It felt so hot, not warmth.
I was literally sweating all over.
I opened my eyes and felt something heavy were all over my body.
It was absurb that I just fall asleep on the bench in front of the base main entrance.
But the most absurb thing was that, different kind of jacket, you name it. The varsity, the bomber, shirt jacket, denim jacket and even the base blanket were all over me.
I looked left and right and saw no one was around.
But the comrade voices could be heard faintly from different places. The basketball court, the main compound, the back garden, the cafeteria and others.
It took me quite some time to be fully awake and to decide what to do with all the jackets and blanket left with me at the bench.
"How do I return these? How do I even carry this around?"
I sighed but then remembered the walkie-talkie I received from the Squad Leader. I quickly got it out off my bag.
班长... 是我, 宝儿.
Bānzhǎng... Shì wǒ, Bǎo Er.
Monitor it's me Bao Er.
Just after a few second, I was answered...
是宝儿……有什么事吗？
Shì bǎo er……yǒu shé me shì ma?
Yes Bao Er... anything?
我这里好像有点事
Wǒ zhèlǐ hǎoxiàng yǒudiǎn shì
I seem to have some matter here
你在哪里？
Nǐ zài nǎlǐ?
Where are you?
主入口处的长椅...
Zhǔ rùkǒu chǔ de cháng yǐ...
The bench at the main entrance...
收到. 马上来
Shōu dào. Mǎshàng lái
Receive. Coming over
When I saw the squad leader came running over, I smiled apologetically. I did not know how to explain the situation but as I showed him all the jackets next to me, he understood the situation right away.
He took out his walkie talkie,
谁把外套借给宝儿的，是马上过来……
Shéi bǎ wàitào jiè gěi bǎo er de, shì mǎshàng guòlái……
Who lend their jacket to Bao Er is to come over right away ...
The squad leader laughed and asked, "Did you sleep here?"
"I fall asleep..." I asnwered bashfully.
"Please don't mind us... To us sleeping is coldness...." he explained.
I laughed, "I don't mind at all.... I was just surprised at the number of jackets here..."
"If I was the one who passed by here just now, my jacket would be here as well..."
The first comrade came running, greeting the squad leader before turning to me, asking me in whisper as he took his jacket.
你醒了...
Nǐ xǐngle...
You're awake...
I nodded and said my thanks.
The next two comrades who came running did the same as the first comrade. He said something before he left too.
你吓到我了……我以为你晕倒了。
Nǐ xià dào wǒle……wǒ yǐwéi nǐ yūn dǎo le.
You scared me... I thought you fainted.
The next comrade came to claim the blanket. The squad leader slapped his head and stopped him before he left,
"Dong Er"
"Yes!"
"You bring a blanket over?"
"I am afraid Bao Er will be cold..."
"Whose blanket is it?"
"It's a new blanket. I took it from the supply room..."
"Alright. alright. You are really something.."
The owner of the last jacket, also the first person who started this jacket covering madness, did not come and the squad leader smiled.
"That shirt jacket belongs to Zhang... He went out of the base for an errand. Will return at night..."
"Oh then.. I'll return it to him later..." I replied, now thinking of the interaction that I would have to make to locate this 'Zhang' later.
"What's your plan now?" asked the squad leader before he added, "My team will go for the evening jog if you want to join... "
"Today, I may have to decline......."
"Alright. Then, see you at dinner time.."
I nodded, "See you there..."
Sleeping is Coldness.
Who in the world created that belief I wonder?
It wasnt warmth but hot passionate youth souls that I feel that evening.
Sincerely,
Precious
