Chapter 314: Accompanying the Army
Chapter 314: Chapter 314: Accompanying the Army
Once inside the office, Zhong Weiguo shut the door and looked Lu Cheng up and down.
"How’s your recovery coming along?"
"I’m all better now."
As he spoke, he started to lift the hem of his shirt. "How about you check for yourself?"
"That’s enough. It’s fine as long as you’re recovered."
Zhong Weiguo stopped him and gestured for him to find a seat. He then walked over to a cabinet and poured a glass of water for both himself and Lu Cheng. It was clear there was much to discuss.
"You came back at the perfect time. The official commendations from the organization came down yesterday. All members of the task force that escorted Dr. Gu will be awarded a Second-Class Merit. Additionally, in light of Zhang Jia Ming’s outstanding performance on this mission, the organization has reviewed and approved his application for officer promotion."
Lu Cheng shot to his feet, straightened his back, clicked his heels together, and gave Commander Zhong a standard military salute. "Thank you for the organization’s recognition! On behalf of the task force, I also thank you, Commander Zhong, for your trust and guidance!"
Zhong Weiguo nodded for him to sit. "What’s the hurry? I’m not finished talking."
Lu Cheng sat back down. "Alright, please continue."
Zhong Weiguo fiddled with the lid of his enamel mug, tapping it intermittently against the rim. His voice took on a distant quality.
"The higher-ups have been wanting to add another unit to our brigade for a while now, but for various reasons, nothing was ever confirmed."
Lu Cheng understood. "So there’s confirmation now? Who is it? Someone from our regiment?"
Zhong Weiguo decided to be coy. "Take a guess."
"I’m not guessing. I have no objections regardless of who it is. I resolutely support all of the organization’s decisions."
’If this were my wife, I’d be happy to play guessing games,’ Lu Cheng thought. ’But what’s the point of playing games with a grown man like you?’
He glanced at his watch. It was almost seven. ’My wife should be waking up soon, right?’
With that thought, he stood up. "Alright, Commander Zhong, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back to training."
"You stay right there! What’s your hurry? I’m not done talking!"
Lu Cheng had no choice but to sit back down. "Then please say everything you need to say at once. When you’re done, I’d like to borrow the phone to call Moli and let her know I’m okay."
Hearing that this was what he was anxious about, Zhong Weiguo snapped, "Look at you, so spineless. You just got back, haven’t even warmed your seat, and your mind has already flown away? With a distracted attitude like that, how can you possibly do your job well?"
"I haven’t officially reported back for duty yet. I’m still technically on leave."
Zhong Weiguo couldn’t be bothered to argue nonsense with him. "In light of your exceptional abilities and contributions since enlistment, the organization has decided to grant you an extraordinary promotion to commander of the new independent regiment."
Lu Cheng was silent for half a second, then nodded. "Okay."
Zhong Weiguo slowly lifted his mug’s lid, took two sips of water, and put the lid back on. When Lu Cheng still hadn’t said anything else, he looked up, perplexed. "That’s it? You don’t have anything else to say?"
’A regimental commander at twenty-seven!’ an inner voice roared inside Zhong Weiguo’s head. ’That’s as rare as a phoenix feather in the entire military region! Anyone else would be grinning from ear to ear. Aren’t you a little too calm, kid?!’
"Since the organization has placed its trust in me and given me this responsibility, I will give my all, act decisively, and build an outstanding unit."
After speaking, a spirited expression appeared on Lu Cheng’s face. "To be honest, I am very surprised and delighted by this promotion. But with greater rank comes greater responsibility. I am humbled and dare not become arrogant."
’That’s more like it.’
Zhong Weiguo felt a bit more settled. He chose his words carefully. "There’s one more thing. The organization has taken your youth into account. They’re concerned that a long-term separation from Xiao Jiang might affect your family harmony and, in turn, your work. Therefore, they’ve made an additional request: they hope Xiao Jiang can accompany the army."
