Starting a new chapter in life

Granny Gao was in charge of serving the meals, usually a mix of rice and millet. She was a very honest person and worried that these young men wouldn't have enough to eat, so she made sure each spoonful of rice was packed full.

Zhang Jingyan was in charge of serving the vegetarian dishes. There were only two vegetarian dishes; the soldiers would choose one, and she would scoop a spoonful onto the rice in their lunchboxes. Although she didn't intentionally add or subtract more, the portions were always very generous.

Chunlai was in charge of two meat dishes, which were served in a flat ladle. Some of the more lively soldiers would talk to Chunlai and ask her to give them more, but Chunlai wouldn't respond and would absolutely not give them more than they were entitled to, even if they were good-looking.

Aunt Xing was in charge of serving the soup. She would just hand over the enamel mugs to everyone; there was only one bowl of soup, no choice.

After checking the dishes for each soldier who had received their meal, Sister Liu calculated the money and food coupons, and collected the cash. Everyone had been working together for quite some time, so they were all very quick. Before long, the construction soldiers had all received their meals. They found a table in the mess hall, sat down, and started slurping their food.

The group breathed a sigh of relief; the busiest time was finally over, and they would be able to eat in another half hour.

Just then, a few soldiers came in from the door, chatting and laughing. One of them, who looked to be in his thirties, got to Zhang Jingyan's table for food and said with a smile, "Little Zhang, how old are you this year? Are you engaged?"

Zhang Jingyan frowned: "Comrade, which dish would you like?"

The man pointed to one at random and continued, "If you're not engaged, would you be interested in joining the army?"

Zhang Jingyan frowned as she watched him remain by her window and said, "Comrade, we're not a good match."

The man paused for a moment upon hearing this, then smiled helplessly: "It's not me, it's not me. I just thought you were good-looking with thick eyebrows and big eyes, so I wanted to ask about your situation. There are quite a few handsome young men in our unit who are not married, and I was thinking of setting you up. Are you interested?"

“Comrade, as far as I know, you’re only staying here for three to five years. Even if I’m interested, how can you introduce me to someone who can accompany you to the military?” Zhang Jingyan’s tone was far from gentle.

She looked up at the three or four people behind him and said, "There are still people behind us who need to get food."

The man showed no sign of being annoyed; instead, he laughed heartily, "This little firecracker has a temper, not bad, not bad." He then moved on to the next window. Zhang Jingyan breathed a sigh of relief and continued getting her food.

As the number of soldiers eating in the mess hall gradually decreased, it was finally their turn to eat. The group, having filled their lunchboxes and collected their food, chose a table and sat down. Granny Gao, watching Zhang Jingyan shovel her food into her mouth, spoke calmly:

"Xiao Zhang, the guy you were talking to just now is Battalion Commander Gao, who is in charge of mapping in our legion. Hmm, he shouldn't have any bad intentions. He's in charge of technicians, and they're all unmarried young men. I guess he's trying to set them up."

Zhang Jingyan paused, her chopsticks still holding food, and said, "Auntie, you're only staying here for a few years. Even if I wanted to find someone to join the army, those who can accompany me are usually battalion commanders. I don't have that kind of ambition."

But if I can't go with the troops, what will I do after they withdraw? Will I stay here and wait, or go live alone with my in-laws in another city? No matter what I choose, it's not a good option.

Granny Gao sighed, "Yes, you and Chunlai are both good kids. If only we could settle here, you two would definitely be able to become military dependents. But when the troops leave, your future is indeed a problem. Sigh!"

Battalion Commander Gao returned to the unit's office area and said to a soldier who was not very tall but had delicate features, "Little He, you have good taste. That Zhang in the mess hall is really good-looking. He has almond-shaped eyes, a full moon face, thick eyebrows, and is tall. He looks like he has good fortune."

I also sounded out the possibility, and the young comrade seemed to think that since we were only staying here for three to five years and couldn't join the army, we probably weren't considering looking for someone within the regiment.

Xiao He, whose full name is He Zhijun, is one of the most valued technicians under Battalion Commander Gao. He is very good at drawing. Upon hearing this, he asked, "Battalion Commander, do you know where we are going next?"

Upon hearing this, Battalion Commander Gao became interested: "What, you haven't given up yet? Do you have any solutions?"

He Zhijun scratched his head and laughed, "If our next destination is also near a town, she can come with the army. I can find a place to settle her in a village near the army base. We need her to help out in the canteen here, but there aren't enough people in canteens in other places either. It's better to use familiar faces than unfamiliar ones."

