Stone Bodhisattva made it back to the barracks without a hitch, and saw the four-man team of Pot, Bowl, Pan, and Ladle just returning from training, each busy with their own stuff, waiting for dinner.
Guotai Lang saw him coming back so soon and asked curiously, "How come you're back so early? Didn't they blow the return whistle yet?"
Stone Bodhisattva grinned sheepishly and answered bluntly, "Came back to eat."
"Saving money is a good thing." Guotai Lang totally got it. When he had leave before, he hadn't splurged either, had to save up for a piece of land to settle down one day, so he quickly agreed, "Coming back early's not bad, too. Saves you from coming back late and getting stuck hauling the crap cart."
But Wan Ci Lang wasn't the saving type. He chimed in from the side while doing laundry, "Good, my ass. You finally get a chance to go out and have fun, pinching pennies now is pointless."
