Chapter 6

Wang Fusheng patted Chen Geng's hand, his expression was as if he had found a satisfactory son-in-law for his own daughter, looking disgustingly pleased: "Comrade Chen, let me tell you, our military has vast horizons, just right for young talents like you to fully display your abilities. It's truly a vast ocean where fish can leap and a high sky where birds can fly..."

Wang Fusheng was very excited, and Li Jianguo was even more like he had drunk two catties of aged wine, his face flushed with excitement. Wang Fusheng, patting Chen Hongjun's shoulder forcefully, laughed with his tongue wagging in the wind: "Comrade Chen Hongjun, I represent the people... uh, I represent the country, I represent our National Defense Department to thank you for raising such a good son! I'll report your glorious deeds to the leadership as soon as I get back, and we must give you a commendation..."

Just because Chen Hongjun's son joined the military, they were going to give Chen Hongjun a commendation?

Isn't that a bit exaggerated?

But it wasn't exaggerated at all. To put it pitifully, this was the first student from Huqing University that the National Defense Department had recruited this year, and he was an outstanding talent who knew three foreign languages and was proficient in computer technology. Just for the fact that Chen Hongjun had raised such a good son, in Li Jianguo's view, it would be difficult to give Chen Hongjun a second-class merit, but in such a matter concerning the face of the National Defense Department, would it be appropriate to give him a third-class merit?

Chen Hongjun was already in a state of abnormality, grinning foolishly...

When Chen Geng returned to the dormitory and said a few words, 302 immediately erupted.

"Old Three, no way? You really have to go to the grassroots?" As soon as he entered the dormitory, a group of his roommates swarmed around him, asking questions in a flurry.

They were worried that Old Three's mind had been beaten by his father. Otherwise, why would Old Three, who had refused to go back before, suddenly insist on going back?

Chen Geng was speechless: "Brothers, do you really need to be so surprised?"

"Isn't this surprising?" The dorm leader, Luo Weilai, widened his eyes: "Old Three, do you know that none of this year's graduates from our school are leaving the capital? It's so good to stay in the capital, and we can look out for each other. But you..."

Luo Weilai didn't know what to say for a moment.

Chen Geng chuckled: "Actually, it's nothing. I just want to realize our initial dream."

"I'm impressed," Luo Weilai touched his face, feeling it burning, then raised his thumb and said sincerely to Chen Geng: "Alright, Old Three, I won't say anything else. Since we're all here, I'll speak on behalf of the 302 brothers: We're all in the capital, and if you're bullied in the future, be sure to let us know. Don't feel embarrassed and try to tough it out alone. Also, the dream of 302 dorm is entrusted to you."

"Right, Old Three," Liu Changzhi, the fourth, squeezed in front of Chen Geng, also with a look of admiration: "The brothers of 302 dorm are always close, no matter when. We all know how difficult it is to develop engines. If you encounter any difficulties, if you still consider us brothers, please speak up..."

"Hey, Old Four, why are you saying this?" Hong Qianjin, the fifth, holding a beer bottle, pushed Liu Changzhi aside and looked at Chen Geng seriously: "Old Three, I haven't called you 'Old Three' for years, but now, I sincerely call you 'Old Three.' You've done what we all wanted to do but couldn't because of various reasons and concerns. From now on, you are my dear brother, no more words, let's finish this bottle of beer!"

"Right, finish this bottle of beer, tonight we won't go to bed until we're drunk!" The seventh, Guo Jian, who was small and thin, shouted from the back.

"Ha, Old Seven, we're in the dorm, how can we not go to bed until we're drunk?" Li Changzheng, the sixth, laughed and scolded.

"Hehe... Anyway, it's just a meaning, everyone knows, right..."

"Excuse me, is Chen Geng here?" A crisp voice sounded at the door.

This crisp voice seemed to have a magical power. The group of rowdy guys, who had been as noisy as a market, instantly fell silent, then... they kept winking at Chen Geng, looking extremely lecherous.

Turning around, Chen Geng looked at the girl standing at the door, who was smiling charmingly like a white lotus. His breathing suddenly quickened, and his voice trembled slightly: "Ding... Ruoyan, you're here."

At the same time, Chen Geng carefully observed the girl in front of him. Just as he remembered, Ding Ruoyan was wearing a white dress, with long, black, beautiful hair cascading over her shoulders, and her red lips were so alluring that the so-called crystal lips of the future paled in comparison... As for her figure, which was nearly perfect with its curves, there was no need to mention that it was genuine.

