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Fang Huai was the first to come out of the Squadron Department, pulling Zhao Jinchen along without letting him arrange anything, and headed forward.

Fang Hongliang, hearing the voices, quickly washed a cleaning towel, overtook them, and rushed upstairs.

By the time Fang Huai and Zhao Jinchen reached the fourth-floor conference room used by the Party and government, Squad Leader Fang's towel had turned grey on both sides and hadn't yet cleaned the tabletop completely.

Old Fang felt very awkward.

"This... you guys go ahead and sit, I'll go wring out the water and wipe it again."

But Fang Huai walked over, smiled, and said, "Squad leader, give me the towel, and you go sit."

...

The table wasn't big, with just over a dozen seats.

The old soldiers sat around it in a circle.

Conscripts and new officers sat back leaning against the wall.