Chapter 165: Not Drinking? Is It a Matter of Not Giving Face

"Company Commander, Company Commander!"

On his bunk, Sixth Company Commander Ma Qing'an, wearing the SpongeBob eye mask his sister gave him, slept soundly.

In his dream, Lu Yang placed first in both events of the martial contest, earning honor for the Sixth Company, and was even awarded a second‑class merit by the Regiment Commander.

But just as the award ceremony was underway, a rapid series of knocks on the door suddenly interrupted it.

He, irritated, lifted the eye mask, got up to open the door, saw that the visitor was Zhou Kaidong, and yawned.

"What's the matter, so urgent?"

"Company Commander, something happened. Squad Leader of the Sixth Platoon and his men were taking a private meal in the Cafeteria and got caught by the Military Police!"

"Private meal?"

Ma Qing'an raised his left hand and glanced at the time on his wrist.

Having a private meal in the middle of the night—what are they, looking for trouble?

Suddenly, he snapped to attention, staring straight at Zhou Kaidong.

"When did you get back?"

"During the night, Lu Yang came back together with me."

"How did it go, how were the results?"

Ma Qing'an asked anxiously, and Zhou Kaidong answered truthfully.

Upon learning that Lu Yang's results were almost identical to those in his dream, he almost burst out laughing.

"This isn't a private meal at all; if it's a celebration banquet, just call it a celebration banquet!"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

"Damn it, that despised thing, coming here in the middle of the night to catch people. This isn't the first time; do they really think the Sixth Company is easy to bully?"

Without a word, Ma Qing'an slipped on his uniform, gave the Instructor's door a firm knock before leaving, then gathered the Whole Company and headed toward the Cafeteria.

"Comrades two Military Police, we admit we're at fault here, but there are reasons behind it."

"How about this: we'll write a self‑criticism later and hand it over, give us some face, and just let today's incident go?"

In the Cafeteria, everyone raised their cups in celebration, eating heartily.

But unexpectedly, two white‑capped MPs barged in and ruined the mood.

Coincidentally, Platoon Leader Kang Changyi was on a night patrol and spotted the situation.

As a Lieutenant Platoon Leader, he quickly grasped the events and moved to intervene.

He had served as honorary head of a club at the military academy, so he considered himself somewhat skilled at handling disputes.

Moreover, the two MPs on duty were conscripts, while he was a Lieutenant Platoon Leader; they each had to give a bit of face.

But he didn't expect that the MP named Er Gua simply ignored him, insisting on a heavy punishment.

"If it's just one or two people, after guard duty they can have a quick instant noodle and we can turn a blind eye, but what about you?"

"Now it's golden soup beef, then vinegar‑flavored cabbage, then shredded pork, plus Kung Pao chicken… is this a midnight snack or a state banquet?"

"The most outrageous part is they even brought out beer, despite the total ban on alcohol—do they even have any sense of unit discipline?"

Seeing they gave no face, Kang Changyi pulled them aside, trying to fish a cigarette from his pocket as a bribe.

He hoped to make a big issue small, a small issue disappear, and just send these two troublemakers away.

Nevertheless, Lu Yang and Cheng Jun's group usually didn't pay much attention to him, the Platoon Leader.

In fact, lately he heard people behind his back secretly call him "Kang Da‑Niang", mocking him as a spineless sissy.

But ultimately Lu Yang earned honor for the Sixth Company, so despite past grievances, they must present a united front now.

Unfortunately, neither of them smoked, and when Kang Changyi pulled a cigarette from his pocket, Er Gua aimed a camera at him, startling him into stuffing the cigarette back.

Er Gua glared, thinking, "What's this low‑rank Lieutenant trying to act all tough in front of me?"

"Sorry, we're handling this officially; please understand and cooperate."

"Now we need someone to come with us back to the Military Police Battalion for punishment."

Lu Yang could no longer sit still; as the party involved, he stood up voluntarily to take responsibility.

"I'll go with you; blame this on me."

Just as Lu Yang stood, Cheng Jun pressed him back down.

What a joke—if Lu Yang goes with them, this Squad Leader would be better off finding a piece of tofu to play dead.

Cheng Jun: "I started this, I'll go back with you to accept punishment."

Sun Chen: "I brought out the beer; if you have the guts, take me away too!"

Liu Ziqiang: "I sliced the fruit platter; I'd like to see whether the Military Police Battalion's breakfast suits your taste!"

In the Cafeteria, the Sixth Platoon and the Cook Squad all surged toward the two MPs.

Their fierce momentum made Zhang Jiaheng feel genuinely uneasy.

He involuntarily tugged his companion beside him and whispered.

