Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 156 Remembering the Bitter Meals and the Good Days

Before activating individual combat skills, Chen Fan can quickly learn various tactical maneuvers through martial arts skills.

But when it comes to firearms, he is powerless to do anything about them. No matter how good his posture is, he cannot hide the fact that the bullets occasionally hit the target.

Zhang Wenliang even mocked him, saying, "I thought you were really quick at learning everything, but it turns out there are things you're not quick at too!"

Chen Fan's expression remained unchanged. "I just haven't mastered the shooting skills yet, and how long have I been practicing shooting? Less than half an hour in total. If I could practice shooting every day, I would definitely shoot better than you!"

Zhang Wenliang chuckled and said, "Practicing shooting every day?"

Chen Fan nodded slightly, "Mhm."

Zhang Wenliang: "Dream on!"

Chen Fan was displeased. "If you don't want to give it, then don't. Why are you making sarcastic remarks?"

Zhang Wenliang laughed and said, "I'm not trying to make fun of you. It's just that when you're practicing shooting, although you need bullets, the basics are also very important. You haven't practiced any basics at all, yet you want to become a sharpshooter. Isn't that just wishful thinking?"

Chen Fan's eyes flickered slightly. "What basic skills?"

Zhang Wenliang pointed to the rifle on his back and said, "Pick it up."

Chen Fan immediately took out his gun and held it horizontally, but did not release the safety.

Zhang Wenliang couldn't believe this novice was so skilled. He carefully checked that the safety was on the top before starting to explain, "The basic skill of marksmanship is holding the gun. First, hold the gun without a load. If you can hold it for half an hour without moving, then hang it on bricks. Start with one brick and gradually increase to three bricks. This step is considered the beginning."

Chen Fan's eyes were full of doubt, "Entry-level?"

And what kind of spear training method is this? Are you sure it's not a traditional Chinese martial arts spear training method?

Seeing his disbelief, Zhang Wenliang sneered, "Of course it's just the basics, what else did you think it was?"

He then walked to the muzzle of the gun, took out a spent bullet casing, turned it upside down on the barrel, and said with a smile, "See this spent bullet casing? In the last step, I can hang three bricks while ensuring the spent bullet casing doesn't fall off..."

Before he could finish speaking, the spent cartridge fell to the side.

Zhang Wenliang grabbed him mid-air and shoved him in front of Chen Fan, saying, "See that? You can't even hold a brick steady, and you want to start feeding bullets before you can even hold a gun properly? Where are you going to get that many bullets to feed you?"

Chen Fan blinked and remained silent.

Zhang Wenliang patted him on the shoulder and said seriously, "Today is militia company training. It was only because Captain Xiao gave the order that you were allowed to have a good time shooting. But such opportunities are rare. After all, bullets are limited, so we can't just shoot randomly, right? So, you should practice holding the gun properly first, and then we'll talk about shooting. Understand?"

Chen Fan nodded seriously, "Understood."

Zhang Wenliang had just breathed a sigh of relief when he heard him continue, "But Captain Xiao said I could have a good fight today. Do you have any more magazines? Mine are all gone."

Forget about holding or hanging guns, let's just have some fun today.

Zhang Wenliang's lips twitched slightly as he silently took out his own magazine and handed it to him, saying, "There are only two left, so use them sparingly."

Chen Fan chuckled and took it, "Don't worry, I definitely won't ask for more after I've finished."

Then he went to the side to grind experience points.

He had just emptied 3 rifle magazines, 5 mortar shells, and 100 rounds of anti-aircraft machine gun ammunition, but failed to gain any experience points, which was a great pity.

Now that the skill has finally been activated, why not take this opportunity to farm more points?!

Zhang Wenliang glanced at Chen Fan, then walked over to Xiao Liewen, who was standing not far away, and asked in a low voice, "Uncle, is the method you mentioned for holding a gun true? Why haven't we practiced it?"

Xiao Liewen puffed on his cigarette, his eyes full of smugness. "Hmph, that's the method my old company commander used to use to train sharpshooters. You think you're qualified to use it? You'll be lucky if you don't ruin your arms!"

Zhang Wenliang was immediately stunned. He turned to look at Chen Fan, who was still firing bullets, and after a few seconds, asked, "So, do you think he can become a sharpshooter? Or do you want to ruin his arm?"

"What a mess."

Xiao Liewen muttered under his breath, "Why would I deliberately cripple him? He has already mastered the Xingyi Five Elements Saber. If I were to teach him the next step, I would teach him the Xingyi Twelve Forms and the Xingyi Spear. Once he masters the spear's power, practicing the spear will be much easier."

