Chapter 8

836th Unit, located in the northern part of the country.

On the journey back, Lou Luhui and his comrade went from wearing only a single layer of clothing to being bundled up in thick coats, all within just a week or so.

Once they returned to the unit, the two put down their luggage and headed straight to report to the regimental commander.

In mid-November, the region had just entered winter, and H Province had already experienced several heavy snowfalls. At the moment, thick snowflakes were still falling outside.

At 10 a.m., the temperature was around minus 20 degrees Celsius. Despite being young and full of energy, neither Lou Luhui nor his comrade felt the need to suffer through the cold out of pride, so they quickly ran to the regimental commander’s office.

As soon as they entered, Zhou Jianshe, a man with tiger-like eyes, couldn’t help but stomp his frozen feet in frustration. “Commander Wang, why don’t you have the coal stove lit here? I was hoping to warm up a bit!”

Commander Wang had been discussing with Commissar Chen Gang of the Third Regiment about scraping together some coal briquettes from the unit to help the families in the harshest conditions make it through the winter.

Recently, the temperature had dropped sharply. Although the unit received government subsidies, and the soldiers, though enduring hardship, could manage, the nearby villagers were not so fortunate.

Commander Wang had been stationed at the 836th Unit for nearly ten years and was well aware of the various problems brought on by the severe cold.

Every year when winter came, he would arrange for the soldiers to help struggling villagers by clearing snow and rebuilding collapsed houses. Sometimes, they even had to tighten their belts and share some of their food rations.

He hadn’t even had time to rejoice in the return of two capable subordinates, alleviating the current shortage of manpower, when Zhou Jianshe burst in noisily.

Commander Wang pointed at him and laughed, scolding, “There’s no coal stove here. I’m much older than you, and I’m toughing it out. What are you, a young man in your twenties, complaining for?”

Despite his words, Commander Wang still took out two worn-out enamel mugs and personally poured water for the two men.

It was a bitter reality. To save a few more coal briquettes, ever since the start of winter, he had been standing while working.

When the cold became unbearable, he would gulp down some hot water to warm up. If he drank it too slowly, the water in the mug would freeze over.

Alternatively, he would join the soldiers on the training field, running a few laps to get warm…

When Lou Luhui and Zhou Jianshe walked in, Commander Wang and Commissar Chen Gang had just come back from warming up on the training field. The Lei Feng hats they wore to cover their heads hadn’t even been taken off yet.

Experienced as they were, Lou Luhui and Zhou Jianshe quickly grabbed the mugs and downed the water in one go.

Luckily, they were fast enough, and the water still had a little warmth left.

Zhou Jianshe, with his thick eyebrows and rough features, had a rugged look that, combined with his tall frame, made him appear fierce. Those who didn’t know him might think he was a man of few words and great strength, but in reality, he was quite the chatterbox.

Now, after hearing the commander’s words, he put down his mug and started bantering, “Commander Wang, you’ve got it wrong. I’m 29, and in a month and a half, I’ll be 30. Back in the old days, I could be a grandpa by now, so I’m not exactly young.”

Lou Luhui, who had been brushing snowflakes off himself, felt his eyelids twitch when he heard this. He immediately turned on his heels, ready to leave.

However, even though he reacted quickly, he was still blocked by Commander Wang’s roar, “Get back here for Laozi!”

Lou Luhui…

F*ck! He wanted to hit someone!

“Stand right there! If you dare leave now, I’ll call your family!”

Are you a child? Reporting me to my family?

Suppressing his complaints, Lou Luhui forced a smile and said, “Commander Wang, you misunderstood. I wasn’t leaving. My feet were just itching from the frostbite, so I shifted my position.”

“Pfft…” Commissar Chen Gang of the Third Regiment burst out laughing at Lou Luhui’s deadpan lie.

Commander Wang let out a cold snort. He wasn’t in a hurry to deal with this stubborn kid. Instead, he shifted his disappointed gaze to Zhou Jianshe.

Zhou Jianshe grimaced. He wasn’t stupid; he knew his slip of the tongue had already caused trouble. The moment his friend tried to slip away, he realized he had not only shot himself in the foot but also dragged his comrade down with him.

As expected, Zhou Jianshe’s bad feeling wasn’t wrong. He soon received a barrage of scolding like a fierce storm.

“You little brat, look at you! You actually know you’re almost 30, the age to be a grandfather? What’s the matter? Are you proud that you still haven’t gotten a wife? Are you planning to stay single until you’re 50 before you’re satisfied?” Commander Wang wasn’t particularly tall, around 1.7 meters, and years of worrying had made him look quite thin and dark-skinned. If not for his straight posture, one might mistake him for an ordinary old farmer.

