Chapter 259: Is This Convalescent Meal or Postpartum Rest?

"Company Commander Hong, are you looking for me?"

"Right, come with me!"

Chen Panpan jogged from the training ground to the cafeteria's back kitchen.

Cook Squad Company Commander Hong led him to a solitary little coal stove in the backyard.

A sandpot was simmering on the stove, bubbling and steaming, and a whiff of meat scent drifted from afar.

Company Commander Hong covered the lid with a rag, lifted the sandpot, and said, "The Instructor called specifically to order that we replenish Lu Yang's health."

"It contains goji berries, red dates, red ginseng, and kidney beans; you'll take it in the thermos to Platoon Leader Lu later."

"Wow, it's so fragrant~"

"Slow‑cooked over low fire, how could it not be fragrant?"

Company Commander Hong scooped the thick broth together with the soft, bone‑less pig trotter gelatin into the thermos with a ladle.

He sprinkled a handful of white pepper and a pinch of bright green scallions, then screwed the lid on and handed it to him.

"Make sure to deliver it to Platoon Leader Lu; drink the soup before the meal—beautiful and healthy."

"Alright, I'm off now."

In the Third Squad dormitory, Lu Yang was sitting at his desk reading.

His head and arms were still stitched, and he couldn't engage in strenuous activity.

So, in the days after returning he stayed in the dormitory to rest and read, while also tidying up the lesson plans for upcoming military theory courses.

Because it was cold, a warm little heater was placed nearby, making Lu Yang's face flush red.

"Brother Yang, why are you sitting up again?"

"The Company Commander already said to let you lie in bed more; don't get up unless necessary."

Chen Panpan entered carrying the thermos, saw Lu Yang working at his desk again, and couldn't help but ask.

Lu Yang looked up and said, "Lying for too long makes my whole body ache; it's better to sit up and read a bit."

Chen Panpan asked with a smile, "Guess what I brought you today?"

"I bet it's rib soup again, or old hen soup?"

"Correct, but today it's pig trotter gelatin soup, with added red ginseng and goji berries!"

"My injuries aren't that bad; the kitchen changes the nutrition daily, making me feel like I'm in confinement…"

Since his injury‑return a few days ago, Lu Yang's heroic deeds have spread throughout the Sixth Company.

He not only enjoys panda‑level treatment, but isn't even allowed to go to the training ground.

Even his clothes, shoes, and socks are fought over by a crowd for washing.

Although Lu Yang repeatedly refused, he couldn't resist everyone's enthusiasm.

Especially the Cook Squad, which varies the nutrition for him every day.

Morning carp‑tofu soup, evening pigeon soup, and this time it's switched to a nourishing pig trotter gelatin soup.

This treatment truly is like confinement, milking the mother, a bit over‑nutritious.

In just a few days, Lu Yang felt he'd gained several jin, his face looking rounder in the mirror, as if a beard were about to sprout.

"I can't eat any more; I'll sip two mouthfuls of soup, you have the trotter gelatin."

"Ah, isn't that wrong? The Instructor specifically had the cafeteria stew this for you?"

"What are you pretending, that the rib soup yesterday was eaten by a dog?"

"Hehe, heh~"

Chen Panpan, unreserved, scooped out a piece of trotter gelatin.

She slurped, drawing the gelatinous pork‑skin into her mouth, eating with oil dripping everywhere.

Although the food conditions in the grassroots unit are decent, they haven't reached the level where you can gnaw on pork trotters every meal; this counts as a secret extra ration.

"Brother Yang, you've been here for so many days, why hasn't anyone from above come to commend you?"

"I heard they say first‑class merit can be received while lying down, second‑class while leaning on a crutch, and only third‑class you have to stand to receive."

"So this time, how many classes of merit can you get? Could you jump straight from first‑phase NCO to second‑phase?"

Lu Yang tapped his head and said, "Just eat yours, I'm not in a hurry; why are you anxious?"

Chen Panpan laughed, "Am I not worrying for you? The veteran said two third‑class merits, or one second‑class merit, can get you a direct recommendation to the military academy."

