Go back to the past to plant trees

Night fell, and it was time for dinner at the campsite.

Zhao Tianshan blew his whistle, gathering everyone in the horse-framed canteen.

"Today is everyone's first day on the dam. At noon, because everyone was busy with their own work, not everyone was there, and we didn't have a chance to get to know each other properly. Everyone has already met Feng Cheng, Zhao Jinquan, and Wei Fugui. There are also two people who have been in the afforestation area all day and haven't met with everyone yet."

"Huang Qiang, Zheng Erqiang."

Zhao Tianshan pointed to the two people sitting to the side, and Zheng Erqiang and Huang Qiang immediately stood up after hearing this.

Zhao Tianshan continued, "These two are in charge of the afforestation area. If you want to learn about the situation there or visit it in the future, you can contact them and have them take you there."

"You will not have any work scheduled for the next few days. You can do whatever you want. You can wander around the area and see what Saihanba is like, or you can rest at the camp. It doesn't matter."

"However, I personally suggest that everyone take some time these few days to learn how to ride a horse. Of course, if you already know how, you don't need to learn."

"The area around Bashang is vast and sparsely populated. The only way to get around is by horseback. So, for the sake of convenience, everyone should try to learn how to ride horses." This way, if you need to go down to Bashang or go to some distant places, it will be convenient, and you won't have to wait for the bureau's supply truck to come up.

Upon hearing this, Sui Zhichao immediately said, "That's good. I don't know how to do it yet. I need to learn. Captain, are you going to teach us?"

"Yes, I'll be staying at the camp for the next few days. Anyone who wants to learn to ride a horse can contact me."

“I can ride, I don’t need to learn,” Wu Yansheng said proudly, arms crossed.

"Xuemei, you don't know how yet? I'll teach you tomorrow!"

Qin Xuemei said, "When I was in school, I went out to study with my teacher for a while, and then I didn't need to study anymore."

Da Kui said, "I know it too, I don't need to learn it."

Zhao Tianshan nodded and said, "Then Shen Mengyin, Ji Xiurong, Meng Yue, Sui Zhichao, and Yan Xiangli, you guys are the ones who want to learn, right? If you have time these next few days, you can come find me and I'll teach you."

"it is good."

"Feng Cheng, is there anything you want to say?" After finishing his own business, Zhao Tianshan turned to Feng Cheng.

Feng Cheng said, "I don't have much to say, just one thing: try not to leave the dugout after dark, especially the female students. We've already set up toilets and chamber pots in the rooms, so unless absolutely necessary, please don't go out. There are wolves in the dam area, and not only wolves, but also snakes, scorpions, and other poisonous insects. In the dark, you could get hurt if you're not careful, and you might even lose your life. So for your safety, please don't go out at night."

"Section Chief Feng, you only talked to the girls, didn't you have anything to say to us boys? You're only thinking about the girls' safety," Sui Zhichao couldn't help but tease Feng Cheng after hearing this.

"You guys, just keep your snoring down when you're sleeping. If you snore too loudly, you'll attract wolves."

"Section Chief Feng, that's not right. Who snores like a wolf howling and attracts wolves?"

Shen Mengyin retorted, "You, who else could it be?"

"Heaven and earth bear witness, I never snore when I sleep. Da Kui, do you snore when you sleep?"

"Mind your own business. I'm not going to sleep in the same dungeon as you."

"Alright, that's enough for now. Let's start eating."

As he spoke, Zhao Tianshan picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.

Seeing his expression, everyone stopped talking and started eating.

Although college students should be treated to better food when they come to the dam, the conditions there are limited. We had a good lunch, so for dinner we just made a few steamed buns, some millet porridge, and some pickled vegetables.

After the meal, everyone returned to their own dugouts. Feng Cheng went out to take a shower and then also returned to his dugout.

“Feng Cheng, Shen Mengyin just came over and asked me where they take a shower. I just realized that we haven’t set up a place for them to shower,” Zhao Tianshan told Feng Cheng as soon as he returned.

"Oh dear, I didn't expect this either."

Since everyone in Bashang is male, bathing is very simple. Next to the horse shed, there is a thatched hut made from the old thatched roofs. The boys all go there to bathe. This is a newly built hut. Before it was built, Feng Cheng and Zhao Jinquan would just find a place to bathe. There were only two men, so there was nothing to be shy about.

"So what did you tell them?" Feng Cheng asked.

Zhao Tianshan said, "I told them to go to our shower area later. We'll make do for today and find another place for them to shower tomorrow."

"Then let's do it tomorrow. Let them make do with what they have today."

"What I'm thinking about is where to set up a bathhouse for them tomorrow. It's not safe to go out at night, so we can't be too far from their dugouts. But if we're too close, the bathwater will flow everywhere, and I'm afraid it will flow into the dugouts."

Feng Cheng said, "Just set one up for them next to the Majiazi canteen. The boys can have one inside, and the girls can have one outside. It will be convenient for them to take showers and boil water, as they can boil it directly in the kitchen."

Zhao Tianshan nodded: "That works too. I'll work on it with Lao Wei tomorrow."

"Okay, you guys do it. You can also ask these college students for help. How big should the bathroom be and what should it look like? Ask them for their opinions. We rough guys don't care, but they might have different requirements."

"can."

"Jin Quan, I'm done. You can go take a shower now."

Feng Cheng put down his things and patted Zhao Jinquan, who was lying on the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Oh."

Zhao Jinquan, who was staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, got up listlessly, picked up his clothes and soap, and left the dugout.

“What’s wrong with him? After eating, he was absent-minded. He stopped doing his carpentry work and just lay down on the kang (a heated brick bed) without saying a word.”

Looking at Zhao Jinquan's retreating figure, Zhao Tianshan asked Feng Cheng with some confusion.

Feng Cheng replied casually, "How would I know? Maybe he has something on his mind!"

“He’s a grown man, isn’t it normal for him to have his own worries? I see you sometimes sitting in a corner, lost in thought, not moving at all.”

"I was missing my mother and my comrades. His family is right here, so I can't possibly miss home too!"

"Who knows? Homesickness comes at different times!"

"That's true."

Zhao Tianshan thought about it for a while but still couldn't figure out why Zhao Jinquan was like this. He could only say that he was homesick.

Feng Cheng roughly guessed what it meant. Zhao Jinquan's expression was a bit off when they were at the nursery earlier today. Feng Cheng had dated before, so he understood what was going on with Zhao Jinquan's reaction.

When you get older, your hormones have nowhere to go, so it's normal to feel romantic when you suddenly see a few beautiful women.

However, Feng Cheng didn't know which one she had her eye on—Qin Xuemei or Meng Yue. But regardless, it wasn't something he could resolve in a short time. Qin Xuemei already had Wu Yansheng, her devoted admirer, by her side, and besides, Qin Xuemei was proud and ambitious; Zhao Jinquan might not be able to win her over.

As for Meng Yue, she has a boyfriend and they're still in the honeymoon phase. If she wants to break up, it will be at the end of next year.

As for his own problem, Feng Cheng was now somewhat at a loss. He didn't know what his mindset should be. He had some thoughts, but no impulse. Before the college students went to the dam, he thought a lot, but after they went to the dam, Feng Cheng felt that it was just so-so.

In the words of later netizens, Feng Cheng was just being pretentious, awkward, and despicable.