Yet now, despite his modest height, the old man’s presence was overwhelming as he stood pointing at the two towering men, both around 1.9 meters, while scolding them.

Zhou Jianshe hung his head in dejection, while Lou Luhui’s face appeared unchanged. However, if you looked closely, you could see his lips twitching slightly…

Commander Wang rambled on, repeating the same old lessons that they had heard a million times before. Occasionally, when he got worked up, he threw in a few curses. By the time he finished lecturing them, more than ten minutes had passed.

In the end, seeing the two of them standing there like dead pigs not afraid of boiling water, their indifferent expressions only made him angrier. With a dark face, he waved them away, “Get out! Get out! Both of you, get lost! Every day, you two just know how to get on my nerves. Once I’m done with this batch of work, whether you brats want to or not, you’re all going to the matchmaking event!”

“Bang!” The door slammed shut.

The three of them, who had been kicked out, exchanged glances.

Chen Gang was the first to wipe his face. He had just been watching the show, but somehow the fire had spread to him too.

Now, stepping back outside, the cold wind, mixed with heavy snowflakes, slapped against his face, making him shiver. Instantly, his mood to enjoy the spectacle disappeared. Pulling his cotton coat tighter around him, he tucked his hands into his sleeves and said, “Later, come to my place for lunch. I’ll have your sister-in-law make something good…”

The 836th Unit had a unique situation.

In most units, there was competition between regiments.

But in the harsh environment of the 836th, the soldiers and officers were unusually united.

Lou Luhui was the commander of the First Regiment, Zhou Jianshe was the deputy commander, and Chen Gang was the commissar of the Third Regiment. Along with dozens of other officers, no matter who had something good, they would call out to share.

Lou Luhui and Zhou Jianshe often freeloaded meals at Chen Gang’s house, so without thinking, they immediately agreed.

The three began jogging, and Lou Luhui spoke in a low voice, “We saw Lao Squad Leader this time, just near your hometown. I bought some local specialties with Lao Zhou. I’ll bring them over later.”

Chen Gang nodded, exhaling a cloud of mist as he replied, “Bring plenty. Your sister-in-law’s been talking about missing the food from back home for a few days now.”

The dormitory area was quite far from the office area, so the three chatted as they jogged. Along the way, they nodded and greeted soldiers who saluted them.

Chen Gang tugged at his slightly slipping hat and asked curiously, “You may have that serious face all day, but you’re good-looking and pretty sharp with people. It shouldn’t be hard for you to find a wife…”

Zhou Jianshe poked his head in, looking for praise: “And me, and me! I’m sharp too, and good-looking.”

The other two held grudges and didn’t want to deal with him for the moment.

Lou Luhui curled his lips slightly, unsure whether Chen Gang was complimenting him or teasing him. He replied matter-of-factly, “Finding a wife isn’t that easy.”

“How is it not easy? If this were ten years ago, when the gender imbalance was huge, I could understand it being difficult. But now, the gap is much smaller, and on top of that, you have a bright future ahead of you and good looks. How could you possibly have trouble finding a wife?” Chen Gang felt like the guy was just giving him an excuse.

Having known each other for years and shared life-and-death experiences as comrades, Lou Luhui didn’t feel offended by the probing question. He shared his honest thoughts, “The environment here is too harsh. If a wife were to follow the unit, she’d definitely suffer. Why put her through that? I’ll consider it once I get transferred somewhere better.”

“You can’t say that for sure. What if some girl is willing?” 

This time, Lou Luhui didn’t respond, only shaking his head.

Seeing this, Chen Gang decided not to press the topic any further. With a sigh, he offered some comfort, “There’s no need to rush it. Maybe the right match hasn’t come along yet… Alright, let’s drop it. I’ll head back first. You two come over early, we’re having a brunch. I have to visit the village in the afternoon.”

The snow-covered roads were hard to walk, and the temperature would drop even lower at night, cold enough to freeze people’s ears and noses off. Chen Gang figured it was better to head out and return early.

“Okay, we’ll come after grabbing some things.”

“…”

=

The 836th Unit’s family housing was located within the base.

To encourage military wives to join their husbands, brick houses had been built in the family area over the past two years, but very few wives actually came. 

Of the three rows of houses, half were still vacant.

Chen Gang jogged all the way home. He barely had time to appreciate the warmth inside before his wife chased him out.

