Crossing the Western Tianshan Mountains

Fang Ya nodded. "That's about what I mean. So don't run around for the next few days. Take good care of yourself. I'll come see you every other day."

Ling Fengxi nodded honestly, "I understand. Life is the most important thing. Otherwise, even if the West Tianshan Tunnel is completed, I might not be able to see it. So I will stay here and receive treatment, but you don't have to visit me every other day. I can handle it here by myself."

He added, "The workers' health is in your hands."

Fang Ya really wanted to say, "Do we have to use only such official language to communicate with you?" But in the end, she just nodded slightly and said, "Okay, I understand. I will do my best to live up to the leader's instructions."

She also responded to Ling Fengxi in an official tone.

Unexpectedly, when she went out, she saw Ye Minglang standing at the door, wanting to say something to her but hesitant.

The two of them walked all the way to the outside of the inpatient department.

"Doctor Fang, Secretary Ling is actually very lonely."

He always acted like an official, never sincere in his interactions with others, only oppressive and bureaucratic. If he wasn't lonely, who would be? This was his own choice.

Fang Ya nodded, "I understand. Don't worry, I won't argue with him about this, nor will I get angry about it."

Ye Minglang still felt something was wrong, and after a long while he managed to utter, "Actually, I think it's good for you to quarrel at the beginning."

Fang Ya laughed. "That's just what you think. I'm not a little girl anymore. I like a stable and peaceful life, and I like to be around comfortable people and things."

Ye Minglang knew that he couldn't persuade her, so he lowered his head.

At this moment, they were unaware that a middle-aged woman in ethnic minority clothing was secretly peering into Ling Fengxi's ward from the doorway. Ling Fengxi was on the phone reporting on his work. "Yes, although we have encountered some difficulties, they can be solved. The project is currently progressing smoothly."

"We will definitely succeed if we cross the Western Tianshan Mountains."

The woman at the door suddenly covered her mouth and tears fell down.

Then I went to the nurse's station and asked, "Is the patient in bed 222 called Ling Fengxi?"

The nurse nodded. "Are you his family?"

"Oh, I'm his friend."

"The patient has pneumonia and myocarditis. He is quite ill and needs more rest. You can visit him, but please do not stay in the ward for too long, so as not to delay his rest and hinder his recovery."

"Yes, yes, I understand."

At this moment, a man from an ethnic minority suddenly shouted in the corridor, "Ayala, are you going to take care of your son? He is calling for Apa."

The weather at the foot of the mountain was already very warm, but the man was still wearing a thick sheepskin coat. His face was dark with a hint of red, making the whites of his eyes particularly eye-catching. He was not tall, only about 1.7 meters, but very strong. At first glance, he was the most sturdy shepherd in the mountains.

Ayala responded and returned to the ward to take care of her son.

The man added, "I'm going home. I have sheep to take care of."

Ayala came out again with a friendly face and straightened the man's clothes. "Hanati, be careful on the road. I have to take care of our son recently and can't go back to take care of you. But the naan at home is already baked, and there are also meat naan. The breasts have been squeezed and hidden in the cellar. You must take care of yourself."

Hanati wasn't impressed by Ayala's gentleness and kindness at all. He pushed her hand away impatiently and said, "You women are such a hassle. I didn't starve to death before I married you. I can take care of myself!"

Hanati said and turned away.

As soon as Ayala returned to the ward and closed the door, Ling Fengxi came out of the ward. In fact, he vaguely heard someone calling Ayala's name just now.

Although he knew that the chances of meeting Ayala again were very low, and what could he do if they did, he still couldn't help but open the door and look into the corridor.

But he didn't see Ayala, only saw a strong shepherd man who walked to the end of the corridor and turned to the elevator.

In the afternoon, Ling Fengxi received a bowl of mutton porridge in an old-fashioned teacup.

The nurse said, "Your friend brought this to you."

He hurriedly asked, "Which friend?"

The nurse shook her head. "She didn't say her name."

Ling Fengxi knew people in the county, and he was the seconded secretary of the county Forestry Management Bureau. The news of his illness had been reported by Ye Minglang a long time ago, so people from the county kept coming to visit him, but they all brought fruits or boxes of milk.

It is still rare to have food delivered.

He opened the lid of the teacup and saw the mutton porridge inside. It was made with yellow radish, shrimp skin and diced mutton. The fragrant aroma rushed out, making Ling Fengxi's stomach suddenly look forward to it. He took a bite and found it delicious, very suitable for patients like him.

So I finished the mutton porridge in one breath.

Then I fell asleep.

When he woke up again, it was already nine o'clock in the evening. He saw that the teacup on the bedside table had been taken away, but he didn't care. After a while, someone came to deliver food again. This time it was food from the hospital cafeteria. Ye Minglang paid for the meal and the cafeteria staff delivered it to the ward.

Rice, vegetables, tofu, a small piece of lamb chop, and a bowl of tomato and egg soup.

It looked unappetizing, but it was actually suitable for patients. Fortunately, Ling Fengxi was not so picky about food. After eating, he wanted to work for a while, but fell asleep again.

The doctor came and changed the medicine twice, but he didn't wake up. He didn't even notice when the needle was removed. Fang Ya called the nurse station to inquire about the situation, a little dazed.

Ye Minglang hurriedly asked, "Doctor Fang, how is Secretary Ling?"

"Nothing, he just kept sleeping. He must be really tired. I thought he wouldn't be able to sleep in the hospital and would have to walk around."

"After being in Western Tianshan for so long, how could he not be tired?" Ye Minglang said bluntly, "He is extremely tired. He has to worry about everything, big and small, in the project and the camp. And then there's the work at hand. He works until late every night and has to go to the Fourteenth Sector to keep an eye on it during the day."

Fang Ya nodded, "It's too hard."

... Wu Yongjie suddenly came out and said, "Everyone is not working hard, only he is spoiled."

Fang Ya and Ye Minglang looked at him speechlessly. He must have been jealous when he heard Fang Ya say that Ling Fengxi worked hard.

With Li Jianguo's joining, the progress of the project was accelerated. Wu Yongjie couldn't stand Fang Ya's glares and returned to the 14th site.

Two or three days later, Wu Yongjie finally received good news.

The problem of underground river water gushing has been solved, and the problem of oxygen deficiency in the sulfur slag layer has also been solved. They actually drove several oxygen piles above the tunnel to allow natural air to enter the sulfide slag layer to reduce their mutation. Along with the solution to the problem of underground river water gushing, the problem of aquifer dripping was actually solved at the same time.

Li Jianguo and Yan Zhuoyu retested the air quality inside the cavity and found it had met the standards. This meant the actual work of filling the cavity could begin.