Battalion Commander Gao smiled and tapped him: "You're really sharp. Alright, I'll try to find out. As long as it doesn't involve classified information, we can still find out."

He Zhijun smiled and said, "Thank you so much, Battalion Commander Gao. If I ever get married, I'll definitely toast you properly."

Zhang Jingyan thought the matter was over and didn't take it to heart.

Time passed slowly, and the autumn harvest was just around the corner. Every autumn harvest, the villagers worked from dawn till dusk, and everyone was exhausted. During this time, the army would also send some people to nearby villages to help with the harvest, so the canteen food was plentiful and juicy.

Zhang Jingyan and Peng Chunlai discussed with Chef Lin about getting two meals from the cafeteria to take home each day as an extra treat. Chef Lin readily agreed, since they had already paid for the meals, and making more would be no trouble at all.

From then on, throughout the autumn harvest, Jinghuan's meals were consistently good. In the morning, she would make a mixed flour pancake, cook mixed grain porridge, or eat sweet potatoes, and occasionally boil an egg to supplement her nutrition. For lunch and dinner, her younger sister would bring back food, and she would occasionally cook some mixed grain rice to supplement her staple food. After the autumn harvest, Jinghuan was not as thin and dark as in previous years; instead, she was a bit chubby and dark-skinned. Hmm, it seems that she was indeed not lacking in nutrition.

After the autumn harvest, the village organized the able-bodied men to deliver the grain to the county. All they had to do was plow the fields, dig up the grass roots and other debris, pile them up, dry them in the sun, and then burn them. The ashes could be used as fertilizer, collected and kept for future use, with nothing wasted.

With preparations for the coming year completed, it was time to distribute the grain. Jinghuan carried about seven or eight centimeters of grain each day during the autumn harvest. The amount of grain distributed was about enough for the two of them to eat sparingly, not to mention that Jingyan ate in the canteen most of the time.

The villagers began preparing for the winter. They divided the leftover wheat straw from harvesting the grain, and each household took it back and piled it high in the corner of their yard, which looked very reassuring.

Of course, these are not enough to get through the winter. When there is time, people will go up the mountain to gather some dead branches or cut some low branches to drag home and dry them. No one dares to cut down the trees. They all belong to the collective. Private logging is a fundamental mistake, and it is not unjust for them to be criticized.

Jinghuan also went into the mountains with the villagers. They would bundle up any tree branches they could find and carry them back. They would also pick hazelnuts, mushrooms, and other mountain produce they saw and put them in their baskets. In short, they had a harvest every day.

The mountains here are all low hills, covering a considerable area, but none of them are very high. The forest is relatively safe, and as long as you don't go out on your own, your safety is quite guaranteed.

Jingyan's canteen was still busy. Winters in the north are long, with the first snow usually falling around the end of October or the beginning of November. After that, winter sets in quickly and the ice doesn't thaw until March or April of the following year. Taking advantage of the current weather, the troops are also working hard on their mission projects.

In mid-November, the village loudspeaker blared, and the village chief's voice came through: "Coal has arrived. It will be distributed to each household, two tons per household. Get your money ready. No tickets needed, just 20 yuan. Pay and collect your coal. We only have it for the next two days, so hurry up if you want to buy it. If you miss the deadline, they'll be gone, and you won't be able to buy any more."

This place isn't close to the coal-producing areas, so the coal is all transported by train. Two tons sounds like a lot, but the quantity is actually not much.

Winters in Northeast China are long and cold. In addition to cooking, you also have to keep the fire burning to maintain the indoor temperature all day. Even if you burn the two tons of coal sparingly, it will only last for three months. If you are afraid of the cold and want to burn it hot, the coal will be used up in two months, leaving you with very little.

When the villagers at home heard the broadcast, they immediately went to check if the coal storage area had been cleaned up. The small windows there were also open, all facing the roadside, so that it would be convenient to shovel the coal in directly, saving them the trouble of doing it twice.

After confirming, I hurriedly took the money, locked the door, and went to the threshing ground to queue up. It's the same place every year, so I don't need to give any further instructions. Before long, a long line formed.

Zhang Jinghuan went up the mountain with some people today. When he came back, he heard his neighbor say that she had bought coal. After finding out the price, he took the money and ran to the threshing ground. Fortunately, he led the coal truck to the roadside of his warehouse before nightfall. The coal miners helped him shovel the coal in and drove away.

Jinghuan closed the warehouse window, took the key, opened the door, went into the warehouse, locked the window from the inside, and shoveled around to examine the coal closely. The shiny black coal was good, but unfortunately, it burned too quickly and wasted more coal than the whitish coal.

