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The shooters didn’t hear old Wu’s remark, but the officer in charge of the training, who was standing nearby, looked at Lao Wu with annoyance.
“If you can’t shoot, stop talking nonsense. Do you think hitting the bullseye is easy? Show me how it’s done. Otherwise, take back what you just said,” the officer challenged.
It was clearly a provocation. Old Zuo and old Wu exchanged glances and nodded. “Alright, it’s just hitting the bullseye. Today, we’ll show you what shooting is all about, and you can learn from it too.”
The two elderly men stepped forward, and the officer in charge had two rifles handed to them. They handled the familiar rifles, loaded the bullets, pulled back the bolt, and took aim. The sound of two shots rang out simultaneously, and all five bullets from each rifle were fired.
The officer in charge, who had seen the actions of the two elderly men, regretted his challenge. However, since the two men were standing while shooting, he still held out hope. He shouted to the distance, “Quick, report the results.”
Two heads appeared from behind the South Dam, and the two men quickly ran over to check the target paper. After a while, there was no movement. The officer grew impatient and shouted, “What are you two dawdling for? It’s just checking the results. Why are you taking so long?”
The two men couldn’t report the results, so they ran over with the target paper. “Captain Yu, take a look at this. What’s going on?” They handed the target paper to Yu Yonglian.
At first, Yu Yonglian took the target paper nonchalantly, but when he saw the small hole right in the center, his expression turned to disbelief. After carefully examining both target papers, he was completely astonished.
“Sharpshooters, you are both sharpshooters. I’ve truly broadened my horizons today. Gentlemen, every shot hit the bullseye, and they were all fired from the same rifle. I am truly impressed,” Yu Yonglian said.
Yu Yonglian was not one to be insincere, so he immediately bowed to the two elderly men. Zuo Zhanshan nodded and smiled. “Captain Yu, I’m sorry for showing off today. I have a request, and I wonder if you could grant it?”
“Old gentlemen, what is it? You’re speaking so seriously. Please tell me. As long as it’s within my power, there won’t be a problem,” Yu Yonglian said.
Yu Yonglian had always admired people with skills, and today he had witnessed the remarkable marksmanship of the two elderly men. He was eager to befriend them.
Wu Changyong pointed to the three boys behind him. “Captain Yu, could you let these children have a try? I must emphasize that they have never shot a gun before. I only talked to them about it at lunch today. I want to see how much they can comprehend. Old Zuo, I believe you share the same sentiment, right?”
Old comrades were always old comrades. Zuo Zhanshan nodded with a smile. “Old Wu, you’re practically reading my mind. I want to see the potential of these three children.”
Mingcheng and his brothers didn’t expect Old Grandpa to make such a request. They were eager to feel what it was like to hold a gun, but they were also apprehensive and feared that their request might be denied.
Yu Yonglian remained silent for a moment, but soon gave his answer. “Old gentlemen, how about this? Let one child come forward, and I will guide him. If he can surpass the best score here, then I will let the other two have a turn. After all, there are limited bullets.”
He didn’t say much more, believing that the two elderly men would understand his predicament. However, a voice from the crowd spoke up, “Xiao Yu, let them all have a turn. I’d like to see what these kids who have never shot a gun can do.”
Yu Yonglian looked up and quickly stood at attention. “Minister, when did you arrive?”
The Minister of Armed Forces, Yu Wanying, had been observing the situation in the crowd for a while. He had noticed that the two elderly men were clearly skilled, but he also felt that his own subordinates were somewhat lacking. He had hesitated to speak up, but upon hearing the request from the two elderly men, he also wanted to see how the children who had never handled a gun would perform. It would also be a learning experience for those who were usually sly and deceitful.
With the Minister of Armed Forces speaking up, Yu Yonglian wasted no time. He ordered for three rifles to be brought over to the elderly men. Zuo Zhanshan and Wu Changyong looked deeply at the three children. “Zuo He, you go first. Mingcheng, Mingyuan, you two watch from the side.”
Zuo He nodded, his little face tense, and his mouth tightly pursed. “Zuo He, lie down and follow the actions Grandpa taught you at lunch.”
Wu Changyong also looked on anxiously. Zuo He took aim while lying down. “Zuo He, align the crosshairs with the bullseye. Start aiming.”
Zuo Zhanshan personally guided his grandson in shooting, while Wu Changyong assisted in keeping an eye on the target.
Zuo He aimed for a while before Zuo Zhanshan ordered him to open the bolt and continue aiming. “Once you’re ready, you can pull the trigger.”
Zuo Zhanshan didn’t say anything else. Shooting relied on one’s own feeling, and once that feeling came, there would be no problem.
With a “bang,” Zuo He fired the first shot. The recoil of the gun butt against his shoulder made it sore, but the little boy remained silent and continued to aim and shoot. After five shots, the target paper was quickly brought over.
