Chapter 300: The Squad Leader Doesn't Eat, Giving the Noodles to the Company Commander and Others

"Instant noodles are really delicious~"

They didn't wait for the hot water to fully soak the noodle cake.

The extremely hungry recruits couldn't wait to tear them open, wolfing down the instant noodles, and all expressed the same sentiment.

True connoisseurs know that the best way to eat instant noodles is to pour boiling water over them, not to boil them in a pot.

When the noodle cake hasn't been fully soaked by hot water, slurping it in with a huala sound, the noodles should still have a slightly firm texture in the middle.

Of course, instant noodles at four yuan a bucket aren't something everyone can afford or is willing to eat.

So Lu Yang thoughtfully looked after the recruits who were short on cash and couldn't spare much money, preparing box after box of economical bagged instant noodles.

Tear open the bag, add the seasoning packet, then pour boiling water into the bag.

Although this is a bit embarrassing, the sunset scenery of this evening nevertheless has its own unique charm.

"Squad Leader, eat the noodles."

LiMin, being the most savvy among this batch of recruits, naturally brought the noodles to the Squad Leader first thing.

Cheng Jun saw the bowl before him, the spicy beef noodles with added 'ingredients,' a flicker of panic in his eyes: "You eat it, Squad Leader, I'm not hungry."

LiMin insisted: "Squad Leader, people are iron, rice is steel; I simply feel you've worked too hard. Over three months of companionship, you've taught us a lot and made me understand how to be a person."

"Seeing as the recruit company is about to end, we'll soon be assigned to our companies, and I don't know if we'll ever see you again."

"Just treat this bowl of noodles as my little token of feeling; open it and see, there's a surprise inside."

Cheng Jun certainly knew there was a surprise in the noodles, and moreover a big surprise!

That's why he dared not eat it!

Looking at the sausage and marinated egg in the noodle bowl, then at LiMin's sincere face.

Cheng Jun didn't want to make his own troops feel bad, so he originally just wanted to casually eat a couple of noodles as a token gesture, just going through the motions.

But out of the corner of his eye he saw Lu Yang far off, neck outstretched with a mean-spirited expression, making it impossible to put it in his mouth.

That brat Lu Yang is really getting worse and worse!

Even though he's already become a platoon leader, he's still full of dirty tricks!

When Cheng Jun's tongue was about to touch the noodles, he decisively chose to give up, putting on a serious face and pushing the bowl back toward him.

"LiMin, you're clueless!"

"Huh?"

LiMin didn't know where she had gone wrong.

In the army, when eating, the Squad Leader must start with chopsticks first.

He himself didn't eat, but first brought the first bowl of noodles to the Squad Leader— isn't that what should be done?

Cheng Jun sternly criticized: "As the Squad Leader and platoon leader, I work hard—doesn't the Company Commander work hard too? You're the most outstanding recruit of our batch, yet you gave the noodles to me; what will the Company Commander think, how will he view you?"

"All along, you've seen the Company Commander's hard work; this bowl of noodles should have been given to him first!"

"Understood, Squad Leader!"

LiMin immediately understood his good intentions.

Yeah, how could I not tell the difference between the big and small kings?

Just thinking about being good to my own Squad Leader, forgetting the Company Commander—how is the Squad Leader supposed to behave as a person?

LiMin felt she had learned some more lessons about interpersonal relations, and immediately, following the Squad Leader's words, went over to the Company Commander.

Gao Feng was originally holding a plate of fried noodles, taking sips of water to replenish his strength; although the fried noodles were hard to swallow, from time to time they would choke his windpipe and stick to his upper gums.

But the purpose of this three-day, two-night new recruit drill is to let these recruits truly feel the hardships the seniors once endured, also making it a proper beginning and end, with a call-and-response structure.

"Company Commander, eat the noodles!"

"Pfft!"

Gao Feng spat out a mouthful of fried noodles, choking and coughing repeatedly.

