The promise is old, the meeting is just right

Chapter 3 We Are Still Friends
After leaving He Xiao's phone number, Cheng Mian's biggest change is that the phone is turned on 24 hours a day.

Growing up in a compound since he was a child, he has become accustomed to finding people's contact information by dialing out a military line.Looking at the mobile phone in his hand that had been used as a "decoration" before, Cheng Mian hesitated.

A text message lay in the inbox.The first message was sent on the day I saved the number. After checking the room and returning to the dormitory, I hesitated for a long time before pressing the send button.There are only a few words plus a punctuation mark: are you asleep?
After the phone was quiet for half an hour, Cheng Mian sent another message: Rest early, good night.

Cheng Mian didn't sleep well that night. The next morning, after returning from exercise, he turned on his phone and saw that there was an unread text message.Quickly went in and took a look, He Xiao's reply was even less than his, only two words: good night.Cheng Mian took a special look at her reply time, which was only 5 minutes later than his shutdown.

Cheng Mian snapped the phone cover shut, and stroked her hair vigorously.

The second time he counted the time and sent her another text message, but this time he didn't wait for a long time to reply.Looking at the lonely text message in the inbox, Cheng Mian frowned.Just as the clerk Zhao Xiaoguo passed by the door, Cheng Mian called him in.

"What's the matter, Captain?"

"Bring your phone."

Zhao Xiaoguo froze for a moment, with a mournful face: "Company, company commander, you old men are merciful!"

Non-commissioned officers are not allowed to use mobile phones in the army. Of course, a lot of them are used secretly.

Of course Cheng Mian understood, and gave him a hand: "Stop talking nonsense, I'll bring it as soon as I ask you."

Zhao Xiaoguo had no choice but to go back to the room and took the mobile phone, and handed it to Cheng Mian.He lowered his head and pressed a few keys with his right hand, and the screen of the phone on his left turned on, indicating that a text message had come in.

Cheng Mian frowned even tighter.His mobile phone is not broken, why can't he always receive He Xiao's text messages?

Standing aside, Zhao Xiaoguo wondered: "Company commander, what are you doing?"

"Don't inquire about what you shouldn't." Cheng Mian threw Zhao Xiaoguo's cell phone back into his arms, "Take it, what should you do?"

Zhao Xiaoguo said "oh", turned around and walked out, thinking of something, he said to Cheng Mian again: "By the way, the company commander, the instructor called from the teaching team in the morning and said that he will return to the company this morning."

Cheng Mian casually said "um", "I see."

Zhao Xiaoguo saw that Cheng Mian kept lowering his head and fiddled with the phone, looking like he didn't care about him, and finally couldn't help but said: "Company commander, if you have anything to do, just call directly, sending text messages is so inefficient."

Of course he also wanted to make a call, but she was so reluctant to reply to the text messages, did he still need to call to make her more embarrassed?

Sending another hastily, Cheng Mian stood up and kicked Zhao Xiaoguo again: "I still use you to teach? Hold your mobile phone, and I will confiscate it next time I see it."

After finishing speaking, Da Sashi walked out.

Zhao Xiaoguo clutched his phone tightly, and couldn't help crying: "Company commander, I won't take you across the river and tear down bridges like this."

Putting on a field uniform, Cheng Mian slowed down and walked towards the training ground.

The leaves of the ginkgo trees on both sides of the main road have fallen, leaving only bare branches.The weather forecast said that there would be a cold wave coming, and the soldiers of the guard company began to paint the trunks of ginkgo trees white early in the morning to keep them warm.

The leaves changed one after another, and the people left one after another.It was an annual fixture of the army, and there was no need, and there was no time to be sentimental about it, because new people would soon fill those vacancies.Cheng Mian looked at the recruits on the playground from a distance. They were undergoing tactical training, and they already looked like soldiers in their gestures.It's just not enough, they still have a long way to go to become a real soldier.

"Cheng Mian!"

"To!"

He answered "Yes" reflexively, attracting the attention of many people on the playground.Cheng Mian pretended to ignore it calmly, and walked quickly to Deputy Battalion Commander Zhou who was standing on the edge of the playground.When he got closer, he saw a familiar person standing beside Deputy Battalion Commander Zhou.The long-term sequelae of pulling out the military posture, standing there is like a tall and straight metasequoia, upright and sassy.A set of 07-style winter uniforms without a waist is also ironed on the body. Coupled with this person's slender and straight figure, the military uniform just looks like a suit.The man also saw Cheng Mian, and when he turned around with Deputy Battalion Commander Zhou, he already had a signature smile on his face.If anyone can shake Company Commander Cheng's status as the "image representative of the reconnaissance company", it must be this—Xu Yi, the instructor of the reconnaissance company.

Seeing his old partner, Cheng Mian breathed a sigh of relief in his heart: he is back, and he is expected to ask for leave this week to go out.

Seeing Cheng Mian's unusually bright eyes, Xu Yi knew what was going on in his mind.Although others are teaching the team, they still know what they should know about the inside.For example, someone Cheng has been a little abnormal recently.And it is said that the reason for this abnormality is also related to a woman.

The two with their own ghosts were about to greet each other like a brother, when Deputy Battalion Commander Zhou suddenly said, "Where did this soldier come from?"

Following the direction pointed by Deputy Battalion Commander Zhou, Xu Yi smiled slightly and said, "He's from Sichuan."

Cheng Mian took a look and found that it was the Sichuan soldier who was picked up by the horse instructor of the reconnaissance battalion. He couldn't help but praise: "The secretary has a good memory."

Deputy Battalion Commander Zhou seemed very satisfied with this soldier: "He is a good seed. Cheng Mian, this soldier is from the new company."

Cheng Mian knew what Deputy Battalion Commander Zhou meant, and smiled: "I am the company commander of the new company, but the organization didn't give me the right to decide where my soldiers go. How about you fight for it?"

Deputy Battalion Commander Zhou gave him a leg lift, turned to leave, and said to Xu Yi when he remembered something, "Don't forget the task I entrusted to you."

Xu Yi's smiling face froze, Cheng Mian hurriedly asked, "What mission?"

"You want to know?"

"Let's talk about it." There are not many things that can make Secretary Xu, who is always smiling, worry.

"It's not a good thing," Xu Yi sighed, and walked back side by side with Cheng Mian, "It is said that the Municipal Women's Federation is going to hold a military-local fellowship event with our division. A large number of local young women hold blind date meetings."

