Reborn Aristocrat: Return of the Vicious Heiress - Chapter 1141
Chapter 1141: Si Yiyan’s Bedtime Story
After listening to Si Yiyan’s instructions over the phone and watching the tutorial video that he had sent her, Wen Xinya finally folded a blanket properly in a reasonably acceptable manner before 5:30 PM.
Ye Feiyu witnessed the entire process and even made fun of her for it. The thought of the looks on her roommates’ faces made Wen Xinya feel incredibly embarrassed.
The lights went out at 11 PM and the freshmen went to bed.
However, Wen Xinya tossed and turned in bed continuously because she could not fall asleep.
Wen Xinya could only fall asleep on either her own bed or those that she was familiar with. Hence, she could not get used to the cold and hard single-sized bed at all. She felt like she would knock into her roommate as soon as she flipped to the side and felt rather uncomfortable.
Bored out of her wits, she hid beneath her blanket and sent Si Yiyan a text message which read: “The bed is hard and narrow. I feel like I’m lying on the ground. My entire body aches and I can’t fall asleep at all.”
She could not help but miss the huge black sandalwood bed that she usually slept on in the Wen Family mansion. She particularly enjoyed the mild fragrance of sandalwood. She also thought about the eaglewood bed that used to belong to her mother, in the Mo Family home which had a warm and mild aroma. At the same time, she also missed the large Hainan eaglewood bed in Lishan Mansion, which was paved with rare sable. It was her absolute favorite.
After drawing comparisons, she finally realized that she had unknowingly been spoiled rotten by Si Yiyan.
Si Yiyan soon replied, “Imagine that you’re lying on the sable bed at home and you’ll fall asleep soon.”
Wen Xinya replied, “I’m doing that. Doesn’t work!”
Next, Wen Xinya’s mobile phone began to ring.
Fortunately, she had put it in silent mode and hence, did not wake her roommates up. After a moment of hesitation, she answered the call but dared not say anything.
Si Yiyan said, “You don’t have to say a single word. I’ll tell you a story and you’ll fall asleep very soon.”
Wen Xinya’s heart was filled with a warm and fuzzy feeling. Throughout her childhood, she had never once been told bedtime stories. She heard that listening to bedtime stories was the best and most unforgettable memory one could have of their childhood.
To her surprise, the person who would be fulfilling her dreams of enjoying such a blissful moment turned out to be Si Yiyan.
Si Yiyan’s voice was particularly pleasant and refined like the melody of ancient instruments. He began to narrate the story of Athena in a deep and alluring voice.
There were variations in his tone and he used a wide vocabulary as well, thus making the story sound much more interesting and less dull.
Wen Xinya began to get engrossed in the story while listening to his narration.
Soon, his voice began to sound muffled as she was hit with a wave of sleepiness.
Next, she fell asleep!
During her sleep, she dreamed of herself being in a pink room that was full of happiness. Her mother extended her arms and said, “Xinya, come to Mommy!”
The toddler Wen Xinya scurried towards her mother, only to stumble and fall accidentally. She got up from the ground aggrievedly and leaped into her mother’s arms. “Mommy, hug me!”
Her mother’s embrace was soft and fragrant. She kissed her mother merrily while drooling all over the place.
At five in the morning, the shrilling sounds of the alarm outside the dorm filled the air.
The peaceful sleep of the pampered freshmen was disrupted and they were jolted awake by the loud and sudden alarm. Everyone began airing their woes and complaining loudly to express their unhappiness. Only a few actually got out of bed.
Wen Xinya was still immersed in dreamland and did not wish to wake up at all.
Noticing that there seemed to be no signs of students waking up, the teachers hurriedly headed to the dorm, only to be greeted with the sight of all the freshmen still lying on their beds. They did not seem like they intended to wake up at all. The teachers ordered loudly. “All of you, get out of bed now.”
One of the freshmen refuted in displeasure. “It’s only five in the morning. Why do we have to wake up? I’ve never woken up at such an early timing before in my life.”
“The wake-up call is for the soldiers, not us. It’s only five in the morning. Who wakes up at this hour!?!”
