"Xiaocao, it doesn’t matter who I am, whether a common person or the President, those are just statuses. What’s important is that I am your Brother Nian."
"... Brother Nian, did you have a fight with Sister?"
Wen Nian touched his head,
"My meetings and conversations with your sister are secrets. If they get out, your sister might get hurt."
Tang Xiaocao’s eyes widened as he quickly swallowed his saliva,
"I won’t tell anyone, Brother Nian, don’t worry."
"Good, Brother Nian has to go now, but I’ll visit you when I have time."
Wen Nian stood up and walked toward the porch. The door opened and then closed without a sound behind him.
Song Lili sat in front of the refrigerator, hugging her knees, blankly staring ahead...
Tears fell silently like pearls that had broken off a string.
After a three-day holiday.
The officer training class officially started.
Before the bell rang, only twenty out of twenty-one people had arrived.
Lu Ziqing walked in with a list in one hand and the other hand in his pocket. He threw the list on the desk and glanced over those sitting below, squinting his eyes,
"Where is Mu Zhiyuan?"
"Re-report! Commander! I—I’m late!"
Just as Lu Ziqing asked, Mu Zhiyuan stuttered from the doorway.
Mu Zhiyuan had a square face and it was well known that he was not articulate. When nervous, his stutter worsened.
Lu Ziqing glanced at him,
"Today’s the first day, I’ll let you off. Hurry to your spot."
Mu Zhiyuan hurriedly ran to an empty seat and sat down.
"The first lesson... let me think, what to talk about..."
Lu Ziqing said, unabashedly not feeling any remorse for his lack of preparation.
Surprisingly, the students were all calm, as if accustomed to Lu Ziqing’s spontaneous yet candid style.
His piercing gaze swept across each face, then he raised his eyebrows and smiled,
"What do you think the relationship between officers and soldiers should be?"
"One by one, everyone give an answer."
Lu Ziqing casually pulled up an empty chair and sat down,
"Su Ru, you’re first, let’s start with you."
Su Ru was startled for a moment, but quickly collected herself. She stood up and seriously said,
"Report to the commander, without officers, no matter how many soldiers there are, they are just like scattered sand. An officer is the presence that gathers the sand into a rock—a company officer gathers several platoons, a battalion officer gathers several companies, a regimental officer gathers several battalions."
"Each soldier is a sharp blade, and to utilize this blade effectively, good leadership from an officer is essential."
Lu Ziqing nodded, "Next, Hansbo."
"Report to the commander, my thoughts are the same as Su Ru’s."
"Report to the commander, it’s true that officers need to lead soldiers, but they also need to understand and trust soldiers. The relationship should be one of mutual trust; if soldiers don’t trust an officer, then the officer is just a commander in name only,"
One after another, like a train, they answered the question posed by Lu Ziqing.
When Song Lili finally stood up to speak, most points had already been covered, and she didn’t have much more insightful to add,
"Everyone’s responses are correct, and I only have a small point to add."
Su Ru looked toward Song Lili...
"Subordinate relationships, trust relationships, and leadership relationships are all correct, but I think there is also a competitive relationship."