Seeing the Company Commander react so strongly, LiMin felt full of gratitude for the Squad Leader's tip.

It was still the same phrasing, the content still expressing thanks, respect, reverence, and admiration.

Gao Feng's eyelids kept twitching, as if he saw Lu Yang's mean-spirited smirk in the noodle soup.

He raised his head, and sure enough Lu Yang was hiding behind the noodle truck, poking out his head and sneaking a glance this way.

That little expression seemed to say: "Eat, hurry up and eat, finish it all~"

As the Company Commander, Gao Feng naturally knew that something had been added to the instant noodles.

No matter how fragrant or tempting it is; even if he were to starve to death and jump off a mountain, he would absolutely not take a bite.

"LiMin, thanks for your kindness, but my gums are inflamed lately—hiss... I can't eat spicy."

Gao Feng pretentiously inhaled a breath of cool air, feigning the appearance of an oral ulcer outbreak.

"How about this: you give it to the Instructor to eat; he likes spicy."

"Alright."

Then afterward, this bowl of instant noodles ended up in He Zhen Tao's hands.

He had been staring at this place for a while, guessing it might eventually end up in his hands.

Looking at Lu Yang, Kang Changyi, Cheng Jun, Gao Feng and others with ill intentions, He Zhen Tao was furious.

But he had previously specially courted LiMin, intending to bring her back to the Sixth Company, and couldn't openly refuse, so he could only find an excuse of not eating cilantro.

"Your thoughtfulness, the Instructor has accepted it, but the Instructor doesn't eat cilantro, so you should eat it yourself."

"You've been holding the flag and leading the team up front, you're tired after a day; after eating your fill and taking a nap, you still have to keep marching."

He Zhen Tao's kind face and concerned words were very misleading.

Especially after staying in the Instructor position for a long time, one's visage becomes much more benevolent.

Otherwise, nobody would joke that the Instructor is the army's male mother.

Watching LiMin go around, he still couldn't get the noodles out, leaving him a bit regretful.

Lu Yang walked over with a regretful look: 'What's up, the instant noodles didn't sell—could they be worried you poisoned them?'

LiMin flatly denied: 'How could that be? The superiors sympathize with me, letting me eat more.'

'Truly caring for soldiers like one's own children—what a great superior!'

Lu Yang let out a loud sigh, drawing twitches from many veterans' eyelids.

Gao Feng, He Zhen Tao, Cheng Jun and the others wished they could go up and give them both a hard slap.

The Training Section's surprise assessment content, you've turned it completely upside down; after scheming against the new recruits, you still want to scheme against the old soldiers—how can you be so lacking in virtue?

The veteran squad leaders actually all know the inside story, but the clueless rookies have no idea.

Right now, each is drinking noodle soup, eating spicy strips, and laughing happily.

But in fact, the real substance isn't in the food—it's all been put into the hot water.

Although spring has begun, aside from noon being a bit warm, morning and evening temperatures remain relatively low.

Plus, after a day's walk, being tired, cold, and hungry, a free cup of hot water does wonders to soothe the heart and dispel fatigue.

'Boss, any hot water left?'

'Plenty.'

'Then add a bit more to my soup.'

Just a bowl of instant noodles definitely won't fill you up.

But everyone has only limited change, so we can only settle for second best, eating just enough to feel lightly full.

Some clever ones simply toss the compressed biscuits and hard-to-swallow fried noodles into the leftover instant noodle soup.

This way, you get a bowl that's both tasty and filling—a hearty instant noodle mush.

Lu Yang turned and shouted at Kang Changyi, who wore the same fellow-villager guise.

Kang Changyi, full of vigor, immediately trotted into the vehicle and brought out several hot water kettles.

He hid in the vehicle, quietly opened the hot water bottle's stopper, and poured some white powder into each bottle.

But just then, someone lightly tapped his shoulder from behind: 'Fellow villager, what are you doing?'