After Being Reborn, I became a firefighter again?

Chapter 73: Chapter 32: Who Can Wear a Watch?

Ten minutes later, the training field.

"Ten!"

"Eleven!"

"Rest time, no more than five seconds!"

Hao Chengbin was urging them on when Fang Huai suddenly pulled up forcefully, nearly clearing the bar before gracefully dropping down.

"Eh? Why did you come off the bar?"

Panting, Fang Huai said, "I definitely won’t make the next one, squad leader, I won’t get over the bar."

"Then that’s eleven." Hao Chengbin stepped forward, patted his back, and encouraged, "I see great potential in you. Just don’t pull up too quickly, take a few seconds to rest after each pull. With good grasp and more practice, you’ve got a chance."

Fang Huai didn’t respond; he knew all too well how difficult this was.

If it were possible to train for this in the environment of the new recruit group, there wouldn’t be so many recruits in the lower ranks who couldn’t do even one pull-up.

Every day from dawn to dusk, the schedule was packed tight, and you couldn’t fall behind. Morning exercises, afternoon exercises, the evening news broadcast, political studies, and the company leader said they would have to start taking notes next week.

Now, even at noon, they have to fold their bedsheets and practice queuing movements. The hallways are crowded everyday with recruits turning this way and that, occasionally shouting their own cadence and taking a couple of goose steps.

The scene is like a mental hospital during recreation time.

Sleeping time is only from 10 PM to just after 4 AM, and any additional exercises can only be carved out of those six hours or so.

If Kobe were to visit and ask "Have you ever seen Los Angeles at four in the morning?" all the recruits from the new recruit group could confidently tell him, "I haven’t seen Los Angeles at four in the morning, but I see Guiyang every day, sometimes even at three if I don’t want to. If I don’t feel like it, the squad leader will make me meet my ’brothers-in-arms.’"

That Kobe can say such things just shows he lacks a squad leader of his own.

Fang Huai was fairly comfortable with the routine but still had to march back and forth with the line every day.

Thinking of this, Fang Huai gritted his teeth.

"Squad leader, if it doesn’t work out, how about we also do evening exercise for our squad?"

Han Yong wasn’t there; otherwise, he would have cried out loudly.

Just escaped from Squad Leader Pan’s clutches, only to fall into the den of Deputy Squad Leader Fang.

Hao Chengbin immediately shook his head, "No good, can’t do additional exercises just for you alone. It would take the whole squad with you. Training is good, but you can’t overdo it, you have to progress gradually... If you want to practice, I’ll take you to the field for individual training, half an hour each day. Either running or push-ups."

Fang Huai pointed upwards, somewhat speechlessly.

"Squad Leader, it’s cold outside!"

Hao Chengbin frowned, "Can’t endure this bit of hardship?"

Smiling wryly, Fang Huai said, "It’s not that, I wouldn’t get cold with the training, but squad leader, if you freeze, what then?"

Hao Chengbin’s eyes widened.

"Damn it? Lad, you underestimating me? Starting tonight, I’ll give you individual extra training!"

Fang Huai said resignedly, "...maybe start next week. I have to do overtime at the brigade department these days."

Had it been any other recruit talking back to the squad leader like this, flowers would be blooming next to his grave marker by now.

But Hao Chengbin somehow felt that Fang Huai was on his wavelength, and competent enough in all aspects. Having someone who could discuss things with him as an equal in the squad wasn’t a bad thing.

"Alright, then next week it is! You can’t miss a single day! Don’t you start whining when the time comes!"

Fang Huai stood at attention, satisfied.

"Yes, squad leader!"

He was very self-aware of his own tendency to slack, knowing that relying on himself for training would take an eternity, so it seemed more reliable to rile up the squad leader and get forced into it.

... ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

During the last set of afternoon exercises, the swap between Han Yong and Jiang Peng had already been arranged, and both seemed quite eager to get started. Wang Jian directly led the two to the playground.

As Han Yong ran over, even Fang Huai could sense how thick-skinned "this goods" was.

