Sweet Nostalgia of the 80s

Chapter 524: Chapter 524: One Piece of Good News, One Piece of Bad News.

”Report!”

The clear call of reporting in the morning interrupted Qin Jian’s thoughts. He raised his head and looked towards the door to see Commander Lin’s guard standing outside.

”Come in, speak if you have something to say.”

The guard saluted Qin Jian with a standard military salute, ”Chief of Staff, the commander has requested your presence in his office.”

”Alright,” Qin Jian put down the pen in his hand, picked up his military cap, and followed the guard, asking on the way, ”Did the commander mention what it’s about?”

”No,” the guard thought for a moment before adding, ”He read your operational plan and merely said you truly are a rare talent.”

Qin Jian had become accustomed to such praises and responded with a muted smile.

The commander’s office.

Entering, Qin Jian saluted his superior, ”You wanted to see me, Commander?”

”Qin Jian,” Commander Lin personally poured him a cup of tea and handed it to him, ”How are the preparations for the drill in three days?”

”Preparations are complete. Just waiting for the orders from above.”

”That’s great,” Commander Lin nodded, then suddenly said to Qin Jian, ”There’s good news and bad news, which one would you like to hear first?”

”Commander, can I only hear the good news?” Qin Jian’s lips curved with a hint of mirth.

”Of course not.” Commander Lin didn’t beat around the bush and went straight to the point, ”The good news is that the upcoming confrontation drill is about to begin, and upon hearing your confident report and after reviewing your operational plan, I am very satisfied and have great confidence in the success of this exercise. The bad news is, I made a bet in front of the division commander with Commander Xu of another infantry division. If we lose this time, we’ll have to treat the winner to a month’s worth of Maotai liquor.”

”This bad news seems to have nothing to do with me,” Qin Jian took a sip of tea, looking down.

He had just wanted to compliment the commander on the quality of his tea when he heard the commander say, ”Who says it has nothing to do with you?”

Qin Jian was slightly startled, ”The bet you made with Commander Xu? How does that involve me? Commander, you must be joking, right?”

Commander Lin started laughing, looking like a scheming old fox: ”It’s about to involve you. This exercise admits only victory, not defeat! If we lose... well, then I won’t approve your leave to visit your family. Ha ha!”

No wonder before coming here, his father had mentioned this commander.

He said he was a good man, but also an old fox, cunning and calculating! Spot on!

”What do you say? Do you dare take up the military order?”

Qin Jian: ”...”

It wasn’t easy getting a leave to visit his family; he was looking forward to seeing his wife as soon as the military drill concluded. It would be nice to spend some quality time at home with his parents. Could it all be lost because of a bet with the commander?

Moreover, the other division in the upcoming confrontation drill was much stronger than this one. The first battle in this new place wasn’t going to be easy.

It wasn’t that he lacked confidence, but he didn’t want to wager the hard-earned holiday he had been granted.

”What’s the matter? Don’t dare?” On regular days, Commander Lin wouldn’t dare take such a bet, but now that he had a talent like Qin Jian, he dared to do so.

Being a perennial runner-up is an unpleasant feeling. He needed to turn things around!

”I dare! But the terms must change, we can’t use this as the stake,” Qin Jian said with a sly smile, ”If I lose, I’ll treat Commander Xu to a month’s worth of Maotai liquor.”

”Yo ho! Alright!” Commander Lin clapped Qin Jian on the shoulder, ”That’s settled then.”

Three days later, the confrontation drill officially began.