Upon seeing the score on the target paper, Yu Yonglian broke out in a sweat. He couldn’t believe it. This didn’t seem like a child who had never handled a gun before. The score was much better than those of his subordinates, who usually scored in the seven or eight ring.
Yu Wanying also saw Zuo He’s score, and his brow furrowed, but he didn’t say anything.
Next, the other two boys took their turn. Although Mingyuan and Mingcheng were nervous and surprised at handling a gun for the first time, they quickly adjusted their emotions. Wu Changyong personally guided them, and when the two boys fired their first shots, the smile on Left Zhanshan’s face was impossible to conceal. These three children had truly made them proud. He didn’t even need to look to know that the two boys had performed well.
The onlookers recognized the two boys from the Wang family and couldn’t help but cheer. They weren’t too concerned about how well they shot. It was the composure and calmness of the two boys that impressed them, evoking a sense of envy and admiration.
After the five shots, both Yu Wanying and Yu Yonglian were red-faced when they saw the results of the three children. “Gentlemen, let’s discuss something. Our commune will participate in the county martial arts competition next year. I’ll request some funds from the leadership. When you have time, could you help us with training? Look at the results these three children achieved without any prior experience. With your guidance, our militia’s performance will surely improve,” Yu Wanying proposed.
Wu Changyong chuckled as he took over the conversation. “That’s fine, but we might not have the time if the pay is low. After all, we also need to make a living,” he said.
Zuo Zhanshan looked at his old comrade and smiled secretly. Wu Changyong had done well this time. Not only could they earn money and train the inexperienced recruits, but they could also handle guns. It was a win-win situation.
The three Little ones in the family had handled the guns and shot at the targets, and they happily headed home. Mingcheng and Mingyuan still felt like they were in a dream. “Brother, did we shoot today?”
Mingyuan nodded. “Brother, it seems like we did shoot.”
Wu Changyong lightly tapped their heads, and the two boys finally felt the pain. “Boys, you did shoot just now, and you did very well. You have potential.”
Hao Lianchun could tell that something had happened from the smiles on their faces. “Wu, did you handle guns today?”
Zuo Zhanshan knew he couldn’t hide it from his wife. “We did, and we surprised everyone. We even found some extra work to earn more money. How about that? We’re pretty amazing,” he boasted.
Hao Lianchun glanced at him. “You two old soldiers went to compete in shooting with the militia. You’re not ashamed of that. You’re not even on the same level. There’s no comparison.”
Wu Changyong chuckled. “Comrade Hao Lianchun, the competition wasn’t the point. Sharpening our skills was important. And earning a little extra money to buy some food for the children isn’t a bad thing, right?”
Hao Lianchun understood Wu Changyong’s words. For someone who had fought and handled guns for a lifetime, not being able to do so might lead to a sense of loss and restlessness that couldn’t be described in words. Especially for these two old men who were used to leading and training troops, having them idle was bound to make them feel uneasy.
“By the way, did Mingcheng and the others also shoot?” The elderly lady was more interested in this. Based on her understanding of her husband, she felt that he wouldn’t miss the chance to make this request.
“Of course, they did. They performed exceptionally well. They shot better than the new recruits in our unit. These three kids are good material for the army, but they’re just a bit too young,” Zuo Zhanshan replied.
Hao Lianchun, feeling proud upon hearing about the children’s performance, said, “Just look at whose children they are.”
Mingcheng and his brothers blushed as they listened to their grandfather’s praise. When the elderly lady asked, they felt a bit shy but nodded firmly.
“I’m back.”
Wang Zhenhe pushed the door open, carrying his luggage and creating a whirlwind of dust. Upon seeing his father return, Mingyuan rushed into Wang Zhenhe’s arms. “Dad, I missed you so much.”
Wang Zhenhe’s luggage fell to the ground as he embraced his son tightly and planted a kiss on his cheek. He had missed these little ones during his time away. “Dad missed you all too. Let me see if Mingyuan has grown taller.”
After setting his son down, Wang Zhenhe gestured. “You’ve grown taller. Let me see if all of you have grown taller.”
Wang Zhenhe hugged each of the children, then measured their height, chuckling as he did so. “Little rascals, you’ve grown so much in just a few days.”
After playing with the children, Wang Zhenhe chatted with the elderly gentleman. Wang Qian sniffed and said, “Dad, you smell a bit. Sis and I will go heat up some water for you to take a bath. You should freshen up so you don’t stink up the house.”
Wang Zhenhe quickly sniffed himself and furrowed his brow. “I wiped myself down with water before coming back. Why do I still smell? Daughter, go with your sister and heat up the water. I need to freshen up properly so I don’t stink up the house.”