Chapter 722: Chapter 722: Marriage is No Childâs Play
Winter had just begun.
The temperature plummeted like a cliff dive, and outside, the heaviest snowfall since the start of winter fluttered down.
The snow was fierce; the night faded away, and the whole earth was cloaked in silver, a blanket of pure white.
The soldiers on guard duty outside were changing shifts, each of them shivering uncontrollably from the cold.
Whew!
Eyebrows, eyelashes, and strands of hair on their foreheads were all frosted over with condensed breath.
âHurry back to the barracks to warm up.â
Leading the team with a first sergeantâs demeanor, Zhang Dongke coordinated the handover with the next group.
Wang Meng rubbed his hands continuously, exhaling warm air, âYou all need to be extra careful out there. Itâs bearable at night, but this morning there seems to be a chill wind blowing.â
Zhang Dongke handed him a cup of hot water, âGot it, weâre fortunate to be on gate duty. If we had to be on guard outside in these conditions, we wouldâve turned into stones by now.â
âThis damned weather, never seen anything like it in my life,â Wang Meng cursed.
Zhang Dongke did not respond. He checked that the soldiers from his squad were ready and, seeing they were, he clapped Wang Meng on the shoulder as a greeting and led his men to their guard post.
The second shift withdrew, eager to return to the barracks to warm up and rest.
Wang Meng washed his face and suddenly received a message from the company commander; he decided not to sleep and headed straight for the company headquarters.
The company headquarters wasnât far, anyway.
Underground space wasnât like the surface; there wasnât as much room. When Wang Meng arrived, Ji Dong was standing at a table, leaning over something he was looking at.
âReporting in!â
Ji Dong glanced sideways and said indifferently, âYouâre here?â
âCompany commander, you wanted to see me?â
âHmm, did Zhang Dongke come to get you?â
âYeah, itâs too cold out there.â
Ji Dong nodded, âIâll find something for you guys to keep warm later.â
Hearing the company commanderâs words, Wang Meng felt quite pleased.
They didnât elaborate on the matter. Wang Meng was curious what the company commander had been looking at for so long.
Yet Ji Dong offered no explanation and just motioned for him to sit down.
Wang Meng felt that something was amiss with the commanderâs demeanor, and he couldnât help feeling uneasy.
Ji Dong poured two cups of hot water before sitting down across from Wang Meng.
âCompany commander, just speak directly. This is making me anxious.â
Ji Dong looked up, assessed him, and asked, âYou donât know why I called you here?â
âNo idea,â Wang Meng shook his head.
Indeed, he had no clue. After a freezing night outside, the company commander had sprung this on him; of course, he was confused.
Ji Dong took out two sheets of paper from a drawer and set them in front of Wang Meng.
Wang Meng glanced down and his dark face blushed instantly, not knowing where to look due to the embarrassment.
âIf we were to follow the old rules, this would be a big mistake for you. Nowadays, the military encourages you to settle down and start families, but with such matters, you must still report the truth. Is what this girl has written true?â
Wang Meng exclaimed, âOf course not! We havenât⊠havenât yet.â
They hadnât yetâeveryone understood, as they were all adults.
âSo, are you saying this female comrade is lying?â
âIâm going to find her later!â
âThatâs not what Iâm investigating. Thankfully, the paperwork came to me first. If it had gone to the regiment instead, can you imagine how serious the situation would be?â
Wang Meng hung his head, âThank you, company commander.â
âItâs nothing. Iâll keep the matter here for now. Whatâs the actual situation between you and this female comrade?â
Wang Meng sat there and explained his relationship with his girlfriend from beginning to end.
In fact, the situation wasnât serious.
The girl who wrote the paperwork had the surname Meng and was simply named Lan. She wasnât much younger than Wang Meng, just a year his junior.