Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Shao Yibai studied Tian Qi and Shu Qingdai as he sat on the bench on one side of the military car. A hesitant look lingered on his face.
Tian Qi’s eyes were filled with anticipation. The only thing was that he was not good with words, so all he said was: “I don’t want to go back. I want to follow you. This way, I’ll get the chance to get y hand on the iron goods as well…”
He stared and drooled at the guns strapped on the waists of the soldiers passing by him.
“You want to become a soldier just to hold a gun?” Shao Yibai asked with a smile.
Tian Qi scratched his head and said embarrassingly, “My dad used to be a soldier when he was younger. Later on, he returned home, changed his job, and married my mother. After giving birth to me, they took over the Banpo Mountain at the outer village and planted fruit trees. Who knew that there was an old minefield halfway up the mountain…”
Tian Qi sobbed and rubbed his eyes. “I was only three or four years old when they died. My grandpa raised me, and the only photos left at home are the pictures of my father when he was a soldier…”
Shao Yibai and the few soldiers around him listened to his story and remained silent.
This was such a story!
Shao Yibai could tell that this child was slow and looked up to the military profession. Nonetheless, the Special Forces were not just ordinary troops. The examination was very strict and it had high requirements for one’s physical qualities. Not anyone could enter the team just because they wanted to. He could not promise him his request on the spot.
Tian Qi was pretty decent. He had quite a huge physique and was rather tall, but he did not have any muscles on his body. He should become buff when he was fed well enough and would be able to make it with some training.
However, this Shu Qingdai was too small, thin, and fair. If he were to wear a wig, people would actually believe that he was a woman…
Su Qingdai seemed to have noticed Shao Yibai’s hesitation. She cleared her throat and dared not look at Shao Yibai. She averted her gaze from the man who was surrounded by an extravagance aura and said calmly, “The Special Forces needs an army orderly, right? I… I will do the laundry… make the bed and cook…”
Shao Yibai was filled with joy when he heard it.
To be honest, the team that he brought with him did not have an army orderly.
These soldiers were once spoiled at home, but they had to learn and practice all kinds of life skills here as they braved the elements.
If he were to pick out someone whose job resembled an army orderly in the team, it would be Old Zhou who was responsible for cooking.
“I can’t be sent back home!” Shu Qingdai saw that Shao Yibai was not talking and she got a little anxious. The rim of her eyes turned red when she said, “I was sold the first time by my… my neighbors… and I was sold the second time because I was deceived… I don’t have any education, experience, and talent… I’ve never left the town ever since I was a child. If I’m being sent back home, I’ll end up being sold again in the future…”
Shao Yibai could not bear to see anyone crying, especially a “grown man” crying like a woman.
Tian Qi quickly added, “I’m an orphan too, and my grandfather has also passed away. If I were to return home, I’ll still be restless! What if I’m being cheated again or go on a wrong path? Either way, I’ll only follow you!”
‘How old are you already? Are you sure you’ll be cheated and go on the wrong path?’
Shao Yibai saw that the two of them who looked like they had made up their minds to follow him no matter what!
He jumped out of the chair, waved his large hand and said with a hoarse voice, “Well done, you guys are returning my kindness with ingratitude, and now you’re still planning to rely on me?”
Tian Qi laughed shyly and grabbed his already messed up hair. He then glanced at Shu Qingdai and whispered, “Quick, continue crying…”
Shu Qingdai could not think of a word to reply.
Did he think that tears were tap water that could just come and go as he pleased?
Shao Yibai was laughing. Then, he looked at Shu Qingdai and his thin build. He did not know what had struck his mind, or perhaps it was the little guy’s pretty face that made him unable to shout at her.
“Follow the team then. I’ll submit both of your political review materials to the higher authorities in a while. If you’re lucky enough to get through it, you’ll officially become a soldier!”
Right after Shao Yibai finished speaking, Tian Qi was so happy that he almost jumped up.
“Wow, wow, wow! That’s great! I can now be a soldier. I’ll be a soldier with guns!!”
Shao Yibai shook his head and said with a smile, “Don’t be too happy so soon!”
Shu Qingdai could not believe that she could join the army.
There were so many people in this world who could not be trusted, but the big brother in front of her made her feel rest assured.
However, she could never say that she was a woman now.
If she were to say it, would he chase her away?
Why would a special soldier team that consisted entirely of men bring along a female soldier?
“What do you need for the political review?” Shu Qingdai thought that if he wanted identifications or a household registration book, she would not be able to hide her gender any longer.
“Could it be that you both are orphans?” Shao Yibai asked casually.
Shu Qingdai thought for a moment and nodded. “Yes! I don’t have any documents!”
“But you both are in your teens, it’s impossible that you don’t know your hometown or your home address!”
It was reasonable to say that adults, even as orphans, should at least have an identification card and a bank account.
“We were both born in the mountains. We had never even left the ravine before this. The place we live is an illegal housing area. There are so many houses in the mountains that do not have a registration…”
Shu Qingdai was afraid that Shao Yibai would find her biological parents, so in any case, she had to insist that she had nothing.
It was true that she had nothing.
Her parents’ love for her and the talk about ethics had turned into 10,000 yuan and disappeared without a trace a long time ago.
Shao Yibai sighed and pulled on the collar of his military outfit. He said, “Then I’ll send in both of your documents using the address of your illegal households. Both of you are in a special situation!”
The two of them exchanged a look. They were so happy they felt as if their hearts had been squeezed tightly.
Shao Yibai’s mission had failed since he did not catch the drug dealers. However, he did eliminate a human trafficking group and was given two subordinates.
He brought the two of them to Yan State which was the nearest city from where they were.
Shao Yibai bought them clothes and gave them a haircut.
They were planning to go to a sauna together, but Shu Qingdai was somehow frightened by the idea and refused to go right away.
Shao Yibai did not force her and returned to the base troops with the two of them.
Shao Yibai did not bring too many people with him, so more than half of the soldiers in the military camps were local soldiers. Shao Yibai himself was considered a form of reinforcement, and he had to return to the Capital City after a while.
He came all the way here this time purely for the sake of excitement.
Someone of his status did not need to do this at all. There were too many military ranks that the young sons of politicians could get their hands on in an era as peaceful as this.
Some of them did not need to work hard at all. All they need to do was to train for a few years and then they would be promoted to the military padre.
Nevertheless, he had chosen to be a Special Forces soldier.
Yan State often received missions from the border. When Shao Yibai heard that they had such reinforcement missions here, he had secretly applied to join behind Old Master Shao’s back.
*
After entering the army, his life had become simple yet refreshing, even a little exciting!
Shu Qingdai’s height actually did not meet the recruiting requirement. Tian Qi was a little easier since his height was just around the minimum requirement. Even so, he was too thin, so he had begun to eat as much as he could to increase his weight after joining the army a few days ago.
After everyone had gotten familiar with each other, they started calling Shu Qingdai, Xiaodai. Even she herself almost forgot that her actual name was Shu Qingcheng!
One smile from her could overthrow a city and yet another smile could overthrow a country. [TN: A Chinese idiom to describe a beautiful woman who is capable of causing the downfall of a city.]
She was fitting for the name. [TN: Shu Qingcheng’s name sounds similar to the Chinese idiom mentioned above.]
A few years of hard work did not make her look worn out. It made her look healthier instead.
That was the benefit of youth!
