They are all in the army, who is in love?

Chapter 288 The spring breeze once again listens to the camel bells, and the great rivers and mountains appeal to the loyal heart
September [-]st is the day when the first batch of veterans take off their military uniforms and leave the army during the retirement season.

So, on the night of August 30th, just after dinner, Chen Ming ran to the brigade headquarters to ask for leave from the brigade commander. He wanted to go to the artillery brigade to visit and see off his old comrades from the recruit company.

Nowadays, Chen Ming is no longer involved in many things in the Tiger Wolf Camp, and he is about to set off in the next two days.

Brigadier Wang Junwei was sitting busy in the office. After hearing Chen Ming's request, he waved his hand directly: "Go ahead, I approved it. Just return to the team before dinner tomorrow."

"What about that? Did you read the notice about departure for advanced studies? Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, go to the Joint Warfare College of the National Defense University to report to Vice President Lin Qingyuan."

"After you see off your comrades tomorrow, let's set off if it's still early."

"Remember, don't go to the wrong place. The Joint Warfare College is located at the foot of Cuiping Mountain in Shimen, the capital of Hebei Province. It was the former Shimen Army Command College."

"This joint command from the war zone and the military department is to arrange for personnel to go for further training at this time. You will be under unified management there. You must report to the deputy director."

"Don't forget, don't delay, understand?"

"Yes, Brigadier. I'm not a three-year-old child. If I don't report when I get there, who will arrange a dormitory for me?"

Chen Ming laughed playfully, saluted, and left the brigade commander's office.

After walking out of the brigade headquarters building, Chen Ming looked up at the sky. The harsh sunlight made it difficult to open his eyes.

Summer is almost gone, but late August and early September are still irritatingly hot, and the cicadas are screaming tirelessly, adding to the heat.

The air was filled with the sadness of farewell. Fortunately, the Tiger Wolf Camp remained as usual and was not greatly affected.

Retirement season is the mourning of soldiers.

After spending so long learning the art of killing enemies in the military camp, today some of my comrades have to take off their military uniforms and learn how to deal with life.

Chen Ming walked silently on the path of the brigade. He was undoubtedly very lucky.

Since joining the army, he has not experienced the discharge season. The year he was discharged from the artillery brigade, he went to the National University of Defense Technology to study. The next year he was discharged, he went to Longya to participate in the selection.

This year, God seems to have allowed him to avoid it again. He is going to the National Defense University for further studies, and the Third Battalion has not been affected at all.

But he has to send it off after all.

He had just returned from the University of Science and Technology and had been to the artillery brigade. Before he could return to the Second Battalion, Long Ya's people picked him up directly from the brigade headquarters.

Later, while chatting on the mobile phone, Wang Shuaibing told him that Zhao Lifei, the squad leader of the new recruits, had retired from the army, and Xi Minghui, the squad leader of the second squadron of Yuanhuo No. [-] Battalion, had retired on the same day.

When the news came, Chen Ming remembered that he was sitting alone by the pit at the back of Longya Mountain, sitting motionless for a long time.

He always thought that he could go back to his original army when he had time and see how much the squad leader had taken care of him. He always thought that he had time, but he forgot when was the last time he met the squad leader.

I didn’t say goodbye properly to the squad leader, even if I said thank you in person.

None of these.

Chen Ming recalled silently, walked to the parking lot of the brigade headquarters, and drove back to the third camp.

into the night.

Maybe there is something on his mind, maybe he is about to leave the third camp.

Chen Ming tossed and turned and couldn't sleep. He stayed up until three o'clock in the middle of the night with his eyes open before getting up from the bed and preparing to leave quietly under the night.

Battalion Commander Du Longfei and instructor Zhang Jintao hurriedly chased him out of the dormitory building. When they saw Chen Ming wearing summer clothes and without a backpack, they asked anxiously: "Old Chen, what are you doing?"

"Don't even think about running away secretly. Even if you are no longer a member of our Tiger Wolf Camp after you go for further training, at least you have to have a farewell party with the entire camp before you leave."

"I've been too busy with work recently, so I haven't had much time to have a good chat with you. What are you doing here?"

The two looked at him anxiously, thinking that Chen Ming was going to slip away.

Facing the two idiots who stayed up most of the night, Chen Ming was helpless and relieved. He raised the key in his hand and said with a smile, "What are you thinking about? I'm going to study and I'm not retiring from the army. Do I have to run away secretly?"

