I returned to my hometown adorned with military medals, and the whole city erupted in celebration.

Chapter 25: Good News from Li Erniu's Home! A Ceremony for a Hero's Glorious Homecoming is

"Whoosh—!!"

The applause erupted suddenly like a storm and lasted for a long time!

The soldiers clapped enthusiastically, their eyes filled with admiration and envy as they looked at Li Erniu and his two companions.

Second-class merit! And it's an individual second-class merit!

This is an extremely high honor in the military during peacetime!

Not to mention the exceptional promotion that came with it!

The direct promotion of a private to an officer is extremely rare in the history of the entire military region!

Li Erniu, He Chenguang, and Wang Yanbing were called to the front of the stage.

The atmosphere on the parade ground reached its climax when they received the weighty Second-Class Merit Medal and brand-new officer's shoulder insignia from Regiment Commander Kang Lei.

He Chenguang and Wang Yanbing were so excited that their faces turned red and their chests heaved violently.

Wang Yanbing even secretly pinched his thigh to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

Li Erniu appeared much calmer. He carefully pinned the medal to his chest, smoothed it with his hand, and then gave a simple, honest smile to the audience, which drew good-natured laughter and even more enthusiastic applause.

The commendation ceremony concluded with the majestic strains of military songs.

But the Iron Fist's revelry has only just begun.

That evening, the group had an extra meal, and the canteen was filled with the aroma of meat and laughter.

Li Erniu was surrounded by the crowd, who all asked him to tell them the details of "outsmarting the old fox," "carrying people off the cliff," and "sniping from the chimney." The crowd was amazed and exclaimed that they were thoroughly enjoying the story.

………………

More than a week has passed since the smoke of the exercise cleared, and life in the Iron Fist Regiment is gradually returning to its daily training routine.

Li Erniu, who had been promoted to lieutenant, had his shoulder insignia changed, but his training uniform was still somewhat faded from washing.

Right now, he's squatting next to the vegetable garden in the backyard of the cooking squad, carefully inspecting the newly sprouted bok choy.

Although he was promoted, the company had not yet had time to assign Li Erniu a corresponding position.

The only option was to let him stay in the mess hall for a while longer.

"Tsk, this soil is still a bit compacted. I'll have to loosen it up again and add some wood ash later," Li Erniu muttered to himself, picking up a small handful of soil.

"Erniu... oh no, Lieutenant Li!"

Sergeant Ma walked over carrying a winnowing basket. "You're an officer now, and you still hang around our mess hall every day. What kind of behavior is that?"

Li Erniu laughed and said, "Squad Leader Ma, what are you talking about! I'm just a cook by trade. Working in the fields and on the stove is my duty. My rank may change, but my skills can't be lost. Besides, even if I become a general in the future, I'll still be your soldier, hehehe..."

Old Ma felt a warm glow in his heart. Just as he was about to say something more, Xiao Li, the communications officer from the company headquarters, came running over like a gust of wind, his face flushed with excitement.

"Lieutenant Li! Lieutenant Li! Quickly! The regimental commander wants you to go to the regimental communications room immediately! It's a call from your hometown; it says it's your parents, and it's urgent!"

Li Erniu was taken aback. Parents?

He was naturally unfamiliar with the role of parents.

In his previous life, his parents died when he was very young.

He was raised by his grandparents.

Not long after I came of age, my grandparents also passed away due to illness.

Now that he has traveled through time, Li Erniu's parents are naturally also his parents.

However, since they had traveled from another time, they felt somewhat unfamiliar with these so-called parents.

Li Erniu dusted the dirt off his hands and stood up: "Okay, I'll be right there."

In the communications room, the telephone receiver sits on the table.

Regiment Commander Kang Lei and Instructor Gong Jian were both present, their faces bearing a smile of satisfaction and profound meaning.

"Commander, Instructor," Li Erniu saluted.

"Alright, answer the phone now, your parents are waiting." Kang Lei smiled and pointed to the phone.

Li Erniu picked up the receiver: "Feed? Dad? It's me, Erniu."

Li Erniu called out somewhat awkwardly.

The father, Li Laoshi, immediately answered the phone with his excited voice:

"Erniu! Is that Erniu? Oh my, it really is my son! My child, this is wonderful news! Absolutely wonderful news!"

"Dad, please speak slowly, what's the good news?"

"The army! The army sent a message home! Yesterday, the head of the county's armed forces department, along with the town's secretary, mayor, and a whole bunch of other leaders, drove to our village!" Li Laoshi's voice rose with excitement. "They were making a big fuss, saying... saying you've done a great service in the army! It's called... a second-class merit! Yes, an individual second-class merit!"

Li Erniu understood; it must be the military's commendation and official letter that had been sent to the local authorities.

This is a military tradition: when soldiers perform meritorious service, the glory is shared with their hometown.

"Yes, Dad, that's true. It was just a drill..." Li Erniu tried to downplay it.

"What? It's just a drill!"

