Wheat Seedlings - Chapter 21

Mai Miao Parallel Side Story (2)

The office was quiet, save for the sound of rustling paper.

Director Yu sat composedly across the table, a cigarette pinched between two fingers. After a long pause, he finally asked, "Well?"

The documents weren't extensive—just two pages. Chen Li hadn't bothered reading the rest carefully, as they were mostly medical reports. He returned to the first page, where a photograph was attached.

It was in color.

"Also from Yinchuan. Might even be your fellow townsman," Director Yu said softly, almost whispering. "This boy... he's already matured."

"He had two episodes back in his hometown. The second time it happened, they sent him to the county hospital. The staff there suspected right away and called us. We dispatched someone immediately to bring him back and sent him straight to the military hospital."

Director Yu gave a humorless smile. "This time, fortunately, it was caught early enough."

What he meant was that this companion, from the onset of his condition until now, had never been with a man.

Not that it mattered much—as long as he hadn't been marked, it wasn't a big issue.

An Omega's constitution was highly sensitive. Once marked, their glands would undergo changes. If they were later paired with another man, not only would they fail to provide any calming effect, but their bodies would deteriorate even faster. Within a few years, they'd be worn down to nothing.

Chen Li picked up the photograph.

It was a young man. The records stated he was nineteen, but his appearance carried a childishness that didn't match his age.

He seemed terrified of the camera, shoulders hunched, eyes darting away like a small animal that had stumbled into a den of wolves—lost and wary.

This was Chen Li's first time seeing a companion. Forget whether he was good-looking or not.

All he could think was that this kid was painfully thin—small face, slender arms—as if he'd been malnourished from birth.

Just looking at him... he couldn't quite put it into words.

After a long silence, Chen Li finally said, "He's too skinny."

The military had plenty of young men from impoverished regions, but he'd never seen one look quite this pitiful.

In recent years, the state had prioritized support for the lower-middle-class peasants, implementing numerous policies. Chen Li's hometown was a grain-producing region, and he'd heard that in recent years, farmland had been redistributed, and life had improved significantly compared to before.

Director Yu looked unsurprised. "He's been alone since childhood—no father, no mother. Never got proper nutrition. He'll fill out once he's taken care of."

For some reason, those words left Chen Li feeling inexplicably unsettled.

He glanced at the photo once more before slipping it back into place and returning the file to the table.

Thinking the man was dissatisfied, Director Yu added, "Originally, he wouldn't have even made it onto our list. But the Regulatory Bureau saw that he'd already had episodes and worried that delaying would worsen his condition. They needed to find him a partner quickly, so they prioritized him here."

The difficulty of this matter could be seen in the general situation within the military. Most men, in the end, would still choose to marry a wife and live a stable life.

Those who sought companions either indulged in youthful dreams or stubbornly dragged things out until they became old bachelors no one cared about.

"Regiment Commander Chen, given your qualifications, you more than meet the spouse standards set by the Regulatory Bureau," Director Yu said matter-of-factly, not pressing the issue. "If you've made up your mind, come to me for an application form."

"At the latest, I'll have to submit the list and materials in a week. If you've made up your mind, you'd better hurry."

From Director Yu's words, whether to go to the capital or not wasn't the most urgent matter—it was the blind date.

Chen Li returned to the campus area.

In the military academy, he was somewhat of a free spirit. His weekly duties involved only a few lectures for the student soldiers, leaving the rest of his time to himself.

After so many years in the barracks, he had mastered the art of switching expressions in an instant—one moment roughhousing with the students, the next drilling them like dogs.

"On the battlefield, even dogs would be more useful than you lot!"

Under the scorching sun, Instructor Wang barked harshly at the trainees below.

Chen Li stood beside Instructor Wang, his expression stern. Even in the bright sunlight, his dark eyes remained intense. Without uttering a word, his presence was more intimidating than the instructor's.

After the training session, Instructor Wang remarked as they walked, "With no wars these years, everyone's grown lax. The youngsters nowadays are useless—nothing like how we were back then."

Instructor Wang and Chen Li had enlisted in the same batch, training together for two years before being assigned to different fronts. Decades later, the two old comrades coincidentally reunited in Shanghai.

After walking together for a while, Instructor Wang said, "I need to stop by the office—got something to discuss with the political officer. Catch you later." He gestured as if raising a glass.

Chen Li gave him a pat on the shoulder.

Lighting a cigarette, Chen Li leaned against the window, watching the construction crew at work with a bored expression, lost in thought. Just then, a voice called from below: "Brother Chen!"

A group of young men were heading to class, one of them holding a basketball.

"Wanna play?"

Chen Li took a deep drag before shouting back, "Be right down—"

The basketball court was crowded.

