Chapter 50: Regiment Commander, I'm afraid you'll have someone kill me

"What color is this?"

Regiment Commander Wang Zhongxi took an apple out of the cabinet and placed it on the table.

Lu Yang answered without hesitation: "Red, the kind that leans toward pink."

Wang Zhongxi pointed at his own uniform and asked, "And what color is this?"

Lu Yang: "Green, defense green, the color is a bit faded."

Wang Zhongxi took off his hat, pointed at his hair, and asked, "What about this?"

Lu Yang: "Half black, half white, the black leans toward gray."

Wang Zhongxi put his hat back on and concluded, "Hmm, that's enough. I can say for sure that's a quack doctor. Which one could be color‑blind? I've never seen a color‑blind person describe colors this clearly."

Lu Yang nodded vigorously, leaving the final explanation to the superior.

Wang Zhongxi looked at him: "Don't worry either; it's not a big issue. As long as it doesn't affect training, you can stay on and serve."

"Of course, the re‑examination is also to take responsibility for the soldiers' health. If there really is any hereditary disease, tumor, cardiovascular condition, etc., then they definitely cannot remain in the troops."

Lu Yang could understand: "Thank you, Regiment Commander."

Wang Zhongxi smiled: "I still prefer it if you call me boss."

Lu Yang's smile was awkward; he also didn't know how a respectable Colonel and Regiment Commander could be wearing a military coat and acting as a cosplay shop owner in the soldiers' service club.

No wonder he has phone numbers of various units saved.

So the two veterans who gave him trouble yesterday were probably dealt with later?

After all, harassing new recruits is something our unit absolutely cannot tolerate or permit; once discovered, it is punished severely without mercy.

Wang Zhongxi pulled a Hongta Mountain cigarette from the table and gave a questioning look.

"Do you smoke?"

"No."

"Good, you don't smoke."

Wang Zhongxi lit it by himself and took a puff.

"I used not to smoke before; later, gradually, the cigarette never left my hand."

"Cigarettes aren't good; new recruits should avoid them at all costs, otherwise they'll affect training results."

Lu Yang naturally understood the reasoning: smoking reduces lung capacity and weakens cardiopulmonary ability.

But he had also seen a marathon veteran who ran the whole race with a cigarette in his mouth.

That depends on individual physical condition; it's extremely rare and exceptional.

Wang Zhongxi waved his hand, inviting Lu Yang to sit down, "Don't stand there."

He actually wanted to chat with this recruit.

Lu Yang honestly sat over.

"I heard you caught a fever from being rained on, and that's why you were sent to the Tuan Bu medical office for IV fluids?"

"Yes."

"Then your physical condition needs improvement. When I was in the army, we had to roll around in mud pits in rain or snow, and the mud hardened like Terracotta Warriors after we got out."

Wang Zhongxi smiled and pointed at him: "You need to boost nutrition, eat more, train more, and build up your physical condition; otherwise the uniform looks empty, and you don't appear as a soldier at all."

Wang Zhongxi talked a lot with Lu Yang, asking about his family situation and why he chose to enlist instead of repeating school.

Lu Yang's answer was exactly the same as before; he is optimistic about the unit's future prospects and determined to work hard in the troops.

Wang Zhongxi also asked him what opinions he had about the two Company Commanders of the New Recruit Company.

Lu Yang knew that now he couldn't speak carelessly; he had to praise them to the death.

He thought for a moment and likened the Company Commander and Instructor to a family's father and mother.

"Fatherly love is like a mountain—unspeaking, relatively stern and severe; motherly love is like water—gentle, delicate, meticulous, and amiable."

"Recruits are like immature, disobedient children who only think about playing; they rebel and resist, but years later, when they look back, they realize their parents were actually for their own good."

Wang Zhongxi, holding the cigarette, stared seriously into Lu Yang's eyes, as if seeing a world‑worn feeling mismatched with his age.

That feeling was like forcefully stuffing a middle‑aged man's soul into a youngster's body.

They say one cannot simultaneously possess youth and the feeling of youth.

But Wang Zhongxi saw both in Lu Yang.

The brief contact and conversation also made him understand why this recruit, despite mediocre training scores and somewhat worrisome physical condition, was still favored by both the Company Commander and Instructor.

Wang Zhongxi hovered his finger over the ashtray and lightly tapped, "So what are your plans now?"