Cheng Mian couldn't help being happy: "Military-civilian joint construction is a fine tradition of our army. As a grassroots political cadre, plus a male officer of the right age, your attitude is not positive."

"You really shouldn't be complacent." Xu Yi smiled, "Neither of us can escape this time, so you have to go too."

"I have to go too?" Cheng Mian was stunned, "Why?"

"Why? Just because you're single!" Xu Yi smiled smugly, "Be positive, Company Commander Cheng."

Cheng Lianchang took off the hat on his head and stroked his short hair vigorously.Go to his uncle's fine tradition!

Cheng Mian, who received the "task" of a blind date, couldn't sit still.

On the other side, He Xiao was very calm.In the past few days, except for two days of sick leave, her life didn't seem to have changed.It was Chu Tian, ​​a good friend, who asked her about the progress with Officer Cheng from time to time.

No wonder Chu Tian was so enthusiastic.He Xiao still remembers the New Year's Eve party in his freshman year. The counselor who was also the host of the party asked the students in the department to go on stage one by one to make an in-depth self-introduction. The first sentence Chu Tian said on stage was: My ideal , is to be a military wife.

Facing such a pure girl supporting the army, He Xiao didn't know how to answer her.In fact, she hadn't contacted Cheng Mian for several days.A few days ago, she had been lying at home for two or three days because of a high fever. When she recovered, she looked at her phone again. There were three unread text messages from Cheng Mian. The last sending time was two days ago, the day she just fell ill.

Originally, she was hesitant to reply, but seeing this, she breathed a sigh of relief.Because she really didn't know what to say to him.In seven years, even people who were once familiar will become strangers, let alone people like them.

That's it, He Xiao thought.He stopped texting, and she stopped thinking about it.

On Saturday, she was assigned to be on duty by the director of the center, and her friend Chu Tian was also unlucky.The two arrived at the unit early, and when they were changing in the locker room, Chu Tian, ​​who hadn't had enough sleep, complained: "You will bully the newcomers, and you don't work outside on Saturdays, so what shift is there?"

He Xiao smiled and comforted her: "Okay, didn't you say you wanted to eat boiled fish last night? There happened to be one nearby. I'll accompany you to eat after work at noon."

Thinking of food, Chu Tian finally felt better.

After changing their clothes, the two went to the duty room on the first and second floors respectively.In public institutions like the Fundamentals Management Center, keeping people on duty on Saturdays is actually an emergency response. Basically, nothing happens, but when the phone on duty rings, no one will answer it.

He Xiao briefly cleaned the duty room, sat down at the desk, read a book he carried with him, and passed the time by the way.When the book was almost halfway through, the phone rang suddenly. He Xiao pressed the answer button without looking at it. When she heard the voice from the other end of the phone, she froze.

"Smile, it's me, Cheng Mian."

He Xiao stared straight at the book in front of him, and it took a while before he responded, "Yes."

Hearing her response, Cheng Mian on the phone seemed to be relieved, and when he spoke again, his voice was not as dry as it was at the beginning: "Today is Saturday, I came out." After a pause, he asked, "You ——Do you have time today? I want to meet with you. "

When he spoke, He Xiao unconsciously held her breath, and when he finished speaking, she realized that she also became nervous.The hand holding the phone was slightly loose, and there was a thin layer of sweat on the palm.

"Not today," she said.

There was silence for a few seconds: "Why?"

"I still have to go to work." After she finished speaking, the duty phone in front of her rang.He Xiao hurriedly picked up the phone, and when she looked back at the phone after the call was over, she found that Cheng Mian had hung up.

Unable to tell what mood he was in, he stared at the phone for a while, then He Xiao picked up the book to read again, but he didn't turn a page for a long time.Finally, it was almost twelve o'clock at noon. She was packing her things and was about to go downstairs when the duty phone rang again.Surprised, He Xiaobian wondered why the phone rings so frequently today when he usually doesn't call on Saturdays, so he answered it.

Fortunately, Chu Tian was on the phone, and she greeted her cheerfully: "Smile, come down!"

He Xiao resisted the urge to scold her, and hung up the phone.Isn't it just eating boiled fish?What are you doing in such a hurry.When she realized something was wrong, she had already walked to the lobby on the first floor, and saw a military green figure standing in front of the service desk from a distance, and Chu Tian beside him was baring his teeth and waving to her.

He Xiao curled up her hands involuntarily, she walked slowly towards the service desk, looked at Cheng Mian and asked, "Why are you here?"

Cheng Mian smiled: "Anyway, I have nothing to do at home, so I just came out for a walk. Fortunately, you are on duty, otherwise I really don't know where to find you."

This time we met, he was no longer as flustered as he was last time. He was already good-looking, and his generous appearance was even more eye-catching.No, after hearing what he said, Chu Tian gave a meaningful oh, and looked at the two of them with shining eyes.

The smile in his eyes deepened, he looked directly at her and said, "I don't know if you have time at noon, I want to have a meal with you."

Being stared at by him like this, He Xiao thought for a while before saying: "No, I've made an agreement with Tian Tian to have lunch with her at noon."

Chu Tian waved his hand immediately: "It's okay, it's the same for me to eat by myself." She doesn't want to be a light bulb, okay?

He Xiao didn't expect her to speak so directly, and silently glanced at her.

Cheng Mian, on the other hand, smiled and said, "It's because I didn't think carefully, so it's the same as last time. I'll treat you two to dinner."

Chu Tian almost hated He Xiao to death, and actually used her as a shield. Is she going to be a light bulb again?However, Cheng Mian didn't seem to want her to refuse very much in his eyes. He gritted his teeth, and Chu Tian nodded and said yes.

The three of them went to a restaurant near the Fundamental Tube Center together. As soon as Chu Tian sat down, he invited the waiter to order four catties of boiled fish and told him to add more spicy food.After she finished speaking, she noticed Cheng Mian's complexion changed slightly, and hurriedly handed him the menu: "Officer Cheng, is there anything you particularly want to eat?"

Cheng Mian smiled and said, "I've never ordered food before, so I'll just eat with you." He then gave the menu to He Xiao, "Come and order."

He Xiao didn't have much appetite either, but he flipped through the menu and ordered three light stir-fried dishes. After ordering, the waiter put away the menu and left. The people at the table drank tea silently and fell into silence again.