After a pause, he added, "Besides, even if he doesn't practice the power of the spear and only practices holding the spear, with his comprehension, he won't fail. At most, he'll just be a little slower. Maybe by the next spring training camp, he'll be able to surpass you in shooting at fixed targets."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wenliang felt the pressure and said, "Uncle, why don't you teach me how to train as a sharpshooter?"

Xiao Liewen smiled slightly, his lips curling up. "Didn't I already teach you? Go practice!" Zhang Wenliang was speechless. "Then why did you say you'd ruin your arms?"

Xiao Liewen pointed at him with exasperation, "You're such a pig-brain. I was talking about those ordinary militiamen. You've been training with me in boxing for over ten years. If you can't even hold a gun, you should go back to farming as soon as possible, so you don't embarrass me."

Then Zhang Wenliang left.

He inspected the militiamen who were conducting combat training from front to back, and found no problems. He checked the time and it was almost time. After all the personnel finished training and returned to the flat ground in front of the mountain to line up, he asked Xiao Liewen for permission and then announced that the training was over and that they should prepare for a picnic.

Chen Fan had already emptied two magazines. With the help of the skill board, he could now hit the target every time he shot from any position, and his experience points had also increased a little.

When the company assembled, he ran over and lined up.

Hearing Zhang Wenliang announce the end of training, he was somewhat surprised, "Ah, is that all?"

The training had already been disbanded, so Yang Xingxiu waved his hand, signaling him to follow. "Training is only a matter of two or three hours. Any longer and your body won't be able to take it. Besides, ammunition is limited, so we can't fire too many."

Chen Fan felt that she was subtly criticizing him.

Yang Xingxiu led him aside and together with the other female soldiers, they unloaded vegetables and grains from the supply truck.

As for the male soldiers, they were also busy setting up stoves and preparing pots and pans.

With many hands making light work, two large pots of "bitter rice" were freshly cooked in no time.

Chen Fan looked at the contents of the bamboo bowl and couldn't believe that this was what they were eating on training days.
What happened to all those vegetables and grains we just washed? Why aren't you doing anything with them?

Zhang Wenliang sat down next to him and said with a smile, "I learned how to make bowls from bamboo tubes from you. Seven or eight bamboo tubes are enough to make a bowl for everyone, saving the risk of breaking the bowls and wasting them."

He then took a sip of soup, picked up a piece of radish with two bamboo skewers, and popped it into his mouth. Looking at Chen Fan, who still wasn't moving, he whispered, "This is 'bitter memory food,' we have to eat it during every training camp. Only after eating this 'bitter memory food'..."

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Fan saw Xiao Liewen also holding a bamboo bowl, standing among the militiamen and loudly proclaiming, "Never forget the suffering of the class system, always remember the blood and tears of hatred! Eat a little now, so that you will not become a revisionist or a follower of the heavens in the future, and never eat again!"

After saying that, he started eating heartily.

Chen Fan looked down at the "bitter rice" and could only eat it along with it.

Decades later, many places still use the gimmick of eating "bitter memories meals." But what were these "bitter memories meals" back then? They were nothing more than boiled sweet potatoes, stir-fried bitter melon, and a few thin steamed buns.

This perfectly meets the "healthy eating" needs of those people.

What is the "bitter rice" of today?
The soup base is made with water, a little rice bran, radish leaves and radish chunks, and not a single drop of oil!

Although the villagers' homes rarely had fish, meat, eggs, or other delicacies, they never lacked the most basic necessities like oil and salt.

This "bitter meal" contained not a drop of oil or a spoonful of salt. The rising steam carried a strong radish smell and was both bitter and astringent, making it difficult even for these militiamen, who were used to hardship, to swallow.

But even if it tastes terrible, you have to eat it.

Everyone, including Xiao Liewen, was given a full bowl, and not a drop was allowed to be wasted.

Chen Fan closed his eyes and swallowed it whole.

Then I felt a bitter taste rising from my stomach.

Just then, Zhang Wenliang patted him on the shoulder and asked with a smile, "How are you? Can you still eat it?"

Chen Fan turned to look at him, his eyes blank. "We still have to eat 'bitter memories' meals?"

Zhang Wenliang laughed and shook his head, saying, "No, one meal of 'bitter memories' is enough."

As he spoke, he pointed to the earthen stove not far away, "We've suffered enough, now it's time to live a good life. Today I brought 10 jin of pork belly and a set of offal. Militia training can't be without nutrition. Everyone's working so hard, and we're all counting on this meal. You can cook, right? Why don't you be the cook again?"

Upon hearing that there was so much practical information, Chen Fan immediately rolled up his sleeves and stood up, saying as he walked, "I'm not bragging, but when it comes to cooking, I've never been outdone by anyone. Pork belly and offal, right?"

Then he raised his voice, "How about I make you all braised pork, which is the old folks love, and radish stew with pork offal?"

A chorus of responses erupted from all around, "Yes...!"

(End of this chapter)