Go back to the past to plant trees

Because Wu Yansheng and Feng Cheng caused a commotion at the nursery, everyone was very restrained afterwards, and they just visited the nursery briefly before heading back.

"Feng Cheng, do you want to go back?"

When the main force returned, Zhao Tianshan asked Feng Cheng a question.

Feng Cheng shook his head, "I'm not going back. The nursery needs people here. The seeds were just sown, and there are a bunch of birds watching them. If I don't keep an eye on them, the birds will eat them all."

"Okay, then I'll have Jinquan bring you some food later."

"it is good."

Zhao Tianshan went back, and Feng Cheng sat back down in the shed, his eyes fixed on the direction of the nursery.

"Director Yu, Director Qu, I've asked Lao Wei to cook. Please have something to eat before you go back."

Back at the camp, Qu He and Yu Zheng were about to leave when Zhao Tianshan quickly stopped them.

"Old Zhao, you've only been on the dam for a few days, how come you've already learned this stuff? Are you flattering the leaders?"

Yu Zhenglai was somewhat displeased.

Zhao Tianshan said seriously, "Director Yu, don't you know me? Am I that kind of person? I only thought that these college students set off early this morning and probably didn't eat much breakfast. Besides, they've been traveling for so long on the dam, they must be hungry. So I asked Jin Quan to prepare a meal for them so they could have something to eat. As for you two, Director Yu and Director Qu, I'm just doing this on the side. I can't just leave you two here without inviting you to eat. Besides, Xiao Pang has been driving for so long and will be driving for several more hours later. You two are not late, but he should at least eat something!"

Yu Zheng came to see Zhao Tianshan, and then smiled at Qu He, saying, "This old Zhao, now he speaks so eloquently, he's completely different from his straightforward self before."

“Now that you’re no longer in the army, things have to change. If you act like you’re in the military in civilian life, you’ll suffer,” Qu He said a few kind words to Zhao Tianshan, then looked at him with satisfaction and said, “That’s good, that’s good. With you like this, I feel more at ease entrusting these college students to you.”

"Old Qu, since he said so, let's eat something before we go back!"

"Row."

"Xiao Pang, have a meal first, then go back," Qu He shouted towards the truck, and then went back and forth to the horse rack with Yu Zheng.

"To be honest, I've been to Bashang more than a dozen times in the past few years, but I've never eaten here before. Every time I come in a hurry and go back in a hurry," Yu Zhenglai said with a sigh as he sat at the table in the canteen.

Qu He said, "Now that the campsite is bigger, we won't have to worry about eating on the dam anymore. If the timing isn't right, we can even sleep here for the night."

"It'll only be this year. Next year, I might have to stay in Bashang for a long time."

Although the main leaders of the Saihanba Mechanical Forest Farm have not yet been finalized, the higher authorities have almost made a decision. Yu Zheng has been working in Weichang and is very familiar with Saihanba. He is also well-acquainted with the local leaders of Weichang and Chengde, so it will be much better for him to handle the negotiations with the local authorities.

Similarly, Qu He, who had been working in Weichang, also contributed to the successful tree planting in Saihanba, and was therefore on the leadership list of the Saihanba Mechanical Forest Farm.

Both of them had heard rumors about it, but when it comes to job transfers, no one would announce it to the public until the very last moment.

After Yu Zhenglai and Qu He sat down, the college students who had just returned to their dugouts were also called to the cafeteria.

“I know everyone is tired and hungry, so I asked the kitchen to prepare some food. The food isn’t very good, so please bear with it. Conditions on the dam are quite harsh, and there’s nothing we can do to change that. We all have to overcome it.”

Before the meal was served, Zhao Tianshan said a few words, and then he turned his gaze toward Yu Zheng.

Yu Zhenglai said, "I don't have much to say about eating."

Zhao Tianshan nodded and signaled everyone to start eating.

"This food is pretty good. Did Wei Fugui make it?" Yu Zhenglai took a couple of bites and was somewhat surprised.

Zhao Tianshan said, "It was made by Zhao Jinquan. Old Wei's skills aren't that good."

Qu He said, "This Zhao Jinquan is quite the jack-of-all-trades. He can do everything. Judging from how he was at the nursery just now, he's probably quite good at seedling cultivation."

“He’s been working on the dam for two years now, so it’s normal for him to learn something. Unlike in the county town, there aren’t many things to kill time here, so he can only study.”

"That's what they say, but some people just won't take the initiative to learn. Even if you force them to learn, they won't, let alone be self-motivated."

Yu Zhenglai and Qu He both had a good impression of Zhao Jinquan, which Zhao Jinquan earned through his performance over the past two years. Otherwise, how could he have gotten a permanent position whenever there was one available in the bureau?

Qu He and Yu Zhenglai left after having dinner. It was already afternoon, and if they went any later, it would be dark when they got back.

"Captain, where is the water source on the dam? We need to fetch some water, we need to tidy up the dugout, and we just went out in the sandstorm, so we'd like to wash our faces!"

After finishing their meal and clearing the table, Shen Mengxi came over and asked, "The climate in Saihanba is dry, and as a southerner, I'm not really used to it here. My face is so dry, I just want to wet it with water."

"Oh, if you need water, there's a water tank in the kitchen. You can use that. If not, have Lao Wei fetch some. There are buckets on the dam. If you take a horse there, you can fetch several tanks at once, which is much faster than carrying them bucket by bucket."

"Really? I was just thinking that if we used too much water, there wouldn't be any left in the kitchen, and I was thinking of getting some myself," Shen Mengyin said happily, as she didn't have to get the water herself.

"Hey, we're all comrades in arms from now on, so there's no need to be so polite. If you don't understand anything or are unclear about anything, just come to me. For technical issues, ask Feng Cheng; for life-related issues, come to me. Even if you're bored, have nothing to do, and want someone to chat with, you can come to me. I'm like the political commissar in the army, in charge of all your daily chores, like eating, drinking, and using the toilet."

"Then I'll come to you if I need anything in the future. Captain, you can't be impatient," Shen Mengyin said with a smile.

Zhao Tianshan shook his head violently, "No way."

"Then you go ahead with your work, Captain. I'll go get some water and go back to tidy up my room."

"Okay, you get busy first."

"Oh, right, I forgot something," Zhao Tianshan suddenly remembered something and called out to Shen Mengyin.

"Don't go back after you've finished fetching water. I'll bring you something; it's a gift that we at the dam have prepared for you."

"A gift? There's another gift?"

"Yes, it's just a small item. We made it ourselves. It's not very good, but it's a small token of our appreciation. Wait a moment, I'll go back and get it for you."

Hearing that there would be a gift, Shen Mengyin also became somewhat expectant. Although she didn't think that men like Zhao Tianyun could prepare anything good, the fact that they had made a special effort to prepare it made her feel quite happy.

Zhao Tianshan was very fast and returned in no time.

"A pen holder, a book box, and a small box for storing small items. There are several small compartments inside. Girls tend to have a lot of odds and ends, so you can put them all in here."

Shen Mengyin's eyes lit up when she saw the pile of things Zhao Tianshan had brought over. Although the things didn't look particularly appealing, they were very practical. In an instant, Shen Mengyin figured out how to use them and what to put in them.

“These things are all made by our own employees. Their skills are not very good yet, not as good as those master craftsmen outside, but the materials used are definitely solid. And if you are not satisfied with anything, you can ask them to make some changes for you.”

"Does everyone have this?" Shen Mengyin asked, looking up.

Zhao Tianshan nodded: "Yes, but due to time constraints, only four sets have been made so far. They will be given to you girls first. The rest will be made in a while, and then the boys will be given to them."

"Thank you, Captain. I really like this," Shen Mengxi said with a smile.

"I'm glad you like it. We're just a bunch of roughnecks and we don't know what to prepare for you. I was worried you wouldn't like it."

"How could that be? Who doesn't like gifts? I like all kinds of gifts."

“I’ll help you carry it back. I’ll just take it to the entrance of your cellar. You can ask them to come out and take some. You can’t carry this thing while holding this basin of water.”

"Alright, then I'll trouble you, Captain."

"See, you're being too formal again."