Chu Tian's eyes flicked back and forth between He Xiao and Cheng Mian, looking at the situation of the two of them, it didn't look like He Xiao said that they didn't have much contact, but instead they looked like boyfriend and girlfriend after a quarrel.The corners of her lips curled slightly, and she said, "Officer Cheng——"

"Just call me by my name." Cheng Mian smiled gently.

Chu Tian paused, then changed his words: "Cheng Mian, you soldiers, can you come out casually?"

Cheng Mian shook his head: "I need to ask for leave, and I can only come out after approval."

Chu Tian snorted: "Then you came out on leave?" He glanced at He Xiao as he spoke, which meant that everyone had asked for leave to come to you, and you ignored him.Helpless, He Xiao kept drinking tea with his head down, not looking at her.

Cheng Mian noticed her eyes and smiled slightly: "Miss Chu, are you usually busy with work?"

"Just call me Chu Tian." A certain light bulb said, "Not busy, not busy at all. Don't think we are on duty on Saturday, but there is nothing wrong with us. So—" The conversation changed, and she still looked down. He Xiao, who was drinking tea, pushed her with some disapproval, "Smile, what are you doing drinking so much tea? Do you eat after a while?"

He Xiao sighed slightly in his heart, put down his teacup, looked at Chu Tian and said quietly, "Isn't it just right that I'm full, lest I won't be enough for you in a while."

Chu Tian choked and glared at her: "How can I eat that?"

Cheng Mian listened, smiled softly, looked up and poured a cup of tea for each of them.The eyes met He Xiao's inadvertently, and the two looked at each other, and she turned her head away.Just this one glance caused quite a stir in his heart, and the hand holding the cup tightened involuntarily.

Soon, all the dishes ordered were served.Chu Tian's eyes lit up when he saw a large pot of boiled fish, and he put a chopstick into his own plate, and took a bite before it was too hot, so hot that he breathed in and drank the water.

After recovering, seeing that Cheng Mian and He Xiao hadn't moved their chopsticks, he picked up a few chopsticks for them with the serving chopsticks.Chu Tian warmly recommended this delicacy from his hometown to them: "Why don't you eat it? Hurry up and eat more. The boiled fish here is the most authentic I've ever eaten, and it's so spicy."

He Xiao pursed her lips and smiled: "Okay, you eat yours, leave me alone." As she spoke, she caught a glimpse of Cheng Mian's hand holding the chopsticks from the corner of her eyes and hesitated, looking at the fish on the plate in front of her, as if she didn't know what to say.

While He Xiao was hesitating whether to ask, Cheng Mian picked up the fish fillet with chopsticks, slowly put it into his mouth, chewed it and swallowed it, with no change in expression.After he finished eating, He Xiao realized that he had been staring at him for too long, and hurriedly lowered his head to eat the fish, his lips numb from the hot pepper.

The three of them concentrated on eating, and all the dishes on the table were quickly swept away.He Xiao noticed Cheng Mian's plate, except that Chu Tian picked up a chopstick for him at the beginning, he never touched the boiled fish again.However, in her impression, he should be able to eat spicy food.

As if sensing that she was looking at him, Cheng Mian turned around and gave her a slight smile, and said slowly, "Is your meal ready? I'll pay the bill." He got up and left the table.

Looking at Cheng Mian's tall figure, Chu Tian wanted to sigh again, but was stopped by He Xiao in time, and she said, "I know what you want to say, so you don't need to say it."

Chu Tian pouted: "Then don't use me as a light bulb next time."

He Xiao didn't say anything.She knew that she was a bit hypocritical, but without the presence of a third person, she really didn't know how to face Cheng Mian, and at the same time, she didn't want to face him.Because she was afraid that she would not be able to bear it and would have to think more.

Cheng Mian came back after waiting for a long time, not to mention Chu Tian, ​​even He Xiao was a little anxious.After thinking for a while, she got up and went to the front desk. After asking the waiter, she found out that Cheng Mian had settled the bill 10 minutes ago, and she didn't know where she went.

He Xiao's eyes widened, and he left without saying a word after paying the bill. This would not be Cheng Mian's style. Even if there was something urgent, he should have explained it. After all, they were still waiting there.But the question now is, where is the other?
He Xiao went back and told Chu Tian that no one answered even two phone calls. When the two of them were in a hurry and had no idea, they saw Cheng Mian coming from the direction of the bathroom, and his footsteps were a little flimsy. Surprised, he hurried forward.

"How do you—" Looking at him, she didn't know what to say.

"I've eaten spicy food, and I feel sick to my stomach." Cheng Mian explained in a low voice, "Waiting for a long time? Let's go, I'll take you back."

He Xiao looked at his pale face, tried to restrain the panic in his heart, and said to him, "Go to the hospital?"

"No, old problem." Cheng Mian smiled, very forcedly, and suddenly frowned after speaking.He looked at He Xiao, wanted to say something, but finally couldn't hold on, and went to the bathroom.

He Xiao felt her heart beating faster. She turned around and took the bag from Chu Tian, ​​and told her: "Tian Tian, ​​go out and call a taxi for me now. I will send Cheng Mian to the hospital first, and you will take care of her in the afternoon." I'll be on duty for a while." Seeing that Chu Tian was still in a daze after speaking, he couldn't help saying with an emphasis, "Quick!"

Chu Tian reacted instantly and ran out.

Fortunately, the hotel is very close to the General Hospital of the Military Region. He Xiao went to the emergency room. The doctor arranged for an infusion after the examination. The whole process took less than an hour. When the nurse inserted the needle into Cheng Mian's vein, He Xiao breathed a sigh of relief.

She looked at Cheng Mian, who was lying on the bed with pale lips, eyes slightly closed.Staring at him for a moment, He Xiao tucked the quilt for him, and was about to get up when someone grabbed his forearm.Looking down, he found that he had opened his eyes at some point.

don't go.He said with his eyes.

He Xiao's arms trembled slightly, and she said dryly, "I'm going to the bathroom."

Cheng Mian stared at her for a while, and then slowly let go of her hand.

He Xiao immediately turned around and went to the bathroom. Facing the mirror of the sink, she found that her face was flushed and felt a little hot to the touch.After patting some cold water on her cheeks to calm herself down, she returned to the infusion room.In the room, Cheng Mian had already sat up, saw her come in, and put the mobile phone in his hand aside.