This girl, who had appeared in his dreams countless times, was standing in front of him, like a fairy who had stepped out of a painting.

"Yes," Ding Ruoyan nodded, tilting her head with large, curious eyes: "I heard you chose to go to the National Defense Department? Is it true?"

Before Chen Geng could answer, Hong Qianjin interjected: "Not the National Defense Department, but the Third Military Equipment Repair Factory of the East China Military Region."

"Ah?" Ding Ruoyan's small mouth opened in surprise, looking at Chen Geng: "No way? What kind of unit is that? Does our school have a quota for grassroots assignments?"

To put it bluntly, for students from Huqing and Peking University, going to provincial-level units was already considered a demotion. What kind of unit was the Third Military Equipment Repair Factory of the East China Military Region?

Would Huqing let its outstanding graduates go to such a remote place? If people found out, wouldn't they think that Huqing's students couldn't find suitable placements and had to go to the third line?

Even for the sake of its reputation, Huqing's leadership would never agree to Chen Geng's request to go to the Third Military Equipment Repair Factory of the East China Military Region.

"Our Old Three volunteered to go," Hong Qianjin, acting as the unofficial commentator, blurted out before Chen Geng could speak: "Our Old Three wants to develop an advanced engine for China."

"But..." Ding Ruoyan glanced at the others, hesitating.

"Look at my brain," Luo Weilai, who hadn't spoken since Ding Ruoyan entered, suddenly slapped his head: "The thermos is empty, I need to go get some water... Old Four, is your thermos still full?"

"You didn't remind me, let's go together."

"Wait for me, I need to buy a pack of cigarettes."

"Then I'll go smoke a cigarette..."

"I forgot, the teacher needs me for something, you guys chat, I need to go see..."

In a blink, the group of rowdy guys in the dormitory scattered like a flock of sheep, leaving the room empty.

In the empty dormitory, only Chen Geng and Ding Ruoyan were left alone. Chen Geng felt a bit awkward, scratching his head and said to Ding Ruoyan with some embarrassment: "These guys... let's not talk about them. You can sit anywhere, uh, or we can just stand and chat."

It was a typical boys' dormitory, and it would be the same 30 years later or in the 1980s. In the center of the room, two tables were piled with four unwashed empty lunch boxes and a pair of pants that were so dirty it was hard to tell if they were black or gray. A few flies buzzed excitedly over the lunch boxes, ready to bomb them... The tables, which served multiple purposes, were in such a state, and the floor was even worse. Given Chen Geng's understanding of Ding Ruoyan, she would definitely not sit down.

But to Chen Geng's surprise, Ding Ruoyan smiled and pointed to his bed: "Is that your bed? I'll sit there."

"The bed is a bit messy..." Chen Geng felt a bit embarrassed looking at his messy bed. It wasn't just messy; it didn't look very clean, and Ding Ruoyan seemed to have a bit of a cleanliness obsession.

"It's fine," Ding Ruoyan sat down on Chen Geng's bed with ease, asking curiously: "Are you really going to the third line?"

Although Huqing didn't have a quota for grassroots assignments, the intelligent Ding Ruoyan had already guessed how Chen Geng planned to go down.

Chen Geng shrugged and smiled: "The third line isn't as bad as you say."

Ding Ruoyan tilted her head, not answering, but continued: "Is the Third Military Equipment Repair Factory of the East China Military Region better than staying in the capital?"

"Of course staying in the capital is better."

This was a fact. No matter what unit, once you went down, whether in terms of personal development or benefits, it was definitely not as good as staying in the capital. This was a truth proven over countless years of history and still valid. If Chen Geng insisted that going to the third line was better than staying in the capital, it would be a lie, especially since Ding Ruoyan was a smart woman.

"Then why are you going down?" Ding Ruoyan asked curiously: "Are you really planning to develop an advanced engine? You should know that engines aren't easy to develop. So many experts in our country have tried for so long without success. You... well, if you really think so, is there anything I can help with?"

Ding Ruoyan's words might easily be interpreted as looking down on him, but Chen Geng didn't think so. Even without considering his past life, he had known Ding Ruoyan for a year and understood what kind of person she was. He smiled and waved his hand: "I know what you're saying, but I still want to try."