As soon as they stopped complaining, Xu Zhenyu appeared at the door of the dorm, dressed impeccably in his neat uniform. He hollered. “I’m giving you guys five minutes to get out of bed. If you’re late, you’ll be punished to stand for an hour.”
Xu Zhenyu’s voice was loud and threatening, so much that the freshmen were stunned awake.
A ruckus broke out immediately in the girls’ dorm and they could even be heard screaming.
It was an all-girls’ dorm and everyone was still sleeping. How terrifying must it be for there to be a male voice coming out of nowhere, bright early in the morning!?!
Still in a daze, Wen Xinya sat up straight and rubbed her eyes wearily. She finally realized that they only had five minutes to get ready. Hence, she hurriedly put on her clothes and began packing her bed without even bothering to put on any skincare product.
Xu Zhenyu then checked each and every bed.
When he reached Wen Xinya’s bed, he stood calmly in front of her with a frown. After staring at her okay-looking blanket for a long while, he said, “You’ve got a borderline pass.”
Wen Xinya blushed, not daring to look at Xu Zhenyu’s face. Clearly… he cut her some slack!
In the end, only eight out of twenty freshmen failed. Thanks to Wen Xinya, most of them managed to escape the ordeal. However, come tomorrow…
Everyone gathered at the parade square at 5:30 AM.
The nights were longer in September and the sun had yet to rise at five in the morning. Daybreak began to creep in and the skies were all gloomy. The freshness of the cool morning air made everyone wake up.
Xu Zhenyu stood rooted to the ground, appearing suave and magnificent with those captivating eyes of his. He also exuded a domineering and assertive aura.
“Stand straight,” Xu Zhenyu said austerely. As soon as his voice filled the entire training ground, the sounds of the ruckus disappeared.
Xu Zhenyu pressed his lips tightly together and said, “Today, you’re going to be learning how to stand at ease, stand at attention, march and parade.”
“Are you serious? What’s there for us to train… are you just playing us…”
Xu Zhenyu ignored them and instead stared at the ten commanders before yelling, “Stand at attention!”
The ten commanders immediately acted in unison, appearing suave and dominant.
Everyone shut up.
Xu Zhenyu pointed at the few complaining girls and the other two boys. “Stand for three hours.”
Clearly, he was giving everyone a warning.
Next, one of the soldiers came forth to check on their position while correcting them continuously. He would punch their shoulders to make them straighten them and kick them when their legs were bent. The violence and scoldings made everyone tense up in fear.
Finally, they decided to shape up and behave properly.
Chapter 1142: The Man Who Misses His Beloved Woman Dearly
Si Yiyan was dressed in a red shirt and black-colored casual trousers. Red had always been a color that Si Yiyan rarely wore because of how bright it was. However, the fiery color looked cold and calm on Si Yiyan, though much less murderous.
It was truly amazing how he could carry the color in such a mellow manner, making red look docile and tame.
Si Yiyan squatted on the ground with a heavy machine gun and continuously changed his position while shooting his targets.
Bang, bang, bang…
The loud sounds of gunshots filled the air in the underground shooting range.
Xu Xianghu whistled while watching Si Yiyan shoot his targets accurately without missing a single shot.
Gu Yuehan maintained his perpetual composure.
Si Yiyan put his gun away and asked sternly, “Gu Yuexi actually tolerated the fact that you guys have escaped twice?”
He knew Gu Yuexi too well. Unlike others, Gu Yuexi would never tolerate the same mistake happening twice!
Xu Xianghu shuddered upon hearing Gu Yuexi’s name. “Um… the situation in Russia is now stable and Yueze is there to help too. Hence, Gu Yuexi allowed me and Gu Yuehan to come help you out in Capital city. After all… you’ve been undergoing treatment by Old Mr. Du. You can’t be distracted.”
Xu Xianghu sounded rather self-righteous, though he looked a little guilty.
Gu Yuehan said suavely, “My brother only got me to help Ninth Young Master. Do you really think… you can do anything constructive in Capital city?”
Gu Yuehan’s words were harsh and wicked.