"After all, you’ll be a regimental commander. The entire regiment will look to you as their standard. As the commander’s wife, Xiao Jiang should also serve as a model and example for the other army wives in the regiment."
Lu Cheng’s smile vanished. "Commander Zhong, is this negotiable? Moli doesn’t want to accompany the army."
"Non-negotiable," Zhong Weiguo refused flatly.
"Then forget it."
Zhong Weiguo nodded and stood up. "I’ll give you five minutes. Let Xiao Jiang know you’re safe, and while you’re at it, work on her a little. As your family, she should be supportive of your work..."
"Commander Zhong, I mean, forget about the new commander position. I can’t do it. Let the organization give it to someone else."
Zhong Weiguo looked as if he’d been struck by lightning. "What did you say? You can’t do it? Why can’t you do it?"
Lu Cheng said earnestly, "Before we got married, I promised Moli I would respect her and never force her to do anything she doesn’t want to do."
Zhong Weiguo’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. "How is this the same thing?!"
"A man must be true to his word. I have to keep the promises I made to her. Otherwise, I’d be a scoundrel. Can the organization really feel secure placing such an important position in the hands of a scoundrel?"
"What kind of crap is that! Has the good news gone to your head? Do you have any idea how important this promotion is for you? How profound an impact it will have on your future? Are you insane?"
Zhong Weiguo fired off four questions in a row, spittle flying onto Lu Cheng’s face, a testament to his sheer fury and anger.
Lu Cheng calmly wiped his face. "I’m sorry, Commander Zhong. Just consider me someone who doesn’t know what’s good for him."
...
"Son of a bitch! Such a great opportunity, and he just says he doesn’t want it!"
"He’s pissing me off! That bastard!"
"I think he left his brain at home! Damn it! I’m gonna go find him and chew him out until he sees sense!"
Jiang Wenjuan hurriedly grabbed the thunderous Zhong Weiguo and sent their kids off to school with their backpacks on.
Once the children were out the door, she closed it and began to console her husband.
"Alright, don’t be angry anymore. If you ask me, Xiao Lu wasn’t wrong."
"He wasn’t wrong? So you’re saying I was?"
Zhong Weiguo slammed his hand on the table in disbelief, his anger mixed with a sense of being wronged. "Comrade Xiao Jiang, who’s your man here? Whose side are you on? Are you siding with an outsider?"
Jiang Wenjuan gave him a half-smile. "Oh? Are the three children I gave birth to some other man’s?"
"Bullshit, of course they’re mine!"
"Then whose side do you think I’m on?"
"Then why did you say Xiao Lu was right?"
Jiang Wenjuan gently tapped his chest. "Put your personal feelings aside and ask yourself honestly: is Xiao Lu wrong for being honorable and keeping his promise?"
"But he’s a soldier! He has to obey the organization’s arrangements! If he’s got the guts, he can take off that uniform and get the hell home!"
Jiang Wenjuan said, "Why didn’t you say that to Xiao Lu’s face?"
Zhong Weiguo grumbled, "You know how stubborn that kid is. If I dared to say that, he’d actually do it."
’If he really up and left, I’d have to figure out a way to get him back.’
"You’re just a tiger at home!"
Jiang Wenjuan shot him a look and used the tea leaves Lu Cheng had brought to brew a cup for Zhong Weiguo.
"I’m not drinking it! I’ll give it back to him later! Who wants his stupid stuff anyway!"
Zhong Weiguo was still fuming, and now even the things Lu Cheng had given him were an eyesore.
Jiang Wenjuan took a sip herself and praised it, "This tea is actually quite fragrant. That Xiao Jiang may have her little quirks, but she never messes up when it comes to important matters. I’ll go to town in a couple of days to give her a call and thank her for her thoughtfulness. Is there anything you’d like me to pass on?"
Zhong Weiguo looked at her, and a smile slowly spread from the corners of his mouth.