Chapter 68: Like Father, Like Son

At eleven o'clock that very noon, at the Southeast Military Region.

Leng Qiangguo took a special plane, transferred to a dedicated staff car, and rushed back to the military region compound.

A full eight days had passed since he went to the Iron Fist Regiment to observe the recruits' monthly examinations.

Over these eight days, Leng Qiangguo's impression of Qi Tian had undergone a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree reversal.

Upon returning to the military region today, he did not go directly to the administrative offices, but instead headed straight for the family quarters first.

He wanted to have a proper chat with his wife about Qi Tian and their daughter, Leng Qingbai.

"Dad!"

As soon as he stepped through the front door, before Leng Qiangguo could even put down his briefcase, Leng Qingbai leaped up from the living room sofa.

She ran straight over to Leng Qiangguo and asked anxiously, "I heard Uncle Jia say that you went to the Iron Fist Regiment?"

The Uncle Jia whom Leng Qingbai referred to was Leng Qiangguo's deputy, Jia Bing.

Usually, Jia Bing was extremely fond of Leng Qingbai.

Whenever Leng Qiangguo had any news, it was mostly communicated to the family through him.

Hearing this, Leng Qiangguo had no intention of hiding it and simply nodded in response.

"That's right. I made a trip to observe this batch of recruits' monthly exams, and by the way... to check out your online boyfriend."

"How is Tian-ge doing? Is he adjusting well to life in the military? Why hasn't he called me for such a long time? Could something have happened to him—"

"Silly girl, can't you let your dad come inside and have a glass of water first? I've been traveling half the day, my throat is practically parched!"

Leng Qiangguo walked into the living room with a wry smile and sat down. His wife, Zhao Xueling, happened to be on leave today.

Seeing her husband return, she very thoughtfully handed him a cup of warm water. "Qiangguo, you've had a hard journey. Sit down and rest for a bit, and we can talk about whatever is on your mind slowly."

With that, Zhao Xueling cast a slightly disgruntled glare at her daughter. "They always say that a daughter married off is like poured-out water.

Look at you—things with that rebellious punk haven't even taken shape yet, and already your heart is leaning outward. Have you even forgotten to pour water for your dad?"

"I didn't mean to. I'm just so worried about Tian-ge. He hasn't contacted me for a full forty-eight days. I even dream about him at night now."

The more Leng Qingbai spoke, the more aggrieved she felt, until finally, tears were visibly shimmering in the corners of her eyes.

Leng Qiangguo was an absolute pushover when it came to his daughter; seeing his precious daughter shed tears was the one thing he couldn't bear.

Seeing Leng Qingbai's low spirits and imminent weeping, he quickly set down his water glass, pulled his beloved daughter to sit beside him, and after a moment of thought, spoke up:

"Dad knows you care about Qi Tian, but you also know he just entered the military. The recruit training period isn't over yet, so of course he isn't allowed to contact you.

Don't worry, just wait a few more months. Once he settles down, the military will let him use a phone to report that he's safe.

As for how he's doing in the Iron Fist Regiment, rest assured, everything is fine. The kid... even became a deputy squad leader!"

Leng Qiangguo had no intention of telling his daughter that Qi Tian had entered a frontline reinforced regiment.

For one thing, he was afraid Leng Qingbai would worry about him; for another, the time wasn't right yet.

Based solely on Qi Tian's current performance, he was indeed worthy of his appreciation.

However, this did not mean that Qi Tian was qualified to step across the threshold of the Leng family.

So he simply told a white lie, praising Qi Tian a few times in front of Leng Qingbai.

"Tian-ge is a deputy squad leader now? That's wonderful! I need to go congratulate him right away. The moment he gets his phone and sees my well-wishes, he's going to be so happy!"

As soon as Leng Qiangguo finished speaking, the expression on Leng Qingbai's face instantly shifted from worry to joy.

Then, beaming with delight, she jumped up and ran skip-hop toward her room.

Mindful of previous lessons, once inside her room, Leng Qingbai even locked the door behind her.

