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Chapter 2: The First Meeting (2)
The medical personnel scolded Peng Zige: “Don’t be too lively, otherwise I’ll inject you along with her.”
“Oh.” Peng Zige obediently replied.
After the medical personnel left, Rong Si chose a seat near the window and sat down.
Peng Zige said: “Hey, I have nothing important to do. You can go.”
Rong Si sat near the window, as the breeze blew past him, making the free strands of his hair lightly sway in the wind. The scattered sunlight sprinkled over his face from between the trees. Lin Erqin felt Rong Si was pretty lazy. Sure enough, she heard him say: “I need a lazy break.”
Rong Si’s voice could be classified as a youngster’s voice that had just gone through ‘puberty’. A bit of courseness remained, but the clear and freshness was magnetic and if it completely broke away to become his voice much later, how enchanting would that be…
Li Erqin felt that this voice attracted people indescribably, so she could not help but glance at Rong Si a bit more.
No one spoke. The infirmary recovered its original quietness.
Only, the focal point of Li Erqin’s thinkings were on how swollen the back of her hand had become, and things like would she die, which abruptly changed to think about whether that boy over there thinks I am dumb.
“Hey, classmate.” Peng Zige suddenly spoke: “I’m Peng Zige. What about you?”
“Li Erqin.” She replied simply, and then she focused on Rong Si.
As for Rong Si, he was lying against the back of the chair, enjoying the light breeze as well as a hint of a slight chill that was also delivered. He was so comfortable, he closed his eyes halfway, nearly sinking into a nap. Thus, he completely didn’t realize that he had also been dragged into the conversation.
Li Erqin waited for a while, until she heard Peng Zige reply: “That rascal is called Rong Si.”
Only when he was mentioned by name, did Rong Si return back to his senses, indescribably turning his head back to look at the pair.
Li Erqin didn’t have enough time to withdraw her line of sight, so she bumped into Rong Si’s amber eyes. Those eyes brought some bewilderedness from being half-asleep, but her head suddenly exploded, as she immediately moved her eyes away.  Later, Li Erqin completely recuperated from her fever, and after she returned to the military training for the great army, she found that she was always deliberately looking for that happy and tall, delicate, pretty silhouette. Before then, she had never fallen in love, so much so that she had never even experienced the first awakening of love, and she didn’t not truly understand the curiosity of an adolescent youngster towards the opposite sex or yearning. She only categorized this kind of a favorable impression as– the boy called Rong Si has a pleasant voice.
But as a freshman within thousands of people, within a sea of people, everyone all called each other brother, and everyone was so black that they could not be distinguished. When Li Erqin was wiping the third coat of sunscreen onto her skin, she decided to let nature take its course, and resign herself to fate.
There was only a week until military training completed. Then, the military instructors would usually get rid of the shoddy little soldiers within the ranks, and leave the excellent forces for the military parade ceremony.
In front of the roll call done by the government official, Li Erqin raised her trembling hand: “Report!”
“Speak!”
“I want to apply for the free squad[1]!”
[1] The free squad is probably just another military training class, but they don’t have to participate in the military ceremonials.
Li Erqin’s voice had just fallen, when the atmosphere of the whole class smashed in a flash, as everyone laughed heartily.
Instructor Wang laughed along with them for a while, before putting on a poker face and loudly yelling: “Attention!”
“Yes!” The sound of orderly footsteps was precise within a second, as they coordinated together and stood straight in an appearance of an army.
Instructor Wang clasped his hand behind his back and nodded his head, pleased: “Number 4 in the first row, No. 5, and No. 8, step out! No. 2 in the second row, No. 6, and No. 7, step out! Third row……”
Li Erqin waited for Instructor Wang to call her, but even when the instructor got to the last row, he still didn’t call her.
“The chosen classmates will form a new class with the classmates from the 3rd class and the instructor.” Instructor Wang walked in between the rows until he ended up in front of Li Erqin and laughed, as if pleased with himself: “As for the remaining classmates, tomorrow, you will all wake up one hour earlier and be in your assigned positions by then, and begin training. Understood?”
After the other classmates dispersed in confusion after cheering, only Li Erqin stood in her original position, puzzled.
Instructor Wang stood in front of her, all smiles, unlike his usual imposing manner: “Mad?”
Li Erqin stayed silent as she watched him, not speaking.
“Instructor, I’ll treat you to a meal. Let’s go.”
“I’m not going.”
Instructor Wang was amused by her reaction: “Hey, you’re pretty tough for a little girl.”
Li Erqin stayed silent as she watched Instructor Wang.
Instructor Wang, who had never taken anything seriously, became interested: “Say why you don’t want to join the military parade? Back when I was a new soldier, participating in the military parade was full of honor and glory! Why don’t you want to join? Speak your reasons.”
“Too hot.”
Li Erqin’s short response was full of force. Instructor Wang was struck dumb for a second, unable to retort.
In that instant, Li Erqin heard a sound come from behind her: “Pffffffttttt!”
She resentfully turned around, when she saw Peng Zi Ge who she had met at the infirmary last time, and the tall and clean, delicate and pretty youngster- Rong Si.
Peng Zi Ge had become four times blacker from last time, with his military jacket tied around his waist, as his left hand leaned on Rong Si’s shoulders, as if he was watching a great drama.
As for Rong Si, he had casually draped his military jacket over his back. He wore a white T-shirt on top, while he held some water. His posture was straight and tall as he stood besides Peng Zige. On his face, hung what seemed like a smile.  Oh. He was still as white as the time she had met him earlier, even when wearing such a white and pure T-shirt. He didn’t seem a bit black.
Li Erqin’s face had become 囧 [2], as she sighed indignantly, almost unconsciously.
[2] The character 囧 is a commonly used emoji to convey something like “for real??” xD. If you can manage to see the face in it, it’ll make more sense~~