He Xiao walked over, looked at the infusion bottle, and said softly to him, "Go to sleep, we have to wait a while after the infusion."

Cheng Mian shook his head: "I can't sleep." What's more, it was only the two of them, and he wanted to talk to her.However, after waiting for a long time, no one around him had any intention of speaking, so he had to ask her hoarsely, "Did you receive the text message I sent you a few days ago?"

"Got it." He Xiao replied.

Cheng Mian's throat tightened: "Then you—"

"I was sick a few days ago, so I didn't have time to watch it." She said a fact that seemed like an excuse.

Cheng Mian was stunned for a moment, then asked her again: "Have you recovered?"

"It's much better." After she finished speaking, she poured a cup of hot water and stuffed it into his hand.

Cheng Mian looked at the steaming cup in front of him, lost his mind slightly, his Adam's apple moved slightly, and he swallowed a mouthful of bitter water: "Smile——"

"Does it still hurt?"

A cold sentence interrupted what he was about to say.Cheng Mian was silent for a while, then shook his head: "It's much better, it's okay."

He Xiao looked at him, hesitated, and asked, "I remember you used to be able to eat spicy food, what's wrong now?"

"It's an old problem." With renewed energy, Cheng Mian frowned and got over it, "The training in the military academy is too hard, it broke my stomach, so I can't touch spicy food." After he finished speaking, he smiled. , "There are quite a few people in the army who have stomach problems. They have long been used to it, and they can get through it without going to the hospital."

He Xiao felt a little guilty when he heard it: "Don't eat it next time." After a pause, "Don't force yourself."

There was something in her words, and Cheng Mian immediately heard it, and was a little anxious: "Xiaoxiao, I didn't, I—"

His words were interrupted again, there was a knock on the door, and a man in military uniform pushed the door in, seeing Cheng Mian grinning, "Commander, I'll pick you up—" Seeing He Xiao beside him, Come have a meal.

Cheng Mian closed his eyes, and resigned himself to lying back on the pillow.This Jiang Haiyang doesn't come sooner or later, but at this time!

Jiang Haiyang looked at the scene in front of him and was a little confused, he looked at He Xiao: "You are—"

He Xiao stood up from the chair, a little uncomfortable: "Are you here to pick up your company commander?"

Jiang Haiyang nodded. He came out with Cheng Mian today. The two moved separately. Just after lunch, they received a call from their company commander, asking him to come to the hospital to pick him up when he returned to the army in the afternoon.He was wondering how their company commander got into the hospital, but he was even more confused when he came to see.He didn't dare to delay for a moment and rushed over, but judging from the face of their company commander, it seemed that he came at the wrong time?
"That's just right." He Xiao turned around and said to Cheng Mian, "I'll go back first, you take care of your illness."

"Smile——"

Cheng Mian stretched out his hand to hold her, but He Xiao threw it away like a thorn.In a panic, she glanced at him and said, "Don't come here again if you don't have anything to do in the future."

After leaving this sentence, she took her bag and left in a hurry.

Looking at the back of He Xiao leaving hastily, Jiang Haiyang asked Cheng Mian foolishly: "Company commander, this is—"

Cheng Mian looked at his empty right hand and didn't speak for a long time.

Smile, do you hate me that much?
After returning to the company, Cheng Mian was a little depressed.

When Xu Yi returned to the dormitory, seeing him clutching his stomach and looking dispirited, he knew he had a bad start today.Clearing his throat, he asked, "Have you been pushed back again? You even have an old stomach problem?" Instructor Xu also felt a little strange, how could it be so miserable.

Cheng Mian didn't speak, and turned over, exuding a cold air of "don't pay attention to me".Xu Yi smiled, sat down by the bed and read a book quietly for a while, and stood up slowly when the dinner signal sounded.

"Lie down first, and Lao Zhu will come to deliver you sick meals later." After speaking, he seemed to remember something, and turned around again, "By the way, Lao Zhou asked me to inform you that the military-local friendship has been decided. Sunday."

As soon as the words fell, Cheng Mian sat up from the bed stiffly, and asked him: "I have to go?" He didn't expect Xu Yi to help him when he was in trouble, but he couldn't add fuel to the fire at this time, right?

Xu Yi knew what Cheng Mian was thinking when he looked at Cheng Mian's eyes, and hurriedly made a "stop me" gesture: "Political missions, getting emotional is useless."

Cheng Mian stroked her hair a little irritably, and looked back at the sunlight outside the window, feeling that it was dazzlingly bright.

After saying that sentence, He Xiao never received any more messages or calls from Cheng Mian.She was also very busy these days, she even worked overtime for three days, and came home tired all day at night, but she couldn't sleep well.She always couldn't help but think of the way Cheng Mian looked at her when she left the hospital that day, absent-minded and helpless.Maybe he didn't even realize it, or maybe she was thinking too much.But in the past few days, she seemed to be stuck in it and couldn't pull it out.

It was rare for Chu Tian to see her so distracted, so she couldn't help asking: "Is Cheng Mian okay?"

He Xiao regained consciousness and smiled: "It should be fine, it's nothing serious."

Chu Tian clicked his tongue: "What should I mean? You should call and ask, otherwise I won't feel at ease." After all, the recurrence of Cheng Mian's stomach problem was caused by her chopsticks boiling fish fillets at the root.

He Xiao was at a loss for a moment, should he call and ask?But remembering what she said, he hesitated again.If she calls, will he answer?

Seeing that He Xiao didn't speak, Chu Tian thought for a while, and asked in a low voice uncertainly: "You hate Cheng Mian so much?"

"I don't hate him."

"Then why are you avoiding him?" Chu Tian's love for the soldiers was deep down, so he couldn't help being biased when he spoke, "Soldiers, what's wrong with being such a young and outstanding officer?"

"He's not bad." He Xiao whispered, and added after a long time, "It's just that he doesn't like me as much as you think." At least she didn't dare to think so much anymore.

Chu Tian was at a loss for words, and sighed for a long time: "Emotional matters are really troublesome." Soon, she regained her emotions, "Forget it, let's not talk about this, smile, are you free on Sunday?"

He Xiao glanced at her: "What are you doing?"

"Go out to play with me, just take it easy."

He Xiao doesn't really want to go out: "After so many extra shifts, I finally have a weekend, why don't you take a break?"

"What are you doing resting, young man." Chu Tian took her arm, "Come with me, it's in the suburbs of City B, and you can go back and forth in a day."