The mother's voice cut off the phone, choked with emotion and boundless pride, "Erniu, my good son! The leaders said you've done a tremendous service! It's a record-breaking achievement! You've brought great honor to our Li family, our whole village, and the entire town!"

Li Laoshi's voice squeezed in again: "It's not over yet! The leader said that in a couple of days, the day after tomorrow! The county is going to organize a... a 'Hero's Glorious Homecoming' event! They'll be banging drums and gongs all the way, personally delivering that metal plaque from the army that says 'Family of Second-Class Hero,' along with a big red congratulatory notice, to our front door and nailing it up! They'll also put a big red flower on you and parade you through the streets... oh no, I mean parade! A parade through the whole town!"

Li Erniu was a little confused: "Huh? Such a... such a big fuss?"

"Absolutely!" Li Laoshi's voice was full of pride. "The town mayor said that our town hasn't produced a second-class merit award in decades! This is an honor for the whole town! The county TV station is even coming to record it!"

"Son, could you ask your superior for leave and come back for just two days? Let your parents see you properly, see our son in his military uniform, wearing his medals!"

The mother, standing nearby, said hopefully, "Erniu, will you come back? Mother... Mother misses you, and I want all the villagers to see that our Erniu has made something of himself!"

"Dad, Mom, don't worry, let me ask the leader." Li Erniu covered the microphone and looked at Kang Lei and Gong Jian.

Kang Lei had heard everything clearly and waved his hand with a smile: "Approved! Absolutely approved! Erniu, this isn't just your personal matter, it's also the glory of our Iron Fist Regiment! Let our hometown folks see what kind of heroes our Iron Fist Regiment's soldiers are! I'm giving you a week's leave so you can go back and spend some time with your parents and receive the congratulations from your hometown people!"

Gong Jian also laughed and said, "This is a great thing that will bring honor to our ancestors, we must go back. Be careful on the road, and on behalf of all the officers and soldiers of our regiment, give our regards to the people of our hometown! And also to..."

Gong Jian blushed slightly as he spoke, "And also for... for your parents, who are my... how should I address them?"

Li Erniu laughed heartily: "It's alright, Xiao Gong. Just ask my niece and your mother later, hahaha..."

Gong Jian: "..."

As he spoke, Li Erniu picked up the phone again: "Dad, Mom, the boss has approved my leave! I'll take the bus back first thing the day after tomorrow!"

"That's wonderful! That's wonderful!" On the other end of the phone, the parents were so happy they were almost incoherent. "We'll get ready right away! Slaughter the pig! Throw out a feast! Invite everyone in the village, young and old!"

After hanging up the phone, Kang Lei patted Li Erniu on the shoulder: "Go back and enjoy this honor. You deserve it. But Erniu,..."

He then changed the subject, adding with a hint of teasing, "When you get back, don't just focus on wearing that big red flower. When you see your fellow villagers, especially the young women and wives, don't forget you're still a soldier in the Iron Fist Regiment. You need to be mindful of your military image!"

Li Erniu scratched his head sheepishly: "Commander, don't worry, I'll just go back and nail down a plaque, eat a bowl of noodles my mother makes, and then I'll be back. I still need to look after those cabbages in our mess hall."

Gong Jian couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Alright, hurry back and get ready. Change into clean civilian clothes and bring your medals."

"wrong!"

Kang Lei suddenly thought of a question and frowned slightly, saying, "He Chenguang and Wang Yanbing are also recipients of the Second-Class Merit Citation. Why didn't their hometowns call? Or rather, why weren't there any of these so-called ceremonies?"

Gong Jian also realized what was happening, "Right! Should we contact their local armed forces department?"

Li Erniu quickly recalled the plot of the TV series.

Soon, the matter was clarified.

He Chenguang comes from a military family; his father, He Weibing, was a special forces soldier in the same class as Fan Tianlei.

The position is special.

Although retired, he still lives in the military compound.

For families like this, there's no need for any further ceremonies.

And what about Wang Yanbing?

My mother passed away long ago.

His father abandoned him when he was very young.

But in reality, his father did not abandon him; his father was an undercover police officer.

He followed Wen Tiankeng, who was known as one of the two special forces soldiers alongside Fan Tiankeng—Wen Changlin, the captain of the criminal investigation team of a certain province!

It was only later, when he was participating in a training camp abroad, that Wang Yanbing learned about his father's identity!

With such an undercover father, his hometown naturally wouldn't dare to hold this ceremony.

It will definitely be suppressed by those above!

Of course, Li Erniu didn't know, perhaps for this reason, how many people knew about Wang Yanbing's father's undercover identity.

But Li Erniu was certain that Fan Tianlei knew.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have recruited Wang Yanbing into the army.

Although Kang Lei is the regimental commander, at his level he is not qualified to know the details of He Chenguang and Wang Yanbing's family background.

Kang Lei waved his hand and said, "Forget it! It's not good to ask others for this kind of thing."

"You can explain it to them later."

Gong Jian nodded slightly.

………………

Upon returning to the company, Gong Jian immediately led the entire company to the company's honor room.

