Chapter 162: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 162: An Opportunity to Change Fate, Perhaps Only Once in a Lifetime

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Wang Dashan heard his father's sudden question and was completely baffled; he laughed helplessly:

"Dad, why are you suddenly asking this?"

Wang Zhanggen said:

"Tell me honestly, are there any female soldiers?"

Wang Dashan roughly understood that his father wanted him to find a partner.

He was in his youth, and deep down he also wanted to find a partner.

Actually, parents didn't need to urge this kind of thing; if an opportunity came, he would naturally take the initiative.

Only unfortunately, Wang Dashan didn't have such an opportunity now.

"Our unit is all men; where would there be female soldiers? Generally, units separate men and women," Wang Dashan answered honestly.

Wang Zhanggen said:

"Then don't stay in the army; staying has no future. There isn't a single woman in the unit, and when you're older and can't find a partner, that would be tragic."

Wang Dashan frowned slightly; deep down he actually wanted to stay in the army.

Staying and becoming a non-commissioned officer could bring good benefits.

But the matter his father mentioned was also a problem; if he stayed in the unit, finding a partner was indeed not easy.

After all, the unit was a relatively closed environment; usually, besides training there was still training, and there were few opportunities to contact girls.

"Dashan, you decide for yourself; whatever decision you make, we support you!" Li Xiulan said from the side at this time.

However, Wang Zhanggen snapped:

"You're a woman, long hair but short knowledge; what do you understand! You're going to ruin our son!"

Wang Zhanggen then hurriedly said to Wang Dashan:

"Dashan, listen to me; after retiring from the army, hurry to find a partner, marry and have children early. I'm your father; I won't harm you. I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice. Listen to me and you won't be wrong!"

Wang Dashan gave a dry laugh:

"Okay, okay, I'll think about it seriously."

Wang Dashan hung up the phone and couldn't help but fall into thought.

He didn't know whether to listen to his father.

He actually wanted to ask his younger brother; his younger brother was much smarter than him, and letting him make the decision would definitely be right.

But today happened not to be the weekend; Xiao Hua was still studying at school and not at home, so he naturally couldn't ask him.

At this time, the company commander of the unit walked over:

"Wang Dashan, how's your consideration going? The opportunity to stay in the army is rare; don't fail to cherish it!"

Wang Dashan looked embarrassed:

"Commander, why not give me a few more days to consider? I can't make up my mind right now."

The commander glanced at him, somewhat speechless:

"What's there to be unsure about? Staying in the army has good benefits, and with your aptitude, your chances of promotion are high. Maybe before long, you'll be the commander of our company! What are you hesitating about?"

Wang Dashan smiled foolishly:

"I'm afraid I won't find a partner if I stay. Commander, you're almost thirty, aren't you? And you're still single?"

Wang Dashan's words left the commander nearly spitting blood on the spot.

Those words were truly heart-stabbing.

But he had to admit that Wang Dashan's worry had some merit.

Staying in the army and wanting to find a partner was indeed not easy.

Although there were social mixers every year in the unit, we soldiers generally couldn't sweet-talk girls; even if we attended mixers, it was hard to strike up a conversation with the girls there.

"Forget it, you decide for yourself; I won't urge you anymore. I'll give you three more days. If you haven't decided after three days, it'll count as you automatically giving up the qualification to stay."

The commander said this last sentence, then walked away.

Wang Dashan watched the commander's departing back, his heart feeling complex.

Three days later was Friday.

Wang Dashan had originally planned to call home on Saturday, when he could ask Xiao Hua for his opinion.

But the commander actually only gave him three days to consider.

This also meant he couldn't ask Xiao Hua's opinion anymore.

Because Xiao Hua didn't have a mobile phone, he couldn't call Xiao Hua.

The timing was just too tight.

Sometimes fate was this subtle.

A momentary missed encounter could change a person's life earth-shatteringly.

Finally, Wang Dashan, out of concern for finding a partner, chose to give up the opportunity to stay in the army.

If he could have asked Xiao Hua's opinion, Xiao Hua would probably have suggested he choose to stay.

Only unfortunately, there are no "ifs" in this world.

Wang Dashan chose to give up the opportunity to stay in the army; many people in the unit felt sorry for him, because he performed very well in the unit, he was too suited to being a soldier, he had a good physique and could endure hardship. During his two years of conscript service, he had even won a third-class individual merit. This honor, though not great, had already created the opportunity for him to stay.

And if he had stayed, his future development, though somewhat hard, could be considered a guarantee, and his life afterward could develop smoothly.

And he chose retirement; what awaited him would be an uncertain future, a long road ahead shrouded entirely in mist — he, a high school student, possessing no specialized skill, how could he survive in this society?

Nothing more than going to work in a factory, or becoming a security guard, or taking that bit of retirement money to attempt some entrepreneurship.

Whichever choice, for him none would certainly be the best choice.

Working in a factory and being a security guard have no prospects; as for entrepreneurship, he lacks the mind for it.

If Wang Zhanggen had even a shred of long-term vision, he would absolutely not have advised his son Wang Dashan to give up the chance to stay in the unit; Wang Zhanggen's failure in his youth had its reasons — he didn't catch a single bit of the great dividends of Reform and Opening Up, and only after returning to the rural area to do construction in a sorry state did he gradually gain a foothold; how could such a short-sighted loser provide useful advice to his own son?

An incapable family — as long as they don't point fingers at their child's future, that is already a stroke of luck.

It's just a pity that many bottom-rung families, their parents, love to point fingers at what their children intend to do; if the children don't listen to their advice, they become unhappy, stirring up family discord.

"What? Big Brother had a chance to stay in the unit, yet he actually chose to give it up?"

Come the weekend, Wang Xiaohua returned from school; learning that his big brother had a chance to stay but didn't, he immediately stomped his feet in rage.

He unreservedly accused his father Wang Zhanggen:

"Do you know, this might be Big Brother's only chance in this life to change his fate! How could you let him give up this opportunity!"

Wang Zhanggen said coldly:

"You don't know shit! If he stays, what'll he do if he can't find a wife?"

Wang Xiaohua was so angry he laughed:

"If he can't change his fate, what use is finding a wife? Just repeat your useless and wretched fate?"

Wang Xiaohua's words were extremely unpleasant to hear; this made Wang Zhanggen instantly flare up in a towering rage:

"How dare you speak to me? I'm your father! Don't think just because you got into high school I won't dare hit you!"

Wang Xiaohua shut his mouth; he turned and left, not saying another word of nonsense.

Because he knew, he fundamentally could not shake this father whose notions were like a stone in a cesspit — both stinking and hard; he merely felt pity for his big brother, and sorrow for his own powerlessness to change the status quo.

Perhaps because of this one wrong choice, his big brother's subsequent life would have to be spent struggling in the very bottom layer of society...