Capital city was the center of authority in China. Hence, they did not need someone like Xu Xianghu who was all brawns and no brains. He looked rather silly with his gun hidden in his waist pouch.
Although Xu Xianghu was silly, he was not that foolish and could understand what Gu Yuehan was driving at. He flew into a rage and retorted. “There are plenty of places for me to shine. You can’t compare to me when it comes to protecting the Ninth Young Master.”
Gu Yuehan pursed his lips and thought to himself, Protecting Ninth Young Master… psht.
Trust him to have the cheek to say that. We’re not in Russia or Italy. Neither are we in the borders. This is Capital city, the center of politics in China. It’s a civilized society where there is law and order. It’s the largest country in the world where people would hesitate before breaking the law.
Besides, Ninth Young Master may not enjoy aristocratic privileges in China, but he’s under the protection of organizations from five countries. As long as he doesn’t reveal his identity and whereabouts, no one would dare to touch him.
Not to mention… Ninth Young Master is the king of triads in Capital city whom no one dares to go against.
Ninth Young Master will be the safest in Capital city.
Si Yiyan glanced at Xu Xianghu calmly and asked, “So, did you sneak out?”
Hanging his head low, Xu Xianghu thought to himself, I didn’t sneak out on purpose. Gu Yuexi is just too psychotic. “Boss, you just save me this time!”
Si Yiyan chastised coldly. “Even God can’t help you!”
Xu Xianghu couldn’t help but wail in agony.
Gu Yuehan noticed the coldness of Si Yiyan’s tone, the aloofness in his eyes and his frustration. Gu Yuehan already understood what was going on.
Si Yiyan began shooting again.
Xu Xianghu had already revived. He chuckled and said, “Boss, Sis-in-law has to undergo military training for a month. Doesn’t that mean that you won’t get to see her for a month? You’re going to miss her so much. I really take pity on you.”
Although they were words of sympathy, Xu Xianghu sounded unusually excited, as if he were gloating over Si Yiyan’s misfortune.
Si Yiyan shot him a glance coldly and exclaimed, “Silly!”
Feeling indignant, Xu Xianghu asked, “Boss, why did you scold me? Was I wrong? Won’t you miss Sis-in-law because you won’t be getting to see her for a month?”
Si Yiyan could not be bothered to answer him.
Gu Yuehan said with a straight face, “It’s just a military training program. Do you really think it can get in Ninth Young Master’s way? Why don’t you admit that you’re silly?”
It was not a secret military training program, and all it’d take for Si Yiyan to enter the camp to take a look at Wen Xinya was just some communication. Xu Xianghu was the only one who was naive enough to think that Si Yiyan would sacrifice his own happiness and endure a month of not seeing Wen Xinya.
“Oh right! Why didn’t I think of that?” Xu Xianghu scratched his head before continuing, “Boss, I heard that the commander of Sis-in-law’s military training program is Xu Zhenyu. That Xu Zhenyu… seems to carry a torch for Sis-in-law, right!?! Didn’t you go through painstaking means to get that kid stationed in the Northwest region? Doesn’t that mean… that you see him as a threat?”
Gu Yuehan subconsciously backed away from Xu Xianghu while staring at him with a smirk. I’ve never seen someone so silly. Can’t he see that Ninth Young Master is feeling frustrated now? Why is he doing this?
He’s just adding fuel to the fire and rubbing salt into Ninth Young Master’s wound.
Si Yiyan pressed his lips together and questioned with a squint, “What’s wrong? Is there an issue?”
The mention of Xu Zhenyu made Si Yiyan tighten his grip on his gun. Although he knew that there was nothing going on between Wen Xinya and Xu Zhenyu, he disliked Xu Zhenyu from the moment he saw him.
He could use his power to restrict Xu Zhenyu from meeting Wen Xinya, but he could not defeat him.
For the first time in his life, he felt distraught.
It had been more than a week since Wen Xinya joined the military training program. Whenever they spoke on the phone, she would never fail to mention Xu Zhenyu, thus making him feel incredibly frustrated, anxious and even terrified.
