Chapter 19
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The afternoon mobilization meeting was even more thrilling than Lin Hao had imagined.
If the opening ceremony was a typical display of high-spirited enthusiasm, the mobilization meeting for military training was another level of intensity that left him a bit stunned. Lin Hao quickly adapted, enthusiastically joining in with everyone else.
After the meeting, the male class leader took a few of them to collect various items—military training uniforms, belts, canteens, and such. The quality was pretty good; instead of the cheap camouflage, they received good-looking training outfits.
Back in school, Lin Hao used to envy the defense students’ training uniforms and athletic attire; he thought they looked especially sharp. Now, with one of his own, he felt pretty good about it.
Once back in the dorm, Niu Qingfeng distributed everything, and they all happily received their gear. After confirming everything fit well, everyone dispersed, ready to rest up for the next day’s training.
But since they were all freshmen, how could anyone actually rest? In the boys’ dorm, excitement erupted over the new uniforms. Many guys of this era harbored dreams of being soldiers, and even Lin Hao couldn’t resist checking himself out in the mirror after putting on the uniform. With his height and long legs, he looked remarkably sharp in it.
Meanwhile, others like Liu Ye…
Alright, here he comes again, bouncing around like a monkey, visibly thrilled.
By the way, Lin Hao helped him tidy up his appearance, which smoothed things over between them. Lin Hao sighed inwardly; it seemed he was always the one making the first step to resolve conflicts with others.
Boys’ conflicts are easy to resolve, though. Once you start living together and get to know each other, you gradually begin to understand each other better.
After this interaction, their relationship improved quickly. The other two in the dorm seemed relieved as well; no one wanted to spend their college years, let alone the first days, in a tense atmosphere—especially when other dorms were already having lively late-night conversations.
Their dorm, until recently, had been silent at night with everyone just going to sleep. Now, as things relaxed, Liu Ye noticed that Lin Hao’s polite manner was genuine, not just for show; in fact, he often preferred to stay in the background.
Yet some things just couldn’t be avoided.
The officer in charge of this military training took a liking to Lin Hao and wanted him to join the flag-raising team. Such orders couldn’t be refused, so even though Lin Hao would rather take it easy, he had no choice but to agree.
Apparently, this was the school’s first flag-raising team. Lin Hao observed that all the selected members were tall, good-looking types, including Liu Ye. They all looked curious and excited, but Lin Hao could only sigh, thinking, “As sharp as you all look now, in no time you’ll be tired of this.”
And indeed, after just a couple of days, they’d be envying the ones who got to relax and sing songs with a bit of carefree abandon.
Their training was different from the regular groups—they were the “priority” group, with drills like standing at attention, parade rest, and turns lasting two to three hours each. Marching and running drills varied, too, totaling about eight hours a day, starting at 8 a.m. and ending at 6 p.m., with extra practice if they didn’t meet standards.
And it didn’t stop there!
Lin Hao, tasked with carrying the flag, had additional practice as a daily routine. He hadn’t expected this in an arts university; yet here he was, selected by an officer to lead the flag-raising team. It was overwhelming.
By noon, the other students watched the flag team training under the blazing sun, feeling a mix of awe and relief at not being selected. “It’s impressive but just too exhausting,” Niu Qingfeng remarked, happy that he, at 178 cm, wasn’t the shortest in their dorm.
“If I were Lin Hao, I’d be too tired to do anything by evening,” Dang Hao said sympathetically, noticing how the officer was always checking on Lin Hao, giving him a pat now and then—an awkward show of favor. Yet whenever Lin Hao wavered even slightly, he faced criticism. For mistakes, others might get a light kick, but Lin Hao usually received just a few reprimanding words, as he rarely erred.
“Yeah, Liu Ye’s dark complexion is just getting darker out there,” Song Yunhao chuckled.
The guys quickly shifted their attention to the girls nearby, who were laughing and chatting in the shade, forming a charming scene. The performance majors from the ’96 class, already well-known since the opening ceremony, were drawing even more attention. Every break, most of the guys would steal glances in their direction.
While the boys were more reserved in their discussions about the girls, the girls were bolder.
Zhang Ziyi, had seemed weak during training but was full of life the moment it ended. The officers suspected that all her energy was stored for the breaks. Being a pretty girl, they couldn’t bear to be too harsh.
The guys weren’t allowed to be noisy, but the girls cheerfully discussed among themselves, “Hey, I bet Lin Hao will be the only one to finish on time again today.”
“I’m not so sure,” Qin Hailu chimed in.
The flag team, being in a league of its own, was undoubtedly the center of attention on the field.
“Oh, I’m betting you on that,” Zhang Ziyi said excitedly, confident in her dance-trained judgment. “Look at Liu Ye and that guy Bai Jianguo—each has swayed several times already. They’re bound to get called out later.”
Turning to Hu Jing, she sought her opinion.
“What’s the wager?” asked Zeng Li, who was more interested in the bet itself.
“The loser has to invite Lin Hao to join us for a meal!” Zhang Ziyi suggested, her eyes twinkling with an idea.
Boys and girls were still shy around each other in the 90s, and while Qin Hailu was on the quieter side, she wasn’t that timid. Hu Jing, for instance, would blush and avoid everyone whenever anyone teased her about Lin Hao.
“You’re already close to Lin Hao,” Qin Hailu countered, not taking the bait.
“Fine, what do you want to bet?”
“Well…” Qin Hailu started, but Zeng Li whispered something in her ear, and she changed her mind, “Alright, whoever loses has to ask Lin Hao three questions for us!”
Just as popular girls are admired, Lin Hao, with his unique looks and aura at the Central Academy of Drama, had already earned the nickname “Little Zun Long” on his first day—a title that might sound outdated now but was high praise back then. Naturally, many girls were already keeping an eye on him.
It seemed like a simple bet, but hidden within was a youthful curiosity and excitement for the future.