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“Go away, go away. Don’t distract me from my performance. Let me tell you, when this year is over, and you all become veterans, it’ll be your turn to teach the new recruits!” Ye Sanshi jokingly called out to the others as he kneaded dough in his little yellow basin.

Despite the blemishes and marks on the basin, one couldn’t deny that Ye Sanshi’s kneading technique showcased his expertise as a second-phase veteran. His skill was evident, and it was hard to believe that he was originally from the south and wasn’t accustomed to eating noodles in Xi Guang.

While Ye Sanshi excelled at kneading the dough, other classes had some advantages too. For instance, Class Five had a talented chef among its ranks.

The chef skillfully rolled out the dumpling skin and called Zhang Ping’an over. Impressed by the dumpling skin’s roundness, flatness, and uniform size and thickness, Qin Li couldn’t help but compliment Zhang Ping’an.

Zhang Ping’an beamed with happiness and said, “Hehe, when we were learning, this was just the basics!”

As the others watched, Zhang Ping’an diligently prepared the dumpling skin, even attracting interest from students in other classes who came over to learn from him.

Finally, the cook arrived with a small cart carrying pots filled with various dumpling fillings, announcing that the dumpling-making process was about to begin.

Ye Sanshi gestured for them to proceed, saying, “Go ahead, bring a few pots and put whatever filling you want in them. When you come back, you can use them to wrap your own dumplings.”

With different tastes among the recruits, having just one type of filling wasn’t practical. The kitchen had prepared seven or eight different fillings, and now they went to each class, allowing the recruits to pick out the fillings they wanted to use for their dumplings.

Amidst the laughter and chatter, the recruits started making their dumplings. Some teasing and bantering ensued as they shaped the dumplings.

“Haha, look at what you’re pinching. Is this a dumpling? It looks more like a pie!”

“Tsk, you act like you’re so skilled, but your dumpling-making skills are giving you away.”

Making dumplings together was undoubtedly a joyful moment. Although 70% to 80% of the recruits had never made dumplings before, it didn’t dampen their spirits. The veterans would share their knowledge, and those recruits who knew how to make dumplings would also pass on their experience. If someone struggled, they would help them out, even if it resulted in some less-than-perfect-looking dumplings. The focus was on having fun and enjoying the process of creating their own dumplings.

In the canteen, as the recruits happily wrapped dumplings, Wu Jianfeng and the instructor stood at the camp’s gate. The chief of staff approached with a soldier, and Wu Jianfeng greeted him with a smile, “Hehe, how could I not welcome the Chief of Staff to come and inspect the recruits’ work!”

Though he smiled, Wu Jianfeng knew it was just a facade. He didn’t believe his own words, and he was sure the chief of staff didn’t either.

“Haha, you brat. Alright, stop pretending. I’ll assign Wang Ye to you. Lin Hai has also agreed. Don’t worry, 1 won’t take him away from you!” the chief of staff replied.

“Really?” Wu Jianfeng’s joy was genuine this time, and it showed on his face.

“Do you think I’m as indecisive as you, kid?” the chief of staff teased with a straight face. “If I say it, I mean it. I’m not going back on my word.”

“Heh heh heh, of course not, Chief of Staff. How could I doubt you? You are the chief 1 admire the most. You wouldn’t break your promise,” Wu Jianfeng flattered, trying to charm the chief of staff with his praise.

Wang Ye was relieved and happy that he had been spared from the little yellow basin. He didn’t mind throwing in a few words of flattery, or maybe he did it on purpose.

“Alright, enough with the flattery,” the chief of staff interjected with a smile, clearly aware of Wang Ye’s tactics.

Without further ado, the chief of staff took the lead and walked forward. “It’s still early. Let’s go to your office and have a seat. You can report on the progress of the new recruits.”

Wu Jianfeng and the instructor exchanged glances and followed closely behind as they all headed to the chief of staff’s office for a discussion on the recruits’ development and training.

Around 5:50, the enticing aroma of food wafted from the kitchen, filling the canteen. Most of the recruits were already seated, and some were getting ready to serve the food, drinks, and dumplings.

At that moment, Kang Hua and Wu Jianfeng arrived at the canteen’s entrance. They had never seen the middle-aged man before, but his military rank of 22 cents commanded respect.