"What is there to do in the suburbs?"

"Of course!" Chu Tian stared, "To go or not to go!"

He Xiao was convinced of her pestering skills, and surrendered: "Come on, the little one will definitely arrive on time."

Satisfied, Chu Tian turned around where He Xiao couldn't see, her big eyes gleaming slyly.

Early on Sunday morning, He Xiao changed into thick sportswear, put on a pair of sneakers, carried a light travel bag, and took the subway to the square in the city center.

Chu Tian was waiting at the entrance of the subway station, and his eyes widened when he saw her dressed up.He Xiao couldn't help but look down at himself, before he could ask the word "what's the matter", Chu Tian pulled him aside: "Why are you here dressed like this?"

Seeing He Xiao looking at her with a puzzled face, Chu Tian didn't have time to explain: "Forget it, sportswear is sportswear, the point is that you can do it when you arrive."

After speaking, he dragged her to a trot and got into the car.

The car was full of people, and at a glance, they were all women in their 20s.He Xiao felt that something was wrong, and as soon as he sat down firmly, he asked Chu Tian, ​​"Why are there so many people going? I thought it was just you and me."

Chu Tian answered somewhat vaguely: "Subscribe to the group, save money."

I'd rather stay at home if I'm afraid of spending money.He Xiao thought it was funny, and turned her head to see a middle-aged woman standing at the door with a small horn, as if she was about to get in the car, and she was wearing a name tag on her chest.He Xiao looked at it by herself, and when she saw the words clearly, she suddenly had a bad feeling on her face.

"Chu Tian." After poking the people around him, He Xiao pretended to be calm and said, "When did you say that the aunts of our city's Women's Federation changed their careers to be tour guides?"

ah?Chu Tian was taken aback, looked at the three big characters "City Women's Federation" on the name tag on his aunt's chest, and couldn't help but lowered his head and slapped himself lightly.

"I'm getting out of the car!"

"No! You promised to accompany me!" Chu Tian stretched out his arms to stop her.

"Then you can't lie to me!"

A car of young women in their twenties led by the Municipal Women's Federation, if she hadn't gone on a blind date, she would have written the word "He" backwards!Do you really think she is a fool?He Xiao strongly demanded to get off the car, so Chu Tian could only put his hands together and begged her: "Just this time, just this time!"

"No."

He Xiao said that he was about to go out, but Chu Tian stopped her to let her move.The two were in a stalemate. The middle-aged woman got into the car and walked over with a smile: "What's the problem?"

"No problem! Aunt Zhang, it's okay!"

Chu Tian squeezed He Xiao in with all his strength, and said to Aunt Zhang with a poignant smile, but someone refused to cooperate: "I want to get out of the car!"

Aunt Zhang was still smiling when she heard this, and she only asked He Xiao: "Girl, do you have a boyfriend?"

"I don't, but I don't—"

Before He Xiao finished speaking, Aunt Zhang grabbed her shoulders and pushed her down on the seat.Without giving any chance to resist, the cheerful Aunt Zhang said to the driver: "Drive!"

He Xiao looked at Chu Tian who was smiling very complacently, wanting to cry but without tears.Who is she meeting, a group of bandits!
The car drove for nearly two hours before arriving at the destination.

He Xiao was not in high spirits along the way, especially after hearing that the place he was going to was still a farm, he didn't even bother to talk to Chu Tian, ​​and just fell asleep on his own, and finally woke up when the bus arrived at the station.Rubbing her eyes, He Xiao waited for everyone in the car to leave before slowly getting out of the car.

Today's weather is exceptionally good, sunny and cloudless.He Xiao stood at a certain distance from the crowd, covered his forehead with his hands, raised his head slightly, took a few breaths of fresh air in the suburbs, and finally felt better.

"He Xiao, come here quickly."

Chu Tian stood in the distance and waved to her, He Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly, and walked over unhurriedly.Chu Tian grabbed her arm: "How is this place?"

The form of the military-local friendship is different from the past.In the past, it was mostly in the hotel banquet hall or the army auditorium, but this time the leader of the army who came here ingeniously arranged the event location in the farm under the division, which has a taste of farmhouse fun.

He Xiao stood where he was, looked around, and took a closer look.Facing the gate of the farm are two two-storey barracks, one is used for daily living and office, and the other is the canteen and activity room for the soldiers.A pergola was erected on the side from the gate to the barracks, and some seasonal fruits and vegetables were planted.The main planting sheds and breeding areas of the farm are behind the barracks, and it is very spectacular to look around.

Seeing all this, He Xiao suddenly thought of another farm.That was when she was four or five years old. At that time, Lao He had not yet changed his job, so he was working on the farm under the Missile Brigade.Naturally, the conditions are not as good as they are now, surrounded by earthen walls, and there are only four small bungalows left in the whole farm except for the vegetable field and the pigsty.At that time, Lao He was not qualified to serve in the army, so her mother, Tian Ying, often took her to live on the farm for a short time. Now, every time he mentioned the life at that time, he said that the conditions were difficult.It’s just that He Xiao didn’t think it was probably because she was young at the time. Looking back now, she only remembered the large bamboo forest, and the wind from the river beach passed through it at night. I caught cicadas in the bamboo forest.

"Smile?" Chu Tian touched her again.

He Xiao came back to her senses and smiled at her: "This place is beautiful."

When the car drove in, the person in charge of the farm was already waiting at the gate.He Xiao took a special look at the man's epaulets. The rank of lieutenant colonel was many times higher than Lao He's status as a non-commissioned officer at that time.

Field Chief Hu came up and held Aunt Zhang's hand: "I'm really sorry. I just received a call saying that they had already set off from the division, but the road was blocked for half an hour, so it might be a little later."

"It's okay." Aunt Zhang smiled warmly, "Don't worry them, we girls are waiting here."

Director Hu looked apologetically at the girls present, all of them were well-dressed, and no matter how crazy they are, they restrained themselves when they came to this sacred and inviolable place, so they were embarrassed to look away.In contrast, He Xiao is the least "reserved".It's okay to dress up in sportswear, and stare straight at the sentinel standing guard.

Chu Tian couldn't stand it anymore, and pinched the itchy flesh on her waist: "Don't look, the younger brothers of the People's Liberation Army are embarrassed."