These guys had stamina—after a full day of training, they were already full of energy again after just a short break.

The summer afternoon was sweltering. Shirtless, the male soldiers displayed their well-defined muscles, sweating profusely under the blazing sun.

Chen Li, also bare-chested, stood apart from these untested students. His powerful torso was marked with scars of all sizes. Far from being gruesome, the scars lent him a fearsome aura, like a battle-hardened alpha wolf exuding an overwhelming masculine presence.

"Block him! Block him!"

“—Nice catch!"

Chen Li caught the ball, but just as he was about to shoot, he froze mid-motion. Seizing the opportunity, his opponent snatched the ball away.

"Great move!" The opposing team cheered.

But Chen Li seemed distracted. His gaze shifted elsewhere.

Not far from the court, a military vehicle had entered the campus.

Amid the clamor, someone suddenly asked, "Hey... do you guys smell something?"

Chen Li kept his eyes fixed on the direction the car was heading.

His sharp vision caught a glimpse of a figure behind the car window.

Dappled shadows from the trees flickered across the scene, and for a fleeting moment, their eyes seemed to meet. Then, the person in the car quickly ducked out of sight.

As the vehicle drove away, the faint scent gradually dissipated.

***

That evening, Chen Li skipped the mess hall.

He had plans with Instructor Wang—they were going out for a meal.

They sat on low stools, two bottles of erguotou opened on the table along with some snacks to go with the drinks.

In recent years, ration coupons had gradually been phased out, and private businesses had emerged in the city. It was clear that people now had extra money to spare. At this hour, quite a few folks were out drinking and chatting.

Instructor Wang filled both their cups to the brim and asked, "Director Yu talked to you?"

Chen Li responded with a simple "Mhm."

Everyone had heard the news—the organization was transferring him to the capital.

For people like them, going to the capital, even if it meant starting from the bottom as a grassroots official, still counted as a promotion. After a couple of drinks, Instructor Wang grew more talkative, his expression tinged with emotion. "Once things settle down for good, they won't need us anymore."

Chen Li had drunk quite a bit too, but he had a strong constitution and was never afraid of getting drunk.

"Better not to have war," Chen Li said, glancing at the lively scene before them. "People can live the lives they want, safe and stable."

Instructor Wang nodded but added, "From now on, the path upward will only get narrower for us. You're lucky—going to the capital. For someone like me, there's really no hope left."

He downed another full cup and raised a thumb at Chen Li. "You earned this with your life. It's worth it." They reminisced about their experiences and lives over the past few years, then called for two more bottles.

"Today, that person was delivered," Instructor Wang suddenly changed the subject as he poured the drinks.

Chen Li's expression froze.

Though neither of them said it outright, they both knew exactly who "that person" referred to.

The news had spread through the entire compound in less than half a day—even faster than the news of Chen Li's transfer to the capital.

Instructor Wang continued on his own, "I happened to be coming out of the office when I saw the military district's car parked outside the central building."

"Did you see the person?" Chen Li asked.

"No way," Instructor Wang shook his head. "A whole crowd was swarming around, not letting anyone catch even a glimpse." The memory seemed to rile him up. "Those bastards from the Supervision Bureau treat us like we're wolves to be guarded against."

"I also heard this one's being assigned to someone in our district."

Chen Li had been silent until now, but at this, he suddenly looked up. "You're applying?"

Instructor Wang immediately deflated.

"I asked. No dice—not qualified." He wiped his face in frustration. "If I hadn't injured my back during the southern support mission, I wouldn't have had to retire from the frontlines so early. Could've fought a few more years. Now I'm just... ah, forget it."

"Enough of that. Drink." Chen Li clinked cups with him and downed his in one go.

"Drink up, drink up."

The two of them walked back to the dormitory together.

Instructor Wang was a little drunk, so Chen Li slung his arm over his shoulder and decided to see him all the way to his door.

As he set him down, Instructor Wang leaned against the doorframe for a moment.

His drunken eyes stared past Chen Li into the distance as he muttered something disjointed: "...really fragrant."

***

It was past midnight by the time Chen Li returned to his own dorm.

He grabbed his basin and headed to the bathhouse.

At this hour, he was the only one there.

Cold water poured over his head as Chen Li lowered his gaze slightly.

In the dim light of the bathhouse, he pinched his nose.

Amid the steady patter of water, the faint sound of a man's low, muffled groan could barely be heard.

Chen Li stood under the showerhead, his hand between his legs.

As the speed of his stroking increased, his breathing grew heavier, tilting his head back to let the cold water wash over his face. After a few short gasps, his shoulders relaxed.

He glanced at the cloudy liquid in his palm, picked up the basin to douse himself, then walked out without another thought.

***

A/N:

Director Yu: Keep pretending. Go on.

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