Xu Xianghu had no idea how perplexed and angst Si Yiyan was and continued to rub it in. “Of course there’s a problem. You have to be very tactful and ruthless when dealing with your rival in love, and render him too powerless to retaliate. But what are you doing now? You clearly know that your rival is approaching your target with a hidden agenda and yet you can still remain so calm. If I were you, I’d rush forth and hit him first.”
Si Yiyan released two of his fingers and said, “Good idea.”
After earning his approval, Xu Xianghu’s eyes lit up and he said, “I think so, too.”
Gu Yuehan grinned uncontrollably while retreating another 2 meters away from Xu Xianghu.
Si Yiyan smiled radiantly yet coldly. “Why don’t I test it out on you first, lest I use too much strength and end up killing him?”
“Huh?” Xu Xianghu questioned with his mouth wide open. Dumbfounded, he wondered, Why… does he need to practice before hitting someone?
Before Xu Xianghu could even react, Si Yiyan punched him smack in his face, causing him to fall onto the ground.
Chapter 1143: Training the Soldiers and Brainwashing Them
Xu Zhenyu was undoubtedly a strict commander who had stringent standards. He was ruthless and would never hesitate to punish even the girls by making them stand for four hours. It was worse for the boys who were made to do push-ups until they could no longer get up.
A few days ago, the freshmen were still complaining about the arduous training and the harsh commanders. Five days later, they no longer had any energy to complain. They were like tamed horses which were extremely docile.
Hence, Xu Zhenyu was branded as an instructor from hell.
Previously, the girls were glad to have Xu Zhenyu as their commander because of his handsomeness. However, their initial feelings of joy and excitement were replaced by regret.
They could not help but feel dismayed at the sight of the freshmen from the other teams laughing merrily after completing their training.
Even Wen Xinya had to be punished for two hours for failing to pass the household chore safety check. “If you fail for the third time, you’ll be punished for three hours. The number of times you fail will be the number of hours you’re punished for.”
Just as they were overwhelmed with fatigue because of the grueling training, Xu Zhenyu exclaimed coldly and sternly, “You guys are in need of training!”
As soon as he finished speaking, even Wen Xinya began gritting her teeth in resentment.
Noticing the looks of displeasure on their faces, Xu Zhenyu questioned sternly, “What’s wrong? Are you feeling indignant?”
Everyone remained silent.
Xu Zhenyu hollered. “Since you’re all satisfied, go down and run for ten rounds around the track. You’d better buck up and train hard from now on.”
Xu Zhenyu’s words made everyone lose control of their emotions. “Is this a joke? Ten rounds… our limit is six. After running ten rounds… will we even still be alive?”
“You’re right. Ten rounds are more than what our bodies can take. We won’t be able to finish the six rounds at all. Commander, no matter how strict you may be, you can’t joke with our health.”
“You may be our commander, but we’re not really your soldiers whom you can punish and train however you want.”
“Commander Xu, don’t go overboard. We’re just students who are going through military training. We’re not your soldiers.”
The students finally cracked under the tremendous pressure inflicted on them. They fervently expressed their anger and resentment towards the commanders, so much that the situation was getting out of control.
Xu Zhenyu hollered. “All of you, shut up.”
Everyone subconsciously kept quiet because they had already gotten used to being ordered around.
Xu Zhenyu questioned sternly, “All of you, are you satisfied or not?”
“No…”
“What rights do you have to make us be satisfied?”
“You may be our commander, but you can’t deny us of our freedom of speech.”
“You can’t be so demanding and tyrannical just because you’re our commander!”
Xu Zhenyu continued, “Are you satisfied or not?”
Extremely angered, everyone yelled, “No!”
They retorted with gusto and anger.
Xu Zhenyu continued, “Louder, I can’t hear you coldly.”
The students barked in exasperation. “No, no…”
They chorused in unison and their collectivism seemed to be able to shake mountains. Even the other teams were stunned and hurriedly cast their glances at Wen Xinya’s team as they wondered what was going on.
Xu Zhenyu suddenly laughed while fiddling with his ear and gibing nonchalantly. “Sure, why do you have to be so loud? I’m going deaf. What are you getting up to?”