"Even if I have to leave, I won't leave in our camp's car."

"What about that? I went to the brigade to ask for leave yesterday, and today I'm going to the artillery brigade to see off my former comrades."

"Huh, you scared me to death. I thought when did you, Old Chen, learn to sneak away."

Battalion Commander Du Longfei came over and patted Chen Ming on the shoulder: "Okay, you go ahead. The first group should have gotten up and started eating at about this time."

"Everyone who should leave today will be sent away before five o'clock. If you go late, I'm afraid you won't be able to see them."

"Lao Zhang and I also know the notice that you are leaving for Shimen. Remember, when you come, you come in an aboveboard manner, and when you leave, you must leave in an aboveboard manner."

"Our Tiger Wolf Battalion is what it is today because of the efforts of the staff led by you, and it cannot be separated from your efforts."

"This year's retirement season is not for us cadres to send off our comrades in the company, but for all of us to send you, the chief staff officer."

"Yes, battalion commander." Chen Ming stood up straight and saluted.

Du Longfei and Zhang Jintao also straightened their bodies and returned the greeting, watching Chen Ming drive away from the camp.

When the vehicle went away, Du Longfei's eyes flickered, he took a few steps back and sat on the flower bed next to him.

Zhang Jintao sighed and remained silent. The development of Tiger Wolf Camp has always been controlled by the three of them. Although their partnership was short, they laid a solid foundation.

They have a pretty good relationship in private, they have never blushed, and they understand each other quite well.

Now that Chen Ming is leaving, I really can’t bear to leave.

If it is a horizontal transfer of positions, then Du Longfei and Zhang Jintao will go to the brigade headquarters to see if they can stay, but this is for further study, and it is related to Chen Ming's future. They can't stop it, and they can't. Can't live.

Don't say parting words, but give blessings.

The two of them sat in silence on the edge of the flower bed, smoking cigarettes one after another. Many people couldn't sleep that night, not just the two of them.

the other side.

Chen Ming drove straight to the artillery brigade headquarters and arrived at the gate of the direct guard company.

Except for him, Ma Dazhu had the best physical fitness in the first class of the recruit company. After the recruit training, he was assigned to the third team of the guard company as a picket.

I still remember that during the Spring Festival of that year, several comrades came to see him, and the entire brigade suddenly sounded the air-raid siren, preparing for war. It all seemed like it happened yesterday.

At the wedding in Jinling some time ago, Ma Dazhu told him that the first stage of the third team of the Guard Company was the end, and there was no place for promotion to the second stage, and there was no way out.

Today, Chen Ming came to see him off, an old brother who didn't know anything when he first entered the military camp, but looked forward to a better future in the company.

When the car stopped, Chen Ming took out a pack of cigarettes from the car and stuffed it into his pocket. He quickly packed his clothes and strode to the door of the security company.

As soon as he arrived, the two soldiers on duty raised their hands to stop him.

"Comrade Commander, please show me your ID. You are not from the artillery brigade, are you?"

The soldier quickly glanced at Chen Ming's armband, with a trace of vigilance in his eyes.

"It used to be, but now I'm transferred to the synthetic brigade. This is my ID."

Chen Ming smiled and took out his military ID card from his pocket and handed it over.

"Hello comrade, I would like to find Ma Dazhu from your third team."

"Monitor Ma?!!"

One of the soldiers on duty looked at Chen Ming, and his slightly wary look turned into surprise in an instant.

"Chief, are you Chen Ming?" As if to verify his suspicion, he quickly opened the ID, glanced at the name, and hurriedly handed the ID back.

"Hello, Chief, Squad Leader Ma is the squad leader who leads me. He often tells us your stories and often asks us to learn from you. Today I can count on meeting you."

"The squad leader said that you are the most powerful soldier. You can't overcome any problem. You are a tough warrior. You are also the best person among the squad leaders who joined the army that year."

Chen Ming was really not used to being suddenly called "you" by a soldier who was a few years younger than him, with a look of admiration on his face.

He smiled and said: "It's not as exaggerated as what Lao Ma said. I just did my job well."

"You can too."

"Thank you for the compliment, chief." The soldier on duty looked like a soldier who joined the army in the second half of last year. He was still full of energy.

"But, Chief, you are late."

After the private finished speaking, his eyes were red.

"I'm late?"

"Yes, Chief. Squad leader Ma had approved his discharge a week ago. He left at night without letting us send him away. He got on the troop transport truck arranged by the brigade and left the military camp alone."

