As Qi Taiguo had said, he was loyal to his country, loyal to the people, and loyal to the party; he had nothing to fear and nothing to hide.
When the organization called him in to discuss his leaving the team during the mission, he spoke frankly, not adding a word nor omitting a single letter. Whatever needed to be said, he said it all.
Upon leaving the meeting room, he looked up at the clear blue sky and the pristine white snow on the rooftops. Qi Taiguo straightened his military cap, pursed his lips, and strode away.
He had no control over the judgments and decisions of the organization, but he had no regrets about his own behavior, except for a slight sense of shame towards the fallen soldier and the two who had been discharged due to injuries.
If he were to be demoted because of this mission, he would accept it.
It was not the end when the organization had a talk with him; of course, they would also consult his superiors.
When it was Dong Jun’s turn, this is what he said, "Comrade Qi Taiguo is brave and good at fighting. He has always completed his missions with excellence. However, he can also be stubborn and likes to show off. Take the Vietnam War in ’77 for example..."
Of course, Qi Taiguo was unaware of this.
Qi Taiguo being interviewed by the organization was not a secret in the military, especially to Gao Linbing, who was most familiar with the recent mission. Upon hearing that officials from the organization had arrived, Gao Linbing eagerly pulled Long Shaoguang aside to comfort him when Qi Taiguo came out.
"There are always casualties during missions; no one can guarantee coming back unscathed. Don’t worry, they won’t deal with you too harshly," Gao Linbing was the first to speak. "Besides, you were not the only one defending that position. So many people were there; you only led a few to chase Zhao Wei, that’s not too much of an infraction, at worst they’ll say you didn’t follow command!"
"Exactly, exactly, don’t worry, it won’t be anything serious," Long Shaoguang added, nodding his head.
Qi Taiguo smiled and nodded, "I know, I’m not worried about it. I’ll utterly comply with the organization’s decision!"
Gao Linbing and Long Shaoguang exchanged glances.
"It’s good that you can see it that way. How does that saying go... ’Heaven imposes great tasks on people,’ must first...," Gao Linbing suddenly scratched his head, looking at Long Shaoguang, "What’s the rest?"
Long Shaoguang replied, "You never study. It’s ’must first endure hardship of will, toil his muscles and bones.’
"Right, right."
Qi Taiguo laughed, patting their shoulders, "Good brothers, I’ve got it all in mind."
That’s what comrades are for. Usually, there’s no need to speak of loyalty, but when needed, they are right by your side.
"Hey, hey, look over there." Gao Linbing suddenly gestured with his mouth.
They turned to look and saw Chiang Qing walking past in high heels.
Qi Taiguo furrowed his brow, looked away, and thought it best to keep his distance from Chiang Qing, especially after she had spoken of liking him and such.
"I’m telling you, Dong Jun has his sights set on the princess!" Gao Linbing said mysteriously.
Qi Taiguo and the others were stunned. "Don’t talk nonsense, Dong Jun has a wife," they said.
"Heh, you don’t believe it? Dong Jun’s father-in-law is stepping down this year; he fought hard to get Dong Jun promoted to deputy battalion commander. Otherwise, could it have been his turn? Old Zhou wouldn’t have had to leave," Gao Linbing clicked his tongue. "But you know how it is, once someone’s gone, they’re forgotten. Can cooled tea compare to a fresh, hot brew?"
Long Shaoguang said, "You mean..."
"What he’s after is Commander Chiang, hence the eager flattery," Gao Linbing said with a curl of his lip. "But honestly, I really don’t think highly of him. Let’s be cautious in the future not to get stabbed in the back without realizing it."
"Indeed."
Qi Taiguo frowned and then relaxed. He wasn’t disbelieving; he had recently witnessed Dong Jun’s enthusiasm. He just wondered if there was any point to it all.