…
They were speechless.
All of the students were filled with a mix of emotions and thoughts.
Didn’t he say that we were too soft and that he couldn’t hear us?
Yet, he’s blaming us for being too loud now. Commander, what are you trying to do?
The freshmen did not discover that they had vented some of their frustration after shouting.
Xu Zhenyu said calmly, “Remember, you’re not some horses that I have to tame. Your job is not as simple as obeying me and completing your tasks. You guys are my soldiers now and the future of this world. You have to possess the liveliness of youths, the passion for life and hope for the future, at all times. Do you hear me?”
Throughout the duration of the training, he watched as the bubbly freshmen turned into listless zombies who seemed to have gotten used to taking orders from him. The fatigue from the training and the hardship of reality made them gradually realize that they just had to obey and follow instructions. However, that was not the type of soldiers that he wanted.
They suppressed all of their feelings of displeasure and bottled everything up before venting everything at one go. Their negative emotions would bring about a ton of trouble for the military training program.
Hence, he decided to give them the chance to let off some steam today.
After the venting session, they successfully became his agile soldiers.
They immediately answered, “Got it!”
Xu Zhenyu was extremely displeased. He said, “Where did your gusto go? Louder.”
The students barked loudly. “Got it!”
Xu Zhenyu was finally satisfied with their answer. “Since you’ve got it, go and run ten rounds now.”
“Ah, we still have to run…”
“Commander, you’re really inhumane!”
“Are you serious Commander…”
“Commander, you must be kidding me…”
Everyone fell to the ground and began grousing continuously.
Xu Zhenyu said smilingly, “Since when did I say that you don’t have to run anymore?”
“Commander, you’re really scheming!”
“Why did you cause such a delay then?”
Xu Zhenyu intentionally put on a sullen expression and questioned, “Did you guys think that you don’t have to run anymore just because you voiced your objections?”
“We have to undergo the arduous training if we don’t object, but if we do, we still have to be pressured and punished. What’s the point of objecting, then?”
“Exactly. What’s the point of objecting?”
Xu Zhenyu sat on the ground and patted one of the boys on the shoulder. “Who said that there’s no point? Previously, I wanted you to run ten rounds without stopping, but now, I’ll allow you to take a ten-minute break after running five rounds. You may complete the remaining five after the break. How does that sound? I’m being kind enough, aren’t I?”
Everyone burst into tears.
A ten-minute break was better than nothing. How benevolent.
Wen Xinya sat amongst the crowd and held Xu Zhenyu’s gaze, after which she silently stuck her thumbs up at him. She did not expect that he’d become such a smart and commanding leader after joining the military for more than three years.
This move was really…
She took a glance at Xu Zhenyu who was seated on the ground and chatting with the freshmen. She was truly in awe!
This kid is really cut out to be a soldier. It was such a waste that he didn’t become one in the previous lifetime.
Chapter 1144: Utterly Embarrassed
It was the start of yet another day. Wen Xinya was again jolted awake from her dreams by the alarm. She instinctively got out of bed, put on her clothes, packed her bed, washed up and headed out to assemble with the rest.
The rest of the military training squad did the same.
The skies were cloudy and gloomy in the cold morning and the cool air engulfed the energetic freshmen.
Xu Zhenyu stared at Wen Xinya who still seemed a little sleepy, like a little beast who had lost its direction. He burst into laughter, thinking to himself, I’ve been too busy with training lately. I haven’t gotten the time to spend some time alone with her yet.
Xu Zhenyu’s powerful and loud voice seemed to penetrate through the gloominess of the morning. “Stand at attention!”
As soon as he shouted the command, Wen Xinya swiftly scurried out of the crowd and stood in front of the squad without hesitation. They stood in a neat group in front of Xu Zhenyu.
Everyone was dumbfounded!
Someone snorted with laughter, unable to contain his amusement.
Everyone could not help but laugh along, as the tension in the air disappeared and was replaced with boisterous fun.
Xu Zhenyu smirked at the sight of Wen Xinya who seemed a little bewildered. At last, he chided. “Are you dreaming? You must still be sleepy.”
