Chapter 53: The Recruit Company’s Final Grand Occasion
Although everything Chen Jun said was true, he had done some artistic processing on each matter, making it sound even more grand and impressive, involuntarily inspiring awe and respect.
Shi Jin was inherently an honest person by nature, and hearing himself praised like this made him truly embarrassed. Several times he wanted to open his mouth to explain to Officer Zhang.
But every time he just opened his mouth without getting a word out, Chen Jun would seamlessly block him. With poor eloquence, he truly couldn’t win the argument, and in the end could only helplessly smile bitterly.
He knew in his heart that Chen Jun was doing this for his own good, so Shi Jin stopped making futile struggles.
It was from this moment onward.
The look in Shi Jin’s eyes when gazing at Chen Jun gained an extra layer of special emotion.
This emotion was not only acknowledgment of Chen Jun, truly regarding Chen Jun as a comrade in Seventh Company, but also a spontaneous, heartfelt gratitude.
Deep down, Shi Jin also wanted to stay in the troops, and he knew even more that three years later would be the greatest challenge of his life.
But due to his personal character, he couldn’t actively strive for anything for his own future, dooming him to be unable to save himself.
Chen Jun’s aggressive pursuit of benefits for Shi Jin perfectly filled this flaw in Shi Jin.
His good-guy personality that couldn’t bear to say no made it so Shi Jin wouldn’t strive for things for himself, and similarly had no way to reject others striving for benefits on his behalf.
For someone like Chen Jun who forcibly stuffed it into his mouth, Shi Jin’s personality truly left him helpless.
Chen Jun had thoroughly studied Shi Jin, knowing how to help him best, allowing him to handle the situation with ease at this moment, effortlessly taking full control.
“Okay, okay, okay, thank you, Comrade Shi Jin. This interview was extremely perfect. I will definitely highlight it heavily in the report, letting everyone know what true fearless spirit is, and what a real veteran squad leader is.”
Officer Zhang tightly grasped Shi Jin’s hand with both of his, his eyes filled with eagerness and emotion.
As the person involved, Shi Jin himself hadn’t said two sentences, yet the perfect interview Officer Zhang mentioned was completed, leaving even Shi Jin somewhat at a loss.
He really wanted to say, “Did I say anything?”
But just as this thought emerged, before it could form into words and come out of his mouth, Chen Jun seemed to have telepathic induction, enthusiastically guiding: “Officer Zhang, it’s time for our sharpshooter.
This new recruit Cheng Cai is remarkable. Although he comes from a small mountain village with little knowledge, he is extremely talented.
Not only did he become the deputy squad leader of the new recruit squad through his excellent performance, but in every training subject of the company, he reached the first echelon of the entire company.
In this inspection assessment, he not only scored a perfect 50 rings, but was also one of the few in the entire new recruit company who achieved excellent in all graduation subjects.
I hope you can interview him thoroughly, bring out his shining points in detail, and expand completely from points to the whole.”
Chen Jun lavished praise on Cheng Cai, even more vigorously than on Shi Jin.
The reason for doing so.
Was mainly the strategy of “fight poison with poison”, using overhype to deal with his overly utilitarian nature, stuffing his vanity to the brim until it burst, which could similarly solve the problem.
This was just like with someone greedy for beauty: lock him with 100 women together, 24 hours a day nonstop, for one or two months.
Guaranteed that when he came out, he’d fear seeing women, his gaze becoming exceptionally clear and bright, turning into a sigma male.
Cheng Cai, aside from his somewhat excessive utilitarianism, actually had no other personality flaws. Being competitive and ambitious weren’t shortcomings, and not being sociable wasn’t a defect either.
Chen Jun believed that as long as this one point was handled, Cheng Cai would naturally truly become talented.
Cheng Cai himself didn’t know that Chen Jun was using fight poison with poison to overhype him, to correct his flaws, and only thought Chen Jun truly believed this.
The look in his eyes toward Chen Jun was full of gratitude.
Hearing Chen Jun’s fierce praise, Officer Zhang suddenly became even more interested in Cheng Cai, immediately having him strike the most standard military posture and snapping away with the camera.
And stating that upon return, he’d select the best one as the front-page photo for the next issue of the regimental newspaper.
“I can make the news too?”
Cheng Cai grinned even wider upon hearing this.
No matter how much he wanted to pretend to stay calm, he couldn’t block the blood surging from excitement, waves of blood rushing straight to his brain, making his face flushed red.
After taking the photos and stowing the camera, Officer Zhang began a comprehensive detailed interview.
From family situation at the top, to future goals at the bottom.
He covered it all!
The first time Cheng Cai met Shi Jin, he dared to proactively showcase his reading ability to Shi Jin. Though the content was a bit too deliberate, a bit too official and formulaic, it still highlighted his lack of stage fright.
Now facing Officer Zhang’s interview, Cheng Cai was like finding his home turf, all his abilities on full display, answering various questions smoothly and fluidly.
The sharp-witted side Wu Liu Yi mentioned was also showcased.
Noticing that Chen Jun was intentionally hiding himself, pushing Squad Leader Shi Jin to the forefront to receive the spotlight, Cheng Cai smartly didn’t expose Chen Jun.
He even cooperated further by providing cover, lavishing praise on how well Squad Leader Shi Jin taught.
Cheng Cai’s ability to keenly perceive superiors’ intentions and handle them smartly, without requiring much effort from the superiors, with flattery delivered silently.
Not to say how it would be among peers, but at least he’d mix very well with superior leaders.
In the original drama, Wu Liu Yi didn’t want Cheng Cai, thinking he was too deliberate and too competitive, yet Gao Cheng rarely spoke up for a new recruit, which was proof enough.
Cheng Cai spoke with a very official tone, making Officer Zhang’s interview even more effortless, the process extremely smooth.
Having obtained the desired first-hand material, Officer Zhang had one last essential segment: interviewing the new recruit company company commander.
Officer Zhang’s interviews with Shi Jin and Cheng Cai had unknowingly taken over twenty minutes.
By now, the training ground was empty, all new recruits had been led back to the barracks area, and Gao Cheng and the other officers had accompanied the deputy regiment commander back.
Officer Zhang knew the deputy regiment commander’s schedule; he wouldn’t have time to eat dinner at the new recruit camp today and had to go elsewhere.
To avoid missing time to interview Gao Cheng, the usually sedentary Officer Zhang ran back from the shooting range to the barracks area, panting heavily after several hundred meters.
Chen Jun returned together with Shi Jin and Cheng Cai, organizing Second Platoon members to the parade ground, where everyone chatted heart-to-heart.
Tomorrow was the day of assignment to companies; after tomorrow, everyone would go their separate ways to their respective companies, beginning their military careers.
In this final time in the new recruit company, it was worth cherishing for all new recruits.
Chat together, envision the future.
What a comfortable and joyful thing.
Half an hour later.
The deputy regiment commander and his group left satisfied. Gao Cheng gathered all the new recruits together and gave a summary speech on the graduation assessment.
Breaking two regimental records in a row, such troop-leading achievement made Gao Cheng extremely satisfied and extremely happy.
Thus, the main theme of the entire speech was basically centered on praising the new recruits, with blessings for their upcoming joining the company attached.
Finally, he solemnly announced.
Tonight, there would be a new recruit company feast, the last meal before parting. Everyone could eat and drink to their hearts’ content, with plenty of dishes and plenty of beer.
Enjoy this final glory of the new recruit company!