Instantly, all the recruits and veterans in the canteen stood up in unison.

“The Chief of Staff is here to inspect the work today. Everyone, give him a round of applause!”

“Pa! Pa! Pa!” Applause echoed throughout the canteen.

Wang Ye clapped as well but couldn’t help but size up the man in surprise.

“Is this the chief of staff who wanted to assign me elsewhere and then changed his mind?” Wang Ye wondered, observing the man carefully.

At that moment, the chief of staff happened to look around the canteen. When his eyes met Wang Ye’s, he smiled and nodded slightly. He already knew who Wang Ye was, having checked his information in the past few days, and there were photos of him as well. Therefore, recognizing him wasn’t an issue.

Wu Jianfeng noticed the interaction and felt a bit nervous. However, he remembered what the chief of staff had said earlier, which helped to ease his anxiety.

“Alright, don’t pay attention to your captain’s nonsense. I’m not here to inspect the work today. It’s a holiday, so I’m here to see everyone and have a meal with you. Don’t treat me as the chief of staff. Treat me as an elder,” the chief of staff announced with a smile.

After sharing that he was almost forty and could be considered an eider to many of them, the chief of staff’s words elicited laughter from the recruits.

In the present day, parents often married at a young age, and it was common for them to have children in their late teens or early twenties. Some might even get married and have children in their early twenties or later. Therefore, the chief of staff’s statement resonated with the recruits, and many of them acknowledged that their fathers could indeed be his age.

The chief of staff’s friendly and easygoing demeanor impressed everyone, instantly elevating their opinion of him. Unlike some high-ranking officials who exuded an air of authority, the chief of staff appeared approachable and relatable.

“Alright, alright, sit down… Company Commander Wu, let’s sit together. Today, I’m here to taste the craftsmanship of the new recruits and enjoy some dumplings,” the chief of staff said with a smile, putting everyone at ease.

They all sat down and began serving the dishes and dumplings. The atmosphere was relaxed, and the chief of staff’s presence added a touch of curiosity and surprise. It was unexpected to see the army’s leader being so amicable and easy to talk to.

As they continued with the meal, the clock struck 6:10 pm, and the recruits enjoyed their New Year’s Day celebration together.

Because the Chief of Staff was present, despite his easy-going nature, everyone sat upright and ate quietly, showing respect for his position.

The Chief of Staff noticed the change in atmosphere and decided to leave after eating for a few minutes. He expressed his gratitude for the dumplings and explained that he wanted to find other “old guys” to gather together and enjoy the festive atmosphere. Before departing, he encouraged the young recruits to be more active.

Throughout the interaction, the Chief of Staff didn’t have any direct communication with Wang Ye. However, Wang Ye didn’t dwell on it, as he had already made a promise to the company commander and was content that his performance had caught the attention of the higher-ups.

Ultimately, he was happy to be valued, regardless of whether he stayed in the Fourth Company or was taken away by the Chief of Staff.

The recruits thoroughly enjoyed the night, with no training and the opportunity to make dumplings and have fun. The dinner was more lavish than usual, with additional treats like Coke, milk, fruit plates, and melon seeds provided for each class.

After finishing their meal, they cleared the tables and chairs, creating an open space in the middle of the canteen.

As the cultural evening party began, the company commander expressed his willingness to perform on stage, encouraging everyone else to do the same.

Ye Sanshi, however, whispered to everyone in Class Five, “Our class has to perform at least two acts. Let’s quickly discuss and decide on the performances. Wang Ye, as the deputy class monitor, you should organize it. Our turn comes right after our first performance!”

It became apparent that this cultural evening was well-planned in advance. The veteran squad leaders were aware of the event beforehand and had prepared their performances accordingly.

For example, after Wu Jianfeng’s speech, the veterans took the stage together and, led by him, sang “Ode to the Motherland.” Then, for their second act, the second class monitor played a song of the People’s Liberation Army on the guitar, which had been prearranged.

The seamless flow of performances, including the presence of a guitar that was already prepared in the kitchen, made it clear that this evening had been thoughtfully organized.

However, the recruits couldn’t dwell on this. It was now their turn for the third performance, and they had to come up with something on the spot. The veteran squad leaders called upon them to sing “Unity is Strength,” a song that required no prior preparation.