Wen Xinya finally snapped back to reality and turned as red as a tomato.
Oh my god! How embarrassing.
She glared at Xu Zhenyu angrily and gritted her teeth. This is all Xu Zhenyu’s fault for calling me out during training all the time. Whenever I hear my name, I’ll instinctively…
Everyone guffawed uncontrollably.
Xu Zhenyu rubbed his throbbing temples and tried to stop himself from laughing. He said benevolently with a tinge of affection, “Why are you still standing there, silly? Hurry and fall in.”
Wen Xinya returned to the squad, still blushing in embarrassment.
The sudden episode lifted everyone’s spirits and made them less depressed about the arduous military training. Hence… they indulged in joy.
The result of Xu Zhenyu’s plan to let them vent their anger was marvelous. Not only did it help the freshmen break the ice and get closer to each other, it even made them view him in a different light. Xu Zhenyu would also often sit together with the freshmen during mealtimes and talk to them about his past experiences in the military.
He recounted the past events and told them about how he evolved from a spoiled heir to a disciplined soldier. His stories never failed to entertain them.
At the same time, he also told them a lot about the army and unknowingly helped them relieve stress. His stories would also sometimes put them in a better mood.
The military training seemed to have become less unbearable after they relaxed.
They were doing rather well.
However, the freshmen of the other teams began to experience various problems that arose because of fatigue and mood swings. Some of them began to get injured while others developed slight depression. Hence, the problems led to animosity and conflicts between the freshmen, who often argued with each other. Some of them even got into physical brawls.
Wen Xinya could not help but take her hat off to Xu Zhenyu for his impeccable leadership skills.
The training for the day ended at 9:30 PM. However, Wen Xinya had to stay back to run. Due to her poor stamina, she could only manage five rounds.
Si Yiyan often complained about her poor stamina and endurance.
She did not want to be punished by Xu Zhenyu because of her lack of stamina. Hence, for the past week, she had been running extra rounds every night and only stopped when she was completely exhausted. She felt that her stamina would only improve if she pushed her limits.
Wen Xinya had depleted all of her energy by the fifth round and had begun to find it harder to run. She pushed herself through the fifth round and was left with no energy to go on.
At this moment, a voice sounded in her ear. “Keep going. If you don’t push yourself through your limits, you’ll forever be stuck at managing only five rounds.”
Xu Zhenyu ran beside her and cheered her on.
Wen Xinya held her breath and crossed the white line to begin her sixth round.
Xu Zhenyu continuously ran beside her and matched her pace. “Wen Xinya, don’t keep looking down at your feet. You must look up at the track ahead of you.”
Wen Xinya took a deep breath, looked up and moved her sore and aching legs.
Xu Zhenyu overtook her a little and said, “Wen Xinya, look… you’ve already crossed the line and begun on your sixth round. That’s a hundred meters further than your previous record. You still have 200 meters to go before reaching the finish line. Press on and keep going… you can do it for sure.”
Xu Zhenyu’s voice gradually drowned out the other noises around Wen Xinya. She instinctively chased after Xu Zhenyu in a bid to catch up with him. Soon, her desire to overtake him overpowered her thoughts of giving up because of her fatigue.
Her exhaustion seemed to have faded.
“Keep going, Wen Xinya, you can definitely do it…” Xu Zhenyu cheered.
When she finally crossed the finish line again, she collapsed onto the ground and let her fatigue overwhelm her. She opened her legs and arms. Panting heavily, she said, “I managed to finish running six rounds at one go. I finally did it.”
Xu Zhenyu took a seat beside her and opened a bottle of mineral water before handing it to her. “Yes, you did it.”
Wen Xinya lied down feebly on the ground like a dehydrated fish. She was completely parched and felt an immense pain in her chest as if she had been cut by a knife.
Xu Zhenyu said, “Sit up and drink some water.”
“Thank you!” Wen Xinya finally sat up straight and grabbed the water bottle from him. She began drinking it slowly.
After she finished chugging half the bottle of water, Xu Zhenyu snatched it away from her and said, “Finish the rest later.”