"A week ago?" Chen Ming frowned, and then he remembered a rumor that those who were discharged from the army during picket inspections would generally leave earlier.

But he had never experienced it, and he never thought of it at all.

The old horse left. Alas, Chen Ming waved his hand and said in a slightly lonely tone: "Okay, thank you, comrade."

"You're welcome, Chief."

Ma Dazhu left, quietly, without leaving any message for himself. The phone was still there, but it was late at night, and Chen Ming couldn't ask.This guy, no wonder there hasn't been any movement in the past few days, and he didn't say anything in the WeChat group chat. I'm afraid he just left the military camp and felt bad.

Chen Ming did not stay any longer. Lao Ma left, along with Dong Ke and Wei Chongchong from the Yuanhuo First Battalion, and Zhu Guangzhi from the logistics department. They were all leaving the military camp today.

He is too busy and usually doesn't have time to come over for a get-together, so today he has to say goodbye.

Saying goodbye to the soldiers of the guard company, Chen Ming drove straight to Yuanhuo No. [-] Battalion, which was different from the brigade headquarters.

The roads here were lined with soldiers wearing summer uniforms. His arrival did not attract the attention of others.

Before dawn, teams after teams of soldiers wearing ribbons gathered at the headquarters building of the [-]st Battalion for another meeting.

Chen Ming did not go there, but left directly from the battalion headquarters and went to the second company. The recruit company was in charge of them at that time. It was the company commander of the second company of Yuanhuo First Battalion and the squad leader below.

He was not familiar with the First Battalion and needed to find someone familiar to ask to see which company Dong Ke and Wei Chongchong were in and whether they were the first group to leave today.

Fortunately, it is not easy to find a person alone, but it is too easy to find a company.

In fact, Chen Ming didn't find it by himself. As a major, he had just entered the first battalion and no one noticed him. He also had to enter another company. The sentry on duty at the door quickly passed the news back to the company headquarters.

After company commander Guo Yuanzheng got the news, he quickly came out of the restaurant. When he saw Chen Ming from a distance, he grinned.

"Chen Ming? Are you really your kid? Who do I think you are when you report? Come here and see me as a major."

"Good day, company commander."

Chen Ming saw the recruit company commander Guo Yuanzheng again and quickly stood at attention and saluted.

Even though Guo Yuanzheng's current military rank is not as high as his, and his position level is not as high as his, but this was the company commander back then. Not to mention he is a major now, even if he has two more stars, he is still his company commander.

"Good boy, I heard Jiang Peng mention you often. He is now the instructor of the [-]nd Battalion and [-]st Company, you know, right?"

"Yes, company commander, I have met Jiang Platoon several times."

"Haha, okay, okay, your kid came here to give Dong Ke and the others a treat, right?"

"Just in time, let's go. We are all gathering in the restaurant to eat dumplings. Wang Shuaibing from the Second Battalion is also here. They are gathering together right now. They were talking about you just now."

"Let's go, let's finish the dumplings and then we'll gather and take the bus. If you want to send them off, just take this time."

Guo Yuanzheng pulled Chen Ming and strode towards the Erlian cafeteria.

There are also troop carriers parked on both sides of the company headquarters here, and other soldiers who have not been discharged are standing neatly on both sides of the road.

Maybe this is a farewell ceremony, they are sending off their comrades in this way.

In the Erlian cafeteria, the atmosphere became even more dull.

The company commander patted Chen Ming on the shoulder, pointed to the corner, and said nothing.

Dong Ke and Wei Chongchong were carrying backpacks and sitting in their seats eating dumplings, but their tears kept falling like broken beads.

Get the dumplings on the bus and get off the noodles. Noodles were eaten in the recruit company back then, and now it’s the dumplings’ turn.

The two of them should also apply for the second term. There are places in Yuanhuo Camp, but Dong Ke chose to be a soldier for five years. He could not survive eight years.

Retire from the army while you are young and look for a job to make a living in the future. You are still young and can still learn.

Wei Chongchong's physical fitness is not good enough. If he wants to stay, he must work hard enough. When he was a recruit, his grades were poor. At that time, he almost failed to survive the three-month recruit period. Now five years later, he has completed his dedication to the motherland.

Going to retreat.

Wang Shuaibing sat across from the two of them. He survived and was now in the second period. Although this kid was useless all day long, after following Chen Ming for a while, his talent has not improved, but his hard work is quite sufficient.