However, that kind of whitish coal is not easy to ignite, so it's best to use it mixed with other coal. But this year the quality is good, so if we can save some, we can still use it mixed with other coal if the quality isn't as good next year. Unfortunately, there isn't enough this year.

When Jingyan returned home that evening, Jinghuan said, "Jingyan, the coal we bought this year has come in. It's only two tons, but the quality is really good this year. It's the bright coal. I'm afraid it will only last for two months, maybe even three months."

"Which one is it? I'll go take a look." Jing Yan said and went to the warehouse. Seeing the quality, she was happy but also worried. The fire was strong, but the amount needed was also large, and she couldn't control the fire.

Back in the main house, Jingyan said to Jinghuan, "Fourth Sister, don't worry. I'll go into the mountains to collect more firewood in a few days when I have my vacation. I'll find some strong pieces and collect them before the heavy snow closes the mountain. That should be enough to last until the snow melts."

Jinghuan nodded: "Let's go together, sister. I'm not as strong as you, but I can still help tie it up and carry it on my back."

After the two sisters discussed it, they locked the courtyard gate, washed up, and went to bed.

There wasn't much work left to do in the fields; the land had been plowed, and the whole village had begun its winter hibernation. Jinghuan got up early to make breakfast, and the two sisters ate together. After breakfast, Jingyan went to work, while Jinghuan prepared her basket and rope to continue exploring the mountains, hoping to bring back even just a few branches.

The ground in Northeast China hasn't frozen yet, so the engineers can continue working. Therefore, Jingyan and Chunlai can still come to work for a while. Once it freezes and the ground becomes too hard to dig, the troops will be able to rest. At that time, many people will go home to visit their families, leaving fewer people behind. The canteen won't need the two of them anymore. They can come back to work next year when the ground thaws.

Jingyan and Chun arrived at the canteen and started working. During a break, they talked about how good the coal quality was yesterday. Jingyan was a little worried: "This year's coal doesn't burn well. When the canteen is closed for the holidays, I'll make a few more trips to the mountains to bring back some firewood. Otherwise, I don't think it will last until spring, let alone until the thaw. Sigh!"

“Then I’ll come with you. I’m strong, and we can gather firewood together. Fourth Sister will help us,” Chunlai said.

“Your family has a lot of people, so you probably don’t have enough coal. You should also prepare more firewood yourself! How can I let you come and help me?” Jingyan was touched but didn’t want to burden her friend.

“Hey, my parents and two older brothers are taking care of things at home, so they don’t need me. It’s just the two of you sisters in your family. We’re friends, so I’ll help out as much as I can. The other day, my brother said he’d help you prepare some firewood once we’ve gathered it. Not to mention our relationship, my older brother and your second brother are friends too.”

Jing Yan smiled and said, "We'll talk about it later."

“Jingyan, although my brother is four years older than you, we grew up together and know each other very well. Would you like to be my sister-in-law?” Chunlai asked solemnly.

Jing Yan was surprised for a moment: "Did you ask your brother what he thought?"

Chunlai was a little confused: "What do you mean?"

Jingyan smiled and said, "Every time we get together, your brother's eyes always wander towards my fourth sister. My fourth sister is too oblivious to notice, but I've caught him doing it several times. You shouldn't worry about your brother; you might do something wrong with your good intentions."

Chunlai's eyes lit up immediately: "Fourth Sister? My little brother has good taste. Fourth Sister is gentle and beautiful. Apart from not being as tall as you, her personality is actually much better than yours. I never dared to make a move on Fourth Sister before."

"Ha, you didn't dare to make a move on my fourth sister, but you think I'm lacking in many ways, so you dare to make a move on me? Peng Chunlai, are you even my friend? You've hurt me so much." Jing Yan complained to her, seemingly genuinely.

Chunlai laughed and apologized, "I didn't mean that. We're just close, you know, and I don't want to break up with you. I don't think you're bad at all. My mom said that women with a bit of a temper won't get bullied. My mom has a bad temper too, haha~"

The two of them kept arguing, but their hands didn't stop either. Before long, all the vegetables were washed. The water was really cold in winter, and their hands were all red after they finished. Fortunately, it was indoors and the room was warm, otherwise it would have been even more unbearable.

Just as they finished tidying up, Sister Liu, the cashier, came in and went straight to them: "Chunlai, Jingyan, the coal mine delivered coal to the army today, the same quota as in previous years. However, many people are going home to visit their families this year, so the amount of coal used will be less. There is some left over. You two are in a good position and have priority to buy some. Would you like to buy some?"