Chapter 307: I Want to Leave Langlang Mountain and Join the Army

"Dang dang dang!"

In the evening, the gong on the tree rang.

The children still chattering around the new recruits, hopping and leaping, immediately rushed into the classroom.

From the desks they took out lunchboxes from plastic bags and rushed to the Cafeteria to line up for meals.

The new recruits were left both laughing and crying at the scene; the contrast was just too great.

After the children had all gotten their food and were eating in the hallway, standing or squatting, they were finally ordered by Gao Feng to also get meals.

After three days and two nights of marching drills, this was their only chance to have truly hot meals.

The dishes were served in a large basin, not especially lavish; a stir‑fried green pepper with egg, a braised pork with potatoes, a fried ham sausage, and the staple was ready‑made big mantou.

Although it was far inferior to what they ate in the unit's Cafeteria, considering this was a remote mountain area, inside Hope Elementary School, and everyone had been hungry all the way.

Whether new or veteran, almost everyone was gaunt with hunger.

Seeing the mantou and meat, their eyes seemed to flash green.

"Line up!"

"Everyone gets one!"

The lad serving meals tapped the big ladle, telling them to line up.

When it was LiMin's turn, he kept swallowing saliva.

"Master, could you bring more sauce? I dip the mantou with it."

"Yo, a connoisseur?"

Hearing that familiar voice, LiMin was startled.

Earlier, his attention had been on the children, and the meal servers were all wearing masks and aprons, so he hadn't looked closely.

"You are......"

LiMin stared intently at the other; the mask was removed, revealing Lu Yang's delicate face.

"What, change a disguise and you don't recognize me?"

"You, you, you are a Strong Army veteran?"

"There's another one."

Kang Changyi also removed his mask and hat, grinning as he lifted his chin toward him.

LiMin and many of the new recruits behind him had their heads explode with a bang at that moment.

In their minds, like a slide show, all the experiences along the way were linked together.

In the end, they all understood that the hardships and torments they had endured along the way were all orchestrated by these veterans, so regarding this meal......

Lu Yang smiled: "Don't worry, your assessment is over, the food is fine; after all, it's prepared for the children, you're just tagging along for a bite."

LiMin, fuming, shouted: "You bastard, you were the one who scared us in the graveyard last night......"

"Shh!"

Lu Yang made a silencing gesture, then slipped off his shoulder strap, revealing his military rank insignia.

He didn't know why, but he inexplicably felt like a junior manager exposing a top‑grade chef identity.

"You should call me Platoon Leader Lu, or address me as the chief."

"Nonsense, only those above rank deserve to be called chief; you're just a chicken feather!"

LiMin angrily retorted, provoking Kang Changyi, Liu Ziqiang, Sun Chen and others to be displeased.

How dare you disrespect our Platoon Leader, looking for a penalty?

Lu Yang raised his hand to stop them, calmly saying: "Remember your current unruly demeanor."

Meanwhile, Lu Yang used the big ladle to scoop a heaping portion of meat from the basin, but as he was about to place it into the lunchbox, the ladle started shaking uncontrollably, like a cafeteria aunt possessed.

In the end, when it landed on the plate, the once‑bulky meat was reduced to just two pieces of potato.

This scene left all the new recruits staring in disbelief, and LiMin trembled with anger.

"Your hand, can you control it, stop shaking so violently?"

"The meat, vegetables, and mantou are all purchased from the county town; you saw how hard the mountain road is; we also have to wash, pick, and cook the vegetables, so it's normal the hands are weak."

Lu Yang smiled: "But, if you compliment us a couple of times, I might be in a better mood and perhaps give you more."

LiMin had never seen such a shameless guy; he wanted to straighten his back and just eat the meal.

But reality wouldn't allow it; the person opposite was both an officer and the one buying and cooking the food.

Both in feeling and reason, using a few flattering words to exchange for a meal is not a loss.

"Great luck and great profit, may you soon bear a noble child!"

"Hahaha, although a bit stiff, it barely passes."

Lu Yang filled his plate to the brim and gave him three big mantou.

At that moment, LiMin's eyes saw only food, leaving no room for anything else.

The big‑bodied QiDelong stepped forward, seeing his flushed face, Lu Yang tapped the side of the basin: "Think before you speak, otherwise you won't be full?"

Liu Ziqiang and a few others laughed and brought freshly cooked dishes from behind: "If you want more, say more flattering words; the more you say, the more dishes we serve."

QiDelong held back for a while, then finally spoke: "People love people, flowers bloom when seen, cars burst tires... Dragon‑horse spirit, dragon‑phoenix auspiciousness, family happiness, rising step by step, academic progress, congratulations and wealth!"

Lu Yang: "......"

New recruits: "......"

This guy usually doesn't talk much, he's the dumb‑big‑guy type.

Who would have thought that this time, because of his stutter, his mouth was like a machine gun.