He had just been limping across the center of the playground, propping himself up with a walking stick, and now he was running and jumping as he approached. People on the playground were all watching him, but he seemed utterly unbothered by the pressure.

"Reporting!" Han Yong ran up to the formation and called out loudly.

Hao Chengbin gave him a look, sized up his height — he seemed round from a distance but not short up close. Without another word, he pointed to a spot next to Yue Tao. freewēbnoveℓ.com

"Fall in! Look right, then you go to the fifth position."

"Yes!" Han Yong obediently moved to the last position.

The original fifth position, Zhao Bing, seemed a bit rebellious, reluctantly asserting himself.

"Squad leader, I think I’m taller than him!"

Everyone struggled to suppress their laughter.

In the past few days, everyone had come to know Zhao Bing as a master of dry jokes. His Huaihua accent added a natural comic effect, and he seldom spoke up. Whenever he did, everyone had to laugh along.

Hao Chengbin ignored him and once again commanded the troops to "Look right" for alignment. Han Yong quickly moved up in front of Zhao Bing.

That’s how it is in the ranks: without command, no one is allowed to move. Newcomers can only join at the end, waiting for the commander’s "Look right" command before taking their proper position.

Even though Han Yong had missed a couple of days, he had clearly been watching others train. He joined the line without error, earning slightly more appreciation from the others.

"Listen up, I’ve got news." The moment Hao Chengbin spoke, it was like thunder.

"Starting next Monday, the whole squad will do half an hour of evening exercises after lights-out."

"Oh my God!" Lu Zexian blurted out in anguished English.

Han Yong’s face immediately turned as sour as a bitter melon, but he didn’t dare to speak.

Hao Chengbin observed Han Yong for a moment to make sure he had no intention of objecting before he continued with a smile.

"When I’m not around, you all practice on your own. Every day at 10 PM, I’ll take Fang Huai to the training field for additional training. If you want to join, you can sign up, but I have to clear it with the brigade department, so no cancellations once you’re on the list! You must go every day!"

As soon as these words were spoken, those who could breathe a sigh of relief did, while those with better physical fitness began to contemplate carefully.

"Squad leader, I’ll go!" Zhao Bing raised his hand and said.

"I’ll go too!"

To everyone’s surprise, even Yue Tao raised his hand.

Suddenly, Fang Huai spoke up.

"Chen Zhongqiang, you’re short but well-built, you should practice more on the horizontal and parallel bars."

Feeling betrayed, Chen Zhongqiang looked at Fang Huai in shock and suspicion.

Fang Huai just smiled and said no more.

But he stealthily extended two fingers and gave a little shake.

Chen Zhongqiang’s eyes lit up with understanding, and he almost wanted to give Fang Huai a bow of gratitude.

Ah yes! After exercising on the playground and being exhausted while it’s dark and with no one else around, it’s perfectly normal for the squad leader to offer a cigarette, right?

Benefactor!

"Squad Leader! I’m coming too! I’m coming too!" he shouted eagerly.

Fang Huai was purely bluffing this time.

He evaluated the situation and concluded that among the squad, Yue Tao and Chen Zhongqiang, the two comrades from Fujian, had the best physical conditions to train.

With Jiang Peng, the squad’s fitness third-place holder, gone and Han Yong, who wasn’t willing to train, having arrived, how could he let the squad’s performance drop?

Hao Chengbin saw the little trick and sneered.

Kid, just keep talking big, let’s see how you deliver on that.

...

After the meal, Han Yong returned to the squad and did something saucy.

When Fang Huai helped him organize his camouflage bag, he discovered that this guy really brought a lot of stuff, including some items that made one’s eyes pop.

He couldn’t help but pick up the bag, weigh it in his hand, and then set it down.

Remembering something, Han Yong rummaged through his own bag and took out a boxed package. When he opened it, a Rolex Submariner lay inside.

Fang Huai saw it clearly and then turned to glance at Hao Chengbin’s wrist.

Damn, it’s Li Kui meeting Li Ghost today.

