Ning An's Wild Wish System

Suddenly he lowered his voice: ”Living apart all year, one visit a year, whoa, Company Commander, your physique is really something.”

Amidst the laughter, Liang Erxi frowned: ”Watch your words!”

”No playing cards, no chatting about home life, how are we supposed to pass these long nights?” Wang Wenxi turned to me, his tone becoming serious: ”Instructor, use this opportunity to report the situation.”

”Instructor, you just got here, you might not know me well. Now, in front of everyone, there are some things I have to say.”

”When you go to the regiment meeting, you have to help me send a message. For the next batch of transfers, no matter what, I, Wang Wenxi, have to leave!”

”Why! Some leaders see me as a piece of chicken rib, tasteless to eat but a pity to discard. Rather than stay like this, I’d be better off at home with my wife and kids in a warm bed!”

After saying this, he snorted and went back to sleep.

Soon, the whole card game broke up.

After everyone left, Liang Erxi sighed: ”Squad Leader Wang may speak bluntly, but he’s an artillery expert, and he leads with great camaraderie. Six years in the post without a promotion to vice company, just because of his mouth...”

To this, I said nothing.

Liang Erxi didn’t speak either, but I knew he inwardly sighed at that moment.

We returned to the inner room, and the Company Commander said he wanted to wash some clothes, so he’d be a bit fresher when going back home.

I stayed with him, helping to sort out his belongings, just a few patched military uniforms.

I saw a black bag at the bottom of his box and jokingly asked, ”Hey, Old Liang, what’s the good stuff you’ve hidden in here?”

Opening the bag, inside was a brand-new uniform: ”Is this the new uniform issued this year?”

”No, it was issued last October.”

I silently helped him pack up his things and then returned to my room.

I knew he was from Yimeng Mountain too, yet he didn’t even have a watch, smoked cheap tobacco, not good cigarettes.

Logically, we’re from the same area, even part of the same company, one skilled in civil work and the other in military. If we really wanted to chat, we could talk through the night.

However, I didn’t want to chat with him. At that time, I knew my path wasn’t in the Third Company; I was just a passerby here.

Lying in bed, the soreness in my body kept me from falling asleep.

The tiny movements from the other room, he probably thought I was asleep.

Eventually, fatigue overcame the body, and I drifted into sleep.

The rain in the latter half of the night in the south was heavy, with large drops hitting the window, waking me again in a daze.

In the haze, I heard the sound of him getting dressed, then quietly stepping out. It was his turn for night watch.

Gazing at the empty bed, I admired his dedication but feared staying here for the future...

I can sympathize, I can have compassion, I can even praise them!

But staying long-term here, and living like them, I truly couldn’t bear it.

Individual combat tactics, civil engineering work, company coordination, assault confrontation, weekly drills...

These were all directly inspected by the regiment, the instructors also had to undergo assessments.

Administrative affairs felt like a heavy burden: organizational life, excellence evaluation, party group development, conversation records... every task needed hands-on attention.

What I feared most was the armed cross-country on Tuesdays, several times I gave up halfway, every time my calves cramped.

The coarse meals added to the hardship, while there was plenty of staple food, the side dishes were consistently lacking.

At that time, I just couldn’t understand why Liang Erxi and the others found the food so delicious.

I tried several times to get the cooking squad to improve, only to be told prices were skyrocketing and funds were limited, all they could make were things like mixed-flour ”gold and silver rolls.”

The company was stationed in barren mountains, even with money, there was no place to spend it.

Once, when returning from a meeting at the regiment headquarters, I bought two packets of snacks. I would shove them at the bottom of the box when others were around, only daring to sneak a bite when alone, feeling worse than a thief...

Looking at myself in the mirror, my face was dark, cheeks sunken, skin peeling in layers.

I kept urging my mother to speed up the process, I was reaching my limit.

Mother said the position as a photographer at the military district’s news office had been reserved, but the department suggested a transfer in half a year. The current situation was not like before, less conspicuous to avoid issues.

Half a year?

The thought that in half a year I might be skin and bones sent a chill down my spine...

That day, I had no appetite, the meal left for me by the cooking squad was only partially eaten before I returned to my room to contemplate.

But soon, the sound of assembly broke my thoughts.

The whole company stood outside the cafeteria, Liang Erxi’s bright face clouded with anger.

”This is outrageous, akin to newborn behavior!”

I never imagined an honest man’s anger could be so frightening.

I nudged Xiaojin next to me, asking what had happened.

With a bit of resentment, Xiaojin said, ”Such wastefulness, this kind of squandering of food, will surely lead one to Hell in the future!”

I was stunned.

”No training for today!”

Liang Erxi roared: ”I want everyone to gather around this jar and reflect properly!”

Everyone crowded around, exchanging whispers.

”Stop holding company meetings, if you have guts, report to the regiment, have the meeting there!”

”Instructor, I... didn’t know you were back from the meeting.”

Liang Erxi was very embarrassed at the time, but I couldn’t care less about his explanation.

”Instructor, please don’t let this matter affect unity; although I am not well-educated, I have never backstabbed anyone!”

”I worked with the former Instructor Wang for over three years. We argued, we quarreled, sometimes got red in the face. But we were always like brothers, united as one.”

I still didn’t want to deal with him.

Seeing I remained silent, he muttered awkwardly.

”I’ll have Xiaojin inform all squads that the meeting tonight is canceled, it’s... not happening.”

Because of this, I ignored Liang Erxi for three days.

——

As Zhao Yimeng paused in speaking, Kangle, diligently taking notes, also stopped his pen.

Seeming to notice the confusion in Kangle’s eyes, Zhao Yimeng said with a wry smile:

”Are you wondering why I’ve been talking about Liang Erxi and not mentioning Wang Wenxi at all?”

Kangle nodded, a spark of curiosity in his eyes.

Leaning back, Zhao Yimeng sighed before saying in a soft voice, ”As I mentioned from the start, Wang Wenxi is half the protagonist.”

...

In the Star River Cafeteria.

The principal’s face was flushed red.

He never expected that Wang Xia would have any connection with the giant Celestial Sea Group.

Though adept at navigating society, the precondition was not to cut off all his retreat routes.

It was clear Wang Xia was acquainted with the leadership of Celestial Sea Group.

But just how high that leader’s position was, before figuring it out, he absolutely couldn’t afford to offend Wang Xia.

Principal Wang turned his head, with a hint of guilt in his eyes as he looked at Wang Zihao.

At this moment, however, Wang Xia was imposing and confidently laid the original contract back on the table.

Simultaneously, she made a couple of strokes with the pen at the front, then handed it to Wang Zihao, teasing:

”Fellow student, we’re doing this for your own good too. Just sign the contract.”

Glancing at the contract, Wang Zihao exclaimed at the first sight:

”This contract... isn’t right!”

”Didn’t you love selling instant noodles for two and a half bucks? I’m accommodating you and you’re still not satisfied?”

Wang Zihao’s face flushed with frustration, he looked up angrily: ”Then why does this contract state I sell the noodles and you collect the money!”

Wang Xia shot him a dismissive look, then gazed out the window, saying indifferently:

”Weren’t you afraid it would affect peer relationships? You keep selling your noodles and change the payment code to mine, I’ll be the bad guy.”

”What, doesn’t that suit your liking?”