Wen Xinya glanced at Xu Zhenyu and said abruptly, “Xu Zhenyu, did you have such a tough time too when you first joined the military?”
For the past few days, they had been through tremendous hardship and torment which caused many of them to break down and weep under their blankets every night.
Back then, Xu Zhenyu was a notoriously spoiled brat who was infamous for sponging off his parents and being a good-for-nothing who wasted his life away having fun with his friends. Hence, he definitely had a hard time adjusting to military life.
Xu Zhenyu chuckled and said, “Gosh, I had it way worse than you guys. You guys are practically living in heaven compared to the living hell I was in back then. Do you know how dangerous it is in the Northwest region? It’s nowhere as warm and safe as the camps here in Capital city.”
Xu Zhenyu proceeded to ramble on about the blood, sweat, and tears that he shed when he was in the army. However, he would often manage to make his stories sound interesting and playful.
Wen Xinya felt extremely sympathetic towards him. In her previous lifetime, Xu Zhenyu had never been through such hardship before. She asked, “Do you like being part of the army?”
Actually, she knew to a certain extent that Xu Zhenyu enjoyed being in the military and had even given all of his passion to the army. The other commanders merely took it as a mission that they had to complete, but he… really treated the freshmen like his soldiers and put in his heart and soul to train them while paying attention to their feelings.
She was rather glad about that.
Xu Zhenyu grinned and said, “Everyone who stays here for long enough will grow to like it!”
The army was a battlefield for men, for it was full of challenges and enthusiasm.
Chapter 1145: All Is Fair in War
Wen Xinya returned to the dorm and managed to finish washing up before the lights went out at 11 PM.
Upon hearing the noises, Ye Feiyu turned over while lying in bed and asked in a soft and muffled voice, “Xinya, did you go out for a run again?”
Afraid that she would wake her roommates up, Wen Xinya answered softly.
Ye Feiyu stifled a yawn and remarked, “Must you be so hardworking? It’s just a military training program. We’re not like those soldiers who actually have to fight for their lives.”
Wen Xinya’s performance during the military training was not too bad and she even received praise from Xu Zhenyu and the teachers. Although she didn’t do too well in running, it was only understandable for no one was flawless.
Wen Xinya said softly, “I just wanted to try and see if I can push myself to surpass my limits.”
Si Yiyan often found it a pity that she had poor stamina. He felt that she possessed the talent for battling, but the only thing holding her back was her stamina. Of course, he also resented the fact that she had poor endurance in bed…
This thought made Wen Xinya blush in embarrassment.
She did not have any other intentions and merely felt that she ought to try pushing through her limits, in hopes of reaping some other unexpected benefits.
Deep in these thoughts, her phone rang.
Since her mobile phone was set to silent mode, it did not catch any attention. At this point, Ye Feiyu had already fallen asleep.
As usual, Si Yiyan told her some bedtime stories in a clear and refined voice which made her miss him even more. However, it also made her feel safe and at ease.
Actually, the arduous and vigorous training that she had been going through the past few days often made her dead exhausted to the extent that she would doze off as soon as she lied down in bed. Unlike during the start of the program, she no longer needed to rely on Si Yiyan’s bedtime stories to fall asleep.
However, Si Yiyan still insisted on doing so.
Habits were rather terrifying, for she had begun growing dependent on Si Yiyan. Nowadays, she would be unable to sleep peacefully if she were to fall asleep without listening to his voice.
She felt that she had developed that bad habit all because of Si Yiyan.
I must change!
But then again, there’s nothing more blissful in this world than being loved and pampered by others.
On the morning of the following day, the freshmen got out of bed, assembled and stood at attention for an hour. After some exercises, Xu Zhenyu declared that training had ended and instructed them to gather at 1 PM for other activities.
Everyone was undoubtedly thrilled about not having to train anymore for the rest of the day. Some of the girls even cheered in excitement and joy.
However, Wen Xinya seemed to be rather distracted and lethargic.
At 1 PM, everyone put on short-sleeved shirts as instructed and scurried to the training ground.
