Military training

"At ease."

"Attention!"

"Stand at attention for thirty minutes. Every time I see someone move, I'll add five minutes."

Everyone was miserable.

Meanwhile, Luo Ye and his three roommates were practically falling asleep.

They had teamed up to play games the night before and, before they knew it, had played until four in the morning. Then they had gotten up at six thirty to assemble.

Now they were all barely conscious.

The instructor walked through the formation, his sharp eyes scanning everyone.

Suddenly, he frowned.

One boy had his eyes closed and looked as though he was asleep.

He can fall asleep standing up?

The instructor walked up to the boy.

Several people nearby stifled their laughter.

"You there."

The boy jolted awake and found himself staring straight at the instructor.

"Here!"

Wang Dachui shouted instinctively. The instant he opened his eyes, he saw the instructor's square face.

What's going on? Wasn't I in bed? How am I standing at attention?

"Hahahahaha!"

Everyone around him finally burst out laughing.

But the instructor didn't laugh.

That meant serious trouble.

The instructor remained silent. Slowly, the laughter died away.

Then the instructor smiled.

"If it's so funny, why did everyone stop laughing?"

"Go on, laugh. Hmm? Nobody wants to laugh anymore?"

"Another half hour standing at attention."

Then the instructor said to Wang Dachui, "This student doesn't seem quite awake."

"Go run ten laps around the field. I'll wake you up."

"Sir, I..."

"Fifteen laps."

"Yes, sir!"

With a miserable expression, Wang Dachui bent his arms and started running toward the field.

Poor Brother Hammer.

Luo Ye and the other two silently prayed for him.

"Everyone, take a ten-minute break where you are."

Luo Ye collapsed straight onto the ground.

Staying up all night, then standing at attention for an hour-it was brutal. He couldn't take it.

Wang Dachui sat on the ground, questioning his life choices.

After fifteen laps, he felt as though his whole body were floating.

"Brother Hammer, are you okay?"

Luo Ye asked.

Wang Dachui raised his head in a daze and stared blankly at Luo Ye, looking utterly broken.

Alarmed, Luo Ye shook Wang Dachui.

"Hang in there, Brother Hammer."

Wang Dachui didn't react at all. His head hung down, and his lips moved.

"What are you saying, Brother Hammer? Are you thirsty or hungry?"

Luo Ye leaned his ear close to Wang Dachui's mouth and listened carefully.

"I... want... girls..."

Luo Ye: ???

Suddenly, Wang Dachui spotted something, and his eyes went wide.

Luo Ye followed his gaze.

Not far away, a girl was handing Li Haoyang a bottle of Maidong.

"Holy shit!"

Wang Dachui's jaw practically hit the ground, and he instantly perked up.

"That little bastard's been picking up girls behind my back."

Wang Dachui started getting up, ready to charge over.

"Calm down, Brother Hammer. Don't ruin Haoyang's chance at lifelong happiness."

Luo Ye held Wang Dachui back, only to notice something even more outrageous in the other direction.

A crowd of girls had surrounded Shen Qiao so tightly that he couldn't get out.

"Dreamboat, drink mine! I bought peach-flavored Maidong!"

"Dreamboat, I love you!"

"Dreamboat, I want to have your babies!"

The military training formation looked like a celebrity meet-and-greet, leaving the head training officer in the spectator stands staring in bewilderment.

At that crucial moment, the instructor shouted:

"Everyone, on your feet!"

The formation lined up, and everyone returned to their places.

Luo Ye stood in the front row. He noticed that the girl who had given Li Haoyang the Maidong was in the formation opposite them, also in the front row.

She wore her training uniform and had a sweet, youthful look, with a doll-like face. She was around 170 centimeters tall and had a nice figure, too.

A long-legged girl with a doll-like face.

That pretty much summed up her appearance.

Every so often, she glanced toward their formation, presumably looking at Li Haoyang.

So there really are girls who like muscular guys? That's Haoyang for you-a girl was already looking out for him on the first day of training.

That evening, it was time for performances.

After they had sung "Unity is Strength" a few times, the instructor asked whether anyone had a different talent to show off.

"We want to see a one-on-one fight!"

Wang Dachui pointed at Li Haoyang. "Who's stronger-the instructor with his military combat skills, or our fitness coach?"

Everyone grew curious and started egging them on.

"One-on-one!"

"One-on-one!"

The instructor looked at Li Haoyang and shook his head helplessly.

"Since everyone wants to see a one-on-one fight, stand up, young man."

Again?

Li Haoyang stood up, utterly miserable.

From the classroom to the training formation, he was either being singled out or about to be singled out.

He felt that his college life was doomed. Would his teachers keep calling on him in class, too?

Both contestants took their positions.

Despite being called a muscleman, Li Haoyang was actually only a little more muscular than the instructor, whose military combat skills were already honed to perfection.

In just a few moves, the unfortunate Li Haoyang was subdued by the instructor. He returned to his seat looking dejected.

"Are you okay?"

The girl who had given Li Haoyang the Maidong that morning sat down beside him and asked with concern.

"I'm fine."

Li Haoyang waved a hand.

The girl's name was Liu Bingxin. Her female formation trained close to Luo Ye's male formation, so they also spent their evening breaks together.

With girls around, everyone performed with even more enthusiasm.

Watching these brand-new college students show off their youthful energy, both instructors couldn't help smiling.

Luo Ye and Wang Dachui also sat down beside Li Haoyang.

As for Shen Qiao, girls sat all around him. He wanted to escape but couldn't.

"Hey, Coach."

Wang Dachui grinned. "Come on, tell us. How'd you meet this lovely lady?"

Li Haoyang looked at Wang Dachui with a guileless expression, unsure what to say. Liu Bingxin answered openly instead. "I went to buy drinks for my roommates this morning, but one of them didn't like Maidong. Li Haoyang looked a little thirsty, so I sold it to him."

"Oh, so you were just selling him a drink. I thought my boy was finally getting a girlfriend."

Wang Dachui's mood instantly improved.

"What are you majoring in, miss? I'm Wang Dachui. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Liu Bingxin, from Multimedia Class Two. I'm from Lecheng."

"Lecheng? I've heard of your Lecheng Giant Buddha."

Wang Dachui and Liu Bingxin chatted and laughed, with the honest, good-natured Li Haoyang sitting between them.

Li Haoyang had probably put all his emotional intelligence points into his muscles. He looked left and right with a clueless expression, unable to get a word in, and could only watch the two of them chat.

Beside them, Luo Ye rested his chin on his hand and watched the boy currently singing with rapt attention.

Honestly, the singing was average-not even as good as his own.

He loved singing. Back in high school, he had been something of a karaoke king.

The memory of sheltering from the rain with that Fairy Senior flashed through his mind.

Before he knew it, Luo Ye had stood up.

Once the boy finished singing, he took the microphone.

Wang Dachui, who had been deep in conversation, was stunned.

"You can sing, too?"

"I'll sing 'Rainy Day.' There's no backing track available right now, so I'll sing it a cappella. Please bear with me."

He took a deep breath.

Luo Ye began softly.

"Suddenly, the rain began to fall, a shower waiting for you."

"You suddenly shed tears-how much hurt have you endured?"

"I wait and wait, I long and long, but you never come."

"If the skies clear, yet their light never reaches you."

"I'll lead you through the bustling crowds."

Although Luo Ye sang without accompaniment, his gentle voice captivated everyone there.