"If so, you wouldn't need to take the entrance exam; you could be directly recommended to the academy?"

For Lu Yang, the two options weren't much different.

Earlier, He Zhen Tao had specifically gathered past mock entrance exam papers for him to practice.

Lu Yang always wrote quickly, and his scores were consistently good; he never worried about the difficulty of the papers.

Chen Panpan spat the bone onto a tissue, looked at the scar on Lu Yang's forehead and the gauze on his arm, and asked the question she'd been meaning to ask.

"Brother Yang, I want to know—when you were fighting those two spies, were you scared?"

"Also, when you chased the car, didn't you ever think you might be thrown off?"

Lu Yang admitted, "When emotions run high there's no time to think about it. But when I saw the opponent pull out a knife, I knew I was likely to earn a merit."

Chen Panpan said enviously, "I still haven't received a single commendation."

Lu Yang encouraged, patting her, "Take it slow, don't rush; haste makes waste. When the chance comes, just seize it."

Chen Panpan nodded vigorously, then glanced at the other piece of pork trotter in his bowl, shyly pursing her lips.

Lu Yang smiled and pushed the thermos toward her, "I don't like it, so you eat it all—eat more and grow stronger."

"Thanks, Brother Yang, I won't be polite then~"

Just as Chen Panpan was wolfing it down, a Mao Lizi knocked on her head.

"Stealing convalescent meals!"

Chen Panpan covered her head and was startled when she saw someone behind her.

She quickly covered her head and called out a greeting to the Company Commander.

Lu Yang also stood up, but his right arm was wrapped in a bandage and he truly couldn't lift it.

"No need to salute, just lower your hands."

Ma Qing'an, his face flushed with a rosy glow, let Lu Yang sit at the bedside and pulled a stool to sit down.

"I've got good news for you!"

"I just came back from Tuan Bu; the Political Commissar has already removed Zhou Kaidong from the discharge list, and the Division has additionally applied for an extra retention slot!"

"If nothing goes wrong, Zhou Kaidong will soon be able to stay on for the fourth term and continue serving in the troops!"

"That's great!"

Lu Yang was extremely excited, even though he had guessed it in advance.

But he knew in his heart that hearing the Company Commander state it explicitly was a completely different matter.

"Additionally," Ma Qing'an said, "the Division is already discussing awarding merit to the three of you."

"Your contribution is undoubtedly the greatest; the Political Commissar's view is that protecting the three and contesting the two shouldn't be a big problem."

"After all, we captured those two foreign spies during the special period of military reform, and the 441st Regiment just happened to have been punished for leaks."

"Therefore, the Division will likely make our battalion a model unit for security and secrecy, and issue a commendation to the entire Division."

"My goodness!"

Chen Panpan slammed her chin onto the ground.

In the past, a regiment-wide commendation was already a big deal.

This time it's a division-wide model battalion, and the level jumped up several grades at once.

Even though this doesn't really involve him, as a member of the Sixth Company he feels proud!

Ma Qing'an tightly grasped Lu Yang's hand and said gratefully, "Having you is truly a blessing for our company! Look at how many achievements you've earned this year and how much honor you've reclaimed!"

Lu Yang humbly shook his head: "Company Commander, I was brought up by Squad Leader Zhou Kaidong; without him, I wouldn't be who I am now."

"If it weren't for his risking his life in the water, the two spies and I would probably have drowned in the Hu Cheng He."

"And Kang Changyi, his contribution this time is also significant; he deserves a proper commendation as well."

Ma Qing'an rolled his eyes to the heavens: "Zhou Kaidong needs no further mention; that kid Kang Changyi can't be praised, only scolded. Otherwise, with a bit of achievement, his tail would be up in the sky."

Lu Yang: "That can't be, right? I've seen him being quite obedient lately."

"Heh, that was only in front of you; now that kid is definitely putting on a show."

"I'll prove it, I'll prove it!"

Chen Panpan raised her hand high and shouted a complaint.