Chapter 1: Are you sick?

  "Nonsense!" The man on the phone suddenly bellowed, like a raging lion. "Absolute nonsense! When have the Qian family ever been led by the nose? Whatever he says, you listen to it? Huaming, you're really disappointing me."

  Hua Ming didn't get angry either. He had already mentally prepared himself when he said those words.

  What kind of people are the Qian family? He knows better than anyone. They consider that face with a covered head more important than anything else. The dignity of the Qian family cannot be tarnished.

  "Uncle, do you know what brothers are?" Hua Ming asked.

  "I know," the man said coldly. "On the battlefield, those who can back each other up are brothers. For example, I and your Uncle Wei - we are brothers. But as for that Tang Chong you mentioned, will he give you a back to rely on? And is his back worth relying on? What if you do rely on it and still end up falling down?"

  "There's another kind of feeling called brotherhood." Hua Ming's emotions were stable, and he spoke slowly, as if trying to persuade his uncle. "There's a person, he has 100 yuan, but he's willing to give it all to you. That's also brotherhood. If I'm not mistaken, you must have investigated the background of my dormitory roommates thoroughly? Tang Chong doesn't have a strong backing, he's from a small place, but he's willing to risk being expelled by the principal to run and plead for me - Uncle, that's his only way up. He's willing to sacrifice himself."

  "What about me? When he needed help, I just asked my uncle to make a phone call - just one phone call. Maybe it's also because I owed someone a favor. What's the big deal? I have 10,000 yuan, and I only need to take out 1 yuan to repay someone's kindness - can't I even do that? Is this what you want me to do so you won't be disappointed?"

  "Hua Ming, your logic is wrong. Because these two things are not equivalent at all, and your identities are also impossible to be equal... do you know that your one yuan might be more important than someone else's one hundred yuan?"

  "I know," said Hua Ming. "What's that saying? 'A drop of kindness shall be repaid with a fountain.' Everyone else thinks I'm an idiot, but he doesn't. He could have just stood by and watched, but he put his own future on the line for me. He was the first person to ever treat me kindly - I'm willing to do these things for him."

  There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

  After a long while, the man said: "Hua Ming, I can make a phone call to your Uncle Wei. Let him keep that instructor of yours behind. You should also know that this phone call may change the course of that instructor's life... But, your way of thinking is wrong. You can have a different surname than Qian, follow your mother's surname Hua, you can choose not to attend Renmin University and instead study psychology... However, I won't allow you to indulge in idol worship like an immature child. In this world, there's no such thing as pure friendship; the relationship between people is all about balancing interests. Perhaps, that classmate of yours has already figured out your extraordinary background..."

  "Haha, uncle, don't you think the surname 'Hua' is much more elegant than 'Qian'? Your surname is too common. It even affects your chances of success when chasing girls." Hua Ming interrupted the man's lecture, saying with a smile.

  He has his own judgment. He knows who is good to him and who is bad to him. He doesn't like his uncle slandering Tong Chong and Tong Chong's feelings for him.

  "Outrageous." The man was infuriated by Hua Ming once again. "Hua Ming, you're becoming more and more outrageous. Your father is already extremely disappointed in you; do you also want me to lose hope in you?"

  "Don't be like that." Hua Ming said, looking anxious. "My dad is disappointed in me because he has another son. Uncle, you can't put all your hopes on Miao Miao alone, can you? Besides, if you don't cover for me, do I have to go beg those aunties and uncles? I really don't want to see their cold faces."

  The man sighed and said, "Come back. Go to the People's Congress. Or go to the army for a few years of training. I guarantee you'll have a good future. Not saying it will be better than your brother's development, but it won't be much worse either."

  "No way, I'm not cut out for politics. When I see someone with a fake smile spouting insincere nonsense, I feel like punching them. I couldn't take the hardship when I was in the army, and just one semester of military training almost killed me - if I went to the barracks, I'd be done for." Hua Ming shook his head. "I'll have a great future at Nan Da too... who knows, maybe someday I'll be a world-renowned psychology master. In the future, when you need some kind of psychological diagnosis or something, I can give you a discount..."

  The phone hung up.

  Hua Ming held the phone with a bitter smile.

  "Uncle, I don't have the surname Qian, it's just that I didn't want to tarnish the reputation of the Qian family."

  "They all say I'm a fool, I know I'm not. I am ---- crazy."

  He put the phone in his pocket and then put both hands in his pants pockets, whistling as he chased after Tang Chong's distant direction.

  Li Tieshu is packing his luggage.

  It was a small package when it came, and it's still a small package when it left. Convenient and fast.

  But his movements were slow and his mood was unusually heavy.

  "Big Tree, didn't you go talk to the battalion commander? This matter isn't your fault, is it? You were even hospitalized with illness, how could you think about those students?" Li Tieshu's comrade Zhang Dayue said with a face full of regret.

  "Yes. Iron Tree, go talk to the battalion commander and we'll accompany you. Don't be impulsive. You have to swallow your pride. If you just leave like this, what will happen in the future? This time when you return, promoting you again is out of the question. Time has been wasted, after transferring to a civilian job, you're still just a soldier, what can you do? Can only go be a security guard at a factory." Chen Tao is Li Tieshu's fellow countryman and knows that Li Tieshu's family situation is not good. Being a soldier and getting promoted is his only way out. Now because of the influence of this matter, it's possible that after transferring to a civilian job, he can only be an ordinary officer."