Han Yong stood up with the watch and asked,

"Squad Leader, is it okay for us to wear watches in our squad?"

Hao Chengbin couldn’t help but laugh, "Does Squad Eight allow watches?"

"No."

Hao Chengbin raised his voice a bit and said, "Can there be two sets of rules in one company??"

With that, he pointed to the watch on his wrist.

"Remember, in our company squad leaders wear watches, company leaders wear watches, instructors wear watches!"

Everyone couldn’t hold back their laughter.

Yue Tao said jovially, "Squad Leader, does the brigade department leader wear a watch too?"

With a twist of his mouth, Hao Chengbin picked up a broad-brimmed hat from the bed and slammed it on Yue Tao’s head with a bang.

"Brigade Department Leader!"

"Wear a watch or not!"

"I,"

"Can’t control that!"

Yue Tao, a true man, always dared to charge forward after being beaten time and time again.

Han Yong also looked pleased; this squad was obviously much more relaxed than Squad Eight.

Then his gaze shifted, and with a regretful expression, he walked up to Hao Chengbin with the watch and its box, offering it to him.

"Squad Leader... if I can’t wear it either, can I give it to you?"

The whole squad was stunned.

That’s freaking awesome, outrightly giving a gift!

Hao Chengbin’s first reaction was also one of surprise. Then he observed it for a moment.

Rolex.

Then he looked at his own wristwatch.

Rlelx.

Kinda similar, huh...

Han Yong leaned in closer and took a look.

"Squad Leader...this seems to be a fake..."

With the words "seems to be," Han Yong was already being quite polite.

Counterfeits come in various degrees of quality: original stock, replicas, one-to-one copies, A class, B class.

Hao Chengbin’s watch could at least open up a new category of "C class" down the list.

All the new recruits were quietly watching the Western show.

Hao Chengbin immediately felt a bit embarrassed, "What fake? This was bought for me by my girlfriend in Shanghai! Shanghai!"

Fang Huai coughed, "Ahem, Han Yong, Squad Leader’s watch isn’t a Rolex, it’s a different brand. Besides, giving a forty or fifty thousand yuan watch to the Squad Leader, that would be bribery, right? Put it away quickly!

And should you even say something like that in front of us? If you’re going to give it, you should do it discreetly!"

The new recruits laughed at Fang Huai’s attempt to relieve the awkwardness, diffusing the tension instantly.

Fang Huai was also reminding Old Hao not to fight it; Han Yong’s watch was the real deal and worth tens of thousands.

Hao Chengbin also coughed, withdrew his hand, and said with a serious face, "Han Yong! Don’t pull this kind of stunt with me again! You’re in the new recruit company now, learn some discipline! Pick it up quickly!"

Awkward.

This truly hit his blind spot of knowledge.

When his girlfriend gave him that watch, she said it was a Rolex, an international big brand, and he even bragged about it to many of his comrades.

Most are kids from the countryside, or from towns with poor conditions, who knew about these things?

When his girlfriend said it was bought for over eight hundred, he even thought one could haggle over a Rolex!

Hao Chengbin clenched his teeth and thought, Damn, let it be fake, what of it!

He blurted out an absurd excuse, "This is a domestic brand! You don’t understand!... Never mind, I’ll help you take it to the Brigade Department for safekeeping!"

A watch worth tens of thousands, if left in the camouflage bag and stolen, would indeed be troublesome.

Having said that, Hao Chengbin took the watch and headed straight out the door.

With the gift not given away, Han Yong sighed and then suddenly turned his head towards Fang Huai.

"Deputy Squad Leader Fang, you’re the deputy squad leader, can you wear a watch? Otherwise, I’ll go get it back and give it to you, okay?"

Fang Huai’s eyes widened and he hastily shook his head.

Freaking Trickster.

Was this some kind of test of loyalty?

Fang Huai took a couple of deep breaths, his demeanor a mix of bravado and vulnerability, "I’m warning you, Han Yong, even if your family is rich and you don’t see money as money, don’t ever say that again!"

Otherwise... I really can’t hold out!