.

"Hey kid, not bad. Still not convinced? Want to have a go?"

Zhong Yuemin smiled slightly, beckoned to the four of them, and said with a light laugh.

"Hey guys, wanna spar one-on-one or come at me all at once?"

"Hehe...hehe!"

"Holy crap, kid, where are you kicking?"

Three days later, Zhong Yuemin stretched his slightly sore arms and walked out of the solitary confinement cell. This time, being put in solitary confinement had certainly made Zhong Yuemin stand out in the recruit camp.

Not only did a new recruit take on four men, but the most crucial thing is that someone saw Zhong Yuemin being beaten up that day, and he even shouted that it felt good, saying that the other person was a coward or something, that his strength was so weak that it didn't hurt him.

Zhong Yuemin was locked up for three days and walked out feeling refreshed. He felt that the beating was much more satisfying than training alone. Only when every punch landed hard was he a real man.

So from that day on, Zhong Yuemin began his sparring journey. Whether it was a fair fight or a group challenge, he accepted it all. He also earned a nickname, the Violent One-on-One King, because his favorite saying was, "Brother, if you're so capable, let's have a one-on-one duel."

Although Zhong Yuemin mostly lost to those veterans, he gradually grew to like this kind of life. Here, he didn't have to overthink things or worry about food; it was still a man's world.

After three months of basic training, he was noticed by the reconnaissance battalion commander, who specifically requested him to join the reconnaissance battalion, making him a proud reconnaissance soldier.

Zhong Yuemin's indomitable spirit and drive impressed Battalion Commander Zheng, who personally challenged him to a friendly one-on-one match.

In the original novel, Zhong Yuemin used a preemptive groin kick to end the fight with a single blow. However, in this world, Zhong Yuemin openly and fairly engaged in a man-to-man contest with Battalion Commander Zheng.

Although Zhong Yuemin was beaten to the ground several times, he never gave up. He enjoyed the feeling. He saw real blows from Battalion Commander Zheng, which didn't need any tricks.

For example, when he usually fights with others, he likes to attack the opponent's weak points. Once the opponent is on guard, he can only retreat and look for another opportunity. But when he fights with Battalion Commander Zheng, the latter can easily end the battle no matter when.

Zhong Yuemin was defending above when someone kicked him in the ribs with a side kick. He was defending below when someone struck him in the cheek with an arm strike. No matter how he defended, his opponent could easily break through his defense.

Fighting against Battalion Commander Zheng taught him a lesson: when you are strong enough, the best defense is offense.

Despite being beaten until his whole body ached, Zhong Yuemin did not give up. After more than ten minutes, taking advantage of Battalion Commander Zheng's carelessness, Zhong Yuemin still used a groin kick, kicking hard right in the groin. Battalion Commander Zheng's legs tensed instantly, and he slowly covered his crotch. His face turned red instantly, and he glared at Zhong Yuemin fiercely, slowly uttering a few words.

"Good lad! You won!"

Zhong Yuemin laughed heartily. Although he knew that it was Battalion Commander Zheng's carelessness that allowed him to seize this opportunity, he was still a little embarrassed when he saw his own masterpiece. He quickly stepped forward to help Battalion Commander Zheng up.

Battalion Commander Zheng stood up, and after a moment, his complexion returned to normal. He smiled and addressed the other soldiers who were watching.

“Zhong Yuemin did a great job. You must remember that no matter how strong your enemy is, once they give you an opportunity, you must seize it. Sometimes, you only need one move to defeat the enemy and turn defeat into victory!”

Zhong Yuemin smiled and quickly led the applause, and everyone joined in!

After basic training, Zhong Yuemin was assigned to the fifth platoon of a reconnaissance company. After his dormitory was arranged, Zhong Yuemin immediately saw a familiar face as soon as he entered.

He then smiled and stepped forward, patting the other person on the shoulder.