He Xiao let out a cry, and after realizing it, she looked at the young soldier whose face was half red when she looked at him, and explained to Chu Tian in a low voice: "I didn't look at it, I was just in a daze..."

Chu Tian still wanted to laugh at her, but Director Hu had already led the mighty "women's army" team to the meeting place of the friendship.He Xiao quickly took her arm and followed her.

The fellowship's first arena is in the farm's activity room.

The soldiers of the farm had already arranged the venue in advance. Several long rows of tables and chairs were divided into two sides, filled with melon seeds and candies. There was a wide passage in the middle, and the end of the passage was the rostrum.The girls spontaneously chose to sit on the same side. As soon as they were seated, a horn sounded from outside the window.

He Xiao got up, stood at a certain distance from the window and looked out, and saw a group of pine branches and greens getting off an army-green Yellow Sea cart one after another, standing neatly in two rows. In front of the small two-story building where the office is located.

He is usually a rough man, he knows the purpose of coming here today, and he also knows that the girls are upstairs, but no one dares to look up, they line up in a serious manner, and only dare to look straight ahead.It was Chu Tian who rushed to the window and waved to them enthusiastically.

He Xiaoxin said it was too embarrassing, and she moved to the side unconsciously, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible.Unexpectedly, Chu Tian turned her head and called her loudly: "He Xiao, come here. Look at that man, he is smiling at me."

Changchang Hu's mellow and kind laughter sounded in his ears, and he couldn't help but sigh in his heart, He Xiao bit the bullet and stepped forward a few steps.He patted Chu Tian on the shoulder, signaling her to restrain herself, and raised her eyes slightly, intending to casually glance at the officers downstairs, but when she passed someone, she abruptly stopped.

Cheng Mian? !
He Xiao opened his eyes wide, and looked at Cheng Mian, who was dressed in a military uniform and stood out among the crowd, with disbelief.And of course he also saw He Xiao, the hand that lowered the brim of the hat froze there, his dark and bright eyes stared straight at her, there was surprise, but more joy.

After her brain reacted for a while, He Xiao remembered to ask the teacher Ren Xing who abducted her here: "Tian Tian, ​​what's going on?!"

Chu Tian was also dumbfounded when he saw Cheng Mian: "No, I didn't know that this division T was talking about Officer Cheng's troops—" Seeing He Xiao's angry expression, Chu Tian almost cried, "Smile, You don't even know this, how could I lie to you!"

He Xiao was a little helpless.That's right, how could Chu Tian know something that she didn't even know.

He glanced at Cheng Mian downstairs with slight annoyance, and saw that he couldn't help smiling, with an expression of indescribable comfort and joy, as if to say: Look, God is helping me.

After the officers came up, the activity officially began.

He Xiao sat in the last row and kept her head down throughout the whole process, pretending to be playing with her mobile phone without looking up.Because someone Cheng was sitting opposite her, only four or five meters away.In contrast, Cheng Mian seemed calm and relaxed, but the smile in the corner of his eyes had never been taken away, and in the eyes of his old partner Xu Yi, he found it very strange.

"Cheng Mian, what did Lao Zhou tell you before you came here?"

"What?" Cheng Mian's eyes didn't turn sideways.

"Old Zhou said don't stare at people like you haven't seen a woman in 800 years, be reserved and restrained."

"You tell Lao Zhou to restrain himself from his sister-in-law."

Xu Yi smiled.Entering the monk's temple in the military camp, anyone who is a mother is a rarity.I still remember when I was in the military academy, every summer night when I swatted mosquitoes before going to bed, a brother in his dormitory would say, "Don't worry, let me see if it's male or female!"

After laughing, Xu Yi realized the meaning of Cheng Mian's words: "Who are you looking at?"

Cheng Mian smiled lightly.

Director Hu personally presided over the event. This person was eloquent, and the atmosphere in the auditorium gradually became active.The opening is to introduce themselves, it seems to take care of the thin-skinned women, the young women basically say a word to each other.Male officers are different, they have to go to the rostrum one by one.He Xiao sat in the farthest corner, watched Cheng Mian stride up, and introduced herself unhurriedly: name Cheng Mian, aged 27, graduated from the Army Command Academy, unmarried.Such succinct words attracted the attention of many women present.

He Xiao didn't look at him, but set his eyes on his seniority badge and epaulettes.

Although Lao He has changed jobs for more than seven years, he has not caught up with the big change.But after all, I grew up in the military compound, and I usually pay more or less attention to it, so I can see it more clearly than others.She knew he had a lot to say.

For example, he is now in continuous service, for example, he has been in the army for eight years.For example, when she left, he was still a military cadet wearing a red card epaulet, and when we met again, he was already a captain with a three-star bar on his shoulder.

Even if she doesn't deliberately use the word "how many years later", there is always something that will remind her that a long, long time has passed.

A sense of strangeness and alienation arises spontaneously, and He Xiao inexplicably feels a little sad.

After introducing themselves, the attentive farm warriors turned the tables every other row to make it easier for these people to communicate one-on-one, face-to-face.Seeing this, He Xiao wanted to go out a little bit, but before Chu Tian could persuade her to stay, she was already blocked by Cheng Mian.

"what are you doing?"

Being surrounded by Chu Tian and another young man in military uniform, He Xiao felt extremely ashamed.

Cheng Mian took off his hat: "I want to sit with you for a while."

"But I want to go out and get some air."

"Then I'll go with you." Cheng Mian said cheekily, "It's just me and you."

He Xiao had no choice but to raise his head and stare at him, then turned around and returned to his original position.Cheng Mian raised his eyebrows and hurriedly followed.

Hearing Cheng's intentional emphasis on the two, Chu Tian rolled his eyes, glanced at the man standing with him, and asked bluntly, "Are you with any company?"

Xu Yi shook his head politely: "Not yet."

"Then let's sit down for a while and talk to each other?"

Xu Yixin asked if this girl was so active now, but looking at the girl's shining eyes, she felt that it would be unreasonable for her not to agree, so she had to pick a table nearby and sat down face to face with Chu Tian.

It was only after meeting each other that Chu Tian could truly see Xu Yi's face clearly.Isn't this the one who just looked up and smiled at her?His skin is a healthy wheat color, his eyes are dark and energetic, and he has a faint smile.The bridge of the nose is high and straight, with a beautiful jaw line, but the lips are a bit thin.Seeing such a handsome face, Chu Tian was stunned.

