Chapter 214: Chapter 211: New Year, Words from the Heart

When the soldiers were informed that because of the upcoming New Year, training would be temporarily halted, a group of rough men immediately cheered. Even when told that they needed to prepare for the New Year by cleaning and organizing, nobody was discouraged. Each one excitedly picked up shovels and brooms, heading to the training ground area.

Several vice-company commanders and platoon leaders looked at this group as if they were watching a group of fools, eyes filled with helplessness mixed with concern.

Despite having different feelings, the group’s efficiency was very high. In less than a day, they had flattened the surrounding area of the training ground. The uneven dirt was leveled and compacted with stone blocks brought from who knows where. Ling Chengyan was quite satisfied too, thinking that in the countryside, this could be directly used as a threshing ground.

On the 26th, a request for additional allowances was made. On the 27th, they moved houses. On the 28th, they cleaned up, and on the 29th, pork and lamb for the New Year were bought back.

With many people, they bought whole pigs and sheep. The cooking team was responsible for butchering, while people from each squad and platoon grouped together to help in the kitchen, chopping meat stuffing, cleaning the innards, and even some were assigned to pull hair off pig feet and heads…

However, no one minded these tasks. It’s the New Year, busy with cleaning and preparing food, everyone was full of energy, not feeling dirty or tired at all.

The company was bustling with New Year preparations. Ling Chengyan also received a call from Wang Liansheng on the 28th. After two days of effort, Wang Liansheng had first persuaded her two brothers-in-law and then they together persuaded Ling’s father.

Wang Liansheng called Ling Chengyan, saying: “…I’ve already bought train tickets for the second day of the New Year. They will take the train back to Eastern Province on that day, for now, only the two brothers-in-law will accompany Ling’s father for a check-up.”

Upon receiving the news, Ling Chengyan started preparing.

Upon return, they would definitely go to a provincial hospital to examine Ling’s father. If the provincial hospital couldn’t treat him, they might have to go to Beijing… So, she hadn’t made any long-term preparations yet, but after discussing with Wang Liansheng, she contacted an old professor at the provincial hospital and agreed on a time to visit.

Ling Chengyan hadn’t returned to Nanli Team for New Year since moving out. This year, as the newly appointed commander of the Special Service Company, she needed to accompany the soldiers during the New Year.

Therefore, she didn’t prepare to cook or make dumplings. Instead, she asked someone to buy several big bags of candies, seeds, peanuts, and also moved her own TV to the company canteen.

Early on New Year’s Eve, Ling Chengyan took her three children to the company canteen.

On that day, it wasn’t just her family who came to help in the canteen. The vice-commander Tang Guohui and third platoon leader Zheng Qianjin’s families also came to visit. Tang Guohui had been married for two years but had no children yet, while Zheng Qianjin already had two daughters; the older one was six, the younger one four.

Upon arrival, Ling Chengyan saw that not only had these two brought local specialties from their hometowns, but many others had also received parcels from home full of various New Year goods and specialties, filling every dining table with a wide variety of snacks and treats.

Everyone’s face glowed with bright smiles. Xiao Xing and Shi Tou were inundated with snacks from the moment they entered, their hands and pockets stuffed full, ultimately using their clothes to hold it all.

Ling Chengyan carried the must-have New Year cakes and millet cakes from Huicheng, while Xiao Yu carried a big bag of candies and seeds. At the sight of their large bags, several soldiers rushed over to take them, jovially distributing them among the tables.

Then came a chorus of thank-yous and laughter directed at the company commander.

Ling Chengyan waved to the crowd, sending Xiao Yu to the relatives’ seats while she walked to a nearby table, scanning each person with her gaze, smiling and saying, “Eat freely for the New Year! Today I promise, eat to your heart’s content, there’s plenty!”

The people at the table laughed, but all eyes inevitably turned to the two minority soldiers.

Previously, at the division courtyard, there had been a special halal service window at the big canteen. Even though only the two of them had moved here, the leadership hadn’t ignored their needs. Every meal had dishes catering to them, and the cooking team had a separate little kitchen with its own set of utensils prepared.

This thoughtful arrangement moved the two deeply, and hearing the commander’s words today brought tears to their eyes.

Ling Chengyan didn’t say much more, waving as she walked over to the relatives’ seats and called out to the cooking team: “Bring out the dishes!”

A burst of applause mixed with cheers and laughter erupted. The cooking team served the dishes and each found a table to sit down.

Today, celebrating New Year, the cooking staff ate with everyone else, not waiting until all had finished before they started eating themselves.

There was no alcohol, but every table had tea. Everyone raised their cups, using tea instead of wine to exchange blessings. The meal was lively and joyous, a rare over-one-hour dinner in the typically vigorous Special Service Company.

After the dishes were cleaned up, naturally someone helped with the washing.

The tables were scrubbed clean, and bowls of seasoned fillings and dough were brought out, rolling pins rolled, dumpling skins were pressed out… Even though many dumpling skins turned out somewhat oddly shaped—square, heart-shaped, irregular—nobody minded.

With laughter and even occasional playful mischief, tray after tray of dumplings was wrapped, ready to be sent to the kitchen.

A few kids flitted around the tables, helping arrange dumplings here, passing dough balls there, like little bees buzzing busily.

Everyone worked together, making dumplings quickly, and by not even 4 pm, all the dumplings were wrapped.

Dinner time was still early, so Instructor Xu Dong stood up, said a few words, and initiated an impromptu party.

The children went on stage first, performing programs. The little Wang Wenzhang fearlessly stood up first, singing a nursery rhyme.

Little Xing, however, confidently went up and demonstrated a set of martial arts, not taught by Ling Chengyan but learned from the soldiers, executing military boxing with precision and vigor, earning as much applause as little Wang Wenzhang did.

Following this, Xiao Yu and the two children from Leader Zheng’s family also went up to perform, receiving a warm round of applause as well.

The impromptu host Xu Dong looked at Ling Chengyan. She pointed to the two military wives, so Xu Dong invited them to perform. Noticing their shy and reserved demeanor, he thoughtfully reminded: “The performance doesn’t have to be singing or dancing. The sisters can also take this opportunity to say whatever they wish to the brothers. Today, for the New Year, although the comrades’ families aren’t here, having you here feels just like having our families with us.”

The two military wives exchanged glances, then the plainly dressed wife of Leader Zheng stood up first.

She didn’t move to the front but stayed in her place, glancing at her husband beside her, then at his comrades’ sitting together. Taking a breath, she began slowly: “Since you’ve asked me to speak my mind, I’ll say a few words. You serve in the military to protect the country, and it’s an honor, making all of us spouses proud and giving us confidence when we stand before others. However, as a spouse, I have one more thing to say, which is no matter whether it’s training or anything else, we, the families, hope you all remain well.”

The lively atmosphere of the canteen quieted down, as everyone quietly listened to this rural woman’s simple and honest words, truly spoken from the heart. Her pride as a military spouse, as well as her hopes and wishes for the soldiers, was heartwarming.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep