A nation's industrial development begins with junior engineers.

"Teacher Shunshou, I think I understand your difficulties. By the way, are you still managing your energy and spirit in Mianzhou lately? Working overtime on construction, are you not exhausted?"

On the other end of the phone, Teacher Shunshou was clearly taken aback by the abrupt question. His anger subsided by a third, and his voice softened:

"Huh? Oh... It's alright, it's alright. My old bones can still take a break. It's just that this new place is full of things to deal with..."

"Mianzhou is a bit humid, and the food is a bit spicy, but the comrades and people here are amazing! The locals really supported the construction of the base by selling everything they owned, tightening their own belts, and giving us comrades from the Northeast the best of everything!"

"You didn't see it, but the children in our village might not have had meat for months. Yet when they bring us vegetables and grain, it's all from the bottom of their hearts... That's a deep kindness!"

Teacher Shunshou naturally opened up, his tone less anxious and more filled with complex emotions, as he talked about how the local people tightened their belts to support them, the "teachers sent by the state," during difficult times.

Jiangxia listened quietly.

In 63, although the land of northern Sichuan had emerged from the shadow of the three years of hardship, resources were still scarce. The food rations that the villagers saved from their teeth contained their hopes for the future of the country.

and so!

The people are so supportive of you, they've given you their best...

You, the "backbone" on whom so much hope is placed, still have the nerve to slack off and complain about being tired?

A peculiar emotion, a mixture of a sense of mission and the pleasure of "conscripting men," surged within Jiang Xia.

He grinned, a smile that Old Wang considered absolutely "malicious," and even let out a couple of silent "hehehe" laughs into the air.

"Please wait a moment, Teacher Shunshou!"

"Don't worry, the difficulties are temporary, and I already have a solution! Your task now is simply to rest for a little while..."

"I guarantee you're in for a lot of work right now, something big is coming! Get ready, we're in for a tough battle!"

After saying that, without waiting for a response from the other end of the phone, Jiang Xia decisively added, "Wait for my news!" and then hung up the phone with a "click".

Hahaha, serves you right for interrupting my "harmony between man and nature"!

The adorable kid, with a hint of malice, started typing on the keyboard again...

Yes, although this kid deeply admires these seniors, he still has his temper sometimes.

That's what you call lively and vibrant!

Didn't you see how the older generation emphasizes that the work of the Youth League should take into account the characteristics of young people?

……

Hearing the busy tone from the receiver, Teacher Shunshou, far away in a temporary prefabricated house in Mianzhou, held the microphone, speechless for a long time. This brat, asking all sorts of questions, and in the end just uttering these few nonsensical, unsettling yet subtly expectant words?

"That brat! He's truly... utterly unruly!" He shook his head and chuckled, his tone carrying the air of an old intellectual from the Beiyang era. "His speech is unruly, and his behavior is erratic..."

"However, he is young and impetuous, and his sharp edges are exposed. He also has a bit of a pure heart... Oh well, let's see what tricks he can come up with."

Teacher Shunshou put down the microphone, habitually tried to straighten the front of his non-existent long gown, and paced back and forth in the simple office, muttering to himself.

Before the grumbling had even faded from the air, there was a knock on the office door.

Two dark-skinned villagers carrying bamboo baskets poked their heads in, their faces beaming with simple smiles: "Teacher Xu, we've brought you some 'wild game' to try!"

As they spoke, they pulled two round, spiky things out of the bamboo basket, put them on the ground, and they rolled around twice.

Teacher Shunshou stared intently, his eyes widening instantly. Pointing at the thing, he exclaimed in surprise, "You... how could you have captured the White Immortal!"

Teacher Shunshou is from Zhejiang, but he has spent most of his life in Northeast China and has long been influenced by the local customs. Northeasterners call hedgehogs "White Immortal" and regard them as spiritual beings. They have always kept their distance from them and dare not provoke them easily.

Moreover, he was a traditionalist and would often take incense and candles to worship his grandmother, so he was especially wary of these "spirits".

The villager leading the group curled his lip upon hearing this, kicked the little creature on the ground, and said nonchalantly, "What White Immortal? This is a 'Prickly Boar'! They're everywhere on the mountain, stealing melons and eating vegetables. Catching one is just good for satisfying our cravings!"

The other nodded in agreement, adding, "The meat smells delicious!"

"Our ancestors held Diaoyu City for 36 years, even the Mongol Khans were driven to despair, and the sky didn't fall down. What are we afraid of a 'ground arch' covered in thorns? It's nothing!"

"Oh! You're still busy? Well, keep busy, I'll call you to eat later!"

The villager glanced at Teacher Shunshou's messy desk, then kicked up the white sage that was curled up on the ground, threw it into the bamboo basket, waved to Teacher Shunshou, and left.

Teacher Shunshou was speechless for a moment after being choked by these "bold words". He racked his brains to popularize the Northeast folk custom system of "fox, weasel, white, willow and ash" to his fellow villagers, and to tell them the complex legend of how Bai Daxian can bring good fortune to the house, wealth and punish evil.

But before he could even organize his thoughts, he suddenly remembered what his fellow villager had mentioned about Diaoyu City.

Yes, Diaoyu City in Hechuan...

At the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, facing the Mongol cavalry that swept across Eurasia, the people and soldiers of Sichuan and Chongqing relied on natural barriers and wisdom to hold out for 36 years, and even killed the Great Khan Möngke, creating a miracle in the history of warfare, and were hailed as "the place where God broke his whip".

The people of this land seem to have had a stubborn spirit since ancient times: they do not believe in evil, are not afraid of ghosts, and dare to bring down any seemingly powerful "gods and emperors".

Even the greatest difficulties, if you chew them up and swallow them, can still be savored with a touch of spiciness and freshness.

Teacher Shunshou suddenly felt that his complex set of rules, which he brought from beyond the Great Wall and which both revered and feared the spirits of nature, seemed somewhat... out of place in this more ancient land with a more direct philosophy of survival.

"But, it's not good to eat it..."

Sudden……

A mixture of the aroma of charred fat and a certain indescribable yet incredibly enticing meaty scent stubbornly crept in through the crack in the door.

This smell... seems to be coming from the direction of the makeshift kitchen next door?

A sense of foreboding rose in Teacher Shunshou's heart. Without bothering to explain, he rushed to the door leading to the backyard and yanked it open.

In the courtyard, by the earthen stove, a villager was skillfully using fire tongs to stir the firewood in the firebox, while on top of the stove, in an earthenware pot…

The once grayish-white, spiky "White Immortal" has now been thoroughly cleaned, its skin roasted to a golden brown and crispy, sizzling with oil, dancing in the thick broth with some potato chunks, peppers, and pickled peppers, having long since lost all its "immortal aura".

All that remains is the most primal and straightforward flavor – “the taste of meat”.

“This…this…” Teacher Shunshou pointed at the earthenware pot, his fingers trembling slightly. His folk beliefs were in turmoil, but his stomach was faithfully secreting saliva, protesting like thunder.

From Beijing to the Northeast, and then from the Northeast back to this mountain valley, he traveled tirelessly to build things. He would tell Jiangxia that he was safe and sound, but he didn't actually make much money.

This enticing aroma is as powerful as a mental storm for a body that desperately needs to replenish its energy.

Brother... this... this isn't quite right, is it? He said this, but his eyes were fixed on the snow-white tofu and brown meat chunks bubbling in the pot.

What's wrong with that! The villager ladled out a big bowl and stuffed it into his mouth, saying, "There's an old saying: 'I fear neither heaven nor earth, but I fear there's no meat in the pot!' Who cares about the white or black immortals, once it's in my stomach, it's all meat! Have a taste!"

Teacher Shunshou hesitated for a long time before finally taking the bowl. The moment the chopsticks touched, the aroma of meat filled the air. He carefully took a bite, and his eyes widened instantly: This…this meat isn't fishy at all?

Hehe, the fellow villager is so proud. First, you have to soak it in pepper water, then stir-fry it with broad bean paste—this is a method passed down from our ancestors. Back when we Sichuanese were fighting against the Qing Dynasty, we relied on this skill to make a living while fighting guerrilla warfare in the mountains!

Teacher Shunshou disregarded his manners and buried himself in his food, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

Just as he was enjoying his meal, he suddenly remembered something and asked indistinctly: "Brother, you said resisting the Qing... wasn't Diaoyu City resisting the Mongols?"

"Oh dear!" The old man slapped his thigh. "Teacher Xu is so knowledgeable! I must have mixed it up!" He scratched his head and smiled憨厚ly. "But the principle is the same—we Sichuanese are just tough as nails!"

It smells amazing! It smells fucking amazing!

The dam of faith is as fragile as paper in the face of hunger and aroma.

Teacher Shunshou swallowed hard, his last struggle suppressed by his rumbling stomach. Forget Bai Daxian, at this moment it was a rare, high-protein main course!

It is the heartfelt intention of the fellow villagers from Sichuan Province, who, despite their own limited means, went to great lengths to provide these "teachers" with additional nutrition!

"More...more soup, please!"

Teacher Shunshou, whose stomach was behaving honestly, tried to justify himself, muttering under his breath, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do... Master Bai, please be understanding, we're doing this for the sake of national development... After I finish eating, I'll definitely... I'll definitely say a few good words in my heart..."

A moment later, as he gnawed on the bone, he vaguely thought: This is probably another interpretation of "unity of knowledge and action".

Theory combined with practice, faith combined with appetite...

Just as he was feeling satisfied and almost forgot all his previous troubles, patting his slightly bulging belly, wondering if he should take the initiative to burn incense and apologize to "Great Immortal Bai" that night, and pray to catch another one tomorrow...

The phone rang...