When the wake-up whistle sounded at two o'clock in the afternoon, everyone reacted uniformly.
Getting up from where they lay, wiping the drool from the corners of their mouths, they then walked to the edge of the bed to check if it was raining outside.
It wasn't.
"Ah, got to do training again," Chen Zhongqiang grumbled when the squad leader had gone to the toilet.
Fang Huai also looked outside and laughed, "We're already very lucky. Cherish it. We still have the sun these days, and the temperature is around ten degrees, not cold. This place in winter is the coldest part of Guiyang."
Guiyang's winter is warm and summer is cool, with a pleasant climate. However, the Training Base Training Ground was a high and open place. Fang Huai remembered how, when January arrived, the biting cold wind hit their faces with a whoosh.
Of course, it was just a few degrees below freezing, much warmer than the Northeast.
But their equipment was thick!
In the Northeast, a soldier's winter gear would cover everything but the eyes and mouth, completely bundled up.
The Guizhou recruits, however, had only the standard winter exercise uniforms, with either camouflage caps or wide-brimmed hats, not even something to cover the ears, leading the squad leaders to invent a new form of torture – flicking the ears.
Flick an ear that's been frozen and you could make a person's eyes water with pain.
Actually, just the wind alone could cause severe pain.
"Right! It's getting colder now!" Chen Zhongqiang suddenly realized that even more uncomfortable conditions had yet to arrive, and his face fell with gloom.
"Doo-doo-doo!" The whistle sounded again.
"Squad Seven, assemble downstairs in 20 minutes, training!"
There were cries of misery inside the building.
In just the morning session, some had already realized the bitterness of training, which was not only arduous but often came with punishments.
Hao Chengbin had just come out of the toilet in the middle of the hallway.
People's joys and sorrows differ; Hao Chengbin only thought they were noisy.
Immediately knitting his brows, he said aloud, "What's the matter? You don't want to train? Squad leaders of each squad, take good care of them today!"
The moaning stopped instantly, and the squad leaders' voices rose from various places in the hallway.
"Yes! Let's give them a good workout today!"
"Wang Lian, don't stand in the military position this afternoon, focus on physical fitness!"
Squad Leader Yue rushed in, as if a fire was lit under his rear.
"The squad leader is coming!"
The new recruits, listening intently for any sounds, did not have time to curse those who had just been howling at the door. They hurried to tidy up their stools, and Liu Yue, who was on cleaning duty, began to wipe the floor with a towel from the communal table box.
There was only one towel commonly used for cleaning in the squad, and it was used for wiping the floor, the tables, the beds, and for the windows... In addition to using it, you had to use the waste newspapers from the communal box to dry the surfaces.
There was no specific place for cleaning tools in the squad, brooms and dustpans were scarce in the communal sink area, and rarely could you get one; mops were often misused, some had been used in the toilets and were not safe. If you happened to use one that had been in a toilet, it would leave a smell in the squad room, and you would be reprimanded.
This was a valuable experience left by "Squad Leader Yue" and Chen Zhongqiang who arrived several days earlier.
When Hao Chengbin entered, he smacked the door frame twice with the regular uniform's belt in his hand.
"Did anyone in our squad make noise just now?"
"No! Squad Leader!" Yue Tao immediately blocked the others' responses, his face showing an awkward smile.
Hao Chengbin ignored him and sat down on his bed, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket.
With a flick, he began to puff smoke.
"I'm telling you, once you're in the troops, training is your duty, your job! Without training, you're no different from ordinary civilians!
Why should society respect you in this army uniform?
Are you counting on your callow, immature selves? Right now, your physical fitness isn't even up to that of an ordinary high school athlete, let alone your skills and work!
In the future, if I hear anyone complaining about training again, don't blame me for being rude! From now on, I'm adding a new rule! No matter how tough or exhausting it is during training, don't show me a collapsing face!
No matter how hard it is, I want you to smile!
If you can't hold on and fall down, you have to do it with a smile! Do you understand?"
"We understand! Squad Leader!" This time, the response was much louder.
Hao Chengbin then nodded, satisfied.
"Who used to smoke?"
People looked at each other.
The squad leader's tone... seemed to suggest room for negotiation.
"Squad Leader, I smoke," the first to raise his hand was Sun Lianhai, who was the shortest and seemed like the most obedient child.
Chen Zhongqiang also quickly raised his hand.
With this, five hands went up.
Fang Huai was also hesitant; he had developed a strong addiction to smoking, and from his experience, Hao Chengbin asking like this meant he would definitely give out cigarettes.
Hao Chengbin swept his gaze around and caught on.
"Lu Zexian, Fang Huai, don't you guys smoke?"
Lu Zexian had been kicked by Hao Chengbin in the morning and held a grudge, but when Hao Chengbin asked him directly, he still nodded and said, "Squad Leader, I smoke too."
Fang Huai sighed, "Squad Leader, I smoke as well, but I have to cut down, I'm too addicted, and these past few days have been tough for me."
This admission made everyone somewhat incredulous.
"Fang Huai, you have a strong addiction? You were still advising Chen Zhongqiang to quit smoking the day before yesterday!" Yue Tao immediately called out loudly.
"Yeah! He talks about wanting to smoke every day, how is that any easier for me?" Fang Huai replied helplessly.
Hao Chengbin nodded, feeling that he understood Fang Huai even better; the kid was very mature-minded and could control his desires.
"There are many smokers in the army, but the primary condition is that you must be able to handle training! I'm laying it out here: if you improve your physical fitness and formation drills, you can get cigarettes from me on a regular basis and smoke openly! But don't hide cigarettes and smoke in secret!
Chen Zhongqiang, the Squad One Leader has told me something about you. Yesterday, before the last batch of new recruits arrived, you did something in the toilet that I don't want to point out explicitly!