Crossing the Western Tianshan Mountains

Fang Ya finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the number of patients decreasing and the workload also reduced. It was finally her turn to go down the mountain that day.

Fang Ya went to ask Ling Fengxi, "Aren't you going down the mountain?"

Her face flushed, and she vaguely wanted to ask Ling Fengxi out, but Ling Fengxi shook his head and said, "No, I'm very busy today, and I've already been to the county two days ago and got a new haircut."

Only then did Fang Ya realize that Ling Fengxi had indeed had a haircut, but she had been so busy during that period that she had not noticed it.

Thinking that he had actually left her to act alone, she suddenly felt a little lost, "You didn't even call me when you went to the county."

"Ye Minglang said he called you, but you gave it to someone else and insisted on going by yourself as the last one."

"I..." Fang Ya was so angry that tears were about to come out. If he had asked Ye Minglang to explain that even Ling Fengxi, a big leader, was going to the county, she would definitely be willing to go.

Ling Fengxi clearly didn't ask her out on purpose, but now it seems like she rejected his date and it was her fault.

Ling Fengxi advised her, "Okay, let's go to the county quickly. There are so many delicious foods in the county, such as pilaf, baked buns, and a particularly famous braised pigeon. It's very good for women to nourish their bodies and dispel cold. You must try some."

Fang Ya still felt resentful. She snorted and turned to get in the car.

Zhaosu County has a temperate continental climate, characterized by long winters and no summers, and continuous spring and autumn. Winter snow accumulation is particularly prolonged. Even in April, patches of snow still linger on both sides of the road leading from the West Tianshan Tunnel project site to the county.

Fang Ya grew up in the city. Although she had been to the countryside before, she was still shocked when she sat in the car and watched the empty fields on both sides of the road quickly receding. This place is very big and desolate, but it is also very beautiful.

Ye Minglang saw Fang Ya's confusion and bewilderment about the region in the rearview mirror, and took the initiative to explain: "The Zhaosu Grassland here is very famous, but it's not on this road. This Zhaosu Grassland is one of the four famous grasslands in my country. It is beautiful and large, and is full of cattle and sheep.

A lot of the beef and mutton we eat comes from the Zhaosu grassland.

There is also Khan Tengri Peak, a part of the snow-capped mountains, where the snow never melts year-round, and it echoes the distant grasslands, which is incredibly beautiful.”

Fang Ya looked out the car window and saw a tall mountain rising from the horizon, like a picture of a snow-capped mountain against the blue sky. She said excitedly, "That must be Khan Tengri Peak!"

Ye Minglang nodded. "It looks close, but it's actually still quite far away. Besides, Doctor Fang, our West Tianshan Tunnel is actually also on the Tianshan Mountains and is part of the Tianshan Mountains."

This sentence made Fang Ya blush. At this moment, she looked like a silly girl from the countryside, who knew nothing and needed others to explain everything to her.

Zhaosu County is not big. It is a settlement of Kazakhs and Uyghurs, as well as a multi-ethnic settlement of Han, Tajiks and other ethnic groups. Most of the buildings retain the Kazakh style. Whether it is on the doorheads, walls, or even on tablecloths and signs beside the road, there are many colorful patterns and decorations.

These patterns are all geometric patterns, floral patterns, animal patterns, etc. with very artistic painting characteristics, mainly expressing the culture and traditions of the Kazakh people.

The car had just stopped when everyone in it rushed out impatiently. Not far from the parking space, there was a horse-drawn carriage. The chestnut horses had bells tied around their necks, pulling a large flat carriage covered with a red carpet. Some of the carriages even had small red square tables.

There was an old or middle-aged Kazakh man with a goatee or a full beard on each carriage.

Fang Ya asked curiously, "What is this carriage used for? Do people still use carriages as a means of transportation?"

"Here, many people still use horse-drawn carriages as a means of transportation. However, these distinctively decorated carriages parked in the county are provided for outsiders to experience life in a carriage. You have to pay for it. A fifteen-minute ride costs thirty yuan."

Fang Ya laughed...

"This place is truly blessed by nature. It's very difficult to find such a business in other cities. To see horses, you might have to go to a circus."

Not far away, under the shade of a tree, there is an old man wearing a small white hat playing the dombra. The sound is not harsh, but from a little distance, it sounds like a voice coming from ancient stories, making people want to get closer to explore.

At this time, Fang Ya had forgotten everything about Ling Fengxi. She and the other girls who came with her gathered around the naan pit and watched Hasabalangzi quickly make patterns on the dough with simple tools, and then do a somersault to lower himself and the dough into the half-person-high oven. When they came out, the dough was already stuck to the oven wall, and Hasabalangzi's face was not burned by the fire.

The girls were curious and each bought a freshly baked hot naan to eat. It was crispy and fragrant, a kind of bread fragrance that is hard to find in big cities.

Afterwards, Fang Ya felt that everyone was dusty and dirty because they hadn't taken a shower for many days and had a bad smell on their bodies. It was too embarrassing and damaging to their image to walk in groups on the street. She suggested that everyone take a shower first and then go shopping after coming out.

This proposal was unanimously agreed upon by everyone.

Fortunately, the bathhouse was relatively modern. Fang Ya took off her clothes and put herself under the shower. It took her ten minutes to let the hot water soak her thoroughly before she let out a long sigh of relief.

It’s so warm and comfortable…

The hot water opened every pore of her body, washing away the dirt and fatigue that had accumulated over the days. She inexplicably thought of Ling Fengxi again, her face slightly flushed, and she covered her face with a wet towel, fearing that others would see her. But in fact, she was the only one in this small single shower room.

Ling Fengxi sneezed, and Wu Yongjie laughed at him, "Some woman must have missed you. It must be your wife."

Ling Fengxi glanced at him and seemed too lazy to talk to him.

Wu Yongjie was asking for trouble and continued, "Ling Fengxi, don't think I don't know that you and your wife Li Yuehe have a good relationship. It's all over the circle. But I'm not bad either. I'm also very good. Besides, I don't have children. You and Li Yuehe have never had children, right?"

Ling Fengxi finally couldn't help but expose him, "You are single now, right?"

Wu Yongjie stiffened his neck, as if he had been exposed for something shameful. "You are the bachelor! Your whole family is bachelors! When have I, Wu Yongjie, ever lacked a woman?"

Anyway, he can't be compared with Ling Fengxi in any aspect, and Wu Yongjie can't admit that he is a bachelor.

Today marks the day when all the infrastructure for digging the tunnel has been assembled on the mechanical platform. Pointing at the machinery, Wu Yongjie said, "With all the machinery complete, we now have all the necessary conditions for digging the tunnel. We just need to choose a good location and get the workers in."