Lu Yang: "Train hard, study diligently, take the military academy exam, become an officer."

"And then?"

"I haven't thought about it yet."

"If you haven't decided, don't decide," Wang Zhongxi waved his hand: "The road is made step by step; walk while thinking, think while learning."

"No one knows where the future road ultimately leads; as long as you're willing to keep moving forward, you'll always see different scenery."

"Back then, I only wanted to be a small Platoon Leader, but somehow I ended up being a Regiment Commander for many years; looking back now, it's quite magical, quite unbelievable."

Lu Yang savored the Regiment Commander's words.

In his previous life, he was always anxious, wanting a lot, with strong material desires.

Trapped in a big‑city rental, working from nine to nine nonstop, it seemed he could never see the future.

Especially when seeing friends settling down, buying cars and houses, chasing poetry and distant horizons, that anxiety and unease grew even stronger.

Because of that, he hastily invested his scant savings, trying to make a big gain from a small stake, only to end up back where he started overnight.

In the past, Lu Yang was always impatient to glimpse the future road at a glance, thinking that would steady his heart.

But as he grew older, he gradually realized that even careful planning doesn't guarantee the path will go where you expect.

Wasting mind and effort over events that haven't happened yet creates massive negative emotions and negative energy, and also squanders a great deal of one's own energy.

Living in the present, making each day good, without worrying about where the end is, actually lets you go farther.

In the early days of Ma Huaten's startup, he didn't anticipate that Penguin Group would become a domestic internet behemoth.

The old Ma at that time also didn't know that Alibaba and mobile payment could change the world.

Instead of daydreaming, it's better to do what's in front of you, seize every opportunity in life, and leave the rest to time to catalyze.

At that moment, a thump‑thump‑thump knocking sound rang.

Immediately after, the door was pushed open and the Deputy Political Commissioner entered from outside holding a medical examination form.

"Solved."

"Let me see."

Wang Zhongxi took the medical examination sheet, and Lu Yang couldn't help but poke his head out.

When he saw that the vision item on the form already had a signature and seal, his mood changed instantly.

Wang Zhongxi said cheerfully, "Lu Yang, you must thank our Deputy Political Commissioner properly; it was he who wore out his tongue so that the female doctor changed the golden mouth."

Lu Yang quickly rose, saluted, and solemnly thanked, "Thank you, chief!"

Tan Yuanzhou waved his hand, "It's not a big deal; in principle, as long as it doesn't affect daily training it's fine. It's just that the two tests used different reference standards, the requirements were raised, so that's why you got stuck here."

Wang Zhongxi handed the medical examination sheet to Lu Yang, indicating he could take it back to report.

Lu Yang forced a smile, reached out to take it, but the Regiment Commander snatched the form back.

"????"

Lu Yang didn't understand what that meant.

Wang Zhongxi, with a smile, looked at him, "When you came in earlier, were you a bit nervous? Did you think I was here to discuss the troop withdrawal procedure with you?"

Lu Yang's smile was tinged with awkwardness; he had indeed prepared for the worst.

Wang Zhongxi asked curiously, "If I really were to send you back, how would you react?"

Lu Yang replied resolutely, "I will obey orders unconditionally and follow all commands!"

"Nonsense!"

"It's true!"

"I believe others when they say it; but when you say it, I must remain skeptical."

Lu Yang was completely stumped; could it be that I seem so slick and unreliable?

Wang Zhongxi said warmly, "Don't be embarrassed; I know you're quite sharp. Yesterday outside the convenience store, two veterans couldn't fool you, and today will be no different."

He stuck the pen on the desk into its cap and attached it to the medical examination report, saying, "Rest assured, speak boldly; if you do well, this pen is yours."

Tan Yuanzhou was very surprised, clearly not expecting the Regiment Commander to give away his most treasured pen.

Lu Yang also noticed a line of tiny characters on the pen:

【Gift to the Special Third Regiment — commemorating the xx‑year anniversary of the victory in the anti‑American aid to Korea】

It is a finely crafted pen with special significance.

It also represents the superiors' recognition of the Special Third Regiment's great achievements.

Lu Yang certainly wants it, but he feels a bit hesitant.

Not that he fears the Regiment Commander will renege, but mainly he worries that after hearing this, he'll have someone drag him out and kill him…