Chapter 292: Brother, You're Getting Flirty

The park at midnight was silent.

Worried that the old armed police guard was still standing watch, Lu Yang and his companion simply began strolling around the artificial lake.

Stepping on the protruding stones, they reached a pavilion about four or five meters from the lake edge; Ding Tengfei picked up a small pebble from the ground and started skipping it across the water.

The pebble created silver ripples on the calm lake surface, eventually sinking into the center of the lake.

"I've made up my mind," Ding Tengfei said suddenly.

"Decided what?"

Lu Yang, head down fiddling with his phone, replied absentmindedly.

He was currently using a browser to search: "What to do if you offend the armed police?"

The search results urged him to surrender, to be lenient if he confessed, and to be strict if he resisted.

Ding Tengfei stared at the moonlit, glittering lake surface, his gaze firm as he said, "I want to take the exam within the troops and strive to get into the military academy!"

Lu Yang raised his head in surprise: "Why did this idea suddenly come up?"

Ding Tengfei turned around: "That day when you helped rescue my dad, you draped your uniform over me and told my father that I was valued in the troops and had become an officer."

"At that moment, I thought, if I were truly an officer, truly as successful as you, how great that would be?"

Lu Yang said nothing, just waited for him to continue.

At this point, being a listener was even more appropriate.

"Back when I was in the New Recruit Company, I thought studying was useless and even mocked you for wanting to take the exam and get promoted."

"Gradually, I realized the importance of education and culture."

"In the end, a soldier's battle is of the mind, then culture, and only then professional knowledge."

Ding Tengfei admitted that on the day his grandfather's funeral was held, if Lu Yang hadn't thought quickly and found a legitimate pretext for taking action,

he would probably have already been punished for assault and mutual fighting, and stripped of his uniform.

He admired Lu Yang's skill and ability, but admired his wisdom in chaotic situations even more.

And reading more can broaden one's horizons, settle thoughts, and elevate a person's outlook.

"My dad sold the factory, paid off the workers' wages and the suppliers' payments."

"He's preparing to return to his old trade as a carpenter, and my mother also found a housekeeping job; she'll start work in a couple of days."

Lu Yang, surprised, asked: "No longer doing business?"

Ding Tengfei shook his head: "No more, I hit my head hard and don't dare to do it; earning a little money actually steadies my mind."

"Money is a bastard; the more you have, the more other thoughts arise, while having less you can actually endure."

Lu Yang thought there was nothing wrong; some money you earn you can't hold onto, so it's better to earn less.

In the business world, deceit and treachery are too many; opening a shop, you can encounter all sorts of monsters and demons, the pressure is indeed great.

Making a living with a craft won't make you rich, but you won't starve; moreover, these days craftsmen's incomes aren't low, and life can be comfortable.

Ding Tengfei sighed: "These past days, I've experienced a lot and have come to understand many things."

"Parents will inevitably grow old; they used to spoil and indulge me."

"From now on, I will hold up a sky for them, shelter them from wind and rain, and make them proud of me."

Lu Yang walked over, reached out to pat his head, and jokingly said in an elder's tone, "Tengfei, you finally grew up; Uncle Lu is pleased."

Ding Tengfei subconsciously raised his hand to strike, shouting: "You damn idiot, taking advantage of me!"

But for some reason, he didn't resist; instead, he felt a bit more at ease.

After all, Lu Yang saved him, saved his father, and rescued his originally shattered family.

He owes Lu Yang a massive favor and even his life; if someday he does go to the battlefield, he will, without hesitation, shield bullets for Lu Yang.

Lu Yang: "If you want to be your family's pride, then after you go back you must work hard studying and doing practice questions. We have many mock exam papers and some knowledge points; I'll compile them into a packet for you later."

"Come on, maybe we can both get into the military academy together."

Ding Tengfei nodded vigorously, his eyes full of fighting spirit.

He had never dared to imagine that he would have such an ambitious day.

A year ago, he was proud and haughty, disliked by everyone, a hopeless mud that Gao Feng couldn't lift.

But now, he has become the backbone of the Seventh Company and has resolved to take the exam and enter the military academy.

In just one short year, such a huge shift in mindset, even he feels it's like a dream.

The troops truly are a magical place, capable of reshaping a person from the inside out.

If possible, Ding Tengfei even wants to go back and slap the once unruly, unrefined version of himself who mistook lack of manners for personality.

Instead of picking fights or brawling, with that energy he'd rather do hundreds of push‑ups and run five kilometers!

"Look, over there!"

Lu Yang suddenly reminded with a shout, cutting off Ding Tengfei's daydream.

He said it while looking over; on a dim bench by the lake, two figures were snuggled together.

It seemed like a young couple, under the gently swaying willows, lost in a passionate kiss.

Ding Tengfei's face flushed instantly; he glanced covertly at Lu Yang beside him and, slightly embarrassed, rubbed his nose.

"No, brother. At this time, this atmosphere, you…"

"Fuck you!"

Lu Yang gave him a kick straight away: "Where the hell did your eyes go? I told you to look over there, behind the artificial hill!"

"Oh, oh, oh!"

Stung by the kick, Ding Tengfei's face full of embarrassment, he looked in the direction his finger pointed.

In the distance behind the artificial hill, it seemed a crowd had gathered.

It was too dark, the streetlights dim, Ding Tengfei couldn't see clearly, so the two moved closer.

We discovered it was two gangs squaring off, which locals colloquially call a "bai tai zi".

It seemed to be because someone stole someone's girlfriend, which sparked the dispute.

One of the guys was known to Ding Tengfei, and Lu Yang also found him familiar.

It was Wang Qiang from Class 9, senior year, South City High School, but by now he should be attending a technical school.

As for the awkward girl standing to the side, she seemed to be the broadcasting student named Li Shenme Qian.

Ding Tengfei saw the scene and seemed to see his past self; his expression instantly turned as if he had eaten shit.

Lu Yang glanced at him and asked, "Childish?"

"Extremely childish."

"Are you an idiot?"

"Very especially… damn idiot!"

"Now you know, do you know what Kong Long and the others felt when they first saw you?"

"…"

Ding Tengfei had a massive social‑death moment.

Lu Yang lifted his chin at him and said, "Aren't you going to do something? After all, you're now a proud PLA uncle, aren't you?"

Ding Tengfei took a deep breath, finally pulled his phone from his pocket, and pressed the emergency call on Yaoyao Ling.

"Hello, is this the police station? There's a fight going on in Lotus Park…"

……