She did this specifically to prevent her parents from overhearing the voice messages she sent to Qi Tian.

Little did she know that Qi Tian's mobile phone was currently resting quietly inside Leng Qiangguo's briefcase!

"Qiangguo, I've lived with you for most of my life. Whether what you're saying is true or false, I can tell at a glance. You were just lying to our daughter, weren't you?"

Watching Leng Qingbai happily run back to her room and lock the door, Zhao Xueling quickly sat down beside Leng Qiangguo and pursued the matter with a stern face. "Did that little punk perform poorly and just slack off in the military?

I could tell long ago that he's no good, just using sweet words to deceive a silly girl like Qingbai. I—"

"Xueling, you're right; I did lie just now!" Before Zhao Xueling could finish, Leng Qiangguo directly interrupted her.

"But I wasn't deliberately exaggerating Qi Tian's performance just to make our daughter happy. On the contrary, this kid performed exceptionally well!"

With that, Leng Qiangguo pulled Zhao Xueling back into their bedroom and recounted everything from beginning to end: his trip to the Iron Fist Regiment to observe Qi Tian's recruit monthly exams, their subsequent participation in the elite evaluations, and even the reconnaissance company selection process that began early this morning.

After listening to her husband's account, Zhao Xueling's complexion turned alternately pale and flushed.

"Qiangguo, are you sure you're not joking with me? That little punk... could really be as formidable as you say?"

Zhao Xueling swallowed hard, her tone full of disbelief.

"Enlisted for less than fifty days, holder of two Third-Class Merits, and directly assigned to a frontline reinforced regiment.

I've seen plenty of good seedlings by your side over the years, but I've never heard of any good soldier growing up this fast!"

"To be honest with you, Qi Tian's growth speed—not just you, but even Old Li of the Iron Fist Regiment, and myself as the army commander—has never heard of such a thing!"

At this point, Leng Qiangguo let out a long sigh.

His gaze subconsciously drifted toward the photograph on the opposite desk, taken when he first enlisted in his youth:

"When I was his age, I was still an ordinary soldier in the recruit company, practicing physical endurance alongside the main force.

As for the title of 'Recruit King' or receiving a Third-Class Merit citation, I wouldn't even dare to dream of it!

To speak from the bottom of my heart, in terms of talent and hard work, I fall far short of this kid.

The crucial point is that he possesses a unique charm that makes people trust and recognize him in an extremely short period of time.

I have a premonition that in the future, this kid's achievements will at least not be lower than mine.

To tell you the truth, I really am starting to consider grooming him as a successor.

Coupled with his relationship with our daughter, it would be a double blessing. We should seriously consider this match.

If Qi Tian's parents are reasonable people as well, once Qi Tian stabilizes in the frontline unit, we can arrange for both families to meet and sit down for a proper talk. Old Zhao, what do you think?"

After finishing his last sentence, Leng Qiangguo turned to look at his wife, Zhao Xueling, wanting to gauge her opinion.

"Since you've put it that way, what opinion could I possibly have?"

Zhao Xueling gave Leng Qiangguo a wry smile, stood up, and said, "If this kid is truly as outstanding as you say, and his family is decent enough, ensuring that our daughter won't suffer or be bullied after marrying him, then I won't stand in the way. Sit down and rest, I'll go whip up lunch for you two father and daughter."

With that, Zhao Xueling left the bedroom and began bustling about the kitchen in an orderly fashion.

Meanwhile, Leng Qiangguo sat on the bed, took Qi Tian's phone out of his briefcase, and without even turning it on to check the messages his daughter had sent, he placed it deep inside the bedside table next to him for safekeeping.

"Qiangguo, do not let me down.

If you can stabilize within the elite forces, or even climb a few steps higher and become a true blade of the nation, then I certainly won't object to the marriage between you and Qingbai.

But if your talent stops here and is merely a flash in the pan, then the doors of the Leng family aren't so easy to cross.

Whether we become closely related through marriage or draw a definitive line between us will depend entirely on your performance from here on out..."