CHAPTER 1918: CHAPTER 1918: A NEW YEAR 2

Lu Jiang’s nose nearly bumped into the closed door and noticed the little nurses in the corridor snickering. He coughed lightly twice, glared back with a stern face, and the little nurses skedaddled, allowing him to leisurely exit the hospital and walk toward home.

The chilly air brushed against his face, so cold it almost made him want to sniffle.

The orderly following him kept sniffing, and was startled when Lu Jiang abruptly stopped and turned around, "Comrade Lu, is there something you need?" Otherwise, why stop?

This orderly, Wang Qiao, was very young, only twenty years old. His looks were ordinary, but his eyes were sharp like electricity, making him an elite in the guard regiment.

Lu Jiang asked, "Are you catching a cold?"

"No, I just think it’s a bit cold outside, freezing, feels colder than the day it snowed." Wang Qiao replied honestly, and if blowing his nose wasn’t so improper, he would’ve done it already.

Lu Jiang glanced up at the dim sunlight on the horizon, "It’s evident, snow doesn’t feel as cold as when it thaws."

Noticing Wang Qiao dressed slightly thinner compared to other orderlies, wrapped in a patched-up, old army coat, Lu Jiang couldn’t help but frown, "Why aren’t you wearing the army coat given to you? Everyone else is."

Wang Qiao smiled sheepishly and sniffed hard, "My brother’s getting a wife by the end of the year, and the bride’s family wants an army coat. My mom sent a letter, saying it wasn’t easy for my brother to find a wife, and if delayed further he’d end up a bachelor. So I sent the army coat and my salary back home."

Right now, nothing is more fashionable than military attire, and in winter, army coats are certainly the most popular.

"You’re still young, one day you’ll need to start a family too. Keep some of your salary for yourself, don’t always think about the family. No one can guarantee how long they’ll stay in the army." Lu Jiang had heard plenty of stories where such young soldiers were mistreated by their families after discharge. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but many soldiers don’t experience such blessings and end up supporting the entire family with their salary, which is taken for granted.

Wang Qiao chuckled, "My mom said, with me away, my parents rely entirely on my brother and sister-in-law for care. As a son, it’s my duty to send the salary home. The whole family depends on this money to eat!"

Lu Jiang immediately sensed something was amiss. Is this kid just going down the same old path as others?

"How many siblings do you have?"

"Three of us, plus another brother who’s my twin. Two sisters have already started their own families. My brother is sweet-tongued and handsome, married a city girl two years ago, sooner than both my elder brother and me. That year, my mom also told me to send my army coat to him."

Lu Jiang paused, "Listen to me. There are three brothers in your family; taking care of your parents in old age should be equally shared. Send a third of your salary each month—no, reducing a large amount suddenly might cause unrest—send half. Save the rest for yourself. If your family asks why you’re not sending the entire salary home, say I ordered it, and the rest is for buying study materials."

The duty of a soldier is to obey orders, and although Wang Qiao had some doubts, he immediately obeyed.

Upon returning home, Lu Jiang found a slightly old army coat and gave it to him, patting his shoulder, "Your coat is too worn out, wear this one. Do well, and when your work here is done, I’ll find a good regiment for you to settle into."

"Thank you!" Wang Qiao beamed with a big grin.

He was just following orders at the time, never imagining that one day he’d be grateful for saving half his salary at Lu Jiang’s direction, freeing him from his parents’ control after retiring.