  Zhang Jinchong snatched the package from Li Tieshu's hand and said, "Gather your things. Let's go with you to see the battalion commander. Everyone will speak on your behalf and ask him to let you stay."

  Li Tieshu hesitated for a moment and said, "Okay, let's try again."

  This time the highest troop leader who came to Nanjing University for new student military training is Colonel Tang Zhenghu, he did not live with the instructors but lived in a specially arranged guest house by the school.

  When Li Tieshu, Zhang Jinchong and others came over, Tang Zhenghu, the camp leader, was sitting in the room drinking tea and watching TV.

  Seeing Li Tieshu come in, his expression turned gloomy and he said: "Li Tieshu, why haven't you gone back yet?"

  "Captain, I want to ask you for another chance." Li Tieshu said in a low voice. For these hot-blooded men, asking someone was not a pleasant thing. "I promise you, I won't make any more mistakes."

  "Li Tieshu, as a soldier, your duty is to obey orders. Are you trying to disobey orders?" Tang Zhenghu slammed down the ceramic vase in his hand and said discontentedly, "Do you know how bad the impact of this incident is? Our 135th division has sent out so many small teams, but only Nanda had such an incident. This has already spread and become a laughing stock for other schools. Do you still want to keep your honor as a soldier? Do we still want to keep our team's honor?"

  "Moreover, this matter also made the leaders of Nanda very dissatisfied. If we don't give them an explanation, it will prove that our governance is not strict and our military discipline is not strict. Li Tieshu, do you think I want to send you back? Changing generals midway, I also feel embarrassed ----- but if we do nothing, how can the people of Nanda look at us?"

  Zhang Jincheng was about to help Li Tieshu say a few words, but was stopped by Li Tieshu.

  He bowed and said: "Sorry, sir. I am willing to obey orders."

  "Uh-huh. Go back." Tang Zhenghu said with a wave of his hand.

  "Yes." Li Tieshu straightened his back and responded with a single word, then pulled along the few comrades who were going to plead for him to walk out.

  Tang Zhenghu hummed coldly and picked up the porcelain vase again to watch TV.

  At this moment, the mobile phone on the table suddenly rang loudly.

  He glanced at the caller ID display and saw an unfamiliar number.

  "Hello, who is it?" Tang Zhenghu asked aloud. After hearing the man opposite him introduce himself, he suddenly jumped up from his chair, stood upright with his waist and back straight, and shouted loudly: "Chief, good!"

  Treat others with respect and courtesy, as if they were standing right in front of you.

  "Yes. Yes - guarantee completion of task." Tang Zhenghu answered loudly.

  That person only said three sentences, but he was already sweating profusely.

  Hanging up the phone, Tang Zhenghu had yet to wake up from the shock and that eerie atmosphere.

  The second-in-command of the troops, he actually called himself just to keep a little soldier who was about to be sent back?

  "Li Tieshu? This son of a bitch actually has a background that reaches the sky?" Tang Zhenghu felt his heart beating very fast. "Why haven't I ever heard anyone mention this before?"

  Thinking of his cold face and refusal just now, the sweat on his forehead flowed even faster.

  He remembered that his teammate was going to plead for him, but was stopped by Li Tieshu-----This made Tang Zhenghu suspect that he was angry with him because of his own inflexibility, since he couldn't get through from his side, he simply called the second leader.

  "But since he has such a relationship, why is he still just an ordinary officer after so many years?"

  Tang Zhenghu knew that those with a background, their promotions were as easy as drinking plain water, and a new soldier like him wouldn't be able to catch up in just a few years. Li Tieshu was usually very low-key, although he hadn't checked his file, but had also heard that he was the son of a peasant family from Xiangdong.

  No matter what kind of information he had received before, but he just received a call from that person.

  He even thought about whether he should make another call back to confirm - ask if he was that person? Don't let himself be deceived by others.

  "Only an idiot would do something like this." He cursed.

  He had heard the man's voice from afar, and it was exactly the same as the one on the phone just now. He knew this couldn't be wrong.

  He thought for a moment, then grabbed his phone and ran out quickly.

  Rushed to the temporary dormitory where Li Tieshu and others lived, just saw Li Tieshu walking out with a bag on his back.

  Tang Zhenghu walked over, smiling and said: "Tieshu, you've been through military training for half a month, it's hard on you. Let's go. I'll treat you to a meal, as a reward."

  "Thank you, boss." Li Tieshu said first. Then he said: "No need. I've already eaten."

  "Then go with me to have a couple of drinks." Tang Zhenghu said warmly, grasping Li Tieshu's hand. "Put down your bundle, you might need to come back later."

  "Are you coming back?"

  Li Tieshu was overjoyed. Had the leader changed his mind?

  He didn't know what had happened on him or what would happen to him.

  Good-hearted people will be helped by heaven!

  (PS: Old willow is also a kind-hearted person, you guys should help me support and care for me.)