Yang Lei got to his new house, went in, put the things on the ground, and sat on the sofa.
He didnât turn on the light. He just sat there.
He kept sitting, and he didnât know how long he sat.
When Yang Lei left, the temperature hadnât dropped yet. He was just wearing a coat, not even wearing a sweater. But right now, he seemed to have no consciousness. He couldnât feel cold or anything else.
Yang Lei sat alone for a long time before he finally reacted, reaching for a cigarette.
He reached for a while, but his hands didnât obey. His fingers were trembling slightlyâŠ
On the shooting range, the 701 regiment was carrying out the last round of firing practice at the end of the year. The soldiers practiced firing in bursts, firing lying down, firing semi-automatically, and on moving targets one by one.
It was New Yearâs Eve in a few days. Yang Lei volunteered to be on duty on New Yearâs Eve, so that the married officers could go home for a reunion. Considering that his home was in town and that he often was on duty on weekends, the regiment headquarters didnât schedule a shift for him and let him go home for New Yearâs Eve.
âYou should go to your mother-in-lawâs house to celebrate!â
His comrades teased him. Although Yang Lei still hadnât reported his marriage, this kind of news spread very quickly. It had already spread all over.
But since Yang Lei returned to the barracks last Sunday, he hadnât asked for leave on a single day. He stayed in the barracks every day, taking the company out for training, either practical training in the snow or dismantling armor in the tank company.
Yang Dahai called several times and told him to ask for leave these few days to go oversee the renovations of the house. The workers were going back to celebrate the new year soon, and a lot of work had to be done in these few days.
âThe army is busy. I canât leave,â Yang Lei said.
âNo matter how busy you are, this matter canât be delayed,â Yang Dahai warned.
âOkay! I really canât ask for leave!â
Yang Lei furrowed his brows and hung up the phone.
At the shooting range, the gunfire was deafening. A soldier continuously missed the shot, was distressed, and everyone in the company was looking at him.
âZhang Xiaochuan!â
âHere!â
âCome over!â
The soldier nervously ran to Yang Lei holding his gun and stood at attention.
âDisassemble your gun!â
âYes!â
The little soldier quickly disassembled it, put seven or eight scattered gun parts on the plate, and placed it in the shooting position.
Yang Lei came forward, assembled the gun in a dazzle, hardly aimed, and raised his gun in a standing position to burst fire.
All of the guns stopped. Only Yang Lei was shooting.
In the silent valley, the continuous sound of gunshots, the bullets penetrated the target paper, exciting the dust on the mountain into soaringâŠ
âAll thirty bullets hit the target, 256 rings!â
The score announcer reported the scoreâŠ
Everyone present was shocked, looking at Yang LeiâŠ
Yang Lei lowered his head, put in another magazine, and expressionlessly raised the gunâŠ
The continuous sound of gunfire made the whole valley roar, restlessly and disorderlyâŠ
Fang Mei called Yang Lei to discuss some matters. Yang Lei only said âyesâ a few times. No matter what she asked, he would say, âDo as you see fit.â Fang Mei could tell that something was wrong with Yang Lei.
âWhatâs the matter? Somethingâs on your mind?â
Fang Mei grew up with Yang Lei since childhood. She could quickly detect Yang Leiâs emotional changes.
Yang Lei was silent for a moment.
âI bumped into Fang Yu.â
Yang Lei didnât hide it from her.
âFang Yu?â
Fang Mei was surprised.
âHeâs back? When?â
âA few days ago.â
âYouâŠâ
Fang Mei also didnât know what to say.
âThen where is he now?â
âI donât know.â
Yang Leiâs voice was deep.
âYou donât know? âŠYou didnât ask?â
Fang Mei couldnât believe it.
This was their first reunion in three years. She didnât believe that Yang Lei had really forgotten Fang Yu.
âHe came back to Jianghai to see someone. He has probably already left now.â
There were still a few days until New Yearâs Eve. There were few tickets for transportation during the Spring Festival. Right now, if one still didnât leave, then one wouldnât be able to go. Fang Yu was probably already no longer in Jianghai and had rushed back for the new year.
ââŠAre you okay?â
Fang Mei paused for a moment and asked into the phone.
Three years ago, after Yang Lei and Fang Yu broke up, Fang Mei didnât want to see the Yang Lei she had seen in those days again.
