I still remember the year I enlisted. At that time, it was the late 90s, and the east wind of China's reform and opening up was blowing all over the country. Like many enthusiastic young people at that time, I also signed up for the army and came to a unit of a group army in the northwest.
In my early 20s, I had just graduated from high school, and I was still confused about my future life. The army has given me a stage to realize my ideals, and I look forward to making contributions here and making a career through my own efforts.
In the autumn of that year, when the train drove into the vast Gobi Desert in the northwest, I couldn't help but be shocked by the vicissitudes of life. In the early morning of the day I joined the army, the army organized the recruits to salute the national flag, and my blood and tears in the national anthem were unsettled for a long time.
There were also two fellow villagers who enlisted in the army at the same time, one was named Liu Zhiqiang and the other was Lu Zhiyuan (both pseudonyms). The three of us are all from Xuzhou, Jiangsu, and we ate in a canteen in the army and lived in the same dormitory, so we quickly got acquainted with each other.
Lu Zhiyuan has a very outgoing personality and usually jokes with us to amuse us. Liu Zhiqiang, on the other hand, is a little more introverted and used to be the best high school student in the countryside. At that time, we all dreamed of making a difference in the army, and he often said that it was his lifelong dream to go to military school.
We trained together, we worked together, we went through a lot of hardships, and we also gained friendships. We often climb up Lishan Mountain to overlook the beautiful scenery of Zhiyang Lake. Youth flowed rapidly in the company, we were all proud of where we were, and life seemed to be endowed with sublime meaning.
If it weren't for a tragic incident that happened later, maybe the three of us would still be fighting side by side and continuing our military journey.
Lu Zhiyuan is a person who advocates material things and attaches great importance to money. He often compares the outfits of some people around him, and feels that his conditions are too poor.
I especially envy those rich second generations who drive coupes and wear famous brands.
I remember one time, he pointed to the watch and leather shoes of a certain celebrity who participated in an event on TV and said to us: "Dude, with his little ability, how can he have the dignity of our military uniform?
At that time, I advised him to have a sense of the overall situation of uniting comrades and to contribute to the defense of the family and the country, instead of thinking about how to make a fortune. He didn't take it to heart, just smiled.
Later, Lu Zhiyuan began to instigate Liu Zhiqiang, suggesting that he take advantage of our duty to steal some things. At first, Liu Zhiqiang was very resistant, but Lu Zhiyuan poured him a lot of soup - saying that there were a lot of things in the army, and no one would pay attention to stealing a little; If you work hard, you should also subsidize yourself; Then use the money to buy some good things, meet family and friends to save face, and so on.
I don't know what happened to Lu Zhiyuan, and finally made Liu Zhiqiang's heart move. They started petty theft, spending the money they had sold on leather shoes and watches. When they returned home during the Spring Festival, both of them went to their hometown with "trophies" and bragged everywhere about how good they were as soldiers.
Paper can't hold fire. The stolen military license plate was soon discovered, and the entire army was looking for the culprit. At first, I had no suspicion that it would be Lu Zhiyuan and Liu Zhiqiang's work, until one day, the comrades of the guard company notified all the soldiers to go to the finance office to have their fingerprints checked.
I was surprised to find that Lu Zhiyuan and Liu Zhiqiang's faces were very ugly. Especially Liu Zhiqiang, his face was pale, his hands and feet were weak, and he almost fell. I vaguely guessed that the loss of the license plate was probably due to the two of them.
Sure enough, a few days later, in the early morning, I heard someone from the propaganda team use a loudspeaker to report that the license plate stolen by the troops was stolen and sold by Liu and Lu. They have already given the full truth to the organization.
When I went to visit them in the detention center, Liu Zhiqiang had already lost a lot of weight and his face was full of sadness. He sat in the corner decadently, like a lost soul. Lu Zhiyuan's eyes were also dull, and he didn't want to say a word.
I advised them to cheer themselves up and take the initiative to confess their crimes, and the organization would deal with them leniently.
In the end, the result was still very severe, they were expelled from the army, demoted to soldiers, and had to be sent to labor re-education for two and a half years. Liu Zhiqiang's dream of applying for a military academy and joining the party was shattered.
I'm sure it hit them particularly hard because they could have had a good future.
After being arrested, Liu Zhiqiang and Lu Zhiyuan wrote a long, long letter of repentance to their families. The letter reveals their inner pain and remorse.
Mr. Liu wrote that he was immensely ashamed of his actions. At the beginning, he just couldn't see Lu Zhiyuan's provocation, and he was instilled with many wrong ideas and lost the direction of his life, so he would do such illegal things.
Now everything has changed, and the bright future and dreams have come to naught. In this life, he can never start over, and can only spend it in remorse. He blamed himself fiercely in his heart, if only he could wake up sooner.
Lu Zhiyuan also confessed the weakness of his character in the letter. He admits that since he was a child, he has loved to compare prices and show off, and he likes the satisfaction of vanity. After coming to the army, he was even more disgusted with the superiority of others over himself.
That's why he instigated Liu Zhiqiang to do illegal things with him. Now that he has suffered so much, he has learned from the pain and truly understands how terrible the consequences of pursuing vanity are.
As a comrade-in-arms, I was also caught off guard by the development of events. I could have realized the problem earlier, helped or stopped it, but I regret that I couldn't fix the situation.
This incident also taught me a deep feeling, and I myself am young and vigorous, and it is likely that there will be deviations. Therefore, each of us must always be vigilant and stick to the bottom line of life.
I believe the impact on all of us will be long-lasting. It makes everyone realize the dangers of vanity, and understands that breaking the law must be punished severely. It also warns us to abide by the law and work hard to be honest.
Later, when I was discharged from the army and went home, I didn't hear anything from Liu Zhiqiang and Lu Zhiyuan. I wonder if they will be able to get back on track after they get out of prison. It's been more than 10 years, but I still can't forget it.
It has become a profound lesson in my life, and it will always remind me not to forget my original intention and keep my mission in mind. I think what young people need most is the nurturing of positive energy and good values.
First of all, we must have the attitude of facing life squarely and not living hypocritically. In order to show themselves, many people often create a sense of utilitarianism and an aura of vanity through improper means.
As everyone knows, vanity is the seed that leads to destruction, and it will cost us dearly. Therefore, no matter what the environment is, we must maintain our own independence and integrity, and not be deceived by false decorations.
Secondly, we should know how to cherish hard-won opportunities. Liu Zhiqiang: They could have risen step by step in the army and created a better future. But they coveted a moment of vanity, and just ruined their future.
As a new generation, we should not repeat the mistakes of the past. Be grateful, work hard, and create your own life with your own hands.
Finally, I also understand that the country and the people have provided each of us with many platforms and opportunities for entrepreneurship and employment. No matter where you come from or what your family is, as long as you are willing to work hard, you will be able to change your destiny and create brilliance through your wisdom and hands.