Inside the Hall of Honor, the lights illuminated the rows of banners, trophies, and honor rolls with an exceptionally solemn atmosphere.

Gong Jian stood at the front of the line, his face beaming with obvious pride, and his voice was louder than usual.

"Comrades, our company's Li Erniu—no, now Lieutenant Li Erniu—along with Second Lieutenants He Chenguang and Wang Yanbing, have been awarded a Second-Class Merit!"

"This is their personal glory, and even more so, it is the pride of our Sharpshooter Fourth Company and our Iron Fist Regiment! They have proven with their actions that the soldiers of our Iron Fist Regiment are capable of fighting tough battles and creating miracles!"

"Especially Comrade Li Erniu," Gong Jian continued, his tone tinged with emotion, "has not been in the army for long, but he has demonstrated extraordinary tactical skills, remarkable courage, and... well, extremely creative thinking in the exercises."

"The higher authorities have approved the local armed forces department to organize a 'Hero's Glorious Homecoming' event for Comrade Li Erniu. This is the local government's highest respect for the honor of soldiers and a great affirmation of our troops' work! Comrade Li Erniu will depart early the day after tomorrow. Everyone, please speak out your blessings now!"

"Brother Niu! Bring glory to our company!"

"Lieutenant Erniu, when you're back home going on blind dates, don't forget to mention our Iron Fist Regiment brothers!"

"Have a safe journey and bring honor to your ancestors!"

The soldiers burst into laughter and shouted their blessings, creating a lively atmosphere.

Standing in the queue, Li Erniu felt a little embarrassed by everyone's comments, but he just smiled sheepishly and nodded repeatedly.

Afterwards, Gong Jian deliberately kept He Chenguang and Wang Yanbing behind.

The three of them arrived at the old locust tree next to the company headquarters.

"Chen Guang, Yan Bing."

"The ceremony held in Erniu's hometown was quite lively. Your hometown... may not have similar arrangements for the time being due to some specific circumstances."

He carefully considered his words, his gaze lingering on the two faces.

He Chenguang remained calm, his eyes clear, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

Wang Yanbing lowered his head slightly, his toes unconsciously grinding the small stones on the ground.

"Instructor, I understand." He Chenguang spoke first. "My family situation... is a bit special. Most of my grandfather's and father's comrades-in-arms are in the military or related systems, so they don't value these formalities that much."

"Honor is more real in your heart than when it's displayed on the door."

Gong Jian nodded. Although he didn't know everything about He Chenguang's family background, he knew it was anything but simple.

This child's character has indeed been tempered very well.

He looked at Wang Yanbing: "Yanbing, what about you? Is there anything at home... that the company can help contact or coordinate?"

Wang Yanbing raised his head and forced a not-too-bad smile, but it lacked warmth.

"Instructor, I live alone. My parents... passed away a long time ago. There's no one to receive the good news, and no one to look after the plaque."

Gong Jian sighed inwardly.

He had seen Wang Yanbing's file, and the section on family circumstances was indeed heartbreakingly simple.

This child struggled to grow up like a weed, and beneath that reckless spirit lay a more sensitive sense of self-esteem and a deeper loneliness than most people.

"Yanbing," Gong Jian patted him on the shoulder, "the word 'home' sometimes isn't just about blood ties and household registration. Once you're in the army, the Iron Fist Regiment is your home, the Sharpshooter Fourth Company is your home, and we, your comrades, are your brothers!"

"Your Second-Class Merit Citation and honor will be permanently preserved in the company's Hall of Honor! All the brothers in the company are your witnesses and are proud of you! This honor is no less significant than the plaque nailed to the door!"

Wang Yanbing's body trembled slightly. He raised his head and met Gong Jian's sincere gaze, then looked at He Chenguang's encouraging eyes beside him, and his throat tightened a little.

"Instructor, I understand."

"I used to hang out on the streets, and I always felt lost and adrift. Now... it's different. I have my company, I have Chenguang, I have... Brother Niu."

Mentioning Li Erniu, a genuine smile finally appeared on his face. "That kid, making such a big fuss just to come home. When he gets back, I'll make him treat us to a feast and hand over all the local specialties he brought from his hometown!"

He Chenguang laughed as well: "Yes, we need to make him explain in detail how he convinced his parents that he was a 'third great-uncle'."

Gong Jian's smile instantly froze, and he said sternly, "Don't bring up things you don't want to talk about!"

At this moment, the messenger ran in and rushed towards Gong Jian:

"Report! Instructor, the regimental commander just called and said that you'll be taking Lieutenant Li Er... oh no! Lieutenant Li's honorable homecoming ceremony back with you. Also, Second Lieutenant He and Second Lieutenant Wang have been granted a week's leave to go back with you."

"What? You want me to lead the team?"

Gong Jian thought about his relationship with Li Erniu, and realized that his mother might also come to offer her congratulations.

At that time...

Gong Jian dared not think any further.

He Chenguang and Wang Yanbing, on the other hand, became excited when they heard that they could have a week off.

Seeing Gong Jian's nervous and embarrassed appearance made me even more excited!