Xu Zhenyu took them out of the base camp, after which the freshmen who had been confined to the base camp for almost half a month jumped for joy. It was as if they were not bothered by the sweltering weather at all.
Everyone arrived at the destination about 20 minutes later.
Pointing at the muddy field in front of him, Xu Zhenyu exclaimed, “All of you, follow my command and jump now!”
Everyone jumped into the muddy field one after another.
Those who had yet to jump burst into laughter upon sight of the freshmen who already did and were covered in mud.
Xu Zhenyu immediately kicked one of the boys who was laughing the most hysterically and rebuked. “Did my words fall on deaf ears?”
“Ah!” The boy shrieked subconsciously before plunging straight into the mud. Next… he was covered in mud.
“Hahahaha…” Everyone guffawed at the amusing sight.
The boy tried to sit up straight and wiped the mud off of his face before grousing indignantly. “Commander, you sneaked an attack on me. It’s unfair.”
Xu Zhenyu grinned, showing his pearly whites. “That’s what they mean by all is far in war. Kid… take notes!”
Everyone laughed out loud.
Next, more and more people jumped into the mud.
At last, Xu Zhenyu announced. “Split yourselves up into two groups like you usually do during training. We’ll play a game today.”
Next, Xu Zhenyu proceeded to announce the rules of the game which was a little similar to basketball. However, the rules were less strict and complex. They were allowed to score freely on the muddy field and travel with the ball. There would be no defenders, and anyone who reached the flagged points with the ball would be awarded a point.
The game was partly for them to relax, and partly to strengthen the bonds between them through forging teamwork.
After briefing them about the rules, Xu Zhenyu held onto the basketball and declared. “You may begin!”
Next, he tossed the basketball towards the freshmen with all his might.
The freshmen began competing with each other for the ball.
However, the sticky and viscous texture of the mud made it extremely difficult for them to move about. In a moment of eagerness, everyone bumped into each other and fell onto the mud. Just as the competition began, everyone was already covered in mud.
Having lived sheltered lives from a young age, the freshmen felt a sudden sense of novelty and took an interest in playing with the mud. Hence, they were not bothered by the mud at all.
Ye Feiyu managed to snatch the ball in one swift motion, after which everyone else rushed forth to snatch it from her.
Staring at the students in front of her who were trying to approach her, she tossed the ball to Wen Xinya. “Xinya, catch!”
The two of them had already developed a chemistry after spending so much time with each other. Hence, Wen Xinya managed to catch the ball and sprinted towards the flag.
Four freshmen frantically rushed forward. “Hurry and stop her.”
In the end, Wen Xinya’s foot got stuck in the mud and she fell forward into the mud.
The freshmen rushed forward without hesitation and surrounded Wen Xinya in a bid to snatch the ball away from her.
Sprawled across the ground, Wen Xinya hid the ball beneath her body and taunted. “You can’t get it. You can’t.”
One of the girls proceeded to tickle Wen Xinya unrestrainedly, causing her to laugh out loud and roll around on the mud. “Hahahaha…”
Xu Zhenyu was amused at the instant that he witnessed that sight and thus clutched his stomach while kneeling on the ground and guffawing.
Everyone laughed along.
At last, Wen Xinya had no choice but to pass the ball to her opponent because she could not stand being tickled.
While laughing, Wen Xinya complained. “Commander Xu, they’re breaking the rules. This one’s not counted.”
Ye Feiyu chimed in, “They’re cheating, they should be disqualified!”
One of them retorted. “Commander didn’t say that we couldn’t obstruct the opponent from scoring, so we’re not breaking the rules at all.”
Xu Zhenyu laughed and exclaimed, “Yes, you must be creative and flexible!”
Hence, the two groups of children proceeded to snatch the ball from each other competitively with no restrains, for they had been granted permission to not follow the rules.
Xu Zhenyu could not stop laughing at all. He was filled with immense joy upon seeing the bubbly youths covering themselves in mud.
He was especially glad to see Wen Xinya having fun like a wild child. For the first time, she had broken out of her usual goddess-like character. She would usually remain poised, composed and aloof as if she were a saint.