Sure enough, people have to be pushed, otherwise they never know where their limits are.

Lu Yang, being straightforward, knew he had a big appetite, so he gave him two servings of food and six mantou.

When QiDelong left, he cradled a huge bundle and kept bowing to Lu Yang; if he weren't holding a bun in his mouth, he would surely have thanked him.

He stepped out of the house; the rain now was a bit heavier than before.

In the mountains, rain is abundant and the weather changes unpredictably; that's the norm.

Seeing no space left in the hallway, QiDelong simply stood inside the classroom.

He rubbed his hands, about to devour this hard‑won dinner, when he saw beside him a dirty‑faced little boy dragging a big runny nose, looking up at him with eager eyes.

To be precise, the boy was staring hungrily at the mountain of food piled in his bowl.

That surprised little expression seemed to ask, "Are you a monster? That's unbelievable!"

QiDelong felt a bit embarrassed, picked up a piece of meat, and placed it into the boy's bowl.

"You eat too; don't just watch me."

But when he turned around, just about to start eating, he saw the boy had followed him again.

At first, QiDelong thought the child hadn't eaten yet, so his longing was insatiable.

But after seeing the boy's dented aluminum lunchbox and the few leftover pieces of meat inside, he realized the child had already eaten.

QiDelong asked curiously, "You don't like meat? Why aren't you eating it?"

The little boy, dragging his snot, shook his head: "I want to take it home for Grandma to eat."

QiDelong suddenly felt uneasy, recalling that this was a mountainous area, a Hope Elementary School.

They usually can't get meat; even when they have it, they are reluctant to eat it and must take it home for their families.

Thinking of that, he simply stopped eating, shoveling all the meat into the bowl; he had intended to keep a piece for himself, but in the end, gritting his teeth, he left none.

He could skip a meal without worry; after all, he'd be back tomorrow and could eat the tasty food in the troops' Cafeteria. But these children, born in these mountains, don't know when they'll get to eat meat again.

"Thank you, Uncle."

The little boy, very polite, closed the lunchbox as if it were a treasure and put it into a net bag.

Knowing the boy wasn't full, QiDelong split his own bun in two for him and shared his vegetables as well.

The two ate in silence; QiDelong seemed to sense the atmosphere was a bit awkward, and though he wasn't good at making conversation, he still spoke up.

"When you grow up, what do you want to do?"

"I want to leave Langlang Mountain."

"And then?"

"I don't know."

"How about joining the army when you grow up?"

"But will the troops take me? I have no money."

The little boy sniffed hard, then asked timidly.

QiDelong chuckled, "Joining the army costs nothing; they even pay you."

"Will that fill my stomach?"

"It can!"

"Will there be new clothes to wear?"

"Yes!"

"If I get sick, will they treat me?"

"They will!"

"Then when I grow up, I'll join the army!"

"Alright, got it!"

Half an hour later, the rain stopped.

The students gradually left the school and went home.

Before leaving, two teachers reminded them to arrive early tomorrow, as the soldier uncle would hold a flag‑raising ceremony.

The children, carrying books in plastic bags and lunchboxes filled with meat, hopped away over the soggy mud, eager to share with their families.

Watching the children's innocent, carefree backs, the new recruits smiled, but their stomachs kept growling one after another.

Like QiDelong, many others also gave food to the children; everyone would rather starve themselves than let these kids go hungry.

"Chief, is there still food? If not, buns will do?"

LiMin led the famished new recruits to the Cafeteria to find Lu Yang.

She shed her previous arrogance, becoming extremely humble.

She exuded an air of, "I admit I spoke a bit loudly before; please don't mind."

Eating, after all, isn't chilling, and besides, their cooking is truly excellent, rivaling that of professional cooks.

Lu Yang was tidying the stove, looking at the hungry new recruits, then glancing at the Company Commander and Instructor.

Gao Feng spread his hands: "Don't blame us; we didn't issue the order, they acted on their own."

Lu Yang, helplessly, led them inside, lifted the white cloth covering the large basin, revealing raw chicken legs inside.

"Knowing it might not be enough, we prepared extra; later we'll serve you grilled chicken legs, the buns were sent to the town to be bought, they'll arrive soon, then you can eat your fill."

"Yay, long live, long live!"

Amid the new recruits' jubilant cheers.

Their eyes were full of chicken legs; how could they remember the earlier humiliating prank?

Moreover, many imagined that the Chief's actions were for our benefit, to help our progress.

Lu Yang reignited the wok, added oil, then poured water and a heap of white sugar, performing a tactical caramelizing technique that amazed all.

Those unaware might think Lu Yang was the Cook Squad chief: "Chief, with this, let's skip the caramelizing, just cook it through; we're not picky!"

Lu Yang wiggled his fingers: "Do what you love; this meal isn't free, and once you're full, there will be work for you to do…"