As a man, Xu Yi didn't mind being stared at.But the girl had been staring at him for almost 5 minutes, and Xu Yi couldn't help thinking, is this girl so unreserved now?Helpless, he pretended to clear his throat, and said to Chu Tian, ​​"My name is Xu Yi, and I am currently the instructor of the reconnaissance company."

"So you and Officer Cheng are partners?" Chu Tian's eyes lit up, "Then do you know what's going on with them?" He said, pointing to the two people who were three tables away from them.

Isn't this what I want to ask you?Xu Yi shook his head.

Chu Tian curled his lips, glanced at Xu Yi, and regained his energy: "Then let's not talk about the two of them, let's talk about you."

"What can I say?"

"Yes, how old are you this year, where is your hometown, do you have a girlfriend?"

Secretary Xu barely managed to spit out the mouthful of tea he just drank into his mouth. It took a lot of effort to swallow the tea, coughed twice, and said: "I am the same age as Cheng Mian, and I am from City B. For the time being--no girlfriend."

Compared to the two chatting enthusiastically here, the atmosphere between Cheng Mian and He Xiao is a bit awkward.After being relatively silent for a long time, Cheng Mian lifted the teapot and filled the cup in front of He Xiao with water: "Drink some water."

He Xiao wanted to say that she wasn't thirsty, but it was more embarrassing not to hold something in her hand. She took it, warmed her hands, and took a sip.

Looking at her, Cheng Mian felt a little uncomfortable.In the eyes of those who don't know, they may be like two people who just met, stiff with each other, want to speak, but don't know what to say.While hesitating, he heard He Xiao ask her, "Is it better?"

Cheng Mian was taken aback, and when he realized what she was asking, he felt a little embarrassed with his accustomed thick skin: "It's much better, it's been over a long time ago."

He Xiao hummed and smiled politely at him.

Although she understood that she didn't want the relationship between the two to look too weird, but this was the first time He Xiao smiled at him since they met.Cheng Mian couldn't help being stunned for a moment, and then stroked his head.

"You are the only one in city B?" Like everyone else present, he tried to ask the question he had wanted to ask in this way.

"I'm with my parents." He Xiao said, "Old He is doing business in City B. He bought a house two years ago. After graduating from university, I moved here with my mother."

Should come to mind.He remembered that she once said that the greatest wish is that the whole family can be together.

"Before that, you lived in your hometown?"

He Xiao nodded: "Yes, I have always lived in my hometown."

"Then you, have you received my letter?"

Cheng Mian asked slowly, as if with a little expectation, but the response he got was He Xiao's blank face: "A letter? What letter?"

It's not pretending, she really hasn't received a letter from him.Cheng Mian could see this.He paused, but quickly recovered. "It's nothing, I sent it a long time ago." With a faint smile, he changed the topic, "Are uncle and aunt healthy?"

"Fortunately."

Answering his question casually, He Xiao's mind was still in a mess. After Lao He changed jobs, she returned to her hometown with her parents, and she also chose a nearby school when she was studying, so that she could stay at home conveniently.In those years, she did not receive a single letter signed by Cheng Mian.Did he write anything in the letter?

Thinking of this, He Xiao unconsciously blurted out: "I really don't know about the letter."

Cheng Mian was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said: "It's okay. I just want to ask you—" He filled another glass of water, put it in front of He Xiao, and replaced the cold glass in her hand, and said slowly "We are still friends, right?"

Or—a friend?
He Xiao was stunned, and it took him a long time to raise his head to look at him, with a faint smile on his pale face: "Of course."

The morning activities lasted until eleven o'clock. After the end, there were no major arrangements. The rest of the time was "freedom" in name, but in fact it was to create more space for people who liked each other to get along.

The location of the farm is somewhat northerly, bordering Inner Mongolia.It is really not easy to develop such a large farm in the context of increasingly desertified land resources.Anyway, there was still some time before dinner, so He Xiao wandered around the farm slowly. This place is not as well-guarded as the camp, except for the shed, it is a pigsty. Although there is nothing serious about it, He Xiao's interest is not high.

Thinking of Cheng Mian's words, she smiled almost self-deprecatingly.

Almost self-indulgent again.Compared with seven years ago, he felt more guilty towards her.Others, no different.Friends, still friends.

Fortunately, the sanity is still there.

He Xiao took a breath, came back to his senses, looked at Chu Tian who accompanied her through one plastic shed after another but seemed a little listless, and couldn't help asking: "What's wrong?"

"Tell me, am I not pretty?" Chu Tian asked seriously.

Seeing her, He Xiao's expression instantly became a little weird. She stretched out her hand and touched her forehead: "It's not burning, why did you start talking nonsense?"

Chu Tian knocked off her hand angrily: "I'm serious. Do you know Xu Yi who is sitting across from me?"

"I really don't know this one, I promise." He Xiao said, "Why did he provoke you, and hit you so that you are not confident in the beauty you have always been proud of?"

Chu Tian said slightly annoyed: "Just now I asked him if you have a girlfriend, and he said no, then I said it's just right, let's try it. Guess what he said?"

"Refused you?"

"He said: I'm sorry, Comrade Chu Tian, ​​I have no plans to have a girlfriend right now."

"Since he didn't plan, why did he come here?"

"I asked him this question too. Guess how he answered?" Chu Tian snorted twice, imitating Xu Yi's tone, and said very seriously, "Because——this is a political mission. He Xiao, he actually said This is a political task, do you think it's too much?"

He Xiao was stunned for a moment, and couldn't help laughing, so angry that Chu Tian stretched out his hand and hit her twice: "Are you still laughing? Is it easy to meet someone who is pleasing to my eyes? I still use such absurd reasons to reject me! I Are you going to cry?"

He Xiao tried hard to hold back her laughter, and pinched Chu Tian's delicate face: "Okay, don't be angry. Think of it as a day trip to the suburbs, isn't the scenery here nice?"

"Not bad what..."

Chu Tian was awkward, his mouth was stiff, and He Xiao reluctantly led him to walk forward slowly.And the man who made her so angry sat idly under the leafless tree at the entrance of the cafeteria in a daze until someone patted him on the shoulder.

"What are you thinking about?" Cheng Mian sat down next to Xu Yi.

Xu Yi frowned: "Why did you come down? Are you not staying in the activity room?"

"They're all in pairs. I'm all alone, so what's the point of joining in the fun?"

"You've become a polished commander so soon. Tell me, what's going on?"