"He's my comrade from the New Recruit Company; can we just let it go?"

"A couple of verbal reprimands will do; after all, they just earned results in the contest, so it's understandable."

"No!" Er Gua the MP, being obstinate, said, "This is a principle issue; results are results, not an excuse for wrongdoing!"

"If everyone acted like this, the unit would fall into chaos; then what's the point of regulations and rules?"

Zhang Jiaheng was also exasperated; if it were anyone else, they'd probably withdraw when the situation looked off.

He had heard his Squad Leader mention that previously, when they came to the Sixth Company to catch violations, they were detained and not allowed to leave.

Moreover, since the other side were acquaintances, mishandling it would make him look bad later.

He awkwardly looked at Lu Yang: "Lu Yang, it's not that I won't help you, but military law is like a mountain; we must follow the rules, hope you…"

Just as the words fell, a wave of footsteps erupted behind them; Company Commander Ma Qing'an and Instructor He Zhen Tao, leading the entire Sixth Company, stormed into the Cafeteria with murderous intent.

Seeing the scene, the second‑hook Military Police cleared his throat and finally realized the situation was bad.

But now, he couldn't just leave whenever he wanted; it depended on whether the other side would let him go.

Ma Qing'an ignored the two Military Police and hurried up to Lu Yang.

Grabbing his shoulders with both hands, he looked at him as if he were a precious little lump.

"Good, good! As expected of the troops I lead!"

"I knew you'd bring back results, but I didn't expect you to bring back such a huge surprise—still a double‑bang!"

"Here, let me toast you, congratulating your triumphant return!"

Ma Qing'an took a bottle of big green stick from the box, opened it, and raised it to toast Lu Yang.

Lu Yang ignored the two Military Police beside him, picked up the beer bottle on the table, and clinked it with his.

Then he also clinked it with the beer He Zhen Tao handed over; the three of them tipped their heads back and took a big gulp.

"Refreshing!"

Ma Qing'an downed more than half a bottle in one go.

He turned, wiped his mouth, and looked at the two trembling Military Police.

"Come, I'll go back with you; I want to see whether your company commander dares to leave me to eat breakfast!"

"I'll drink this beer too; the two of us are the unit's commanding officers, we'll go with you. Catching those two disciplinary‑offending officers can count as your weekly performance!"

Zhang Jiaheng knows well what it means to be a wise and capable person; the current situation is beyond what they can handle.

If the attitude remains as hard‑headed as before, there's a high chance they'll have to go out lying down.

"Two commanders, we have already sorted out the causes and consequences of this matter; although there is suspicion of disciplinary violation, considering the meritorious performance, they can offset each other."

"As long as the commotion isn't too big and doesn't disturb other units' rest, that's fine; next time you could actually report in advance—it's not a big deal."

"Ha ha, ha ha ha, right, it's not a big deal, and they've shown a good attitude in admitting fault, so let's just call it even…."

The two changed their faces faster than a rabbit to get out quickly.

But they didn't expect that, after turning, they ran into Zhou Kaidong's grotesquely twisted grin.

"Come if you want to come, leave if you want to leave—so shall our Sixth Company become a vegetable market, huh?"

"Zhou, Zhou Kaidong, what do you want?"

Zhang Jiaheng knows Zhou Kaidong and also knows this guy's combat power is very high.

Without anyone else needing to act, this one alone could flip the two.

He Zhen Tao walked up with a smile, holding two bottles of liquor: "No other meaning, you're guests now; each of you finishes a bottle and then we'll let you go!"

The two Military Police's faces changed dramatically; they were about to drag them into the water together!

Zhang Jiaheng didn't hesitate at all; with quick eyes and hands he grabbed a bottle, put it to his mouth and gulped it down.

His companion, seeing him such a softie, felt both sorrow and anger, but Zhou Kaidong clenched a sand‑bag‑sized fist and threatened fiercely.

"If you don't drink, we won't give you face!"

"Drink, drink, drink!"

Around a hundred soldiers, eyes like tigers, clenched their fists and gritted their teeth, low growls nearly softening the two's legs with fear.

The second‑hook Military Police let out a harsh gulp, meekly took the beer bottle, and sipped it little by little.

Ma Qing'an laughed immediately at the sight: "Light up some cigarettes for them, beer with smoke—boundless magic."

He Zhen Tao: "The Military Police comrades patrol late at night so hard; if we don't treat them properly, word will spread that we're petty."

Lu Yang watched everyone unreservedly defending themselves, feeling a warm current surge in his heart as they fought for his honor.

In his life, the most correct decision he ever made was to enlist, for otherwise where would he meet so many good brothers?