The three of them sat at the dining table in silence. Wang Shuaibing, who was usually smooth-tongued, also said nothing. He didn't know what to say, so he just sat there to accompany them.

1 minute, 2 minutes
When Wei Chongchong's thoughts were complicated, he seemed to notice someone standing in front of him. He subconsciously raised his head and glanced, and at that glance, he froze in place.

"Deputy deputy, why are you here?!"

Dong Ke and Wang Shuaibing hurriedly looked up when they heard the call and saw Chen Ming standing there silently watching them.

The three stood up together.

"Brother Chen."

"Squad deputy."

"Deputy deputy, thank you for coming to see me off, thank you." Dong Ke swallowed the dumplings in his mouth while choking, and the iron-clad man shed tears.

He walked over and hugged Chen Ming.

He didn't cry when we gathered to pack things, nor did he cry when he took off his hat. When he ate the last meal, he was still in tears, and he didn't break down emotionally.

But now when I saw the squad deputy of the recruit company and Chen Ming, who had been encouraging them and leading them, I completely collapsed.

"Deputy deputy, I can't stand it anymore, but I really don't want to leave, I"

"Okay, okay." Chen Ming reached out and patted Dong Ke's back. At this time, he didn't know what to say.

In the cafeteria, other soldiers looked up and wiped their tears silently.

Bow your head and continue eating.

I don’t know when, in the canteen and the military camp, the singing of "Camel Bell" lingered.

The voice was very soft, but it made people feel uncomfortable.

Company Commander Guo Yuanzheng stood at the entrance of the cafeteria, clapped his hands and said loudly: "Comrades, don't be sad, whoever has finished eating the dumplings will raise their hands if there are not enough, we will serve them again."

"We have to go home. We have enough food to take care of. After we go back, we can live a good life and spend time with our family. We will save some money on the retirement expenses and don't spend too much money."

"If someone asks you to borrow money, don't lend it. If you can't refuse, just say lend it to me, lend it to me Guo Yuanzheng, lend it to your old company commander."

"If you are full, then carry your things and go to the company gate to get in the car."

"Comrades, don't cry. Soldiers bleed, sweat, but not shed tears. Don't think that you will feel liberated after you retire and leave here. You feel that the military camp has nothing to do with you anymore."

"Actually, for you, the real battlefield has just begun. You are soldiers, soldiers of our 71st Army Artillery Brigade. Even if you go home, you are still soldiers of our artillery brigade."

"Remember our Far Fire Battalion, remember our Second Company. If you have difficulty finding your comrades after returning home, never forget that there is a strong company behind you."

"Comrades, when you go back, find a good job, spend time with your parents, and never fade away after being discharged from the military. The car is about to leave, so everyone should be ready."

After the company commander finished speaking, he strode out of the canteen.

There is a retirement season every year, and people come and go every year, but I still can't get used to the separation of the military camp every year.

A chorus of choking sounds.

All Chen Ming could do at this time was to accompany him silently. After finishing the dumplings, all the soldiers in the canteen, no, maybe from this moment on, it would be more appropriate to call the youth back.

Although this is cruel.

All the retired young people stood up in silence, walked out of the cafeteria in silence, looked at the national flag flying in the distance at night, and saluted together.

Chen Ming was following behind.

There was nothing he could do, and perhaps, he shouldn't.

Before getting into the car, Dong Ke and Wei Chongchong turned around and hugged Chen Ming and Wang Shuaibing again.

"Squad deputy, Lao Wang, we're leaving. You guys have to work hard in the army. There used to be ten of us in the squad, but now you two are the only ones left in the military camp."

"I'm leaving."

"it is good."

Chen Ming nodded slightly. He did not cry, and his eyes were not red. It was not that he was reluctant, but that he did not want to add sadness to his comrades in this kind of thing.

The vehicles started and soldiers standing on both sides of the road saluted.

The vehicles drove out of the gate of the camp headquarters in the morning glow. When dawn came, everything here would return to calm and bustle as before.

It was lively as if nothing happened at night.

We will come back when our motherland needs us.

Goodbye, dear comrade.

Goodbye, my beloved military camp.

For military personnel, there are five seasons in a year, spring, summer, autumn, winter and retirement season.

The song of the camel bells is still singing, but the vehicles have gone away. It is autumn now, but for the soldiers who are about to re-enter society, it may be spring.

It is the beginning of all hope.

(End of this chapter)