Go back to the past to plant trees

On their first day on the dam, the construction team didn't start working immediately. Instead, they tidied up their living quarters and then started cooking.

"Section Chief Feng, Captain Zhao, let's have lunch here later!"

Seeing the workers busy cooking, Xu Peng extended an invitation to Feng Cheng and Zhao Tianshan.

Feng Cheng shook his head, "Captain Xu, let's skip it today. Let's do it another day. You've just arrived, and there must be a lot of things to get used to. We won't bother you today. We'll have plenty of time to spend together in the future. I'll invite you to our camp another day, and we can have a couple of drinks."

"also."

Xu Peng's invitation was merely a polite gesture. On the first day, nothing was prepared, the food was simple, and it wasn't suitable for entertaining guests.

"By the way, Captain Xu, you came up in such a hurry that you might have forgotten something. If you are missing anything, you can come to our camp and ask us. We have a lot of people there and we have most of the daily necessities. We can lend them to you first."

Xu Peng said with satisfaction, "Then thank you very much, Section Chief Feng."

Feng Cheng laughed and said, "You've come all the way to Saihanba to help us build the forest farm. We should be the ones thanking you."

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Xu Peng, Feng Cheng and Zhao Tianshan mounted their horses and headed towards the camp.

Feng Cheng and his group will not stay at the construction site. Firstly, it's not far away, only about a 20-minute ride on horseback, which is quick. Secondly, the accommodation here would be uncomfortable. Even the worst dugout is much better than a tent; at least it's spacious and not crowded.

"Feng Cheng, Jin Quan's fellow villagers are coming tomorrow. Should we let them stay at the camp or at the construction site?"

Feng Cheng thought for a moment and said, "Let's stay at the construction site. There are four girls at the camp. It will be inconvenient for them to stay there. Besides, we have to ride horses back and forth every day. There are just enough horses for the few of us. If we add them, we won't have enough horses."

Although these fellow villagers had come once before, that time was relatively short, only three or four days, and at that time Feng Cheng and his group were all in the camp, mostly boys, so even if someone had ideas, they wouldn't dare to do anything reckless.

But this time is different. Feng Cheng and the other boys have all gone to the construction site. If these people are asked to stay here, and someone stays at the camp under some pretext and causes an accident, Feng Cheng can't possibly bear that responsibility.

Don't blame Feng Cheng for thinking too badly of people. In impoverished areas, men who can't find wives are so eager to see any woman that their eyes light up. Let alone beautiful college students like Qin Xuemei. Maybe they won't cause any trouble if they move in, but Feng Cheng won't gamble on that. Gamble on human nature? Feng Cheng himself is a man, and he knows that when lust takes over, it's hard for people to control their reason.

This person may not be a bad person, but he can't control himself, which is the main reason why many accidents happen.

This is also why Feng Cheng didn't let the construction team stay at the camp. Xu Peng didn't know if he had this concern, but Feng Cheng felt that he probably did, since the construction team went everywhere and he probably encountered a lot of things.

Thinking about this, Feng Cheng felt he needed to talk to the girls about safety when he got back.

"Old Zhao, you don't need to go to the construction site tomorrow. You stay at the camp!"

Zhao Tianshan looked puzzled: "Why should I stay at the camp?"

Feng Cheng explained, "There are dozens of men here on the dam now, from the construction team and the Shaquan brigade. It's a mixed group. With so many men working here, do you think they might be thinking about women? And there just happen to be a few women on the dam. Do you think someone might have designs on them?"

"You mean they'll sneak into the camp?"

"It's better to be safe than sorry. If something like that really happens, how will we face these girls? How will we explain it to the director and the others? We'll be shot and that won't be enough."

Zhao Tianshan was silent for a while, then nodded seriously, "What you said makes sense. It's better to be safe than sorry. If there really are one or two people who are not afraid of death, and something really happens, it will be too late even if we shoot them."

"So you have to stay in the camp. You've been a soldier, you've killed people, you're very vigilant, and you're physically fit. These laborers can't easily get close to you. I feel at ease with you in the camp."

"Okay, I'll stay at the camp."

Zhao Tianshan agreed without hesitation, as this matter was indeed not to be taken lightly.

Feng Cheng said, "Next time we go down to the dam, we need to ask the bureau chief for two pistols. That Hanyang rifle is too long and inconvenient to carry. We'll be going out into the field frequently in the future, so having a pistol will be more convenient."

"Okay, I'll ask the director for permission next time I go down there."

Back at the camp, it was still early. Eating at the camp was a bit late, and if you ate too early, you'd get hungry early too. It wasn't even bedtime yet, and you were already hungry.

Feng Cheng and Zhao Tianshan went back to their dugout to rest for a while, then spread out the construction blueprints for the forest farm. It was a very simple plan, and the office building was the old-fashioned kind with corridors and classrooms, nothing special.

After looking at it, Feng Cheng closed the planning map and put it away.

"Brother Feng, do you have time to help me move this dressing table to the girls' dormitory?"

Just as Feng Cheng finished putting his things down, Sui Zhichao ran in. Seeing Feng Cheng there, he quickly spoke to him.

Feng Cheng laughed, "What, your Shen Mengyin is willing to take your things now?"

The dressing table was finished the night before last. Yesterday, Sui Zhichao went to Shen Mengyin to present it to her like a treasure, thinking that Shen Mengyin would happily accept it. However, Shen Mengyin refused directly, saying that the item was too valuable and she couldn't accept it. Sui Zhichao was so anxious that he scratched his head and cheeks. Later, he even said that he would sell it to Shen Mengyin for two yuan, but Shen Mengyin still didn't want it, saying that she didn't have any money.

Sui Zhichao was very disappointed that he couldn't send out the things he had worked so hard to make, and he was sullen all day.

Sui Zhichao said, "It was given out, but not to Shen Mengyin, it was given to Ji Xiurong. She said she was getting married, so I said this thing would be perfect for home use. I told her to take it over and use it. If she likes it, she can give me two yuan and I'll sell it to her. If she doesn't want it, she can return it to me."

Feng Cheng laughed and said, "Not bad, you've learned to take a roundabout approach."

"That's right, this is a method I came up with with great difficulty. It's also fortunate that Ji Xiurong is getting married, otherwise I wouldn't know what to do with this thing."

Feng Cheng said, "What does this have to do with whether they get married or not? They just want to match you up with Shen Mengyin. Otherwise, do you think they would care about this thing? You said you were going to give it to Shen Mengyin. Why would they want something like this? You have to remember this favor."

"Oh, I didn't even think of that until you mentioned it. Looks like I'll have to owe you this favor."

"Alright, hurry up and move it, otherwise people will give up if they wait too long."

"Oh, right, move over there quickly."

As Sui Zhichao spoke, he and Feng Cheng carefully moved the dressing table out of the dugout.