Yang Lei got to his new house, went in, put the things on the ground, and sat on the sofa.
He didn’t turn on the light. He just sat there.
He kept sitting, and he didn’t know how long he sat.
When Yang Lei left, the temperature hadn’t dropped yet. He was just wearing a coat, not even wearing a sweater. But right now, he seemed to have no consciousness. He couldn’t feel cold or anything else.
Yang Lei sat alone for a long time before he finally reacted, reaching for a cigarette.
He reached for a while, but his hands didn’t obey. His fingers were trembling slightly…
On the shooting range, the 701 regiment was carrying out the last round of firing practice at the end of the year. The soldiers practiced firing in bursts, firing lying down, firing semi-automatically, and on moving targets one by one.
It was New Year’s Eve in a few days. Yang Lei volunteered to be on duty on New Year’s Eve, so that the married officers could go home for a reunion. Considering that his home was in town and that he often was on duty on weekends, the regiment headquarters didn’t schedule a shift for him and let him go home for New Year’s Eve.
“You should go to your mother-in-law’s house to celebrate!”
His comrades teased him. Although Yang Lei still hadn’t reported his marriage, this kind of news spread very quickly. It had already spread all over.
But since Yang Lei returned to the barracks last Sunday, he hadn’t asked for leave on a single day. He stayed in the barracks every day, taking the company out for training, either practical training in the snow or dismantling armor in the tank company.
Yang Dahai called several times and told him to ask for leave these few days to go oversee the renovations of the house. The workers were going back to celebrate the new year soon, and a lot of work had to be done in these few days.
“The army is busy. I can’t leave,” Yang Lei said.
“No matter how busy you are, this matter can’t be delayed,” Yang Dahai warned.
“Okay! I really can’t ask for leave!”
Yang Lei furrowed his brows and hung up the phone.
At the shooting range, the gunfire was deafening. A soldier continuously missed the shot, was distressed, and everyone in the company was looking at him.
“Zhang Xiaochuan!”
“Here!”
“Come over!”
The soldier nervously ran to Yang Lei holding his gun and stood at attention.
“Disassemble your gun!”
“Yes!”
The little soldier quickly disassembled it, put seven or eight scattered gun parts on the plate, and placed it in the shooting position.
Yang Lei came forward, assembled the gun in a dazzle, hardly aimed, and raised his gun in a standing position to burst fire.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Cii bo atf uecr rabqqfv. Ycis Tjcu Ofl kjr rtbbalcu.
Pc atf rlifca njiifs, atf mbcalceber rbecv bo uecrtbar, atf yeiifar qfcfagjafv atf ajgufa qjqfg, fzmlalcu atf vera bc atf wbecajlc lcab rbjglcu…
“Cii atlgas yeiifar tla atf ajgufa, 256 glcur!”
Ktf rmbgf jccbecmfg gfqbgafv atf rmbgf…
Snfgsbcf qgfrfca kjr rtbmxfv, ibbxlcu ja Tjcu Ofl…
Yang Lei lowered his head, put in another magazine, and expressionlessly raised the gun…
The continuous sound of gunfire made the whole valley roar, restlessly and disorderly…
Fang Mei called Yang Lei to discuss some matters. Yang Lei only said “yes” a few times. No matter what she asked, he would say, “Do as you see fit.” Fang Mei could tell that something was wrong with Yang Lei.
“What’s the matter? Something’s on your mind?”
Fang Mei grew up with Yang Lei since childhood. She could quickly detect Yang Lei’s emotional changes.
Yang Lei was silent for a moment.
“I bumped into Fang Yu.”
Yang Lei didn’t hide it from her.
“Fang Yu?”
Fang Mei was surprised.
“He’s back? When?”
“A few days ago.”
“You…”
Fang Mei also didn’t know what to say.
“Then where is he now?”
“I don’t know.”
Yang Lei’s voice was deep.
“You don’t know? …You didn’t ask?”
Fang Mei couldn’t believe it.
This was their first reunion in three years. She didn’t believe that Yang Lei had really forgotten Fang Yu.
“He came back to Jianghai to see someone. He has probably already left now.”
There were still a few days until New Year’s Eve. There were few tickets for transportation during the Spring Festival. Right now, if one still didn’t leave, then one wouldn’t be able to go. Fang Yu was probably already no longer in Jianghai and had rushed back for the new year.
“…Are you okay?”
Fang Mei paused for a moment and asked into the phone.
Three years ago, after Yang Lei and Fang Yu broke up, Fang Mei didn’t want to see the Yang Lei she had seen in those days again.
“What could be wrong?”
“You two… didn’t talk?”