âWhat could be wrong?â
âYou two⊠didnât talk?â
The calmer Yang Lei was, the more Fang Mei knew how he felt at that moment.
If it were someone else, perhaps they would really think that Yang Lei was fine. But she was Fang Mei. This wasnât someone else, that was Fang Yu! Other people didnât understand, but how could Fang Mei not know?? Three years had passed. She knew too well what Fang Yu suddenly appearing like this in front of Yang Lei would bring to Yang Lei.
Time, for some people, could take everything away.
But for some people, it was very difficult.
âDid you leave a phone number?â Fang Mei asked.
Yang Lei didnât reply.
ââŠWhy didnât you leave it?â
Fang Mei had guessed it.
Yang Lei also didnât know why.
That night, he felt that he had run away in defeat from the car.
Perhaps he just didnât want to hear the words that Fang Yu might say. He was afraid of hearing Fang Yu say, âIf you need any help for the wedding, just call meâŠâ
âYang Lei, you should think more about the thing between us,â Fang Mei stopped for a moment and suddenly said.
âWhat foolish words are you saying? Can I go back on what I promised you?â
âItâs not going back on your word. You should think more about it.â
Fang Mei knew that Yang Lei understood what she meant.
âIt has nothing to do with this,â Yang Lei said.
âYang LeiâŠâ
âSeeing that heâs fine is enough. I wonât bother him anymore. And I donât need to make him uncomfortableâŠâ Yang Lei saidâŠ
Yang Dahai kept bustling about for Yang Leiâs marriage.
Yang Dahai hadnât retired from his position yet, and he was busy with work. He was always reserved in his words and smiles, but ever since Yang Lei and Fang Mei started talking about marriage, Yang Dahai smiled more and more.
This year, Yang Leiâs brother, who had been studying abroad, would also come back. Yang Dahai was even happier.
Yang Leiâs younger brother was born to Yang Dahai and his later wife. When he was very young, he was sent abroad and had been educated abroad. Yang Dahai had not fulfilled his fatherâs duty to Yang Lei, so he hoped that there would be no more regret for his second son. Thus, when the child had just entered middle school, he was sent abroad to receive the best education. Yang Lei never had a grudge against his younger half-brother. He treated him as his own brother. When his younger brother was a child, he would follow Yang Lei all day. The younger brother idolized his older brother, and Yang Lei was willing to play with him. But Yang Lei messed around outside at a young age. Yang Dahai was afraid that his younger brother would learn to be bad like Yang Lei, so he planned early on to send his child abroad, to be taken care of by his relatives abroad.
These years, his younger brother came back at most once or twice a year. Every time his brother came back for the new year, it was also the happiest time for the family.
But Yang Dahai also didnât forget to urge Yang Lei about the new house. He was afraid that Yang Lei would delay in this matter. When Yang Dahaiâs urging was annoying, Yang Lei wouldnât answer the phone. His mobile phone just happened to owe fees, and Yang Lei didnât bother to refill it. Yang Dahai and Yang Leiâs stepmother would often call Yang Leiâs office. So Yang Lei told the soldier on duty that, other than work calls asking for him, if people outside of the military camp were looking for him, then say that he had led troops to training and was not there. Let the other party leave a phone number, and if something was up, he would return the call when he got back.
Yang Lei didnât lie. He really took soldiers outside. When he came back, the soldier on duty said that many phone calls came looking for him. Other than Yang Dahaiâs several calls, there was also an unknown phone number.
âDid this person say anything?â
Yang Lei didnât recognize this phone number.
âHe didnât. He just said to find some time to call him back when you return.â
The soldier on duty thought back for a moment.
âHe said that his surname is FangâŠâ
Yang Lei stoppedâŠ
He looked at the number written on the paper and quickly took away that piece of paper.
Yang Lei stood in the room for a while, turned around, put on his Sam Browne belt, put on his military cap, and went out.
âThird platoon leader!â
âHere!â
âCall up the platoon! Obstacle path! Have a race!â
âThis⊠Staff Officer Yang, weâre still practicingâŠâ
âPull it up!â
âYes!â
On the obstacle field, Yang Lei led the soldiers together in rushing the bridge, lying on the net, and climbing the wall with bare handsâŠ
Yang Lei couldnât stop for a moment until he rolled in the mud, lying down as he panted.