Cheng Mian was reluctant to speak. He took off his hat, turned the badge unconsciously, and looked elsewhere.The noon sun shone on people, and they felt inexplicably hot.

"I seem to have screwed up."

"how to say?"

Cheng Mian didn't speak for a long time, and when he spoke again, he changed the subject: "You said, isn't it difficult to find a soil suitable for the growth of love in the army?"

Xu Yi smiled: "If it's so easy, why should we come here?"

"Here?" Cheng Mian stood up and looked around, "Except cabbage or carrot, which one can you marry home?"

Xu Yi sneered slightly: "Okay, don't complain, and be careful when Lao Hu hears you."

Cheng Mian raised his head, looked at the bright sunlight, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

Winter is here, and the farm not only harvested a lot of Chinese cabbage, but also planted a lot of off-season vegetables.He Xiao walked all the way, opened the curtain of the shed, and found that there were soldiers watering in several sheds.One of them saw them and picked two tomatoes, washed them and gave them to eat.

In the cold weather, He Xiao didn't dare to eat cold, so he declined the soldiers' kindness.Chu Tian was very impolite, she thanked her and took a bite, the sour taste made her grin her teeth, and the little soldier beside her couldn't help but blush at the funny expression.So, He Xiao hurriedly pulled her away.

The two walked to the wall at the end of the farm.To He Xiao's surprise, the wall here was shorter than the surrounding walls, and there was a ladder leaning against it.From this she guessed with almost certainty that there must be someone living on the other side of the wall.Just like the farm she lived in when she was a child, climbing up the ladder and climbing over the wall, she can find her little friends.

He Xiao suddenly felt eager to try: "Tiantian, how about we turn over?"

Chu Tian looked at her with his mouth wide open: "You are crazy, what if there is no ladder over there?"

"No." He Xiao rubbed his hands, climbed up with the ladder, looked around, and turned around with a smile on his face, "This is the haystack, you can go down along it, come up quickly."

Chu Tian still hesitated, but He Xiao couldn't hold back and kept urging her, her heart froze, and when she was about to climb up, she looked up and saw something, her face turned pale.

"Smile, behind you—"

"Behind me? What happened behind me?"

He Xiao followed Chu Tian's gaze and turned his head. A big black dog was waiting for her with its head stretched out, blowing hot air from its nostrils from time to time.

He Xiao's mind froze for a moment, and she looked at the big dog for five seconds. With a scream, she jumped and slipped down the ladder.Holding Chu Tian's hand and running outside, the two shouted almost in unison: "There is a dog!"

Anyone who knows Chu Tian and He Xiao knows that they are afraid of dogs to a certain extent.This common ground can be said to be the cornerstone of the solid friendship between the two.When they arrived at the fork in the road, the two men ran out in two ways in a panic. After running for a while, Chu Tian found that the dog was biting He Xiao and chased him. After taking a breath, he shouted at He Xiao: "Smile, There's no one there—"

He Xiao wanted to cry right now, but she still didn't dare to stop, because there were vicious dogs chasing her all the time!

Chu Tian didn't know what to do, and hurriedly dragged a soldier out of the shed, and when he was about to follow, a figure ran past them one step at a speed as fast as a bolt of lightning.

Chu Tian ran a few steps before recognizing that it was Cheng Mian.She froze for a moment, turned her eyes away, and she saw Xu Yi standing aside.Seeing her looking over, he smiled and said, "Don't worry, Company Commander Cheng of our reconnaissance company is a good dog catcher."

Chu Tian gave him a hard look.

Cheng Mian quickly ran towards He Xiao's direction. Seeing her rushing into a narrow road in a panic, he quickly shouted: "He Xiao, don't run away, the more you run, the more the dog will chase you!"

He Xiao couldn't hear it, and ran faster.As a last resort, Cheng Mian gritted his teeth and quickened his pace. He unbuttoned his coat while running, caught the dog's head at the right time, pinched its neck accurately while it was still struggling, and kicked it vigorously with his toes. belly.The big dog howled, just as the soldier arrived in time with the collar, Cheng Mian immediately tied it up and subdued the dog on the spot.

However, when he looked up again, He Xiao was nowhere to be seen.Without thinking too much, he handed the dog over to the little soldier, and he continued to run forward.

There is a small bungalow not far away.

This small one-story house was used for those who stood guard at night, because it was a little far away from the barracks, and when the fence around the farm had not been built, there had been incidents of theft, and many people had been punished for it.

He Xiao bumped in by mistake, and he didn't care if there were no one else, so he grabbed something from the table and swished to the upper bunk.Before she could sit still, the door was pushed open from the outside. She immediately clenched the object in her hand, and was about to throw it out when she heard the man shout, "Don't throw it, it's me!"

He Xiao looked at the door nervously, knowing that it was a person who came in, the fear in his heart was restrained a little.Seeing clearly that it was Cheng Mian, she didn't care about embarrassing herself in front of him, and asked hoarsely, "Where's the dog?"

"Dogs won't come in."

He Xiao only asked, "Where is the dog?"

"We've subdued it, it's fine." He coaxed her softly, "You come down first, smile."

He Xiao looked around, then turned his head to meet Cheng Mian's eyes, and after a long while, he said in a slightly crying voice, "I can't go down."

It happened almost instantly, and she climbed up before her brain responded.

Cheng Mian looked at her who was sitting on the upper bunk, feeling a little pitiful, and for some reason suddenly burst out laughing.He put down his military jacket and looked at her with outstretched arms.He Xiao only hesitated for a moment, then supported his arm, and jumped down along the edge of the bed.

The tiptoes landed steadily, He Xiao wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and only then felt embarrassed after she calmed down.She looked at the thing that she grabbed into her hand when she panicked. It was a tank model glued with bullet casings, and she didn't know what to say for a while.

Cheng Mian lowered his head, took the model from her hand, and put it on the table.

"It's a good thing you didn't throw it away, otherwise it wouldn't be easy to stick it again if it was smashed."

"I didn't mean to hit you, that dog was chasing me, I—" He Xiao didn't know what to say, so she lowered her head and whispered, "I'm sorry."

However, Cheng Mian still smiled. For a moment, he seemed to see her at the age of sixteen or seventeen, with a different kind of throbbing and warmth.

"It's okay." He said, with a clear voice and gentle eyes, "I know you didn't mean it."

(End of this chapter)