Of course, Yang Jiabo refused. This was a rare opportunity to visit a military base. During the camp, the instructors would teach them how to maintain and disassemble firearms, and they would even get to shoot. Plus, with Wei Jing going, there was no way Yang Jiabo would miss it.
After the assignments, Yang Jiabo quickly found their dormitory based on his vague memories. The room was empty, with spotless cement floors and wooden window frames that showed signs of recent repairs. The glass panes were so clean they seemed invisible. The soldiers must have been obsessive about cleanliness, and living in the military might have rubbed off on them.
Yang Jiabo quickly claimed a corner at the far end of the room, dragging Wei Jing over to secure their spot.
“Let’s stay here, okay?”
“Sure, but what do we do next?” Wei Jing looked at the empty corner, unsure how to proceed.
“First, lay the straw mat against the wall horizontally, then take out the rest of our stuff. I’ll string up some ropes to hang the mosquito net. There’s a pond outside our window, so the mosquitoes will be terrible at night. Oh, and you’ll also hear endless frog croaking, but don’t worry about not being able to sleep, the instructors will work us so hard that we’ll collapse into bed.” Yang Jiabo rambled on.
“Jiajia, you know so much,” Wei Jing said, impressed.
“Of course, I’m a life skills expert.” Yang Jiabo boasted as he and Wei Jing set up their little nest for the week.
Other students soon arrived, claiming their spots and filling the room. Seeing how organized Yang Jiabo and Wei Jing were, they followed their example.
Once the bedding was laid out, Yang Jiabo noticed Wei Jing unpacking a thin military-style quilt and grinned. “You actually brought it?”
“Didn’t you say to bring a military quilt?” Wei Jing looked puzzled.
“Good, good.” Yang Jiabo nodded repeatedly. The instructors were sticklers for detail. They would inspect the dormitory daily, requiring perfectly smooth bedding and quilts folded into neat rectangles. The placement of toiletries was also strictly regulated. While this might be a dream for perfectionists, for the kids, it was a nightmare they’d have to endure.
Once everyone had set up their bedding, they unpacked their belongings such as clothes, snacks, flashlights, books, and more. Snacks were the most common item. Even Yang Jiabo and Wei Jing had brought plenty. For the next week, they wouldn’t be able to buy anything, so they had to bring their own supplies. The dormitory was a chaotic mess, with kids sharing snacks and laughing loudly.
Then, a young soldier in uniform walked in. He had a slightly dark complexion, sharp features, and an air of military discipline.
“I’m your instructor, Chen Junxian. From today on, you’ll be under my supervision.”
Someone immediately asked, “Instructor, do you have a sister named Chen Huixian?”
“No. Now, I’ll teach you how to organize your quarters. From now on, this will be the standard. Fail to meet it, and you’ll be punished with extra laps.” Despite his youth, Instructor Chen seemed strict.
The dozen or so kids in the dormitory were intimidated, listening quietly and not daring to breathe too loudly. Instructor Chen scanned the messy room and stopped at Yang Jiabo and Wei Jing’s neatly arranged bedding. He used it as a demonstration, explaining how to organize everything while tidying up.
Instructor Chen was patient. After his demonstration, he let the students try for themselves. Yang Jiabo, having prepared in advance, quickly met the standard. He glanced smugly at the kid who had brought a silk quilt, wondering how he would fold it into a perfect rectangle.
Instructor Chen frowned as he surveyed the room. The bedding materials varied widely, some wrinkled easily, while others were too soft to hold shape. The students struggled, sweating profusely and on the verge of collapsing when Instructor Chen finally took pity on them. By the time he left, the dormitory looked completely different, everything was in perfect order.
There were 105 students in total, divided into groups of about ten per dormitory. The first day of the camp was all about organizing their quarters. When dinner time arrived, a bugle sounded, and all the students and teachers gathered in the compound.
They were divided into four teams, each with two instructors and two teachers. However, the instructors were in charge, while the teachers mostly observed.
Yang Jiabo’s team had Instructor Chen Junxian and another instructor, Xu Xiangbei. Instructor Xu had a round face, dimples when he smiled, and a pair of cute canine teeth. Even when he tried to look serious, no one was intimidated. He just looked adorable.
These two instructors were the most popular, for obvious reasons one was handsome, and the other was cute. No matter the era, looks mattered.
“From today on, you’ll consider yourselves soldiers. When you hear the wake-up call in the morning, you must assemble within 15 minutes. Before meals, you’ll line up. The first team to finish gets to eat first…” The head instructor announced a long list of rules, leaving the students trembling.
After the speech, the students lined up outside the dining hall with their mess kits, singing military songs at the top of their lungs. By the time they ate, they were so worked up they could probably finish two extra bowls of rice. Their mothers would no longer have to worry about them being picky eaters.
And so, they began their summer camp. A week of grueling training, pain, and joy.
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