The calmer Yang Lei was, the more Fang Mei knew how he felt at that moment.
If it were someone else, perhaps they would really think that Yang Lei was fine. But she was Fang Mei. This wasn’t someone else, that was Fang Yu! Other people didn’t understand, but how could Fang Mei not know?? Three years had passed. She knew too well what Fang Yu suddenly appearing like this in front of Yang Lei would bring to Yang Lei.
Time, for some people, could take everything away.
But for some people, it was very difficult.
“Did you leave a phone number?” Fang Mei asked.
Yang Lei didn’t reply.
“…Why didn’t you leave it?”
Fang Mei had guessed it.
Yang Lei also didn’t know why.
That night, he felt that he had run away in defeat from the car.
Perhaps he just didn’t want to hear the words that Fang Yu might say. He was afraid of hearing Fang Yu say, “If you need any help for the wedding, just call me…”
“Yang Lei, you should think more about the thing between us,” Fang Mei stopped for a moment and suddenly said.
“What foolish words are you saying? Can I go back on what I promised you?”
“It’s not going back on your word. You should think more about it.”
Fang Mei knew that Yang Lei understood what she meant.
“It has nothing to do with this,” Yang Lei said.
“Yang Lei…”
“Seeing that he’s fine is enough. I won’t bother him anymore. And I don’t need to make him uncomfortable…” Yang Lei said…
Yang Dahai kept bustling about for Yang Lei’s marriage.
Yang Dahai hadn’t retired from his position yet, and he was busy with work. He was always reserved in his words and smiles, but ever since Yang Lei and Fang Mei started talking about marriage, Yang Dahai smiled more and more.
This year, Yang Lei’s brother, who had been studying abroad, would also come back. Yang Dahai was even happier.
Yang Lei’s younger brother was born to Yang Dahai and his later wife. When he was very young, he was sent abroad and had been educated abroad. Yang Dahai had not fulfilled his father’s duty to Yang Lei, so he hoped that there would be no more regret for his second son. Thus, when the child had just entered middle school, he was sent abroad to receive the best education. Yang Lei never had a grudge against his younger half-brother. He treated him as his own brother. When his younger brother was a child, he would follow Yang Lei all day. The younger brother idolized his older brother, and Yang Lei was willing to play with him. But Yang Lei messed around outside at a young age. Yang Dahai was afraid that his younger brother would learn to be bad like Yang Lei, so he planned early on to send his child abroad, to be taken care of by his relatives abroad.
These years, his younger brother came back at most once or twice a year. Every time his brother came back for the new year, it was also the happiest time for the family.
But Yang Dahai also didn’t forget to urge Yang Lei about the new house. He was afraid that Yang Lei would delay in this matter. When Yang Dahai’s urging was annoying, Yang Lei wouldn’t answer the phone. His mobile phone just happened to owe fees, and Yang Lei didn’t bother to refill it. Yang Dahai and Yang Lei’s stepmother would often call Yang Lei’s office. So Yang Lei told the soldier on duty that, other than work calls asking for him, if people outside of the military camp were looking for him, then say that he had led troops to training and was not there. Let the other party leave a phone number, and if something was up, he would return the call when he got back.
Yang Lei didn’t lie. He really took soldiers outside. When he came back, the soldier on duty said that many phone calls came looking for him. Other than Yang Dahai’s several calls, there was also an unknown phone number.
“Did this person say anything?”
Yang Lei didn’t recognize this phone number.
“He didn’t. He just said to find some time to call him back when you return.”
The soldier on duty thought back for a moment.
“He said that his surname is Fang…”
Yang Lei stopped…
He looked at the number written on the paper and quickly took away that piece of paper.
Yang Lei stood in the room for a while, turned around, put on his Sam Browne belt, put on his military cap, and went out.
“Third platoon leader!”
“Here!”
“Call up the platoon! Obstacle path! Have a race!”
“This… Staff Officer Yang, we’re still practicing…”
“Pull it up!”
“Yes!”
On the obstacle field, Yang Lei led the soldiers together in rushing the bridge, lying on the net, and climbing the wall with bare hands…
Yang Lei couldn’t stop for a moment until he rolled in the mud, lying down as he panted.
He fatigued his body and stopped thinking…
This story is still tormenting us but I am going to persevere until they find their happy ending. Fighting! Thank you so much for your patience translating this story, it means a lot to me.
Yang Dahai.. something is off. I dont think I like you
thanks for the chapter <3
Yang Lei: Heartbroken
Platoons under Yang Lei: Cry after suffering from hellish training
Yang Dahai: clueless Why is my gay son not happy about his marriage with a woman?
Thank you so, so much for the chapter!!!