“How many times have I told you? Knock the snow off before coming in! Don’t you understand words? What if you freeze our daughter?” Tian Yu quickly walked out from the kitchen, not only chasing her husband back out but also following him to help brush the snow off his coat with her apron.

Tian Yu’s eyes took after her father, Tian Hongxing, making them the most striking feature on her face. Plus, with both children and no in-laws to take care of, her life was comfortable, and she had gained some weight. Luckily, her fair skin and delicate features meant she still looked good even with the extra catties, giving her the prosperous look that elders loved.

Chen Gang initially felt a bit wronged by his wife’s scolding, but when she mentioned their daughter, he immediately grinned and apologized, “It’s my fault, it’s my fault.”

Ever since his wife had given birth to a baby girl three years ago, Chen Gang, who had always thought he preferred sons, now wished he could carry his daughter around in his pocket even while at work. He doted on her endlessly, even putting his two sons second.

Seeing her husband turn into a fool at the mention of their daughter, Tian Yu rolled her eyes at him with a smile.

“Oh, by the way, Lao^[1]Old Lou and Lao Zhou are back. I invited them for lunch. Wife, make a couple more dishes, they’ll be here soon.” Not only did Chen Gang shake the snow off his coat, but after taking off his thick jacket and rubbing his hands together, he scooped up the chubby little girl who came running over, showering her with affection.

It wasn’t until the little girl, annoyed by his prickly beard, covered his mouth with her chubby hands to stop him from kissing her that he finally stopped.

The father and daughter continued to laugh and play until Chen Gang suddenly remembered the task he had pushed to the back of his mind. He quickly called out to the kitchen.

Tian Yu grumbled again—not that she minded hosting guests, as she was always welcoming towards her husband’s comrades. What frustrated her was the short notice, and the fact that there wasn’t anything special in the house to serve.

“It’s fine, they’re like family. Lao Lou and Lao Zhou aren’t picky,” Chen Gang reassured her.

Hearing this, Tian Yu almost wanted to whack him with the spatula. Was that even a proper thing to say?

After a round of scolding, Tian Yu put on her thick jacket and hurried next door to borrow some ingredients.

Chen Gang wasn’t the kind of man who lazed around at home. Once his wife came back with the meat, he handed their little girl over to their son, then got up to help in the kitchen. While assisting, he also chatted with her about how the regiment commander was once again pushing his comrades to get married.

Tian Yu felt for her husband, seeing the cracks and bleeding on his hands, so she didn’t let him touch the cold water. Instead, she had him sit by the stove peeling garlic while warming up by the fire. “Regiment Commander Lou and Deputy Regiment Commander Zhou both have great prospects, and they’re from Beijing. It’s only natural they’d be more selective.”

It was only after joining her husband in the army that Tian Yu learned such harsh environments existed in the country.

Over the years, conditions had improved a lot, but she still remembered the stark desolation eight years ago when she first arrived in the early ’60s. The area had been frighteningly barren, with numerous marshlands that she had never heard of before—places where getting stuck could mean death.

Thankfully, due to years of effort, things had been improving, and now she could at least live in a brick house.

Still… expecting someone like Regiment Commander Lou and Deputy Regiment Commander Zhou, both college graduates, to settle down in a place where even basic needs were hard to meet, and to find wives among women who were mostly illiterate—it was understandable why that would be difficult for them.

It wasn’t about holding themselves above others; it’s just that when you marry, it’s important to find someone on the same level, someone you can have common ground with, right?

As Tian Yu chattered on, Chen Gang occasionally chimed in. “Keep an eye out too. A lot of people are trying to introduce someone to Lao Lou and Lao Zhou. If you come across a good girl, help make the connection.”

People are often like that—when their own lives are happy, they wish for their friends to share in that happiness too.

Tian Yu flipped the spatula in the pan, releasing a delicious aroma of meat, which made the three children playing in the dining room gather at the kitchen door, drooling.

“You little gluttons!” Tian Yu laughed, scolding them playfully. She gave each of the children a small piece of fried meat, and after their cheerful shouts, she picked up another piece and stuffed it into her husband’s mouth. Then, laughing, she said, “But where would I find such well-matched girls?… Hmm, wait a minute… I think there might be someone…”

Recalling the family photo sent last year, where her sister’s beauty, though somewhat blurry in the picture, was still breathtaking, Tian Yu suddenly looked at her husband, so excited she started to stutter, “M-my Er Mei^[2]Second younger sister just turned 20…”