Back at school, Yang Jiabo continued to excel academically, requiring no extra attention from teachers or parents. Although school life was monotonous, time flew by quickly. Before he knew it, a year had passed. During this year, Yang Jiabo stayed relatively safe and healthy, except for one incident where he ate a plum and ended up in the hospital with diarrhea. Other than that, nothing major happened.
This year, Yang Jiabo completed the fourth grade, while Wei Jing graduated from the sixth grade. Their time together was coming to an end. During the summer vacation, the school organized a summer camp for students in third grade and above who had excellent academic performance. The camp would take place at a military base, where the students would experience military life.
Yang Jiabo, being one of the top students and a favorite of his homeroom teacher, was naturally included in the list of participants. Out of the 54 students in his class, only four were selected, two boys and two girls. Unfortunately, Wei Feng didn’t perform well enough on the exams and missed the cut by a narrow margin.
Wei Jing, having already graduated, didn’t need to participate in the summer camp. However, the school offered graduating students the opportunity to join voluntarily as a final farewell. Wei Jing signed up without telling Yang Jiabo about his impending departure. Yang Jiabo kept asking him about his exam results and whether he would be attending the accelerated class at the prestigious No. 1 Middle School.
The military summer camp was inspired by an article titled The Battle in the Summer Camp, which had a significant impact on the perception of the post-80s generation as the "lost generation." Yang Jiabo had participated in this camp in his past life and remembered it as a mix of fun and frustration.
[The Battle in the Summer Camp is a famous Chinese essay written by Sun Yunxiao in the 1990s. It sparked widespread discussion and debate about the differences in education and upbringing between Chinese and Japanese children]
[The term lost generation refers to a generation of young people, particularly in China, who are perceived as lacking resilience, discipline, and a sense of responsibility]
Before departure, Wei Feng tearfully bid them farewell. Carrying their luggage, the students boarded a military truck and embarked on a bumpy ride to a remote military camp in a neighboring county. They would spend a week there undergoing military training.
This was the only time the summer camp was held at a military base. In subsequent years, the camp would take place at the school, with military instructors brought in to conduct the training. Students would eat and sleep at the school, laying out bedding in classrooms.
“Brother, if you’re going to the summer camp, does that mean you won’t be visiting Grandpa’s house this holiday?”
“The camp only lasts a week. It won’t interfere with my plans.” Wei Jing planned to return home shortly before school started to prepare for the new term.
“Yang Jiabo, I heard that classmates will be roomed together at the camp. Let’s share a room!” He Lei, a classmate, was excited but clueless.
“You’re overthinking it. There’ll be more than just the two of us in a room.” And there wouldn’t even be beds, just bare barracks floors. That’s why they were told to bring their own bedding. Clearly, He Lei hadn’t been paying attention.
“No way!” He Lei groaned. His parents worked at a tobacco company, and his family was well-off, but reality was about to teach him a lesson.
Yang Jiabo ignored him and turned to Wei Jing. “Brother, did you bring everything I asked you to prepare?”
“Yes, I did.”
Since the children were young, they could only carry limited supplies. The barracks had nothing, so sharing luggage with a partner reduced the burden. Roommates would also share sleeping arrangements.
In his previous life, Yang Jiabo had shared a room with He Lei, who ended up wetting the bed. Wetting the bed! That wasn’t even the worst part. The camp was located in a remote area, far from the main military base. At night, even the female teachers were afraid to go to the bathroom alone.
But the most unforgivable part was that He Lei had wet Yang Jiabo’s side of the bedding, leading to endless teasing from the other students. Yang Jiabo was so angry he almost tore He Lei apart, but as a model student, he couldn’t resort to violence. Instead, he secretly poured a pot of water on He Lei’s side of the bedding. Fortunately, the students were left to manage themselves, with older students helping the younger ones, so his little trick went unnoticed.
After a two-hour drive, the truck arrived at a somewhat dilapidated compound. The students, who had been full of excitement, were now slightly disappointed. Yang Jiabo, however, was pleased. Although the place looked like a haunted house in the middle of nowhere, the soldiers had cleaned it thoroughly.
The military compound was a square surrounded by buildings. Outside the main gate was a large pond overgrown with weeds. A stone bridge connected the road to the compound.
Inside the gate, the buildings on either side were dormitories for the students. On the left were the kitchen and dining hall, and on the right were storage rooms and a bathhouse. Straight ahead were the quarters for the teachers and instructors. The center of the compound was a large open space, perfect for drills, with a few flower beds in the corners. In the lower left corner was an old-fashioned toilet, with a row of sinks and washing areas nearby.
The military truck stopped in the compound, and the students, laden with luggage, disembarked. After roll call, the teachers assigned dormitories. Naturally, Yang Jiabo and Wei Jing were paired together, thanks to their homeroom teacher’s intervention.
Wei Jing had approached the teacher, explaining that Yang Jiabo’s health wasn’t great and that he wanted to room with him to keep an eye on him. The teacher agreed without hesitation, even advising Yang Jiabo to take care of his health and consider skipping the camp if necessary.
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