Originally thought the exercise would last a week, but upon arrival found out it was a drill. It went on for over a month; Qin Weiquan from the Maritime Bureau and Qian Shiming from Customs both felt a bit homesick.
Teacher Xia, Instructor Wang, and other faculty from Binjiang Shipping College didn't miss home much, as they were not only teachers but also sailors. The Bin Xun was both a training ship and a cargo ship, and their classrooms were on the ship, engaging in shipping activities with students for at least half a year annually.
Yang Jianbo was already an active-duty officer. Working at the Armed Forces Department felt like being a "fake soldier," so participating in military exercises with so many active-duty units felt like being home, fueling his enthusiasm even more.
